The present invention is directed to a continuously variable transmission for varying the speed ratio of an output shaft relative to an input shaft driven by a vehicle engine or other input power source. In an embodiment of the invention, the power transmission system includes a driven input member coupled in driving engagement with at least one rotor to transfer torque to the rotor. A disk member is positioned in cooperative relationship with a rotatable shaft and in a driving engagement with the rotor, such that the disk member is driven to transfer torque to the rotatable shaft. An output member is driven by the rotatable shaft, and torque is transferred from the shaft to the output member, with the disk member being selectively axially moveable relative to the rotor and to the rotatable shaft in response to output load torque on the output member so as to vary the torque transferred from the rotor. There may also be provided a gear system driven by the at least one rotor which may include a planetary gear set and clutch system in parallel cooperation with the output torque of the disk member and cooperating rotatable shaft to extend the speed range of the output member and to provide other beneficial aspects.

The invention relates to a power transmission system and more particularly a continuously variable transmission including a low-inertia disk or wheel which is tractionally driven by drive rotors. The invention may further use a multi-range gear system to extend the output speed range of the drive system, which is engaged in differential parallel arrangement with the disk and synchronized therewith for controlling acceleration and deceleration of output from the transmission.
Continuously variable drive systems of various types have been developed in an effort to provide a commercially acceptable transmission which allows a wide range of speeds to be achieved over a continuous range. It is commonly recognized that continuous variation of speed ratios can provide significant improvement in efficiency of a motor vehicle engine, and therefore result in improved fuel economy. Continuously variable transmissions are also used in a variety of other applications to provide a continuous variation of speed over a given range.
In motor vehicles having a continuously variable transmission system, the power transmitted by the vehicle engine to the wheels will pass through a variable ratio transmission, which in turn must be able to withstand the high torque and other conditions encountered. Several types of continuously variable drives have been developed, including traction drives and V-belt continuously variable drives which rely on belts and moveable pulleys. Prior systems have encountered significant problems including rapid fatigue and failure of main components, insufficient power density, a limited speed range, unstable ratio control, excessive cost or other problems which have not been adequately solved for commercial use of such systems to a wide extent. There is therefore a pressing need for a continuously variable transmission which overcomes these problems and can be produced cost effectively.

Continuously variable transmission with ratio synchronizing system


A method and system for efficient dual polarity transmission of a millimeter wave data stream of overall rate Rfixed+Rvar+RMAC through two channels of polarities H and V. The method comprises the steps of determining asymmetric H and V transmission powers such that the overall rate Rfixed+Rvar+RMAC is maximized, determining asymmetric ηH and ηV spectral efficiencies according to the asymmetric H and V transmission powers, and determining asymmetric coding and interleaving parameters related to the asymmetric ηH and ηV spectral efficiencies.

With continued growth in demand for electronic communications of all kinds, and with spectrum being a finite resource, interest has arisen in finding techniques for improving the spectral efficiency of point-to-point, line-of-sight MMW communications. One such technique is to increase the constellation size of the modem, see J. G. Proakis, Digital Communications, 3rd Edition, McGraw-Hill International Editions, 1995; however, there is a practical limit to the size of the constellation that can be used in MMW communications, and constellations higher than 256 have been found to be impractical. Another technique is to utilize multiple antenna systems in combination with some mechanism to create channel discrimination, as described for example in I. E. Telatar, "Capacity of multi-antenna Gaussian channels," Eur. Trans. Telecom., vol. 10, pp 585-595, November 1999, in G. J. Foschini, "Layered space-time architecture for wireless communication in fading environment when using multi-element antennas," Bell Labs Tech. J., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 41-59, 1996, and in N. Amitay and J. Salz, "Linear equalization theory in digital data transmission over dually polarized fading radio channels," AT&T Tech. J., vol. 63, no. 10, Part 1, pp. 2215-2259, December 1984. One example in Telatar above describes the use of multiple antennas in microwave systems, where the channel discrimination is achieved by differential fading effects that each of the radio paths experience. Another example is the use of multiple antennas in MMW communication, described generally in PCTJ/S01/24913 filed Aug. 9, 2001, and PCT/IL01/00820 filed Aug. 30, 2001, where channel discrimination is achieved by the geometric structure of the arrays. However, both Telatar and the two PCT applications above require a (relatively) large physical separation between the antennas, depending on the link length and carrier frequency. Separated antennas require separate transceivers, which result in increased phase noise effects. Separate antennas may not be practical at a particular location due to zoning or physical mounting constraints. In addition, in such systems each antenna at the receiver receives signals from all transmitting antennas, with approximately the same power, requiring sophisticated equalization and decoding techniques.
One promising technique for increasing MMW spectral efficiency is dual polarity transmission, described in Amitay above. Dual polarity transmission is a form of a multiple antenna system, where two antennas are used at each side of the point-to-point link. In this case channel discrimination is achieved by transmitting at orthogonal polarizations, commonly known as vertical (V) and horizontal (H) polarizations. In such a system, the V and H antennas can be combined into a single physical antenna known as a dual-polarized antenna, which enables the system to utilize part of the same radio elements for the two transmissions.
Dual polarity transmission systems have successfully been used in lower-frequency microwave radio systems to improve spectral efficiency. However, the lower frequencies are not affected by rain fade, which is the primary cause of fading in MMW channels. Rain attenuates the H polarization more than the V polarization, a phenomenon due to the flattening (lengthening in the H plane) of raindrops as they fall to earth. Existing dual polarity coding systems created for microwave links code separately for the two polarities, meaning the weaker polarity (H) dictates the link performance (achievable link capacity). In addition, the reflection of electromagnetic waves from a surface depends on the polarization, thus in some scenarios the two polarizations can experience different multipath effects. There is thus a need for a coding system that combines (in some way) the two polarities, and that can therefore exploit the diversity of the channels in favor of link capacity. Asymmetric modulations and joint interleaving and coding exploit the diversity between the channels and increase the overall transmission rate significantly.

Dual polarity coding system and method for a millimeter wave communication system


The invention concerns a device for supporting a horizontal guided, continuous glass strand;                with a number of supporting blocks, which each exhibits a supporting area, facing the glass strand;        the individual supporting block in the area of the supporting area is made from a porous, gas-impermeable diaphragm body;        the diaphragm body is connected to a source of compressed gas for conveying gas through the supporting area.

The invention concerns a device for supporting a horizontal guided, continuous glass strand.
The Danner-Technique and the Vello-Technique are used for the industrial production of glass rods and glass tubes up to diameters of approximately 100 mm. With the Danner-Technique the glass flows from a nozzle on top of a rotating tilted pipe, through which, in the case of producing tubes, a glass is blown and a glass strand is pulled off continuously from the tip. With the Vello-Technique a ring nozzle, through whose center the glass is blown for the tubing production, creates the glass strand.
Tube drawing techniques have become known for example from DE 100 54 804 A1.
With the usual techniques for the production of glass rods or glass tubes, the hot and ductile glass strand is directed into the horizontal level, cooled down over the length of the drawing bench and finally separated into sections of the desired length. The glass strand, which is still hot, is supported along the drawing path. This takes place usually by means of rollers or supports from a material, which leaves fewest possible traces on the surface of the glass strand.
Wood and graphite are the materials usually used for these rollers. V-shaped blocks made from the same materials are used instead of the rollers if extremely quiet running of the glass strand is demanded within the drawing path; the recess of the V-shaped blocks guides the glass strand.
Good lateral guide properties are achieved while accepting that the strand slides on the support and that there is the danger of developing scratches.
The small supporting surface, which the rollers offer to the glass strand, causes the glass strand (especially in its hot area) to be deformed during transport over the rollers, which in return causes an impairment of its dimensional accuracy and especially problems with ovalness. Furthermore, heat is removed from the glass strand along the contact line to the rollers. The nonuniform heat distribution over the circumference of the glass strand leads with further cooling to distortion and bending of the glass strand. In addition, the contact to the rollers transfers dust and dirt on the glass strand.
The guide rollers and guide blocks are especially in the hot area subjected to distinct wear by abrasion. This abrasion creates contaminations on the glass strand surface. During the progressive wear the occurrence of the scratches created by the supporting device increases, until the rollers and blocks must be exchanged after some time.
DE 31 25 521 A1 describes a device for conveying and supporting a hot, continuous glass tube. The supporting device exhibits a V-shaped recess, which forms a supporting area for the glass tube. The supporting area exhibits drilled holes in the vertex of the V, which are connected to compressed air. Compressed air is to lift the glass tube off the supporting area. However, in the range of the legs of the V-shaped supporting area approximation of the glass tube to the walls of the legs takes place and therefore also contact.
This leads to a mutual impairment. On the one hand scratches can develop on the exterior of the glass tube, on the other hand material wear of the supporting device takes place, especially if a soft material such as graphite is used for it.
A prior art design variation is known in which the glass tube strand is guided between two walls bent against each other, which are usually made of sheet metal, and is carried on air, which discharges from the gap between the walls. Usually these devices are present only in the first few meters; rollers do the further transport of the glass strand. In such devices one tries to stabilize the glass strand centered on a gas cushion by means of suitably guiding the gas that is emerging from a gap under the glass strand. However, lateral contact of the glass strand with the walls cannot always be prevented, so that in these cases the surface of the glass strand is damaged or contaminated.
A freely floating guide of the freshly formed glass strand on compressed air nozzles would be possible. In this case no contact can occur between glass strand and firm materials. However, the necessary airflow for supporting the glass strand would be so large, that the nozzles would cause an inadmissibly high noise level. Furthermore there is the risk that the gases impacting the glass strand surface with high speeds deform the glass strand especially in its hot area. Besides, this principle is not economical due to the high costs of compressed air.

