A dive door and ladder assembly includes a door positioned on the side of a boat, preferably in a rearward or aft position. The dive door is attached to a horizontally oriented hinge on a bottom portion thereof, and opens by pivoting inwardly and downwardly (vertically). When the door is in an open position, the underside of the door is generally in a horizontal plane with the upper surface of the doorway, forming a platform for divers and snorkelers to stand on. The upper surface of the doorway further includes a small hatch that may be opened to reveal a compartment therebelow. A collapsible ladder may be positioned within the compartment, in a collapsed state, and may be pulled upwardly from the compartment and folded over the side of the boat, through the doorway and extended into the water.

It is not uncommon for boats that are used for scuba diving, snorkeling, and the like to have a platform, ladder or other means for users to get into the water, and back into the boat. In recent years, some boats have come equipped with dive doors, which are simply doors that are generally positioned either in the transom or the side of the boat. The doors remain in the closed position while the watercraft is underway, and are opened when the boat is anchored or drifting. Many such dive doors include attachable ladders, so that divers and snorkelers may easily get into and out of the water.
Previous examples of such dive doors include the following patents, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety:    U.S. Pat. No. 2,558,975—Combined Door and Ladder in the Side of a Craft
The object of this invention is to provide a ladder which may be let down either by persons outside the vehicle, or, if desired, from within, it is also an object to provide a ladder which when not in use can be retracted into the side or bottom of the vehicle in such a manner as to effect a streamlining of the hull of the at the place where the ladder is retracted. This ladder is particularly useful in life boats which are launched without occupants from aircraft to rescue survivors of a ship or air accident floundering in the water and who have been located by air search. The invention is also adapted for installation in large military airliners or bombers having fuselages which are high off the ground, for boarding them in the event that external portable ladders or ramps are not available.    U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,949—Diver's Boarding Ladder
An improved diver's boarding ladder and dive door for a boat having a dive opening. The boarding ladder is positionable between a boarding position and a storage position without having to be removed and stored. In the boarding position, the dive opening is opened and the boarding ladder extends below the waterline to assist swimmers and divers in boarding the boat from the water. In the storage position, the dive door closes the dive opening and the boarding ladder is stored out of the way inside the boat's hull in an inverted position. The hoarding ladder is secured in the dive opening with a hinge that runs along the entire length of the bottom of the dive opening and acts as a chafe plate to prevent damage to the boat's hull from dive equipment.    U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,101—Boat with Stabilizer Adapted to Serve as a Loading Platform
The hull of a boat includes an opening which is closed by a door attached to the hull with a hinge and capable of limited pivoting motion on the hinge with a substantially horizontal axis of the pivot. In its upright first extreme position the door comprises a part of the hull. In a second folded down extreme position the door is substantially parallel with the water surface and can act as a loading platform and also as a stabilizer against wave action in rough waters.    U.S. Pat. No. 7,438,014—Rigid Inflatable Boat with Easy Lifesaving
A rigid inflatable boat adapted for ease of lifesaving includes an arc-shaped front tube fixedly installed at a front side of a hull and a rear tube slideably installed at a rear side of the hull. A respective sliding rail having a guiding member disposed therein extends longitudinally on an upper surface of the hull at one or both sides thereof The rear tube is slideable forward and backward along the sliding rail due to the operation of the guiding member. A first holding means for detachably supporting a rear end of the arc-shaped tube and a front end of the rear tube is installed between the rear end of the arc-shaped tube and the front end of the rear tube. An open space between a rear end of the arc-shaped front tube and a front end of the rear tube provides ease of lifesaving.    U.S. Pat. No. 8,800,470—Dive Door for Rigid Inflatable Boats
A dive door for an inflatable boat configured as a semi-cylindrical body having a planar platform surface and an outer curved surface. The door is hingeably attached to the deck of the boat and is disposed between a first gunwale tubing section and a second gunwale tubing section of the boat. The dive door is selectively operable between a deployed position and a closed position. In the deployed position, the planar platform surface extends outwardly from the boat and the outer curved surface faces downward toward the water. A hydraulic ram may be attached to and disposed between the platform surface and a rigid structure of the boat, whereby the hydraulic ram is translates the door between the deployed position and the closed position. In the closed position, the outer curved surface is coincident with the gunwale tubing such that it appears that the door is integrated into the boat.    U.S. Pat. No. 9,120,540—Marine Vessel Dive Patio
A dive door for a marine vessel comprising a planar body having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The door is disposed between the gunwale of the boat and is hingeably attached to the deck of the boat. The door is releasably retained to the gunwale by one or more latches disposed at a top edge of the dive door. One or more gas shocks are attached to the door and the boat such that the dive door is selectively operable between a deployed position and a closed position. When deployed, the interior surface of the dive door extends outwardly from the boat. In the closed position, the outer surface of the dive door is matches the profile of the gunwale, providing a sleek integrated look. A ladder may hinged to the dive door and is configured to extend downward.
However, each of the above-referenced assemblies suffers from disadvantages. It would be desirable to provide a dive door and ladder assembly, wherein the dive door forms a step or platform when in the open position, and wherein a compartment below the door may house a collapsible ladder that may be extended over the side of the boat beneath the doorway. Such an assembly allows the ladder to be stowed away in a hidden compartment when the diver door is in the closed position, and also offers a platform, raised slightly from the deck of the boat, for divers, snorkelers and the like to enter and exit the boat.


Provided is a touch panel. The touch panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other; a plurality of stacks separated by a pixel definition layer and each including an anode block and an organic light emitting block; a plurality of cathodes; a plurality of strip-shaped first touch electrodes arranged in a first direction and each extending in a second direction; and a plurality of strip-shaped second touch electrodes arranged in the second direction and each extending in the first direction. The first touch electrodes may arranged on the same layer with the anodes or arranged on the same layer with the cathodes, and are directly on the pixel definition layer. A projection of the strip-shaped first touch electrode is located between projections of two adjacent cathodes.

An Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) possesses characteristics such as self-illumination, low consumption, fast response, high contrast and wide viewing angle. Therefore, the AMOLED has a wide application prospect in the field of display technologies.
With development of display technologies, a touch structure is integrated in an AMOLED display panel to achieve a touch control function. In the related art, the touch structure is typically integrated in the AMOLED display panel in an On-Cell manner in order for the touch control function of the AMOLED display panel. However, in such AMOLED display panels with the touch structure integrated in the On-Cell manner, electromagnetic interference occurs between the touch structure and a display structure during operation of the AMOLED display panel, and hence a display effect and a touch control effect of the AMOLED display panel are affected; moreover, the above integration by the On-Cell manner includes lots of manufacturing processes and results in a high production cost.

Touch panel with reduced electromagnetic interference


A vapor recovery system includes an anemometer positioned in the vapor return line to calculate the volume of returning vapor in the vapor return line. The anemometer is connected to a control system which compares the volume of returning vapor to the volume of fuel being dispensed and adjusts the speed at which vapor is recovered so that the two volumes approximately equal one another. The anemometer may be a Wheatstone bridge arrangement or a pair of thermometers.

