A graphics processing apparatus for computing the distance between two three-dimensional graphic elements without reducing the user's operating efficiency is provided. The graphics processing apparatus selects, from among three-dimensional objects displayed on a display, graphic elements between which the distance is to be computed, determines a projection reference in accordance with a viewing direction and geometric information on the graphic elements, and determines a projection plane in accordance with the projection reference. The graphic elements are projected onto the determined projection plane, and the minimum distance between the selected graphic elements is computed from the projected graphic elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to graphics processing apparatuses and methods, and more particularly, it relates to a graphics processing apparatus and method for projecting graphic elements required by a user onto a projection plane in a CAD (computer-aided design) system and for computing the distance between the graphic elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the performance of computers has improved dramatically, and hence, various processes can be performed using computers. For example, CAD systems simulate designs, which can be viewed from various planes, on a computer. Although CAD systems used to require relatively expensive computers, many CAD systems now can be implemented on personal computers.
A combination of graphic elements, such as points, edge lines, planes, etc. are used for design in CAD systems, and it is necessary to compute the distance between these graphic elements.
The following methods for computing the distance between graphic elements are known:
(1) A method for computing the minimum distance between two elements, such as a point, an edge line, a plane, etc., which are a user's desired measurement objects designated in sequence by a user using an input device, such as a mouse, while displaying three-dimensional models to be measured on a computer display, and for displaying the resulting computed minimum distance using an additional display/output device.
(2) A method for computing the minimum distance between two elements, such as a point, an edge line, a plane, etc., which are a user's desired measurement objects, while displaying three-dimensional models to be measured on a computer display. In this method, the user uses an input device, such as a mouse, to move a position indicator, such as a pointer, toward two elements to be measured. When the distance between the graphic element displayed on the display and the pointer is within a predetermined distance, the color of the graphic element displayed on the display changes. The user confirms the elements to be measured, and the minimum distance in the three-dimensional space is computed. The resulting computed minimum distance is displayed using an additional display/output device.
(3) A method for computing the minimum distance between two elements, such as a point, an edge line, a plane, etc., which are a user's desired measurement objects, while displaying three-dimensional models to be measured on a computer display, and for displaying the resulting computed minimum distance using an additional display/output device. The user uses an input device, such as a mouse, to move a position indicator, such as a pointer, toward two elements to be measured. Of clipped graphic elements which are within a predetermined distance from a position determined by the user, an element which is closest to a view point in the three-dimensional space, that is, an element displayed in the foreground of the display, is regarded as an object to be measured. The minimum distance in the three-dimensional space is computed, and the resulting computed distance is displayed on the additional display/output device.
(4) A method according to the method described in (1), wherein an orthogonal projection of a line segment, which indicates the minimum distance, onto the user's desired projection plane is computed. Accordingly, the projected minimum distance between the elements in the three-dimensional space is computed.
(5) A method according to the method described in (2), wherein an orthogonal projection of a line segment, which indicates the minimum distance, onto the user's desired projection plane is computed. Accordingly, the projected minimum distance between elements is computed.
(6) A method according to the method described in (3), wherein an orthogonal projection of a line segment, which indicates the minimum distance, onto the user's desired projection plane is computed. Accordingly, the projected minimum distance between elements is computed.
(7) A method for computing the minimum distance between elements, as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-31757 describing a graphics processing apparatus and a method for computing the minimum distance between elements, wherein the direction from which a user views a display displaying the three-dimensional space is taken into consideration.
FIGS. 30A and 30B show measurement results computed by the foregoing methods for computing the minimum distance between elements. Referring to FIG. 30A, a line 301 and an arc 302 are elements to be measured. A projection plane 303 is a plane onto which the elements are projected. A line segment 304 indicates the computed minimum distance, which is the measurement result.
Referring to FIG. 30B, an arc 301 and an arc 302 are elements to be measured. A projection plane 303 is a plane onto which the elements are projected. A line segment 304 indicates the computed minimum distance, which is the measurement result.
In the foregoing known methods for computing the minimum distance between elements, a few methods are employed to specify the plane onto which the elements are projected.
(A) In accordance with several projection planes, corresponding commands for computing the minimum distance between elements are prepared in advance. The user selects the command corresponding to a desired projection plane, and measurement is performed. FIG. 31 is a schematic illustration of this method. In accordance with three projection planes, namely, the xy plane, the yz plane, and the xz plane, corresponding commands for computing the minimum distance between elements are prepared in advance. For example, when the user wants to measure the distance between elements projected onto the yz plane, the user selects in advance the command for the yz plane projection, and measurement is performed.
(B) In a command for computing the distance between elements, a plurality of projection planes is set in advance. After the user has selected elements to be measured, the distances between the elements, which are projected onto all the prepared projection planes, are displayed at the same time or one after another. Of these measurement results, the user can selectively read the measurement result which is projected onto a desired projection plane. Accordingly, measurement is performed. FIG. 32 is a schematic illustration of this method. Three projection planes, namely, the xy plane, the yz plane, and the xz plane, are set in advance. All the measurement results, which are computed by projecting the elements onto these projection planes, are displayed. In this case, when all the measurement results are displayed at the same time, visibility for the user is obstructed. In actual use, the measurement results are generally displayed one at a time by operating an input device, such as a keyboard or a mouse.
(C) In a command for computing the minimum distance between elements, no projection plane is set. Similar to a case in which the user selects components to be measured, the user selects a projection plane. Accordingly, the minimum distance between elements projected onto the user's desired projection plane is computed. FIG. 33 is a schematic illustration of this method. The user selects graphic elements 331 and 332, which are elements to be measured, and a plane 333, which is the user's desired projection plane. As a result, the minimum distance projected onto the plane 333 is displayed. Generally, the projection plane can be selected by selecting a plane parallel to the user's desired projection plane, by selecting a line perpendicular to the user's desired projection plane and the position of the projection plane, or by freely switching a projection plane by the user.
(D) A method combining the foregoing methods described in (B) and (C). Specifically, a plurality of planes, which are candidates for a projection plane, is prepared in each command for computing the minimum distance between elements. These planes are preferentially displayed. When these planes do not include the result of projecting the elements which are projected onto the user's desired plane, the user can select the projection plane by a method similar to that described in (C).
In the methods described in (A) and (B), the user is not required to select the projection plane. However, measurement is performed using only the projection planes prepared in advance. Thus, these methods are not practical.
In the methods described in (C) and (D), the user can reliably select the user's desired projection plane. Thus, these methods are practical. However, the user is required to perform an operation to select the projection plane. This reduces the operating efficiency. When no plane parallel to the user's desired projection plane nor line perpendicular to the user's desired projection plane is displayed on the display screen, it is necessary to create and display a plane or a line, which is required for selecting the projection plane, on the display screen before implementing the command for computing the minimum distance between elements. Thus, the operating efficiency is further reduced.
In the above examples, when the number of components displayed on the display increases, the displayed components obstruct the user's view. It becomes difficult for the user to see the measurement result and to confirm whether or not the user's desired portions have been measured.
In order to confirm the measurement result, the user is forced to perform operations to change the viewing direction (the direction of the sight line) after the measurement result is displayed or to hide the components obstructing the user's sight line. These operations for changing the sight line or hiding the components reduce the user's operating efficiency. In addition, in order that the user who has confirmed the measurement result can return to the operation immediately before the minimum-distance measurement, the user is required to perform additional operations to again display the components and to return the viewing direction to its former state. As a result, the user's operating efficiency is further reduced. These operations cause serious problems with the usability of an apparatus for computing the minimum distance between elements.

Graphics processing apparatus and method for computing the distance between three-dimensional graphic elements


The invention provides a communication system for a power distribution network, which comprises at least two distribution domains, each of the domains includes one management device and at least one electrical device. The management device is configured as connected with the electrical devices within its domain, and is further configured as capable of collect information from the electrical devices. The system also comprises a communication link, which is arranged for the management devices of different domains, and the management devices are configured as capable of directly exchanging information through the link.

