A capacitive fingerprint sensor includes a plurality of capacitive sensing members arranged in a 2D array. A charge-sharing principle is utilized to read signals in the capacitive sensing member. Each capacitive sensing member includes an insulating surface layer, a sense electrode, a reference electrode, a reference capacitor, and a signal reading circuit. The sense electrode is below the insulating surface layer. When a finger contacts the insulating surface layer, a sense capacitor is formed therebetween. The reference capacitor is connected between the reference and sense electrodes. The signal reading circuit is connected to the sense and reference electrodes, repeatedly provides control signals to charge the reference capacitor and then enable the reference and sense capacitor to share charges. Finally, the sense voltage of the sense electrode may be read.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a capacitive fingerprint sensor, and more particularly to a capacitive fingerprint sensor which operates on a principle of charge-sharing.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many known techniques of identifying an individual through the identification of the individual's fingerprint. The use of an ink pad and the direct transfer of ink by the thumb or finger from the ink pad to a recording card is the standard way of making this identification. Then, an optical scanner scans the recording card to get an image, which is then compared to fingerprint images in the computer database. However, the most serious drawback of the above-mentioned method is that the fingerprint identification cannot be processed in real-time, and thus cannot satisfy the requirement of real-time authentication, such as network authentication, e-business, portable electrical products, personal ID card, security system, and the like.
The method for reading a fingerprint in real-time has become the important technology in the biometrics market. The conventional method for reading a fingerprint in real-time belongs to an optical method, which is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,053,228 and 4,340,300. However, fingerprint sensors utilizing the methods may disadvantageously have large sizes and tend to be tricked by a fake image.
Consequently, chip fingerprint sensors, which overcome the drawbacks of the optical sensor and are formed by silicon semiconductor technology, are developed. According to the consideration of silicon integrated circuit (IC) processes, the capacitive fingerprint sensor has become the most direct and simple product. Tsikos discloses, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,056, a capacitive fingerprint sensor including capacitive sensing members arranged in a two-dimensional (2D) array, wherein capacitors formed between the plate electrodes and finger ridges are used to detect the fingerprint. However, Tsikos's method for utilizing an external circuit to sequentially scan each capacitor tends to be influenced by the wire's parasitic capacitance, and better image quality cannot be obtained accordingly. Knapp discloses substantially the same design in U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,442 except for one difference. Instead of sequential scan in Tsikos's patent, Knapp utilizes a single thin film transistor switch to control each capacitive sensing member, and the capacitors are charged by current so that the signals can be read. The capacitance differences between the capacitive sensing members can be obtained by measuring different charging currents. However, the problem of the wire's parasitic capacitance still cannot be effectively solved. Dickinson et al. disclose, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,016,355 and 6,049,620, a method for discharging capacitors in constant voltage, and the manufacturing processes of silicon ICs are used. Each capacitive sensing member utilizes a charge/discharge switch composed of a plurality of MOS transistors. First, each capacitor is charged to a constant voltage. Next, an external circuit controls a constant discharging current within a fixed time interval, the capacitance can be obtained by measuring the after-discharged voltage, and the 2D-image reading of the capacitance can thus be completed.
In the reading method by charging/discharging, however, the drawback resides in that the discharge MOS switches (controlled by external current mirrors) of each capacitive sensing member of the sensor must have uniform properties. Since a typical fingerprint sensor may include ten thousands of sensing members, it is difficult to control the uniformity of each discharge MOS in the manufacturing processes, and the uniformity of the output fingerprint signals is deteriorated. Although a larger discharge current may enhance the sensitivity of the sensing member, the power consumption thereof may also be increased. In a small discharge current, enlarging the time interval is needed to obtain enough sensitivity, the image acquiring speed has to be sacrificed.


Ordered access to resources is controlled by restricting access to additional resources that are accessible when a client device provides an authentication provided when accessing an initial resource. When the client device accesses the initial resources, a set of access parameters are identified describing the request and the client device providing the request, and included with an expiration time in generating a token. The token and expiration date are provided in an authorization for the additional resources. When requesting the additional resources, the authorization is provided and verified by comparing the token in the authorization with a test token generated with reference to access parameters of the request for additional resources. When the tokens match, the additional resource is provided to the client device.

This invention relates generally to securing access to content, and particularly to enforcing an ordered access to content by a client device.
Client devices access content via networked devices, typically by specifying a host or domain or a networking address and a particular resource requested by the client device. For example, a client device may request content at a domain abc.com and request a page of content at the domain as a resource, such as a news.html. These resources typically reference additional resources for inclusion in presenting the resource to the user. For example, a webpage may reference or embed images, text, an additional content window, an iframe, scripts, tracking pixels, etc. within the resource. In modern devices, the selection of this content may also be dynamically determined based on scripts and other actions within a page or by interactions of a user with a resource and may not be predetermined.
These referenced or "embedded" resources within a resource may typically be accessible by a client device that directly requests that resource and may be stored or hosted on different servers or machines than the initially-accessed page. However, the ability of client devices (or other, less friendly actors) to directly access these resources (for example, by directly accessing a reference to the resource) may be undesirable and allow revealing these embedded resources to others or permit a client device to access the embedded resources at any time. Thus, content providers may wish to enforce an ordered access to resources, such as an access to the initial resource and subsequent access to the additional resources, that is easy to administer and may enforce this order with low overhead and while ensuring that client devices may access the additional resources for a limited time.


A hand shower has a shower housing having an inner end formed centered on an axis with an axially open central recess and an outer end carrying a shower head. A male coupling part adapted to be fixed to the end of a supply hose has a tubular outlet end engageable axially in the housing inner end. A latch element can be displaced radially of the axis in the inner end between a holding position engaging and axially retaining the coupling part in the recess and a freeing position allowing the coupling part to move axially freely into and out of the recess. The housing has a central feed tube forming the inner and outer ends and at least one rigid outer housing part surrounding and completely enclosing the central feed tube. Furthermore the shower includes a pair of such latch elements radially oppositely displaceable between the positions. These elements can be fitted without soldering or fusing into the housing for a very inexpensive and simple assembly of the device.

A standard hand shower such as described in German patent document 2,827,847 filed on 24 Jun. 1978 by H. J. Schmidt has a short tubular male element that is screwed onto the lower end of the hand shower and that can be fitted in a female snap coupling that in turn is screwed onto the outer end of the feed hose. Buttons on the female part of the coupling can be pressed to release the male part of the device and allow the hand shower to be switched for one offering a different spray pattern or other features.
The disadvantage of this arrangement is that a rather bulky assembly is interposed between the rear end of the hand shower and the outer end of the hose. This coupling adds to the size of the assembly. In addition the connection thread on the hand shower necessitates a connecting element of the coupling which is circular in section so that the location at which it is screwed tight is independent of the angular position. Finally it is not uncommon for hand showers to vary widely in dimensions, so that the coupling supplier must stock a large number of the couplings in order to match the shape and size of the various couplings.


Four wing rotors for used in an internal batch mixer. The rotor has two long wings, and these two long wings have different approach angles and helix angles. The rotor has two short wings and these short wings also preferably have different helix angles and approach angles. The rotors provide improved distributive and dispersive mixing allowing for greater productivity in processing materials and producing more homogeneously mixed materials at lower discharge temperatures.

