Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for compensating for a voice packet loss, which are used to compensate for a lost voice packet. The method in the embodiments of the present invention includes: extracting a pitch period from received voice data when a lost frame is detected; calculating a backward phase of a last received frame of normal voice data; calculating a forward phase of the lost frame according to the backward phase; capturing, from the received data, data whose last frame is with a same phase as the forward phase, as compensation data.

In a transmission process on an Internet Protocol (IP, Internet Protocol) network, a voice packet is generally transmitted in an unreliable transmission mode to ensure real-time data transmission. For example, the use of a User Datagram Protocol (UDP, User Datagram Protocol) transmission mode makes a packet loss inevitable. How to reduce deterioration of voice quality caused by a network packet loss is an important research topic in the field of voice data transmission over IP networks.
In the prior art, the following two solutions are generally used:
Solution 1 is a packet redundancy technology: Multiple copies of a same packet are sent at a transmit end; and original data can be completely recovered at a receive end, provided that one copy of the data is not lost.
Solution 2 is a technology of synthesizing a previous frame and a next frame: According to a frame before a packet loss and a frame after the packet loss, two frames of predicted data are separately generated by using a linear prediction method, and then transitive processing of hybrid weighting and smooth interpolation is performed for the two frames of data.
However, in the prior art solution 1, it is required to send multiple copies of a same packet, and consequently network bandwidth consumption multiplies, and network performance may deteriorate. In addition, a network packet loss may occur abruptly and last for a continuous period, and the multiple sent copies of data may be all lost. As a result, the lost packet still cannot be recovered at a receive end, thereby degrading voice quality and further causing a delay due to the packet loss. While in the prior art solution 2, a compensation packet is obtained by synthesizing a previous frame and a next frame, and compensation can be performed only when the next frame of data is received. If consecutive packet losses occur, the compensation is ineffective, thereby causing a relatively long delay.

Method and apparatus for compensating for voice packet loss


The present invention relates to a process for dehydrochlorinating polyvinylchloride polymers to remove about 30 wt % chlorine therefrom by heating the starting materials PVC and deoxygenated liquid water, preferably neutral liquid water at temperatures from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water at autogenous pressure to maintain the water as a liquid phase. The process has utility in recycling by enabling PVC to be dechlorinated specifically by a means that does not release chlorine gas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conversion process for removing chlorine from polyvinylchloride polymer resins.
2. Discussion of Related Art
PVC resins find widespread use in industrial and construction applications. These polymers are not biodegradable and, thus, form an undesirable component of waste streams. In addition, the chlorine component of PVC forms a toxic, corrosive contaminant in many processes. Hence, it is desirable to have it removed or its effects neutralized so that the PVC may be processed more safely.

Process for improving biodegradability of PVC


A compound represented by general formula (I) has a strong Axl inhibitory activity by introducing a distinctive bicyclic structure in which a saturated carbon ring is fused to a pyridone ring, and can be a therapeutic agent for Axl-related diseases, for example, cancer such as acute myeloid leukemia, melanoma, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and glioma, kidney diseases, immune system diseases, and circulatory system diseases.

Axl (also known as: UFO, ARK, Tyro7) is a receptor tyrosine kinase belonging to a TAM family (Axl, Mer and Tyro3) cloned from tumor cells. Gas6 (growth-arrest-specific protein 6) cloned as a gene specifically expressed at the time of cell proliferation arrest is known as a ligand for Axl. Axl activated by binding of Gas6 transfers a signal via phosphorylation. Since the signal activates an Erk1/2 pathway or a PI3K/Akt pathway, the activation of Axl is known to be involved in pathologic conditions of cancers, immune system diseases, circulatory system diseases, and the like (see, Non-Patent Literature 1).
In particular, the relation between Axl and various types of cancers is well known. For example, it is known that the expression of Axl is involved in metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer (see, Non-Patent Literature 2), and that Axl is involved in the pathologic conditions of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (see Non-Patent Literature 3). Therefore, it is considered that compounds which inhibit the activation of Axl are useful for treatment of various type of cancers, immune system diseases, and circulatory system diseases.
By the way, as prior art of the compound of the present invention, a compound represented by general formula (A):
(wherein AA represents C—R10A and N; BA represents C—R11A and N; DA represents heterocycles of the following general formulae, and the like.
(wherein R1A, R4A, and R88A are independently —H, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —OH, —NH2, —OCH3, —OC2H5, or the like; R2A and R3A are independently —R88A or the like; R5A and R6A may be the same as each other or different from each other, and represent —H, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —CN, —NO2, —CH3, or the like; R7A, R8A, R10A, and R11A may be the same as each other or different from each other, and represent —H, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —CN, —NO2, —CH3, or the like; R9A represents —H or the like; R12A represents —CN, phenyl, or the like; R13A represents —H, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —CN, —NO2, —CH3, or the like; R14A represents —H, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —NO2, —CN, or the like (where the definitions of the groups are excerpted)) is known to be an Axl inhibitor (see, Non-Patent Literature 1).
Furthermore, a compound represented by general formula (B):
(wherein EB and GB are independently a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group optionally substituted with one to six R19B, a C6-11 aryl group optionally substituted with one to six R19B or the like; XB represents N or C—R4B; YB represents N or C—R1dB; DB represents —O—, —S—, —NH— or the like; WB represents CH or N; RaB, RbB, RcB, RdB, R1aB, R1cB, R1dB and R4B independently represent a hydrogen atom, —OR110B, or the like; R19B represents a halogen atom, —CN, or the like; and R110B represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group optionally substituted with one to six R129B (where the definitions of the groups are excerpted)) is known to be an Axl inhibitor (see Patent Literature 2).
On the other hand, a compound having a quinoline skeleton and represented by the following general formula (C):
is known to have an ASK1 inhibitory activity, and be an agent for preventing and/or treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (see Patent Literature 3).
Furthermore, a compound represented by general formula (D):RD—XD—WD—YD—R1D  (D)(wherein RD represents
or the like; TD represents phenyl or the like; ZD represents N or CR7D; WD represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, substituted or unsubstituted 6-membered nitrogen-containing heteroaryl or the like; XD represents O, S, S(═O), or the like; YD represents —NRaD C(═O)—(CR3DR4D)p— or the like; RaD represents, a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or the like; and R1D represents
or the like; J2D represents O or CR4aDR4aD; QD represents 1- to 5-membered saturated or partially unsaturated alkyl chain or the like; R1D represents optionally substituted phenyl or may be fused to optionally substituted 5- to 6-membered heterocycle; R3D and R4D each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or the like; R4aD is absent or represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or the like (where the definitions of the groups are excerpted)) is known to be a c-Met inhibitor (see Patent Literature 4).
Furthermore, a compound represented by general formula (E):
(wherein R1E, R2E and R4E independently represent H, F, Cl, Br, I, CN, OR10E C1-C12 alkyl, or the like; LE represents a C3-C12 carbon ring, C6-C20 aryl, or the like; R5E represents —C(═YE)R13E, —C(═YE)R10ER13E, —NR10EC(═YE)R13E, or the like; R10E represents H, C1-C12 alkyl, a C3-C12 carbon ring, a C2-C20 heterocycle, or the like; R13E represents H, C1-C6 alkyl, or the like; and YE represents O or S (where the definitions of the groups are excerpted)) is known to be a c-Met inhibitor (see Patent Literature 5).
However, any of the prior art literatures neither mention nor suggest that a quinoline derivative as a compound of the present invention, having a bicyclic structure in which a saturated carbon ring is fused to a pyridone ring, represented by the following structural formula.
has a significant Axl inhibitory activity.


A carpet tape seam applicator for use in the installation of carpet pieces which abut to form the seam, the applicator including a pair of U-shaped bracket portions pivotally mounted together and intersecting at a substantially right angle with a removable spindle adjacent the pivot carrying a roll of carpet tape, a pair of rollers at one end to contact the floor surface where the tape is being applied, and a centrally located arm extending rearwardly from the opposite bracket portion. The arm has a laterally curved surface to conformably receive the handle of a heat bonding iron to heat the glue on the tape and activate the glue so that the carpet edges of the abutting pieces can be pressed down onto the tape as the applicator passes thereover. The central arm and handle of the heat bonding iron are easily gripped by the installer for ease of operation.

Where carpet of the wall-to-wall variety is being installed in homes, offices, stores, hotels, restaurants and other buildings by carpet installers, many of the areas to be carpeted are larger than the standard nine, twelve, fifteen or eighteen foot widths for rolls of carpet. When this occurs, installers are required to join abutting sections of carpet together with seams which either are manually sewn together or utilize special carpet tape having glue on one tape surface in a dry form; the seams being substantially invisible to provide the appearance of an uninterrupted piece of carpet. Using carpet tape, the tape is manually positioned under the seam to overlap both carpet edges where they abut and heat is then applied to the tape by the installer in the form of a heat bonding iron or other heating tool to activate the glue; the edges of the carpet sections being then manually pressed downward onto the tape and activated glue to thereby bind the seams. As can be seen from this description, the joining of the seams of carpet with the tape is slow and requires considerable time by a skilled installer. Also, the operations of cutting the carpet, stretching the carpet and securing the edges of the carpet at the intersection of the wall and floor require substantial time.
In some installations, a double-faced carpet tape is utilized for the installing and positioning of the carpet sections onto a floor, especially where carpet is being laid over a concrete floor. The double-faced tape has a pressure-sensitive adhesive on both surfaces and one surface of the tape is covered with a non-adhesive backing material to allow the tape to be easily separated while on the roll. Thus, the tape is applied with the exposed adhesive side down onto the surface that is to receive the carpet, the non-adhering backing material is removed from the tape, and the carpet is pressed onto the tape and adheres thereto.


