A toy including a base made of a flexible sheet and painted or printed to have the appearance of grass, streets, rivers, lakes, and the like, and one or more structures configured for being reversibly folded into a flattened shape and unfolded to resemble houses, schools, churches, airports, and the like is described. Preferably, the structures are reversibly attachable to the base, such as with a hook-and-loop fastener.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
This invention relates to a child""s toy. More particularly, this invention relates to a toy comprising a base painted or printed to resemble a view of grass, streets, rivers, lakes, and/or the like. The toy further comprises one or more three-dimensional objects resembling a house, farm building, business, school, church, tree, and/or the like, which can be place in selected locations on the base. The base and three-dimensional objects are made of a flexible materials such that they can be easily folded into a flat configuration for storage and transport. Further, the toy is washable such that it can be cleaned if it becomes soiled.
J. D. Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,522 (1974), describes an educational toy device including a base having a plurality of hinged panels connected to the base at its outer edge. These hinged panels can be folded into an upright position for storage or can be folded into the plane of the base for defining a work station. Each work station has sockets for receiving items of geometrical shape.
D. W. Johnson and L. C. Vonderhaar, U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,715 (1991), discloses a toy machine for laying a simulated road surface. The toy comprises an elongate flexible strip of material having front and back surfaces. The back surface carries adhesive or tacky material for attachment of the flexible strip to a floor. The front surface has markings that simulate a highway, parking lot, or landing strip. Thus, this invention provides a temporary surface that can be placed on an indoor or outdoor floor for use by a child for playing with toy automobiles or airplanes.
C. D. Westersund, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,870 (1996), teaches a folding box dioramic toy having a rectangular base and hinged rectangular side panels. These base and panels display scenery, such as a medieval castle and outbuildings, such that a child can place and move toy archers, horse-mounted knights, and villagers. Each side panel also includes an integral triangular piece extending at a right angle to the side panel, which collectively form a closed box top when the side panels are folded into a vertical position.
S. Kaufman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,599 (1999), and S. Kaufman, U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,986 (1999), describe an interactive book having at least one page of text, graphics, or illustrations, wherein the page includes a track or monorail and a toy for moving along the track.
D. Bruner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,099 (1999), discloses a model train set including a base having two sections connected to each other to form an upper surface. This upper surface has a continuous integral track. The model train set includes at least one snap-in reversible storyboard and a plurality of visual elements. The model train set also includes a train, cars, and storage units.
W. H. Hunt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,149 (1999), teaches a toy train and book assembly. The covers and flaps of the book are opened and laid flat to form a base. Pop-up and fixed structures form a village, including a path or track passing through the village. A toy train stored in a storage compartment on the cover of the book can be removed, placed on the track, and allowed to run around the track and through the village.
While these toys are generally suitable for their limited purposes, they possess certain inherent deficiencies that detract from their overall utility as toys for children. For example, the toys of U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,522 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,870 have many hard components that can potentially be injurious to a child. By way of further example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,149 describes a toy with structures in fixed positions, which does not allow for as much creativity and imagination as may be desired concerning how the toy may be used.
In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that providing a soft, foldable, toy that permits compact storage, ease of transport, and a high level of creativity and imagination in playing with the toy would be a significant advancement in the art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy such that each component can be folded flat for ease of storage and transport.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a toy that is washable, thus facilitating cleaning when it becomes soiled.
It is another object of the invention to provide a soft toy that contains no hard pieces or edges, thus being safe for children of all ages.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a toy comprising components that can be arranged in a large variety of ways, thus engendering creativity and imagination in children that play with it.
These and other objects can be addressed by providing a toy comprising:
(a) a base comprising a flexible sheet; and
(b) at least one structure configured for being reversibly folded into a flattened shape and unfolded into a shape representing a member selected from the group consisting of houses, garages, businesses, farm buildings, churches, schools, transportation terminals, trees, mountains, and the like, wherein the at least one structure is optionally configured for being releasably attached to the base.
Preferably, the base is painted or printed such that one or more portions thereof resembles at least one member selected from the group consisting of grass, streets, rivers, lakes, railroad tracks, sidewalks, parking lots, and airport runways, and the like. Further, the toy preferably further comprises means for releasably attaching at least one structure to the base. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, such means for separably attaching comprises a separable fastener, such as a hook-and-loop fastener. Still further, the base is preferably comprised of a fabric, more preferably of a woven fabric, and most preferably of a canvas material or heavy cotton duck or the like.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a toy comprising:
(a) a base comprising a fabric sheet painted or printed such that one or more portions thereof resemble at least one member selected from the group consisting of grass, streets, rivers, lakes, railroad tracks, sidewalks, parking lots, airport runways, and the like;
(b) at least one structure configured for being reversibly folded into a flattened shape and unfolded into a shape representing a member selected from the group consisting of houses, garages, businesses, farm buildings, churches, schools, transportation terminals, trees, mountains, and the like, wherein the at least one structure is optionally configured for being releasably attached to the base; and
(c) at least one separable fastener comprising first and second portions thereof, wherein the first portion is disposed on the base and the second portion is disposed on the at least one structure.
Still another preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a method for using the toy described and claimed herein comprising:
(a) spreading the base on a generally flat surface;
(b) unfolding the at least one structure such that the at least one structure comprises a shape representing a member selected from the group consisting of houses, garages, businesses, farm buildings, churches, schools, transportation terminals, trees, mountains, and the like; and
(c) placing the unfolded at least one structure at a selected location on the base.
In a still further preferred embodiment of the invention, this method further comprises:
(d) attaching the unfolded at least one structure to the base.
This attaching step is preferably achieved using a separable fastener, such as a hook-and-loop fastener.