This invention relates to improved rotors for internal batch mixing machines having two counter-rotating, non-intermeshing four wing rotors. The four-winged rotors of this invention provide improved dispersive and distributive mixing of materials in the batch mixer. The invention also relates to batch mixing machines employing two of the new four-wing rotors of this invention, and to improved batch mixing utilizing such batch mixing machines having the improved four-wing rotors.
This invention relates to high intensity internal mixing machines of the batch type having a mixing chamber shaped to accommodate two counter-rotating non-intermeshing winged rotors. The batch of ingredients to be mixed into a homogeneous mass is fed down into the mixing chamber through a vertical chute and is pushed down under pressure by a ram located in the chute. This ram is hydraulically or pneumatically driven. The lower face of the ram, when advanced down to its operating position during mixing of the batch, forms an upper portion of the mixing chamber. The homogeneous mixture produced is removed from the mixing chamber through a discharge opening at the bottom of the chamber, and a door associated with this opening is then closed in readiness for the next batch of ingredients to be introduced down through the chute.
Some internal batch mixing machines are designed with non-intermeshing rotors, and others have intermeshing rotors. Intermeshing rotors must always be driven at the same rotational speed in synchronized relationship; non-intermeshing rotors may be driven at the same rotational speed or at different rotational speeds for achieving different mixing and kneading effects. The present invention relates to the non-intermeshing type. The wings of the rotors have a generally helical configuration, and they produce high intensity mixing and homogenization by the co-operative interaction of their various forceful dynamic effects, as described later. For further information about such internal batch mixers, having non-intermeshing rotors, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,200,070 and 3,610,585, assigned to predecessors of the present assignee and to recent U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,744,668 and 4,834,543, and the disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference as background information.
A large majority of all internal batch mixing machines in commercial usage today in the United States having non-intermeshing rotors are operated non-synchronously, i.e. with the rotors being driven at different rotational speeds, often called xe2x80x9cfriction ratioxe2x80x9d operating mode. For example, a typical non-synchronous operation causes one rotor to make 9 revolutions versus 8 revolutions for the other rotor, i.e. a xe2x80x9cfriction ratioxe2x80x9d of 9 to 8 or 1.125 to 1.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,668, issued May 17, 1988, are described novel four-wing and three-wing rotors of increased performance adapted for use in either the currently more numerous non-synchronous batch mixers or synchronous batch mixers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,543 describes four-wing, non-intermeshing rotors to be driven at synchronous speed at a constant 180xc2x0 phase angle, with each of the two rotors used in the batch mixing machine having two long wings and two short wings on each of the two rotors.
In both U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,744,668 and 4,834,543, there is a recognition that optimum or preferred results are achieved by driving the specified rotors synchronously while oriented in a preferred phase angle relationship. The patent specifies that preferred phase angle relationship as being about 180xc2x0.
The four-wing, non-intermeshing (tangential) rotors heretofore proposed for use with synchronous rotation internal batch mixing machines have either been of the type that promote primarily micro dispersive (intensive) mixing due to the intensive shear forces generated by the rotors in the mixer chamber. In dispersive mixing the high shear forces generated rapidly break down agglomerates in the batch of materials to be mixed. The non-intermeshing rotors also have the properties of providing high fill factors and short feeding and discharge times along with the excellent dispersive mixing characteristics. However, such non-intermeshing rotors do not provide essentially equally good distributive (extensive) mixing of the materials to be mixed. Also, use of such non-intermeshing rotors can be characterized by an undesirable temperature rise in the material to be mixed.
On the other hand, mixing machines heretofore employing intermeshing rotors have better heat transfer characteristics and better thermal control over the mixing batch. Also, in contrast to the mixing machines employing the non-intermeshing rotors, the machines employing intermeshing rotors exert high elongational deformations in the nip region between the two rotors producing good stream splitting and thus good distributive mixing. In contrast, in the mixing machine employing non-intermeshing rotors only mild stream splitting is produced in this region and therefore generally does not produce essentially equivalent distributive mixing. There is therefore a need for rotors for use in batch mixers that simultaneously produce both good dispersive and good distributive mixing in the processing of the batch of materials to be mixed and thereby obtain the benefit of both intermeshing and non-intermeshing rotors.
This invention provides a new four-wing rotor design in which each rotor wing performs a specific function, and use of these rotors as synchronously driven rotors in mixing machines to produce both good dispersive and good distributive mixing of the mixing batch and good process temperature control, and thereby provide better utilization of the mixing chamber of the mixer and yield a more thermally and compositionally homogeneous mixed product. In the rotors of this invention certain wings promote primarily dispersive mixing and certain wings promote primarily distributive mixing in the batch.
A further feature of this invention is that use of the new rotors in the mixing machines enforces certain flow patterns in the window of interaction between the two rotors in the mixer and produces more efficient exchange of material between one rotor chamber and the other rotor chamber of the mixer. This function is accomplished in part by a rotor with wings having a substantial helical length such that there is present in the window of interaction between the two rotors a rotor wing almost at all times. This allows great flexibility in affecting the flow patterns in the window of interaction between the two rotors
Another feature of this invention is the ability to essentially eliminate any area of possible stagnation within the mixing chamber through the wing design of this invention and appropriate alignment of the rotors in the mixing machine. A still further feature of this invention is the ability to vary mixing intensities during the mixing cycle due to the geometries of the new winged rotors of this invention along with the rotor speeds employed.
The four wing rotor of this invention, for non-intermeshing synchronous rotation with an identical four wing non-intermeshing rotor in an internal, intensive batch mixing machine having synchronous drive means, comprises a rotor having an axis and an axial length from a first end of the rotor to an opposite second end of the rotor and having four wings of generally helical configuration including first and second long wings and first and second short wings. The first long wing originates at the first end of the rotor at about 0xc2x0 angular position relative to the rotor axis and has a wing tip oriented to the rotor axis at a helix angle of between about 45xc2x0 and 60xc2x0 and has an axial length of between about 60% to about 80% of the axial length of the rotor. The first long wing has an approach angle of from about 25xc2x0 to 60xc2x0. The second long wing on the rotor originates at the second end of the rotor at about 220xc2x0 to about 240xc2x0 angular position relative to the rotor axis and has a wing tip oriented to the rotor axis at a helix angle of between about 20xc2x0 to 40xc2x0 and has an axial length of between about 60% to 80% of the axial length of the rotor. The second long wing has an approach angle of between about 15xc2x0 to 25xc2x0. The wing tips of each of the first and second long wings have a width, as measured normal to the helix angle of the wing, with the width of the first long wing tip being at least 50% and up to about 100% wider than the width of the second long wing tip. The first short wing on the rotor originates at the first end of the rotor at an angular position in the range of about 170xc2x0 to about 190xc2x0 relative to the rotor axis, and has its wing tip oriented to the rotor axis at a helix angle of in the range of from about 25xc2x0 to 60xc2x0, and preferably essentially equal to the helix angle of the wing tip of the first long rotor, and has an axial length of between about 10% and 30% of the axial length of the rotor. The second short wing on the rotor originates at the second end of the rotor at an angular position in the range of about 350xc2x0 to about 20xc2x0 relative to the rotor axis, has its wing tip oriented to the rotor axis at a helix angle in the range of about 25xc2x0 to 60xc2x0, and preferably essentially equal to the helix angle of the wing tip of the second long rotor, and has an axial length of between about 10% and 30% of the axial length of the rotor. Each of the first and second long wings and first and second short wings have their wing tips an essentially equivalent radial distance from the axis of the rotor.
When two of these rotors are placed in a synchronously operated batch mixer, the rotors are oriented in the mixing chamber of the mixer such that the leading edge of the helical wing tip of the first long wing of the first rotor is located at a collar of the first rotor that is at an opposite end of the mixing chamber from the collar of the second rotor from where the leading edge of the helical wing tip of the first long wing of the second rotor is located. Additionally, the two rotors are positioned in the mixing chamber so that during their non-intermeshing counter rotation the leading edge of the helical wing tip of the first long wing of the second rotor trails the leading edge of the helical wing tip of the first long wing of the first rotor in rotating through the window of interaction between the two rotors by from 90xc2x0 to 180xc2x0, preferably about 90xc2x0. In this orientation of about 90xc2x0, and as a result of the twist angles of the wings of the two rotors, each rotor wing provides an effective wiping of the processing surfaces of the adjacent rotor thus providing effective material renewal on these surfaces. The large and small wings on the two rotors essentially completely wipe the entire region of the mixer in the space between the two rotors thus ensuring further enhancement of distributive mixing. Other angular positions of the aforementioned rotor alignments greater than 90xc2x0 and up to 180xc2x0 difference can be employed to promote other aspects of the mixing process, such as for example material uptake and discharge from the mixer. In such increased angular positions of the originating points of the leading edges of the helical wing tips of the first long wings on the two rotors, a wider open space between the two rotors is provided at one angular position followed by a complete sweep of the region by the other rotor wings when the latter cross the window of interaction of the two rotors.

Four wing, non-intermeshing rotors for synchronous drive to provide improved dispersive and distributive mixing in internal batch mixers


The present invention discloses a system for securing at least one fastener to an implant. At least one adhesive capsule is inserted in a recess preferably located along a longitudinal axis of the implant. The at least one adhesive capsule may be inserted in the recess and held in place therein by a holder. A plurality of adhesive capsules and holders may be inserted in one or more recesses located substantially along the longitudinal axis of the implant. The at least one adhesive capsule preferably has a casing housing an adhesive material configured to be pierced by the at least one fastener to secure the at least one fastener to an aperture of the implant. The casing of the adhesive capsule may form an annular passageway to receive a guide wire for aiding the insertion of the capsule in an implant having a longitudinal bore along at least a portion thereof.

Orthopedic implants, such as intramedullary nails are used in fracture fixation. Prior to inserting an intramedullary nail in the canal of a femur, a bore is generally first created. The bore may be created with a reamer, for example. Once the nail is positioned within the canal of the femur, it is generally secured in place by fasteners, such as locking nails or screws. Such fasteners are generally first inserted through a portion of a patient's bone, such as the femur, and then through a fastener receiving aperture located along the length of the nail. Locking features on the fastener itself, on the nail, or other structures such as locking inserts may be used to secure the fastener in the aperture of the nail.
The backing-out of fasteners, such as screws, in implants has been addressed in patent references. U.S. Pat. No. 7,247,157 teaches a ring for securing an interlocking screw in an implant. In one embodiment, there is shown a bone nail having an implant body including at least one bore with a threaded portion and a bone screw which engages the thread when it is threaded into a bone for the fixation of the implant body. The threaded bore of the implant body has an annular groove, the diameter of which is larger than the thread outer diameter, and which receives a ring of a deformable material with an inner diameter which is smaller than the outer diameter of the thread of the bone screw so that the ring extends partially into the bore.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A device for closing, connecting and/or locking including a driving element and a driven element having a threaded end. The driven element is at least partially positioned within the driving element. An axial anchoring structure axially anchors the driving element to the driven element while allowing rotation of the driving element and the driven element. A rotational anchoring structure anchors the driving element to the driven element for unitary rotation in a first rotation direction, only up to a limited tightening torque. The rotational anchoring structure allows the free rotation of the driving element in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. A locking structure locks the driving element with driven element for unitary rotation in the second rotation direction.

