Disclosed are (1) pest control chemicals against the pine wood nematodes containing an extract from a pine tree with an organic solvent, (2) a repellent against the pine wood nematodes containing .alpha.-humulene or a mixture of .alpha.-humulene and .beta.-bisabolene, (3) a repellent against the pine wood nematodes containing a mixture of .alpha.-pinene and calarene, (4) a nematicide against the pine wood nematodes containing methyl ferulate, (+)-pinoresinol or a mixture thereof, and (5) highly effective pest control chemicals against pine wood nematodes containing hydroxystilbenes or salts thereof which are prepared by synthesizing methoxystilbenes from benzyl phosphonates and methoxybenzaldehydes by a Wittig-Horner reaction, performing demethylation to obtain the hydroxystilbenes, and preparing the salts thereof by conventional methods if necessary.

The present invention relates to a pest control chemical for controlling pine wood nematodes (Bursaohelenchus xylophilus Mamiya and Kiyohara), and particularly to a repellent and a nematicide against the pine wood nematodes comprising a substance contained in pine trees such as Formosan masson pines (Pinus massoniana Lamb), Eastern white pines (Pinus strobus L.) and Longleaf pines (Pinus palustris Mill.), to a nematicide against pine wood nematodes containing a hydroxystilbene, and to a method for synthesizing hydroxystilbenes.
As well known, the pine wood nematode, fungivorous nematode, enters pine wood tissues and propagate to cause the pine trees to die.
The mechanism by which the pine wood nematodes cause the pine trees to die is considered as follows:
a) In the pine trees infected with the pine wood nematodes are produced toxins (phytoalexins) such as benzoic acid (1), catechol (2), dihydroconiferyl alcohol (3), 8-hydroxycarvotanacetone (4) and 10-hydroxyverbenone (5), PA1 b) The nematodes secrete cellulase, PA1 c) Tracheids of the pine trees are clogged with .alpha.-pinene and .beta.-pinene abnormally accumulated after the nematode infection, and PA1 d) Toxins are secreted by molds which propagate in the pine trees after the nematode infection. PA1 (1) A great deal of labor is required. PA1 (2) It is difficult to decide the suitable time of insecticide application because the time of eclosion and escape of the pine sawyers differs from year to year. PA1 (3) The effectiveness of the insecticides has become lowered. PA1 (4) In order to achieve the exterminating effect in forests and fields, the dosage per unit area is required to be 10 times that generally used in agriculture. PA1 (5) Social problems such as the remaining of the given insecticides in soil, the remaining in water systems and the effect on ecosystems such as surrounding animals and plants are encountered. PA1 (6) The previous synthetic nematicides for directly exterminating the pine wood nematodes in wood are effective, but have a problem in safety because of their toxicity.
The pine wood nematodes are transmitted to the pine trees through injurious insects such as a pine sawyer (Monochamus alternatus Hope).
Previous methods for preventing pine trees from dying by the pine wood nematodes mainly include (1) Cutting down damaged trees to exterminate ova, pupae and adults present in the damaged trees before the pine sawyers carrying nematodes, which are directly responsible for the death of the pine trees, escape from the damaged trees, and (2) the insecticide applications (sprinkling and cropdusting) for preventing maturing feeding after eclosion and escape of the pine sawyers. The insecticides used herein include organic phosphorus pesticides, NAC agents (1-naphthyl-N-methylcarbamate), PAP agents (ethyl dimethyl-dithiophosphorylphenylacetate), EDB agents (1,2-dibromoethyl), MPP agents (0,0-dimethyl-0-[3-methyl-4-(methylthio)phenyl]thiophosphate) and MEP agents (dimethyl(3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl) thiophosphate).
In addition to the above-mentioned insecticides for the pine sawyers, nematicides for directly exterminating the pine wood nematodes in pine trees include a levamisole hydrochloride agent containing levamisole hydrochloride as a main insecticidal ingredient (trade name: "Century", Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co. LTD., Japan), a mesulfenfos agent (trade name: "Nemanon", Nihon Bayer Agro Chem. K/K, Japan) and a morantel tartarate agent (trade name: "Greenguard", Fizer Pharmaceutical INC., Japan).
The previous methods for exterminating the pine sawyers have the following problems:
The sufficient controlling effect can not be attained because of these problems.
It has hitherto be unknown at all that an extract from a pine tree with an organic solvent, an extracted compound or hydroxystilbenes is effective as a pest control chemical for controlling the pine wood nematodes.

Pest control chemicals against pine wood nematodes


A drawer slide assembly includes an adjustable detent mechanism to provide adjustable hold in force and inhibit inadvertent opening of the drawer. The drawer slide assembly comprises an outer, an intermediate and an inner slide member. Each of the members are slidably engaged with the adjacent slide member. An adjustable detent mechanism is mounted on the inner slide member adjacent the front end of the slide. The adjustable detent mechanism defines an envelope in which an adjustable arm is rotatably positioned to bear against the envelope at selected positions to adjust the shape of the envelope and thereby provide a variable detent or hold in force depending upon the position selected by the user. The force necessary to open the drawer is determined by the amount of detent or hold in force selected.

The present invention relates to drawer slides and, in particular, to an adjustable mechanism which allows the detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force of the slide to be adjusted through a range of forces.
Telescopic drawer slides are used in many different applications. In most of the applications drawers using the slides require a detent device to hold them in the closed position. The detent device is normally incorporated into the telescopic slide. Such detent devices are usually mounted at the back of the slide and once the slide is mounted to the drawer, the detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d feature is no longer accessible. Furthermore most prior art detent devices are characterized by a constant detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force and do not incorporate any mechanism for allowing or permitting the adjustability of such force.
A slide detent device prevents a drawer from opening until an external force is applied. When a user closes a drawer, the drawer/slide combination is intended to stay closed until reopened. The detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force is what keeps the drawer in the closed position. If a drawer slide is provided with an adjustable detent, this allows the user to change the amount of the detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force that must be overcame to open the drawer.
Different lower or higher detent forces are desirable depending upon the application for the drawer slide. For instance, in the case of tool boxes higher detent forces are required than for drawers that are used in desks or in normal office files. In such situations, it would be normally necessary to design one slide for a tool box and a different slide for a desk or file drawer. Moreover, some users may desire different detent forces than other users for the same application, or even different detent forces for different drawers of the same cabinet.
The present invention provides an adjustable detent device which will provide a range of xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d or detent forces. The detent mechanism is fixed to the inner member of the slide that is affixed to the drawer member. When the slide is in a closed position, an in-stop member on one of the other slide members will engage with the detent mechanism. The engagement of the other slide member and the detent device keeps the slide/drawer combination closed.
In the present invention the adjustable detent mechanism is a one piece molding incorporating an adjustable arm which allows the user to select different detent forces as needed depending upon the particular application for the particular drawer slide. In the present invention the detent mechanism is designed to be incorporated into the slide and be mounted adjacent to the front of the drawer so that it is accessible to the user after the slide has been installed on the drawer.
The detent mechanism according to the present invention is applicable in a variety of environments. In the kitchen and bath environment, the slide is normally utilized with a very low detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force. In contrast in the tool box market, the same slide may require a much higher detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force. Utilizing the slide and adjustable detent mechanism of the present invention enables the same slide to be used in either such application because of the adjustability of the detent device of the detent mechanism.
The advantages of the adjustable detent mechanism of the present invention are numerous. These include the fact that the mechanism can be fabricated from a one-piece plastic component. The adjustability feature comes from the incorporation of an adjustment arm into the mechanism. The arm is rotated from one position to another by utilization of conventional tools such as a screw driver, knife or the like. The adjustment arm is rotated or turned within the envelope defined by the detent mechanism to, in effect, select a fulcrum position on the detent mechanism. By changing the position of the fulcrum, the effective arm length of the detent mechanism is changed, that is, it is either lengthened or shortened. This change in the effective arm length results in a change in the detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force. In essence, the movement of the adjustment leg away from the head of the detent mechanism produces a lower detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force. Conversely, movement of the adjustment leg toward the head of the device produces a higher detent or xe2x80x9chold inxe2x80x9d force.
Since the adjustment mechanism of the present invention is located at the front of the slide and is attached on the drawer side of the telescoping slide mechanism, it is easy to reach for adjustment. By provisions in the design of the detent mechanism, adjustment is made in calibrated steps by the selective placement of teeth or indentations within the envelope defined by the mechanism, thus allowing the adjustment of a pair of detent mechanisms (one is located of a drawer) to the same position thereby providing for equal detent forces on each side of the drawer.
In the preferred embodiment, the adjustment mechanism of the present invention is fabricated of plastic and this facilitates a number of other possible modifications including shaping and thickening of the adjustable detent mechanism to provide ranges of detent forces depending upon the particular application for the mechanism. The mechanism is also flexible and easily used because the adjustment of the detent force is accomplished by a screw driver, knife or even other simple hand tools. Finally, the shape of the mechanism is provided such that the leading edge thereof has a long gradual slope which provides a low force during the interval of closing the drawer. Past the point of closure, the adjustment mechanism profile is more sharply sloped at the stop in order to require a higher force during opening. during opening. It is the opening force which is adjustable by a virtue of the design of the mechanism of the present invention.