The present invention provides a space-saving and low-cost emergency power system, which can be installed on a narrow place having limited space and employs a battery that is long in service life and low in frequency of replacement. This emergency power system comprises a circuit having a DC load, a rectifier, and a battery, which are electrically connected to one another. This circuit is adapted so that normally, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load, and the battery is charged, and that in an emergency, such as a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, electric power is automatically supplied from the battery to the DC load. In this system, a sodium sulfur battery is employed as the battery.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an emergency power system, and to a system for automatically detecting whether not a failure of a single cell occurs in a battery for use in the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 10 illustrates a float charging system employing a lead acid battery 30 in an emergency power system. Ordinarily, DC power is supplied from a rectifier 31 to a DC load 32. A constant voltage is applied to the lead acid battery 30. Thus, a self-discharged quantity of energy is charged into the lead acid battery 30. Consequently, the lead acid battery 30 is continually kept in a fully charged condition. In the case of an emergency, for example, in the event of an outage of the rectifier 31, electric power is supplied from the DC load 32 to the lead acid storage battery 30. Thus, in the case of an emergency, for instance, in the event of a power failure, the conventional emergency power system can supply electric power to the DC load without an outage of power to the DC load.
However, the conventional emergency power system has drawbacks in that the system requires a large space for placing a lead storage battery therein, due to a low energy density thereof, and thus, the conventional system cannot be installed in a narrow place having limited space. Moreover, the conventional emergency power system has additional drawbacks in that the service life of the lead acid storage battery is short, which causes the frequency of replacement of the battery to be relatively high. Furthermore, the cost of the lead acid battery is relatively high.
The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned drawbacks. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a space-saving emergency power system that can be placed in a narrow place having limited space. Further, another object of the invention is to provide a low-cost emergency power system employing a battery that is long in service life and low in frequency of replacement. Moreover, another object of the invention is to provide a system for detecting whether or not a single cell failure occurs in a battery used in an emergency power system.
To achieve the foregoing objects, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an emergency power system that includes a circuit having a DC load, a rectifier, and a battery, which are electrically connected to one another. The circuit is adapted so that normally, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load, and the battery is charged. In an emergency, such as a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, electric power is automatically supplied from the battery to the DC load. In this system, the battery is a sodium sulfur battery.
Further, in an embodiment of the invention, preferably, a rectifier output voltage controller is provided between the rectifier and the sodium sulfur battery for lowering, when the voltage of the sodium sulfur battery reaches a level that is equal to or higher than the predetermined charging voltage, an output voltage of the rectifier thereby to automatically discharge energy from the sodium sulfur battery to the DC load. The rectifier output voltage controller also operates to raise, when the voltage of the sodium sulfur battery reaches a level that is equal to or lower than the predetermined discharging voltage, an output voltage of the rectifier to thereby charge the sodium sulfur battery.
Further, in an embodiment of the emergency power system of the invention, preferably, the predetermined charging voltage and the predetermined discharging voltage of the sodium sulfur battery are within a discharge depth range in the case that the composition of an active material accommodated in a positive electrode chamber of each of sodium sulfur single cells is in a two-phase region.
Further, in an embodiment of the invention, it is preferable that the sodium sulfur battery is an assembled battery obtained by constituting strings, each consisting of a predetermined number of series-connected single cells, and then parallel-connecting a predetermined number of the strings. An output voltage of the rectifier is controlled by monitoring whether or not a module voltage reaches the predetermined charging voltage and whether or not the module voltage reaches the predetermined discharging voltage.
Furthermore, preferably, an embodiment of the invention detects an occurrence of a malfunction of a single cell according to whether or not the difference xcex94V (=Vocvxe2x88x92Vm) between the no-load module open circuit voltage Vocv and the constant-resistance-load module voltage Vm is larger than an initially determined normal voltage difference xcex94Vn (xcex94V greater than xcex94Vn). An alarm is generated when a malfunction of a single cell occurs, thus maintaining the function of continually serving as an emergency power system.
The above-discussed detection of malfunctions is governed by the following principles. The voltage difference in the case of no occurrence of a malfunction is: xcex94V=I.R, where I is the module current, and R is the module resistance. When a malfunction of a single cell occurs, the resistance R rises, which, in turn, causes a corresponding increase in the voltage difference xcex94V.
According to the invention, there is provided another emergency power system, which includes a circuit consisting of a DC load, a rectifier and a battery electrically connected to one another and adapted so that under normal operating conditions, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load at a constant voltage, and the battery is charged. In an emergency situation, including a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, power is supplied from the battery to the DC load. In this system, the battery is a sodium sulfur battery.
A controller having a timer is provided between the rectifier and the sodium sulfur battery and interrupts or connects an output of the rectifier. When the current from the sodium sulfur battery reaches a level that is equal to or lower than a predetermined charging current, an output of the rectifier is interrupted, and energy is automatically discharged from the sodium sulfur battery to the DC load for a predetermined period. After energy is discharged from the battery for the predetermined period, the output of the rectifier is connected to the sodium sulfur battery so as to charge the battery.
According to the invention, there is provided yet another emergency power system, which includes a circuit including a DC load, a rectifier and a battery electrically connected to one another and adapted so that under normal operating conditions, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load at a constant voltage, and the battery is charged. In an emergency situation, including a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, power is supplied from the battery to the DC load. In this system, the battery is a sodium sulfur battery. The power system further comprises a controller which interrupts or connects an output of the rectifier. When a voltage of said sodium sulfur battery reaches a level that is equal to or higher than a predetermined charging voltage, an output of the rectifier is interrupted, and energy is automatically discharged from the sodium sulfur battery to the DC load. When the voltage of the sodium sulfur battery reaches a level that is equal to or lower than a predetermined discharging voltage, the output of the rectifier is connected to the sodium sulfur battery so as to charge the battery.
According to the invention, there is provided still another emergency power system, which includes a circuit consisting of a DC load, a rectifier and a battery electrically connected to one another. A diode, the forward direction of electrical conduction of which is a direction from the battery to said DC load, and a first switch are provided between the rectifier and the sodium sulfur battery. This emergency power is adapted so that under normal operating conditions, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load, and that in an emergency, including a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, power is supplied from the sodium sulfur battery to the DC load through the diode.
This emergency power system further includes a control, provided between the sodium sulfur battery and the first switch, for putting, after discharge of the battery in an emergency, the first switch into a connected state and for charging the sodium sulfur battery to a predetermined discharge depth using power supplied from the rectifier. The first switch is thereafter interrupted to hold the sodium sulfur battery in a state in which power from the rectifier is prevented by the diode from being supplied to the battery.
Incidentally, in this emergency power system, practical means for putting the first switch into a connected state to thereby charge the sodium sulfur battery to a predetermined discharge depth by supplying power from the rectifier performs the charging until a charging current reaches a level that is equal to or lower than a set current, or until a module voltage is equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage. It is preferable for reducing a discharge starting voltage drop in an emergency that upon completion of charging, the discharge depth is increased by discharging a predetermined quantity of electricity (20 to 40 Ah).
An embodiment of the emergency power system further includes another circuit, provided between the circuit consisting of the diode and the first switch electrically parallel-connected and the sodium sulfur battery, for supplying discharging current of the sodium sulfur battery to a heater, and a second switch, provided between the heater and the sodium sulfur battery.
In this system, a temperature control operation is performed by controlling the on/off of the second switch according to the temperature of the sodium sulfur battery under the control of the controller, which is provided among the sodium sulfur battery, the first switch and the second switch. The sodium sulfur battery is maintained at a constant discharge depth and at a constant temperature by repeating one cycle consisting of steps of discharging energy from the sodium sulfur battery to the heater, and then charging energy from the rectifier to the sodium sulfur battery at each predetermined time interval under the control of the controller, which has a timer. The first switch is put into an interrupted state when the voltage or current of the sodium sulfur battery reaches a level that is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, or that is equal to or lower than a predetermined current, to thereby stop charging of the battery.
According to the invention, there is provided a detection system for automatically detecting an occurrence of a malfunction of a single cell in a battery used in an emergency power system. The detection system includes a first circuit consisting of a DC load, a rectifier, and a sodium sulfur battery electrically connected to one another. A second circuit is provided and consists of a diode, the forward direction of electrical conduction of which is a direction from the battery to the DC load, and a first switch parallel-connected to each other. A third circuit is provided between the second circuit and the sodium sulfur battery and supplies a discharging current from the sodium sulfur battery to a heater, and a second switch is provided between the heater and the sodium sulfur battery. The detection system is adapted so that under normal operating conditions, DC power is supplied from the rectifier to the DC load, and that in an emergency, including a power failure, in which an outage of the rectifier occurs, power is supplied from the sodium sulfur battery through the diode to the DC load.
This detection system further includes a controller provided among the sodium sulfur battery, the first switch, and the second switch. In this detection system, a temperature control operation is performed by controlling the on/off of the second switch according to a temperature of the sodium sulfur battery by the controller. The sodium sulfur battery is maintained at a constant discharge depth and at a constant temperature by repeating one cycle including the steps of discharging energy from the sodium sulfur battery to the heater, charging energy from the rectifier to the sodium sulfur battery at each predetermined time interval under the control of the controller, which has a timer, and putting the first switch into an interrupted state and stopping charging when a voltage or current of the sodium sulfur battery reaches a level that is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage or that is equal to or lower than a predetermined current. Thus, an occurrence of a malfunction of a single cell in the sodium sulfur battery is automatically detected by monitoring a discharging current during energy discharge from the sodium sulfur battery to the heater.

Emergency power system, and system for automatically detecting whether or not failure of single cell occurs in battery for use in the system


A device for forming a tube provided with gussets out of a single- or multi-layer, continuously pre-stressed material web consists of divided upper and lower folding plates mounted on the machine frame that determine the width of the tube to be formed when it is laid flat, which approach one another with regard to their distance from one another approximately in the shape of a wedge and in a manner perpendicular to the plane of the tube to be formed, beginning from the approach sides, with the wedge angle being adjustable, and with the device having two rows of insertion discs respectively mounted on carriers reaching between the folding plates for forming the gussets, whose distance from one another may be adjusted in the plane of the tube to be formed. In order to decrease the number of adjustment procedures when changing the format, an adjustment device of both rows of insertion discs on the middle level between the upper and lower folding plates is directly or indirectly connected to a device for displacing both rows of insertion discs in such a manner that the angle formed by the common tangents of both rows of insertion discs is sufficiently large that the insertion discs essentially firmly supply the interior folding edges of the gussets.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for forming a tube provided with gussets out of a single- or multi-layer, continuously pre-tensed material web having divided upper and lower folding plates that determine the width of the tube when it is laid flat and are mounted on the machine frame, with the web being deflected by the entrance sides of these plates in order to raise the edge regions that are to be driven inwards, which entrance sides may be adjusted in their distance from one another to correspond to the width of the tube to be formed and which plates approach one another with regard to their distance from one another approximately in the shape of a wedge and in a manner perpendicular to the plane of the tube to be formed, beginning from the approach sides, with the wedge angle being adjustable, and with the device having two rows of insertion discs respectively mounted on carriers reaching between the folding plates for forming the gussets, whose distance from one another may be adjusted in the plane of the tube to be formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
One device of this type is known from DE 36 40 219 C1. In the known device, the folding plates and the rows of insertion discs engaging between the folding plates must be adjusted to correspond to the width of the tube to be produced when it is laid flat, and to correspond to the depth of the gussets; here, it must be taken into account that, corresponding to the wedge angle between the folding plates, the rows of insertion discs must approach the material web in the direction of the exit, which requires a particularly expensive adjustment.
The object of the invention is therefore to create a device of the type mentioned at the outset in which the adjustment work required for changing the format of the tube to be formed, i.e., changing the width and/or the depth of the gussets, is simplified.
This object is attained according to the invention in that an adjustment device for adjusting both rows of insertion discs is connected on the middle level between the upper and lower folding plates directly or indirectly to a device for displacing both rows of insertion discs in such a way that the angle formed by the common tangents of the two rows of insertion discs is sufficiently large that the insertion discs essentially firmly supply the interior folding edges of the gussets.
It is useful for the device to comprise gear instruments, for example, lever gears, for displacing both rows of insertion discs.
In the device according to the invention, therefore, the adjustment device for adjusting both rows of insertion discs is connected in a geared manner the middle level between the upper and lower folding plates and/or the holding devices carrying or storing both rows of insertion discs to an adjustment device for displacing both rows of insertion discs in the crosswise direction; they are connected in such a way that the pivoting motion for adjusting the insertion discs in the middle level, i.e., the vertical pivoting motion of both rows of insertion discs in the horizontal middle level, is overlapped with a pivoting motion of both rows of insertion discs in the middle level in such a way that the insertion discs follow the transverse progression of the interior folding edges due to the wedge angle of the folding plates.
In order to adjust both rows of insertion discs on the middle level between the upper and lower folding plates, it is useful for the carriers of both rows to be mounted on two capping pieces that are mounted on the machine frame in the region of the raising of the folding plates such that they may be pivoted around a crosswise axis and that are provided on the approach side with an adjustment device that pivots one of the capping pieces, with the carriers being mounted on the capping pieces such that they may be pivoted around a vertical axis in the exit region and being movable relative to the capping pieces on the approach side in the plane of the insertion discs by means of a lever mechanism that transfers the pivoting motion of the capping pieces onto the carriers. Here, of course, the lever mechanism should be structured in such a way that the pivoting motion of the capping pieces is transferred onto the carriers of both rows of insertion discs such that they perform a pivoting motion that corresponds to the approach of the interior folding edges when inserting the gussets while the material web is traveling over the folding plates.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is provided for the carrier of the rows of insertion discs to consist of L-shaped angle pieces and strip attached to the legs of these pieces running parallel to the folding plates, which legs carry the rows of insertion discs, with the vertical legs of both approach-side angle pieces being provided with horizontal pins that are guided into the bores of the capping pieces in a displaceable fashion, and with the angle regions of angle levers being mounted on the pins, whose legs carry on their ends rollers or sliding blocks which are guided on one side in a horizontal, frame-tight, crosswise guide and on the other side in vertical guides of the capping pieces. Here, the angle between the legs of the angle lever and the length of the legs as well as the guides for the guide device arranged on the end of the legs should be selected such that the desired displacement characteristic is achieved.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention shall be explained in greater detail in the following with reference to the drawings, which show:

