The present invention discloses a method for transmitting the configuration mode of MBMS carrier frequency time slots, and a method for receiving the configuration mode of MBMS carrier frequency time slots. The present invention also discloses a RNC and a terminal. The present invention enables the terminal to ascertain the configuration mode of MBMS carrier frequency time slots, and performs appropriate combining operation on the basis of the capability of the terminal itself, hence reduces the workload on the terminal.

In MBMS services, a terminal residing in a cell, especially in the boundary area of a cell, may simultaneously receive identical MBMS signals from multiple cells. In order to achieve the purposes of increasing receive gain and improving signal receiving effect, with the identical MBMS signals, there are two configuration modes for the time slots of the carrier frequency that carries the MBMS service. One mode is the MBMS single frequency network (MBSFN) mode, also known as the SFN mode, that is, for a same MBMS service all the neighboring base stations use a same scrambling code and synchronously transmit identical radio signals. As shown in FIG. 9, the signals on the same channel 6 are simultaneously transmitted to a terminal through path 61 and path 62, respectively. Accordingly, the terminal treats the signals from different base stations as multi-path signals, and performs over-the-air signal combining on the multi-path signals to achieve the purposes of increasing receive gain and improving signal receiving effect. The other mode is the chip combining mode, that is, for a same MBMS service, each base station uses its own scrambling code to scramble the signals, and the base stations synchronously transmit different radio signals of the same content data. Accordingly, the terminal uses the chip combining mode, i.e. the multi-cell joint detection method, to perform chip-level combining on the different received radio signals of the same content data, so as to achieve the purpose of improving signal receiving effect.
According to the combining mode of the base station configuration described above, the configuration mode of MBMS carrier frequency time slots utilized by a base station determines which scramble mode is used in MBMS services by the base station, and which mode is used by the terminal to perform combining. Hence, the terminal needs to choose corresponding combining mode on the basis of the configuration mode of the MBMS carrier frequency time slots of its cell.
The conventional method for enabling the terminal to be aware of the configuration mode of the MBMS carrier frequency time slots of the base station is detailed as follows: a radio network controller (RNC), by setting the value of the information unit "MBSFN only service" in the system information broadcast 3 (SIB3), enables the terminal to obtain the MBMS of the base station; when the value of "MBSFN only service" is 1, it shows that the cell carries an MBMS service and all of the time slots within the cell use the SFN configuration mode. The user equipment (UE) reads the information unit in SIB3, and then knows that all of the time slots within the cell are configured with the SFN mode. Thus the terminal does not need to further perform operations such as same/different-frequency measurement, neighboring cell information reading, etc.
The shortcomings of the conventional method include: when part or all of time slots are configured as the chip mode, the terminal can not obtain the configuration mode of MBMS service carrier frequency time slots of the base station; for terminals that are not capable of performing chip combining, useless operations such as reading the chip-combining-related information from neighboring cells are still carried out, thus increase the load on the terminal. Therefore, there is a need for a method and system to overcome these shortcomings.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving the configuration mode of service carrier frequency time slots


An improved mirrored bird toy is provided that includes an interior multiple reflecting capacity that can reflect multiple reflections of a pet bird in multiple directions. Exterior exposed edges of the various mirrors may be plastic coated for safety. The lower or bottom mirror may include a cut-out whereby the bird can gain better access to the toy. The toy is mountable, within a cage, to the cage bars using a screw and nut. An orienting gage is disposed on the reverse side below the screw nub.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to pet entertainment equipment and, more particularly, to a mirrored toy capable of attracting and generating interaction with a pet animal.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Most of the birds kept as pets and sold in the pet trade as companion birds belong to the Psittacine family of birds. The family includes the most popular bird, the parakeet, also called budgerigar or simply budgie, as well as lovebirds, cockatiels and parrots. These birds are highly inquisitive, agile, manipulative and easily trained. Being confined in cages, they are often perceived as suffering from boredom unless provided with some objects that arouse their interest.
Many so-called toys are being sold to keep these birds busy, but few of the toys seem to really challenge the bird's natural curiosity. Most toys are made for either chewing or climbing—certainly activities which these birds should engage in—but are not necessarily challenging to the bird's inquisitive mind. Other toys can merely be set swinging or turning if the bird simply pecks at them and will return to their original state or position once the bird loses interest.
Many birds initially find a conventional mirror engaging and may spend considerable amount of time observing their own image. Some birds seem to believe that their own reflection is actually another bird and may attempt to interact with their reflection. However, birds may become bored with a simple mirror and once the novelty wears off, may completely ignore the mirror.
Accordingly, a need exists for a mirrored toy that offers pet birds a more engaging interactive experience and presents the pet birds with a new experience over conventional mirrors.
A further need exists for a toy that continues to challenge pet birds' natural curiosity.


The invention relates to a soft-feel vehicle door handle having a glass filled vinyl plastic core element which is overlayed with a soft plastic vinyl skin mold bonded thereto and which skin has a durometer hardness in the range of 50 to 100 and a thickness in the range of 0.2 to 2.0 millimeters.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,741 Moore et al typifies a handle of the type utilizing a rigid substrate overlayed with a foam strip and enclosed by a plastic cover. A similar design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,687 Kargarzadeh et al. Once again, this design utilizes a rigid reinforcing strip, a foam core and an outer skin formed about the foam core and strip. In common, the foregoing designs suffer from the operational problems noted above.


A radiotelephone having an acoustical wave guide for channeling and directing sound energy into a microphone forming a part of the radiotelephone. The wave guide includes an elongated tube structure that varies in cross-sectional area from an inlet end to an outlet end thereof. More particularly, the wave guide is formed by a wall structure that includes portions that assume a wave configuration. This wave configuration gives rise to the varying cross-sectional area that is repeatedly found between the inlet and outlet end portions of the wave guide. This wave type configuration for the wave guide forms an acoustical low-pass filter that propagates and transmits non-resonant low frequencies in the range of 300 Hz to 3,000 Hz.

Radiotelephones typically utilize a microphone that is designed to be disposed closely adjacent the mouth of the radiotelephone user. In many radiotelephone designs, the microphone is housed within a lower flip that in an operative mode flips out from the main body of the radiotelephone, leaving the microphone in close proximity to the user's mouth. In practice, the overall quality of speech signals transmitted by the radiotelephone depend on the quality of the speech that reaches the microphone. In normal use, the distance between the microphone and the user's mouth varies. Moreover, in normal use, the radiotelephone is typically moved generally up and down and away from the mouth of the user in the course of a conversation. Therefore, the user is not always speaking directly into the microphone. In the end, speech and sound from the user's mouth is not always focused and directed sharply into the microphone and consequently, sound and speech is propagated in directions other than directly at the microphone. This of ten results in the sound pressure reaching the microphone being less than optimum and consequently, the speech reaching the microphone is not clear, distorted, and unintelligible. Thus, the speech signals routinely transmitted by some radiotelephones is less than ideal.

Radiotelephone having a non-resonant wave guide acoustically coupled to a microphone


The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an organic semiconductor thin film by a wet process with a composite solution prepared by dissolving at least two organic semiconductor compounds in a mixed organic solvent including at least two organic solvents having different volatility and having different solubilities of the organic compounds at room temperature. Due to the differences in the evaporation speeds of the solvents and the solubilities of the organic compounds, the organic compounds are continuously deposited according to the composition of solvent that sequentially evaporates. Thus, the organic semiconductor thin film having a continuous multi-layer (non-boundary multi-layer) structure can be manufactured where different organic compounds coexist between the organic layers. Especially, the composite solution including at least two organic EL materials are used, and the organic materials are controlled to deposit on the anode in the order of hole injecting—hole transporting—light emitting—electron transporting—electron injecting layers to form an organic EL device.