Vapor recovery fuel dispensers, particularly gasoline dispensers, have been known for quite some time, and have been mandatory in California for a number of years. The primary purpose of using a vapor recovery fuel dispenser is to retrieve or recover the vapors, which would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere during a fueling operation, particularly for motor vehicles. The vapors of concern are generally those which are contained in the vehicle gas tank. As liquid gasoline is pumped into the tank, the vapor is displaced and forced out through the filler pipe. Other volatile liquids such as hydrocarbon fluids raise similar issues.
A traditional vapor recovery apparatus is known as the "balance" system, in which a sheath or boot encircles the liquid fueling spout and connects by tubing back to the fuel reservoir. As the liquid enters the tank, the vapor is forced into the sheath and back toward the fuel reservoir or underground storage tank (UST) where the vapors can be stored or recondensed. Balance systems have numerous drawbacks, including cumbersomeness, difficulty of use, ineffectiveness when seals are poorly made, and slow fueling rates.
As a dramatic step to improve on the balance systems, Gilbarco, Inc., assignee of the present invention, patented an improved vapor recovery system for fuel dispensers, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,577 to Pope, which is herein incorporated by reference. The Pope patent discloses a vapor recovery apparatus in which a vapor pump is introduced in the vapor return line and is driven by a variable speed motor. The liquid flow line includes a pulser, conventionally used for generating pulses indicative of the liquid fuel being pumped. This permits computation of the total sale and the display of the volume of liquid and the cost in a conventional display, such as, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,524 to McCrory et al. A microprocessor translates the pulses indicative of the liquid flow rate into a desired vapor pump operating rate. The effect was to permit the vapor to be pumped at a rate correlated with the liquid flow rate so that, as liquid is pumped faster, vapor is also pumped faster.
There are three basic embodiments used to control vapor flow during fueling operations. The first embodiment is the use of a constant speed vapor pump during fueling without any sort of control mechanism. The second is the use of a pump driven by a constant speed motor coupled with a controllable valve to extract vapor from the vehicle gas tank. While the speed of the pump is constant, the valve may be adjusted to increase or decrease the flow of vapor. The third is the use of a variable speed motor and pump as described in the Pope patent, which is used without a controllable valve assembly. All three techniques have advantages either in terms of cost or effectiveness, and depending on the reasons driving the installation, any of the three may be appropriate. The present state of the art is well shown in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,979, which is herein incorporated by reference.
Regardless of whether the pump is driven by a constant speed motor or a variable speed motor, there is no feedback mechanism to guarantee that the amount of vapor being returned to the UST is correct. A feedback mechanism is helpful to control the A/L ratio. The A/L ratio is the amount of vapor-air being returned to the UST divided by the amount of liquid being dispensed. An A/L ratio of 1 would mean that there was a perfect exchange. Often, systems have an A/L >1 to ensure that excess air is recovered rather than allowing some vapor to escape. This inflated A/L ratio causes excess air to be pumped into the UST, which results in a pressure build up therein. This pressure build up can be hazardous, and as a result most USTs have a vent that releases vapor-air mixtures resident in the UST to the atmosphere should the pressure within the UST exceed a predetermined threshold. While effective to relieve the pressure, it does allow hydrocarbons or other volatile vapors to escape into the atmosphere.
While PCT application Ser. No. PCT/GB98/00172 published Jul. 23, 1998 as WO 98/31628, discloses one method to create such a feedback loop using a Fleisch tube, there remains a need to create alternate feedback mechanisms to more accurately measure the vapor flow in a vapor recovery system in order to minimize the need to vent the UST to the atmosphere and ensure proper vapor recovery.

Vapor recovery system for fuel dispenser


The invention relates to a passive repeater for forwarding radio signals from a first device having a radio interface to a second device having a radio interface, wherein the passive repeater is configured to forward radio signals between an interior of a housing, which has a housing wall acting as a radio barrier, and an exterior, through the housing wall, wherein the passive repeater has a first antenna and a second antenna for this purpose, which are connected to each other by a passive and galvanic coupling, and wherein the first antenna can be arranged in the interior and the second antenna can be arranged in the exterior, and the passive coupling can be carried out through an opening in the housing wall, and wherein the first antenna can be inserted into the interior from the exterior through the opening and/or the second antenna can be withdrawn from the interior to the exterior through the opening. The invention further relates to a radio system having such a passive repeater, to a vehicle having such a repeater or such a radio system, to a bearing having such a repeater or such a radio system, and to a use of such a repeater or such a radio system.

From the prior art it is known to overcome radio barriers in such a way that an antenna of the first device is extended by a cable extension so that it can be arranged on the other side of the radio barrier (e.g., a shielding housing). Furthermore, active Bluetooth or WLAN repeaters, sometimes also with intermediate networks, are also known that are not suitable for many applications, however, due to the installation space, the costs, and the necessary power supply.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,462,062 B2 shows a passive wireless repeater that is mounted on the side wall of a container. The repeater includes a first antenna on one side of the side wall, a second antenna on an opposite side of the side wall, and an electrical connection between the first antenna and the second antenna.
From the published EP 2 720 313 A1, a device is known for forwarding radio signals through a metal wall. Similar devices are to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,629,943 B2, US 2003/0214774 A1, and JP H04-74 025 A.

Passive repeater for forwarding radio signals from interior to exterior of a housing including insertable antenna


A ratchet wrench with thumb activated direction control switch comprising: a shaft including a head with an essentially hollow interior and a handle, a circular gear being rotatably mounted within the head, a socket engagement block being coupled to the circular gear through the head, a ratchet assembly including two bevel arms pivotally coupled within the head, a half pinion being formed in a semicircular configuration with gear teeth and an upstanding biasing member, the half pinion being pivotally coupled within the head with the biasing member positioned between the bevel arms; and the handle including a rectangular bore and an elongated aperture extending into the head and in communication with the rectangular bore, a switch being coupled within the bore, the switch having a bar extending into the head, the bar having a forward end including a rack with a plurality of teeth, the rack meshing with the gear teeth of the half pinion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench with thumb activated direction control switch and more particularly pertains to enabling users to easily reverse the operational direction of the ratchet assembly by manipulating the thumb activated switch of the apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of ratchet devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, ratchet devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of tightening and loosening bolts by using the devices in the suggested manner are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No 4,086,829 to Hudgins a speed handle ratchet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,047 to Arnold discloses a reversible ratchet wrench.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,953 to Lin discloses a ratchet screw driver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,463 to Wannop discloses a ratchet wrench with dual-rotating constant drive handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,561 to Mize discloses a ratchet and gear drive socket wrench handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,001 to Thomasian discloses a reversible ratchet handle for socket wrench.
In this respect, the ratchet wrench with thumb activated direction control switch according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of enabling users to easily reverse the operational direction of the ratchet assembly by manipulating the thumb activated switch of the apparatus.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved ratchet wrench with thumb activated direction control switch which can be used for enabling users to easily reverse the operational direction of the ratchet assembly by manipulating the thumb activated switch of the apparatus. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Ratchet wrench with thumb activated direction control switch


To suppress an unstable operation of a device caused by filtering, an output selection unit is configured to acquire an unfiltered value representing an input signal (signal before filtering) stored in an input holding unit, a filtered value representing a signal acquired by filtering the input signal by a filtering unit, and a previous output value representing an output signal output at a previous time, select a middle value out of the filtered value, the unfiltered value, and the previous output value, and set the selected middle value as a current output value of an output signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital filter and a vehicle driving force control apparatus configured to reduce a vehicle body vibration through use of the digital filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there is known a technology of controlling a driving force of a driving device, e.g., an engine, to thereby reduce a vehicle body vibration. For example, in order to reduce the vehicle body vibration, an apparatus proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-237879 is configured to use a notch filter to filter a signal representing a driver required driving force, and control a driving force of a driving device based on the driver required driving force after the filtering. In this apparatus, a notch frequency of the notch filter is set to a value for reducing a frequency component of a pitching vibration of the vehicle body. As a result, the pitching vibration of the vehicle body can be reduced. As such a notch filter, a digital filter is used.
An output signal value after a specific frequency component is removed by the digital filter in this way can be used to control various devices. However, the output signal value after the filtering by the digital filter has such a characteristic as to be delayed from an input signal value before the filtering, and not to monotonically follow a change in the input signal value (that is, to pulsate).
Therefore, when an operation of a device is controlled based on the output signal value, the operation of the device may become unstable. Moreover, a fluctuation range of the output signal value may exceed a fluctuation range of the input signal value, that is, the output signal value may overshoot or undershoot with respect to the input signal value.
For example, a case is considered in which a control system for a device is constructed to start an operation of the device when the output signal value of the digital filter becomes more than a first threshold value, and to stop the operation of the device when the output signal value becomes less than a second threshold value (<first threshold value). On this occasion, a range of from the second threshold value to the first threshold value is a dead zone for preventing hunting.
When the input signal value input to the digital filter increases to become more than the first threshold value, the output signal value increases accordingly to become more than the first threshold value. Then, even when the input signal value is maintained to be a value larger than the first threshold value, the output signal value after the filtering may temporarily increase/decrease to become less than the second threshold value. In this case, the device that needs to be maintained in operating condition temporarily stops.
A description is now given of the problem in one example. For example, a case is considered in which, in a hybrid vehicle in which a hybrid system constructed by combining an engine and a motor/generator is used to generate a driving force, the driving force is controlled by using an output signal value of a notch filter (digital filter) to decrease a pitching vibration of a vehicle body. In this hybrid vehicle, a signal representing the driver required driving force determined by an accelerator operation amount and a vehicle speed is input to the notch filter, and an output signal value of the notch filter is used to control the driving force of the hybrid system. In this apparatus, a notch frequency of the notch filter is set to a value for reducing a frequency component of the pitching vibration of the vehicle body. Thus, the pitching vibration of the vehicle body can be suppressed.
In the hybrid vehicle, operations of the engine and the motor/generator are switched depending on the value of the driver required driving force. For example, such a control system is considered that when the driver required driving force value is equal to or less than a first threshold value, the driving force is generated only by the motor/generator, and when the driver required driving force value becomes more than the first threshold value, the engine is started. In this case, a threshold value for stopping the engine in order to prevent hunting is set to a second threshold value less than the first threshold value.
When an accelerator pedal is suddenly depressed under a state in which the accelerator pedal is released (under a regenerative braking state by the motor), as shown in FIG. 10, a driver required driving force value Fin before the filtering rapidly increases, and is then stabilized. In this example, the driver required driving force value Fin becomes more than a first threshold value ref1 in the course of the increase. On the other hand, a driver required driving force value Fout after the filtering transitions so as to follow the driver required driving force value Fin to increase halfway, but in the vicinity after the first threshold value ref1, turn to decrease to become less than the second threshold value ref2, and then turn to increase to approach the driver required driving force value Fin. Thus, the control state of the engine switches alternately in such a sequence as stop→start→stop→start. In other words, each time the driver required driving force value Fout passes across the dead zone, the control of the engine presents hunting. When this phenomenon occurs, the driver may feel a sense of discomfort.
Moreover, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the driver required driving force value Fout after the filtering may temporarily become much more than the driver required driving force value Fin before the filtering. FIG. 11 is a graph for showing a state in which the driver is depressing the accelerator pedal, then suddenly releases the accelerator pedal, and then soon depresses the accelerator pedal again. In this case, there is such a fear that the driver may feel an unintended sense of acceleration.
The digital filter is used for various control apparatuses as well as for damping control for the vehicle body. However, as described above, there is such a fear that the operation of the device may become unstable when a device is controlled based on the output signal value of the digital filter.