Device for supporting a horizontal guided glass strand


This invention relates to a circuit board mounting apparatus with inverted U-shaped mounting arms for mounting a circuit board. The circuit board mounting apparatus comprises a base for loading the circuit board above it, two front end latching mechanisms installed on the base for removably and horizontally latching the front end of the circuit board, a supporting mechanism installed on the base for supporting the approximately center portion of the circuit board upward, and at least one inverted U-shaped mounting arm installed on the base having one open end facing downward. The open end of the mounting arm comprises an engaging means for engaging the rear end of the circuit board to prevent it from moving upward.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to circuit board mounting apparatus, and more particularly, to a circuit board mounting apparatus with inverted U-shaped mounting arms for mounting a circuit board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many small electronic devices such as telephones, electronic clocks, answering machines, etc., usually use plastic hooks instead of screws for mounting circuit boards inside their plastic housings. Such design can reduce the number of parts used in such small electronic devices and also simplify their assembly processes. FIGS. 1 and 2. shows an example of such plastic hook design used by prior art electronic devices.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a circuit board mounting apparatus 2 of a prior art design, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view 1--1 of the circuit board mounting apparatus 2 shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 1 and 2 show that apparatus 2 comprises a plastic base 4, two front end latching mechanisms 6 installed on the base 4 for horizontally latching the front end 10 of the circuit board 8 in a removable manner, two supporting mechanisms 12 installed on the base 4 which are attached to the bottom side 14 of the circuit board 8 for supporting the circuit board 8 upward, and two rear end latching mechanisms 16 installed on the base 4 for horizontally latching the rear end 18 of the circuit board 8 in a removable manner.
Each of the front end latching mechanisms 6 is a plastic stud which comprises a recess 20 on its upper end. The front end 10 of the circuit board 8 is horizontally and removably engaged in the recesses 20 of the two plastic studs 6. Each of the two supporting mechanisms 12 comprises a positioning stud 22 on its upper end and the circuit board 8 comprises two corresponding positioning holes 24 wherein the two positioning studs 22 are engaged upward in the two positioning holes 24 when the circuit board 8 is mounted on the base 4. The two rear end latching mechanisms 16 are two vertical plastic studs and each of them comprises an inverted L-shaped hook 26 on its upper end for horizontally latching the rear end 18 of the circuit board 8 to prevent it from moving upward. Each of the hooks 26 comprises a slope 28 on its front upper end for allowing the rear end 18 of the circuit board 8 to slide down.
When mounting the circuit board 8 to the base 4, the front end 10 of the circuit board 8 is horizontally inserted into the two recesses 20 of the two front end latching mechanisms 6, and then the rear end 18 of the circuit board 8 is pressed down against the slopes 28 of the two rear end latching mechanisms 16 so that the positioning holes 24 and the rear end 18 of the circuit board 8 can engage with the positioning studs 22 of the two supporting mechanisms 12 and the two hooks 26 of the rear end latching mechanisms 16 separately.
One problem is experienced in using the two rear end latching mechanisms 16. These two vertical studs 16 are usually fairly short in order to keep the circuit board 8 close to the base 4. When removing the rear end 18 of the circuit board 8 from the base 4, the bending force exerted on top of each vertical stud 16 is almost completely transmitted to the connecting part between each stud 16 and the base 4 which frequently breaks the two studs 16. Such problem causes a lot of inconvenience when maintaining a small electronic device which uses such latching mechanism design.

Circuit board mounting apparatus with inverted U-shaped mounting arms for mounting a circuit board


A captive cover for a hypodermic needle of an IV tube assembly has an elongated body connected to an element of the IV tube assembly. The elongated body is hollow and has a proximal opening, a closed distal end, a chamber, at least one locking tab and one or more optional connectors. The hypodermic needle of the IV tube assembly can be inserted through the proximal opening into the chamber. A flange on the hypodermic needle of the IV tube assembly is held in the captive cover by the locking tab. Since the hypodermic needle of the IV tube assembly only passes through the locking tab of the elongated body, the hypodermic needle of the IV tube assembly can be conveniently inserted into the elongated body. The captive cover can accommodate an ordinary hypodermic needle and has a simple structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety device, and more particularly to a captive cover for a hypodermic needle of an intravenous (IV) tube assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Since some patients cannot ingest nutrients or medicine orally, nutrients or medicine must be administered intravenously from an IV solution container. A conventional IV solution container must have an IV tube assembly to connect the IV solution container to a patient.
The IV tube assembly comprises a container needle, an upper IV tube, a lower IV tube, an injection joint, a flow control apparatus and a hypodermic needle. The upper IV tube and the lower IV tube respectively have upper ends and lower ends. The container needle is connected to the upper end of the upper IV tube and is inserted into the IV solution container. The injection joint comprises an intermediate container and a lid. The intermediate container has a bottom, an open top and a discharge outlet. The discharge outlet is formed on the bottom of the intermediate container and is connected to the upper end of the lower IV tube. The lid is mounted securely on the open top of the intermediate container. The lower end of the upper IV tube is connected to the lid. The flow control apparatus is mounted around the lower IV tube to control how quickly an IV solution is administered to a patient. The hypodermic needle is connected to the lower end of the lower IV tube and is inserted into a patient's vein so the IV solution can be administered to a patient.
A conventional hypodermic needle has a cover to protect the hypodermic needle. The cover is removed when the IV is administered to a patient and replaced on the hypodermic needle when the administration of an IV solution to the patient is complete. However, two problems exist with the small conventional cover. First, the cover is easily lost between the time it is removed from the needle and the time it needs to be replaced on the needle. This makes the contaminated IV hypodermic needle a personnel hazard during the disposal process. Second, the cover is small, and medical personnel are subject to puncture injuries from the contaminated needle during the process of replacing the cover over the hypodermic needle.
With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, a captive cover (40) disclosed in Taiwan Patient No. 90221792 obviates the problem with loosing the cover, is formed integrally with and extends from a flow control apparatus (not numbered) and comprises a chamber (44) and an annular rib (45). The chamber (44) has a closed distal end (not numbered) and an open proximal end (not numbered). The annular rib (45) extends radially inward from the open proximal end of the chamber (44). A hypodermic needle (7A) of an IV tube assembly has multiple resilient locking tabs (71A) formed around the hypodermic needle (7A) of the IV tube assembly. The hypodermic needle (7A) can be pushed into the chamber (44) of the captive cover (40), which compresses the resilient locking tabs (71A) until the locking tabs (71A) pass the annular rib (45) that securely holds the hypodermic needle (7A) in the chamber (44) of the captive cover (40). The captive cover (40) can prevent personnel injuries from the contaminated hypodermic needle (7A) during the disposal process.
However, the hypodermic needle (7A) must be compatible with the conventional captive cover (40) to provide the safety effect. The conventional captive cover (40) is not compatible with ordinary hypodermic needles for the IV tube assembly. Modification of conventional hypodermic needles to obtain hypodermic needles (7A) compatible with the captive cover (40) will increase the cost of the manufacturing. Furthermore, a significant amount of pressure is required to push the locking tab (71A) of the hypodermic needle (7A) through the annular rib (45) of the conventional captive cover (40). Since the conventional captive cover (40) is suspended in the air with the IV tube assembly, pressing the hypodermic needle (7A) into the captive cover (40) that will shake and possibly dislodge the entire IV tube assembly.

