An LED driver having an input to receive AC power from an AC power source, a semiconductor switch and an inductor controlled to produce a sinusoidal current drawn from the AC power source, and a large non-electrolytic (e.g. film) capacitor energy storage component. The semiconductor switch operates with a varying pulse-width-modulation frequency to regulate the voltage across the non-electrolytic capacitor energy storage component in such a way that a ripple current through the inductor is substantially smaller than a pulse-width-modulation cycle average current through the inductor. A DC-to-DC converter couples the energy from the non-electrolytic energy-storage capacitor to an LED string. A feedback loop allows the LED string to be regulated in either constant current mode or constant power mode and information for the feedback regulation is fed back across a high-voltage boundary using a low-cost signal transformer.

Light emitting diode (LED) lighting is a fast growing industry due to the high efficiency and long life of LEDs. One difficulty of using LEDs stems from the large mismatch between the alternating current (AC) mains voltage, typically in the range of 100 VAC-277 VAC and the voltage of a single LED which is typically on the order of 1-2V. Another difficulty stems from the range of LED voltages as a function of temperature, manufacturer tolerances, and different manufacturer specifications. Still, another difficulty stems from the fact that LEDs are (direct current) DC devices whereas the primary source of power is AC.
The LED voltage mismatch may be reduced by using long series strings of LEDs. However, this only alleviates part of the issue since it is typically not feasible to place so many LEDs in series to match the AC mains voltage. Furthermore, placing devices in series only partly addresses the issue of voltage matching and does not address the issue of AC-to-DC mismatch or LED voltage variation.
A simple, low-cost solution is to place a large value resistor and a high-voltage diode in series with the LED string. However, this solution is very inefficient, has lifetime issues due to the heating of the resistor, and also leads to a very poor utilization of the available LED power due to the extremely high ripple current produced by the LED.
Many AC-to-DC drivers have been proposed and brought to market to address the issues of driving an LED. One such driver is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,464 which proposes a flyback converter as an LED driver and represents the power conversion method used in the majority of AC-to-DC LED drivers which are on the market. While this typical type of driver provides a DC voltage to the LED, these driver types suffer from several drawbacks. One drawback of these drivers is the use of limited-lifetime components which gives the driver a much lower effective lifetime than the LED itself. The limited lifetime components include electrolytic capacitors used as the main storage element and optocouplers used in the feedback loop. These low-lifetime components not only reduce the cost-effectiveness of the overall LED solution, but they also limit the applications to use over relatively small temperature variations. A further drawback of these LED drivers is their inability to provide a lighting solution which provides a specific light level across temperature and manufacturing tolerance variations. Typically, LED drivers regulate the voltage across the LED string. The current is therefore determined by the forward voltage drop of the LEDs and the resistance of the LEDs. Small changes in LED voltage can lead to a large change in LED current and consequently to a large change in light output.
High-power drivers, such as those above 75 W in power, usually incorporate power factor correction on the input. Standard power factor correction circuits use either fixed-frequency continuous-conduction-mode pulse-width-modulation or variable-frequency critical-conduction-mode pulse-width-modulation. Fixed-frequency continuous-conduction-mode pulse-width-modulation typically requires expensive controllers, very large inductors, and large EMI filtering components to reduce the noise created at the single pulse-width-modulation frequency. Furthermore, fixed-frequency controllers can have high switching losses since the frequency is held constant regardless of the waveform amplitude. On the other hand, variable-frequency critical-conduction-mode pulse-width-modulation is inefficient due to the very high ripple current produced in the inductor, and therefore also requires large filters to reduce electro-magnetic-interference (EMI).
FIG. 1 shows a typical circuit of a prior art LED driver. This prior art driver contains AC filter 110, diode bridge 120, flyback converter 160, optional DC EMI filter 140, and output LED string 150. Flyback converter 120 contains storage electrolytic capacitor C101, semiconductor switch S101, transformer TX101, output diode D105, output electrolytic capacitor C102, controller C130, and a feedback circuit made up of components U101, Z101, and R101. Some type of energy storage such as storage electrolytic capacitor C101 is required in any LED driver because the output power is DC while the input power is AC pulsating at double the frequency of the input voltage.
Traditional converters use an electrolytic storage capacitor for several reasons including the following: 1) Electrolytic capacitors are relatively inexpensive compared to most other types of capacitors for a given value of the product of capacitance and voltage rating. 2) The large capacitance of electrolytic capacitors allows significant reduction of ripple voltage and can therefore be used to provide a relatively constant output voltage. 3) The small size of electrolytic capacitors provides the ability to make relatively small drivers.
The prior art converter illustrated in FIG. 1 operates as follows: The AC line charges C101 through diode bridge 120 to a voltage equal to the peak of the AC line voltage. The current drawn from the AC line is very large near the peak and trough of the line voltage and is zero otherwise (aside from a small current that may be drawn by AC EMI filter 110). Switch S101 is controlled with constant frequency pulse-width-modulation to charge the magnetizing inductance of transformer TX101 and then discharge the magnetizing inductance of transformer TX101 through diode D105 and output electrolytic capacitor C102. When C102 charges to the target value of output voltage, Z101 begins to conduct and turns on U101 to throttle back the pulse-width-modulation duty cycle through controller 130. The converter thus produces a constant output voltage. LED string 150 can be modeled as a constant voltage drop in series with a resistor, for input voltages that are greater than the LED turn-on voltage. The LED current is thus equal to the difference between the output voltage and the LED string turn-on voltage, divided by the LED equivalent resistance.
While this prior art converter in FIG. 1 offers a very inexpensive alternative to drive LED strings, it also has many limitations and drawbacks. The drawbacks include the following: 1) Output power varies significantly with LED string voltage. The light level will therefore change substantially depending on LED voltage tolerance, LED temperature, and tolerances in the circuit that regulate the output voltage. 2) Electrolytic capacitors C101 and C102 have a very limited lifetime which will typically be much less than the lifetime of the LED string. This lifetime issue can significantly impact the cost-effectiveness of the LED solution to replace other type of lighting, particularly in higher temperature applications where the electrolytic capacitor lifetime will be even lower. 3) Optocoupler U101 also has a limited lifetime causing the same issues as the limited lifetime of the electrolytic capacitor. 4) The electrolytic capacitor and optocoupler will limit operation of the LED driver to indoor applications due to temperature limitations of both parts. 5) The high pulse currents drawn by the input charging circuit cause significant distortion of the input current and are only allowed for small converters (e.g. below 75 W). 6) Isolated converters such as flyback converters tend to have a relatively low efficiency. Most pulse-width-modulation converters that must adjust the output voltage for changes in the input voltage suffer from higher losses compared with converters that do not regulate output voltage versus input voltage.
FIG. 2 illustrates another prior art LED driver. The driver shown in FIG. 2 is similar to the one shown in FIG. 1, except for the addition of power-factor-correction stage 210 formed by components L201, D205, and S201. The controller 230 operates semiconductor switch S201 in such a way as to draw a sinusoidal current from the AC source. Such converters are well known in the industry and used for higher power converters. Addition of the power-factor-correction converter solves only the issue of high pulse currents and distortion in the grid current, without addressing the other issues. Furthermore, typical methods of operating power-factor-correction converters create additional issues.
Specifically power-factor-correction converters are typically operated in one of two basic control methodologies. The first basic control methodology is referred to herein as critical conduction mode, in which the current through switch S201 is ramped up to a current proportional to the input voltage, and then commutated to D205 when the semiconductor switch is turned off. When the current through L201 decays to zero, switch S201 is then turned on again. The net result is an average current through L201 which is proportional to the input voltage. The frequency varies throughout the ac grid cycle. A great drawback to this control method is that the peak-to-peak ripple current through L201 is always twice as large as the instantaneous current that is drawn from the ac grid. Thus, L201 must be designed to saturate at nearly double the value of current at which it would otherwise be designed, there are large losses due to the high ripple current, and the AC EMI filter must be designed to filter out very large differential currents. This method is typically used for relatively low power power-factor-correction converters less than approximately 120 W due to the cost savings that occur from using a diode D205 which may have some recovery losses.
The second basic control methodology is referred to herein as continuous conduction mode. In this method of operation, switch S201 is operated at constant frequency pulse-width-modulation. However, the duty cycle is controlled to cause the current through L201 to be primarily sinusoidal in phase with the AC grid voltage. Some drawbacks to this method of control include the following: relative complexity of the control compared with the critical conduction mode method, similar ripple amplitude near the zero-crossings of the AC grid current compared with the peak of the grid current, thus causing increased harmonic distortion, and substantial EMI noise concentrated at multiples of the pulse-width-modulation frequency.