A power distribution system is an interface between a power transmission network and the electricity end-customers. Typically, the power distribution system comprises a number of primary equipment and secondary equipment. In most situations, the primary and secondary devices are connected by cables, and a few primary devices comprise a communication links to the secondary devices. The primary equipment mainly comprises the equipment subject to high voltages current, e.g., transformers, circuit breakers and capacitor banks. The secondary equipment comprises the equipment subject to low voltage current and mainly acts as a controller for interacting with the primary equipment, such as Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED) and the like.
An Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) is a microprocessor-based controller of power system equipment. The IED can receive data from sensors and power equipment and issue control commands, such as tripping circuit breakers if any voltage, current, or frequency anomalies was detected, or raising/lowering voltage levels in order to maintain the desired level. A typical IED can contain line protection functions, control functions controlling separate devices, an auto-reclose function, self monitoring function, and communication functions etc. In a distribution network, the IEDs are used to directly control connected primary devices.
An IED is the controller to those directly connected primary devices, and a regional controller for all primary devices and secondary devices within the region is referred to as a master device or master. All IEDs within the region can send the information collected from primary devices to the master device. The master device controls the overall operation process of all power devices in its region.
In a power distribution network level, a network control center can be used to control and supervise the operation status of all regions. Each region includes a master device, and all master devices have a communication link to the network control center. The master devices exchange their data with network control center through the communication link. The controllers of the power network are with different hierarchical ranks. For the time being, the main communication approach of power system applications is a "vertical" one between different application hierarchies, e.g. communication between substation automation systems (e.g., master devices) and IEDs, communication between network control center and substation automation system, communication between distribution automation system and feeder terminal units. Many standards or protocols can be used in the communication mentioned above, e.g. IEC61850, DNP 3.0, IEC60870-5-104, etc.
Along with the development of power system automation, especially for SmartGrid and distributed intelligence, distributed application becomes a requirement of the trend. For example, the distribution automation functions can be distributed into sub-level to get a higher reliability and flexibility. Moreover, the future SmartGird application will have distributed applications. These distributed applications need distributed communication among them, e.g. a "horizontal" communication link among distributed master devices of the same control hierarchy to exchange data/information. Currently, there is no standard or protocol for such a horizontal communication between master devices, and there is also no common communication platform which enables data/information exchanging among these distributed applications.
In order to facilitate the overall management of a power distribution system, the whole distribution network is divided into several distribution domains. Each distribution domain is assigned with several pieces of primary equipment and defined by electrically unambiguously connected primary equipment. Each domain may include a network management controller, which is referred to as "master device". The master device collects operating status and other operation-related parameters from all primary and secondary devices within its domain, and reports the collected domain operating status to the control center of the whole distribution network. The master device controls all power equipment within its domain by directly issuing instructions. And the distribution network control center control all power equipment with in the network by issuing in-direct instructions via master devices of each domain.
In a conventional distribution network, various master devices in different domains are unable to communicate with each other directly. In order to exchange information, a source master device shall send information to the network control center, and the network control center then forwards the information to a target master device of another domain. The conventional communication approach is obviously complicated and inefficient. In such a communication system, the communication of all subordinate devices will be interrupted when the control center is under maintenance or mal-functioned. This will cause significant trouble for the devices within the distribution network.
In order to improve the inefficiency of current vertical communication between different domains, it is one object of the invention to propose a "horizontal" inter-master devices communication method and platform. The proposed approach makes it possible to conduct direct communication between master devices at different domains.

Communication method and apparatus of network management system


A machine includes a chassis having a first end and an opposing second end, an axle pivotally coupled to the first end of the chassis, a first actuator coupled to the first end of the chassis, and a second actuator coupled to the first end of the chassis. The chassis defines a longitudinal center axis. The axle is configured to rotate about the longitudinal center axis. The first actuator is positioned on a first lateral side of the longitudinal center axis. The first actuator is extendable to selectively engage a first contact point on the axle. The second actuator is positioned on an opposing second lateral side of the longitudinal center axis. The second actuator is extendable to selectively engage a second contact point on the axle.

Traditional boom lifts may include a chassis, a turntable coupled to the chassis, and a boom assembly. The boom assembly may include one or more boom sections that are pivotally connected to the turntable. A lift cylinder elevates the one or more boom sections relative to the turntable, thereby elevating an implement (e.g., work platform, forks, etc.) that is coupled to the boom assembly.


A wear and friction article, including on at least one of the surfaces thereof a polymeric material comprising: 20 to 100% by weight of at least one polyetherketoneketone (PEKK); 0 to 80% by weight of one or more fillers; and 0 to 20% by weight of one or more additives. Also, the use of such a polymeric material for reducing wear and/or friction at elevated temperature.

Wear is a major cause of failure and limited service life of manufactured parts that contact another surface while they are in motion.
Wear is related to interactions between surfaces and specifically the removal and/or deformation of material on a surface as a result of mechanical action of the opposite surface.
The consequences of wear can become perceptible in different forms, for example as a loss of mass, of dimensional stability, of shape, or as a change in structure. Wear alters the dimensions of parts, increases the clearance and affects the properties of the surface. Generally, wear of polymers increases with temperature as the material softens.
Wear may lead to performance degradation and/or damage to components, and is responsible for much of the ageing of manufactured parts. In many industrial applications, components become worn and must be replaced. These replacements may be costly due to expensive components, labor and the down time of the equipment during the replacement.
Friction is one of the main causes of wear. Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material elements sliding against each other. When surfaces in contact move relative to each other, the friction between the two surfaces converts kinetic energy into thermal energy. Friction between surfaces may arise from a combination of inter-surface adhesion, surface roughness, surface deformation, and surface contamination.
There is a large diversity in the materials that may be used for reducing wear. Such materials may comprise polymers. For example, fluoropolymers may be used to reduce the coefficient of friction. Fillers may be used to increase the modulus and thereby reduce wear.
Polyaryletherketones are polymers that exhibit a high melting temperature, mostly over 300° C., exceptional thermal resistance and excellent mechanical properties. High performance polymers such as polyetherketoneketones are increasingly used in different applications to replace metals, notably in order to reduce weight.
Vixtrex commercializes a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) polymer grade reinforced with carbone fiber and further containing graphite and fluoropolymers (Victrex 450 FC 30).
While polyaryletherketones have been studied with regard to wear and friction, the literature has focused in particular on some polymers of the family, notably polyetheretherketone (PEEK).
For instance, patent application WO 02/10320 A (TRI-MACK) discloses the use of polymers and more specifically of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) with lubricious reinforcing fibers for the manufacture of articles having improved tribological characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,310 B (AMOCO CORPORATION) proposes to improve wear resistance of polyaryletherketones (PAEK) by blending them with polyimides.
Patent application WO 2015/059216 A (SOLVAY SPECIALTY POLYMER) discloses articles with low friction and wear that comprise a blend of polyaryletherketones (PAEK) and polyetherimides (PEI) and reinforcing fibrous and non-fibrous fillers.
Patent application WO 2007/132153 A (VICTREX) proposes low wear coatings wherein a PAEK, notably a polyetheretherketone (PEEK), is blended with a fluorinated polymer.
However, there is still a need for materials that exhibit improved wear characteristics at elevated temperature, and thereby allow for manufactured articles with an extended service life and/or that may be used at higher temperature ranges.

Use of a polymeric material based on polyetherketoneketones for reducing wear


Single reactor bimodal MWD high molecular weight polyethylene film resin has improved bubble stability. The bimodal molecular weight distribution resin has low resin elasticity. Preferably the resin is made catalytically in one reactor. The preferred catalyst appears to control the properties of bubble stability and elasticity.

Increasing the molecular weight of polyethylene (and copolymers of ethylene) generally results in enhancing tensile strength, ultimate elongation, impact strength, puncture resistance, and toughness, of films produced therefrom. However, increasing the molecular weight of the polyethylene will usually decrease its processability. By providing a mixture of a high molecular weight polyethylene with a lower molecular weight polyethylene, the desirable characteristics due to the high molecular weight component can be retained while improving processability of the mixture containing the high molecular weight component. To produce such mixtures, various alternatives are being considered, including post reactor or melt blending, catalysis in a single reactor with a catalyst effective to produce such a product and lastly use of multistage reactors, in which diverse average molecular weight components can be produced in each reactor. In accordance with the invention, the bubble stability of resins produced far surpass those produced by other mixed metal catalyst(s).

Single reactor bimodal HMW-HDPE film resin with improved bubble stability


A coating for a clear (flint) glass container that can be readily formulated to provide a wide range of colors and finishes and protect the contents from natural and ultraviolet light. When applied and cured the coating will provide increased abrasion and impact resistance and process through all container filling operations.