Digital filter and vehicle driving force control apparatus


A method and a device for analyzing a structure by tomography and diffuse acousto-elastic field correlation are provided. An optical fiber comprising a plurality of measurement points of FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) type, comprising sensors of Bragg grating type, is deployed in or on the structure to be analyzed. The method comprises the emission of light, into the optical fiber, and the measurement by correlation for each pair of FBG sensors. In a development, a prior imaging of the structure is performed by reconstruction of the velocities of propagation. Other developments comprise: the determination of the positions of the FBG sensors, the calibration of the tomography, the rosette configuration of the sensors forming the measurement points, the use of a plurality of optical fibers, of multiplexers, of lasers, of optical circulators, of omnidirectional optical sensors, of active noise sources, such as piezoelectric transducers, incorporated or not in the structure.

The checking of the integrity of the structures (works of art, airplanes or pipe-lines for example) during their life is done generally during maintenance operations, with human inspection and intervention. Concrete technical problems consists for example in detecting and dimensioning a corroded zone on an airplane fuselage.
For these integrity checks, so-called non-destructive testing (NDT) methods are generally used, by so-called "conventional" methods (ultrasound, electromagnetic methods, etc.).
For a number of years now there have been research developments aiming to incorporate sensors in the structure at key points of the structures, and do so in order to automate the measurements (for example at regular intervals, these intervals being generally close together in time) and to be able to access information on the state of health for certain inaccessible zones, without dismantling or interrupting the operation of the structure. In general, these developments aim to space apart the maintenance intervals and therefore save money.
In particular, some research provides for the use of guided ultrasound waves (GW) emitted and detected by piezoelectric transducers (for example of PZT type) in-corporated in the structure. These guided waves are propagated over a great distance (some tens of cm to some hundreds of meters in highly favorable geometries such as pipelines), so that a limited number of transducers makes it possible to test a large area. Other technologies can be used to emit and/or detect the guided ultrasound waves (in addition to the optical fibers, PVDF films or magnetostrictive sensors for example).
One general technical problem lies in finding an acceptable trade-off between the number of sensors to be incorporated (cost, bulk, weight, etc.) and the quality of the information that can be recovered by these sensors. A high number of sensors means a high cost and a low number of sensors often means a lack of reliability of the information, risks of false alarms, or even a lack of redundancy in the event of failure of a sensor. The multiplication of the sensors however poses other specific problems (for example each incorporated sensor can constitute an additional point of embrittlement, which could risk inducing new defects in the structure). For each sensor, it is also essential to provide electrical power supply wires, which is not always possible. In industrial practice, very few applications provide a satisfactory trade-off.
Regarding the nature of the sensors, the solutions known from the prior art using lasers as measurement systems cannot be used in all circumstances. In particular, the lasers cannot be incorporated in the structures.
Some known approaches consist in proceeding with a reference measurement of the structure in the healthy state in order to observe a difference with a subsequent state to reveal the presence of the defect. In order to reliabilize this operation, various signal processing techniques exist, in particular for neutralizing the influence of temperature, but none is truly effective. In all cases, the interpretation of the signals remains very difficult.
The various aspects of the invention mitigate these drawbacks, at least partly.

COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES


The disclosure provides an optical module, including a laser, the laser including a light emitting region and a modulation region, and light emitted by the light emitting region emitting toward the modulation region; a first driver circuit, the first driver circuit being connected to the light emitting region, so that the light emitting region emits light with adjusted optical power; and a second driver circuit, the second driver circuit being connected to the modulation region, so that the modulation region changes the optical power of the light emitted from the light emitting region.

In an optical communication network, an optical module implements conversion of an electrical signal to an optical signal, and by controlling power supply of a laser in the optical module, the optical module controls a light-emitting state of the laser, thereby implementing loading information carried by the electrical signal to the optical signal.
However, the information loaded to the optical signal is merely a single channel of information. Transmission of the single channel of information limits the bandwidth of the optical communication.

Hisense Broadband Multimedia Technologies Co., Ltd.

Hisense Broadband Multimedia Technologies, Ltd.


The present invention provides a thermal storage system that is easily integrated with a wide range of electric power systems. In particular, the principles of the present invention are easily implemented at a very large scale to integrate with larger scale grid systems. The thermal storage aspects of the present invention are cost effective to implement. Also, the manner in which the systems operate allow thinner, less expensive wiring to be used effectively. Because heavy wiring can be a significant part of startup expenses, the ability to use thinner gauge wiring provides significant cost savings. Further, the systems are quickly responsive to grid conditions and not only modulate energy storage but also modulate energy storage fast enough to respond to grid conditions in real time.

An electric power system is a network of electrical components used to supply, transmit and use electric power. An example of an electric power system is the network that supplies a region's homes and businesses with power. For sizable regions, this power system is known as the grid. An electric power system generally includes the generators that supply the power, the transmission system that carries the power from the generating centers to the load centers and the distribution system that feeds the power to nearby homes and industries. Smaller power systems also are found in industry, schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, homes, amusement parks, marine vessels, and the like.
Larger electric power systems also include a grid operator, also known as a transmission system operator or simply as an operator. One function of a grid operator is to manage the security of the power system in real time and to coordinate the supply and demand for electricity. Desirably, the grid operator manages a power system in a manner to avoid undue fluctuations in frequency or interruptions of supply. The grid operator may be an entity that is owned by a transmission grid company or may be fully independent. In some instances, a grid operator is wholly or partly owned by state or national governments. In many cases a grid operator is independent of electricity supplying entities (upstream entities) as well as electricity distribution entities (downstream entities).
The grid operator in many instances works to maintain a continuous (second-by-second) balance between electricity supply from power stations and demand from consumers. The grid operator also may work to ensure the provision of reserves that will allow for safe and timely response to sudden contingencies. The grid operator achieves this by determining an optimal combination of generating stations and reserve providers for each market trading period, instructing generators when and how much electricity to generate, and managing any contingent events that cause the balance between supply and demand to be disrupted. Grid operator staff may undertake this work using sophisticated energy modelling and communications systems.
In some instances, it may be desirable to store electric power for later use. For example, a current availability of electric power supply may be greater than a current demand. If the excess is not stored, it may have to be discarded. In other instances, pricing characteristics of electric power fluctuate. At some times, the price is so low that it is beneficial to store electric power purchased at a low price or even a negative price and then re-supply that power at higher pricing at a subsequent time. In other circumstances, electric consumers may be without power for a period of time due to a power outage. Such outages can be caused by a variety of factors including weather issues and grid problems. In such circumstances, it is desirable to supply stored electric power to users so that their access to electric power is less compromised while grid personnel work to restore the regular power supply.
U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2013/0081394 describes a thermal storage system in which electric energy from an electric power system is thermally stored in molten salt. This innovative thermal storage system is described in context of a solar power system. The solar power is the primary source of thermal energy used to generate electricity. The molten salt is a storage medium used firstly to store electrical energy as thermal energy and secondly to supply thermal energy on demand during periods, such as nighttime or overcast days, when too little solar energy is available.
The thermal storage system proposed by U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2013/0081394 offers great promise as a way to efficiently and cost effectively store electrical energy on a very large scale. However, challenges remain for the system to be constructed more economically. Additionally, the electrical power system that supplies the electrical energy to be stored has characteristics that are constantly changing. A thermal storage system desirably is quickly responsive to these changes when storing electrical energy. A system that responds too slowly might only be able to act in a desired manner only after the conditions leading to a desired action have become obsolete and have been replaced by new conditions that require a different action. A slow system, in other words, is unable to respond to grid changes in a timely fashion.