Captive cover for a hypodermic needle of an intravenous (IV) tube assembly


Systems and methods for writing data from a caching agent to a main memory in a computer system are provided. In systems and methods for writing data from a caching agent to a main memory in a computer system, a notice of an occurrence of a triggering event is received. In response to the receipt of the notice, data is retrieved from a storage array of the caching agent in accordance with a pre-clean criterion. The pre-clean criterion identifies the data that is being retrieved from the storage array prior to receiving a command on the data. The data is written to the main memory, where the writing of the data causes a memory address associated with the data to have identical contents in the storage array and in the main memory.

A typical computer system may include one or more microprocessors that execute code and operate on data stored within the computer system's memory and disk drives. To facilitate the fetching and storing of instructions and data, a microprocessor may include one or more levels of cache memory. Microprocessor cache memory may include, for example, a level one (L1) cache and a level two (L2) cache, and such cache memory may reside on-chip or off-chip. Frequently accessed data may be stored in the cache after an initial access of the data from the main memory, and subsequent accesses to the frequently accessed data may be made to the cache instead of to the main memory.
Types of cache memory include write-through cache and write-back cache. In computer systems using write-through cache, when the processor issues a command to write data to the main memory, the data is written both to the cache and to the main memory. In systems using write-back cache, data is generally only written to the main memory when data in the cache is being replaced with some other data (i.e., data is only written to the main memory during an eviction of a cache line). Write-back cache is generally faster than write-through cache because writing to the slower main memory is avoided on write operations in write-back cache. In write-back cache, a cache line is "dirty" if the data of the cache line has been updated by the computer system but the corresponding data of the main memory has not also been updated. A cache line is "clean" if the cache line has the same data as is stored the main memory.

Systems and methods for writing data from a caching agent to main memory according to a pre-clean criterion


An anchor assembly can be couplable to a bone and can include an anchor and a housing. The anchor can include a shank securable to bone and a head coupled to a proximal portion of the shank.

This document pertains generally, but not by way of limitation, to systems and methods for fixation of bones during orthopedic procedures. More particularly, this disclosure relates to, but not by way of limitation, vertebral bone anchors. Orthopedic devices such as rods, plates, tethers, staples, and other devices can be used in various spinal procedures to correct abnormalities (e.g., scoliosis) or to address injuries (e.g., vertebral fracture). In some spinal procedures, anchors and rods can be secured along a vertebral column to vertebrae to stabilize a region of the spine. In these procedures, pedicle screws (or vertebral anchors) can be secured to individual vertebra and tied together with a connecting rod.


A book on demand system for manufacturing a set books. The system includes an order placement system and a book manufacturing system. The order placement system includes a computer and a database for storing books in an electronic form. A customer can operate the computer to access the database and to select a set of books to purchase. In addition, the customer can define the storage space will be used to store the set of books. The computer responds to this customer input by manufacturing the set of books so that the books can be placed physically within the storage space.

A customer often wishes to purchase a set of books and store these books in a particular bookcase. Unfortunately, the books may not completely fit in the bookcase. This situation presents the customer with a problem. Prior solutions to this problem include the customer purchasing a new bookcase that is large enough to accommodate the set of books. This solution is obviously disadvantageous as it requires the customer to spend valuable time to find a book case that meets the customers needs and that is available to purchase. In addition, the new bookcase can be expensive.
Compounding this problem, is the fact that every customer will have a different set of preferences for the bookcase contents, requiring an individualized solution to that customers preferences, even if two or more customers have identical bookcases
What is needed is a way for a customer to obtain a set of books will fit into his/her own book case.

Tailored method and system for custom manufactured books

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A reinforcing bar binding machine is provided with a cutting die having a wire through hole which penetrates through the die along a direction in which a wire is fed out, a blade portion adapted to move along an open plane of an opening at one end of the wire through hole to cut a terminating end portion of the wire which has passed through the wire through hole and an engagement portion adapted to be brought into engagement with a portion of the wire which lies in the vicinity of the terminating end portion thereof when the blade portion is rotated so as to bend to hold the portion lying in the vicinity of the terminating end portion.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reinforcing bar binding machine for binding reinforcing bars by feeding out a wire that is pulled out of a wire reel from a guide portion provided at a distal end of a binding machine main body to a periphery of the reinforcing bars so as to turn thereround in a loop-like fashion and twisting the wire.
Background Art
As is shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a reinforcing bar binding machine has a beak-like guide portion that is provided at a distal end thereof. Two reinforcing bars that intersect each other are inserted into the guide portion, a wire is pulled out of a wire reel, and the wire to which a curling-tendency is applied is fed out while being curled, whereby the wire is wound round the reinforcing bars in a loop-like fashion. After the wire has been so wound round the reinforcing bars, a terminating portion of the wire is cut by a cutter, and part of the looped wire is turned while being gripped by a twisting hook, whereby the reinforcing bars are bound together by the wire being so twisted.
[Patent Document 1] U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,336
[Patent Document 2] JP-A-11-169981
Incidentally, when binding the reinforcing bars, the guide portion of the reinforcing bar binding machine is inserted from one side (a front side) to the other side (a rear side) of an intersecting portion of two reinforcing bars, and after the two reinforcing bars are bound together, the guide portion is pulled out. It is common that an initiating end portion and a terminating end portion of the wire that is wound round the reinforcing bars lie in a position which is away from a twisted portion, and both the end portions never fail to be free. Consequently, normally, as is shown in FIG. 7(a), two end portions 105a, 105b of a wire 105 lie on an opposite side IS to a side where a twisted portion 105c lies. However, when the wire is twisted, there occurs from time to time a case in which one or both of the end portion of the wire project laterally due to the effect of twisting the wire. Then, when the reinforcing bar binding machine is pulled back to disengage the guide portion from the reinforcing bar after the twisting of the wire is completed, there occurs from time to time a case in which as is shown in FIG. 7(b), either of both of the two end portions 105a, 105b of the wire 105 which are made free are caught by the guide portion or the like and are then caused to move to a twisted portion 105c side of the reinforcing bar together with the reinforcing bar binding machine. As this occurs, since the end portion or end portions of the wire project to the twisted portion side to thereby be away from the reinforcing bar, not only does the external appearance of the reinforcing bar get worse, but also when concrete is placed in this state, there occurs from time to time a case in which the end portion or end portions of the wire project from a surface of the concrete so placed. When the wire is exposed from the concrete surface, rain water infiltrates into an interior of the concrete through a gap between the wire and the concrete, causing cracks therein.
To deal with this, a mechanism is considered in which the wire is deformed to be held by the cutter and a distal end portion of the guide portion. According to this configuration, since the terminating end portion of the wire is held by the guide portion, when the guide portion is pulled out after the reinforcing bar are bound together, the initiating end portion of the wire is held down by the terminating end portion of the wire, whereby both the end portions can be kept staying on the rear side of the reinforcing bar.
However, when the amount of wire remaining in the wire reel reaches almost zero and an interval between the terminating end portion of the wire used last and an end portion of the wire remaining on the wire reel side is short, there occurs from time to time a case in which the remaining wire piece jams while being caught by the cutter and the distal end portion of the guide portion.
Since when the wire jams, the wire reel cannot be replaced by a new wire reel so as to feed out a wire, the guide portion has to be disassembled to remove the wire piece.
Further, in the conventional reinforcing bar binding machine, as is shown in Patent Documents 3, 4, curl guides are disposed vertically for applying a curling-tendency on a wire to curl the wire. A movable curl guide is provided so as to be opened and closed, and by the movable curl guide being designed to be opened and closed, a construction is enabled in which reinforcing bar which are bound together are easily removed from a binding machine main body, in addition, the opening and closing construction has a function as a safety device. When the movable curl guide is opened, it is judged that the finger or fingers of the operator or a tool is placed between the curl guides for maintenance or an abnormal state is occurring in which something jams, and the binding machine is designed not to operate. Since an opening or closing signal of the movable curl guide is sent to the binding machine main body, an opening becomes necessary which links an interior with an exterior of the binding machine main body. In addition, since a sensor for detecting the movable curl guide is disposed in the interior of the binding machine main body so as not to be influenced by dust, impact and disturbance, a signal is transmitted from the exterior to the interior of the binding machine main body by a mechanical means. Because of this, a relatively large opening is formed in a signal transmission portion of the binding machine main body.
[Patent Document 3] U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,989
[Patent Document 4] JP-A-09-165006
In the conventional reinforcing bar binding machine described above, when the movable curl guide is closed, the opening is also closed by a curl guide cover, and therefore, a foreign matter such as a small piece of wire is made difficult to enter the binding machine main body. However, when initializing is implemented, a wire is twisted to be cut or a wire reel becomes empty, there occurs from time to time a case in which a small piece of wire falls in the movable curl guide. Since when the curl guide is opened, an opening is produced between the movable curl guide and the curl guide cover, the cut small piece of wire sometimes enters the interior of the binding machine main body. In addition, since a total closure is not always provided between the movable curl guide and the curl guide cover but a small gap is formed therebetween, when the binding machine is used while being oriented upwards or when a jamming wire is attempted to be removed, there occurs from time to time a case in which the cut small piece of wire slides down on the movable curl guide to enter the interior of the binding machine main body from the gap.
In the event that the wire piece enters the binding machine main body, there is possibility that a problem is caused that the wire piece gets stuck in a movable part, the wire piece enters the interior of a motor to lock the motor, or the detection by a magnetic sensor is delayed, leading to an operation failure of the reinforcing bar binding machine.