The present invention is directed to a technique for coating glass containers, and more particularly to a technique for applying color coatings that singularly or together may be colored, block ultra-violet light, and offer a range of surface textures.
The glass container industry limits itself to three primary colors for containers: clear glass (commonly called flint glass), amber and green. The green and amber are melted in several hues for both product differentiation and protection of the contents from the adverse effects of transmitted visual light as well as the ultra-violet component of natural and artificial light. Significant cost resulting from lost production when a glass melting unit changes from one color to another is experienced throughout the industry as well as the cost to carry inventory of containers made of a specific color during a run of a few weeks that will satisfy many months of need. There is also an ongoing cost of glass raw materials necessary for coloring, as well as the additional cost of storage silos and batch material weighing apparatus. In addition, extra fuel is required to melt colored glass batch. Also, the melting furnace life is reduced by the corrosive action of colored glass batches.
Recycling of glass containers has become a very popular and cost effective way to deal with empty glass container disposal. One problem of the existing system is the need to segregate the various colors of glass so as not to contaminate the different glass melts. This segregation requires three separate systems from the empty container receiving station throughout all of the handling up to and including the charging of the melting unit with the proper color glass. Introduction of expensive machinery is required to separate containers collected without segregation.
It is common practice in the glass industry to treat the outer surface of the containers with materials to counteract the effects of high glass-to-glass friction experienced on freshly manufactured glass products. Glass containers are conveyed with a great deal of glass-to-glass contact and at times considerable line pressure. Without treatment there is considerable visible scratching which may result in breakage. It is common to surface treat at two (2) locations in the operation. Immediately after forming and before lehring, the containers pass through a vapor which leaves a tin oxide film bonded to the surface. After lehring, the containers are sprayed with a dilute water solution of a material which, after evaporation of the water, leaves a film to provide surface lubricity. Of the two treatments, the tin oxide film is most costly, both for materials and system maintenance. The lubricity of the second film, though needed to prevent surface damage, may cause problems in subsequent labeling of the container.
There is an ongoing program in the container industry to reduce the weight of the container by reducing wall thickness, but still maintain acceptable product strength for both the internal pressures of carbonated beverages and the impact strength to survive handling damage in the filling operations, in the market place and by the consumer. The benefits of reduced weight are economic: lower glass melting fuel and material costs, higher container manufacturing speeds (lower cost) and reduced product shipping costs.


A power supply output configuration system/method providing a digitally controlled uninterruptable power supply (UPS) to protected load devices (PLD) configured as power supply units (PSU) serviced by one or more power supply sources (PSS) is disclosed. The system generally includes a number of power supply sources (PSS) that are monitored by power condition sensing (PCS) circuitry that determines individual power source states within the PSS. This physical state information is used by a digitally controlled switching network (DSN) that reconfigures the electrical connections between the PSS and the individual PLD elements to properly route power from the PSS to the PLD in the event of individual PSS failures. The DSN receives phase/voltage state information from the PSS to ensure that current between the PSS and PLD is transferred in a synchronized manner and that PSS resources are properly protected during the switching transition.

Within the context of modern data centers there is a need to provide for uninterrupted power to protected load devices that are serviced by power supply units (PSU). The PSU architecture described in United States patent applications incorporated by reference herein (Ser. Nos. 14/461,110 and 14/509,454) may be configured in a variety of ways to ensure that this requirement for uninterrupted protected load power supply is achieved. The present invention describes a variety of power supply output configuration systems/methodologies to achieve this desired result.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Power supply output configuration system and method


Solid state devices, such as solid state light emitting devices, having non-linear current spreading segments are disclosed. Projection subsystems and systems equipped with such solid state light emitting devices are also disclosed.

Solid state devices, in particular, solid state light emitting devices, are increasingly being employed in various commercial/industrial applications, e.g. digital projection systems.
Solid state light emitting devices typically make use of current spreading segments extending from an electrical contact coupled to the device. An example of a solid state light emitting device is a light emitting diode (LED). The current spreading segments in an LED are typically linear. They facilitate uniform distribution of current across and into a layer of an LED to facilitate current injection into an active layer, which provides for photon emission. These current spreading segments often lie across a light emitting surface of an LED. When such a light emitting surface of an LED is projected, dark lines may be apparent in the projected image as the current spreading segments block the transmission of light from the LED. To homogenize light, image projection systems typically employ an optical integrator in the light path between a light source and a light valve.

Solid state device with current spreading segments


Disclosed is a cleaning device, a cleaning method and an image forming apparatus applied with the cleaning device and the cleaning method. The cleaning device includes a first cleaning member for removing waste developers remaining on one of a transfer belt and a photosensitive medium; a support bracket for supporting the first cleaning member; a second cleaning member being disposed in one side of the first cleaning member and serving a role in removing the waste developers remaining on the first cleaning member; a developer transfer member for transferring the removed waste developers; and a base bracket unit for receiving the developer transfer member. On the basis of the cleaning device and the cleaning method, the image forming apparatus is provided with an effect on improved cleaning efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a photocopier, a printer, a facsimile, and a multifunction machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method using the cleaning device for image forming apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus is classified into a monochrome image forming apparatus and a color image forming apparatus. The monochrome image forming apparatus generates an image in black-and-white by using a monochromic developer. Alternatively, the color image forming apparatus generates an image in color by using color developers typically based on the following colors: magenta, cyan, yellow and black.
As is also well known, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus generates an image by sequential steps. In the case of the monochrome image forming apparatus, first, a charging unit charges a photosensitive medium with a predetermined electric potential. Then, a scanning unit scans a laser beam to generate an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed into a monochrome developer and then transferred into a visible image on a printing paper. In the case of the color image forming apparatus, the electrostatic latent image is developed into each color developer on the photosensitive medium. Afterwards, a superimposed image is transferred to a transfer belt, and a full color image is developed on a printing paper. Additionally, a cleaning device may be provided for removing waste developers remaining after being transferred by the transfer belt or the photosensitive medium.
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a conventional cleaning device of a wet-type color image forming apparatus using a liquid developer.
As shown, the cleaning device 50 comprises a transfer belt 40; a cleaning blade 52 is disposed on one side of the transfer belt 40 and makes contact with the transfer belt 40; and a support bracket 54 supports the cleaning blade 52. Usually, the cleaning blade 52 is made of a ductile material having elasticity, and the support bracket 54 is fixed to the cleaning blade 52 and to a body (not shown) of the image forming apparatus or another support bracket (not shown).
Referring to FIG. 1, cleaning steps and steps of generating an image in a conventional cleaning device will be described in detail. A scanning unit 20 generates an electrostatic latent image on photosensitive drums 10 for each individual color, and color developers supplied from each of several color developing units 30 are transferred to the photosensitive drums 10. The color developers are superimposed on the transfer belt 40. The superimposed color developers are then transferred into a visible image on printing paper P passing through a drive roller 41 and a transfer roller 60. Waste developer 70 remaining after the transfer stays on the transfer belt and moves along with the transfer belt 40.
As shown in FIG. 1, the remaining waste developer 70 is removed by the cleaning blade 52 disposed in contact with the transfer belt 40, so that the remaining waste developer 70 flows by gravity along one surface of the cleaning blade 52.
However, the conventional cleaning device has a problem in that the remaining waste developer 70 is deposited on the cleaning blade 52. In the case of a high-speed printing process, or in the case of a high quantity of materials being printed, waste developer deposition occurs due to an increased amount of the remaining waste developer 70. Particularly, in instances using a liquid type developer, because of viscousness of the developers, greater quantities of developers are deposited on one surface of the cleaning blade 52.
As the remaining waste developer 70 is deposited on the cleaning blade 52, pressure is created as the cleaning blade 52 presses the transfer belt 40, e.g., a pressure exerted in a predetermined direction denoted by arrow 'Y' in FIG. 1, increases, and this increased pressure may result in damage to a surface of the transfer belt 40. Also, cleaning performance may decrease, which may further increase the likelihood of generating an incomplete and unstable image.
Accordingly, there is a continual need for image apparatuses with improved cleaning devices and cleaning methods for removing waste developers.

Image forming apparatus using a cleaning device and cleaning method thereof


A method for loading a resource file for a game engine is provided. The method includes: activating a thread to a preload a predetermined resource file, wherein the predetermined resource file includes a texture resource file, and one or both of a structure resource file and a model resource file; and accessing and loading one or both of the structure resource file and the model resource file through memory mapping. The provided method increases a loading speed while loading a game resource file and fully utilizes computer resources.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method, apparatus and computer for loading a resource file for a game engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer games are an entertainment that progressively gains popularity. To satisfy people's needs and provide better game experiences, designs of computer games are also becoming more and more diversified.
For computer games whether executed by a computer or an embedded product, designs of the computer games are getting increasingly sophisticated. To achieve realistic game effects, resources utilized by computer games, such as texture, models, and game scripts, are also becoming more and more colossal and complex.
Colossal and complex resource files are an inevitable price paid for achieving realistic game effects. However, documents in sizes of gigabytes lead to a series of issues including slow speeds in activating games, switching between scenes and loading checkpoints. These issues directly degrade an operation speed and efficiency of a computer while also causing resource wastage.