A filling, coating or spread for use in food applications comprising a structured fat system, wherein the structured fat system comprises from 10 w/w % to 90 w/w % of a lipid and from 10 w/w % to 90 w/w % of an edible porous particle, wherein the lipid is present as a continuous phase in said structured fat system.

Solid fat systems are useful in many food applications in order to provide structure and stability. Solid fat systems contain lipid in solid form, in order to have the required functionality.
Nowadays, many oils are made solid through hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is a process commonly used to treat vegetable oils in order to increase their functionality by making them harder and of a comparable texture to butter for example. This process increases the saturated fatty acid content of the oil. Saturated fatty acids are fatty acids which do not contain any double bonds between the carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. During the hydrogenation process, trans-fatty acids are also formed. Trans-fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids in which the hydrogen atoms of a double-bond, are located on opposite sides of the molecule. Generally they are only found in low amounts in naturally occurring oils and fats. A trans-fat is an unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acids.
Traditionally, the food industry is using solid fat systems based on animal fats (like butter or lard) which are rich in saturated fatty acids, harder vegetable oils (like palm oil) which are rich in saturated fatty acids and hydrogenated vegetable oils (from soybean or sunflower oil for example) which can be rich in trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids. These hydrogenated oils have been subject to intensive research and studies have shown that the excessive consumption of these types of fats is one of the main causes of modern diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity and some types of cancer. Industry is put more and more under pressure to reduce the amount of unhealthy fats in all kind of food applications. With this problem in mind, a lot of systems have been developed to replace trans-fat and/or saturated fat in food applications; some of them being entirely free of fat. Most of them have a paste-like structure that mimics the structure of fat. In general, these fat replacers are indicated in the replacement of fat for a very limited range of food applications.
Fat replacement is a difficult issue because fat plays a very important role in the manufacture and in the organoleptic properties of food. It also imparts the final aspect of many food applications. In fillings, coatings and spreads, fat plays the role of plasticizer and tenderizer and confers the right texture to the filling, coating or spread and to the final food product as a whole. It is desired that the fat does not leak out of the filling and does not separate from the filling, coating or spread.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,029,847 132 provides a trans-fat replacement system.
One of the properties of oils is that they are free of trans-fatty acids and free of saturated fatty acids. Unfortunately, oils do not have the necessary structure for imparting a specific texture to food applications. Oils are difficult to use in fillings, coatings or spreads because the risk of leaking out.
There is thus a need for providing a saturated and trans-fat replacement system based on oil, that can be used in fillings, coatings or spreads for use in food applications, and which mimic the properties of the traditional fat or fat system.

Abstract: The use of a structured fat system for reducing the trans- and saturated fat content of a filling, coating or spread, wherein the structured fat system comprises from 10 w/w % to 90 w/w % of a lipid and from 10 w/w % to 90 w/w % of an edible porous particle, wherein the lipid is present as a continuous phase in said structured fat system.


A method and an apparatus for transmitting or receiving information are provided. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, indication information from a network device, where the indication information indicates a timing adjustment parameter, the timing adjustment parameter is to be used by the terminal device to determine transmit timings on a first uplink carrier and a second uplink carrier, the first uplink carrier is an uplink carrier of a first radio access technology, and the second uplink carrier is an uplink carrier of a second radio access technology; and determining, by the terminal device, the timing adjustment parameter based on the indication information.

In a wireless communications system, communication may be classified into different types based on different types of transmitting nodes and receiving nodes. Generally, information transmission from a network device to a terminal device is referred to as downlink communication, and information transmission from the terminal device to the network device is referred to as uplink communication. In a long term evolution (LTE) or long term evolution advanced (LTE-A) communications system, different duplex modes are mainly classified into a frequency division duplex (FDD) mode and a time division duplex (TDD) mode.
For a wireless communications system working in the TDD mode, a downlink carrier and an uplink carrier are carriers of a same carrier frequency. In a new radio (new RAT, NR) technology of a 5th generation (5G) mobile communications system, an uplink-downlink decoupling technology may be applied. To be specific, in addition to a TDD carrier that may be used to perform uplink or downlink communication, an additional uplink carrier may be used to perform uplink communication, where the additional uplink carrier is generally referred to as a supplementary uplink (SUL) carrier. To be specific, an NR terminal device may simultaneously have two uplink carriers to perform uplink communication.
Currently, for a terminal device in an LTE-NR dual connectivity (DC) mode, if an NR TDD carrier and a SUL carrier are both deployed in NR system, at least three uplink carriers are configured for the terminal device, including an LTE uplink carrier, an NR TDD carrier, and an NR SUL carrier. Timings for transmitting uplink signals on the three uplink carriers by the terminal device need to be equal, to maximally ensure uplink spectral efficiency of the terminal device; otherwise, a waste of uplink resources is caused. When timings for transmitting uplink signals on the three uplink carriers by the terminal device are unequal, in some time segments, the terminal device cannot transmit an uplink signal, causing a waste of uplink resources.

Method and apparatus for transmitting or receiving information


A medical device includes a handle portion downwardly extending from an examination portion. The handle portion has opposing upper and lower open ends and a through cavity extending therebetween. An illumination assembly mounted within the open upper end of cavity includes a housing, at least one battery disposed within the housing, and an LED disposed at the distal end of an arm extending from the housing. The housing is mounted through the open upper end of the through cavity. According to at least one version, the at least one battery can be removed without removing the housing from the handle portion. The extending arm is supported by the examination portion and configured to provide illumination to a medical target. The medical device can include a vaginal speculum, sigmoidoscope, laryngoscope, anoscope, or other hand-held medical device.

Attempts have been made to improve the design of vaginal speculums, which are used for examining the cervix of female patients. Known specula for this purpose have been made in accordance with a number of designs. For example, a Graves speculum is typically defined by a top blade member and a bottom blade member that are coupled to each other and whose relative spacing can be adjusted by an articulation or moving mechanism for purposes of dilating the female patient. A distal blade end of the speculum extends to the patient and the medical target is viewed through an aperture which is formed between the top and bottom blade members at the proximal end of the speculum. An illumination assembly disposed within the speculum includes a light source that facilitates viewing of the intended target.
In prior versions, illumination assemblies were tethered to the speculum and coupled to a remote power source as described by Strong et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,081,090 B2). These illumination assemblies include a housing retained in a receiving cavity formed in a handle portion of the speculum. The output of a contained incandescent lamp is coupled to the proximal end of a curved light transmissive pipe that directs the output from the proximal end of the curved light pipe to a distal end and to the intended medical target. The housing of the illumination assembly is tethered by a cord to a remote power source and an in-line switch allows a user to selectively energize the contained incandescent lamp.
In accordance with more recent developments, a compact illumination assembly has been introduced that replaces the previously described tethered version. This design, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,821,395, includes an LED disposed within a housing along with at least one rechargeable battery. The housing is disposed within a cavity formed in the handle portion of the speculum and like the prior described tethered illumination assembly, the emitted output of the retained LED is optically coupled to the proximal end of a curved light transmissive pipe provided at the closed end of the handle portion for direction to the medical target.
Still other designs have since been developed that include an integrated illumination assembly fixedly secured to the handle portion or other feature of the speculum. The housing of the illumination assembly retains a light source, as well as a compact power supply. A releasable tab portion extends from the housing. When the releasable tab portion is pulled by the user, the contained light source is automatically energized. The speculum and illumination assembly are designed in this case for use as a single use or single patient device.
For specula and illumination assemblies that are deemed to be disposable (single patient or single use), and due to existing regulations in the United States and a number of other countries, the contained batteries must be removed before recycling. Depending on the location of the illumination assembly within the vaginal speculum, removal of the contained batteries can be difficult and time intensive.
Accordingly, there is a pervasive and ongoing need in the field to improve the efficiency and structural integrity of single use or single patient vaginal specula. There is also a need to develop a speculum with a portable illumination assembly that enables recyclability, while further permitting the contained batteries to be easily removed while the illumination assembly is still retained on or within the speculum.
There is a further present and ongoing need in hospitals and other medical care facilities to prevent the spread of diseases and contaminants through the use of single use or single patient medical devices for purposes of diagnosis and examination, as opposed to the various risks and overall inconvenience involved with the cleaning and reuse of dedicated medical devices between patients.