A substantially pure mitogen is obtained from yeast. Medicaments containing the same and methods of treatment using the same are described.

Factors obtained from yeast cells have been found to support a variety of effector activities. For example, one or more yeast factors stimulate the growth of other yeast cultures; one or more yeast factors stimulate the respiration of yeast cells; one or more yeast factors stimulate oxygen uptake in yeast, cultured fibroblasts, rat liver and rat abdominal skin; one or more yeast factors stimulate wound healing by the formation of collagen and new granulation tissue and the rate of epithelialization in rabbit ear wounds; and one or more yeast factors stimulate angiogenesis.
A crude extract containing one or more of said factors is obtainable by alcohol extraction of live yeast cells. The derivative obtained therefrom is a dark brown viscous fluid. The extract is commonly referred to as live yeast cell derivative.
Sperti, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,320,478, disclosed an alcoholic extract of yeast that was said to stimulate skin respiration. The active material was said to be substantially free of protein.
Mazarin, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,457, used a yeast extract obtained according to Sperti (supra) in a toothpaste which was claimed to be useful for improving the healing rate of gingivitis.
An alcoholic extract of yeast is a component of an over-the-counter preparation for treating hemorrhoids.
Kaplan (Arch. Surg. 119:1005-1008, 1984) stated that an alcoholic extract of yeast cells, prepared essentially as taught in Sperti (supra) appeared to enhance angiogenesis and epithelialization when applied as an ointment to wound sites.
Bentley et al. (Arch. Surg. 125:641-646, 1990) alleged to have obtained a low molecular weight mixture of peptides ranging in size from 6,000 to 17,000 daltons that showed angiogenic activity and stimulated wound healing. A crude alcoholic extract was centrifuged to remove cellular debris and the clarified supernatant was applied to a preparative gel filtration column. The resulting filtrate was analyzed by gel filtration, polyacrylamide electrophoresis and ion exchange chromatography.
Angiogenic activity was limited to low molecular weight peptides. Chemical analysis revealed that the extract contained a glucose disaccharide in which the glucose molecules are linked to each other by a 1.fwdarw.1 bond. Trehalose, a disaccharide which is abundant in yeast, is characterized by just such a bonding relationship.
In bioassays, the low molecular weight peptides were asserted to exhibit wound healing activity, however the concentration of peptides required to effect a biologic response were orders of magnitude greater than those required of other growth factors known in the art. Thus Bentley et al. concluded that the yeast derived peptides are not classic growth factors that act through cell surface receptors and a tyrosine kinase mechanism.
It is within this framework that the studies to be described hereinbelow were instigated. High molecular weight yeast derived factors were obtained in substantially pure form and said factors showed significant mitogenic activity.


A device for applying a sheet of covering material (4, 40) to boxes (1) having at least one wall (2, 200) with an outside surface (5, 50), an inside surface (6, 60) and a free edge (3, 30) intermediate between the surfaces (5, 6; 50, 60) comprises one or more elements (10, 100) for folding a flap (7, 70) of the sheet (4) around the intermediate edge (3, 30) so that the flap (7, 70) is made to cover the edge (3, 30) and then applying the flap (7, 70) to the inside surface (6, 60) of the wall (2, 200).

The present invention addresses the packaging box manufacturing industry and, in particular, relates to a device for covering formed boxes, for example, boxes made from carton blanks, with a sheet of paper.
More specifically, the invention can be used especially (but not exclusively) to cover packaging boxes with parts that are difficult to access such as, for example, the inside edges of parts with complex shapes that have to be covered.
Typical boxes of this kind are folding boxes, consisting of two halves hinged along the long edges of a spine in such a way that they can be placed over each other (usually, one half fits neatly into the other) to form a box for containing products of various kinds.
As is known, these types of boxes are widely used to contain items of value sold to the public, such as perfumes, jewelry, or even CDs and DVDs.
Boxes of this kind have in fact become very popular with the public not only because they are practical but also because they are very attractive, ideal for presenting items of value.
For this reason, the quality and finish of the box covering is very important, in both structural and esthetic terms, for the box to be fully appreciated by the public.
The folding box coverings, however, present numerous difficulties on account of their relatively complex geometry and because the sheet of covering material must reach even the parts of the box that are most difficult to access.
Even greater difficulties are encountered in automatic systems when it is desired to maintain a high level of productivity during the entire process of covering the formed box so as to avoid reducing the efficiency of the production process.
At present, machines are known which cover formed boxes by applying sheets of paper to them by gluing.
In these machines, the box is first positioned precisely over the glued covering sheet, thus covering the bottom of the box.
Next, to cover the outside surfaces of the sidewalls, there are provided transversely mobile elements that move the covering sheet into contact with the corresponding outside surfaces of the walls. The edges of the covering sheet are allowed to extend upwardly past the upper edges of the walls and are later folded downwardly against the inside walls in such a way as to also cover the upper edges of the walls.
The edges of the covering material are folded by further folding elements or blades that move along the upper edges so as to glue the covering material to the box and fold its upper edges towards the inside of the box.
At this point, to complete the covering of the side walls, the free edges of the covering material are pushed against the inside surfaces of the walls by a pad or template pushed downwards vertically so that it comes into contact with the inside surfaces of the box walls.
This solution is usually effective and satisfactory when the boxes to be covered are of the "plain" type, that is to say, with a base and four walls joined to each other at the sides, without free intermediate edges to be covered which are difficult to access.
In the latter case, prior art machines do not solve the problem of covering the free intermediate edges (in this case the vertical edges but not necessarily so) in order to improve the technical and esthetic characteristics of the finished product.
Up to now, the free edges were left uncovered or, when a more elegant package was required, the covering was completed by hand, thus slowing down production and increasing costs.
Another limitation of prior art machines is the use of a mobile pad or template to cover the box edges. The template must be inserted into the box at right angles to the edges to be covered in a direction parallel to the walls of the box and in such a way that it is in contact with the inside surfaces of the box walls.
Consequently, in order to prevent the pad from interfering with the box edges and damaging the box, it must be positioned extremely accurately relative to the box, an operation that may slow down the production process.
For these reasons, a strong need is currently felt for a device and method for covering packaging boxes in full while providing high product quality in very quick time.


A display input device includes a storage unit, an operation input unit, and a display unit. The storage unit stores a set setting value and a default setting value of each setting item. The operation input unit accepts setting of the setting value. The display unit displays a screen for selecting the setting item and for setting the setting value of the selected setting item. In addition, the display unit alternately displays a finished image indicating a job execution result on which the set setting value is reflected, and a default setting image indicating a job execution result based on the default setting value on which the default setting value is reflected, by switching between them.