Method, apparatus and computer for loading resource file for game engine


A gripping handle assembly for an exercise machine, the gripping handle assembly having an axial shaft connected at an angle to a gripping handle, wherein the axial shaft is receivable into a circular bearing housing that is mounted to an end of an exercise arm, and wherein the axial shaft and the circular bearing housing each have engaging mechanisms such that a user pushes on a knob or pulls on the gripping handle to first unlock the axial shaft and then rotate the gripping handle. Releasing the gripping handle causes a spring to lock it into its new radial position. A first engaging mechanism may be a collar connected to the gripping handle with an indexing tab on the collar and a second engaging mechanism may be a plurality of indexing slots on the circular bearing housing with the indexing tab receivable therein.

Different exercise machines require their users to grasp handles when either pressing or pulling on an exercise arm. Examples of such "pressing" exercise machines include machines such as chest press machines and shoulder press machines. Examples of such "pulling" machines include lateral pulldown machines and mid-row pull back machines. Different hand angles and positions are required to operate these different machines. In addition, it is often desired to use a variety of different hand grip positions when operating each one of these machines. This is because switching the hand positioning requires more muscle engagement from the targeted muscle groups which means more benefits for the user.
Unfortunately, changing hand grip positions on most exercise machines is a cumbersome process. This is because existing exercise machines that provide multiple gripping positions for the hand grips do so by fixedly mounting the different gripping handles into various positions on the ends of the exercise arms. As such, a user has multiple gripping positions to choose from, but also has to deal with problems of added weight and added clutter to be able to remove and change each gripping handle. It would therefore instead be desirable if multiple gripping handle positions could be offered in an alternate, comfortable and easy to use manner. It would also be especially desirable to provide a system in which a user can quickly change the gripping angle position (and quickly lock it into the new position) without running the risk that the gripping handle will unlock and unexpectedly rotate or move.

Adjustable position gripping handle assembly for exercise machines


An insertion endpiece for connecting a part carrying the endpiece with another part provided with a bore for receiving the endpiece. The endpiece is provided with an outer groove in which there is received a cylindrical ring, that is free to turn and to slide. The ring has teeth projecting from its outside surface, the ends of the teeth being contained, in the free state, in a substantially cylindrical envelope of diameter that is greater than the diameter of the bore. The ring is received in the groove while being free to turn and to slide. The axial width (L) of the groove is greater than the axial width (L1) of the ring. When the ring is in abutment against a flank of the groove, the teeth are in register with a secondary groove formed in the bottom of the groove receiving the ring, and into which secondary groove the teeth are capable of penetrating elastically.

In the pneumatic or hydraulic fields, functional equipment is fed with control or power fluid that is delivered thereto via a tube that needs to be connected in leaktight manner to an internal channel of the equipment. To do this, the body of the equipment is provided with a bore or well that opens out into one of its outside surfaces, and that has the fluid-feed channel terminating in its bottom. The connection means of the tube are for placing in the bore in leaktight manner. The connection means may be embodied in numerous ways on the tube end. On the equipment, there is either a tapped well for making a screw connection with a sleeve that carries the connection members of the tube, or else there is a well in which a sleeve becomes anchored. Anchoring is provided by teeth that are machined on the outside surface of the sleeve and that co-operate with the well after the sleeve has been engaged under force in the well. This engagement requires special tooling for it to be performed, and it gives rise in the engaged parts to permanent stresses and tensions that harm their lifetimes and that can give rise to microcracks leading to a coupling that leaks or indeed to the coupling spontaneously disconnecting.
Attempts have therefore been made to eliminate stresses from this type of connection and to reduce assembly forces. The known solution makes use of an intermediate structure (washer) between the sleeve and the well, which intermediate structure is elastically retractable on being engaged and, under a pull-out force, grips either to the sleeve or to the well by biting into the corresponding surface or by placing the sleeve or the well behind a shoulder that was passed during engagement. That type of connection presents the drawbacks of possessing a radial size that is not negligible, thereby penalizing either the working section for passing fluid through the connection, or else increasing the overall size of the coupling that is to be inserted in the well, which requires wells to be made of greater diameter and thus impeding the provision of a set of couplings arranged side by side on a baseplate of the equipment that is to be fed with fluid.
The beginning of a solution to this problem can be found in document FR 2 102 518. That document discloses an intermediate structure that is not in the form of a toothed washer, but rather in the form of a toothed cylindrical ring, the ring being received in an outer groove of the sleeve that is inserted in the well and biting into the inside surface of the well. The flexibility of the teeth is small and their fastening power is relatively weak.
In addition, that connection cannot be disassembled without destroying at least the toothed ring. In order to enable a gripped-together connection to be disassembled by applying rotation, it is known that the active portions of the teeth need to be given a slope such that the bite mark made by each tooth in the surface that it grips is tangential to a helix lying in the surface, as contrasted to being tangential to a circle lying therein. The major drawback of such gripping and unscrewable connections lies in the fact that they can become unscrewed spontaneously under the effect of axial forces between the two connected-together elements.
The invention provides a solution to each of these presently poorly-solved problems.

Insertion end fitting for a coupling or the like requiring a low push-together force


Described herein are examples of orthopedic reamer heads for preparing a bone to receive an implant, as well as methods of assembling reamer heads. An illustrative example of a modular reamer head can include a body and a cutting system. The body can include a generally dome shape having an outer surface extending from an apex region to a base. The outer surface can have a recess including one or more arcuate channels that extend from the apex region towards the base of the dome. The cutting system can have one or more arcuate elements having cutting elements. One or more arcuate elements can extend from first end portions in the apex region towards second end portions proximate the base. At least a portion of the one or more arcuate elements can be located in the one or more arcuate channels to extend outward beyond the outer surface.

Bone degradation, disease and injury are a common occurrence that can be treated with surgical intervention using an orthopedic device such as an orthopedic implant. Orthopedic implants can be used, for example, to replace a joint or portion of a joint, or to provide fixation to a fractured bone while it heals.
In order to implant an orthopedic device, such as a hip implant, the surgeon can prepare the bone surface by a process such as reaming. Reaming can be accomplished using a reamer head having cutting elements thereon. The reamer head can be rotated to remove and shape the bone at the implant site. One such implant site can include an acetabulum of a hip bone, and the bone can be shaped to mimic the natural hemispherical shape of an acetabulum.
To provide rotation for the reaming process, the reamer head can include a driver interface that can be attached to a universal driver. When the reamer head is rotated by the universal driver with the reamer head located at a bone surface, the cutting elements on the reamer head remove the bone material.

Disposable acetabular modular reamer and methods


A reconfigurable circuit and a related method for its use, the circuit including multiple microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches connected between selected points in the circuit. The MEMS switches are controlled to select a desired circuit condition, such as an impedance matching condition, and then the switch conditions may be fused permanently. In the context of an impedance matching circuit, the MEMS switches may be used to optimize matching after circuit fabrication or after packaging, thereby allowing optimization even after potentially performance changing events.

This invention relates generally to circuits that are switchable or reconfigurable using MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology and, more particularly, to tunable impedance matching circuits using MEMS switches. In general, there are various types of electrical circuits for which reconfiguration is desired to maintain functionality or efficiency. MEMS switches, the states of which can be changed by the application of electrical signals, have often been proposed for use in highly reconfigurable circuits. Unfortunately, although MEMS components have negligible insertion loss in comparison with electronic switches, such as field-effect transistors (FETs), MEMS switches tend to be less reliable because their movable metal components are inherently subject to metal fatigue. In addition, when MEMS switches are called on to handle high power input, they are typically subject to "sticktion," i.e., to fusing in one switch position. A high electromagnetic field across the MEMS switch contacts induces arcing. There is, therefore, an inherent upper power limit for MEMS switches, above which the switches fuse in their current positions.
An important need for circuit reconfiguration arises in impedance matching of electronic components. Mismatched components, particularly those operating at radio frequencies (RF), are inefficiently coupled and the mismatch gives rise to a voltage standing wave in each component. The degree of mismatch may be expressed in terms of the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR). This phenomenon is a key system performance degradation mechanism in many electronic systems, especially those operating at high frequencies. The phenomenon is often difficult to resolve and predict. Solutions employed prior to the present invention include placement of discrete high-value attenuators in a signal transmission path, or manually tuning the transmission path to minimize the adverse effect of the mismatch. These techniques are, however, undesirable because they are both costly and labor intensive to implement in a high-volume manufacturing environment. Accordingly, there is still a need for a technique for reconfiguring circuits, such as matching circuits, using MEMS devices, but without the disadvantages usually associated with them. The present invention satisfies this need.