The present invention relates to a closing, connecting and/or locking safety device, the locking occurring up to a limited tightening torque, said device also preventing non-destructive forced opening.
In particular, the invention relates to a safety cap capable of resisting non manifest acts of vandalism, wherein opening by unauthorized persons is nearly impossible ("vandal-resistant") and wherein the tightening torque may at the same time be prevented from exceeding a threshold value (limited torque) during closure. A suitable threshold value is established during the designing phase in order to achieve a good seal without damaging the cap gasket. There is a need for a cap of this kind to close oil and/or fuel tanks of outdoor-operating equipment, (for example on a building site, on premises unprotected from incursions by prowlers), for example earthmovers, road machines, agricultural equipment, and other such equipment.
However, the invention may also be applied in other fields. For example, the device according to the invention is ideally suited to the fixing of swimming pool cover edges, the unauthorized or accidental removal of which is thereby effectively prevented, with remarkable safety advantages. The present invention provides a valuable and practical solution for the closure of holes and openings, the connection of co-axial elements or parts, and the locking or fixing of any kind of structure in many other applications requiring both limited tightening torque and prevention of non-destructive forced opening.
Further, vandal-resistant caps for tanks, which achieve the object through a keylock, are well known. Since a torque limiting device is not provided in these known devices, the torque applied during manual tightening is extremely discretionary, which causes an evident risk of deformation of the gasket, resulting in possible leakage of the tank contents. Moreover, in other known caps, substantially comprising two component parts (threaded connection and bell-shaped cap), opening is performed by unscrewing the caps only using a suitable key. These caps, however, are not really safe from acts of vandalism because, by applying adequate pressure to the bell-shaped element gripped during such operation, it is equally possible to unscrew the cap, due to the friction between the contact surfaces of the two elements. Furthermore, when operation of the cap is performed with a plastic key, the key itself may easily break. In similar known devices problems of the same kind exist. Moreover, the key shape in known devices allows the insertion in the seat of the key of ordinary tools too, such as screwdrivers, so that opening may still occur without the proper key.

Vandal resistant locking cap with limited tightening torque


A downhole tool has a housing, a mandrel, a seat, and a piston. The housing defines a first bore, and the mandrel is movably disposed in the first bore and defines a second bore. The mandrel has first and second mandrel sections or upper and lower cones, and the first mandrel section defines a cross-port communicating the second bore with an annular space between the mandrel and the housing. The seat is disposed in the first bore of the housing between the first and second mandrel sections. The seat is movable to a constricted state in the first bore to catch a dropped ball and is movable to an expanded state in the first bore to pass a dropped ball. The piston is disposed in the annular space and at least temporality supports the seat in its constricted state.

In the completion of oil and gas wells, downhole tools are mounted on the end of a work string, such as a drill strings, a landing string, a completion string, or production string. The workstring can be any type of wellbore tubular, such as casing, liner, tubing, and the like. A common operation performed downhole temporarily obstructs the flow path within the wellbore to allow the internal pressure within a section of the workstring to be increased. In turn, the increased pressure operates hydraulically actuated tools. For example, a liner hanger can be hydraulically operated to hang a liner to well casing. In other examples, the increased pressure can hydraulically release a setting tool, washpipe, or a gravel pack inner string from a packer.
Sealably landing a ball on a ball seat provides a common way to temporarily block the flow path through a wellbore tubular so a hydraulic tool above the seat can be operated by an increase in pressure. Historically, segmented dogs or keys have been used create a ball seat for landing a ball. Alternatively, a hydro-trip mechanism can use collet fingers that deflect and create a ball seat for engaging a dropped ball. Segmented ball seats may be prone to fluid leakage and tend to require high pump rates to shear open the ball seat. Additionally, the segmented ball seat does not typically open to the full inner diameter of the downhole tubular so the ball seat may eventually need to be milled out with a milling operation.
Once the hydraulically actuated tool, such as a liner hanger or packer is actuated, operators want to remove the obstruction in the tubular's flow path. For example, operators will want to move the ball and seat out of the way. Various ways can be used to reopen the tubular to fluid flow.
In one example, with the ball landed on the seat, the increasing pressure above the ball seat eventually causes a shearable member holding the ball seat to shear, releasing the ball seat to move downhole with the ball. However, this may leave the ball and ball seat in the wellbore, potentially causing problems for subsequent operations.
In another way to reopen fluid flow through the tubular, increased pressure above the ball seat can eventually force the ball to deformably open the seat, which then allows the ball to pass through. In these designs, the outer diameter of the ball represents a maximum size of the opening that can be created through the ball seat. This potentially limits the size of subsequent equipment that can pass freely through the ball seat and further downhole without the risk of damage or obstruction.
Any of the hydraulic tools that are to be actuated and are located above the ball seat need to operate at a pressure below whatever pressure is needed to eventually open or release the ball seat. Internal pressures can become quite high when breaking circulation or circulating a liner through a tight section. To avoid premature operation of the tool at these times, the pressure required to open or release a ball seat needs to be high enough to allow for a sufficiently high activation pressure for the tool. For example, ball seats can be assembled to open or release at a predetermined pressure that can exceed 3000 psi.
Since the ball seat is a restriction in the wellbore, it must be opened up, moved out of the way, or located low enough in the well to not interfere with subsequent operations. Commonly, the ball seat is moved out of the way by having it drop down hole. Unfortunately, this may require the removal of both the ball and ball seat at a later time.
Ball seats may also be milled out of the tubular to reopen the flow path. For example, ball seats made of soft metals such as aluminum are easier to mill out; however, they may not properly seat the ball due to erosion caused by high volumes of drilling mud being pumped through the reduced diameter of the ball seat. Interference from the first ball seat being released downhole may also prevent the ball from sealably landing on another ball seat below.
One type of ball seat used in the art uses a collet-style mechanism that opens up in a radial direction when shifted past a larger diameter grove. However, these collet-style ball seats are more prone to leaking than a solid ball seats, and the open collet fingers exposed inside the tubular create the potential for damaging equipment used in subsequent wellbore operations.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Expandable ball seat for hydraulically actuating tools


A dust remover includes: a rotary brush for removing dust from a workpiece; a workpiece carrying unit for carrying the workpiece in a first direction; a brush rotation unit for rotating the rotary brush around its axis in synchronization with the movement of the workpiece carrying unit; and a back-and-forth brush movement unit for moving the rotary brush back and forth along its axis, a second direction intersecting with the first direction, in synchronization with the movement of the workpiece carrying unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dust remover and a dust removal method for removing dust from a workpiece.
2. Description of Related Art
The type of dust remover generally used includes: a unit for carrying various workpieces such as glass substrates; a rotary brush for wiping dust off a workpiece by rotating while in contact with the surface of the workpiece being carried; and a dust collector for suctioning air and the dust attached to the rotary brush and removing them (for example, as described in JP-A-2003-334499, p. 2 and FIG. 9). In this case, the rotation direction of the rotary brush is set to the direction opposite to the direction the workpiece is carried.
This dust remover having the above-described structure is useful because it can be downsized and it can effectively remove dust. However, in consideration of factors such as the properties of the surfaces of various workpieces, further improvements of the dust remover in its ability to sufficiently remove the dust from the workpieces are desired. Also, dust removal movements other than the rotational motion of the rotary brush are desired.


In a fuel supply apparatus for an engine, which is provided with a relief valve for returning fuel in a fuel pipe into a fuel tank when a fuel pressure exceeds a threshold, and also feedback controls a discharge amount of a fuel pump so that the fuel pressure detected by a pressure sensor approaches a target pressure, when the pressure sensor is failed, a duty of a PWM signal for the fuel pump is fixedly maintained at a predetermined value, and fuel injection pulse width is calculated on the assumption that the fuel pressure is held at the threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a fuel supply apparatus for an engine, having at least a fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into the engine, a fuel tank for storing fuel, a fuel pump for discharging fuel from the fuel tank via a fuel pipe, a pressure sensor detecting a fuel pressure in the fuel pipe, a relief valve capable of returning the fuel from the fuel pipe to the fuel tank depending on the fuel pressure prevailing in the fuel pipe, and a control unit for controlling operation, and also to a control method for the fuel supply apparatus. More, particularly, the present invention relates to technique which is contrived to control the fuel pump so as to perform feedback control of discharging operation of the fuel pump when an abnormal operation state, e.g., a failure, occurs in the pressure sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent National Publication of Translated Version No. 2000-511992 discloses a fuel supply apparatus for an engine, in which a fuel pump is activated based on both a fuel pressure detected by a pressure sensor and a reference pressure, and in which, in the case where an abnormality in the pressure sensor is detected, the fuel pump is adjustably operated based on both a required engine fuel amount and an engine rotating speed.
As described in the above, in the case where the fuel pump is operated based on both the required engine fuel amount and the engine rotating speed an amount of fuel which corresponds to the amount of consumption of fuel in the engine is discharged from the fuel pump.
Therefore, in the case where a pump controlling is shifted to that based on both the required engine fuel amount and the engine rotating speed under a state where the fuel pressure is converged to the vicinity of a target fuel pressure, it is possible to maintain the fuel pressure in the vicinity of the target fuel pressure.
Nevertheless, in the case where the pump controlling is shifted to that based on both the required engine fuel amount and the engine rotating speed during a process in which the fuel pressure is increased up to the vicinity of the target fuel pressure, since the amount of fuel corresponding to the consumption amount of fuel in the engine is replenished, it is impossible to increase the fuel pressure up to the vicinity of the target fuel pressure, and further, the fuel pressure becomes inconsistent.
Accordingly, when an abnormality or a trouble occurs in the pressure sensor during the process of increasing the fuel pressure, the control accuracy of an injection amount to the engine by a fuel injection valve is significantly lowered and an air-fuel ratio becomes excessively leaner, so that, sometimes, the engine operating stability is largely degraded.