Integrated illumination assembly for handheld medical devices


A camera module comprises: a movable lens including a first movable lens movably arranged in an optical axis direction, and a second movable lens arranged under the first movable lens; a fixed lens arranged under the movable lens; a driving unit including a body unit arranged on one side of the movable lens so as to move the movable lens in the optical axis direction; and a sensing unit for detecting the position of the movable lens, wherein the sensing unit respectively comprises: an upper sensing unit arranged on an upper end portion in the optical axis direction of the body unit; and a lower sensing unit arranged on a lower end portion in the optical axis direction of the body unit.

Recently, various small electronic devices such as mobile phones and PDAs are marketed mounted with a camera module in order to add functions of digital cameras. As a result, efforts are being continuously waged in order for the said function-added digital cameras to secure a performance almost same as that of conventional digital cameras. Furthermore, high interests are also shown in the lens driving technologies in order to realize a zoom or macro function.
The camera module may be disposed with a plurality of lens groups, each lens group being moved to a mutually distancing direction or to a mutually closing distance to thereby perform a zooming function. However, when a moving distance of lens groups is lengthened, there arises a difficulty in linear control to disadvantageously result in deteriorated control accuracy.
Meantime, in controlling the movement of each lens group, the conventional method was disadvantageously such that each lens group is arranged with only one sensor to allow a signal detected by a Hall sensor to have a longer non-linear section as shown in FIG. 1 when a long stroke, i.e., a movement distance of each lens group is lengthened. As a result, the conventional method suffers from disadvantages in that difficulty arises in controlling the driving of lens groups, or a situation is generated where control itself becomes impossible.

Camera module having a plurality of sensing units


An apparatus for use with a centrifugal clutch having a drum with a threaded opening. The apparatus includes an output hub having first and second ends, where the first end has threads for engaging the threaded opening of the drum. The hub has a longitudinal axis. The apparatus also includes a sprocket associated with the second end of the hub where the sprocket has a sprocket plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hub. The apparatus includes a ball bearing assembly disposed in an interior surface of the hub where the ball bearing has a bearing plane substantially aligned with the sprocket plane. The apparatus also includes at least one retaining member disposed on one side of the ball bearing assembly to secure the ball bearing assembly along the interior surface of the hub.

In competitive go-kart racing, the kart designer strives to transmit as much of the motor's propulsive power to the drive axle as possible by minimizing power losses between the engine's output drive shaft and the drive axle which turns the wheels. To minimize power loss, the designer seeks to eliminate or at least minimize friction, vibration, structural deflection, and the like in all the components between the output drive shaft of the motor and the drive axle. On racing go-karts, the primary component interacting with the output drive shaft is a centrifugal clutch drive system.
Centrifugal clutch drive systems are well known in the art. These clutches, sometimes known as frictional contact axial clutches, utilize mating frictional members to transfer torque from an input shaft (the motor's output drive shaft) to an output sprocket or gear. A chain or belt transmits the torque from the output sprocket or pulley to the drive axle which turns the wheels of the go-kart. In one configuration, torque is transferred by harnessing the effects of centrifugal force upon pivoted weights to generate axial movement and ultimately axial thrust. This axial thrust is applied upon an output frictional member which, by interacting with an input shaft frictional member, effectively transmits the input shaft torque to the output sprocket or pulley.
A typical centrifugal clutch drive system includes a clutch mechanism attached to the motor's output drive shaft. An output sprocket is attached to a housing which is rotatably mounted about the drive shaft of the motor so as to rotate independently of the drive shaft. When the drive shaft reaches a specific RPM, the clutch mechanism engages the housing, thereby spinning the sprocket to drive a chain or belt. Anti-friction elements, such as needle roller bearings or bushings, are used to rotatably mount the sprocket about the drive shaft. By virtue of their design, needle roller bearings and bushings can accommodate small sprockets (numerically fewer teeth). Needle roller bearings and bushings, however, can resist only radial loads, not axial loads because they are free to float fore and aft in the axle direction.
Vibration and bending of the input shaft due to the asymmetric load of the chain can cause significant lateral displacement of the sprocket. The chain determines the axial position of the sprocket. Chains, however, do not have much lateral strength or stiffness. Consequently, they quickly wear out or stretch and waste energy if not properly aligned. The fore and aft axial displacement of the sprocket also causes accelerated wear between the drum and the discs in disc clutches or drum and shoes in rim clutches.
Needle roller bearings and bushings are relatively imprecise and allow the sprocket to wobble, thereby wasting the propulsive energy of the motor. Adding to the imprecision, the clutch manufacturer, not the bearing manufacturer, often machines the inner bearing race so as to size the race to fit upon the drive shaft of the motor. The clutch manufacturer, however, cannot machine the bearing race with as tight of tolerances as the bearing manufacturer. Thus, the machining of the inner race by the clutch manufacturer introduces unwanted play between the bearings and bushings and the drive shaft of the motor, leading the sprocket to wobble, causing energy loss.
Needle roller bearings are considered "open" in that they have no seals to prevent lubricant from flowing out and dirt from blowing in. The loss of lubricant and the influx of dirt cause rapid wearing of the needle roller bearings and increased friction, which wastes the propulsive energy of the motor. Light thrust washers or flanged bushings are sometimes used with needle roller bearings, but are typically applied in only one axial direction due to space limitations. Lubrication of these thrust washers is minimal or nonexistent. While thrust washers are intended to inhibit sprocket wobble, they are largely ineffective.
Unlike needle roller bearings and bushings, ball bearings can withstand both axial and radial loads. Some centrifugal clutches use ball bearings, but these are typically positioned between the drum and drive hub. In that position, the ball bearings are not easily accessible for maintenance or replacement. Often the ball bearing assembly is press fit into place making removal difficult and time consuming. Also, because these centrifugal clutches position the inner race of the ball bearings around the drive hub, the ball bearings are larger and heavier than necessary. Consequently, the large ball bearings limit the size (number of teeth) of the sprocket that can be used. In other words, with the large ball bearings, smaller sprockets (low number of teeth) cannot be used.
In some centrifugal clutches, the centerline of the bearing, whether it be a needle roller bearing or a ball bearing, is not aligned with the centerline of the chain engaging the sprocket. This misalignment causes an overturning moment on the bearing, thereby increasing the rolling resistance of the bearing. This wastes the propulsive energy of the motor.
What is needed, therefore, is a centrifugal clutch drive system that minimizes power losses between the motor and the drive axle.