Monolithically integrated switchable circuits with MEMS


A nail-driving device includes a body having a nail ejection portion, a nail-striking member, an activation switch, a trigger mechanism, a force-transmitting member, and a safety mechanism. The force-transmitting member is connected pivotally to the safety mechanism. When the safety mechanism is limited in a first position, and when the trigger mechanism is actuated, the force-transmitting member activates the activation switch to thereby move the nail-striking member relative to the body. When movement of the safety mechanism relative to the body is allowed, and when the trigger mechanism is actuated, the force-transmitting member moves the safety mechanism from the first position to a second position such that a contact portion of the activation switch serves as a fulcrum.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nail-driving device, and more particularly to a nail-driving device that includes a safety unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a nil gun disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,788 has a safety mechanism 6 for preventing misfires. The safety mechanism 6 includes an upper safety portion 601, a lower safety portion 602, and a cam member 503 connected between the upper and lower safety portions 601, 602 such that the upper and lower safety portions 601, 602 can be interconnected or disconnected from each other. To protect the cam member 603, a shielding member 7 is provided to cover the same. However, during use, due to the presence of the shielding member 7, it is difficult to register a nail 9 to be ejected with a hole 801 in a workpiece 8.


A system and method of decoding a Reed-Solomon code using a Reed-Solomon decoder comprising an erasure location selector, multiple syndrome formers and multiple Berlekamp-Massey decoders that share a single error correction unit, and means for selecting a Berlekamp-Massey decoder output as the input to the error correction unit. The method improves the bit error rate performance of the Reed-Solomon decoder compared to known hard-decision and soft-decision Reed-Solomon decoders. The Reed-Solomon decoder also provides hardware area and power savings over more complex Reed-Solomon decoders.

Information transmitted over, or stored in, a physical medium is susceptible to errors derived from noise and other random processes. Forward error correction ("FEC") is commonly used to improve the bit error rate ("BER") of a communications system. A popular FEC implementation is Reed-Solomon error correction.
A Reed-Solomon error correcting code is also a type of erasure code; that is, bits or values of the received code can be marked as erasures, or error locations known in advance, for the purpose of decoding. While a Reed-Solomon code can correct a certain number of errors, it can correct more erasures. Therefore, if the locations of likely errors are known, then the errors can be marked as erasures, increasing the number of errors that can be corrected.
Specifically, a Reed-Solomon code comprises parameters N, k and m. Each Reed-Solomon codeword consists of N symbols, with each symbol consisting of m bits. The codeword contains k symbols of message data, implying that k<N and that the codeword contains N−k symbols of check or parity data.
It is a defining property of a Reed-Solomon code that the decoder can correct up to N−k/2 symbols in error and detect up to N−k symbols in error. It is yet another property of the code that the decoder can correct up to N−k erasure symbols. Further, a decoder can correct a codeword with A errored symbols and B erased symbols as long as 2A+B≦N−k. Hence, the BER of a received information stream can be improved if the decoder can glean additional information about the locations of errored symbols and mark those symbols as erasures.
A Reed-Solomon decoder that does not take advantage of erasures operates akin to a hard-decision FEC decoder. Hard bits are either 0s or 1s at the input of the decoder. Thus, a hard-decision Reed-Solomon decoder can only correct up to N−k/2 symbols in error.
A classical Reed-Solomon decoder, shown in FIG. 1, comprises three processing stages: a syndrome former, a Berlekamp-Massey (BM) decoder, and an error correction unit. The syndrome former generates syndrome values from the received message. The syndrome values are non-zero if the received message contains errors. The Berlekamp-Massey algorithm uses the syndromes to determine the locations of the errors in the received message. Finally, the error correction unit corrects the identified errors. In the case of a binary message, the error correction is a trivial bit flip; in the general case, an appropriate algorithm, such as the Forney algorithm, generates the error values used for error correction.
A soft-decision Reed-Solomon decoder "softens" the input data by marking likely error locations with erasures. Advances in soft-decision Reed-Solomon decoding can lead to improved BER over known decoding techniques, up to a theoretical BER ceiling defined by the N−k maximum number of correctable erasures.
One known method of soft-decision Reed-Solomon decoding makes use of soft-decision information at the bit-level rather than only at the byte-level (or symbol-level). A Reed-Solomon code is beneficial in a noisy channel that manifests bursts of bit errors. Since the bit errors are localized to one or a few symbols, most codewords are correctable. However, in a memoryless noisy channel that only manifests evenly distributed bit errors, the BER of the conventional Reed-Solomon decoder suffers. This method performs bit-level soft-decision decoding by generating, at the encoder, a linear mapping of a string of bits from a number of symbols. The encoder chooses a recursive generator matrix over a Galois Field of size NI that interleaves the m bits of each symbol evenly over m codewords. Thus, each symbol is mapped to a coset of bits and each coset is over a Galois Field of size m, ensuring that decisions are bit-level. The decoder applies a maximum likelihood decoding algorithm (soft-decision decoding) first to the received codeword, which comprises interleaved bits, and then to the coset of interleaved bits forming a transmitted symbol.
Another known method of soft-decision Reed-Solomon decoding uses a list decoding algorithm to improve the number of errors that can be corrected in a codeword. A list decoding algorithm produces a list of potential valid received codewords. Using side information, the soft-decision decoder can prune the list of codewords. The Guruswami-Sudan algorithm can correct n−√{square root over (nk)} errors and comprises two main steps: interpolating a bivariate polynomial from a list of points corresponding to the received word; and factoring the bivariate polynomial to determine the list of codewords corresponding to these factors. The Koetter-Vardy algorithm extends the Guruswami-Sudan list decoding method so that the decoder is a soft-decision decoder. The Koetter-Vardy "front-end" algorithm translates side-information into multiplicities proportional to the reliability of the points; therefore, the bivariate polynomial is found through a biased interpolation with unequal multiplicities. This biased bivariate interpolation polynomial factors to produce a reduced list of codewords.
Both of these soft-decision decoding methods are relatively complex. The complexity is reflected in the hardware implementation of these methods, which leads to higher power consumption. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved soft-decision Reed-Solomon decoder with a relatively low area and power consumption.


The invention discloses a sterile syringe (100) comprising a barrel (1) having internal surfaces (2), a plunger (3) movable within the barrel, a non-sliding seal (7) between the barrel and the plunger defining a sealed volume (8) and at least one filter (9) allowing only filtered gases to enter the sealed volume such that the syringe maintains its sterility even after several uses. The filters could be positioned on different locations on the syringe like on the non-sliding seal, the barrel, the barrel flange or the plunger handle.

Syringes which have a cylindrical barrel and a plunger slideable within the barrel are frequently used in healthcare settings like a hospital or a pharmacy. They are also used in pathology labs or in biopharmaceutical production labs and facilities. Syringes are used for various purposes like administering injections and infusions, measuring up fluids, drawing out fluid samples and transferring fluids between different containers.
However, most of the frequently used syringes are not designed to be sterile systems and sterility is typically lost after opening the outer packaging in which the syringe is enclosed or after just a single use. This happens because such syringes are open systems and when they are operated, the plunger and the inside surfaces of the barrel get exposed to the atmosphere. This causes the syringed fluids to come into contact with non-sterile surfaces of the syringe as they are aspirated in the barrel, thus increasing the chances of contamination in those fluids.
WO99/45851 (Harvest Technologies Corporation) describes a syringe for use in collecting and transferring physiological fluids from a non-sterile field to a sterile field where the syringe is encased in a two-part outer casing such that the syringe is held in a sterile condition. During operation of the syringe, a fluid is drawn into the sterile syringe held in the casing while in the non-sterile field. The casing is then opened to expose the syringe and the casing is held such that the syringe can be grasped by a person in the sterile field and removed from the casing, or dropped into the sterile field. Thus, the syringe once out of its casing is required to be in a sterile atmosphere to maintain the sterility of the syringe. This method is not only susceptible to human error while removing the casing but also requires a facility where a sterile room/area could be maintained.
EP1723979B1 (Sophrone Ranguin) describes a syringe where a tubular membrane is attached to the proximal end of the barrel on one side and to the proximal end of the plunger on other side to form a closed syringe such that during operation of the syringe, parts of the syringe that come in contact with the syringed fluids are not exposed to the atmosphere. This system is however, prone to inefficiencies as there is no mechanism for pressure balancing due to any change in volume of air in the closed syringe when the plunger is repeatedly pushed in and out within the barrel. Thus, after repeated use, the syringe could stop functioning properly.
There is a need for a sterile syringe that maintains sterility even when operated in a non-sterile environment and that can continue to work efficiently even with multiple use.

