A compound resistor is used to compensate for trimming induced shift in temperature coefficient of resistance of a trimmable resistor. The compound resistor is composed of a first and second portion, at least one of the two portions being thermally trimmable, and the parameters for the first and second portion are selected such that the trimming induced shift can be minimized on an overall resistance and temperature coefficient of resistance of the compound resistors by trimming the trimmable resistor. The invention also allows for exploring trimming range available via true thermal trimming without actually trimming out resistor's value of a resistor. The invention also allows design of thermal isolation to minimize or optimize resistance variation of the overall compound resistance.

In working with resistors referred to as "precision resistors", it is advantageous to have the capability to precisely adjust the resistance value. It is also advantageous to precisely adjust the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of such a resistor.
It is known that joint and independent adjustment of resistance and TCR can be achieved for compound resistors containing a first portion with a first resistance value and a positive TCR and a second portion with a second resistance value and a negative TCR (U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,349, U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,341, U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,276). Independent trimming of these two portions of the compound resistor results in the adjustment of the total resistance and of the TCR of the compound resistor. The trimming technique is based on a process of cutting the resistive material such as by laser beam cutting or ultrasonic probe cutting or others. The material properties, namely the TCR, of the bulk resistor material, remain substantially constant during this trimming process, since only the shapes of the resistor portions are being trimmed.
Another non-laser trimming technique is known to adjust the resistance of thin film resistors. This technique is based on thermal trimming of a resistor made from a thermally mutable material. Resistor trimming is achieved by heating using electric current pulses passed through the resistor itself or through an adjacent auxiliary heater (U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,996, 5,635,893, 5,679,275). Instead of direct physical removal of portions of the resistor material as is done in laser trimming, thermal trimming directly modifies the physical properties of the material such as resistivity and TCR.
It was reported that resistance trimming is accompanied by significant changes of TCR (K. Kato, T. Ono Changes in Thermal Coefficient of Resistance of Heavily Doped Polysilicon Resistors Caused by Electrical Trimming Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 35 (1996), pp. 4209-4215; D. Feldbaumer, J. Babcock, C. Chen Pulse Current Trimming of Polysilicon Resistors Trans. On Electron Devices vol. 42 (1995), pp. 689-696; U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,718). As a measure of this effect, the term "Temperature Coefficient of Trimming" (TCT) is used hereinafter in this text and defines a change of TCR per fraction of trimming, which is a trimming-induced shift of TCR. For example, a TCT of −100 ppm/K/trim-fraction means that trimming resistance down by a trim fraction of 0.01 (1%) results in a shift of TCR equal to 10 ppm/K in the opposite direction from the direction of the trim (in this case an increase of 10 ppm/K). It is known experimentally that for polysilicon resistors, TCT is typically negative (increase in TCR with decrease of resistance), with its value dependent on type of dopant and doping level.
Non-zero TCT generates a new problem (not existing in typical cutting-based trimming techniques), which can be illustrated by the following example. Consider a resistor divider consisting of two trimmable resistors with the same initial TCR, and TCT=−2000 ppm/K/trim-fraction. If the resistance ratio is adjusted by trimming one of the resistors "down" by 10%, the accompanying change in relative TCR (RTCR) may reach 200 ppm/K. While resistance matching can potentially be done very precisely using thermal trimming (better than 0.01-0.1%), variation of ambient temperature in the range of ±50° C. can make the divider voltage very unstable, with resistance ratio drift reaching ±1%.
Near-zero TCR of the resistor is often desirable because it gives near-zero resistance drift with variation of ambient temperature. One of the problems of compound resistors consisting of two portions with positive and negative TCR is that near-zero TCR of the whole resistor does not mean near-zero TCR of each individual portion.
Thermally-trimmable resistors feature electrically-driven trimming, may be done at any practical stage in the manufacturer-to-user chain (including after packaging), and once trimmed, they are purely-passive components. However, they may also have constraints on bi-directionality of trimming. These types of resistors may often be more easily trimmable in one direction than another. For example, certain thermally-trimmable polysilicon resistors may be readily trimmed down (in the direction of decreasing resistance), from its as-manufactured resistance value (Ras-mfr), by tens of percent of Ras-mfr, but after such a trim-down, may have only limited trim-up (recovery) range. Other trimming characteristics also exist.
Joint and independent adjustment of resistance and TCR can be achieved for compound resistors containing a first portion with a first resistance value and a positive TCR and a second portion with a second resistance value and a negative TCR. Independent trimming of these two portions of the compound resistor results in the adjustment of the total resistance and of the TCR of the compound resistor.
In an in-circuit trimming application, limitations to full bi-directionality significantly constrain what can be done, and/or constrain trimming performance (e.g. speed, precision, range). For example, if a single trimmable resistor (any trimming method), is trimmable only in one direction, then one must be more conservative in seeking the Vout target. One must approach more slowly, to make sure that circuit settling times are accounted for, and one must be mindful of the quantization of the resistance trim, since the next trim may jump too far. Another example, if more than one trimmable resistor is used, then the optimal position of one resistor may depend on the position of the other, and vice-versa, but trims must be done sequentially, and so an individual trim of one resistor may reach an interim (non-optimal) target while irreversibly overshooting the optimal target (which may not be known until another resistor (or resistors) has reached its optimal position, or close to its optimal position).
The objects of the present invention include, without limitation, overcoming above described limitations.

Compensating for linear and non-linear trimming-induced shift of temperature coefficient of resistance


A connector and a method of manufacturing the same one are provided. The connector includes an insulating casing and a plurality of terminals. The insulating casing has a joining surface and a plurality of terminal holes. The terminal holes are arranged to pass through the joining surface in a manner to slant relative to the insulating casing. Each terminal hole has a pair of opposite inner walls. The insulating casing further has a plurality of positioning parts adjacent to at least one of the respective inner walls of the respective terminal holes. The terminals are located within the respective terminal holes. With the use of the positioning parts, when the terminal holes of the insulating casing is formed, the pins do not tend to break and then the slant terminal holes are smoothly formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a connector and a method of manufacturing the same one, and particularly to a connector which has an insulating casing with slant terminal holes, and a method of manufacturing the same one.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a conventional method of manufacturing a connector forms an insulating casing 40a by using a lower mold 10a and an upper mold 20a matching the lower mold 10a. The upper mold 20a and the lower mold 10a respectively have an upper recess 21a and a lower recess 11a opposite to the upper recess 21a. The lower mold 10a has a plurality of pins 13a. The upper mold 20a has a plurality of slots 23a which allow the respective pins 13a to insert into along an inserting direction L. The upper recess 21a has an upper receiving surface 22a tilted relative to the inserting direction L, and the lower recess 11a has a lower receiving surface 12a tilted relative to the inserting direction L. The lower recess 11a further has a plurality of accommodating grooves 14a.
The slots 23a are formed in the upper receiving surface 22a. Each slot 23a has a first sidewall 231a and a second sidewall 232a opposite to the first sidewall 231a. The presence of the upper receiving surface 22a allows the lower edge of the first sidewall 231a to be positioned at a lower level than the lower edge of the second sidewall 232a. When the upper mold 20a covers the lower mold 10a, the upper recess 21a and the lower recess 11a together define a chamber 30a which slants to and intersects with the inserting direction L and is used to form the insulating casing 40a. The insulating casing 40a has a base 41a and the pins 13a thereon. The insertion of the pins 13a into the slots 23a contributes to drive slant terminal holes 42a into the mold and to form a plurality of terminals (not shown). The base 41a has a plurality of ribs 43a extending there from in a manner to correspond to the respective accommodating grooves 14a of the lower mold 10a.
However, in a case that needs more terminals, the terminals must be made fine and intensively arranged. Therefore, the pins 13a which are used to form the terminal holes 42a should be made fine accordingly. A lower position of the lower edge of the first sidewall 231a than the lower edge of the second sidewall 232a makes the pins 13a shift when inserted into the slots 23a, because the level difference of assembled molds allow the pins 13a to contact the lower edges of the first sidewalls 231a first and then the lower edges of the second sidewalls is 232a. Such action easily breaks or damages the pins 13a, and thus fails to smoothly form the terminal holes 42a.
Therefore, there is a need of a novel method of manufacturing the connector, which can solve the above prior problems.