Device for forming a tube provided with gussets


An infused beverage brewing assembly that includes a solvent flow management system operable to receive and convey a solvent, a solvent temperature management system in fluid communication with the solvent flow management system and operable to modulate the temperature of the solvent, a brewing chamber for housing a solute disposed to receive the solvent to produce an infused beverage resulting from an infusion process, an infusion pressure regulation system with at least one pressure regulation component located downstream of the brewing chamber, operable to selectively and dynamically modify an infusion process pressure greater than a pressure created upstream in the brewing chamber caused by a flow of the solvent through the solute, and operable such that the flow of the solvent through the solute is not singularly contingent on a pressure differential across the at least one pressure regulation component, and an outlet for discharging the infused beverage.

The creation of brewed or infused beverages through the infusion of a solvent with a solute contained within a filter media has been performed for over one hundred years. Over time it has come to be understood that the modification of brewing variables, such as infusion temperature, pressure, and flow rate of solvent through solute, change the resulting beverage's chemical composition and taste. Thus, many brewing systems have been developed that seek to enable flavor modification through selective modulation of one or more brewing variables. However, few, if any, brewing systems facilitate dynamic, i.e., within the brewing cycle, modulation of one or more of these variables during an infusion. Of those that do, modulation of one or more variables during an infusion results in unintended changes to other brewing variables. This lack of independent variable control makes the optimization and modification of infused beverages difficult.
For instance, currently available brewing systems that enable users to modify pressure during an infusion rely on back pressure generated in a brewing chamber by a resistive media typically composed of a filter and solute. In one configuration, brew chamber pressure modification is achieved by modulating the resistance of said resistive solute media while holding pumping energy constant. While this does result in a change in infusion pressure, it also changes the infusion flow rate. In another conventionally available system, the user modifies infusion pressure through the variation of solvent pumping force while keeping the resistance of the resistive media constant. This too results in an increase in infusion pressure and simultaneous change in infusion flow rate. Thus, in conventional systems, the variables of pressure and flow rate during the infusion process are dependent upon each other. As pressure and flow rate are both known to affect the chemical composition of the brewed infusion, there is an apparent need for a brewing system that affords independent modulation of infusion pressure and flow rate enabling the user to optimize infused solution chemical composition and produce consistent beverages.
Some known devices that are configured to modify one or more brewing variables to provide dynamic pressure control, but, again, lack control over flow rate independent of the pressure control. Specifically, said devices enable the user to create and execute brew formulas which modulate brew pressure and temperature with respect to time. This is performed through the use of a pressure sensor to monitor the infusion pressure within a brew chamber and modulating the pumping force of a water pump such that the desired infusion pressure is achieved in the brew chamber. Temperature control of infusion water is performed by utilizing a proportional mixing valve that is controlled by a controller to mix hot and cold water. While the aforementioned device may be capable of providing dynamic temperature and pressure control, it does so at the expense of the ability to regulate flow rate of the exiting infused beverage. The varying exiting flow rate disadvantageously creates inconsistent beverage output, which is costly for many retailers of beverages. The inconsistencies also are problematic for retailers and consumers, alike, as both the taste of the beverage and the amount of the beverage may change at each brewing cycle. Thus, flow rate, total dispensed volume, and ultimately beverage taste are dependent on variables such as fluctuations in solute particle size, packing density, solute quantity, along with filter media resistivity. As such, this makes it highly difficult to duplicate the flavor of an extraction even if the same brew formula of infusion pressure and temperature with respect to time are used.
It is well understood that infusion temperature also affects chemical composition of an infused beverage solution. Thus, an operator may find it advantageous to modify brewing infusion temperature during the brewing process to optimize flavor. Current brewing systems utilize boilers and brewing chambers with large thermal masses that are designed to provide consistent brewing temperature thus prohibiting the use of variable infusion temperatures to create optimal flavor. Therefore, a beverage brewing system that affords precise, accurate and dynamic temperature control would enable optimization of beverage flavor and is needed.
As previously explained, there is an acute need for a brewing system that affords the brewer independent, dynamic variation of brewing variables of temperature, pressure and flow rate during the production of infused beverages. Furthermore, there is a need for a brewing system that mitigates and/or eliminates the impact of external factors such as solute particle size variations and solute compaction on the beverage flavor.

Device and system for brewing infused beverages


According to one embodiment, a power generation element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first member, and a second member. The first member includes a first crystal and is provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The first crystal has a wurtzite structure. The second member is separated from the first member and is provided between the first member and the second conductive layer. A <000-1> direction of the first crystal has a component from the first member toward the second member.

For example, there is a power generation element including an emitter electrode and a collector electrode, wherein heat from a heat source is applied to the emitter electrode, and the collector electrode captures thermal electrons from the emitter electrode. It is desirable to increase the efficiency of the power generation element.

Power generation element, power generation module, power generation device, and power generation system


A robot in the form of a toy simulating a spider is provided wherein the robot is capable of maintaining balance while walking, turning and running in a race-type setting on level ground and over a ramp or small obstacles. A preferrred embodiment of the robot has four operatively cooperating legs which are remotely controlled by a motor on each of the left side and the right side of the robot. A gear reduction mechanism to improve torque is considered. The operative cooperating legs are designed such that alternate legs on each side are in a DOWN position when mirrored legs are in a DOWN position, thereby providing balance while walking with four of the eight legs in a DOWN position while remaining legs are in an UP position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to robots characterized by their ability to walk while maintaining their balance, and, more particularly, to toy robots that are capable of maintaining balance while walking, turning and running in a race-type setting on level ground and over a ramp or small obstacles.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well-known in the art, while efforts have been directed towards simulated walking and/or turning, the problem of balance has apparently been so resistant to solution that most robots available in the market place today employ wheels and/or continuously driven tracks to enable the robot to move over the ground by rolling or gliding.
Nevertheless, while most robots available in the marketplace today employ wheels and/or tracks to permit movement over the ground, the related art is replete with long-standing efforts to provide a robot capable of walking. As evidence of this fact, attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 882,403, issued in 1908 in the name of Mikolsek, wherein a walking toy biped is disclosed in which the toy's left and right legs are alternately raised and lowered by a crank assembly; and, in order to maintain the toy's balance, a liquid-filled weight is coupled to the crank assembly for shifting the toy's center of gravity laterally to the left or to the right over the ground engaged supporting leg.
In 1958, U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,735, issued in the name of H. E. Grimm, Jr., disclosed a six-legged animal wherein two legs on one side of the toy were coupled to, and driven by, the same mechanism as was coupled to, and which drove, one leg on the opposite side of the toy so as to maintain the toy's balance.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,931, issued in the name of Gardel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,437, issued in the name of Jameson, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,200, issued in the name of Kajita, presumably disclose state-of-the-art robotic technologies. In the Gardel reference, issued in 1972, a walking doll is disclosed having legs mounted at an angle to the axis of the doll's torso so that as the legs move relative to the body, the body tilts to shift the center of gravity of the doll over the leg planted on the floor. In the Jameson reference, issued in 1982, the legs of the toy are crank-operated and a gyroscope is provided to prevent rotation and maintain stability. The Kajita reference, which issued in 1989, discloses a walking robot wherein the lengths of the robot's legs and the angles between each foot and leg are continuously adjusted so as to maintain the robot's center of gravity within the support area defined by the robot's footprint.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,493, issued in 1992 in the name of Morgrey, discloses a robot which simulates walking similar to that of a human being, wherein the robot alternately lifts its left and right leg/foot assemblies off the ground and strides forward with the raised leg/foot assembly while the robot's weight is supported and balanced by the leg/foot assembly that is planted on the ground.
However, notwithstanding the state-of-the-art as exemplified by the foregoing patents, no known related art robot exists, either in patented or published art, or in the form of a commercially available robot, wherein the robot is capable of maintaining balance while walking, turning and running in a race-type setting on level ground and over a ramp or small obstacles.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing a robot that is economically feasible to manufacture, wherein the robot is capable of maintaining balance while walking, turning and running in a race-type setting on level ground and over a ramp or small obstacles.