Generally, organic semiconductor devices including organic diode devices and organic transistor devices are based on the electrical semi-conductivity that relates to the HOMO (Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital) energy level and the LUMO (Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital) energy level of organic materials. Examples of the organic diode devices include organic light emitting diodes and organic electroluminescent (EL) diodes, and examples of the organic transistor devices include organic FET (Field Effect Transistors), organic TFT (Thin Film Transistors), organic SIT (Static Induction Transistors), organic top gate SIT, organic triodes, organic grid transistors, organic thyristors, and organic bipolar transistors. In these organic semiconductor devices, the electrical and optical properties of the devices are strongly depending on the thin film structure of the organic layers formed on a substrate. Thus, the development of the thin film having an efficient structure is technically as important as the development of new organic materials. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an organic semiconductor thin film having a new structure with high efficiency, and a device including the organic semiconductor thin film. The present invention can be widely applied to the above-mentioned various organic semiconductor devices.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the organic EL device, which has the simplest structure among the above-mentioned devices. In the organic EL device, a thin film including fluorescent organic compounds is positioned between electrodes, cathode and anode. When a driving voltage is applied to the organic EL device, electrons and holes are injected into the LUMO and HOMO levels of the fluorescent organic compound of the thin film from the cathode and anode, respectively, and the injected electrons and holes are recombined to produce excitons, which emit light (fluorescence or phosphorescence) through losing their activity. In the present invention, a light-emitting device represents an image display device using the organic EL device. The light-emitting devices also include the following modules: a module formed by mounting a connector such as an anisotropic conductive film, FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), TAB (tape automated bonding) tape or TCP (Tape Carrier Package) to the EL device, a module where a printed circuit board is installed at the end of the TAB tape or TCP, and a module formed by mounting an IC directly on the EL device by a method of COG (chip on glass). Recently, a method for producing an organic or inorganic semiconductor device on a substrate has been considerably developed, and an active matrix display device (light-emitting device) including the organic or inorganic semiconductor device has been also being developed. In the present invention, the semiconductor device also represents a single device or a plurality of devices, which have a switching function.
The organic EL device (also referred as 'EL display device') is a self light-emitting device, and can be produced as a simple passive matrix light-emitting device or an active matrix light-emitting device using TFT. In the organic EL device, organic EL layers are positioned between electrodes, as shown in FIG. 1a. As shown in the figure, the organic EL layers generally have a multi-layered structure, in which the boundary or interface of each layer is clearly distinguished. The representative example of the multi-layer structure, suggested by Tang, et al., includes a hole transporting layer 13, a light-emitting layer 14 and an electron transporting layer 15 (Tang. C. et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1987, 51, 913-915). This structure shows high light-emitting efficiency and thus the structure is adopted in almost all kinds of EL devices. Another examples of the multi-layer structure include a structure having a hole injecting layer 12, a hole transporting layer 13, a light-emitting layer 14 and an electron transporting layer 15 which are sequentially formed on an anode 11 of a substrate 10, and a structure having a hole injecting layer 12, a hole transporting layer 13, a light-emitting layer 14, an electron transporting layer 15 and an electron injecting layer 16 which are sequentially formed on an anode 11 of a substrate 10 (See FIG. 1a). The light-emitting layer 14 can be doped with fluorescent dopants. Besides the monomeric low molecular weight EL material, conjugated polymers such as poly(phenylvinylene) were introduced as the EL material in 1990 by Burroughes et al. (Burroughes, J. H. Nature 1990. 347. 539-541). Recently, stability, efficiency and durability of the polymer EL material have been remarkably improved. In this specification, all layers sandwiched between the electrodes are called as the EL layers. Accordingly, the EL layer 20 includes the hole injecting layer 12, the hole transporting layer 13, the light-emitting layer 14, the electron transporting layer 15 and the electron injecting layer 16. When a voltage is applied to the EL layer 20 from the electrodes 11, 17, the electron-hole are recombined at the light-emitting layer 14 to induce the light-emission. In this specification, the EL device also represents the light-emitting device including the electrodes 11, 17 and the EL layer 20. In order to prevent the EL device from being deteriorated due to the exterior air, the substrate (EL panel) on which the EL device has been formed is encapsulated with a sealing material (packaging), and is bonded to a cover member. Then, the connectors (FPC, TAB, etc.) are mounted for connecting the encapsulated EL device to an external driving circuit, which produces a passive or active matrix light-emitting device.
The EL layer 20 can be formed by various methods. Exemplary methods include dry processes such as vacuum evaporation and sputtering, and wet processes such as spin coating, a cast method, an inkjet method, a dipping method, and a printing method. Besides, roll coating, an LB method and ion plating method can also be used. In case of using a low molecular weight compound having a good thermal stability and capable of being sublimated to form a thin film, the dry process such as vacuum evaporation is generally used to manufacture the multi-layer EL device shown in FIG. 1a. However, the dry process requires a high vacuum environment, the manufacturing conditions should be controlled carefully, and thus the process for fabricating EL devices is complex, resulting in the large manufacturing costs. On the contrary, the wet process, which uses a solution of the organic compounds dissolved in a solvent, and forms an organic layer of the dissolved compounds, has an advantage in that the EL layer can be easily formed. Moreover, the wet process can be used not only for the low molecular weight compound but also for the organic polymer materials. On the other hand, there are disadvantages in the wet process, because of the solvent problem for forming multi-layer structure. Namely, different solvent must be used to form each different layer in forming the multi-EL layer. In this case, to form an upper organic layer on the lower organic layer, a solution, which does not dissolve the lower organic layer formed previously on the substrate, must be used to form the multi-EL layer. However, it is generally difficult to select appropriate set of the solvents to form the multi-EL layers. If an improper solvent is used, the organic layer previously formed on the substrate 10 may be re-dissolved by the solvent to form a new upper layer, and some of the organic materials of the lower or upper organic layers may irregularly diffuses into the neighboring layers. Thus, it is difficult to manufacture the multi-EL layers 20 of FIG. 1a by simply repeating the conventional wet process. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1b, the wet process is generally carried out to form a single-EL layer 20 in which one or more compounds are uniformly dispersed in the single-EL layer 20. As a result, the EL device manufactured by the conventional wet process shows the low light-emitting efficiency and requires high driving voltage. In some cases, the multi-EL layer 20 can be formed by combination of the wet process and the dry process. However, the multi-EL layer 20 produced with this method also has the low light-emitting efficiency and requires high driving voltage.

Organic semiconductor devices and organic electroluminescent devices produced by using wet process


An adapter module for detecting an electronic fault condition in an electronic circuit is disclosed wherein the adapter module may include electrical fault indicator circuitry. In general, the electrical fault indicator circuitry may include ground fault indicator circuitry, line fault indicator circuitry, or ground and line fault indicator circuitry. The adapter module may also include a magnetic device capable of detecting a magnetic field between the electrical fault indicator circuitry and an electrical circuit module. The electrical circuit module may include a switch such as a circuit breaker, a relay, or a magnetically sensitive switch. The magnetic device may include a Hall effect device or a magnetic core.

The present invention generally relates to electrical wiring systems which are subject to fault conditions and, more particularly, to ground and line fault interrupters included in such electrical wiring systems to protect users from injury.
Electrical wiring systems are typically included in residential, commercial and industrial environments wherein electrical power is supplied to various components in the system. Generally, such electrical wiring systems include phase and neutral (or return) conductors, which when properly connected, supply electrical power to the system components.
Certain safety code requirements are in place for some electrical wiring systems wherein the safety codes require the installation of circuit protection devices that trip when certain electrical based faults occur. For example, in aviation electronics, it is desirable to have a circuit protection device in electrical wiring systems that are positioned near potential ignition sources, such as a fuel tank. One example of such a circuit protection device is a ground fault interrupter (GFI) that is responsive to the detection of ground faults.
Conventional ground fault interrupters typically use a sense transformer, such as a differential transformer, to sense a difference current in the phase and neutral conductors that pass through the transformer. The difference current is transferred to a secondary winding of the differential reference. Typically, the current at the secondary winding, known as the secondary current, is proportional to the difference current. Conventional GFI devices also include a ground/neutral transformer to detect ground faults.
Generally, when detecting ground faults from a difference current, a sense amplifier converts the secondary current to a voltage level. This voltage level is compared to two window detector reference voltages, and if one of the compared voltages exceeds a designed threshold or reference signal for a predetermined period of time, a trigger signal, representing a difference current ground fault, is generated. Generally, when detecting ground to neutral faults, the ground/neutral and sense transformers are coupled through external resistors and capacitors and a neutral wire ground loop, to form a positive feedback loop around the sense amplifier. The feedback loop causes the sense amplifier to oscillate at a frequency determined by the inductance of the secondary winding of the ground/neutral transformer and a capacitor. If the amplifier oscillates for predefined period of time, the trigger signal, representing a ground to neutral fault, is generated.
One problem in the art is that some electrical wiring systems have been designed without including a GFI device. Consequently, it would be highly desirable to retrofit such electrical wiring systems with circuitry to provide fault protection. Further, it would be desirable to retrofit such electrical wiring systems by minimally changing the existing electrical circuitry (i.e. no additional ground or neutral connections).
As can be seen, there is a need for a GFI adapter which can be implemented into existing electrical wiring systems.

Ground and line fault interrupt controller/adapter


A battery and a capacitor having a large capacity correspond to a power storage device for storing power used by a motor generator MG2. A controller detects state of charge of the battery and of the capacitor. When the driver issues an instruction requesting acceleration, the controller monitors the state of charge of the power storage device, and the controller instructs an inverter to increase contribution of the motor generator MG1 to an acceleration operation when the state of charge is insufficient to be larger than the contribution of the motor generator MG1 to the acceleration operation when the state of charge is sufficient. Thus a hybrid vehicle can be provided that allows a driver to feel smooth acceleration even if the power storage device is insufficiently charged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hybrid vehicles and particularly to hybrid vehicles employing a motor together with an engine.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles employing a motor together with an engine, and other similar vehicles considering environmental issues are increasingly gaining attention.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 09-098514 discloses a vehicular power supply device mounted in a hybrid vehicle.
This vehicular power supply device can regenerate electrical energy from energy generated by braking a vehicle that is mainly or supplementarily driven by a motor. The vehicular power supply device has a power-feeding-and-charging circuit configured by a capacitor of large capacitance and a battery connected parallel to the motor, and a breaker allowing the capacitor and the battery to be independently connectable/disconnectable to the motor.
Therefore, even in a state of running in which acceleration and deceleration are repeated frequently, it is possible to sufficiently charge the capacitor of large capacitance to be ready for subsequent acceleration, and efficiency of energy regeneration can be improved.
The vehicular power supply device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 09-098514, however, has the following disadvantage: If the capacitor is insufficiently charged, an insufficient torque is caused, resulting in poor feel of acceleration. More specifically, if the capacitor is fully charged, optimum acceleration is provided. If the capacitor is insufficiently charged, however, the vehicle cannot provide a continuously increasing output, and hence cannot provide lasting acceleration. For sports type vehicles, in particular, it is desirable that smooth acceleration can be felt even if the capacitor is insufficiently charged.