Connector and manufacturing method thereof


A liquid epoxy resin composition comprising a liquid epoxy resin, an aromatic amine curing agent having a phenolic hydroxyl group in a skeleton, an inorganic filler, and a cure accelerator is useful for semiconductor encapsulation. The composition is adherent to the surface of silicon chips, does not deteriorate under hot humid conditions, and is fully resistant to thermal shocks.

The trend toward smaller sizes, lighter weights and increased capabilities in electrical equipment has led to a shift in the dominant semiconductor mounting process from pin insertion to surface mounting. Progress of semiconductor devices toward a higher degree of integration entails the enlargement of dies to a size as large as 10 mm or more per side. For semiconductor devices using such large size dies, greater stresses are applied to the die and the encapsulant during solder reflow or in an environment of cycling between −65° C. and 150° C. Such stresses are deemed problematic because separation occurs at the interface between the encapsulant and the die or substrate, and the package cracks.
From the expectation that the use of leaded solders will be banned in the near future, a number of lead-substitute solders have been developed. Since most substitute solders have a higher melting temperature than the leaded solders, it has been considered to carry out reflow at temperatures of 260 to 270° C. At such reflow temperatures, more failures are expected with encapsulants of prior art liquid epoxy resin compositions. Even with flip chip type packages which have raised no substantial problems in the prior art, the reflow at such high temperatures brings about serious problems that cracks can occur during the reflow and the encapsulant can peel at interfaces with chips or substrates.

Liquid epoxy resin composition and semiconductor device


A case for a mobile communication device includes a base that defines an interior and a first surface and is configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile communication device in the interior. A screen protector is configured to releasably engage the base and defines a first surface of the screen protector. The screen protector is configured to retain a gasket, which is releasably engageable to the screen protector, between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the screen protector. A cover is provided that is releasably engageable with the base and is configured to releasably restrain the screen protector when engaged with the base. The cover defines an opening through which at least a portion of the screen protector is accessible.

Waterproof mobile device cases on the market today for smartphones, or other portable electronic devices, are often large, cumbersome and unwieldy owing to multiple difficult to use latches and multiple plugs that need to be inserted into the case to ensure that the case is watertight. Additionally, current waterproof cases afford little or no drop protection. Still further, current waterproof cases do not maintain a waterproof integrity when the case is dropped due to excessive dynamic deformation that affects the integrity of the waterproof seals and thresholds.


A process and composition for high acid/low metal copper electroplating baths with improved leveling, adhesion, ductility and throwing power. The bath includes effective amounts of a functional fluid having at least one ether group derived from an alcohol epoxy or a bisphenol A and containing ethoxy and propoxy functionalities.

In recent years, many advances in the area of electroplating of copper deposits have produced increasingly superior properties in ductility, leveling and other properties of copper deposits produced from high metal low acid electroplating baths. Primarily, these advances have been in the use of various additions to such copper electroplating baths. Most notably, the additions of divalent sulfur compounds and alkylation derivatives of polyethylene imines have resulted in improved leveling in decorative copper plating. Examples of these types of additions are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,114 to Mayer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,010 to Creutz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,273to Creutz; U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,598 to Creutz et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,176 to Creutz et al. While these additions have found commercial acceptance in plating of high metal low acid copper baths, they have not solved problems inherent in electroplating of parts from high acid/low metal copper baths, U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,709 to Combs is a process for plating of copper on substantially non-conductive substrates utilizing high acid/low metal copper baths. While this process has been a great advance in the art of plating of non-conductive substrates, there remains a need for improved and simplified plating of metallic and non-conductive substrates and also in troublesome plating functions such as: plating of intricate parts with low current density areas; circuit board plating and other plating of substrates with surface imperfections; and in barrel plating applications.
For instance, barrel plating has been fraught with problems with regard to copper plating of parts. Typically, barrel plating operations have suffered from lack of proper adhesion between the built up layers of copper plate on the parts. Thus, barrel plating of parts has not been suitable from a production or sales standpoint. Copper plating applied on intricately shaped parts has been fraught with adhesion problems during thermal expansion cycles; thickness deficiencies in low current density areas; and suffer because of the low ductility of the deposit produced. Additionally, with respect to non-conductive plating of perforated circuit board material, or other substrates with substantial surface imperfections, the leveling properties of past plating methods have not been sufficient to overcome such surface imperfections in these substrates.
Thus, it has been a goal in the art to produce an electroplating bath and process which provides improved ductility copper deposits; has superior leveling and adhesion characteristics; and which has improved throwing power, beneficial in areas of low current density.

Functional fluid additives for acid copper electroplating baths


Methods of modeling hook and loop fastening systems are disclosed.

A hook and loop fastening system can be used to fasten things together. For example, a hook and loop fastening system can be used to fasten a disposable wearable absorbent article around a wearer. In a hook and loop fastening system, a male fastening material includes male fastening elements, such as hooks, and a female fastening material includes female fastening elements, such as loops. The male fastening material and the female fastening material are configured to releasably engage with each other. If the elements of the fastening materials are not well designed, then few of the elements effectively engage, and the materials cannot be used to form a reliable hook and loop fastening system. It can be difficult to predict which fastening materials can be used to form a reliable hook and loop fastening system.

Computer based models of hook and loop fastening systems


A wound exposure device is disclosed that can be applied to a patient having excessive or redundant tissue (i.e., a panniculus) to retain the excessive or redundant tissue away from (off of) a wound to allow air so that the excessive or redundant tissue will not cover the wound while the wound is healing. The wound exposure device is wearable and highly conformable when applied to a patient to support/hold/retract redundant and/or excessive tissue off or away from a wound site for extended periods of time. The ability to wear the wound exposure device for extended periods of time facilitates better healing of wounds which would otherwise be covered by the redundant flesh.

This application relates to an engineered, adaptable, predictable supporting device/system that can be used to displace, reposition, retract, secure and/or stabilize excessive and/or redundant tissue (such as adipose tissue, breast tissue, panniculus tissue, etc.) for an extended period of time to maintain such excess tissue away from a wound (such as a surgical incision) to facilitate healing. The device can be termed a wound exposure/wound healing assist device. A significant portion of surgical patients present to the operating room with a BMI (Body Mass Index) over 30. People with a BMI over 30 are considered to be obese, and will commonly have a panniculus (or layer/apron of fat which hangs from the abdomen). Depending on how obese the individual is, the panniculus (or adipose layer or fatty layer) can extend to the pubic hair line (in smaller panniculi) or to the knees and beyond (in very large panniculi). This situation has been arising more frequently in recent years due to a greater number of people being morbidly obese than in years past. Many of these individuals accumulate a large mass of adipose (fatty tissue) in the lower abdominal area producing a panniculus (apron of fat) that hangs, depending on its size, over the abdominal wounds, and over the groin, genital area and upper thighs.
Patients with such large BMIs require the clinical staff to manage excessive amounts of adipose (or fatty tissue), skin and other tissues (i.e., collectively, the panniculus). There is currently no practical device available to manage (displace, reposition, retract, secure and/or stabilize) the excess or redundant tissue so that it is held away from the surgical site for an extended period once the surgery has been completed. Without such a device, the excessive or redundant tissue will cover the surgical incision which will impair and complicate the ability for the surgical incision and/or wound to heal correctly and expeditiously. PCT App. Pub. No. WO2014/120746, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a retractor system which can be used to retain excessive or redundant tissue away from a surgical site. However, the retractor system of WO2014/120746 was initially designed for use during a surgical procedure.

Wound exposure device for use with patients having excessive and/or redundant tissue and method of use


The present invention provides a refrigerator door body with a water dispenser and a water intake passage arranged thereon. A water intake assembly of the water dispenser comprising: a water inlet component, a water outlet component, a valve core and a water intake handle. The water intake handle has one end pivotally connected to the refrigerator door body and is provided with a through hole. When the water intake assembly is in a closed status, there is no acting force between the water outlet component and the through hole in the water intake handle; and the other end of the water intake handle is pressed such that one end, pivotally connected to the refrigerator door body, of the water intake handle is rotated. The water outlet component is displaced axially relative to the water inlet component and thus the water intake assembly is in an open status.