Fuel supply apparatus for engine and control method of same apparatus


A cleaning method includes a first operation step of allowing a mist of a first cleaning fluid atomized in the order of microns to permeate into and remain in a food debris stuck on a to-be-cleaned item for a predetermined period of time; and a second operation step of removing the food debris on the to-be-cleaned item by using a second cleaning fluid. The second operation step is to be performed after the first operation step.

A cleaning method for cleaning soiled items will be described for the case of a dishwasher for cleaning kitchen and dining ware items. As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional dishwasher employs a method of spraying water particles of wash water to items to be cleaned, e.g. dishware, in advance to make food debris stuck on the dishware fully swell and then removing the swollen food debris by using, for example, a mechanical power of jetting out wash water or chemical operations of detergent (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2000-189375). Hereinbelow, a configuration of such a conventional dishwasher will be described. Main body 51 of the dishwasher includes therein washer tub 53 having a rack (not shown) for arranging dishware therein, and door 54 is provided at opening 52 of washer tub 53. Installed inside washer tub 53 are nozzle 55 for ejecting out wash water in washer tub 53 toward the dishware and spray arm 56 for generating water particles of the wash water in washer tub 53.
The operation of the dishwasher with the above-described configuration will now be explained. Further, cleaning operational mechanism of food debris stuck on the surface of, e.g., dishware will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8C. First, after loading soiled dishware into the rack and loading detergent into the dishwasher, the operation of the dishwasher is initiated. Once the operation is started, wash water contained in washer tub 53 is sprayed by spray arm 56, as shown in FIG. 8A, to thereby produce water particles 57. Then, thus generated water particles 57 are dispersed into washer tub 53 to thereby make contact with food debris 59 stuck on the surface of dishware 58 and then permeate into food debris 59, as shown in FIG. 8B. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8C, food debris 59 gradually swells due to the permeation of water particles 57 thereinto. Particularly, in case the food debris are of water-soluble substances such as starch, the swelling degree of food debris 59 increases. Afterwards, a main washing for cleaning dishware 58 by using a cleaning fluid jetted out from nozzle 55 is performed. Here, the cleaning fluid refers to a solution containing detergent dissolved therein. The cleaning operational mechanism of the food debris stuck on the surface of the dishware during the main washing process will be described in conjunction with FIGS. 9A to 9C. Food debris 59 swollen in the pre-washing step are gradually washed away from dishware 58 by a great amount of wash water 60 sprayed from nozzle 55, as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C. Upon the completion of the main washing process, a rinsing process is executed several times by replacing soiled wash water in washer tub 53 with fresh water. Then, by performing a warm-water rinsing process by using fresh warm water heated up to about 70° C., the cleaning of dishware 58 is finished. Finally, a drying process is executed to dry water drops on the dishware, and the operation of the dishwasher is terminated.
In the cleaning method of the conventional dishwasher, however, the pre-washing step is performed just by using tap water that contains no detergent component therein. Thus, though a certain degree of effect of swelling starch debris such as boiled rice may be obtained, improvement of cleaning performance in terms of stubborn protein or oil debris cannot be achieved.

Cleaning method and dishwasher using same


A vehicular charging system is provided that may be deployed on a vehicle configured to be charged from an external power source. The vehicular charging system comprises a battery assembly and a timer coupled to the battery assembly. The timer is configured to electrically couple the external power source to the battery assembly to commence charging the battery assembly at a predetermined charge initialization time.

In a battery-powered electric vehicle (BEV), an electric motor/generator is powered by a group of batteries configured as a battery pack or assembly that may be recharged from an external electrical source (e.g., the national power grid). The BEV's electric motor/generator exhibits certain advantages over the well-known internal combustion engine utilized by conventional vehicles. For example, an electric motor achieves significantly higher conversion efficiency and is capable of producing torque without vehicular movement thus eliminating the need for gearboxes and torque converters. Additionally, an electric motor has the ability to recapture kinetic energy via regenerative breakings. Furthermore, an electric motor significantly reduces emission during operation. Despite the advantages associated with electric motors, however, BEVs have not been widely adopted, largely because of limitations associated with cost and performance (e.g., range).
Hybrid vehicles, like BEVs, employ battery-powered electric motors; however, hybrid vehicles do so in combination with highly efficient heat engines, such as conventional internal combustion engines. By selectively utilizing the electric motor (e.g., when the vehicle is at a standstill), the hybrid vehicle minimizes reliance on the internal combustion engine thus conserving petroleum fuel, minimizing emissions, and reducing operational costs. Recently, plug-in hybrid electrical vehicles (PHEVs) have been developed that employ rechargeable, high-capacity battery assemblies that permit the electric motor to operate for a longer period of time thus reducing reliance on the internal combustion engine. For short range trips, a PHEV may rely solely on the electric motor thereby avoiding the use of the internal combustion engine entirely.
BEVs and PHEVs are generally provided with a connector capable that is electrically coupled to the battery assembly and that may be manually connected to an external power source (e.g., the power grid) to permit battery assembly recharging. For example, the connector cable may include a pronged end that may be plugged into a household electrical outlet. Charging time may range from minutes to several hours depending upon the extent to which the battery assembly has been depleted and the voltage/frequency of the outlet. The time of day (TOD) during which the BEV/PHEV charges is important for two primary reasons: (1) in the aggregate, the charging TOD impacts power grid stress levels; and (2) the charging TOD often determines the cost per kilowatt-hour that a consumer pays for electricity.
It should thus be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a vehicular charging system capable of (1) determining an optimal time period during which the battery assembly of an electric/hybrid vehicle should be charged and (2) effectuating charging during the determined time period. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

System and method for optimizing grid charging of an electric/hybrid vehicle


A method, system and computer program product for garbage collection sensitive load balancing is disclosed. The method for memory tuning for garbage collection and CPU utilization optimization can include benchmarking an application across multiple different heap sizes to accumulate garbage collection metrics and utilizing the garbage collection metrics accumulated during benchmarking to compute both CPU utilization and garbage collection time for each of a selection of candidate heap sizes. One of the candidate heap sizes can be matched to a desired CPU utilization and garbage collection time, and the matched one of the candidate heap sizes can be applied to a host environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of memory management and more particularly to the field of garbage collection for memory management.
2. Description of the Related Art
Memory leakage has confounded software developers for decades resulting in the sometimes global distribution of bug-ridden, crash-prone software applications. Particularly in respect to those programming languages which permitted the manual allocation of memory, but also required the manual de-allocation of allocated memory, memory leakage has proven to be the principal run-time bug most addressed during the software development cycle. So prevalent a problem has memory leakage become, entire software development tools have been developed and marketed solely to address the memory leakage problem.
Memory leakage, broadly defined, is the gradual loss of allocable memory due to the failure to de-allocate previously allocated, but no longer utilized memory. Typically, memory can be reserved for data having a brief lifespan. Once the lifespan has completed, the reserved memory ought to be returned to the pool of allocable memory so that the reserved memory can be used at a subsequent time as necessary. Importantly, where memory leakage persists without remediation, ultimately not enough memory will remain to accommodate the needs of other processes.
Recognizing the importance of addressing the memory leakage problem, computer programming language theorists have developed the notion of garbage collection. Garbage collection refers to the automated analysis of allocated memory to identify regions of allocated memory containing data which no longer are required for the operation of associated processes. In the context of object oriented programming languages such as the Java.™. programming language, when objects residing in memory are no longer accessible within a corresponding application, the memory allocated to the "dead" object can be returned to the pool of allocable memory.
The process of garbage collection can be time consuming and can result in a degradation of performance for a hosted application. A primary factor affecting the time consumption of a garbage collection operation can include heap size. Generally, the larger the heap size, the more time consuming a garbage collection operation can be. Heap size, however, can be limited for a virtual machine for a number of reasons unrelated to garbage collection. To circumvent the limitation on heap size, it is common to utilize multiple virtual machines for a single central processing unit (CPU) in order to support the execution of a hosted application. Notwithstanding, the typical garbage collection operation can fully utilize a supporting CPU such that a garbage collection operation in one virtual machine can degrade the performance of another virtual machine supported by the same CPU.
In most cases, the degradation of performance will have little impact on the performance of a hosted application as most hosted applications are not time sensitive. However, some classes of hosted applications, including soft real-time systems, depend upon consistent performance at a guaranteed level of Quality of Service (QoS). Generally, soft real-time systems include speech recognition and text to speech systems. As it will be well understood in the art, soft real-time systems prefer to avoid the degradation in performance caused by garbage collection.

