A brace bar (140, 140′, 140a, 140a′) configured to be removably attachable to vibratory conduits (130a, 130b) of a flowmeter (5) is provided. The attachment comprises a mechanical attachment, wherein the brace bar (140, 140′, 140a, 140a′) is movable about the vibratory conduits (130a, 130b). A component (14, 14a, 16, 16′, 16a, 16a′) of the flowmeter (5) sensor assembly (10) that is removably attachable to vibratory conduits (130a, 130b) is also provided. The attachment comprises a mechanical attachment, comprising: a coil portion (164, 170) and a magnet portion (165, 171), wherein the component (14, 14a, 16, 16′, 16a, 16a′) is movable about the vibratory conduits (130a, 130b). The brace bar is repositionable, such that heat stress is minimized, while repair and tuning of the sensor assembly is simplified.

Vibrating sensors, such as for example, vibrating densitometers and Coriolis flowmeters are generally known, and are used to measure mass flow and other information related to materials flowing through a conduit in the flowmeter. Exemplary Coriolis flowmeters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,109,524, 4,491,025, and Re. 31,450. These flowmeters have meter assemblies with one or more conduits of a straight or curved configuration. Each conduit configuration in a Coriolis mass flowmeter, for example, has a set of natural vibration modes, which may be of simple bending, torsional, or coupled type. Each conduit can be driven to oscillate at a preferred mode. When there is no flow through the flowmeter, a driving force applied to the conduit(s) causes all points along the conduit(s) to oscillate with identical phase or with a small "zero offset", which is a time delay measured at zero flow.
As material begins to flow through the conduit(s), Coriolis forces cause each point along the conduit(s) to have a different phase. For example, the phase at the inlet end of the flowmeter lags the phase at the centralized driver position, while the phase at the outlet leads the phase at the centralized driver position. Pickoffs on the conduit(s) produce sinusoidal signals representative of the motion of the conduit(s). Signals output from the pickoffs are processed to determine the time delay between the pickoffs. The time delay between the two or more pickoffs is proportional to the mass flow rate of material flowing through the conduit(s).
A meter electronics connected to the driver generates a drive signal to operate the driver and also to determine a mass flow rate and/or other properties of a process material from signals received from the pickoffs. The driver may comprise one of many well-known arrangements; however, a magnet and an opposing drive coil have received great success in the flowmeter industry. An alternating current is passed to the drive coil for vibrating the conduit(s) at a desired conduit amplitude and frequency. It is also known in the art to provide the pickoffs as a magnet and coil arrangement very similar to the driver arrangement.
The driver and pickoff sensors are typically coupled to the conduits using brackets that are brazed to the conduits. The brackets are typically complex assemblies that are expensive to manufacture and assemble to the vibratory conduit, and introduce high temperature to components that are sensitive to localized heat. Brace bars are also typically brazed to the conduits. Brazed joints between the bracket or brace bar and conduit may be prone to failure due to relatively high stresses and dynamic forces within the brazing, or other material joining the bracket to the conduit, while the conduit is vibrating or subject to changes in internal pressure or temperature. Furthermore, once a brazing operation is completed, the position of the component on the conduit is permanent. Accordingly, there is a need for a sensor assembly, sensor bracket, and tube ring for a vibratory conduit that minimizes heat stress, allows repairing and for tuning of the sensor assembly through driver, sensor, and brace bar movement.

Repositionalble brace bar for vibratory flow meter conduits


A riveting apparatus (1) is for the application and riveting a rivet (6) to a component (2, 4) of an article (1a, 1b) being processed in a work region (96) of the apparatus. The riveting apparatus includes a rivet insertion device (30) for the insertion of the rivet into the component and a riveting device (40) for the riveting of the rivet.

The object of the present invention is a riveting apparatus for assembly plants, for example for multicomponent articles, such as hinges. E.g. document U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,925A discloses an apparatus according to the prior art.
In the field of assembly plants of articles, it is essential that the machines are able to produce large volumes in a short time. Only in the presence of these features, in fact, the system cost can be amortized in a short time and the investment can be profitable.
In the field of the manufacture of machines for such plants, therefore, there is a tendency to create ever faster lines, sometimes able to produce tens of thousands of articles a day. It is however essential to minimise waste and obtain articles having optimal functionality.
This is even more evident in the case of assembly of multicomponent articles, in which the components are intended for relative movements, as is the case with hinges, for example for windows and doors, furniture, appliances and the like.


Methods and systems for dynamically tuning and calibrating an antenna using antenna hopping are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include dynamically tuning a mobile terminal antenna, to antenna hop to a plurality of different center frequencies to receive RF signals. The antenna hopping may be slow antenna hopping (SAH) or fast antenna hopping (FAH). In FAH, received signals for a channel at each of the center frequencies may be aggregated. A hopping rate in FAH may be greater than twice a highest baseband signal frequency of a desired channel. In SAH, the mobile terminal antenna may hop to determined center frequencies with adequate signals for the desired channel. Signal adequacy of the desired channel at a center frequency may be made by, for example, measuring received signal strength for the desired channel and/or a bit error rate for the desired channel.

Wireless devices have used antennas to receive RF signals. The size of an antenna may depend on the wavelength of the RF signals that the wireless device is designed to receive. Typically, larger antennas are needed for signals with larger wavelengths. Accordingly, a mobile terminal may use antennas of a few inches for signals in the GHz range. However, for FM radio signals in the 100 MHz range, the antennas may need to be longer. As corded headsets gained in popularity with mobile terminal users, many mobile terminal manufacturers used the headphone cord as an antenna, for example, for a FM receiver.
However, with the advent of Bluetooth headsets, the need for corded headsets was eliminated. The mobile terminal manufacturers have devised alternate means for implementing an FM antenna. One such antenna comprises a conductive coil or loop on a small circuit board that is typically placed at the back of the mobile terminal. Since this small FM antenna is limited in size, the antenna may be tuned to support the FM radio bandwidth. Additionally, because of the circuit board antenna's limited ability to receive FM signals, external factors may be a big factor to reception sensitivity. For example, a mobile terminal user holding the mobile terminal may cause the designed center frequency of the FM antenna to shift due to capacitive and/or inductive changes. Additionally, the mobile terminal's components, such as, the battery, may interfere with reception and/or change the antenna characteristics of the circuit board antenna by distorting and/or shorting the circuit board antenna. Although the reception characteristics of the mobile terminal antenna may change during use of the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal may not be able to determine the amount of center frequency drift.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method and system for dynamically tuning and calibrating an antenna using antenna hopping


A decorative tree includes a trunk and a transmission structure fixedly mounted the trunk and including a pair of eyeballs, a pair of eyelids, a mouth plate and an electric motor. The transmission structure can make the decorative tree blink eyes and move mouth as desired thereby making the decorative tree look very interesting.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a transmission structure of a decorative tree and in particular to one which can make the decorative tree look more interesting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been found that the conventional decorative tree can be used for decoration only and has no other functions. Furthermore, the conventional decorative tree looks dull and monotonous in appearance thereby making it very difficult to attract one's buying desire.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a transmission structure which can make a decorative tree blink eyes and open mouth as desired thereby causing the tree to look very interesting.

Transmission structure of a decorative tree


A photographic lens unit having a stepping motor to drive a cam ring that has a cam portion for driving a counter-cam portion of a lens frame for automatic focus of photographic lenses, and projections for driving a diaphragm. The cam ring is rotated for moving the counter-cam portion in an optical-axis direction with the counter-cam portion in contact with the cam portion. Automatic focus of the photographic lenses and photometry are carried out. Thereafter, the cam ring is further rotated so that the projection can bring the diaphragm to an aperture-narrowing state. The cam ring is then rotated reversely for moving the photographic lenses to an automatic focus position. Photographic operations are then carried out. After photography is completed, the diaphragm is reset by moving the counter-cam portion. The photographic lens unit is thus brought to a ready state for subsequent photography. According to this photographic lens unit, since the driven part enabling automatic focus and the diaphragm can be driven by a simple driving mechanism, the structure of the photographic lens unit can be simplified and a space occupied by the photographic lens unit can be limited.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic lens unit having a driving mechanism for advancing or withdrawing photographic lenses and driving a diaphragm therein, and to a photographing method of carrying out photography using the photographic lens unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Almost none of conventional photographic lens units for cameras are designed to drive photographic lenses and a diaphragm using a single driving source. Normally, many leaf shutter type cameras have a structure where the same driving source is used to drive a diaphragm and shutter. It is quite rare that both a driven part enabling automatic focus and the diaphragm are driven by a single driving source.
In the conventional photographic lens units, two independent driving sources are often used to drive a driven part enabling automatic focus and operation of a diaphragm. The necessity of the two driving sources and respective drive gearing mechanisms poses a cost-related problem and problems that the structure of a photographic lens unit becomes complex and that the space occupied by the photographic lens unit gets larger.