The method for directionally swaying and resetting harrow teeth of a rolling harrow loader-excavator and the rolling harrow loader-excavator comprising a harrow rotary piece, directional sway and reset harrow teeth, a harrow supporter, a driving mechanism, a feeder mechanism and a body; each directional sway and reset harrow tooth comprises a torsion spring shaft supporting piece, a tooth handle sway limiting piece, a directional sway and reset tooth handle, a directional sway and reset tooth point, a torsion spring tooth handle shaft, a torsion spring and a torsion spring tooth handle shaft retaining piece.

Rolling harrow loaders and rolling harrow loading excavators are collectively known as rolling harrow loader-excavators; the rolling harrow loader-excavators are capable of continuously loading materials through rolling harrowing of rolling harrows; the loading efficiency is greatly improved, and continuous, uniform, reasonable and efficiency work is realized from a working principle. However, materials are often clamped between harrow teeth of the rolling harrow loader-excavators and baffle plates on upper side portions of shoving plates or rolling harrow supporting arms or reciprocating impact power boxes; when the harrow teeth harrow large materials to reciprocating impact power box bodies or the rolling harrow supporting arms, the large materials are clamped between the harrow teeth and the reciprocating impact power box bodies or the rolling harrow supporting arms and thus unable to pass through, leading to that the harrow teeth damp rolling harrow rotary pieces to rotate, and in this case, the use efficiency and applicability of the rolling harrow loader-excavators are affected heavily, and even worse, shutdown is caused. To solve the problems, the invention provides a method for directionally swaying and resetting harrow teeth of a rolling harrow loader-excavator and a rolling harrow loader-excavator with directional sway and reset harrow teeth for implementing such a method.

Method for directionally swaying and resetting harrow teeth of rolling harrow loader-excavator and rolling harrow loader-excavator with directional sway and reset harrow teeth for implementing such method


Apparatus for positioning a load in any orientation. The apparatus includes a base with an attached lift arm that has a plurality of members slidably interconnected. At least one of the plurality of members is pivotally attached to the base, and a rotatable connector is attached to at least one other of the plurality of members opposite the base. A carriage is provided at the distal end of the lift arm. The carriage includes a carrier pivotally attached to the rotatable connector and a track slidably connected to the carrier. Straps and clamps secure a load such as a pipe to the carrier. The apparatus also includes a hydraulic power system to position the lift arm and the carriage. The power system controls (a) pivotal movement of the lift arm about the pivot connection between the base and the lift arm, relative to the base, (b) translational movement of the plurality of members relative to each other along the slidable interconnections, (c) rotational movement of the rotatable connector relative to the plurality of members, (d) pivotal movement of the lift arm relative to the carriage, and (e) translational movement of the track relative to the carrier. Using the load positioning arm, construction materials and other objects that are attached to the track can be selectively and accurately pivoted, extended, rotated, tilted, and translated relative to the base.

Lifting and positioning heavy objects during construction of a building often requires the combined efforts of a lift truck and one or more workers. The lift truck raises the object to the required height, and the workers shift the object on the forks of the lift truck so that the object is aligned or fits with other materials that are already in place. Construction in this manner can be a slow, difficult, and sometimes dangerous task, requiring several workers to maneuver the load into place if it is heavy and/or awkward to handle. This problem is not limited to the construction industry. For example, ware housing facilities are also faced with the problem of lifting and positioning building materials such as pipe, that must be stacked on shelving or in piles. Such materials must frequently be maneuvered into place after being raised, by repeated backing and turning the lift truck. Recognizing that the problem of lifting and maneuvering heavy objects exists in many industrial applications, others have attempted to develop devices that facilitate the handling of such loads.
For instance, apparatus for positioning structural members is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,158 (Lull). The patent describes a cage that is attached to the forks of a lift truck and contains hydraulic devices to rotate, pivot, and translate structural members into position. Lull's apparatus has several limitations, however, including its inability to translate members in more than one direction, its inability to lift objects except by means of the lift truck, and its inability to pivot an object relative to the base of the cage. In many circumstances, these limitations make precise positioning of materials difficult to accomplish, since the lift truck itself may need to be moved several times to achieve the desired positioning of an object, instead of simply positioning the lift truck in the general location and thereafter performing all precise positioning of the object solely by operator control of Lull's patented apparatus.
A materials handler is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,630 (Karnow). This prior art materials handler is a relatively intricate and complicated omnidirectional manipulator that is unable to move and position materials over more than small incremental distances--at least not without repositioning the lift truck to which it is attached.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,392,524 (Bauch) and 4,666,365 (Cradeur) disclose lifts for handling heat exchanger bundles. The inventions disclosed in these two patents are not likely to be more useful than a simple forklift for lifting objects other than heat exchangers, since their ability to position an object is limited. For example, neither of these patents disclose means to tilt an object or means for pivoting the object.
In consideration of the limitations of the devices disclosed in the prior art discussed above, it should be apparent that an effective solution to the problem of positioning a load is not currently known. Accordingly, the present invention was developed, and it provides significant advantages over the prior art devices for handling materials that must be lifted and precisely positioned.