A chuck mechanism operates a piston in a cylinder tube by using action of compressed air and opens and closes, by using a rod coupled to the piston, a pair of fingers, thereby gripping work W. The locking mechanism locks the fingers at work grip positions. The locking mechanism includes a first locking member, a second locking member, and a drive device. The first locking member is displaced when the pair of fingers are opened or closed. The second locking member retains the first locking member so as to lock the fingers at the work grip positions. The drive device relatively displaces the first locking member and the second locking member to locking positions and non-locking positions.

Air chucks that open and close, by using action of compressed air, a pair of fingers to grip work are known as disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 to 3. Generally, these air chucks include an air cylinder mechanism disposed in a body, and the pair of fingers are disposed outside the body such that the pair of fingers are able to be opened and closed. A piston of the air cylinder mechanism is operated by the action of the compressed air, and a rod coupled to the piston displaces the pair of fingers. Thus, the work is gripped between the pair of fingers so as to be redirected or transported to another location.
However, with the related-art air chucks, when supply of the compressed air is stopped due to some cause while the work is gripped by the fingers, the gripping force of the fingers is lost. As a result, the work is moved or dropped. The movement or dropping of the work is likely to lead to damage to the work or damage or the like to devices around the work. In addition, the movement or dropping of the work is very dangerous to operators.

Air chuck provided with locking mechanism


A damper mechanism 4 has an input rotary member 2, a hub flange 6, a large coil spring 8 and a friction generating mechanism 5. In a state in which the input rotary member 2 is twisted to one side in the rotational direction with respect to the hub flange 6, the friction member is pressed in the rotational direction against the hub flange 6 in a state in which at least part of the friction member has been elastically deformed in the relational direction, so that the friction member and the hub flange 6 function as an integral member in the rotational direction. In a state in which the input rotary member 2 is twisted to one side in the rotational direction with respect to the hub flange 6, the friction member is capable of relative rotation with respect to the hub flange.

A clutch disk assembly used in a vehicle has a clutch function for engaging with and disengaging from a flywheel, and a damper function for absorbing and damping torsional vibration from the flywheel. Typical vibrations encountered with vehicles include idling noises (clattering), driving noises (acceleration and deceleration rattling, muffled noises), and tip-in and tip-out (low-frequency vibrations). The damper function eliminates these noises and vibrations.
Idling noises are those that sound like a clattering generated from the transmission when the shifter is put into neutral at a stoplight or the like, and the clutch pedal is released. The cause of these noises is that the engine torque is low, and torque fluctuates considerably during engine combustion near the engine idle speed. At such times the input gear and counter gear of the transmission clash.
Tip-in and tip-out (low-frequency vibrations) are large vibrations along the length of the chassis, produced when the accelerator pedal is suddenly pressed or released. If the power transmission system is low in stiffness, torque transmitted to the tires will be transmitted back from the tires, and this reverberation generates excessive torque at the tires, and this results in longitudinal vibration that strongly shakes the chassis back and forth transiently.
With idling noises, close to zero torque is problematic in the torsional characteristics of the clutch disk assembly, and it is therefore better for the torsional stiffness to be low. On the other hand, with tip-in and tip-out longitudinal vibration, the torsional characteristics of the clutch disk assembly must be made as solid as possible.
To solve the above problem, a clutch disk assembly has been proposed in which two-stage characteristics are attained by using two types of spring members. Here, torsional stiffness and hysteresis torque are kept low in the first stage of the torsional characteristics (the region of low torsion angle), which is effective in preventing noises during idling. Since the torsional stiffness and the hysteresis torque are kept high in the second stage of the torsional characteristics (the region of high torsion angle), tip-in and tip-out longitudinal vibration can be sufficiently damped.
Furthermore, there is a known damper mechanism with which minute torsional vibrations are effectively absorbed without operating a large friction mechanism for the second stage when the minute torsional vibrations are inputted, such as those caused by combustion fluctuation in the engine, in the second stage of the torsional characteristics.
In order for no large friction mechanism to be operated for the second stage when the minute torsional vibrations are inputted, such as those caused by combustion fluctuation in the engine, in the second stage of the torsional characteristics, it is necessary to ensure a gap of a specific angle in the rotational direction between a spring member with high torsional stiffness and the large friction mechanism in a state in which the spring member with high torsional stiffness has been compressed.
The angle of this gap in the rotational direction is very small (only about 0.2° to 1.0°, for example), and it is present at both the second stage on the positive side, where an input plate (input rotary member) is twisted to the drive side in the rotational direction (positive side) with respect to a spline hub (output rotary member), and the second stage on the negative side, where the twist is to the opposite side (negative side).
In particular, since the structure constituting the gap in the rotational direction was achieved in the past by the same mechanism at both the positive second stage and the negative second stage, this rotational direction gap was always generated on both the positive and negative sides of the torsional characteristics, and furthermore the magnitude of the angle was the same.
However, there are cases when it is preferable for the size of the rotational direction gap to be different on the positive and negative sides of the torsional characteristics, according to the characteristics of the vehicle, and it is also conceivable that it might even be preferable not to provide the above-mentioned rotational direction gap on one side of the torsional characteristics.
More specifically, on the negative side of the torsional characteristics, the above-mentioned rotational direction gap is necessary in order to lower the peak of vibration at the resonant rotational speed during deceleration. However, with a front-wheel drive vehicle, a resonance peak often remains in the practical rotational speed band, and if the above-mentioned rotational direction gap is ensured on the positive side of the torsional characteristics, this will adversely affect the noise and vibration performance near the resonant rotational speed.
In view of this, a damper mechanism has been proposed that has a gap for generating low hysteresis torque with respect to minute torsional vibration on only the negative side of the torsional characteristics (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2002-266943, for example).
However, to obtain a structure having a low hysteresis torque generating gap on just one side of the torsional characteristics, many extremely small friction washers or cone springs are necessary. Accordingly, the number of parts increases, and assembling the parts entails more labor. Specifically with a conventional damper mechanism, employing the above-mentioned structure drives up the manufacturing cost.


A water sprayer and heater assembly for windshield wiper is disclosed to include a controller; a water container connected between a water supply pipe and a water spray tube at the windshield wiper, a water pressure switch electrically connected to the controller and set in communication between the water supply pipe and the water inlet of the water container, and an electric heater mounted in the water container and electrically connected to the controller and controllable by the controller to heat water in the water container when a flow of water passes from the water supply pipe through the water pressure switch into the water container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water sprayer for windshield wiper and more particularly, to a water sprayer and heater assembly for windshield wiper.
2. Description of the Related Art
When driving a car during a snowing day, the windshield wipers may have to be operated to remove snow from the windshield glass. When operating the windshield wipers, a water sprayer is controlled to spray cold water out of the windshield wipers over the windshield glass for quick removal of accumulated snow. However, sprayed cold water may be soon frozen on the surface of the windshield glass, hindering the operation of the windshield wipers.

Water sprayer and heater assembly for windshield wiper


A method of transmitting orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) signals includes transmitting, at a first transmitter of a network, a first stream of data having a first number of symbols over a first time interval using a first set of one or more OFDMA subcarriers. At a second transmitter of the network, a second stream of data is transmitted having a second number of symbols over a second time interval, different in duration than the first time interval and overlapping the first time interval. The second burst of data is transmitted using a second set of one or more OFDMA subcarriers. The first time interval and first set of subcarriers define a first time-frequency grant, the second time interval and second set of subcarriers define a second time-frequency grant, and the first and second time-frequency grants are granted by a network coordinator node of the network.

