An image generating apparatus applicable to a structure employing an ink sheet cartridge having an outwardly exposed ink sheet, capable of suppressing ejection of the ink sheet cartridge in printing and capable of suppressing reduction of printing quality is obtained. This image generating apparatus comprises an ink sheet cartridge, a chassis, a first stop member provided outside the chassis for engaging with the ink sheet cartridge and a second stop member provided inside the chassis for engaging with the ink sheet cartridge in printing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image generating apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to an image generating apparatus comprising an ink sheet cartridge.
2. Description of the Background Art
A thermal transfer printer comprising an ink sheet cartridge is known in general, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-89257, for example.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-89257 describes the structure of a thermal transfer printer comprising an ink sheet cartridge, which can be easily ejected from a cartridge mount portion by sliding an ejection member (stop member). In this thermal transfer printer, a rib portion of the ink sheet cartridge is fitted with a stop portion provided on a print head mount. The ejection member is so slid that an inclined portion thereof urges a projection of the ink sheet cartridge in an ejective direction. Thus, the rib portion of the ink sheet cartridge escapes from the stop portion of the print head mount, so that the ink sheet cartridge is ejected. The ejection member can be slid not only in nonprinting, but also in printing.
A thermal transfer printer is generally known as an exemplary image generating apparatus. FIG. 19 is an overall perspective view of an exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer. FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer shown in FIG. 19. The structure of the exemplary conventional thermal transfer printer is described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20.
As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the conventional thermal transfer printer comprises a chassis 101 of metal, a print head 102 (see FIG. 20) for printing, a platen roller 103 (see FIG. 20) arranged oppositely to the print head 102, a feed roller 105 carrying a paper 104, a press roller 106 pressing the feed roller 105 and a stop member 107. An ink sheet cartridge 108 storing an ink sheet 108a for transferring ink to the paper 104 is mounted on the conventional thermal transfer printer. The chassis 101 has first and second side surfaces 101a and 101b, as shown in FIG. 19. A cartridge receiving hole 101c is provided on the second side surface 101b of the chassis 101 for receiving the ink sheet cartridge 108.
As shown in FIG. 19, the stop member 107 is provided outside the second side surface 101b of the chassis 101. This stop member 107 is provided with a support shaft 107a rotatably supporting the stop member 107, an engaging pawl 107b engaging with an engaging portion 108g of the ink sheet cartridge 108, a grip 107c held by a user for lifting the stop member 107 upward (along arrow B) and a spring portion 107d supplying urging force for rotating the engaging pawl 107b of the stop member 107 downward when the user lifts up the stop member 107 through the grip. The stop member 107 has a function of inhibiting the ink sheet cartridge 108 from moving in an ejective direction (along arrow A in FIG. 19).
As shown in FIG. 20, the ink sheet cartridge 108 includes a feed bobbin 108b for feeding the ink sheet 108a and a take-up bobbin 108c for taking up the fed ink sheet 108a. A cartridge case forming the ink sheet cartridge 108 is constituted of a feed bobbin storage portion 108d rotatably storing the feed bobbin 108b, a take-up bobbin storage portion 108e rotatably storing the take-up bobbin 108c and a pair of coupling portions 108f coupling the feed bobbin storage portion 108d and the take-up bobbin storage portion 108e with each other at a prescribed distance. When the feed bobbin storage portion 108d and the take-up bobbin storage portion 108e store the feed bobbin 180b and the take-up bobbin 108c respectively, therefore, the ink sheet 108a wound on the feed bobbin 180b and the take-up bobbin 108c is outwardly exposed on the space of the prescribed distance between the feed bobbin storage portion 108d and the take-up bobbin storage portion 108e. The engaging portion 108g (see FIG. 19) engaging with the engaging pawl 107b of the stop member 107 provided on the second side surface 101b of the chassis 101 is provided on one of the pair of coupling portions 108f. The ink sheet cartridge 108 is provided with a helical compression spring (not shown), which regularly urges the ink sheet cartridge 108 mounted on the thermal transfer printer along arrow A in FIG. 19.
As shown in FIG. 20, the print head 102 has a support shaft 102a forming the rotation center of the print head 102, a head portion 102b, an arm portion 102c and a heat sink portion 102d for radiating heat from the head portion 102b. As shown in FIG. 20, further, the print head 102 is mounted on the first and second side surfaces 101a and 101b of the chassis 101 to be rotatable about the support shaft 102a.
A printing operation of the conventional thermal transfer printer is described with reference to FIG. 20. When the print head 102 rotates along arrow C, the head portion 102b thereof comes into contact with the ink sheet 108a outwardly exposed from the ink sheet cartridge 108, as shown in FIG. 20. When the print head 102 further rotates, the ink sheet 108a comes into contact with the fed paper 104. The head portion 102b of the print head 102 and the platen roller 103 press the ink sheet 108a and the paper 104. In this state, the take-up bobbin 108c takes up the ink sheet 108a, while the feed roller 105 carries the paper 104 in a paper discharge direction (along arrow D in FIG. 20). At this time, the head portion 102b of the print head 102 generates heat, to melt the ink of the ink sheet 108a. Thus, the ink is transferred from the ink sheet 108a to the paper 104, for printing an image on the paper 104.
An operation of ejecting the ink sheet cartridge 108 from the conventional thermal transfer printer is described with reference to FIG. 19. When the ink sheet cartridge 108 is mounted on the thermal transfer printer, the engaging portion 108g of the ink sheet cartridge 108 and the engaging pawl 107b of the stop member 107 engage with each other, as shown in FIG. 19. The helical compression spring (not shown) regularly urges the ink sheet cartridge 108 along arrow A. When the user lifts the stop member 107 upward (along arrow B) through the grip 107c, the engaging portion 108g of the ink sheet cartridge 108 and the engaging pawl 107b of the stop member 107 disengage from each other. Thus, the ink sheet cartridge 108 jumps out of the thermal transfer printer along arrow A in FIG. 19, due to the urging force of the helical compression spring (not shown). Thereafter the user ejects the ink sheet cartridge 108 by manually extracting the same from the ink sheet cartridge receiving hole 101c of the chassis 101.
In the conventional thermal transfer printer shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, however, the user can eject the ink sheet cartridge 108 as described above also in printing since the stop member 107 for ejecting the ink sheet cartridge 108 is provided outside the second side surface 101b of the chassis 101. If the user accidentally ejects the ink sheet cartridge 108 during the aforementioned printing operation, therefore, the ink sheet 108a pressed by the head portion 102b of the print head 102 and the platen roller 103 may be broken, or the ink sheet 108a may be entangled in the thermal transfer printer to cause a failure in the thermal transfer printer.
In the thermal transfer printer described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-89257, the ejection member for ejecting the ink sheet cartridge is sidable not only in nonprinting but also in printing. If the user accidentally slides the ejection member in printing, therefore, the ink sheet may be broken, or may be entangled in the thermal transfer printer to cause a failure in the thermal transfer printer.
In this regard, various thermal transfer printers capable of suppressing ejection of ink sheet cartridges in printing are proposed in general, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2001-38976, 11-268315 (1999) and 2-81661 (1990), for example.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-38976 proposes a thermal transfer printer, comprising an ink sheet cartridge, capable of suppressing ejection of the ink sheet cartridge in printing. In this thermal transfer printer, a projecting portion is provided on a free end of a cantilevered print head mount. The print head mount is provided with a print head, which is pressed by a platen roller in printing so that the print head mount is deflected to move the free end. Thus, the projecting portion of the print head mount engages with an end surface of the ink sheet cartridge, for suppressing ejection of the ink sheet cartridge. The ink sheet cartridge is provided with a grab, so that the user ejects the ink sheet cartridge by pulling this grab.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-268315 proposes a thermal transfer printer, comprising an ink sheet cartridge, having a cartridge ejection preventing portion provided on a rotating arm rotating a print head. In this thermal transfer printer, the cartridge ejection preventing portion engages with a cartridge engaging member suppressing ejection of the ink sheet cartridge following rotation of the print head. Thus, thermal transfer printer can so inhibit the cartridge engaging member from rotation that it is difficult for the user to rotate the same, whereby the thermal transfer printer can suppress ejection of the ink sheet cartridge in printing. When the user operates the cartridge engaging member engaging with the cartridge ejection preventing portion in the thermal transfer printer proposed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-268315, urging force is applied to the rotating arm.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-81661 proposes a thermal transfer printer, provided with an ink sheet cartridge having an unexposed ink sheet, capable of suppressing ejection of the ink sheet cartridge through engagement of an engaging portion rotating following rotation of a loading arm for ejecting a take-up bobbin from a cartridge case for outwardly exposing the ink sheet with a notch provided on the ink sheet cartridge. In this thermal transfer printer, the loading arm ejects the take-up bobbin from the ink sheet cartridge in printing, thereby suppressing ejection of the ink sheet cartridge during the printing.
In the thermal transfer printer proposed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-38976, however, urging force is disadvantageously applied to the print head mount engaging with the end surface of the ink sheet cartridge when the user pulls the grab of the ink sheet cartridge in printing. Therefore, the position of the print head provided on the print head mount deviates in printing, to disadvantageously reduce printing quality.
In the thermal transfer printer proposed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-268315, urging force is disadvantageously applied to the rotating arm through the cartridge ejection preventing portion when the user operates the cartridge engaging member in printing. Therefore, the position of the print head deviates in printing to reduce printing quality, similarly to the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-38976.
The thermal transfer printer proposed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-81661, provided with the engaging portion engaging with the notch of the ink sheet cartridge and rotating following rotation of the loading arm ejecting the take-up bobbin from the cartridge, presupposes the structure having the loading arm for ejecting the take-up bobbin from the cartridge case. Therefore, it is disadvantageously difficult to apply the structure of the thermal transfer printer proposed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-81661 to a thermal transfer printer employing an ink sheet cartridge having a regularly outwardly exposed ink sheet, from which no take-up bobbin may be ejected.