Sterile syringe comprising a non-sliding seal


An electronic apparatus includes: a luminance adjustable display module; an illuminance sensor configured to detect illuminance around the electronic apparatus; and a controller configured to: read the illuminance from the illuminance sensor; determine luminance corresponding to the illuminance; control the luminance adjustable display module to set luminance to the determined luminance; and set a waiting time based on the determined luminance, the waiting time being a time to a next time point of illuminance reading and luminance control. The controller is configured to set the waiting time short when the determined luminance is high and to set the waiting time long when the determined luminance is low.

1. Field of the Invention
One aspect of the invention relates to an electronic apparatus configured to adjust the luminance of the display screen according to the illuminance therearound.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electronic apparatus such as cell phones and cameras, to make the display screen easy to see, the light-emission luminance of the display screen is controlled so as to have an optimum value for the ambient illuminance. In this connection, there is an apparatus that is reduced in power consumption (see JP-A-2008-219659 (paragraphs 0029 and 0031 and FIGS. 7 and 8), for instance). In JP-A-2008-219659 (FIG. 7 and paragraph 0029), the battery operation time is elongated by reducing the power consumption by making the luminance of a backlight of a display module lower when the residual energy of a battery is small than when the residual energy is large. Furthermore, in JP-A-2008-219659 (FIG. 8 and paragraph 0031), during daytime when there is a large difference between illuminance in the sun and that in the shade, that is, a rapid variation occurs in ambient illuminance, a luminance control is employed in which the luminance control cycle is shortened to quickly respond to a rapid luminance variation.
There is another apparatus that is reduced in power consumption (see JP No. 2,891,955 (Pages 1-3 and FIGS. 1 and 2), for instance). In JP No. 2,891,955, the average power consumption of a processor etc. for calculating optimum luminance is reduced by turning on the power to the processor etc. intermittently rather than all the time using a timer. Same as in JP-A-2008-219659, the control can follow an illuminance variation by a variable setting of the timer cycle that the timer cycle is set long in an environment with a small illuminance variation and short in an environment with a large illuminance variation (JP No. 2,891,955, paragraph 0015).
The apparatus of JP-A-2008-219659 can elongate the battery operation time by reducing the power consumption by lowing the luminance of the backlight of the display module when the battery residual energy is small. However, a problem may arise that during such a control the display screen is reduced in luminance and hence made difficult to see.
In the apparatus of JP No. 2,891,955, the power consumption of the processor etc. for calculating optimum luminance is reduced. However, the power used for the light emission of the display module is much larger than that consumed by the processor etc. For example, where the display module is an LCD or the like, very large power is consumed for the light emission of the backlight. In the case of organic LEDs or the like, very large power is supplied for the light emission of the organic LEDs.

Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications Limited


A device for detecting a surface plasmon and polarization includes: a topological insulating layer formed on a substrate; first and second electrodes formed on the topological insulating layer; and a waveguide connected to the topological insulating layer between the first and second electrodes.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to detecting surface plasmon, and more particularly, to detecting surface plasmon and polarization using a topological insulator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the diffraction limit of a wavelength, there is a limit in reducing the size of an optical device. In order to overcome this problem, a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) is used. An energy transmitted in the SSP type can be re-extracted in light type. Accordingly, an energy transmitted in the SSP type can be optically detected. However, when the energy transmitted in the SSP type is electrically detected, device applicability may be widened.
A method of electrically detecting a short wave SSP by using a germanium (Ge) nano-line channel has been disclosed as a method of electrically detecting the SSP. Also, a method of using graphene channel has been disclosed as a further developed method.
When graphene having a high mobility (≦200,000 cm2 V−1 s−1) compared to a related art semiconductor (for example, a nanowire) and an SSP are combined, an integrated optical device of a super high speed and a wideband may be realized.

Device for detecting surface plasmon and polarization by using topological insulator, method of manufacturing the device, and method of detecting surface plasmon and polarization


A sign with a fabric, a frame profile and a clamping profile for a bar around which an edge portion of the fabric is wrapped. The frame profile is provided with a counter support forming a center of a pivot for the clamping profile. The clamping profile has a flange defining an assembly pocket for the bar with the edge portion of the fabric wrapped around it, and a support for engagement with the counter support to permit pivoting of the clamping profile about the pivot center. The flange and assembly pocket extend in a direction forming an angle of from 0.degree. to 180.degree. with the plane of the fabric and the assembly pocket has an inner stop for the bar, the stop spaced from the opening. The depth of the assembly pocket is less than the width of the bar so that an outer edge of the bar is located at a distance from the opening. The fabric extends around the outer edge of the bar and over a free edge of the flange in order in fabric stretched state to press the bar (with the edge portion of the fabric wrapped around it) against the stop.

The present invention relates to a sign comprising a stand; two pairs of first and second parallel support elements secured to the stand; a fabric with edge sections and between them a sign surface for information, extending in a plane between the support elements, and bars around which the edge portion of the fabric are wrapped and by means of which bars the edge portions of the fabric are detachably joined to the support elements, at least the first support element in each pair of support elements comprising a frame profile connected to the stand, and a clamping profile to support said bar provided with said edge portion of the fabric, said frame profile being provided with at least one counter support arranged at an outer edge portion of the frame profile located near the plane of the fabric in order to form a center of pivot for the clamping profile, the latter being provided with a flange arranged at an outer edge part of the clamping profile located near the plane of the fabric and defining an assembly pocket for receipt of the bar with the edge portion of the fabric wrapped around it via an opening, the clamping profile also being provided with a support member arranged to be brought into engagement with said counter support to permit pivoting of the clamping profile in relation to the frame profile about said center of pivot to a final position behind the plane of the fabric while clamping the fabric in relation to the second one of the two support elements, said second support element comprising a flange and an assembly pocket formed thereby and having the same shapes and functions as the equivalent elements of the first support element.
The European patents EP-0 114 453 and EP-0 268 308 describe signs in which the outer edges of the fabric are wrapped around retaining bars which are thereafter inserted in a recess in each of a plurality of fabric-retaining elements adjustably secured by bolts to the rod-shaped frame profiles. When the bolts extending through a vertical flange on each fabric-retaining element are tightened, the fabric is stretched. The frame-profile rods are provided with a longitudinal slit facing the fabric, the opposing sides of the slit having longitudinal grooves or ridges to provide a grip for the thread of each bolt. Such an arrangement for tensioning the fabric requires holes for the bolts to be drilled or punched in the flanges of the fabric-retaining elements, as well as the use of bolts requiring a certain amount of time for assembly and adding considerably to the material and assembly costs of a tension-fabric sign.
Signs with a different system of frame profile rods are sold under the name of Signcomp Tensioning System by Designtone Limited, England. The design of the frame profile rods here is even more complicated and includes at least one, but in some case two, longitudinal closed channels, which makes them expensive to manufacture. When the fabric is to be tensioned its edge is folded over a bar, short in relation to the length of the fabric, having a shallow U-shaped cross section, and an extremely complicated clip is snapped over it. The ends of the clip are provided with longitudinal teeth and are intended to be inserted laterally into a longitudinal open channel arranged in the frame profile rod. The cross-sectional dimensions of the channel are designed to suit the clip and one side of the channel is provided with teeth or ridges to cooperate with the teeth on the clip. The fabric is tensioned by pressing the clip into the open channel with the aid of a tensioning tool, and the tension in the fabric inclines the clip in the channel so that the fabric is firmly clamped between the clip and the opposing side of the channel.
Signs with a similar sign assembly are known through the patent specifications U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,961 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,216. However, the clips are manufactured by punching a blank out of resilient sheet metal and bending the punched blank. Instead of the longitudinal teeth at the ends of the clips, a fold bent along the entire length has the same function. Furthermore, the relatively short strip with shallow U-shaped cross section has instead a substantially rectangular cross section with one long side edge symmetrically bevelled and the other surfaces having longitudinal ridges located close together.
The patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,039 describes a sign with support elements, each of which has a plurality of short clamping devices and cooperating locking devices. Each clamping device is provided with an assembly pocket of circular form and an opening directed obliquely to the plane of the fabric. The opening is defined by two opposing flanges and its width is less than the thickness of the locking device, the latter thereby being retained inside the assembly pocket. The locking device consists of a cylindrical sleeve to be surrounded by an edge portion of the fabric which runs in to and out of the assembly pocket to be firmly clamped by the sleeve against the flanges when the sheet is tensioned. The locking sleeve is inserted into the assembly pocket from the side. The arrangement entails a complicated assembly of first the edge portions of the fabric and then the locking sleeves which are inserted in folds of the edge portions of the fabric which are difficult to maintain until the locking sleeves are in their operative positions. It will be seen that the tension force will be unevenly distributed along the fabric since it is clamped pointwise and not continuously, the fabric thus having folds or wavy portions. The arrangement also entails complicated retensioning of the fabric since it must be released pointwise at each locking sleeve which must be disengaged from its operative position, i.e. completely removed from the fabric and assembly pocket. The assembly procedure cannot be automated for a sign described in this U.S. patent.
Purely generally it can be stated that tension-fabric signs have been known for several decades. However, it is only recently that they have begun to be used more generally since both the fabric material and the assembly system for tensioning the fabrics have been improved. However, the known assembly systems and the frame profile rods used for them are relatively complicated and this is reflected in the cost of a finished tension-fabric sign. The work of retensioning the fabrics is also complicated.
The object of the present invention is to provide a sign enabling lower manufacturing and assembly costs, simpler retensioning of the fabric and having continuous engagement between fabric and clamping profiles so that the fabric remains uniformly tensioned.
The sign according to the present invention is characterized in that in its said final position the flange and assembly pocket of the clamping profile extend in a direction forming an angle of from 0.degree. to 180.degree. with the plane of the fabric; that the assembly pocket has an inner stop for the bar with the edge portion of the fabric wrapped around it spaced from the opening; that the depth of the assembly pocket, measured between the opening and the stop is less than the width of the bar so that an outer edge of the bar is located at a predetermined distance from and outside the opening; and that the fabric is arranged so that a section thereof extends around the outer edge of the bar and over a free edge of the flange in order in stretched state to press the bar with the edge portion of the fabric wrapped around it against the stop to clamp the edge portion of the fabric between the bar and the stop.


