A base sheet is spanned over a lower roller, and an upper roller pulls a cover sheet along a path and presses it against the base sheet at the lower roller. A preheater housing along the path upstream of the rollers is formed with a chamber open toward the path. A radiant heater in the chamber is directed transversely at the path so as to heat the cover sheet passing along the path. A sensor along the path adjacent the chamber detects atmosphere around the chamber and generates an output when the detected atmosphere indicates an unsafe hot condition of the cover sheet. A shutter can shift between a retracted position offset from the chamber and an advanced position closing the chamber. A controller connected to the sensor shifts the shutter from the retracted position to the advanced position when the output is generated by the sensor.

In the mass production of bubble or blister packs, it is standard to form a base sheet or foil with an array of pockets or blisters, then to advance this foil with the pockets open upward so they can be filled with the product to be packaged. Then a cover foil is applied to the upwardly directed upper face of the filled base foil and is adhered to it in the webs between adjacent pockets. The cover foil can be made to adhere by heating it or a face of it so that a good bond is formed and the product is hermetically encased in the now closed products. Then the laminated-together foils are cut apart in the webs between the pockets to form individual packages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,277 of Scheifele describes a system where the cover foil is heated by passing it between a pair of heater plates. During normal operation the heater plates are closely juxtaposed with the cover foil which is oriented in a vertical plane. If the system is shut down temporarily or not in use, the two heater plates are shifted back away from the cover foil so that they do not overheat and, possibly, burn it. Such heater plates work well during the production run, but getting them up to the desired temperature and accurately controlling their temperatures is a problem, so that at the start of the run a certain amount of the cover foil is inadequately heated and does not adhere to the base foil, creating unusable packages, and during the run it is not possible to precisely adjust the temperature of the cover foil.
In German 198 50 143 of Bar a near infrared (NIR) emitter, e.g. with a wavelength of 1.4 μm, is used to heat the cover foil. Such a heater has two emitter tubes each having a tungsten filament that is heated electrically. The power supplied to the filaments is regulated to control the temperature to which the cover foil is heated, this temperature being of course also dependent on the spacing of the foil from the heater, the composition of the foil, and the speed at which the foil moves past the heater.
The problem with this system is that the cover foil is typically fairly fragile and also flammable. If the foil stops, it can quickly be melted through or set afire, and the same thing can happen simply if the foil conveyor jams or the foil breaks. The existing systems therefore present a fire hazard and also often require that the surroundings be somehow protected from the occasional accident.

Heat laminating a cover foil to a base foil


An optical digitizer which has a function to recognize kinds of pointing instruments, allowing an input by a finger or by a pen, is provided. The optical digitizer includes: a light source to emit a light ray; an image taking device which is arranged in a periphery of a coordinate plane, and which converts an image of the pointing instrument into an electrical signal after taking an image of the pointing instrument by using the light ray of the light source; a computing device to compute the pointing position coordinates after processing the converted electrical signal by the image taking device; a polarizing device to polarize the light ray emitted by the light source into a first polarized light ray or a second polarized light ray; a switching device to switch the irradiating light on the coordinate plane to the first polarized light or the second polarized light; a retroreflective material with retroreflective characteristics, which is installed at a frame of the coordinate plane; a polarizing film with a transmitting axis which causes the first polarized light ray to be transmitted; and a judging device to judge the pointing instrument as the first pointing instrument when the image of the pointing instrument is taken by the first polarized light ray, and to judge the pointing instrument as the second pointing instrument when the image of the pointing instrument is taken by the second polarized light ray.

This application relates to and claims priority to corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 320483/1999, which was filed on Nov. 11, 1999, and which is incorporated by reference herein.
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical digitizer, which detects the position coordinates where a finger, a stylus or a pointing stick (hereinafter refer to as a pointing instrument) points on a coordinate plane, and more specifically, to an optical digitizer, which recognizes kinds of pointing instruments and enables an input by a finger or a pen.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, mobile type pen input computers, such as PDA, are becoming increasingly popular. Many of them have pressure-sensitive resistance membrane system touch panels placed on front of LCD display devices, enabling a user to operate the computer and input a drawing by touching the touch panel, or by drawing with a finger or a pen, so that the user can use it in the same way as a normal pen and a notebook. However, in the case of inputting a signature for signature verification, or inputting a medical record into a patient""s file, in which a handwriting input is important, if the user touches the touch panel with a hand, it becomes an error input due to the characteristics of the touch panel. This is called the hand-touch problem. Moreover, in the pressure-sensitive resistance membrane system touch panel, there are occasions where the surface membrane is torn by a pen due to its structural characteristics. In order to avoid such problems, an optical system digitizer has been proposed in lieu of the pressure-sensitive resistance membrane system touch panel.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the conventional optical digitizers. A tunnel mirror 14 is disposed in front of an image forming lens 9 for a linear image sensor 13, and a pair of detecting units, wherein each of the units is arranged in such a manner that a light axis of an LED light source 31 coincides with a light axis of the linear image sensor 13, are arranged in the peripheral area of a coordinate plane 1. The tip of a pointing instrument 2, such as a pen, is wrapped with a tape 22 composed of a retroreflective material. When a light ray emitted from LED light source 31 is irradiated on the retroreflective tape 22 at the tip of the pen 2, the incident light returns straight back to where it came from due to the retroreflective characteristic. The image of this reflected light is taken by the right and left side linear image sensors 13, and converted to an electric signal. The signal is then processed at the coordinate computing section 7 by using the triangulation principle to detect the pointed coordinates of the pen tip. In this case, unless a hand intercepts between the pen tip and the image taking means, a hand-touch is allowed. However, in this conventional example, an input by a finger cannot be made. Therefore, it cannot be used as a touch pad loaded on a notebook-type personal computer or as a simple touch panel.
Another example of a conventional optical digitizer is illustrated in FIG. 2. In the conventional example illustrated in FIG. 1, the retroreflective material is installed at the tip of the pen 2, but in the conventional example illustrated in FIG. 2, the retroreflective material is installed on the frame of the coordinate plane 1. In this case, the images in the retroreflective material 4 positioned at the two sides of the coordinate plane 1 are taken by each of the right and left image sensors 13. In other words, the right-side image sensor takes the images 4a and 4b of the retroreflective material, and the left-side image sensor takes the images 4b and 4c, respectively. When a pointing instrument 20, such as a finger, is placed on the coordinate plane 1, the reflected light from the retroreflective material 4 is intercepted by the pointing instrument 20, and the shadow image 20a is detected by the image sensor 13, which makes it possible to detect the pointed coordinates of the pointing instrument 20.
A conventional optical digitizer as illustrated in FIG. 1 allowed to input by a special pen only, which requires a pen even for making a simple input through a touch panel. Moreover, since it requires a specific pen, when it is loaded on a notebook-size personal computer, it is often inconvenient for a user. The conventional digitizer as illustrated in FIG. 2 served the purpose as far as the inputting by a pen is concerned, but it did not solve the hand-touch problem.
To solve these problems, the present invention aims to provide an optical digitizer, which has the function to recognize kinds of pointing instruments, and enables an input by both a finger and a pen. Moreover, the invention aims to provide an optical digitizer with a pointing instrument equipped with a plurality of functions by installing a supplemental information transmission means into the pointing instrument.
In order to accomplish the above mentioned objectives, the present invention relates to an optical digitizer which detects a position coordinate pointed by a pointing instrument on a coordinate plane, and has a function to recognize a first pointing instrument, which is not equipped with a retroreflective material, from a second pointing instrument, which is equipped with the retroreflective material at its tip, wherein the optical digitizer is comprised of a light source for emitting a light ray, an image taking means, which is placed in the periphery of the coordinate plane to take an image of the pointing instrument by using the light ray of the light source and convert the taken image into an electrical signal, a computing means for computing the position coordinates by processing the electrical signal converted by the image taking means, a light polarization means which is provided at the light source for polarizing the emitted light from the light source into a first polarized light or a second polarized light, a switching means with which irradiating light to the coordinate plane is switched to the first polarized light or the second polarized light, a retroreflective material having retroreflective characteristics which is provided on a frame of the coordinate plane, a polarizing film installed in front of the retroreflective material and having a transmitting axis to cause the first polarized light to be transmitted, and a judging means for judging the pointing instrument as a first pointing instrument if the image of the instrument is taken by the first polarized light, and for judging the pointing instrument as a second pointing instrument if the image of the instrument is taken by the second polarized light.
The light source means is comprised of two sources, and the polarizing means is comprised of the first polarizing means, which allows the first polarized light to transmit, and the second polarizing means, which allows the second polarized light to transmit, both the polarizing means being installed at each light source, and the first polarized light and the second polarized light are alternately illuminated by irradiating the two light sources alternately through the switching means.
It may also be arranged that the polarizing means comprises a first polarizing means, which allows the first polarized light to transmit, and a liquid crystal plate, so that the first polarized light and the second polarized light are illuminated by switching voltages applied to the liquid crystal plate by a switching means.
Further, the present invention relates to an optical digitizer which has a function to recognize kinds of a pointing instrument, wherein the optical digitizer is comprised of a light source to emit a light ray, an image taking means, installed in the peripheral area of the coordinate plane to take an image of the pointing instrument by using the light ray of the light source and to convert the taken image into an electrical signal, a calculation means to compute the pointed position coordinates by processing the converted electrical signal through the image taking means, a polarizing means which is installed in the image taking means to make the incident light as the first polarized light or the second polarized light, a dividing means to divide the incident light to the image taking means, a retroreflective material installed at the frame of aforementioned coordinate plane, which has retroreflective characteristics, a polarizing film which is installed in front of the retroreflective material, having a transmitting axis to cause the first polarized light ray to be transmitted, and a judgment means which judges the pointing instrument as a first pointing instrument if the image of the instrument is taken by the first polarized light, as a second pointing instrument if the image of the instrument is taken by the second polarized light, and as the second pointing instrument if the image of the instrument is taken by both the first and the second polarized light.
The present invention further relates to an optical digitizer wherein the light source means is comprised of two light sources, further having a third polarizing means to cause the first polarized light to be transmitted, and a fourth polarized means to cause the second polarized light to be transmitted, both of them are installed at each of the two light sources, the optical digitizer further having a switching means to cause the two light sources alternately to be emitted, the second pointing instrument having a liquid crystal material at its tip, the optical digitizer further having a judging means to judge the state of the second pointing instrument in the case where the image of the pointing instrument is taken by the second polarized light, by the polarized light which comes into the image taking means in which the polarized light changes by the voltage applied to the liquid crystal material.
The first polarized light ray may be a vertically polarized light ray, and the second polarized light ray may be a horizontally polarized light ray.