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems are prevalent today. Typically, in an OFDMA system, the signals of several different users (i.e., entities that wish to communicate over the communication system) will each be assigned one or more unique subcarriers. Each subcarrier is generated and transmitted in a manner that allows all of the subcarriers to be transmitted concurrently without interfering with one another. Therefore, independent information streams can be modulated onto each subcarrier whereby each such subcarrier can carry independent information from a transmitter to one or more receivers.
In one current OFDMA system described in the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) industry standard, MoCA 2.0 network coordinators (NCs) (sometimes referred to as network controllers) coordinate synchronous OFDMA transmissions for upstream reservation requests. That is, each participating/requesting network node is scheduled to simultaneously transmit a preamble of a respective message, followed by a payload of the corresponding message that is transmitted simultaneously. Each node transmits on its own set of subcarriers, with a set of subcarriers defining a logical subchannel.
MoCA may be implemented in the context of a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) broadband network 150 shown in FIG. 1A. HFC network 150 includes a fiber optic network 151 and a coaxial network 152. The fiber optic network 151 includes a transport ring 153, including a head-end node 154, one or more distribution hubs 156 (shown as hubs 156a and 156b in this example), and a cable modem termination system (CMTS) 158 for connection to one or more fiber optic nodes 160 (shown as fiber optic nodes 160a and 160b in this example; sometimes referred to as optical nodes) that provide an interface between the fiber portion 151 and coaxial portion 152 of the network 150. Each optical node 160 includes a receiver 161 and a transmitter 162 that provide communications in downstream and upstream directions, respectively, as denoted by arrows 163 and 164. The downstream direction typically corresponds to point-to-multipoint (i.e., broadcast) communications, and the upstream direction typically corresponds to multipoint-to-point communications. Receiver 162a converts the downstream-directed optically modulated signal originating from the transport ring 153 to an electrical signal for distribution to customers 180 (e.g., homes 180) in a network 170, which may be a residential network. A trunk RF amplifier 172 and one or more line RF amplifiers 174 may be used to increase signal strength. Transmitter 161a provides upstream communications from customers 180 to the head-end 154 on a return path.
Referring to FIG. 1B, in a known OFDMA transmission technique, time-frequency slots that are two-dimensional intervals in time-frequency space are granted to transmitters T1 and T2, respectively, which may correspond to respective nodes of residential network 170. T1 is granted a first set of one or more logical subchannels 110a, and T2 is granted a second set of one or more logical subchannels 110b, with T1 granted more bandwidth in this example. Time intervals are granted on the basis of fixed time duration, which may correspond to a given number of symbols (e.g., 20 symbols). Two time intervals 120a and 120b of equal duration are shown in this example. The transmission schedule is synchronous in this example, and the time-frequency slots conform to a periodic grid.
Each data stream (e.g., packet) that is sent starts transmission at the same time so that the preambles of packets sent by respective transmitters are aligned in time. In this example, packets 132 and 142 are sent at the same time (i.e., at the start of time interval 120a) so that their respective preambles 133 and 143 are aligned in time. However, packets may have different lengths, e.g., due to differing lengths of respective payloads 134 and 144. Therefore, if a shorter packet (e.g., packet 132) is sent on one set of subchannels (e.g., subchannels 110a), and a longer packet (e.g., packet 142) is sent on another set of subchannels (e.g., subchannels 110b), the subchannels on which the shorter packet was sent will be padded or idle, waiting for the completion of the transmission of the longer packet, as shown by idle interval 122. Additional packets may be sent in the next time interval 120b.
In particular, in a network where all upstream traffic is destined for a network coordinator (NC), the beginning and end of various packet transmissions may not align precisely. This misalignment may be due by different nodes transmitting packets of various lengths (e.g., from 64 to 1518 bytes each). Alternatively, this misalignment may be due to different nodes transmitting over separate subchannels with differing bit loadings and subchannel widths. For example, a first node may be required to transmit its packets over subchannels corresponding to narrower bandwidth than a second node. The first node may use a lower-order bit loading than the second node in order to improve the fidelity of the transmission. Since the system is constrained to synchronous OFDMA, a node with a short packet (destined for the NC) might have to wait for another node to finish transmitting a long packet (also destined for the NC) before the two nodes could synchronously transmit respective their preambles and new payloads, limiting flexibility and efficiency.

Method and apparatus for asynchronous orthogonal frequency division multiple access


The invention provides the use of a solvent selected from the group consisting of alkoxybenzenes and alkyl substituted alkoxybenzenes in reducing the contact resistance in an organic thin film transistor comprising a semiconductor layer comprising a blend of a small molecule semiconductor material and a polymer material that is deposited from a solution of said small molecule semiconductor material and said polymer material in said solvent and novel semiconductor blend formulations that are of particular use in preparing organic thin film transistors. Said solvents yield devices with lower absolute contact resistance, lower absolute channel resistance, and lower proportion of contact resistance to the total channel resistance.

Transistors can be divided into two main types: bipolar junction transistors and field-effect transistors. Both types share a common structure comprising three electrodes with a semiconductive material disposed therebetween in a channel region. The three electrodes of a bipolar junction transistor are known as the emitter, collector and base, whereas in a field-effect transistor the three electrodes are known as the source, drain and gate. Bipolar junction transistors may be described as current-operated devices as the current between the emitter and collector is controlled by the current flowing between the base and emitter. In contrast, field-effect transistors may be described as voltage-operated devices as the current flowing between source and drain is controlled by the voltage between the gate and the source.
Transistors can also be classified as p-type and n-type according to whether they comprise semiconductive material which conducts positive charge carriers (holes) or negative charge carriers (electrons) respectively. The semiconductive material may be selected according to its ability to accept, conduct, and donate charge. The ability of the semiconductive material to accept, conduct, and donate holes or electrons can be enhanced by doping the material. The material used for the source and drain electrodes can also be selected according to its ability to accept and inject holes or electrons. For example, a p-type transistor device can be formed by selecting a semiconductive material which is efficient at accepting, conducting, and donating holes, and selecting a material for the source and drain electrodes which is efficient at injecting and accepting holes from the semiconductive material. Good energy-level matching of the Fermi-level in the electrodes with the HOMO (Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital) level of the semiconductive material can enhance hole injection and acceptance. In contrast, an n-type transistor device can be formed by selecting a semiconductive material which is efficient at accepting, conducting, and donating electrons, and selecting a material for the source and drain electrodes which is efficient at injecting electrons into, and accepting electrons from, the semiconductive material. Good energy-level matching of the Fermi-level in the electrodes with the LUMO (Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital) level of the semiconductive material can enhance electron injection and acceptance.
Transistors can be formed by depositing the components in thin films to form thin film transistors. When an organic material is used as the semiconductive material in such a device, it is known as an organic thin film transistor.
Various arrangements for organic thin film transistors are known. One such device is an insulated gate field-effect transistor which comprises source and drain electrodes with a semiconductive material disposed therebetween in a channel region, a gate electrode disposed over the semiconductive material and a layer of insulting material disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductive material in the channel region.
An example of such an organic thin film transistor is shown in FIG. 1. The illustrated structure may be deposited on a substrate (not shown) and comprises source and drain electrodes 2, 4 which are spaced apart with a channel region 6 located therebetween. An organic semiconductor 8 is deposited in the channel region 6 and may extend over at least a portion of the source and drain electrodes 2, 4. An insulating layer 10 of dielectric material is deposited over the organic semi-conductor 8 and may extend over at least a portion of the source and drain electrodes 2, 4. Finally, a gate electrode 12 is deposited over the insulating layer 10. The gate electrode 12 is located over the channel region 6 and may extend over at least a portion of the source and drain electrodes 2, 4.
The structure described above is known as a top-gate organic thin film transistor as the gate is located on a top side of the device. Alternatively, it is also known to provide the gate on a bottom side of the device to form a so-called bottom-gate organic thin film transistor.
An example of such a bottom-gate organic thin film transistor is shown in FIG. 2. In order to show more clearly the relationship between the structures illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, like reference numerals have been used for corresponding parts. The bottom-gate structure illustrated in FIG. 2 comprises a gate electrode 12 deposited on a substrate 1 with an insulating layer 10 of dielectric material deposited thereover. Source and drain electrodes 2, 4 are deposited over the insulating layer 10 of dielectric material. The source and drain electrodes 2, 4 are spaced apart with a channel region 6 located therebetween over the gate electrode. An organic semiconductor 8 is deposited in the channel region 6 and may extend over at least a portion of the source and drain electrodes 2, 4.
The conductivity of the channel can be altered by the application of a voltage at the gate. In this way the transistor can be switched on and off using an applied gate voltage. The drain current that is achievable for a given voltage is dependent on the mobility of the charge carriers in the organic semiconductor in the active region of the device (the channel region between the source and drain electrodes). Thus, in order to achieve high drain currents with low operational voltages, organic thin film transistors must have an organic semiconductor which has highly mobile charge carriers in the channel region.
There are various compound types that have been developed in recent years that are potentially suitable for use as the semiconductive material in organic thin film transistors. One such class of particular importance is the so-called small molecule semiconductors. These are non-polymeric semiconducting organic molecules. Typical examples include pentacene derivatives and thiophene derivatives.
Although small molecule semiconductor materials can exhibit high mobilities due to their highly crystalline texture (particularly as thermally evaporated thin films) it can often be difficult to obtain repeatable results from solution processed films due to their poor film forming properties. Issues with material reticulation from and adhesion to substrates, film roughness and film thickness variations can limit the performance of these materials in devices. Film roughness can be a further problem for top-gate organic thin film transistor devices, as the accumulation layer is formed at the uppermost surface of the semiconductor layer.
To overcome this problem, the use of semiconductor blends consisting of small molecules and polymers has been developed. The motivation for using such blends is primarily to overcome the poor film forming properties of the small molecule semiconductor materials. Blends of small molecules with polymers exhibit superior film forming properties to the small molecule component due to the excellent film forming properties of polymer materials.
A few examples of such blends (semiconductor-semiconductor or semiconductor—insulator) in the literature include Smith et. al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol 93, 253301 (2008); Russell et. al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol 87, 222109 (2005); Ohe et. al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol 93, 053303 (2008); Madec et. al., Journal of Surface Science & Nanotechnology, Vol 7, 455-458 (2009); and Kang et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol 130, 12273-75 (2008). Another example is WO 2005/055248, which discloses the preparation of organic thin film transistors in which the semiconductor layer is a blend of a pentacene derivative with a semiconductor binder such as a poly(triarylamine) or poly(9-vinylcarbazole) deposited from a solution thereof in a solvent. The solvent used in one of the examples is anisole. However, there is no disclosure or suggestion in WO 2005/055248 that its use would reduce contact resistance.
Chung et al, Thin Solids Films, published online Mar. 6, 2010, discloses the preparation of organic thin film transistors in which the semiconductor layer is a blend of TIPS-pentacene with a poly(triarylamine) deposited from a solution thereof in a solvent. The solvent used in one of the examples is anisole. The authors discuss some properties resulting from the use of different solvents to deposit the blend, such as enhanced morphology and charge mobility in the channel region. However, there is no correlation between the disclosed properties and contact resistance.
The prior art relating to semiconductor small molecule-polymer blends has focused on improving the charge mobility and on good stability. Selection of the semiconductor material(s) and their ratios in the blend in order to optimise the field effect mobility has been the major area of concern. No research has been conducted into the solvent selection to reduce contact resistance in devices incorporating semiconductor blends.
The contact resistance in organic thin film transistors is a crucial parameter to minimise (ideally eliminate), particularly for short channel length devices (<20 μm), where this resistance can contribute a significant proportion to the total channel resistance in the device. The higher the contact resistance in the device, the higher the proportion of the applied voltage is dropped across this and, as a result, the lower the bias across the channel region is achieved. A high contact resistance has the effect of a much lower current level being extracted from the device due to the lower bias applied across the channel region, and hence lower device mobility.
Minimising the contact resistance is particularly important in devices incorporating high mobility semiconductor materials, as the channel resistance is lower (high conductivity) than that observed in for example amorphous phase polymer semiconductors alone at the same channel length. This is therefore of particular importance for semiconductor materials comprising crystalline materials that exhibit high mobilities. For small molecule materials such as benzothiophene derivatives and pentacene derivatives a low solubility is found (0.4% w/v limit) and a poor film quality is also found. Above this concentration, the material will form a crystalline precipitate in the host solvent. In this case adding a polymer semiconductor becomes important from the point of view of increasing the solution viscosity to improve film formation and to act as a binder to ensure a continuous film is obtained spanning from the source to drain electrodes. The polymer semiconductor exhibits a high solubility in the same solvents (above 2% w/v).
Conventionally, the contact resistance in organic thin film transistors is reduced solely by applying surface treatment layers to the source and drain electrodes prior to depositing the semiconductor film or by changing the metal to a higher work function metal as necessary to inject charges to the HOMO level (for a p-type material). Such treatment layers (typically self assembled monolayers applied from solution or vapour phase) are used to produce a dipole layer at the metal surface to effectively shift the work function of the source and drain contacts to align with the HOMO level in the semiconductor and therefore reduce the barrier for charge injection from metal to the semiconductor.
In some instances, these methods alone are not sufficient to minimise the contact resistance. There is a need to find additional ways of reducing the contact resistance of organic thin film transistors comprising semiconductor blend layers.