With the constant development of science and technology, refrigerators have an increasing number of additional functions. At present, there is a refrigerator with a function of providing drinking water. The refrigerator door body is provided a water dispenser. In this way, users can directly drink cold water provided by the refrigeration function of the refrigerator, thereby satisfying the user's demand of directly drinking cold water.
In the prior art, a water intake structure on a refrigerator door body generally includes a water inlet component, a valve core, a water outlet component, a sealing gasket and a pressure tongue. The water inlet component and the water outlet component are embedded with each other and a spring is arranged therebetween. The water outlet component is fixed to one end of the valve core, and the water outlet component is controlled by the pressure tongue to drive the valve core and the sealing gasket to reciprocate along the axial direction of a water outlet nozzle in order to realize the water intake function.
However, in the prior art, the pressure tongue structure of the water intake structure is complex, and the water intake structure is difficult to assemble and low in reliability. Consequently, user experience is reduced.

Refrigerator door body and refrigerator having the same


Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing a diversity of recommendations. According to one method, results are identified so as to increase the likelihood that at least one result will be of interest to a user. Following the identification of a first result, second and later results are identified based on an assumption that the previously identified results are not of interest to the user. The identification of diverse results can be based on formulas that approximate the probability or provide a likelihood score of a user selecting a given result, where a measured similarity between a given object and previously identified results tends to decrease the calculated probability approximation or likelihood score for that object.

This specification relates to identifying particular data objects for recommendation.
The interconnection of the world's computers, made possible by the Internet, makes the information in millions of data stores available at the user interface of a connected device. Along with this abundance of data comes the associated problem of locating information of interest. In order to present contextually pertinent information, computer systems often provide a list of recommended data objects or content items, for example, results identified from among some quantity of candidate data objects. The identification can use any number of identification algorithms and criteria. Search engines provide a solution to this information finding problem in cases where a user knows, at least in some respects, what she is seeking. A query that includes one or more keywords related to the information being sought is entered, and the system returns a set of results, identifying data objects from which the user can choose. Other systems can provide recommendations based on a given context. A context can be, for example, a state of a collection of user data that evidences user interests through records of past activity. For example, a news web site can recommend news articles based on user interests evidenced by past Internet browsing activity, or as another example, a shopping web site can recommend products to a user based on product pages that a user has previously chosen to view.
Often, the set of data from which a given system identifies results includes two or more highly similar data objects. That is, the result set includes multiple results that are so similar that their inclusion in the result set might be considered by a user to be redundant. This often follows from the identification methods used to select results. If a first data object identified from a set of a candidate data scores highly according to the identification method used, then a similar data object is likely to score highly as well, leading to both being included in the set of results. In some cases, where a data set has many similar data objects, similar result listings might make up a majority, or an entire set of results.
In some situations, such as, for example, a search for a certain location of a retail chain, repetitive similar listings can be desirable. In other cases, however, such repetition obscures more dissimilar results that might be of interest to the user; or where the number of results is limited, the repetitive results may push any dissimilar results out of the result set completely.

Presenting a diversity of recommendations


A laundry product is provided including a liquid concentrated detergent or fabric softening composition held in a dispensing bottle of a type not featuring a through-apertured gripping handle. The bottle includes a body having an open end terminating in a circular neck, first and second plane traversing a length of the bottle body with each bisecting the neck, the first and second planes being orthogonally oriented to one another, the first plane dividing front and rear major faces of the body into asymmetric first and second areas. A shrink sleeve is fitted over the body from a base of the neck down toward the closed end. A removable cap is fittable over the neck.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a laundry product which is a liquid concentrated detergent or fabric conditioner composition packaged within a bottle particularly suitable for dispensing the composition.
2. The Related Art
Ordinarily liquid laundry detergent products are packaged in jugs. This packaging features an aperture defining a handle area. A consumer inserts several fingers into the aperture to grip and manipulate the jug. Illustrative is US patent application 2005/0139568 (Unilever) disclosing a jug with a shrink-sleeve covering extending over a full outer surface, except for the handle area. A spout is fitted within a dispensing opening and coverable by an overcap.
A significant amount of liquid product must be dispensed for each load of laundry. Relatively large size jugs are needed to accommodate some reasonable number of washes per package of product. The large sizes require apertured handles for lifting and manipulation.
A new generation of concentrated liquid laundry products are now entering the marketplace. The same number of laundry loads can be washed with a much smaller volume of liquid. The often unwieldy jugs can now be downsized to smaller bottles. Apertured handles are no longer necessary nor readily engineered into the smaller sizes.
Liquid laundry products packaged in bottles traditionally are marked with adhesively applied local area labels. Information located on these labels include trademarks, advertising, ingredients, weights, UPC symbols, wash instructions among other writings.
A problem arises with concentrated liquids. Therein the actives such as surfactants are present at much higher levels than with non-concentrates. There can be a tendency to smear inks on the label obliterating important information relating to use and safety. Also there may be a tendency for greater residue deposition on outside bottle walls. This arises from the concentrate often being thicker and less flowable. With less water normally present, evaporation is quicker leading to deposition of sticky material on the bottle wall surfaces.
A better approach is needed in the packaging of concentrated liquid laundry or fabric conditioning compositions. Ink integrity needs to be protected and for greater aesthetic appeal errant waste liquid composition must experience greater sheeting from the bottle wall surfaces.


A wrist brace useful for therapeutic recovery and restraint of hand pronation and supination, with respect to the forearm, of approximately plus or minus 10.degree., while allowing relatively unrestricted lateral movement of said hand with respect to said forearm.

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of the provisional application number 60/016,094 which was filed on Jul. 8, 1996.
1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of restraining devices which assist in the therapeutic recovery from wrist injury brought about by trauma or strain. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved wrist restraint device which provides limited hand movement for the accomplishment of every day tasks, but restrains the wearer in such a way as to prevent extreme pronation or supination of the hand.
2. Background Information
The present invention is a distinct improvement over the prior art by virtue of its therapeutic effectiveness (restricts movement without the application of compressive force on the wrist), ease of use, combined with simplified construction which provides for ease of manufacture. Other advantages which accrue from the improved design include the ability to accomplish tasks which were not possible with the prior art, and the ability to use a single device for either the left or right hands.
The prior art was developed to assist those individuals who suffer from Cumulative Repetitive Stress Syndromes (CRSS) such as tendinitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and general tissue pain due to a lack of wrist support. The prior art has also been developed to assist individuals who, because of prior injury, suffer pain whenever they experience extreme pronation or supination of the hand. Excessive mechanical stress in the shoulders can also result from improper wrist support.
Heretofore, the prior art has tended to rigidly confine the wrist, compress the muscles of the forearm, and generally prevent pronation of the hand. However, such prior art devices are ineffective for several reasons. First, rigid confinement of the wrist makes it difficult to accomplish daily tasks. For example, typing or playing the piano, when done properly, utilize a relatively straight wrist posture. However, absolute rigidity is a hindrance and muscle weakening device, rather than a help. Small movements of the wrist are necessary to allow for normal muscular work and the extra amount of reach sometimes needed to access a particular key. Second, compression of the forearm muscles also acts to restrict movement. While such compression does act to support the wrist and confine movement, it may do so at the expense of smaller movements which do not cause pain, but are helpful in the accomplishment of tasks which require dexterity. Also, compression usually requires some type of covering which causes the forearm to sweat and accumulate bacteria and dirt. Such covering is inconvenient, psychologically and physically restrictive, and necessitates frequent removal of the covering to allow for cleaning of the skin so confined, as well as the covering itself. Finally, merely supporting the palm of the hand to prevent extreme pronation does nothing to prevent extreme supination. Some prior art devices overcome this problem by providing a small strap which is wrapped around the base of the thumb and an upper support, but the end result is that all of them use compressive force to restrict. movement, and the same device cannot be used on both the left and right hand--the supination restraining strap must be located in one place on one device for the left hand, and located in another place for a right-handed device.


A balance ring for an appliance is provided that has features to control fluid distribution particularly during certain critical speeds where large oscillatory motion created by an out of balance condition might otherwise cause the balance ring fluid to redistribute improperly. The balance ring can include an inner chamber that is in fluid communication with an outer chamber. The inner chamber can include baffles that impede the movement of fluid along the circumferential direction when e.g., the balance ring experiences large oscillatory motion.

