A functional head for a fragrance container includes a housing wall section and a spring-loaded valve plate. The housing wall section has an inlet opening for admitting air into an inlet channel, an outlet opening for discharging a mixture of fragrance and air from an outlet channel, and a recess. The valve plate is biased to close the openings and is displaceable by a plunger inserted into the recess to thereby open the openings.

DE 10 2010 008 436 (corresponds to WO 2011/101384) describes this type of functional head for a fragrance container. The functional head includes an inlet opening for admitting air into an inlet channel, an outlet opening for discharging a mixture of fragrance and air from an outlet channel, and a spring-loaded valve plate. The fragrance container is a flacon. The functional head is in the form of a valve cap having the spring-loaded valve plate on its top side. The functional head (i.e., the valve cap) can be screwed on to and unscrewed from the neck of the flacon. The fragrance container with the functional head screwed on is attachable to a fragrance generator to enable delivery of fragrance.
During the attachment process of the fragrance container with the functional head to the fragrance generator, the valve plate pushes against the spring and thereby moves away from (i.e., opens) the inlet and outlet openings. As a result of the valve plate being moved away from the inlet and outlet openings, the inlet and outlet channels are enabled and connected to the fragrance generator. In turn, the fragrance generator introduces an air stream into the inlet channel and discharges the fragrance and air mixture from the outlet channel such as into a vehicle interior.
When the fragrance container with the functional head is separated from the fragrance generator, the spring pushes the valve plate towards the inlet and outlet openings. The valve thereby automatically moves toward and against (i.e., closes) the inlet and outlet openings. As a result, the inlet and outlet channels respectively associated with the inlet and outlet openings are disabled and disconnected from the exterior of the functional head. However, the inlet and outlet channels may be readily reopened upon pressure being applied to the valve plate. As such, there is a risk of liquid fragrance from the fragrance container escaping via the functional head upon an inadvertent pressure being applied to the valve plate.
DE 10 2010 008 436 addresses this risk with a protective cap for the functional head. The protective cap is placed on the functional head to prevent an inadvertent pressure from being applied to the valve plate when the fragrance container with the functional head is removed from the fragrance generator. However, the protective cap is sometimes not at hand upon removal of the fragrance container with the functional head from the fragrance generator. As a result, the user is forced to leave the fragrance container without the protective cap on the functional head. As such, when the fragrance container cannot be placed in a stable upright position, which may occur in particular when used in a vehicle, there is a risk that the valve plate may come into contact with other objects and thus experience an application of pressure causing the valve plate to enable the inlet and outlet channels. Consequently, fragrance in concentrated liquid form may escape from the fragrance container via the channels and the openings of the functional head. Since by their nature fragrances are substances having a very intense odor, unpleasant contamination of the vehicle interior may result which is removable, if at all, only with significant effort.

Functional head for a fragrance container


The present invention is a novel method and apparatus for efficiently transporting and synchronizing data between the Media Access Control (MAC) and physical communication protocol layers in a wireless communication system. An inventive method and apparatus for transporting and synchronizing to fixed-length ATM cell boundaries and for protecting against the potential misinsertion of ATM cells has been described. An inventive ATM packet format is described. The ATM packet format is used by the present invention for the transportation and synchronization of ATM cells. The ATM packets include fields that are used to detect errors occurring within each ATM cell. ATM cells are transported in exactly two TC/PHY packets, or TDUs. ATM header information is contained in the first TDU only. No ATM header information is carried by the second TDU. An entire ATM cell is discarded if an uncorrectable error is detected in the first TDU. If no uncorrectable error occurs in the first TDU, the second TDU is checked for errors. If an undetectable error exists in the second TDU, no discard action is taken. The error is noted, and both TDUs are passed through to the higher MAC communication layers. The inventive method protects against errors occurring in the ATM header because the ATM header is always carried in the first TDU. Consequently, misinsertion of ATM cells is also prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for efficiently synchronizing MAC and physical communication protocol layers of a wireless communication system.
2. Description of Related Art
As described in the commonly assigned related U.S. Pat. No. : 6,016,311, a wireless communication system facilitates two-way communication between a plurality of subscriber radio stations or subscriber units (fixed and portable) and a fixed network infrastructure. Exemplary communication systems include mobile cellular telephone systems, personal communication systems (PCS), and cordless telephones. The key objective of these wireless communication systems is to provide communication channels on demand between the plurality of subscriber units and their respective base stations in order to connect a subscriber unit user with the fixed network infrastructure (usually a wire-line system). In the wireless systems having multiple access schemes a time "frame" is used as the basic information transmission unit. Each frame is sub-divided into a plurality of time slots. Some time slots are used for control purposes and some for information transfer. Subscriber units typically communicate with a selected base station using a "duplexing" scheme thus allowing for the exchange of information in both directions of connection.
Transmissions from the base station to the subscriber unit are commonly referred to as "downlink" transmissions. Transmissions from the subscriber unit to the base station are commonly referred to as "uplink" transmissions. Depending upon the design criteria of a given system, the prior art wireless communication systems have typically used either time division duplexing (TDD) or frequency division duplexing (FDD) methods to facilitate the exchange of information between the base station and the subscriber units. Both the TDD and FDD duplexing schemes are well known in the art.
Recently, wideband or "broadband" wireless communications networks have been proposed for delivery of enhanced broadband services such as voice, data and video. The broadband wireless communication system facilitates two-way communication between a plurality of base stations and a plurality of fixed subscriber stations or Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). One exemplary broadband wireless communication system is described in the incorporated U.S. Pat. No. : 6,016,311, and is shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the exemplary broadband wireless communication system 100 includes a plurality of cells 102. Each cell 102 contains an associated cell site 104 that primarily includes a base station 106 and an active antenna array 108. Each cell 102 provides wireless connectivity between the cell's base station 106 and a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE) 110 positioned at fixed customer sites 112 throughout the coverage area of the cell 102. The users of the system 100 may include both residential and business customers. Consequently, the users of the system have different and varying usage and bandwidth requirement needs. Each cell may service several hundred or more residential and business CPEs.
The broadband wireless communication system 100 of FIG. 1 provides true "bandwidth-on-demand" to the plurality of CPEs 110. CPEs 110 request bandwidth allocations from their respective base stations 106 based upon the type and quality of services requested by the customers served by the CPEs. Different broadband services have different bandwidth and latency requirements. The type and quality of services available to the customers are variable and selectable. The amount of bandwidth dedicated to a given service is determined by the information rate and the quality of service required by that service (and also taking into account bandwidth availability and other system parameters). For example, T1-type continuous data services typically require a great deal of bandwidth having well controlled delivery latency. Until terminated, these services require constant bandwidth allocation for each frame. In contrast, certain types of data services such as Internet protocol data services (TCP/IP) are bursty, often idle (which at any one instant may require zero bandwidth), and are relatively insensitive to delay variations when active. The base station media access control ("MAC") allocates available bandwidth on a physical channel on the uplink and the downlink. Within the uplink and downlink sub-frames, the base station MAC allocates the available bandwidth between the various services depending upon the priorities and rules imposed by their quality of service ("QoS"). The MAC transports data between a MAC "layer" (information higher layers such as TCP/IP) and a "physical layer" (information on the physical channel).
Due to the wide variety of CPE service requirements, and due to the large number of CPEs serviced by any one base station, the bandwidth allocation process in a broadband wireless communication system such as that shown in FIG. 1 can become burdensome and complex. This is especially true with regard to rapidly transporting data while maintaining synchronization between the MAC and physical communication protocol layers. Base stations transport many different data types (e.g., T1 and TCP/IP) between the MAC and physical layers through the use of data protocols. One objective of a communication protocol is to efficiently transport data between the MAC and physical layers. A communication protocol must balance the need for transmitting data at maximum bandwidth at any given time against the need for maintaining synchronization between the MAC and physical layers when the data is lost during transportation.
Prior art communication protocols have been proposed for transporting data in a wireless communication system. One prior art communication protocol teaches a system for transporting MAC messages to the physical layer using variable length data packets comprising headers and payloads. A payload contains data for a MAC message data type (e.g., T1 and TCP/IP). In the prior art, a header starts at a physical layer boundary and provides the wireless communication system with information such as the length of the payload and the location of the next data packet. Typically, the communication protocol provides adequate bandwidth usage via the variable length data packets. However, this type of protocol provides poor synchronization between the MAC and physical layers because when the system loses a header the protocol overlooks all of the subsequent data until it finds the next header at the beginning of the physical layer boundary. The system then begins using data from that physical layer boundary. Thus, the variable length data packet protocol loses a relatively large amount of received data (i.e., the data received between the lost header and the next physical boundary). It is therefore an inefficient communication protocol for use in a wireless communication system.
Another prior art protocol teaches a system for transporting MAC messages using fixed length data packets. In accordance with these systems, a message always begins at a fixed position relative to the other messages. When the system loses a part of a message, the protocol only loses that one message because it can find the next message at the next fixed position. Thus, the fixed length data packet protocol provides adequate MAC to physical layer synchronization. However, the fixed length data packet protocol provides poor bandwidth usage because a fixed length data packet must be sufficiently large to accommodate the largest message from any given data type. As most messages are much smaller than the largest message, the fixed length packet protocol typically wastes a large amount of bandwidth on a regular basis.
Prior art protocols also inefficiently handle the transportation and synchronization of ATM cell data. In typical wireless communication systems, ATM header information is protected from errors using a Header Error Check (HEC) byte. Alternatively, entire ATM cells are protected against errors using either a Forward Error Correction (FEC) or CRC byte. The FEC makes the HEC redundant and thus the HEC is often removed prior to transmission. Disadvantageously, when an error is detected in these systems the entire ATM cell is discarded. This is necessary to prevent the possible misinsertion of the corrupted ATM cell into higher layers of the MAC protocol. However, the discard of entire ATM cells wastes valuable bandwidth and requires the re-transmission of ATM cell data.
Therefore, a need exists for a data transportation and synchronization method and apparatus for efficiently transporting data between the MAC and physical layers in a wireless communication system. The data transportation and synchronization method and apparatus should accommodate an arbitrarily large number of CPEs generating frequent and varying bandwidth allocation requests on the uplink of a wireless communication system. Such a data transportation and synchronization method and apparatus should be efficient in terms of the amount of bandwidth consumed by the messages exchanged between the plurality of base stations and the plurality of CPEs in both the uplink and downlink. In addition, the data transportation and synchronization method and apparatus should rapidly synchronize to the next data message when a part of a message is lost as to prevent a large loss in data. Finally, the data transportation and synchronization method should provide a mechanism for synchronization to ATM cell boundaries. The data transportation and synchronization method should also prevent the misinsertion of ATM cells into the higher MAC communication layers. The present invention provides such a data transportation and synchronization method and apparatus.