Photographic lens unit and photographing method


The fiber optics sensor includes a polarization maintaining optic fiber forming an optical loop, and a sensing medium coupled to the optic fiber and disposed generally midway in the optical loop. First and second quarter waveplates, coupled to the optic fiber and oriented at approximately 45.degree. with one another in close proximity to the sensing medium, convert two counter-propagating linearly polarized light waves traveling in the optical loop into two counter-propagating circularly polarized light waves prior to passing through the sensing medium. The first and second quarter waveplates further convert the counter-propagating circularly polarized light waves into two linearly polarized light waves after exiting the sensing medium. The counter-propagating circularly polarized light waves passing through the sensing medium experience a differential phase shift caused by a magnetic field or current flowing in a conductor proximate to the sensing medium. A detector is coupled to the optic fiber and detects the differential phase shift and produces an output in response thereto.

Over the past decade, fiber optic sensors have received attention in the application of magnetic field sensing and current sensing. Fiber optic current sensors are particularly advantageous over iron-core current transformers, since fiber optic sensors are non-conductive and light weight. Furthermore, fiber optic sensors also do not exhibit hysteresis and provide a much larger dynamic range and frequency response.
Fiber optic current sensors work on the principle of the Faraday effect. Current flowing in a wire induces a magnetic field which, through the Faraday effect, rotates the plane of polarization of the light traveling in the optical fiber wound around the current carrying wire. Faraday's law, stated as: EQU I=.intg.oH.multidot.dL
where I is the electrical current, H is the magnetic field and the integral is taken over a closed path around the current. If the sensing fiber is wound around the current carrying wire with an integral number of turns, and each point in the sensing fiber has a constant sensitivity to the magnetic field, then the rotation of the plane of polarization of the light in the fiber depends on the current being carried in the wire and is insensitive to all externally generated magnetic fields such as those caused by currents carried in nearby wires. The angle, .DELTA..phi., through which the plane of polarization of light rotates in the presence of a magnetic field is given by: EQU .DELTA..phi.=V.intg.H.multidot.dL
where V is the Verdet constant of the fiber glass. The sensing optical fiber performs the line integral of the magnetic field along its path which is proportional to the current in the wire when that path closes on itself. Thus, .DELTA..phi.=VNI, where N is the number of turns of sensing fiber wound around the current carrying wire. The rotation of the state of polarization of the light due to the presence of an electrical current may be measured by injecting light with a well defined linear polarization state into the sensing region, and then analyzing the polarization state of the light after it exits the sensing region.
In related U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,397 entitled Fiber Optic Interferometric Current and Magnetic Field Sensor, issued on Jul. 1, 1997 to James N. Blake (Hereinafter "Blake"), in-line and loop fiber optic sensors for measuring current and magnetic fields are taught. Blake is incorporated herein by reference. Blake teaches splitting the light beam into light traveling on the first and second principle eigen axes, the use of a birefringence modulator to apply a waveform or waveforms to birefringent modulate the light beam, and further the use of a quarter waveplate set at 45.degree. to the principle axes of the fiber to convert orthogonally linearly polarized light to counter-rotating circularly polarized light prior to entering the sensing region. Upon reflection at the end of the fiber, the sense of rotation of the two light waves are reversed and the light waves travel back through the sensing region, are converted back to linearly polarized light, and are propagated back to a photodetector. The two light waves therefore undergo reciprocal paths and the same polarization evolution through the optical circuit. Blake is incorporated herein by reference.
The fiber optic sensors taught by Blake overcame many disadvantages associated with conventional all fiber sensors. However, the sensor and sensing method still suffers from a particularly exacerbating problem which affects the accuracy of the sensor. To have a very accurate measurement, the optical components, particularly the quarter waveplate, must be perfect and not be affected by external stresses such as temperature variations and mechanical disturbances. It is well recognized that perfect or nearly perfect quarter waveplates are difficult and very costly to design and manufacture to achieve accurate sensing required by certain applications.

Fiber optics apparatus and method for accurate current sensing


The method described herein relates to using electrical and/or chemical stimulation to treat depression or anxiety related disorders, such as obsessive compulsive disorder. More specifically, the inferior thalamic peduncle or reticular thalamic nucleus is stimulated to treat depression or anxiety related disorders.

Recent estimates indicate that more than 19 million Americans over the age of 18 years experience a depressive illness each year. The American Psychiatric Association recognizes several types of clinical depression, including Mild Depression (Dysthymia), Major Depression, and Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depression). Major Depression is defined by a constellation of chronic symptoms that include sleep problems, appetite problems, anhedonia or lack of energy, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, and suicidal thoughts. Approximately 9.2 million Americans suffer from Major Depression, and approximately 15 percent of all people who suffer from Major Depression take their own lives. Bipolar Disorder involves major depressive episodes alternating with high-energy periods of rash behavior, poor judgment, and grand delusions. An estimated one percent of the American population experiences Bipolar Disorder annually.
Significant advances in the treatment of depression have been made in the past decade. Since the introduction of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), e.g., Prozac®, many patients have been effectively treated with anti-depressant medication. New medications to treat depression are introduced almost every year, and research in this area is ongoing. However, an estimated 10 to 30 percent of depressed patients taking an anti-depressant are partially or totally resistant to the treatment. Those who suffer from treatment-resistant depression have almost no alternatives. Thus, there is a need to develop alternative treatments for these patients.
The use of electrical stimulation for treating neurological disease, including such disorders as movement disorders including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and chronic pain, has been widely discussed in the literature. It has been recognized that electrical stimulation holds significant advantages over lesioning since lesioning destroys the nervous system tissue. In many instances, the preferred effect is to modulate neuronal activity. Electrical stimulation permits such modulation of the target neural structures and, equally importantly, does not require the destruction of nervous tissue. Such electrical stimulation procedures include electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), repetitive transcranial (rTMS) magnetic stimulation and vagal nerve stimulation (VNS).
Efforts have been made to treat psychiatric disorders with peripheral/cranial nerve stimulation. Recently, partial benefits with vagus nerve stimulation in patients with depression have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,569. Another example of electrical stimulation to treat depression is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,846, which discloses the use of transcranial pulsed magnetic fields to treat depression. Yet further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,480 describes that stimulation of the vagus nerve may control depression and compulsive eating disorders and U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,734 teaches stimulation of the trigeminal or glossopharyngeal nerves for psychiatric illness, such as depression.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been applied to the treatment of central pain syndromes and movement disorders, and it is currently being explored as a therapy for epilepsy. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,449 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,242 disclose a system for the electrical stimulation of areas in the brain for the treatment of certain neurological diseases such as epilepsy, migraine headaches and Parkinson's disease.
Various electrical stimulation and/or drug infusion devices have been proposed for treating neurological disorders. Some devices stimulate through the skin, such as electrodes placed on the scalp. Other devices require significant surgical procedures for placement of electrodes, catheters, leads, and/or processing units. These devices may also require an external apparatus that needs to be strapped or otherwise affixed to the skin.
However, despite the aforesaid available treatments, there are patients with mood and/or anxiety disorders that remain treatment refractory and chronically disabled. For these severely ill and disabled patients, novel therapies are required.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of treating mood disorders and/or anxiety disorders by brain stimulation


In an embodiment, a nutritional supplement composition is provided. The nutritional supplement composition is provided including a combination of 100 mg of avocado oil, 15 mg of zeaxanthin of a five percent concentration and 20 mg marigold extract from the tagetes erecta strain. The nutritional supplement is in the form of a compound known as OPTILUMINE™.

In the past, we commonly used all parts of natural foods when we consumed a meal. Human eating patterns naturally accessed nutrients available from what was eaten and very little nutrients were wasted as a result. For example, when eating fish, the muscular parts of the fish were consumed along with other parts such as connective tissue. When eating plants, the edible portion of the plant was consumed in its entirety. Our bodies would then filter out what was not consumable, such as the outer shell of a kernel of corn for example. As this occurred, our bodies would extract what nutrients could be found in the food to sustain and grow the human form. This allowed use of local foods to provide nutrients which were available, but was somewhat limited in that foods not available locally could not be used in most cases. Over time, we learned to travel and to ship food from where it was produced to where it could be consumed. Additionally, we learned to prepare foods, removing portions of the food which were either inedible, or undesirable. Removing the inedible parts typically provided some benefit, while parts that were simply undesirable sometimes held valuable ingredients.
Avocado oil is an edible oil pressed from the fruit of the Persea americana (avocado). Avocados are found in various parts of the world, including Mexico, the United States (principally California and Florida), the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru and Indonesia.
Zeaxanthin is one of the most common carotenoid alcohols found in nature. It is important in the xanthophyll cycle. Synthesized in plants and some micro-organisms, it is the pigment that gives paprika (made from bell peppers), corn, saffron, wolfberries, and many other plants and microbes their characteristic color.
Tagetes erecta, the Mexican marigold or Aztec marigold, is a species of the genus Tagetes native to Mexico. Despite its being native to the Americas, it is often called African marigold.