During the operation of a washing machine, particularly during spin cycles, the machine can sometimes experience an extreme vibration. These vibrations can even cause displacement of the washing machine as it "walks" across a surface such as a floor. Typically, this event is due to the different shapes and densities of the clothing or other articles that are being washed which, after the washing cycle and draining the wash basket, can stick together and cause differences in the center of mass inside the wash basket. The vibration problem can also be caused by the introduction of relatively heavier articles into the wash basket such as e.g., shoes.
By way of example, after the washing cycle and draining of the washing liquid from the wash basket, the shoes or other, relatively heavier articles may be located on one side of the wash basket or in a manner that causes the center of mass of the combined wash basket and articles (such as the shoes, clothes, and other items being washed) to be off center. As the wash basket is rotated, particularly at high speeds, the off centering and centrifugal forces creates an imbalance that can generate undesired strain in the washing machine components, an undesirable level of noise, and/or "walking" of the appliance. In an extreme or prolonged situation, the imbalance created by the excessive vibration can also wear-out and damage the washing machine components.
As a result, in order to counter the out of balance wash load, various devices have been proposed. For example, washing machines have been equipped with balance rings, which are typically hollow rings placed on the top and sometimes bottom of the wash basket. Inside the ring (or toroid) a weight such as a fluid and/or movable metal objects such as e.g., solid balls have been inserted. During operation, the ring will act as a counterweight to the out of balance load of clothes because the fluid and/or solid balls will move to a position within the ring that counters the centrifugal forces created by the articles in the wash basket so as to balance the overall mass of the articles in the wash basket.
Thus, for balance rings that incorporate a fluid, during spinning of the wash basket the fluid must be able to redistribute so to act as a counterweight to an out of balance of mass of the articles in the wash basket. Sometimes, however, as the rotational speed of the wash basket increases during a spin cycle, one or more critical speeds (i.e. resonant modes) are reached. At these critical speeds, the translational motion of the balance ring can be severe enough distribute the fluid in a manner that prevents it from properly counteracting the out of balance wash load. In fact, the fluid may even be distributed in a manner that reinforces the tub motion.

Balance ring with features to control fluid distribution


A common-mode suppressor for eliminating common-mode noise in high frequency differential data transmission systems and an associated method includes a long coiled differential transmission line configured to transfer data between a source and a load. The differential transmission line comprises a first conductive wire and a second conductive wire which are inductively and capacitively coupled and are laterally aligned or vertically aligned with each other. Further, the differential transmission line is matched for differential signals and un-matched for common-mode noise.

In recent years there have been increasing demands for the transmission of high-frequency signals in conjunction with the diversification of electronic devices. Differential transmission/signaling is the preferred method for many high-frequency devices. Differential signaling is a method of transmitting information electrically with two complementary signals sent on, for example, two paired wires, called a differential pair. Differential signaling is also the primary choice for a low power RF interconnection because it provides superior immunity to noise by offering twice the signal swing for a given supply voltage. When differential transmission is used for the transmission of high-frequency signals, electromagnetic interference affecting external electronic devices can be reduced. Further, differential transmission can reduce the effects of electromagnetic interference from external electronic devices. However, the signal integrity of differential data transmission line/bus can be corrupted by common-mode noise. Common-mode noise can be generated by the system itself or by coupled radiation.

Common-mode suppressor based on differential transmission line


An electric camera has a camera body, a display portion for displaying information preset to the camera body, a tripod mounting screw portion provided in a bottom portion of the camera body and a cell containing portion having at least first and second stages, the first stage having a first plurality of cells so as to interpose the tripod mounting screw portion between the first plurality of cells, and the second stage having a second plurality of cells without interposing the tripod mounting screw portion between the second plurality of cells, wherein the second stage is disposed on top of the first stage, at least one side portion of the first stage is extended outwardly beyond one side portion of the second stage to be a projected portion, and the display portion is disposed immediately above the projected portion and adjacent to the one side portion of the second stage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric camera on the bottom of which a tripod mounting screw is formed to mount a tripod.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in cameras, the setting of conditions such as the shutter speed, the f-number, etc. is widely carried out by digital signals from selection buttons and an electronic dial and those contents and changes of conditions are displayed on an LCD panel or the like.
Referring to FIG. 1, an electronic dial 2 and an LCD panel 3 are provided on an upper surface 1a of a camera 1 and selection buttons 4, 5, 6 and 7 are provided on an upper surface 1b of the camera 1. The electronic dial 2 generates pulses in accordance with its rotation. When the electronic dial 2 is operated alone, the setting of a shutter speed is carried out. On the other hand, when it is operated together with one of the selection buttons 4 to 7, in accordance with the kind of selection button, e.g., the setting of an exposure correction is carried out. Those setting contents or the results of changes of conditions of the camera in accordance with the setting contents are displayed on the LCD panel 3.
On the other hand, in many cameras, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a tripod mounting screw 101 is formed in the bottom portion of a camera body 102 so as to mount a tripod. Also, in recent electric cameras, it is necessary to house cells in the camera body 102, but from the relationship between space and weight, cells 103c and 103d are contained in a bottom portion 102a of the camera body 102 so as to interpose a tripod mounting screw 101 between them.
Owing to the development of various techniques such as an AF technique, etc., functions of cameras have been increasing in number recently. As a result, operating members and display contents need to be increased in number. Particularly, it is necessary to make the display portion large to secure observability of the display contents while increasing the number of display contents. However, the sizes of cameras are limited due to miniaturization, so that it is difficult to comply with the achievement of the observability of the display contents and the increase of the numbers of operating members and display contents.
Also, when operating a lens 104, a projected portion 102b of the front surface of the camera body 102 (left side in FIG. 3) interferes with the hands of an end-user, which decreases operability.
Also, since the bar-like cells 103a to 103h and the tripod mounting screw 101 are contained in the bottom portion of the same camera body 102, an efficiency in space utilization of the bottom portion of the camera body is poor so that there is room for improvement in miniaturization of the cameras.

Camera having storage area for power source including first and second stages


A towbar with a hitch ball system is shown and described. The towbar with a hitch ball system may include a first bushing member, a second bushing member telescopingly engaged with the first bushing member, the second bushing member including at least one aperture, and a pivoting arm telescopingly engaged with the second bushing member. The towbar with a hitch ball system may also include an engagement device operatively coupled with the second bushing member, the engagement device including a pin member and an electrically-operating device, where the electrically-operating device generally aligns the pin member with the at least one aperture of the second bushing member.

A towbar with a hitch ball system is often used in association with towed vehicles, such as trailers. The towbar with a hitch ball system may be utilized to operatively connect a towing vehicle with a towed vehicle. The towed vehicle may include a coupler that operatively engages with the hitch ball of the towbar. This engagement may allow the towing vehicle to tow the towed vehicle. The engagement of the coupler with the hitch ball may allow the towing vehicle to rotate relative to the towed vehicle and vice versa. The coupler and the hitch ball may operatively engage in any appropriate manner.
In some towbar with hitch ball systems, when the hitch ball is not needed such as because no towed vehicle is operatively attached, a user may remove the hitch ball. The one shortcoming to this is that the hitch ball may get displaced and lost. Instead a fold-away system may be utilized to fold-away or rotate the hitch ball portion to an inoperative position, such as under the towing vehicle. This fold-away system may hide the hitch ball from view of the user under the towing vehicle. The fold-away option may require tight mechanical tolerances and it may not be suitable for various types of vehicles because of bumper clearance constraints.
Therefore, there is a need for the towbar with a hitch ball system having a telescopic pivoting arm with an electrically-actuating engagement device that is convenient for the user. There is a need for an engagement device that saves space. There is further a need for socket plate that does not have to be folded away nor handled separately.


A lock mechanism of a connector includes a connector body portion, a hood portion and a lock arm. The connecting portion of the lock arm is integrally connected to the hood portion at the first side, the extending portion extends from the connecting portion to the depressing portion in a first direction of fitting the mating connector into the connector body portion, and the depressing portion is arranged at a second side which is away from the mating connector than the first side in the first direction. A first slit is formed in the end wall of the hood portion, and has a width larger than a width of an interconnecting portion which connect the connecting portion of the lock arm to the hood portion, so that the first slit applies elastic deformability, corresponding to the width of the first slit, to a part of the hood portion including the interconnecting portion. A pair of protection side walls are provided respectively at both sides of the lock arm to protect the lock arm, and are separated from the lock arm, and have a height generally equal to a height of the lock arm.