Method and apparatus for synchronization between MAC and physical layers in a wireless communication system


An apparatus for monitoring an ambient environment of a wind turbine is described. The apparatus comprises a cooling system comprising first and second heat exchangers, and a fluid circuit arranged to enable coolant to flow between the first and second heat exchangers. The apparatus further comprises a processor configured to: monitor one or more operational parameters of the cooling system; determine an efficiency of the cooling system based on the monitored one or more operational parameters; and calculate a liquid water content of the ambient environment based on the measured efficiency of the cooling system.

Wind turbines that are to be installed in cold climates make up a large proportion of the global wind turbine market, as such climates tend to have high wind resources, particularly during the winter. However, due to the low temperatures experienced in these locations during the winter, the likelihood of ice build-up on the wind turbine blades is high. The build-up of ice on the turbine blades adversely affects the power production efficiency and forces on the rotor.
Various types of de-icing (and anti-icing) systems and methods have already been implemented in cold climate wind turbines. For example, a controlled blade acceleration/deceleration to shake off the ice is sometimes utilised. De-icing systems may additionally or alternatively involve the incorporation of built-in electric heating elements within the blades, or the provision of a heating unit in the hub which distributes hot air throughout the generally hollow blade interiors.
In such active solutions, it is important to ensure that the de-icing systems are triggered at an appropriate point in time, in order to make the most efficient use of them. Many of the currently-implemented de-icing systems comprise trigger mechanisms that are activated based on the degradation of the power curve, and specifically the de-icing system is triggered or activated when the measured output power reaches a particular threshold value.
These triggering or activation mechanisms typically require a substantial build-up of ice before the decrease in output power of the wind turbine is sufficient to satisfy the necessary threshold conditions, since a large amount of ice is required to have formed in order to cause the necessary drop in output power. However, in particularly cold conditions, even after the de-icing system is activated, the subsequent removal of ice may not occur at a sufficiently fast rate to counter the re-formation of the ice on the blades.
It is against this background that the embodiments of the invention have been devised.

Apparatus and methods for monitoring the ambient environment of wind turbines


A system for applying thermal interface materials to components includes a supply of thermal interface material and a die. The die is operable for pushing against and/or removing a portion of the thermal interface material that is between the die and a corresponding one of the components. The portion of the thermal interface material is removed from the supply and applied to the corresponding one of the components.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Electrical components, such as semiconductors, integrated circuit packages, transistors, etc., typically have pre-designed temperatures at which the electrical components optimally operate. Ideally, the pre-designed temperatures approximate the temperature of the surrounding air. But the operation of electrical components generates heat. If the heat is not removed, the electrical components may then operate at temperatures significantly higher than their normal or desirable operating temperature. Such excessive temperatures may adversely affect the operating characteristics of the electrical components and the operation of the associated device.
To avoid or at least reduce the adverse operating characteristics from the heat generation, the heat should be removed, for example, by conducting the heat from the operating electrical component to a heat sink. The heat sink may then be cooled by conventional convection and/or radiation techniques. During conduction, the heat may pass from the operating electrical component to the heat sink either by direct surface contact between the electrical component and heat sink and/or by contact of the electrical component and heat sink surfaces through an intermediate medium or thermal interface material. The thermal interface material may be used to fill the gap between thermal transfer surfaces, in order to increase thermal transfer efficiency as compared to having the gap filled with air, which is a relatively poor thermal conductor.
Heat spreaders are commonly used to spread the heat from one or more heat generating components such that the heat is not concentrated in a small area when transferred to a heat sink. An integrated heat spreader (IHS) is a type of heat spreader that may be used to spread the heat generated by operation of a central processing unit (CPU) or processor die. An integrated heat spreader or lid (e.g., a lid of an integrated circuit (IC) package, etc.) is typically a thermally-conductive metal (e.g., copper, etc.) plate that rests on top of the CPU or processor die.
Heat spreaders are also commonly used (e.g., as a lid, etc.) to protect chips or board-mounted electronic components often in conjunction with a sealed package. Accordingly, a heat spreader may also be referred to herein as a lid and vice versa.
A first thermal interface material or layer(s) (referred to as TIM1) may be used between an integrated heat spreader or lid and a heat source to reduce hot spots and generally reduce the temperature of the heat generating components or device. A second thermal interface material or layer(s) (referred to as TIM2) may be used between the lid or integrated heat spreader and the heat sink to increase thermal transfer efficiency from the heat spreader to the heat sink.
For example, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary electronic device 11 having a TIM1 or first thermal interface material 15. As shown in FIG. 1, the TIM1 or thermal interface material 15 is positioned between a heat spreader or lid 19 and a heat source 21, which may comprise one or more heat generating components or devices (e.g., a CPU, die within underfill, semiconductor device, flip chip device, graphics processing unit (GPU), digital signal processor (DSP), multiprocessor system, integrated circuit, multi-core processor, etc.). A TIM2 or second thermal interface material 25 is positioned between a heat sink 29 and the heat spreader or lid 19.
By way of example, the heat source 21 may comprise a central processing unit (CPU) or processor die mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 33. The PCB 33 may be made of FR4 (flame retardant fiberglass reinforced epoxy laminates) or other suitable material. Also in this example, the heat spreader or lid 19 is an integrated heat spreader (IHS), which may comprise metal or other thermally-conductive structure. The heat spreader or lid 19 includes a perimeter ridge, flange, or sidewall portions 37. Adhesive 41 is applied to and along the perimeter ridge 37 for attaching the heat spreader or lid 19 to the PCB 33. The perimeter ridge 37 may thus protrude sufficiently downward to extend around the silicone die on the PCB 33 and thereby allow contact between the adhesive 41 on the perimeter ridge 37 and the PCB 33. Advantageously, adhesively attaching the heat spreader or lid 19 to the PCB 33 may also help stiffen the package, which is attached to the base PCB. Also shown in FIG. 1 are pin connectors 45. The heat sink 29 may generally include a base from which outwardly protrude a series of fins.


A lift harness for use in winching jet skis, boats and similar craft out from the water is described as including a pair of floatation pipes coupled to an overhead metal ring by a pair of fabric straps connecting the pipes and the ring in an "open-tent" configuration. In use, the floatation pipes in the water are manually held apart, the watercraft is guided between the pipes from behind, and the metal ring raised to a davit mechanically lifting the craft from the water in a construction where no metal parts contact the watercraft itself.

As is well known and understood, lift harnesses are oftentimes employed for raising jet skis, boats and similar craft out from the water after use. Whether done at a boatyard, at a marina, or at the shoreline where the owner of the craft docks, such typical operations utilize a winching of the craft by means of metal connectors coupling with metallic rings provided at various points along the gunwales of the craft. Because the watercraft is not generally stationary, but is bobbing along at the water's edge, however, it oftentimes happens that scratches, gouges and similar such damage is done to the craft as one attempts to couple together the connector and ring configurations.
Additionally, and because of the bobbing about of the craft in the water, analysis has shown it to be tedious and bothersome, to continue to try to stretch the connector to couple onto the ring as the craft moves this way and that way. Because of this, it is not unusual to find that this winching operation of lifting the craft from the water requires two persons to effectuate-one, to try to hold the craft in position, and the other, to try to make the mechanical coupling of the connector to the ring.

Lift harness for small watercraft deployable by one person


An instrument (12) separated from ground by a supradissipative resistance and having a surface (26) which is placed in electrical contact with a magnetic head of a disc drive assembly includes an electrically conductive receptacle (134) engaging and electrically connected proximate to the surface (26) of the instrument (12). The electrically conductive receptacle (134) is electrically coupled to ground for grounding the instrument (12) to prevent damage to the magnetic head caused by static discharge from the instrument (12).

