A stand for a vertical pole support for a tether ball type game includes a base which can contain ballast and a lid, through which the pole passes and a formation on its floor for receiving the end of the pole. The lid and base are attached by a two stage attachment arrangement. The first stage includes inter-engageable tongue and groove formations which are capable of attachment and detachment by application of finger pressure, and the second stage includes locking devices at points around the periphery of the base container for a positive lock of the lid to the base, so that the first stage cannot be broken other than by the use of excessive force having regard to the conventional use of the stand.

This invention relates to movable stands for vertical pole support comprising a base container and a detachable lid, which may be filled with ballast material, in particular, but not necessarily, for stressful applications such as for games having a vertical pole of the tether-ball type, such as the tether tennis game known as xe2x80x9cSWINGBALLxe2x80x9d (Trade Mark) or the tethered soccer-ball game known as xe2x80x9cSOCCER SWINGBALLxe2x80x9d (Trade Mark), where the pole held by the stand may be subjected to violent shocks and pressures during the playing of such games. The stand may also conveniently be used for other sporting activities such as basketball, or other applications such as for holding umbrella poles.
In describing a stand as movable, this refers to the feature that such stands are not normally immovably fixed or positively anchored to the ground. When not filled with ballast, the stand is light and easily transportable. When filled with ballast, while providing stable support for a pole, it will still be practical to move the base from one location to another.
Tether tennis type games, such as xe2x80x9cSWINGBALLxe2x80x9d (Trade Mark), include a pole which traditionally has been anchored by forcing the lower end vertically directly into the ground, which is facilitated by a pointed lower end of the pole. The pole has a helical anchoring device at its upper end and a tennis type ball is tethered to this by a cord.
The game is played by the striking of the ball with racquets or paddles by opponents in opposite directions around the pole, causing the attachment of the line to the helix to rise up or down the helix.
The tethered soccer-ball game xe2x80x9cSOCCER SWINGBALLxe2x80x9d (Trade Mark), is similar to SWINGBALL (Trade Mark), except that the ball is substantially larger and heavier, of the football or soccer ball type, and the pole is shorter, so that the football may be kicked around the pole at ground level.
It will be appreciated that considerable stress can be transferred to the pole during play of games of this type and if the pole is anchored in soft ground, it has been found that the pole soon becomes loose. It will also be appreciated that it will not be possible to play games of this type where the pole is unable to be inserted into hard soil, or where the game is required to be played on any other type of hard surface which the pole end cannot penetrate.
Games of the tether tennis type have been marketed for many years and an on-going search has been mounted for a suitable stand to enable such games to be played on hard surfaces, where it is not possible to force the point of the pole into the ground, or where the ground is too soft to hold the pole firmly upright during play.
One of the main problems is that a suitable stand for games of this type has to be extremely robust to withstand the pressures and shocks which have to be absorbed by the stand during play.
One type of stand which has been tried for use with tetherball type games is the blow-moulded plastic beach umbrella stand. Typically these weigh about 2 to 4 pounds (approximately 1 to 2 kilograms) when empty, are blow-moulded in high density polyethylene plastic and have a filler hole on the top through which water, as ballast material, can be poured in, or out.
These stands normally have a capacity of about 0.5 to 1 cubic feet (approximately 15 to 25 liters), cover a surface area of about 1.5xc3x971.5 feet (approximately 0.5xc3x970.5 meters) and weigh about 30 to 50 pounds (approximately 15 to 25 kilograms) when filled with water as ballast material and are fitted with a central internal socket and clamping means to receive and hold the bottom end of a beach umbrella pole therein.
One of the problems with the use of blow-moulded stands of this type for tetherball games, is that the blow-moulding process distributes a layer of plastic material of uniform thickness over the surface of the mould, resulting in a reasonably uniform wall thickness of the stand. This makes it difficult to provide for localized thickened sections, so as to reinforce areas subject to particularly high stresses during play, such as the socket and the area adjacent, which holds the bottom end of the pole, or the area of the upper surface adjacent to the pole. After extended play stands of this type tend to rupture or split in these areas and are therefore unsuitable for use with tetherball games.
Blow-moulded stands are also bulky to store and transport, and while ballast material such as water may be added or removed through a filler hole, it is more laborious with sand or gravel, and, depending on the size of the filler hole (which may not be so big so as to compromise the structural integrity of the stand) virtually impossible to use large objects such as bricks or stones as ballast material.
An attempt to obviate the problem of bulkiness of stands for garden umbrellas has been made in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,126 (Sheldon Berney), which provides for a base or stand having a base section and a separate lid portion.
This lid is designed to inter-connect to the base by a peripheral continuous snap sealing means of the tongue and groove type. However, no reference is made to any need to remove the lid from the base having been assembled, and in particular, no reference is made to the ease of removing the lid in terms of the pressure required to unlock the snap fit. This invention does not refer to the requirements of stressful applications, such as games of the tether tennis type, that the lid remain attached to the base during play, and also be easily detachable by young children, or that the seal between lid and base be effective for the containment of ballast material during such use.
A different type of stand, which did attempt to address the requirements of tetherball games, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,455. The stand in this patent comprises a base container for water or sand or other ballast, and has a formation for receiving the bottom end of the pole.
The removable lid has an orifice with formations, which co-act with a foot plate on the pole, so as to prevent rotation of the pole. There is however, no detailed reference or description of the peripheral sealing arrangement between lid and base in this patent. The problem with the design of this stand is that the lid is described as being xe2x80x9ceasily snapped in and out of placexe2x80x9d (lines 42 and 43 of column two of U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,455).
There is no positive locking arrangement for the lid and base container apart from this xe2x80x9csnapxe2x80x9d action and under the pressure of shocks exerted in stressful applications such as the playing of tether ball games, the snap seal between the lid and the base can break loose allowing water ballast to spill freely out of the base container or even for the lid to become completely unseated from the base container. Because of this design defect, the stand is unsuitable for stressful applications such as tether ball type games and a stand according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,455 as far as is known has never been made available commercially.
As a general comment, as well as in referring to the above U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,126 and 4,148,455, it should perhaps be noted that when assessing the suitability of the design of stands for poles for use in stressful applications which have removable lids, and where such lids are designed to engage the base container with a xe2x80x9csnapxe2x80x9d fit, that snap sealing means of this type face the contradictory requirements of providing a strong attachment of the lid to the base, together with a contrasting need in applications such as envisaged in this patent application, for the joint to be easily releasable by young children.
In general therefore, a lid which engages with a releasable snap fit to a base container is not suitable for the applications envisaged by this patent application.
It is an object of this present invention to provide a robust movable stand for vertical pole support having a rigid, or semi-rigid, base container component and an easily detachable lid component, which will hold a pole in its mounted position, particularly for use in conjunction with stressful applications such as for games of the tether ball type, which will resist the violent jerks encountered during the play of these games, without the lid becoming free of the base container, and which will also maintain an effective seal between the lid and base container, so as to prevent the escape of water or other types of ballast through this joint during play.
It will be appreciated that this stand may also conveniently be used as apparatus for other sporting activities such as basketball, or for holding umbrella poles, or other applications, even though the shocks and pressures in these applications may not be as onerous as for games of the tetherball type.
According to the present invention, a movable stand is provided for vertical pole support in which the lid and base container components are attached together by a two stage attachment system which, in combination, provide an effective attachment between the lid and base container for use in stressful applications such as for games of the tetherball type as described previously.
The lid and container are rigid or semi-rigid, and preferably moulded from plastic materials. In addition, locking or clamping means may be provided to positively secure any pole which is mounted in the stand, so that the pole is unable to pull free from its mounted position in the stand, unless such locking means are released.
The primary attachment means between the lid and the base components consists of a complemental inter-engageable tongue and groove formation, in which the tongue member, of little width compared with its height in cross section, located around the periphery of the one component, fits into and is there enveloped and held closely by the groove at the periphery of the other component.
This primary attachment means implements an effective seal between the lid and base container which prevents water or other ballast from leaking out through the joint, should the base container be shaken or jolted, as can occur during play of games of the tetherball type.
An important aspect of this tongue and groove design is that at all points of this joint around the peripheries of the base container and lid, the tongue is held on both sides by the groove so as to resist at any point displacement of the lid relative to the base by shocks or jolts from either side which might be imparted during play of games of the tetherball type.