Adjustable detent mechanism for drawer slide


The compositions and methods disclosed herein are for prevention or treatment of multi-organ failure with erythropoietin. The usefulness of the present invention is that erythropoietin may act to prevent the onset of MOF in a patient at risk of developing it. The present invention may further lessen the effect in one or more affected organs in a patient at risk of developing MOF or in one already diagnosed with it.

Multi-organ failure (MOF) is the rapid and often sequential degeneration of function of at least two organs in a patient that, most often, results in the death of 4 out of 5 patients who suffer from it. MOF can result from trauma, infection or disease initially associated with one organ (e.g., acute renal failure, respiratory infection, pancreatitis, and the like) or from conditions that present systemically (e.g., sepsis, major burns, sickle cell anemia, premature birth, excessive blood loss, chemotherapy and the like). Contributory factors of MOF include hypoxia, increased intestinal permeability, bacterial translocation, endotoxaemia, infection and uncontrolled systemic inflammatory responses.
Erythropoietin is a glycoprotein hormone critical to the enhanced survival (anti-apoptotic action), proliferation (mitogenesis) and differentiation of bone marrow erythroid progenitor cells. In this way erythropoietin controls the number of red blood cells in the circulation and hence the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. The peripheral red cell count is kept constant by a controlled feedback mechanism involving oxygen supply, erythropoietin secretion and erythropoiesis. However, the system can become unbalanced in an individual suffering from MOF.
Due to the high fatality rate associated with MOF, a novel strategy is greatly needed to prevent the onset of MOF in a patient at risk of developing it, as well as a method of treating those patients who have already have it.

Erythropoietin for treatment of multi-organ failure


A method for determining a similarity score of a target object with respect to a model object. The target object is in a plane and the model object is represented by a model feature vector. The method comprises generating regions of the plane according to a first mass distribution of the target object and a second mass distribution of a part of the target object. Each of the generated regions has a corresponding mass distribution indicator. The method further comprises calculating a target feature vector for the target object according to at least one of the corresponding mass distribution indicators. Finally, the method computes the similarity score using the target feature vector and the model feature vector.

Techniques of optical object recognition have applications in a variety of fields, including automated manufacturing, biomedical engineering, security, and document analysis.
Most object recognition methods measure the similarity between two objects based on a set of features extracted from each of the objects. These methods can be classified into three types—Global feature methods, structural feature methods, and relational graph methods—explained in "Model-Based Recognition in Robot Vision" (R. T. Chin and C. R. Dyer, Computing Surveys, Vol.18, No.1, March 1996).
In global feature methods, the object is represented by a feature vector containing n global features of the object. Thus, each object can be viewed as a point in an n-dimensional feature space, and two objects can be compared using a function of their corresponding points in the feature space, such as a measure of distance.
An application usually associated with global methods is object identification, which consists of recognizing an isolated object (target object) contained in an image as one in a bank of predefined model objects. Typically, the object identification process comprises two main phases: model definition and object recognition. During the model definition phase, each of the model objects is represented by a feature vector according to a chosen feature extraction scheme. During the object recognition phase, an image is acquired (e.g. using a gray-scale digital camera, etc.) and pre-processed to isolate individual objects. For one of these isolated objects, the target object, a feature vector is extracted according to the chosen feature extraction scheme. This feature vector is then compared to the feature vectors of the model objects; each target-model pair is attributed a similarity score.
In object identification applications, the model object as it occurs in the target image may have undergone an affine transformation (e.g. translation, rotation, scale variation, aspect-ratio variation, skew, etc.) and degradation of various types (e.g. erosion and dilatation, addition or subtraction of pieces, etc.). For gray scale images, the model object may have been affected by a change in image contrast or mean gray level.
Therefore, object identification must support the set of affine transformations and be robust to the types of degradation expected for the specific application. Support for the transformations can be achieved by including in the pre-processing stage one or more standardization steps during which the object is roughly centered in the sub-image and normalized to a standard size and orientation; and/or by selecting features that are invariant under the transformations; and/or by choosing a similarity measure that detects the correlation between the vectors of two objects related through an affine transformation.
In global feature methods, the process of feature extraction consists of extracting from the object a set of features adequate for identification purposes, namely a set of features that vary across the model objects and thus enable their differentiation. Various types of features are used in object recognition, as described in "Feature Extraction Methods for Character Recognition—A Survey" (Ø. D. Trier, A. K. Jain and T. Taxt, Pattern Recognition, Vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 641-662, 1996).
A particular class of features used for object recognition are those derived from geometric moments of the object, as described in Moment Functions in Image Analysis (R. Mukundan and K. R. Ramakrishnan, World Scientific Publishing, 1998). Geometric moments of different orders of the object provide different spatial characteristics of the intensity distribution within the object (and of the mass distribution of the object for binary images); for example, moments of order zero and one together provide elementary object descriptors such as the total intensity and the intensity centroid of the object (total mass and center of mass for binary images).
Geometric moments have many desirable characteristics for use as features in object recognition. Central moments that are calculated by shifting the origin of the reference system to the intensity centroid are invariant to translation. Furthermore, geometric moments can be combined to obtain moment features that are invariant to other transformations such as uniform scale variation, aspect-ratio variation and rotation, called geometric moment invariants.
In typical moment-based methods of object recognition, an object is represented by a set of features derived from global moments of the object of various orders. Increasing the order of the moments used provides a larger set of features to represent the object, but also results in a greater sensitivity to noise.
An alternative feature set that does not require the use of higher order moments uses local moments of the object, as opposed to global moments. In a method known as "Zoning" applied to binary images, an n×m (uniform rectangular) grid is superimposed on the object image, and the masses (zero-order moments) of the object in each of the n×m regions are used as features. However, as the outer boundary of the grid is fixed by the outmost points of the object, the addition or subtraction of a piece, even of negligible mass relative to the object, can significantly alter the grid and therefore the extracted features.
Another method based on local moments is described in "Scene Classification by Fuzzy Local Moments" (H. D. Cheng and R. Desai, International Journal of Pattern Recognition and Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 12, No. 7, 921-938,1998). The method locates the intensity centroid of the object, on which it centers an n×m radial grid; the outer boundary of the grid, the nth concentric circle, is fixed by the object point at the greatest radial distance from the center of mass. The features are the first-order radial moments calculated in each of the n×m regions. This method suffers from the same disadvantage as zoning, namely that the size and position of the grid is fixed by the outer boundary of the object, which is vulnerable to degradation. Also, using a radial system of axes is not computationally efficient.
There is therefore a need in the industry for an object recognition method that will overcome the above-identified drawbacks.

Local mass distribution partitioning for object recognition


For a software component to be installed on a target computer system a product dependency graph is determined which identifies additional software components required by the to-be-installed software component as prerequisite or corequisite software components. For each of these software components a corresponding installation facility is determined. Then a process model is generated being executable by a Workflow Management System (WFMS). The WFMS process model comprises a directed graph of activities, wherein each software component of the product dependency graph is associated with an activity such that when the activity is executed the installation facility corresponding to each of the software components is performed. Moreover, the WFMS process model is generated in a way that the sequence of activities in the directed graph is not violating the dependencies of the software components in the product dependency graph. Finally the WFMS process model is inserted in the WFMS as the provisioning process.

1.1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to means and a method for automatically generating a provisioning process the provisioning process being capable to install software components on a target computer system.
1.2 Description and Disadvantages of Prior Art
A new area of technology with increasing importance is the domain of On-Demand computing. On-demand computing deals with providing IT services the same easy way as utility companies, such as electrical companies, are providing their services. A requestor would simply state the request and the companies providing the services would make them available very quickly. A typical request could look like the following: Please give me 50 four-way processors with 1000 GB storage. Each processor should run IBM WebSphere as an application server and IBM DB2 as the underlying relational database. And this should be available by end of next week. The provider of such a service then needs to setup this environment rather quickly. First, it has to find the set of processors including the disk storage. Second it has to deploy the requested software onto the selected processors. The complete set of components that can be deployed is described via one or more product trees which identify the components and their dependencies. An administrator selects the components that need to be installed. Based on the selection made by the administrator a provisioning manager determines which components need to be installed in which sequence on which processor.
Therefore new technologies are required to simplify and to accelerate the development of provisioning managers.
1.3 Ojective of the Invention
The invention is based on the objective to provide a technology for automatically generating a provisioning manager being capable to install a software component on a target computer system.