The present invention relates to devices and instruments for use in assembling a disc drive assembly and its sub-assemblies. In particular, the present invention relates to an electrical grounding device electrically coupled to a dispenser for dispensing fluids, such as glue and epoxy, upon a surface of the disc drive assembly which is in electrical contact with a magnetic head of the assembly.
The magnetic head stores and retrieves information on a magnetic disc. Several types of magnetic heads are currently in use, including metal-in-gap (MIG) heads, thin film (TF) heads and magnetoresistive (MR) heads. Due to the continual drive to increase storage density in magnetic disc drive units, magnetic heads have become increasingly advanced and sensitive.
Typically, a magnetic head consists of a slider and a transducer. The slider carries the transducer and flies over the surface of the magnetic disc as the disc rotates. The transducer reads and/or writes to the magnetic disc. Electric signals are provided to and received from the transducer via conductors which are typically twisted wires. A glue, such as fluid epoxy, attaches wires or tacks the wires to bonding pads and sides of the slider. This tacking process, otherwise known as conformal coating, actually coats the wire where the wire is attached to the slider. As a result, the conformal coating process prevents the wires from being pulled loose and also protects the wires from corrosion.
The slider of the magnetic head is supported above the magnetic disc as part of a head/gimbal assembly. As described in Hagen U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,239, herein incorporated by reference, the head-gimbal assembly typically includes at least one support arm, a load beam, a gimbal and the magnetic head discussed above. The support arm is attached to the load beam by a well-known technique referred to as swaging or ball staking. The load arm carries the load beam. The load beam is attached, preferably by laser welding, to the gimbal. Lastly, the gimbal is preferably glued to the slider of the magnetic head by fluid epoxy or other conventional adhesive materials. Typically, the fluid, such as glue or fluid epoxy, applied to surfaces of the slider and the gimbal is dispensed onto the surface from a dispensing syringe which is positioned and controlled either manually or by an automated process.
IBM TDB vol. 37, no. 2A, February 1994, entitled "Hand tools grounding for manufacturing sensitive parts assemblies" discloses a kit for fitting to an existing small hand tool such as a commercial screwdriver with a plastic handle, the kit comprising a number of fingers extending from a central aperture through which the end of the tool is inserted. The fingers are stuck to the handle of the tool and comprise electrostatic discharge material for preventing static build-up at the end of the tool.
FR-A-2646491 discloses a suction tube for grasping and transporting semiconductor devices having a conductive insert for making an electrical connection between the end of the tool contacting the semiconductor devices and a carbon fibre body of the tool, such as to conduct away from the tool end electrostatic charge.
Neither of these disclosures are concerned with a dispenser for dispensing fluid to surfaces of a disk drive assembly. Such dispensers frequently suffer from a problem of electrostatic charge build-up at the surface of the dispenser close to the disk drive assembly.

Electrical grounding system for instruments used in assembling disc drives


A sensor arrangement for image recognition includes a plurality of optical sensor elements (R,G,B) of a first type, the sensor elements being arranged in a raster layout and responding to light in the visible wavelength range. The sensor arrangement also includes further sensor elements (IR) of a second type. The further sensor elements respond to light in the invisible wavelength range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensor arrangement for image recognition, having a plurality of optical sensor elements arranged in a raster layout and responding to light in the visible wavelength range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that a digital camera can be arranged in a motor vehicle in order to photograph an image of the driver, wherein the image of the driver photographed by the camera can be analyzed in different ways.
One possible technical application comprises connecting the camera to a video telephone in order to allow a video telephone transmission from the motor vehicle.
A further technical application comprises a fatigue detection system in which images of the driver's face are photographed during the journey, the fatigue state of the driver being derived from the frequency of blinking, for example.
Finally, the image of the driver photographed by the camera can also be used to identify the driver, in order to permit the use of the motor vehicle only by a specific person with a predetermined physiognomy, while disabling the motor vehicle for other people.
A problem arises in this context, in that precisely defined light conditions must be present for both the fatigue detection and the person identification, in order to prevent an erroneous identification due to fluctuating light conditions. Therefore, for the purpose of fatigue detection and person identification, the use of an infrared camera is known, so that exactly defined lighting conditions can be created by means of infrared spotlights.
However, this has the disadvantage that, in addition to the daylight-sensitive camera for the video telephone, an infrared camera is required for the fatigue detection and the person identification.
EP 0 605 259 A2 discloses an optical sensor arrangement as a component of a copying device, which arrangement has both sensor elements for visible light and sensor elements for infrared light. In this context, however, a halogen lamp is used to provide broadband lighting of the photograph object, the halogen lamp triggering both the sensor elements for visible light and the sensor elements for infrared light. Therefore the known sensor arrangement requires optical filters for image separation.

Sensor arrangement and control and analysis unit for image recognition of an object


Methods for characterizing living plants, wherein one or more beams of penetrating radiation such as x-rays are scanned across the plant under field conditions. Compton scatter is detected from the living plant and processed to derive characteristics of the living plant such as water content, root structure, branch structure, xylem size, fruit size, fruit shape, fruit aggregate volume, cluster size and shape, fruit maturity and an image of a part of the plant. Ground water content is measured using the same technique. Compton backscatter is used to guide a robotic gripper to grasp a portion of the plant such as for harvesting a fruit.

For the last 10,000 years, crops have been cultivated on the basis of unsystematically collected data. Now that humankind has harnessed electromagnetic radiation that penetrates vegetation, more systematic assessment of the condition of crops in vivo should have become possible, however hurdles described below have precluded their application to date.
Precision agriculture describes a management technique based on crop and soil data measured in the field as a function of position and time. The correlation of data with its position in the field over time is used to make farm management decisions that can maximize overall returns. Data collection can include information about four main areas: farm environment, soil, plants or the final crops. Much value, in terms of crop yield and quality would be attainable if there were only some way to provide specific and accurate data for a number of these key areas across a wide variety of different crops, especially in the area of specialty crops. Specialty crops include high value fruits, vegetables and nuts which are used for food or medicine which are marketed directly to customers and thus require exceptionally high esthetic quality. For these crops, a high value is placed both on accurate yield prediction as well as plant health. Early and accurate measurement of crop yields enables staging of equipment and resources for harvest, packaging and storage as well as the capability to accurately price crops. For tree and vine based specialty crops, the maintenance and health of the plant year over year is also critical. Collection of yield data and plant health year after year would enable predictive tools to be used for fertilization and watering as well as harvest planning.
Crop yield estimation is an important task in the management of a variety of agricultural crops, including fruit orchards such as apples. Fruit crops, such as apples, citrus fruits, grapes, and others, are composed of the plant, which is starch rich and relatively low density (leaves, branches, and stems), as well as the fruit, which is compact and water saturated. Current techniques for estimation rely on statistical sampling using humans to provide yield estimation, which is time-consuming, labor intensive, and inaccurate.
According to Wang, et al., "Automated Crop Yield Estimation for Apple Orchards," 13th International Symposium on Experimental Robotics (ISER 2012), which is incorporated herein by reference,                Accurate yield prediction helps growers improve fruit quality and reduce operating costs by making better decisions on the intensity of fruit thinning and size of the harvest labor force. It benefits the packing industry as well, because managers can use estimation results to optimize packing and storing capacity. Typical yield estimation is performed based on historical data, weather conditions, and workers manually counting yield of fruit, such as apples, in multiple sampling locations. This process is time-consuming and labor intensive, and the limited sample size is usually not enough to reflect the yield distribution across the orchard, especially in those with high spatial variability. Therefore, the current yield estimation practice is inaccurate and inefficient, and improving current practices would be a significant result to the industry. Ibid, p. 1.
While x-ray scattering had been observed for some time, the mechanism whereby x-ray quanta are scattered by electrons was first described by Compton, "On the Mechanism of X-Ray Scattering," Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., vol. 11, pp. 303-06 (1925), incorporated herein by reference, and has since been referred to as "Compton scattering." Prior suggestions to use x-ray backscatter in characterizing plant material have been limited to applications in which agricultural produce has already been picked and is being handled under controlled conditions. These include actual handling of food during processing, as discussed by Cruvinel et al., "Compton Scatter Tomography for Agricultural Measurements," Eng. Aric. Jaboticabal, vol. 26, pp. 151-60 (2006), and U.S. Pat. No. 7,734,012 (to Boyden et al.), both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Fruit growers desire an automated system for conducting crop yield estimates. Current techniques focus on visual imaging systems. Estimation based on the visual environment is challenging due to variable illumination, occlusion due to foliage, and multiple counts. Occlusion by foliage may result in multiple counts, based on difficulty viewing the entire crop. Visual imaging processing may advantageously also be computationally intensive.
Application of x-ray backscatter to crops that have not been harvested and that are alive in the field offers particular benefits, but would require specialized techniques not hitherto known in the art. Those specialized techniques and benefits are described in detail below, in accordance with the present invention. For purposes of the present description, plant matter shall be said to be "living" if it is consuming energy in a process of growth.