Image generating apparatus with ink sheet cartridge ejection suppression


A first and second converter are connected via an exhaust passage so that the first converter is situated further upstream relative to the flow of exhaust. These converters comprise an adsorbent which adsorbs hydrocarbons at a temperature lower than a first temperature and discharges hydrocarbons at a temperature higher than the first temperature, and a catalyst which oxidizes hydrocarbons when a second temperature higher than the first temperature is exceeded. The heat capacity of the exhaust passage is set so that the temperature of the adsorbent of the second converter does not reach the first temperature before the catalyst of the first converter reaches the second temperature. By repeating this hydrocarbon adsorption/oxidation, the hydrocarbon discharge amount is reduced especially during a cold start of the engine.

Tokkai Hei 5-57148 published by the Japanese Patent Office in 1993 regarding the purification of hydrocarbon (HC) in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine, discloses an arrangement wherein plural catalytic converters comprising hydrocarbon adsorbents (HC adsorbents) and catalysts which oxidize hydrocarbons are disposed in series in an exhaust passage of an engine. The HC adsorbents absorb hydrocarbons when the temperature is low, and discharge the hydrocarbons when the temperature is high. The catalyst is activated when the temperature rises, and then oxidizes the hydrocarbons.
When the catalyst activation temperature is higher than the temperature at which HC adsorbent starts to discharge hydrocarbons, a specific region will be created where hydrocarbons released from the HC adsorbent are not oxidized.
As the converter temperature generally decreases the further away the converter is from the engine, the HC adsorbent of the downstream converters will still not have reached the HC discharge start temperature even if the upstream converters reaches the aforesaid specific temperature region.
Therefore, hydrocarbons flowing out of the upstream converter are adsorbed by the HC adsorbent of the downstream converters.
In this case, during the interval from when the temperature of the converter situated furthest downstream reaches the aforesaid specific temperature region to when it rises above the specific temperature region, hydrocarbons will be discharged into the atmosphere.
However, the discharge amount is less than the discharge amount of hydrocarbons discharged by the upstream converter discharges, and the amount of hydrocarbons which is finally discharged is less the larger the number of converters connected in series.

Exhaust purification device and method for internal combustion engine


A method of forming an activated carbon or graphite structure is provided by (1) forming, such as extrusion, of a plasticized mixture of: binder selected from cellulose ether and derivative thereof, starch, and mixture thereof; furfuryl alcohol and/or polyfurfuryl alcohol; and carbon, graphite, or a carbon-containing material; and (2) subjecting the formed mixture to a carbon-forming pyrolysis step. The use of furfuryl alcohol allows extrusion at ambient temperatures and provides a "reactive" solvent that provides carbon upon pyrolysis.

This invention is directed to making structures of carbon or a carbonaceous material, and more particularly to the preparation of thin-walled and/or porous structures such as honeycombs or ribbons by die-extrusion or other forming processes using carbon pre-cursors as functional ingredients in the formable mixture.
Activated carbon and graphite honeycomb structures are well known in the art. Such structures have been used as supports for catalysts having high surface areas, adsorbent surfaces, filters, etc. For example, Hucke, U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,421, discloses methods of producing carbonaceous bodies by casting a mixture containing carbon-yielding binders such as furfuryl alcohol and furfuryl alcohol resins, polymerizing the alcohol by exposure to mineral acids or organic acids, consolidating the mixture by removal of liquids, and pyrolyzing at temperatures of 250.degree. C. to 2400.degree. C. to generate carbon.
Sugino, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,052, discloses the extrusion of a mixture containing a thermosetting organic resin into a honeycomb structure which is then dried to eliminate hydrocarbons and effect carbonization, followed by heating to 600.degree.-1000.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere to form an activated carbonaceous honeycomb body.
Although the above-described references, as well as other methods known in the art, provide strong and functional activated carbon structures which perform well in their variously known uses, the methods heretofore used were not altogether efficient. In some, the extrusion or casting into the original shape is required to be performed at an elevated temperature. In others, the solvent originally used to plasticize the mixture to be extruded or casted required removal, a process which can result in unwanted void space, further requiring consolidation or densification to be performed prior to carbon activation.

Method of making activated carbon and graphite structures


Highly fluorinated aryloxyfluoroether esters, acids and alcohols, which are intermediates in the production of vinyl monomers, are provided. Also provided is a process for making aryloxyfluoroether esters by the base catalyzed addition of hydroxyaromatic compounds to perfluorovinylether esters.

European Patent Applications 203,618 and 293,943 describe 1-benzoyl-3-aryl-urea derivatives having insecticide activity. Various substituted phenols are reacted with trifluorovinyl ethers under basic conditions (i.e., metal salts of the phenols). One group on the trifluorovinyl ether oxygen is (cyclo)alkyl or (cyclo)alkenyl, any of these optionally substituted with halogen. In a typical reaction, in 203,618, 2,6-dichloro-4-aminophenol reacts with perfluoro(ethyl vinyl ether) catalyzed by either sodium or sodium hydride in dioxane solvent, giving 3,5-dichloro-4-[2-(perfluoroethoxy)-1,1,2-trifluoroethoxy]aniline. However, the references do not disclose, groups in the trifluorovinyl ether other than (cyclo)alkyl or (cyclo)alkenyl in contrast to the ester group useful in the present invention.
Alcohols are also known to add to fluorinated vinyl ethers, see for example European Patent Application 254,632 and J. Org. Chem., vol. 49, pp. 7 4007-4008 (1984).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,092 reports the reaction of ammonia with a fluorinated vinyl ether ester. Instead of adding to the vinyl group, the ammonia adds to the ester group.
It is an object of the present invention to provide aryloxyfluoroether esters, acids and alcohols that are useful as intermediates in the preparation of monomers for polymerization. The present aryloxyfluorovinylether esters can be reduced by conventional means to form alcohols. These and other objects, features and advantages will become readily apparent upon having reference to the following description of the invention.

Aryloxyfluoroether esters, processes for preparation thereof, and alcohols and acids formed therefrom


A planetary gear arrangement having at least three rotatable members with intermeshing gears and a primary torque path defined therein. At least one active friction damper is disposed between two of the planetary gear members, for example, a sun gear and a ring gear. The active damper is selectively operable to apply frictional engagement between the two members with which it is interconnected to establish a controlled secondary torque path therebetween. The active damper is effective to reduce gear lash changes between the gear members of a planetary assembly.

Planetary systems have a plurality of meshing gear interfaces. Each of these gear meshes has a lash quantity built in for manufacturing purposes mostly. Therefore, during operation, the lash, which is the distance between the meshing gear teeth while they are in mesh, can reverse from being a driving tooth engagement to a driven tooth engagement. For example, the sun gear therein provides a driving arrangement to the planet pinions, which then provide a driving arrangement to the ring gear. However, should the torque or driving force at the sun gear be reversed and/or allowed to coast, the driving connection between the gear teeth will be reversed. That is, the ring gear will begin to drive the pinion gear and the pinion gear will drive the sun gear. Thus, the side of the tooth of each respective gear has reversed and has driving and driven capabilities.
It is known to put an active friction type damper between two shafts in a countershaft type transmission to reduce the gear rattle or lash change between the gear members on the input shaft, the output shaft, and the countershaft. In these arrangements, it is proposed to put the damper between the input shaft and the output shaft, which are coaxially aligned and supported one within the other. Such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,909 issued to Gilbert et al. on Nov. 12, 2002. This patent is assigned to the assignee of the present application.