A double-sided multi-socket adapter panel whose plugging sockets alternate between two opposite sides of the adapter panel such that some of the sockets are separated further apart so that even large-size plug of a transformer adapter can be accommodated without affecting the availability of neighboring plugging sockets. The electrode-plugging slots are aligned along a straight line parallel to the general layout direction of the plugging sockets, and therefore suitable for plugging vertical plugging head. Furthermore, each plugging socket has a protective cover capable of sliding so that whenever a plugging socket is unused, the plugging slots of the socket can be shut to prevent dust from entering or any accidental touching by somebody. The conductive electrode structures are designed such that the optimal number of plugging sockets and distance of separation between two sockets are obtained. In addition, the cut-off switch of the adapter is located in a cavity at one end, with the exposed part of the switch sunken beneath the external housing. Hence, the adapter pane has a rather smooth and planar external appearance, and capable of preventing the switching on or off the adapter panel by accident.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a double-sided multi-socket adapter panel design. More particularly, the present invention relates to a double-sided multi-socket adapter panel design having a large distance of separation for some of the plugging sockets, electrode-plugging slots of the plugging sockets all aligning along a straight line, and an optimum layout for the plugging sockets.
2. Description of Related Art
Most adapter panel designs have a number of plugging sockets. There are two main types of adapters in the market nowadays. One type of adapter panel is for plugging into a power source directly in order to increase the number of plugging positions. The second type of adapter panel includes a plug and an extension cable. The former type of adapter is plugged directly into a power source socket. Due to weight and size, the maximum number of plugging positions for this type of adapter is quite limited. However, for the latter type of adapter panel, there are virtually no limits to the number of plugging sockets. Ease of management and its ability to satisfy all plug-in requirements at one time makes this type of socket very popular for plugging computer systems and its peripheral components.
Despite the extensive use of a multi-socket type of adapter panel with an extension cable, inconveniences are often found in actual applications. For example, from a user's point of view, as many sockets as possible should be packed into an adapter panel. In practice, an optimal number of sockets can be found for each adapter panel considering factors such as its volume, weight and cost. In general, the maximum number of sockets is around six.
Therefore, to increase the number of sockets for an adapter panel having a given length and a given volume, or alternatively, to reduce the amount of material used or production cost, a single-sided multi-socket adapter panel would be unsatisfactory. Consequently, the concept of a double-sided multi-socket adapter panel is initiated, for example, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,381.
FIG. 1 is a split-opened perspective view of a conventional double-sided multi-socket adapter panel. Design similar to the one shown in FIG. 1 is now available in the market. As shown in FIG. 1, what makes a double-sided multi-socket adapter panel 10 possible is the innovative design of a conductive electrode bar 12. The conductive electrode bar 12 does not occupy too much space and uses very little material.
However, a number of limitations in the design make the applications of this type of double-sided multi-socket panel rather unsatisfactory. Firstly, a number of data processing products require power transformer adapter whose plugging head is especially large. Hence, when one such an adapter is plugged into a socket, its neighboring sockets are impossible to use leading to a drop in the number of actual socket positions available.
In view of this, it is preferable to have a design that can accommodate larger plugging head but without affecting the layout of plugging sockets or the material and production cost. Secondly, the respective electrode-plugging slots 16a and 16b of sockets 14 in a conventional panel are aligned into two separate rows. In other words, the sockets are arranged such that the plugging slots 16a are aligned as a row at the bottom while the plugging slots 16b are aligned as a row at the top as shown in FIG. 1.
This type of plugging socket orientation may result in some interference with neighboring sockets when a socket is plugged, and is especially serious when a large-size plug such as a power transformer adapter (most power transformer adapter has plug that is somewhat elongated in a direction parallel to the row of plugging slots 16a or 16b) is engaged. On the other hand, if a plug 20 whose cable 22 forms a 90.degree. bent with the electrode pins 24 as shown in FIG. 2 is used, spatial occupation in a vertical direction above the socket is minimized.
However, problem such as the interference with neighboring sockets is intensified. Hence, if each socket 14 can be turned 90.degree. from the directions of the row of plugging slots 16a (or 16b) so that a vertically oriented socket is obtained (called a vertical socket from now on), the above problem can be solved. FIG. 3 is a split-opened perspective view of a conventional vertical socket double-sided multi-socket adapter panel.
The conductive electrode bar 32 is a structure that consumes a little more material, but somehow able to align the electrode-plugging slots 36a and 36b of sockets 34 in a row so that all the sockets form a 90.degree. angle with the plug-in position of the aforementioned socket 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Yet, the double-sided multi-socket adapter panel shown in FIG. 3 is still not an optimal system. If the conductive electrode bar 32 of FIG. 3 is used as a basis for forming double-sided multi-socket adapter panel, more material is needed or distance between sockets has to be shortened compared with the conductive electrode bar 12 design of FIG. 1. Therefore, a greater cost of production is incurred.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the on/off switch 18 of the adapter panel 10 is fixed in a position on one side of the plugging sockets 14. Because most commonly used on/off switch in the market has a fixed height, that part of the panel for enclosing the switch must be made thicker. This makes it difficult to flatten the panel further and will lead to a non-uniform outward appearance. Hence, it is much preferable to reposition the switch. In addition, no protective covers are put on top of each plugging socket. Therefore, when a particular socket is unused, the plugging slots are exposed. Consequently, dust may enter the slot or someone may accidentally touch the live part of the electrode causing electrocution.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need to provide an optimal design for a double-sided multi-socket adapter panel.


A wireless power supply system includes a first underwater vehicle that has a power-receiving coil for wirelessly receiving electric power and a second underwater vehicle that has a power-supplying coil for wirelessly supplying electric power and transmits electric power between the power-receiving coil and the power-supplying coil while moving in parallel to the first underwater vehicle.

For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a wireless power supply system that wirelessly supplies electric power from a storage battery installed in an underwater vehicle to a storage battery installed in an underwater facility. Since oxygen cannot be supplied from the surroundings under water unlike on the ground, an underwater vehicle often uses a storage battery (such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel hydrogen battery, or a lead storage battery) as a power source.
The term "wireless" in such a wireless power supply system means that an electric power transmission wire of a power-transmitter does not directly contact with an electric power transmission wire of a power-receiver, and does not mean that a structure in which one of the power-transmitter and the power-receiver is installed is not in contact with a structure in which the other of the power-transmitter and the power-receiver is installed. For stable transmission of electric power, it is desirable that the positional relationship between the power-transmitter and the power-receiver be fixed. Accordingly, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, both structures are firmly fitted and fixed to each other during the transmission of electric power.


In an embodiment, the invention comprises a container apparatus with a lateral stability rail system. At least one rail extends within the lid portion and at least one track extends through the base portion. The rail terminates in a tooth and the track terminates in a pocket. When the container is in a hingedly closed position, the at least one rail nests within the at least one track and the at least one tooth nests within the at least one pocket.

Many food products are stored and shipped in lightweight plastic containers, sometimes referred to as clamshell containers due to the hinge mechanism between the lid and base of the container. Containers such as these may house fruit, vegetables, bakery items, or the like.
Typically, such containers are constructed to facilitate automated packaging of the food products and include a locking mechanism to lock the container lid over and into the base portion. Because the container is intended to be used for shipping and display after packaging, it is desirable that the locking mechanism stay securely locked during shipment and subsequent handling. However, locking mechanisms that stay securely locked are often designed with relatively tight-fitting interlocking structures. While such tight-fitting interlocking structures provide a secure lock, they require relatively consistent alignment of the interlocking structures to engage properly. While the container is being processed in an automated food packing line, however, misalignments between the interlocking components may occur, resulting in a locking mechanism that is not fully engaged. Containers with locking mechanisms that are not fully engaged are prone to opening, causing spillage and loss of the food products stored within.
Likewise, containers such as these are often subject to various lateral movements during shipping, transportation, shelf placement, consumer consideration, etc. Lateral movements may be particularly likely when a plurality of containers are stacked one atop another, such as in a shipping crate. Lateral movements may disengage locking mechanisms, cause containers to open, and/or damage food products contained therein. As such, it is important that the container is constructed to minimize the effects of such lateral movement, to prevent opening of the container or damage to the container contents. Accordingly, through ingenuity and hard work, the inventors have developed a container with a novel rail system, wherein the container remains more effectively locked closed and is stable through lateral movements.

Clamshell container movement control stabilizers


An ultrasound sealing unit includes a drive unit and a body. The drive unit consists of a number of piezoelectric ceramic plates with interjacent, conductive metal sheets connected to an a.c. source. The drive unit further consists of a counterweight and a clamping screw. The clamping screw holds together under a certain pretensioning the ceramic plates, the metal sheets and the counterweight. Moreover, the clamping screw fixedly secures the drive unit to the body. The body is a homogeneous body consisting of reaction bodies which surround the drive unit, a nodal plane with an anchorage edge and a horn with an elongate, narrow sealing surface. A gasket is disposed so that it constitutes a spacer between the body of the sealing unit and the ceramic plates. The gasket permits the oscillation of the ultrasound sealing unit, but prevents residual flexural stresses from reaching the drive unit. The spacing dimension of the gasket may be selected so as to govern the amplitude of the sealing unit to a predetermined, preselected amplitude.

Different types of units for sealing by ultrasound are in industrial use today. Swedish Patent Application No. SE 9300918-1 discloses an ultrasound sealing unit which has been particularly developed for use in filling machines of the type which fills liquid foods into packages of the single use disposable type. There is but limited space available in these filling machines for an ultrasound sealing unit, and so the described unit is of a type which has a total length of one half of a wave length. In the filling machine, a material web of a laminate packaging material is formed into a tube which is sealed by a longitudinal joint or seam seal and is filled with the intended contents. The filled material tube is transversely sealed and, in these transverse seals, the material tube is severed to form individual packaging containers. The described sealing unit is intended for the transverse joint seals, for which reason the sealing unit displays an elongate, narrow sealing surface whose width corresponds to the width of the transverse joint seal. In order to achieve the requisite length of the transverse seal, a number of the above described sealing units must be built together to form a composite ultrasound sealing equipment unit. The sealing unit displays reaction bodies surrounding the drive unit, a horn which carries the elongate, narrow sealing surface, and a centrally located nodal plane where the amplitude of the unit is zero and where the unit may be secured in the filling machine.
A sealing unit of the above-outlined type will have an extremely complex geometry. Although, in the centrally located nodal plane, there is an amplitude which is zero, and although this nodal plane is employed for securing the unit, there is a slight residual motion in this plane because of the oscillation of the unit. This motion may be described as an undulation in one plane. The ceramic plates in the drive unit withstand considerable compression loading, but are brittle and highly sensitive to any type of flexural and tensile loading, for which reason the residual motion in the nodal plane may cause the ceramic plates to crack.
When a number of the above-described units are combined together to form an ultrasound sealing equipment unit in a filling machine, and when several filling machines may be employed in the same premises, it is vitally important that the different sealing units operate at the same amplitude in order to ensure complete exchangeability of parts. The piezoelectric ceramic plates are difficult to obtain with uniform characteristics, for which reason different drive units may have minor variations in the amplitude generated.