Two stage attachment means for lid and base container of stands for tetherball games


A method for manufacturing carbon nanocoils which are grown by winding carbon atoms in a helical configuration and which have an external diameter of 1000 nm or less, the method comprising the steps of: placing an indium-tin-iron type catalyst inside a reactor, heating an area around the catalyst to a temperature equal to or greater than temperature at which hydrocarbon used as a raw material is broken down by an action of the catalyst, causing hydrocarbon gas to flow through the reactor so that the gas contacts the catalyst, and allowing carbon nanocoils to grow on a surface of the catalyst while the hydrocarbon is broken down in the vicinity of the catalyst. The indium-tin-iron type catalyst may be obtained by: a mixed catalyst of indium oxide and tin oxide, and a thin film of iron which is formed on a surface of this mixed catalyst.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing carbon nanocoils that are grown by winding carbon atoms in a helical configuration and in which the external diameter of the coil is 1000 nm or less. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing carbon nanocoils which utilizes an indium-tin-iron type catalyst and in which carbon nanocoils are efficiently grown on the surface of the catalyst while a hydrocarbon gas is under pyrolysis.
2. Prior Art
The growth of carbon fibers in a vapor phase while the fibers are twisted in the manner of a rope was first reported by Davis et al. (W. R. Davis, R. J. Slawson and G. R. Rigby, Nature, 171, 756 (1953)). Since the external diameter of such carbon ropes is microscopic in size, such ropes will be referred to below as carbon microcoils. Subsequently, various reports appeared concerning carbon microcoils; however, since there was a strong element of randomness involved in the production of such coils, these coils lacked reproducibility, and remained in a state that was inadequate for industrial production.
In 1990, Motojima et al. (S. Motojima, M. Kawaguchi, K. Nozaki and H. Iwanaga, Appl. Phys. Lett., 56 (1990) 321) discovered an efficient method for manufacturing carbon microcoils, and as a result of subsequent research, these researchers established a manufacturing method that showed reproducibility. In this method, a graphite substrate which is coated with a powdered Ni catalyst is placed inside a horizontal type externally heated reaction tube made of transparent quartz, and a raw-material gas is introduced perpendicularly onto the surface of the substrate from a raw-material gas introduction part located in the upper part of the reaction tube. This raw-material gas is a mixed gas of acetylene, hydrogen, nitrogen and thiophene. The exhaust gas is discharged from the bottom part of the reactiontube.
In particular, impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus, etc., are indispensable; if the amounts of these impurities are too large or too small, carbon microcoils will not grow. For example, the coil yield reaches a maximum, at a value of approximately 50%, in a case where thiophene containing sulfur is added at the rate of 0.24% relative to the total gas flow. The reaction temperature is approximately 750 to 800xc2x0 C.
The diameter of the fibers constituting such carbon microcoils is 0.01 to 1 xcexcm, the external diameter (outside diameter) of the coils is 1 to 10 xcexcm, the coil pitch is 0.01 to 1 xcexcm, and the coil length is 0.1 to 25 mm. Such carbon microcoils have a completely amorphous structure, and have superior physical properties such as electromagnetic wave absorption characteristics, etc., so that these microcoils show promise as electromagnetic wave absorbing materials.
In 1991, carbon nanotubes were discovered. Spurred by this discovery, research concerning carbon coils on the nanometer scale, i.e., carbon nanocoils, was initiated. The reason for this was that on the nanometer scale, there was a possibility that new physical properties might be discovered, so that such nanocoils showed promise as new materials in electronics and engineering, etc., in the nanometer region. However, the development of such carbon nanocoils was not easy.
In 1994, Amelinckx et al. (Amelinckx, X. B. Zhang, D. Bernaerts, X. F. Zhang, V. Ivanov and J. B. Nagy, SCIENCE, 265 (1994) 635) succeeded in producing carbon nanocoils. It was also demonstrated that while carbon microcoils are amorphous, carbon nanocoils have a graphite structure. Various types of carbon nanocoils were manufactured, and the minimum external diameter of these nanocoils was extremely small, i.e., approximately 12 nm.
The manufacturing method used by the abovementioned researchers was a method in which a metal catalyst such as Co, Fe or Ni is formed into a fine powder, the area around this catalyst is heated to a temperature of 600 to 700xc2x0 C., and an organic gas such as acetylene or benzene is caused to flow through so that this gas contacts the catalyst, thus breaking down these organic molecules. The substance produced as a result consists of carbon nanotubes with a graphite structure, and the shapes of these nanotubes are linear, curvilinear, planar spiral and coil form, etc. In other words, it will be understood that carbon nanocoils are only produced by chance, so that the coil yield is also small.
In 1999, Li et al. (W. Li, S. Xie, W. Liu, R. Zhao, Y: Zhang, W. Zhou and G. Wang, J. Material Sci., 34 (1999) 2745) succeeded again in producing carbon nanocoils. In the manufacturing method used by these researchers, a catalyst formed by covering the outer circumference of a graphite sheet with iron particles was placed in the center [sic], and the area around this catalyst was heated to 700xc2x0 C. by means of a nichrome wire. A mixed gas consisting of 10% acetylene and 90% nitrogen by volume was caused to flow through so that this gas contacted the catalyst. The flow rate of this gas was set at 1000 cc/min. The carbon nanocoils that were produced had various external diameters; the smallest nanocoils had diameters of 20 nm or 22 nm. However, this manufacturing method also showed a small coil production rate, and was extremely inadequate as an industrial production method.
Thus, a common feature of carbon coil production methods is that acetylene is used as a raw-material gas, and carbon coils are grown by means of a catalyst while pyrolyzing this acetylene. If thiophene is used as a trace gas on a Ni catalyst, a large quantity of carbon microcoils can be produced; on the other hand, if an iron catalyst is used, carbon nanocoils can be produced, although in an extremely small quantity. In other words, the development of a catalyst appears to hold the key to large-quantity production of carbon nanocoils.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to realize a mass production method for carbon nanocoils by developing an appropriate catalyst.
The above object is accomplished by unique steps of the present invention in a carbon nanocoil manufacturing method that manufactures carbon nanocoils which are grown by winding carbon atoms in a helical configuration and which have an external diameter of 1000 nm or less; and the unique steps of the present invention comprises:
placing an indium-tin-iron type catalyst with a desired form inside a reactor,
heating the area around the catalyst to a temperature equal to or greater than the temperature at which the hydrocarbon used as a raw material is broken down by the action of the catalyst,
causing a hydrocarbon gas to flow through the reactor so that this gas contacts the catalyst, and
allowing carbon nanocoils to grow on the surface of the catalyst while the hydrocarbon is broken down in the vicinity of the catalyst.
In the above method, the carbon nanocoils are formed by the growth of carbon nanotubes wound in a helical configuration.
Also, the indium-tin-iron type catalyst is constructed from a mixed catalyst of indium oxide and tin oxide, and a thin film of iron which is formed on the surface of this mixed catalyst.
Furthermore, the mixed catalyst consists of a thin film of a mixed catalyst of indium oxide and tin oxide formed on the surface of a glass substrate. In addition, the hydrocarbon is acetylene.
The indium-tin-iron type catalyst can be arranged (dispersed or sprayed) as a particle form inside the reactor. Moreover, the indium-tin-iron type catalyst can be arranged on the surface of a cylinder placed inside the reactor, and the cylinder can be rotated in the reactor.

Method for manufacturing carbon nanocoils

9-404, 14-2, Korigaoka 1-chome, Hirakata-city


There is a disclosed a belt buckle holder which is adapted to be mounted flush against a wall. The holder comprises a front portion having a planar surface. The front portion contains a plurality of perforations, each adapted to receive the tongue of a belt buckle. A back portion is provided which is affixed to the back of the front portion. This back portion covers the perforations in the front portion to prevent the tongues of belt buckles inserted therein from scratching the surface underlying the back portion of the belt buckle holder when mounted on a wall.

This invention relates to a belt buckle holder adapted to be mounted flush against a wall.
Perforated panels are commonly mounted on walls and fixtures of various kinds and configurations are hooked into the perforations of the panels for supporting merchandise, tools, kitchen utensils, and other objects. The fixtures, which extend completely through the perforations of the panel from front to back, are likely to cause scratching of the underlying surface.


A vacuum brake power booster for a slip-controlled hydraulic brake unit in which a major reduction of the costs of manufacture and of mounting and simultaneously an increase of its reliability in operation is provided. A first movable wall (7) within the booster housing is movable independently of the brake pedal input member (11) and a second movable wall (15) is provided at the first control housing part (52).