This invention relates to a connector used for connecting an automotive wire harness or the like, and more particularly to a lock mechanism of a connector which has a lock arm for engagement with a retaining portion of a mating connector.
In a related connector, a lock arm of the type described has been provided on an outer surface of a hood portion for fitting on a mating connector. In this case, the height of the connector is increased by an amount corresponding to the height of the lock arm projecting outwardly from the hood portion, and this has been a barrier to the achievement of a low-height design of the connector.
On the other hand, there is known a related connector in which a lock arm is formed integrally on a hood portion, and the upper side of the lock arm is covered by a bulging wall for protecting purposes (see, for example, JP-A-2003-45566). FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the related connector disclosed in JP-A-2003-45566.
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 110 denotes a male connector, and reference numeral 120 denotes a female connector. The male and female connectors 110 and 120 are connected together, and the male connector 110 includes a connector body portion 111 for receiving terminals (not shown), the hood portion 114 which is provided around the outer periphery of the connector body portion 111, and is integrally connected by its rear end wall 112 to the connector body portion 111 such that a blind-type annular space 113 (into which the female connector 120 is fitted from the front side) is formed between the outer periphery of the connector body portion 111 and the hood portion 114, the elastic lock arm 116 which is integrally connected at its front end portion to the hood portion 114, and extends rearwardly from its front end portion in a direction parallel to a connector fitting direction, and has a depressing portion 115 for lock cancellation purposes formed at its a rear end, a lock projection 117 which is formed on a lower surface of the lock arm 116 at an intermediate portion thereof in the forward-rearward direction of the lock arm 116, and is exposed to the annular space 113, and can be engaged with a retaining portion 121 (formed by front and rear convex portions 121a and 121b) formed on the outer periphery of the female connector 120, and the bulging wall 118 which is formed outwardly of the hood portion 114 to cover a generally front half portion of the lock arm 116 to protect this lock arm 116. The retaining portion 121 of the female connector 120 is formed by the front and rear convex portions 121a and 121b spaced from each other in the forward-rearward direction.
Even in the case where the hood portion 114 and the lock arm 116 are formed integrally with each other as shown in FIG. 5, it has been difficult to achieve a low-height design of the connector (that is, to reduce the height H of the connector) since the related lock mechanism has the bulging wall 118 provided to cover the upper side of the lock arm 116 for the purpose of protecting this lock arm 116.

Lock mechanism of connector and connector


An RF coil which can restrain coupling while enhancing the freedom of design and arrangement of coils is to be provided. The RF coil unit of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is provided with a central coil surrounding a subject around its body axis, an auxiliary coil disposed toward one end of the central coil and having first loop units mutually opposed with the body axis in-between, and another auxiliary coil disposed toward the other end of the central coil and having second loop units mutually opposed with the body axis in-between, wherein one of the first loop unit and one of the second loop unit are arranged to be on mutually reverse sides with respect to the body axis and so connected that the directions of currents resulting from increases in magnetic fluxes in the same direction are in mutually reverse directions.

The present invention relates to an RF coil and a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.
Some magnetic resonance imaging apparatuses use a plurality of RF coils. Non-patent Document 1, for instance, discloses a technique according to which an auxiliary coil is disposed at both ends of a body coil in the direction of the body axis to improve reception sensitivity on end sides of the body coil. Non-patent Document 1 also suggests the use of decoupling by partly superposing the body coil and the auxiliary coils one over the other.
[Non-patent Document 1] E. B. Boskamp, "Fast drop off cylindrical RF transmit coils", Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 10 (2002), p. 874 of preliminary drafts.
However, the use of decoupling by partly superposing the body coil and the auxiliary coils one over the other not only requires complex calculations for the designing of the shape and size of the auxiliary coils and the arrangement of the auxiliary coils relative to the body coil but also the freedom of design and arrangement of the auxiliary coil is restrained.

RF coil and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine has an exhaust gas-purifying device arranged in the exhaust system of the engine. When a predetermined high load condition of the engine is detected, an amount of fuel supplied to the engine is increased. Temperature values indicative of the temperature of the exhaust gas-purifying device are stored and a stored temperature value is read out according to operating conditions of the engine. A correction coefficient for correcting the read-out temperature value is determined, and the temperature of the exhaust gas-purifying device is estimated based on the read-out temperature value and the determined correction coefficient. When the predetermined high load condition is detected and at the same time the estimated temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature value, the amount of fuel supplied to the engine is actually increased.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fuel supply control system for internal combustion engines, which operates to increase the amount of fuel to be supplied to the engine when a high load condition of the engine is detected.
2. Prior Art
A conventional fuel supply control system for internal combustion engines is generally adapted to increase an amount of fuel supplied to the engine when the engine enters a predetermined high load condition, by multiplying a basic fuel amount by a predetermined coefficient, to thereby enrich the air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine, immediately after the opening of a throttle valve of the engine exceeds a predetermined value corresponding to the predetermined high load condition, or upon the lapse of a predetermined time period (e.g. approximately 1 second) after the absolute value of pressure within the intake pipe of the engine exceeds a predetermined value corresponding to the predetermined high load condition. By virtue of this increase of the fuel supply amount, not only the engine output can be increased in the high load condition, but also the combustion temperature of the engine can be lowered to prevent a rise in the temperature of an exhaust gas-purifying device (catalyst) arranged in the exhaust system of the engine, to thereby prevent the catalyst from being deteriorated or damaged by heat.
Further, a fuel supply control system of this kind is known, e.g. from Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 53-8427, which increases the fuel supply amount by terminating air-fuel ratio feedback control when the pressure of intake air supplied to the engine continuously exceeds a predetermined value over a predetermined time period, to thereby obtain a high engine output and maintain good performance of the catalyst when the engine is in a high rotational speed and high load condition in which an increased intake air amount is supplied to the engine.
According to the conventional fuel supply control systems, however, when it is determined that the engine is in a high load condition, the increase of the fuel supply amount is carried out even if the catalyst temperature is low and does not reach a value at or above which the catalyst can be deteriorated or damaged by heat. This is disadvantageous in respect of exhaust emission characteristics and fuel economy.

Fuel supply control system for internal combustion engines


The present disclosure is directed to a method for reactivating a co-cured film layer disposed on a composite structure, the method comprising applying a reactivation treatment composition comprising at least two solvents and a surface exchange agent comprising a metal alkoxide or chelate thereof to the co-cured film layer, and allowing the reactivation treatment composition to create a reactivated co-cured film layer, wherein the co-cured film layer was previously cured at a curing temperature greater than about 50° C. A reactivated co-cured film layer and an aircraft part having a reactivated co-cured film layer are also provided.

Many components, for example, vehicle, aerospace (e.g., aircraft and the like), and other components, are constructed of strong but light-weight composite materials that help to minimize the overall weight of the structure, e.g., an aircraft. These composite materials often comprise carbon reinforcement fibers distributed within a polymeric matrix.
Commercial aerospace and vehicle manufacturers often desire to mark or brand the aircraft or vehicles with information or indicia (e.g., model numbers, company names, company logos, or other decorational or informational markings, including words, numbers, lettering, and designs of any sort). Marking, however, has proven challenging with respect to parts made from composite materials. Painting or printing on these composite structures often causes an increase in manufacturing process times, such as paint operation flow time, thus increasing costs and time required to manufacture the part. In some cases, the part may include complex three-dimensional curvature(s), which may be difficult to print on.
In addition, maintaining desired flow characteristics over coated or painted aircraft surfaces, for example coated or painted on the wings or tail of an aircraft, may be challenging. In order to avoid impact on desired boundary layer characteristics during flight, there are allowable criteria for paint edges and waviness. There may also exist restrictions for three-dimensional surface discontinuities, such as those that may occur from inclusions caused by debris, dust, or dry coating overspray, as well as from multiple layers of applied paint, for example paint in multiple colors to create a design or distinguish lettering.
Known methods and systems exist for applying airline designs on exterior surfaces of an aircraft. For example, such known methods and systems may include building up coating or paint layers on either a primer layer or a basecoat field color layer using tape and/or masking techniques. These known methods and systems for applying airline designs on an exterior surface of an aircraft may make it difficult to meet or maintain aerodynamic performance requirements, such as requirements for coating or paint edge angles or coating or paint edge peaks that help to ensure a preferred aerodynamic performance.
Accordingly, marking processes that reduce processing time and/or expense while providing adequate color and designs in addition to a smooth, aerodynamic surface may be used. Such marking processes may include, for example, the use of co-curable films, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018/0345646, incorporated by reference herein. Nonetheless, co-curable films may still present difficulties during many types of manufacturing operations. For example, typically the surface of co-cured film layers that have been previously cured to a composite structure does not permit for good adhesion of additional coating layers. Therefore, conventional treatment of co-cured films for the application of additional coating layers includes sanding in order to reactivate the surface of the co-cured film layer such that an additional layer, such as an additional paint coating or a topcoat, may be applied. Manual sanding methods, however, can be labor intensive, create ergonomic concerns, produce sanding debris, use consumables for sanding operations, and increase time in the factory. Therefore, current methods of preparing a co-cured surface for the application of an additional coating layer may lack economic and production efficiencies.
There is thus the need for the development of surface treatment of co-cured film layers to improve adhesion of additional layers to the co-cured film layer while minimizing problems of commercial viability, health, and safety.