An apparatus and process are disclosed for enhance mixing of a first fluid and an injected fluid. A turbulence edge (18) is formed on an element associated with an injection lance. The turbulence edge can be an edge (18a) of a square tubing lance (16), an angle (24) added to a circular tubing lance (10) or a clip (26) added to the circular tubing lance (10).

Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) contribute to adverse health and causes formation of ozone, acid rain, and particulates. One of the most efficient technologies commercially utilized to reduce NOx emissions is selective catalytic reduction (SCR). This technology utilizes a catalyst and reagent to reduce NOx to nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O).
Traditionally ammonia, as a reagent, is injected and distributed across a ductwork through a system of round pipes (lances) equipped with injection holes or injection nozzles. A long distance between the injection point and the SCR catalyst must be assured to allow for acceptable turbulent mixing of the reagent and flue gas. Shortening the distance between the injection point and the catalyst is desirable. In new construction, a long distance is often unavailable due to a limited footprint for the ductwork. In a retrofit application, a long distance may require cost prohibitive modifications to the existing system. To increase the mixing efficiency and reduce the required mixing distance (and the corresponding capital expenses) many SCR installation are equipped with static mixers. Static mixers typically have elaborate designs, high fabrication and installation costs, and they cause a significant pressure drop. The conventional static mixers are typically installed between the ammonia injection pipes and the SCR catalyst, however local deflectors attached to the injection nozzles or turbulence enhancers installed between the injection pipes have also been utilized.
A need exists to more effectively provide turbulent mixing between fluids such as ammonia and flue gas in a shorter distance and preferably without the need for a static mixer.


A charged particle filter comprises a magnetic deflector and an outer shield. The magnetic deflector has a bore along an axis thereof passing through the deflector from a specimen end to a detector end of the deflector and through which charged particles pass when in use. The deflector is formed from one or more magnets positioned around the bore in a Halbach configuration thereby generating a relatively high magnetic field strength within the bore and a relatively low magnetic field strength outside of the deflector. The deflector has a geometry defining an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein each of the outer and inner surfaces of the deflector taper towards the axis as a respective function of distance in the specimen direction along the axis. The outer shield is formed from a soft magnetic material surrounding the magnet deflector on an outer surface side of the deflector and having a projecting portion which extends in the specimen direction with respect to the magnetic deflector from the specimen end of the deflector.

With reference to FIG. 1, for x-ray analysis in an electron microscope (EM) 100, an x-ray spectrum is measured by sensing and measuring the energies of individual x-ray photons emitted by a specimen 101 when it is hit by a focussed electron beam 102. Each x-ray photon is an energetic particle and the energy is typically converted into charge using a solid state detector 105. Electrons which are scattered back from the sample, so called "backscattered electrons" (BSE) 103, may also travel towards the x-ray detector. An electron with the same energy as an x-ray photon deposits the same amount of energy in the solid state detector and therefore gives a similar signal charge. Typically, the number of electrons travelling towards the detector is considerably larger than the number of x-ray photons so the signal due to electrons represents a large proportion of the measured x-ray spectrum and can overwhelm the contribution due to x-ray photons. The BSE contribution in the spectrum is typically a large background extending over all energies up to the primary beam energy.
The x-ray detector is usually isolated from the vacuum of the EM by a thin foil of typically polymer supported on a grid with high transparency. If BSE strike the foil or the grid they generate x-ray signals characteristic of the materials in the foil or grid and these x-ray signals appear as a spurious contribution to the recorded x-ray spectrum.
X-ray analysis may be conducted in principle in any apparatus using an incident beam of charged particles (e.g. electrons or ions) and although the following description refers to electrons, the same principles apply in any charged particle apparatus.
The objective of this invention is to find an improved means for preventing BSE from causing an undesirable contribution to the recorded x-ray spectrum, particularly for large area x-ray sensors. We firstly discuss some problems associated with existing methods.
As a result of the incident beam the X-ray photons are emitted in all directions and the x-ray detector only detects photons falling within a cone defined by the active area of the sensor within the x-ray detector. The higher the solid angle defined by this cone, the more signal is collected and this is highly desirable. The solid angle can be increased by increasing the active area of the detector so a large sensor and large aperture are beneficial.
The solid angle can also be increased by pushing the sensor closer to the specimen. However, when the sensor is placed closer to the specimen, the tube structure containing the sensor may collide with the final pole piece 104. This is shown by way of example at point A in FIG. 1. Therefore, it is desirable to minimise the external diameter of the detector tube (shown at B in FIG. 1) to allow the detector to be pushed closer to the specimen without colliding with the conical pole piece of the electron microscope.
Most existing solutions use a pair of permanent magnets to deflect the BSE so that they no longer travel towards the x-ray sensor. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,183 (Kimura), and with reference to FIG. 1 thereof, an opposing pair of permanent magnets are connected by a yoke 12. Electrons P, that would otherwise travel towards the sensor 6, are deflected into a region lying between the magnets and sensor where they fall on a grooved absorbing surface that prevents them scattering towards the sensor. A vacuum supporting window is shown at 7 in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,183 and the grooves also help prevent any x-rays, generated by electrons hitting the absorber, from reaching the sensor. X-rays from the specimen 2 have an unrestricted path 1 to the sensor 6.
One problem with this arrangement is the length of the trap which prevents the sensor 6 being placed close to the specimen 2. An additional problem with magnetic electron traps is that the external field produced by the magnet influences the focussed electron beam in the EM. This problem is discussed in detail and is addressed by Ochiai et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,637.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,637, additional permanent magnets are introduced in order to cancel the external field that could influence the focussed electron beam. One embodiment describes an arrangement suitable for a circular detector sensor with area 10 mm2 where the maximum field for diverting electrons at the centre of the gap is 0.3 Tesla. A further embodiment provides a larger aperture sufficient to allow x-rays to fall on a sensor with area 30 mm2 where the maximum field is 0.2 Tesla for deflecting electrons and where the external field is small enough not to interfere with EM operation. However, if larger sensor is to be used, then the aperture must be increased still further. If the embodiment described by FIG. 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,637 is scaled to provide an aperture large enough to expose a sensor with active area of 80 mm2, without changing the length of the trap, then a series of undesirable effects occur:
a) the field between the magnets that deflects the electrons is substantially reduced;
b) the leakage field that influences the focussed electron beam is substantially increased; and,
c) the overall diameter of the external tube for the trap is increased and this makes it more difficult to put the sensor close to the specimen because of collision with the pole piece at points such as A in FIG. 1 herein.
It is problems such as those discussed above that the present invention addresses.

Oxford Instruments Nanotechnology Tools Limited


A user interface for receiving time entries in a timesheet is described. This user interface includes a user-interface element in the form of a calendar, where the calendar contains one or more time entries associated with at least a financial activity. Moreover, a given time entry, which is associated with a corresponding block of time, is graphically represented as an adjustable region in the calendar. Additionally, a user can change one or more temporal parameters associated with the time entry by using a pointing device to select and modify one or more geometric properties of the adjustable region.

The present invention relates to a user interface for receiving time entries in a timesheet.
Financial software is often used to receive and aggregate timesheet entries associated with user activities. For example, employees may enter the hours they work into a timesheet, and this information may be used to generate paychecks for the employees. Similarly, users may enter the time that they work on different jobs or projects, and this information may be used to bill clients.
However, it is often cumbersome for users of existing financial software to enter this timesheet information. In particular, many existing user interfaces for receiving time entries are based on tables or tabular structures, which include editable boxes that can be modified to indicate timesheet information. However, these tables often do not provide context information in an intuitive manner. Consequently, it can be difficult for users to enter their timesheet information accurately and efficiently, which can degrade the user experience when using such financial software.

User interface for rapid entry of timesheet data


Saturated sand or silt is densified at depth by applying a radially propagated lateral translation force within a region of the soil, while water is actively withdrawn from such region toward the point of application of such force. A densification device incorporating the foregoing principle has a mechanism which imparts to the region surrounding the device cyclic lateral displacements which act axi-symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the device; and, a filtered cavity and pumping mechanism for withdrawing water from the region surrounding the device.