Electrical power systems incorporating thermal energy storage


The invention provides a system for axially keying and adjusting in position on a shaft the stator of a rotating machine such as an electric motor. The shaft is mounted on bearings at either end and an insulating disc is disposed between one of the bearings and the stator. The insulating disc comprises a recess, the median plane of which is substantially orthogonal to the shaft and a communicating channel formed between this recess and an annular space between a sleeve of the insulating disc. A settable bonding material is introduced into this space and a spacing bush is fitted over the shaft between the insulating disc and the adjacent bearing which passes into the annular recess and acts as a piston when the parts are assembled to drive the bonding material into the recess and take up any free play. The assembly is bonded together when the material sets.

A keying device of this kind is disclosed, for example, in European Patent EP-A-0 065 585.
In this arrangement, the spacing bush constitutes a friction element adapted to rotate with the shaft and the rotor of the motor. In order for this to occur, the bush is clamp fitted on the shaft and the sleeve connected to the rotor. However, the spacing bush must still be able to slide axially on the shaft to enable keying and adjustment of the axial clearance during assembly of the motor. The need to permit axial sliding of the spacing bush may lead to a mounting which is inadequately clamped to provide sufficient connection in rotation and in translation between the spacing bush, on the one hand, and the shaft and rotor of the motor, on the other hand.
Conversely, clamped mounting of the bush to ensure connection in rotation may make axial sliding difficult.
To provide efficient connection between the spacing bush and the rotor, as well as with the shaft, use of a filling material, which can be hardened, disposed between the bush and the rotor has been proposed (see German patent No. DE-A-1 538 921). However, supplying the correct quantity of material to be inserted is difficult, since the axial clearance to be taken up is not known exactly, so that the effectiveness of the connection which is made with the material which can subsequently be hardened is not always optimal.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a device for axially keying the rotor of a rotating machine of the kind defined previously, which responds better than those currently available to the various requirements in practice and which, in particular, enables better use of the material bonding the shaft, the sleeve of the insulating disc and the spacing bush.

System for axially locating the rotor of a rotating machine


An automatic dispensing device for wallboard joint taping is provided, including a body for holding a supply of viscous material and having a rear end and an opposite front end, a spool assembly disposed on the body and configured for supporting a spool of tape; at least one drive roller positioned at the front end and receiving an end of the spool of tape. Certain embodiments include an adhesive application assembly connected to the drive roller and mounted in operational relationship to the front end for dispensing a measured amount of adhesive upon an upper surface of the tape upon rotation of the at least one drive roll. In such embodiments, the body may be configured for holding sufficient adhesive to cover tape advanced by at least 200 rotations of the at least one drive roller.

In the construction field, and particularly in interior construction, walls are commonly formed with a plurality of abutting wallboard panels or the like used to construct interior walls. A wall joint is formed at a location where two panels meet. To provide a smooth, continuous wall appearance, joint tape is applied to the wall joint. Tape is either applied to the wall joints by hand, or using devices commonly referred to as taper or taping tools.
Taper or taping tools apply a viscous filling and adhering material in the form of joint compound to the joint tape and subsequently apply the compound and tape to a wall joint. Such joint compound is also commonly referred to as mud. A variety of taper tools, also referred to as automatic dispensing devices, exist in the market place, but the taper tools generally operate in a similar manner. Initially, the taper tool is used to apply the tape and joint compound to a wall joint. The tape exits the tool from its first or forward end. After the taper tool reaches the top or bottom of the joint (depending on which direction the operator is applying the tape and compound) and completes tape application for the particular wall joint, the operator activates a cutting mechanism used to cut the tape. Typically, the cutting mechanism is disposed on and behind the forward end of the taper tool.
Accordingly, for the next application of tape to the wall surface, the tape must be advanced to the forward end of the taper tool. This can be performed by either manually grasping the tape and feeding the tape to the forward end, or by a tape advancing assembly, which is also connected to the taper tool. The tape advancing assembly is actuatable by the operator and engages the tape to advance the leading edge of the tape toward the forward end of the taper tool. Suitable exemplary taping tools are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,086,121; 5,882,691; 6,581,805; 6,874,557; 7,624,782 and US Patent Application Publication No. US 2007/0261334, all of which are incorporated by reference. Unfortunately, advancing the leading edge of the tape in either of these manners does not provide tape with sufficient compound applied thereto. Accordingly, the portion of the tape without compound will not stick to the wall surface and will not provide an effective seal between wall sections. Other drawbacks of conventional taping tools relate to the significant volume of joint compound required for properly adhering the tape to the wall joint, and the frequent difficulty in obtaining a good adhesive bond between the tape and the joint.
In conventional drywall construction, a typical 10,000 sq. ft. gypsum panel wall area will require over 208 pieces of gypsum panels provided by the gypsum panel manufacturer in a 4 ft×12 ft. sheet dimension. Often, the board installation process can take up to two days to complete. The gypsum panels are typically attached as full sheets and also cut to smaller and different individual dimensions less than 4 ft×12 ft size to cover the wall assembly framing, which can create over 275 individual pieces of gypsum panels attached to framing and creating numerous abutting joint seams which require joint reinforcement with joint tape affixed over the joint seams. This joint reinforcement process is commonly referred to as the joint taping operation.
A conventional taping operation is typically staffed using a 3 person crew per mechanical taping tool employed, where one crew member operates the mechanical taping tool by applying joint tapes coated in joint compound over the flat seams where panels are installed and abut edge to edge along a flat plane and angle seams where panels are installed and abut at an angle. The other two crew members work in concert seating and/or setting the joint tape firmly over the joint and wiping excess joint compound away.
Currently, using the aforementioned skilled 3 person crew and taping process, the joint taping operation typically requires over 15 man-hours of labor and approximately 45 to 50+ gallons of joint compound per 10,000 sq. ft. of installed gypsum panels to perform the joint taping operation. During this time, the taping tool operator will need to refill the taping tool with joint compound over 50 times using a taping tool having a fixed volume capacity reservoir, which adversely affects productivity. This current taping operation using joint tape and joint compound materials can take over 24 hours to dry under good drying conditions, such as 75° F./50% relative humidity, before other joint finishing operations can be effectively performed.

Automatic dispensing device for wallboard joint taping


The present invention relates to a method of armoring a vehicle with a novel armor material. Particularly, a metal matrix composite body is formed with a filler material and an aluminum matrix metal, wherein the filler material comprises magnesia or titanium diboride and is present in an amount of at least 40 percent by volume. The metal matrix composite body is then placed on a portion of a vehicle.

The prior art is replete with many different approaches for producing armor materials. Specifically, numerous attempts have been made to make metallic armor and ceramic armor, as well as composite armor. However, a need still exists to produce a reliable armor material which is relatively inexpensive and simple to make.
Conventional armor systems also involve laminated structures which include various materials such as metal, ceramics, and/or composite layers. However, a need still exists to provide better armor materials having desirable anti-ballistic performance, which can be made at low cost, and involving simple manufacturing techniques.

Method of armoring a vehicle with an anti-ballistic material


A planetary gear device as a central differential is provided. The planetary gear device has a first sun gear connected to an output shaft of a transmission, a carrier, first and second planetary pinions rotatably supported on the carrier through a shaft, and a second sun gear. The first planetary pinion is engaged with the first sun gear, and the second planetary pinion is engaged with the second sun gear. Each of the sun gears and the planetary pinions is arranged such that resultant force produced by a separative load and a tangential load at a contact point of the pinion and the sun gear is exerted on a bearing on the shaft, so that friction at the bearing produces a differential operation restricting torque.