Memory tuning for garbage collection and central processing unit (CPU) utilization optimization

International Business Machines Corporation


Inexpensive process is provided for the application of substantially uniform metal oxide coatings onto continuous multi-filament refractory fiber tows. The resulting coated refractory fiber tows are useful, for example, for the preparation of refractory fiber composites having excellent physical and mechanical properties. Composites can be prepared employing a ceramic, metal or glass matrix.

Fibrous composites are promising lightweight, high-strength materials which retain their strength at high temperatures. The fibers contribute high tensile strength to the refractory matrix and also impart resistance to crack propagation. The high toughness of such composites has been characteristically associated with limited bonding between the fibers and the matrix in order to give substantial fiber pull-out as a major source of toughening. On the other hand, brittle failure in unsuccessful composites and resultant flat fractures with essentially no fiber pull-out have been attributed to strong fiber-matrix bonding.
In addition to controlling fiber-matrix bonding, fiber coatings can provide chemical protection from attack by the matrix during processing, as well as limiting the occurrence over time of the oxidative embrittlement of refractory fiber composites. Moreover, fiber coatings can protect fibers from mechanical damage during handling and processing. Good toughness characteristics can be introduced into composites with refractory fibers and a refractory matrix only when there is very limited bonding between the fibers and matrix, and between adjacent fibers. However, many possible combinations of fiber and matrix result in strong bonding over most, if not all, of the range of practical processing conditions, thereby limiting the potential toughness ranges of these composites. Such a problem exists, for example, with oxide-based fibers, because they have a tendency to degrade or react with the matrix when the refractory materials are molded. The reaction between the fiber and the matrix results in a high degree of bonding which renders the toughening mechanism inoperable. This problem for oxide-based fibers can be solved by creating a barrier coating on the fibers. Preferably, a suitable barrier coating would be relatively inert, and would comprise a physical separation between the refractory matrix and the reinforcing fiber. The barrier would eliminate reactions between the oxide fiber and the refractory matrix or would substantially slow the kinetics of such reactions so that toughening would result in the composite.
On the other hand, the adhesion of oxide coating to the associated fiber substrate in composite applications must be satisfactory to withstand the stresses to which the coated fibers are subjected in forming the composite structure.
While there are many methods for creating oxide coatings on fibers, none is completely suitable. For example, chemical vapor deposition has been used to provide a variety of chemical coatings. Chemical vapor deposition is frequently unsatisfactory because it requires the careful and precise injection of predetermined amounts of reactive gases containing precursors of the desired coatings as well as precise control of the temperature. Only then can the gases react at or near the surface of the fiber and deposit the desired coating on the fiber surface. Control of the deposition thickness and the quality (e.g., uniformity) of the barrier coating is difficult. A serious drawback of chemical vapor deposition processing, in addition to the aforementioned mechanical difficulties, is the high cost of such processing.
Accordingly, new coating processes which could provide thin, substantially uniform chemical coatings on continuous multi-filament fiber tows, without requiring the use of expensive chemicals and/or processing steps would be desirable.

Preparing refractory fiberreinforced ceramic composites


In a solid-state laser amplifier including at least two laser-active media in a common laser radiation field, the laser-active media do not form a hard aperture for the laser radiation field. Each of the laser-active media define a plane that is penetrated by the laser radiation field. The laser amplifier includes at least one focusing optical element disposed in the laser radiation field between two adjacent laser-active media. A focal length and a distance of the focusing optical element from the planes of the two adjacent laser-active media are selected such that the planes of the laser-active media are approximately mapped onto each other by a near-field far-field transformation.

DE 198 35 108 A1 describes a solid-state laser in which several disk laser crystals are disposed in a common resonator. The laser radiation field penetrates the laser crystals. The resonator includes two end mirrors and additional deflecting mirrors (plane mirrors) disposed between the disk laser crystals to form the laser radiation field.
A resonator for a high-performance solid-state laser is designed to achieve a high resonator stability and constant radiation properties with varying operating parameters. In contrast to conventional high-performance rod lasers, in a high-performance disk laser, the thermally induced spherical wavefront deformation of the resonator radiation field ("thermal lens") during passage of the laser radiation through the laser-active medium is not the dominating factor for the stability of the resonator when a sufficiently rigid heat sink or a transparent support body is used to stabilize the laser-active medium mounted thereon. A high-performance disk laser can therefore be designed in such a manner that, within the entire pump capacity range, the resonator remains far away from the critical points or limits of the dynamic stability range as described by the stability diagram (g-diagram). This also applies if a resonator includes several laser-active media (disk laser crystals).
Two other effects have a substantially larger influence on the properties of the laser radiation field of a disk laser or a disk laser amplifier. On the one hand, a static wavefront deformation is produced during passage of the laser radiation field through a laser-active medium, and on the other hand, there may arise thermally induced diffraction losses.
The static wavefront deformation of the laser radiation field is due to a deviation of the laser-active medium from its ideal form, and this deviation results mainly from production tolerances. The static wavefront deformation is made of a spherical portion resulting from the deviation of the laser-active medium from the desired radius and an irregular (aspherical) portion. The spherical portion results from the difference between desired and actual refractive power of the laser-active medium and is also called (static) refractive error. The static refractive error adds to the dynamic thermal lens that is present also in high-performance disk lasers, and in some cases, the static refractive error may even exceed the dynamic thermal lens. The refractive errors of several crystals in a disk laser should be taken into consideration in the design of the laser amplifier or resonator. Typically, a laser amplifier should have laser radiation fields of the same diameter on the different crystals, assuming identical refractive power of the crystals. Different refractive powers of the crystals lead to more or less varying beam diameters on the crystals and such variation causes the following problems. The outer regions of the laser radiation field are not amplified on crystals with enlarged beam diameter but are partially absorbed. In contrast thereto, the power available in the outer region of the pump spot of crystals having a reduced beam diameter is not retrieved. Under unfavorable conditions, this can cause local overheating and ultimately destruction of the crystal. In any case, the laser efficiency is reduced.
The thermally induced diffraction losses in the disk laser amplifier are partially due to wavefront deformation of the laser radiation field during passage through the thermally loaded laser-active medium. In the disk laser, the wavefront deformation dominates in the edge region of the pump spot, that is, in the transition region between the hot, pumped crystal region and the cool, non-pumped outer region. The thermally induced diffraction losses in the disk laser amplifier may be due to inhomogeneities of the pump light distribution and distortions of the laser radiation field due to fluctuating regions of different thermal load in the laser-active medium. Moreover, because the wavefront is deformed, the energy in the resonator is redistributed between the resonator modes, causing energy transfer to "leak modes" that are not sufficiently amplified in the amplifier. The disk laser is particularly sensitive to such losses due to its low amplification. The losses thereby depend on the design of the laser and, in particular, on the required beam quality of the laser output radiation. If there is insufficient blocking of diffracted beam parts between the amplifier stages, the thermally induced diffraction effects in the disk laser or amplifier result in steadily increasing deterioration of the beam quality. Subsequent improvement of the beam quality through hard apertures may result in considerable performance or efficiency loss.
The larger the requirements for the beam quality of a disk laser or amplifier are, the larger is the influence of diffraction effects on the efficiency. Additionally, dynamic and static refractive errors have a greater influence on the efficiency as the requirements for the beam quality of the disk laser or amplifier increase. The dynamic stability range, that is, the admissible refractive power range of the laser-active media, is reduced as the pump spot diameter is increased and as the required beam quality is increased.
The influence of the static refractive error and of the thermally induced diffraction losses increases with the number of passages of the laser radiation field through a laser-active medium during a resonator circulation or within an amplifier chain. The effect of the number of passages depends substantially on the design of the amplifier.
The static refractive errors and thermally-induced diffraction losses also influence the efficiency and the resonator stability of high-performance rod lasers with several rods in a laser resonator. This influence can be noticed in particular if the beam quality must be high, for large beam cross-sections, low amplification per passage through a laser crystal, and in the absence of hard apertures (for example, rod surfaces). For dynamically stable rod laser systems with strong thermal lens and high amplification (for example, Nd:YAG or Nd:YVO4 at 1064 nm), the beam quality is limited by the thermal lens and the diffraction losses are typically dominated by the hard apertures such that the thermally induced diffraction losses play a minor role. Only for rod laser systems with a limited dynamic stability range (that is, almost constant pumping power) and no hard apertures and preferably for laser-active media with low amplification (for example, Yb:YAG), the thermally induced diffraction losses can have a substantial influence on the efficiency.
One characteristic property of a disk laser is the absence of hard apertures directly bordering the active volume. The use of hard apertures to determine the beam parameter product in a disk laser is not required and generally not useful, since diffraction losses at the apertures would considerably reduce the efficiency of the disk laser, the apertures would have to be exactly centered, their diameters would have to be precisely adjusted to the resonator modes and they would also have to be cooled at least for high laser powers. The non-pumped outer region of the disk laser crystal of quasi-three-level laser systems absorbs laser radiation and thus forms a "soft" amplification/loss stop (or gain aperture) in connection with the pumped part. Ytterbium-doped laser material (Yb:YAG, etc.) is a common material used in disk lasers, and forms a quasi-three-level laser system. In the pumped inner region of the laser crystal, the laser radiation is amplified and in the non-pumped outer region, the laser radiation is absorbed. This "soft" aperture simultaneously strongly reduces diffraction losses. The position of the amplification/loss apertures in the resonator is predetermined by the axial position of the laser crystals.
In the case of rod lasers, hard apertures in the laser radiation field can be avoided by ensuring that the rod surfaces do not act as apertures. For example, rods that are only axially pumped in one central partial volume do not act as hard apertures in the laser radiation field. As another example, bonded rods do not contribute hard apertures in the laser radiation field because bonded rods have a passive (that is, a transparent or slightly absorbing) volume that is adapted to the refractive index and disposed concentrically around the active volume. In both cases, the rods produce a "soft" amplification/loss aperture in the transition between the pumped and non-pumped crystal volume similar to the disk laser crystal.