Loose deposits of sands or silts which exist below the ground-water table are a hazard and require compaction or "densification" before structures are placed thereupon. If this were not done then subsequent settling of such soils (sands and/or silts), or failure of the soils due to liquefaction, beneath the structure would damage the structure and/or endanger the safety of persons or objects within or near the structure.
Where loose saturated sand exists at depth, (typically up to about 50 feet below ground level), a process termed "vibroflotation" is the currently accepted Civil Engineering technique for compacting or "densifying" the sand. There is an established body of literature which deals with vibroflotation, for example Loose Sands--Their Compaction By Vibroflotation, Elio D'Appolonia, 1969 A.S.T.M., pp. 138-162. As explained by D'Appolonia at page 139-140, "The process, as the name implies, employs mechanical vibrations and simultaneous saturation with water to move, shake, and `float` the sand particles into a dense state." D'Appolonia further explains in the text bridging pages 140-141 that water jets aid penetration of the vibroflot device into the sand. Once the vibroflot device has reached the desired depth, additional water is injected to aid in the compaction process. Thus, in practice, densification devices are relatively simple apparatus consisting of an extended conduit which is forced into the ground and then vibrated while water is added to the sand.
In his U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,557 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Constructing an Underwater Fill", Hodge introduced the idea of pumping water out of a submerged sand pile, while it is being constructed, to improve the engineering properties of the resulting sand mass. Pumping water out of the interior of the sand mass induces water to flow in through the outside faces of the accumulating sand pile. This circulation of water during the building process creates seepage forces which support the side slopes of the pile as it is formed, consequently enabling the formation of steeper outside slopes. Increased shear stresses created in the neighbourhood of steeper slopes are believed to promote a denser sand packing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,546 Massarsch discloses a method of densifying a sand through application of a compacting force within the sand. Massarsch provides a perforated pipe which may function to drain water away from the region being compacted, but does not suggest the creation of seepage forces by actively withdrawing water through the region being densified.
The prior art discloses pumping water from a sump during vibratory compaction of a pre-existing soil. See for example published Japanese patent application Serial No. 56-4172 of Yoshihiko Kihara entitled "Vibrating Dehydration Promoting System Ground Consolidating Method and Device Thereof". Kihara provides a perforated pipe which is inserted into the ground and vibrated. Water flows into the pipe, through the perforations, and accumulates in the bottom interior region of the pipe. A pump lowered to the bottom of the pipe is used to discharge water which accumulates there to the surface through a drain hose.
Hodge in his South African patent No. 88/8485 granted 26 Jul. 1989 entitled "Method for Densification of Particulate Masses" (see also European Patent Application Publication No. 318,172 dated 31 May 1989; or, Japanese Patent Publication No. 244013/89 dated 28 Sep. 1989) teaches the benefits of actively withdrawing water from the region close to the application of vibratory densification energy. In that apparatus the drainage device is situated about five feet above the centre of application of the vibratory force. Kihara, like Massarsch or other vibroflotation processes which permit drainage of the ground locate the source of the vibration at the top of the apparatus, far away from the site of the drainage element.
Whereas sands are amenable to treatment by vibratory methods, silts are conventionally treated by the application of sustained static loading, for example temporarily placing a thick layer of sand on the ground surface over the area in question, and then, several months later, removing that sand again. The areal extent of the required "pre-load" increases as the depth to the deleterious soil increases, a fact which affects adjacent properties in many cases.
As saturated soil is made more dense, the spaces between individual grains of soil decrease in volume. The water which occupies those spaces becomes pressurized as the spacing between grains decreases, and this water tends to travel away from the region being densified, to regions of lesser pressure. This surplus water, which surrounds prior art devices, absorbs densification energy wastefully and buffers the effects of the compactive effort on the grains. The presence of entrapped water also delays the readjustment of grains between grains, and this delay means energy is being transmitted during that interval to no effect. Until the surplus water has exited the region, adjacent particles cannot come together in the more compact arrangement which produces a denser soil. The natural rate at which water can vacate the region being densified is of the order of hours in sand and of the order of weeks in silt. This time lag is one of the reasons that current devices are unable to densify silt.
The inventor believes that what is necessary in order to produce denser packing in both sands and silts is to cause particles to translate sub-horizontally relative to particles lying directly above and beneath. This movement must be accomplished to whatever extent possible, in the absence of excess "pore" water. The term "subhorizontal" is intended to imply a movement which is predominantly horizontal, but with a small vertically downward component (about two to five degrees). This allows particles to move over adjacent grains and to be then pushed, rather than fortuitously fall, into the void spaces between individual grains. The most direct, effective, and consequently, efficient method of accomplishing that objective is to move grains in a sub-horizontal radial direction in the region around the device, while providing for drainage of all surplus water. By restricting the energy output to the specific task of causing translation of soil in the preferred direction simultaneously in all radial directions, the energy is most efficiently utilized. The simultaneous withdrawal of water from the soil complements the translational movements because those aligned hydraulic drag forces exerted by the flowing water on the soil particles pull (attract) the soil particles towards the device in a radial direction.
By contrast the prior art devices are rigid bodied steel pipes without expandable sections; essentially they shake a pipe in the ground. Where they incorporate a drainage element, that drainage element will either fail to prevent silt particles from entering the body of the device, or it will be rendered incapable of admitting water because of smearing of the porous barrier. Also, where drainage elements are incorporated into the design the drain is sufficiently far removed from the focus of the vibratory energy, and the attendant localized pore water pressure generation, that energy and time are both wasted.

Method and apparatus for densification of sands of silts


A sealing ring has an annular disk with at least one fastening part secured on a first machine part and at least one sealing part that, when the sealing ring is mounted, sealingly rests against a second machine part. The annular disk is fastened without intermediate positioning of a supporting body on the first machine part. The sealing ring is a rotary shaft seal, a piston seal ring, or a rod seal. One of the first and second machine parts is stationary and the other one of first and second machine parts is moveable. A first bonding layer is attached to the annular disk, and the annular disk is connected with the first bonding layer to the first machine part. The first bonding layer is an adhesive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sealing ring, in particular, a rotary shaft seal, a piston seal ring, or a rod seal. The sealing ring comprises at least one fastening part secured on a first, preferably stationary, machine part and at least one sealing part which, when the sealing ring is mounted, sealingly rests against a second, preferably movable, machine part.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rotary shaft seals are known that have a cup-shaped annular body provided at least on its outer peripheral surface at least partially with a coating or sheath that is comprised of elastic material. The coating forms a static sealing part that rests in the mounted position sealingly on the wall of the mounting space. The dynamic sealing part is formed of an annular disk made of polytetrafluoroethylene that must be attached to the support body. The sealing ring is complex in its configuration and expensive in its manufacture. In order to obtain a proper static sealing action, the wall of the mounting space must be machined very precisely.


Provided is a cleaning robot system and a method of controlling the same for economically cleaning, with high workability, plate-shaped members, such as solar cell panels and reflecting mirrors used in photovoltaic power generation and solar thermal power generation systems. A cleaning robot system (1) for cleaning planar or curved plate-shaped members (4a), (4b) that are panels for photovoltaic power generation or reflecting mirrors for solar thermal power generation includes: a large number of cleaning robots (2) each having a function to travel on each of the plate-shaped members (4) which are to be cleaned and a function to clean the plate-shaped members (4); and an arranging robot (3) having a conveying function to move any of the cleaning robots (2) from a first one (4a) of the plate-shaped members to a second one (4b) of the plate-shaped members. Each of the cleaning robots (2) has a suction mechanism for performing cleaning while attaching onto one of the plate-shaped members (4), and the large number of cleaning robots (2) and a smaller number of the arranging robots (3) than that of the cleaning robots (2) cooperate together to clean the plate-shaped members (4) placed in a photovoltaic power generation or solar thermal power generation plant.