The present invention relates to a torque distribution control system for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle having a central differential in a form of a complex planetary gear device.
In the four-wheel drive motor vehicle, a torque distribution ratio of front and rear wheels is determined in accordance with a dynamic load ratio of the front and rear wheels and with movement of the center of gravity of the vehicle at acceleration so that the power of the an engine may be most effectively used.
In the four-wheel drive vehicle based on front-drive with a front-mounted engine, the ratio of the front torque T.sub.F to the front wheels and the rear torque T.sub.R to the rear wheels is approximately 50:50 (TF:TR.apprxeq.50:50). In the four-wheel drive vehicle based on rear-drive with a front-mounted engine, the ratio of the front torque T.sub.F to the rear torque T.sub.R is approximately 40:60 (TF:TR.apprxeq.40:60). A central differential comprising bevel gears is provided in the former system in which the output torque of the engine is equally distributed, and a central differential having a simple planetary gear device is provided in the latter system.
The former system ensures safe driving on a slippery road. If a differential lock device is provided for locking the central differential, the driveability of the vehicle is improved. However, when the vehicle makes a turn at high speed under the differential lock condition, all of four wheels may slip (i.e. the vehicle spins) at the same time, causing difficult driving.
In order to ensure driving stability of the vehicle, the torque to the rear wheels is set to a value larger than that to the front wheels by arranging the central differential comprising the simple planetary gear device, so that first the rear wheels may slip. Thus, the vehicle can be safely driven by the front wheels at a small torque while the rear wheels do not drive.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 63-176728 discloses a four-wheel drive motor vehicle in which a central differential comprising a simple planetary gear device is provided. The output of the transmission is transmitted to a carrier of the planetary gear device. The torque is distributed to the front wheels through either a sun gear or a ring gear and to the rear wheels through the other gear. The torque to the front and rear wheels is unequally distributed at a ratio determined by the difference between the pitch circles of the sun gear and the ring gear. A fluid operated multiple-disk friction clutch as a lock device is provided for controlling the differential operation. The clutch comprises a drive drum and a driven drum each having multiple-disks, and a piston oil chamber formed between the drive drum and a piston. An electronic control system and a hydraulic control system are provided for controlling the pressure of oil. When oil is supplied to the piston chamber, the piston is urged by the pressure of the oil to push the disks of the drive drum. Thus, the opposite disks are engaged to produce a torque for restricting the differential operation.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 60-159444 discloses a system for controlling a differential without electronic and hydraulic control systems. The differential comprises a worm gear and a worm wheel provided between right and left wheels or between the front and rear wheels for permitting the differential operation when a motor vehicle makes a turn. When the vehicle travels on a straight road, the differential is locked because of the irreversible function of the worm gear.
In the former system, the system is complicated in construction and becomes large in size because of the hydraulic control system and the electronic control system including a solenoid operated control valve for operating the clutch. Since the pressurized oil is supplied to the clutch for actuating the clutch to restrict the differential operation, a time lag inevitably occurs in the clutch operation. If the length of a hydraulic circuit in the hydraulic system is long, the response in operation is deteriorated, which decreases driveability of the vehicle. Furthermore, the differential operation is largely changed in accordance with fluctuation of the friction between the drive disks and driven disks. Therefore, it is desired to accurately control the pressure of the oil in accordance with driving conditions of the vehicle.
In the latter system, since the worm gear is used, the structure of the differential is complicated so that manufacturing cost increases. Further, since the worm gear device has a large sliding resistance, transmission efficiency reduces and wear of the gears increases. The system can not use the same oil of the transmission system the actuating oil so that the system is not provided in the transmission system.

Torque distribution control system for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle


A radio relay apparatus to periodically transmit a beacon to a radio terminal apparatus, comprises: a control section for generating a beacon including group identification information indicating a group to which a radio terminal apparatus of a reception object of the beacon belongs; and a transmission section for transmitting the generated beacon to the radio terminal apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio relay apparatus periodically transmitting a beacon to a radio terminal apparatus, the radio terminal apparatus receiving the beacon from the radio relay apparatus, a method for these apparatuses, and a recording medium for these apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the development of a radio communication system for building a radio network among a plurality of electronic devices to perform information communication has been advanced. In particular, the development of the field of a small-scale radio personal area network (PAN) having a communication range about a person has been advanced, and the radio PAN has been rapidly spread among people. The radio PAN has been realized by using, for example, ZigBee (registered trademark), which standardizes a physical layer and a media access control (MAC) layer in accordance with the IEEE 802.15 standard, and Bluetooth (registered trademark), which standardizes a physical layer and a MAC layer in accordance with the IEEE 802.15.1 standard.
ZigBee has been standardized by ZigBee Alliance, and uses the specifications of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for the physical layer and the MAC layer. Consequently, ZigBee has the following features: having a speed lower than that of Bluetooth, but having a lower price, consuming lower power, being easily set up, and enabling a radio relay apparatus to be connected to many radio terminal apparatuses.
A radio communication system using ZigBee is composed of a radio relay apparatus and radio terminal apparatuses. A beacon mode is frequently used as the communication system of the radio communication system. By the beacon mode, a radio relay apparatus periodically transmits beacon signals at a predetermined period, and all of the radio terminal apparatuses receive the beacons, so that the radio terminal apparatuses perform radio communications with the radio relay apparatus in synchronization with the received beacons.
When the radio relay apparatus transmits data to a radio terminal apparatus, the radio relay apparatus stores the address of the radio terminal apparatus to which the data is transmitted in the pending addresses in beacons to transmit the data. Then the radio terminal apparatus that has received the beacons transmits a data request to the radio relay apparatus to receive the data if its own address exists in the beacons.
The number of the addresses of radio terminal apparatuses that can be stored in a pending address is defined by the IEEE 802.15.4 standard up to seven at a maximum in the radio communication system described above. Consequently, for example, even if data is transmitted to all of the radio terminal apparatuses in a radio communication system composed of one radio relay apparatus and many, e.g. eight or more, radio terminal apparatuses, seven addresses at a maximum can be stored in one beacon. Consequently, all of the radio terminal apparatuses perform their reception operations every transmission time of the beacons although only seven radio terminal apparatuses at a maximum can receive data at one transmission of a beacon. Consequently, because the radio terminal apparatuses perform the receptions of beacons even when the radio terminal apparatuses do not need to receive data, there is the problem of useless power consumption.

Radio relay apparatus, radio terminal apparatus, method, and recording medium for performing radio communication based on beacon


An aerial toy includes a hollow sleeve member which is open at both ends and a base member which acts as a pump into which the sleeve fits longitudinally in a sliding arrangement, wherein movement of the base member from a first extended position to a second position along the hollow sleeve member results in air moving out the upper end of the sleeve. A launch tube portion fits onto an upper end of the hollow sleeve member. A flying member which is made from a compressible foam is mountable on the launch tube, the flying member having at least one constriction along its length, wherein the internal diameter of a body portion of the flying member is slightly decreased at the constriction, providing a tighter fit between the flying member and the launch tube without significantly increasing the force necessary to mount the flying member on the launch tube.

This invention relates generally to aerial toys, and more specifically concerns such a toy which includes a flying member such as a rocket, an airplane or the like which is launched by air action involving a pump portion of the toy.
Aerial toys which include a flying member, such as shown in FIG. 1, are well known. Such toys include a pump portion which is used to launch the flying member. The toy shown generally at 10 in FIG. 1, which is illustrative, includes a hollow sleeve element 12, a base pump member 14 into which one end of the sleeve element 10 fits, and a launch tube 16 mounted at the other end of the sleeve, upon which the flying member 18, such as a rocket, is mounted. In FIG. 1, the sleeve 12 is shown all the way into the base member 14, while the flying member 18 is shown fully onto the launch tube 16, which is connected to the top of the sleeve. In operation, the pump member is moved from an extended position, in which a substantial portion of the sleeve is exposed, to a position farther up along the sleeve, forcing air up through the launch tube which in turn forces the flying member positioned thereupon off of the launch tube and into flight.
It is desirable that the flying member fly for as long and far as great a distance as possible. However, a long flight typically requires a very tight fit between the flying member and the launch tube, which results in a substantial amount of air pressure building up within the launch tube before the flying member is launched, i.e. before the pressure overcomes the resistance between the launch tube and the flying member. The substantial air pressure accounts for the long flight. However, the disadvantage of this arrangement is that a significant amount of force is required to position the flying member on the launch tube, i.e. forcing the flying member, which has an open internal volume, onto the launch tube. Young children often have significant difficulty in accomplishing this. A flying member on the other hand can configured with a sufficiently large internal diameter so that it is relatively easy to position the flying member on the launch tube; in such a case the flying member will launch at a relatively low air pressure and the flying member will not fly very far or long.
It would be desirable if the flight time and distance of the flying member could be increased without adding significantly to the cost or complexity of the existing toy and with the flying member being relatively easy to mount on the launch tube portion of the toy.
Accordingly, the present invention is an aerial toy, comprising: a hollow sleeve portion, open at both ends; a base member into which the sleeve portion fits longitudinally in a sliding arrangement, the base member being closed at a lower end thereof, such that movement of the base member from a first extended position relative to the sleeve portion to a second position a substantial distance along the sleeve portion results in air moving out the upper end of the sleeve portion; and a flying member having an opening at one end which extends into an internal opening and mountable on the launch tube by a user, the flying member having at least one constriction along its length where the interior diameter of the flying member is slightly decreased, resulting in a tighter fit between the flying member and the launch tube than along the remainder of the flying member, producing a longer flight for the flying member, while still being conveniently mountable on the launch tube.


