The present invention provides a system and method for simultaneously controlling a plurality of print engines connected together (in series, in parallel or otherwise) that facilitates electronic stitching between the print engines. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for synchronizing the pixel deposition frequencies and the drive mechanisms between the various inter-connected print engines so as to eliminate synchronization between the print engines. The method for synchronizing the pixel deposition frequencies and/or drive mechanisms between a plurality of print engines comprises the steps of: (a) coupling the plurality of print engines together with a printer controller, (b) embedding a first clock signal in data; (c) transmitting the data to the print engines; (d) each of the print engines receiving the data; (e) each of the print engines deriving a second clock signal from the data received, which is directly proportional to the first clock signal; and (f) each of the print engines driving its corresponding pixel deposition mechanism and/or its drive mechanisms with the second clock signal.

The present invention relates to digital and print-on-demand printing systems; and more particularly, to a high-speed printer controller system that is configured to control a multitude of print engines simultaneously, and is configured to synchronize the deposition of image pixels and to xe2x80x9clock-stepxe2x80x9d the transport mechanisms on the multitude of print engines to a single clock source, thereby reducing beat frequency and other errors between the print engines.
An ink jet printing system is an example of a printing system that is notorious for having registration problems and beat frequency errors between various print engines (ink jet printheads) controlled by at least one printer controller. Ink jet printing is a non-impact print method which is based upon controlling the behavior of a fluid ink stream using pressure, ultrasonic vibration and electrostatic forces. A typical ink jet printhead will include a multitude of nozzle orifices, aligned in an array, for emitting a corresponding multitude of fluid ink streams, commonly referred to as an array of ink. Pressure is created by a push rod to force the ink from the ink chamber and through an array of nozzle orifices.
A high frequency ultrasonic vibration (referred to as a xe2x80x9cmodulation signalxe2x80x9d) is applied to the push rod and, in turn, to the ink stored in an ink chamber within the ink jet printhead, to establish a standing wave pattern within the ink. To create the modulation signal, the typical ink jet print head will utilize an internal clock source which is sent to a piezoelectric crystal, typically mounted within the push rod assembly. The piezoelectric crystal will thus vibrate at the frequency of the clock source. The vibrational waves will conduct into the ink chamber, causing the standing wave pattern within the ink. This standing wave pattern in the ink causes the ink to break into individual droplets, corresponding to individual pixels of the printed image, when the ink emerges from the nozzle orifices. The resulting array of ink droplet streams is directed (typically downward) towards the substrate to receive the printed image.
A multitude of electrodes are positioned adjacent to each of the ink droplet streams, near the nozzle orifices. The electrodes, controlled by the ink jet printhead, apply a voltage to the droplets which are not intended to contact the substrate. Below the electrodes, the droplet streams pass through a high voltage field which forces the charged droplets to be deflected into a gutter and which allows the uncharged droplets to pass through the field and onto the substrate, thus forming the printed image.
The nozzle orifices are typically arranged on the ink jet printhead in a row, where each nozzle orifice corresponds to one column of image pixels on the final printed image. The printed image is formed by emitting successive horizontal lines of the ink droplets (referred to as xe2x80x9cstrokesxe2x80x9d) applied to the continuously moving substrate (moving in the vertical direction). Each stroke forms one row of pixels on the final printed image. The electrodes are controlled for each stroke by the ink jet printhead in accordance with the bitmap data sent to the print head by the raster printer controller.
In low-speed printing operations, where the substrate is moved at low speeds under the ink jet printheads, the width of the row of nozzle orifices is not a concern. However, in high-speed printing operations, where the substrate is moved at high speeds under the ink jet printheads (i.e., to print 1000 feet per minute), the size of the row of nozzle orifices becomes a real concern because of the time it takes for the vibrational waves in the chamber to travel from the push rod to the far ends of the printhead. Accordingly, to be able to print detailed, full size images in high speed ink jet print operations, it is necessary to utilize a plurality of the ink jet print heads, where each print head is responsible to print one vertical portion or xe2x80x9cswathxe2x80x9d of the image. One xe2x80x9cswathxe2x80x9d of an image corresponds to the number of vertical columns of pixels that one ink jet printhead will be able to print. Typically, the width of each swath can range from approximately 20 to 1024 pixels (i.e., the swath would comprise 20 to 1024 columns of pixels), however the range can vary depending upon the application.
Because the physical width of the ink jet printhead exceeds the width of the swath printed by the ink jet printhead, the multiple ink jet printheads cannot be aligned side by side with respect to each other without experiencing noticeable gaps between the swaths. Therefore, to get a continuous image across the width of the entire printed page, with no noticeable gaps between the swaths, it is necessary to stagger the ink jet print heads vertically with respect to the substrate such that they do not interfere with each other. It is also necessary to simultaneously control the multiple ink jet printheads such that their respective swaths are vertically and horizontally aligned with respect to the substrate. The process of vertically and horizontally aligning these swaths on the substrate to form one image is commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cstitchingxe2x80x9d.
Stitching the multiple ink jet swaths down to the pixel level in order to obtain sub pixel resolution is extremely challenging. Mechanical alignment is the most common method of aligning the printheads to achieve stitching of the swaths. Utilizing micrometer adjustment and measurement devices on the x and y axes, the position of the printheads can be adjusted to approach sub pixel resolution. However, such alignment is only useful for a particular ink viscosity, temperature of the environment, humidity of the environment and print speed. Once any one of these variables changes, i.e., the viscosity of the ink changes, the pixel resolution will again become misaligned. Furthermore, even if the printheads are perfectly aligned, the piezoelectric crystals in each printhead will be driven at a slightly different frequency, thus causing beat frequency drift errors between the printheads which eventually leads to very visible alignment errors between the pixels of the different swaths.
Electronic alignment methods and mechanisms, while more flexible than mechanical alignment systems, also cannot achieve sub pixel resolution because of the piezo beat frequency drift errors, which will eventually cause drift between the printheads, independent of the mechanical and/or electronic methods and systems used for stitching the swaths together.
The problem of beat frequency drift errors is not limited to ink jet engines. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, similar errors may occur in other types of print engines that are linked together to print upon a single substrate or web. For example, magnetographic engines utilize magnetic recording heads to create a latent magnetic image on the surface of a revolving hard metal drum, which is then exposed to magnetic toner particles and transferred/fused to paper. The modulation frequency of the magnetic recording heads is controlled by a clock source, which may be slightly different on each of the print engines. Therefore, if a plurality of the magnetographic print engines are used in series to print a single image, the slight differences in the magnetic recording heads"" clock sources may cause slight (but perceptible) registration errors in the printed pixels of the image. Similar beat frequency errors may occur in LED engines, Ion deposition engines, laser engines, magnetographic, xerographic engines and the like.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for simultaneously controlling the plurality of staggered ink jet printheads such that stitching between the swaths generated by the ink jet printheads can be easily accomplished electronically, regardless of the ink viscosity, print speed, temperature and humidity. Furthermore, a need exists for a system and method for synchronizing the piezo clock sources on each of the ink jet printheads to each other such that the stitching can be accomplished down to sub pixel levels without experiencing beat frequency drift errors between the pixel swaths. Furthermore, a need exists for a system and method for synchronizing clock sources controlling the deposition frequency of image pixels on print engines connected (in series, in parallel or otherwise) so as to eliminate beat frequency errors between the print engines. Finally, a need exists for a system and method for synchronizing the drive mechanisms of print engines controlled by a single controller so as to xe2x80x9clock-stepxe2x80x9d the transport mechanisms of the printers.
The present invention provides a system and method for simultaneously controlling a plurality of print engines connected (in series, in parallel, or otherwise) that facilitates electronic stitching between the print engines. More specifically, the present invention provides a system and method for synchronizing the pixel deposition frequencies between the various inter-connected print engines so as to eliminate beat frequency errors between the print engines. The present invention also provides a system and method for synchronizing the transport mechanisms of the inter-connected print engines so as to reduce overall errors and failures of the printing system.
In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a system and method for simultaneously controlling a multitude of continuous-flow ink jet printheads which facilitates the electronic stitching between the ink jet printheads; and furthermore, the present invention provides a system and method for synchronizing the piezo clock sources on each of the ink jet printheads to each other such that the electronic stitching can be accomplished down to the pixel levels.