Low contact resistance organic thin film transistors


A method of separating mixed wireless signals is provided. The method includes receiving, at an antenna comprising a first quantity of antenna elements, mixed signals comprising a mixture of source signals communicated from a second quantity of wireless signal sources, and separating the mixed signals to estimate the source signals. The second quantity is greater than the first quantity, and the source signals communicated from at least one of the wireless signal sources are received at the antenna as complex signals.

The separation of mixed signals is a common problem in wireless communications, particularly in urban environments in which many signal sources (such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants, for example) are transmitting and receiving wireless communications. Often the number of signal sources exceeds the number of sensors, or antenna elements, which receive the wireless signals from such signal sources. This is commonly referred to as an overloaded case, or an overloaded antenna array. Current techniques which attempt to separate mixed signals in an overloaded case are limited in that they cannot deal well with complex signals, such as multi-path signals, for example. In addition, such techniques are useful only with very small antenna arrays, such as arrays consisting of two elements. Further, antenna arrays often must be calibrated and/or have prior knowledge of the particular wireless signals within the relevant wireless environment.
Thus, there is a need for systems and methods that can separate mixed complex signals into the individual componenet source signals in an overloaded case and for larger antenna arrays. In addition, it would be advantageous for such systems and methods to act in a "blind" manner—in other words, without having prior knowledge of the wireless signals within the relevant wireless environment.

System and method for separating signals received by an overloaded antenna array


Provided is a method for producing a carbon nanotube, wherein a catalyst for carbon nanotube production comprising a powdery catalyst supporting a metal on magnesia and having a bulk density of 0.30 g/mL to 0.70 g/mL, in a vertical reactor, is disposed over the whole area in a horizontal cross section direction of the reactor, in such state a carbon-containing compound flowed in a vertical direction inside the reactor is contacted with the catalyst at 500 to 1200° C., thereby carbon nanotubes of uniformity and high quality are efficiently synthesized in a large amount.

A carbon nanotube has a tubular shape that one face of graphite is wound, one wound in one layer is called a single-walled carbon nanotube, one wound in two layers is called a double-walled carbon nanotube and one wound in multilayer is called a multi-walled carbon nanotube. Since a carbon nanotube has high mechanical strength and high electrical conductivity, it has been expected as an anode material for fuel cells and lithium secondary batteries, and as materials composed of composite materials with resin, metal and organic semiconductors for high strength resins, conductive resins, transparent conductive films, metal electrolytic powders, ceramic complexes and electromagnetic shielding materials. Further, since a carbon nanotube has a large L/D (length/outer diameter ratio) and an outer diameter of several nm, it has been expected as materials for a scanning tunnel microscope probe, field electron emission source and nano-pincette. Further, since a carbon nanotube has a nanosized space, it has been expected as adsorption materials of hydrogen etc., as materials of nanocapsule for medical purpose and MRI contrast agent. In any application, a carbon nanotube of high purity is required, and a single-walled or double-walled carbon nanotube with a small outer diameter is advantageous. Further, a carbon nanotube with few defects in graphite layer is excellent in characteristics.
As a method for producing carbon nanotubes, an arc discharge method, laser evaporation method, chemical vapor deposition method and the like are known. Above all, as a method for producing carbon nanotubes with few defects in graphite layer and high quality inexpensively, a catalyst chemical vapor deposition method is known. In the catalyst chemical vapor deposition method, there is known a method where a catalyst is supported on a support.
Non-patent document 1 reports a synthesis method of double-walled CNT using magnesia having mesoporous pores as a support, methane as a carbon source, and cobalt as a metal. However, as a reactor, a horizontal type is used, thus it is difficult to synthesize a lot of carbon nanotubes efficiently.
The present inventors have found that a method of contacting a catalyst that a metal is supported on a support with a carbon-containing compound at high temperature is a method for obtaining carbon nanotubes of high quality at high yield. Further, conventionally, carbon nanotubes are synthesized by disposing a catalyst in a horizontal reactor, but the present inventors have found that by using a vertical reactor, a raw gas can be contacted uniformly with a catalyst to react efficiently (Patent document 1). Synthesis of carbon nanotubes using a vertical reactor is also disclosed in Patent document 2.    Non-patent document 1: Chemical Physics Letters 368 (2003), 299-306    Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-123505    Patent document 2: Tokuhyo Application No. 2006-511437 (Japanese translation of PCT publication)

Process for producing carbon nanotube and catalyst for carbon nanotube production


Reinforcement preform of knitted fibers for a carbon or the like component such as an airfoil guide vane. A junction between adjacent sections of the finished article of the preform is formed with a buttonhole. In assembly, the reinforcement for one of the sections is passed through the buttonhole. In this way stresses can be better transmitted to a base section with reduced risk of tearing or delamination.

Conventional techniques of manufacturing carbon and glass fiber reinforced articles have used labor intensive wet layup or prepreg techniques using layers of woven cloth or matt. In attempts to speed up the process the reinforcing fibers have been chopped up and mixed with one of the components of a catalyst-cured resin system thereby allowing the fibers to be injected into a molding die. The latter process while being quick and easy to handle suffers a fundamental drawback. The random orientation of the reinforcing fibers produces a cast structure of uniform strength in all directions but which is of inadequate strength in areas of high stress. While the layup and prepreg techniques can be used to provide the necessary strength, results may vary and these are inefficient and unsuitable for economic production.
Reinforcement preforms can be knitted in the same way as socks and gloves. The basic preform is then folded and tacked or stitched together before being loaded into a die to be impregnated with injected resin. This arrangement still provides a component in which the reinforcement lacks sufficient strength in regions of lateral stress, such as at a junction between two orthogonal sections. This invention seeks to overcome this drawback.


Some embodiments provide a non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores a program. The program presents a selectable user interface (UI) item for toggling between operating in a first mode and operating in a second mode. The program further presents a chart visualization that includes a plurality of selectable data points. Upon receiving a touch input while operating in the first mode, the program also performs a first operation on the chart visualization. Upon receiving the touch input while operating in the second mode, the program further performs a second, different operation on the chart visualization.