A device for imaging the surfaces of a sample having topography with the aid of confocal microscopy, in particular confocal Raman and/or fluorescence microscopy, comprising a first light source, in particular a laser light source for generating excitation radiation, in particular Raman radiation and/or fluorescence radiation and

In many applications such as Raman and/or fluorescence measurements, confocal measurement possesses advantages since existing flare is strongly suppressed. The problem with confocal measurements or confocal microscopy is, however, that the plane or area to be imaged, especially the surface when scanning a sample, does not remain within the focal plane due to drift, sample unevenness, roughness, and tilt of the sample.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Abstract: a second light source, wherein the first laser light source emits radiation in a first wavelength range and the second light source emits radiation in a second wavelength range, wherein the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range do not overlap.

WITEC Wissenschaftliche Instrumente Und Technologie GMBH


A method of producing a stretch laminate exhibiting reduced defects from a mechanical activation process can include providing a nipping member. The nipping member can have a first nip region and a non-nip region adjacent to the first nip region. A first substrate and an elastic element are provided to the nipping member. The first substrate and the elastic element are joined in a face to face relationship with adhesive therebetween, thereby creating an intermediate laminate. The intermediate laminate has a first tack down region and an activation region adjacent the first tack down region. A portion of the first tack down region passes through the first nip region, and a portion of the activation region passes through the non-nip region of the nipping member. The activation region of the intermediate laminate is mechanically activated, thereby creating the stretch laminate.

Stretch laminates are often used in disposable absorbent articles. For example, stretch laminates can be utilized in leg regions and waist regions of a disposable absorbent diaper, thereby allowing the disposable absorbent diaper to extend and contract about the leg regions and the waist region. The capability to extend and contract about the leg regions and the waist can provide improved fit for the disposable absorbent diaper with a wide range of wearers.
Conventional stretch laminates typically comprise a pair of nonwovens and an elastic film sandwiched in between the pair of nonwovens. Generally, the two nonwoven materials are attached to the elastic film via an adhesive.
Conventional stretch laminates typically comprise multiple regions of adhesive application. For example, some conventional stretch laminates may comprise a pair of tack down regions disposed adjacent to the ends of the laminate. Additionally, some conventional stretch laminates will further comprise an activation region disposed between the tack down regions.
In general conventional stretch laminates are subjected to a nipping process and then to a mechanical activation process. The nipping process typically compresses the pair of nonwovens and the elastic film together causing the adhesive to penetrate into the interstices of the nonwovens.
Downstream of the nipping process, the mechanical activation process generally involves meshing the conventional stretch laminate between sets of teeth. Typically, during the mechanical activation process, the activation region of the stretch laminate is meshed between the teeth while the tack down regions are generally not significantly meshed between the teeth. Because conventional stretch laminates are intermeshed between the teeth of the activation rolls, the nonwoven materials are permanently elongated at least to a certain degree, so that upon release of the applied tensile forces, the stretch laminate generally will not fully return to its original undistorted configuration.
The mechanical activation process is often performed at high speeds which may cause the stretch laminate to experience high strain rates during the mechanical activation process. Moreover, in order to provide the stretch laminate with greater extensibility, the stretch laminate may be exposed to high percentages of strain which can also lead to higher strain rates during mechanical activation. Unfortunately, higher strain rates are typically associated with higher defect levels.
Many stretch laminates can incur defects from the mechanical activation process, in part, because of the high strain rates experienced during the mechanical activation process. Many of the defects are structural in nature. For example, an elastic film which undergoes the mechanical activation process may experience defects such as holes which may reduce the structural integrity of the elastic film.
Consequently, a method is needed for producing a stretch laminate which exhibits reduced defects from a mechanical activation process.


Retaining elements are disclosed for mounting on a platen of an imprinter in order to position and secure an identification band on the platen for an imprinting operation. Each retaining element comprises a base having a planar bottom surface and an upper surface generally parallel with the bottom surface and including a band support portion, an adhesive layer along the bottom surface for securing the retaining elements to the platen, and a cantilevered spring arm secured at one end to the base (and extending over the band support portion of the base). A pair of such elements are affixed in spaced relation on the platen on opposite sides of an imprinting zone so that an identification band can be slipped between the undersides of the spring arms and the support portion of the bases with the imprint-receiving portion of the band traversing the imprinting zone and, preferably, the clasp of the band engaging a side edge of one of the retaining elements. Each spring arm is adapted to engage a portion of the band and temporarily deform to exert a clamping force which immobilizes the band for imprinting.

This invention relates to the field of printing devices and more particularly to identification band imprinters of a type commonly used in hospitals.
Printing devices are well known in the art and are widely used for imprinting credit card receipts, business forms and invoice slips. These devices typically have a platen upon which reusable plastic cards with raised characters providing the information to be imprinted may be placed. A cover with a roller carriage is connected to the platen such that the cover may be lowered and the roller may be passed over a form or slip positioned above (or below) the card to impress information from the card onto the form or slip. Typically, the business form or slip is held in place by locating the edges or corners of the form by means of guides as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,083,302 and 3,654,858. Other devices are known in the art which use spring clamps for forceably engaging and holding a business form or slip, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,818,829 and 3,704,668.
The present invention is particularly aimed at providing a retaining element for use in imprinting patient identification bands of a type widely used in hospitals. When a patient is admitted to a hospital, the patient's name and other personal data are typically entered on a plastic identification card (usually blue or green) having raised or embossed characters. This information is then imprinted onto a patient identification band (and onto a number of other hospital records) by using a roller-equipped imprinter of the general type described above. However, it is an all-too-common experience for such a band to slip when the cover is lowered and the roller is passed over the band, causing the impression to be marred or misplaced on the transfer surface of the band. Patient safety demands that the imprinted information be clearly legible, so bands with marred or misplaced information are commonly discarded and the process is repeated until satisfactory results are obtained. Such repetition obviously wastes material and consumes valuable time and effort of hospital personnel.
Accordingly, an important aspect of this invention lies in providing simple and inexpensive retaining elements for use with common roller-equipped imprinters for positioning and immobilizing patient identification bands for imprinting. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a simple means for positioning the identification band on an imprinter so as to prevent marred or misplaced information on the bands. A further objective of the invention is to eliminate wastage which results from discarding bands which have marred or misplaced information.
The present invention addresses the above problems and achieves the above objectives by providing a pair of retaining elements, each of which comprises a base having a planar bottom surface and an upper surface generally parallel with the bottom surface and including a band support portion, an adhesive layer along the bottom surface for securing the retaining elements to the platen, and a cantilevered spring arm mounted on the base and extending over the band support portion of the base. For use, the elements are affixed to the platen of the imprinter on opposite sides of the card-supporting and imprinting zone. A patient identification band is then slipped between the undersides of the spring arms and the band support portions of the bases of both elements. The underside of each spring arm is ideally provided with a longitudinal rib that has a lowest portion that is preferably coplanar with the support portions of the bases when the arm is in an unflexed state. When the band is inserted under the spring arm, the rib engages the band causing slight downward deformation of the band and upward flexing of the spring arm to exert a clamping force for holding the band in place. The clamping force could also be increased when the cover of the imprinter is closed to engage and press down on the upper contact surface of each spring arm that normally projects above the band support portions of the bases.
The retaining elements function as band positioning means as well as stabilizing or immobilizing means. Most advantageously, one of the elements is secured to the platen of the imprinter so that the clasp of an identification band engages a side edge of that element and secures the band against longitudinal movement in the direction of roller travel during an imprinting operation. A pair of such retaining elements may be easily and quickly mounted in proper locations on the platen of an imprinter simply by placing an identification band on the platen with its transfer surface precisely located over the imprinting zone and then positioning the retaining elements on opposite sides of that zone with portions of the band fully received beneath the spring arms and with one of the elements in lateral engagement with the clasp at one end of the band. Pressure-sensitive adhesive coatings on the undersides of the retaining elements, exposed by removing protective release sheets, securely fix the two elements in their selected positions on the platen.
The retaining elements of the present invention are inexpensive, easy to manufacture, and provide a secure means for locating and immobilizing an identification band on the platen of an imprinter for the transfer of information from an imprinting card to the transfer surface of the identification band.
Other features, advantages, and objects of the invention will become apparent from the specification and drawings.