The method for synchronizing the pixel deposition frequencies between a plurality of print engines comprises the steps of: (a) coupling the plurality of print engines together with at least one printer controller, (b) embedding a first clock signal in data; (c) transmitting the data to the print engines; (d) each of the print engines receiving the data; (e) each of the print engines deriving a pixel deposition clock signal from the data received, which is directly proportional to the first clock signal; and (f) each of the print engines driving its corresponding pixel deposition mechanism with the pixel deposition clock signal. Accordingly, all of the pixel deposition clock sources will be synchronized in frequency with each other, eliminating beat frequency drift errors between the print engines. The pixel deposition mechanism, as apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, includes the LED switching device for LED engines, the ion generating cartridge for Ion deposition engines, the magnetic recording heads for magnetographic engines, the piezoelectric crystal coupled to the ink-well push rod for ink jet printheads, and the like.
Preferably, the print engines and controller are connected together in a daisy-chain configuration and the method also includes the steps of: (i) determining the time it will take for the data to propagate to each of the print engines; and (ii) adjusting the phase of the second clock signal to reflect the propagation measurement. Accordingly, all of the pixel deposition clock signals will also be synchronized in phase as well as frequency to each other.
The above method is accomplished by operating a plurality of print engines with a high-speed raster printer controller. The type of print engine is not critical and a plurality of different print engine technologies can be used. Each print engine includes a customized communication circuit, which in the preferred embodiment is a separate circuit board, hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9ctarget adapter boardxe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cTABxe2x80x9d). The TAB provides a direct interface between the print engine electronics and the controller. The controller and each TAB includes a serial data input port and a serial data output port. The controller is attached to the plurality of TABs in a daisy-chained ring configuration, such that the controller will transmit commands and data to the first TAB on the daisy-chain, and the commands and data will flow in the same direction along the daisy-chain to the rest of the TABs, and will eventually flow back to the controller. Furthermore, the controller is adapted to transmit rasterized bitmap image data to the TABs, and in turn to the print engines, in an on-demand manner. The daisy-chained serial communication ring configuration of the controller and the plurality of TABs is hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cthe ring.xe2x80x9d
The ring configuration allows all of the TABs to see all of the data all of the time. This also provides a clean mechanism for the raster printer controller to receive status from all of the print engines with minimal cabling requirements. Furthermore, use of fiber optic links in the ring provides high bandwidth data transfer capabilities, excellent electrical isolation and immunity from excessive high voltages associated with print engine electronics.
The raster printer controller has a multiplexed command/data-stream protocol structure at its fiber optic interface in which the controller transmits a command followed by the associated data. The controller initiates all commands, and manages the allocation of fiber optic band-width to receive all print engine status. Each TAB is adapted to listen for commands addressed to it, and responds appropriately; and further, the TAB never responds unless commanded by the controller. Nevertheless, each TAB must retransmit the entire command/data-stream it receives on its fiber optic input port back to its fiber optic output port, and in turn, to the next TAB on the ring. This allows all of the TABs to see all of the controller commands and data, all of the time.
Each TAB includes a fiber optic receiver/decoder, a fiber optic encoder/transmitter, a standard discrete output bus, a standard discrete input bus, a print engine instruction register, print engine status register, a bitmap data memory storage, a stroke rate counter and associated stroke rate count preload register, a high-speed fiber optic message processing circuit, and an on-board CPU. Therefore, each TAB essentially includes all the necessary print engine components.
The CPU and message processing circuit are adapted to manage the incoming and outgoing commands, to manage the TAB""s hardware, and to provide an interface to the print engine electronics. The message processing circuit monitors the fiber optic input and executes the commands transmitted by the raster printer controller if the commands are addressed to it. The message processing circuit also continuously retransmits the commands/data-stream back to the fiber optic encoder/transmitter, supports the general purpose discrete output bus and instruction register in response to the commands, reads the general purpose discrete input bus and print engine status register which can be incorporated into messages sent directly to the raster printer controller as status, and also manages the data update of the bitmap data memory storage when commanded by the raster printer controller.
The raster printer controller""s multiplexed command/data protocol scheme allows the raster printer controller to transmit bitmap data to the print engines in any order and at any time, thus providing print-on-demand capabilities to the print engines; allows the controller to embed a xe2x80x9cPrint Triggerxe2x80x9d command within the command/data stream at any time thus providing real-time print trigger generation to the print engines; and allows the controller to embed a stroke rate signal within the command/data stream indicative of the web velocity and/or acceleration.
The command/data stream is transmitted over the fiber optic ring utilizing a self-clocking data transmission code such as 8B/10B code. The fiber optic encoder on the raster printer controller embeds a clock signal into the command/data stream by encoding the raw data. This allows the fiber optic decoders on each of the TAB boards to extract the embedded digital clock signal from the encoded data and to decode the command/data stream back into its raw data.
The extracted digital clock is used by each TAB to generate the pixel deposition clock signal for driving the pixel deposition mechanism on its corresponding print engine. Because each extracted clock signal will have the exact frequency (directly proportional to the clock signal embedded by the raster printer controller), each pixel deposition clock signal generated from the external clock source will also have the exact frequency.
Preferably, the pixel deposition clock signal is generated as follows: The extracted digital clock drives a free running counter whose count output is sent to a memory device which acts as a lookup table. The lookup table includes a voltage amplitude value for every count input. The voltage amplitude values in the lookup table each correspond to a particular voltage amplitude level in one period of the pixel deposition clock signal""s sinusoidal wave, square wave and the like. Thus, the memory device will output the particular voltage amplitude value from the lookup table, depending upon the count input received from the counter; therefore, for each cycle through the counter, the voltage amplitude values corresponding to one period of the pixel deposition clock signal""s output will be output from the lookup table. The voltage amplitude value is sent to a digital-to-analog converter, the amplified output of this digital-analog converter is the analog clock source for the pixel deposition clock signal.
To reset the counters, the raster printer controller will broadcast a CLOCK RESET command to the first TAB on the ring. The first TAB will receive this command and restart its counter to start generating its pixel deposition clock signal. As discussed above, the first TAB will also pass this command to the next TAB on the ring; which will restart its counter in response to the command and will in turn pass the command to the next TAB on the ring. This is repeated until the command is passed back to the raster printer controller.
Because it will take time for the a CLOCK RESET command to propagate to each TAB on the fiber optic ring, the present invention includes a method to assure that all the pixel deposition clock signals are synchronized in phase as well as frequency. Thus, each counter includes a preload input coupled to a phase-shift preload register. Each phase-shift preload register will be initialized by the raster printer controller during the boot-up process to a count pre-set value which corresponds to the time it takes for the CLOCK RESET command to reach the particular TAB. Thus, even though each pixel deposition clock signal will be started at progressively different instances, each phase-shift preload register is set to a particular count value to assure that the output voltage level of the piezoelectric clock source of a given TAB upon receiving the CLOCK RESET command is at the same voltage amplitude levels of all pixel deposition clock signal started prior to the present one.
Each pixel deposition clock signal is therefore locked in both phase and frequency to each other.
In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a method for synchronizing the plurality of piezoelectric crystals on a corresponding plurality of ink jet printheads comprises the steps of: (a) coupling the plurality of printheads together with a printer controller, (b) embedding a first clock signal in data; (c) transmitting the data to the printheads; (d) each of the printheads receiving the data; (e) each of the printheads deriving a second clock signal from the data received, which is directly proportional to the first clock signal; and (e each of the printheads driving its corresponding piezoelectric crystal with the second clock signal. Accordingly, all of the piezoelectric crystal clock sources will be synchronized in frequency with each other, eliminating beat frequency drift errors between the printheads.
The method for synchronizing or xe2x80x9clock-steppingxe2x80x9d a plurality of print engines comprises the steps of: (a) coupling the plurality of print engines together with at least one printer controller, (b) embedding a first clock signal in data; (c) transmitting the data to the print engines; (d) each of the print engines receiving the data; (e) each of the print engines deriving a drive clock from the data received, which is directly proportional to the first clock signal; and (f) each of the print engines driving its corresponding drive mechanism with the drive clock.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide print system with multiple print engines which can dispatch rasterized bitmap data to the print engines in an on-demand manner; which can transmit print trigger and stroke rate information to the print engines at any time; which synchronizes the pixel deposition clock signals for each print engine to a single clock source; which synchronizes the pixel deposition clock signals for each print engine in both phase and frequency; and which provides a system which facilitates electronic stitching of the print engines down to the pixel level. These and other objects will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