Software applications may be deployed in a number of different ways. For example, some applications are deployed as web-based application. Typically, web-based applications are hosted on one or more computing devices and are accessible via networks (e.g., the Internet). Some such applications provide visualizations that may be interacted with by a user. In some instances, a user may interact with a visualization of the web-based application using a computing device and pointing device (e.g., a computer mouse, a trackball, a touchpad, etc.). A user may use a pointing device to provide different inputs to perform different operations on the visualization. Using a simple bar chart visualization as an example, a user may use a pointing device to hover the pointer over a bar in order to provide additional information associated with the data represented by the bar. A user may also use a pointing device to select (e.g., left-click, right-click, double-click, etc.) a bar in order to inspect the data represented by the bar. Many different functions are possible through different inputs.


Combination of a bone drill and a sleeve, whereby the combination comprises a receiving space for bone chips between the sleeve and the bone drill when the bone drill is inserted in the sleeve

To enable a histological assessment, however, a tissue sample of a single piece is required. Three variants are distinguished here. The taking of bone marrow, soft tissue or hard tissue.
Bone marrow is successfully removed with a hollow tube that can have many variants. Soft tissue from bone (e.g. in the event of malignant soft tissue) is done by a soft tissue biopsy system.
But to take a tissue sample that only consists of bone tissue, such as for example from the cortex of the bone or a tumour that consists purely of bone, a bone drill, also called a bone drill needle, is required.
The known bone drills generally only yield small tissue fragments, or scrapings, that present little coherence. As a result, it is difficult to determine the structure of the bone.
Improvements are known from FR 2.625.429 and GB 2.164.277 for example, that describe bone drills that are tubular and thereby have an internal cavity in which a larger, more or less intact, tissue sample can be located, so that a high-quality examination of the bone can be done.
However, the known bone drills have the disadvantage that when implementing a bone biopsy, bone chips or bone flakes are formed. These can spread in the body of the person undergoing the bone biopsy, which can lead to undesired complications, such as the spread of cancer tissue through the body.


The current disclosure is directed to a method for determining an improved design for a progressive spectacle lens. Further, there are provided a method for manufacturing a progressive spectacle lens, a system for determining an improved design for a progressive spectacle lens, a non-transitory computer program and a progressive spectacle lens.

In the context of the present disclosure a plurality of terms are used which shall be defined as follows:
Design for a progressive spectacle lens means in the context of the present description a mathematical representation of the overall surface geometry of the progressive spectacle lens, i.e. a mathematical representation of the geometries, relative position and relative orientation of the front surface (i.e. that surface of the spectacle lens intended to be fitted away from the eye) and the back surface (i.e. that surface of the spectacle lens intended to be fitted nearer to the eye) of the progressive spectacle lens as well as the refractive index of the progressive spectacle lens. In particular, the design may comprise the thickness of the lens at least at one point. Preferably the design may comprise the thickness distribution across the entire spectacle lens. The refractive index of the lens may comprise the refractive index, in particular the refractive index distribution, of the material of the spectacle lens. The refractive index, in particular the refractive index distribution, may be given for a reference wavelength, i.e. a reference design wavelength. Furthermore, the design may comprise fitting parameters, for example inset, cornea vertex distance, pantoscopic angle, wrap angle or face form angle, far design reference point and/or near design reference point, which provide for the positioning of the front and back surfaces relative to the eye. Preferably, the geometry of the progressive spectacle lens is given by a coordinate system having its origin at the center of rotation of the eye.
Design optical power distribution of the progressive spectacle lens means in the context of the present description the distribution of optical power across the progressive spectacle lens (with the above design) as perceived by the wearer's eye when looking through the progressive spectacle lens assuming a predetermined position and orientation of the progressive spectacle lens in front of the wearer's eye as well as a predetermined model for the distances and positions in space for a plurality of objects viewed by the wearer in front of the wearer's eye. In case the design optical power distribution in the context of the present description is called an initial design optical power distribution the lower-order aberrations (LOAs) of the wearer's eye and the lower-order aberrations (LOAs) of the progressive spectacle lens are taken into consideration, only. Taking into consideration the lower-order aberrations (LOAs) of the wearer's eye, only, means that the initial design optical power distribution of the progressive spectacle lens is based on the assumption that the wearer's eye is free of higher-order aberrations (HOAs).
Aberrations are the result of differences in optical path length between an ideal spherical wavefront that would result in a perfect focus through an optical system, e.g. in the present case a spectacle lens and the eye of the wearer of the spectacle lens. Aberrations are often categorized by their radial order, which indicates the dependence of the aberration on pupil size or lens aperture size.
The optical components of the human eye suffer from both "lower-order" and "higher-order" aberrations. The lower-order aberrations of interest to the correction of vision are actually a subset of the lower-order aberrations, referred to as the "second-order" aberrations. Second-order aberrations vary as a function of the square of the distance of the center of the pupil or the aperture. These aberrations are typically corrected with an eyeglass prescription that includes a spherical power component, a cylindrical (or astigmatic) power component and an axis component that describes the orientation of the cylindrical power. Lower-order aberrations mean in the context of the present description first- and second-order aberrations.
Higher-order aberrations mean in the context of the present description wavefront aberrations that vary as a cubic or higher order function of the distance from the center of the eye's pupil or (spectacle) lens' aperture.
There are a plurality of possibilities to describe the lower-order and higher-order aberrations using different series expansions (see e.g. R. R. Shannon, The Art and Science of Optical Design, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1997, pp. 164-355; V. N. Mahajan, Optical Imaging and Aberrations, Part I, Ray Geometrical Optics, SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham Wash. U.S.A., 1998, pp. 158-163; U.S. Pat. No. 8,757,800 B2; U.S. 2011/0255052 A1). In particular, a Taylor series expansion (see e.g. R. Blendowske et al, An Analytical Model Describing Aberrations in the Progression Corridor of Progressive Addition Lenses, in Optometry and Vision Science, Vol. 83, No. 9, September 2006, pp. 666-671; U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,985,767 B2; 8,757,800 B2; U.S. 2011/0255052 A1), Zernike polynomials (see e.g. R. Blendowske et al, An Analytical Model Describing Aberrations in the Progression Corridor of Progressive Addition Lenses, in Optometry and Vision Science, Vol. 83, No. 9, September 2006, pp. 666-671; V. N. Mahajan, Optical Imaging and Aberrations, Part I, Ray Geometrical Optics, SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham Wash. U.S.A., 1998, pp. 158-163; Dai et al., Wavefront Propagation from one Plane to another with the use of Zernike Polynomials and Taylor Polynomials, Applied Optics, Optical Society of America, Vol. 48, Issue 3, 2009, pp. 477-488; Gross et al., Handbook of Optical Systems, Vol. 1 to 6, Wiley VCH Publishing, Weinheim, 2007, ISBN: 978-3-527-40382-0; U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,985,767 B2; 8,757,800 B2; 8,992,013 B2; U.S. 2011/0255052 A1), Chebyshev polynomials (US 2011/0255052 A1) or a wavefront defined by Seidel aberrations (U.S. Pat. No. 8,757,800 B2; U.S. 2011/0255052 A1) may be used to describe aberrations (see e.g. R. R. Shannon, The Art and Science of Optical Design, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1997, pp. 224-225).
The progressive spectacle lens can either be a prescription progressive spectacle lens, having been designed and fabricated based on a previously acquired prescription from an individual wearer, or a stock progressive spectacle lens, having been designed and fabricated based on assumptions related to a standard or average wearer, and the respective design can be a prescription progressive spectacle lens design or a stock progressive spectacle lens design corresponding to the second-order correction for the aberrations of the eye of the wearer.
Optical power means in the context of the present description the capacity of a spectacle lens or optical surface of the spectacle lens to change the curvature or direction of incident wavefronts by refraction as is e.g. defined in sec. 4.10 of DIN EN ISO:2013-10. In case of reference to a specific optical surface of the spectacle lens, the term surface optical power is used. The optical power of the progressive spectacle lens may be expressed in terms of prismatic power and respective base, spherical power, astigmatic power and respective axis or equivalents thereof. The term optical power is synonymously used to the term "as-worn" power as defined in sec. 9.11 of DIN EN ISO 13666:2013-10.
Taking into consideration the lower-order aberrations (LOAs) of the progressive spectacle lens, only, means in the context of the present description that the distribution of the spherical power and the distribution of the astigmatic power and respective axis (or equivalents thereof) are taken into consideration, only, when designing the progressive spectacle lens.
Perceived optical power distribution means in the context of the present description the distribution of optical power across the progressive spectacle lens as perceived by the wearer's eye when looking through the progressive spectacle lens assuming a predetermined position and orientation of the progressive spectacle lens in front of the wearer's eye as well as a predetermined model for the distances and positions in space of a plurality of objects viewed by the wearer in front of the wearer's eye and taking into consideration the lower-order aberrations (LOAs) and the higher-order aberrations (HOAs) of the wearer's eye and the lower-order aberrations (LOAs) and the higher-order aberrations (HOAs) of the progressive spectacle lens. Taking into consideration the lower-order aberrations (LOAs) and the higher-order aberrations (HOAs) of the wearer's eye means that the optical power distribution of the progressive spectacle lens is based on the assumption that the wearer's eye is not free of higher-order aberrations (HOAs). The optical power related to the perceived optical power distribution of the progressive spectacle lens is still expressed in the same terms as used in relation to the design optical power distribution, namely in terms of prism and base, spherical power, astigmatic power and respective axis or equivalents thereof (see e.g. sec. 9.11 of DIN EN ISO 13666:2013-10). Ways of calculation of these values, namely prism and base, spherical power, astigmatic power and respective axis or equivalents thereof, can be found in U.S. 2008/0231802 A2, in particular paragraphs [0062] and [0063].
The terms design optical power distribution and perceived optical power distribution in the context of the present description do not only comprise the absolute values indicated above but also comprise design optical power error distribution and perceived optical power error distribution, respectively, i.e. the deviations from values being required for full correction. In particular the examples described in detail in the following referring to the attached Figures relate to astigmatic error distributions, only.
Design optical power error distribution for a progressive spectacle lens means in the context of the present description the distribution of optical power errors across the progressive spectacle lens as perceived by the predetermined wearer's eye when looking through the progressive spectacle lens assuming a predetermined position and orientation of the spectacle lens in front of the wearer's eye as well as a predetermined model for the distance of an object viewed by the wearer in front of the wearer's eye. In particular, the optical power errors are the spherical error and the distribution of the astigmatic power error and respective axis or equivalents thereof.
While it is customary to determine the refractive errors of the human eye by relying on the subjective refraction of the patient under examination when presenting to him a plurality of optotypes through lenses of different refractive power, so-called subjective refraction or manifest refraction, the possibility of measuring the refractive errors of the eye has now been available for several years, so-called objective refraction. Moreover, it is possible to measure the refractive power of the eye over the entire pupil. The measurable errors include for example spherical aberration, coma, trefoil error, higher orders of spherical aberration, etc. In certain implementations, the objective refraction method is based on determining the wavefront of a propagating light bundle. The functional principal of a wavefront refractor is described in document U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,795 B1, which is herein incorporated by reference and for which features protection may be sought, and also includes a synopsis of a plurality of different variants.
The information gained from a wavefront refractor can be used in the development of improved vision aids or improved eyesight correction methods. A well-known example for an eyesight correction method is the procedure of wavefront-guided refractive surgery. In this procedure, a volume of any desired geometry is removed from the surface of the cornea in order to correct refractive errors, including those of a higher order. In general, in order to determine an eyeglass prescription for visual aids, an eye care professional determines several parameters. In the case of spectacle lenses, for example, the most relevant ones are: refractive values, usually given in form of sphere, cylinder and axis; fitting parameters, such as pupil distance, fitting height, pantoscopic angle and others; and near vision addition, for example, in case of progressive lenses. For contact lenses, the set of parameters usually includes at least the refractive values, similar to spectacle lenses, and corneal curvature.
Document WO 2010/142888 A1 shows a spectacle lens generally adapted for correcting an ocular defect.
Document U.S. 2005/0104240 A1 shows a method for manufacturing an optical lens that is configured to correct high order aberrations. Document U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,421 B2 shows spectacle lens with small high order aberrations. Document U.S. Pat. No. 8,992,013 B2 shows a method of designing a progressive additional lens. Document U.S. 2005/0270482 A1 shows a further method of designing a progressive lens. Document U.S. 2011/0255052 A1 shows a method for optimizing a spectacle lens for the wavefront aberrations of an eye and lens.
Further, document U.S. Pat. No. 8,985,767 B2 shows a method for designing a progressive lens. The method includes obtaining a wavefront measurement of an eye, determining an initial design for the progressive lens based on the wavefront measurement, determining information about how changes in one or more high order aberrations of the eye affect a second order correction for the aberrations of the eye based on information derived from the wavefront measurement, modifying the initial design of the progressive lens to provide a final progressive lens design, and outputting the final lens design.
Progressive lenses are designed to provide the wearer with a specific distribution of optical powers, including a distribution of an astigmatic error that cannot be fully avoided. Typically, these designs effectively assume that the wearer's eyes do not have any aberrations higher than second order. However, the optical powers, as well as the astigmatic error, perceived by the wearer are modified by higher order aberrations, or HOA, in each individual wearer's eyes. A solution is, for example, described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,985,767 B2 which modifies a target power distribution and relies on a weighted optimization to produce an improved lens. However, the new target power distribution might not be physically achievable. Hence, the modification of the original lens or the initial design will depend heavily on specific distribution of weights used in the optimization and might not automatically reflect the most critical aspects of the design.
Document U.S. 2011/0255052 A1 shows a method for designing an ophthalmic lens element, the method comprising the steps of determining a wavefront aberration of an eye in a reference plane, wherein the wavefront aberration of the eye can be described by a first series of polynomials of ascending order up to a first specific order and corresponding first coefficients; and determining a first vision correction of a second specific order to obtain an adapted ophthalmic lens element; determining at least one specified point over an aperture of the adapted ophthalmic lens element; determining a high-order wavefront aberration in the reference plane for each specified point of the adapted ophthalmic lens element, wherein the high-order wavefront aberration can be described by a third series of polynomials of ascending order above the second specific order up to and including the first specific order and corresponding third coefficients; determining a second vision correction of the second specific order for each of the specified points to obtain an optimized ophthalmic lens element based on the first vision correction up to and including the second specific order and based on combined first and third coefficients above the second specific order and up to and including the first specific order. Further, the current disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens element, a computer program product and a system for carrying out the methods.
Document U.S. 2005/0270482 A1 shows a method and a system for designing a progressive lens. The method includes modifying a reference progressive lens design having a peripheral design which is suitable for a wearer and design features with known values. The modification of the reference progressive lens design provides a new progressive lens design in which at least one of the design features have been customized according to the wearer's preference. The new progressive lens design has substantially the same peripheral design as the reference progressive lens design.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 8,985,767 B2 shows a method for designing a progressive lens. The method includes obtaining a wavefront measurement of an eye, determining an initial design for the progressive lens based on the wavefront measurement, determining information about how changes in one or more higher-order aberrations of the eye affect a second-order correction for the aberrations of the eye based on information derived from the wavefront measurement, modifying the initial design of the progressive lens to provide a final progressive lens design, and outputting the final lens design.
Hence, there remains a need in the art to provide for an improved design for a progressive spectacle lens taking into account the higher-order aberrations of the individual wearer's eyes. Further, the method may require lesser calculation power.