Elements and method for positioning and immobilizing a patient identification band for imprinting


The rate of change of cabin air pressure in an aircraft cabin during aircraft ascent and descent is controlled as a function of a ratio which is equal to (P.sub.ld -P.sub.c)/(P.sub.ld -P.sub.a) during descent, and is equal to (P.sub.cc -P.sub.c)/(P.sub.cr -P.sub.a) during ascent, where P.sub.ld is ambient pressure at the aircraft landing site, P.sub.c is cabin pressure, P.sub.a is external aircraft ambient pressure, P.sub.cc is cabin pressure at cruise altitude, and P.sub.cr is ambient pressure at cruise altitude. A set point value for the ratio is computed throughout aircraft ascent and descent, and compared to the ratio to schedule a variable flow area of an outflow valve in order to drive the difference (i.e., the error) between the ratio and the desired value for the ratio to zero. By using an adjustable value for the desired set point, control of cabin pressure rate of change is improved during ascent and descent, since the cabin pressure rate of change is maintained at a reduced, linear rate, thereby providing a more comfortable environment for passengers.

Air pressure within an aircraft cabin is controlled during ascents and descents as a function of: ambient pressure, aircraft cabin pressure and the pressure at the aircraft landing site. Control is typically performed by an automatic cabin pressure controller.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,460 to Emmons, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, an aircraft is designed to withstand a maximum pressure differential between the cabin and ambient pressures. The '460 patent discloses a system where the desired rate of cabin pressure change, d(P.sub.cd)/dt is computed as a function of a ratio DP.sub.c /DP.sub.a, where:
DP.sub.c =the remaining change in cabin pressure during either an ascent or descent; and PA1 DP.sub.a =the remaining change in ambient pressure during either an ascent or descent;
The '460 patent discloses controlling the rate of cabin pressure change and adjusting the rate so if the aircraft slows its ascent/descent rate, the rate of cabin pressure change will also slow. Similarly if the aircraft increases its ascent/descent rate, the rate of cabin pressure change will also increase. This ensures the aircraft fuselage does not exceed a predetermined maximum pressure differential between the cabin pressure and external ambient pressure.
However, the '460 patent uses a function generator (item 33, FIG. 1) having a single, nonadjustable operating line as a function of DP.sub.a to provide a set point for the desired rate of cabin pressure change, d(P.sub.cd)/dt. Setting the desired rate of cabin pressure change based upon this single operating line for an infinite number of possible cabin pressure ascent and descent profiles, leads to a sacrifice in the control of cabin pressure since the desired rate of cabin pressure change is constrained to take on values along the single nonadjustable operating line of the function generator.

Aircraft cabin pressure control for ascents and descents


A testing apparatus for flat-panel display is disclosed. The flat-panel display at least comprises a plurality of electrode lines and a plurality of driving circuits. The driving circuits are used to drive the electrode lines. The driving circuits and the testing apparatus are disposed on the opposite sides of the flat-panel display. The testing apparatus comprises a plurality of switching components and at least one shorting bar. The shorting bar electrically couples to the electrode lines through the switching components. When the switching components are thin film transistor, the switching components further comprise at least one switching line. The switching line electrically couples to the gates of the thin film transistors. The electrode lines are divided into several groups to electrically couple to the shorting bar and the switching line, for example.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a testing apparatus for a flat-panel display, and more particularly, to a flat-panel display testing apparatus in which the electrode lines are tested in groups and the lines electrically coupling the electrode lines and the testing apparatus need not be cut off after the testing is completed.
2. Description of Related Art
The Information Technology (IT) industry is a mainstream industry in modern life. Especially, the display product for various portable communication devices has become an important development subject in this field. Presently flat panel is popularly used because of its advantageous features of high picture quality, small space utilization, low power consumption and radiation free. Therefore, the flat-panel display, which works as a communication interface between users and information, has accordingly become a very important tool in our every day activities. The flat-panel display is classified in the following categories: the Organic Electro-Luminescent Display, OELD), the Plasma Display Panel (PDP), the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), the Light Emitting Diode (LED), the Vacuum Fluorescent Display, the Field Emission Display (FED), and the Electro-chromic Display. After the flat-panel display is manufactured, it must be tested to ensure of its proper operation before it is shipped to the customer.
An apparatus and a method of testing a Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT LCD) are described as follows. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a apparatus for testing a conventional TFT LCD. As shown in FIG. 1, the TFT LCD 100 is defined into a display area 110 and a peripheral area 120. Wherein, a plurality of electrode lines 130 is disposed on the display area 110, and a plurality of driving circuits 140 is disposed on the peripheral area 120 for driving the electrode lines 130. For testing the TFT LCD, a shorting bar 150 is electrically coupled to the electrode lines 130 and then a signal is fed into the electrode lines 130 via the shorting bar 150. to check for its proper operation.
After completing the above test, the lines used for an electrically coupling the shorting bar 150 and electrode lines 130 of the TFT LCD 100 are cut to disconnect or separate the shorting bar 150 from the TFT LCD 100. However, the step of cutting the lines electrically coupling the shorting bar 150 and the electrode lines inevitably consumes time and thereby increasing the manufacturing cost.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a testing apparatus for testing a conventional TFT LCD. As shown in FIG. 2, a shorting bar 152 is disposed in a peripheral area 122 of the TFT LCD 102 and is electrically coupled to the electrode lines 132. The TFT LCD 102 is tested by feeding a signal into the electrode lines 132 via the shorting bar 152. After the testing of the TFT LCD 102 is completed, a laser beam is used for cutting the lines electrically coupling the shorting bar 152 and the electrode lines of the TFT LCD 102. However, the shorting bar 152 still remains within the TFT LCD 102 in this case.
Although the aforementioned laser cutting step is rather simple, but since the shorting bar 152 and the driving circuits 142 are disposed in the peripheral area 122, and therefore the size of the TFT LCD 102 is hard to reduce.

Testing apparatus for flat-panel display


In this disclosure, there are provided materials which completely degrade in the environment far more rapidly than pure synthetic plastics but which possesses the desirable properties of a thermoplastic: strength, impact resistance, stability to aqueous acid or base, and deformation at higher temperatures. There is provided a method for using the degradable plastic materials in preparing strong, moldable solids. There is further provided a method of making and applications for macromolecular, surface active agents that change the wetting behavior of lignin-containing materials. These surface active agents are used to provide a method of making and applications for synthetic polymers coupled to pieces of a vascular plant using macromolecular surface active agents.

Most plastics are based on synthetic organic macromolecules in which long chains of atoms, joined by covalent bonds, are formed by a replication of a simple group of atoms. These macromolecules can be linear, branched, spotted with sidechains, or crosslinked. Those macromolecules that are used in the formation of articles and are not crosslinked are called thermoplastics. Those macromolecules that are crosslinked are called thermoset.
Most plastics have been developed in the past century. These materials are often inert under all processes common to the environment and all digestion chemistries used by fauna and flora. For example, since living organisms have not evolved in the presence of the homopolymer of the methyl ester of 2-methyl-2-propenoic acid, [80-62-6], or the homopolymer of 1-ethenylbenzene, [100-42-5], they can not attack or digest these materials. This inert behavior has produced large accumulations of plastic in disposal sites such as landfills or marine dumping sites. Simultaneously, these inert solids kill large numbers of animals by trapping, entanglement or obstruction of the animal's digestive system. Blends of polysaccharides and plastics designed to relieve these problems are not acid/base stable and degrade only in that the polysaccharide component degrades within a year in the environment. The synthetic plastic component is environmentally stable. Thus, a need continues to exist for new thermoplastic and thermoset materials.