This invention relates to a vacuum brake power booster for a slip-controlled hydraulic brake unit, with at least two power chambers separated from each other by a first movable wall within a booster housing. One of the chambers being connectable either to a vacuum source or to the atmosphere and the other one, for the purpose of generating a boosting power which is proportional to an input power introduced at a brake pedal, being aeratable through a control valve which is actuatable by means of the brake pedal. The control valve housing comprises two control housing parts being slidable relative to each other. The first control housing part is abutted against a stationary stop and the second control housing part bearing the first movable wall, guiding a control valve piston which is connected to the brake pedal by means of an input member and interacting with a power output member. A second movable wall which is subjectable to a controllable differential pressure and which separates a first pneumatic power chamber connected to the vacuum source in the release position from a second pneumatic power chamber subjectable to the atmosphere and, respectively, to vacuum.
A vacuum brake power booster of this type is known from published German patent application No. P 38 14 222.8. The special feature of the known brake power booster is that in the event of slip control, the second movable wall is movable in a direction contrasting that of actuation of the master brake cylinder due to the effect of two compensating cylinders being associated to the pressure chambers of the master brake cylinder and in that a hydraulic chamber being in active connection with the power output member is provided whose link to a pressureless hydraulic fluid reservoir is cut off by means of a seat valve.
In the known arrangement, the sophisticated set-up, in particular the brake pressure modulator of the brake power booster being connected with considerable design effort, is disadvantageous. In addition, the risk that upon an extended pause of functioning, the components being operated in the event of the anti-locking or the traction slip control action can be damaged, for example, be fretting corrosion and may so become unserviceable also is a disadvantage.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a brake power booster of the type mentioned in such a manner that both reliability in operation is increased and, at the same time, the costs of manufacture and of mounting involved are reduced to a considerable extent. Moreover, the master cylinder pistons and the brake pedal are to be completely restored upon each slip control action.


A shoe including a plate capable of being deflected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major longitudinal axis of the shoe, an arch bridge integral with the plate and a substantially air-tight enclosure having at least two portions that converge toward each other relative to a vertical central axis of the air-tight enclosure to form an apex.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved rear sole for footwear and, more particularly, to a rear sole for an athletic shoe with an extended and more versatile life and better performance in terms of cushioning and spring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Athletic shoes, such as those designed for running, tennis, basketball, cross-training, hiking, walking, and other forms of exercise, typically include a laminated sole attached to a soft and pliable upper. The laminated sole generally includes a resilient rubber outsole attached to a more resilient midsole usually made of polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or a rubber compound. When laminated, the sole is attached to the upper as a one-piece structure, with the rear sole being integral with the forward sole.
One of the principal problems associated with athletic shoes is outsole wear. A user rarely has a choice of running surfaces, and asphalt and other abrasive surfaces take a tremendous toll on the outsole. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that most pronounced outsole wear, on running shoes in particular, occurs principally in two places: the outer periphery of the heel and the ball of the foot, with peripheral heel wear being, by far, a more acute problem. In fact, the heel typically wears out much faster than the rest of a running shoe, thus requiring replacement of the entire shoe even though the bulk of the shoe is still in satisfactory condition.
Midsole compression, particularly in the case of athletic shoes, is another acute problem. As previously noted, the midsole is generally made of a resilient material to provide cushioning for the user. However, after repeated use, the midsole becomes compressed due to the large forces exerted on it, thereby causing it to lose its cushioning effect. Midsole compression is the worst in the heel area, including the area directly under the user's heel bone and the area directly above the peripheral outsole wear spot.
Despite technological advancements in recent years in midsole design and construction, the benefits of such advancements can still be largely negated, particularly in the heel area, by two months of regular use. The problems become costly for the user since athletic shoes are becoming more expensive each year, with some top-of-the-line models priced at over $150.00 a pair. By contrast, with dress shoes, whose heels can be replaced at nominal cost over and over again, the heel area (midsole and outsole) of conventional athletic shoes cannot be. To date, there is nothing in the art that successfully addresses the problem of midsole compression in athletic shoes, and this problem remains especially severe in the heel area of such shoes.
Another problem is that purchasers of conventional athletic shoes cannot customize the cushioning or spring in the heel of a shoe to their own body weight, personal preference, or need. They are "stuck" with whatever a manufacturer happens to provide in their shoe size.
Finally, there appear to be relatively few, if any, footwear options available to those persons suffering from foot or leg irregularities, foot or leg injuries, and legs of different lengths, among other things, where there is a need for the left and right rear soles to be of a different height and/or different cushioning or spring properties. Presently, such options appear to include only custom-made shoes that are prohibitively expensive and rendered useless if the person's condition improves or deteriorates.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device includes a rectangular cylindrical frame configured to draw a plurality of trawl nets that are arranged in an up and down direction. The frame includes an upper edge to which a net mouth edge of an upper net of the uppermost trawl net is anchored, and a lower edge to which a net mouth of a lower net of the lowermost trawl net is anchored. A pair of vertical bars are disposed on opposed sides of the frame. A slider having opposed ends slidably engaged with the vertical bars, the slider anchoring thereto the net mouth edge of the lower net of the upper trawl net and the net mouth edge of the upper net of the lower trawl net. A net-mouth opening and closing unit is configured to lock the sliders on upper ends of the vertical bars, and unlock the locked sliders one by one; and a controller.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device, which can collect nektonic animals in the sea according to water depth, by towing a plurality of trawl nets, and by opening and closing net mouths depending on the water depth so as to switch the trawl nets for collecting animals.
In particular, the present invention relates to a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device, which has a lightweight structure.
In addition, the present invention relates to a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device of an autonomously openable and closable type, which can autonomously open and close the trawl nets depending on the water depth and the net-towing time period, without being remotely controlled from the ship.
II. Description of the Related Art
With a view to sustainable effective utilization of marine organism resources, the TAC (Total Allowable Catch) system and the TAE (Total Allowable Effort) system, which are intended for major fishes to be fished, have been adopted.
In order to improve a management effect of resources by these systems, it is necessary to exactly assess the resource amount for each kind of fishes. As one of the means therefor, larval and juvenile fishes are collected according to water depth.
In order to collect larval and juvenile fishes in each layer, there have been conventionally proposed a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device referred to as "MOCNESS" (MOCNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device), a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device referred to as "RMT" (RMT-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device), and a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device referred to as "LOCHNESS" (LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device).
FIG. 8 generally shows a conventional LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device. FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section thereof.
As shown in FIG. 8, the conventional LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device includes a rectangular cylindrical frame 22 for towing a plurality of trawl nets 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d.
The frame 22 includes therein plural pairs of vertical bars 23.
A horizontal slider 24 is extended between each of the pairs of vertical bars 23, the slider 24 having opposed ends thereof that are slidably engaged with the vertical bars 23.
As apparently shown in FIG. 9, a net-mouth edge of a lower net of the first trawl net 21a is anchored to the slider 24 between the first pair of vertical bars 23, and a net-mouth edge of an upper net of the first trawl net 21a is anchored to another slider 24 between the second pair of vertical bars 23.
Anchored to the slider 24 between the second pair of vertical bars 23 are the net-mouth edge of the upper net of the first trawl net 21a, and a net-mouth edge of a lower net of the second trawl net 21b.
Similarly, anchored to the slider 24 between the third pair of vertical bars 23 are a net-mouth edge of an upper net of the second trawl net 21b, and a net-mouth edge of a lower net of the third trawl net 21c. This is similar to the fourth and fifth sliders 24. A net-mouth edge of an upper net of the trawl net and a net-mouth edge of a lower net of the trawl net adjacent thereto are anchored to the same slider.
The LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device 20 has, on an upper part thereof, locking devices 25 for locking the respective sliders 24.
Outside the frame 22, floats 26 are disposed on opposed sides of the frame 22, so that a buoyancy of the LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device 20 can be adjusted.
Horizontal fin stabilizers 27 are disposed rearward the frame 22, so that a stance of the LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device 20 can be stabilized.
Net-towing wires 28 are connected to the upper parts of the LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device 20.
As shown in FIG. 9, in the LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device 20, the first slider 24 is lowered at first. Under this state, the first trawl net 21a is opened, while the other trawl nets 21b, 21c, and 21d are closed.
Then, the second slider 24 is unlocked by the locking device 25 so as to be lowered by its own weight. Thus, the first trawl net 21a is closed and the second trawl net 21b is opened.
Similarly, when the third slider 24 is unlocked by the locking device 25 so as to be lowered by its own weight, the third trawl net 21c is opened. When the fourth slider 24 is unlocked by the locking device 25 so as to be lowered by its own weight, the fourth trawl net 21d is opened.
The locking devices 25 are remotely operated from the ship. In order to control the locking devices 25 from the ship, it is necessary that the ship and the LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device 20 are connected to each other by a conducting wire, or that a transmitter and a receiver of ultrasonic hydrophone are provided.
However, since weights of the conventional "MOCNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device", the "RMT-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device" and the "LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device" are heavy, a special winch for controlling a conducting wire or a remote controller formed of an ultrasonic hydrophone are required, but the number of ships capable using these equipments is limited.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device, which can collect nektonic animals in the sea according to water depth.
In addition, the conventional "MOCNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device", the "RMT-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device", and the "LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device" have to be controlled from the ship in order to switch the opening and closing of the trawl nets.
When the trawl nets are controlled through a wire from the ship, a special winch and a conducting wire of a cable (armored cable) are needed. When the trawl nets are wirelessly controlled, a transmitter and a receiver formed of an ultrasonic hydrophone are needed. Namely, the ship has to be provided with some equipments for the remote control.
Thus, another object of the present invention is to provide a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device, which can autonomously open and close the trawl nets, by detecting the water depth and the net-towing time period, under conditions suitable for collecting animals, without any special equipment for controlling the opening and closing of the trawl nets.
In the conventional "MOCNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device", the "RMT-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device", and the "LOCHNESS-type trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device", each of the net mouths is opened and closed by means of the weight of the slider. Thus, in order that the slider can smoothly slide down, the weight of the slider has to be increased. Such an increase in weight of the slider increases the weight of the overall device.
Thus, a further object of the present invention is to provide a trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device, which is lightweight but is capable of switching the opening and closing of the net mouths by means of the weight of the slider.