A method is disclosed for producing a color-decorated injection molding. The method involves the steps of transferring a colored decoration having colored molecules to a plastics film, supporting the coated plastics film in an injection molding apparatus, back spraying the apparatus with plastic and increasing the temperature of the plastic to diffuse the colored molecules into the plastic.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of producing a color-decorated injection molding.
2. Description of the Related Art
Injection molding technology is used for the large scale processing of thermoplastic molding compounds. Thermoplastics soften on heating and can be deformed in the plastic state. When a plunger injection molding machine is employed, the thermoplastic material is heated, preplastified by the plunger, and then pressed through channels or dies into a cooled mold. In the case of screw injection molding machines, the screw acts like a plunger and fills the mold so the material is plastified uniformly by the screw and a highly homogeneous temperature distribution is obtained.
An object of the invention is to provide a method by which color-decorated injection moldings having high physical and chemical quality and having good aesthetic effect can be produced. The colored decoration should, in particular, be of high strength and should give a high-grade visual impression.
European Patent Application No. EP 0 573 676 A1 describes the use of a support having a release characteristic for applying colored decoration to a substrate. In this prior art document, the colored decoration is first applied to a support having a release characteristic. A coating material is then applied over the colored decoration. The coating material is subsequently subjected to partial cross linking, and then, under pressure and/or elevated temperature, the partially cross linked coating material together with the colored decoration is transferred from the support to the substrate which is ultimately to be decorated. This transfer takes place in such a way that the coating material lies on the substrate under the colored decoration. Finally, further cross linking of the coating material takes place on the substrate.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/946,802 filed Oct. 8, 1997 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Applying a Decoration to an Articlexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,525 issued Jun. 1, 1999 and entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Applying a Decoration to an Articlexe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,400 issued Jun. 29, 1999 and entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Manipulating and Article for Applying a Decoration Thereonxe2x80x9d are hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention achieves the above-mentioned object by the following steps:
a) coating a plastics film with a colored decoration having dye molecules,
b) supporting the coated plastics film in an injection molding apparatus,
c) back spraying the plastics film with plastic in the injection molding apparatus, and
d) increasing the temperature to promote diffusion of dye molecules into the plastic.
The method of the subject invention can be used to produce large quantities of injection moldings in a cost effective operation to produce high quality parts. Examples of such moldings include, among others, automotive parts, housings for electronic appliances, sheets, and elements for the construction industry.
Particularly suitable materials for the plastics film upon which a colored decoration may be deposited are thermoplastics, especially polycarbonate and, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). It is also possible to use a plastics film made from polyolefins or copolymeric polyolefins and mixtures thereof. A preferred plastics film material is ethylene-styrene interpolymer, which is also identified by the name ESI and manufactured by the DOW Chemical Company. This film is a copolymeric polyolefin.
The thickness of the plastics film may be from 0.0002 to 0.002 inches (50 to 500 xcexcm).
To improve the quality of the colored decoration, the colored decoration may be transferred from a support onto the plastics film. The support has release characteristics which promote removal of the decoration from the support.
Supports having release characteristics are known and are illustrated in European Patent Application No. EP 0 573 676 A1. Particularly suitable sheetlike supports having release characteristics are certain papers or plastics films whose surface is designed or has been treated so that color layers or coating films applied under defined conditions can be transferred to an article or film by a kind of xe2x80x9cpeelingxe2x80x9d process which is similar to the process for peeling a decal. For the present invention, particularly suitable supports having such release characteristics are plastics films and especially polyester films. To promote peeling, the prior art has also disclosed appropriate release coats for a film having a release characteristic.
The diffusion of the dye molecules of the colored decoration takes place preferably at elevated temperatures from 356 to 572xc2x0 F. (180 to 300xc2x0 C.) and depends on the properties of the plastics used. This color diffusion takes place both into the plastics film and into the back sprayed plastic. The color diffusion generates a depth effect of the resulting colored decoration of the injection molding, since the dye molecules diffuse different distances in the plastic depending on their molecular weight. The result is an aesthetically appealing, high-quality decoration.
The increase in temperature can be carried out at least in part during the back spraying operation, or thereafter.
In a preferred embodiment a coating film is applied to the colored decoration after the colored decoration has been applied to the plastics film. The coating film is preferably also colored to provide a base color for the injection molded part. Within the injection molding apparatus, the coating film lies above the colored decoration. Below the colored decoration lies the plastics film such that the coating film directly faces the injection molding material. The coating film imparts a base color to the injection molding material. Superimposed on this base color is the colored decoration having dye molecules which diffuse a greater or lesser distance into the overlying plastics film.

Method for producing a color-decorated injection molding


A MIMO transmitting apparatus that achieves a flexible control in accordance with variation of a propagation environment to reduce the number of retransmissions is disclosed. An intra-code-word interleaver performs an interleave process on bits included in symbols to be simultaneously transmitted from a plurality of transmitting antennas. When performing the intra-code-word interleave process, the intra-code-word interleaver performs the interleave process in accordance with an interleave pattern notified from an interleave pattern table. A counter counts a number of retransmission requests, and outputs the number of retransmission requests to the interleave pattern table. The interleave pattern table stores interleave patterns to be used for the intra-code-word interleave process for the respective numbers of retransmission requests, and notifies the intra-code-word interleaver of an interleave pattern in accordance with the number of retransmission requests.

Recently, MIMO (Multi Input Multi Output) communication is attracting attention in wireless communication as a technique that makes it possible to improve spectral efficiency. In MIMO communication, a transmitting apparatus having a plurality of transmitting antennas transmits at the same time streams formed with a plurality of bits from the transmitting antennas, and a receiving apparatus having a plurality of receiving antennas demultiplexes the streams from the transmitting apparatus and demodulates the demultiplexed streams. Therefore, when mutually different streams are transmitted at the same time from all transmitting antennas of the transmitting apparatus, it is theoretically possible to improve spectral efficiency by equivalent times to the number of the transmitting antennas compared to a case where only one transmitting antenna is used.
Furthermore, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, by providing differences in transmission power among the transmitting antennas, transmitting streams formed with bits having the high degree of importance from transmitting antennas having high transmission power and transmitting streams formed with bits having the low degree of importance from transmitting antennas having low transmission power, it is possible to improve the overall packet error rate (PER) performance in MIMO communication.
Moreover, Patent Document 1 discloses that, when a retransmission request is fed back from the receiving apparatus, the transmitting apparatus transmits streams from transmitting antennas different from the last transmission. By this means, it is possible to reduce the possibility that only specific streams may include errors consecutively and reduce the number of retransmissions.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-72427

MIMO transmitting apparatus, MIMO receiving apparatus, and retransmitting method


An appliance for thermally processing granular material, especially for roasting food items such as coffee beans. The granular material lies on a perforated base through which gas flows upwardly to create a fluidized bed. The exhaust gas is fed to a cyclone separator for separation of entrained solid particles. Preferably, the base is located in an inner chamber which is at least partially enclosed in an outer chamber forming the cyclone separator. The exhaust gas is fed into a top opening of the outer chamber thereby providing a rotary gas flow. Alternatively, the base is located in an outer chamber in which at least the area above the base is designed as the cyclone separator. The outer chamber at least partially encloses an inner chamber through which gas is fed to create a rotary gas flow. In both cases, an extremely compact roaster design is realized.

The invention pertains to an appliance for the thermal processing of granular material, wherein the material to be processed lies on a perforated base, a gas flows through the base from below, and the exhaust gas can be fed behind the fluidized bed to a cyclone separator for the separation of entrained solid particles. In particular, the invention pertains to an appliance for roasting food items such as coffee beans, nuts or almonds, so that in the following description, the topic is usually a coffee roaster, but this does not imply a restriction.
In the processing of coffee it is essential that it be roasted. Thus, there are roasting appliances that can thermally process the raw coffee until it attains the desired degree of roasting. Such roasting appliances can be divided into discontinuously and continuously roasting ovens. For great quantities, it is often practical to use continuously roasting appliances. Such roasting appliances are known, e.g., from EP 0 756 145 A2, EP 0 965 279 A2 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,834 and EP 0 137 556 A1.
In the discontinuously roasting process, a predetermined quantity of the material is subjected to the necessary temperature over the desired time duration. Contact roasters are frequently employed. Here, relatively high temperatures are required in order to ensure that the filled charge is fully roasted through and through. It is also known that the material can be charged from below so as to establish a fluidized bed. Then it is also possible to roast at lower temperatures. In such roasting ovens it is necessary for the entrained solid particles, the so-called chaff, to be removed from the gas flow in a separator following the fluidized bed. For instance, a roasting appliance is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,005, in which a cyclone separator is arranged above the fluidized bed. However, such a roaster is very tall.
Fundamental to the invention is an objective to design a discontinuously functioning appliance of the type described in the introduction, which is as compact as possible. In addition, both the thermal losses and the pressure losses should be kept as low as possible.
The objective is realized according to a first embodiment of the invention in that the sieve base is located in an inner chamber, which is at least partially enclosed in an outer chamber forming the cyclone separator, and into which the exhaust gas can be fed from the top in a rotary flow.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, the sieve base is located in an outer chamber, in which at least the area above the perforated base is designed as the cyclone separator. The outer chamber at least partially encloses an inner chamber, through which the gas can be fed from beneath the perforated base into the outer chamber in a rotary flow.
Common to both designs is the fact that the cyclone separator and the roasting chamber are arranged in a common housing. The housing is wider than it is tall, so that the appliance can be readily installed in rooms with ordinary dimensions. Furthermore, this construction results, on the one hand, in minimal surface area, so that the thermal losses can be kept low. On the other hand, the flow paths are short, so that the pressure loss is minimized. In particular, no pipe conduits and the like are required for the gas, which partially determine both the thermal losses and the pressure losses.
Fundamentally, the fluidized bed can be produced by inlet gas. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the flow in the lower or the upper area of the inner chamber is connected to that in the outer chamber, so that at least part of the gas is in circulation. This has the advantage that a constant warming of the gas is avoided and energy consumption is optimized.
It is favorable if the outer chamber and/or the inner chamber have essentially circular cross sections. Here, it is practical if the outer and the inner chamber are concentric to each other. In this way, especially for the outer chamber forming the cyclone separator, optimal flow conditions are realized for the exhaust gas, which flows in the essentially annular outer chamber around the inner chamber from the outlet to the inlet of the inner chamber.
It is practical if there is a ventilator to generate the rotary flow in the upper or the lower area of the inner chamber. The intake side of the ventilator is connected to the inner chamber while its pressurized side is connected to the outer chamber. The ventilator can be designed as a radial aerator with its aerator wheel coaxial to the inner and/or the outer chamber. Such an aerator is easy to install and produces the desired rotary flow in the outer chamber. Further, in the case of installation in high or low areas, the motor can remain outside the roaster, which is advantageous in respect to heat generation and accessibility for maintenance.
Furthermore, there can be guide baffles in the gas flow between the walls of the inner and the outer chambers, which reinforce the formation of the rotary flow. Thereby an intensified rotation of the exhaust gas can be produced as it flows through the outer chamber to the inlet of the inner chamber in order to better separate the solid particles.
Normally there is at least one heating device in the gas flow outside the fluidized bed in order to heat the gas to the desired temperature. In the case of the second embodiment with the perforated base in the outer chamber, especially for larger roasters, the heating device can include at least one burner with a flame tube which passes into the inner chamber from above. The flame tube can extend far into the inner chamber and it can have at least one opening, through which at least a partial flow of the returning gas makes its way into the flame tube for after burning. This makes it possible to heat the gas directly without affecting the roasting material. Nevertheless, the roaster appliance remains compact, since the burner requires hardly any additional installation space.
The heating device can include at least one burner, which opens tangentially into the outer chamber. Thereby the rotary flow can also be reinforced in the outer chamber. This arrangement is especially advantageous in the case of larger roasters with the perforated base in the inner chamber.
Especially for smaller roasters, it is practical for the heating device to consist of electrical heating elements. The heating elements can be designed as heating rods in the outer chamber or, e.g., as heating coils mounted in the inner chamber.
According to the physical requirements, solids are carried radially outward in the cyclone separator. It is practical for the outer chamber to have at least one radially outward opening for removal of the separated solid particles. This opening can be opened shortly before the end of the roasting process but also periodically or constantly during the roasting process. An accumulation of the solids is then avoided.
Especially in the case of the embodiment with the perforated base located in the inner chamber, the base is relatively difficult to access for filling or emptying. Consequently, the perforated base can be at least partly collapsible for removal of the material. The roasted material can then be removed from the inner chamber, while the outer chamber has a corresponding removal opening below the inner chamber. In the case of the first embodiment with the interior perforated base, this area of the outer chamber is also readily accessible.
Fundamentally, a collapsible perforated base is also possible in the embodiment with the perforated base in the outer chamber. But an outer opening in the side wall of the outer chamber at the level of the sieve base is also adequate. For emptying, this is merely opened and the roasted material automatically drops out of the opening due to the rotary flow.
Furthermore, it can be advantageous if the outer wall of the outer chamber or the walls of both chambers are at least partially transparent. This has the advantage that the roasting process can be observed. Especially for smaller roasters it is possible for the walls to made of glass. An attractive outer appearance is effected, so that the roaster can be set up for monitoring purposes in coffee shops and the like.
The roaster according to the invention is equally suitable for small and large charges. For larger charges, the use of gas burners to produce the necessary thermal energy is meaningful. For smaller charges, the use of electrical heating energy can be more favorable. The course of the gas flow is always uniform and reduced to a minimum. In the case of the first embodiment, the gas flows from below, through the perforated base, and into the inner chamber. In the ventilator mounted above this section, a rotary flow is produced from top to bottom in the outer chamber. There, the gas again enters the inner chamber. In the other embodiment, a rotary flow from the bottom to the top is produced by a ventilator adjoining the lower part of the inner chamber. The rotary flow produces a fluidized bed above the perforated base in the inner chamber and flows from above back into the inner chamber. Thus, there is always a rotary flow behind the fluidized bed, which effects the expulsion of the undesirable solid particles.