In recent years, large-scale photovoltaic (solar cells and the like) or solar thermal (photovoltaic collecting systems and the like) power generation systems with power outputs of as much as several hundred thousand kilowatts have been widespread. For example, as the solar thermal power generation systems, which generate electric power by collecting the photovoltaic, a beam-down type solar thermal power generation system has been known (refer to Patent Document 1). In the beam-down type solar thermal power generation system, the photovoltaic is reflected toward an upper side of a center portion of the system by heliostats, which are reflecting mirrors, and the reflected light is collected to a cavity receiver (heat receiving unit) set at a lower side by a large-sized reflecting mirror called as a center reflector.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a beam-down type solar thermal power generation plant 5. Multiple heliostats 30, which are reflecting mirrors, follow the sun, and collect their reflected light to a center reflector 35, which is a second reflecting mirror. The reflected light thus collected to the center reflector 35 is then concentrated onto, and thereby heats, a heat medium, such as a molten salt, which is circulating in a heat-receiving unit. A power generation system in which the thermal energy of the heat medium thus heated is converted to an electric energy by a steam turbine or the like is an example of the aforementioned solar thermal power generation system.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the heliostats 30. Each of the heliostats 30 is constituted by combining multiple facets 31, which are small reflecting mirrors. In FIG. 4, three heliostats 30 are mounted on a common rotating mechanism 32, and are connected to one another with a tilting mechanism 33. The heliostats 30 are thus configured to automatically track the sun in accordance with a signal from a photovoltaic tracking sensor 34. Each heliostat 30 is configured as follows for the purpose of enhancing the light collection efficiency. As in a cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 5, the angles of the facets 31 can be adjusted by facet adjusting bolts 37 so that the facets 31 should form a pseudo curved surface 36, which is a rotating conical surface. FIG. 6 is a top view of the heliostats 30, and the multiple facets 31 form a reflecting mirror.
A problem has been pointed out that heliostats, which are reflecting mirrors used in the system, or panels of a photovoltaic power generation system get dirty with dust, bird droppings, or the like, so that the power generation efficiency is decreased. However, no countermeasure against the problem has been established yet. At present, a method in which cleaning work is manually performed has been employed. However, this method involves a hard work, and sometimes requires the setting of a scaffold because the work may have to be performed in a high place. For these reasons, this method leads to a decrease in work efficiency and an increase in costs. In addition, the poor workability of this method possibly causes a risk of damaging a glass surface of a reflecting mirror, a panel, and the like. If the power generation systems will be increased in scale further in the future, the problem will tend to become large functionally and economically. The photovoltaic and solar thermal power generation systems are often constructed in desert areas, such as those in the Middle East. For this reason, panels and reflecting mirrors are likely to get dirty with sand dust, and also, the manual work may be difficult because of a high temperature in some case.
In short, these manual cleaning works have the problem of the safety of a worker and the problem of the risk of damaging a glass surface of a panel or a mirror, which is a target of the work. In addition, there is also a problem in which an increase in the scale of a power generation system leads to an increase in cleaning costs in proportion, so that the scale effect cannot be achieved. For the photovoltaic or solar thermal power generation system itself, a larger scale effect can be achieved as the system increases in size, or the power generation costs can be suppressed by the mass production effect. Consequently, as a power generation system is increased in scale, the proportion of maintenance costs required for the cleaning work for the system is relatively increased.
On the other hand, it can be considered that the cleaning work is performed by using a robot. The applicant of the present application filed an application relating to a robot that cleans a window of a building or a glass of an aquarium in the past, and considered to apply a cleaning system remotely operated using a rotary brush extensively to the power generation system (refer to Patent Document 2).
However, when the frequency and absolute amount of the cleaning work are increased along with an increase in the scale of the power generation system, the initial costs for installing a robot are increased because of an increase in the size of the robot and the like. Moreover, the operating costs are increased because of energy consumption of the robot and the remote operation manually conducted, in turn leading to deterioration of the economy. For these reasons, it seems highly likely at the current circumstances that the application of the above-described cleaning system is difficult.
Specifically, if the unit size of solar cell panels or reflecting mirrors is increased along with an increase in the scale of the power generation system (a solar cell panel having a size of 6 m×12 m has already existed), a robot of a single unit type for cleaning these panels or mirrors is increased in size, resulting in a large-sized, very heavy machine (robot) such as a gantry crane, for example. The price (initial costs) of the robot also becomes high. The cleaning work of a panel or a reflecting mirror itself is merely cleaning a glass surface, which does not require the aforementioned robot to have a large output. However, the motive power (operating costs) for moving the robot itself while supporting the weight of the robot is increased to an extent that cannot be ignored. This is inefficient and deteriorates the economy. Further, the remote operation requires manpower, so only the work environment for the worker is improved but the economy is not improved.
Furthermore, robots have to be designed and manufactured separately in conformity with the specifications, such as the size of panels and reflecting mirrors, of individual photovoltaic power generation and solar thermal power generation systems. This is also a cause of an increase in the price of the robots.

Cleaning robot system and method of controlling same

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.


The invention relates to a pet feeder, in particular, to a feeder having a remote control function, and more specifically to an entertaining feeder. In view of problems such as currently, pet hardly participates in an entire feeding process, so that the need of pet hardly matches manual feeding, and pet cannot obtain a sense of delight and a sense of achievement in the feeding process, an entertaining feeder is provided. Feeder is mainly formed by a feeding body and a controller, where feeding body mainly includes a food container provided with a food leaking hole, a bracket, and a food tray; and the controller mainly includes a control signal transmitter and a controller positioner. By using the controller formed by combining the controller positioner and the control signal transmitter, pet itself can be urged to operate control signal transmitter and trigger a control signal receiver.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pet feeder, in particular, to a feeder having a remote control function, and more specifically to an entertaining feeder.
Related Art
To meet the demand of pet feeding, currently, various forms of pet feeders have been developed on the market. However, these feeders only have an ultimate goal of pet feeding; therefore, both start manner setting and control manner setting require manual involvement.
For example, for a mechanical feeder, a food leaking mouth needs to be manually opened or closed; and when a person forgets feeding, the need of a pet cannot be met.
To solve the foregoing problem, a feeder having an automatic opening and closing function is developed. However, this type of feeder requires manually presetting the opening time and the closing time; therefore, the need of a pet is not catered for.
Some feeders improve, by means of remote manipulation and with the participation of a monitor, the extent to which manual feeding caters for the need of a pet.
However, none of the foregoing manners considers participation of a pet itself in a feeding process, which therefore cannot promptly and quickly meet the need of a pet to the greatest extent. In addition, in an entire feeding process, only the lowest physiological need of a pet can be met, and a higher entertainment need cannot be met.


An improved piston engine includes a rocker arm and a connecting link between the piston rod and the crankshaft to allow its motion to be altered from that of the classic piston engine in order to overcome inherent limitations of the latter and realize greater efficiency. By inserting these two components between the end of a rigidly attached piston rod and a conventional crankshaft, the motion of the piston with respect to the crankshaft can be altered in important ways. For example, the dwell at top dead center can be increased relative to dwell at bottom dead center to the point where they are equal or in fact where dwell at top dead center is greater. Furthermore, because the piston rod is not directly connected to the crankshaft, ignition of the fuel can be timed to occur before top dead center so that pressure is maximized at top dead center in order to improve efficiency. Furthermore, the piston stroke can be shortened and slowed by the geometry of the rocker arm, thus increasing engine life.

The present invention relates to a motion control system and method for use in converting reciprocating motion of a piston to a more efficient rate of travel in proportion to crankshaft travel. This system and method are applicable to all known classic reciprocating internal combustion engines, external combustion steam engines, and can be used to integrate pneumatic and hydraulic pumps into the design.
The piston and crankshaft have been an important part of engines and pumps for scores of years. Numerous improvements have been made to the classic piston engine, including better materials, better lubricants, and improved fuel injection systems. However certain problems remain that are inherent in the classic piston engine. These problems arise because of geometrical limitations on the relationship between the piston and the crankshaft of the conventional piston engine.
In typical reciprocating engines the arcuate distance traveled by the piston rod/crankshaft connection is 1.57 times the piston stroke. Also, in classic engines, the piston travels much faster at top dead center than it does at bottom dead center due to mechanical geometric constraints. This difference in piston dwell (or rate of travel) between top dead center and bottom dead center can be as much as 60%. (Piston dwell is defined as the time taken for a fixed percentage of piston travel of total stroke.) Accordingly, piston travel is further in the first 90 degrees, as much as 15% further in the first 90 degrees than in the second 90 degrees, or the halfway point through the stroke travel.
In addition, in classic engines, the rod angularity at top dead center (angle between the major dimension of the rod and the radius of the crankshaft where the rod joins to the crankshaft at the crank arm) is 0 degrees, so in spite of high cylinder pressure, the piston cannot effectively apply useful torque into turning the crankshaft at the piston top dead center. As a result, the typical peak cylinder pressures are calibrated or timed to arrive at approximately 15 crankshaft degrees (out of 360 degrees) after top dead center so that the crankshaft and rod angularity are in position to effectively leverage the working pressure into applying torque to the crankshaft. Inevitably, this delay results in a failure to use the critical top dead center highest cylinder pressure into doing work. These higher cylinder pressures at top dead center drop precipitously as the piston travels down the bore. As the piston moves, the volume displacement increases, thus lowering the pressure at an approximate 1 to 1 ratio. For example, when the pressure is initially 500 psi at top dead center of a cylinder displacement of 30 cubic inches with a combustion chamber size of 3 cubic inches, and the piston then continues to move as little as around 15 degrees, the displacement would increase to 3.578 cubic inches, when the piston continues to move as little as 15 degrees, the piston displacement will increase to 0.578 cubic inches for an increase of approximately 20% to the combustion size, thus taking the same starting 500 psi pressure and dropping it to 304 psi. As the piston continues to move further, pressure continues to drop at a very fast rate. If the delay in peak pressure calibration timing is designed to be later in the cycle to permit the rod angularity to become more optimal for torque conversion, additional fuel energy is needed to compensate for the additional displacement beyond the 15 degrees of piston travel to maintain the same combustion PSI. In addition, this delayed gas cylinder pressure energy can vent out of the exhaust valve/port opening, lowering the expansion ratio of the combustion gases. In short, much of the potential energy is not properly utilized during the first 45 degrees of the power cycle, when the peak cylinder pressure is the highest, the result of the inherent design limitations with the classic combustion engine.
Thus there remains a need for a way to avoid these inherent design limitations of classic piston engines and pumps.