Trawl net layer-by-layer collecting device

National University Corporation Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology


An automatic pallet changer system in an automatic machining center has a first track for receiving a first pallet having a first workpiece thereon, and a second track for receiving a second pallet having a second workpiece thereon. The first and second tracks are side-by-side and extend from a region outside the enclosure to a region inside the enclosure adjacent the receiver. A linear drive unit is arranged between the first and second tracks and has a carriage which moves along a longitudinally extending carriage guide. The carriage has a member for engaging with the first or second pallet depending upon whether the linear drive unit is rocked to the left or to the right. A motor is connected to the linear drive unit for causing a movement of the carriage along the carriage guide. A rocker unit is connected to the linear drive unit for rocking the linear carriage unit to the left or to the right. A programmable logic control automatically controls overall operation of the system including the linear drive unit and detecting positions of the first or second pallet either within the machining enclosure or at the end of the linear drive unit adjacent the rocker unit.

Automatic machining centers are previously known which employ a bed which is movable in a horizontal plane in two dimensions. It is also previously known to employ an automatic pallet changer employing a receiver positioned on the bed and having a draw plate for up and down motion of a pallet resting on the draw plate. Such a receiver is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,214. Parts being machined in the automatic machining center are fixed to the pallet by an operator.
Such machining centers have a vertically sliding door for closing off an entrance into the machining center enclosure. At the beginning or end of the machining, the pallet is either moved into or out of the machining enclosure by the automatic pallet changer. When the pallet is outside the enclosure, then it is accessible for a worker to either remove or mount the workpiece being machined.
It has been previously known in U.S. Pat. No. 5,3436,051 to provide a manual pallet change system.
It has been previously disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 575,138, entitled "Automatic End Loading Pallet System filed Dec. 19, 1995 recently issued into U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,514, and incorporated by reference herein, to automatically move first and second pallets into or out of the machining enclosure of the machining center. There, first and second pallets are employed so that the worker can be working on one of the pallets while it is outside the machining center while the other pallet is inside the machining enclosure. The pallets can then be automatically exchanged.
Finally, in another type of known automatic pallet system, an automatic pallet changer is provided where first and second tracks are provided side-by-side, with each track having a respective pallet associated with it. A bicycle chain-like horizontal loop is provided between the two tracks. A single dog is provided on the bicycle chain for ultimately engaging with the two pallets. Thus, one pallet is pulled out of the machine center enclosure and thereafter the second pallet is brought into the enclosure as the chain continues rotation.
Disadvantages of the previous systems, and particularly the system disclosed in the '851 patent, are: 1) cost of manufacture is high; 2) the design presents some reliability drawbacks; and 3) the actual pallet change time is excessive.


A one-way self closing gate such as may be used in retail stores, airports or libraries is provided with an inclined helical ramp mechanism by which opening of the gate also causes lifting of the gate arm relative to the gate base. When released the gate will tend to close itself under the force of gravity. To augment this gravity force a spring is provided which is compressed as the arm rises relative to the base. So that the gate does not close too quickly a screw presses a nylon slug against the turning shaft of the gate. When the gate is closed a force applied to open the gate in the contrary direction to that intended is resisted by abutment of a generously welded internal stop against a generously welded internal upright. In an alternate form this resistance function in the closed position is performed by an adjacent post positioned to intercept the motion of the moving barrier. In all cases the internal mechanism of the gate is enclosed in a housing to prevent injury to children's fingers.

There are many earlier examples of self closing gates. In general they use the weight of the barrier and an inclined plane or cam surface interacting with another cam surface or a roller, to force an extended wing member toward a null position. The extended wing member may be a farm gate, a toilet stall door, a kitchen door, or, as here, a one way gate in a store. The profile of the cam surface varies, but the principal remains the same in all cases.
Farm gates are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 381,063 to Ford, 785,550 to Hess & Matthews, and 1,424,913 to Kahler. Ford shows a kind of two-winged butterfly gate that turns continually in one direction. It moves between closed and open positions by means of two long levers which lift the lugs of a connecting bar up over successive detents to permit sliding motion down a subsequent inclined plane. Hess & Matthews show a typical inclined plane arrangement controlled from a distance by means of wires and pulleys. Kahler shows a sprung gate, again controlled by wires and pulleys. The quite complicated mechanism shown has internal cam surfaces and sliding bars and slots to choose between motion to an open position or to a closed position.
Typical washroom door structures are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,124,955 to Kochis, 4,881,353 to Braendel et al., and 5,025,531 to McCarty. All of these are variations on the inclined plane closure whereby pushing a door causes it to lift upward, and gravity pulls the door back to a closed position.
A more interesting door closure mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,034 to Lindemann, in which a swinging kitchen door is provided with not only a roller which is pushed up an inclined track as a door is opened, and which rolls backward along that track under the force of gravity on the door, but also with a return spring that is compressed as the door opens to either side, and whose release assists gravity in forcing the swinging door back to its null, or closed, position.
All of these earlier devices have disadvantages when considered for use in one-way gates. First, of course, several of them are swing gates, rather than one-way closures. One-way closures have nonetheless been known generally for many years. Several of the earlier devices, particularly the farm gates, show un-necessary cable and pulley systems for operation from a distance, for example to permit the gate to be opened without dismounting from a car or truck. Several show undesirable exposed mechanisms which would be a safety hazard, particularly in the context of children's fingers, and therefore unsuitable in a store. In many cases gravity alone would not be satisfactory to ensure sufficiently rapid, yet gentle, closing of a gate, particularly as the weight of the gate, and hence its eccentric moment load, increases. There is a dearth of damping devices amongst the earlier gates.
It would be possible to build a functioning gate incorporating two stops into a single cam surface ramp, having integral stops at both upper and lower ends, the stops forming part of the stationary structure of the gate. Such a device would rely upon a roller mounted on a shaft, or an analogous part, to contact the upper and lower stops, and thereby limiting the range of motion of the gate. In that case, however, the shaft of the roller would carry the torque imposed in reverse motion of the gate. This is undesirable since it may result in a very large load being imposed in bending upon the relatively small diameter of a stub shaft, and worse still, at a point of stress concentration due to the geometry of a threaded hole with which the stub shaft mates, and due to the stress concentrations associated with cold formed threaded parts generally. A shaft could easily fail in such circumstances.
There is thus a need for a compact, self-closing gate with hidden mechanism to prevent, for example, finger pinching, a damping means to reduce erratic oscillation of the gate, and an augmented closing force to improve the response of the gate, all provided within a sturdy structure suited to resist opening in the opposite direction to that desired.


A method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to a caller and/or a called party in association with a telephone call. Content may be presented pre-ring (before the called party's telephone rings), in-call, and/or post-call. Content presented to a party may be related to or selected by another party participating in the call, or may be related to or selected by a third party (e.g., an advertiser that paid for the ability to have its content presented). Presented content may be actuable, and allow a caller to change the destination of a call, take advantage of an offer presented to him, redeem a coupon, schedule or queue a subsequent call, etc. To find a desired destination party, a caller may initiate a manual or automatic search of his local contacts (on his telephone) and/or a central or global directory or contact list.

This invention relates to the fields of telecommunications and computer systems. More particularly, a method and apparatus are provided for presenting multimedia content to a caller and/or a called party before, during, and/or after a telephone call between the parties.
Calls from or to a mobile telephone are typically accompanied by minimal display content. For example, when placing a call, the caller may simply see a dialer screen used to enter a telephone number or to select a number or contact to be dialed. When receiving a call, a called party may see the caller's telephone number (or some other display if the number is blocked or unknown) or a name of the caller (if the caller's telephone number is stored in the called party's contacts), but little else.
Although this information display may be sufficient for the basic purpose of identifying who is being called or who has originated a call, it fails to deliver the type of multimedia experience many people have come to expect in the electronic age. Just as computer systems have evolved from textual operating systems (e.g., DOS or Disk Operating System) to complex graphical operating systems (e.g., Mac OS®, Microsoft Windows®), the display capabilities of mobile telephones have evolved in a similar manner.
Although mobile telephone applications that operate independently of telephone calls have been developed to take advantage of the telephones' richer display capabilities, such as offline games, photography, and GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation, applications that make and receive calls or that operate during a call have not. Therefore, there is a need for methods and apparatus for enriching the experience of a person making or receiving a call.