A filtered smoker's mouthpiece having three sections; means to hold a cigarette or cigar in line with a chamber holding a filter, and a mouth piece therefore, wherein the filter is originally of greater volume than the filter chamber and is flexible and compressable. The mouthpiece includes stops to provide space between the end of a smoking article and the filter.

The dangers of smoking tobacco have been known for many years, and many filter ideas and designs have been advanced. This type of protection has improved with the years and this invention continues the line of advancement in the art, in particular, the art of providing filters separate from the article being smoked.


In an optical recording system, automatic gain control circuitry is provided to maintain the gain of the focus (or tracking) servo system substantially constant and independent of intensity variations in the light beam used to detect focus (or tracking) error. According to a preferred embodiment, such circuitry comprises two cascaded stages, i.e., a switchable gain first stage for effecting coarse gain changes on command (e.g. when switching between write and read modes), and a non-linear feedback second stage for adjusting the coarsely trimmed output of the first stage to achieve overall constant focus (or tracking) error gain.

The present invention relates to the fields of optical and magneto-optical recording. More particularly, it relates to improvements in focus and/or tracking servo systems for maintaining a beam of radiation in sharp focus and/or at a desired location on a moving recording element (e.g. an optical or magneto-optical disk).
In the fields of optical and magneto-optical recording, many different schemes have been proposed and utilized for controlling the focus quality and tracking accuracy of a write/read laser beam on a spinning optical or magneto-optical disk. Such schemes typically employ a closely spaced and equi-sized pair (sometimes two pair) of photodetectors arranged to be irradiated by the beam after the beam has been reflected (or transmitted) by the disk. A lens serves to focus the reflected beam upon the detector pair and, depending upon the direction of mis-focus or mis-tracking of the write/read beam on the disk, one of the photodetectors is more exposed to the reflected beam than the other, i.e., a larger area of one of the detectors is irradiated. The respective outputs of the photodetectors are then subtracted (e.g. by a conventional differential amplifier) to derive an error signal which, for example, can be used to control the focal position of the objective lens used to initially focus the write/read beam on the disk. Such a servo system continuously strives to refocus or reposition the beam to minimize the error signal.
In conventional optical recording systems, the intensity of the beam reflected (or transmitted) by the recording element may vary over a range of 30 to 1. Such intensity variations result, in large part, from predictable changes in laser power, as occasioned by switching the optical head power between write and read modes. But sizable and non-predictable variations in reflected beam intensity can also result, for example, from optical noise in the laser cavity and unintentional reflectivity variations in the recording element. These intensity variations adversely effect the stability of the focus and tracking servo systems and, to the extent possible, should be normalized out of the photodetector output.

Focus/tracking servo automatic gain control for optical recording


A linear actuator comprises a pair of chains. Each chain has a first link and a second link. The second link of each chain is adjacent to the first link of the chain. A pivotal connection pivotally connects the first and second links. The first link is pivotable about a pivot axis which is non-perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first link. A chain connecting member connects the chains at distal ends thereof. A drive mechanism moves the chains between an extended position and a retracted position. At least a portion of each chain is helically wound when the chains are in the retracted position.

The present invention relates to a double chain linear actuator and, in particular, to a double chain linear actuator having helically winding chains.
One measure of a linear actuator is the ratio of extended length to retracted length. For most linear actuators this ratio is 1.8 to 1. Although, there are linear actuators, such as scissor lifts and telescoping hydraulic jacks, in which the ratio of extended length to retracted length exceeds 3 to 1. This allows such linear actuators to provide a relatively large amount of movement while being positioned in a relatively small space. However, these linear actuators typically have a poor side load stiffness and/or require oil. For example, telescoping hydraulic jacks do not have particularly good side load stiffness and require oil. Accordingly, telescoping hydraulic jacks cannot be used in applications which require a good side load carrying capacity or where the use oil is not permissible.
It is known to provide linear actuators having extending and retracting chains, with inter-connected links, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,182 to Greisner et al., and European Patent Application Number 1,484,465 to Soerensen. These prior art linear actuators have a good side load stiffness and do not require oil. However, they do not have a large extended length to retracted length ratio because a planar chain track, or chain path, is required within the actuator housing to guide the chain as it is being displaced. As a result, these types of linear actuators are typically used in applications where limited movement is required, or where there is no requirement for the linear actuator to be stored in a relatively small space.