Active damper for a planetary gear arrangement


A method is disclosed in which the plates 2 of an electrode 1 are connected to a terminal 3 of a storage cell by clamping the plates 2 between the terminal 3 and a holding member such as a ring 6 or a washer 12 and then welding the plates 2 to the terminal 3 by transparent laser welding through the holding member. The plates 2 are preferably bent over a face of the terminal 3 before they are clamped. A tool 14 presses on an area 15 of the washer 12 to clamp the plates 2. The washer 12 and the plates 2 are then transparent laser welded to the terminal 3 along a weld line 16 around the area 15 on which the washer 12 bears. A storage cell that can be obtained by the above method is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of connecting plates of an electrode to a terminal of a storage cell, in particular a rechargeable lithium storage cell with spiral-wound cylindrical electrodes. The invention also relates to a storage cell obtained by the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A storage cell with spiral-wound electrodes incorporates electrodes in the form of tapes wound around a central former or spool to form a cylinder. Each electrode includes a metal current collector, at least one face of which supports the active material of the electrode. Each electrode is electrically connected to a current output terminal which provides electrical continuity between the electrode and the load with which the cell is associated.
The terminal passes through the container of the cell: the part outside the container receives the external connections and the part inside the container is connected to the electrodes. The terminal can be fastened or attached to the container. There are various ways to make the electrical connection between an electrode and a current output terminal. One way uses one or more conductive thin metal strips also known as plates: one end of each plate is welded to the edge of the collector and the other end is welded to the internal part of the terminal inside the container.
FR-A-2752089 describes a method of connecting the plates of an electrode of a storage cell of the above kind to a terminal attached to its container. The portion of the terminal inside the container includes a cylindrical shoulder. The method consists of assembling the plates around the periphery of the shoulder by means of a cylindrical member that is moved concentrically toward the periphery of the shoulder. The plates are then fixed to the periphery of the shoulder, in particular using a ring or electrical or ultrasound welding.
The above method has the drawback of a long fabrication time. Also, electrical or ultrasound welding does not provide sufficient quality in the case of welding aluminum plates to aluminum terminals, for example. Electrical welding is difficult to carry out, especially when a plurality of plates overlap, because there is then a cumulative contact resistance between the various plates and the terminal such that electrical welding becomes impossible or at least the weld obtained is of mediocre quality and does not provide a reliable mechanical and electrical connection between the plates and the terminal. The drawback of ultrasound welding is that it cannot be used to weld the plates to the terminal in succession because the vibration generated when welding a given plate degrades or destroys the weld attaching the previous plate.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above drawbacks of the prior art.
To this end, the present invention proposes a method of connecting plates of an electrode to a terminal of a storage cell, the method including:
clamping the plates between a holding member and the terminal, and
transparent laser welding the plates to the terminal through the holding member.
The plates are preferably each from 50 xcexcm to 80 xcexcm thick. The holding member is preferably from 0.5 mm to 1 mm thick.
In one embodiment the terminal, the plates and the holding member are made of aluminum. Alternatively, the terminal and the plates are each made from a material chosen from copper, nickel-plated copper and nickel and the holding member is made from nickel or nickel-plated copper.
In another embodiment the terminal has a cylindrical part and the holding member is a cylindrical ring with the same section, and:
the plates are clamped between the ring and the cylindrical part of the terminal, and
the plates are welded to the cylindrical part of the terminal.
In a further embodiment the terminal has a plane part and the holding member is plane, and:
the plates are clamped between the holding member and the plane part of the terminal, and
the plates are welded to the plane part of the terminal.
In this case, the method includes the step of bending the plates over the plane part from a peripheral edge of the plane part prior to clamping and welding. It is then advantageous if the terminal has a cylindrical part with the plane part on one face thereof and the holding member is a washer.
In another aspect the invention proposes a storage cell in which plates of an electrode are disposed between a terminal and a holding member and including at least one weld passing through the holding member and the plates and penetrating the terminal. The plates are preferably each from 50 xcexcm to 80 xcexcm thick. The holding member is preferably from 0.5 mm to 1 mm thick.
In one embodiment the terminal, the plates and the holding member are made of aluminum. Alternatively, the terminal and the plates are each made from a material chosen from copper, nickel-plated copper and nickel and the holding member is made from nickel or nickel-plated copper.
In another embodiment the terminal has a cylindrical part and the holding member is a cylindrical ring with the same section, and:
the plates are clamped between the ring and the cylindrical part of the terminal, and
the plates are welded to the cylindrical part of the terminal.
In a further embodiment the terminal has a plane part and the holding member is plane, and:
the plates are clamped between the holding member and the plane part of the terminal, and
the plates are welded to the plane part of the terminal.
In this case the plates are preferably bent over the plane part from a peripheral edge of the plane part prior to clamping and welding. It is then advantageous if the terminal has a cylindrical part with the plane part on one face thereof and the holding member is a washer.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which description is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Method of connecting plates of an electrode to a terminal of a storage cell, and the resulting cell


An adjustable rear suspension system for a tracked vehicle comprises a slide frame for guiding a portion of the endless track, the slide frame having a pair of substantially parallel slide rails, the slide rails defining a longitudinal direction. The rear suspension system further comprises at least one spring-like member for urging the slide frame away from the chassis. A front suspension arm assembly has an upper end pivotally connected to the chassis and a lower end pivotally connected to the slide frame. A rear suspension arm assembly has ail upper arm pivotally connected to the chassis and a lower end connected to at least one block capable of limited displacement in the longitudinal direction between a front stopper and a rear stopper. The rear suspension system further includes a rocker arm having an upper end connected to at least one block and a lower end pivotally connected to the slide frame. This rear suspension system compensates for rearward weight transfer caused by rapid forward acceleration of the tracked vehicle.

The dynamic response of a rear suspension system to the multitude of loads imposed upon it during operation is undoubtedly one of the most critical factors in determining the overall performance and ride comfort of a tracked vehicle such as a snowmobile. A rear suspension system generally has to contend with three types of loads that are regularly exerted upon a tracked vehicle regardless of whether it is employed for racing or mere recreation. First and foremost in severity are the impact loads imposed upon the rear suspension as the vehicle traverses rough terrain and encounters bumps. Secondly, there are internal forces developed during rapid acceleration which cause a weight transfer from the front of the vehicle to the rear. This tends to lift the skis off the ground and thus hampers steering. Finally, there are centrifugal loads imposed on the vehicle when cornering at high speeds. The complex interaction of the forces developed in the rear suspension system especially during vigorous operation have compelled engineers to re-evaluate the simple, traditional spring-damper mechanisms used to absorb shocks and to design new optimal (i.e. weight and cost-efficient) mechanisms for absorbing and attenuating the complex combination of loads imposed upon a modern high-performance snowmobile. Besides the force, stress, strain and fatigue considerations, suspension engineers have had to contend with the additional constraint of space. In order to improve cornering performance, snowmobiles must maintain a low center of gravity. This means that the suspension must be as compact as possible when fully compressed.
The fundamental structure of the rear suspension of a tracked vehicle such as a snowmobile has remained essentially constant for many years now. The rear suspension supports the track, which is maintained tout around a pair of parallel rails, a multitude of idler wheels and at least one drive wheel or sprocket. A shock absorbing mechanism involving compressed springs, dampers, struts, shock rods or practically any combination thereof urges the slide frame and the chassis of the snowmobile apart. In static equilibrium, the force of the springs urging the slide frame and the chassis apart is equal and opposite to the weight supported above the suspension. In recent years, engineers have begun to produce advanced suspension systems wherein the damping, spring rate, and range of travel can be adjusted to limit internal weight transfer caused by track tension and to improve comfort, control and performance.

Adjustable rear suspension for a tracked vehicle


A seat, a motion control method thereof and a motion control system thereof. The motion control method for the seat includes: acquiring images of around the seat, and tracking a current caregiver via image recognition; determining a relative position between the current caregiver and the seat; and controlling a motion of the seat based on the relative position.

The caregiver (for example, parents or nursing personnel) will put a person to be nursed (for example, a child or an elderly person) in a seat when busy to prevent an accident from occurring on the person to be nursed. For the convenience of observing the person to be nursed and for the sake of enhancing the sense of security of the person to be nursed, the front face of the person to be nursed is usually face the caregiver. However, the caregiver have to consume a lot of energy to observe and move the person to be nursed, and it is difficult for the person to be nursed to see the caregiver without interruptions, so the use experience of the caregiver and the person to be nursed can be affected, and the safety of the seat can be also reduced.

Seat, motion control method thereof and motion control system thereof


An information processing apparatus, which issues a print instruction when a dragged file is dropped on a print object, the apparatus comprises: a layout unit configured to lay out the print object at a first position; and a display control unit configured to display, when the file is dragged, the print object at a second position which is closer to the dragged file than the first position by moving the print object from the first position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and control method thereof, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium and, more particularly, to window display control in an information processing apparatus which displays a plurality of windows.
2. Description of the Related Art
An information processing apparatus receives drag and drop operations for an object such as a file or folder. The drag and drop operations indicate a series of operations for designating an arbitrary object such as a file in a state in which a pointer of a pointing device (for example, a mouse) overlaps the object, moving (dragging) the object by moving the pointer in that state, and releasing (dropping) designation of the object at another location.
For example, when a drop destination window is covered and hidden behind another window, an object such as a file cannot be dropped on the drop destination window. In order to solve this problem, a technique for detecting start of a drag operation of an object in a window, judging a window of an application associated with the dragged object as a drop destination, and displaying that window on a foreground is available (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-108281).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-108281 describes that upon detection of a drag operation of an object in a window, a window of an application associated with the dragged object is displayed on a foreground. However, this reference does not consider that a window used to execute print processing is displayed to be easily operated by the user.

Information processing apparatus which issues a predetermined output instruction when a dragged file is dropped on an object