Arrangement in a drive unit for an ultrasound sealing unit


The puck-deflector is a one-piece moulding in polyurethane, having a sloping apron for deflecting the puck up and into the net. The puck-deflector fits around the bottom pipe of the goalframe, and prevents incoming pucks from striking the bottom pipe, and rebounding back out over the goal-line.

A hockey goal-frame includes a bottom-pipe, which rests on the ice, and to which the net is secured. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,344 (Meggs, 1986), impact-bags may be tied to the bottom-pipe. The impact-bags have been stuffed with a soft impact-deadening material. One of the problems is that the bag material is not watertight, and water entering the bag freezes and sticks to the ice; when pulled free, the bag material can become torn, which allows the stuffing material to spill out. Furthermore, hockey goalframes are usually stored in equipment rooms away from the ice surface, and the goalframes have to be dragged over a concrete floor, which can abrade the bag material. The stuffing is usually in the form of grains or pellets of various impact-absorbing materials, which may be difficult to deal with if they spill out onto the ice. It has been conventional for impact-bags to have to be replaced e.g each season.
Also, with the conventional impact-bags, the impact-absorbing properties are not perfect, in that as many as say twenty percent of pucks that strike the bottom-pipe (i.e strike the bag lying in front of the bottom-pipe) do in fact bounce and rebound enough to end up outside the goal-line.
The problem with bounce-out is not so much where it is clear to the goal-judge or the participants that the puck has hit the bottom-pipe and bounced out; the problem is that some participants, knowing that bounce-out is possible, may be disposed to allege that it has happened in cases where it is not so clear.
It used to be conventional for the bottom-pipes of goalframes to be in the shape of the number-3. When the bottom-pipe is straight (as is now more usually the case), it is the pucks that are shot from directly in front that tend to bounce out; the 3-shape deflected the in-front puck to left or right, which was effective to cause the puck to be retained. However, the 3-shape was dangerous in that a player sliding into the goal might strike the point in the middle of the 3-shape, and be injured.
Instead of the impact-bags made of fabric, puck deflectors made of metal have been used. However, again, hockey goals are dragged over concrete, and it could happen that the edge of the metal deflector became sharpened to a knife edge; if the edge were knocked upwards when a player crashed into the goal, it could cause injury.
The metal puck-deflectors worked by deflecting the puck upwards, whereupon the puck could be caught by the net. However, a metal deflector has little capacity to deaden or absorb impacts.
It is also known to provide a protective skirt on the outside of the net. The skirt fits to or around the bottom-pipe, and extends a few inches up the net. The purpose of the skirt is to protect the lowermost meshes of the net from being cut by skate blades, and otherwise damaged.
It is an aim of the invention to provide a puck-deflector for a hockey goal, which is capable of preventing bounce-back of the puck back over the goal-line in respect of a much larger percentage of shots than has been the case hitherto; which poses little risk of injury to players crashing into the net; and which is inexpensive, and can be expected to have a long and trouble-free service life.

Ice-hockey goal frame with puck deflector


The present invention provides a connecting link assembly and socket arrangement for assembling modular dock and/or deck elements into walkways, decks and drive-on docks.

In the past, modular floating docks have been created by the assembly of a number of floating subunits. These subunits include various geometric shapes with planar upper and lower surfaces. The subunits connect together to create flexible docks and walkways having various shapes and sizes based on the consumers needs.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,824,644 and 4,604,962 disclose a substantially prismatic, floating element having rounded corner edges. The elements are provided with outwardly projecting eye lugs for flexible attachment to adjacent elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,156 discloses a stackable floating element. The elements include alternating rectangular projections and cavities for interlocking the elements in a stacked arrangement. The stacked arrangements are secured together via tabs and bolts to create a flexible assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,560 discloses a water-float coupling device for coupling together hexagonally shaped floats having planar upper and lower surfaces. The device extends through a plurality of stacked outwardly extending tabs for flexible connection between the units.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,151 discloses a float unit having planar upper and lower surfaces and corrugated side surfaces. The corrugated side surfaces engage with adjacent floats to provide friction between the units. The units are secured together by extending a bolt through stacked tabs which extend outwardly from the corners of each float unit.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,138,599 and 5,947,049 disclose a buoyant walkway module for a boatlift. The device includes a plurality of elongated compartments having planar top and bottom surfaces. The device also includes planar ends for connecting the walkways together in an end to end relationship.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,073,572 and 6,179,525 disclose floating dock sections. The sections are interlocked via a number of flanges to create decks or walkways.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,600 discloses a hollow float that includes a hollow inner cavity and a plurality of open cavities that extend upward from the bottom surface of the float.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,727 discloses a floating lift for docking a personal watercraft from a body of water. The float includes a shell filled with a buoyant filler. A replaceable skid plate is centered on one end of the shell to engage the bow of a watercraft during docking. The shell includes two pairs of posts, one pair extending forwardly from the front of the shell and the other extending rearward from the rear of the float. A flat elastic member is used to extend between posts of adjacent shells to flexibly connect the shells together.
These prior art devices work relatively well for constructing flexible walkways and platforms. However, these devices have numerous shortcomings. The size of the floatation units and the flexible connection between the units causes the units to closely follow the contour of the water. This construction also causes instability and makes the units difficult to walk along. When weight is applied to small individual units they displace downwardly, when the weight is removed the floats follow the load upward. This action gives an individual a similar sensation to walking on a rope bridge.
It is also known in the prior art to construct floating flexible or pivotable drive-on type docks. The docks are assembled from floating elements having various geometric shapes to create a dock which allows a boat operator to drive his/her watercraft directly onto the upper surface of the dock using the boats power. As the watercraft is driven onto the dock the floating elements typically flex or pivot downward to a position below the water-line until a sufficient amount of floatation devices are beneath the watercraft to raise it above the water line.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,030 discloses a metal frame upon which buoyancy elements are rotatably and pivotably mounted.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,529,013 5,682,833, and 5,947,050 disclose a floating dry dock consisting of two arms constructed from short and tall cubical floatation units having an open well in the middle portion thereof. The floatation units having the least buoyancy are secured at the distal ends of the arms for downward pivotal movement under the water surface during boat docking.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,660, issued to the instant inventor, teaches a watercraft support structure formed from a plurality of platforms that are coupled together by linking pins or insertion plugs for a limited amount of pivotal movement during docking.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,951,087 and 6,602,022 disclose apparatus for lifting and storing a boat above the water in the well of a dock or floating dry dock. The device includes a metal frame onto which the boat may be driven. The frame is pivotally mounted within the open well such that the frame can be tilted downward when loading the boat and thereafter be pivoted to a level position.
While these designs are functional, they have numerous shortcomings that have not been addressed in the art. For example, in order to provide guidance for the boat hull when used for drive-on docking, the planer surfaced flotation units must be spaced apart leaving an open well between the two arms. This construction provides a poor guiding surface for most boat hull constructions. In addition, the narrow width of the floatation units and the flexible connections associated therewith make these structures extremely unstable for pedestrian traffic and unsuitable for decks or walkways. This safety hazard is magnified when the docks are used at night or in rough waters.
Still further, the open wells within these dock assemblies combined with the wave action associated with large bodies of water often results in repeated splashing of water into the drive units of the docked watercraft and thus causes premature failure of important components of the watercraft drive system. Keeping a watercraft high and dry when not in use is important to protecting the machinery of the craft. This is particularly true of jet type propulsion systems and is critical when the craft is docked in salt water.
Other floating drive-on docks of the prior art are constructed to be lowered below the water-line with ballast for loading a watercraft. These float units are typically filled with water until the watercraft has been loaded. Thereafter, the water ballast is forced from floatation units with air to raise the watercraft above the surface of the water. As described above, the floatation units are generally cubical with tabs projecting from the vertical edges at or near the horizontal midline for flexible attachment to adjacent units. Alternatively the floating units may be supplied in the form of pontoons or other hollow structures which may alternately be filled with water and air. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,894,472, 4,018,179, 4,510,877, 5,931,113 and 6,745,714 show similarly constructed devices.
In addition to the shortcomings described above, the air systems utilized within these devices are complex and significantly increase the initial cost of the dock. In addition, cost of maintaining the air and water pumps in a marine environment is increased, while reliability of the systems is decreased.
Thus, what is needed in the art is a connecting link assembly and socket arrangement for assembling modular dock elements into walkways, decks and drive-on docks to provide increased versatility and safety. The connecting link and the connecting link socket should have conjugate profiles that are easily molded from polymeric materials and methods well known in the art. The connecting link assembly and socket arrangement should cooperate in such a manner to allow substantially rigid drive-on docks and decks to be easily and quickly assembled with a minimum number of tools. The structural floating elements should provide a surface which allows a watercraft to slide easily for drive-on docking without hull damage, while providing superior grip for pedestrian traffic. The structural elements may be constructed with like or dissimilar buoyancies for increased assembly versatility. Structural floating elements should also provide a guiding surface for boat hulls when being driven onto the dock. The guiding surfaces should be provided without dangerous open wells.