A housing for a remote car starter that activates such starter at pre-set times of the day, and/or in response to a telephonically-originated message, comprises a cavitated area, an activation panel, a servomotor, and a timer and/or a dial-up sub-unit. The user places the transmitter of an existing remote car starter into the housing, places pins into the hole(s) opposite the start button(s) of the remote car starter, closes the housing and places the housing into the glove box or trunk of the car. The activation panel contains a series of holes arranged in two-dimensional fashion for positioning one or more pins opposite the transmitter""s button or other activator. The timer includes means for setting at least one time of day for the timer cause activation of the servo-motor. In the dial-up embodiment, the dial-up sub-unit functions in manner similar to conventional beepers: a telephonically-originated message causes it to activate the servomotor. When the timer is activated, or the dial-up sub-unit receives an activation message, as the case may be, the servomotor is activated, which causes depression of the activation panel, thus causing the pin(s) in such panel to come into contact with, and depress, the transmitter""s activation button, which causes the car""s engine to start. In an alternate embodiment, the device learns the signal from the transmitter, and either at pre-set time(s) of the day or in response to a telephonically-originated message, emits such learned signal to cause the car to start.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a device to activate a remote car starter when out of range of the starter""s receiver unit. More particularly, the invention pertains to a housing for a remote car starter that activates such a starter at one or more pre-set times of the day, or on demand.
2. Description of Related Art
Many individuals commute by car to and from work at substantially the same time every day. During seasons when the weather is hot or cold, and especially when snow or ice has accumulated on the car, it is helpful for such individuals to start their cars, say, ten minutes before leaving the office. Remote automobile starters are known in the art. Their use allows the car in which they are installed to be started remotely so as to warm up inside, or cool down inside, as the case may be, by the time the operator arrives at the car and enters its interior. If snow or ice has built up on the car, remote car starters also allow the snow or ice to melt and run off by the time the operator is ready to begin driving. Finally, such devices allow the engine to reach normal operating conditions before it is moved, without requiring the operator to sit idle in the car for a period of time.
Remote automobile starters employ, inside the car, a device activated by receiving a command signal from a remote transmitter operated by the user, the receiver in turn generating signals to control, via circuitry coupled to the vehicle""s wiring, operation of the vehicle""s starting system. See, e.g., Bucher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,537, Remote Starting System For A Combustion Engine (1978); Garlinghouse, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,209, Remote Control Engine Starter (1986); Long et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,186, Remote Automobile Starter, (1991); Gottlieb et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,868, Remote Vehicle Starter For A Standard Transmission Vehicle (1997).
The transmitter portion of the remote car starters exemplified by the above-cited references is carried by the driver in his or her pocket, perhaps on a key chain. When the driver wants the car to start remotely, he or she pushes a button on the transmitter, which causes the latter to transmit, via radio frequency emissions, a command to the receiver portion to start the motor. The receiver portion receives the command and responds by causing the car to start as described above. The driver typically pushes such transmitter button an appropriate interval of time, such as ten minutes, prior to the time he or she anticipates arriving at the vehicle.
There are at least two difficulties with this prior-art approach. First, the driver may forget to activate the starter at the right time, or may be unaware of the time of day, especially if he or she is concentrating on work, or on getting ready to leave for work, as the case may be. Additionally, in many instances the driver must park a fair distance away from his or her office, shop floor, or other work site, out of the range of the remote starter. Hence, even if the driver remembers to activate the transmitter at the appropriate time prior to leaving work, he or she must run out into the hot or freezing cold weather, half way across the parking lot, until the remote starter is in range of the car and, only then, press the transmitter button to cause the car to start. This has made for an unseemly spectacle observed by the inventors at some work sites, in which a number of factory workers have been seen running half-way across the parking lot in inclement weather, only to push a button and run back inside the factory.
Due to the above limitations of the prior art, there is a need for a device to automatically start a car at pre-set times of the day, or on demand, without the driver having to be in range of the remote starter. The user of such a device should be able to set one or more times of day when the car will start automatically. Further, because of the large existing base of remote car starters deployed to customers, the device should work in tandem with existing starters, rather than replace them. Such would reduce the cost of manufacturing, as the device would not have to contain transmitters, receivers or car-starting circuitry. To be most readily acceptable to a user, there should be no need for the device to be installed anywhere on the car. This is particularly important because installation can be costly and can cause the vehicle to be tied up for several hours. The need for installation also introduces the non-trivial probability of installation errors.
In addition to the above, there is a need for an embodiment in which the remote starter is responsive to a user""s signal that is originated telephonically from a remote location. Such embodiment is particularly useful when the user""s plans change so that remote starting of the car is needed at other than pre-set times of the day, or when the user is unable to predict when remote starting of the car will be desired.
An apparatus solving the above-described problems comprises a container for housing the receiver portion of a remote car starter. The housing has a cavitated area adapted to securely retain the car starter receiver therein, a programmable timer, a power source, an on/off switch for arming/disarming the timer, a processor unit responsive to a signal from the timer, and a first actuator-in one form being a servomotor-for actuating, at the direction of the processor unit, the transmitter portion of the car starter. The processor unit is capable of being placed in a mode where it causes depression of the button twice, as some car-starter transmitters require such double-depression. In some embodiments, the invented device alternately or additionally comprises a dial-up sub-unit similar to a conventional xe2x80x9cbeeperxe2x80x9d for receiving a telephonically-originated message. When such a message is received, instead of producing a beeping sound or a vibration, the dial-up sub-unit causes activation of the servomotor. Accordingly, upon being activated-via receiving a signal from either the timer or the dial-up sub-unit-the servomotor causes the depressing of a button on the transmitter portion of the remote car starter, thereby actuating the remote starter and starting the vehicle""s engine.
The user of the invented apparatus places the transmitter portion of a remote car starter device inside the cavitated area, and sets the timer to activate the device at one or more times of the day. The user then places the apparatus, together with the transmitter inside, in the glove box or trunk of the car, where it is guaranteed to be in range of the receiver portion of the remote car starter. In this manner, the transmitter of the remote car starter is activated automatically so as to cause the car to automatically start at the pre-specified time(s) of the day.
In a still further embodiment, the invented apparatus receives and remembers, or xe2x80x9clearns,xe2x80x9d the signal generated by the transmitter portion of the remote car starter device. Subsequently, the apparatus is placed, for example, in the glove box or trunk of the car, and at pre-set time(s) of the day, emits the learned signal, thus emulating the transmitter portion of the car starter device. In this embodiment, the transmitter portion of the car starter device need not be used to start the car after the invented apparatus learns its signal, and hence there is no cavitated area or servomotor, but instead a receiver (for receiving the transmitter""s signal) and an emitter (for emitting the same signal at a later time). As with the servo-motor embodiments, this embodiment also optionally includes, in addition to the timer or instead of it, a dial-up sub-unit which, when it receives a telephonically-originated message, causes emission of the learned signal (instead of activation of the servomotor).
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.


A medical therapy system includes an x-ray system for locating a treatment site in a patient and a therapy device for administering medical therapy. Apparatus is provided for supporting and positioning the therapy device, which includes a computer into which the position of the therapy device can be entered with reference to the x-ray images, with automatic positioning of the therapy device being undertaken based on the entered data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a medical therapy system, and in particular to such a system which includes a medical therapy device and a locating system for acquiring information regarding the spatial position of selected regions of a patient to whom therapy is to be administered, and an apparatus for positioning the therapy device to administer the therapy. The positioning apparatus may be motor-driven or manually operable.
2. Description of Prior Art
Medical therapy devices, such as devices for generating shock waves to disintegrate a calculus in the body of a patient, are incorporated in a therapy system, which usually includes devices for obtaining an image of a treatment site of the patient, and supporting apparatus for the therapy device. If the therapy device is a shock wave generator, the shock waves will be emitted focused at a focal region. It is thus necessary to position the shock wave generator for administration of the treatment so that the focal region coincides with the in situ location of the calculus to be disintegrated.


A ski binding for a cross country or touring ski. The ski binding includes a swivel part (40) and a holding cup (50), both pivotal in unison about a transversely extending axle against the force of an elastic element and also with respect to one another. The swivel part (40) is a two-arm toggle lever and carries a locking pin on a first lever arm thereof and an axle for a lock part (60) on a second lever arm (43) thereof. The second lever arm (43) of the swivel part (40) extends downwardly and forwardly. The elastic element includes a spring (5) arranged in an elongated recess (33) in the base plate (31) of the bearing block (30) and directly stresses the second lever arm (43) of the swivel part (40).

Such a ski binding is described in the WO 87/03211 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,742). The swivel part in this known ski binding is designed as a toggle lever and can, in the closed position of the binding, be swivelled together with the holding cup against the force of an elastic element. Such a cross country ski binding with the cross country ski boot fitting said binding is commercially available and has proven to be successful.
The elastic element is in this known cross country ski binding arranged in front of the swivel part and is supported on an upwardly directed arm of the swivel part. The elastic element itself is designed as a plastic block. This plastic block rests in the non-stressed position of the binding flat on the forwardly directed side of the swivel part. The swivel part together with the holding cup is swivelled upwardly during the walking movement, with the elastic element being compressed. The point of application of the respective restoring force changes during the swivelling caused by the swivelling movement and the change in form of the compressed elastic element. Furthermore, a problem results with the use of plastic springs in that the spring action is, among others, influenced by the outside temperature. Furthermore, plastic springs age relatively quickly under the influence of the weather and sun and must then be replaced.
A similar ski binding in EP-A2 0183000 suggests a use of a compression spring as the elastic element. However, this compression spring is also arranged in front of the swivel part and is supported on its forwardly directed side. Therefore, this known ski binding has also the problem of not exactly defining a point of application of the restoring force. Furthermore, the spring is subjected to weather and in particular to dirt and ice.
The purpose of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages of the known ski bindings and to design a ski binding of the above-mentioned type such that the restoring force of the spring is applied to a point selectable by the designer and also the spring characteristic can be designed selectively and is essentially independent of outside influences, like temperature, weather and dirt.

Ski binding for a cross country ski or touring ski

HTM Sport-und Freizeitgeraete Gesellschaft m.b. H.


A pad for a saddle includes a number of layers of compressible material. Uppon layers fill the space between the saddle and the spine of the animal formed by the gullet of the saddle. Lower layers of the compressible material are contiguous with the upper layers and evenly distribute the load of the saddle over the back of the animal.