Method for synchronizing pixel deposition frequencies between a plurality of print engines


An optical device which can be used as a Faraday rotator which can provide an arbitrary Faraday rotation angle in accordance with a positional condition. The optical device includes first and second ports, magneto-optical crystal, and a unit for applying a magnetic field to the magneto-optical crystal. The first port is positioned in a first region while the second port is positioned in a second region. The first and second ports are optically coupled by a light beam. The magneto-optical crystal is provided such that the light beam may pass therethrough. The unit for applying applies a magnetic field to the magneto-optical crystal so that magnetization of the magneto-optical crystal may have a given distribution in a plane substantially perpendicular to the light beam. Since the magnetization of the magneto-optical crystal has the given distribution, whether the first port is at a certain position or at another position, the Faraday rotation angle provided to the light beam is different in accordance with the distribution. Accordingly, an arbitrary Faraday rotation angle can be provided in accordance with a positional condition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an optical device which makes use of a magneto-optical effect, and more particularly to an optical device for providing an arbitrary Faraday rotation angle or an arbitrary attenuation to an optical signal of each channel in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM).
2. Description of the Related Art
When a light beam passes through magneto-optical crystal of YIG (yttrium-iron-garnet) or the like placed in a magnetic field, a Faraday rotation angle is provided to the light beam by a magneto-optical effect in accordance with the magnitude and the direction of a magnetization vector of the magneto-optical crystal and the thickness of the magneto-optical crystal. An optical device which operates in accordance with this principle is called Faraday rotator, and Faraday rotators wherein a magnetic field is applied to magneto-optical crystal using a permanent magnet have been put into practical use. Since magnetization of magneto-optical crystal by a permanent magnet is uniform, the Faraday rotation angle is usually invariable in the Faraday rotator.
A variable optical attenuator is provided by combination of a Faraday rotator and a polarizer. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Heisei 1-204021 discloses a variable optical attenuator wherein a magnetic field is applied to magneto-optical crystal using only one electromagnet. However, where only one electromagnet is used, magnetization of the magneto-optical crystal may not always be in a saturated condition. If magnetization of magneto-optical crystal is not saturated, then a large number of magnetic domains appear in the magneto-optical crystal. The presence of such a large number of magnetic domains deteriorates the reproducibility of attenuation of an optical attenuator or, even if good reproducibility is secured, makes continuous variation of the attenuation difficult. Further, scattering of light at interfaces between a large number of magnetic domains causes attenuation which is difficult to control.
An optical device wherein an electromagnet and a permanent magnet are used in combination to allow variation of a Faraday rotation angle while magnetization of magneto-optical crystal is saturated has been proposed by the inventor of the present invention (Fukushima et al., OAA, FD9 pp.154-157, 1996). This optical device is a variable optical attenuator and achieves a characteristic of attenuation which continuously varies from 1.6 dB to 25 dB by varying the driving current from 0 mA to 40 mA.
In recent years, a technique of production and a technique of use of an optical fiber of a low loss (for example, 0.2 dB/km) have been established, and optical communication systems wherein an optical fiber is used as a transmission line have been put into practical use. Further, in order to compensate for the loss of an optical fiber to allow long-haul transmission, use of an optical amplifier for amplifying signal light has been proposed or such optical amplifiers have been put into practical use.
One of conventionally known optical amplifiers includes an optical amplification medium to which signal light to be amplified is supplied, and means for pumping the optical amplification medium so that the optical amplification medium may provide a gain band including the wavelength of the signal light. For example, an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) includes an erbium-doped fiber (EDF) serving as an optical amplification medium, and a pump light source for supplying pump light having a wavelength determined in advance to the EDF. By setting the wavelength of the pump light to the 0.98 .mu.m band or the 1.48 .mu.m band, a gain band including a wavelength of 1.55 .mu.m is obtained. Also another optical amplifier which includes a semiconductor chip as an optical amplification medium is known. In this instance, pumping takes place when current is injected to the semiconductor chip.
Meanwhile, as a technique for increasing the transmission capacity by a single optical fiber, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) is available. In a system to which the WDM is applied, a plurality of optical carriers having different wavelengths from each other are used. A plurality of optical signals obtained by modulating the optical carriers independently of each other are wavelength division multiplexed by an optical multiplexer, and resulting WDM signal light is forwarded into an optical fiber transmission line. On the reception side, the WDM signal light received is demultiplexed into individual optical signals by an optical demultiplexer, and transmission data are reproduced based on the optical signals. Accordingly, by applying WDM, the transmission capacity of one optical fiber can be increased in accordance with the multiplexing number of optical signals.
Where an optical amplifier is incorporated in a system to which WDM is applied, the transmission distance is limited by a wavelength dependency of a gain represented by a gain tilt or a gain deviation. For example, with regard to an EDFA, it is known that a gain tilt appears in the proximity of the wavelength of 1.55 .mu.m and this gain tilt varies in accordance with the input power of WDM signal light and the power of pump light to the EDFA, the temperature of the EDFA and so forth.
In order to suppress the wavelength dependency of the gain, it may be proposed to first attenuate optical signals of different channels using an optical attenuator having a suitable attenuation and then perform wavelength division multiplexing of the optical signals. In this instance, while an arbitrary attenuation can be provided to each of the optical signals of the channels by using a plurality of optical attenuators, a number of optical attenuators equal to the number of channels of WDM are required, and consequently, a complicated construction or a large size apparatus is required.