A locking system mounted on a semitrailer sliding undercarriage and used for securing and releasing the sliding undercarriage from an underside of a semitrailer. The sliding undercarriage is also known commonly in the trucking industry as a sliding tandem and further referred to as a longitudinally shiftable running gear. The system includes two or more air cylinders mounted on the sliding undercarriage. Each air cylinder is attached to a locking pin which is inserted into locking pin holes disposed along a length of a pair of parallel rails. The rails are mounted on the underside of the semitrailer. The system prevents retraction of the locking pins if the semitrailer brakes have not been set. Further, the system is fail-safe and automatically reinserts the locking pins in the locking pin holes if the power to a control panel is interrupted or air pressure is applied to release the semitrailer's air brakes. The air cylinders have electronic position sensors wired to the control panel. The control panel is mounted on the semitrailer or also in a cab of a tractor used to pull the semitrailer. The position sensors produce a display on the control panel and activate a warning alarm when one or more pins are retracted from the locking pin holes when changing the position of the sliding undercarriage on the semitrailer.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for securing a sliding undercarriage to a semitrailer and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a fail-safe system used with a sliding undercarriage for securing the undercarriage to a pair of parallel rails on the underside of a semitrailer.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
A common truck transportation system in the United States is a tractor pulling a semitrailer. The tractor has an engine, transmission, steerable front axle with wheels and one or more rear drive axles and wheels. The tractor is attached to a semitrailer through a fifth wheel which is located over the tractor's rear drive axle. The semitrailer rides on a running gear or called herein a "sliding undercarriage". The sliding undercarriage includes a suspension, one or more unpowered axles, wheels, a pneumatic brake system and a locking pin release system. The sliding undercarriage is slidable along a portion of the length of the underside of the semitrailer.
Today, federal and state laws define weight limits per axle for tractors and semitrailers. Fines are imposed at each state port-of-entry if load limits are exceeded. By shifting the sliding undercarriage under the semitrailer, the driver can improve the balance of load between the tractor and the semitrailer to meet highway axle weight limit requirements. Also, to improve maneuverability on city streets, the sliding undercarriage can be shifted toward the tractor to shorten the unit's turning radius.
The sliding undercarriage is typically locked between two parallel rails that are integral to the structure of the bottom frame of the semitrailer. Lateral movement relative to the semitrailer is limited to the clearance between the two rails and the sliding undercarriage frame. The sliding undercarriage can be moved longitudinally, generally five to seven feet, under the semitrailer by sliding along and between the two rails. The sliding undercarriage is locked to the semitrailer rails by a system of usually two or four steel pins that are part of the sliding undercarriage frame. The pins are aligned in opposing pairs in the sliding undercarriage structure and in a locked position project outward through locking pin holes in the rails. The locking pin holes are generally spaced three to six inches apart along the rails. The locking pins are usually spring loaded to retain them in a locked position during highway travel. The locking pins are retracted and reinserted in the locking pin holes using a manually operated locking pin release system.
Semitrailers are commonly equipped with pneumatic spring brake systems which typically operate at 90-120 psi. The spring loaded air brakes are automatically set by the springs when air pressure is removed through a control in the tractor which vents the supply air line and spring brake air lines to the atmosphere. To release the air brakes, air pressure from the tractor compressor is routed through the supply air line and a relay valve to apply pressure from the air supply tank to overcome the brake spring bias force.
The most common way to reposition the sliding undercarriage under the semitrailer is through a process of trial and error. The driver locks the brakes on both the tractor and semitrailer. The driver then climbs out of the tractor, walks to the sliding undercarriage, and pulls or lifts the manually operated locking pin release lever which is usually positioned immediately ahead of or between the left wheels of the sliding undercarriage. Most Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) manually operated locking pin release systems are a mechanical apparatus designed to rotate when the locking pin release lever is pulled or lifted. The pins are retracted by a pulling or a lifting force transmitted through a series of linkages designed to provide a mechanical advantage to overcome the spring loaded locking pin retention force. The pin release apparatus usually includes provisions to hold the lever and locking pins in the retracted position while the driver returns to the tractor. The driver then releases the brakes on the tractor while leaving the brakes applied on the semitrailer's sliding undercarriage. The tractor is then driven forward or backward to slide the semitrailer relative to the sliding undercarriage. The driver, after sliding the semitrailer the distance considered correct, then reapplies the tractor brakes. The driver again leaves the tractor, walks back to the sliding undercarriage, and releases or pushes down the pin release lever. The spring loaded locking pins are usually not perfectly aligned to reinsert through locking holes. Each locking pin, when not fully reinserted, is pressed by the locking pin retaining spring against the rail at a location between two locking pin holes. The driver returns to the tractor, releases the tractor brakes, and moves the semitrailer only a few inches or less as required for the spring loaded pins to drop into the first holes in the rails that move into alignment. The driver must then reapply the brakes and walk around the semitrailer to visually verify that all pins are in locked positions. The driver then secures the locking pin release lever to the sliding undercarriage for highway travel.
The process of retracting the locking pins and sliding the bottom side of the semitrailer over the sliding undercarriage is more easily completed with the assistance of a second person. The second person pulls or lifts the locking pin release lever and assists the driver in repositioning the sliding undercarriage under the semitrailer. The manually operated pin retraction systems can become impossible to operate due to damage or corrosion of the linkage and contamination with dirt and ice from exposure under the semitrailer. Locking pins can also become stuck in the holes in the rails if the semitrailer is parked on an incline or positioned with a slight twist in the frame. Pins are often loosened only by pounding them out with hammers. The usual procedure to loosen stuck locking pins is to apply the brakes on the sliding undercarriage and rock the semitrailer by repeatedly driving the tractor forward and backward a few inches. The assistant provides a constant pull on the pin release lever to apply the maximum force possible to overcome the locking pin springs and withdraw the pins if they become loose. Similar problems are often encountered in trying to reinsert locking pins. Extra force and assistance to align individual pins may be required to reinsert locking pins into new locking holes after the sliding undercarriage has been repositioned. The locking pin linkage can be damaged, bent, or twisted during attempts to loosen stuck pins. Distorted linkage may limit the distance that locking pins can be reinserted and make it impossible to reinsert pins into locked positions. The assistant positioned under the semitrailer near the wheels during attempts to loosen stuck locking pins or reinsert pins can be seriously injured. Bad weather such as rain, ice, and snow increase the probability of injury to an assistant positioned near the sliding undercarriage wheels. Fatalities related to attempts to retract and reinsert the locking pins have been reported.
The Department of Transportation highway port-of-entry weigh stations and routine highway safety inspections include verification per 49 CFR 393.207(b) that all locking pins are properly inserted. Fines may be imposed and vehicles designated out-of-service until maintenance is completed. According to this federal agency, highway accidents have been caused by locking pins not being properly inserted for securing the sliding undercarriage to the semitrailer rails.
The problems inherent in retracting and inserting locking pins with the above mentioned manually operated pin retraction apparatus have been recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,522 to Hart, U.S Pat. No. 4,838,578 to Baxter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,565 to Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,797 to Mekosh et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,079 to Vornberger and U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,969 to Glassmeyer.
The above mentioned patents to Hart and Baxter provide means to modify the manually operated pin retraction apparatus. The modified systems as described do not provide sufficient force to retract stuck locking pins, especially when complicated by corrosion, damage or contamination. Also, the flexibility of the modified linkage described in these patents is an inefficient means to reinsert locking pins into the locking pin holes. Also, bent linkage may actually prevent the locking pins from being fully inserted into locked positions even when the control lever position indicates that all pins are locked.
In the patents to Smith et al. and to Mekosh et al. complex electromechanical and pneumatic systems are disclosed that require extensive structural modifications to the semitrailer and possibly to the tractor. The patent to Smith et al. describes a few of the features incorporated into the novel system described herein, but the Smith et al. disclosure, for example, does not include a fail-safe system wherein a pressure transducer provides control to automatically reinsert the locking pins should a semitrailer's spring brakes be released when the locking pins are retracted. Also, the fail-safe system prevents the locking pins from being retracted unless the driver sets the semitrailer brakes before adjusting the sliding undercarriage on the semitrailer.
It is important to note that Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Safety Regulation 49 CFR 393.207(b) addresses the unsafe practice of entering highways with locking pins not inserted into the semitrailer's locking pin holes. This is an out-of-service violation per 49 CFR Chapter III, Subpart G, Appendix A to Part 386, and provides fines per violation up to $1,000 to a driver and $10,000 to a motor carrier. This regulation is enforced by each state, i.e., Colorado Revised Statute 42-4-234(1)(A) as amended and enforced by the Department of Public Safety Motor Carrier Safety Unit, Colorado State Patrol. The fail-safe elements of the subject system as described herein assists drivers and motor carriers in complying with the above federal and state regulations. Also, none of the above mentioned patents disclosed the unique fail-safe features and advantages of the subject locking system as described herein for improved efficiency and safety in the adjustment of the sliding undercarriage on the underside of a semitrailer.

Locking system for a semitrailer sliding undercarriage

Rocky Mountain Technology Engineering Corp.