An apparatus for gas separation a composite gas separation membrane having a gas separation layer disposed on a surface of a porous support. The gas separation layer has a plurality of gas permeable inorganic nano-particles embedded in a dense polymer forming substantially only discrete gas transport channels through the dense polymer layer, wherein direct fluid communication is provided from a feed side of the composite gas separator membrane to the porous support. Preferably, the inorganic nano-particles are porous molecular sieve particles, such as SAPO-34, ALPO-18, and Zeolite Y nano-particles.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for separation of gaseous components in a gas mixture. In one aspect, this invention relates to membranes for gas separation. In another aspect, this invention relates to the separation of CO2 from CO2-containing gas mixtures such as power plant flue gas.
2. Description of Related Art
Amine gas treating refers to a group of processes that use aqueous solutions of alkylamines, also referred to simply as amines, to remove hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from gaseous mixtures. A variety of amines are used for gas treating, the most common of which are monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), diisopropylamine (DIPA), and diglycolamine (DGA). A typical amine gas treating process and system includes an absorber and a regenerator as well as accessory equipment. A gas stream containing H2S and/or CO2 and an amine solution are introduced into the absorber, wherein the H2S and/or CO2 is absorbed into the solution, producing a gas stream free of H2S and/or CO2 and an amine solution rich in the absorbed acid gases. The acid gas rich amine solution is then introduced into a regenerator wherein the acid gases are separated, i.e. stripped, from the amine solution, producing an amine solution which can then be recycled for reuse in the absorber and stripped gases containing concentrated H2S and/or CO2.
Amine absorption is currently the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and industry benchmark technology for the capture of CO2 from power plant flue gas. Systems analysis studies have estimated that using chemical absorption with an aqueous monoethanolamine system to capture 90% of the CO2 from flue gas will require an increase in the cost of energy services of about 75-85%. Such an increase in the cost of energy is well above the 2020 DOE/NETL Sequestration Program post-combustion capture goal of 90% capture in existing plants with less than a 35% increase in the cost of energy. Thus, it is important that new advanced CO2 capture technologies be developed in order to maintain the cost-effectiveness of U.S. coal-fired power generation.
One such technology involves the use of membranes. Compared with amine absorption, membrane processes require less energy to operate and do not require chemicals or regenerating absorbents to maintain. In addition, membranes are compact and can be retrofitted onto the tail end of power-plant flue gas streams without complicated integration. Recent systems analysis and feasibility studies show that membranes are a technically feasible and economically viable option for CO2 capture from the flue gas exhaust from coal-fired power generation. The two basic criteria for determining whether a membrane can be effectively utilized for flue gas applications are permeance and selectivity in the desired operating environment.
One recent study has shown that the optimal membrane CO2/N2 selectivity for separation of CO2 from flue gas is in the range of about 20 to 40. Increasing selectivity further has almost no effect on the cost of CO2 capture. Rather the critical factor for reducing CO2 capture cost is increasing membrane permeance. For example, when CO2/N2 selectivity is greater than 30, an increase in CO2 permeance from 1000 to 4000 gas permeation units (GPU) causes a decrease in CO2 capture cost by nearly 50%.
Currently, the only commercially viable membranes for CO2 removal are polymer based, such as polysiloxanes, cellulose acetate, polyimides, polyamides, polysulfone, polycarbonates, and polyetherimide. The most widely used and tested of these membrane materials is cellulose acetate. However, these commercially available polymer membranes for CO2 removal typically have a permeance of only about 100 GPU, which is too low for flue gas CO2 capture, and a CO2/N2 selectivity of about 30. Thus, there is a need for new membranes for flue gas CO2 capture.
One such membrane is the POLARIS™ membrane of Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., which has a CO2 permeance of about 2,000 GPU and a CO2/N2 selectivity of about 50. Another such membrane, currently under development, is a gelled ionic liquid membrane to achieve a CO2 permeance of 10,000 GPU and a CO2/N2 selectivity of at least 20. Still another such membrane is a mixed matrix membrane having a CO2 permeable layer comprising a continuous phase of polymeric material and inorganic particles uniformly dispersed throughout the continuous polymeric phase. Although such mixed matrix membranes have not been commercialized for gas separation, similar mixed matrix membranes have been commercialized for seawater desalination.

Nano-channel enhanced composite membranes


The disclosed technology provides a system and a method for adaptive MPEG noise reduction. In particular, the disclosed technology provides a system and a method for reducing blocking artifacts and mosquito noise in an MPEG video signal. An overall MPEG noise detector may be used to determine the presence of noise in one or more frames of a video signal. When a sufficient amount of noise is detected in the one or more frames of the video signal, portions of the video signal that contain noise may be located and filtered to reduce the amount of noise present in the video signal.

This invention generally relates to signal processing applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for an adaptive noise reducer for reducing MPEG noise in a digital video signal.
Video signals may be corrupted by many forms of noise that are attributable to multiple sources. One source of noise in video signals is the compression of the video signal.
When the video information is stored on a digital video disc (DVD) or other digital media it is typically stored in a compressed format. Ninety minutes of uncompressed standard-definition video stored in a uncompressed format (Y:Cb:Cr 4:2:2) will require approximately 90 gigabytes (GB) of storage space. Uncompressed high-definition video of the same length would require six times the amount of storage space, or 540 GB. However, typical DVD disks only have capacities of approximately 4.7 gigabytes. Therefore storing a full-length standard-definition movie on a single DVD disk requires the video to be compressed using a format having a compression ratio on the order of 20:1. For high-definition content, higher capacity disks are used with similar compression ratios (e.g., approximately 30 GB are required to store a full-length movie in Blu-Ray format). In order to stream high-quality video (e.g., over the Internet), compression ratios as high as 50:1 may be required (depending on channel bandwidth).
The MPEG formats are a set of standards established for the compression of digital video and audio data. Where predictive coding of motion pictures is used, as in MPEG-1, compression artifacts tend to remain on several generations of decompressed frames, leading to a "painting" effect being seen, as if the picture were being painted by an unseen artist's paint-brush. Where motion prediction is used, as in MPEG-2 or MPEG-4, compression artifacts tend to move with the optic flow of the image, leading to a peculiar effect, part way between a painting effect and "grime" that moves with objects in the scene. Errors in the bit-stream can lead to errors similar to large quantization errors, or can disrupt the parsing of the data stream entirely for a short time, leading to "break-up" of the picture. Where gross errors have occurred in the bit-stream, it is not uncommon for decoders to continue to apply "painting" updates to the damaged picture, creating "ghost image" effects.
To stop the build-up of compression artifacts, most compression systems occasionally send an entire compressed frame without prediction or differencing, usually at the start of a shot and at regular intervals thereafter. In MPEG picture coding, these are known as "I-frames", with the 'I' standing for "intraframe compression."
Various techniques have been used to attempt to address the noise that occurs in a digital video signal. With digital displays becoming bigger, it becomes even more important to remove noise. Larger displays will make the noise more readily discernable to a viewer of the video. Many of the techniques previously applied are incomplete, resulting in a video signal that has its noise effects only marginally improved.


Buffers are separately provided for a region for non-sequential transfer and for a region for sequential transfer in each one of the disk units. A director sends a message to inform at least one of the disk units whether transfer of data the respective disk units are to make is sequential or non-sequential. When the disk unit receives a non-sequential transfer request, it uses the buffer region for non-sequential transfer to transfer data requested by the director and when it receives a sequential transfer request, it uses a plurality of buffer regions for the sequential transfer. Thus, data transfer is performed between a host device and that disk unit.

The present invention relates to buffered disk units and a method of transferring data therein, and more particularly, to a buffered disk unit and a method of transferring data therein at an increased speed.
In a computer system where a plurality of disk units are usually connected with a controller, the locating process, including seeking and sector setting operations, is performed before data transfer separately from the controller in order to efficiently use data transfer path. Thus, the plurality of disk units connected with the controller can independently execute the locating process.
In such a control system, however, a disk unit may already have been transferring/receiving data to/from the controller when a sending disk unit is intended to start data transfer after its locating process has been completed. This is referred to as "reconnection miss after location is completed". If this phenomenon occurs, the different disk unit cannot secure a data transfer path, so the different disk must wait until the different disk unit makes a complete rotation in order to enter into the data transfer.
A mechanism to prevent this "reconnection miss after location is completed" is proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application JP-A-57-146359 (or Japanese Patent Publication JP-B-62-3455) where a buffer having a small capacity is provided in each disk unit. According to this method, if a disk unit is already transferring/receiving data to/from the controller when the sending disk has completed its locating process, data on the different disk unit is temporarily loaded on its buffer and the loaded data is transferred to the controller when the transfer of the data on the sent disk unit is completed.
A method is proposed which simplifies a locating Process for a disk unit. For example, Japanese Patent Application JP-A-59-38866 proposes a process which reads data on a plurality of tracks into a buffer, using a plurality of read circuits, while the disk unit makes a complete rotation.
According to this method, data on tracks which are not ordered to be read by the controller is also read into the buffer. This process aims at prefetching data for sequential reading. When data is actually ordered to be read, it is directly read out by a buffer without locating a disk unit to reduce the number of locating processes executed. Therefore, a buffer having a large capacity is provided.
Japanese Patent Application JP-A-59-100964 discloses a technique for increasing the speed of inputting/outputting data using a cache storage provided in a controller which is connected to disk units. This technique realizes an increase in the speed of inputting/outputting data by causing a director (data transfer control processor) in the controller to transfer data in a parallel manner between the CPU and the cache storage and between the cache storage and the disk unit.
In JP-A-59-33689 and JP-A-58-186867, a method is disclosed allocating the slots of a disk cache memory to input/output requests. However, neither a disclosure nor a suggestion concerning an allocation method considering the characteristics of a sequential input/output request is found in these documents.
The above conventional techniques have the following problems:
(1) The sequential process occupies a large proportion of the transfer of data to the disk units. The sequential process differs greatly in access pattern from the other processes. The conventional techniques do not distinguish between the sequential access pattern and the non-sequential access pattern and do not allow for the buffer allocation method to those corresponding access patterns.
(2) When a plurality of programs executed in concurrently by a host computer system make a request for inputting/outputting data to/from a disk, program B may make a request for transfer of data after sequential transfer of program A is completed and before the next sequential transfer of program A is started, thereby destroying data loaded in the buffer. The conventional technique does not allow for such a problem.
(3) When a plurality of sequential transfer processes are executed in parallel and a request for sequential transfer of a new program is accepted, the already allocated buffers are required to be reallocated. The conventional technique does not allow for a method of such reallocation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a buffered disk unit and a method of transferring data therein which solves the above problems and improves the processing speed.

Buffered disk unit and method of transferring data therein


A semiconductor device according to an embodiment comprises: a substrate; a buffer layer provided on the substrate; a first conductivity type semiconductor layer provided on the buffer layer; a second conductivity type semiconductor layer; a light emitting structure, provided between the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, comprising an active layer which emits ultraviolet light; and a plurality of air voids provided within the buffer layer, wherein the air voids can be formed to have two or more inclined surfaces.