Motion control mechanism for a piston engine


A device for exchanging heat for motor vehicles, having at least one first component connected to an electrical power supply and whose temperature varies dependent on current flowing through the component, at least one second component including at least one first and at least one second part element each of which are at least indirectly conductively connected to the first component, wherein at least one part element includes a first connecting means and at least one electrical contact means which is at least indirectly conductively connected to at least one part element of at least one second component and serves to connect an electrical power supply wherein the contact means includes at least one second connecting means. Both of the connecting means include at least one flat portion and the first and the second connecting means interlock so as to result in a form-fitting connection between the first and the second connecting means and electrical contact is established at least between a primary surface of the flat portion of said first connecting means and a major face of the flat portion of said second connecting means.

The present invention relates to a device for exchanging heat, in particular for motor vehicles. In air conditioning systems for motor vehicles, electrical heating devices are increasingly used which serve for example to defrost the windshield directly after starting or to heat the passenger compartment.
In the prior art heating systems are known comprising heating elements such as in particular PTC heating elements which heat up due to current flowing through. Metal contact sheets are provided being in electrical connection both with the heating element and a power supply.
In the prior art riveted plug connections are known between the power supply and the contact sheets. However, said riveted plug connections have the disadvantage to offer only a relatively small contact surface between the contact sheet and the plug connection. This in turn will result in relatively high temperatures due to current flowing between the plug connection and the contact sheet.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve connection with the contact sheet.
The present invention relates to a device for exchanging heat, in particular for motor vehicles, having at least one first component connected to an electrical power supply, and whose temperature varies dependent on current flowing through the component, and at least one second component comprising at least one first and at least one second part element each of which are at least indirectly conductively connected to the first component, wherein at least one part element comprises a first link plate in particular at one end.
In addition at least one electrical contact means is provided which is conductively connected to the link plate of the at least one part element by means of a first connecting means and serves to connect an electrical power supply, wherein the contact means comprises at least one second connecting means having receiving means for a second link plate.
According to the invention, both of the connecting means comprise at least one flat portion and the first and the second connecting means interlock so as to result in a force-closed connection between the first and the second connecting means by means of at least one clamping means and electrical contact is established at least between a primary surface of the flat portion of said first connecting means and a primary surface of the flat portion of said second connecting means.
Connecting means within the scope of the present invention is understood to mean every means which, by interacting with another connecting means, effects a substantially force-closed connection between the two connecting means. Connecting means may for example include a clamp securing a pin or a plate. Connecting means in the sense of the present invention is also understood to include at least partially meshing or interlocking means.
Electrical contact means is understood to include means designed to establish contact with an electrical power supply.
A flat portion is understood to include a portion forming a surface of specified length and specified width. Such flat portion may be for example the surface of a plate-like component.
In another preferred embodiment at least the receiving means comprises at least one clamping element which results in a form-fitting and/or force-closed connection with at least one link plate.
Clamping element is understood to mean such elements which are biased and comprise at least two portions capable of exercising clamping force on another element.
It is preferred that at least one clamping element urges the flat portions at least of the receiving means and the second link plate against one another and in another preferred embodiment comprises at least one curved portion.
It is particularly preferred that at least the contact means comprises at least two clamping elements.
In another preferred embodiment at least the second link plate is substantially, at least sectionally, surrounded by the receiving means. Substantially surrounded is understood to mean that the surrounding connecting means does not have to continuously surround the surrounded connecting means but it surrounds a specified peripheral portion of the surrounded connecting means which portion is larger than 50%, preferably larger than 60% and particularly preferred larger than 70%.
In another preferred embodiment the first and the second connecting means are pressure-joined with each other such that preferably a form-fitting and/or force-closed connection between the connecting means is established.
In another preferred embodiment at least the contact means consists at least partially of a material selected from a group of materials including copper, brass, in particular but not exclusively tin-plated brass, aluminum, iron and the like.
In another preferred embodiment at least the contact means comprises nickel (Ni) at a percentage between 0.2% and 5%, preferably between 0.5% and 3% and particularly preferred between 0.8% and 1.8%.
It is preferred that at least the contact means comprises silicon (Si) at a percentage between 0.05% and 2%, preferably between 0.1% and 1% and particularly preferred between 0.15% and 0.35%.
In another preferred embodiment at least the contact means comprises phosphorus (P) at a percentage between 0.001% and 1%, preferably between 0.005% and 0.3% and particularly preferred between 0.01% and 0.1%.
It is particularly preferred that at least the contact means comprises nickel at a percentage of 0.8% to 1.8%, silicon at a percentage of 0.15% to 0.35%, phosphorus at a percentage of 0.01% to 0.1% and copper at the balance percentage resulting after subtracting from 100% the portions of nickel, silicon, and phosphorus.
It has been found that the quantities of the individual components mentioned above contribute to guaranteeing reliable functioning of the plug-in connection over a broad temperature range. Thus, reliable operation of the connections within a temperature span ranging at least from −40 degrees centigrade to 130 degrees centigrade is possible where the high temperatures mentioned can occur for example by interaction of high ambient temperature and additional heating-up by electric current.
In another preferred embodiment at least the contact means is at least partially made of brass (CuZn) and particularly preferred of tin-plated brass.
In another preferred embodiment at least the contact means is connected to a cable. Said cable preferably serves to connect the connecting means to a terminal of a power supply. It is preferred that at least the contact means is connected to a control system which controls the current flowing through said first component.
In another preferred embodiment at least one part element of at least one second component is made of a group of materials including copper, brass, in particular but not exclusively tin-plated brass, iron and the like.
It is preferred that said first component comprises at least one heating means selected from a group of heating means comprising PTC heating elements, resistance heating elements, plasma heating elements and the like.
In another preferred embodiment a plurality of first and second part elements is provided in an alternating arrangement, wherein it is preferred that first components are positioned between part elements. Said first and second part elements are preferably contact sheets connected with opposite terminals of a power supply. The alternating arrangement is designed to guarantee that a current flows through the first component which is placed between part elements. Although it is possible to position said first components directly between said first and second part elements, it is preferred to provide between the individual part elements additional, in particular conducting, elements such as corrugated ribs, additional contact sheets and the like.
In another preferred embodiment at least one clamping means is provided between at least the contact means and at least one part element. It is preferred that the link plate at the end of the at least one part element engages with the at least one second clamping means so as to establish a force-closed and/or a form-fitting, detachable connection.
In another preferred embodiment at least one link plate comprises at least a partially rounded and/or beveled surface. Said surface preferably serves to facilitate pushing the respective connecting means into one another.
In another preferred embodiment at least one flat portion comprises at least one electrically conductive, structured sub-section. The latter is preferably structured by surface shapes selected from a group including ridges, fins, naps, holes, recesses, roughening or the like.
In another preferred embodiment the longitudinal directions of the first and the second link plates are substantially parallel relative each other. Coinciding longitudinal directions are also considered parallel in the sense of the present invention. It is preferred that the longitudinal direction of the first end link plate coincides with the longitudinal direction of the part element of the second component.
In another preferred embodiment, in assembled condition the first and the second link plates are twisted at a predetermined angle α relative the longitudinal direction of the link plates. This is to be understood such that the flat portions of the two link plates are twisted relative each other at the predetermined angle. Preferably the angle α is between 0 degrees and 90 degrees, preferred between 0 degrees and 45 degrees and particularly preferred between 0 degrees and 20 degrees. In another preferred embodiment the angle α is approximately 90 degrees.
The method of the invention of manufacturing the device of the invention or a preferred embodiment comprises at least the following steps.
Punching at least one shaped element from a substantially flat sheet, in particular but not exclusively a metal sheet, transferring two shaped elements into at least one first and at least one second component according to the invention using at least one method such as in particular but not exclusively bending.
It is preferred to structure at least one electrically conductive subsection of the receiving means of the invention by shaping the surface in punching and/or in at least one shaping process.
The present invention further relates to applying the device specified above for exchanging heat in an air-conditioning system in particular for motor vehicles.


A method is disclosed for designing a semiconductor circuit on a multi-project wafer (MPW). One or more standard modules designed by one or more vendors with verified functions are first identified. Some of the standard modules are charged based on usage. At least one reconfigurable module of the MPW is programmed by making one or more connections through one or more connection layers. The standard modules are further connected with the programmed reconfigurable module according to the predetermined design of the circuit. The completed circuit is then verified for final uses.