Connecting link assembly and socket arrangement for assembly of floating drive-on dry docks


A brushless motor includes a stator core having 3M teeth, with M being an integer not less than 2, a rotor received in the stator core, 3M coils respectively wound around the 3M teeth, and a printed circuit board (PCB) fixed to the stator core and electrically connected to the 3M coils such that the 3M coils are connected in delta and correspond to three phase windings. Each phase includes at least two coils connected in parallel.

Power tools such as electric drill and electric hammer are usually required to generate an output of high rotational speed when provided with a low voltage. Therefore, large current will flow through the coils of the motor of the power tool. In this case, wire of relatively greater diameter will be preferably used to make the coils. However, due to the great diameter of the wire, it is difficult for common winding machines to wind the coils. Further, the bobbin of the motor and the insulating layer on the surface of the wire can be easily damaged. To overcome this problem, wire of relatively lesser diameter, is used to produce the coils, while a number of additional wires are employed to connect corresponding coils in parallel by spot welding. However, it is inconvenient and time-consuming to weld the additional wires. Further, operation of the power tool will cause the additional wire to vibrate intensely with respect to the coils, which will easily break the connection between the coil and the additional wire.
The present invention aims to provide a new brushless motor having firm connections between corresponding coils.


In a shift lever device (10), due to a tilt shaft (58) being nipped between peripheral surfaces of lower supporting holes (20) of a shift lever plate (12) and peripheral surfaces of upper supporting holes (38A) of a shift lever guide (26), a shift lever (52) is supported so as to be able to tilt around the tilt shaft (58). A shift position of the shift lever (52) is changed due to the shift lever (52) being tiltingly operated while being guided by a guide hole (30) of the shift lever guide (26) and passed within a passage hole (64) of a cover (62). Here, the strength of the shift lever guide (26) is made to be large as compared with that of the cover (62). Moreover, when load is inputted from the shift lever (52) to the shift lever guide (26), rotation of the shift lever guide (26) is stopped by the shift lever plate (12). Therefore, the shift lever (52) can be tiltably supported properly.

In the shift lever device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2008-155908, a shift lever is tiltably passed-through a plate and an upper side bracket member, and the shift lever is tiltably supported due to a shift rotating shaft of the shift lever being nipped between the upper side bracket member and a lower side bracket member.
In this shift lever device, even if the shift lever is tilted, the shift lever cannot abut the upper side bracket member. Therefore, it can be understood that load is not inputted from the shift lever to the upper side bracket member.
Here, if load were to be inputted from the shift lever to the upper side bracket member, if displacement of the upper side bracket member due to load inputted from the shift lever were not stopped, the shift rotating shaft could not be properly nipped between the upper side bracket member and the lower side bracket member, and there would be the possibility that the shift lever could not be tiltably supported properly.


An integrated navigation method for a mobile vehicle is provided, which includes: acquiring a motion measurement of the mobile vehicle by using an inertial navigation element in the mobile vehicle and calculating a gesture parameter of the mobile vehicle based on the motion parameter; estimating, based on the gesture parameter, a motion state of the mobile vehicle in a real time manner by using a satellite navigation element in the mobile vehicle to obtain an error estimation value of the motion state, and correcting a motion parameter of the mobile vehicle based on the error estimation value of the motion state; and controlling an operation route of the mobile vehicle based on corrected navigation information.

With the rapid development of economy and constant improvement of living standard, people's requirements on afforestation in environment become higher and higher, such that more staffs are required to maintain lots of lawns. With the use of intelligent household mobile vehicles, both hands are allowed for freedom to improve work efficiency and maintenance costs of household lawns are reduced effectively. Moreover, problems of a conventional mobile vehicle such as exhaust emission and high noise levels are reduced, such that grass can be mowed in an intelligent and environmentally friendly manner and the mobile vehicle can be controlled in a simple way, thereby reducing workforces and reducing costs.
GPS is mainly used in a mobile vehicle to function as a navigation system. Though GPS is a mature technology with components of low cost, GPS cannot meet the demand of high accuracy positioning in a case that the mobile vehicle operates in a small region. Therefore, a GPS-based route planning with high accuracy cannot be achieved.

Integrated navigation method for mobile vehicle

ZHEJIANG YAT ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE CO., LTD


A rear suspension system for a snowmobile includes a plurality of adjacent closed-loop tracks disposed in a rear tunnel of the snowmobile. Each of the plurality of adjacent closed-loop tracks are rotatably driven by a drive system. One of a plurality of independent suspension assemblies is disposed in each closed-loop track and the plurality of independent suspension assemblies articulate independently of each other during travel of the rear suspension system.

Historically, snowmobiles having multiple rear tracks have been limited in manufacture and use. As such, suspension systems for such arrangements have also been limited in manufacture and use. An example of a known suspension system for a snowmobile having multiple rear tracks is taught by Uchida U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,805. Historically, snowmobile suspension assemblies such as the Uchida '805 suspension assembly were typically designed for traversing flat terrain and as such were not designed for or used much in mountain or hill climb environments. The Uchida '805 suspension assembly resides within dual rear tracks and includes a suspended frame structure to which rollers are rotatably mounted. The assembly is mounted to the frame by various arms and linkages that define the suspension travel and allow the tracks to move up and down relative to the vehicle. The dual rear tracks are located on each side of the snowmobile and are spaced apart outside of the elongated saddle seat, on the outboard sides of the vehicle. The rear tracks are separated by a power train, including an engine and a drive train. In addition, a muffler system and an air cleaner and carburetor are located between the tracks. Disc brakes are applied to axles disposed transversely through the dual rear tracks.
Over the years, the basic design of snowmobiles has significantly changed from that disclosed in Uchida '805. Snowmobiles have more commonly been designed using a single driven inboard closed-loop rear track typically located in a 17-inch width or narrower tunnel beneath the rear portion of the snowmobile chassis. Contrary to the Uchida '805 snowmobile, the engine and drive train for snowmobiles are now typically positioned towards the front portion of the vehicle. The track typically rides along a plurality of rails and idler wheels and is driven by a single drive shaft located near the front portion of the track.
Upon this single-track arrangement, many developments and improvements related to rear suspension systems have occurred. Each of these improvements has been particularly geared towards the use of a single driven, suspended track and each typically includes various suspension components such as shocks, springs, coupling devices and front and/or rear linkages. For example, Yasui et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,386 teaches a rear suspension system which comprises both front and rear suspension assemblies connected to a pair of spaced apart guide rails. The guide rails carry spaced rollers and backup a single drive track. A series of linkages, shocks and springs move relative to each other to resiliently support and dampen the movement of the drive track and soften the ride of the snowmobile.
Boivin et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,486 relates to a rear suspension system for a snowmobile that has a pair of primary pivoting arms that interconnect a series of rails with the undercarriage of the snowmobile chassis. Primary suspension means and secondary suspension means are mounted to a first horizontal bar and a second horizontal bar respectively to support a single track and the weight of the vehicle. The various linkages, suspension means and pivoting arms cooperate to create a softer ride and accommodate weight transfer on the snowmobile.
Savage et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,991 relates to a rear suspension for a snowmobile which includes two elongated members of substantially constant length coupled to the snowmobile frame and to a single endless track guide rail assembly. The suspension keeps the guide rail assembly at a substantially constant angular orientation relative to the frame for improved performance and operator comfort.
Boivin et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,264 also relates to a snowmobile suspension system which includes front and rear suspension arms connected to side rails and a biasing assembly, all of which are configured to suspend a single drive track on a snowmobile while providing a smoother ride.
However, the single-track arrangement of the prior art has many disadvantages. For example, when operating a snowmobile in mountain terrain, the snowmobile is commonly required to traverse the side of a steep hill. To maintain a snowmobile having a single suspended track at a level position, the operator positions both feet on one running board such that the entire weight of the snowmobile bears on one edge of the single track. This requires a great effort on behalf of the operator. It also results in minimized floatation and performance, which is a result of large pressures on one edge of the track and a minimal contact area that minimizes traction and the ability to apply power to the ground.
Another disadvantage with single track suspensions is found in hill climb racing, where an operator drives the snowmobile up a steep hill that is covered with moguls. As the snowmobile traverses the hill, the snowmobile is propelled off of moguls and typically lands in an uneven vehicle roll position. In conventional single track snowmobile suspensions this activity results in high moments into the vehicle that tend to pitch the rider.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide an independent suspension system for a snowmobile that is capable of supporting the snowmobile while independently articulating multiple rear tracks through a defined suspension travel. It is desirable to provide an independent suspension system that is simple, easy to construct and requires minimal parts, thus minimizing mechanical breakdown. It is further desirable to provide an independent suspension system that is adjustable and that maximizes performance while minimizing overall system weight. It is also desirable to provide such an independent suspension system that is sized to occupy and operate within a 17-inch or narrower tunnel beneath the snowmobile seat.