Provisioning of software components via workflow management systems

International Business Machines Corporation


An EMI shielding enclosure, for an electronic assembly, comprising a ground plane of a printed circuit connected to a shaped EMI shielding cover. The cover results from thermoforming a composite sheet of several layers, including a carrier for a fibrous metal mat that has fibers substantially surrounded by a fiber-coat. Connection of the cover to the ground plane, to form the EMI shielding enclosure, requires the fiber-coat to adhere to the printed circuit in the vicinity of the ground plane.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic assemblies surrounded by enclosures that prevent passage of electromagnetic or radio frequency interference (RFI). Enclosing structures combine shielding covers with ground planes associated with the electronic assemblies. Shielding covers derive from shaped composite sheets comprising nonwoven mats of randomly oriented, low melting, metal fibers. The invention further relates to means for attaching shielding covers to ground planes to provide completed shielding enclosures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic assemblies, containing interference-sensitive or signal generating devices, require isolation by shielding covers and ground planes to protect the devices or prevent damage by the signals they emit. Shielding covers often include an electrically conducting element as part of a composite. A variety of composites containing both metal and polymeric materials are known for use in many varied applications. Composites may include metal in the form of continuous sheet, perforated sheets, mesh, woven screen or non-woven webs of randomly distributed fibers. Similarly, polymer structures, combined with the various forms of metal, may include films, sheets, perforated sheets, woven material or non-woven layers with random fiber distribution. Regardless of the metal/polymer composite used, it must act as a shield for electromagnetic and radio frequency waves. The interference caused by such waves in electronic devices is commonly referred to as electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio frequency interference (RFI), hereinafter jointly referred to as EMI.
Effective EMI shielding requires the formation of a uniform conductive enclosure around the EMI-sensitive or EMI-emitting device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,826 (Marcantonio et al) discloses a combined heat dissipation and laminated shielding cover which absorbs energy by magnetic effects and electro-conductive effects to shield against electromagnetic interference. The laminated cover combines layers of metallic copper on either side of a magnetic layer.
Suppression of radiated emissions from individual integrated circuits may involve the use of a shielded housing over an apparatus, e.g. a circuit board, that carries multiple integrated circuits. Such a housing is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,888 (Jewell et al). The housing of U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,888 and the cover of U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,826 require attachment to a ground plane using conventional methods such as soldering to a grounded contact point or connection through a conductive gasket or multiple machine screws. These methods include time-consuming, additional steps.
An EMI shielding layer, associated with the conductive enclosure, may be in the form of a continuous layer or a discontinuous grid, such as a metal mesh or nonwoven fibrous metal mass. A continuous layer, such as a metallic plate, is the most effective for EMI shielding because no gaps exist to allow passage of EMI. However, when using a discontinuous grid, any enclosure formation process that significantly increases the maximum void dimension in the shielding layer, sometimes called the xe2x80x9cslot effectxe2x80x9d, could cause faulty EMI shielding performance of the shielding material. Void size increases in a variety of ways including, e.g. when the grid is stretched or by damage from tearing or other processes that can break the grid structure.
Previous disclosures reveal ways of producing and shaping sheet material to provide covers that have EMI shielding capability, typically using electrically conducting layers, which are required in many applications.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,292, (Nicely), discloses a non-woven unitary metallic sheet which is fabricated by extruding a molten stream from a metallic melt into an atmosphere which reacts to form a stabilizing film about the periphery of the metal stream. The spun metal filaments are allowed to solidify, and then collected as a nonwoven fibrous mass. The mass of filaments is then compressed into a sheet-like form, and given strength by binding all or selected adjacent fibers together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,089 (Gaughan) discloses an EMI shielding sheet comprising a layer of nonwoven reinforcing fibers which supports a layer of metal whiskers or fibers formed from a ductile metal or metal alloy. The EMI shielding sheet is suitable for shaping of covers by stamping. Another stampable EMI shielding construction appears in U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,699 (Kritchevsky et al). This patent notes that, xe2x80x9cThe shielding layer must be able to maintain its shielding effectiveness upon stamping.xe2x80x9d Kritchevsky further states that, xe2x80x9cHoles formed upon tearing can dramatically reduce shielding.xe2x80x9d This statement refers to tearing of the shielding layer. Such statements reflect the fact that stamping processes tend to disrupt fibrous networks, breaking the fibers which, in the case of EMI shielding, results in poorer shielding effectiveness of the metal layers. There is no teaching of how to reduce fiber or filament breakage to a minimum during shaping.
Stamping is one method for forming shaped EMI shielding structures. This forming technology was developed in the metal industry for forming thin metal objects. It involves rapid, almost instantaneous application of mechanical force to distort a sheet into a shaped object. Stampable plastic/metal composite sheets may require heating, to soften the plastic surrounding the metal shielding layer, prior to stamping. This reduces the modulus of the plastic, allowing it to flow while the metal shielding composite responds to the high pressure, shaping force of the stamping press. The speed of this process demands high levels of ductility for the metal and high plasticity for the remainder of the composite, to absorb the applied force without rupture. This method, applied to sheet molding compound (SMC), provides automotive body panels and business machine housings using reinforced material comprising a non-woven, glass-fiber reinforcing layer, and a mat containing conductive fibers for EMI shielding, held together with a resin such as polyester. The SMC is a flat sheet prior to forming in compression dies of high tonnage presses. Material properties limit the use of SMC to simple, relatively shallow shapes. Conditions used for sharp draws, e.g. multiple rib formation in the shaped panel, may cause ripping of the shielding layer and reduction of EMI shielding performance.
As a substitute for stamping, the use of thermoforming or injection molding may be considered. Thermoforming, as it relates to the present invention, comprises heating a sheet and forming it into a desired shape. The process includes heating a thermoplastic composite sheet until it becomes soft and pliable, then using either air pressure or vacuum to deflect the softened sheet towards the surface of a mold until the sheet adopts the shape of the mold surface. Upon cooling, the sheet sets in the required shape allowing removal from the mold. Disclosures in JP 1990-276297 (Nakanishi) suggest the use of vacuum formable EMI shielding sheets, employing sandwich structures of brass filaments between plastic films. One embodiment uses a non-woven cloth of synthetic resin to reinforce the brass filaments. Reinforcement involves needle-punching of the metal fibers into the non-woven web. Application of plastic film, on both sides of the reinforced shielding layer, completes the vacuum formable sheet. Information from JP 1990-276297 includes no evidence of the condition of the EMI shielding layer after vacuum forming.
European patent EP 529801, commonly assigned with the instant application, discloses EMI shielding, add-on sheets, comprising carrier material with a metal fiber mat at least partially embedded in the carrier material. The add-on sheets provide EMI shielding covers to selected parts of a thermoformed structure. Successful use of these add-on sheets requires that they possess or develop porosity when thermoformed in contact with the thermoformable substrate blank to which they were applied. This reference addresses changes that can occur during thermoforming to impair the effectiveness of the EMI shield. These changes include breakage or beading of molten metal fibers and in extreme cases separation of the metal matrix into discontinuous islands which provide no EMI shielding. While observing a progression of damaging conditions there is no evidence of means for optimum stabilization of the EMI shield during thermoforming.
Depending on the melting point of the metal fibers, it is possible for fibers in an EMI shielding layer to melt, and rupture under the stress of stretching and shaping during thermoforming. If sufficient molten fibers break in close proximity to each other the liquid metal may flow to form a metal droplet by coalescence of multiple molten fibers. At some point in metal droplet development its size is sufficient to bleed through the surface of the EMI shielding layer. Continued flow of molten metal into a droplet produces a defect extending outside the plane of the shielding layer. Upon cooling the defect is clearly seen as a shiny protruding bead, bump or disc extending from, and disposed over the surface of the thermoformed structure. Formation of these spheroidal protrusions can adversely affect EMI shielding because the flow of molten metal, resulting in their formation, draws metal from an area surrounding the protrusion causing reduced shielding efficiency in that area. In addition, current conducting, solid spheroidal protrusions cause potential electrical shorting problems if they contact circuit elements or microdevices in the restricted space usually associated with housings for electronic assemblies. Solid protrusions can also interfere with injected resin flow when the shielding composite is an insert for injection molding.