Method and apparatus for content presentation in association with a telephone call


An improved child resistant package comprising a container and closure and resilient means for normally urging the closure axially away from the container when the container is sealed by the closure. Cooperating sets of locking elements rim the container adjacent its mouth and are disposed about the inner surface of the depending skirt portion of the container for locking and maintaining the closure in a sealed position over the mouth of the container. One set of the locking elements comprise pairs of spaced apart projections which define a through-running channel therebetween. The other set of locking elements comprise corresponding latch members, each of which defines a stop element which is received in through-running channels and a retaining portion which acts against one of the paired projections to retain the closure from axial movement in opposition to the urging of the resilient member. In the event of the shearing of portions of the projections, the locking feature of the closure is retained by virtue of the through-running channel which permits the latch member to be positioned toward the container mouth with the surface of the stop element in contiguity with undamaged portions of the projections.

Over the past years there has been increasing interest in the design and development of packaging of the type so called "child resistant," that is to say, packaging designed so that it cannot be opened accidentally or intentionally by children without special manipulation of the closure. Such packaging has found use for pharmaceuticals and harmful compositions which are used in the home with which children are likely to come into contact. This interest has led to the development of standards and testing procedures by various governmental and international agencies.
Numerous designs for such packaging are available and they can be said generally to fall into two major categories: packaging having closures of multi-component design, and packaging having closures in which the locking elements are integrally formed as part of the closure. Single component closures are normally designed to be removed by manipulating the closure in a manner that is difficult for children. Single component closures are preferred, since they can be more easily and economically manufactured using mass production methods. Examples of such child resistant packaging utilizing single component closures are to be found in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,952,899, 4,139,112 and 4,434,903. Examples of other single piece closures are found in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 27,156 (Hedgewick), U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,314 (Ackers), U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,001 (Bogert), U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,028 (Reiss et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,232 (Thornton).
In packaging of the type to which this invention relates, there is a high probability that the closure will be removed forcibly without proper manipulation which will result in damage to the locking elements rendering the package inoperable with respect to the locking feature. In this regard many specifications for child resistant packages call for testing of the package to determine its ability to withstand the forced removal of the closure and its ability to retain the locking feature even after such forced removal.


Recombinant polypeptides comprising a DRα1 domain, an antigenic peptide, and a linker sequence are disclosed. The linker sequence comprises a first glycine-serine spacer, a thrombin cleavage site and a second glycine-serine spacer. Further disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the recombinant polypeptides, methods of treating inflammatory disease using said pharmaceutical compositions, and expression constructs comprising nucleic acids that encode the recombinant polypeptides.

The initiation of an immune response against a specific antigen in mammals is brought about by presentation of that antigen to T-cells. An antigen is presented to T cells in the context of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC). MHCs are located on the surface of antigen presenting cells (APCs); the three-dimensional structure of MHCs includes a groove or cleft into which the presented antigen fits. When an appropriate receptor on a T-cell interacts with the MHC/antigen complex on an APC in the presence of necessary co-stimulatory signals, the T-cell is stimulated, triggering various aspects of the well-characterized cascade of immune system activation events, including induction of cytotoxic T-cell function, induction of B-cell function, and stimulation of cytokine production.
The pathology of multiple sclerosis is characterized by an abnormal immune response directed against the central nervous system. In particular, T-lymphocytes reactive against myelin antigens are believed to initiate an inflammatory response within the central nervous system. The resultant inflammatory response includes recruited T-lymphocytes, activated macrophages, B-lymphocytes and plasma cells. Soluble mediators released by these inflammatory cells result in demyelination and axonal degeneration. Similarly, inflammatory responses in many autoimmune disorders result in tissue damage, often of a progressive nature. Despite recent progress, effective treatments of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders are still needed.
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II α1 domain polypeptides have proven useful in treatment of multiple sclerosis (WO 2013/103816, which is incorporated by reference herein).

Recombinant polypeptides comprising MHC class II α1 domains

The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs


A meter which measures fluid flow by passing the fluid through a receptacle and determining the mass of fluid in the receptacle. The shape of the receptacle, the fluid flow path within the receptacle and the receptacle outlet are chosen to ensure that for a selected fluid the mass of fluid in the receptacle is a linear function of fluid flow rate. The mass is determined by weighing the receptacle. Total mass flow is determined by integrating the mass measurement over time if particular application of the meter is as a milk meter.

This invention relates to the measurement of fluid flow rate and/or total mass flow. The invention relates particularly, though not solely to measuring the flow rate and/or total mass flow of milk supplied during milking of cows. In this application the invention provides an electronic milk meter.
By "flow rate" it is meant liquid rate in mass unit time e.g. kg/min. By "total mass flow" it is meant the integration of flow over the measurement time.
When measuring the flow of, in particular, liquids which are not uniform in composition, such as, for example, the milk, delivered during machine milking which foams due to substantial and varying amounts of entrained air and other gases, an accurate determination of the flow rate or the total mass flow of liquid is difficult to achieve. With milk, because of the differing quantities of air and other gases contained within the milk, the density of the milk may change substantially during the milking process. An acceptable accuracy for total mass flow is within 2% of the actual yield of milk supplied. It has been found that it is difficult if not impossible to remove the gas from milk to an extent that will enable this accuracy to be achieved whilst measuring the milk volume during milking or very soon after the milking occurs. As one of the main purposes of measuring the total mass flow is to determine the milk yield from each animal substantial removal of gas would require the milk to be retained in individual cow portions for a substantial period of time. Clearly, this is impractical. A method proposed to overcome the problem of density variation in measuring milk volume is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,139 where the foam profile of milk passing through a chamber is measured by measuring specific densities of the milk at different heights in the chamber. It would, however, be advantageous to measure total mass flow in a more direct manner rather than by making numerous volume and density measurements.

Apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid


A start trigger of an emergency call occurs. In this case, an in-vehicle emergency call apparatus mounted in a vehicle does not transmit all the positional data items presently stored in a memory unit to a service center. Alternatively, the in-vehicle emergency call apparatus transmits only the newest positional data item to the service center. Thus, even if a communication link with the service center has a low transmission speed, the positional data of the vehicle can be promptly notified to the service center.

For example, an in-vehicle emergency call apparatus stores positional data obtained from a navigation system, and transmits the stored positional data to a service center as an emergency call when a start trigger occurs, e.g., a traffic accident occurs (refer to Patent document 1).    Patent document 1: JP-2001-043469 A
In the above in-vehicle emergency call apparatus, when the start trigger of the emergency call occurs, an audio communication link is connected with the service center. After the audio communication link is connected, positional data is first transmitted to the service center via the audio communication link. Thereafter the user (driver) can execute a voice call (conversation) with an operator in the service center.
On the other hand, the in-vehicle emergency call apparatus stores positional data items up to a predetermined maximum number (for example, ten items) tracing back to the past from the newest positional data item. When storing a newest positional data item with the positional data items stored up to the predetermined maximum number, the earliest (or oldest) positional data item is eliminated and the newest positional data item is stored. When a start trigger of the emergency call occurs, all of the stored positional data items are transmitted to the service center.
Thus, in the in-vehicle emergency call apparatus which connects the audio communication link with the service center when a start trigger of an emergency call occurs, the following disadvantage may occur. If the positional data items of the predetermined maximum number are stored, it takes a time too long to complete transmitting of all the positional data items because of the low transmission speed of the audio communication link. This does not respond to the user's requirement to quickly notify the service center of the vehicle's positional data.


An infrared light is applied to a polymer film having a thickness of less than 30.mu., and the infrared light is spectroscopically separated before or after being applied to the polymer film to obtain an infrared interference fringe spectrum based on the polymer film, and then the extreme points of the infrared interference fringe spectrum are detected by processing, whereby to measure the thickness of the polymer film.