Method for determining an improved design for a progressive lens


Virtual Reality (VR) processing devices and methods are provided for transmitting user feedback information comprising at least one of user position information and user orientation information, receiving encoded audio-video (A/V) data, which is generated based on the transmitted user feedback information, separating the A/V data into video data and audio data corresponding to a portion of a next frame of a sequence of frames of the video data to be displayed, decoding the portion of a next frame of the video data and the corresponding audio data, providing the audio data for aural presentation and controlling the portion of the next frame of the video data to be displayed in synchronization with the corresponding audio data.

VR systems use interactive applications to simulate different types of environments. VR systems seek to provide a realistic visual experience to immerse users in these simulated environments and artificially create sensory experiences of the users. The visual experience is made more realistic by displaying what users expect to see, in real time, throughout their experience.
The realistic experience is facilitated by displaying the video data with high visual quality (e.g., high definition) and low latency (the amount of time for the data to traverse VR sub-systems and/or VR devices). When the visual quality is lacking or the latency of the data increases, the realism of the visual experience may be negatively affected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Low latency wireless virtual reality systems and methods


A method of controlling a washing machine and a motor determines whether a BLDC motor is in a normal state in software without hardware and a user is notified of an abnormal state of the BLDC motor if the BLDC motor is in an abnormal state, thereby ensuring safety. When the motor is rotated, the state of the motor is determined by applying harmonics to a voltage that is applied to a motor and analyzing an output frequency characteristic. When the motor is stopped, the state of the motor is determined by estimating the temperature of the motor.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a washing machine and a motor, and, more particularly, to a method of determining whether a motor of a washing machine is in a normal state.
2. Description of the Related Art
A brushless direct current motor (hereinafter, referred to as a BLDC motor) indicates a DC motor in which an electric commutator mechanism is mounted instead of a mechanical contact portion such as a brush or a commutator. Accordingly, the BLDC motor is also called a commutatorless motor.
The BLDC motor is characterized in that noise due to the brush does not occur because the brush is not included. Since the mechanical contact portion such as the commutator is not included, a motor having high-velocity rotation and long life span can be realized. In addition, the BLDC motor has excellent characteristics as a control motor, for example, an excellent acceleration property, a large start-up torque, linear characteristics of a voltage variation, and linearity of an output torque vs. an input current.
Due to the above-described excellent characteristics, the BLDC motor is widely used in household appliances, vehicles, aerospace equipments, mechanical appliances, and factory automation equipments. In particular, since the BLDC motor has a large start-up torque and high-velocity rotational force, the BLDC motor is used in household appliances such as a washing machine for starting up a spin basket, in which wet laundry is contained, for a short period of time and rotating the spin basket at a high velocity.

Method of controlling washing machine and motor


A process and a system for the operation of a resistive moisture sensor, in particular on the windshield of a motor vehicle, wherein the conductivity of the moisture sensor is measured shortly after a sudden change in a signal fed to the moisture sensor and measured at at least one later time. Information as to the nature and degree of the dirtying of the windshield is obtained by the measured values.