Ideally, a shaped EMI shielding article employs an electrically conductive element, within its structure, to contain generated EMI or present a barrier to radiated EMI. At the same time the conductive element should not establish electrical contact with an electronic component, thereby causing a device to malfunction. However, effective EMI shielding enclosures require electrical continuity between a shaped EMI shield and a ground plane associated with, e.g. a printed circuit. To maintain electrical insulation of the shield, but allow access for electrical connection to the conductive element, commonly assigned patent EP 529,801 indicates the need for special connectors. Surprisingly, it was discovered that, by carefully controlling the thickness of insulation covering the electrically conducting shield, to less than 0.15 mm, the need for special connectors may be eliminated in favor of a simpler thermal bonding technique, also referred to herein as heat staking.
Several alternative solutions have been attempted to improve the effectiveness of conductive fiber based EMI shielding. The formation of pressure welds or sintered bonds between the fibers improves electrical conductivity, but reduces overall flexibility and extensibility of the welded mat. Composite metal-fiber/polymer sheets containing such sintered metal mats cannot be thermoformed without breaking many of the fibers themselves, the bonds between the fibers or both, thus reducing the shielding properties at higher stretch ratios required in thermoformed parts.
With the increasing use of advanced, EMI-sensitive electronics, a need exists for improved materials for shaping into EMI shielding covers or housings that reliably protect electronic assemblies. Methods to shape EMI shielding covers rely upon the use of moldable composites. Many shapes limit stretching of the moldable composites to shallow drawn structural features. In other cases the shapes require composites with ability to retain shielding capabilities even when complex shapes demand localized elongation of 300-500%. This condition is possible using composite structures of the invention comprising a thermoplastic sheet of carrier material, supporting a layer of randomly distributed, low melting metal fibers stabilized against fiber rupture and development of bumps during forming, by means of a coating (fiber-coating) of a thermoplastic polymer. Composite sheets of the invention provide improved EMI shielding performance by maintaining the integrity of molten metal strands during thermal shaping to introduce shallow to deep drawn features into the composite sheet.
Prior art clearly reveals problems, associated with loss of EMI shielding, when the shielding layer loses its integrity through, e.g. tearing, excessive hole formation, fiber separation and increase in the number and size of gaps. While claiming EMI shielding effectiveness, in excess of 30 dB, for a variety of formable sheets, prior art advances no teaching of properties tending to stabilize such sheets against the problems outlined above. Also there is no evidence of the variability of shielding performance of formed prior art structures. Accordingly, there is a need not only to provide effective EMI shielding but to control it in such a way that formed structures consistently show almost no evidence of undesirable features, such as tears, holes, breaks, and spheroidal protrusions such as beads, bumps and the like.
The current inventors discovered how to stabilize randomly oriented metallic fiber mats to maintain fiber continuity and conductivity to consistently provide thermoformed covers with maximum shielding capability. This contributes dual benefits of improved EMI shielding performance coupled with the potential for cost savings from reduced incidence of rejection of shielded structures after thermoforming. Additional cost savings and convenience accrues from the use of a heat staking method to connect shielding covers to conductive ground planes.
The present invention discloses EMI shielding enclosures, for surrounding electronic assemblies, components used to form the enclosures, and a method for combining the components. One embodiment combines an EMI shielding cover with a ground plane associated with a printed circuit used to interconnect the devices of the electronic assembly. The shielding cover originally exists as a composite, thermoformable planar structure combining a non-porous carrier sheet with a mat or grid of randomly oriented, low melting metal fibers. The metal fibers are substantially surrounded by a fiber-coat material, which may be coated prior to or after attachment of the metal fibers to the non-porous sheet.
The shielding cover of the invention is a shaped article formed by thermoforming of a planar sheet, including an EMI shield. The article comprises a non-porous carrier sheet, a fibrous metal mat adjacent the carrier sheet such that the metal fibers, forming the metal mat, are essentially free of defects in the form of spheroidal protrusions, and a thermoplastic fiber coat, less than 0.15 mm thick, substantially surrounding the fibers. The fiber-coat may be sprayed onto the mat or, as a pliable, sometimes heated layer, may be pressed into the fibrous metal mat to substantially surround the metal fibers, and such procedure may take place before or after attachment to the carrier material.
All components of the composite planar structure melt or soften at temperatures lower than the temperature of thermoforming. At thermoforming temperatures, the viscosity of the softened fiber-coat material is higher than the viscosity of the molten metal of the metal fiber mat. The EMI shielding sheet exhibits improved performance, particularly when formed into deep-drawn shapes with pockets having stretch ratios up to 500%.
The resulting composite sheet material may itself be thermoformed or may be an integral portion of an injection molded structure when placed, as a planar sheet, or pre-form, into the molding cavity prior to resin injection.
All of the various embodiments of the invention require coating of the strands of the fibrous metal mat. This leads directly to the improvements associated with the invention including reduction or prevention of flaking of the metal fibers during handling and essential absence, at thermoforming temperatures, of fiber rupture that readily results in spheroidal protrusions by coalescence of molten metal from adjacent fibers. Lack of disruption of the fibrous metal mat means improved retention of EMI shielding for composite sheets of the invention. Presence of the coating over the metal fibers further results in shielding covers being electrically insulated.
It is desirable to establish electrical connection between cover and ground plane when forming EMI shielding enclosures. Such connection is preferably readily achievable. In accordance with this requirement, the invention teaches the formation of reliable electrical connection between cover and ground plane via control of thickness of the insulating fiber coat to facilitate direct attachment, during heating, using a method described herein as heat staking.
As used herein, these terms have the following meanings.
1. The terms xe2x80x9cfiber-coatxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cfiber-coat matrixxe2x80x9d are synonymous as used herein to refer to that coating or material which substantially surrounds the fibers of the metal mat, providing stabilization thereto, to reduce flow of molten metal during thermoforming.
2. The term xe2x80x9ccarrier sheetxe2x80x9d means a layer which is attached, by various means, including mechanical means, heat attachment, adhesive attachment or the like, to the metal mat and fiber-coat. The term xe2x80x9ccarrier materialxe2x80x9d is synonymous.
3. The term xe2x80x9cmelting pointxe2x80x9d as applied to a metal or metal alloy means that point at which the metal begins to become molten, i.e., the melt onset. The metal or metal alloy may not be completely melted at this point.
4. The term xe2x80x9csoftening pointxe2x80x9d of a polymer is associated with its glass transition temperature above which the polymer becomes soft and pliable.
5. The term xe2x80x9cslot effectxe2x80x9d refers to the phenomenon that the amount of EMI that passes through a given void is dependent on the length of the void""s longest dimension and not on the total area of the void, such that a very long thin void may pass much more EMI through than a square void with smaller dimensions having many times the area of the thin void.
6. A xe2x80x9cspheroidal protrusionxe2x80x9d is a defect, exemplified by and synonymous with a bump or bead of exposed metal, projecting beyond the surface of an EMI shielding cover after thermoforming. Such defects occur by coalescence of molten metal produced on heating metal fibers to thermoforming temperatures. EMI shielding effectiveness decreases around the defect and the protrusion may cause short circuits by contact with circuit elements or microdevices in the restricted space usually associated with electronic packages.
7. The terms xe2x80x9cfibrous metal matxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cmetal fiber matxe2x80x9d are synonymous and mean a mat formed from metal filaments.
8. The term xe2x80x9ccontact surfacexe2x80x9d refers to the portion of the mat of randomly oriented metal fiber closest to the carrier sheet.
9. The term xe2x80x9ccontact edgexe2x80x9d refers to the flange formed around the perimeter of the thermoformed EMI shielding cover to bond it over the conductive trace of the ground plane during heat staking.
10. The term xe2x80x9cdie profile edgexe2x80x9d is a narrow, divided or continuous rail projecting from the heating block to provide localized heating around the contact edge.
All percentages, parts and ratios herein are by weight unless specifically noted otherwise.