This invention relates to an infrared interference type film thickness measuring method and instrument for measuring the thickness of a thin polymer film by utilizing an interference fringe of an infrared light caused by the film.
For continuous, on-line non-contacting measurement of the thickness of a polymer film on the film manufacturing production line, the following two methods have widely been employed:
(1) A method of measuring the thickness of the polymer film utilizing absorption and scattering of beta rays by the film;
(2) A method of measuring the thickness of the polymer film utilizing absorption of infrared rays by the film.
However, the abovesaid two methods have the following defects:
The method utilizing beta rays has the defect that as the thickness of the polymer film to be measured decreases, that is, when the film thickness is less than about 10 to 30.mu., an appreciable error is produced between the measured thickness and the actual one. That is, this method is to make use of absorption and scattering of beta rays corresponding to the weight of the member to be measured, so that the film thickness is measured by dividing the weight of the film per unit area by the density of the film. Therefore, no problems occur when the member to be measured is a metal or the like which has a high density; but in the case of a polymer film whose density is close to 1, its weight is very small, and the rate of beta rays being absorbed and scattered by the film becomes very low, so that the measurement is greatly affected by the absorption and scattering of the beta rays by air and variations in the intensity of the beta ray source which stem from a statistical decay of beta rays. As a consequence, in the case of using beta rays for the film thickness measurement, variations in the scattering and absorption of beta rays resulting from changes in the thickness of the polymer film are measured with low SN ratio (signal-to-noise ratio); in particular, measurement of the thickness of a thin polymer film is difficult.
The method utilizing infrared radiation is safe and superior, as a method of measuring the thickness of a polymer film, to the method using beta rays because it employs infrared rays unsusceptible to the influence of air in place of radiation such as beta rays. This method adopts the principle of measuring the thickness of a film utilizing absorption of chromatic infrared light by the film corresponding to its thickness. Consequently, in the case of measuring the thickness of a thin polymer film, when the film comes to satisfy the condition of interference of a parallel-surfaced thin film, the infrared light cast thereon undergoes multiple reflection in the film to cause a light interference phenomenon, and when the film thickness varies, the interference condition changes, and the infrared light transmitted through the film becomes light when light rays are in-phase, and dark when the rays are out-of-phase. This variation in the intensity of the infrared light is utterly undistinguishable from the variation in the absorption of the infrared light by the polymer film corresponding to the film thickness, resulting in a large error in the measured film thickness. Accordingly, with the method utilizing the chromatic infrared light corresponding to the wavelength at the peak of absorption by the polymer film, it is difficult to measure the thickness of a polymer film, which causes marked light interference, whose thickness is very small and whose surfaces are highly parallel and flat and lustrous and which has a high degree of transparency.
Accordingly, in connection with the method for film thickness measurements utilizing the infrared absorption, there have heretofore been made various inventions for reducing the interference phenomenon by infrared radiation in a thin film which causes an error in the measurement, as seen from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,631,526, 3,693,025, 3,973,122 and 4,027,161.
There has been known, in general, a method of measuring the film thickness by making use of the light interference phenomenon by a film. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,238,839 discloses a method of measuring the thickness of a thermoplastic film utilizing the interference. In this patent, as described in its patent gazette, col. 4, lines 14-16, the wavelengths of light used for measurement are between 0.435 and 0.546.mu., which are visible rays of light. In the case of using such visible light, the measurement is liable to be affected by external light and becomes less reliable and requires a complicated measuring instrument. Further, as the wavelength used becomes shorter, the amplitude and period of the resulting interference waveform decrease; namely, the interference waveform becomes hard to obtain, so that the measurement becomes difficult by that. Moreover, in this patent the interference waveform is displayed, and the operator counts the wave number N from the display, and the wave number N is used for calculation to obtain the film thickness. That is, the measuring instrument of this patent does not provide directly the film thickness as the measured result but requires counting of the wave number N by the operator. Accordingly, such a method is not suitable for on-line measurement of the thickness of a film moving on the manufacturing production line. On top of that, the measuring instrument is fixed, so that it is impossible to measure the thickness of the moving film over the entire width thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,492 also discloses apparatus for measuring film thickness utilizing the interference phenomenon. This apparatus is to measure the thickness of a silicon wafer by making use of interference of an infrared light, and the interference fringe obtained is displayed on an oscilloscope and marker lines are set visually at the displayed interference fringe. Since the marker lines are set by the eye, the measured value varies for each setting and according to the particular operator, resulting in inaccurate measurement; furthermore, since manual operation is needed, the measurement is time-consuming and hence low in measuring speed. Moreover, the member to be measured and the measuring instrument are both fixed, so that it is impossible to measure the thickness of a moving member while moving the measuring instrument relative thereto. The infrared wavelength used in this patent is in the range of 11 to 35 .mu.m. This wavelength range is one that if it is used for measuring the thickness of a polymer film, there exist a number of strong characteristic absorbing peaks according to the particular polymer film; therefore, there is a fear that the measurement cannot be achieved.
An object of this invention is to provide an infrared interference type film thickness measuring method and instrument with which it is possible to measure, with high accuracy, the thickness of a thin polymer film such that when it is measured by the method utilizing beta rays, a large error is resulted in the measurement and that also when it is measured by the method utilizing infrared absorption, a large error is produced in the measurement due to the interference phenomenon.
Another object of this invention is to provide an infrared interference type film thickness measuring method and instrument which permits measurement of the film thickness with substantially no manual operation.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an infrared interference type film thickness measuring method and instrument with which it is possible to continuously measure, with high accuracy the thickness of a moving polymer film in a non-contacting manner.

Infrared interference type film thickness measuring method and instrument therefor


A data transfer process for transferring data from a first system to a second system while carrying out loop checking, including: a first step for sending out a part of the above data from the first system to the second system; a second step for sending first information that the part of the data has been sent out from the first system to the second system; a third step for receiving the above part of the data in the second system; a fourth step for sending out the part of the data, which has been received in the third step from the second system to the first system; a fifth step for sending second information that the part of the data has been sent out from the second system in the fourth step, a sixth step for receiving the part of the data, which has been sent from the second system, in the first system; a seventh step for determining whether or not the data which has been sent out from the first system in the first step and the data which has been received in the second system in the sixth step are equal; and an eighth step for resending the part of the data which has been sent out from the first system in the first step to the second system when the data compared in the seventh step.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transfer process with a loop (echo) checking, which is particularly useful in a transfer operation of a large amount of data between two data processing systems.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In a data transfer process including loop checking, data which has been sent out from a first system and received in a second system is sent back from the second system to the first system. The first system receives the returned data, and compares the returned data with the data which was first sent out from the first system. Thus, if the data and the returned data are not equal, it means that the data sent out from the first system may have not been correctly received by the second system.
Usually, an amount of data which is to be transferred from one system to the other system, exceeds an amount which can be transferred in one transfer operation, i.e., a plurality of transfer operations must be successively carried out between the two systems, and accordingly, a plurality of transfer back operations must be carried out in a data transfer process with loop checking.
In the conventional data transfer process with loop checking, first, the above-mentioned successive data transfer operations from one system to the other system are carried out. Secondly, successive transfer back operations of the data are carried out, and thirdly, the above comparison is carried out for all the data.
However, the timing of an output of data from one system must be informed to the other system, and the timing of a data reception in one system must be informed to the other system, in each data transfer operation during the above successive data transfer operations and the above successive transfer back operations.
Therefore, when the number of the above plurality transfer operations is N, a time necessary for informing the timing of an output of data in one system to the other system in each data transfer operation is T1, and a time necessary for informing the timing of a data reception in one system to the other system in each data transfer operation is T2, it takes N.multidot.(T1+T2) for the above operations for informing the timings of data outputs and data receptions during the above successive data transfer operations. Accordingly, it takes 2N.multidot.(T1+T2) for the above operations for informing the timings of data outputs and data receptions during the above successive data transfer operations and the above successive transfer back operations.
Namely, in the conventional data transfer process with loop checking, the data transfer time is long. In particular, when the amount of data transferred is large, i.e., the above number N is large, the conventional data transfer process with loop checking causes a great delay in data processing.
In addition, a sequence for determining which system is a sender and which system is a receiver is necessary before the above successive data transfer operations and before the above successive transfer back operations.
Further, in the conventional data transfer process with loop checking, if the data returned from the second system to the first system is not equal to the data first sent from the first system to the second system, i.e., when it is determined that the data sent out from the first system may have not been correctly received in the second system, the data first sent to the second system is re-sent to the second system.
When the above incorrect reception is due to transient cause, e.g., a transient noise, the re-sent data is expected to be correctly received in the second system. However, when the above incorrect reception is due to a lasting cause, e.g., a break of a part or all of the data transmission lines, the re-sent data will not be correctly received in the second system, and the correct data cannot be recognized in the second system, if the re-sent data is the same as the data firstly sent.