The present invention relates to a process and to a system for operating a resistive moisture sensor.
Such a process as well as the system are known from Federal Republic of Germany 38 03 138A1. Resistive moisture sensors are used for instance in order to indicate the presence of moisture or raindrops on the windshield of motor vehicles in order to control the windshield wiper automatically or semiautomatically. For this purpose, conductive paths are applied to the windshield or some other suitable place so that the resistance between the conductive paths decreases with the amount of moisture present.
Whether a wiping or washing of the windshield is necessary depends not only on the amount of moisture but also on the composition of the coating or wetness on the windshield.

Process and system for the operation of a resistive moisture sensor


A small, large-capacitance multi-layer ceramic capacitor suppressed for remarkable lowering of permittivity, having a capacitor main body formed of ceramic dielectric layers comprising barium titanate as a main component and an Si oxide at a ratio of 0.5 to 10 mol being converted as SiO2 based on 100 mol of barium titanate and internal electrode layers, and a pair of external electrodes which are formed at the end faces of the capacitor main body and connected electrically with the internal electrode layers, in which the ceramic dielectric layer has crystal grains, crystal grain boundaries each present between the crystal grains and a grain boundary triple point, and B/A is 0.5 or less assuming the amount (mol) of an Si oxide being converted as SiO2 contained based on 100 mol of barium titanate as A and the volumic rate (vol %) of the Si oxide present at the crystal grain boundary and the grain boundary triple point of the ceramic dielectric layer as B, whereby remarkable lowering of a permittivity due to precipitation of an Si oxide to the crystal grain boundary and the grain boundary triple point is suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a small, large-capacitance multi-layer ceramic capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Publication No. 2006-287045 proposes to provide an electronic part having ceramic dielectric layers comprising barium titanate as a main component such as a multi-layer ceramic capacitor excellent in electric characteristic, excellent in temperature characteristic even in a case of reducing the thickness of the ceramic dielectric layer, having high reliability, reduced in the size and of large capacitance, by controlling the ratio of ceramic particles having a thickness of the crystal grain boundary present between adjacent ceramic crystal grains of 1 nm or less, among a plurality of ceramic particles constituting the ceramic dielectric layers.
The multi-layer ceramic capacitor described in the existent technique contains a glass component containing a Ba oxide, a Ca oxide, and an Si oxide, and other auxiliary components in the ceramic dielectric layer.
As other auxiliary component, one or more members selected from an Mg oxide, one or both of an Mn oxide and a Cr oxide and one or more of a V oxide, a W oxide, a Ta oxide, and an Nb oxide and an oxide of R (in which R is one or more members selected from Sc, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Y, Dy, Ho, Tb, Gd, and Eu, preferably, one or more members selected from Y, Dy, and Ho) are used.
The Mg oxide has an effect of flattening the temperature characteristic of electrostatic capacity and an effect of suppressing the grain growth. Further, the Mn oxide and the Cr oxide have an effect of promoting sintering, an effect of enhancing Ir (insulation resistance), and an effect of improving the high accelerated life time. The V oxide, the W oxide, the Ta oxide, and the Nb oxide have an effect of improving the high accelerated life time. The R oxide shows mainly an effect of improving the high accelerated life time.
Further, in the glass component, the Ba oxide and the Ca oxide show an effect of improving the temperature characteristic of the electrostatic capacity (rate of change of the electrostatic capacity to temperature), and the Si oxide functions as a sintering aid.
Then, the mixing amount (ratio) of the glass component raw material based on 100 mol of barium titanate is from 0.5 to 12 mol (excluding 0.5) for Ba oxide+Ca oxide and from 0.5 to 12 mol (excluding 0.5) for Si oxide when converting the Ba oxide to BaO, the Ca oxide to CaO, and the Si oxide to SiO2.
By incorporating the glass component in a predetermined range, the ratio of particles with the thickness of the crystal grain boundary of 1 nm or less or 0.75 nm or less can be controlled.
In the method of manufacturing the multi-layer ceramic capacitor, the content for each of the oxides in the dielectric substance raw material is determined so as to provide the dielectric substance porcelain described above after firing, a binder and a solvent are added and mixed to the obtained dielectric substance raw material to prepare a slurry for use in the ceramic dielectric layer and a green sheet is formed by a doctor blade method. A paste for an Ni internal electrode is printed to the surface of the obtained green sheet to prepare a ceramic sheet for a electrostatic capacity forming region having an internal electrode pattern, the ceramic sheets are laminated in plurality such that ends of the internal electrode patterns are exposed alternately to a pair of end faces of a laminate chip opposed to each other upon cutting the ceramic sheet into individual laminate chips, protecting green sheets not printed with the internal electrode pattern are laminated and crimped above and below them, and the obtained laminate is cut to a predetermined size to obtain a laminate chip, subjected to a debinding processing, fired at a programming rate of 200° C./hr, at a maintenance temperature of about 1200° C. (1180° C. to 1280° C.) for a temperature holding time of 2 hr and at a cooling rate of 200° C./hr and further annealed to obtain a sintered body.
Then, the end faces of the obtained sintered body are polished and external electrodes are coated and fired to obtain a multi-layer ceramic capacitor.
The multi-layer ceramic capacitor described in the existent technique contains an Si oxide that functions as a sintering aid being converted as SiO2 from 0.5 to 12 mol based on 100 mol of barium titanate in the ceramic dielectric layer. Accordingly, this involves a problem that the glass phase is precipitated to the crystal grain boundary in the ceramic dielectric layer by the addition of the Si oxide to exert compressive stresses on a plurality of ceramic crystal grains constituting the ceramic dielectric layer thereby lowering the permittivity further with respect to the volumic ratio of the crystal grain boundary.

Multi-layer ceramic capacitor and manufacturing method of multi-layer ceramic capacitor


A method for dynamically adjusting read margin and write margin in a tape drive system to recover data is disclosed. The method includes the operations of monitoring a write driver to determine if a change in rewrite activity to a medium has changed and adjusting a percentage of error correcting code (ECC) capability to be used for write errors if the rewrite activity has changed. An apparatus including a tape medium and a read/write controller for performing the method is also disclosed. In one embodiment, the percentage of ECC is decreased if the rewrite activity to the medium increases.

Conventional tape drive data storage systems employ various error correction and recovery methods to detect and correct data errors which, if left unresolved, would compromise the integrity of information read from or written to the magnetic tape media. For example, magnetic recording systems have inherent noises that cause recording bit errors to occur. These noises include such things as poor recording signal, media defects, electronic system noise, and other conditions that interfere with head/media data transfer operations.
Error correction and recovery may be thought of as two distinct operations that are employed at different stages of error processing. Error correction is conventionally implemented using error correction coding (ECC) techniques in which random host data to be placed on a tape medium is encoded in a well-defined structure by introducing data-dependent redundancy information. The presence of data errors is detected when the encoded structure is disturbed. The errors are corrected by making minimal alternations to reestablish the structure. ECC error correction is usually implemented "on-the-fly" as data is processed by the tape drive apparatus. The well-known Reed-Solomon code is one cyclic encoding scheme which has been proposed for ECC error correction. Other encoding schemes are also known in the art.
The capability of the ECC is fixed for any given recording system. For instance, a portion of the ECC capability is devoted to errors received while recording the data. This component is referred to as "Write Margin". The remainder of the capability is budgeted for reading data at a later time when additional error may occur due to minor tape damage or aging. The amount of ECC left for reading is called "Read Margin".
The greater the read margin the more reliable a tape drive system is for retrieving the customer's data. As read margin is increased, write margin is decreased causing an increase in write errors that resort to timely error recovery or permanent write errors. A recording system should provide sufficient write margin to maintain performance across a mix of media and hardware. Accordingly, the read and write margin limits are set at a fixed level. The fixed limit may generate tapes that have few errors having close to limit margin and not utilizing additional space on tape reserved for error recovery.
Therefore, it is desirable to utilize additional space on a magnetic tape to increase read margin.

Write margin adjustment mechanism in a tape drive system


An LED lamp includes a first heat sink, a pair of second heat sinks arranged at two opposite sides of the first heat sink, a plurality of heat pipes connecting the first heat sink to the pair of second heat sinks, and an LED module mounted on the first heat sink. With the help of good heat conducting capability of the heat pipes, heat generated by LEDs of the LED module can be conducted to the first heat sink and the pair of second heat sinks rapidly, which then dissipate the heat to the ambient air. Each second heat sink consists of a plurality of sheets defining a plurality of gaps therebetween; the gaps extend through top and bottom of each second heat sink. Each second heat sink has a lower portion below a bottom surface of the first heat sink.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) lamp, and more particularly to an LED lamp incorporating a heat sink assembly, wherein the heat sink assembly has a plurality of heat pipes for improving heat dissipation of the LED lamp.
2. Description of Related Art
As an energy-efficient light, an LED lamp has a trend of substituting for the fluorescent lamp for indoor lighting purpose; in order to increase the overall lighting brightness, a plurality of LEDs are often incorporated into a signal lamp, in which how to efficiently dissipate heat generated by the plurality of LEDs becomes a challenge.
Conventionally, an LED lamp used in street illumination comprises a planar metal board functioning as a heat sink and a plurality of LEDs mounted on a common side of the board. The LEDs are arranged in a matrix that comprises a plurality of mutually crossed rows and lines. When the LEDs are activated to lighten, heat generated by the LEDs is dispersed to ambient air via the board by natural air convection.
However, in order to achieve a higher lighting intensity, the LEDs are arranged into a number of crowded groups, whereby the heat generated by the LEDs is concentrated at discrete spots, which leads to an uneven heat distribution over the board. The conventional board is not able to dissipate locally-concentrated and unevenly-distributed heat timely and efficiently, whereby a heat accumulation occurs in the board easily. Such heat accumulation may cause the LEDs to overheat and to have an unstable operation or even a malfunction.
What is needed, therefore, is an LED lamp which can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


A cornice fixture for decorating a wall and a method of installing the cornice fixture are disclosed. The cornice fixture includes a rod from which window treatments are hung and at least one bracket. Typically, the cornice fixture includes a pair of brackets, and the rod is slidably coupled to the brackets. Slidably coupling the rod to the brackets enables the installer to center the rod about a given point after the rod has been coupled to the bracket.