A drying section for drying a web in a papermaking machine has a pre-drying section and a final drying section, wherein the pre-drying section includes a hot press formed by a first press member and a rotatable counter roll in engagement with each other so as to form a nip therebetween through which the web passes. The hot press further includes a heating device disposed in heat-transfer relation to the counter roll and operable to heat a surface region of the counter roll which then passes through the nip so as to heat the web therein, and an imprinting fabric arranged in an endless loop, the imprinting fabric defining an imprinting surface for imprinting the web and being arranged to pass through the nip of the hot press with the web against the imprinting surface such that the web is imprinted. The imprinting fabric continues to support the imprinted web downstream of the hot press at least up to the final drying section.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for drying a continuous tissue paper web in a papermaking machine. The invention relates more particularly to a drying section and method in which the web is passed through a pre-drying section and a final drying section, wherein the pre-drying section has at least one press that includes a first press device and a counter roll arranged in contact with each other so as to form a press nip there between, and an endless fabric is arranged to pass through the press nip together with the web.
The term xe2x80x9ctissuexe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to include all kinds of soft hygiene paper, whether creped or not, including but not limited to handkerchief paper, bathroom tissue, and towel.
In the production of soft paper or tissue at lower basis weights, which is used for the production of household paper such as paper towels and other sanitary products, it is a general requirement that the bulk, i.e., the ratio between the volume and the weight of the paper, should be substantially higher than for other types of paper. Paper with a high bulk exhibits a desired combination of softness and high water absorption capacity.
The present commercially used technology to dry a continuous tissue web in a drying section employs large-diameter cylinders, so-called Yankee dryers, which are steam heated internally, or employs porous cylinders (so-called TAD cylinders) on which thermal through-air drying of the web is performed by blowing hot air through the web, either outwardly from the inside of the cylinder or inwardly from the outside of the cylinder.
Use of Yankee dryers for drying tissue has a major disadvantage in that the smooth surface of the cylinder causes the web to be compressed as it is pressed onto the Yankee dryer by means of a press roll, which is wrapped by a felt that carries the web to the Yankee dryer. This is especially the case since the web generally is still relatively wet when it is transferred to the Yankee dryer, leading to its structure and bulkiness being impaired by the treatment on the Yankee dryer. Hence, in a conventional drying section for tissue, only limited bulk levels can be reached. Typically, the web is creped from the Yankee dryer in order to somewhat improve its softness and bulkiness, but generally that improvement is lost when the tissue is used and thereby becomes wet.
In the development of drying sections for tissue, it has also been suggested to pre-dry the web in a press section comprising one or more press nips, possibly of shoe press type. The pre-dried web is then finally dried on a conventional drying cylinder such as a Yankee dryer. A papermaking machine of this type, including a pre-drying section and a final drying section, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,384, the web being carried by an impermeable belt through the drying sections. Although a certain beneficial effect results from this type of system, the pre-drying section cannot be made adequately efficient, since only limited linear loads can be used in the press nips in order to avoid compressing the tissue web and thereby reducing the bulk of the web. Consequently, one press is usually not sufficient to reach the desired dry content levels in the pre-drying section, and hence at least two presses have to be used, which requires more space, investment costs and energy. Despite using at least two presses, the resulting tissue becomes relatively flat and compact, with a bulk that is lower than the desired high bulk. Another problem with the use of such presses is that rewetting of the web at the outlet from the press nip usually occurs, which reduces the effectiveness of the press in dewatering the web.
Drastically improved bulk levels have been reached by the use of thermal through-air drying cylinders, i.e., TAD cylinders. Typically, the bulk is increased by about 60-200%, compared to the bulk levels that are reached with a conventional press nip followed by a Yankee dryer. Usually, the TAD cylinder is preceded by a suction apparatus, by which an imprinting pattern is achieved in the web in its wet state. The web is thereafter dried in the TAD cylinder, by inward or outward air flow, while retaining the structure of the imprinting pattern and thereby retaining the high bulk of the web. In the TAD drying, the imprinted web structure is, in a matter of speaking, frozen in its structure.
The TAD cylinder, however, has the disadvantages that it requires a lot of space, has a limited capacity, and yet requires a lot of energy. Moreover, the TAD cylinder requires the use of very large air volumes that have to be handled. Also it entails high investment costs.
Another known method to dry a fibrous web is to use so-called impulse drying. The wet web is pressed at a high temperature and with a high linear load in a press section comprising one or more press nips. The technique is described in SE 7803672-0, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,613, and is used in web types other than tissue webs, or for tissue webs with limited bulk. In these patents, there are described maximum specific pressures of 3-8 MPa and surface temperatures on the counter roll of a press of conventional type of between about 150xc2x0 C. and 350xc2x0 C. By xe2x80x9cconventional typexe2x80x9d is meant a press nip in which two rolls with cylindrical cross sections are counter-acting against each other under pressure. The time that a given region of the moving web resides in this type of press nip, however, is only a few milliseconds because of the short length of the press nip in the machine direction, which is too short a time for the beneficial effects of the high pressure acting at a high temperature to be fully developed. Therefore, it has also been suggested to use impulse drying in a heated shoe press in which the press nip is extended to about 20-30 cm, giving much longer residence times for the web in the nip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,551 discloses such an impulse drying process for drying paper webs such as toilet paper. The web and a water absorbing felt are fed into a press nip of a shoe press. The web may be heated by steam prior to its entry into the nip, or the smooth surface of the counter roll may be heated prior to the nip. Delamination, caused by the sudden expansion of flash steam when the web leaves the high-pressure nip, is said to improve the volume and softness of the web. The dried web is creped from the counter roll by a scraper. High bulk levels cannot be reached by the process of U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,551, since the web will be compressed in the nip between the absorbing felt which has a flat surface and the smooth surface of the counter roll.
Yet another known method to dry tissue web is to use a drying cylinder, such as a Yankee dryer, as the counter roll in a press nip. The roll that co-acts with the counter roll may also be equipped with a press shoe so that an extended nip is formed. Systems of this type are shown in DE 196 54 345 (FIG. 5) and DE 43 21403 (FIG. 11). The press shoe may include a heating device. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,406, there is shown a system for the formation of a tissue web, which system also is of the type with a press nip between a first roll and a Yankee dryer. This system seeks to avoid compressing of the high-bulk tissue web by providing the surface of the Yankee dryer with a relief pattern with depressions and elevated parts therebetween. Essentially, only the parts of the web that abut the elevated parts of the cylinder surface are pressed together in the press nip, the intermediate parts being relatively unaffected. The web is thereby provided with an imprinting pattern consisting of parts that are pressed together and other parts that are not pressed together, corresponding to the pattern of the cylinder surface.
Despite several methods, devices and systems being known for drying tissue webs, there is no commercially available drying section that gives a high bulk, high water absorption levels, a good softness, and a distinct imprinting pattern in the web, while also requiring only a relatively small space, entailing relatively low investment and energy costs, and yet having a high capacity and good reliability.
The above needs are met and other advantages are achieved by the present invention, which provides a drying section for drying a web in a papermaking machine, the drying section comprising a pre-drying section and a final drying section, wherein the pre-drying section includes a hot press formed by a first press member and a rotatable counter roll in engagement with each other so as to form a nip therebetween through which the web passes. The hot press further includes a heating device disposed in heat-transfer relation to the counter roll and operable to heat a region of the exterior cylindrical surface of the counter roll, which then passes through the nip so as to heat the web therein, and an imprinting fabric arranged in an endless loop, the imprinting fabric defining an imprinting surface for imprinting the web and being arranged to pass through the nip of the hot press with the web against the imprinting surface such that the web is imprinted. The imprinting fabric continues to support the imprinted web downstream of the hot press at least up to the final drying section.