An apparatus (1) for extracting fluids from a body tissue or organ having an aperture, including a seat (26) for positioning said tissue, and a pressure membranes (17,22) for applying pressure to said tissue while leaving said tissue aperture open for the exit of said fluids. The surface (23) of the supporting surface of the tissue is shaped as a funnel or cone, so that the apex is directed downward and the base (29) delimits the supporting surface of the tissue; the apex region being constituted by a hollow cylinder (22) in order to allow the passage of the umbilical cord of a placenta or of the vessel for the drainage of fluids from the placenta or organ or tissue; the supporting surface being provided so as to avoid producing obstructions or collapse of the surface vessels of the placenta or organ or tissue, so as to avoid hindering the flow of blood or fluids

The present invention relates to an apparatus for extracting fluids, such as blood or other fluids from a placenta or from other human or animal organs or tissues.
The apparatus according to the invention is used mainly in the biological, medical and veterinary field both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and for research purposes, for the extraction of blood or other fluids from the placenta or another organ or tissue to be used subsequently as a source of cells, molecules or other.
In the biological, medical and veterinary fields it is necessary to collect fluids, particularly blood, from organs or tissues or containers in general, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and for research purposes. Two non-limitative examples are: 1. the collection of blood from masses of tumoral tissue, since the blood contained in the tumoral tissue is potentially useful for therapeutic purposes after appropriate treatment; 2. the collection of blood from the placenta during childbirth directly after cutting the umbilical cord. In this second case, the blood is useful since it contains stem cells, which are hematopoietic precursor cells, that is to say, cells which are capable of reconstituting the hematopoietic system and therefore can be used, if the need arises, for transplanting to the same donor or to another compatible recipient.
The procedures currently used to collect placental blood from an umbilical cord are described hereinafter as a typical example of the recovery of fluids from an organ; it is important to note that the reference to this practice is not limitative and is merely an example of situations in which it is necessary to collect blood or another fluid from tissues, organs or other containers in general.
Placental blood from the umbilical cord is collected because it contains hematopoietic stem cells which can be used for transplants. To allow the collected blood and therefore the recovered cells to be truly and successfully usable, the following conditions must be met: 1. the largest possible amount of blood, that is to say, the highest possible number of cells, must be recovered; 2. the collected blood, which is fetal in origin, must not be contaminated by foreign cell populations, such as for example maternal cells; 3. during collection, contact of the blood with the outside (air or other potentially contaminated objects) must be minimized, or the collection procedure must occur in sterile conditions, possibly in a closed environment; 4. the possibility of human error must be minimized.
Steps of Collection
a. Before Expulsion of the Placenta.
Blood is currently extracted from the placenta in the medical field, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and for research purposes, as follows: during childbirth, directly after the expulsion of the newborn child, the umbilical cord is closed (clamped) in two points and cut in a point which is intermediate between the two closure points. After cutting, the cut end of the umbilical cord which is connected to the placenta protrudes freely from the mother""s vagina and is available for collection operations. Typically, blood is collected in the period between the cutting of the umbilical cord and expulsion of the placenta. During this period, the flow of blood is ensured by the pressure generated by uterine contractions, which by compressing the placenta facilitate the outflow of blood through the umbilical cord.
b. After Expulsion of the Placenta.
Only a small number of authors reports collection procedures which provide for cord blood collection after expulsion of the placenta by placing the placenta on a frame and collecting the blood by gravity. The limited use of collection after expulsion of the placenta is certainly due to the low yield of collection by gravity and to difficulty in handling the placenta, especially when the sterility of the collected blood must be guaranteed.
Collection Systems
Collection of placental blood from the umbilical cord in the medical field, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and for research purposes, is currently performed with systems which can be traced back to two categories: xe2x80x9copen-circuitxe2x80x9d systems and xe2x80x9cclosed-circuitxe2x80x9d systems. Both systems are used for collection both before and after expulsion of the placenta.
a. xe2x80x9cOpen-circuitxe2x80x9d Systems
xe2x80x9cOpen-circuitxe2x80x9d systems collect placental blood from the cut umbilical cord in containers which contain anticoagulant. This collection is performed by making the blood flow out directly into the collection container without connecting the end portion of the cord, which is placed loosely at the inlet of the container.
Advantages
The main advantage of this system is the absence of resistances to flow, since there are no bottlenecks or sudden decreases in cross-section of the cord and of its vessels.
A second advantage is that the three vessels which are present in the umbilical cord are simultaneously pervious.
Another advantage of the system is the possibility to express the umbilical cord during collection.
Disadvantages
Various scientific papers have demonstrated that xe2x80x9copen-circuitxe2x80x9d systems do not ensure sterility and are in fact associated with a particularly high incidence of microbial contaminations. The cut end portion of the umbilical cord in fact has a loose consistency, and since it is simply rested on the inlet of the collecting container it can easily escape from it, consequently contaminating said end portion in addition to losing blood, which contaminates the outside environment.
Furthermore, the system inherently (being an xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d system) collects both the blood that flows out of the vessels of the cord and potentially contaminated liquids which flow along the outer surface of the umbilical cord; in particular, the maternal blood which is abundantly present along the outer surface of the placenta flows along the cord and mixes with the blood of the umbilical cord.
This collection system furthermore exposes the blood to the air of the outside environment, thus facilitating contaminations from microorganisms which are present in the outside environment.
Another drawback is the constant need for an operator assigned to keeping the umbilical cord in the correct position, particularly if repeated maneuvers for expressing and cleaning the cord are performed.
b. xe2x80x9cClosed-circuitxe2x80x9d Systems
Collection is performed by venipuncture of the cut and clamped end of the umbilical cord, after accurately disinfecting the entry point of the needle. The blood is collected in one or more syringes or in donation pouches.
Advantages
With respect to xe2x80x9copen-circuitxe2x80x9d systems, xe2x80x9cclosed-circuitxe2x80x9d systems reduce the risks of microbial contamination of the collected blood and do not require continuous cleaning and disinfection of the cord.
Another advantage is reduction of the contamination of the sample with maternal blood or other liquids which flow along he outer surface of the cord.
Disadvantages
xe2x80x9cClosed-circuitxe2x80x9d systems entail handling needles and therefore expose the operators to the risk of accidental punctures.
Furthermore, the needle inserted in the umbilical vein is not stably fixed to it and can easily come loose, also in view of the highly dynamic nature of childbirth; this problem is particularly felt if collection is continued even after expulsion of the placenta. Accordingly, the continuous presence of an operator is required to ensure the correct placement of the needle during the various steps of collection.
If the needle leaves its seat, blood contaminations and accidental punctures of the operator are possible, and repetition of venipuncture is required in order to continue collection.
Owing to the limited cross-section of two of the three vessels of the umbilical cord (the arteries), collection is feasible only on one vessel (the vein), consequently reducing the collection potential.
The flow of blood is hindered by the sudden decrease in cross-section (the needle, no matter how large, can never have the same cross-section as the umbilical vein).
The needle is inserted in an intermediate segment of the umbilical cord, upstream of the closure region; stasis of the blood downstream of the insertion point, with a consequent tendency to clotting, is thus inevitable; moreover, the blood which remains downstream of the insertion point is not recovered.
WO-A-92/03180 discloses an apparatus for extracting blood form a placenta and umbilical cord having a support assembly for holding the placenta with umbilical cord and a pressure exerting device. The support assembly includes a rotatable conical receptacle adapted to receive and hold the placenta.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,025 discloses an apparatus for extracting blood from a placenta and an umbilical cord, including a stationary frame with a rotatable carriermounted thereto and a balloon which is inflated by a compressor, in order to press the placenta.
An aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for extracting fluids, particularly blood, from a placenta or another organ or tissue, whether human or animal, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and for research purposes, overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art systems.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which does not require particular experience or training for its operation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus safe in use and free from critical points and risks of error.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus enabling a health operator with normal experience of performing the entire procedure without risks. Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus ensuring optimum yield, repeatable over time.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that limits contamination of the environment with blood and other potentially infected material.
The above aims and other aims that will become apparent to those skilled in the art, are achieved by an apparatus as claimed in the appended claims.


Provided are non-magnetic nickel powders and a method for preparing the same. The nickel powders have non-magnetic property and a HCP crystal structure. The method include (a) dispersing nickel powders with a FCC crystal structure in an organic solvent to prepare a starting material dispersion, and (b) heating the starting material dispersion to transform the nickel powders with the FCC crystal structure to the nickel powders with the HCP crystal structure. The nickel powders do not exhibit magnetic agglomeration phenomenon. Therefore, the pastes for inner electrode formation in various electronic devices, which contain the nickel powders of the present invention, can keep the well-dispersed state. Also, inner electrodes made of the nickel powders can have a low impedance value even at high frequency band.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nickel powders and a method for preparing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nickel is a transition metal that belongs to the iron group in Period 4, Group VIII of the periodic table and is a crystalline substance with high melting point and excellent malleability.
Nickel powders are a particle-phase metallic nickel material. Nickel powders can be used as, for example, a material for inner electrodes in electronic devices such as multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), a magnetic material, an electrical contact material, a conductive adhesive material, or a catalyst.
Nickel is known as a representative of ferromagnetic substances. Ferromagnetic substances are those that are strongly magnetized in the direction of a magnetic field applied, and retain magnetization even when the magnetic field is removed.
When a non-magnetized ferromagnetic substance is exposed to an increasing magnetic field, magnetization occurs slowly at an early stage, which is called initial magnetization. Thereafter, the rate of magnetization increases and saturation occurs. When a magnetic field is decreased at a saturation state, magnetization is reduced. However, the reduction course of magnetization is different from the increase course of magnetization. Also, even when a magnetic field becomes zero, magnetization does not reach zero, which is called residual magnetization. When the direction of a magnetic field is reversed and the intensity of the reverse magnetic field is increased, magnetization reaches zero and then the direction of the magnetization is reversed. Thereafter, the reverse magnetization gradually reaches a saturation state. At this time, even when a magnetic field becomes zero, magnetization does not reach zero and reverse residual magnetization remains, thereby creating a closed curve which does not pass through the origin. The closed curve is called a magnetization curve. The magnetization curve is closely related with a magnetic domain structure.
It is known that a ferromagnetic substance has an increased magnetic moment, which is a causative factor of magnetization, produced by parallel electron spins. Also, it is assumed that a ferromagnetic substance has magnetic domains which are clusters of parallel spins. When a magnetic field is applied, magnetic domains are aligned in the direction of the magnetic field. Even when a magnetic field is removed, the orientations of the magnetic domains are maintained for a long time, thereby generating residual magnetization. In this regard, when a temperature of a ferromagnetic substance is raised, the alignment of electron spins in the ferromagnetic substance is randomized by thermal motion. As a result, the ferromagnetic substance loses ferromagnetism and is transformed into a paramagnetic substance. The temperature is called the Curie temperature. The magnitude of a reverse magnetic field necessary to reduce the magnetization of a magnetized magnetic substance to zero is the coercive force.
Magnetic properties of bulk nickel are as follows: about 353° C. of the Curie temperature, about 0.617 T of saturation magnetization, about 0.300 T of residual magnetization, and about 239 A/m of coercive force.
Allotropes of nickel that have been known until now include metallic nickel with a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure and metallic nickel with a hexagonal close packed (HCP) crystal structure.
Almost all common nickel powders are ferromagnetic substances with a FCC crystal structure. There are very rare reports of preparation of nickel powders with a HCP crystal structure. It has been predicted that the nickel powders with a HCP crystal structure are also ferromagnetic substances.
Based on the Stoner theory, D. A. Papaconstantopoulos et al. predicted that HCP nickel must be a ferromagnetic substance [D. A. Papaconstantopoulos, J. L. Fry, N. E. Brener, "Ferromagnetism in hexagonal close packed elements", Physical Review B, Vol. 39, No. 4,1989. 2. 1, pp 2526-2528].
With respect to preparation of inner electrodes for electronic devices that are representative application areas of nickel powders, conventional ferromagnetic nickel powders have the following disadvantages.
First, when nickel powders contained in pastes for nickel inner electrode formation by a printing method exhibit magnetism, the nickel powders are attracted to each other like magnets and agglomerated, which renders uniform paste formation difficult.
Second, an ultra-high frequency band is used in electronic devices with development of the mobile communication and computer technologies. However, magnetic substances have a high impedance value at such a high frequency band.
These problems can be solved by using non-magnetic nickel powders.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Non-magnetic nickel powders and method for preparing the same