The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to the utilization of reconfigurable multi-project wafer (MPW) semiconductors to reduce the time to market, development costs, and risk inherent in today's "system on a chip" designs.
As semiconductor process technology migrates into the deep sub-micron geometries, and "system on a chip" designs become much more complex, the process steps, development time, costs, and technical risk to develop these circuit designs grow exponentially. A complex circuit may require digital signal processing, Ethernet, memory, high speed input/output modules, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), or other unique circuitry. In the conventional circuit chip design approach, each of these modules must be designed and verified prior to integration into the circuit. The operational performance of the circuit can only then be verified. Circuit developers expend an enormous amount of time and money for prototyping these devices and getting them into production. The performance of deep sub-micron devices can be adversely affected by the effects of cross-talk, electro-migration, wire delay, etc. that may present additional technical risk to the development schedule. This process results in time consuming mask and wafer iteration runs leading to long time to market, high and growing development costs, increased process steps, and increased technical risk.
It is, therefore, desirable to introduce additional standard designs that may be used in a plurality of production processes, leaving customization in the last few production steps, thereby saving production cost and time. Desirable in the art of "system on a chip" circuit designs, is a more time/cost efficient methodology to develop prototype and production circuits to decrease the product's time to market by using cost sharing reconfigurable modules.

System on chip development with reconfigurable multi-project wafer technology

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.


The present invention enables production of a plant resistant to environmental stresses including drought stress. The invention increases stress resistance to a plant by increasing raffinose content in the plant.

The importance of agricultural use of the arid zone, which occupies approximately one third of the land on the earth, is increasingly recognized as a measure against predicted serious food scarcity. This problem should be addressed as soon as possible. Now the proportion of dry and semi-dry soil inappropriate for agriculture is increasing year after year due to saline accumulation, and drying or heat caused by, for example, excessive irrigation water (Manabu Sekiya, et al., Chemical Regulation in Plant Vol. 25, No. 2, 149-162, 1990). One of the solutions to this problem is a method in which resistance mechanisms against these environmental stresses are elucidated and a plant resistant to these stresses is produced.
Plants are immobile. Thus they must be tough enough to endure their environmental changes in order to keep differentiating and growing. Therefore, it is thought that plants have acquired through the course of evolution a response mechanism to respond promptly and adapt to environmental changes. Of the environmental factors surrounding plants, drought and saline accumulation are important factors concerning life or death of terrestrial plants. These factors largely affect plant growth. Plant growth is inhibited by drought stress. That is, it causes decreased turgor pressure and affects various physiological pathways (Shinozaki and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Plant Physiol. 115: 327-334, 1997).
In plants, it has been shown that various response mechanisms act against these stresses at an individual level, tissue level, and cellular level, and in addition through molecular biological research at a gene expression level. In other words, in various plants, a response mechanism at a gene expression level, including the presence of many stress-inducible genes whose mRNA amount increases upon drying and treatment with salt, has been elucidated. Plants are thought to acquire resistance from any one of the products of the stress-inducible gene group.
Abscisic acid (ABA), one of a plant's hormones, is deeply involved in expression of the stress-inducible gene group. When a plant is exposed to a stress, such as drought stress, signal-transduction occurs via ABA dependent pathway and ABA independent pathway, and the signal-transduction regulates the expression of the stress-inducible gene group. The gene group includes those involved in synthesis of compatible solutes, such as proline and glycine betaine. Proline and glycine betaine have been well studied. It is known that a transgenic plant, in which proline or glycine betaine is excessively accumulated by engineering the synthetic or decomposition system, shows resistance to NaCl or low temperature stress.
On the other hands in the biosynthetic pathway for RF0, galactinol is first synthesized by galactinol synthase. Next, raffinose is synthesized by raffinose synthase using galactinol and sucrose as substrates, and finally stachyose is synthesized by stachyose synthase using the raffinose and galactinol as substrates, as shown in FIG. 4. A generic name for raffinose and stachyose is RF0. So far, every report concerning RF0 suggests that raffinose and stachyose plays an important role in drought resistance of seeds (Blackman S. A. et al. Plant Physiol. 100: 225-230, 1992, Ooms J. J. J. et al. Plant Physiol. 102: 1185-1192, 1993).
There is no report concerning functions or roles of RF0 in a plant body other than those in a seed. A seed and a plant body may share an overlapping mechanism for acquiring drought resistance, or they may have totally different mechanisms.
For example, it is known that stresses, such as drought conditions cause a plant to close stomata by accumulation of ABA as described above to suppress transpiration, thereby preventing water loss. Actually, ABA-deficient Arabidopsis mutants abal having an altered ABA synthetic system wither easily such that they cannot grow at a normal humidity. However, ABA-deficient mutant seeds can bud even under completely drought conditions. In other words, no decrease in drought resistance is found in ABA-deficient mutant seeds (Koornneef, M et al., Physiol. Plant. 61: 377-383, 1984, Duckham, S. C. et al., Plant Cell and Environ. 14: 601-606, 1991, Rock, C. D. and Zeevaart, J. A. D., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 88: 7496-7499, 1991).
Moreover, seeds of ABA insusceptible Arabidopsis mutant abi3 are known to lack drought resistance. Under complete drought conditions, the seeds lose their budding ability. However, the seeds disseminated before progression of drying can bud, and no phenotype that withers like abal is observed (Nambara, E., et al, Polant J. 2: 435-441, 1992, Kriz, A. R., et al, Plant Physiol. 92: 538-542, 1990, Parcy, F., et al, Plant Cell 6: 1567-1582). In conclusion, AB13 possesses a mechanism to acquire drought resistance, which functions only in its seed, and whose action is far greater than of ABA.
As described above, there is a great difference between a seed and a plant body in respect of drought resistance acquisition mechanism. Whether RF0, which is suggested to be important in drought resistance of a seed, plays a role in drought resistance of a plant body remains unknown and cannot even be predicted.