A method for processing common varieties of leafy vegetables to extend its storage life. The leafy vegetables are selected, cut, trimmed and conveyed to a processing area. During processing, the leafy vegetable leaves are torn rather than cut from the vegetable stems. Once cored, the leafy vegetables are washed in chlorinated water, dried and then chilled prior to final distribution.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the processing of leafy vegetables and more particularly to a method for the processing of leafy vegetables to produce an extended storage life.
2. Description of the Background Art
The expanded food service industry and consumer demand for prepared food product has had a significant impact on the fresh fruit and vegetable trade. For example, the prepared lettuce business for chopped, shredded and cored product now exceeds one billion pounds of pre-cut lettuce per year. Exacerbating the problem of meeting this huge demand for leafy vegetables is the fact that significant production yield decays or spoils before reaching the dinner table of the consumer. Part of this spoilage results from distribution difficulties which result from loading, transport and storage. Even routine shipping can cause extensive spoilage and economic loss with these short shelf-life products.
Spoilage of leafy vegetables occurs as a result of a variety of processes including microbiological decay, handling damage, and loss of cellular integrity with a consequential dissipation of cellular fluids. What is needed is a method of processing and treating leafy vegetables to mitigate spoilage.

Method for processing leafy vegetables for extended storage


In a method to operate an image-generating medical modality in order to avoid harm to a patient caused by an electromagnetic field, an adjustment process is implemented in which the electromagnetic field is radiated by the modality and preliminary image data are acquired using the electromagnetic field; and a clearance between the patient and a wall of the modality is determined from the image. The determined clearance forms the basis of a check process to determine an adaptation of the electromagnetic field for a diagnostic examination of the patient that follows. During the diagnostic examination, that also includes radiation of the electromagnetic field, movement monitoring of the patient takes place and the adjustment process is restarted as soon as a movement of the patient is registered.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method to operate an image-generating medical modality (in particular a magnetic resonance tomograph) and a corresponding image-generating medical modality.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) apparatus frequently has a tube-like stationary unit with which the electromagnetic fields required for an imaging method are generated during operation. Such a tube-like stationary unit has a tunnel-like and centrally arranged opening or recess in which the generated electromagnetic fields act during operation, and in which a subject to be examined (a patient, for example) is positioned for an examination by means of imaging methods.
This tunnel-like recess is bounded by parts of the surface of the stationary unit that are designated herein as an inner tunnel wall. Located directly behind the inner tunnel wall are some of the assemblies of the stationary unit with which the electromagnetic fields are generated. When the spatial distribution of the time-dependent electromagnetic fields within the recess is considered, it appears that stronger alternating electromagnetic fields are active in close proximity to the inner tunnel wall of a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus than in the remaining regions of the recess. Therefore, in this immediate close proximity to the inner tunnel wall, there is an increased risk of so-called radio-frequency burns (RF burns) at which a tissue damage of a patient occurs due to injected radio-frequency radiation.
In the clinical field of MRT systems, patients sometimes come very close to the inner tunnel wall or even come into contact therewith, either due to the physical dimensions (for example corpulent and/or adipose patients) or due to asymmetrical positioning (for example in the examination of the elbow). The increased risk of radio-frequency burns must therefore be taken into consideration. Compliance with the recommended global SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) limits for the safe operation of cylindrical RF transmission coils (which are classified as volume coils in the IEC standard (60601-2-33) responsible for the safe operation of MRT systems) no longer safely protects against local RF burns wherein clearance is too small.
In order to avoid RF burns, two procedures have previously been established. The first is to significantly reduce the global SAR limits of the cited IEC standard (or possibly other limit regulations—FDA, for example) so that, for all operating conditions, no RF burn occurs even in the case of direct contact with the inner tunnel wall. However, this produces a marked reduction of the performance and, for example, an extension of the examination time within which the RF pulses are radiated, but also compromises with regard to the quality of the generated images (for example the use of sub-optimal flip angles or RF pulse shapes). In order to avoid the reduction of the performance from being too drastic, current MRT systems are often equipped with a contact protection function. The aforementioned limitation is thereby adjusted individually for the given situation (patient, figure, size, position relative to the RF transmission coil) by an assessment of individual measurement variables determining the local load (for example local E-fields, amperages in the conducting structures of the transmission antenna). Both variants frequently assume the cooperation and responsibility of the user (operator/technician) in that the user is enjoined to make sure that the patient has a minimum clearance (in mm) from the inner tunnel wall. This then enables the limitation of the performance to not be quite so drastically dimensioned. However, it is disadvantageous that the risk of an RF burn due to an incorrect operation of the system (here the positioning of the patient by the user) is increased. In the large majority of measurement situations, however, the clearance from the inner tunnel wall is greater than the critical distance x, which is typically ≦20 mm. The performance is therefore very often unnecessarily limited.
Alternatively or additionally, it is sought to produce a reduction or attenuation of the electromagnetic fields locally in close proximity to the inner tunnel wall by structural and technical measures, but this approach has an impermissibly high cost associated therewith.
From US 2003/0098688 A1 a method is known in which the position of the patient relative to the transmission antenna is determined exactly by an imaging magnetic resonance pre-measurement before the implementation of the actual measurement (thus the diagnostic examination of a patient by means of magnetic resonance imaging). On the basis of this exact position of the patient, the SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) values are then calculated in a known manner for planned parameters of the measurement from known patient data and the exactly determined position of the patient relative to the transmission antenna. The parameters are modified as necessary until the SAR values lie within the limit values, and the actual measurement for magnetic resonance imaging is subsequently implemented.

Method to operate an image-generating medical modality to avoid patient injury by a modality-generated electromagnetic field


Compositions comprising an ionene polymer and a pyrithione salt are disclosed which are synergistically effective compared to the respective components alone in controlling the growth of microorganisms in or on a material or medium. Methods to control the growth of microorganisms and prevent spoilage caused by microorganisms with the use of the compositions of the present invention are also disclosed.