Optical digitizer with function to recognize kinds of pointing instruments


A round baler includes a bale shape monitor for facilitating uniform bale formation. The bale shape monitor includes a pair of end sensors and an intermediate sensor. The end sensors sense the diameter of the bale at end locations adjacent opposite ends of the bale, while the intermediate sensor senses the diameter of the bale at an intermediate location spaced between the end locations. The monitor further includes a signal responsive to the sensors to indicate to the operator when the diameter of the bale at one of the end locations is less than the diameter at the intermediate location. The signal is electrically powered and includes a pair of switches, each of which is operably coupled between one of the end sensors and the intermediate sensor to operate an indicator when the diameter of the bale sensed at the corresponding end location is less than the diameter sensed at the intermediate location.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to round balers and, more particularly, to an improved bale shape monitor for facilitating uniform bale formation by the baler.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
In most instances, the crop windrow picked up by a round baler tends to be narrower than the overall length of the baling chamber. The baler must consequently be steered left and right as it pulled across the field so that an equal amount of crop material is delivered along the length of the chamber during the bale cycle; otherwise, the baler will likely form an asymmetrical bale having an uneven diameter from one end to end the other end. For example, if the baler is positioned relative to the windrow so that a disproportionate amount of crop is delivered to the left end of the baling chamber, the bale will almost definitely have a conical shape, with the left end of the bale having a greater diameter and density than the right end. In any case, nonuniform bale formation results in unsightly bales that are difficult to sell, stack and tie. Moreover, nonuniform bale formation often damages or, at the very least, places undue wear on the bale forming components.
Even the most skillful baler operator has difficultly in tediously weaving the baler from side to side for ensuring even delivery of crop material between the sidewalls of the baler. Accordingly, bale shape monitors have been developed to assist the operator with uniform bale formation. Conventional bale shape monitors typically include indicators placed within the cab of the tractor to signal to the operator when the bale is not being properly shaped. Traditional indicators include bale shape displays which represent the shape of the bale from end-to-end or at certain locations along the length of the bale. A more common indicator includes so-called "driving lights" which signal to the operator when to steer left, steer right or simply drive forward. Additionally, some balers have even been equipped with a steering mechanism for automatically steering the baler left and right in response to the bale shape sensed by the monitor.
The indicators mentioned above are traditionally operated by one or more sensors on the baler. In round balers having an expandable baling chamber defined in part by a plurality of endless elements (e.g., a belt-type baler), the sensors are associated with the endless elements adjacent the sidewalls of the baler. Each end sensor is often positioned along a stretch of the corresponding element to detect when the stretch becomes slackened. It will be appreciated that the elements are traditionally tensioned by a single slack takeup mechanism, and accordingly, slackening of one of the elements relative to the remaining elements indicates that the area of the baling chamber bound by the one element is receiving less crop material than the others. Alternatively, the ends sensors are positioned along stretches of the elements defining the baling chamber so as to directly sense the diameter of the bale. The operator may consequently steer the baler left or right depending upon the diameter of the bale sensed adjacent the ends thereof.
However, these known expedients are problematic. Particularly, conventional bale shape monitors have complex and relatively expensive constructions. Additionally, a number of conventional monitors are not dependable and do not accurately sense the shape of the bale. For example, with monitors having a sensor for detecting the slack condition of one of the endless elements, the shape of the bale may not be accurately detected because of uneven stretching between the elements. Moreover, no baler has heretofore been provided with a monitor which effectively compares the diameter of the bale adjacent the ends thereof to the diameter of the bale at an intermediate location spaced between the ends, so that the operator is signaled when the ends are deficient relative to the middle of the bale. As will subsequently be described, this significantly simplifies the construction of the monitor and more accurately detects bale shape to improve uniform bale formation.