Processes for making temporary wet strength additives, more particularly, processes for oxidizing a homo-crosslinking monomeric unit present in a polymer comprising the homo-crosslinking monomeric unit and a cationic monomeric unit to produce a temporary wet strength additive are provided.

Oxidation reactions of polymers to produce temporary wet strength additives is not known in the art.
Oxidation reactions for oxidizing primary alcohol containing materials, such as cellulose fibers and/or starch materials is known in the art.
Accordingly, there is a need for a process for making temporary wet strength additives comprising oxidizing a homo-crosslinking monomeric unit present in a polymer comprising the homo-crosslinking monomeric unit and a cationic monomeric unit.


Disclosed therein is a fluid jetting apparatus. The fluid jetting apparatus includes: a nozzle having a jetting hole adapted to jet a fluid; a nozzle opening and closing part adapted to open and close the jetting hole; at least one elastic fluid-storing part adapted to store the fluid therein and connected with the nozzle at a portion thereof in such a way as to jet the fluid by its elasticity through the jetting hole, the elastic fluid-storing part increasing elasticity accumulated by receiving the external force; and a pressurizing part adapted to increase elasticity accumulated in the elastic fluid-storing part by applying the force to the elastic fluid-storing part. The fluid jetting apparatus is applied to various devices, such as a sprayer, an atomizer, an oral cleaner, and so on, for jetting materials of a liquid, gas or gel type to thereby jet the fluid with a strong jetting force in a convenient manipulation.

In general, a fluid jetting apparatus is an apparatus that can jet liquid or gas through a nozzle according to a use's manipulation, and is applied to various fields, such as a sprayer, a cosmetic container, an oral cleaner, and so on.
The representative example using the fluid jetting apparatus is the sprayer. Generally, the sprayer includes a container for storing water, a liquid induction tube extendedly disposed in the container, and a jetting apparatus detachably mounted on the container to jet the liquid manually. However, in the conventional sprayer, since the liquid induction tube is not flexible, it cannot suck in the remaining liquid in the inclined container when the liquid filled in the container is consumed in a predetermined amount and only the liquid of a small amount remains. So, the conventional sprayer has a problem in that its use efficiency is deteriorated since a user must refill the sprayer with the liquid on occasion so that the liquid of more than the predetermined amount always remains in the sprayer.
To solve the above problem, an improved sprayer, which has a bellows portion formed at a portion of the liquid induction tube and a weight suspended on an end portion thereof so that the end portion of the liquid induction tube can elastically move together with the liquid when the container is inclined to thereby enhance its use efficiency, has been developed. However, also the improved sprayer has a problem in that the liquid induction tube cannot completely suck in the remaining liquid when the container is completely turned upside down.
That is, devices using the liquid induction tube for sucking the liquid (or gas or gel) to jet the liquid (or gas or gel) have several problems in that it is difficult to all use the liquid filled in the container, and especially, in that it is impossible to use it in any posture.
Furthermore, as another type of the fluid jetting apparatus, there is a water play device for children, in which a container is mounted on the top of the jetting apparatus in such a way as to jet water introduced from the container through a liquid inlet. However, also the water play device for children has a problem in that it cannot jet water since water is not introduced into the liquid inlet in a state where the water play device is inclined when water of a small amount remains in the container.
Meanwhile, in order to provide a stronger jetting force, a fluid jetting apparatus using a piston is also used in various fields. While the fluid jetting apparatus using the piston has a merit in that it can provide the stronger jetting force and use all of the fluid remaining in the container at any angle, the fluid jetting apparatus requires a manufacturing process of the degree of hardship in order to prevent a fluid leakage when the piston performs a reciprocating motion within the container. Moreover, the fluid jetting apparatus using the piston is inconvenient in safe-keeping and carrying since its size is increased as large as a length of the piston protruding from the container when the container is filled with the fluid, and also inconvenient in use since the user has to use his or her two hands in order to jet the fluid.
In addition, as another fluid jetting apparatus, there is a spray container using a compressed gas. The spray container can be used at any angle if a compression force of the compressed gas remains in the container, and provides a strong jetting force and convenience in use. However, the spray container has a problem in that consumers use it as a disposable spray container since to fill the spray container with a high-pressure gas for the strong jetting force must be performed in a factory.


An illumination device includes an optical waveguide that has light incident end faces formed at both ends thereof; and light sources that are disposed on the light incident end faces formed at both ends of the optical waveguide. A reflective surface of the optical waveguide has first and second reflective surfaces intersecting at a predetermined boundary line, and a light-emitting surface of the optical waveguide has first and second regions divided by the predetermined boundary line. When the light sources provided at one end of the optical waveguide are turned on, light is emitted such that one of the first and second regions is brighter than the other.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an illumination device, such as a backlight unit used for a liquid crystal display of a cellular phone, and to an optical waveguide for the same.
2. Related Art
In liquid crystal display devices, a backlight unit is provided on a rear surface of a liquid crystal display panel in order to perform transmissive display. Generally, the backlight unit is composed of an illumination device which includes alight source, an optical waveguide for radiating light emitted from the light source onto a rear surface of the liquid crystal display panel as planar light, a diffusion sheet for diffusing the light emitted from the optical waveguide, and a prism sheet for condensing the light.
As a cellular phone in which a liquid crystal display device is used for a display unit, a cellular phone of a double-sided panel type has been known in which a main body has a large main display panel provided at an inner surface side of a foldable display unit and a small sub-display panel provided at a rear surface side. In contrast, in recent years, a slide-type cellular phone or a rotation-type cellular phone has been on sale. The slide-type cellular phone has a structure in which a display unit is mounted on a main body unit so as to be separate from the main body and the rotation-type cellular phone has a structure in which a main display panel normally located at an inner surface side is reversible so as to be exposed to the outside. Generally, these cellular phones mostly have a structure in which only one large main display panel is provided without a sub-display panel and the main display panel serves as the sub-display panel.
However, in the above-mentioned slide-type or rotation-type cellular phone, simple display information, such as the time and remaining battery level displayed on the sub-display panel in the case of a double-sided type is also displayed on the one main display panel. For this reason, even though the simple display information can be confirmed, it is necessary that the entire liquid crystal display panel be illuminated whenever the display information is confirmed, which results in an increase in consumed power.
In addition, as an example of the illumination device used for liquid crystal display devices, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-281655 discloses an illumination device in which a reflective surface of an optical waveguide is a curved surface having an optical focus and which becomes a surface light source that has low power consumption and low luminance brightness in order to be used for a backlight of the liquid crystal display panel.