Generally, a light emitting diode (LED) includes a p-n junction diode having a characteristic of converting electric energy into light energy. The p-n junction diode can be formed by combining group III-V elements of the periodic table. The light emitting device can represent various colors by adjusting the compositional ratio of compound semiconductors.
When a forward voltage is applied to an LED, electrons of an N layer are combined with holes of a P layer, so that energy corresponding to an energy gap between a conduction band and a valance band may be released. This energy is mainly realized as heat or light, and the LED emits the energy as the light.
A nitride semiconductor represents superior thermal stability and wide band gap energy so that the nitride semiconductor has been spotlighted in the field of optical devices and high-power electronic devices. In particular, blue, green, and UV light emitting devices employing the nitride semiconductor have already been commercialized and extensively used.
An ultraviolet light emitting device (UV LED) is a light emitting device of emitting light having the wavelength in the range of 200 nm to 400 nm. The ultraviolet light emitting device includes a short wavelength and a long wavelength depending on the usage thereof. The short wavelength may be used for sterilization or purification and the long wavelength may be used in an exposing device and a curing device.
Meanwhile, the ultraviolet light emitting device may have a problem in which light extraction efficiency may be degraded due to the total reflection on the interfacial surface between the buffer layer and a sapphire substrate. In order to improve the light extraction efficiency, the attempts have been made to form air voids. However, the control of the air voids is difficult.

Semiconductor device, semiconductor device package, and lighting system comprising same


An approach is provided in which a host system identifies a set of differences between a first version of a software product and a second version of the software product. The set of differences include different file system files, database differences, and configuration differences. The host system creates database utilities and configuration utilities that correspond to the database differences and configuration differences, respectively. In turn, the host system creates an executable upgrade image that includes the different file system files, the database utilities, and the configuration utilities.

The present disclosure relates to upgrading a software appliance at a user system. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to creating an executable upgrade image at a host system based upon a software appliance's version differences, and providing the executable upgrade image to the user system, which executes the executable upgrade image to upgrade the user system's software appliance.
Software appliance products today may be based on complex middleware and many other components that are typically skill intensive, time consuming, and error prone to upgrade. Rich software appliances may also include an ISM software stack (Information Technology Service Management) that, for example, may include software pertaining to a full enterprise database, an application server, multiple applications, an operating system with extensions, and configuration information. When these software appliances require version upgrades, the version upgrades are typically very user-intensive and require multiple installers that are dependent upon other files to complete a software appliance upgrade.

Image delta-based upgrade of complex stack in software appliance

International Business Machines Corporation


A disk brake assemblage providing an improved arrangement whereby the brake pads and supports therefore may be changed with a minimum amount of disassembly of the disk brake assemblage. The brake assemblage is provided with an annular cylinder and an annular piston operable therein and comprising a brake cylinder device operably disposed between a pair of backing plates and brake pads which are adapted to frictionally engage respective brake disks or rotors. Both the cylinder and the piston are provided with axially projecting lugs or members normally engaging correspondingly formed recesses on the brake pad backing plates for retaining the brake pads and plates in the operable position. By axially squeezing or displacing the cylinder and piston toward each other, the lugs are displaced out of the recesses to permit the brake pads and backing plates to be removed and replaced.

A full pad disk brake with a rotating housing is presently disclosed in Ger. Pat. 2526403 in which the pads are extracted from the outside for changing thereof. This known disk brake has the disadvantage, however, of having relatively many movable parts which must first be removed or displaced to allow for adjustment and loosening of the pads, and of having only part of the surface of the backing plates fitted with pads because the pad segments are movable by providing respect to each other only with a certain angular clearance therebetween.

Vehicle disk brake with improved means for changing brake pads


Provided are a vehicle control device capable of displaying a high quality seamless image without data transmission delay and a difference in image quality between a plurality of displays, and a method thereof. The vehicle control device includes a plurality of different displays installed in a vehicle and a controller generating a first image having a plurality of pieces of first information, generating a second image having a plurality of pieces of second information, merging the first and second images, dividing the merged image into a plurality of images, and displaying the plurality of divided images on a plurality of displays, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control device provided in a vehicle and a control method thereof.
2. Background of the Invention
A vehicle is an apparatus allowing a user who gets therein to move in a desired direction. Such a vehicle may be typically an automobile, for example.
Meanwhile, for convenience of a user who use a vehicle, various sensors and electronic devices are provided. In particular, for driving convenience of a user, research into an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) has been actively conducted. In addition, development of an autonomous vehicle has been actively made.
Various types of lamps may be provided in a vehicle. In general, a vehicle has various vehicle lamps having a lighting function for allowing a driver to easily check or view an object positioned in the vicinity of the vehicle when driving at night and a signal function for informing another vehicle or a road user about a driving state of the own vehicle.
For example, a vehicle may have a device operated in a manner of directly emitting using a lamp such as a headlight irradiating light to a front side to allow a driver to secure a visual field, a brake light turned on when the driver steps on a brake, a turn signal used when turning to the right or turning to the left.
In another example, a reflector reflecting light allowing the own vehicle to be easily recognized from outside is installed on a front side or a rear side of the vehicle.
An installation reference or standard of the vehicle lamp are defined by regulations to allow each function to be sufficiently exhibited.
Recently, as advanced driving assist system (ADAS) has been actively developed, the necessity to develop a technique capable of maximizing user convenience and safety in driving a vehicle has emerged.
As part thereof, development of technology for various user interfaces and user experiences (UI/UX) between a mobile terminal and a vehicle and development of a technology for autonomous driving and autonomous parking without a driver's operation in a vehicle have been actively made. For example, a vehicle may recognize a parking line through a camera to perform autonomous parking.
Meanwhile, a plurality of displays are disposed in a vehicle to provide information auxiliary to vehicle driving, as well as information essential to vehicle driving.

Vehicle control device mounted in vehicle and control method thereof


A method for compressively forming a ferrule about a cord is provided. The method utilizes two successive compressive forming steps. In the first step, the starting ferrule is formed into a crescent-like configuration in side elevation. In the second step, the crescent-like configuration is formed into a cardioid-like configuration in side elevation. The method can be practiced using a hand-operated forceps that is equipped with shaping dies. The resulting so formed ferrule displays superior cord holding and retaining characteristics.