Optical device which makes use of magneto-optical effect


A laptop computer harness having a left shoulder strap for providing for the support in front of a standing user of a left side of a laptop computer. An upper part of a single belt is attached at a point near a left rear corner of the laptop computer, then passes over the left shoulder and then under the left arm of the user, and with an attachment to attach a lower part of the strap to a left front corner of the laptop computer. A right shoulder strap for providing for the support in front of the user of a right side of the laptop computer. An upper part of a single belt is attached at a point near a right rear corner of the laptop computer, then passes over the right shoulder and then under the right arm of the user, and with an attachment to attach a lower part of the strap to a right front corner of the laptop computer. A chest webbing for gathering the left shoulder strap to the right shoulder strap along a transverse line in front of the user's neck near the user's chest area. A back webbing for gathering the left shoulder strap to the right shoulder strap along a transverse line in back of the user's neck near the user's shoulder-blade area. A rear clamp assembly for mechanically securing the upper parts of the left and right shoulder straps to the left-rear and right-rear corners of the laptop computer. A front clamp assembly for mechanically securing the lower parts of the left and right shoulder straps to the left-front and right-front corners of the laptop computer. A tensioner for drawing the laptop computer taunt between the front and rear clamp assemblies.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to laptop computers and more specifically to harnesses and accessories that allow a computer to be mounted about the body of a user operator and for the user operator to comfortably operate the keyboard and view the display screen while standing or in motion away from a desk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
James B. Huntley, et al., describe a "Portable, Personal Computer, Personal Communicator Holder", in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,111, issued Sep. 13, 1994. A rigid wire frame is worn over the neck of user and is held tight by a back strap that passes behind the neck and under the arms. A rigid wire frame cellular phone holder is attached at the shoulder to hold a phone in a position for use. A tripod of three straps support a suspended personal computer from a horizontal line near the throat of the user.
A "Laptop Computer Carrying Tray" is described by John Hrusoff, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,225, issued Mar. 3, 1998. The inventors describe their inventions as a supporting device for a laptop-type personal computer. The device allows the operator to freely stand, sit, walk, carry, or move about with the computer unit intact when in an upright position "with little or no stress". An over-the-shoulder or over-the-neck strap is used to horizontally support a computer carrying tray in front of a user's body. A laptop computer, or anything else really, is placed in the tray for use. A single strap that slings around the back at the upper shoulders is described and this strap attaches to the tray at each side. Adjustments in the way the strap attaches to the tray are provided to tilt the tray for a comfortable angle.
A similar holder is also described by Byron J. Plonk, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,375, issued Feb. 16, 1993. A combination holder and writing surface is suspended from a neck sling attached to two opposite corners. A computer laptop can be installed within and inside a channel.

Computer harness to support a computer about the body of a user operator


The present invention proposes an apparatus for casting dental prosthesis designed to save labor and costly malformations. In a form of the invention, a first arm mechanism 20 for conveying a ring and a second arm mechanism 30 for conveying a crucible are provided to slide along the same guide 27. A ring-placing platform C and a burning unit G are placed across the guide 27, and so are a crucible-placing platform D and a casting unit H. When the arm mechanism 20 places a ring on a lifting stage 44, the lifting stage 44 moves upward to contain the ring in a furnace 41, where the ring is heated to bum off the wax inside. Meanwhile, the arm mechanism 30 places the crucible in a container 50, where alloy ingots are melted. After completing the melting of the alloy ingots and the burning of the ring, the arm mechanism 20 conveys the ring onto the top of the crucible in the container 50. Then, a cover 60 closes the container 50 to constitute a chamber, which is then turned upside-down to carry out the pressure casting. After completing the casting, the ring and the crucible are returned to the platforms C, D by the arm mechanisms 20, 30, respectively.