Optical waveguide, illumination device, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus


A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for providing access to information stored in a database management system. The method and apparatus uses an intelligent generic query agent to operate with a wide variety of remote users, and to allow implementation of a wide variety of optimization schemes. The method comprises receiving a request from the remote user at the agent, transforming the request into database management system commands optimized in accordance with user-specified optimization criteria, transmitting the database management system commands to the database management system, receiving the database management system command result from the database management system in the agent, transforming the database management system command result into a response message, and transmitting the response message to from the agent to the remote user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for accessing information stored in a database management system (DBMS), and in particular, to a generic query agent for providing optimized remote user access to database management systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large-scale integrated database management systems provide an efficient, consistent, and secure means for storing and retrieving vast amounts of data. This ability to manage massive amounts of information has become a virtual necessity in business today.
Usually, the process of obtaining information from the DBMS is highly interactive, requiring short periods of high bandwidth, low-latency communications between the end user and the DBMS, followed by extended periods with little or no communications traffic. Because local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) communications are high bandwidth and low cost, the user is typically provided access to the database via a desktop computer coupled directly by a (LAN) or a laptop computer coupled to the LAN via the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This arrangement is the well known client-server architecture.
Businesses using integrated database management systems (DBMSs) have become increasingly mobile and service-oriented, raising the need for timely and inexpensive mobile access to database information. Mobile users also frequently require access to information which is stored in different DMBSs. Mobile communications are available through cellular telephone, paging, and other radio networks, but using these communication links for providing access to DBMSs is problematic. Cellular telephone communications offer low bandwidth, are quite expensive, and often unreliable. Remote paging networks provide inexpensive reliable communications, but at the cost of low-bandwidth and high data latency. Therefore, there is a widely recognized need to provide an interface between mobile users and DBMSs using low bandwidth, high-latency mobile communication links.
A prior art solution to this problem is to implement client-agent-server (CAS) architecture, in which an agent's application is inserted between the mobile client application and the server. One example of such a system is Oracle in Motion.TM. produced by the Oracle Corporation. In a client-agent-server architecture, clients communicate with the agent via mobile communications link, causing the agent to execute work on behalf of the client. The results of the agent's work is bundled into a single message and transmitted back to the client application where the results are displayed. By providing an asynchronous link, the shortcomings of the mobile link are reduced.
These prior art CAS architectures use a system-level approach to accomplish this task, using the combination of many components distributed throughout the network, including the mobile user and the database server. While these prior art systems reduce use of the mobile link by sending the results in a single message, this simple communication scheme is inadequate when dealing with a broad range of mobile users and database resources, and does not take advantage of the additional information available to the query agent to fully optimize communications.

International Business Machines Corporation


A plastic bottle, having a supporting and raising device including a handle, provided with a contoured casing allowing the device to be pressure engaged on a collar element of a plastic bottle. The handle has a first semicircular cross-section handle portion and a second rectangular cross-section handle portion, while the contoured casing has a rectangular cross-section casing portion having an outer flat region thereon is arranged a reinforcement element contacting a rim of a semicircular recess communicating with a horse shoe shaped recess slanted with respect to the semicircular recess.

The present invention relates to a supporting and raising device specifically designed for supporting and raising plastic bottles.
As is known, in raising and handling, after their opening, plastic bottles holding mineral water, drinks or liquids in general, care must be exerted in order not to spill the liquid contents thereof, in particular as this liquid is poured into a cup or the like.
In fact, a plastic bottle is susceptible to be easily deformed and the gripping by the user's hand is frequently sufficient to greatly deform the geometrical configuration of the bottle.
The above mentioned geometrical deformation in turn causes a decrease of the inner volume available for the liquid contents: this in turn causes the liquid to be poured with an excessive rate thereby the liquid can also spill-out of the cup into which it is poured.
Moreover, the gripping of a user's hand on said bottle is also susceptible to cause instability problems because of the mentioned deformability of the bottle: thus, the user must pay attention in holding a plastic bottle in his/her hand, as the bottle is opened.

Supporting and raising device for supporting and raising plastic bottles


An interactive system is provided to help an operator locate the source of a data fault in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network. A database stores information related to data types and subsystems used by the ATM network. A processor coupled to the database uses the information stored therein to formulate a series of queries related to a selected one of the subsystems using the data type experiencing a data fault. The series of queries have a hierarchal order that sequentially inquire about operational status of the various subsystems having a relationship with the data type experiencing the data fault. A graphical user interface (GUI) coupled to the processor displays each query in accordance with the hierarchal order thereof. The GUI simultaneously displays identification of the various subsystems having a relationship with the data type experiencing the data fault.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fault localization in Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks, and more particularly to a stand-alone interactive data fault localization system and method that guides an ATM system operator through the fault localization process without having to be integrated into the ATM network.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The localization of data faults in Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks has previously required users to either (i) manually assemble information related to the connectivity or functionality of every data type and subsystem along an ATM network and then verify same, or (ii) use a tool that is integrated into the network itself. The manual approach can only be undertaken by an experienced network operator with extensive knowledge of the ATM network. Further, this operator must track all subsystem users and producers of a failed data type as the operator manually brings up/shuts down various points along the network in order to verify network connectivity. The information tracking and manual verification requires a lot of time and effort, and has a great potential for the introduction of human error.
Fault location tools that are integrated into the ATM network provide the means to systematically verify data point connectivity and functionality. However, because these tools are integrated into the network, they may be subject to malfunction when there is a network malfunction. Furthermore, the network-integrated tool is not portable.

Interactive data fault localization system and method

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A retractable quilt clamp apparatus is disclosed having a clamp attached to a strap, and a strap retraction mechanism attached to the strap. The strap retraction mechanism is configured to retract and retain at least part of the strap. The strap retraction mechanism includes a case, a spool, a spiral spring, and a brake. The case at least partially houses and retains the spool. The case and the spool retain the spiral spring. The strap is attached to the spiral spring, which biases the strap to be wound about the spool. The case includes a brake region for retaining and guiding movement of the brake. The brake is configured to press against the strap when in a locked position, and to allow clearance for the strap to move relative to the case when in an unlocked position. A bracket is used to attach the apparatus to a quilting frame, such as a quilting frame of a longarm quilting system.