A photovoltaic device uses a spectrally selective photon partitioner such as a reflector to partition incoming sunlight which is directed towards different solar cells, depending upon its energy. Solar cells having low and high energy band gaps are used, in which low energy photons are imaged towards that cell having the lower energy band gap, whereas high energy photons are imaged towards the higher energy band gap cell. By more directly imaging photons towards those cells in which they are converted to electricity, absorption losses due to free carriers in the semiconductor layers are reduced. The spectrally selective photon partitioner allows semiconductor layers having different lattice spacings to be optically coupled.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to solar cells, and more specifically to tandem solar cells that efficiently convert solar radiation into electrical energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solar cells are photovoltaic devices that use semiconductors to convert photons into electrical energy. In a semicondutor, a conduction band and a valence band are separated by an energy gap E.sub.g that varies with material composition and temperature. When a photon is absorbed by a semiconductor, an electron is promoted from the valence band into the conduction band, thereby creating a hole in the valence band. Since a hole represents the absence of an electron, it can be regarded as a positive charge carrier. When donor or n-type impurities (which increase the number of electrons available to carry current) are added to one side of a semiconductor crystal and acceptor or p-type impurities (which increase the number of holes) to the other, a p-n junction is formed that permits current flow in one direction but restrains it in the opposite direction. Thus, p-n junctions are ideal for converting solar radiation into electricity.
A photon of wavelength .lambda. (as measured in a vacuum) and frequency .nu. has an energy h.nu.=hc/.lambda. and is generally absorbed by a semiconductor when h.nu..gtoreq.E.sub.g. However, any extra energy in the photon (h.nu.-E.sub.g) is converted into thermal rather than electrical energy, since only one electron-hole pair can be created for each absorption event. On the other hand, a semiconductor is more transparent to wavelengths corresponding to energies less than E.sub.g, since in this case the photons are not energetic enough to promote electrons from the valence band into the conduction band. Thus, no single semiconducting material can convert the entire solar spectrum into electrical energy, since the most energetic photons produce largely thermal energy and are therefore inefficiently utilized, while the least energetic photons cannot be absorbed.
By cascading the p-n junctions of different materials, however, the overall conversion efficiency can be improved.
In so-called "tandem" solar cells, a top cell having a p-n junction of a high energy band gap semiconductor intercepts the most energetic photons. Lower energy photons pass through the top cell before they enter another cell having a p-n junction of a lower energy band gap semiconductor. In this way, an additional portion of the solar spectrum is used. In tandem solar cells, tunnel junctions are often used to connect p-n junctions, so that current can pass from one cell to the next. However, in a monolithic structure, the various layers must have thermal properties and lattice spacings which are compatible with each other. Otherwise, internal strains will be introduced during the epitaxial growth process, resulting in defects which will then propagate throughout the entire structure.
An example of a tandem solar cell is the GaInP/GaAs dual junction cell grown on a GaAs substrate, which is described by S. Kurtz et al. in "19.6% Electron-Irradiated GaInP/GaAs Cells," Proceedings of 1st WCPEC (World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion), pp. 2108-2111, 1994. This tandem solar cell produced 19.6% conversion efficiency of the air mass zero (AM0) solar spectrum, which is the pure solar spectrum with no atmospheric absorption. GaInP/GaAs cells have also been grown on Ge substrates, as reported by P. K. Chiang in "Large Area GaInP.sub.2 /GaAs/Ge Multijunction Solar Cells for Space Applications," Proceedings of 1st WCPEC, pp. 2120-2123, 1994. Chiang et al. predict the conversion efficiency to be slightly better when the Ge is active (i.e., the Ge and GaAs layers form a third junction), than in the dual junction case in which the Ge is inactive and acts simply as a mechanical platform (26.5 vs. 24.2% for AM0 at 28.degree. C.). This is so because the additional active layer results in more efficient use of the solar spectrum.
GaInAsP and GaInAs individually are better converters of the IR than Ge, as indicated by M. W. Wanlass et al. in "Development of High-Performance GaInAsP Solar Cells for Tandem Solar Cell Applications," Proceedings of the 21st IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, pp. 172-178, 1990. However, GaInAsP and GaInAs have lattice spacings quite different from Ge, so that it is not possible to construct a monolithic structure by simply epitaxially depositing one layer on top of another. Semiconductors having different lattice structures can be connected, however, by using transparent adhesive layers to connect semiconductor layers both mechanically and optically. (See, for example, J. C. C. Fan et al., "Optimal Design of High-Efficiency Tandem Cells," Proceedings of the 16th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, pp. 692-704, 1982.) In this case, the cells must be connected with metallic parts such as wires or a metallic grid, rather than with tunnel junctions. However, there are intrinsic absorption losses associated with this approach. First, there are always some losses in any "transparent" adhesive layer, but more importantly, there are losses in semiconductors due to excess holes and electrons known as free carrier absorption.
A photovoltaic device which optically joins different semiconductor layers without using a transparent adhesive layer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,389 to Stern et al. In this approach, a first broadband reflector concentrates sunlight on a high energy band gap photovoltaic array that converts high energy photons into electricity. A second broadband reflector is positioned behind the first array and reflects and concentrates light that is not absorbed in the first array back through it towards a second photovoltaic array which has a low energy band gap and converts low energy photons into electricity. In this approach, however, low energy photons must pass through the first array twice before they reach the second array, resulting in absorption losses which can be significant if the density of free carriers in the first array is high. Thus, there is still a need for a tandem solar cell that reduces losses due to free carrier absorption. Further, the device of Stern et al. is only designed for use with solar concentrator systems and specifically avoids spectrally selective reflectors.

High efficiency tandem solar cells, and operating method


The invention relates to a method of making glass-ceramic plates which are bent at a radius of curvature especially suitable in the manufacture of cooking plates.

The invention concerns glass-ceramic bent plates, cooking plates including such a bent plate and a manufacturing procedure for a glass-ceramic bent plate.
Sales of glass-ceramic cooking plates have been growing continually for several years. They essentially consist of a flat glass-ceramic plate fastened to a case containing the electrical equipment, i.e., the heating elements, the regulation system and several electronic control and display devices. The adjustment knobs of the heating elements are often grouped in a control area which may be provided on the glass-ceramic plate itself or on a strip adjacent to the flat glass-ceramic plate.
The tightness and the mechanical connection between the glass-ceramic plate and the case is currently achieved with a joint made of a polymer, preferably silicone. The glass-ceramic plates are generally decorated with enamels. In addition to the esthetic effect sought, the enamels make it possible to indicate the hot areas.
Different heating systems exist and may be associated with the same cooking plate: classic radiating burners consisting of heating resistors, halogen burners consisting of halogen lamps, mixed radiating burners consisting of both preceding elements, gas burners, induction burners consisting of an inductive loop.
Glass-ceramic is made from glass, called a precursor glass, the specific chemical composition of which makes it possible to cause, by means of adapted heat treatment, called ceramming, controlled crystallization. Their partially crystallized structure bestows unique properties on the glass-ceramic. In the course of the ceramming treatments, the following phases are generally observed: a nucleation phase in the course of which the cores on which the crystals will form coalesce, and a crystallization phase in the course of which the crystals form and then grow. The viscosity of the glass diminishes during the initial heating, presents a minimum just before crystallization and then increases under the effect of the crystallization. The nucleation occurs around 700.degree. C. The crystallization in transparent material occurs around 900.degree. C., while that of the opaque material occurs around 1100.degree. C., with opacification starting around 1000.degree. C.
The glass-ceramic plates for cooking plates are usually made up of a lithium aluminum silicate glass-ceramic. This type of glass-ceramic has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, which allows the plates to resist thermal shocks of several hundred degrees. Among the lithium aluminum silicate glass-ceramics, two main varieties are distinguished: the beta quartz glass-ceramics which may be colored black and which, therefore, may be weakly transparent in the visible range and more or less transparent in the infrared range, and the beta spodumene glass-ceramics which have a whitish appearance, are opaque in the visible range and weakly transparent in the infrared range. Because of their optical properties, the use of beta spodumene glass-ceramics is primarily associated with induction heating. Other colors or optical appearances may be attained from glass-ceramics of different compositions or that have undergone different treatments.
All of the currently marketed glass-ceramic cooking plates include a flat glass-ceramic plate.
For different technical or esthetic reasons, it would be desirable to be able to manufacture glass-ceramic cooking plates including a glass-ceramic plate bent at a slight radius of curvature, i.e., one in which the bend presents a radius of curvature of less than 5 cm and in particular less than 2 cm. The availability of such bent plates would make it possible to remedy certain disadvantages of the current cooking plates, which are linked to the fact that only flat glass-ceramic plates are available.
Thus, in the event that liquid spills over the edge of a cooking utensil, this liquid may spread toward the surface of the plate and on the control area, reach the edges of the plate and finally spill over.
Currently, to prevent the control areas from becoming fouled, certain ones are separated from the cooking areas by a vertical plastic element which has the double disadvantage of resisting heat poorly and, in addition, of being hard to clean while the ease with which the glass-ceramic cooking plates are cleaned is one of their assets.
Likewise, certain glass-ceramic cooking plates have a vertical control strip placed either before or below the level of the glass-ceramic plate, either in back of or over the level of the glass-ceramic plate. This strip is generally made of smoked glass or painted black in back, but does not have an appearance similar to that of the black glass-ceramic, which is to the detriment of the esthetics of the cooking plate. In addition, joints made of a polymer are arranged to ensure the tightness between the glass strip and the glass-ceramic plate. These joints are hard to clean and are areas where wastes collect. Furthermore, they are subject to deterioration because of burns.
Finally, the joint material, when it is applied, often has a tendency to ooze out over the glass-ceramic plate and, despite the cleaning done at the time of assembly, traces may persist on the finished product, which damages the appearance of the cooking plate.
The availability of bent glass-ceramic plates would therefore make it possible to have greater freedom in designing glass-ceramic cooking plates and would make it possible to prevent the disadvantages of the plates currently on the market.
The problem is, however, that it is not known how to bend a glass-ceramic plate with a slight radius of curvature without degrading the plate. Transparent and clear beta quartz glass-ceramic convex plates are well known, but these plates produced by natural subsidence of the precursor glass plate when it undergoes its ceramming heat treatment, present a great radius of curvature, in excess of 10 cm and frequently of the order of one meter. These convex plates are designed to be used as panes in heating devices such as fireplaces, inserts and furnaces and are not suitable for use in cooking plates, inasmuch as their large radius of curvature is a source of loss of room or is excessively bulky. Furthermore, these plates do not present the high level of quality required for cooking plates.
The most common techniques used to produce cambered plates is not suitable for the production of articles having a bend with a slight radius of curvature, inasmuch as the minimum viscosity of the precursor glass reached at the time of the thermal ceramming treatment is too high to allow the formation of such a bend. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to heat locally a plate made of glass-ceramic precursor glass or of glass-ceramic, as is done for a glass plate, in order to bend it, the visual appearance of the plate is strongly degraded at the heated site because of the development of anarchical crystallization, the heterogeneity of which is also a source of tension and fissuring in the plate.
Accordingly, there continues to be a need for new practical and effective methods of forming glass-ceramic articles, having bends of low radii of curvature.