Since the terms xe2x80x9cimpulse dryerxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cimpulse dryingxe2x80x9d imply that water in the web evaporates so violently that the formed steam blows out liquid water from the web, the more generic terms xe2x80x9chot pressxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9chot pressingxe2x80x9d are used to describe the present invention.
Preferably, the surface region of the counter roll is arranged to be heated by an external heating element to a temperature of at least 150xc2x0 C., and more preferably 200-300xc2x0 C. The external heating element is arranged at a location other than where the web is carried by the counter roll, preferably just ahead of the press nip.
In one embodiment, the imprinting fabric is arranged to maintain the web against the counter roll over a sector of the counter roll subtending an angle of about 90xc2x0 to 300xc2x0. Accordingly, the web remains in contact with the heated surface of the counter roll for an extended period of time so that the drying of the web is performed for a greater time. The hot press can also include a ventilation hood surrounding a portion of the sector of the counter roll wrapped by the web for carrying away steam liberated from the web. Alternatively, the pre-drying section can be arranged to lead the web away from the first press device and the counter roll essentially immediately downstream of the press nip. One advantage of this arrangement is that a higher temperature may be used on the counter roll without risk of the (synthetic) fabric being destroyed.
Preferably, in every location in the drying section where the web is pressed or subjected to a load between two surfaces, such as between the surface of a roll or cylinder and a fabric or clothing, or between two surfaces in a press nip, at least one of said two surfaces exhibits a structured/coarse surface. In the case of the structured/coarse surface being a fabric or a clothing, it preferably is a permeable imprinting fabric or clothing. In the case of the structured/coarse surface being the mantle surface of a roll or cylinder, it is a surface with a relief pattern. In this way, the web is never completely compressed between two flat or smooth surfaces in the drying section, whereby it retains a high bulk, a good softness and good water absorption levels, the structure of the web being essentially retained even when it is re-wetted when used.
The first press member can be a cylindrical roll or can include a press shoe forming an extended nip with the counter roll. Preferably, the drying section also includes a clothing operable to carry water away from the web. The clothing is arranged in an endless loop such that the clothing passes through the nip with the imprinting fabric sandwiched between the clothing and the web and then separates from the imprinting fabric and the web downstream of the nip.
The drying section can also include at least one suction device disposed upstream of the nip for suctioning the web against the imprinting surface of the imprinting fabric such that the web is made to conform to the imprinting surface.
The final drying section in some embodiments includes a heated dryer roll, and the imprinting fabric loop includes a guide roll that forms a nip with the heated dryer roll through which the imprinting fabric with the web supported thereon passes. The web is transferred from the imprinting fabric onto the heated dryer roll at the nip, and the web is then carried about the heated dryer roll for final drying of the web. Since the web is pressed onto the heated dryer roll by the imprinting fabric, the web is not compressed between two smooth surfaces, and hence the imprinted web is finally dried in its imprinted condition, which tends to lock the imprinted structure into the web so that it remains even upon re-wetting of the web.
In other embodiments, the final drying section includes a rotary through-air dryer having a drying cylinder about which the imprinting fabric is wrapped so as to carry the web about the drying cylinder. In yet other embodiments of the invention, the final drying section includes a rotary through-air dryer having a drying cylinder and further includes a drying fabric arranged in an endless loop so as to pass over the drying cylinder. The imprinting fabric loop is arranged to transfer the web from the imprinting fabric onto the drying fabric upstream of the drying cylinder, and the drying fabric carries the web about the drying cylinder.
The counter roll may be a solid cylindrical body, or may comprise a heatable, rotatable sleeve that surrounds a rotatable roll body. A region of the exterior cylindrical surface of the sleeve is heated by an external heating element. The sleeve preferably loosely surrounds the roll body in order to allow free expansion of the sleeve in relation to the roll body as the sleeve is heated. The sleeve and the roll body are eccentrically arranged in relation to each other such that the sleeve is in contact with the first press device in the press nip and also is in contact with the roll body in the press nip, so that a linear load is conveyed from the roll body to the nip via the sleeve. The rotation of the sleeve is driven by the rotation of the roll body, the friction between the roll body end the sleeve forcing the sleeve to rotate with the same peripheral speed as the roll body. By this construction, temperature-related stress in the counter roll is substantially avoided. Such stress may occur with a solid cylindrical counter roll because the outer layer of the roll becomes hotter than the inner layers of the roll, and hence the outer layer will expand more than the inner layer, resulting in temperature-induced stresses. Also, with a solid roll it may be difficult to maintain the desired geometrical shape of the roll across the machine direction because of difficulties in maintaining the same temperature in the mantle surface as in the gables. With a sleeve that is loosely arranged around the roll body, these types of problems are avoided. Another advantage with the exchangeable sleeve is that the imprinting pattern may be changed relatively simply, by changing sleeves.
Preferably, the hot press is arranged to provide an outgoing dry content of 40-60%, and more preferably 45-55%, in the web, when the incoming web to the press has a dry content of 10-30%, and more preferably 20-30%. Accordingly, the dry content of the web is raised 10-50% in the hot press nip. Although not preferred, it is possible to use more than one press nip in the pre-drying section, the additional press nip(s) being of conventional wet press type or of impulse drying type.
The press nip is preferably arranged to provide a linear load of 200-800 kN/m, and more preferably 300-600 kN/m, between the first press device and the counter roll. The counter roll may have a smooth surface, at least if the fabric that carries the web through the nip has a structured, imprinting surface. Alternatively, the mantle surface of the counter roll may have a patterned, imprinting surface, with depressions with a depth of preferably 0.1-2.0 mm, and parts between the depressions, i.e. elevated parts, preferably having a width of 1-5 mm. The surface area of the elevated parts, i.e. the surface area which will be in contact with the web, constitutes 20-50% of the total surface area of the mantle surface, measured at the circumference of the mantle. If both the permeable fabric and the counter roll are provided with imprinting patterns, the tissue product will beneficially be imprinted on both sides. Preferably, the counter roll has a diameter of 2.0-3.6 m.
According to another aspect of the invention, pressurized air knives or the like are arranged to release the web from the surface of the counter roll.
By the combination, according to the invention, of a pre-drying section based on hot pressing technique and a final drying section that may include a drying cylinder such as a Yankee dryer or a TAD cylinder or other drying means known in the art, and with the web never being compressed between two flat or smooth surfaces in the drying section, a tissue web is produced with very high bulk levels and with structural properties very similar to the structural properties of TAD-dried tissue webs. The tissue web is pre-dried to a relatively high dry solids content before the final drying of the web, which means that the imprinted structure of the web will not be impaired when it is conveyed to a drying cylinder such as a Yankee dryer. At the same time, the energy demand is decreased in comparison with the energy demand for TAD drying, and the investment cost and space requirement is lowered. The efficient drying in the pre-drying section, ensured by the press nip with hot pressing, makes it possible to increase the speed of the tissue paper machine. Alternatively, smaller-diameter drying cylinders can be used in the final drying section; in this case of a TAD cylinder used in the final drying section, this means that smaller air flows are required. When the present invention is applied to the reconstruction of an existing papermaking machine, the capacity of the machine may be increased without requiring any extra space, and also the efficiency and reliability of the machine can be improved.

Drying section for drying a paper web in a papermaking machine