The present invention relates to a casting apparatus for manufacturing dental prostheses, such as inlay, crown, base, implant, and upper parts of implants, from precious metals or non-precious metals.
A loss of some or all of the teeth as a result of caries (tooth decay), periodontal disease or the like, causes not only functional declination in speech and chewing and/or a change in the facial appearance but also a bad influence on the health of the whole body. It is therefore important to undergo treatment as soon as possible in order to restore the missing tooth (or teeth). According to one of the known restoration methods, a metallic casting is put in place of the missing part of the teeth. Dental prostheses for restoring missing parts of teeth, however, cannot be mass-produced because the teeth shape is unique for each patient and further the size and shape of the missing part differs depending on the case. Therefore, it is necessary to manufacture prosthesis having a particular shape depending on the case of each patient. Also, the prosthesis must be manufactured with a high degree of accuracy to provide a correct occlusion. Thus, in the field of dental casting, the lost wax process, which is known for providing a high degree of accuracy of casting, is generally used for obtaining castings that meet the above demands.
FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing the process of dental casting according to the lost wax process. Referring to FIG. 19, the steps of manufacturing prosthesis used for dental treatment are described. First, a dentist takes a negative impression model of the mouth and teeth around the object part of a patient (Step S1). A dental technician pours modeling material, such as gypsum, into the negative impression, and solidifies the material to produce a positive model (Step S2). The dental technician forms a desired type of casting model, such as an inlay or crown, using wax or resin for the positive model (Step S3). A sprue wire for forming a sprue runner is attached to an appropriate part of the casting model with wax or the like (Step S4). After that, the casting model is detached from the positive model, and the free end of the sprue wire is pushed into a crucible former made of rubber (Step S5).
FIG. 20 is a front view of a casting model mounted on a commonly used crucible former. The crucible former 90 has a conical base 91 formed at its center, and a hole 92 for inserting a sprue wire 94 is formed on the top of the conical base 91. The hole 92 is filled with softened wax, and the free end of the sprue wire 94 (to which the casting model 93 is attached) is inserted in the soft wax. When the wax solidifies, the casting model 93 is fixed on the top of the conical base 91 with the sprue wire 94.
A metallic cylindrical ring (not shown) is fitted onto the crucible former 90 so that the casting model 93 is surrounded by the ring, and investment material such as gypsum or phosphate is poured into the metallic ring to conceal the casting model 93 (Step S6).
After the investment material is solidified, the crucible former 90 is removed, the sprue wire 94 is pulled out, and the ring is heated to a high temperature. By heating, the wax inside is burned off, leaving a cavity corresponding to the sprue wire 94 and the casting model 93. Thus, a mold is obtained (Step S7).
When the mold is heated to a preset temperature, molten metal is poured into a reservoir at the top of the mold, which is a conical depression having a shape corresponding to the conical base of the crucible former. The molten metal flows into the cavity through the sprue runner. This is so-called pouring work (Step S8). After the poured metal has cooled down and solidified, the mold is broken to take out the casting inside (Step S9). Then, unnecessary parts such as fringe metals along the sprue runner are removed from the casting, and after-treatments such as sanding the surface of the cast are carried out (Step S10). Thus, the prosthesis is completed.
In general, the above-described manufacturing work is carried out by a dental technician. Conventionally, in the work of Step S7, an electrical furnace, called a xe2x80x9cring furnacexe2x80x9d, is used to heat the ring to burn off the wax and to heat the mold to a preset temperature. The pouring work of Step S8 is carried out, for example, using a pressure casting apparatus with an inverting casting chamber. An example of this type of casting apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-176629.
The above type of casting apparatus includes a chamber rotatable within 180 degrees, in which a crucible and a mold are oppositely positioned so that the top of the crucible and the reservoir of the mold face each other. With this casting apparatus, the pouring work is carried out as outlined below. First, posing the crucible with its open top directed upwards, alloy ingots are put in the crucible, and the crucible is heated to melt the alloy. Next, the mold, having been heated to about 800-900xc2x0 C. (degrees Celsius), is placed above the crucible so that the reservoir is directed downwards. Then, the chamber is closed tightly and evacuated with a vacuum pump. As a result, the pressure in the cavity of the mold decreases. After that, the casting chamber is turned upside-down at a preset timing so that the open top of the crucible is directed downwards. Then, the molten metal in the crucible is poured into the reservoir of the mold. The molten metal closes the sprue gate of the sprue runner, so that the pressure in the cavity of the mold is kept low. After that, the evacuation of the casting chamber is stopped, and pressurized air, inert gas or another kind of gas is supplied to increase the pressure in the chamber. The pressure difference between the chamber and the cavity of the mold forces the molten metal to flow through the sprue runner into the cavity of the mold. Thus, the pouring of the molten metal is completed.
With the above type of casting apparatus, it is necessary to carry out the pouring work immediately after the alloy in the crucible has been melted. This is because keeping the metal in the molten state over an excessive length of time will cause oxidization or other quality changes in the metal, which will make the product defective. Therefore, after the metal has been melted, it is necessary to take out the heated mold from the ring furnace and set it in the casting chamber as soon as possible to start the pouring work as described above. As for the ring furnace, the burning needs to be carried out for one to a few hours at about 700-800xc2x0 C. of temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to put the ring in the furnace to start the burning at an appropriate timing, calculating back from the timing of pouring the molten metal.
Thus, being required to manufacture various forms of prostheses, dental technicians spend much time and labor carrying out the casting work as described above.
Further, the temperatures and time periods for burning the ring and melting the metal must be appropriately determined depending on the selection of investment material and alloy material, because a desired quality of prosthesis cannot be obtained when the settings are inappropriate. Conventionally, however, not a few pieces of prosthesis result in being defective (e.g. missing a part) as a result of inappropriately setting the apparatuses, wrong order of work and/or accidental omission of work. This is inevitable when the casting work is manually carried out as described above.
To solve the above problems, the present invention proposes an apparatus for casting dental prosthesis, which greatly improves the efficiency of the casting work while preventing wrong operations in the pouring work.
Thus the apparatus for casting dental prosthesis according to the present invention includes the following elements:
a) a ring-placing platform on which a cylindrical ring with a casting model of a thermally subliming material concealed inside may be placed;
b) a burning unit including a lifting stage and a furnace for heating the cylindrical ring with the casting model to form a mold, where the furnace covers the top of the lifting stage when the lifting stage is lifted to a preset level;
c) a crucible-placing platform on which a crucible containing a casting material may be placed;
d) a casting unit including a chamber having a cylindrical container rotatable about a horizontal axis and a cover for closing the open top of the container, a cover mechanism for attaching and detaching the cover to and from the top of the container, a heater for supplying heat to the container to melt the casting material in the crucible when the crucible is put in the container and the mold is positioned over the crucible so that the sprue of the mold faces the open top of the crucible, and a chamber driver for rotating the chamber about the horizontal axis after the casting material has been melted;
e) a ring conveyer for holding the ring on the ring-placing platform and conveying the ring onto the lifting stage of the burning unit, for holding the ring after burning and positioning the ring over the crucible contained in the container of the casting unit, and for holding the ring after a casting process and returning the ring to the ring-placing platform;
f) a crucible conveyer for holding the crucible on the crucible-placing platform and conveying the ring into the container of the casting unit, and for taking the crucible out of the container and returning the crucible to the crucible-placing platform; and
g) a controller for controlling the burning unit, casting unit, ring conveyer and crucible conveyer so that heating of the ring for a preset time period, heating of the crucible and casting work are performed according to a preset sequence.
With the apparatus according to the present invention, the work is carried out as follows. First, the operator prepares the cylindrical metallic ring with the casting model of a thermally subliming material (wax, for example) concealed inside, and places the ring on the ring-placing platform. Also, the operator places the crucible containing the casting material (alloy ingots, for example) on the crucible-placing platform.
After that, under the control of the controller, the automatic casting operation is conducted as follows. First, the ring conveyer holds the ring on the ring-placing platform and conveys it onto the lifting stage of the burning unit. Then, the lifting stage moves upwards to the preset level to contain the ring in the furnace. In the furnace, the ring is burned for a preset time period to burn off the thermally subliming material and to burn the investment material. Thus, a mold with a cavity corresponding to the molding model is obtained. At a time point earlier than the time point of the completion of the burning by a preset time period, the crucible conveyer holds the crucible on the crucible-placing platform and puts it in the container of the casting unit. The container is heated to maintain the preset temperature, at which the casting material in the crucible melts.
The ring, being burned in the furnace, is ready for use when the casting material is completely melted, and so the ring conveyer conveys the ring with the mold formed inside from the burning unit to a position over the crucible in the container. After the ring is set, the cover mechanism moves the cover to close the container, whereby the chamber is tightly closed. After that, the chamber driver turns the chamber upside-down about the horizontal axis to make the molten casting material flow into the mold. This pouring work can be preferably performed with a pressure control including the following steps: removing the air from the chamber before turning the chamber to establish a low-pressure in the cavity; and increasing the pressure in the chamber to promote a smooth flow of the casting material into the cavity. After the casting material poured into the cavity has solidified, the chamber driver returns the chamber to the original (normal) position. Then the cover mechanism moves the cover to open the container, the ring conveyer conveys the ring to the ring-placing platform and the crucible conveyer conveys the crucible to the crucible platform.
Thus, the apparatus according to the present invention enables an automated process from the burning of the ring to the completion of the casting. All that the operator has to do is to remove the crucible former from the ring after the solidification of the investment material, to prepare a crucible with alloy ingots contained inside and to set the ring and the crucible at preset places in the apparatus. There is no need for the operator to do the troublesome conventional work, such as taking out the ring from the furnace and setting it to the casting apparatus. Thus, the workload of the operator is greatly reduced, so that the working efficiency is improved. Further, the number of defective products due to an incorrect operation or the fault of the operator is greatly decreased.
In a form of the apparatus according to the present invention, each ring conveyer and crucible conveyer includes an arm having a gripper for holding an object; a rotating mechanism for rotating the arm about a vertical axis; a lifting mechanism for vertically moving the arm; and a moving mechanism for moving the arm along a horizontal linear path, where the moving mechanisms of both conveyers commonly include a guide along which the arms are moved. With this construction, it is also preferable to dispose the ring-placing platform and the burning unit across the guide, and to dispose the crucible-placing platform and the casting unit across the guide. This construction provides an effective use of the plane space by virtue of the symmetrical arrangement of the components across the guide.
In another form of the apparatus according to the present invention, the cover mechanism includes a cover-securing mechanism for allowing vertical attaching/detaching movements of the cover when the chamber is in the normal position, while securing the cover to prevent it from falling off the container when the chamber is turned upside-down. The cover-securing mechanism includes a wheel attached to the upper end of the container. The wheel has teeth formed at least at a part of the outer circumference and a stopper projecting from the inner circumference. Plural projections are formed at preset angular intervals around the horizontal axis at a part where the projections engage with the teeth of the wheel. The cover has a notch that comes to the same position as the stopper when the chamber is in the normal position.
With the above construction, when the cover-driver lowers the cover while the chamber is in the normal position, the stopper of the cover passes the notch of the wheel, so that the cover can reach the level where the cover tightly closes the container. In the pouring work, when the chamber is rotated toward the reversed position, the wheel rotates due to the engagement of the teeth with the projections, causing the stopper to be off the notch and press the cover onto the container. Thus, by the above construction, the cover can be securely locked to close the container without using electrical or some other types of driving power source.