Bent glass-ceramic plate and a method of making glass-ceramic bent plate


A hydraulic control apparatus includes two oil flow control valves (30, 32) each provided with a supply control portion (36, 38, 52, 54) for controlling an oil supply from a pressurized oil source, and a discharge control portion (40, 42, 56, 58) for controlling connection with a discharge passage. One of those oil flow control valves supplies/discharges oil to/from one of hydraulic chambers (22, 24) that are oppositely formed in a hydraulic servo mechanism. An operation direction of the hydraulic servo mechanism is performed by operating one of the oil flow control valves. The other operation direction of the hydraulic servo mechanism is performed by operating the other oil flow control valve.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a hydraulic control apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a hydraulic control apparatus and method for a hydraulic servo unit in which an operation direction is selected to a first direction when oil is supplied from a first port and discharged from a second port, and to a second direction opposite to the first direction when the oil is supplied from the second port and discharged from the first port.
2. Description of Related Art
The servo mechanism having a first port and a second port is structured to select its operation direction to a first direction when oil is supplied from the first port and discharged from the second port, and to a second direction opposite to the first direction when the oil is supplied from the second port and discharged from the first port. The above structured servo mechanism is well known as being employed for various types of machines in an automotive field, for example, a transmission, especially a toroidal type or a belt type continuously variable transmission.
The servo mechanism is provided with a hydraulic circuit having a servo valve that functions in selecting an oil supply from a pressurized oil source between the first port and the second port, while selecting a connection with a discharge oil passage between the first port and the second port. Generally the servo valve employed for the aforementioned hydraulic circuit has two oil supply ports, one of which is connected to a pressurized oil supply port and two drain ports, one of which is connected to a discharge oil passage in response to selection of a valve spool position, which is referred to as so-called a 4-port type servo valve. An example of the hydraulic circuit including the 4-port type servo valve, which is employed for the toroidal type continuously variable transmission has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. JP-A-2002-276786.
In the structure where the 4-port type servo valve serves to control operations of the servo mechanism, when a sticking or the like occurs in the servo valve and as a result, the oil supply to one of the ports cannot be stopped, the operation of the servo mechanism in one direction cannot be stopped. In the case where the servo mechanism is mounted in a transmission for a vehicle, the aforementioned failure may not be able to control the speed ratio.

Hydraulic control apparatus and hydraulic control method


The centrifugal separator has a rotating bowl and a rotating conveyor with an acceleration chamber arranged coaxially within the bowl. The centrifugal separator further has a separation chamber, which is radially limited by the bowl and the conveyor, respectively, and the acceleration chamber is provided with feed ports for inlet of feed material into the separation chamber. A feed accelerator is arranged coaxially within the acceleration chamber and is rotating in use around a common axis of rotation relative to the conveyor at a lower speed than the conveyor. The feed accelerator has a discharge outlet for discharge of feed material into the acceleration chamber of the conveyor. The feed ports extend a first axial area and the discharge outlet extends a second axial area, whereby the first and the second axial area are overlapping.

A centrifugal separator of this art is known. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,647 discloses a decanter centrifuge comprising a bowl and a conveyor with an acceleration chamber and a feed accelerator in the acceleration chamber, the feed accelerator being joined to a feed pipe and having semi-circular acceleration vanes. The bowl and feed pipe are rotated at predetermined rotational speed rates by a drive motor via respective pulleys and belts. In use a pond of feed material is formed in the bowl. The acceleration chamber extends into the pond and comprises a number of axial openings for feed material to flow from the feed accelerator, through the acceleration chamber and into the bowl forming jets. There is a risk that solids in the feed material will sediment already in the acceleration chamber thus blocking the passage into the bowl.
Generally the provision of suited feed inlets for centrifugal separators is the subject of a big number of patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,255 discloses a decanter centrifuge comprising a bowl and a conveyor with an inlet chamber having an open construction in that a hub of the conveyor at the inlet chamber, or feed zone, is constituted by longitudinal ribs only, providing between them large ports for feed material introduced into the inlet chamber to flow radially into the bowl. Hereby the feed material, or liquid, is accelerated slowly in the feed zone, or inlet chamber, to the rotational speed of the conveyor. According to its description this slow acceleration is due to the lack of any accelerating surface within the feed zone. The slow acceleration causes the volume of feed in the feed zone to increase so that its centrifugal pressure forces outward movement. Due to enlarged areas through which the feed liquid can reach the level of feed material or liquid, called "the pond" (without passage through nozzles and openings which create concentrated flows or jets), turbulence is avoided in the pond at the feed zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,423 discloses centrifugal separator with a feed accelerator system including an accelerator disc, whereby the centrifugal separator comprises many of the features mentioned above in the opening paragraph. However the accelerator disc is attached to the conveyor hub to rotate therewith at the same speed as the conveyor.

Centrifugal separator having a feed accelerator


A stable combined image is generated from a plurality of image signals having parallax and obtained at different focal positions. An image acquisition apparatus includes an image-acquisition optical system that collects light from a subject; an image acquisition element that acquires an image of the light collected by the image-acquisition optical system; a micro-lens array having an array of multiple micro-lenses arranged such that each micro-lens covers multiple pixels of the image acquisition element; and a focal-length changing section that is disposed at a pupil position of the image-acquisition optical system and that spatially changes a focal length so as to focus light passing therethrough at a plurality of different focal positions.

A known image acquisition apparatus in the related art acquires multiple images at different focal lengths by using two image acquisition sections with different optical axes and different focal positions and combines the acquired images (for example, see Patent Literature (PTL) 1).
The image acquisition apparatus in Patent Literature 1 varies the image acquisition timings of the two image acquisition sections so as to reduce a parallax shift.


A surgical instrument for ligating internal tissue of a cavity in the human body by means of an elastic cord is disclosed. The instrument comprises an inner tube, having a distal and a proximal part, with the distal part having a distal end adapted to carry an elastic cord strained around it and with the proximal part arranged to be connected to a vacuum source, wherein at least one tube bend is formed between the distal and proximal part. Further, an outer discharge member is provided to push said elastic cord beyond the distal end of said tube to close around the stem of a tissue when inserted in the tube, the discharge member comprising an outer discharge part displaceably arranged around the distal part, an actuating part displaceably arranged around the proximal part, and a flexible connection part following said tube bend and arranged to transfer a movement of the actuating part to the discharge part.

During some years requirements for the sterilization of surgical instruments have been intensified due to increased knowledge of the risks of infection in public health and sick care. The HIV-problems contribute to the enforcement of stricter requirements for sterilization, especially of instruments for rectal use.
Surgical instruments which are utilized to devitalize tissues, such as internal hemorrhoids, by ligation, a so-called elastic ligature, represent one type of proctologic instrument which is affected by these stricter requirements for sterilization. Different types of instrument for ligating of internal hemorrhoids are known. Most of these instruments are meant to be used several times, that is, they are designated to be re-utilized several times with a sterilization in between.
Instruments suitable for one-time use, i.e. disposable instruments, are also known. For example, EP 0 310 582 by the same applicant discloses a disposable surgical instrument of the above-discussed type.
However, the prior art solutions are all affected by one or several of the following drawbacks and problems:                they are relatively complicated and expensive to produce, which is especially disadvantageous for disposable instruments. Especially, the known devices have constructions which contain a large number of interacting parts, and with complicated transmission mechanism between the activating element and the discharge member;        some known instruments necessitate interaction with a gripping instrument, which makes the operation difficult, since the operating surgeon must use both hands, one for the instrument and the other for the assisting tool; and        some known instruments are relatively un-ergonomic and difficult to handle, thus making the surgeons job more difficult and hazardous.
There is therefore a need for a surgical instrument of the above-discussed type, having a less complicated construction, and especially for use as a disposable.