Imaging sensors having dual-port for digital readout to pipeline readout processes of two different groups of pixels.

This disclosure is related to semiconductor imaging devices and techniques, and more specifically, to semiconductor imaging arrays with integrated analog-to-digital converters.
A typical semiconductor imaging sensor includes a pixel array of photosensors and associated controlling and processing circuits. An optical image captured by the imaging sensor is first converted into analog electrical signals and then processed by the processing circuits in either analog mode or digital mode. In the digital mode, one or more analog-to-digital converters ("ADCs") may be used to convert the analog signals into a digital representation of the image.
The digital readout of the imaging sensors may be delayed by the limited bandwidth and limited transfer speed of the readout bus. Such readout delay can be particularly prominent when the number of pixels is large.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Semiconductor imaging sensor array devices with dual-port digital readout


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for management of parking spaces in a parking area. Identifying an individual entering a parking area and a vehicle in the parking area that corresponds to the identified individual. Determining a distance between the identified individual and the identified vehicle in the parking area. Determining whether the identified individual is moving toward the identified vehicle. Responsive to determining that the identified individual is moving toward the identified vehicle, determining whether the determined distance is less than an associated distance threshold condition. In another embodiment, detecting a parking ticket entering the parking area and identifying an individual and a vehicle in the parking area that correspond to the detected parking ticket.

A parking area (i.e., parking lot, car park, parking garage, car lot, etc.) is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Parking areas can be of many varying sizes, and can be intended for use by varying types of vehicles (e.g., cars, bicycles, motorcycles, industrial vehicles, etc.). Depending on a location or an intended use, use of a parking area can be free of charge, or require payment of a fee. Many instances of parking areas that require payment of a fee utilize a ticketing system. Upon entry to a parking area, an individual in a vehicle can receive a ticket from an attendant working in the parking area, or an automated ticketing system. In an example, the ticket can indicate the time that the vehicle entered the parking area. Before exiting the parking area, the individual in the vehicle pays a required fee (e.g., to the attendant working in the parking area, or to the automated ticketing system utilized by the parking area), corresponding to the amount of time the vehicle was parked in the parking area. In another example, the ticket can indicate an amount of time the vehicle is entitled to park in the parking area (dependent on the amount of fee paid).

Prediction of free parking spaces in a parking area

International Business Machines Corporation


An airbag inflator comprises a housing having an interior and gas outlet ports communicating with the interior and open to outside the housing. First and second divider walls separate at least two gas chambers from the interior. A pressurized combustible gaseous mixture is stored in each gas chamber. An initiator is disposed within each gas chamber and actuatable to ignite the pressurized combustible gaseous mixture.

The present invention relates to an inflator for an inflatable airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system.
In vehicle occupant restraint systems, an airbag is inflatable by an inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source stored in an airbag inflator upon a collision.
Various types of inflators for vehicle inflatable airbags are well known. Among them, one type of inflators include a housing, a solid gas generant filled in the housing, a heat-producing material enclosed in the gas generant, an ignitor material disposed at one end portion of the housing, and a filter disposed between the housing and the gas generant. A plurality of gas outlet,ports are formed in a circumferential wall of the housing. The solid gas generant is a material thermally decomposable to generate an inflation gas for inflating the airbag. For instance, the solid gas generant is sodium azide thermally decomposable to generate a nitrogen gas as indicated by the following formula: EQU NaN.sub.3 .fwdarw.Na+3/2.multidot.N.sub.2
The ignitor material is a pyrotechnic, for example, a powdery mixture of zinc perchlorate and potassium perchlorate, which is adapted to ignite in response to an electrical signal generated upon a vehicle collision. The heat-producing material is, for example, a pyrotechnic including boron potassium nitrate powder. The heat-producing material increases heat generated by the ignition of the ignitor material to thermally decompose the solid gas generant. The filter is provided for cooling the inflation gas resulting from the thermal decomposition of the solid gas generant and for trapping solid products which are generated by the thermal decomposition together with the inflation gas, to prevent the by-products from entering the airbag and a vehicle occupant compartment.
In this type of the inflator, it takes a relatively long period of time from ignition of the ignitor material in response to the electrical signal to generation of the inflation gas from the gas generant. The inflator of such type is required to use a sensor for reducing the relatively long period of time, which influences other components of the inflator. In addition, by the reason of using the ignitor material to cause the thermal decomposition of the gas generant, the conventional type of the inflator has a substantial limitation with respect to the arrangement or layout of components accommodated within the housing. This leads to a limited configuration of the housing.
Meanwhile, there is a demand to provide an airbag inflator adapted to control a timing of discharge of gas from the inflator depending upon various factors such as severity of the vehicle collision, position of the occupant, size of the occupant's body, and the like.


This invention is a new approach for the image watermarking in the wavelet transform domain based on sequency of the host and watermark image. For each sub-band a first transform level of the host image is thresholded and binarized. Sequencies of thresholded and binarized data host image are compared with sequencies of the discrete wavelet transformed watermark image to form a watermarking sequency mask. The watermarked wavelet domain data is formed by combining data elements of the discrete wavelet transformed host image with corresponding data elements of the wavelet transformed watermark image as filtered by the watermarking mask. A reverse process can extract the watermark with a high degree of accuracy even after attack upon the watermarked host image.

Watermarking of the multimedia contents is of prime importance for claiming and establishing ownership. An image watermark is data added to the image data. This added data is included in such a way that the image quality is not degraded. Later extraction tools may be applied to the image data to recover the watermark. The recovered watermark is evidence of the original ownership claim to the image.
Most of watermarking techniques are vulnerable to the attacks or are poorly extracted after the attacks. Images are very common in multimedia contents and need a robust watermarking scheme that can withstand the attacks and at the same time have a recognizable extracted watermark.
In recent years, image watermarking has been a very active area of research and industry. Various techniques have been used for image watermarking in the spatial domain, the transform domain and the spread spectrum domain.

Image watermarking based on sequency and wavelet transforms


A textile coated with a clear fused resin characterized in that when the textile is stressed the resin fractures and the textile exhibits a worn look.

A current fashion is to use textiles for wearing apparel which textiles appear to have been already used, such as stone washed and acid washed denims.
Broadly the invention comprises a coated textile and a method of making the coated textile. The textile exhibits a worn look when stressed The threads of the textile are coated with a clear fused resin. As used herein, `clear` means free of cloudiness, haziness, muddiness or the like. Also, the fused resin is colorless when viewed by the human eye. Although, for some applications color or tint can be desirable. The fused resin does alter slightly the refractive index of the textile and in some fabrics can result in a slightly darker color. Preferred textiles are those designed for outdoor apparel, footwear, luggage and accessories.
The resin is applied to the textile such that the threads do not loose their definition That is, the individual threads are coated but a thin uniform continuous film is not formed on the textile When the fused resin is stressed, such as by creasing, crushing or abrading the textile by hand or machine, the fused resin internally fractures, changing its optical characteristics such that its appearance changes from clear to opaque. As used herein, `opaque` means the stressed resin imparts a stonewashed or worn look to the fabric as those terms are understood in the art. Depending upon the ultimate look that is desired by the apparel manufacturer, the locations of the stressed areas and the degree of stress applied, i.e. slightly to very worn will vary. The textiles treated are commercially available, nylons, polyesters, cotton polyester blends. Surprisingly, the application of the coating does not affect the wear resistance, moisture vapor transmission, water repellency or flexibility (hand) of the fabric.