Method for increasing stress-resistance to a plant


A new aquatic toy comprises, an improved toy periscope (20) and a diving mask (110). The diving mask and the toy periscope can be either removably connected or integrally formed. The periscope comprises a top mirror (29), a bottom mirror (70), a slanted window (48), a V-shaped housing (22), and a plurality of suction cups (90) at a support top (84) located along the shortest arm thereof. The periscope housing further comprises suitable handles (95). When the suction cups are displaced along suitably positioned slits (89), the periscope can be coupled to substantially any mask. Thereby, the person using the periscope mask can see events above the water surface while his or her head is located substantially underwater. The upper housing (24) functions as an inlet opening for light rays and water shots to enter therein. A water receptacle (100) is attached to the upper housing so that, when it becomes full, water begins to cover the slanted window until the view is fully distorted. Alternatively, the receptacle may function as a water supply for suitable streaming means. When the underwater housing (56) is a closed structure, the periscope is partially submersible. Otherewise, the periscope is fully submersible. A slanted transparent window (48) and an external conduit (108B) connecting the upper housing to the underwater housing, allow suitable projectiles to progressively impair visibility in a staggered manner. The toy can be used in either destroyer or U-boat modes for sea battle games.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to toys, particularly to a new toy for playing aquatic games. Specifically, this invention relates to a submersible toy periscope, a diving mask, and a coupling mechanism or connecting structure that links such periscope to such mask together.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Among the aquatic toys of the prior art, one finds submersible toy periscopes. Periscopes are well-known optical instruments that deviate or displace an observer's line of sight to provide a view of a distant object that otherwise would be visually inaccessible. In their most basic form, periscopes consist of a pair of mirrors bonded to an elongated housing, which has inlet and outlet openings. Light rays entering the inlet opening are reflected by the mirrors so that the observer's eyes, located in front of the outlet opening, see such rays. Thereby, the observer is effectively seeing the distant object along the same direction of the initially unreflected light rays.
Most periscopes have parallel rectangular mirrors of equal size. Accordingly, the housing has a uniform and rectangular cross-section. Typically, such rudimentary periscopes have narrow angular fields of view. Specifically, the larger the distance between the user's eyes and the mirror located near the outlet opening, the narrower the sweep of the angular fields of view. Anybody skilled in the domain of geometry and trigonometry, and with a basic knowledge of the principles of ray optics, finds obvious how such a rudimentary periscope should be redesigned to increase the sweep of the horizontal and vertical angular fields of view, without changing the distance between the outlet opening and the user's eye closest to such opening. One wide angle trapezoidal periscope is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,246 to Benson et al (1990); this periscope is specially made for security and military purposes. However, no use of such wide angle trapezoidal housings have been made in submersible toy periscopes.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,393,068 to Kane (1995) and 3,533,625 to Kossor et al (1970) make use of periscopes for sighting a toy target located in suitable ground housings. A toy periscope with rectangular cross-section is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,893 to Dahlgren (1989). Its main advantage is case of manufacturing, since the housing is formed of a one-piece, blow-molded plastic material, and mirror holding elements are easily attached to the inlet and outlet openings.
A submersible toy periscope is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,177 to Fantone (1996). Fantone's periscope allows a child, whose eyes are located above the surface of a body of water, to see an undisturbed image of objects and processes taking place beneath such surface, even though it may be turbulent. On the other hand, diving masks can also be used by a child when playing aquatic games. Diving masks allow a child, whose eyes are located below such water surface, to see an undisturbed image of underwater objects and processes. Hence, diving masks of the prior art and Fantone's submersible periscope give the user a view of underwater action. In the case of diving masks, the user is also underwater, while in the case of Fantone's periscope the user's head is located above the water surface.
A periscope coupled to the mounting frame of a diving mask is shown in Australian patent No. 224,858 to Girden (1959). Its periscope housing is a rudimentary one consisting of two rectangular parallel minors within an elongated housing of rectangular cross-section. The bottom mirror of the periscope is partially located between the viewing lens of the mask and the eyes of the user.
An underwater breathing-viewing apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,687 to Kallmeyer et al (1963). The apparatus is a one-piece structure consisting of an L-shaped periscope integrally formed to the viewing lens of the mask. In such L-shape, the light rays traveling from the top mirror to the bottom one are substantially perpendicular to a line orthogonal to the viewing lens of the mask. Thus, the apparatus is intended for periscope viewing where the underwater user must be in a vertical position.
A diving mask having means for coupling prisms or simply curved lens to the mask, thus improving the user's field of vision, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,649 to Lewis (1995). Lewis's mask provides enhanced underwater visibility when the lenses are mounted on the mounting frame of the mask. Lewis's mask is not intended to be coupled to a periscope.
Thus, (1) most aquatic toys of the prior-art do not allow underwater users a simultaneous view of both surface and underwater action when the user is surface swimming in a substantially horizontal position, thereby unduly constraining the range and variety of aquatic games.
Further limitations of toy periscopes and diving masks are that:
(2) It is not possible, in a practical, convenient and reliable manner, for the user to removably couple a toy periscope to a diving mask. Conversely, there are no diving masks in the prior art also comprising structure intended to allow the user coupling the mask to a periscope.
(3) The toy periscope is a rudimentary one, consisting of two rectangular and parallel mirrors within an elongated housing of rectangular cross-section with inlet and outlet openings. Thus, the periscope (a) does not provide an acceptably wide field of vision, particularly if the user's eyes are not located close to the outlet mirror and (b) provides an image with a substantial portion comprising the inner surface of the periscope walls.
Instances in which the above limitations become apparent are when:
A swimming child cannot use almost any of the known toys, toy periscopes, and diving masks to play solitary aquatic games where he or she pretends to be a submarine at periscope depth moving forward while aiming at a floating toy target.
A group of people cannot play battle games while surface swimming. In such aquatic games, each player shoots water at other participants, or at a suitable toy target, either fixed or movable, and the game participants are always following the changing position of other players without having to take their heads out of the water. None of the known aquatic toys, toy periscopes, and diving masks can be used to play such games in a convenient manner.
In the above aquatic games, inaccurate shots are difficult to assess because they are very likely to fall outside the narrow field of view of the above rudimentary periscopes, when aimed at a suitable toy target.
Obviously, several or all the previous reasons may concurrently apply. For example, in, Dahlgren's and Girden's periscopes, a substantial portion of the image comprises the periscope walls. Moveover, the images of Girden's and Dahlgren's periscopes are restricted to a narrow field of view. Also, when submerged in water, Dahlgren's periscope does not provide a flat air-water interface within the periscope housing. Moreover, it cannot be coupled to a diving mask in a convenient or reliable manner. On the other hand, Fantone's dual-view submersible periscope is intended to be used by a child, whose eyes are located above the water surface, to see objects located underwater, and suffers from the same limitations of all rudimentary periscopes whose cross-section is rectangular and uniform. Also, its design does not allow it to be coupled to a diving mask in a simple manner. Kallmeyer's breathing-viewing apparatus does not allow surface swimming and surface viewing simultaiteously. Moreover, Kallmeyer's apparatus is primarily intended for periscope viewing. Furthermore, Kallmeyer's apparatus keeps the face of the user at atmospheric pressure, thus preventing the user from reducing the air pressure between the viewing lens and the user's face. Lewis' diving mask is intended to enhance underwater viewing by coupling the mask to suitable curved lenses. Furthermore, if Dahlgren's, Kallmeyer's, or Girden's periscopes were connected to Lewis' mask, they would all limit the user to a vertical position for periscope viewing, thus precluding simultaneous surface viewing and surface swimming.
In the realm of aquatic battle games, U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,629 to Chestney (1978) shows a battle game where each player is equipped with a water gun attached to a ship by a tether line. The purpose of the game is to sink the opponent's ship, which includes means for directing water shots into a hull that fills with water until sunk. However, all of the game's relevant action takes place above the water surface of the swimming pool; furthermore, the players' heads are also constrained to be above such surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,023 to Warner (1996) shows a toy torpedo that game participants throw at each other, the participants and the toy torpedo being always underwater during the game. On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,569 to Zilliox (1995) gives an extensive list of references involving stationary toy targets for water games. According to Zilliox, some of these references involve toy targets that provide a quantitative indication of who is winning the game, but none of such targets are suitable for a mobile simulated combat game on the ground. Thus, it follows that they are not suitable for a mobile simulated aquatic battle game either.
Hence, further extending the previous list of limitations to a more general list of limitations of toys for playing aquatic games, we have:
(4) The few toys used to play aquatic battle games cannot be used by underwater players for aquatic battle games which action takes place above the water surface.
Zilliox's toy provides a mobile target with a cumulative measure of how many times, and how accurately, it has been hit during the course of a simulated battle. Moreover, it provides a mechanism that disables a player's water pistol from firing when the player has exceeded his or her "lifeline" so that he must drop out of combat. However, Zilliox's toy cannot be used to play aquatic games, where participants are either swimming or floating. This is because it is inconvenient to do that when one hand constantly holds a toy. On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,767 to Burlison (1990) describes a headband mounted water squirting device connected to a hand held water reservoir containing a trigger-actuated pump. When swimming, it is desirable to have both hands free. Thus, the hand-held water reservoir is inconvenient in such context. Hence, additional limitations of prior-art toys to play aquatic games are that:
(5) There are no aquatic toys, which further comprise a water streaming mechanism, that (a) can be conveniently used by a player without limiting the player's swimming ability, and where (b) the streaming mechanism is disabled from firing once a given threshold in the amount of water shots made by such player is exceeded.
(6) The periscope masks of the prior art do not comprise any scoring mechanism for playing aquatic battle games. For example, Girden's periscope mask, besides not allowing a wide field of view above the surface, does not comprise any structure functioning as a scoring mechanism for playing aquatic battle games, Kalleyer's periscope mask, besides not allowing simultaneous surface swimming and surface viewing, does not have a scoring mechanism either.
(7) The periscope masks of the prior art cannot be used by a child over a time scale larger than ten to twenty months, approximately, for the child's face is changing dimensions and shape as the child grows up. Thus, a new periscope mask must be bought every few years. This is the case of Girden's and Kallmeyer's periscope masks where the mask and the periscope are not intended to be disconnected or separated from each other. Moreover, when the mask and periscope are not detachable, the periscope can only be used together with the mask; thus, the periscope cannot be used as any other toy periscope, if so desired.

Toy periscope mask for playing aquatic games

Guido Arnone c/o Roberto Belser 20 Seminole Cir.


A support for use with a pillow on a mattress and a method for use thereof are disclosed. The support includes a sham extending longitudinally along an axis. The sham has a pocket having three substantially closed sides and one substantially open side. The sham has extensions extending longitudinally from the pocket. The extensions are constructed to extend around sides and at least a portion of the bottom of a mattress. The pocket is constructed to receive a pillow therein. The method includes providing such a sham and extending the extensions around the sides and under a portion of the mattress.

1. Field
The following disclosure relates broadly to supports having retention elements for use on a mattress where the supports can be used for relieving or avoiding the development of pressure ulcers. More particularly, the disclosure relates to supports that are easily arranged and deployed for the avoidance of heel ulcers and sacral decubitus, and methods of using the same.
2. State of the Art
In settings such as rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, patients are frequently bedridden. Bedridden patients, the elderly, and anyone else whose mobility is highly limited often develop foot, leg, and back ulcers due to poor blood circulation resulting from narrowed arteries and damage to small blood vessels caused by diseases such as long-standing diabetes, and by the sheer weight of portions of the body on the bed. Ulcers are breaks in the layers of the skin that fail to heal due to poor circulation and regeneration of tissue, and often progress in these patients. Pressure ulcers can lead to gangrene and complications thereof. Treatment of such ulcers can also be very costly.
Reducing the extent of contact between the back and buttocks of a patient and a mattress can help to prevent onset of sacral decubitus in the sacral region and can assist the patient's body in healing in the sacral area. Also, reducing the extent of contact between the heel and a mattress can help prevent onset of pressure ulcers in the heel region and can assist the patient's heel in healing.


A toothbrush cleaning system is incorporated within a toothbrush which consists of a system of conduits provided for forcing water from a water faucet to travel through the system to clean toothpaste and debris from bristle tufts of the toothbrush. The force of water is directed from within a bristle head of the toothbrush towards the bases of the bristle tufts where most of the toothpaste and debris accumulate, to properly clean the bristle tufts.

The instant invention relates generally to toothbrush accessories and more specifically it relates to a toothbrush cleaning system.
Numerous toothbrush accessories have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used in tooth care to facilitate more effective and convenient care of the teeth and gums. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,827,551 to Maser et al.; 4,995,509 to Kornfeind and Des. 266,117 to Oberheim all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purpose of the present invention as hereafter described.