There is described a method and system for installing a JAVA application on to a computer system. The method comprises the steps of: determining the particular operating system of the computer system; selecting installation commands (such as editing registry files, creating program groups and folders) corresponding to the determined operating system from a plurality of operating system dependent installation commands; and executing the selected installation commands corresponding to the particular operating system to fully integrate the application onto the operating system.

One solution for the installation of long and multiple files has been to supply the program code in a universal format such as the ZIP package. However, this does NOT perform a true install and leaves the user with the problem of integrating the code into the operating system.
CASTENET from MARIMBA (http://www.marimba.com) consists of a platform specific application manager on a computer that downloads and installs client/server JAVA based code from transmitter sites on the Internet. This code is platform independent but usable only within a CASTENET environment. CASTENET then executes the client/server code in the CASTENET environment. Without CASTENET, the user has to establish a connection with the server and download the client/server code each time, the downloading can take several hours depending on the size of the application. CASTENET integrates the code only within the CASTENET environment and not within the user's operating system. A review of this system is given in WIRED (UK) November 1996.
Another installation solution is described on http://www.sbtech.org/jinstall.html and is concerned with extraction and convenient upgrading of JAVA archives on different platforms. However, this does not answer many of the needs of installing and in particular those related to the host platform.


A method of monitoring and recording real time data relating to the operation of a paper printing production machine includes the steps of: monitoring via a microprocessor time intervals between consecutive changes in status of the machine throughout the performance of the project; manually identifying to the microprocessor a particular status of the machine for each of the monitored time intervals; detecting a change in status of the machine by sensing a change in an operational condition of the machine, and, if no operational change in the machine is sensed, then detecting a change by the manual identification to the microprocessor of a particular status; manually identifying to the microprocessor a particular mechanical problem resulting in a breakdown of the machine; recording via the microprocessor the monitored time interval and the particular status identified; and calculating the sum of all time intervals monitored for each identified status. The monitored time intervals preferably include: time elapsed in setup; time elapsed awaiting supervisory review and inspection; down time elapsed due to breakdown; down time elapsed due to operator break; down time elapsed while idle; and time elapsed during running of the machine. The total time during performance of the project is thereby accounted for, and job efficiency is easily determined both during and after completion of the project.

Paper printing machinery such as a printing press is currently controlled by an operator through control buttons that control the various functioning of the machine and the operator typically logs on paper any time spent repairing the machine if production efficiency for the particular printing job is to be measured. There is a current trend in the industry, however, to incorporate microprocessors into the machine in order to monitor and record "real time" data with respect to the jobs and projects being performed by the machines, i.e., use of a microprocessor to monitor and record job and project data to determine on demand current job and project running times, prepress setup times, idle times, and down times due to maintenance, employee breaks, and malfunctions. The real time data subsequently can be used with respect to a particular machine or a group of machines to immediately compute analytical benchmarks such as production efficiency. This incorporation of a microprocessor into a production machine for this purpose is known in the industry as a direct machine interface (DMI).
Because the average education of many machine operators includes only a high school education at best, especially in the paper printing industry, the incorporation of computers into these machines often requires extensive education of the operators with respect to the operation of the microprocessors through keypad controllers. For instance, if a web break occurs in a machine such as a printing press, the operator must be trained to indicate on the keypad that the machine has stopped because of a web break, as opposed to, for example, a roll change, a cylinder change, or an ink problem.
Currently there is a need in the paper printing industry for a simple method and corresponding keypad by which an operator can indicate to a microprocessor associated with a paper printing machine the relevant information needed by the microprocessor for properly recording real time data. Furthermore, there is a need for a simple method and corresponding keypad by which operators can be conditioned to efficiently indicate the relevant information to a microprocessor for recording real time data while minimizing the time required to educate the operators.

Method and apparatus for monitoring and recording real time data of a paper printing production machine


The present invention comprises a one-piece, lightweight shield for covering the top half of a person's forearm and the entire hand made into a fist clenched around a chisel or other tool. An opening is formed in the shield near the hand end to allow the tool to be grasped by the person's hand while wearing the shield. Straps are provided to attach the shield to the forearm. The shield may be made of shatter-resistant plastic or other durable, lightweight material.

A hand-held chisel may be used to accomplish many different tasks. For example, in the masonry trades, a chisel may be used with a hammer to chip out portions of stone, concrete or other hard material to form a groove or other indentation in the workpiece. In the woodworking trades, a chisel may be used with a hammer in similar fashion to chip out portions of wood to form a design. A chisel may also be used in the electric power, plumbing and metalworking trades to tighten or loosen a nut on a corroded bolt or to pull a joint apart. A chisel may further be used to "pop" a rivet off of a steel girder, to break off a weld or to pry apart two pieces of metal bolted together, such as parts attached to an automobile engine block.
Occasionally, while a worker is using a hammer in an attempt to strike the chisel, the worker will miss the top of the chisel and strike his or her forearm or hand with the hammer, thus causing great pain and sometimes serious injury. No matter how careful the worker is in swinging the hammer, the worker is likely to miss the top of the chisel once in a while because of the relatively small surface areas of the chisel top and hammer end. Therefore, a need exists in the masonry, woodworking, metalworking, plumbing, electric power and other trades for a shield of some sort to protect the forearm and hand of a person from hammer blows that go astray during chiseling.
A number of shields have been developed in the prior art for the protection of specific body parts from flying objects, sunlight, extreme cold, extreme heat, or for other specialized purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,390 discloses a shield for protecting the back of the hand from sunlight. U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,282 discloses a ski pole hand shield for protecting the hand from the cold. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,934 shows a see-through hand-held bullet-resistant shield for protecting the upper body from bullets, rocks or other objects. And U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,759 shows a debris shield for protecting a person from debris created by operation of a power saw. However, a shield suitable for protecting the forearm and hand from hammer blows during chiseling has heretofore not been available.


In a method for monitoring a camshaft adjustment of an internal combustion engine in which a setpoint value of an angular position is compared with an actual value of the angular position, a more differentiated fault diagnosis is achieved in that at least two fault types are able to be detected on the basis of the profile of the actual value over time.

Variable valve controls via camshaft adjustment of an internal combustion engine are described in, for example, the essays "Dance of the Valves" and "Variable Valve Control" in the magazine "mot Profi Spezial Variable Ventilsteuerung" [mot Profi Spezial Variable Valve Control], no. 3/2002, Vereinigte Motor-Verlage, Stuttgart.
The camshaft adjustment allows a mechanical variation of the valve trigger times at the intake and discharge channel of a cylinder chamber. The adjustment of the camshaft in the advance or retard direction that is required for this purpose is implemented with the aid of a rotary-vane adjuster, for example, or similar means, via the oil pressure. The oil pressure in the individual chambers is controlled by solenoid valves, which are addressed via a pulse-width modulated signal sent from the control device. In the process, the camshaft must attain the setpoint value with sufficient accuracy within a prescribed period of time. If this is not the case, a malposition is present. Malpositions during variable camshaft adjustment lead to worsening emissions, among others, due to a no longer optimal combustion; they may even result in combustion misses. Furthermore, the driver will complain about a lack of torque or poor output and losses in smooth running such as jerking, which is the result of faulty camshaft positions and the associated charge differences between the cylinder groups.
The diagnosis of the camshaft control is currently performed by checking the angle of adjustment of the camshaft. For this purpose, the amount difference between the setpoint value and the instantaneous value is compared to applicable threshold values. If the threshold values are exceeded or not attained for an applicable period of time, a fault of the camshaft adjustment unit will be set. An adjustment fault of the camshaft is set whenever the instantaneous angular position is outside a permissible tolerance range after the debouncing time has elapsed. A camshaft diagnosis according to the related art is able to diagnose only a general adjustment error of the camshaft.

Method for monitoring a camshaft adjustment of an internal combustion engine


Methods and systems for allocating resources in a virtual desktop resource environment are provided. A method includes making a prediction on the future demand for processes running on a distributed environment with several hosts. The prediction is based on the process demand history and includes the removal of historic process demand glitches. Further, the prediction is used to perform a cost and benefit analysis for moving a candidate process from one host to another, and the candidate process is moved to a different host when the cost and benefit analysis recommends such move. In another embodiment, the predictions on future process demand are used for distributed power management by putting hosts in stand-by mode when the overall demand decreases or by adding hosts to the distributed environment when the load increases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for allocating resources in a virtual desktop environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
The computing industry has seen many advances in recent years, and such advances have produced a multitude of products and services. Computing systems have also seen many changes, including their virtualization. Virtualization of computer resources generally involves the abstraction of computer hardware, which essentially isolates operating systems and applications from underlying hardware. Hardware is therefore shared among multiple operating systems and applications each isolated in corresponding virtual machines. The result of virtualization is that hardware is more efficiently utilized and leveraged, and resource management in a distributed environment like Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is becoming a more promising solution. With VDI, users access over a network connection personal desktops provided by virtual machines running on remote servers. Each VM is a complete execution environment, and the server provides a user interface over the network connection so that user inputs and outputs are communicated between the user and the VM. It is desirable to provide a desktop experience to the end-user when using remote services similar to the experience users have when using a traditional system where programs execute locally. The quality of the user experience can vary based on many underlying factors such as round-trip latency or network bandwidth.
A virtual machine executing on a computer system will typically be limited to the resources (such as memory space, CPU cycles, network bandwidth, and so on) of that computer system. The virtual machines executing on a first computer system typically share the resources of the first computer system. The virtual machines executing on a second computer system typically share the resources of the second computer system. The performance of a virtual machine will depend on the resources of the computer system on which the VM is executing, as well as the demands of any other virtual machines executing on the same computer system. This "single" platform represents an undesirable limitation in some situations.
Virtual machines are assigned to computer systems in a manner that balances the loads of the virtual machines among the various computer systems. Processes, such as virtual machines, are known to be balanced based on allocation policies, resource demand, and the availability of resources provided by computer systems. Balancing can be applied to computer resources such as processor time, i.e., CPU cycles, memory space, network bandwidth (including any type of input/output or bus bandwidth), storage space, power consumption, cache space, software licenses, and so on. To effectively balance the computing resources, some systems implement a "migration" of a running virtual machine (VM) from one system to another.