Methods of probing a material under investigation using an ultrasound beam. Echolocation data is generated using a multi-dimensional transform capable of using phase and magnitude information to distinguish echoes resulting from ultrasound beam components produced using different ultrasound transducers. Since the multi-dimensional transform does not depend on using receive or transmit beam lines, a multi-dimensional area can be imaged using a single ultrasound transmission. In some embodiments, this ability increases image frame rate and reduces the amount of ultrasound energy required to generate an image.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of imaging and more specifically in the field of ultrasonic imaging.
2. Prior Art
Ultrasonic imaging is a method of analysis used for examining a wide range of materials. The method is especially common in medicine because of its relatively non-invasive nature, low cost, and fast response times. Typically, ultrasonic imaging is accomplished by generating and directing an ultrasound beam into a material under investigation in a transmit phase and observing reflections generated at the boundaries of dissimilar materials in a receive phase. For example, in medical applications observed reflections are generated at boundaries between a patient's tissues. The observed reflections are converted to electrical signals (channel data) by receiving devices (transducers) and processed, using methods known in the art, to determine the locations of echo sources. The resulting data is displayed using a display device such as a monitor.
The prior art processes of producing an ultrasound beam and analyzing resulting echoes is called "beam forming." The production process optionally includes defining "transmit" beam characteristics through aperture apodization, steering, and/or focusing. The analysis process optionally includes calculating a "receive beam" wherein received echoes are processed to isolate those echoes generated along a narrow region. This calculation includes the identifying one-dimensional line along which echoes are assumed to have been generated, and is therefore referred to herein as "echo line calculation." Through beam forming a one-dimensional set of echolocation data is generated using each transmit and/or receive beam. Echolocation data is positional data relating to the physical location of one or more echo source and optionally includes intensity, velocity and/or similar physical information. Echolocation data may include post-beam forming raw data, detected data, or image data. Multidimensional echolocation data, such as an ultrasound image, is generated by scanning a field of view within the material under investigation using multiple transmit and/or receive beams.
The ultrasound beam transmitted into the material under investigation during the transmit phase is generated by applying electronic signals to a transducer. The ultrasound beam may be scattered, resonated, attenuated, and/or reflected as it propagates through the material under investigation. A portion of the reflected signals are received at transducers and detected as echoes. The receiving transducers convert the echo signals to electronic signals and optionally furnish them to an echo line calculator (beam former) that performs the echo line calculation inherent to analysis using a receive beam.
After beam forming, an image scan converter uses the calculated echolocation data to generate image data. In prior art systems the image formation rate (the frame rate) is limited by at least the total pulse return times of all ultrasound beams used to generate each image. The pulse return time is the time between the transmission of the ultrasound beam into the material under investigation and the detection of the last resulting reflected echoes. The limited frame rate may result in temporal artifacts caused by relative movement between the ultrasound system and a material under investigation.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art ultrasound system, generally designated 100. Ultrasound system 100 includes an element array 105 of transducer elements 110, a backing material 120, an optional matching layer 130, a transmit/receive switch 140 and a beam transmitter 150. Backing material 120 is designed to support element array 105 and dampen any ultrasound energy that propagates toward backing material 120. Matching layer 130 transfers ultrasound energy from transducer elements 110 into the material under investigation (not shown). Transducer elements 110, include individual transducer elements 110A-110H individually coupled by conductors 115 and 117, through transmit/receive switch 140, to a beam transmitter 150. Transmit/receive switch 140 may include a multiplexer 145 that allows the number of conductors 117 to be smaller than the number of conductors 115. In the transmit phase, beam transmitter 150 generates electronic pulses that are coupled through transmit/receive switch 140, applied to some or all of transducer elements 110A-110H, and converted to ultrasound pulses 160. Taken together, ultrasound pulses 160 form an ultrasound beam 170 that probes the material under investigation.
Ultrasound beam 170 may be focused to limit the region in which echoes are generated. When echo sources are restricted to a narrow region the calculation of echo location data may be simplified by assuming that the echo sources lie along a "transmit line." With this assumption, the task of the echo beam calculator is reduced to a problem of determining the position of an echo source in one dimension. This position is established using the return time of the echo. The accuracy of this assumption and the spacing of transmit lines are significant factors in determining the resolution of prior art ultrasound systems. Finely focused beams facilitate higher resolution than poorly focused beams. Analogous assumptions and consequences are found in analyses involving calculated receive beams.
FIG. 2 shows a prior art focusing system in which element array 105 is a phased array configured to focus ultrasound beam 170 by varying the timing of electronic pulses 210 applied to transducer elements 110A-110H. In this system, electronic pulses 210, are generated at beam transmitter 150 and passed through transmit/receive switch 140. Electronic pulses 210 are delayed using a delay generator (not shown) and coupled to transducer elements 110A-H. Ultrasound beam 170 is formed when transducer elements 110A-H convert properly delayed electronic pulses 210 to ultrasound pulses 160 (FIG. 1). Once formed, ultrasound beam 170 is directed along a transmit beam line 250 including a focal point 230 with a resulting beam waist 240 characterized by a width of ultrasound beam 170. In a similar manner phased excitation of element array 105 is used to direct (steer) ultrasound beam 170 in specific directions. The cross-sectional intensity of ultrasound beam 170 is typically Gaussian around a focal point and includes a maximum along transmit beam line 250. The shape of ultrasound beam 170 may depend on aperture apodization.
In a scanning process, ultrasound system 100 sends a series of distinct ultrasound beam 170 along another, different transmit beam line 250 to form an image over more than one spatial dimension. A specific ultrasound beam 170 is optionally transmitted in several transmit/receive cycles before generating another ultrasound beam 170. Between each transmit phase a receive phase occurs, during which echoes are detected. Since each ultrasound beam 170, included in an ultrasound scan, requires at least one transmit/receive cycle the scanning processes may take many times the pulse return time. This pulse return time, determined by the speed of sound in the material under investigation, is a primary limitation on the rate at which prior art ultrasound images can be generated. In addition, undesirable temporal anomalies can be generated if transducer elements 110A-110H move relative to the material under investigation during the scanning process.
FIGS. 3A through 3E show a prior art scanning process in a phased array 310 of eight transducer elements, designated 110A through 110H. Subsets 320A-320E of the eight transducer elements 100A-110H are each used to generate one of distinct ultrasound beams 170A-170E. For example, FIG. 3A shows ultrasound beam 170A formed by subset 320A, including transducer elements 110A-110D. The next step in the scanning process includes forming ultrasound beam 170B using subset 320B including transducer elements 110B-110E as shown in FIG. 3B. In this example, a transmit beam line 250B associated with ultrasound beam 170B passes through a focal point 230B, which is displaced from a focal point 230A by a distance typically equal to the width of one transducer element 110. As shown by FIGS. 3C through 3E, each subset 320C through 320E, used to produce each ultrasound beam 170C through 170E, is displaced by one transducer element 110 relative to subsets 320B through 320D, respectively. Echoes detected in the receive phase, occurring between each transmit phase, are used to generate echolocation data and these echolocation data are typically combined to form an image suitable for display. The scan process may be repeated to produce multiple images.
In practice, phased array 310 may include sixty-four, one hundred and twenty-eight, or more transducer elements 110. The resolution of the echolocation data depends on the aperture and the number of transducer element 110, and on the degree to which transmit beam line 250 accurately represents possible echo sources within ultrasound beam 170. Representation of ultrasound beam 170A-E using beam line 250A-E is an approximation that determines the resolution of resulting echolocation data. A poor approximation will limit the resolution of the resulting echolocation data. A maximum width of ultrasound beam 170A-E is, therefore, limited by the desired resolution of the echolocation data. The accuracy of the approximation is a function of distance from focal points 230A-E, the approximation being less accurate at further distances.
Common practice includes generating several ultrasound beams with different focal point 230A-E, and using each set of received echoes to generate data near focal points 230A-E. Prior art data generation may be limited to an area near focal points 230A-E because, at further distances, the transmit beam line 250 approximation may not be sufficiently accurate to provide the echolocation data of a desired resolution. Typically one receive or transmit beam line 250 is generated for each transmit/receive cycle. The number of beams required to image an area is dependent on both the width and depth of the area to be imaged as well as the desired resolution. By using only echoes near focal point 230, only a small portion (e.g. <10%) of the total received signal is used, with the remainder of the received signal being discarded. The prior art makes inefficient use of detected signal. Similar disadvantages occur in systems utilizing synthetic receive lines.
In the prior art the area to be covered, transmit beam width, number of transmit beam 170, and echolocation data resolution are interdependent. The transmit beam width determines the minimum lateral resolution width of the echolocation data. Since each transmit beam 170 covers only a limited area, a greater number of transmit beam 170 are required to image a larger area. Use of a greater number of transmit beam 170 lengthens the minimum time required to generate an image.
Disadvantages of the prior art, such as an image formation rate restricted by pulse return time and inefficient signal use, have prevented prior art ultrasound systems from taking full advantage of advances in micro-processing power. The prior art endures these disadvantages in order to generate images with the highest possible resolution.


The present disclosure relates to a connector having a main body portion and a housing portion. The housing mounts over the connector main body. The housing is adapted for securing the connector to another element such as a piece of telecommunications equipment.

In the telecommunications industry, connectors are used to interconnect cables to pieces of telecommunications equipment or to other circuitry (e.g., switches). U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,701, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, shows connectors 60 and 60′ mounted to the back wall of a digital cross-connect (DSX) module. In addition to modules, connectors are also frequently mounted to other structures such as telecommunications panels, frames, chassis, PC boards or other telecommunications components.

High density mount for a co-axial connector


When charging current is switched, the output voltage from the solar cell, namely an input voltage to a charging apparatus, changes, and controlling the input voltage to the charging apparatus does not operate correctly. Furthermore, when charging current decreases in response to a drop of the output voltage from the solar cell, a fully-charged state of the secondary cell is erroneously detected. Still further, when the charging operation is completed in accordance with a timer after charging the secondary cell by a small charging current, the secondary cell is not fully charged. To correct these problems, the input voltage Vin is compared to a voltage value V1, and, if a state in which Vin is higher than V1 (Vin>V1) is moved to a state in which Vin is equal or lower than the V1 (Vin.ltoreq.V1), a charge mode which supplies small charging current starts, thereafter, the charging current is increased for a short period of time at a predetermined time interval, and then, on the basis of a comparison result between Vin and V1 at this time, the subsequent charge mode is controlled. The charged amount of the secondary cell is obtained by measuring the charging current, and the fully-charged state of the secondary battery is determined on the basis of the obtained charged amount.

The present invention relates to a charging apparatus and a charging system and, more particularly, to a charging apparatus and a charging system for charging a secondary cell using an unstable electric power supply, such as a solar cell, which generates variable voltage, and for properly detecting the fully-charged state of the secondary cell.
A charging apparatus for charging a secondary cell, such as a lithium ion battery, using an unstable electric power supply, such as a solar cell, compares an output voltage from the solar cell to a reference voltage, then starts or stops charging on the basis of the comparison result, since the output voltage from the solar cell changes. Further, the charging apparatus also detects a fully-charged state of a secondary cell based on a decrease in an amount of charging current and a timer, similar to a charging apparatus for charging a secondary cell at a constant voltage in current-limit method using AC power supply.
In the aforesaid charging apparatus, however, there are the following problems.
First, in the aforesaid charging apparatus, the range of voltages within which a secondary cell can be charged is limited. Therefore, it is not possible to charge the secondary cell when the output voltage from the solar cell is less than a reference voltage due to weather conditions, such as when clouds block insolation, for example. Second, when the output voltage from the solar cell changes rapidly, starting and/or stopping charging operation causes further change in the output voltage from the solar cell. Under this situation, a function for supervising an input voltage (output voltage from the solar cell) to the charging apparatus may not operate correctly.
Further, in the aforesaid charging apparatus, when charging current decreases in response to a drop of output voltage from the solar cell, fully-charged state of the secondary cell may be erroneously detected. Furthermore, when the charging operation is finished in accordance with the timer after charging the secondary cell by a smaller charging current than expected, the secondary cell may not be fully charged.

Charging apparatus and charging system for use with an unstable electrical power supply


A brace for retaining an organ in an expanded state configured to adhere and substantially conform to an external surface of the organ includes an inner layer, an outer layer, and at least one sheet of thin malleable material forming a middle layer between the inner layer and outer layer, the at least one sheet being enclosed and configured to rigidify and maintain the organ in an expanded state upon application of a vacuum. The brace can be incorporated into a brassiere.