The present disclosure relates to a display input device including a display device for displaying an image of a key or the like for setting, and to a control method for the display input device. In addition, the present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with the display input device.
Conventionally, in order to improve convenience of users or satisfaction of purchasers, versatility of image forming apparatuses (the number of settable setting items) has been increased. However, as the versatility is improved more, a procedure of setting becomes more complicated and harder to understand, and hence it takes more effort and time to perform various setting (setting items and values for printing in the image forming apparatus, for example).
Therefore, devices for dissolving the complicated setting may be made. For instance, there is known an information processing apparatus, for example, in which printing condition setting data (operation conditions) of first and second printers selected in a driver selection screen are read out, and individual setting items are compared. As a result of the comparison, a display color of different setting values is set to red color, a display color of setting values that are the same but are different from a default value is set to blue color, and a display color of setting values that are the same as the default value is set to black color. In this way, a different part of two or more operation conditions selected from a plurality of operation conditions set for a peripheral device such as a printer or a scanner is explicitly displayed.
In the image forming apparatus, a lot of (for example, a few tens to a few hundreds) settable setting items are prepared for using individual functions (such as a copying function and a document reading function). A user selects a desired setting item among the setting items by inputting on the display input device including a display unit and a touch panel unit. Then, a setting value is set for the selected setting item.
In job setting, in order to save time and effort to set a setting value for every setting item, a default setting value may be set for each setting item in the image forming apparatus. As to a setting item of which use or not use can be selected (for example, double-sided printing or other setting items without which a job can be executed), the default setting value is usually "not use (not executed)" (though there is an exception). On the other hand, as to a setting item such as zoom magnification or density for which a specific value is required (a setting item that is not a type of which use or not use is simply selected), the default setting value is a value that is recognized to be used most frequently. For instance, a default setting value for zooming is actual size, and a default setting value of density is standard density. Then, the job is executed based on the default setting value for a setting item that the user has not set.
Here, in the display input device, it may be possible to display a preview image (finished image) for checking a result of executing the job based on the set setting value. The user checks the preview image so as to check whether or not there is an omission of setting or a setting error. Thus, it is possible to avoid that a result of the job execution is against the user's intention.
However, conventionally, even if the preview image is displayed, information of the setting item of which the user has set the setting value is not appropriately displayed within a single screen including the preview image. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to understand which setting item is different from the default setting value. In addition, because the items to be compared are not displayed, there is a problem that it is difficult to understand (check) a difference between a case where a setting value of the selected setting item is set and a case where the setting value is not set.
Note that because a setting condition is compared between a plurality of printer drivers in the above-mentioned known technique, a difference of the printing condition between printers is easily understood. However, because there is no description about a preview image, the problem of the difficulty to understand the setting cannot be dissolved even if the above-mentioned preview image is displayed.

Display input device to display preview and default setting images, image forming apparatus, control method for display input device


A method and apparatus are provided for managing work granules being executed in parallel. A task is evenly divided between a number of work granules. The number of work granules falls between a threshold minimum and a threshold maximum. The threshold minimum and maximum may be configured to balance a variety of efficiency factors affected by the number of work granules, including workload skew and overhead incurred in managing larger number of work granules. Work granules are distributed to processes on nodes according to which of the nodes, if any, may execute the work granule efficiently. A variety of factors may used to determine where a work granule may be performed efficiently, including whether data accessed during the execution of a work granule may be locally accessed by a node.

To fully utilize the computing power of a multi-processing system, a larger task (a "parent task") may be divided into smaller tasks ("work granules") which are then distributed to processes ("slave processes") running on one or more processing nodes. Each node in a multi-processing system may contain multiple processors and multiple concurrent processes. The process that divides parent tasks into work granules and distributes the work granules to slave processes on the various processing nodes is referred to herein as the coordinator process.
Databases that run on multi-processing systems typically fall into two categories: shared disk databases and shared nothing databases. A shared disk database expects all disks to be visible to all processing nodes on the computer system on which the database runs. Consequently, a coordinator process in a shared disk database may assign any work granule to a slave process on any node, regardless of the location of the disk that contains the data that will be accessed during the work granule. Shared disk databases may be run on both shared nothing and shared disk computer systems. To run a shared disk database on a shared nothing computer system, software support may be added to the operating system or additional hardware may be provided to allow processes to have direct access to remote disks.
A shared nothing database assumes that a process can only access data if the data is contained on a disk that belongs to the same node as the process. Consequently, a coordinator process in a shared nothing database can only assign a work granule to a slave process if the data to be processed in the work granule resides on a disk in the same node as the process. Shared nothing databases may be run on both shared disk and shared nothing multi-processing systems. To run a shared nothing database on a shared disk machine, a mechanism may be provided for logically dividing the disks so that each of the disks is assigned to a particular node.
The power of database systems that run on multi-processing systems stems from the fact that many processors can be working in parallel on the same task. This power would be wasted if all work is assigned to a process running on a single node within the system, while processes on the other nodes remained idle. In general, the more evenly work is distributed, the greater the benefit derived from the parallelism provided by the system architecture. The more skewed the workload distribution, the less efficient the use of the multi-processing system. Ideally, work granules are distributed so all slave processes working on the work granules of the same parent task will complete their work granules at the same time.
There are numerous causes for skewed workload distributions. For example, in a shared disk database, a coordinator process may assign a work granule that may be performed more efficiently by a slave process on one node to a slave process on another node due to the location of data accessed by the work granule. Specifically, in a shared nothing computer system, the amount of time required for a process within a node to access data on a disk within the same node (a "local access") is significantly less than the amount of time required for the same process to access data on a disk within another node (a "remote access"). However, under the assumption that processes on all nodes have equal access to all disks, the coordinator process in some shared databases may assign a work granule that accesses data in a first node to a slave process running on a second node even if a slave process on the first node is available to perform the work granule. Because a slave process that is executing an assigned work granule may have to remotely access data, the slave process may be executing the granule after other slave processes have completed execution of work granules assigned to the slave processes.
The process of managing work granules to reduce skewed work load distributions is referred to herein as work load skew management. One approach to work load skew management is referred to as the 9-3-1 technique. Under the 9-3-1 technique, work is divided among a set of slave processes into equal parts, one part for each slave process. Each part is then subdivided into work granules according to the ratio 9-3-1. For example, assume that an amount of work W is to be shared between three slave processes. The work is divided into three parts, one for each of the slave processes. Each part is further subdivided according to the ratio 9-3-1. Thus, work W is ultimately apportioned to a slave process as follows: 9/13* ⅓ W, 3/13*⅓ W, and 1/13*⅓ W.
When the coordinator process assigns a work granule to a slave process, it first assigns the largest of the work granules for the slave process, i.e. the 9/13 portion. When a slave process completes a work granule, the coordinator process assigns to the slave process one of the remaining smaller work granules for the slave process. If a slave process completes all of its work granules, and another slave process has not completed its work granules, the coordinator "steals" the work granule from the busy slave process and assigns it to the slave process that has completed its own work granules. Consequently, both slave processes continue to perform work, and the work load distribution skew is reduced, if not avoided.
A disadvantage of the 9-3-1 technique is that it is usually difficult to both split a task into the dictated portions and split the task in a manner that accounts for other efficiency considerations. For example, a task AB entails access to data that is equally distributed at a location A and location B. Data at location A is locally accessible from a node A, data at location B is locally accessible from a node B. Three slave processes are available to execute the task. A process A1 and A2 executes on node A, a process B1 executes on node B. To distribute the task according to the 9-3-1 technique, the largest of the work granules designated for process A2 is assigned a portion of the task that entails access to data at location A and location B. Data at location B is remotely accessed by process A2, causing A2 to execute its largest work granule much more slowly. The smaller work granules for process A2 are redistributed to process A1 and B1. However, due to slowness of the execution of process A2, the redistribution of work load does not significantly offset the disparity in execution times between process A1 and B1, and process B2. Thus, in applying the 9-3-1 technique, not only were other efficiency considerations ignored, but as a result of ignoring them, the work distribution skew may have been actually worsened.
Another disadvantage of the 9-3-1 technique is in allocating work to a work granule that is substantially larger than other work granules, the technique puts "too many eggs in one basket". If the largest work granule is executed slowly, the work load skew is not only created, but may be substantially worsened. This may occur even when work is divided in a manner that accounts for efficiency considerations, such as locality of data.
For example, a task C entails access to data, in the form of rows in a table that reside at a location A. Data at location A is locally accessible from a node A. Three slave processes on node A are available to execute task A, and are assigned work according to the 9-3-1 technique. The largest work granules are assigned to each of the three slave processes. The slave processes apply a filter to the rows they read. The rows that pass the filter are stored by the slave processes. For two of the slave processes, relatively few of the rows read by them pass the filter, and relatively few of the read rows are stored. However, for a third slave process, most rows read pass the filter. The third slave process thus expends a relatively large amount of work storing the rows, writing them to a buffer on disk, and, as a consequence, executes its larger work granule very slowly, causing significant disparity in execution times. The disparity is further aggravated by a relatively large portion of work originally designated for the third slave process being assigned to its largest work granule.
Based on the foregoing, it desirable to provide a work load skew management mechanism that dynamically transfers work designated for a process to another process and that allows work to be divided and assigned to processes in a manner that accounts for multiple efficiency considerations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Managing parallel execution of work granules according to their affinity


According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes two electrodes extending in a first direction, a semiconductor layer provided between the two electrodes, an insulating film disposed between the two electrodes. The two electrodes are arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The semiconductor layer extends in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The insulating film covers a side surface of the semiconductor layer opposite to one of the two electrodes. The semiconductor layer has a shape in a cross section perpendicular to the third direction such that a width in the first direction at a center of the cross section is narrower than a width, in the first direction, of the side surface.