The present invention includes a chip-embedded support-frame wrapped-by-flex-circuit package assembly. The package assembly includes a flex circuit having a plurality of patterned connecting-traces. The package assembly further includes a plurality of semiconductor chips mounted on the flex circuits wherein the semiconductor chips having a plurality of contact terminals connected to corresponding connecting traces on the flex circuit. The package assembly further includes a support frame-board having an edge surface placed along predefined folded lines on the flex circuit. The frame-board has a plurality of open spaces for disposing each of the semiconductor chips therein. The flex circuit is provided for folding onto the support frame along the predefined folded lines to form the chip-embedded support-frame wrapped-by-flex-circuit package.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the electronic package. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel technique to multiple the packing density of conventional dual in-line memory module (DIMM) package and lowering the manufacture costs while improving the thermal performance of such packages by increasing the heat spreading areas on a chip-embedded support-frame. This same folded flexible connection can further be implemented on multiple chips packaged by a ball grid array (BGA) configuration as well.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The packaging industry is constantly challenged by a great demand to increase the packing density of electronic chips. In the meantime, the packing density is limited by the rate of heat removal generated from operation of electronic components densely packed in a very small space. Use of heat spreader to effectively spreading the heat through heat conductivity over the heat spreader is commonly applied. However, use of heat spreader along does not provide an effective solution to double or even multiple the packing density of the electronic chips in a packaging assembly.
In addition to above difficulties, many chip-set providers would like to have multiple chips assembled as standard package such as ball grid array (BGA) assembly in order to increase the board density with enhanced electrical performance. For example, a graphic accelerator chip is combined with memory chips and configured as side-by-side BGA package. However, there is a product yield difficulty related to a requirement that if either one of these chips fails during the test processes, the entire BGA package is useless and must be discarded. The yield of this BGA package can be improved by using a known good die (KGD) for the graphic accelerator and the memory. However, due to the price of KGD, the cost of such package would become unreasonably high. Furthermore, the side-by-side configuration even results in enhanced performance, can only achieve small improvement in packing density due to the inherent nature of such configuration that these two chips are spread out as a side-by-side chip-array on a same horizontal plane.
Additionally, for many applications, it is often desirable to assemble chips or devices manufactured with different technologies into a single standard package such as ball-grid array (BGA) in order to increase board density and enhance electrical performance. Specific examples of such packages may include a processor chip such as a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor or graphic accelerator chip packaged with memory chips as a single BGA package. For portable electronic applications, it may be desirable to package flash memories with static RAM. Broader applications may include assemble silicon integrated circuits (IC) with micro electronic mechanical system (MEMS) or optical devices in a single package. Devices made with different technologies may compose different materials and mounted on different substrates such as ceramic, glass, polyimide film or printed-circuit-board (PCB). Therefore, these devices and their supporting substrates generally have different operational characteristics and often become difficult for integration particular integration of these devices into a rigid single package. Particularly, current configuration by stacking multiple dices in a single package presents great challenges to provide such an integrate package to accommodate different requirements arising from different operation characteristics.
Furthermore, when multiple chips and devices are mounted on a single supporting substrate as a multiple chip module, the requirement of using only the know-good-die (KGD) becomes a cost issue. However, this issue cannot be easily resolved because a small percentage of failed chips of each kind of different chips or devices may significantly reduce the production yield and make the production cost even more expensive. This difficulty is caused by a very realistic problem that a single failed chip among several chips of the MCM module would force one to discard the entire module. In addition to the issues of production yield, the package density cannot be increased when all the chips are placed on a single horizontal plane.
Kim et al. disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,688 a stacked microelectronic assembly with a structure that includes a flexible substrate having a plurality of attachment sites, test contacts and conductive terminals. The assembly further includes a wiring layer with leads extending to the attachment sites. The assembly assembles a plurality of microelectronic elements to the attachment sites and electrically interconnecting the microelectronic elements and the leads. The flexible substrate is folded so as to stack at least some of the microelectronic elements in substantially vertical alignment with one another to provide a stacked assembly with the conductive terminals exposed at the bottom end of the stack and the test contacts exposed at the top end of the stack. The assembly may be made using a dam and or a spacer to facilitate the folding process. Two stacked microelectronic assemblies may be stacked together by providing a first stacked assembly with a plurality of connection pads exposed at the top end and providing a second stacked assembly with a plurality of solder balls connected to the terminals at the bottom end. By connecting the solder balls to the connection pads, the first assembly and the second assembly may be stacked as a stacked assembly.
The electronic assembly as disclosed by Kim et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,688 is however still have the limitations and difficulties that the reliability of the package is adversely affected by the mismatch of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between flexible substrate and the PBC substrate board. Also the strip form of two directional folding will limit the complexity of interconnections or routings between chips to be low pin count devices such as memory products. For most memory devices, the total number of inputs and outputs are generally below fifty. But if multiple chips involved microprocessors, the total numbers of inputs and outputs will be easily over one hundred or even more. Furthermore, if one of the multiple chips fails the tests, then the entire package has to be repaired and if the failure is beyond repair the entire package has to be discarded. This creates a particular difficulty that when an expensive chip of high pin count is packaged together with peripheral chips, a package included the expensive chip may have to be discarded or great efforts are required to remove the expensive chip from the package if one of the peripheral chips fail the tests.
Therefore, a need still exits in the art to provide an improved configuration and procedure for packaging and testing the multiple chip modules to multiple the packing density without limited by difficulties of low production yield, low packing density and low heat dissipation rate. It is highly desirable to achieve a double or even multiple folds of packing density to increase the package density without being limited by the heat dissipation difficulties. There is a further need to provide edge connector configuration for standard edge insertion of a multiple-chip memory module. Also, it is desirable that for a multiple chip assembly, the difficulty of low percentage of product yield may be resolved without requiring the use of the known-good-die (KGD) for each assembly such that the production cost can be reduced.