Backscatter imaging for precision agriculture


A sensing system and method utilizes measured flywheel speed variations to determine engine torque. The measured engine torque can be used to control vehicle transmissions, clutches, and other vehicle components and systems.

Various "on board" devices for measuring engine torque during vehicle operation have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,128,959 and 6,729,186 generally disclose methods of measuring speed variation of a drive line to define dynamic torsional displacement, velocity, or acceleration. U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,259 generally discloses a method of determining torque transmitted in a drivetrain of a motor vehicle. However, known engine torque measurement arrangements may suffer from various drawbacks.

Engine torque measurement for vehicle drivetrain control

The Board of Trustees of Western Michigan University


A play unit for moving at least one rolling element (14), having a considerably horizontal, changeable-inclination play surface (11) on which a rolling element (14) is guided and moves in dependence on the inclination of the play surface (11), the play unit being designed as a play table, of which the play surface (11) is mounted on a base (B) via a bearing device (F).

The present invention relates to play units that have a generally horizontal, changeable-inclination play surface on which a rolling element is guided and moves in dependence on the inclination of the play surface.
Play units of the above-described type which have wooden panels with ball running tracks milled therein are known. The play units are hand-held in order, by virtue of manual changes in inclination of the play unit out of the horizontal (in extreme cases into the vertical), for one or more balls to be moved through the ball running tracks. In a modified configuration, the play unit can be moved, as a balancing game, by the feet. These known play units are only designed for private use.
One aspect of the present invention is the provision of an improvement to play units of the type described above. In accordance with this aspect, a play table is provided that includes a generally horizontal play surface mounted on a base via a bearing device so that the play surface can be moved between a plurality of inclinations while mounted to the base. Further in accordance with this aspect, at least one rolling element is guided and moves on the play surface in dependence on the inclination of the play surface.
Since the play surface is mounted on a base via a bearing device, the base is able to bear the dead weight of the play surface. The change in inclination of the play surface, i.e. the balancing, is no longer as tiring for the user. It is possible to have larger dimensions for this robust, free-standing play unit, for example longer running tracks for the rolling element. The play unit is thus also suitable, for example, for public-access areas, for example children""s play areas in banks, department stores, airports, etc., where the play unit is prevented from being taken away by virtue of its weight, which may be increased by an additionally weighted base, and possibly, in addition, by virtue of fixed installation of the base, for example using screw-connections. The play unit may consist of wood, wood-based materials, plastic or combinations thereof. The play unit according to the invention is beneficial for the coordination, dexterity, fine motor skills and concentration of children.
The bearing device preferably bears the play surface, that is to say it absorbs the weight thereof, and preferably contains a tilting mechanism, for example with a restoring means, this making it possible, with a change in inclination of the play surface out of a starting position, for the play surface to be deflected in a certain solid-angle range, for example through 30xc2x0 from the starting position, depending on the application of force. For this purpose, the bearing device may have, for example, a spring, which can be subjected to bending stress and, at the same time, ensures a restoring action, or a joint, for example a ball-and-socket joint or cardan joint, it being possible to provide a rigid pendulum on the underside of the play surface for the restoring action. The bearing device preferably has, in addition, a damping element, in order that deflections of the play surface are damped more quickly and the risk of injury is thus also reduced. A certain safeguard against injury is already provided by the play table having a larger diameter than the bearing device (and/or the shank of the base) in conjunction with the bearing device being arranged on the underside of the play surface. A preferred sheath of the bearing device then safeguards reliably against manipulation of the bearing device and against injury being caused by the same. Depending on the material, the sheath may form the damping element at the same time.
The play surface is preferably fitted releasably on the bearing device and can be exchanged as a module. The modular construction makes it possible for the play-unit provider to exchange the play surface for another variant at any time. Said variant may be of a different color or colors and set new tasks. The long-term attractiveness of the play unit is considerably increased as a result.
The rolling element, for example one or more balls, small cars or trains, is preferably prevented from being taken away in that it is moved within a closed system in the region of the play surface. This is achieved, for example, by a transparent panel above the play surface and by closed return guides. At the same time, the situation where other components and accessories are removed or lost is thus also ruled out.
Preferably provided on the underside of the play surface is at least one return guide along which the rolling element can be moved from a target point on the play surface to a starting point on the play surface. In the case of a ball, the latter disappears from the top side of the play surface in one or more bores, as it reaches the target point or leaves the predetermined ball running track, is guided along the underside and led to the starting point by a lever mechanism, a spring-loaded bolt or by corresponding curvature of the return guide in conjunction with the inclination of the play surface. This increases the attraction of the game to a considerable extent.
In order not to be restricted to wood or the like alone, it is possible to provide on the top side of the play surface regions of different heights which are intended for guiding the rolling element and are made in material which is of different colors at different heights. With wood, plywood panels, multi-layered plastic or some other material which is correspondingly provided with color throughout, and into which the running tracks are milled, numerous esthetically pleasing color variations are thus possible. The running track appears as a groove which is of a different color from the rest of the top side of the play surface. Even if the running track is worn by a lot of use, the original color is maintained. The materials used as well as the coloring and shaping give the free-standing play unit an original and distinctive appearance.

Ball-containing play table for children""s play areas


Systems and methods for inspecting a surface are disclosed. A source, detector, a base, a controller, and a processing device are used to collect image data related to the surface and information relating to the location of the image data on the surface. The image data and information relating to location are correlated and stored in a processing device to create a map of surface condition.

Existing inspection systems and methods for the inspection of surfaces and surface coatings (collectively, "surfaces" as used herein) may suffer from many drawbacks. This is particularly true when the surface to be inspected is fairly large (such as an aircraft) and the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation on the surface may vary with the environment (e.g., indoor versus outdoor).
For example, when painting aircraft it is often common to mix mica into the paint, or to apply a mica coating over the aircraft surface. Uneven mixing or application of the mica can leave the aircraft with a spotted or mottled appearance. This mottling may be difficult to observe under the indoor lighting used in the painting facility and often the mottled appearance does not show until the painting is complete and the aircraft is observed outdoors under natural daylight. It then can be problematic and expensive to re-apply paint or other coatings to alleviate the mottling or other visual defect.
Some existing systems, such as Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM) may be used to inspect surfaces and evaluate whether a defect such as mottling exist, however, performance of LSCM is often a tedious and local measurement that requires access to the plane.
Another proposed solution has been to add lamps to the interior of a structure housing an airplane. Then the aircraft could be painted, or at least inspected, under such lighting. Potential drawbacks of this approach include the relatively high cost of a large scale illumination system, and that the orientation of illumination and imaging is not controlled (i.e., the illumination is primarily from above on the top side of the aircraft) which can leave defects on the underside surfaces undetected. In addition, large scale illumination systems like the above-described one are not practical for inspecting surfaces for defects that are not visible to the human eye (e.g., surface features that require infrared, ultraviolet, or other spectra to observe). Other drawbacks may also exist.
Another potential drawback of existing systems for surface inspection is that it is often difficult to relate inspected surface information to a location on the aircraft, or larger overall surface, for later remediation. For example, when using hand-held imaging tools, the location of the particular defect is not automatically located on the larger surface and requires additional marking or logging of the location of the defect. Other drawbacks may also exist.
Another potential drawback of existing systems is that for irregular, curved, or other non-simple surfaces, it is often difficult to ensure that the angle of incidence for the inspection illumination is at the desired angle of incidence, likewise with the angle of observation of the imaging device (e.g., camera). Improper angle of incidence or observation can yield faulty inspection results. Other drawbacks may also exist.

Automated low cost method for illuminating, evaluating, and qualifying surfaces and surface coatings


A method of operating a data processing system having a touch enabled display screen to alter the value of a specified variable in the data processing system is disclosed. A value control is provided on the display screen to alter the variable. The value control has an increment tap region, a decrement tap region, and a drag region. The data processing system recognizes gestures in these regions and changes the variable in response to the gestures by an amount that is determined by the gesture. The drag gesture is characterized by a drag direction and a drag length, the drag direction depending on whether the drag gesture is performed toward the increment or decrement tap regions. The value control is advantageous for small display screens.

Touch enabled display screen devices are used to control numerous applications. The user communicates with the underlying application by performing various gestures. The simplest gesture is a simple touching of the screen in a predetermined location to indicate the selection of a corresponding quantity. Virtual keyboards and keypads are implemented with such gestures. Touch screen displays for controlling physical instruments present challenges due to the limited amount of space that is available for providing the controls and the need to see data that is displayed on the screen in addition to any controls. Typically, physical buttons and knobs in the prior instrument design are replaced by "widgets" that are visual displays on the screen with which the user interacts using a touch gesture of some kind. For example, a push button on the original instrument is replaced by a button widget on the touch screen which is activated by the user touching the screen at the location of the button widget.
Widgets for changing numeric values present significant challenges. Typically, a value that controls some function in the instrument must be changed in a particular manner. In some cases, the value needs to be altered in a continuous manner. For example, the amplitude or frequency of a signal generated by an instrument may require adjustment. In other cases, the value needs to be incremented or decremented in steps of a predetermined size that depend on the particular application. For example, the time scale on an oscilloscope display typically uses predetermined steps so that the ticks on the screen are at integer values.
Prior art displays often use number pads on the screen for allowing the user to input a value; however, the number pads occupy a significant fraction of the screen, and hence, interfere with the display of other information that may be needed to correctly set the desired value. Simple button widgets that increment or decrement the value in question are poorly suited to the task of changing the value in a continuous fashion.
Widgets that emulate a slider have been used for changing a value in a continuous manner; however, these widgets have limited accuracy. The ratio of the length of the slider to the size of the contact area between the user's finger and the display limit the precision with which the user can alter the value. Hence, the size of the slider needed for accurately changing a value becomes a problem when there is limited area on the display due to the need for displaying other information while adjusting the value in question.