The present invention is a system for adding colorant to pre-comminuted material. The colorant dispensing system includes a supply hopper to selectively retain and discharge dry colorant. The colorant dispensing system further includes a colorant dispensing assembly to receive dry colorant from the supply hopper and dispense dry colorant onto pre-comminuted material (M) before it is processed by a waste reducing section of a waste reducing machine. The present invention is also a method of dispensing colorant onto pre-comminuted material before processing by a waste reducing machine. The method includes the steps supplying dry colorant from a supply hopper to a colorant dispensing assembly and dispensing a controlled amount of dry colorant through the apertures onto pre-comminuted material prior processing the pre-comminuted material by a waste reducing section of a waste reducing machine into colored mulch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems for adding colorant to pre-comminuted material and methods of coloring same and, more particularly, to a colorant dispensing system for adding colorant to pre-comminuted material and a method of coloring pre-comminuted material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Processing wood from raw timber into lumber and from lumber into refined wood stock for specific applications produces a waste material by-product. This by-product is recycled and used to create other wood products. By way of example, certain waste material is compressed and glued together to form oriented strand board ("OSB"), which is used in several commercial and residential construction applications.
Additional recycling techniques involve using waste material in landscaping applications. In landscaping applications, waste material is reduced, for example by grinding or shredding. The resulting product is commonly referred to as, "mulch." Mulch is commonly used as a weed barrier and/or to improve water retention around trees/plants, but may also be used simply to improve the aesthetic quality of a landscape. To this end, mulch may be color-dyed to any number of different colors or shades and may also be treated with a number of chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides during the waste reducing process.
Generally speaking, this process commonly involves either spray-coating the material with a liquefied colorant during the waste reducing process or immersing the material in a color bath after the waste reducing process. Accordingly, the traditional processes occur during or after the waste reducing process and require a substantial amount of both colorant and water to facilitate treatment of the wood mulch with a colorant.
By using a liquid-based colorant, the traditional processes requires complex cleaning of the waste reducing machine components between color changes, resulting in substantial machine and labor "down time." This downtime also results in loader and trucking operator downtime as well. Further, with respect to bath treatments, the bath housing generally consumes a substantial area adjacent the waste reducing machine, resulting in an inefficient use of space and a cumbersome work environment. Additionally, bath treatments, and some spray-coating applications, require a drying phase to cure the liquid-based colorant to the material, which can reduce quantity of mulch available for use at a given time. If, packaged before properly cured, the wet mulch also generates increased transportation costs due to the additional weight. Further, with respect to spray-coating treatments, the spray application may be indirectly applied to the adjacent equipment and ground through overspray or dripping, which may adversely affect the equipment, the ground, or both.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a system that treats pre-comminuted material with a colorant prior to the material entering the waste reducing process. Further, there is also a need in the art for a system that applies colorant to pre-comminuted material before the waste reducing process that reduces the amount of liquid consumed while coloring. There is further a need in the art for a system that applies a dry colorant to pre-comminuted material before the waste reducing process that reduces the amount of colorant necessary to produce colored mulch. There is still further a need in the art for a system that distributes a dry colorant to pre-comminuted material before the waste reducing process that provides efficient transition between different colorants to reduce waste reducing machine downtime. There is still further a need in the art for a method of coloring pre-comminuted material with colorant before processing by the waste reducing section of a waste reducing machine. There is further a need in the art for a method of coloring pre-comminuted material with colorant before the waste reducing process that applies a controlled amount of colorant to a sensed quantity of pre-comminuted material to efficiently color the entire quantity. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a system and process that meets these desires.

Colorant dispensing system for adding colorant to pre-comminuted material and method of coloring same


A yard vacuum unit includes a deck including upper and lower housing members that form a discharge outlet and a nozzle operatively connected to the deck. An engine is, mounted to the deck and includes a drive shaft. An impeller assembly is used to draw yard debris in through the nozzle and out through the discharge outlet and is positioned between the upper and lower housing members. The impeller assembly includes an impeller plate, a hub fixedly connected to the impeller plate, and a plurality of fan blades each having first and second ends and first and second sides. Each fan blade first end is fixedly connected to the hub all along the first end and each fan blade first side is fixedly connected to the impeller plate all along the first side. In this way, a continuous airtight seal is formed along the entire first end of each fan blade with the hub and along the entire first side with the impeller plate. Each second end extends to the outer periphery of the impeller plate.

1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses for yard vacuum units, and more specifically to methods and apparatuses for an efficient impeller assembly used in a yard vacuum unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Yard vacuum units are used to create a vacuum whereby yard debris, such as sticks, leaves, grass clippings and other such foliage, can be collected. Typically, the vacuum unit draws the debris into a nozzle and then deposits the debris into a debris collecting bag where the debris can then be disposed of. It is well known in the field of such vacuum units to provide impeller assemblies that are used to create the vacuum power. Known impeller assemblies are generally well suited for their intended purpose. However, known impeller assembly efficiencies are relatively low.
Applicants have discovered an impeller assembly that provides substantially greater vacuum efficiency than is currently known in the art. The difficulties inherit in the art are therefore overcome in a way that is simple and efficient, while providing better and more advantageous results.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a yard vacuum unit includes a deck including upper and lower housing members that form a discharge outlet, a plurality of ground engaging wheels operatively connected to the deck, and a nozzle operatively connected to the deck. An engine is mounted to the deck and includes a drive shaft. An impeller assembly is used to draw yard debris in through the nozzle and out through the discharge outlet and is positioned between the upper and lower housing members. The impeller assembly includes an impeller plate having an outer periphery and first and second surfaces, a hub fixedly connected to the impeller plate, and a plurality of fan blades each having first and second ends and first and second sides. The hub includes a hole that that operatively receives the drive shaft. Each fan blade first end is fixedly connected to the hub all along the first end and each fan blade first side is fixedly connected to the impeller plate all along the first side. In this way, a continuous airtight seal is formed along the entire first end of each fan blade with the hub and along the entire first side with the impeller plate. Each second end extends to the outer periphery of the impeller plate.
According to another aspect of this invention, each of the first sides of the fan blades and the impeller plate form first and second intersection surfaces each having a radius R1 that is at least 0.25 inches. Similarly, each of the first ends of adjacent fan blades and the hub form a connection surface having a radius R2 that is at least 0.50 inches.
According to still another aspect of this invention, the impeller plate, said hub and said plurality of fan blades are formed in a one piece cast. Preferably this cast is formed of Aluminum.
One advantage of this invention is that vacuum unit efficiency is increased about 30% over known impeller assemblies.
Another advantage of this invention is that it is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and use.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.

Efficiency impeller assembly for yard vacuum unit


A piezoresistive device is provided for sensing mechanical input and converts mechanical movement of at least two relatively movable parts into an electrical output. A silicon substrate is provided that is oriented in the (100) plane and has an n-type impurity. A gap extends across a portion of the substrate. The gap defines the at least two relatively moveable parts. A flexible cross-section connects the at least two relatively moveable parts. The cross-section is made of the same material as the substrate. At least one strain sensitive element is provided on a surface of the silicon substrate, is aligned in a [110] direction and includes a p-type impurity. The strain sensitive element has two end portions interconnected by an intermediate neck portion. The neck portion is supported on a structure that concentrates strain. The structure extends across the gap and has vertical walls that extend to the cross-section in the gap. The structure is made of the same material as the substrate. At least one electrode is electrically connected to the end portions. The at least one electrode detects changes in electrical resistance between the end portions when the neck portion is subjected to stress in a direction of a current through the strain sensitive element that results from the relative movement of the at least two relatively moveable parts.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a piezoresistive device, and its methods of use, and more particularly to the formation of geometric shapes for concentrating strain energy into volumes occupied by piezoresistive strain elements in preference to volumes that are electrically inactive.
2. Description of the Related Art
In pressure and acceleration sensors, it is desired to produce a relatively large signal power from a relatively small amount of energy absorbed from the medium. The goal is to minimize the mechanical energy necessary to produce a desired output signal. In pressure sensors, energy is absorbed from the medium as pressure deflects a diaphragm. Generally, a bar deeply notched at the center and its ends is placed across a diaphragm. Gages are placed on the plane surface opposite the notched bottoms.
The strain of the bending bar is concentrated at the bottom of the notches. In acceleration sensors, energy is absorbed from the acceleration field as the seismic mass deflects relative to its reference frame. For example, a structure that is used features gages that are etched free from the substrate over an elastic hinge, a so-called "freed-gage." With the hinge carrying the transverse load and the gages much further from the neutral axis of bending than the outer surfaces of the hinge, the gages become the most highly strained material. In both the acceleration and pressure sensor, efficiency permits high sensitivity via a small physical size.
A common approach taken by manufacturers of transducers has been to create a large field of strained surface and to place onto the more strained areas strain gages of a convenient size. Alternatively, structural means have been used to concentrate strain in piezoresistors. In piezoresistive sensors, signal is produced by changing the resistance of one or more strain-sensitive resistors excited by an electric current. Hence, in a simple plane diaphragm pressure sensor with embedded gages, much of the periphery and a broad area of the center are brought to the state of strain needed to provide signal in the gages. Although gages are placed in areas of highest strain, much of the strain energy is expended in the periphery and center areas which lack strain gages.
In a freed-gage structure only the piezoresistive material sees the full level of strain; the hinge and force-gathering structures are much less strained. Though the freed strain gage was an improvement over previous strain gages, it is still not the optimal structure to detect strain. Manufacturing tolerances impose a minimum cross section on the freed-gage; hence, for the required signal power, some minimum amount of material must be strained. The manufacturing process also imposes an upper limit on the resistivity in the freed gage, which limits the gage factor and thus, the sensitivity of the gage. In addition, heat dissipation limits the length of a device, such that the gages must be stitched back and forth across a gap over a hinge until there is enough total length to give the needed resistance. Thus, there is still a need for a stress concentrating structure that overcomes the short-comings of the freed-gage structure.