Chip-embedded support-frame board wrapped by folded flexible circuit for multiplying packing density


The invention concerns a fitting consisting of a part made of injected plastic for connecting a water tank (1) and a hollow cone (2) made of porous ceramics, so as to produce a device for dispensing water individually to plants, in particular potted plants, proximate to their roots, and in predetermined amount, comprising three coaxial parts; a disc-shape intermediate part (4) with a central hole (5); a part (A) consisting of one or two cylinders, arranged on one side of the disc (4) and designed to be permanently fixed to the cone (2); a part (B) consisting like part A of one or two cylinders bearing a thread on the inner surfaces, arranged on the other side of the disc (4) and capable of receiving a bottle (1) removably screwed.

The present invention concerns a fitting permitting the connection a water reservoir and a porous enclosure comprising a ceramic cone which allows water to pass slowly therethrough to continuously and individually supply water to plants, in proximity of their roots, and in predetermined volume, and especially to potted plants. The fitting of the invention is provided with a plurality of different threads to be adaptable to most commercially available plastic bottles, which bottles are utilized as water reservoirs.
The fitting of the invention allows a fully reliable interconnection between the bottle and the porous cone. This feature is essential in view of the fact that the purpose of the device is to maintain plants alive in case of absence, e.g. without surveillance, particularly in rooms (apartments) where flooding must be avoided.
A plurality of devices are known attempting to provide the same result, but these known devices have inconveniences prohibiting their commercial exploitation.
French patent No. 2673356 concerns a cap whose truncated form permits to adapt it to different neck dimensions of bottles on which it is to be installed.
The disadvantages of this device are as follows:                the engagement between the cone and the neck of the bottle is provided along a single line about the cone and in the interior of the neck, which is insufficient to obtain a safe interconnection of these two parts,        to obtain tightness, the truncated part must be made of medium-soft plastic material, which, once more, does not permit a safe interconnection between the cone and the bottle.
Consequently, if the bottle is full, it may be driven under the impact of its weight and may become disengaged from the cap. The water can accordingly flow out instantaneously from the bottle causing flooding, thereby making the device inappropriate for use in apartments, and in all cases in which the user relies on the water supply to maintain his plants alive.
Swiss patent No. 391368 concerns another example in which water is contained in a hollow body whose pointed base is forced into the soil. The hollow body serving as reservoir and the portion driven into the soil forming one single unitary non-separable assembly so that it is not intended to use commercially available plastic bottles, thereby making the device cumbersome when it has to be stored.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,309 describes a similar system having the same disadvantages.
The French patent No. 2252806 discloses a similar system with the same inconveniences and in addition, wicks must contribute to the water distribution, thereby making its use less practical as digging is necessary to embed the wicks into the soil, this device being thus designed to remain in the plant pot, which is contrary to the goal looked after which is to provide the device whose use is occasional.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,856 describes an irrigation device comprising a cap having a rotary valve connected on one side to a tube fixed to a dispensing device and on the other side to a bottle adapted to be threaded thereinto. The inconveniences of this known device are                its complexity, thus its cost;        the difficulty to provide a suitable control,        the lack of reliability for a device that can become soil contaminated,        the need for servicing to maintain performances,        a single type of bottle that can be threadably engaged therewith, obliging the user to retain the adapted bottle, thus to encumber himself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,700 describes an irrigation device comprising a water reservoir threaded on a device comprising a pointed member adapted to be driven into the soil to allow water to flow thereinto, a filter being interposed therebetween to control the flow. The disadvantage being once more the space occupation and the impossibility to use a large choice of commercially available plastic bottles.