Touch screen control for adjusting a numerical value


A de-icing device includes a hot air circuit including an inlet for hot air bled from an engine, and a duct connecting the inlet to an outlet of the circuit which opens towards the leading edge. The device also includes electrical heating means associated with the duct, and control means for controlling the heating means connected to detection means that detect the temperature of the hot air downstream of the heating means and are able to activate these if the detected temperature of the bled air is below a value corresponding to a minimum temperature required for de-icing, increased by a predetermined margin. The range of temperatures of the hot air supplied to the leading edge is lowered overall, whereas the minimum de-icing temperature is assured. Composite materials can be used near the leading edge without being damaged.

The leading edges of a jet plane consist mainly of the lip at the front end of the air inlet cowl of the jet engines and the slat formed by the forward edge of each wing. These leading edges are particularly exposed to the formation of ice under unfavourable temperature and humidity conditions.
The formation of ice on the lip of the air inlet cowl is liable to alter the aerodynamics in this inlet and thus disturb the passage of air towards the fan of the engine.
The formation of ice on the leading edges of the wings is also liable to adversely affect the aerodynamics of the wings by increasing their drag and reducing their lift.
As a result, it is necessary to make provision for de-icing these leading edges if need be.
One very commonplace solution is to use hot air bled from a compressor stage of the engine. This hot air is carried under pressure by the ducts of an air circulation circuit opening near the leading edge that needs to be protected against the formation of ice or that needs to be de-iced.
This solution affords many advantages because the power required can be taken directly from the engines, the air circulation circuit is lightweight, consisting essentially of hollow elements, and inexpensive. Furthermore, it is robust and reliable.
However, when using this solution for de-icing it is absolutely essential to ensure that the temperature of the air near the leading edges does not drop below the minimum temperature required for de-icing. This minimum temperature is around 200° C.
This temperature is of necessity defined on the basis of a minimum engine operating condition, at low speed, so that this minimum de-icing temperature is assured under these conditions.
This minimum engine operating condition appears in particular when the aircraft is flying at low engine speeds under what is sometimes very troublesome icing conditions, often at an altitude of between 15000 and 20000 feet for a period of the order of 45 minutes.
Modern jet engine optimization means that when these engines are developing their maximum power, the temperature of the air bled from a compressor stage of the engine may, in an engine maximum operation condition at high speed, be as high as 400° C. or even 600° C.
Now, a temperature as high as this is incompatible with the composite materials increasingly used in an attempt to reduce the weight of the aircraft. Nowadays, over 50% of the elements of a commercial airliner are made of these composite materials. The consequence of this is that elements made of composite material can sometimes be found at points which, at least intermittently, can be exposed to relatively high temperatures.
For this reason, it is absolutely essential to protect some of the elements made of composite material against heat. This entails the addition of protective elements (refer for example to Patent Application FR 2823533) which therefore represent an undesirable additional weight and make the structure more complicated.

Method and device for using hot air to de-ice the leading edges of a jet aircraft


A lawn sweeper and bagger which increases the efficiency of the device by utilizing a Bernoulli Effect to increase the pickup capabilities of the device and which also permits handling of the bags more readily by positioning them on the front rather than on the rear of the machine.

This invention relates to a lawn sweeper and bagger in which the bags are mounted in front of the suction-blower motor assembly and includes means in the leaf pick-up which creates a Bernoulli Effect by positioning a wedge of diamond shape to increase the speed of the materials moving into the suction-blower motor assembly for more effective debris pickup.
In the past, a number of devices have been developed for removing debris from lawns and the like. Lucas U.S. Pat. No. 2,436,011 provided a vacuum pickup which mulched or pulverized the leaves.
Eten U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,863 discloses a device which will pick up the debris and incinerate the debris. Similarly, Boyer U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,963 incinerates but also provides means for collecting the material into a bag.
A number of early developments involve mulching of the material including Gregory U.S. Pat. No. 2,538,643 and Judkins U.S. Pat. No. 2,984,961 who can mulch or bag as desired.
Bag pickup devices are shown in Evanson U.S. Pat. No. 2,930,068 and Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 1,844,785. Nelson is a cotton picker device with more than one nozzle.
Blowers for blowing the leaves in one direction are common and a carrier for such a blower is noted in Zappia U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,619. Hand U.S. Pat. No. 1,483,848 shows the idea of providing a vacuum pickup for cotton which delivers the material into a pair of bags.
Of general interest, also is Finn U.S. Pat. No. 2,990,019.
Where bagging is used, the positioning of the bag has typically been at the rear of the device as generally shown in the patents providing bags. Refer to the above.
It is an object of this invention to provide a lawn sweeper and bagger which positions the bag or bags on the front rather than on the rear of the machine for ease of access.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a lawn sweeper which will be more efficient in handling the debris coming into the pickup.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a lawn sweeper and bagger which can be easily and inexpensively manufactured.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a lawn sweeper and bagger which requires a minimum of effort during operation of the device.
In summary this invention pertains to a lawn sweeper and bagger which increases the efficiency of the device by utilizing a Bernoulli Effect to increase the pickup capabilities of the device and which also permits handling of the bags more readily by positioning them on the front rather than on the rear of the machine.


A container, including a jar closed by a cap, the jar being of the type that includes a container body formed by a first peripheral wall, forming a housing intended to receive the contents of the container. An intermediary part is adapted to be affixed to the container body, the intermediary part including a sealing cover. A cap is secured on the intermediary part. The external wall of the jar is totally or partially formed by a second peripheral wall of the container body. The container is assembled, after filling, by fitting the intermediary part to the container body, with the sealing cover having been fixed in place.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement to a container, such as a pot or jar or the like. It relates more particularly, but not specifically, to containers for cosmetics and perfume.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Nowadays, one knows the importance of the containers used in perfumery, and especially those sold for skin care creams, such as liposome-base creams, for example. For the consumer, these containers must have an appealing, distinctive appearance, while meeting the basic hygiene or quality requirements.
Known containers commercially available these days are constituted by glass or plastic jars closed by a lid or cap that is generally screwed on the jar body of the jar. But although the current containers are aesthetically appealing, such is not the case with respect to the hygiene of the product in the container, which must kept as impervious as possible. Of course, the manufacturers preferably use caps that are screwed on and which most often include a flexible sealing gasket inserted between the cap and the opening edge of the pot, in order to enable proper closure; but this type of arrangement, in spite of its appearance, is not totally satisfactory. That is why perfumers have thought of providing a cover for the jar filled with cream in order to obtain a perfect sealing before the product is used. But in this case, the cover positioning must be performed by the perfumer after the jar is filled, and before the cap is positioned. This is a supplemental, and therefore costly step for the perfumer. In addition, the positioning of the cover, while the container is already filled with cream, can create dirt and produce bacteria that are prejudicial to the hygiene of the product.
Jars have already been proposed to solve the cover-related problem, such as that disclosed in the French Application No. 83 02469, published as No. 2 540 834, for example, according to which the cover is placed on an independent supplemental part added to a conventional jar.

Container having a body, cap, and intermediary part

Compagnie Europeenne Industrielle et Commerciale d'Application


The present invention provides a zoom lens system which comprises nine or less constituent lenses in all, has a short total length and a small front lens, is reduced in terms of size, weight and cost, has a high zoom ratio and a large aperture ratio, and is best suited for use with handy camcorders, and which comprises a first lens unit G1 having a positive refracting power, a second lens unit G2 having a negative refracting power and movable horizontally along the optical axis during zooming, a third lens unit G3 constantly remaining fixed and consisting of a positive lens in which the object-side surface has a stronger curvature and at least the object-side surface takes an aspherical configuration and a negative meniscus lens in which the image-side surface has a stronger curvature, two lenses in all, said third lens unit G3 having a positive refracting power as a whole, and a fourth lens unit G4 movable horizontally along the optical axis for focus regulation during zooming and moving the object point and consisting solely of a positive single lens in which the object-side surface assumes an aspherical configuration.