Generally, edema and tissue swelling are considered pathologic conditions to be treated by medical interventions, such as compression garments. However, in some instances, inducing and maintaining a chronic edema state may be beneficial when the desired goal is to ultimately induce tissue augmentation and enlargement through induction of fat formation as a result of that chronic edema state. For example, the applicant has previously developed devices and techniques for manipulating and molding soft tissue with active external tissue expanders like the Brava Bra for breast expansion/augmentation (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,536,233; 5,662,583; 5,676,634; 5,695,445; 5,701,917; 6,478,656; 6,500,112; 6,641,527; and 6,699,176, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety) or the external passive expander splint (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,066,795 and 9,522,058, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety).
Existing compression bandages apply external compressive forces to soft tissue, which counteract any distention induced by such devices and techniques. For example, laces, straps, or other components may immobilize the soft tissue. Existing passive splints also often conform to the treated body part and have a rigidifying layer that stiffens the construct to preserve and maintain the soft tissue until healing ensues. The rigidifying factors in these existing devices often rely on curing or polymerization of a chemical. Some of these prior art devices do rely on vacuum to rigidify, but do not include an adhesive component that can counteract the recoil forces of an iatrogenic swollen state. Furthermore, while some prior art devices are malleable to conform with the splinted extremity, they lack the ability to not only conform but also expand its surface area in two dimensions in order to embrace different levels of tissue swelling.
Achieving rigidity by polymerization of a chemical is a one-time, irreversible process. Additionally, braces that achieve rigidity induced by physical agents, such as temperature, face mechanical phase variations.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a device and method for bracing and retaining distended tissue that can rigidify, soften to become malleable, and rigidify again multiple times, and at each step, obtain as needed varying degrees of rigidity over different surface areas and tissue contours while adhering to the swollen tissue to prevent its deflation. For certain applications, it would also be advantageous to reduce its bulk to maximize the concealability of the brace.
Commonly owned PCT application PCT/2019/054890 (WO 2020/073021), filed Oct. 4, 2019, discloses devices and techniques for bracing distended tissue and retaining organs in expanded states. The devices and methods advantageously achieve this without requiring polymerization. The devices and methods disclosed use various materials sandwiched between two layers which are hardened by vacuum. Although effective, there is room for improvement to the devices including improving its securement to the patient's skin, its concealability and its malleability as well as minimizing adverse affects on the skin during the vacuum application.


A computer system for creating driving tournaments for users including a processor in communication with a memory device is provided. The processor may be programmed to: i) receive user data associated with a plurality of users, ii) generate, based at least in part upon the received user data, a driving profile including driving characteristics of each user, iii) match users based at least in part upon the driving profiles of the users, wherein a match occurs when driving characteristics of the driving profiles are substantially similar, iv) create a driving tournament for the matched one or more users, v) receive current vehicle telematics data and current mobile device data associated with the matched one or more users, and vi) determine, after the predetermined time period has ended, a winner of the driving tournament.

The gamification of routine tasks can increase excitement and more purposeful execution of the tasks for people. Competitions and/or tournaments related to routine tasks can especially increase excitement due to the involvement of others. A tournament is, for example, a series of contests between a number of competitors, who compete for an overall prize. Further, people may be more competitive in competitions/tournaments if a prize is provided to a winner of the competition/tournament. Accordingly, participating in competitions and tournaments may increase the likelihood that people will correct bad habits associated with routine tasks, like bad driving habits.

Systems and methods for tournament-based telematics insurance pricing


The invention relates to a calibration apparatus for control of propellant pumps, especially in the traffic sector, which apparatus is placed on a vehicle, especially a trailer. The apparatus (1) has at least one standard (10) for measuring a determined amount of propellant, and the standard is placed in a cardan suspension (49-52) which is elastically yielding (48) and may be locked during operation and during transport by means of supporting rods (53-59). A standard (10) is divided into a lower measuring compartment (11) and an upper foam top (14) which is connected tot he measuring compartment (11) through a neck (12) with a measuring glass (13) and reading lines (22). The foam top (14) is ventilated (35-37) to reception tank (5) placed at the bottom of the apparatus (1), and the standard (10) may be connected via a remote controlled discharge valve (20) to the reception tank (5) from which propellant may be pumped up into a buffer tank (64) at the top of the apparatus (1). From here the propellant may be returned to the storage tank of the tank station through a hose (72) either by the aid of gravity or by means of a pump. An electric generator (78) which may be driven by a belt drive (79-84) connected to one of the road wheels (2), may charge an accumulator (87), and a pressure container (88, 89) with a non-flammable pressurized gaz, e.g. carbondioxide, is provided for remote control of the discharge valve (20). A control device for time control of the functions of the apparatus is further provided.

A society is, both for judicial and fiscal reasons, interested in safeguarding that a citizen while filling propellants into a motor vehicle may receive the correct amount in accordance with the desired or ordered amount.
Earlier types of propellant pumps have been known in which the propellant was pumped by hand from a subterranean storage tank into one or more measuring glasses which each might have contained f. inst. five liters, whereafter the propellant was poured via an adjustable valve through a hose and a filling nozzle down into the tank of the vehicle. It was hereby possible for the citizen or for an inspector appointed for the task to control the correct amount of propellant, as the measuring glass was provided with indicating marks so that the volume might easily be controlled.
However, these types of propellant pumps were slow in operation and the manual pumping demanded a great deal of working power, and the applicability of the propellant pumps therefore declined concurrently with the rising employment of motor vehicles.
Modern propellant pumps therefore are motor driven and are provided with pumps and measuring means which show the amount of propellant delivered.
However, measuring means of this kind may change in accuracy, f. inst. because of wear or impurities, and a citizen normally has no possibility of controlling the amount of propellant delivered, as this is pumped directly into the tank of the vehicle. The possibility available to a citizen to control the amount of propellant delivered would be for he or she to bring along a volume calibrated container, a so called standard, which would be filled up to a certain graduation mark, whereafter the contents of the container would be poured into the tank, f. inst. by lifting the container and pouring the contents through a funnel and a hose.
Considering that a modern private vehicle has a tank of a volume of 40 liters or more, and that a lorry often may have a tank of several hundred liters, such a control would be Utopian to accomplish for the ordinary citizen because the propellant pump would be blocked for a considerable period.
On the other hand this kind of control has been available for an authorized control of petrol pumps, but it cannot live up to the latest requirements on efficiency, environmental care and fire resistance.
It should be remembered that in the authorized control the measured amount of propellant is not bought, so that the propellant collected in the standard is still the property of the owner of the tank, and that the amount of propellant contained in the standard has to be returned to the storage tank of the petrol station through a filling pipe which for reasons of fire prevention is situated at a considerable distance from the propellant pump. The storage tank is normally for the same reasons situated underground and tank stations are provided with several propellant pumps which all have to be controlled.
To achieve the necessary guarantee of a correct verification or calibration of the individual liquid meter in the propellant pump the control of the liquid pump has to be effected by means of several consecutive fillings and emptyings of the standards.
Furthermore the propellant pumps deliver petrol in an amount of typically 60 liters per minute through filling nozzles which are provided with means for automatical stopping of the pumping if a tank is filled or the propellant during the filling "kicks back", and the calibration of the measuring means of the propellant pump presumes a constant flow from the activation of the filling nozzle to the termination of a delivering process. When the propellant leaves the filling nozzle it is mixed with a great deal of air which in connection with the above mentioned rather high pumping speeds results in the formation of foam in the propellant in the standard. This blending with air may be accompanied with an evaporation as a result of the relatively high vapour pressure of the propellant.
To oppose a kickback from the propellant and to be abreast of the foam formation the normal standard is provided with a tall funnel-shaped neck so that the filling nozzle may be kept at a distance above the level which indicates the determined correct charge of the standard, and the standard has to have a volume which corresponds to the lowest legal sales volume, e. g. five liters, and a comparatively broad sole to be able to stand solidly during the filling.
Two liquid indicating glasses, with markings for reading the liquid volume, are placed in diametrically opposite sides of the funnel-shaped neck. Hereby it is possible to calculate a mean value for the readings so that it is possible to compensate for a vertically abberant position of the neck or the longitudinal axis of the standard.
Substantially larger standards are also in existence, e. g. with a volume content of 20 liters.
A filled standard therefore may represent a considerable weight which may be a great disadvantage when it has to be carried from a pump to the filling pipe at the storage tank and when it has to be handled during the emptying.
To ensure uniform conditions during the emptying at several subsequent measurements it is, to counter measuring errors as a result of remnants of propellant left over from previous measurements, common practice to tip the standards and let the propellant flow from the top of the standard till the remnants are leaving the standard drop by drop at intervals of one second, which in practice is based on the time sense of the inspector in question with the resulting inaccuracy of measurement.
The propellant gives off vapours during the filling which partly are unhealthy to inhale and partly represent an element of danger because of their inflammability.
The above described method of control of propellant pumps by means of standards therefore represents a rather large manual task which furthermore is connected with danger of life and health.
To counter these disadvantages a calibration apparatus is known, f. inst. from Norway, of the kind mentioned in the introduction.
In this apparatus a two-wheeled trailer is employed which at front is provided with a coupling arrangement so that the trailer may be connected to and be drawn by a motor vehicle. Several standards of various sizes from the smallest to the largest prescribed size are placed on each side of the trailer. Each of the standards has at the bottom a draining opening which through a short, rigid and transparent hose and a manually operated valve is connected to a reception tank in the bottom of the trailer. The standards have a tall narrow neck which is provided with windows on two diametrically opposite sides, and which windows have engraved measurings lines. The tall narrow necks ensure in a commonly known way that even a small change in the volume of a liquid poured into the standard will result in a large change in the level of the liquid in the narrow neck. The neck of each of the standards is provided at the top with an open funnel which serves to direct liquid into the neck.
The standards are fixed to the trailer and as the surface at the petrol stations is slanting towards a drain with a rather large downward gradient to promote a quick collecting of spilled propellant, the standards may not right away be placed with their longitudinal axes in a vertical position which is a condition for the correct reading of the liquid level in relation to the reading lines of the windows. It will therefore be necessary, as when the traditional loose or free standards are used, to make readings of the two opposite windows or indicating glasses and calculate a mean value. This is a difficult and time-consuming process.
It is possible to supervise through the transparent hose after the manual opening of the draining valve that the propellant flows from the standard down into the collection tank, but it is not possible to ascertain when a uniform amount of liquid residue is left in the standards.
The open funnels involve a risk of spreading of vapours which implies dangers of fire and explosions and environmental hazards. Furthermore, the trailer has to be driven to the filling pipe of the subterranean tank so that the propellant may be emptied into the tank which implies unnecessary driving on the premises of the petrol station, as the filling pipe usually is situated far from the propellant pumps.