A dehumidification system includes a first dehumidification unit having an outdoor air cooling heat exchanger, a second dehumidification unit using two adsorption heat exchangers such that an air passage is switched, and a third dehumidification unit having an adsorption rotor. Low-temperature low-humidity air cooled and dehumidified in the second dehumidification unit is supplied to the third dehumidification unit to reduce energy for recovery of the third dehumidification unit and to realize energy conservation in the dehumidification system and reduction in cost of the dehumidification system.

Conventionally, dehumidification systems each configured to supply dehumidified air to the inside of a room have been known. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose the dehumidification systems of this type.
Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe the configuration in which, in an air passage, three adsorption rotors are arranged in series and in three stages. The air passage includes an air supply passage for supplying outdoor air processed by the adsorption rotors to the inside of the room, and an air discharge passage for discharging indoor air to the outside of the room. Each adsorption rotor is disposed so as to extend over both of the air supply passage and the air discharge passage, and is rotatable about a rotary shaft interposed between the air supply passage and the air discharge passage.
The adsorption rotor is configured such that moisture contained in air flowing through the air supply passage adsorbs onto the adsorption rotor and therefore the air is dehumidified. Moreover, the adsorption rotor is configured to be recovered by dissipating moisture to air flowing through the air discharge passage. In the air discharge passage, an air heater configured to heat air is provided so that the heated air can be used for recovery of the adsorption rotor. When the amount of moisture adsorbing onto part of the adsorption rotor increases, the adsorption rotor rotates to move such a part to the air discharge passage. After the adsorption rotor is recovered by dissipating the moisture, the adsorption rotor is re-used for adsorption. According to the foregoing configuration, low-humidity air flowing through an air passage for adsorption is continuously supplied to the inside of a room, and dehumidifies the inside of the room. Moreover, heated indoor air is used for recovery of the adsorption rotor, and then is discharged to the outside of the room.
Since outdoor air passes through the adsorption rotor three times, air supplied to the inside of the room has a low dew point, and therefore can be used as air (i.e., air having a dew point of about −50° C.) supplied to, e.g., a dry clean room where lithium-ion batteries are manufactured. In the system of this type, it is often the case that the adsorption rotors are arranged in two stages.


An electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell includes: a proton conductive material in which hollow inorganic fine particles having through-holes on the surface of the hollow inorganic fine particles, are filled with an electrolyte resin; and a non-proton conductive polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fuel cells directly convert chemical energy into electric energy by supplying a fuel and an oxidizing agent to two electrodes that are electrically connected and electrochemically inducing oxidation of the fuel. By contrast with thermal power generation, fuel cells are not affected by the limitations of Carnot cycle and, therefore, demonstrate a high energy conversion efficiency. A fuel cell is usually configured by stacking a plurality of unit cells containing as a basic structure a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) in which an electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. Among such fuel cells, fuel cells of a solid polymer electrolyte type (PEFC) that use a solid polymer electrolyte membrane as the electrolyte membrane attracted attention as power sources, in particular, for portable devices and movable bodies, because such fuel cells have a number of advantages including the easiness of miniaturization and operability at a low temperature.
In a fuel cell of a solid polymer electrolyte type, when hydrogen is used as a fuel, a reaction represented by Equation (1) below proceeds at an anode (fuel electrode).H2→2H++2e−  (1)
Electrons generated according to Equation (1) perform a work in an external load via an external circuit and then reach a cathode (oxidizing agent electrode). Protons generated according to Equation (1) move by electro osmosis from the anode to the cathode inside the solid polymer electrolyte membrane in a state of hydration with water.
Further, when oxygen is used as an oxidizing agent, a reaction represented by Equation (2) below proceeds at the cathode.2H++(½)O2+2e−→H2O  (2)
Water generated at the cathode mainly passes through a gas diffusion layer and is discharged to the outside. Thus, fuel cells are clean power generating devices producing no wastes other than water.
A polymer electrolyte membrane that can operate in a temperature range of fuel cells of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane type that are usually used is composed of a proton conductive material of an organic polymer type that has a polymer in a basic skeleton or main chain. Dimensional changes such as expansion and contraction of the membrane during water absorption and desorption and the occurrence of heat-induced creep or thermal shrinkage is a problem associated with such polymer conductive materials. In the operation environment of fuel cells, the water and heat balance is known to change frequently due to a load or external environment, and dimensional changes of the membrane caused by such changes can shorten the electrolyte service life. This is one more very serious problem associated with the presently available polymer conductive materials of an organic polymer type.
On the other hand, an electrolyte membrane combining an inorganic proton conductor and a non-proton conductive polymer has been suggested, this electrolyte membrane being different from the above-described electrolyte membrane using a proton conductive material of an organic polymer type. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-289051 (JP-A-2002-289051) disclosed a proton conductive membrane including a metal oxide hydrate represented by a tungsten oxide hydrate or a tin oxide hydrate and a non-proton conductive polymer in order to maintain stable proton conductivity and mechanical strength even at a temperature equal to or greater than 100° C., which is heat resistance limit of fluorine-containing electrolyte membranes.
The proton conductive membrane disclosed in JP-A-2002-289051 has stable proton conductivity at a high temperature and under low-humidity conditions when used as an electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell. However, as compared with Nafion, which is an organic polymer of related art, the proton conductivity value is by itself insufficient under operation conditions (temperature, humidity) at which the power generation efficiency is the best for a fuel cell. Further, the invention of JP-A-2002-289051 is not concerned with dimensional stability of electrolyte membranes.

Electrolyte membrane for fuel cell having hollow inorganic fine particles

National University Corporation Shizuoka University


An exemplary responsive training device for responding to user interaction with the device can be provided. For example, the responsive training device can be configured with a surface enclosing a compressible body. The responsive training device can further embed at least one sensor configured to sense a deformation of the compressible body and to generate a sensory output to a controller. The responsive training device can also embed a controller configured to control at least one transponder. Furthermore, the exemplary responsive training device can embed at least one transponder configured to provide an audio output and/or a visual output as a function of the sensor output.