Biodegradable plastics and composites from wood


A method for calculating a crane capacity for a crane having a variable position counterweight at a locked position includes determining a boom combination and determining a maximum capacity at a hook position for the boom combination. A maximum target value for an operating condition dependent on a balance of the crane is determined. An indication of the locked counterweight position is received. At least one new target value for the operating condition dependent on the balance of the crane between the variable position counterweight at the locked counterweight position is established. A new capacity of the crane is calculated by decrementing the maximum capacity of the crane proportionally to a difference in the maximum target value and the at least one new target value. Cranes and crane control systems may employ this method.

Cranes typically include counterweights to help balance the crane when the crane lifts a load. Since the load is often moved in and out with respect to the center of rotation of the crane, and thus generates different load moments throughout a crane pick, move and set operation, it is advantageous if the counterweight, including any extra counterweight attachments, can also be moved forward and backward with respect to the center of rotation of the crane. In this way a smaller amount of counterweight can be utilized than would be necessary if the counterweight had to be kept at a fixed distance.
A crane includes capacity charts developed by the manufacturer that specify a maximum weight a crane may lift with a given boom combination. Because a crane may be operated with a variety of boom combinations with varying lengths of boom components, a large number of capacity charts are required. For example, a simple crane having either a standard boom or luffing jib, five different lengths of booms, and five different jib lengths, would require thirty different capacity charts. Furthermore, each capacity chart would need to calculate the capacity of the crane for each distance from the center of rotation that a lift may occur.
When a variable position counterweight is used, the capacity is typically calculated with the variable position counterweight at its furthest extent, since this will result in the highest capacity for the crane. However, there are instances in which an operator may not want the variable position counterweight to extend to it greatest extent. For example, if an operator is operating the crane near a wall, the variable position counterweight may contact the wall if it were to be moved to its furthest extent.
Furthermore, sometimes a need arises in which it would be beneficial to lock or fix the position of the variable position counterweight in one location. This may occur for several reasons, including a desire to speed up cycle times by eliminating any delay that may occur while the variable position counterweight moves to its optimal position; to minimize the tailswing of the crane (e.g., such as when operating near an obstacle); to permit the crane with a variable position counterweight to operate as a traditional crane; to permit a crane operator the opportunity to affect the attitude of the crane and its effective ground bearing pressure (GBP); to accommodate for a mechanical failure in the actuating mechanism of the variable position counterweight that does not otherwise affect the safety of the crane; and to accommodate precision lifts during which movement of the variable position counterweight might have an effect on the placement of a lifted load.
For this reason, capacity charts are also generated for the counterweight at a position less than the maximum extent. A crane may have a variable position counterweight that extends nearly sixty feet from the center of rotation of the crane, but an operator may be interested in the capacity of the crane with the counterweight at a position less than sixty feet, such as at fifty feet. Since each position requires each of the load charts described previously to be recalculated, a limited number of positions are selected for generation of capacity charts. The crane with a variable position counterweight having a sixty foot maximum extent may choose three discreet positions for calculation of capacity charts, resulting in three times as many capacity charts as compared to a fixed counterweight.
If an operator needs to use the crane within a confined space, the operator must select either select a discrete position of the counterweight that is less than the available space, but that corresponds to a position on the capacity charts, or use the available space, but limit lifts to the capacity given for the discrete position of the capacity chart. Because a limited number of positions are selected for generating capacity charts, the intermediate position in the capacity charts may be substantially less than the available space. Using the previously example of a variable position counterweight have a sixty foot maximum extent and three discreet positions for calculating a capacity chart, each discreet position may be separated by twenty feet, with load charts at a twenty foot extent, a forty foot extent, and the maximum, sixty foot extent. If the operator needs to limit the counterweight to less than fifty feet, they would need to select a capacity corresponding to the counterweight position of forty feet. This results in a crane capacity that is substantially less than what would be available if the capacity were determined with the counterweight being able to extend to use all of the available space.
Crane operators would prefer to maximize the capacity their crane by having a large number of available intermediate positions used for calculating load charts. However, this substantially increase the amount of paper charts that must be maintained, the amount of data stored in the crane, and the number of calculations that must be performed. Thus, there is a need for providing a crane operator with crane capacity charts at a large number of discrete positions, while limiting the amount of paper capacity charts, data stored in the crane, and the total number of calculations required. In turn, these methods increase the flexibility and ease of use of cranes with a variable position counterweight system.

System and method for calculation of capacity charts at a locked counterweight position


A mammography antenna arrangement for magnetic resonance examinations of the female breast has first and second conductor loop pairs, each of which is formed by two saddle-shaped conductor loops lying opposite one another and between which an essentially cylindrical examination space, having a receptacle opening, is located. The two conductor loop pairs are rotationally offset by 90.degree. relative to one another in the circumferential direction. A capacitive element is connected in a part of each conductor loop that faces away from the receptacle opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an antenna arrangement suited for conducting a magnetic resonance examination of a female breast.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A mammography antenna arrangement for magnetic resonance examinations of a female breast is disclosed in German OS 31 31 946, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,282. This known arrangement has first and second conductor loop pairs. Each pair is formed by two saddle-shaped conductor loops lying opposite one another and between which an essentially cylindrical examination space is located. The two conductor loop pairs are rotationally offset by 90.degree. relative to one another in a circumferential direction.
Magnetic resonance examinations with circularly polarized radio-frequency fields can be implemented with this antenna arrangement. That known arrangement has two conductor loop pairs offset by 90.degree. relative to one another with respective antenna characteristics residing perpendicularly to one another in the inside of the examination space surrounded by the conductor loop pairs, which are arranged on a cylindrical carrier member. The longitudinal axis of the antenna arrangement is directed parallel to the static basic magnetic field, as a result of which the radio-frequency fields generated during transmission and the most sensitive reception regions are disposed perpendicularly relative to the basic magnetic field. The antenna arrangement is dimensioned as a whole-body antenna; an entire human body can be introduced into the examination space in the axial direction through an acceptance opening. Antenna arrangements that are shorter in the axial direction, however, are desirable for examining sub-areas of the human body. In this known antenna, however, a shortening of the effective antenna conductors degrades the imaging properties.

Mammography antenna arrangement for NMR examinations of a female breast


A fire disaster monitoring system of the present invention has a control unit and a fire sensor. The fire sensor includes a sensor base and a sensor body. The sensor base incorporates a first memory which stores first address information of the first memory. The sensor body incorporates a second memory and a CPU therein. The second memory stores second address information of the sensor body. The CPU includes an address reader, a comparator and an address generator. When the power is turned on, the address reader reads the address information in the first memory, and reads the address information in the second memory. The comparator compares the read pieces of address information with each other. When the comparison result by the comparator indicates agreement, the address generator leaves the address information in the second memory as valid data. On the other hand, when the comparison result indicates disagreement, the address generator writes the address information in the first memory into the second memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disaster prevention system which can perform automatic address setting.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known analog sensor connected to a conventional disaster prevention monitoring system is described in, for example, Examined Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. Hei. 5-72635.
The analog sensor has a head and a base. The head is provided with a sensor portion, and the base is provided with a transmission processing unit which performs signal transmission and reception between the sensor unit and a control unit. The transmission processing unit has a function of identifying an address position and a successive command signal which are sent from the unit and transmitting them to the sensor unit, and that of transmitting various kinds of information obtained from the sensor unit to the control unit.
When the analog sensor is furnished, an endurance test is conducted on the analog sensor by applying a high voltage to a sensor line under a condition where the head of the sensor is detached. Since the transmission processing unit is disposed in the base, the transmission processing unit may possibly become faulty as a result of the dielectric withstand test.
Another known fire alarm device is described in, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. Hei. 2-77996.
In the fire alarm device, only passive means for defining an address code is disposed in the base so as to prevent the above-mentioned failure in the transmission processing unit from occurring. The fire alarm device can be replaced with another one without causing any risky probability that the address at which the alarm device is installed is changed due to carelessness.
Specifically, in the fire alarm device, the address code is set in the attachment base only by mechanical means. The sensor of the device comprises means for sensing the position of the mechanical coding means, or the presence or absence of the means. When the sensor is inserted into a base, the sensor can read the setting of the mechanical address means and convert it into an equivalent electrical code. In this way, when the sensor is inserted into the base, the address in the base is transferred to the sensor.
In the above-described conventional fire alarm device, even when a number of sensor bodies are detached from a number of respective bases for the purpose of cleaning or the like and the sensor bodies fail to be attached to the original bases after the cleaning, addresses can be set again. However, the setting state of each mechanical address means is read by the sensor, and hence a contact failure easily occurs. This may cause a mistake in reading of addresses. Thus, there arises a problem in that the reliability of address setting is lowered.

System for monitoring disaster prevention