Metal ferrules are desirable for securing cords, such as strands of wire or the like, where closed-loop connection is desirable, for example, in fastening jewelry clasps and like findings, posts, netting frames and the like.
In the jewelry arts, cords comprised of, for example, monofilament, braided strands or cording of natural or synthetic origin, jewelry wire and the like are used for stringing beads and like stringable objects for making closed-loop articles of jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, belts and the like which may incorporate interengaging but releasable cooperating clasp pairs. For instance, a cord that is a flexible, plastic-coated, multiple stranded, cable-type stainless steel wire, commonly called "jewelry wire" or "tiger tail", is highly desired because of its strength characteristics.
For convenience, the term "cord" is used generically herein to include both natural and synthetic organic and inorganic (including metal) strands, filaments (monofilament or polyfilament), threads, cords, wires (including jewelry wire) and the like, whether coated or uncoated, or single or multiple stranded. Preferably, a cord has the flexibility, strength and suitable fine diameter that make it suitable for use in forming an article of jewelry, such as a necklace, bracelet, belt, broach or the like which article comprises or incorporates string beads or other stringable objects that are strung on a cord.
The term "ferrule" is used herein to indicate a small torroidal or ring like structure comprised of a ductile or formable material which is preferably a metal, such as steel, soft brass, copper, silver, sterling silver, aluminum, alloys thereof and the like. A ferrule can have a gold or silver plate finish or other finish coating. A ferrule can be, in example, of the type that is commonly used to secure the free end of a looped cord that has been passed through an eyelet or the like that is associated with a jewelry clasp or the like.
The term "free end of a cord" and equivalent grammatical variations thereof, as used herein, refers generally to the leading or terminal length of a cord, such as the length extending beyond the first or last bead (or strung object) in a string of beads (or strung objects) intended to comprise a closed-loop article of jewelry.
As those familiar with the art of jewelry making will appreciate, a closed-loop article of jewelry is generally finished by interconnecting a pair of opposed terminal loops of cord where each such loop is at a different opposite end of a plurality of strung beads or the like. At each opposite strung cord end, cord is formed into a terminal loop. In each loop, a different one of a pair of interengagable jewelry clasps is held. Thus, the respective opposite ends of a strung cord are each associated with a different one member of a pair of interengagable clasps. When the clasps are engaged, the closed loop article of jewelry is formed. A pair of interengagable jewelry clasps can comprise any one of various two-piece matable closures, such as, for example, a hook and an eye, a crab claw and a ring, ratchet-like clasp connectors, or the like. Each member of a clasp connector pair typically is provided with a ring, ear, or eyelet, or other fastening member with which the free end of a cord is secured, engaged, strung, or the like. For convenience, such a fastening member that is associated with a clasp member or the like is termed a "connection member" herein.
In conventional jewelry making practice, a ferrule that is used for cord securing purposes as in a looped article of jewelry or the like is first threaded or strung circumferentially over the free end of a cord. Conventionally, the ferrule is regarded as a bead, or a short tube, that is sometimes called a "French" crimp, a "finishing bead", or a "crimp cylinder". The free end of the cord is next typically threaded or strung through a connection member of a clasp connection and then is looped back and passed again through the same ferrule. The ferrule thus typically contains adjacently two cord portions, namely, a portion of the captured cord leading from the last one of the previously strung beads or the like and a cord portion adjacent the cord end, both of which portions must be secured together to stabilize and maintain the thus formed loop. The resulting ferrule is subsequently compressed diametrically against both radially adjacent cord portions to form a cord securing fastener which, ideally, then immovably anchors or fastens the adjacent cords together with the terminal loop being fastened or retained to the connection member. A similar procedure can be followed for anchoring the opposing free end of the same cord of the looped article of jewelry to the connection member of the interengagable second one of the selected clasp connector pair.
Preferably, the cord securing ferrule provides an attractive element in a finished article of jewelry or is small enough to be inobtrusive. In compressing a ferrule with a hand-operated tool such as a pliers, however, it is difficult to uniformly radially deform the ferrule about its circumference to a smaller diameter and still keep it attractively rounded. For large volume production of standardized jewelry, specially designed, sophisticated powered machinery can be used which can uniformly deform a ferrule to form a smooth and inobtrusive cord fastener. However, an individual jewelry artisan and practitioner, such as designers, crafts persons, small-volume custom jewelry manufacturers, and the like do not usually have access to such costly, sophisticated powered machinery. Consequently, producers of hand-made jewelry, whose products clearly would benefit from using jewelry wire and like cords, tend not to use such cords owing to the lack of low-cost, reliable, effective, easily-used, hand-operatable ferrule forming or compressing equipment and procedures.
Heretofore, the only ferrule-forming tools generally available and recommended for use by individual jewelry artisans and practitioners were conventional pliers, such as a flat nose pliers or the like. Indeed, general jewelry-making texts simply instruct the artisan to flatten (that is, crimp) the ferrule between the jaws of a conventional pliers. However, pliers generally are ill suited for forming a well shaped and rounded compressed ferrule, especially when using the relatively small ferrules desired for articles of jewelry.
Thus, in the prior art of jewelry making, the end result obtained by diametrically deforming (i.e, crimping) a ferrule by hand with a conventional flat-nosed pliers is a flattened ferrule having a generally unaesthetic appearance. Not only does such a flattened ferrule detract from the overall appearance of the resulting article of jewelry, but also such article frequently has rough edges that are associated with the crimped ferrule which can scratch the skin or clothing of the wearer.
Also, the compressive force exertable by hand upon a ferrule generally either is insufficient to obtain an adequate strong tight securement about cord portions, or is excessive so that the portions of a cord that are located in or adjacent to a compressed ferrule can be flattened or even partly cut and damaged (and thereby weakened). The problem of insufficient or improper ferrule crimping, for example, is experienced commonly by persons who are very young, very elderly or suffering from muscular weakness in the hands as from carpal tunnel syndrome, hand injury, arthritis or the like. If cord securement by a ferrule is not sufficient, then the free end of the secured cord eventually can loosen from the compressed ferrule and disengage itself from the associated clasp member. This increases the risk of loss of some or all of the strung beads, or even the entire article of jewelry.
Further, in the prior art, even a properly crimped (that is, a diametrically flattened) ferrule characteristically has relatively poor cord retaining capability relative to the cord or cords which have been threaded through the ferrule before the crimping. With the passage of time, and/or through the normal stresses and strains that occur through jewelry usage, there is a tendency for the flattened ferrule to loosen or expand. Even a very slight dimensional change in a diametrically flattened ferrule can result in a diminution or relaxation of the initial holding capacity of the flattened ferrule against the cord(s) therein, thereby permitting unwanted and undesirable longitudinal cord movement and slippage relative to the deformed ferrule.
Another problem is that conventional pliers are not configured for use between closely spaced beads and jewelry findings, or for use in compressing relatively small cylindrical objects such as a ferrule to produce an aesthetic shape. For example, a typical initially round ferrule known as a "crimp bead" can be about 0.09 inches (about 2.25 millimeters) in both length and diameter, and a typical tubular ferrule known as a "crimp cylinder" can vary in diameter from about 0.06 inches (about 1.5 millimeters) to about 0.12 inches (about 3 millimeters) and in length from about 0.25 inches (about 6.25 millimeters) to about 0.5 inches (about 12.5 millimeters).
Accordingly, there is a need in the jewelry making art for a relatively simple, low cost hand tool that is useful for forming a ferrule in such a way that the resulting formed ferrule has an attractive, relatively smooth, rounded shape end. Also, such a tool should require only a relatively small amount of manual compressive force to form a ferrule.
In addition, and most importantly, there is a need in the jewelry making art for a new and improved method for forming and affixing a ferrule to a cord so that a superior mechanical attachment results between the cord and the affixed ferrule.
These needs are met by the therein disclosed inventive, ferrule-forming forceps and ferrule-forming method.

Method for forming a seam-rounded ferrule on jewelry and product made


To reduce damage to surrounding tissue while fragmenting some tissue such as for example not damaging the capsular wall while removing the lens during cataract removal surgery or not damaging artery or vein walls during bypass surgery while freeing the artery or vein to be transplanted, an incision is made for the insertion of surface-discriminating fragmenting handpiece. The surface-discriminating fragmenting handpiece fragments and permits aspiration of the tissue without damaging the surrounding wall by moving surfaces which permit the diseased tissue to fall within their cutting zone but which move at a rate of speed and have openings between them of such a size that the more integrated and smoother tissue does not fall within their cutting zone.

This invention relates to the removal of tissue from the body such as for example removal of cataracts from the eye.
It is known to remove diseased tissue from the body by fragmenting, crushing or otherwise making the tissue flowable while in the body and then aspirating it. In one prior art surgical technique specifically for the removal of cataracts: (1) an incision is made along the superior corneal margin from about 10 to 2 o'clock (12 o'clock is the location closest to the top of the head of the patient) approximately 10 mm in chord length; (2) an incision is made in the capsular wall; and (3) the cataract is removed. The anterior chamber is maintained substantially formed during the operation by means of a continuous inflow of irrigating solution.
In one prior art technique, for removing a cataract, the nucleus is expressed out of the eye and the cortex is removed by a process of irrigation and aspiration.
In another prior art technique for removing the cateract, the nucleus is removed with a vectis and about 0.1 milliliter of viscoelastic compound or irrigating fluid is introduced into the capsular bag to separate the capsular walls. With the capsular walls separated, a wedge of the cortex is engaged in the aspiration port of a cannula and peeled toward the center and then aspirated to remove it behind the anterior capsule within the capsular cavity.
This process is repeated so that the layers of the cortex are peeled and then aspirated inwardly through the cannula layer by layer until the intact capsular bag (except for the horizontal incision) is completely empty and clean. This technique of removing the cataract is disclosed by Anis, Aziz Y., "Illustrated Step-by-Step Description of the Anis Dry Extra Capsular Cataract Extraction Technique With In-the-Bag Lens Implementation"; Seminars in Opthalmology, v. 1, N. 2 (June), 1986, pp. 113-129.
Two prior art types of instruments which aid in the fragmentation and aspiration of the lens nucleus to permit extraction through a small incision are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,363 to Anton Banko et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,495 to Steven N. Weiss; U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,613 to Charles Kelman et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,947 to Steven N. Weiss et al. This instrument is intended in the prior art to fragment a lens nucleus using ultrasonic sound to aid the irrigation/aspiration of the lens. The ultrasonic vibrations laterally reciprocate the tip of an instrument to fracture the cataract after which it can be aspirated.
A further type of instrument, not prior art, is U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,015 issued to Anis on Mar. 13, 1990. This patent describes a prior art instrument which rotates a solid member having blades extending from it to grind the lens.
These prior art removal techniques have several disadvantages, such as: (1) they risk tearing the capsular wall with ultrasonic vibration tools or with the rotating blades; (2) they intentionally make large incisions in or remove parts of the capsular wall; and (3) they may require several instruments and are inconvenient to use.
Still another type of prior art technique for removing cataracts is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,935 to Banko issued Dec. 14, 1976. This type of instrument shows cooperating jaw-like members, one of which rotates inside the other to break up the lens by shearing sections of it. It aspirates fragments through the instrument. This type of instrument has a disadvantage in that it can break the capsular wall and is relatively complex. Part of the disadvantage comes from the teaching that it may be rotated manually or mechanically without a corresponding teaching of the rate of rotation required for efficient use.


The present invention comprises two or more rotatable three-dimensional bodies and a linkage between the bodies. By means of the linkage, the rotation of a first body causes a second body to rotate. In at least one of the rotational positions of the two or more bodies, the shapes of the bodies are designed to create a shaped cavity between a first body and a second body. The shaped cavity may be a tunnel, or the shaped cavity may be a recess or niche. As the at least two bodies are rotated, the shaped cavity may appear or disappear or may change shape, position, or orientation as the bodies are rotated.

This invention relates to a manipulable souvenir, novelty, or artwork which reveals or animates a shaped cavity, wherein the cavity reveals a symbol that communicates meaning to a user of the invention.
The object of this invention is to amuse the user by revealing a symbol or a message, in the form of a shaped cavity, where the symbol communicates a meaning to the user. This invention may also animate the shaped cavity.

Curiosity revealing or animating a shaped cavity


A printed circuit board comprises at least one printed circuit board with at least one electrical contact and one circuit board connector. The circuit board connector includes a printed circuit board provided with one or several open tracks on at least one side for connection with electrical contact(s) of the printed circuit board.