The present invention relates generally to a zoom lens system having a short total length and, more specifically, to a high-performance zoom lens system which is of small size and has a high zoom ratio and a large aperture ratio and this lends itself to use in camcorders.
Recent radical reductions in the size, weight and cost of video cameras have increased the popularity of camcorders and their availability to the general public. Typically, a video camera comprises an electric circuit board, an actuator (mechanical) system and an optical system. So far, size and cost reductions have been achieved in the electrical system in particular. More recently, however, some considerable reductions in the size of the image sensor optical system have been pursued. At present, the size and cost reductions of the image sensor optical system are being achieved by the development of a new zoom type which makes effective use of new techniques for miniaturizing imagers, processing aspherical surfaces rotation-symmetrically and automatic TTL focusing. Several examples of those novel zoom lenses are set forth in JP-Kokai-62-24213, JP-Kokai-62-178917, JP-Kokai-62-215225, etc. However, the present need for size and weight reductions, especially, reductions in the total length and the diameter of front lenses are immense. For those reasons, such rear focus versions as set forth in the above-mentioned JP-Kokai-62-24213, 62-178917 and 62-215225 and some versions in which the compensator unit is located in the rear of a stop have now been adopted. These versions may possibly have astonishing latent faculties of reducing the total length and making the front lens diameter small. Referring especially to JP-Kokai-62-178917, it teaches that some considerable reduction in the number of constituent lenses is achievable by applying an aspherical surface to the above-mentioned image formation system and sufficient correction of aberrations is attainable as well. However, virtually no size reduction can be achieved because the total length and front lens diameter are not substantially different from those of conventional or classical lens configuration.
That is to say, the system disclosed in JP-Kokai-62-178917 comprises a zoom subsystem including a first unit having a positive refracting power and a second unit having a negative refracting power and an image formation subsystem including a third unit consisting solely of a positive single lens having an aspherical surface and always remaining fixed and a fourth unit having at least one negative lens or consisting generally of two or three lenses and movable during zooming and for regulating the focal position depending on how far the subject is spaced. Thus, the use of the rear focus which also serves as a compensator and the aspherical surface renders it possible to reduce the number of constituent lens to ten or below, thereby reducing extra space. This thus enables the front lens diameter to be reduced and makes it possible to reduce the total length. The rear focus configuration could make it easy to increase the power of the first unit. However, this is not the case and the power of the second unit remains weak as well. In addition, using a single lens for the third unit incurs another disadvantage. In other words, the luminous flux cannot be converged well here, so that it can not afocally exit. For this reason, nothing remains but to increase the focal length of the fourth unit, and the back focus remains long as well; that is, no sufficient reductions in the total length, front lens diameter, etc. are achieved.

Zoom lens system having a short total length


A method for producing powder mixtures capable of inducing an even more intimate, microhomogeneous intermixing in a heterogeneous powder composed of at least two types of powders. The method is effective even for the mixing of an aggregable powder and a nonaggregable powder. According to the method, a heterogeneous powder composed of at least two type of powders that have been preliminarily mixed by stirring is introduced into an inlet while a rotating axle is turning and is axially transported within a cylinder by a screw. As the heterogeneous powder passes between rotating disks and fixed disks, it is subjected to a highly efficient mixing by compression and shear forces due to a sliding-shear action exerted between depressions and elevations installed on the opposing surfaces of the rotating disks and fixed disks. The mixture passes in sequence through multiple stages of the rotating and fixed disks. A powder mixture, which has been microhomogeneously interdispersed, is discharged from the outlet.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the preparation of powder mixtures by the intermixing/interdispersing to homogeneity of a heterogeneous powder including granulate powders comprising at least 2 different types of powders.
The properties of powders vary depending on their chemical structures. When two or more powders with different properties have been macroscopically and microscopically interdispersed to homogeneity the resulting powder mixture can be expected to have a uniform quality in each lot with respect to such factors as color uniformity. and the aggregation of one type of powder. Thus, such a thorough mixing performance will give continuously stable properties. These highly interdispersed powder mixtures can be effectively used in such fields as cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, resin compositions, paints, inks, art supplies, decorative materials, perfumes, magnetic media, and medical supplies
Methods known for mixing a heterogeneous powder comprising two or more different types of powders include mixing methods based on a stirring effect such as the Henschel mixer, Lodige mixer, and V-mixer, and mixing methods based principally on a shear effect such as a colloid mill, ball mill, motorized orbiting mortar and pestle, and roll mill.
However, these methods are limited in their ability to efficiently and continuously produce microhomogeneously interdispersed powder mixtures from an aggregable powder and a nonaggregable powder. In specific terms, in the case of color-critical applications such as paints, inks, and cosmetics, further improvements in product quality are strongly hindered by the occurrence of variations in color and luster when a powder mixture is used that has particular limitations on its interdispersity at the microscopic level. When an increase in product quality is sought using more vigorous conditions, shear mixing must be carried out for long periods of time, which unavoidably causes a sharp decline in production efficiency. In addition, organic powders become electrostatically charged during long-term mixing, and this causes the problem of re-aggregation.

Method for the preparation of powder mixtures


A combination flat sheet, fitted sheet and bed skirt includes a fitted sheet having a top and four sides, each side having a lower edge, the four lower edges being provided with an elastic band, the fitted sheet dimensioned to fit over a mattress supported by a box spring. The bed skirt is attached only to the left, right and foot peripheral edge of the top of the fitted sheet and extends downward in sufficient length to cover the left, right and foot sides of the fitted sheet and the left, right and foot sides of the box spring. The flat sheet is attached only to the foot edge of the top of the fitted sheet and is dimensioned such that its left, right and foot flaps extend downward in sufficient length approximately to or just beyond the box spring. The length of the flat sheet in the head direction is of sufficient length such that the sheet can be folded over itself at the head of the bed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to bedclothes. More particularly, this invention relates to a combination flat sheet, fitted sheet and bed skirt which are attached to each other in a specific manner to simplify bed making and to provide an aesthetically pleasing arrangement of bed clothes.
2. State of the Art
Various specific types and designs of bedclothes, commonly including various coverings (as sheets, comforters, bed skirts, pillow cases) used on a bed, are well known to those skilled in the art. However, to make a bed using typical bedclothes, each separate piece is put on the bed one at a time.
It is also well known that bedclothes are not merely functional, much attention has been given to the aesthetic value of bedclothes. Bedclothes featuring a variety of aesthetic themes are widely available.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,503 to McClendon discloses a combination flat sheet, fitted sheet and bed skirt. The fitted sheet, like most known fitted sheets includes a top, four sides and a bottom edge of elastic which runs along the edge of all four sides. When the fitted sheet is placed over a mattress, the elastic edge resides between the bottom of the mattress and the box spring supporting the mattress. The different sides of the fitted sheet can be referred to as right, left, head and foot. According to the '503 patent, the bed skirt or dust ruffle has a foot side, left side and right side which are respectively connected to the bottom edge of the left, right and foot sides of the fitted sheet. The flat sheet has right, left, head and foot edges. According to the '503 patent, the flat sheet is dimensioned so that its left and right edges are substantially coextensive with the left and right edges of the fitted sheet, i.e., then extend substantially to the interface between the box spring and the mattress, and the foot edge is connected to the bottom foot edge of the fitted sheet.
While the '503 patent provides bedclothes for making a bed in an efficient, timesaving manner, it has several aesthetic drawbacks. The way the pieces are connected, attention is drawn to the interface between the box spring and the mattress, and many of the connecting stitches are visible.

Combination flat sheet, fitted sheet and bed skirt


An aqueous hard surface cleaner with improved soil removal is provided and has, as components, the following:. (a) either an anionic, nonionic, amphoteric surfactant, and mixtures thereof with optionally, a quaternary ammonium surfactant, the total amount of the surfactants being present in a cleaning effective amount; PA1 (b) at least one water-soluble or dispersible organic solvent having a vapor pressure of at least 0.001 mm Hg at 25.degree. C., present in a solubilizing--or dispersion--effective amount; PA1 (c) Tetrapotassium ethylenediamine-tetraacetate (potassium EDTA) as a chelating agent, present in an amount effective to enhance soil removal in said cleaner; and PA1 (d) the remainder, water.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hard surface cleaner especially effective on bathroom soils, such as soap scum.
2. Brief Statement of the Related Art
A number of hard surface cleaners have been specially formulated to target bathroom soils. These include products containing liquid hypochlorite for combating mildew and fungus; products with quaternary ammonium compounds as bacteriostats; and acidic cleaners, such as those containing phosphoric or other strong mineral acids.
These cleaners will typically include buffers, dyes, fragrances, and the like in order to provide performance and/or aesthetic enhancements.
Graubart et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,984, discloses a cleaning composition comprising quaternary ammonium compounds, tetrasodium EDTA, a mixture of surfactants, and a glycol ether. However, the reference fails to teach, disclose or suggest the use of potassium EDTA as a chelating agent.
Garabedian et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,252,245, 5,437,807 and 5,468,423, and Choy et al.., U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,342, all of common assignment herewith, disclose improved glass and surface cleaners which combine either amphoteric or nonionic surfactants with solvents and effective buffers to provide excellent streaking/filming characteristics on glass and other smooth, glossy surfaces. These disclosures are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/807,187, filed Mar. 5, 1998 as a continued prosecution application of similarly named Ser. No. 08/807,187, filed Feb. 27, 1997, now abandoned, itself a continuation of Ser. No. 08/507,543, filed Jul. 26, 1995, now abandoned of Zhou et al., entitled "Antimicrobial Hard Surface Cleaner," of common assignment, discloses and claims an antimicrobial hard surface cleaner which includes amine oxide, quaternary ammonium compound and tetrasodium EDTA, in which a critical amine oxide: EDTA ratio results in enhanced non-streaking and non-filming performance.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/979,022, filed Nov. 26, 1997, a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/605,822, filed Feb. 23, 1996, now abandoned of Choy et al., entitled "Composition and Apparatus for Surface Cleaning," of common assignment, discloses and claims a hard surface cleaner which uses a dual chamber delivery system, one chamber containing an oxidant solution and the other, a combination of chelating agents and surfactants.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/632,041, filed Apr. 12, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,591, of Mils et al., entitled "Hard Surface Cleaner with Enhanced Soil Removal," of common assignment, discloses and claims a hard surface cleaner which includes surfactants and tetrammonium EDTA for proficient soap scum and soil removal.
However, none of the art discloses, teaches or suggest the use of tetrapotassium EDTA as an effective chelating agent which additionally surprisingly enhances the soil removing, especially soap scum-removing, ability of the liquid, one phase cleaners formulated therewith. Additionally, unlike some of the prior chelating agents, tetrapotassium EDTA has very low to no odor, which is a significant beneficial attribute to the inventive cleaners hereof. Moreover, none of the art discloses, teaches or suggests the unexpected speed at which the inventive cleaners work.