Mobile calibrating apparatus for control of volume meters for liquid, especially propellant pumps in the traffic sector

Dantest, Dansk Institut For Proevning OG Justering


A method for making a semiconductor structure (10) includes providing a wafer with a structure (16) having a sidewall, forming a sidewall spacer (22) adjacent to the sidewall, and forming a layer of material (28) over the wafer including over the sidewall spacer and over the structure having the sidewall. The method further includes etching the layer, wherein the etching (i) leaves at least portions of the sidewall spacer exposed and (ii) leaves a portion of the layer located over the structure having a sidewall. The portion of the layer located over the structure having a sidewall is reduced in thickness by the etching. Subsequent to etching the layer, the method includes removing the sidewall spacer.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to semiconductor structures, and more specifically, to a method of making a semiconductor structure utilizing spacer removal and semiconductor device.
2. Related Art
Semiconductor structure manufacturing is a continually developing technology. For example, stressor ILD materials have been used for providing enhancement to device performance. However, techniques for safely removing a gate spacer after silicidation in an effort to locate the stressor ILD closer to the device channel are needed, in which damage to the device silicide regions is avoided. In addition, Miller capacitance undesirably increases as pitch and spacer thickness is reduced, which further leads to circuit performance degradation.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for overcoming the problems in the art as discussed above.

Method of making a semiconductor structure utilizing spacer removal and semiconductor structure


An image forming apparatus has a display device and a mechanically-configured operating unit, and enables use of a function implemented in an information processing apparatus via a network. The image forming apparatus includes: a remote function-displaying unit that obtains display information to display a visual interface of the function implemented in the information processing apparatus to display the visual interface on the display device; a remote operating unit that sends operation information indicating contents of an operation on the display screen to the information processing apparatus; and a mechanical operation detecting unit that obtains contents of an operation on the mechanically-configured operating unit. When the visual interface of the function implemented in the information processing apparatus is being displayed on the display device, the mechanical operation detecting unit sends mechanical operation information indicating the contents of the operation on the mechanically-configured operating unit to the information processing apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image processing system, and a computer program product; and particularly relates to an operation operating an information processing apparatus, which is provided for the purpose of adding a function to the image forming apparatus, via an operating unit of the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there is a trend for promoting digitization of information. Hence, image processing apparatuses, such as a printer or a facsimile machine used to output digitized information, or a scanner used to digitize a document have become indispensable. Such an image processing apparatus is often equipped with the imaging function, the image forming function, the communication function, etc.; and are thus configured as a multifunction peripheral that can be used as a printer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, and a copying machine.
In order to equip such an image processing apparatus with various functions, the image processing apparatus is typically integrated with an information processing apparatus, and the function provided by the information processing apparatus is combined with the function implemented by the image processing apparatus. Thus, for example, an information processing apparatus performs optical character recognition (OCR) on an image generated by means of scanning in an image processing apparatus, or an information processing apparatus stores an image, which is generated by means of scanning in an image processing apparatus, in a memory area provided over a network.
In such an image processing apparatus integrated manner with an information processing apparatus; a user interface such as a hardware key and a display panel is connected to the information processing apparatus so that the image processing apparatus is controlled from the information processing apparatus.
On the other hand, as a method to control the information processing apparatus from the image processing apparatus, a method of using a remote desktop function is already known (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-304881).
In a configuration in which an image processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus are configured in an integrated manner, the image processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus are paired on a one-to-one basis. However, from the perspective of efficient use of hardware resources, it is desirable that a single information processing apparatus is installed against a plurality of image processing apparatuses, and that the single information processing apparatus can operate in tandem with the image processing apparatuses. In this case, the image processing apparatuses are installed at different locations. Hence, unlike the typical configuration, a configuration in which an operating unit is connected to the information processing apparatus is hard to be adopted and an operating unit connected to the image processing apparatuses is preferably adopted.
If the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-304881 is used, it becomes possible to operate the information processing apparatus using the operating unit connected to the image processing apparatus. However, in the case of using the remote desktop function, signals that can be communicated with the information processing apparatus are limited to only operation signals regarding screens, that is, operation signals caused by touching the display panel.
Therefore, when the information processing apparatus is controlled using the remote desktop function, it is neither possible to perform the operation using the hardware key nor to perform light emitting control of a light emitting diode (LED) that is installed in the operating unit. Thus, in a system in which the image processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus operate in tandem, if the operating unit that is connected to the image processing apparatus is used, it becomes difficult to make use of all functions of the operating unit when controlling the function implemented by the image processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus in tandem.
There is a need to enable, in a system in which an image processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus operate in tandem, use of all functions of the operating unit even when controlling a function implemented by the image processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus in tandem and using an operating unit connected to the image processing apparatus.

Image forming apparatus, image processing system, and computer program product


The present disclosure is to provide an organic conductor having high conductivity and heat resistance. The organic conductor in accordance with the present disclosure contains a conductive polymer, a quinone compound, and a vanadyl compound.

An organic conductor including a conductive polymer and dopant is applied to various electronic devices such as a solid electrolytic capacitor. Electrical conductivity σ of an organic conductor is generally represented by the formula σ=e·n·μ, where e denotes an elementary electric charge, n denotes a carrier density, and μ denotes mobility. Therefore, by enhancing a carrier density n and mobility μ, electrical conductivity σ of an organic conductor can be enhanced. In order to enhance the carrier density n, it is important to increase an amount of dopant in the organic conductor. In order to enhance the mobility μ, it is important to enhance the orientation of the conductive polymer. Therefore, conventionally, various trials have been made for enhancing electrical conductivity σ of an organic conductor.
For example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2008-121025 proposes that a conductive polymer having high conductivity be obtained by using an oxidizer and dopant for synthesizing electrically-conductive polymer including ferric methoxybenzenesulfonate or ferric ethoxybenzenesulfonate.

Organic conductor, method for producing organic conductor, electronic device, and solid electrolytic capacitor

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A craft menu system, in a presently preferred embodiment, includes a network terminal like an ONT, having a processor and memory and multiple data ports, configurably coupled to a DTMF telephony (e.g., BUTT) test set for installation and testing. The installation, registration and testing information needed by a technician is provided by the ONT to the BUTT set display using convenient Caller ID signaling, and technician data entry is accomplished via the DTMF-enabled keys on the BUTT set. This system allows a single technician, equipped with current standard tools like a BUTT set and without the need for additional tools like a PC or PDA, to install and test a craft menu enabled ONT in a timely and efficient manner.

One of the key challenges in the communications industry today is how to provide a cost effective, broadband solution for getting multiple services, such as telephony, video, and high speed data, to users in such diverse premises as homes and business buildings. The existing telephone service, sometimes known as plain old telephone service (POTS), may suffice for some telephony and data requirements, but is bandwidth constrained and inadequate for more demanding services like video provisioning. Cable television (CATV) systems do provide a broadband solution for delivering digital and video data, but the reliance on coaxial cable for the final distribution to homes and other premises remains a bandwidth limited solution. Thus, because of the superior bandwidth of fiber optic solutions, a variety of systems have been proposed to provide fiber to the home/business (FTTH/B) as the best overall solution for broadband services.
The leading FTTH/B solutions rely on passive optical networks (PONs), in which the optical network is terminated at the premises in some form of optical network terminator (ONTs). However, one problem present in today's solutions for coupling the optical networks, via the ONTs, to local premises networks, is the expense and complication of providing trained technicians with the necessary set-up equipment for the given installation. In a typical telephony installation, technicians carry a general technician toolkit to install cables (phone lines) and a simple BUTT set to test these phone lines. More is required in a FTTH/B installation, though, so more specialized tools and training are required to roll out these new services. These tools have included PDAs (personal digital assistants) or even laptop computers, for handling specialized functions like system registration and a suite of test functionality. These existing solutions are both more costly and time consuming.
Thus, there remains a need for a simpler, more cost effective and efficient solution for installing and testing broadband (e.g., optical) and local premises networks. Just such a solution to these and other problems noted above, is made possible by my invention.