The present invention relates to a printed circuit board assembly for a camera module and the like, and more particularly to such an assembly.
Printed circuit boards typically comprise electronic circuits formed on a substrate carrier preferably in the form of electronic components connected by printed strip conductors. The individual printed circuit board can be connected by at least one contact to an electrical connection line for the transmission of signals. Depending on the complexity of the desired circuit, several of the printed strips are connected together with the connection lines connecting different printed circuit boards. If the connection lines are in form of electric wires, this interconnection requires expensive wiring with corresponding space requirement, wiring expense and resulting lack of oversight of the complex circuit assembly.
For this reason a method is known in the computer field by which individual printed circuit boards in form of "plug-in" cards are plugged parallel to each other into a common circuit board connector. The required electrical connections to the different printed circuit boards is achieved in a simple manner via the plug-in connections.
The known assemblies of printed circuit boards which are plugged into the circuit board connector by one of their edges are however inflexible due to the prescribed plug-in locations and cannot be adapted variably to different numbers, dimensions and connections of printed circuit boards. In addition the individual printed circuit boards are attached on only one side. It is impossible to install circuits, e.g., end interference components, on the circuit board connector, and an additional printed circuit board bearing these circuits is necessary.
It is the object of the present invention to avoid the shortcomings mentioned above in printed circuit board assemblies, and to provide an advantageous assembly for a camera such as used for vehicles, surveillance, and the like.


Solid-state shear pulverization of semi-crystalline polymers and copolymers thereof and related methods for enhanced crystallization kinetics and physical/mechanical properties.

Solid-state processing methods, such as ball milling, mechanical alloying, pan milling, and solid-state shear pulverization, have recently been employed to achieve intimate mixing of blends and nanocomposites, leading in some cases to materials that cannot be produced via conventional processing methods. Vaia and co-workers demonstrated, through the use of cryo-compounding, the ability to reduce the tactoid/agglomerate size of organically modified montmorillonite in epoxy-organoclay nanocomposites. (See Koerner, H.; Misra, D.; Tan, A.; Drummy, L.; Mirau, P.; Vaia, R Polymer, 2006, 47, 3426-3435.) Smith et al. produced blends where the dispersed phase in poly(methyl methacrylate) and polyisoprene or poly(ethylene-alt-propylene) were on the order of nanometers with the use of cryogenic mechanical alloying. (See Smith, A. P.; Ade, H.; Balik, C. M.; Koch, C. C.; Smith, S. D.; Spontak, R. J. Macromolecules 2000, 33, 2595-2604.) In contrast to these batch processes, solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP), a continuous, industrially applicable process, has resulted in intimate mixing and excellent dispersion in immiscible polymer blends, in some cases yielding 100-200 nm dispensed-phase domain diameters in a polymer matrix. (See, e.g., N. Furgiuele, A. H. Lebovitz, K. Khait, and J. M. Torkelson, Polym. Eng. Sci., 40, 1447 (2000); N. Furgiuele, A. H. Lebovitz, K. Khait, and J. M. Torkelson, Macromolecules, 33, 225 (2000); A. H. Lebovitz, K. Khait, and J. M. Torkelson, Macromolecules, 35, 8672 (2002); A. H. Lebovitz, K. Khait, and J. M. Torkelson, Macromolecules, 35, 9716 (2002); A. H. Lebovitz, K. Khait, and J. M. Torkelson, Polymer, 44, 199 (2003); Y. Tao, A. H. Lebovitz, and J. M. Torkelson, Polymer, 46, 4753 (2005); Y. Tao, J. Kim, and J. M. Torkelson, Polymer, 47, 6773 (2006); A. M. Walker, Y. Tao, and J. M. Torkelson, Polymer; 48, 1066 (2007); each of which is incorporated herein by reference.)
While much work involving solid-state processing has focused on heterogeneous systems and mixtures, relatively little has been done on homopolymers. Zhu et al. demonstrated that cryomilling poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) results in the amorphization of PET, which leads to deleterious effects on PET physical properties. (See Zhu, Y. G.; Li, Z. Q.; Zhang, D.; Tanimoto, T. J Appl Polym Sci 2006, 99, 2868-2873.) Similar adverse effects were observed for polypropylene (PP) as a result of a decrease in the molecular weight and degree of crystallinity of PP during cryomilling. During a study on the effect of different pan milling processing conditions on the particle size of polystyrene (PS), Wang et al. observed that pan milling PS degrades the polymer. (See Wang, Q.; Cao, J. Z.; Huang, J. G.; Xu, X. Polym Eng Sci 1997, 37, 1091-1101.) Ganglani et al. proved that although chain scission and radical formation may occur during SSSP processing, significant short or long chain branching does not occur in polyolefins. (See Ganglani, M.; Torkelson, J. M.; Carr, S. H., Khait, K. J Appl Polym Sci 2001, 80, 671-679). Such results suggest SSSP does not alter the macroscopic structure of polymers such as (high density polyethylene) (HDPE) or linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), i.e., they are not converted to low density polyethylene (LDPE).
Notwithstanding previous efforts undertaken in the context of polymer blends and various batch processes, there is an on-going search in the art to provide efficient, effective solid-state processing of single component polymer systems with attendant enhancement of various performance parameters.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Enhancing the physical properties of semi-crystalline polymers via solid state shear pulverization


The aim of the method is to prevent parasitic metallizations on the lateral walls of a raised pattern, which is used to self-align the electrode metallizations in a transistor. To this effect, a pair of semiconductor materials is introduced into the vertical pattern. These semiconductor materials react differently with respect to a pair of etching methods, so that a layer of one semiconductor material is etched to a greater extent than the other layer. The overhanging feature thus created interrupts the parasitic metallizations, if any, between the electrodes. The disclosed method can be applied to vertical structures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the making of the metallizations of a transistor, the insulation of which is obtained by the making, on the vertical walls, of a pattern used to self-align these metallizations. This method can be applied to the vertical components using a metallization manufactured by the self-alignment technique. It enables eliminating the risks of short-circuits on the flanks of the vertical pattern.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The term "vertical components" is generally applied to those in which the current is conveyed perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate. These components comprise a stack of layers of semiconductor materials, at least one layer of which is etched in the form of a mesa, i.e. it forms a raised pattern that generally bears an electrode metallization. Thus, heterojunction bipolar transistors (or HPTs) are vertical components: the emitter, the base and the collector are on three different levels. There are certain transistors, for example SISFETs (semiconductor-insulation-semiconductor FETs), in which the current flows parallel to the surface of the substrate but which nonetheless can be considered to be vertical components from the viewpoint of the invention, inasmuch as they have an etched mesa pattern used to self-align two types of metallizations.
These vertical components have so-called "double mesa" structures for which the technology dictates at least two etchings used to uncover the base and demarcate the collectors, if the transistor referred to is a bipolar transistor, or else the gate and the source/drain if the transistor referred to is a field-effect transistor. To simplify the explanation of the invention, it shall be presented with reference to the example of a bipolar transistor.
One of the limitations of this type of component arises out of the access resistances of the base as well as the base-collector capacitances in the case of an HBT. The most efficient approach to reducing these parasitic phenomena lies in carrying out the self-alignment of the base with respect to the emitter.
The difficulty of self-alignment methods arises out of the risks of the short-circuiting of the emitter-base metal contacts. For, it is commonly the mesa of the emitter that will act as a self-alignment mask for the base metallization: when the metal is evaporated, there is a real risk that traces of metal on the flanks of the mesa might lead to an emitter-base short-circuit. Various techniques are commonly used to prevent these short circuits. These are:
either a side-wall type deposition of an insulator on the flanks of the emitter, followed by an anisotropic evaporation of the base metallization. The metal traces on the flanks of the mesa are then eliminated by ion bombardment. The method is a delicate one by its very essence, and depends a great deal on the evaporation systems used.
or the etching of the semiconductor layer of the emitter in a T shape. This enables the creation of a helmet that creates a shadow phenomenon during the evaporation of the base metal and thus prevents the problems of short-circuits. The limitations of this technique arise out of the uncertainties of etching of the foot of the emitter. The geometry of the emitter is not controlled with precision,
or again the metallization of the emitter is mushroom-shaped. The semiconductor material is then chemically etched from the foot of the metallization onwards. A helmet enabling self-alignment is thus created. The major drawback of this technique arises out of the fact of resorting to chemical etching processes which sometimes raise problems and lack precision and reliability.

Method for the making of the electrode metallizations of a transistor


Described are 3,7-dimethyl-6,7-dioxo-1,3-octadienes or mixtures of same defined according to the structure: ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen or ethyl and X is one of the moieties: ##STR2## and wherein the wavy lines represent a "E" or "Z" configuration of the methyl and vinyl moiety about the 3,4-pi-bond of the molecule, as well as methods for methods for augmenting or enhancing the aroma of consumable materials including perfumes, colognes and perfumed articles by adding thereto an aroma augmenting or enhancing quantity of at least one of said 3,7-dimethyl-6,7-dioxo-1,3-octadienes.