Low odor, hard surface cleaner with enhanced soil removal


A method and apparatus for post-silicon repair of on-die networks is disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a first network node of an on-chip network configured to couple each of a plurality of functional units to at least one other one of the plurality of functional units. The first network node includes a plurality of ports. Each of the plurality of ports includes a plurality of multiplexers configured to substitute a spare channel of the network node into the network responsive to a test determining that another one of a plurality of channels is defective.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly, to integrated circuits having on-die networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
The effort to increase the amount of computing power on a single integrated circuit (IC) die has, in recent years, led to the design and manufacture of multi-core processors. A multi-core processor effectively implements two or more processors on a single IC die by providing two or more respective processing cores. Each of the cores may include dedicated cache memories and other circuitry. However, some cache memories may be shared among the cores. Similarly, input/output (I/O) interfaces and other circuitry may also be shared among the cores. System level random access memory (RAM) may also be shared by the cores of a multi-core processor. For various reasons (e.g., maintaining cache coherency, performing parallel computing tasks, etc.), communications may be performed between the various agents (e.g., cores, cache memories, I/O interfaces) of a multi-core processor. In order to support such communications, an on-chip network or a network node may be provided.
An on-die network may be used to connect every agent on the IC die to every other agent. Such an approach may provide efficient communications between a given pair of agents. However, on-die networks may include a large number of interconnections and other logic. In particular, an on-die network may include large numbers of wires, various queues, multiplexers, repeaters, arbitration logic, and so on. This may consume a substantial amount of die area, and may also provide a large number of defect opportunities. Therefore, prior to shipping units of such an IC, extensive testing may be performed to ensure the integrity of the network. If the network does not function properly during such testing, the IC upon which it is implemented may be discarded.


This invention relates to a composition, comprising:. (A) a metal, amine or ammonium salt of a compound represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein in Formula (A-I), X.sup.1, X.sup.2 and X.sup.3 and X.sup.4 are independently O or S, X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 can be NR.sup.3, a and b are independently zero or 1, and R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently hydrocarbyl groups and R.sup.3 can be hydrogen; and. (B) a thiocarbamate represented by the formula EQU R.sup.1 R.sup.2 N--C(X)S--(CR.sup.3 R.sup.4).sub.a Z (B-I). wherein in Formula (B-I), R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently hydrogen or hydrocarbyl groups, provided that at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is a hydrocarbyl group; X is O or S; a is 1 or 2; and Z is an activating group, a hydrocarbyl group, a hydroxy hydrocarbyl group, a hetero group, or a --SC(X)--NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 group; provided that when a is 2, Z is an activating group. These compositions are useful in providing lubricating oil compositions and functional fluids, especially engine lubricating oils, with enhanced antiwear properties, and in one embodiment enhanced antioxidant properties.

Engine lubricating oils require the presence of additives to protect the engine from wear. For almost 40 years, the principal antiwear additive for engine lubricating oils has been zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP). However, ZDDP is typically used in the lubricating oil at a sufficient concentration to provide a phosphorus content of 0.12% by weight or higher in order to pass required industry standard tests for antiwear. Since phosphates may result in the deactivation of emission control catalysts used in automotive exhaust systems, a reduction in the amount of phosphorus-containing additives (e.g., ZDDP) in the oil would be desirable. The problem sought to be overcome is to provide for a reduction in the amount of phosphorus-containing additive in the lubricating oil and yet provide the lubricating oil with desired antiwear properties.
The use of metal salts of phosphorodithioic acids as additives for lubricants is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,263,150; 4,289,635; 4,308,154; 4,322,479; and 4,417,990. Amine salts of such acids are disclosed as being useful as additives for grease compositions in U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,321.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,362 discloses the addition of a carbamate to a low phosphorus or phosphorus free lubricating oil composition to provide such a composition with enhanced extreme-pressure and antiwear properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,141 discloses that improved antiwear results can be obtained by combining a thiodixanthogen (e.g., octylthiodixanthogen) with a metal thiophosphate (e.g., ZDDP). U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,142 discloses the addition of a metal alkoxyalkylxanthate (e.g., nickel ethoxyethylxanthate), a dixanthogen (e.g., diethoxyethyl dixanthogen) and a metal thiophosphate (e.g., ZDDP) to a lubricant to improve antiwear.

Additive compositions for lubricants and functional fluids


Apparatus for positioning a hydroelectric turbine/generator in a dam having at least two spaced piers, the apparatus comprising (a) at least one first gate each spanning the space between a respective pair of neighboring piers and being movable to closed and open positions and positions therebetween to control flow and maintain head; and (b) at least one second gate, each second gate associated with a corresponding first gate upstream thereof and supporting at least one hydroelectric turbine/generator in a maintenance position and a plurality of operating positions such that in operating positions, water flows through each turbine/generator to produce electric power.

The conventional method of adding hydropower generation capability to a non-electrified dam is to remove a portion of the dam and then (1) to build a structure to provide the water conduits to drive conventional turbines, (2) to build a powerhouse to protect the turbines and generators, and (3) to provide a crane to install and service this equipment. It requires drying out the location by means of temporary or cofferdams upstream and downstream of the dam to enable placement of the civil works structure on the bottom of the waterway. A conventional turbine system places an unsightly building on an otherwise low-profile dam structure, and installation is an expensive and time-consuming process.
Other conventional methods involve the use of conventional combined turbine/generators, also called bulb turbines, which are heavy, expensive and less efficient than a newly-developed turbine/generators that weigh much less and install on a bulkhead, thereby avoiding the expense of civil works and cofferdams. This newly-developed turbine is the subject of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,235,894, 7,385,303, 8,536,723 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/356,288. The system, by virtue of its low weight and small dimensions, allows installation in single or multiple units on a movable gate, thereby allowing for the movable gate to be raised into a maintenance position for the turbine/generator to be serviced or replaced in short order (less than one day), avoiding long-term interruption to power generation.
The mitigation or elimination of some ecological threats created by conventional systems is important in that the present invention makes possible the avoidance of interference with wildlife.
The prior art generally involves systems that are made of steel or bronze and are very heavy. U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,094 discloses a gate structure that is extremely heavy and not practical to build, and using such a gate structure with prior (very heavy) turbines would involve cost which would never be able to be recovered by revenue from electricity generated. Further, such an approach would require an outsized lifting system to raise the gate structure with turbines installed above flood level. Service and maintenance would be extremely difficult since all runners have mechanical drive lines to the generators which use hypoid gear drives. Failure of one of the units stops all other connected turbines, and repair requires the complete unit to be taken out for repair.
Many patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,096, U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,597 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,372,172 refer to using existing dam gate installations to provide added power generation and the use of multiple self-contained, bulb-type turbine/generators placed in a matrix within a movable gate or pod to provide a low-head hydropower generation system without the need for a powerhouse. Such systems are severely limited by the metallic turbine/generators and fail to address efficiency and variation in flow rate to maintain efficiency. Also, these systems rely on existing crane lifting systems for movement of the turbine matrices. Since heavy metallic turbine/generators require the use of a larger number of smaller units to generate the required level of power, efficiency of the overall system suffers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,372,172 is characteristic of such an approach whereby a limited number of small metallic turbine/generators are placed in an enclosure, pod or container. This patent discloses a lifting mechanism substantially different for the present invention, and weight of the structures which must be lifted is extremely high.
The present invention incorporates patented and patent-pending low-weight turbine/generators that can be installed in gates and a unique lifting mechanism utilizing rotational movement and capable of spanning the width between piers of a dam agate section. In contrast to the conventional bulb-type matrix turbines, the present invention allows for higher power, larger diameter, low weight turbine/generators to be employed.
In addition, because of the sensitive state (due to age and poor maintenance) of the present dam system in the United States, the modification of an existing non-power-producing dam, however small, creates a concern over the effect of modification such that permission to make changes to add hydropower generation may be denied. The present patent provides a system that does not attach to or alter an existing dam structure in any way while cooperating with the existing dam equipment to provide maximum capacity power generation.