Craft menu system using caller ID functionality for installation and testing


The invention relates to an assembly kit comprising a thermometer having a circular cylindrical groove attached at its rear side and which is open across an angle of less than 180.degree., and a holding device having a circular cylindrical member which can be pushed into the groove and is located on a web aligned, in terms of its longitudinal extension, off-center of the opening of the groove. Depending on requirements, the holding device can thereby be arranged in two different positions (180.degree. offset), making it possible to twist the thermometer through 180.degree. in total, i.e. through 90.degree. in one direction and through 90.degree. in the other direction.

The invention relates to a thermometer mount, for example for securing a thermometer to a window or wall. So that the thermometer can be read more effectively by the user, it is frequently necessary to be able to turn the thermometer toward the user's eye. Hoops that are usually attached at the top and bottom and which are frequently connected together have so far been provided for this purpose.

Friedrichs Gruppe Produktions-u.Vertriebs GmbH


A seat assembly (21) for a wheelchair including a relatively rigid seat base (12) of substantially uniform thickness with an upwardly facing contoured top surface (14) and a cushion assembly mounted on the seat base. The cushion assembly includes a relatively soft foam member (30) substantially covering the seat base (12) for localized deformation of the foam member and for communication of the influence of contours on the seat base (12) through the foam member (30) to the user. In the preferred form, a flexible pouch (40) having a viscous fluid-like material contained therein is positioned in a recess (38) in the foam member (30) in the area of the user's ischial tuberosities and coccyx, and a water-impervious, flexible elastomeric envelope (50) completely surrounds the foam member (30) and the fluid-containing pouch (40). The fluid pouch (40) has a size greater than the plan area of recess (38) in the foam member (30) and is placed in a semi-collapsed condition in the recess so as to be displaceable without hammocking. Additionally, elastomeric envelope (50) has a sheet area greater than the area of the semi-collapsed fluid pouch (40) to ensure that the envelope (50) does not hammock under the user's weight. Finally, a hydrophobic cover (60) can be mounted over the cushion assembly and to the seat base (12). A method of supporting a user on a wheelchair seat assembly is also disclosed.

1. Wheelchair Seating System Design Considerations
Patients who are immobilized for any number of reasons are prone to develop pressure sores or decubitus ulcers. It is highly desirable to design wheelchair seating systems for such patients which minimizes this problem. The problem of pressure sores is especially severe at any point on the body where a load-bearing bone is positioned adjacent to an underlying support medium. Pressure sores are areas of necrotic tissue resulting from localized pressure concentration in an area of the body from prolonged contact with a chair or a bed. Patients who are victims of stroke, hip fracture, spinal cord injury, and head injury, as well as paraplegics and geriatrics using wheelchairs, are particularly susceptible to pressure sores.
The area in which pressure sores develop on the patient's body is very localized. It has been estimated, that when seated on a flat surface, up to 75% of a person's body weight is distributed over an area covering only four square inches, usually in the region of the ischia or seat bones. For a person weighing 150 pounds, this means as much as 110 pounds of pressure is distributed over just four square inches, or over 25 pounds per square inch. It has also been estimated that capillary blood pressure, when seated, is about 40 millimeters of mercury or about 0.8 pounds per square inch at these locations. If pressures higher than 40 millimeters of mercury are developed during sitting, the blood flow through the capillaries can be restricted. This restriction produces a much higher probability of the seated patient developing pressure sores.
In addition to pressure sores which result from pressure concentrations, many wheelchair seating systems are constructed in a manner producing shearing strain in the user's skin. This shear problem typically occurs when the patient's bones move relative to the patient's skin, for example, when the skin rests on a non-stretching seat surface and the patient's bones are shifted laterally relative to the stationary skin. Rubbing of the bones on the inside of the skin tissue can produce pressure sores, either alone or in combination with undesirable pressure concentrations. This problem is exacerbated when the patient has experienced muscle atrophy, since muscle tissue is no longer present to cushion relative movement of the bones and skin tissue.
Skin shear tends to exist whether or not a non-stretching wheelchair seating surface is contoured to match the body's shape. It is, however, much more pronounced when the non-stretching surface does not contour to the patient's body or when the non-stretching surface is pulled taught or hammocks under the patient's body. Hammocking is defined, as used herein, as a suspension of the bony prominences of the user or patient on the surface of a cushion or seat to thereby prevent total conformation of the cushion to the user's body, which in turn prevents complete pressure equalization.
Consequently, the need also exists to provide a seating system which, while anatomically contoured to the patient's body, also does not hammock or become pulled taught under the patient, thereby equalizing the support pressure and minimizing shear stresses on the patient's skin by allowing the skin to shift with or follow the patient's bones. Such seating systems will reduce the likelihood of pressure sore formation.
The successful treatment of pressure sores has typically required daily care and debridement for a period of many months. In some cases, surgical skin grafting is necessary. The problems and costs attendant to treating a single pressure sore are great, and therefore prevention of these sores must be considered a factor of prime importance in designing wheelchair seating systems.
The issue of seat-to-floor height is also a very important consideration in designing a proper seating system for wheelchairs. A common problem for wheelchair seat assemblies is that they are constructed in a manner which increases the seat-to-floor height, usually as a result of placing a pressure-relieving cushion on top of the existing wheelchair seat. Merely placing a bulky cushion under a wheelchair user, therefore, provides additional comfort at the expense of raising their seat-to-floor height. The issue of seat-to-floor height is very important to wheelchair users who are physically able to self-propel the wheelchair with their feet. These users need to self-propel their wheelchairs with one or both of their feet. Placing bulky cushioning under the seat of a wheelchair user raises their seat-to-floor height thus not allowing the user's feet to touch the floor or forcing the user to straighten their legs and lose their proper seating position in order to touch the floor. The straightening of the user's legs increases the difficulty of self-propelling the wheelchair. Raising the patient's seating height also can prevent the user from fitting underneath normal tables. Furthermore, some wheelchair cushions can be so large and heavy as to restrict the user's mobility and independence.
Consequently, there has been a long-standing need to provide a wheelchair seating system which provides the required comfort and support to the user, with particular emphasis on minimizing the formation of pressure sores, without excessively raising the patient's effective floor-to-seat height. Moreover, such comfort most preferably would be achieved while minimizing the bulk and weight of the wheelchair seating system.
2. Specific Prior Art Systems
Many prior art wheelchair seating systems are directed to only one or two of the problems above set forth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,620 to Jay, et al., for example, discloses a wheelchair seat system that is directed only to the problem of adjusting the height, pitch and roll of a wheelchair seat base or pan. U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,479 to Hutson is also directed solely to adjusting the height of a wheelchair seat. The issue of better weight distribution and the reduction of pressure concentrations in the ischia and coccyx areas is not directly addressed in either of these systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,747 to Morrison is illustrative of an approach which emphasizes pressure distribution at the expense of seat-to-floor height, bulk, weight and complexity. A vertically stacked assembly of a board-like support member, a foam member, a gel envelope and a second foam member are all placed on top of a standard wheelchair sling seat. This assembly is undoubtedly effective in reducing pressure concentrations, but its seat-to-floor height, bulk and weight are highly undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,913 to Graebe and sold under the trade name "ROHO" by Roho, Inc. of Belleville, Ill. employs a combination of an anatomically contoured relatively thin rigid seat pan or base with a pneumatic, multi-celled seat cushion. The seat pan is mounted over a standard sling seat and cannot be mounted to a wheelchair independent of the existing sling-seat, and accordingly increases the seat-to-floor height somewhat. The pneumatic multi-celled cushion tends to be relatively effective in distributing pressure, but such cells are well known to lack the desired degree of lateral stability and have substantial height. Thus, the increased height and lateral instability problems remain in the Graebe seat assembly.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,246 to Fulton, a wheelchair seat assembly is disclosed which has a mounting structure which overcomes the seat-to-floor problem. Thus, a seat pan or base is provided which is hung or dropped down below the wheelchair seat-supporting frame members to accommodate a bulky, soft, seating cushion while maintaining the original seat-to-floor height. The seat base is notched to avoid interference with wheelchair componentry, particularly the folding cross-members. Thus, pressure distribution is accomplished while maintaining the seat-to-floor height, but these goals are met at the expense of bulk, and the seating assembly does not provide for shear force reduction on the patient's skin.
A variety of wheelchair seat assemblies exist, however, which have modified the shape of the support cushion or padding of the wheelchair seat from the Fulton-type rectangular block to a more anatomically-shaped surface. The design of these anatomically contoured cushions acts to better distribute user weight and to provide the user with additional stability.
One example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,481 to Saloff, et al. which discloses a two-piece seat base formed with an anatomically contoured upper surface. A composite foam and fluid cushion is placed over the seat base. Both the base and the cushion are formed in the shape of a pair of wings surrounding a void over which the user's ischia and coccyx are to be positioned. The fundamental approach of this design is to relieve the pressure under the seat bones by redistributing it to the surrounding areas of the buttock and thighs. Unfortunately, this structure does nothing to support the user's ischia bones and coccyx, and its design may well serve to increase the shearing forces on the patient's skin. The user's seat-to-floor height, and the weight and bulk of the seat assembly, clearly are increased.
Another approach is to provide cushions with materials of different resiliency positioned at various areas under the seating area of the patient such that more support is provided at certain anatomical locations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,334 to Maier and U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,881 to Kondo, et al. both disclose seat cushions having portions with differing compression characteristics. Another similar type of seating cushion is described in the 1982 Vasio "PARA" Cushion Brochure of Preston Corporation of Clifton, N.J. The assembly of the Maier patent is not anatomically contoured, and positions the ischial bones and coccyx over a void (as was similarly found in the Saloff et al system discussed above); it provides no support whatsoever to this important region. Whereas the Maier, Kondo and "PARA" cushions all provide for greater rigidity and therefore support at critical anatomical locations, none of these systems addresses the problems which they create by employing greater cushion thickness, namely, the raised seat-to-floor height problem and additional bulk and weight.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,507 to Hall, a three-layer foam cushion is employed which has three round foam inserts of lower density than the surrounding foam which is placed into recesses in a central foam layer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,480 to Morrell also discloses a foam pad having cutout sections wherein inserts of lower density are placed. Both of these patents do provide additional support around the critical ischial and coccyx anatomical areas; however, being large foam sandwiches, they do not solve the problem of added seat-to-floor height, nor bulk and weight problems.
Various wheelchair seating assemblies also exist which provide cushioning using fluid or air-filled pouches specifically positioned to support the patient's ischial area. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,948 to Paul, et al. discloses a support system for a wheelchair wherein an inflatable support bladder is located directly under the patient's ischial tuberosities. This support bladder is normally deflated whereby only minimal support pressure exists on this ischial area; however, a fluid may be supplied to inflate the support bladder causing a much greater proportion of the patient's body weight to be supported by this inflatable pouch. By alternating between high and low levels of inflation in the bladder, the patient's weight can be periodically redistributed, away from and back to the patient's ischial tuberosities, thereby combating the formation of pressure sores.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,171 to Frantz discloses a fluid-filled bladder imbedded into a foam pad. This bladder is positioned directly under the patient's ischial area. However, the area under the coccyx is not supported at all since both the foam and fluid parts of the cushion are cut out in this region. Since both Paul and Frantz employ a single compartment bladder in which the fluid or air moves freely, both Paul and Frantz are subject to excessive migration of the fluid, which can cause bottoming out of the user on the bladder as the fluid moves and the patient's weight is shifted from side-to-side.
Cushion assemblies also exist in which a fluid-filled envelope covers the entire surface of a relatively rigid and anatomically contoured foam tray. U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,624 to Jay, for example, discloses a seat assembly having a fluid envelope covering a shaped, semi-rigid, foamed tray.
This tray is shaped with a recess in the ischial coccyx area. The fluid pad is divided into two compartments which cover the entire tray. The tray has side rims which are sloped downwardly from the outer edge toward the ischial coccyx area recess thus urging the thixotropic fluid material in the envelope to flow toward this depressed area. U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,790 to Jay and U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,045 to Siekman, et al. both disclose seat cushions having similarly formed fluid-filled envelopes. The two Jay systems do not address the problem of raised seat-to-floor height of the patient, and fluid bladders which cover the entire seating tray tend to add undesirable weight to the seat assembly.
A system sold under the trade name "AKROS" is manufactured by Akros Manufacturing Inc. of Cloversville, N.Y. This system is composed of a fluid pouch substantially covering a rigid seat base. The fluid pouch is cut away similar to the Maier patent, such that the ischial tuberosities and coccyx are positioned over a void and receive no support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,162 to Jay discloses a wheelchair seat assembly in which a fluid-filled pad is positioned over a contoured tray or cushion. This assembly does not include a seat base nor is any teaching included as to dropping the seat cushion or tray to maintain seat height. A compartmentalized pad, however, is shown which can extend over the entire area of the cushion or only the ischial-coccyx region.
Finally, a prior art wheelchair seat assembly employs a chambered fluid filled insert in a foam seating pad of a wheelchair cushion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,747 to Mundy, et al. discloses a seat cushion having a flat, relatively rigid "internal" base or pan on which a shaped foam cushion is supported. The internal seat pan, in turn, is mounted on another or "external" rigid base or seat pan, which includes mounting clips for mounting the assembly in a dropped position to accommodate the relatively bulky cushion assembly. This foam cushion assembly is formed with a recess or pocket to receive an insert which can take the form of either a visco-elastic foam or a fluid pouch. The insert is stuffed or accordion folded into the cushion recess or pocket. If a fluid filled pouch is used, it contains three chambers for the ischial tuberosities and the sacral or coccyx region. The limitation with this system is that, while it provides a fluid pouch support in the critical ischial and coccyx regions, the provision of anatomical support over the rest of the seat assembly is achieved by a bulky combination of shaped foams of differing density. Moreover, the double seat base or pan construction undesirably increases the seat assembly's weight.