Training, exercise or rehabilitation is a continuous process and a reoccurring routine for many people. A wide range of devices has been developed to assist or strengthen the output of each training pass.
For example, a broad range of interactive training devices which instruct the user in how to perform the exercises have been developed. The interactive portion of such training device can often comprise a screen which displays a pattern that the user has to follow or mirrors the user's movements. By mirroring the user on a screen, the user may adjust the way in which the exercises are performed such that the exercises are performed correctly. By displaying a pattern or an animated figure, the interactive devices may instruct and guide the user through an exercise routine on the number of repetitions to be performed of each training exercise and how fast it should be performed. Hence, the emphasis can be on instructing or guiding the user, and the interaction may comprise a one-way dialogue from the screen to the user in case of the displayed pattern or the displayed mirroring of the user on the screen. In particular, these devices typically require that a screen is connected to the training device, and that it is important for the user to keep focus on the screen for an intentional use of the devices.
Interactive devices without external screens have also been developed in which music or light is a way of communication to or with the user. Such further devices may include devices which instruct the user on an exercise routine by the number of repetitions to be performed of each exercise or how fast the exercise should be performed by playing music with a rhythm corresponding to the rhythm by which the user should perform the exercises. The devices may comprise predefined programs aimed for muscle build-up or cardio-vascular training, where light, music or instructions are provided from the device to the user on which exercises to perform, repetition rate, time left of the program and so forth. The emphasis can often be on instructing the user, and the communication is provided from the machine to the user. Thus, such devices are not interactive with the user, and thus, they do not adapt to the ability of the user due to a one-way communication from machine to user.
International Publication WO 2001/008755 describes an interactive exercise device which combines some of the abovementioned aspects. This publication discloses a substantially flat exercise mat which guides the user according to a predetermined exercise program. If the exercise is not performed correctly, the user is required to start the exercise again, and to initialize the exercise mat.
The exercise mat of such publication comprises a grid with labeled or targeted areas and the user's performance is monitored by use of a grid of capacitance contact sensors to monitor if and which targeted area is activated by the user. Thus, the exercise mat of such publication is basically a binary sensor grid, and the use thereof is for determining if exercises are correctly performed according to a predetermined program. A further feature disclosed in International Publication WO 2001/008755 is to measure the presence of a limb in the close vicinity of the mat for correctly performed exercises. This is achieved by using a capacitance contact sensor with a screen partially around the sensor element, which constrains the spatial construction of the mat.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0113731 describes another example of the exercise mat. Such mat guides the user to perform certain predetermined exercises. In contrast to International Publication WO 2001/008755, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0113731 describes that the user is guided by sound or light, i.e., the mat lights up the next position of the hand, foot or other limb. The disclosed exercise mat of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0113731 has a built-in sensor which is believed to be a contact sensor. Thus, similar to the mat described in International Publication WO 2001/00875, the disclosed exercise mat of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0113731 is believed to be a binary sensor grid.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0290360 describes yet another interactive exercise device, i.e., a ball with built-in motion sensor. Such ball arrangement interacts with the user in relation to the detected movement as compared to a built-in logic of how the movement is desired. This exercise device of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0290360 focuses only on movement detection.
Another group of training devices are responsive training devices or athletic equipment with biofeedback. These devices return a device response generated by a user input, and encompass athletic equipment such as a ball responsive to acceleration, club or racquet responsive to applied force by the user, pressure-responsive boxing ball or a ball responsive to impact applied by a user via user's hand or a racquet held thereby. The feedback or response is often presented as numbers submitting measured data for statistical purposes. However, these devices also include certain equipment that returns a sound which the user recognizes as a measure of, for example, applied impact facilitated as one response to one user input. Thus, the devices which respond with numerical output are well suited for statistical purposes, and subsequent evaluation of training passes. However, for in-use purposes, these devices are not well-suited, as the user has to relate to numerical data during the training pass and keep their focus on such information. For devices returning a sound response, the user receives an immediate response to his/her interaction with the device, and may adjust their use of the device immediately. Nonetheless, contrary to the previously-mentioned devices, these devices do not guide or instruct the user on how to proceed or progress further in the remaining training pass. One example may be the sports impact measuring apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,271. The apparatus described in this U.S. patent comprises a deformable resilient support suitable for receiving impacts and means for measuring and indicating a value describing the characteristics of the impact. Such apparatus comprises external visual arrangement for displaying the characteristics of the impact and is particularly suited for measuring the characteristics of blows performed by athletes, and thus a high-impact use, where a response indicating the level of impact is important.
In general, the majority of responsive training devices are developed for users with a basically normal functionality and/or already trained persons, and thus, the use of these devices require a certain level for mobility and physique. A further example of a responsive training device is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0221137. The training device described in this publication is designed as an American style football comprising various sensor means for measuring the use of the device, especially the rotation. The device also comprises a pressure sensor particularly for measuring the inflation level of the football device such that the pressure can be adjusted according to the rules of American football. The response is generally given as an optical response, especially light emitting device(s) such that the thrower of the football receives an immediate response to the use thereof.
Additionally, other responsive devices include responsive punching toys, as described in U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0212762, which discloses a toy that responds to a user punch or blow with an audio response. The sensor is a switch-type or piezo type but used as a switch-type sensor. The toy has no training effect and is intended for venting frustration or aggression.


A scintillation detector (10) includes a scintillation crystal (14) and a shock absorbing member (76) circumscribing the crystal (14). A sleeve (98) circumscribes the shock absorbing member (76) which, in turn, is circumscribed by a housing (12). The sleeve (98) provides for substantial controlled radial loading on the crystal (14). A method of manufacturing the detector (10) includes placing the crystal (14) and shock absorbing member (76) into the sleeve (98), compressing the sleeve 98 and inserting the compressed sleeve (98) into the housing (12) such that the sleeve (98) substantially maintains its compression. The radial stiffness causes vibration induced counts to occur at an excitation frequency which is above the operational bandwidth of the radiation measurements, thereby excluding vibration induced counts for radiation measurements.

Scintillation detectors have been employed in the oil and gas industry for well logging. These detectors have used thallium activated sodium iodide crystals that are effective in detecting gamma rays. The crystals are enclosed in tubes or casings to form a crystal package. The crystal package has an optical window at one end of the casing which permits radiation induced scintillation light to pass out of the crystal package for measurement by a light sensing device such as a photomultiplier tube coupled to the crystal package. The photomultiplier tube converts the light photons emitted from the crystal into electrical pulses that are shaped and digitized by associated electronics. Pulses that exceed a threshold level are registered as counts that may be transmitted "uphole" to analyzing equipment or stored locally.
The ability to detect gamma rays makes it possible to analyze rock strata surrounding the bore holes, as by measuring the gamma rays coming from naturally occurring radioisotopes in down-hole shales which bound hydrocarbon reservoirs. Today, a common practice is to make measurements while drilling (MWD). For MWD applications, the detector must be capable of withstanding high temperatures and also must have high shock resistance. At the same time, there is a need to maintain performance specifications.
A problem associated with MWD applications is that the detector will report a higher than an actual count rate if the scintillation crystal package produces vibration induced light pulses. The harsh shock and vibration conditions the detectors encounter during drilling can cause a crystal package to emit spurious light pulses in addition to gamma ray induced light pulses. That is, the detector output will be composed of radiation induced counts and vibration induced counts. Heretofore, the detector electronics could not distinguish the vibration induced counts from the genuine gamma counts, whereby the detector reports a higher than actual count rate. The problem is more severe when detecting low level radiation events while the detector is being subjected to a very severe dynamic operational environment.
Some prior art electronic solutions have attempted to filter out vibration induced counts by discriminating on the basis of the pulse shape and/or the signal decay time. These techniques, however, have proven unreliable.

Scintillation detector with sleeved crystal boot


The present subject matter describes a browser for efficiently presenting and browsing a large digital photograph collection. The browser includes a graphical interface—referred to as a time quilt—that combines a wrappable timeline with a space filling layout. Thumbnails representing individual images or clusters of images are laid out chronologically in columns, from top to bottom. When the bottom of a column is reached, a new column is started to the right of the existing column(s). Semantic zooming is used wherein zooming in on a thumbnail image that represents a cluster renders thumbnails of images in the cluster when the thumbnails of the images can be rendered in a legible size. Tiered zooming is also described, which is semantic zooming on multiple levels—representative thumbnails give way to clusters of representative thumbnails that each represent an image or a cluster of images.

As digital photography becomes more ubiquitous, people are finding themselves with huge digital image collections that are increasingly harder to manage. Specifically, browsing digital image collections requires significant time and manual effort. Usually, a digital image collection is organized according to digital image metadata, which typically consists only of a date that the image was taken. Organizing digital photographs in a timeline according to image dates is somewhat efficient, but using a timeline to present the digital photographs does not make efficient use of a display area. Other techniques that emphasize space savings methods manage to maximize screen space but fail to effectively convey temporal order.


A liquid crystal display includes a light source for emitting light, a first substrate, a second substrate parallel to and facing the first substrate, and a plurality of pixel units formed between the first substrate and the second substrate. At least one pixel unit comprises a reflecting element disposed on the first substrate for reflecting light from the light source, and a photo-sensing element, formed on the second substrate, for outputting a sensing parameter based on light reflected from the reflecting member. Each reflecting element is extended out of the first substrate and faces to one of the plurality of photo-sensing elements. A position of the force applied on the first substrate is determined by detecting a variation of the sensing parameter outputted by the photo-sensing element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and particularly relates to a touch-control liquid crystal display.
2. Description of Prior Art
More and more advanced-function displays have found their applications in current consumer electronic products. In particular, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) having a high-resolution color screen are more widely applied in various electronic devices, such as televisions, mobile phones, personal digital assistances (PDAs), digital cameras, desktop computer screens, and notebook computer screens.
To facilitate portability and usage of these devices, the LCDs with an LCD touch panel to allow direct touch by the users have become the trend in the LCD market. Conventional resistor type or capacitor type LCD touch panels, which are configured by disposing additional resistors or capacitors on the panels, determine the coordinate positions of touch-points by detecting the voltage variation at the touch positions. However, since the resistors and capacitors are directly disposed on the panels, light transmittance through the LCD panel will be decreased and the overall thickness of the LCD panel will be increased. Another type of LCD touch panel, called an optical touch panel, is configured by disposing a large amount of light sources and corresponding optical detecting elements around an LCD panel. The position of a touch-point is determined when determining the position of an optical detecting element has failed to receive light rays from a corresponding light source. Although this design would not decrease the overall light transmittance through the panel, the product size is significantly increased.
Accordingly, a touch-control LCD with detecting elements incorporated into a touch panel thereof is desirable to decrease the weight and volume of the LCD and thus meets the compact demand of the LCD market.

Liquid crystal display with a liquid crystal touch panel having photo-sensing elements