Data transfer process with loop checking


A torque sensor is provided which does not easily generate hysteresis in an output curve from a sensing device thereof and in which abnormality in detecting the rotational torque can therefore be prevented. An input shaft and an output shaft are connected to each other through a torsion bar. An actuator portion, having a semicircular cross sectional shape, and a stopper are, such that a predetermined interval is maintained, provided for a first mounting frame integrally formed with the input shaft. A sensing device comprising of a slide-operation-type variable resistor is secured to a second mounting frame integrally formed with the output shaft. A lever provided for the sensing device and having a circular cross sectional shape is caused to project between the actuator portion and the stopper. Moreover, the sensing device includes a restoring spring for urging the lever in one direction so that the elasticity of the restoring spring realizes point contact between the actuator portion and the lever;

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a torque sensor for use in, for example, a power steering apparatus for an automobile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional torque sensor of the foregoing type. As shown in FIG. 5, a steering shaft is divided into an input shaft 1 and an output shaft 2. The input shaft 1 and the output shaft 2 are connected to each other by a torsion bar 3 made of special alloy steel. Each end of the torsion bar 3 is inserted into the input shaft 1 and the output shaft 2, and they are secured by pins 4 and 5, respectively. A first mounting frame 6 is integrally formed with the input shaft 1. A prism-like actuator portion 7 extends downwards from the leading end of the first mounting frame 6. An adjust screw 8, which is brought into contact with a first side surface of the actuator portion 7, is fastened into the leading end of the first mounting frame 6 by means of a screw thread. A second mounting frame 9 is integrally formed with the output shaft 2 and has, at the leading end thereof, an outer case 10c for the sensing device 10 secured thereto. The sensing device 10 comprises a slide-operation-type variable resistor for transmitting a resistance value, which corresponds to the position of a prism-like lever 10a extending away from the shafts 1 and 2, when the lever 10a reciprocates within an elongated hole 10b. The lever 10a is, by a restoring spring (not shown) included in the outer case 10c, urged into a direction in which the lever 10a is brought into contact with a second side surface of the actuator portion 7.
When a steering wheel (not shown) attached to the leading end of the input shaft 1 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, the torsion bar 3 is twisted so that a torsional angle, which is the difference in the phase caused from the rotation, is made. The thus-made torsional angle is, as rotational torque, detected by the sensing device 10. If the input shaft 1 is rotated, for example, clockwise, the first mounting frame 6 and the actuator portion 7 are also rotated in the same direction. Thus, the actuator portion 7 is rotated in a direction in which the actuator portion 7 presses against the lever 10a of the sensing device 10, thereby moving the lever 10a within the elongated hole 10b. As a result, the sensing device 10 transmits a change in the voltage corresponding to the torsional angle. On the contrary, if the input shaft 1 is rotated counterclockwise, the first mounting frame 6 and the actuator portion 7 are also rotated in the same direction. Thus, the actuator portion 7 is rotated in a direction in which the actuator portion 7 moves apart from the lever 10a of the sensing device 10. However, since the lever 10a follows the movement of the actuator portion 7 due to the elasticity of the restoring spring, the sensing device 10 similarly transmits the voltage change which corresponds to the torsional angle. In accordance with the thus-detected rotational torque, a rotational assist power is supplied to a power assist mechanism (not shown) attached to the leading end of the output shaft 2.
With the foregoing conventional torque sensor, a dimensional error or a mounting error of the components including the sensing device 10 results in a necessity of adjusting the position, at which the actuator portion 7 and the lever 10a are in contact with each other, to be a neutral position, that is, a zero point adjustment is required. The zero point adjustment is performed in such a manner that the adjust screw 8 is rotated to deform the actuator portion 7. However, with the foregoing conventional torque sensor, the actuator portion 7 and the lever 10a are prism-like shape, thus, the contact between the actuator portion 7 and the lever 10a is performed along a surface or a line. Therefore, even if the zero point adjustment has been performed accurately, there arises a problem in that an excess change in frictional force generated between the actuator portion 7 and the lever 10a occurring during the operation inhibits the lever 10a to follow the movement of the actuator portion 7 and, therefore, hysteresis easily takes place in an output curve from the sensing device 10. If the restoring spring included in the sensing device 10 is separated from the lever 10a or the restoring spring is ruptured, the lever 10a cannot follow the movement of the actuator portion 7. Thus, detection of the rotational torque encounters a problem.


A light fixture, mountable on a wall, comprises a backing member and a support for a light emitter in front of the backing member, a shade member mountable on the backing member in a position to interfere with at least some of the light rays emanating from the light emitter forwardly of the backing member mounting structure for removably fixing the shade member on the backing member, the shade member comprising a substantially rigid band of forwardly convex and rearwardly concave shape having lateral ends releasably fixed to respective lateral ends of the backing member and having a central portion spaced forwardly of a central portion of the backing member and offset forwardly of the position of the light emitter, the shade member being elastically deformable to allow forcing a temporary resiliently resisted springing apart of its ends, the mounting structure enabling the corresponding lateral ends of the backing member and shade member to establish a releasable snap fit connections therebetween.

Wall mounted light fixtures, including those adapted for use in recreational vehicles or in the cabin of a boat, have been known for many years. However, as far as I am aware, such prior lamps are available only in fixed sizes and shapes and are not readily modifiable if a change in size or shape is desired after the lamp is installed. For various reasons, existing wall lamps have not been entirely satisfactory and it is the intention of Applicant to improve same.
Accordingly, the objects and purposes of the invention are met by providing a wall mountable lamp particularly adapted for mounting on walls, for example in a recreational vehicle or boat cabin, in which the light fixture is constructed of modular components that can be rearranged to create different appearances, in which shade modules of different widths can be assembled in various combinations, in which some assemblies of shade modules provide a "art deco" appearance, in which fasteners securing the light fixture to a wall are hidden, in which the invention is adaptable to different sizes and voltages of light bulbs (in a sense of light demanding bulbs, tubes, etc.), in which shade modules are positively but removably fixed and installed on backing plates by a snap fit action and without requiring tools, and in which the components thereof can be readily manufactured at low cost by molding from common plastics materials.
Further objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with devices of this general kind upon reading the following description and inspecting the accompanying drawings.


Device or apparatus for electrolyzing natural and synthetic brines for producing hypochlorite includes an improved chassis structure supporting and cooperating with electrode plates to form a series of electrolytic cells which are easily assembled into a cylindrical casing member to form an electrolyzer. The invention and/or apparatus is characterized by (a) rapid gas removal; (b) improved electrode plate configuration through which the electrolyte is caused to flow in a vigorous and turbulent manner to eliminate fouling of electrode arrays by precipitates and scales formed during electrolysis of natural brines; (c) novel dilution water distribution means for synthetic brine electrolysis; and (d) a series-parallel electrical conductor arrangement which is electrically balanced against changes in electrolyte temperature and salinity; all of which result in a highly efficient, economical, energy-saving, rugged, modular-type device.

The advantages of on-site electrolzers for the production of sodium hypochlorite from either synthetic or natural brines are obvious. For example, it is well known that modern sewage and water treatment facilities demand large quantities of chlorine as a biocidal agent. Chlorine, in the form of a gas or anhydrous liquid, poses hazardous risks in handling and storage. Even in the form of sodium hypochlorite, which is relatively safe to use, very large shipments of dilute solutions to the site of intended use present problems of storage and logistics.
Prior art electrolyzers of high electrical and salt efficiencies are generally complex and costly to manufacture and service. All present day electrolyzers employ anodes that wear out, i.e., they lose their catalytic coating and must frequently be completely disassembled and rebuilt. Furthermore, profuse numbers of connections often incorporated in the more sophisticated designs are potential sources of leaks of corrosive electrolyte which can be destructive, and of hydrogen which may collect in hazardous concentrations.
Power consumption is adversely affected by hydrogen gas accumulation in electrolyzers, leading to various add-on devices for separating the hydrogen from the electrolyte which contribute to additional system complexity.
Some available electrolyzers are very sensitive to scale buildup on electrodes due to the impurities in brines such as sea water. Acid cleanings may be necessary on a frequent basis further adding to maintenance cost.
It has been established by reliable investigations, and through experience, that low brine temperatures, typically 34.degree. to 50.degree. F., contribute to reduced anode coating life. High current densities also reduce the life of the precious coatings employed. Conventional electrolyzers are prone to undue reductions in anode life due to variations in conditions that are encountered when used over a wide range of services and geographic locations.
The present invention substantially overcomes the problems abovementioned while providing many related advantages and benefits. The electrolyzer comprises a plurality of electrolytic cells on a chassis inside a cylindrical casing resulting in a modular assembly which may be hydraulically serially connected with other duplicate modules wherein the entire cell structure of any electrolyzer may be easily and rapidly removed for repair thereof, or replaced with reconditioned or new parts preassembled outside the casings with minimal risk of assembly error.
The electrolyzers of the present invention are characterized by improved electrolyte flow paths and electrode plate configurations to resist scaling caused by brine contaminants. The electrolyzers are provided with improved means for removing gaseous products formed in the process of electrolyzing the brine solutions, possess unique and improved dilution water distribution means for extending anode life when electrolyzing synthetic brines and include an electrical conductor arrangement which is simple and yet provides substantially balanced power flow against changes in electrical resistance resulting from changes in electrolyte temperature and salinity to further extend anode life.

Apparatus for production of sodium hypochlorite


A fastener system including a blind grounding stud and a sleeve. The sleeve has a first section abutting a second section. The first section has a smaller outer surface diameter than the second section. A knurled band is formed around the first section beginning at the intersection between the first and second sections. The sleeve has an opening axially through the two sections. The opening has a first larger inner surface which tapers via a frusto-conical surface to a smaller diameter inner surface. The larger diameter inner surface extends from the free end of the sleeve first section and extends toward the second section to the frusto-conical surface. The smaller diameter inner surface begins at the free end of the second section and extends toward the first section to the frusto-conical inner surface. The smaller diameter inner surface spans at least a portion and preferably all of the knurled band.