Semiconductor devices have various structures. For example, there are transistors that are used in LSIs (Large Scale Integrated circuits) integrated two-dimensionally, semiconductor memory, etc. For even higher integration of such semiconductor devices, semiconductor devices having three-dimensional structures are being considered. Also, there are cases where a vertical transistor is used as a selection element in semiconductor devices that has three-dimensional structures.


Disclosed herein are a conductor pattern of an electronic component formed in an oval coil shape on a magnetic substrate, the conductor pattern including: a straight part; and a curved part connected to the straight part at both sides thereof, wherein a line width of the curved part is smaller than that of the straight part, and an electronic component including the same. With the conductor pattern and the electronic component including the same according to the present invention, the high precision fine line width and the high resolution conductor pattern may be implemented to improve connectivity, thereby improving characteristics and reliability of the electronic component.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a conductor pattern and an electronic component having the same, and more particularly to a conductor pattern capable of implementing a conductor pattern having a high precision fine line width and a high resolution to improve connectivity, thereby improving characteristics and reliability of an electronic component, and an electronic component having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electronic component such as a digital TV, a smart phone, a laptop computer, or the like, a transmission/reception function of data in a high frequency band has been widely used. In future, it is expected that this information technology (IT) electronic product is singly used or several IT electronic products are connected to each other using a universal serial bus (USB), other communication ports so as to be multi-functionalized and complexed, such that the utilization of the IT electronic product will increase.
Here, in order to rapidly transmit and receive the data, a frequency band is moved from a frequency band such as a MHz band to a high frequency band such as a GHz band, such that a large amount of data are transmitted and received through internal signal lines.
In order to transmit and receive a large amount of data as described above, there is a problem in smoothly processing the data due to signal delay and other noises at the time of transmission and reception of the data of the high frequency band such as the GHz band between a main device and a peripheral device.
In order to solve the problem, a counter electromagnetic interference (EMI) component is provided around a connection portion between the IT electronic product and a peripheral device. However, the existing counter EMI component, which is a winding or multilayered type, has a large chip component and bad electrical characteristics, such that it may be used only in a limited region such as a specific portion, a large area circuit board, and the like. Therefore, in accordance with slimness, miniaturization, complexities, multi-functionalization of the electronic products, counter EMI components have been demanded.
The existing winding or multilayered type counter EMI components have a limitation in forming an internal circuit having a small area required for adding various functions in order to correspond to formation and miniaturization of an internal conductor pattern and causes many problems.
More specifically, in the existing winding or multilayered type counter EMI components, in order to form a fine line width of the internal conductor pattern and connect an upper pattern and a lower pattern that are laminated to each other, a via is formed and electrical conduction is then made to form a plurality of internal patterns, that is, coil type patterns, in a limited area, such that direct current (DC) bias characteristics are decreased due to an increase in a change rate in inductance according to impedance, DC resistance, and high current, internal resistance increases due to distortion or disconnection of the pattern caused by irregularity of a thickness between the layers, and the impedance and a coupling coefficient are decreased due to a defect in an alignment state of the upper and lower internal conductor patterns.
In other words, the internal conductor pattern is formed by a photolithography process. Here, in the case of directly forming the internal conductor pattern on a magnetic material substrate and a polymer resin insulating layer or the magnetic material substrate, various problems have been generated at the time of performing deposition, exposure, development, plating, and etching processes.
In particular, in the case of removing unnecessary metal patterns in order to implement a fine line width of the internal conductor pattern at the time of performing the etching process, an interval between the patterns adjacent to each other is narrow, such that it is difficult to perform penetration of an etching liquid and delamination, thereby causing problems such as collapse of the patterns, local removal of an actual pattern due to over-etching, and the like. In addition, product reliability is decreased due to a decrease in adhesion between the internal conductor pattern and the substrate caused by under-cut.
That is, as shown in FIG. 1A, a phenomenon that an outside portion of the internal conductor pattern 1 is collapsed has been generated, which causes an increase in the DC resistance and a decrease in a coupling coefficient due to the defect in the alignment state between the upper and lower internal conductor patterns that are main characteristics of the EMI electronic components.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1B, a separation or delamination phenomenon between the substrate and the patterns due to the over-etching has been generated after an etching process for forming the internal conductor pattern to decrease the adhesion between the substrate and the internal conductor pattern 2, thereby decreasing the product reliability.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 1C, the thickness of the internal conductor pattern 3 is non-uniform to decrease the adhesion between the substrate and the internal conductor pattern and cause distortion of the pattern due to a step generated at the time of forming a plurality of layers.
As an example, FIG. 2 is a view showing the internal conductor pattern of a common mode filter of the existing EMI electronic components. Referring to FIG. 2, the internal conductor pattern 11 of the existing common mode filter 10 has a helical coil shape in general, and a line width W of the internal conductor pattern 11 is uniformly formed.
In a method of fabricating the internal conductor pattern 11, a conductive substrate 12 is firstly prepared, and a seed layer such as Ti, Cr, Cu, Ag, or the like is formed for forming the internal conductor pattern 11 on the conductive substrate 12. In addition, after applying a photoresist on the seed layer, exposure, development, etching, and photoresist removing processes may be performed to form the internal conductor patterns. Here, a process of laminating a dry film instead of the photoresist may be performed.
However, in the internal conductor pattern 11 of the existing common mode filter 10, the line width W is uniformly formed, such that an interval between the conductor patterns is narrow. Therefore, a treating liquid is not smoothly penetrated or removed at the time of performing the exposure, the development, and the etching processes to decrease implementation of the internal conductor patterns.
In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, in the case of a portion which is curved of the internal conductor pattern 11, that is an oval coil pattern, the treating liquid is not smoothly penetrated and removed in a curved part 11b as compared to a straight part 11a. Therefore, a Cu seed layer 13 is not removed, such that the conductor patterns are not electrically separated from each other, but are connected to each other, that is, short-circuited.

Conductor pattern and electronic component having the same


The present invention concerns a capsule (1) for food or beverage preparation having a capsule body defining a compartment for containing a precursor ingredient, the capsule body being a volume with one symmetry plane or one symmetry axis so as to define at least two symmetrical volume segments, the capsule (1) being suitable for coupling any of its body segments to a food or beverage preparation machine (14) for injection of a mixing ingredient from the machine within the capsule, characterized in that the capsule (1) comprises at least two codes (15) each located in one body segment, each code (15) carrying two different alternative values of a same beverage preparation setting.