Process demand prediction for distributed power and resource management


A child-proof discharger for media includes a reservoir, a pump part mounted on the reservoir and an actuable discharge portion mounted on the pump part. The discharge portion guided in an axially displaceable manner on a carrier part disposed on the closure element and can be locked with the aid of manually actuable spring bars. The spring bars are configured on an actuating plate configured on the discharge portion, and respectively have an inner tongue, which can be bent radially inwards relative to an inner wall of the carrier part. Each spring bar is respectively assigned a guide ramp as an entry curve to a contact area that is bounded by radial latches of the blocking setting upon a rotary motion of the discharge portion.

The invention relates to a child-proof discharger which is intended to prevent children from coming into contact with the content of a discharger. Opening mechanisms which are insurmountable by children are therefore provided. For some media, national and international laws even make the use of child-proof locks mandatory.
DE 101 34 796 A1 discloses a discharger for a medium according to the preamble to Claim 1, which discharger prevents unauthorized access to the content of the medium in a reservoir, in particular for children. On the one hand, unauthorized actuation of a dosing head is precluded due to a manually releasable locking means. On the other hand, unauthorized removal of the entire discharger from the reservoir is also prevented, since a reservoir closure part is blocked by a locking mechanism.
DE 698 03 036 T2 discloses a discharger for a medium, which discharger comprises a closure device for an outlet region of a storage vessel for the medium. The closure device has a sleeve-like and internally threaded closure part, which can be screwed onto an external thread of the neck-shaped outlet region of the storage vessel. In order to prevent the closure device from being unscrewed again from the outlet region of the storage vessel and thus obtain a locking mechanism for the screwed-on discharger and for the medium content of the storage vessel, the closure part is surrounded by a cap-like locking part. The aim is thereby to prevent unauthorized access to the content of the storage vessel by simple unscrewing of the closure device.
A drawback is that the locking of a manually actuable pump part by means of the known spring bars is not sufficiently reliable.


A wafer is subjected to a plasma process, using plasma generated while a process gas is fed into a process room, and a plus DC voltage is applied to an electrostatic chuck in order to attract and hold the wafer on the electrostatic chuck by an electrostatic force. A minus DC voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck while nitrogen gas is fed into the process room in order to cause DC discharge after the processed wafer is separated from the electrostatic chuck and before a next wafer is attracted and held on the electrostatic chuck. By doing so, plus electric charge in the gas is attracted to the electrostatic chuck, so that the surface of the electrostatic chuck is charged with plus electric charge, thereby preventing its attracting function from being deteriorated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma processing method of subjecting a target object, such as a semiconductor wafer or an LCD (liquid crystal display) substrate, to a plasma process, such as an etching process or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Etching apparatuses utilizing plasma are conventionally employed for etching an insulating film, arranged on, e.g., a semiconductor wafer, to form a contact hole, when a semiconductor device is manufactured. Among the etching apparatuses, the parallel plate type which has upper and lower electrodes facing each other in a process chamber is commonly used, since this type is suitable for processing a wafer having a relatively large diameter.
In an etching apparatus of the parallel plate type, since a wafer should be held in a place during an etching process, an electrostatic chuck is arranged on the lower electrode, as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 4-51542. The electrostatic chuck has a thin electrode covered with an insulating film. A DC (direct current) voltage is applied to the thin electrode, so that a wafer is attracted and held by an electrostatic force, i.e., a Coulomb's force, generated by the voltage.
With an increase in the number of repeated operations of holding wafers to be processed, electric charge is apt to remain on the surface of the insulating film of the electrostatic chuck. The residual electric charge has a polarity opposite to the DC voltage applied for attracting and holding the wafers. As a result, a next wafer may not be attracted and held even if a DC voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck. The following methods have been developed in order to solve this problem.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKOKU Publication No. 63-36138 discloses a method of supplying a gas into a process chamber at an electric discharge pressure and causing RF (radio frequency) discharge, using electrodes in the process chamber, after a wafer is separated from the chuck, in order to prevent malfunction of the chuck in its attracting and holding function. This method is referred to as an electric charge removing method using plasma. Above mentioned Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 4-51542 discloses a method of supplying an inactive gas and causing RF discharge after a wafer is separated from an electrostatic chuck.
In both of the conventional methods described above, residual electric charge is removed under a discharge condition the same as that of the main etching step. As a result, problems occur such that a reaction product is deposited on the surface of an electrostatic chuck (so called adhesion of deposition), and the surface of the electrostatic chuck is subjected to spattering.
In addition, in the conventional methods, plasma discharge is caused for removing residual electric charge after an etched wafer is transferred out of a process chamber, and then a next wafer is transferred into the process chamber after the removal of the residual electric charge is completed. In other words, the steps of transferring a wafer out of and into the process chamber cannot be performed at the same time as the step of removing electric charge, thereby lowering throughput.
Where a DC voltage is applied to an electrostatic chuck before a wafer is mounted on the electrostatic chuck, another problem is caused. To be specific, an etching apparatus of this kind has support means, such as lifter pins arranged in a work table and having distal ends projectable from an electrostatic chuck. The support means is used for putting a wafer, which has been transferred into a process chamber by transfer means, such as a transfer arm, onto the electrostatic chuck, and for separating the processed wafer from the electrostatic chuck and putting it onto the transfer means.
Since the support means is grounded through a resistor, DC (direct current) discharge is caused between the support means and the electrostatic chuck when the support means is lifted, if a DC voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck before a wafer is mounted on the electrostatic chuck. For example, where a plus DC voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck, the chuck is charged with negative electric charge due to the DC discharge, so that its attracting and holding function may be lowered.

Plasma process utilizing an electrostatic chuck


The present invention relates to a flame retardant polycarbonate thermoplastic resin composition that comprises a polycarbonate resin, a rubber modified vinyl-grafted copolymer, a phosphorous mixture of a cyclic phosphazene oligomer compound and a phosphoric acid ester as a flame retardant, and a fluorinated polyolefin resin.