Wheelchair seat assembly with contoured seat pan and cushion and method


A multi-transaction system comprises a transaction module configured to access a set of transaction systems to obtain transaction information to enable procurement of an item. The set of transaction systems includes an automated trading system configured to enable a user to receive the item in a trade for at least one other item associated with the user, and further includes at least one of an auction system configured to enable the user to electronically bid on the item and an online sales system configured to enable the user to purchase the item. A method is provided for performing corresponding functions.

Many people readily acquire goods from multiple sources, such as, for example, large discount stores, malls, mail order catalogs, television shopping channels and internet sites. An increasing number of these sources can also utilize postal or other delivery services to deliver goods to customers. The increased availability of delivery-based shopping sources has generally increased consumers access to a wide variety of goods.
While consumers have experienced increased access to a variety of goods, there remains relatively limited options to dispose of unwanted goods. Over time people can accumulate goods that, for various reasons, they no longer want to possess. For example, a person may no longer need the use of a good, may no longer desire to keep a good, or may receive an unnecessary or redundant good as a gift. If a person no longer wants a good they must decide how to dispose of the unwanted good.
One method of disposing of an unwanted good may be to sell the good. A person may sell a good at a market for second-hand or used goods. Recently, some internet sites have allowed people to sell and buy used goods. Some internet sites allow the general public to view goods offered for sale and bid on the goods via an auction system. Such sites may benefit from large numbers of people viewing the goods offered for sale and potentially bidding on the goods.
Another method of disposing of unwanted goods may include trading the goods. In some instances a person may offer to trade a good to another person for a different good. Generally such trading requires that the people involved in the trade must come to an agreement regarding the respective values of the goods to be traded. Further, for a trade to occur between two people both should want a good offered for trade by the other person. Such trading between two people can be limiting as both people must receive goods the other person possesses and wants to trade.
Some Internet sites have been developed to permit internet-based trades. Generally these sites have used a limited variety of different trading methods. For example, some sites used token, or other quasi-currency systems, to assign an arbitrary "value" to goods. Such systems generally allowed a person to set the value of their goods using a quasi-currency system offered by a site. A person may then participate in trades with other people using the quasi-currency system and trade for other goods based on the respective value of the goods. Trades for goods of different value often result in credits or debits to accounts held by the people participating in the trade.
Other Internet sites provided trading systems utilizing negotiated trades. Such systems typically permit people to provide descriptions of their goods for trade. If Person B wished to trade for a good of Person A, Person B may read the description of Person A's good and then propose a trade based on the description of the good. Person A may then view Person B's list of goods for trade to determine if a suitable trade could be made. Additional negotiations between the two people may be required to complete the trade, such as, for example, including additional items or money in the trade to even up the value of the goods, requesting additional information about the goods, determining who pays for shipping the goods, insurance costs, etc.
These and other internet-based trading operations generally did not provide efficient or effective methods to trade unwanted goods. Some sites were complicated or difficult to use, often requiring people to value their goods or provide descriptions of their goods. Other sites often required people to spend long periods of time determining possible trades, selecting goods, negotiating trades or updating information.