Many industrial materials and media, when wet or subjected to treatment in water, are susceptible to bacterial, fungal and/or algal deterioration or degradation unless steps are taken to inhibit such degradation or deterioration. These industrial materials and media include, but are not limited to, wood pulp, wood chips, lumber, adhesives, coatings, animal hides, paper mill liquors, pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetic and toiletry formulations, geological drilling lubricants, petrochemicals, agrochemical compositions, paints, leathers, wood, metalworking fluids, cooling water, recreational water, influent plant water, waste water, pasteurizers, retort cookers, tanning liquor, starch, proteinaceous materials, acrylic latex paint emulsions, and textiles.
To control deterioration or degradation caused by microorganisms, various industrial microbicides are used. Workers in the trade have continued to seek improved biocides that have low toxicity and are capable of exhibiting a prolonged biocidal effect against a wide variety of microorganisms at normal use.
For example, British Patent No. 1,390,004, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, describes a biocidal composition for laundering textile fabrics containing a mixture of a heavy salt of a 2-mercapto-pyridine-N-oxide compound and a monomeric quaternary ammonium compound having the formula ##STR1## wherein at least one of the R groups in the above formula is or contains an alkyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkylaryl group or an amide derivative of such a group and contains from 6 to 26 carbon atoms; the remaining R groups are selected from alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, and alkylaryl groups and amide derivatives of such groups and contain from 1 to 26 carbon atoms; with the proviso that two R groups may combine with the N atom to form an imidazoline ring structure; and X is a halogen anion or an alkyl sulfate anion having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
Ionene polymers, i.e., cationic polymers containing quaternary nitrogens in the polymer backbone, is one group of biocides used in controlling bacteria and algae in various aqueous systems. Illustrative examples of these polymers and their uses are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,870; 3,898,336; 3,931,319; 4,027,020; 4,054,542; 4,089,977; 4,111,679; 4,506,081; 4,581,058; 4,778,813; 4,970,211; 5,051,124; and 5,093,078, the disclosures of all of which are specifically incorporated by reference herein.
The use of pyrithiones and their metal derivatives to control microorganisms has also been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,809,971 and 3,236,733, both incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. Although generally acceptable microbicides, the pyrithiones are expensive. Systems requiring high concentrations of pyrithione salts, therefore, are generally uneconomical.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a microbicidal composition that overcomes these and other problems.

Synergistic antimicrobial compositions containing an ionene polymer and a pyrithione salt and methods of using the same

Buckman Laboratories International, Inc.


An optical glass comprising in mass %:

Optical elements such as lenses are usually manufactured by press molding an optical glass by either direct pressing or reheat pressing. Direct pressing is a method according to which temperature of melted glass gob of a predetermined weight is lowered to molding temperature and, at the molding temperature, the glass gob is press molded by a mold.
Reheat pressing is a method according to which glass gob of a predetermined weight obtained by cooling and solidifying melted glass is reheated to the molding temperature region and, at the molding temperature, the glass gob is press molded by a mold.
It is well known that, when glass is held in a devitrification temperature region which is lower than liquid phase temperature of the glass, devitrification occurs and grows, though the speed of growth is low or high depending upon the composition of the optical glass. In a glass having a high liquid phase temperature, the liquid phase temperature widely exceeds the molding temperature region and, therefore, in the above described pressing of the glass, there tends to occur long duration of time during which the glass is held in the devitrification temperature region which is lower than the liquid phase temperature while the temperature of the glass is lowered or raised until molding of the glass and while the glass is being molded and this gives rise to devitrification.
An optical glass having medium refractive index and low dispersion characteristics, particularly an optical glass having optical constants of refractive index (nd) within a range of about 1.54-1.65 and Abbe number (νd) within a range of about 57-69 is useful in optical design. Known in the art as an optical glass having such optical constants are several glasses which are generally known as dense phosphate crown glasses. For increasing refractive index, these glasses mostly comprise ingredients such as Ta2O5 made of expensive raw materials which are added to a phosphate glass which originally has a low refractive index. Since the cost of manufacture of these glasses is high, only a very few of them are manufactured on an industrial scale.
As a glass having similar optical constants to those described above, there is disclosed a P2O5—ZnO optical glass suitable for precision mold pressing (e.g., Patent Literature 1). This glass, however, has the problem that it has a high liquid phase temperature. As described above, a glass having a high liquid phase temperature tends to give rise to devitrification while the temperature of the glass is lowered or raised until molding of the glass and while the glass is being molded and, therefore, it is difficult to manufacture, on a stable basis, optical elements such as lenses which require a high homogeneity. This glass therefore cannot be practically used.
Known also in the art are phosphate optical glasses comprising Ta2O5 (e.g., Patent Literature 2 and 3). The glass containing Ta2O5 however requires a very high cost of raw materials.                Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. Hei 2-124743        Patent Literature 2 Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 38-5013        Patent Literature 3 Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. Sho 52-68217
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical glass which has comprehensively eliminated the above described disadvantages of the prior art, has high resistance to devitrification, has medium refractive index and low dispersion characteristics, and is free of expensive raw materials such as Ta2O5 and therefore can be manufactured at a relatively low cost of raw materials.

Abstract: An optical glass comprising in mass %:

Abstract: P2O525%-less than 45%B2O36-20%BaO24%-less than 40%ZnO3-14%MgO0-15%CaO0-15%SrO0-15%Li2O0-5%Na2O0-5%K2O0-5%WO30-5% andAl2O30-5%.The optical glass should preferably contain 0.1-5% WO3, 3.6-15% MgO, 0.1-5% Li2O+Na2O+K2O, 0—less than 0.5% and Sb2O3+As2O3 with the mass ratio of ZnO/BaO being 0.12—less than 0.50. The optical glass should preferably have refractive index (nd) within a range from 1.54 to 1.65 and Abbe number (νd) within a range exceeding 57 up to 69 and liquid phase temperature within a range from 870° C. to 930° C. There is provided an optical glass having high resistance to devitrification and medium refractive index and low dispersion characteristics which is free of ingredients such as Ta2O5 having a high cost of raw material and therefore can be manufactured at a relatively low cost of raw materials.


A stand-up type wheelchair for handicapped and sick people comprises a chassis (2) supporting an articulated structure (12) which includes a seat, a foot-rest, a chair-back, and two symmetrical lateral articulated systems. Each system includes                a first deformable polygon contributing to the support of the seat,        a second deformable polygon, contributing to the support of the foot-rest,        a chair-back quadrilateral (four-bar linkage) (35) articulated on the first quadrilateral, and a manoeuvring assembly (40), which includes a first lever (41), a second lever (43), and a manoeuvring handle (49).

More particularly, the invention concerns devices known as "stand-up" wheelchairs, that allow their user to occupy a sitting position or a standing position. Such wheelchairs, as described in patent FR 2 769 830 for example, include a chassis supporting an articulated structure which includes a seat, a foot-rest, a chair-back, and two symmetrical lateral articulated systems performing the function of raising and lowering the seat, the chair-back and the foot-rest, in order to allow the passage of a user of the wheelchair from a sitting position to a standing position.
To this end, each lateral articulated system includes a first deformable polygon or quadrilateral (four-bar linkage) contributing to the support of the seat, composed of two bars, upper and lower respectively, articulated on a front part of the chassis and connected to their rear part by a distance piece.
Each lateral articulated system also includes a second deformable polygon or quadrilateral contributing to the support of the foot-rest, and an articulated chair-back frame on the first quadrilateral opposite to the second quadrilateral, by means of the distance piece at least.
Each articulated lateral system finally includes a manoeuvring assembly, positioned between the first quadrilateral and the chassis, which includes, on the one hand, a first articulated lever on the rear part of the chassis and at the extremity of a second lever whose other extremity is articulated on the first quadrilateral, as well as a manoeuvring handle attached to the second lever. The manoeuvring handle performs a command and control function for the relative pivoting of the lateral system from a lowering position to a raising position of the structure in relation to the chassis and vice versa.
The manoeuvring assembly also includes a device to assist with the raising-lowering movement, such as a pneumatic spring for example. In order to enable it to be gripped easily, regardless of the position of the articulated structure, the manoeuvring handle includes a bow-shaped gripping area which is open at its centre, consisting of two branches connected by a web-linkage, each providing a contact area for the palm of a user's hand.
Such a stand-up type chair completely fulfils the function of raising and lowering its user, who is thereby able to move from a sitting position to a standing position with no assistance, human or mechanical, other than that provided by the pneumatic spring.
Nevertheless, despite the satisfaction obtained through the extreme ease of passage between the two positions, standing and seated, it has appeared necessary, in order to further increase the comfort and convenience of the user, to gear down the movement of the handle in order to reduce its amplitude of motion, so that the handle always remains close to the user, allowing him or her to apply full force during the stand-up movement, which corresponds to a turning motion of the hands during manual movement of the wheelchair.

Stand-up wheelchair with gearing down of the stand-up operation

Abstract: The manoeuvring handle (49) is articulated firstly on the second lever (43) and/or the first lever (41), and secondly on the first quadrilateral by means of a connecting-rod (55) whose first extremity is connected by a pivot to the first quadrilateral and whose second extremity is connected by a pivot (58) to the manoeuvring handle (49).