Combined turbine/generator installation on a dam


A modular bone implant is connected together using linear compression rather than torque.

In the field of orthopedic surgery there are various procedures requiring insertion of an anchor, pin, peg, screw or cage into the bones of the skeleton to correct anatomical defects. Other procedures include reconstruction, such as artificial joints and teeth. All of these procedures, requiring fixations of an appliance in the bone are currently performed using threaded connections between the components.
For example, in hip replacements using modular joints, the artificial head of the hip joint is screwed on the end of a pin fixed in the femur. Torque applied to the head of the joint will normally be translated to the pin. In many spinal corrections, pedicle screws are placed in the vertebrae to support cages or plates for fixing spatial orientation. The connection of the screws to the ancillary devices usually put torque on the vertebrae through the pedicle screw. Similarly, in placing artificial teeth on pegs inserted in the jaw bone, torque may be applied through the fitting of the teeth.

Skeletal fixation device with linear connection


An intrinsically safe connection unit with a network interface for intrinsically safe appliances in explosion-risk areas, having a housing, a voltage supply connection, plug connection for connecting an intrinsically safe appliance via a transmission cable, and a decoupling circuit. For allowing even a multiplicity of network subscribers to be connected in the explosion-risk area with less wiring complexity, a plurality of plug connections of the same type are provided as network interface, each being preceded by a separate decoupling circuit, and the voltage supply connection builds a central feed connection with separate supply cores for each plug connection each having at least two plug contacts for data communication and at least two plug contacts for supplying power to the connectable appliances via the transmission cable. The invention relates also to a Controller and a network interface for use therewith.

US 2010/0283560 discloses a device for use in explosion-risk areas, in which two appliances can be connected to one another without any problems via a transmission line, for data interchange purposes, by providing decoupling networks on the input side of the appliances, which are dimensioned and designed such that the energy which can be stored in the decoupling network cannot exceed a predeterminable maximum value. This is intended to effectively prevent the creation of ignition sparks, which could lead to an explosion of a gas mixture in explosion-risk areas, while complying with the respectively applicable explosion protection standards. The network interface is also intended to comply with the Ethernet transmission standard. The transmission element in DE 10 2007 036 964 A1 builds on a standard Ethernet circuit, in which the transmission elements for the decoupling network are formed with capacitors, in order to limit the energy which can be stored in the transmission elements.
DE 10 2005 042 257 B4 discloses data communication being provided in the explosion-risk mining field on the one hand via wireless LAN (WLAN) and on the other hand by commercially available standard components, in which case the electrical Ethernet data communication which is used internally in the appliances is converted via medium converters to optical signals, in order then to use these optical signals in the network infrastructure of the mine. The standard components are encapsulated, potted, in an intrinsically safe form in the central unit, and are accommodated in a housing, which is licensed as being intrinsically safe, and is composed, in particular, of stainless steel.
In the meantime, the demand for automation in explosion-risk areas, for example in coal mining, have become as great as those above ground. In general, centrally arranged control stations are used for machine control and monitoring of mobile machines which are used in hazardous areas, and are positioned in those areas in which there are no problems with explosion protection. In order to allow above-ground control stations, for example, to also control and monitor complex automation processes, a large number of different sensors and actuators, including measurement and diagnosis systems, are required, although these have to be used in the explosion-risk area. Even in explosion-risk areas, there are therefore demands to allow an interface network which has become established in normal areas of application, in particular a network based on the Ethernet protocol, to be used. Ethernet based on the use of glass fibres is nowadays used predominantly in explosion-risk areas. The maintenance and servicing effort is considerably greater here. The glass fibre cable does not offer the capability to provide an electrical supply to the communication subscriber.

Intrinsically safe connection unit with a network interface, intrinsically safe appliance and network interface for it


A laser scattering particle-sized distribution analyzer includes a rotary table for movably supporting a plurality of sample cups. A camming mechanism associated with each sample cup holder can be activated to invert a sample cup at a discharge station. Diluting fluid can be sprayed into the inverted cup to ensure a complete discharge of the sample. The sample is then appropriately mixed to ensure the creation of a homogeneous sample with sufficient diluting fluid and delivered to a sample cell for measurement with the laser and detector system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser scattering particle-size distribution analyzer comprising an ultrasonic chamber having a sample-circulating pipe connected to a sample cell adjacent a laser measuring station and more particularly to an improved device for inverting a sample container and ensuring a complete discharge of all particles.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to FIG. 5, a conventional sample-supplying device has samples stored within a plurality of sample cups 52 as shown. A rotary table 51 supports the sample cups 52 and delivers them to a load station wherein a pipette 54 communicately connected with a suction pump 53 sucks up the samples and subsequently delivers them to an ultrasonic chamber 55.
In the above described device, a significant space for moving the pipette 54 up and down and right and left has been required and thus the device has been of a large size due to the space requirement.
In addition, a disadvantage has also occurred in that only a part of the sample within the sample cup 52 is sampled so that measurements can be spoiled, in particular a sample having a large specific gravity and a high viscosity can have components to be measured which will settle on a bottom surface of the sample cup 52 and sediments can be formed in the sample after the lapse of long periods to spoil an accuracy of measurement, whereby obtaining biased data. Thus, the prior art is still seeking an improved sample dispensing apparatus.

Laser scattering particle-size distribution analyzer with improved sample container discharge


A device and a method for detecting a distance from a balloon to an ingot tank is provided. The device comprises a set of photoelectric transmitting tube and photoelectric receiving tube which are arranged in a height range of a balloon, Wherein a light beam between the photoelectric transmitting tube and the photoelectric receiving tube is arranged to be tangent to an appropriate balloon, and is used for detecting whether the balloon is located at an appropriate position according to a number of pulses received by the photoelectric receiving tube in one period of rotation of the balloon.

A yarn of a twister is driven by a twisting assembly rotate outside an ingot tank at 4000 r/min to 12000 r/min to form a balloon, a size of the balloon has great influence on energy consumption and the quality of finished products, an excessive diameter of the balloon causes sharp increase of the energy consumption of the twister, the increase of the energy consumption can reach 30%, and the excessive balloon may touch a wall plate or a yarn separating plate and the like, resulting in increased yarn strength loss and even yarn breakage; and excessively small balloon can cause the friction between the yarn and the ingot pot, resulting in fuzziness and yarn breakage, so as to affect the quality of finished products and a full ingot rate of equipment. Maintaining a stable shape of the balloon is a necessary condition to ensure the normal production of a twister.
A solution exists in the prior art that a sensor is used to detect a diameter of a yarn balloon.
For example, the German patent document DE1.02015014382 describes that a device for detecting a measured value i is a sensor device 25, which is configured as a grating, comprising a light source 26 and a light receiver 27. The optically operated grating is shielded by a looped yarn of a yarn balloon 13, and in an exemplary embodiment, an outer yarn 5 originating from a first feeding bobbin 7 intermittently shields a light beam 28 during each rotation of the yarn balloon B, which can infer an instantaneous rotational speed of a spindle 2 and a size of the yarn balloon B. How to determine the size of the yarn balloon B is not given in the document. The German patent document DE102016001099 describes that a sensing device 33 can be configured as single channel-grating, wherein the light source 41 and the light receiver 40 are arranged on mutually opposite sides of the yarn balloon B to be monitored, or configured as reflection-grating, wherein the light source 41 and the light receiver 40 are arranged on the same side of the yarn balloon to be monitored, and are arranged in a common sensor housing. Therefore, a measured beam 42 of the sensing device 33 is intersected twice by the yarn during each surrounding of the yarn balloon B. An adjusting circuit 18 calculates a diameter of current yarn balloon B without any problem based on an time interval t between two measured pulses i and a known distance from the measured beam 42 to a rotation axis 35 of the spindle 2. According to the solution, the accuracy requirements on the sensing device 33 and the adjusting circuit 18 are very high, taking a rotation speed of the yarn balloon of 10000 r/min as an example, a time for the yarn to rotate for one cycle is about 6 ins, according to the difference of PLC user program execution, a time for PLC refresh is about 1 ms to 100 ms, a time difference of 0.5 ms to 2 ms between two pulses needs to be detected within a time range of 6 ms for one cycle, the accuracy requirements on the sensing device 33 and the adjusting circuit 18 are higher, the anti-interference capability requirements on the equipment are also extremely high, resulting in higher equipment costs and weaker anti-interference capability.

Device and method for detecting distance from balloon to ingot tank


A display system mounted on a vehicle is designed to display a road map image around the vehicle with one or more directional congestion marks each indicating the position and direction of a congested traffic by receiving traffic information by radio communication. The directional congestion mark is in the form of an arrow or a series of arrows. Therefore, the driver can readily perceive the direction of a congested traffic.

The present invention relates to a display system for providing traffic information to the driver of a vehicle such as an automobile.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. (Sho) 58-143370 shows a conventional onboard road map display system for providing traffic information. This system displays congested road sections around the vehicle in colors so that the degree of congestion in each road section is perceptible. In this system, however, the driver is unable to correctly recognize whether a road section is congested in one direction or in the opposite direction.