Many homes, especially well decorated homes, have decorative fixtures such as cornice fixtures, which can look like a three sided box. A cornice fixture is centered around a window and covers the top of the window. It is often made of wood, which is then padded and then covered in fabric. It can also be made of decorative wood molding, polystyrene, metal or any other decorative material.
Standard cornice fixtures include custom made fixtures and manufactured fixtures. Typically, a custom made cornice fixture includes a pair of L-shaped brackets and a wooden board, or cornice board, which extends between the brackets. Typically, the cornice board is wood and has a depth of 4.5 inches to 6 inches and a specific length, which corresponds to the size of window over which the cornice board is to be hung. Window treatments, which are frequently fabric drapes or the like, are constructed specifically to fit that board and then attached to the board with staples or Velcro™. The window treatments may be sewn together as one piece (i.e. a box valance) or can be made of multiple overlapping pieces (i.e. Swag and Cascades). The pair of brackets are attached to a wall—one bracket on each side of a window—and then the cornice board, usually with the window treatment already installed, is attached to the pair of brackets. Because the cornice board of a custom made fixture is normally made of wood, it must be cut to the desired size very accurately because it cannot expand.
Cairns, U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,741, discloses a manufactured cornice fixture having a telescopic rod and at least two brackets. The telescopic rod has attachment surfaces, which are used for removably attaching window treatments. The brackets are attached to the wall—on both sides of a window. Then, the telescopic rod is attached to the brackets such that it extends between the two brackets. Then, window treatments are attached to the attachment surfaces of the telescopic rod. As opposed to a cornice board of a custom made cornice fixture, the telescopic rod does not need to be cut to a specific length. Instead, the telescopic rod is expanded/contracted to extend between the brackets. However, this means that in order for the cornice fixture itself to be centered around the window, the brackets must be centered around the window. Consequently, installing the brackets requires very accurate measurements to ensure that they are centered around the window, which means that the installation is normally preformed by a professional.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.


An apparatus for controlling a vehicle includes a sensor that detects motion and approach of an object around the vehicle, a camera that obtains a motion image and a facial image of the object around the vehicle, and a controller that generates a graphical user interface (GUI) based on the obtained motion and facial images of the object around the vehicle.

A technology for emphasizing communication between a vehicle and a user has been developed in consideration of user convenience as well as an improvement in vehicle driving performance. For example, a technology for integrating a welcome system into an external lamp of a vehicle has been developed.
A welcome system is a system that reacts as if a vehicle welcomes a user when the user closely approaches the vehicle. Examples of an operating system associated with the welcome system include lighting of a lamp (e.g., a puddle lamp, a positioning lamp, a tail lamp, a pocket lamp, or the like), movement of an outside mirror, a welcome sound operation, and the like.
The welcome system is a new system that is capable of satisfying a user's emotional needs, as well as providing ease of recognition of a vehicle to the user.
However, the welcome system fails to reflect the user's status due to a uniform display and a uniform operating mode.
Meanwhile, a smart key system has been introduced for user convenience. A user carrying a smart key can control a door lock of a vehicle and can start the vehicle. Furthermore, functions are implemented such that components in a vehicle are not directly operated and controlled by a user, but automatically controlled through sensors.
In recent years, a technology for controlling a door lock of a vehicle by recognizing a user's face has been developed. A user may approach a vehicle to allow his/her face to be recognized. However, when the face is not accurately recognized, the cause is not fed back and re-recognition is frequently requested, thereby inconveniencing the user.

Apparatus and method for controlling vehicle


Active scanning method in a wireless network for fast determining available access points (106, 806) using inter-AP (Access Point) communication is described. In the scanning method, a mobile station (102, 802) sends Probe Request for Proxy frame to the current AP (104, 804) serving the mobile station (102, 802). In response to the Probe Request for Proxy frame, the current AP (104, 804) send Proxy Probe Request packet to the appropriate APs (106, 806). In response to the Proxy Probe Request packet, the neighbor APs (106, 806) send Probe Response frame to the mobile station (102, 802) on its operating channel. Since the mobile station (102, 802) moves to the channel being examined after sending the Probe Request for Proxy frame, it receives the Probe Response frame if it is in the coverage area of the neighbor AP (106, 806). The content of Probe Response frame provides the mobile station (102, 802) with the information to be used in handoff decision and network join procedures. Thus, the mobile station (102, 802) neither has to move to the channel to be examined nor send Probe Request frame on that channel. This enables active scan to be initiated even when the neighbor AP (106, 806) is operating in PCF (Point Coordination Function) and the network is in CFP (Contention Free Period), during which unassociated mobile stations (including the scanning mobile station) cannot send packets.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless networks, and more particularly to scanning and establishing communications in a wireless local area network.
2. Related Art
In order for a mobile station to determine which network to join, the mobile station must first scan for available networks. Scanning can be passive or active. Passive scanning involves listening for beacon frames from APs (access points). Active scanning, on the other hand, involves the transmission of Probe Request frames for soliciting a Probe Response frame from access points in the area. Receiving a beacon frame (passive scanning) or a Probe Response frame (active scanning) from an access point allows the mobile station to learn the availability and/or the characteristics of the network that is coordinated by the access point. Scanning, either passive or active, can take place on one or more radio channels according to the number of radio channels available for the wireless network.
One of the significant problems of the conventional scanning methods is that they are not fast enough to prevent communication interruption during handoff. In case of IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN, an empirical analysis of handoff process found that active scanning may have high latency of as much as 50 msec per channel. Details can be found in IEEE 802 Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) specifications, IEEE Standard 802.11, 1999 and "An Empirical Analysis of the IEEE 802.11 MAC Layer Handoff Process," by Arunesh Mishra, Minho Shin, William Arbaugh, submitted to ACM CCR, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Passive scanning in IEEE 802.11 has an even higher latency since the mobile station must stay on each channel for at least one beacon interval, whose recommended value is 100 msec. A more detailed description can be found in Matthew S. Gast, "802.11 Wireless Networks—The Definitive Guide," O'Reilly, April 2002, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Large scanning time may contribute to TCP timeout, triggering TCP congestion avoidance algorithm, which results in decreased throughput. The large scanning time may also seriously deteriorate quality of voice service, since the maximum interruption time allowed for voice application is 50 msec (ideally, interruption time should be kept less than 35 msec).
This situation will be more aggravated if PCF (Point Coordination Function) is used in the APs to be scanned. If an AP is operating PCF, only an associated mobile station has the right to be added to the polling list, and during a CFP (Contention Free Period) only the mobile station in the polling list may access the wireless medium if polled by the AP. Since a mobile station in active scanning is not associated with the APs to be scanned, the mobile station cannot send Probe Request frames during the CFP. As a result, scanning latency is dramatically increased.
Therefore, a scanning method for wireless networks that has smaller latency is desired.


An apparatus (10) for rolling sheets (S) of dough for bakery products (P) has a simplified structure and optimum efficiency and comprises a pair of shaping rollers (17, 19), arranged transversely with respect to the direction of forward movement (A) of the dough sheets (S), with axes of rotation (R1, R2) essentially parallel to the surface (12) on which the dough sheets (S) are conveyed and defining a first shaping surface (18), located at a short distance from the conveying surface (12), in such a way as to lift the dough sheet (S), and a second shaping surface (20) approximately tangential to the first surface (18), the second shaping roller (19) being located in such a way as to define a rolling space (21) whose transverse dimensions are roughly comparable to those of the shaped bakery product (P).

The prior art includes systems for rolling dough sheets as specified above. These involve the use of planar or curved moving surfaces defined by belts or the like. These surfaces co-operate with the conveying surface and, by friction, roll the dough sheet in the desired manner.
In the said systems particular attention must be paid to the cleaning of the said moving surfaces. For this purpose the systems are provided with special scraper means which, in a position out of the way of the shaping station proper, remove from the said belts the traces of flour or similar residues which inevitably stick to the said moving surfaces during the rolling.
It should be understood, of course, that these residues do not represent a contamination or soiling of the environment of the shaping process, being derived purely from the semifinished bakery products.
This cleaning operation is necessary for two fundamental reasons. In the first place the residues could build up and subsequently detach themselves in the vicinity of delicate mechanical components such as motors, drives and gears or even become mixed in the lubricant and make it ineffective.
Moreover, the build-up of residues impairs the surface finish of the moving surfaces that carry out the rolling action.
However, there is no doubt but that the scraper means and corresponding means for collecting and disposing of the residues constitute a major structural complication of a shaping apparatus which thus becomes a critical point in an automated bakery products manufacturing process.