Beverage preparation machines are well known in the food science and consumer goods area. Such machines allow a consumer to prepare at home a given type of beverage, for instance a coffee-based beverage, e.g. an espresso or a brew-like coffee cup.
Today, most beverage preparation machines for in-home beverage preparation comprise a system made of a machine which can accommodate portioned ingredients for the preparation of the beverage. Such portions can be soft pods or pads, or sachets, but more and more systems use semi-rigid or rigid portions such as rigid pods or capsules. In the following, it will be considered that the beverage machine of the invention is a beverage preparation machine working with a rigid or semi-rigid capsule.
The machine comprises a receptacle or cavity for accommodating said capsule and a fluid injection system for injecting a fluid, preferably water, under pressure into the capsule. Water injected under pressure in the capsule, for the preparation of a coffee beverage according to the present invention, is preferably hot, that is to say at a temperature above 70° C. However, in some particular instances, it might also be at ambient temperature, or even chilled. The pressure inside the capsule chamber during extraction and/or dissolution of the capsule contents is typically about 1 to about 8 bar for dissolution products and about 2 to about 12 bar for extraction of roast and ground coffee. Such a preparation process differs a lot from the so-called "brewing" process of beverage preparation—particularly for tea and coffee, in that brewing involves a long time of infusion of the ingredient by a fluid (e.g. hot water), whereas the beverage preparation process allows a consumer to prepare a beverage, for instance coffee, within a few seconds.
The principle of extracting and/or dissolving the contents of a closed capsule under pressure is known, and consists typically of inserting the capsule in a receptacle or cavity of a machine, injecting a quantity of pressurized water into the capsule, generally after piercing a face of the capsule with a piercing injection element such as a fluid injection needle mounted on the machine, so as to create a pressurized environment inside the capsule either to extract the substance or dissolve it, and then release the extracted substance or the dissolved substance through the capsule. Capsules allowing the application of this principle have already been described for example in applicant's European patents no EP 1472156 B1, and EP 1784344 B1.
Machines allowing the application of this principle have already been described for example in patents CH 605 293 and EP 242 556. According to these documents, the machine comprises a receptacle or cavity for the capsule and a perforation and injection element made in the form of a hollow needle comprising in its distal region one or more liquid injection orifices. The needle has a dual function in that it opens the top portion of the capsule on the one hand, and that it forms the water inlet channel into the capsule on the other hand.
The machine further comprises a fluid tank—in most cases this fluid is water—for storing the fluid that is used to dissolve and/or infuse and/or extract under pressure the ingredient(s) contained in the capsule. The machine comprises a heating element such as a boiler or a heat exchanger, which is able to warm up the water used therein to working temperatures (classically temperatures up to 80-90° C.). Finally, the machine comprises a pump element for circulating the water from the tank to the capsule, optionally through the heating element. The way the water circulates within the machine is e.g. selected via a selecting valve means, such as for instance a peristaltic valve of the type described in applicant's European patent application EP 2162653 A1.
When the beverage to be prepared is coffee, one interesting way to prepare the coffee is to provide the consumer with a capsule containing roast and ground coffee powder, which is to be extracted with hot water injected therein.
In many instances, the machine comprises a capsule holder for holding a capsule, which is intended to be inserted in and removed from a corresponding cavity or receptacle of the machine. When a capsule holder is loaded with a capsule and inserted within the machine in a functional manner, the water injection means of the machine can fluidly connect to the capsule to inject water therein for a food preparation, as described above. A capsule holder was described for example in applicant's European patent EP 1967100 B1.
Capsules have been developed for such an application of food preparation, and in particular for beverage preparation, which are described and claimed in applicant's European patent EP 1784344 B1, or in European patent application EP 2062831.
In short, such capsules comprise typically:                a hollow body and an injection wall which is impermeable to liquids and to air and which is attached to the body and adapted to be punctured by e.g. an injection needle of the machine,        a chamber containing a bed of roast and ground coffee to be extracted, or a soluble ingredient or mix of soluble ingredients,        an aluminium membrane disposed at the bottom end of the capsule, closing the capsule, for retaining the internal pressure in the chamber.
The aluminium membrane is designed for being pierced with piercing means that are either integral with the capsule, or located outside of said capsule, for example within a capsule holder of the machine.
The piercing means are adapted for piercing dispensing holes in the aluminium membrane when the internal pressure inside the chamber reaches a certain pre-determined value.
Also, optionally, the capsule can further comprise means configured to break the jet of fluid so as to reduce the speed of the jet of fluid injected into the capsule and distribute the fluid across the bed of substance at a reduced speed.
Capsules of the prior art feature an injection wall or membrane (referred to as top membrane) which is to be pierced by a fluid injection element (e.g. needle) of a beverage preparation machine being part of a fluid system. When fluid is injected in the capsule compartment, a pressure is built up, which serves as an extraction means for extracting and/or dissolving ingredients contained inside the capsule, as described above. Such ingredients can be for instance a bed of roast and ground coffee. Alternatively or in combination with roast and ground coffee, the ingredients can comprise soluble ingredients, such as for instance beverage premixes.
In some of the known food and beverage preparation systems, it is possible to prepare several type of products, by setting the preparation parameters. Settings can be automatically selected by a recognition of the capsule by the machine, which is usually wireless (optical or magnetic for instance). However, such automatic recognition is not flexible, and it is impossible for the user to finely tune the machine, once the latter has recognized a capsule and adapted the corresponding product preparation parameters (temperature, volume, pressure, etc.). So far, when producers want to give a user the possibility to adapt the product preparation parameters, it is necessary to provide the machine with a user interface, typically a control panel on the machine, which comprises selector commands. In order to keep the machine cost as low as possible while offering a proper handling and sufficient flexibility in use and parameterization, machines are usually equipped with manual selector commands like for instance knobs, handles, rotating wheels, push or press buttons.
While such selector commands are practical and not too expensive, they require several steps for the user to choose and select the correct preparation settings.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a capsule comprising inexpensive means that allow a user to simply, quickly and reliably select at least one preparation parameter for the food product to be prepared out of said capsule, involving as few operation steps as possible.

Capsule for preparing edible compositions


In a reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information signal from a recording medium on which a number of recording tracks are formed in parallel to each other and on which the information signal is recorded with a pilot signal component superimposed on the information signal periodically at intervals of a predetermined number of tracks, a pair of reproducing heads are arranged to reproduce signals by concurrently tracing mutually adjacent tracks, a switching part is arranged to selectively output the signals reproduced by the reproducing heads, and the pilot signal component included in the output of the switching part is used in controlling the positions of the reproducing heads relative to the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a signal reproducing apparatus and more particularly to tracking control to be performed in reproducing a signal from a recording medium on which a plurality of tracks are formed in parallel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reproduction tracking control systems which have heretofore been proposed and practically used for home video tape recorders (hereinafter referred to as home VTRs) include a dedicated control track system called a CTL system and a 4fATF system. In the CTL system, a fixed magnetic head is arranged at a part of a tape path to record a vertical synchronizing periodic signal separately from a recording signal in the longitudinal direction of the tape. In the 4fATF system, a rotary head which records and reproduces a main signal is arranged to recurrently record pilot signals having four different relatively low frequencies in a state of being superimposed on the main signal in tracks in which the main signal is recorded and, at the time of reproduction, a tracking error signal (an ATF error signal) is obtained by comparing crosstalk components of the pilot signals which are reproduced from the two adjacent tracks on both sides of a mainly reproduced track.
It has recently become a general tendency to arrange home VTRs to give a high image quality and to digitally process signals. As a result, some home VTRs recently developed are arranged to be capable of recording and reproducing a relatively great amount of information by divisionally recording one frame amount of image signal in a plurality of tracks. Some new tracking control systems that are applicable to such VTRs are now being developed.
The new tracking control systems include a system, wherein two different pilot signal components are recorded in every other track in a state of being superimposed on the main recording signal (hereinafter this system will be referred to as a 2fATF system). The two different pilot signal components are superimposed by various methods. In one superimposing method, analog pilot signals are arranged to be mixed with the recording signal. In another method, a digital modulation process is controlled in such a way as to have the pilot signal eventually superimposed on the recording signal.
Further, tracking control systems arranged for a slow reproduction mode include an intermittent slow system whereby the tape is alternately caused to travel and to come to a stop and another system whereby the tape is caused to travel at a predetermined speed which is slower than a tape speed employed in recording.
However, according to the new tracking control system called the 2fATF system, the tracking error signal is obtained from only the pilot signals that are reproduced by some of heads. In a reproduction mode in which the tape is caused to travel at the same speed as the speed employed in recording, an effective tracking error signal can be obtained for every period of tracing. However, in the event of the slow reproduction mode in which the tape is caused to travel at a slower speed than the speed employed at the time of recording, the number of tracing steps which give effective tracking error signals decreases to deteriorate the performance of the tracking control system.
Further, in cases where a slow reproduction is performed by intermittently transporting the tape or where the tape is caused to start moving from a stopped state, some period of time is required before a stable tracking state is obtained without any dropout in a reproduced signal because, in such a case, the stopped position of the tape varies with the state of the apparatus or a speed at which the tape has been traveling before the stop. It is inevitable to have a reproduced image disturbed under such a condition either during the slow reproducing process or at the beginning of a normal reproduction.

Information signal reproducing apparatus with diverse mode tracking control


In the liquid container which includes the detection member having a liquid outlet, a contact portion, and an input receiving unit, the liquid outlet and the input receiving unit of the detection member are provided at a position apart from each other on the same bottom surface, and the contact portion is provided in the opposite side to the side where the input receiving unit is provided. It is possible to suppress foreign substances from becoming attached to the input section by providing the input receiving unit at the position apart from the any one of the liquid outlet and the contact portion since the liquid outlet and the contact portion have a section where foreign substances (liquid and chips) are easily generated.