A saddle on which a rider sits is designed to prevent application of the weight of the rider to the spine of an animal. A typical saddle for a horse has a longitudinal void, or "gullet", extending the length of the saddle for providing a space between the saddle and the spine of the horse. This space prevents contact between the spine and the saddle because the spine can be bruised by application of the weight of the rider to it.
A problem arises, however, with the traditional saddle because the weight of the rider is not evenly distributed to the back of the animal. Those areas of the animal which receive greater force are often injured, particularly if the rider is heavy or the riding session is long or difficult. The general practice is to place a blanket between the saddle and the animal in an attempt to distribute the weight and prevent injury, but this is usually not successful.


The development of an alternate refrigerant composition which is free from a possibility of causing depletion of the ozone layer and capable of maintaining the performance of a conventional refrigerating circuit without modifying the circuit is desired. An object of the present invention is to provide such a refrigerant composition and a refrigerating circuit using the refrigerant composition. A refrigerant composition of the present invention comprises R245fa (CF3CH2CHF2), R125 (CHF2CF3), R508A (R23/R116:39/61) and R14 (tetrafluoromethane: CF4). Thus, the refrigerant composition has no possibility of causing depletion of the ozone layer. Further, since the composition is noncombustible, possible combustion can be prevented even if it leaks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerant composition which is suitable for an ultralow-temperature refrigerator using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant and is free of a possibility of causing depletion of the ozone layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, a refrigerator using a non-azeotropic mixed refrigerant achieves ultralow temperatures by condensing refrigerants having lower boiling points in succession by evaporation of refrigerants having higher boiling points and a low-temperature refrigerant returning from the last evaporator so as to evaporate a refrigerant having the lowest boiling point at the end.
The present inventor has proposed examples of such a refrigerator and a refrigerant composition in Japanese Patent Publication No. 55944/1994.
However, since the refrigerant uses HCFC, it may cause depletion of the ozone layer.
Accordingly, the development of an alternate refrigerant composition which is free from a possibility of causing depletion of the ozone layer and capable of maintaining the performance of a conventional refrigerating circuit without modifying the circuit is desired.
Under the circumstances, the present applicant has proposed a refrigerant composition comprising R600 (n-butane: H3CH2CH2CH3), R125 (CHF2CF3), R23 (trifluoromethane: CHF3) and R14 (tetrafluoromethane: CF4) in Japanese Patent Application No. 526882/2001. However, since this refrigerant composition uses R600 which is combustible, it may burn upon leakage. It is better to avoid use of a combustible material on as many occasions as possible.
The present invention provides a refrigerant composition which hardly burns upon leakage and is free from a possibility of causing depletion of the ozone layer, and a refrigerating circuit using the refrigerant composition.

Refrigerant composition and refrigerating circuit using the same


Processes and new genetic materials are provided for cloning specific DNA fragments by using a unique conjugative transposon designated Tn916. The transposon is used to first target specific genes by insertional inactivation. A restriction fragment containing the inserted transposon is then inserted into a plasmid vector and transformed into Escherichia coli or other suitable host by selection for the transposon encoded tetracycline (Tc) resistance. The transformants so produced are then grown in the absence of tetracycline conditions under which Tn916 excises from the chimeric plasmid thus restoring the integrity of the DNA into which the transposon was originally inserted. This process provides a new and useful way of producing new life forms that are useful for making desired products having established utility.

There are a multitude of schemes that have been reported and are currently used for the cloning of DNA. (See for example, Molecular Cloning A Laboratory Manual by T. Maniatis, E. Fritsch and J. Sambrook, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Publications, Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, Box 100, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) Most of these processes depend on techniques that do not select for a specific DNA fragment unless that fragment happens to already have a selectable marker. Thus, once a mixture of restriction fragments are ligated to a specific vector and transformed into a recipient bacterium, hundreds and perhaps thousands of transformants must then be screened to identify the clone of interest. This random, or shot gun approach as it is referred to, is very time consuming. The only other way to clone a specific fragment of DNA that does not have a selectable genetic marker on it requires that the fragment must be relatively pure prior to cloning. However, it would also be a very time consuming process to identify and purify the specific fragment. A further disadvantage of current cloning techniques becomes evident when DNA from a Gram positive bacterium, such as Bacillus subtilis is being cloned into E. coli, a Gram negative bacterium. In this case, there is the possibility that the desired genetic information encoded in the cloned fragment will not be expressed and thus can only be screened for by hybridization to specific probes. If expression does occur, but involves proteins that are normally excreted or located on the cell surface of the Gram positive bacterium, subsequent passage through the Gram negative cell envelope may not be possible.
There are four types of vector systems generally used to clone fragments of DNA into E. coli. They are plasmids, bacteriophage .lambda., cosmids and bacteriophage M13. Each vector system has particular features which make them useful for different purposes. They also share several common features. They can replicate autonomously in E. coli, they can be easily separated from bacterial nucleic acids and purified, and they contain regions of DNA that are not essential for propagation and into which foreign DNA can be inserted.
Cloning in plasmid vectors exemplified by Cohen/Boyer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,224, is in principle strightforward. The plasmid DNA is cleaved with a restriction endonculease and joined in vitro to foreign DNA. The recombinant plasmids that result, are then used to transform bacteria. In practice the plasmid vector must be chosen carefully for the particular cloning experiment in order to minimize the effort necessary to identify and characterize the DNA fragment of interest. The major difficulty is to distinguish between plasmids that contain the DNA fragment of interest from those that contain other pieces of foreign DNA and plasmid vectors that have recircularized.
The use of bacteriophage .lambda. as a cloning vector was first demonstrated by N. E. Murray and K. Murray, (see Nature, 251: 476, 1974) and A. Rambach and P. Tiollais (see Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 71: 3927, 1974) Cloning with bacteriophage involves several steps. The bacteriophage vector DNA is digested with the appropriate restriction enzyme and ligated to fragments of foreign DNA having compatible termini. The resulting recombinant DNA's are packaged in vitro into viable bacteriophage particles that form plaques on the appropriate hosts. Recombinant phages carrying the desired foreign DNA are identified by procedures involving nucleic acid hybridization. There is no single bacteriophage .lambda. vector suitable for cloning all DNA fragments. It is therefore necessary to choose carefully among the various bacteriophage vectors for the one best suited.
Cosmids were first developed by Collins and Hohn (see Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 75: 4242, 1978) and are vectors specifically designed for cloning large fragments of eukaryotic DNA. The essential components of cosmids are a drug resistance marker, plasmid origin of replication, one or more restriction sites for cloning, a DNA fragment that contains the ligated cohesive end (cos) site of bacteriophage .lambda., and a small size. A number of technical problems have prevented the wide spread use of this cloning technique. These problems, namely vector to vector ligation, "scrambling", and difficulties in screening large numbers of bacterial colonies can be dealt with using some recent advances by Meyerowitz et al. (see Gene 11: 271, 1980) and Grosveld et al. (see Gene 13: 220, 1981) Overall, the use of cosmids is most useful for certain specialized purposes such as isolation of large genes or for so called chromosome walking experiments.
The primary advantage of using bacteriophage M13 as a cloning vector is that the phage particles released from the cell contain single stranded DNA and therefore can be sequenced by the Sanger dideoxy-sequencing method (see Sanger et al. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 74: 5463, 1977). However the relative instability of DNA inserts larger than about one kilobase effectively eliminates the usefulness of single stranded bacteriophages like M13 for most cloning purposes.
Transposons are discrete mobile DNA segments that are common constituents of plasmid, virus, and bacterial chromosomes. These elements are detected by their ability to transpose self encoded phenotypic traits from one replicon to another, or to transpose to a known gene and inactivate it. There are two types of transposons and they range in size from about 750 to greater than 50,000 nucleotide base pairs. One type known as the small insertion sequence or IS element are usually detected and were first discovered in the late 1960's as unusual insertion mutations. They do not encode any known phenotypic traits. The other type are relatively large units that do encode phenotypic traits such as antibiotic resistance. They were discovered in the mid 1970's. (See Plasmids and Transposons Environmental Effects and Maintenance Mechanisms; Edited by C. Stuttard and K. Rozee; Academic Press, New York; Pages 165-205)
Tn916 is a 10 megadalton transposable DNA element encoding resistance to tetracycline (Tc). It was originally identified on the chromosome of Streptococcus faecalis strain DS16 and is described in detail in Franke and Clewell, J. Bacteriol., 145: 494, (1981). Tn916 is unique because in addition to its ability to transpose into various plasmids, it has been shown to have fertility properties (Franke and Clewell J. Bacteriol., 145: 494, 1981 and Gawron-Burke and Clewell, Nature, 300: 281, 1982). Tn916 also has the unique property of readily excising under non selective conditions in an E. coli host.

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