The instant invention provides 3,7-dimethyl-6,7-dioxo-1,3-octadienes defined according to the generic structure: ##STR3## wherein R represents hydrogen or ethyl; wherein X represents one of the moieites: ##STR4## and wherein the wavy lines represent a "E" or "Z" configuration of the methyl and vinyl moiety about the 3,4 double bond of the molecule, as well as the uses thereof for augmenting or enhancing the aroma of perfume compositions, colognes and perfumed articles.
Inexpensive chemical compositions of matter which can provide intense and highly substantive herbaceous, cut geranium stem, floral, fresh fruity, natural green and leafy aromas with floral and citrusy topnotes and fruity, melony, peppery and citrusy undertones are highly desirable in the art of perfumery. Many of the natural materials which provide such fragrances and contribute desired nuances to perfumery compositions as well as perfumed articles including solid or liquid anionic, cationic, nonionic or zwitterionic detergents, perfumed polymers, fabric softener compositions, fabric softener articles, hair preparations, cosmetic powders and the like are high in cost, vary in quality from one batch to another and/or are generally subject to the usual variations of natural products.
Indeed, marigold absolute has been found by us to contain very small quantities of the compounds having the structures: ##STR5## However, these components of marigold absolute have unexpected, unobvious and advantageous perfumery properties with respect to intensity and substantivity when compared with marigold absolute itself.
Arctander, "Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin", 1960, published by the author discloses at page 399:
Marigold Absolute. PA0 Also called Calendula absolute, Marigold Absolute is extracted from the ligulate florets of Calendula Officinalis, known as "Marigold", "Marybud" or "Hollygold" in the United States of America. There is, however, some confusion with respect to the term "marigold" since it has been applied to various other plants of the Compositae family, e.g. Tagetes, etc. Tagetes will be described under its proper name. PA0 The calendula absolute from the true calendula officinalis is probably produced only in France, but it is sold in English speaking countries under the name of Marigold. PA0 The absolute is a very dark greenish-brown, very viscous liquid of an intensely bitter-herbaceous odor. Little is known about its constituents, but as a perfumery material, it has certain interesting and unique notes. Since the plant grows commonly all over Europe, cultivated in the northern part, an increased production could easily be effected. PA0 Its very peculiar note and intense color, however, limits the use of "marigold" to fancy perfume types, modern aldehydic-herbaceous types where the green "crushed-stalk" note may be called for. Marigold Absolute introduces certain natural notes in chrysanthemum fragrances, and it gives interesting effects with oakmoss, mate extract, tea leaf extract, cypriol, iso cyclo citral, etc. Traces of the absolute can be useful in hyacinth, lilac, gardenia, reseda, moss-bases, etc. PA0 See also Tagetes, under which Tagetes Glandulifera is discussed, and Tagetes Patula under which heading the Indian "genda" is mentioned.
Tsankova and Bohlmann, "A Monoterpene From Aster Bakeranus", Phytochemistry, Volume 22, No. 5, pages 1285-1286, 1983 discloses that the compound having the structure: ##STR6## is present in the South African species, Aster bakeranus Burtt, Davy ex. C. A. Smith.
Merchant, et al, Indian J. Chem., Volume 14B, Jun. 1976, at pages 460 and 461 discloses the saturated ether derivative having the structure: ##STR7## and the synthesis thereof.
Nothing in the prior art, however, discloses the organoleptic properties and particularly the perfume utilities of the 3,7-dimethyl-6,7-dioxo-1,3-octadienes of our invention; and, indeed, nothing in the prior art discloses the compound having the structure: ##STR8## wherein X is one of the moieties: ##STR9## and wherein the wavy lines represent the "E" or "Z" configuration of the vinyl and methyl moiety about the 3,4-pi-bond.

3,7-dimethyl-6,7-dioxo-1,3-octadiene derivatives and organoleptic uses thereof


A system and method for detection of alpha particles generated by a test material in proximity to a light atomic weight element. The system includes a neutron detector that is configured to detect a rate of generation of neutrons produced by an (alpha, n) reaction between the test material and the light atomic weight element. There is also at least one gamma-ray detector configured to measure a rate of generation of 511 keV gamma rays produced by an annihilation reaction triggered by a positron emission from a daughter product of the light atomic weight element. A comparator is configured to compare the rate of generation of neutrons and the rate of generation of 511 keV gamma rays.

Short-lived radionuclides that emit alpha particles are particularly insidious radiological poisons for humans and animals. The large mass and electric charge of alpha particles precludes their transmission beyond a few millimeters. However, in the case of a short-lived radionuclide the short half-life means that the radionuclide is emitting large numbers of energetic particles that, on a per molecule basis, deliver about 6 orders of magnitude as much energy as a chemical explosive. If the alpha-particle emitting radionuclide is within a human body this energy is very efficiently delivered to the body's nearby cells. Consequently, very large radiological doses can be delivered by small amounts of material, generally resulting in illness or death. The alpha particles themselves typically cannot be directly detected because substantially all of the alpha particles are absorbed by the body. Some alpha-particle emitters also emit gamma rays that can be detected, but some alpha-particle emitting radionuclides may emit little or no associated gamma radiation. If the daughter products of these radionuclides are stable or also emit little or no associated gamma rays, this radiological poison may be very difficult to detect within the body or within container that has even very simple shielding.
These properties make such radionuclides candidates for covert poisons or terror weapons. For instance, 210Po is easily made by persons with access to nuclear reactors. 210Po emits essentially no gamma or beta radiation and its daughter (206Pb) is stable. If properly distributed, a few 10's of grams of 210Po could contaminate the air in a large room or chamber (up to even a half million cubic feet) with about one-tenth of a lethal dose per liter. An individual dose of about 1 microgram would be almost certainly lethal to the recipient.
It would be very useful to have improved means of detecting 210Po and similar alpha-particle emitting nuclei. Such means would likely also have utility for detection of other alpha-particle emitting nuclei that also emit gamma radiation.

Detection of alpha-particle emitting isotopes


An apparatus for separating a flat product from a pile of flat products includes a sucker mechanism. The sucker mechanism has a sucker cup, a sucker tube and a vacuum device for generating a vacuum. The sucker tube has a first and second end, the sucker cup being coupled to the sucker tube at the first end of the sucker tube and the vacuum device being coupled to the sucker tube at the second end of the sucker tube. The second end of the sucker tube is movable arranged in the vacuum device so as to vary the sucker stroke of the sucker cup.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for separating flat products from a pile of flat products, and particularly to an apparatus for separating flat products from a pile of flat products, the apparatus including a sucker mechanism having a movable sucker tube.
2. Background Information
In the technology of building books, including booklets, magazines, periodicals, and the like, the use of collating systems is well known. These systems typically have a transporting device on which individual flat products, such as signatures or sheets, are gathered to build a book-block set, which then is finished and bound. Typically, a number of feeders are arranged along the transporting device, each of the hoppers comprising a feeding mechanism for feeding an individual flat product from a pile of signatures onto the transporting device, in order to gradually build up the book-block set or to insert a supplement sheet into a pocket of a pocket feeder or into a newspaper arranged in the pocket. Such feeding mechanisms typically employ a sheet-separating device for separating a sheet or other single flat product from a pile of flat products which is arranged in each hopper. The single flat products are drawn from the pile at its bottom end.
A sheet-separating device of this kind is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,016. This document describes a high-speed paper inserting apparatus for insertion of supplements into newspapers. The inserts are placed to form a stack and a vacuum gripping member grips the lowermost insert from the stack and carries it to a pair of nip rollers which transport the insert to an opened newspaper. A single sheet requires a different sucker stroke than a 120 page or pre-inserted section. The different sucker motion requirements are due to the way the sheets or sections have to be positioned and controlled for proper singulation. Generally, the bottom of the stack of heavy sections is elevated to eliminate followers. This is accomplished by repositioning the lift hook and restrictors. When these adjustments are made the vacuum cup motion must be changed. To raise the sucker motion so that it properly engages the pile requires the sucker bar to stroke through a greater angle. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,148 an adjustable sucker mechanism having an upper and a lower part is coupled to a central lever. The central lever is rotatable about an axis extending through the central lever. The adjustment can be accomplished by moving the axis along the central lever.
The present invention provides an apparatus for separating flat products from a pile of flat products, the apparatus including a sucker mechanism including:
a sucker tube having a first and a second end;
at least one sucker cup coupled to the sucker tube at the first end of the sucker tube; and
a vacuum device for providing a vacuum, the vacuum device being coupled to the sucker tube at the second end of the sucker tube;
wherein the second end of the sucker tube is movably received in the vacuum device so as to enable the at least one sucker cup to be variably positioned relative to the pile of flat products.
The sucker mechanism may be pivotable relative to the pile of flat products so as to enable the sucker cup to move to engage a bottommost flat product from the pile of flat products.
The vacuum device may define a bore therein, the second end of the sucker tube being slidably received in the bore.
The sucker mechanism may include a slide for positioning the sucker tube, the slide being coupled to the first end of the sucker tube and slidably disposed relative to the vacuum device.
The slide may be slidably disposed on-the vacuum device. A fixing device may be provided for holding the slide in a predetermined position. The fixing device may include a screw.
The vacuum device may include a vacuum inlet for generating a vacuum in the vacuum device.
A sucker bar may be provided, with the vacuum device being disposed on the sucker bar.
The sucker mechanism may also include:
a second sucker tube having a respective first and a second end;
a second sucker cup coupled to the second sucker tube at the respective first end of the second sucker tube; and
a second vacuum device for providing a vacuum, the second vacuum device being coupled to the second sucker tube at the respective second end of the second sucker tube;
wherein the respective second end of the second sucker tube is movably disposed in the second vacuum device so as to enable the second sucker cup to be variably positioned relative to the pile of flat products independently of the sucker cup.
The sucker mechanism may include a slide for positioning the sucker tube and the second sucker tube, the slide being coupled to the first end of the sucker tube and the first end of the second sucker tube and slidably disposed relative to the vacuum device.
The slide may be slidably disposed on the vacuum device.
The present invention also provides a method for separating flat products from a pile of flat products, the method including:
providing a sucker mechanism including a sucker tube having a first and a second end, a sucker cup coupled to the sucker tube at the first end of the sucker tube, and a vacuum device for providing a vacuum, the vacuum device being coupled to the sucker tube at the second end of the sucker tube, the sucker tube being movably disposed in the vacuum device; and
varying a position of the sucker cup relative to the pile of flat products by moving the sucker tube relative to the vacuum device.
The apparatus and method according to the present invention enable the sucker cups to be adjusted individually or in groups so as to adjust the respective sucker strokes to the type of flat product being separated from the pile in a feeder hopper.