Quilting has been done for thousands of years in many cultures worldwide. The earliest known record of a quilt is shown in Egyptian artwork dating back to about 3400 B.C. The oldest existing quilt was found in Mongolia and dates back to about 100 B.C. Quilted materials have found many uses over the centuries, such as padded undergarments worn by knights under their armor, winter jackets, art tapestry for wall and floor coverings, padded/protective covers, and most commonly as artistic and/or functional blankets.
Generally, quilting may be described as the joining together of two or more layers of material by sewing to make a thicker padded/insulating material. Typically, a quilt includes three main layers: a bottom layer (or backing material), a top layer (or quilt top), and a batting or insulating material layer sandwiched between the bottom layer and the top layer. Needle and thread sewing in various patterns ties the three main layers together. Quilting may be used to prevent the batting material (e.g., goose feathers, wool) from bunching or gathering at one end of a comforter, for example, to maintain or control the distribution of the batting material across the comforter. Typically, the sewing is done in artist patterns (e.g., geometric shapes and fanciful patterns and sequences). Sometimes, artistic embroidery is incorporated into the sewing. Sometimes such embroidery patterns are preformed in the top layer before joining the three main layers, and thus only seen on the top side. And sometimes, the embroidery patterns are performed during the process of joining together the three main layers such that the same sewing pattern can be seen on both sides.
Quilting can be done by hand (with or without the use of a quilting frame), using a sewing machine (with or without the use of a quilting frame), or using a specifically designed longarm quilting system, for example. Indeed, some modern, sophisticated longarm quilting systems include computer aided design (CAD) and/or computer motion control of the sewing needle to create highly complex patterns and embroidery artwork, as well as highly repeatable and precise patterns. Quilting methods can range from as simple as a single person with a needle and thread, to a group of people working together with needle and thread on different portions together, to a simple wood frame securing the fabric layers and hung from a ceiling, to eight to fourteen foot metal framed longarm quilting systems with manual movement of a sewing machine on horizontal-plane rollers, to computer aided and/or computer controlled longarm quilting systems (e.g., Statler Stitcher® by Gammill®), to mass production industrial quilting machines.
FIG. 1 shows a longarm quilting system 30. In a typical longarm quilting system 30, there are three or more rollers (e.g., rollers 31, 32, 33, 34). A first roller 31 retains a first end of a backing material (bottom layer) 35, a first end of a quilt top material (top layer) 36, and a first end of a batting material (padded/insulating middle layer) 38. As the quilt is formed from a first quilt end to a second quilt end, the first quilt end is rolled onto and retained on the first roller 31. A second roller 32 retains a second end of the backing material 35. At the beginning of the quilt formation, most of the backing material 35 is rolled onto and retained on the second roller 32. As the backing material 35 is rolled onto the first roller 31, the backing material 35 is unrolled from the second roller 32. In the example in FIG. 1, the backing material 35 is in an S-shaped scroll configuration. A third roller 33 retains a second end of the quilt top material 36. At the beginning for the quilt formation, most of the quilt top material 36 is rolled onto and retained on the third roller 33. As the quilt top material 36 is rolled onto the first roller 31, the quilt top material 36 is unrolled from the third roller 33. The longarm quilting system 30 of FIG. 1 includes a fourth roller 34. The fourth roller 34 may be used to retain a second end of the batting material 38. At the beginning of the quilt formation, most of the batting material 38 is rolled onto and retained on the fourth roller 34. As the batting material 38 is rolled onto the first roller 31, the batting material 38 is unrolled from the fourth roller 34. The fourth roller may simply be a bar extending across the quilt frame (not pivotable) in some longarm quilting systems.
For the exemplary longarm quilting system 30 shown in FIG. 1, the workspace 40 where the sewing is done is located between the first and second rollers 31, 32. The sewing machine portion 42 of the system 30 has a long arm 44 that extends over the first roller 31 to allow for clearance of the rolled up material on the first roller 31. For a large workpiece 46, such as a queen-bed-size workpiece, when nearly completed and most of the workpiece 46 is rolled onto the first roller 31, the size of the rolled material may become quite large, which is why the sewing machine 42 has a large generally C-shaped structure extending about the first roller 31 to provide clearance for the material rolled onto the first roller 31.
Still referring to FIG. 1, at the workspace 40 where the sewing is done, the workpiece 46 is suspended between the rollers 31 and 32. During a preferred use of the system 30, the rollers are locked into their respective positions such that the workpiece 46 is suspended between the rollers without much, if any, sagging. Preferably, the rollers should be locked such that the workpiece 46 is within an optimal range of suspension tension; so that the workpiece 46 is not stretched too tightly in a way that would distort the Y-direction shape while also not being too loose in a way that would allow too much sagging of the workpiece 46 at the workspace 40. A reference Cartesian coordinate system orientation is shown in FIG. 1. The rollers typically provide sufficient tension in the Y direction to prevent too much sagging. But in the X direction, there is need for support, especially when the workpiece 46 is large and/or heavy (which may be dependent on the thickness and composition of the materials used for the various layers).
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a current practice is the use of clamps 50 and straps 52 to provide an X-direction tension on the workpiece 46. As with the suspension tension discussed above for the Y direction, it is desired to retain the workpiece 46 within an optimal range of suspension tension in the X direction so that the workpiece 46 is not stretched too tightly in a way that would distort the X-direction shape while also not being too loose in a way that would allow too much sagging of the workpiece 46 (especially at the lateral edges not supported by the rollers).
In FIG. 1, the system utilizes four clamps 50. There may be any number of clamps used (including none at all) when using a longarm quilting system 30. Generally, the larger the quilting frame 54, the wider the workpiece 46, and/or the larger the distance between the rollers 31 and 32 (i.e., the larger the workspace 40 for sewing), the more clamps 50 are desired or needed, especially while sewing at or near the lateral edges. Next, the use and disadvantages of this clamp and strap configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described.
The clamps 50 of FIG. 1 are shown attached to the lateral edges of the workpiece 40. A strap 52 is attached to the handle of each clamp 50, and extends from the clamp handle to the quilt frame 54. Most currently used straps 52 include a hook-and-loop type fastener material (also commonly known by the trademark Velcro). Strips or pieces 56 of hook/loop fastener material are attached to the quilt frame 54. Hook/loop fastener material on the strap 52 is adapted for engaging with and sticking to the hook/loop fastener material 56 on the quilting frame 54.
FIG. 2 is a closer view of one clamp and strap configuration of FIG. 1. The clamp 50 of FIG. 2 is a clamp type that is supplied with or as an accessory for some longarm quilting systems 30. The clamp 50 of FIG. 2 is a squeeze type clamp made from metal, with a heavy spring 58 and silicon covered tips 60. A strap 52 is bolted to the handle 62 of the clamp 50.
Now, usage of the clamp and strap configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. After arranging the quilting materials 35, 36, and 38 with a desired Y-direction tension using the rollers 31, 32, 33, and 34 (as described above), one of the clamps 50 is attached to the lateral edge of the workpiece 46 (typically the backing material 35), as shown in FIG. 2. There may be a preferred order of placement, but generally the order of placement of four clamps 50 shown in FIG. 1 is not critical to usage (i.e., selecting which of the four clamps 50 to position first). The user then extends the strap 52 from the clamp 50 towards the quilting frame 54 generally along the X direction. The strap 52 is pulled gently by the user to apply a desired amount of lateral (X-direction) tension on the workpiece 46 (to reduce or avoid sagging). Then the user engages the hook/loop fastener of the strap 52 with the loop/hook fastener strip or piece 56 on the quilting frame 54 while maintaining the desired tension on the strap 52. The hook and loop fastener formed thereby is then used to retain the position and tension on the strap 52, which is translated to the workpiece 46 via the clamp 50.
When the user desires or needs to move the workpiece 46 to change the portion of the workpiece 46 located in the workspace 40 (e.g., to roll the completed or partially completed workpiece portion on the first roller 31 from the workspace 40), the clamps 50 are typically removed first before rolling the materials. Typical usage of the clamp and strap configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, may include the following steps for removal. The user disengages the hook-and-loop fastener for a selected strap 52 (by pulling the strap 52 away from the quilt frame 54). Then, the user squeezes the clamp 50 to release its grip on the workpiece 46 and removes the clamp 50 from the workpiece 46. Alternatively, the clamp 50 may be removed while leaving the straps 52 in place attached to the quilt frame 54 by the hook-and-loop fastener. Or, the strap 52 may be removed or repositioned after removing the clamp 50.
Now at this point during use of the clamp and strap configuration of FIGS. 1 and 2, disadvantages and discomforts of using this configuration reveal themselves. If the clamp spring 58 has a relatively large spring constant for a given user, the user may need to use two hands to squeeze and remove the clamp 50. The majority of quilters are women, and of them, the majority of them are over fifty years old. Thus, a clamp 50 that requires a woman to use two hands to squeeze it is undesirable to many users. At this point, the strap 52 is probably dragging on the floor. Also, when the strap 52 was engaged on the quilting frame 54, an end of it may extend to the floor as well (such as when a workpiece 46 is wide relative to the quilting frame 54), as shown in FIG. 1. A hook/loop fastener has a tendency to grab and retain dust, fabric fuzz (especially batting material), hair, rug material, carpet material, food particles, debris, and other loose materials typically found on a floor. As a result of the hook/loop fastener regularly touching the floor during use, the strap 52 and/or the hook/loop material 56 on the quilting frame 54, tends to become not only less visually attractive (sometimes downright gross over time), but also less functional. The strength of a hook-and-loop fastener when engaged greatly depends on the hook-and-loop fastener being free from debris that can obstruct a hook from engaging a loop to form the fastener. Many users strive to keep their hook-and-loop fasteners clean by trying to prevent the strap 52 from touching the floor. For example, some users try to hold the strap 52 with one hand while manipulating the clamp 50 with the other hand (one-handed clamp operation), but some users are unable to do this due to strength and/or coordination limitations. For example, some users try to roll up or ball up the strap 52 before releasing the clamp 50 and securing the roll/ball of strap with a rubber band. This is very time consuming and annoying to many users. Some users tend to replace the straps or the entire clamp and strap combination regularly because the straps become dirty, unsightly, and/or non-functional, which can become expensive over time.
Another issue is where to put the clamp 50 after removing it from the workpiece 46. Some users clamp it to the quilting frame 54, but many quilting frames are not conducive to allowing the clamp to be attached (e.g., when the quilting frame is larger than the maximum bit opening size of the clamp). Many user do not bother with winding up the strap 52 (to keep it from touching the floor) and use the hook-and-loop fastener on the strap 52 to attach the clamp 50 to the quilting frame out of the way. This leads to a large portion of the strap 52 laying on the floor to collect debris. Furthermore, a strap 52 hanging down onto the floor during use can create a trip hazard, such as when one end of the quilting frame is at or close to a walkway or doorway. Few users have enough extra space in their studio to prevent an end of the quilting frame from being at or near a walkway or doorway. Hence, the use of straps that rely on hook-on-loop fasteners may have many disadvantages that are undesirable to many users.
One of the disadvantages of heavy clamps (e.g., those made from metal and those that are large) is that the weight of the clamp itself may induce sagging of the workpiece 46, which is typically undesirable. A disadvantage for some clamps, in the viewpoint of some quilters, is that the clamp is too hard to squeeze for the typical quilter or too complicated to lock and unlock, thereby requiring two hands to operate the clamp itself A disadvantage of some clamps is that they are too bulky or too large in the Z direction relative to the X-Y plane. For example, the clamp 50 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is particularly large in the Z direction relative to other possible clamp options. This can cause problems for the user when trying to sew at or near the lateral edge because the sewing machine can bump or hit the clamp 50 causing the workpiece to move and/or the clamp 50 can prevent the sewing head 64 from reaching the full extent in the X direction desired or needed during sewing. Often the bottom of the sewing machine 42 will collide with the bottom of the clamp 50 without the user seeing the forthcoming collision because the larger bottom portion of the sewing machine is not visible under the backing material 35 during use (see e.g., FIG. 2). Such collisions can cause an intended sewing path to be hindered and altered, often requiring the user to stop, remove threads, and reset the sewing head (which may be very difficult and time consuming, as well as frustrating and discouraging). Many times the backing material layer 35 is not selected to be sufficiently wider than the quilt top layer 36 to allow for enough space and clearance of a large and bulky clamp 50. Often customers send to quilters a partially completed quilt (e.g., designs and patterns stitched, embroidered, or formed in a quilt top but not yet formed with the other layers to make a quilt) which does not have a large enough backing material layer because they do not have experience or knowledge of the need for larger backing material for longarm quilting systems. Hence, in the opinion of many users, there are many disadvantages and undesirable aspects of currently available clamps and clamp/strap combinations for use with quilting frames and/or longarm quilting systems.