Blind grounding studs are used throughout aircraft and protrude from the same side of the structure from which they are installed. They are referred as "blind" because they require access to only one side of the panel or structure for installation. A nut is typically threaded on the installed grounding stud and holds an electrical wire in contact with the stud.
The problem with conventional grounding studs is that they occasional slip relative to the structures through which they are installed. Slippage allows the grounding studs to rotate relative to the panels or structures. Slippage is more prevalent when the structures, such as panels, through which they are installed are relatively thin, i.e., they have a thickness of less than 0.050 inch. The rotation due to slippage can cause the loss of proper electrical conductivity between the sleeve of the stud and panel and ultimately to a wire held in contact with the stud which may result in electrical failures in the system which rely on such stud for grounding.
As such, a blind grounding stud is desired that can be locked in place in the panel or structure to which it is installed such that rotation of the stud relative to the panel is alleviated. The present invention provides such a blind stud.

Electrical terminal blind grounding stud fastener system


There is provided a centrifugal compressor apparatus including a centrifugal compressor that centrifugally compresses a gas, an electric motor that rotatably drives the centrifugal compressor, a current detector that detects a drive current I of the electric motor, and an exhaust valve that discharges a compressed gas to a lower pressure section. The centrifugal compressor apparatus (A) detects the drive current I at a sampling cycle ts, (B) updates, as a current threshold, in real time, a value “(moving average)−n×(standard deviation)” for which a plurality of drive currents measured in a sampling period tp serves as a population, where n is a positive number in the range of 3 to 4 and, (C) determines that surging has occurred when the exhaust valve is closed and the drive current I is below the current threshold X, and (D) further opens the exhaust valve to discharge the compressed gas when determining that surging has occurred.

Surging that accompanies extreme pressure fluctuation and noise occurs in a low flow rate region in a centrifugal compressor used in a turbo compressor or a turbo refrigerator. When the centrifugal compressor is in a surging state, the compressor cannot stably operate and the life of the compressor is shortened. At worst, there is also a possibility that the compressor is damaged.
In view of it, various means for preventing the occurrence of surging were proposed in the past (for example, Patent Literatures 1 to 9).
Except for a particularly necessary case, the centrifugal compressor is abbreviated as the "compressor" and surging is abbreviated as "surge".

Centrifugal compressor apparatus and method for preventing surge therein

IHI Rotating Machinery Engineering Co., Ltd.


A tracking servo drawing device in an optical type information reading device utilizes a tracking servo to allow an irradiation light beam to track a record track on an information record surface to read information by using said irradiation light beam illuminating said record surface. A speed detection circuit is used to sense a relative speed of the record track and the irradiation light beam at which the irradiation light beam goes across the video track. When the relative speed is lower than predetermined value, a first detection signal is produced. A signal level detection circuit detects the reproduction signal level of the information. When the level reaches a predetermined value, a second detection signal is produced. When the first and second detection signals are produced simultaneously an instruction signal is generated to close the servo loop of said tracking servo means.

This invention relates to an irradiation light beam tracking servo drawing device for an optical type information reading device.
In an optical type video disk, recesses called "pits" are arranged on the surface thereof to form concentric tracks or a spiral track. Video information is recorded by the lengths and intervals of these pits.
In reading information out of the video disk, a light beam is applied to the video track comprising these pits, and th reflection light beam modulated by the presence or absence of the pits is demodulated. The information reading device of such an information recording disk is provided with a so-caled "tracking servo device" so that the irradiation light beam is correctly applied to the video track at all times.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the outline of one example of a tracking servo device. A light beam from a light source 1 such as helium neon laser is passed through a collimeter lens 2, a beam splitter 3, .lambda./4 plate 4, a tangential mirror 5, a tracking mirror 6 and a focus lens 7, to be focused on the record surface of a video disk 8. The reflection light beam is applied through the focus lens 7, the tracking mirror 6 and the tangential mirror 5 to the .lambda./4 plate 4 and the beam splitter 3, where the incident light beam and the reflection light beam which has read the information are effectively separated.
The reflection light beam separated by the beam splitter 3 is applied to another beam splitter 11, where it is separated into a light beam for servo operation and a signal reproducing light beam. The signal reproducing light beam is detected by a light receiving element (not shown) and it is suitably processed to be reproduced as a signal. On the other hand, the light beam for servo operation is applied through a cylindrical lens 12 to the light receiving surface of a light receiving element 9 provided following the lens 12 in the light path.
The light receiving element 9 is designed to produce a tracking servo signal adapted to control the rotation of the tracking mirror 6 and a focus servo signal which is employed so that the vertical movement of the focus lens 7 is controlled with respect to the disk 8. Hence, the irradiation light beam is focused on the record surface at all times. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the light receiving element 9 is made up of four light receiving units 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d. The light beam passing through the cylindrical lens 12 is focused on the two focal lines being in the plane including the generating lines of the cylindrical lens and in the plane perpendicular to the aforementioned plane.
By utilizing the principle, the configuration changes of the beam spot projected onto the four separate light receiving units of the light receiving element 9 are detected and measured to determine the positional relation between the focus lens 7 and the record surface. This is used to control the vertical movement of the lens 7, that is, the focus servo operation is carried out.
In the tracking servo operation, the sums of the outputs of the adjacent light receiving units 9a and 9d, and 9b and 9c, i.e. the sums (Va+Vd) and (Vb+Vc) are applied to a comparison amplifier 10, and the difference voltage Ve is used as an error signal for tracking servo.
When the center of the irradiation light beam is set on the center line of the video track by suitably setting the relation between the cylindrical lens 12, the light receiving element 9 and the video track, then the images of the pits are projected onto the light receiving surfaces as indicated by reference numeral 20 in FIG. 3(a). When the center of the irradiation light beam is shifted from the center line of the video track, then the images of the pits are projected onto the light receiving surfaces as indicated by reference numeral 20 in FIG. 3(b). That is, the output Ve of the comparison amplifier 10 is an error signal corresponding to a distance between the center of the light beam and the track center line. The tracking mirror 6 is turned by a necessary angle through using the error signal, so that the light beam is correctly on the track at all times.
The tangential mirror 5 is used to control the position of the light beam in the tangential direction of the video disk, and serves as a time base corrector. The detailed description of the tangential mirror 5 will be omitted since its function and construction are well known in the art.
Although the video tracks of the video disk are provided substantially concentric in general the center of those concentric circles is not coincident with the center of rotation of the video disk which is obtained when it is rotated on a reproducing device. Therefore, when the tracking servo loop is open, the reading irradiaton light beam spot goes obliquely across the tracks Y as indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 4(a). If, under this condition, the tracking servo loop is closed, the tracking mirror immediately carries out an abrupt operation to follow the track. This is especially true when the relative speed between the irradiation light beam and the track is high. Then, the tracking mirror causes the light beam to pass over the track. Thus, the mirror is vibrated until the servo is completely locked, and in a worst case it is impossible to lock the servo.

Tracking servo drawing device in optical type information reading device


A anti-microbial composition includes an effective amount of an extract of a plant of the Ranunculaceae family, a surfactant, and optionally an essential oil. To disinfect an object using the anti-microbial composition, the anti-microbial composition is brought into contact with the object. The composition of the invention may be used in the form of packaged towelettes, which are saturated with the composition of the invention. The composition is effective in disinfecting objects contaminated with anthrax, pneumococci, straphylococci, streptococci, tuberculi and a variety of fungi.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to anti-microbial compositions and methods of using them. More particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-microbial compositions and method of using them to against microbial contamination.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Anti-bacterial cleansing compositions have been widely sold as household products for many years. They are generally used to disinfect household utensils and other household goods. For example, International patent publication WO 95/09605 to Desai discloses a disinfectant cleansing composition containing an alkyl glycoside and a phenolic compound. However, the disinfectant composition of Desai is only disclosed as being effective against common household bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Kleb. Pneumoniae.
Anthrax is resistant to most conventional anti-bacterial compositions. Currently, the primary method to disinfect objects contaminated with anthrax is treating these objects with hazardous chemicals such as chorine dioxide or ozone.
The present invention employs extracts of plant of the Ranunculaceae family. One member of this family of plants, Ranunculus acris, has been used to treat headaches by applying the scent of the leaves or juice from the leaves to the nostrils. However, Ranunculus acris is generally considered to be toxic and should not be taken internally unless skillfully combined with other plants or ingredients. The juice of Ranunculus acris may also cause blisters and it also has been reported that at least one person experienced fever and intense inflammation as a result of the application of a significant quantity of Ranunculus acris to the limbs. As a result, little consideration has been given to the potential therapeutic applications of plants of the Ranunculaceae family.
There is still a need for a more effective anti-microbial composition that can disinfect microbial contamination without relying on hazardous chemicals.