A blend of a polycarbonate resin and a styrene-containing copolymer is a resin composition which has improved processability maintaining the good notched impact strength. The polycarbonate resin composition should further have good flame retardancy as well as high mechanical strength because the resin composition are applied to electric or electronic goods, automobile parts, office supplies, etc.
To provide the polycarbonate resin with good flame retardancy, a halogen-containing flame retardant and/or an antimony-containing compound were used. However, the disadvantages could be observed that the halogen-containing compound results in the corrosion of the mold itself by the hydrogen halide gases released during the molding process and is fatally harmful due to the toxic gases liberated in case of fire. Especially, since the polybromodiphenyl ether, mainly used for a halogen-containing flame retardant, can produce toxic gases such as dioxin or furan during combustion, flame retardants which are prepared without a halogen-containing compound have become a major concern in this field.
A general method is employ a phosphoric acid ester compound as a flame retardant to provide the polycarbonate resin with flame retardancy without using a halogen-containing compound. U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,488 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition comprising a halogen free aromatic polycarbonate resin, a halogen free SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile) copolymer, halogen free phosphorus compounds as flame retardants, a tetrafluoroethylene polymer and a small amount of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) copolymer. If a halogen free phosphorus compound and a tetrafluoroethylene polymer are used together as in this U.S. patent, the dripping phenomenon can be prevented, but a juicing phenomenon occurs due to the migration of the flame retardant agent to the surface of the molded article during molding process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,745 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition comprising an aromatic polycarbonate resin, an ABS graft copolymer, a copolymer, and a monophosphorous ester. As the flame retardant agent is monomeric, the juicing phenomenon is not prevented and the heat resistance is rapidly deteriorated.
It is known that an oligomeric phosphate is used as a flame retardant. Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-202,240 discloses a method of preparing an oligomeric phosphate and the use of the oligomeric phosphate in a polyamide or polycarbonate resin composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,394 discloses a resin composition comprising an aromatic polycarbonate resin, a styrene-containing copolymer or a graft copolymer, and oligomeric phosphate as flame retardants. Although the resin composition improves the juicing phenomenon and heat resistance, but is inferior to the resin composition using the monophosphorous esters as flame retardants in flame retardancy. Accordingly, to maintain a good flame retardancy, the resin composition should contain more flame retardants than in the resin composition containing monophosphorous ester as flame retardants. As a result, the resin composition shows poor mechanical properties due to the high content of a flame retardant. Furthermore, the resin composition contains still some monophosphorous ester which migrates to the surface of the molded article to cause juicing phenomenon in part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,645 discloses a PC/ABS resin composition comprising an aromatic polycarbonate resin, a vinyl copolymer, a graft copolymer, a mixture of a monophosphate and an oligomeric phosphate, and a fluorinated polyolefin. In this case, the resin composition shows juicing phenomenon in which monophosphorous ester migrates to the surface of the molded article, and deterioration of heat resistance. And, as the flame retardability of an oligomeric phosphate ester is less than that of a momophosphorous ester in usual, the more oligomeric phosphate ester is contained in the flame retardant agent, the poorer flame retardancy of resin composition is.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 6-100,785 discloses a flame retardant resin composition which comprises a thermoplastic resin, a phosphate compound, and a silicon resin or a polyphosphazene to prevent from dripping of the resin during combustion. However, the Japanese patent application does not disclose that the flame retardancy of the resin composition had been improved.
EP 0 728 811 A2 discloses a thermoplastic resin composition comprising an aromatic polycarbonate, a graft copolymer, a copolymer and a phosphazene. The European patent teaches that no dripping occurs during combustion by using a phosphazene as a flame retardant even though an additional anti-dripping agent is not employed, and that the resin composition has excellent heat resistance and impact strength. However, the resin composition of the European patent has a poor processability due to the poor flowability by using the phosphazene, and causes black stripes and/or black lines on the surface of the molded article due to degradation of the resin or flame retardants when an excess stress is applied to the article during molding. In the European patent using phosphazene as a flame retardant, mechanical strength such as flexural strength and flexural modulus becomes deteriorated, and more amount of flame retardants should be used to maintain a certain degree of flame retardancy.
WO 00/09518 and WO 99/19383 disclose methods of preparing a cross-linked linear or cyclic phenoxy phosphazene and a thermoplastic resin composition using such phosphazene compounds. According to the patent applications, the cross-linked phenoxy phosphazene does not deteriorate the mechanical properties of the resin composition when applied, because the phosphazene has a high melting point and lower volatility. However, the resin composition of the patent applications has a poor processability due to the poor flowability by using the phosphazene, and causes black stripes and/or black lines on the surface of the molded article due to degradation of the resin or flame retardants when an excess stress is applied to the article during molding. In the patent applications using phosphazene as a flame retardant, mechanical strength such as flexural strength and flexural modulus becomes deteriorated.
The present inventors have developed a flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition that comprises a polycarbonate resin, a rubber modified vinyl-grafted copolymer, a vinyl copolymer, an oligomer type cyclic phosphazene compound and a phosphoric acid ester as a flame retardant and a fluorinated polyolefin resin, which has a good balance of physical properties such as impact strength, heat resistance, heat stability, processability and appearance.

Thermoplastic resin compositions containing mixtures of cyclic phosphazenes and phosphoric acid esters


A circuit arrangement, which includes a switched-mode power supply energized by a source and which is controlled by a control circuit. The switched-mode power supply supplies the control circuit with energy during operation. The circuit also comprising a starter circuit for applying a supply current to the control circuit when the arrangement is put into operation. A particularly simple and inexpensive construction is obtained in that the starter circuit comprises a capacitive voltage divider which is fed directly by the source and is provided with a tapping wherefrom the supply current is derived via a rectifier element.

This invention relates to a circuit arrangement comprising a switched-mode power supply (SMPS), a source for feeding the SMPS and a control circuit for controlling the SMPS, wherein the SMPS supplies the control circuit with energy during operation, and also comprising a starter circuit for applying a supply current to the control circuit when the arrangement is put into operation.
A circuit arrangement for generating a DC voltage from a sinusoidal input voltage is known from DE-PS 36 12 147, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,887 (Jan. 31, 1989). This input voltage is used to apply energy to a switched-mode power supply and a control circuit activating the power supply. The voltage required for the control circuit is derived by a circuit arrangement during operation, a capacitor in said circuit arrangement being coupled to a first output terminal of the source and being dischargeable via a first diode arrangement and the switched-mode power supply, said circuit arrangement including a series connection which consists of a second diode arrangement which is connected parallel to the first diode arrangement and via which only the charging current of the capacitor flows, and of at least one parallel connection of the control circuit and a smoothing capacitor, which parallel connection is connected to a terminal of the switched-mode power supply.
Customarily, the switched-mode power supply is switched on by the control circuit when the voltage across the control circuit reaches a threshold value. When the complete circuit arrangement is put into operation, therefore, initially the discharging current of the capacitor cannot flow across the switched-mode power supply. Therefore, the prior art circuit arrangement comprises a starter circuit via which at least the discharging current of the capacitor flows until the threshold value is reached. When the switched-mode power supply has been switched on, the discharging current can flow thereacross.
In the circuit arrangement known from DE-PS 36 12 147, i.e. U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,887 the starter circuit comprises a transistor whose collector is connected to the first connection terminal of the source and whose emitter is coupled to the junction of the second diode arrangement and the parallel connection of the control circuit and the smoothing capacitor. The discharging current of the capacitor flows via the collector-emitter path of the transistor and a preceding collector resistance. The transistor as well as the collector resistance, therefore, are to be proportioned for the current whereby the smoothing capacitor connected parallel to the control circuit is to be charged and whereby the control circuit is to be powered upon activation. Moreover, during operation these elements are exposed to at least approximately the source voltage. Especially when the switched-mode power supply is powered from a power supply mains, the transistor and the collector resistance must be proportioned for a high voltage and comparatively large currents. For circuit components which are required to operate for only very brief periods of time in comparison with the overall period of operation of the circuit arrangement, this is uneconomical, especially when they are used in small and inexpensive domestic appliances.

Start circuit for a switched mode power supply


This invention relates to a sintered silicon nitride ceramic material comprising:. a) at least 80 wt % silicon nitride grains, and PA1 b) between 0.1 and 5 wt % additive grains characterized by at least one of: PA1 i)a Knoop hardness of at least 25 GPa, PA1 ii) a coefficient of thermal expansion of at least 6.times.10.sup.-6 /K, and PA1 iii) a modulus of elasticity of at least 600 GPa,. wherein the maximum detectable grain size of the additive grains is no more than 4 um, as determined by a photomicrograph of a polished 75 mm.sup.2 microstructure of the silicon nitride material.

Silicon nitride has been used in wear and high temperature applications such as bearings and valves for internal combustion engines.
JP Published Patent Application No. (Kokai) 6-172034 reports that adding titanium carbide (TiC) to a silicon nitride green body imparts a black color to the densified silicon nitride material. As the color of a conventional densified silicon nitride material can be various shades of gray, the coloring achieved by adding TiC provides the desirable visual appearance of a more uniform, more consistent material. The average particle size of the TiC powder reported in JP 6-172034 was about one micron. Replication of one of the Examples therein produced a silicon nitride material whose maximum detectable TiC grain size was over 5.5 um, and whose D.sub.50 TiC grain size was about 1.36 um.
One commercial silicon nitride bearing material also contains a small amount of TiC. Analysis of a 75 mm.sup.2 polished microstructure of this material reveals that its largest detectable TiC grain was about 5.25 um, and its D.sub.50 TiC grain size was about 0.793 um.

Dense silicon nitride ceramic having fine grained titanium carbide


A case of an extending base for an electronic device includes a body, a cover, and at least two link elements. The body has a hollow. The cover is disposed aside the hollow. Each link element has a first pivot part, a first block part, a second pivot part, and a first elastic member. The first pivot part has a first end pivoted on the body and a second end connected to the first block part. The second pivot part has a first end pivoted on the cover and a second end connected to the first block part. The first elastic member provides a force to push the first block part from a first position to a second position so as to correspondingly push the cover. Herein, when the first block part is positioned at the first position, the first block part is separated from the body and the cover covers the body. In addition, when the first block part is positioned at the second position, the first block part is in contact with the body and the cover is separated from the body.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a case and, in particular, to a case of an extending base for an electronic device.
2. Related Art
Laptop computers have the advantages of being light and compact. For the sake of mobility, some of them have fewer peripheral input/output (I/O) ports in order to reduce the number of elements and the size. For non-mobile applications, the laptop computer can be connected to an I/O port extending base for complete peripheral I/O functions.
Generally speaking, the I/O port extending base has specific sizes for specific models of laptop computers. For example, the extending base for a 14-inch laptop computer usually cannot connect with a 15-inch laptop computer. In that case, the manufacturers have to make extending bases for each size laptop computer. This inevitably increases the product cost.
Moreover, various types of I/O ports (e.g., RS-232, RJ-45, PS2, VGA, USB, etc) on the usual extending base are directly exposed. Although it is easier for the user to plug in or unplug cables, the overall appearance of the laptop computer suffers due to the exposed I/O ports. Moreover, dust is likely to accumulate thereon. If these I/O ports are hidden inside a case, the appearance is improved. However, the space of such a case is limited and it is more difficult for the user to plug in or unplug cables.
Therefore, it is an important subject to provide a case of an extending base for an electronic device that can solve the above mentioned problems.

Case of extending base for electronic device