An image forming apparatus having a drawer unit that includes therein a paper-feeding conveying path for conveying a recording medium conveyed from a paper feeding unit on which the recording media are stacked to an image forming unit and/or a discharge conveying path for conveying the recording medium on which an image has been formed to a discharging unit, and be drawn out from an apparatus main body; a lock unit that locks the drawer unit to the apparatus main body; a straddle detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium straddles a conveying path in the apparatus main body and a conveying path in the drawer unit; and a controller that controls the lock unit to lock the drawer unit to the apparatus main body when the straddle detecting unit detects the straddle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, and a copying machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an image forming apparatus using an electrophotography process conveys paper as a recording medium accommodated in a paper feeding unit to an image forming unit through a paper-feeding conveying path and transfers a toner image formed by the image forming unit onto the paper. The paper onto which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to a fixing unit and the toner image on the paper is fixed. The paper onto which the toner image has been fixed is conveyed to a discharge tray through a discharge conveying path or is conveyed to a reverse conveying path. The paper conveyed to the reverse conveying path is reversed and conveyed to the image forming unit again, and a toner image is transferred onto the back surface of the paper.
Japanese Patent No. 4340039 describes an image forming apparatus including a drawer unit that accommodates therein the above-mentioned paper-feeding conveying path and the above-mentioned reverse conveying path, and is configured to be freely drawn out from an image forming apparatus main body. When paper jam occurs in the conveying paths accommodated in the above-mentioned drawer unit, paper can be removed easily by drawing out the drawer unit from the apparatus main body.
When the paper jam occurs, paper is present in a manner of straddling the conveying path in the drawer unit and the conveying path in the apparatus main body in some cases. When the drawer unit is drawn out in this state, there arises a problem in that so-called tearing occurs to lead to difficulty in a removal operation of the paper. The tearing indicates that the paper is split into a portion at the drawer unit side and a portion in the apparatus main body to be ripped.
The image forming apparatus as described in Japanese Patent No. 4340039 detects whether or not paper is present in a manner of straddling the conveying path in the drawer unit and the conveying path in the apparatus main body when the paper jam occurred. When it detects that the paper is present in a manner of straddling them, the image forming apparatus controls to convey the straddling paper to a position at which the paper does not straddle them. This configuration can prevent occurrence of the tearing of the paper.
Furthermore, in Japanese Patent No. 4340039, a user is not notified of the occurrence of the paper jam until the straddling paper is conveyed to the position at which the paper does not straddle them in order to prevent the user from drawing out the drawer unit carelessly during the conveyance of the straddling paper.
In the image forming apparatus as described in Japanese Patent No. 4340039, when the straddling paper is long in the conveyance direction, such as paper having the lengthwise size of A3, it takes time to convey the straddling paper to the position at which the paper does not straddle them. This causes a risk that the user senses abnormality because the paper is not discharged at a usual timing and draws out the drawer unit before the paper is conveyed to the position at which the paper does not straddle them. As a result, there is a risk that the tearing of the paper occurs to lead to a difficulty in the removal operation of the paper.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problem and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus that makes it possible to prevent tearing of a recording medium from occurring.

Image forming apparatus having a drawer unit with a paper-feeding conveying path therein


A casing includes half members coupled with each other. The half members in cooperation define an inner space for containing a storage device. A removable storage device unit is thus established. A guide surface is defined on the casing. The guide surface is related to a predetermined guide located on an enclosure defining an interior space for containing the casing. The guide surface serves to guide movement of the casing with respect to the enclosure. The removable storage device unit can easily be detached from the enclosure without disassembling the enclosure. The removable storage device unit can easily be carried. The user is allowed to utilize the single storage device common to a plurality of or various electronic apparatuses, for example. This enables a facilitated exchange of data between the electronic apparatuses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) incorporated in a computer, a digital audio apparatus, a game machine, a navigation system, and any other electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hard disk drives are recently employed in various products. Different products need the hard disk drives of different capability, different characteristics, different storage capacity, and so on. The hard disk drives are in general redesigned depending on the specifications of each product. This change in the design induces much labor and cost.
For example, a hard disk drive is contained within an enclosure in an electronic apparatus such as a computer. In general, the hard disk drive cannot be removed from the computer unless the enclosure is disassembled. The user cannot utilize the hard disk drive commonly for different products. The user cannot utilize the hard disk drive for the exchange of data between different products.


A 2D fiber optic encoder readhead having multiple readhead portions for sensing the two-dimensional displacement of a scale grating is disclosed. The detector channels of the readhead portions are fiber optic detector channels having respective phase grating masks. At least two of the phase grating masks have different orientations so as to facilitate the detection of displacement in at least two different directions. The 2D fiber optic encoder readhead portions are configured to detect the displacement of a self-image pattern that results from a corresponding pattern on the scale grating. The self-image pattern allows for the detection of displacement in the at least two different directions. In various exemplary embodiments, the fiber optic readhead portions are constructed according to various design relationships that insure a robust signal-to-noise ratio. Accordingly, high levels of displacement signal interpolation may be achieved. The 2D fiber optic encoder readhead portions may be assembled in a particularly accurate and economical manner and may be provided in a package with dimensions on the order of 1–2 millimeters, resulting in a very small overall readhead dimension that is dependent on the number of readhead portions that are incorporated.

Various movement or position encoders for sensing 1-dimensional (1D) linear, rotary or angular movement are currently available. These encoders are generally based on either optical systems, magnetic scales, inductive transducers, or capacitive transducers. Certain of these encoders are designed for making relative measurements. In such relative displacement or position encoders, measurements are typically made by sensing the relative change in position of the scales with respect to a reference position, which requires a sensing of the change in the scale pattern so that repetitions of the pattern can be counted. This type of position measurement may be referred to as incremental displacement measurement or incremental position sensing or measurement.
For optical encoders, a number of 1D incremental position systems have been developed. One recent system utilizing fewer parts than most previous systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,283, to Eselun. The system described in the '283 patent has a grating scale and readhead including a point source (laser diode in readhead), a Ronchi grating or holographic element, and a photodetector array. As described, the point source results in interference fringes having a spacing equal to that of the scale. The interference fringe light is transmitted through the Ronchi grating or holographic element to the photodetector array. The photodetector array is arranged to derive four channels of quadrature signals from the transmitted fringe light. One drawback of the system described in the '283 patent is that the resulting encoder is of a size that is relatively large or prohibitive for a number of applications, while another drawback is that the system generally only provides for measurements in one dimension. Furthermore, in some modern motion control systems which have optical readheads that use electronic photodetectors, as disclosed in the '283 patent, attenuation of high frequency measurement signals that are detected and transmitted over relatively long wire lengths is becoming a limiting factor.
Another type of relative position optical encoder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,071, to Tokunaga. The system described in the '071 patent has a code member scale, and an optical sensor head comprising an optical fiber tip light emitter and two optical fiber tip receptors closely arranged along the code member measuring axis. The optical sensor head is rotated (yawed) to adjust phase difference between the two optical fiber tip receptors. However, the accuracy of the resulting encoder is relatively crude, and the system again generally only provides for measurements in one dimension.
Certain of these types of encoders are designed for making 2-dimensional (2D) incremental position measurements. A 2D incremental position encoder using a 2D grating scale and providing high resolution and high accuracy at an arbitrary position in a 2D plane is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,225 to Masreliez. However, the readhead disclosed in the '225 patent is relatively large, complex and expensive. Furthermore, the readhead disclosed in the '225 patent suffers the same general electronic signal attenuation limitations described with reference to the '283 patent.
2D absolute position measuring systems are also known. For example, 2D bar code systems have been adapted for certain low-resolution absolute 2D position measurement applications. However, the "information storage" structures of such 2D bar code systems are generally not well suited to act as a 2D scale for high-resolution position determinations. Furthermore, suitable readheads for such 2D bar code systems are also relatively large, complex and expensive. Furthermore, the electronic signal processing used with such devices severely limits the allowable rates of high speed motion that can be tracked with the devices, in comparison to the speeds required in many modern motion control systems.
A 2D position sensing device that can overcome the foregoing problems and limitations, individually or in combination, is desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Miniature 2-dimensional encoder readhead using fiber optic receiver channels


A solid oxide fuel cell scatters MgO over a grain boundary of an LSGM which is a solid electrolyte layer. Ni components that diffuse from a fuel electrode formed on the other side of an LDC from the LSGM are trapped by the scattered MgO particles and are suppressed from diffusing towards an air electrode in the electrolyte layer.

Various materials are presented to be used as a solid electrolyte in a solid oxide fuel cell comprising: a solid electrolyte layer that is formed in a layer; a fuel electrode that is formed on a first side of the solid electrolyte layer wherein a fuel gas flows through the fuel electrode to reach the solid electrolyte layer; and an air electrode that is formed on a second side of the solid electrolyte layer wherein an oxidant gas flows through the air electrode to reach the solid electrolyte layer.
In such background, recently, a perovskite-type composite oxide (hereinafter also referred to as "lanthanum gallate oxide") comprising at least La and Ga has been focused on as a substance that obtains higher oxygen ion conductivity than that of a stabilized zirconia, and a lot of research is being conducted. Lanthanum gallate oxide is a substance in which the decrease in oxygen ion conductivity is small, even at low temperature, and in which part of the La or Ga is replaced with Sr, Mg or the like, which has a lower valence than that of La or Ga, through a substitutional solid solution, resulting in that a sintered body has a property of a large oxygen ion conductivity. As described above, the lanthanum-gallate-based electrolyte using the lanthanum gallate oxide as the solid electrolyte is presented as an example in patent document 1 mentioned below.