In a method for identifying and classifying an object, an object is detected by at least one physical detector tuned for it, the object is evaluated from the output signal of the detector and by an evaluation unit, and the object is identified and/or classified on the basis of predefinable properties from the output signal. A number of different physical features of the object are derived from the output signal, and the object is assigned to one of N predetermined basic classes on the basis of the derived physical features. The N basic classes are arranged in a predetermined order to form an N-dimensional vector V, which is assigned to the object, such that the elements v1, . . . , vN of the vector V indicate that the object belongs to the respective basic class. The object is then assigned to a derived class, which is taken from a reference data base, as a function of the vector V.

This invention is directed to a certain method for identifying and classifying an object.
Within the context of the invention, an object is defined by way of an output signal of a detector, which output signal exceeds a predefinable threshold value from an acoustic or optical detector or a radar detector (radar system) or a combination of such detectors.
German document DE 197 31 111 B4 describes a known method for identifying and classifying an object. In this method, the object is identified and/or classified on the basis of predefinable properties from an output signal as well as a vectorial arrangement.
The method disclosed in German document DE 197 31 111 B4 is based on the use of indicators that are largely independent of the output signals of the physical detectors used. An indicator is an abstract term for a predefinable property and/or a predefinable behavior of an actual object, for example an aircraft or a ship, which is detected by at least one detector, for example, a radar system tuned to it. An indicator is thus an abstract term for a predefinable qualitative and quantitative item of information, which is relevant for identification purposes. A trend is then assigned to each indicator, corresponding to the basic identity of the indicator. The indicators are then represented as vectors in a multidimensional vector space.
Identification of objects by this method is very computation intensive because it involves a multidimensional vector space.
The problem addressed by the present invention is to provide a method that can be implemented in a less computation-intensive manner, and therefore more rapidly, than with the state of the art.
This problem is solved by the process steps claimed. Advantageous embodiments are also claimed.

Method for identifying and classifying an object


An electronic device includes a digitizer pad, a touch panel which is disposed above the digitizer pad, a digitizer pad controller configured to detect a first position using electromagnetic induction from the digitizer pad, a touch panel controller configured to detect a second position about a capacitance change from the touch panel, and a host device configured to correct the first position with reference to the second position and specifying the corrected first position as a touch position. A method includes detecting a first position using electromagnetic induction from a digitizer pad, detecting a second position using a capacitance change from a touch panel, correcting the first position with reference to the second position, and specifying the corrected first position as a touch position.

Recently, as portable electronic devices have come into wide use, they have become necessities of modern life. These portable electronic devices have been developed into multimedia communication devices capable of providing not only an original voice communication service but also various data transmission services and various additional services. Services capable of being provided from the portable electronic device have increased and User Interface (UI) technologies for controlling the portable electronic devices have also been developed continuously.
Recently, as the size of the displays of the portable electronic devices has been competitively increased and resolution thereof has been also enhanced competitively, needs of users for cursive character input, an image memo, etc. have also increased. For example, applications for marking a destination on a map or writing and transmitting a message on a photo have become marketing points. Also, it is necessary to perform cursive character input in a country using Chinese characters like Japan or China. Therefore, with a pen, it is possible to perform an image memo or cursive character input. Accuracy of the image memo or cursive character input can be enhanced.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an input system using a stylus pen. Referring to FIG. 1, the input system using the stylus pen uses an ElectroMagnetic Resonance (EMR) scheme or an electromagnetic induction scheme and includes a stylus pen 20 and a touch screen device 30. The stylus pen 20 has a tip 21 and includes a resonance circuit therein.
The touch screen device 30 includes a digitizer pad 35, a display panel 34, a window 31, and a digitizer pad controller 36. The digitizer pad 35, the display panel 34, and the window 31 are laminated in order.
The digitizer pad controller 36 supplies alternating current (AC) to the digitizer pad 35. The digitizer pad 35 generates an electromagnetic field. If the stylus pen 20 approaches the electromagnetic field of the digitizer pad 35, an electromagnetic induction phenomenon is generated and the resonance circuit 22 of the stylus pen 20 generates current.
The resonance circuit 22 of the stylus pen 20 forms a magnetic field 23 using the generated current. The digitizer pad controller 36 scans strength of the magnetic field 23 supplied from the stylus pen 20 to the digitizer pad 35 throughout the entire region of the digitizer pad 35 and detects a position. The digitizer pad controller 36 provides the detected position to a host device. The host device performs an operation based on the detected position. For example, the host device can output image information on the display panel 34.
In general, the stylus pen 20 has a resonance circuit 22 which is spaced apart from the tip 21 structurally. When a user holds the stylus pen 20 in his or her hand and touches it on the touch screen device 30, it is slanted. Accordingly, when the stylus pen 20 is slanted, a portion of the stylus pen 20 with a relatively great magnetic field leans toward the touch screen device. Therefore, when the stylus pen 20 is slanted, the digitizer pad controller 36 incorrectly recognizes the position of the tip 21.
FIG. 2 illustrates a touch screen operation using a stylus pen. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, when the user draws a line with the stylus pen 20, the stylus pen 20 which is held in his or her hand is slanted. As described above, the digitizer pad controller 36 incorrectly recognizes the position 42 instead of the position 41 where the tip 21 touches. Because the host device displays a line on the position 42 which is separated from the tip 21 of the stylus pen 20, the user does not have a feeling that he or she uses the stylus pen 20 properly.

Stylus pen, input processing method using the same, and electronic device therefor


Systems and methods for automatically building up an equation entered into a computer system can include an input module that accepts input of the equation in a linear string format, and an interpret module that interprets the input and automatically determines when a buildup point is reached. Systems can further include a formatting module that, upon reaching the buildup point, automatically formats at least a portion of the equation into a two-dimensional format. A display module can display the portion of the equation in the two-dimensional format. A revision module allows the equation to be edited.

The ability to efficiently input mathematical equations into word processing applications and html editors is becoming increasingly important as more technical information is distributed in word-processed and web page formats. Programs such as TeX and LaTeX allow a user to typeset and print mathematical equations in a format that is portable across different computing environments. However, such programs are complicated and require the user to have special knowledge of how the programs work before the user can input, typeset, and print equations.
Word processor programs are typically bundled with an editor that allows a user to create and edit equations within the word-processing environment. One example of such an editor is Microsoft® Equation Editor 3.0, which is distributed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. These types of equation editors are typically WYSIWYG editors that require users to select among various toolbar icons to develop two-dimensional equations. However, the selection of toolbar icons can be cumbersome for experienced users who frequently enter complicated and lengthy equations.
It is therefore desirable to provide systems and methods that allow for ease in entry of equations while displaying such equations in a two-dimensional format.

Systems and methods for automated equation buildup


An apparatus comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a data output signal in response to a data input signal, a valid word signal, and a select signal. The second circuit may be configured to generate the select signal in response to the valid word signal, a start of frame signal, and end of frame signal and the data output signal. The select signal may adjust a starting point of each of the words to match a starting point of the first word.

In conventional data transmission systems, a frame of data may contain several messages with indeterministic length. Usually, a message contains a header and a data block. The length of the data block can be obtained by decoding one or more bits in the header. In order to process each message, the header is processed first. After decoding the header information, such as the message type and length, the data block can be read and processed.
Referring to FIG. 1, an example of a frame 10 illustrating several messages is shown. The messages of the frame 10 have an indeterministic length illustrated as the data blocks 12a-12n. A number of headers 14a-14n are shown before each of the data blocks 12a-12n. A cyclical redundancy check (CRC) section 16 is shown after the last data block 12n.
The location of the first bit of the first header 14a is known. Normally, the header 14a starts at the MSB (most significant bit) of the first word, or at the LSB (least significant bit) of the first word. Since the length of the first data block 12a is indeterministic, the first bit of the next header (e.g., 14b) can start anywhere within a word. For example, if the data is supplied as 16-bit words, and the first message length (i.e., one header and one data block) is 274 bits, the next header will start at bit 14 (when the header starts at the MSB) or bit 3 (when the header starts at the LSB). Using conventional approaches, the header starts from a known location to be decoded. After decoding the header, the data block can be processed.
When the data of a message within a frame is read and processed by software, the data is first shifted so the header is in a known location. The software can then decode the header, get the length and other information, and process the data. Implementing a similar method in hardware uses a shift register and associated control logic.
Processing messages with indeterministic length using conventional approaches uses a large amount of shifting and preprocessing. Such shifting and preprocessing increases the processing consumption (e.g., millions of instructions per second, or MIPS) and can create problems, especially when the data rate is high and the frame size is large.
It would be desirable to implement in hardware, a method and/or apparatus to adjust the data messages that minimizes shift operations.