In general, a liquid container such as an ink cartridge which accommodates liquid therein as a liquid source is installed in a liquid ejecting apparatus which ejects liquid such as ink from ejection nozzles like an ink jet printer. The liquid container is detachably installed to the liquid ejecting apparatus, and the liquid is supplied to the liquid container from a liquid supply port. When the liquid in the liquid container has been expended, a new liquid container can replace the liquid container.
With the purpose of informing a user of replacement time of the liquid container (when the liquid in the liquid container has been expended), technology that a rectangular prism is provided on a bottom portion of the liquid container, and the liquid in the liquid container can be detected by using a light emitting element and a light receiving element provided in the liquid ejecting apparatus main body has been proposed (For example, PTL 1). In the technology, light which enters an incident surface of the prism from the light emitting element to, and is transmitted into the liquid container in a state in which the liquid in the liquid container is sufficient. On the other hand, when the liquid in the liquid container is consumed and the prism is exposed from the liquid, the light of the light emitting element which enters the incident surface of the prism is reflected by a boundary surface between the prism and air in the liquid container to reach the light receiving element. Accordingly, it is possible to detect the remaining liquid amount in the liquid container based on whether the light receiving element receives the light of the light emitting element.
In the liquid container disclosed in PTL 1, a contact portion is provided on a side surface of the liquid container, and when the liquid container is mounted in the liquid ejecting apparatus, the contact portion of the liquid container and a connection unit of the liquid ejecting apparatus main body side are electrically connected to each other.


Some implementations are directed to selective invocation of a particular third-party (3P) agent by an automated assistant to achieve an intended action determined by the automated assistant during a dynamic dialog between the automated assistant and a user. In some of those implementations, the particular 3P agent is invoked with value(s) for parameter(s) that are determined during the dynamic dialog; and/or the particular 3P agent is selected, from a plurality of candidate 3P agents, for invocation based on the determined value(s) for the parameter(s) and/or based on other criteria. In some of those implementations, the automated assistant invokes the particular 3P agent by transmitting, to the particular 3P agent, a 3P invocation request that includes the determined value(s) for the parameter(s).

An automated assistant (also known as "personal assistant", "mobile assistant", or "chat bot") may be interacted with by a user via a variety of client devices, such as smart phones, tablet computers, wearable devices, automobile systems, standalone personal assistant devices, and so forth. An automated assistant receives input from the user (e.g., typed and/or spoken natural language input) and responds with responsive content (e.g., visual and/or audible natural language output). An automated assistant interacted with via a client device may be implemented via the client device itself and/or via one or more remote computing devices that are in network communication with the client device (e.g., computing device(s) in "the cloud").

Generating and transmitting invocation request to appropriate third-party agent


A heated equipment bag includes: a housing providing a first compartment configured to receive a first piece of footwear, the housing further providing a second compartment configured to receive a second piece of footwear, the first compartment being separate from the second compartment; a first heater disposed in the first compartment and configured to produce heat; and a second heater disposed in the second compartment and configured to produce heat.

Winter sport (e.g., cold-weather sport) activities often involve the use of bulky equipment. For example, skiing equipment typically includes bulky ski boots, poles, gloves, insulated pants, an insulated coat, and a helmet. As another example, snowboarding equipment typically includes a similar list, but with snowboard boots instead of ski boots and without poles. Transporting this equipment, e.g., to a user's vehicle and from the user's vehicle to a ski lodge, can be cumbersome.
A common theme with winter sport equipment is an ability of the equipment to keep a user warm. If, however, the equipment is cold to begin with, the equipment may be difficult to put on or the user (or at least a portion of the user in contact with the equipment) may take longer to warm up, or may never fully warm up, particularly if the equipment that is cold is for use with a user's extremities such as hands or feet.
Equipment bags may be used to help transport, and even heat, winter sport equipment. For example, bags exist that can contain ski boots or snowboard boots within a large compartment that has a heating element in the bottom and one or more walls of the compartment. The heating element is configured to receive power from a wall outlet or an automobile power socket and to radiate heat within the compartment.


The invention concerns a brake control apparatus and a method of controlling an elevator brake. The brake control apparatus comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series with each other for selectively supplying current from a power source to an electrically operated actuator of an elevator brake. The control pole of the first switch and the control pole of the second switch are associated with an elevator safety circuit. The brake control apparatus further comprises a first monitoring circuit configured to indicate operation of the first switch and a second monitoring circuit configured to indicate operation of the second switch.

An electromagnetic brake may be used for braking of an elevator car or a hoisting machine of an elevator, for example.
The electromagnetic brake usually includes a stationary brake body and an armature arranged to move relative to the brake body. A spring or corresponding is fitted between the brake body and the armature to apply a thrust force between them. Additionally, an electrically operated actuator is fitted inside the brake body to selectively open or apply the brake.
In some embodiments the electrically operated actuator is an electromagnet with a magnetizing coil. Brake is disposed in the proximity of an object to be braked, such as a traction sheave of a hoisting machine or a guide rail of an elevator. The brake is applied by driving the armature against the object by means of the thrust force of the spring. Brake is opened by energizing the magnetizing coil. When energized, magnetizing coil causes attraction between the brake body and the armature, which further causes armature to disengage the braked object by resisting thrust force of the spring.
A brake controller may be used to selectively open or close the brake. Brake is opened by feeding current to the magnetizing coil and applied by interrupting the supply of current to the magnetizing coil, according to commands from elevator control. In normal operation, brake is opened when starting a new elevator run and brake is applied at the end of the run.
The brake controller comprises safety relays or contactors, which have a specific structure to fulfill elevator safety regulations. This specific structure of the safety relays/contactors also means that they are large-sized and expensive.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for low-cost, small-sized elevator brake controllers.

Brake control apparatus and a method of controlling an elevator brake


A compressor control apparatus includes a rectifier configured to rectify AC power to DC power; an inverter including a plurality of switching elements, configured to convert the DC power into a three-phase voltage according to a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal applied to the plurality of switching elements; a motor configured to receive a three-phase current based on the three-phase voltage; a current detector configured to detect a sum of a first phase current, a second phase current, and a third phase current supplied to the motor; and a controller configured to differently determine a duty ratio of the PWM signal applied to each of the plurality of switching elements, and to determine the first phase current, the second phase current, and the third phase current, respectively, based on the determined duty ratio and the sum of the currents detected from the current detector.

Oil is contained inside a compressor of an air conditioner, and the oil serves as a lubricant that prevents a rise in temperature due to friction inside the compressor and prevents adhesion of compression parts. Generally, an outdoor unit equipped with the compressor is installed outdoors. Therefore, when an outdoor temperature decreases due to factors such as climate change, a refrigerant contained in the compressor melts in the oil inside the compressor.
When the refrigerant is dissolved in the oil inside the compressor, foaming occurs when a motor of the compressor is operated. The occurrence of the foam increases the amount of oil discharged, which leads to poor lubrication of the compressor, and thus malfunction of the compressor.

Apparatus and method of controlling compressor, and air conditioner including the same


For visually displaying product on the side wall of a product dump table, a store lead-in fixture includes a support structure, a mounting structure, and a presentation structure. The support structure is to be placed in confronting relation to the side wall of the product dump table. The mounting structure is to be placed in operative association with the top edge of the product dump table. The presentation structure is for visually displaying product on the side wall of the product dump table. With this arrangement, the presentation structure may comprise one or more product display shelves and/or one or more product hanging projections.

For many products, either product display shelves or product hanging projections have been used to support and display products in retail stores for selection by consumers. This is especially true of the many smaller products that are suitable for display, but are not generally self supporting. In addition, it is known to use what is generally referred to as a product dump table for visually displaying products in an attention drawing manner within a retail environment.
Product dump tables are typically formed to have a side wall that terminates in a top edge. The top edge of the side wall is adjacent a product receiving cavity in which products may be placed in quantity so as to be readily visually apparent to a customer walking through a retail store. But the side wall of the product dump table serves little purpose other than forming the product receiving cavity.
In most cases, product dump tables are placed in what is generally referred to as a power aisle. The power aisle is typically at the front of a retail store through which every customer must walk to proceed to other areas of the store where specifically targeted items for purchase are located. Thus, the power aisle is a heavy traffic location ideal for impulse purchases that greatly enhance profitability.
In the past, power aisle dump tables have been very successful in increasing impulse purchases by customers. The fact that essentially every customer of a retail store must pass by power aisle dump tables where such items will be visually displayed means that additional profits can be easily derived as a result of purchases that would not otherwise have been made by customers had such products not been presented to them in this manner. While power aisle dump tables are known profit generating equipment, the side walls of such tables have been wasted space.
In this connection, the power aisle dump tables are typically set up as an open top product display usually positioned in an "island" fashion which permits the customer to freely walk around them. Thus, while power aisle dump tables are highly functional, the side walls of these tables have not been used in any satisfactory manner to cause further profit generation within the retail environment.
For the foregoing reasons, there has been a need for a store lead-in fixture for a product dump table to maximize profit generation from such equipment.

Store lead-in fixture for a product dump table