Method and/or architecture implemented in hardware for the adjustment of messages with indeterministic length


An array of tapered optical fiber bundles having input faces for receiving incident radiation thereon are staggered with respect to one another such that an input face edge portion of a tapered optical fiber bundle overlies a portion of an input face of an adjacent optical fiber bundle so as to occlude the overlaid portion from incident radiation. Optical fiber bundles may be staggered in various configurations, including repeating patterns.

Tapered optical fiber bundles can provide a low distortion method of magnifying or reducing an image. Used with a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor, tapered optical fiber bundles may be employed in medical radiography, fluoroscopy, and dental radiography, for enhancing images and reducing x-ray exposure times. Exemplary tapered optical fiber bundles are described in an article entitled "Fiber-optic Tapers Offer High-Quality Image Transmission" by Richard J. Weiss (http://188.8.131.52/web/oer/february/feb97/research.html), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Multiple CCDs may be arranged in an array to form a compound image sensor. Compound image sensor arrays may be utilized to capture images that are larger than a single CCD device can capture. Arrays of tapered optical fiber bundles may be utilized with compound image sensor arrays wherein each optical fiber bundle in the array is coupled with a respective CCD sensor. Tapered optical bundles may be required to compensate for gaps between adjacent CCD sensors and for electronics surrounding individual CCD sensors.
To provide coverage of a focal plane that is as nearly seamless as possible, precise alignment of adjacent optical fiber bundles in an array may be required. Abutting edges of adjacent optical fiber bundles may need to be mated within a tolerance of hundreds of microns in a single plane in order to produce substantially seamless images. Accordingly, the focal plane edges of optical fiber bundles may need to be carefully analyzed so that adjacent bundles can be mated as seamlessly as possible. As a result, conventional assembly techniques for precisely aligning adjacent optical fiber bundles within an array may be expensive and labor-intensive.
In addition, because of conventional manufacturing techniques, the edges of optical fiber bundles may be irregular and of poor quality. Consequently, precise, abutting alignment between adjacent bundles may not be possible. As a result, gaps may be present between adjacent optical fiber bundles in an array. These gaps may result in images having seams or other imperfections. In addition, because optical fiber bundles are conventionally molded or milled, the outermost optical fibers at the input face of a bundle may be damaged, and thereby rendered optically inactive. Accordingly, portions of an image falling on optically inactive fibers within a bundle may not be captured by an image sensor coupled to the bundle. As a result, seams or other imperfections within the image may be produced.

Compound image sensor array having staggered array of tapered optical fiber bundles


The present invention relates to a detection unit comprising detection means for detecting the occurrence of an event. The detection unit further comprises processing means for controlling the operation of the detection unit and communication means for transmitting and receiving activation signals for interacting with further detection units. The processing means are designed for placing the detection unit into active mode upon receipt of an incoming activation signal, and furthermore for transmitting, in the active mode, an outgoing activation signal to at least one of said further detection units upon detection of an event and placing the detection unit into passive mode. The invention further relates to a detection system comprising a multitude of detection units as described and to a method for controlling a detection unit.

During training sessions for team sports, such as hockey, soccer, water polo and the like, use can be made of various specific game situations and of appliances for training specific skills. For training ball control, for example, use can be made of cones between which a player must complete a particular course.
Certain skills, such as speed, insight into the game or communication, are difficult to train specifically, however. To acquire such skills, it is principally necessary to gain experience, which means that such skills can only be trained by playing a lot. Speed can be trained, if desired, by having the players play against a team composed of experienced, quick players, or by training on a different surface (for example indoors or on artificial grass instead of on a natural lawn. In the latter case the ball speed will increase, so that also the playing speed will have to increase. In spite of all this, no appliances are available which can be used in specifically training for speed, for example, on the usual surface.
As already mentioned before, insight into the game and strategy are likewise difficult to train. It is possible to record and explain certain situations in the game on video, so that a player will more easily recognize such situations when playing. To acquire this skill, however, it is principally necessary to gain a lot of experience.
It is an object of the present invention to provide training facilities by means of which a number of game skills, such as ball control, speed, teamwork, insight and strategy, can be specifically trained.

Detection unit for detecting the occurrence of an event a detection system and a method for controlling such a detection unit or detection system


There are described components of a steam turbine, comprising a thermally insulating layer and a metallic anti-erosion layer on said thermally insulating layer. The anti-erosion layer is provided with the same material as the metallic connecting layer.

Thermal barrier coatings which are applied to components are known from the field of gas turbines, as described for example in EP 1 029 115.
Thermal barrier coatings enable components to be used at higher temperatures than those permitted by the base material, or allow the service life to be extended.
Known base materials (substrates) for gas turbines allow temperatures of use of at most 1000° C. to 1100° C., whereas a coating with a thermal barrier coating allows temperatures of use of up to 1350° C.
The temperatures of use of components in a steam turbine are much lower, and consequently these demands are not imposed in this application.
It is known from EP 1 029 104 A to apply a ceramic erosion-resistant layer to a ceramic thermal barrier coating of a gas turbine blade or vane.
It is known from DE 195 35 227 A1 to provide a thermal barrier coating in a steam turbine in order to allow the use of materials which have worse mechanical properties but are less expensive for the substrate to which the thermal barrier coating is applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,599 discloses an erosion-resistant ceramic thermal barrier coating.
US 2003/0152814 A1 discloses a thermal barrier coating system comprising a substrate made from a superalloy, an aluminum oxide layer on the substrate and a ceramic as outer ceramic thermal barrier coating.
EP 0 783 043 A1 discloses an erosion-resistant layer consisting of aluminum oxide or silicon carbide on a ceramic thermal barrier coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,226 discloses a component of a steam turbine with improved resistance to erosion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,284 discloses an outer metallic layer which is considerably more porous than the underlying ceramic thermal barrier coating.
In its discussion of the prior art, EP 0 783 043 A1 discloses the formation of an erosion-resistant coating in two layers, specifically comprising an inner metallic layer and an outer ceramic layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,515 discloses a ceramic thermal barrier coating to which an outer, hard ceramic silicide coating has been applied.
WO 00/70190 discloses a component wherein an outer metallic layer is applied, this layer containing aluminum in order to increase the oxidation resistance of the component.
The thermal barrier coating is strongly eroded on account of impurities in a medium and/or high flow velocities of the flowing medium which flows past components having a thermal barrier coating.

Layer system for a component comprising a thermal barrier coating and metallic erosion-resistant layer, production process and method for operating a steam turbine


A diaphragm of a speaker device, formed into an elongated configuration, has a recessed shape and includes a voice coil arrangement part extending in its longitude direction. The voice coil arrangement part has a gap with a constant width in its lateral direction and includes a voice coil supporting part for supporting a voice coil and an expanded part provided at a position along it.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a configuration of a diaphragm for a speaker device preferably usable for a mobile phone.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a dome-shaped speaker including a dome-shaped diaphragm having a voice coil form having a U-shaped cross-section (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open under No. 5-30592 (p. 5, FIG. 6), which is referred to as "Reference-1" hereinafter).
In the dome-shaped speaker disclosed in Reference-1, since the voice coil is arranged in the voice coil form having the U-shaped cross-section, the driving force of the voice coil directly operates on the voice coil form at the time of sound reproduction. Therefore, the strength capable of enduring the driving force of the voice coil is necessary for the voice coil form. In this point, since the voice coil form is formed into a circular or track shape and an annular shape, it can be said that the strength is comparatively ensured in the voice coil form in consideration of the configuration.
Meanwhile, there is known a speaker formed into an elongated shape in comparison with the dome-shaped speaker (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open under No. 11-187484, which is referred to as "Reference-2" hereinafter).
In the speaker according to Reference-2, the voice coil is formed into a flat-plate shape, and a central part of the diaphragm having a recessed cross-section is connected to an upper coil being a component of the voice coil. Thereby, at the time of sound reproduction, the driving force of the voice coil is transmitted to the diaphragm itself via the central part of the diaphragm.
However, in the speaker device according to Reference-2, since the central part of the diaphragm has the elongated configuration to be formed into a linear shape, the strength of the part is structurally smaller than that of the circular voice coil form of the diaphragm disclosed in Reference-1. Thus, at the time of the sound reproduction, the central part of the diaphragm is bent, or the central part of the diaphragm rolls. Then, it may happen that, in the magnetic gap, the central part of the diaphragm and the magnetic circuit contact or collide and an abnormal sound occurs.
In this point, in the speaker device, a damper is provided at a position on a side opposite to the diaphragm with sandwiching the voice coil, and the central part of the damper is connected to a lower part coil of the voice coil. Thereby, the strength of the supporting part of the voice coil is ensured to some extent, and such a problem hardly happens. Namely, in the speaker having the elongated configuration, the strength of the supporting part of the voice coil is ensured to some extent by providing the damper, and the above problem hardly happens.

Diaphragm for speaker device, speaker device and mobile phone