An automatic dry wall applicator having an applicator head connected to a translucent body with a quick release mechanism for easy cleaning and a gas spring dispensing system which moves a piston head in the body to dispense dry wall compound. A loading mechanism uses a manual pump which generates sufficient force to overcome the gas spring pressure to force dry wall compound from a reservoir into the head and body to retract the piston head during loading. The piston rod engages a cam brake which frees the rod during loading and locks the piston head from dispensing unless the cam is manually released from the rod. In one form of the invention, an on-off valve closes the applicator head during loading and can be opened to permit dispensing of dry wall compound.

This invention relates to dry wall taping and in particular to a machine for applying dry wall compound to joints and corners where dry wall tape and tape on corner beads is applied.
Applying dry wall mix to joints is a very labor intensive job if done manually. If a dry wall taper uses present machines, the job is very demanding physically and in time causes injury to the back and shoulders of the taper because of the weight of the device and the physical force necessary to eject the taping compound from the device and apply it to the joint.
Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide a machine in which a manually operated pump injects dry wall compound into the applicator from a supply receptacle and a gas operated spring assembly is used to eject the dry wall compound through a nozzle on the applicator in a controlled manner without requiring intense physical force from the operator of the device. An automatic brake assembly allows loading of dry wall compound into the applicator, but acts automatically to prevent ejection of dry wall compound unless the brake is released by the operator.
Another object is to provide an applicator which easily comes apart to facilitate cleaning the dry wall compound out of the applicator parts. Another object is to provide an applicator which can be placed in an upright position for easy "hands free" loading of dry wall compound into the applicator. Still another object is to provide an applicator that can be used for inside and outside corners as well as flat joints, and can be used for finish coating of dry wall compound as well as for first coats.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.


A control device for a machine tool including a feed axis driving motor; a first power consumption calculating portion calculating power consumption of the feed axis driving motor; a second power consumption calculating portion calculating power consumption of equipment adapted to be operated by constant power; and a motor control portion determining a target time constant correlated with at least one of acceleration time and deceleration time of the feed axis driving motor, based on a summation of the power consumption calculated by the first power consumption calculating portion and the power consumption calculated by the second power consumption calculating portion, and controlling the feed axis driving motor based on the target time constant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device for controlling a machine tool, such as a machining center, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device for reducing power consumption during machining of a workpiece is wellknown. The device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) No. 6-161535 (JP6-161535A) is configured to extend acceleration time of an axis-feed servomotor so as to reduce a maximum value of required current, and thus reduces power consumption.
In such a machine tool, not only the axis-feed motor but also equipment which operate at a constant power, such as an oil pump for supplying cutting oil, etc., is driven at the same time during machining of a workpiece. Therefore, in the device described in JP6-161535A, in which acceleration time of the servomotor is extended, it is difficult to optimally reduce total power consumption expended by the machine tool, because the cycle time increases, and thereby the power consumption of the above mentioned equipment increases.


Methods and apparatus for removably or irremovably interconnectable building block containers such as those capable of initially storing consumable items such as food and drink. After consumption of the food or drink, the cavity containing same may be cleaned and/or refilled with consumable or non-consumable items. The building block containers are utilized as building block toys and may be manufactured or otherwise designed to be collectable. In one aspect, the container connectors are nearly identical such that any one connector may mate with any other connector. In another aspect, the connectors are nearly identical but the orientations of each connector vary to allow mating to occur when the connectors are properly oriented. In another aspect, the container is a cube juice box with connectors on all four corners of all six sides of the container. A frame for holding a juice container may also be utilized.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to interconnectable building block containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to interconnectable building block containers capable of initially storing consumable items such as food and subsequently storing consumable or non-consumable items.
Inter-lockable food containers designed for use as building block toys are known. Some such containers include a side of a first container having a male pin which can form a dovetail joint with a side of a second container having a female tail. Some such containers have bottoms that include a shallow square mortise hole which can loosely form a joint with a stubby square tenon on the top of another container.
Also known is a container with a threaded male cap designed for dispensing a liquid and for use as a building block toy wherein the male cap of a first container wall can be inserted into a central female receptacle of another container wall.
Additionally, containers are known designed with a cap and for use as a building block toy wherein a male tongue and a female groove located along the entire length of each side wall of a first container can be interlocked to a female groove and male tongue located along the entire length of each side wall of another container.
Also known is a LEGO® container designed to hold candy and for use as a building block toy wherein a male connector of a first LEGO® container block may be press-fitted into an open square female cavity on an opposite side of another LEGO® container block.
Finally, also known in the art are LEGO® flat snap-cap containers designed to hold liquid and for use as building block toys wherein a male connector of a first LEGO® container block may be press-fitted into an open square female cavity on an opposite side of a second LEGO® container block wherein the bottom side of the first LEGO® block has a central recess for the container cap of another LEGO® container block.
As illustrated above, methods and apparatus are known for reversibly interconnecting a plurality of food containers as building block toys wherein the reversible interconnection requires an integral male connector and an integral female connector wherein the integral male connector of a first food container is connected to the integral female connector of a second food container.

Method and apparatus for interconnectable building block container toys capable of storing items


The invention relates to a stuffing/dosing machine comprising a tilting hopper. The machine comprises a hopper with a hermetic cover bearing a screw feeder and a narrowed base which communicates with an antechamber, said antechamber communicating in turn with at least one forming chamber which is connected to an outlet. Moreover, at least one actuated piston performs a stroke with one first section in the antechamber and a second section in the forming chamber. First and second structural units, which are formed respectively by the aforementioned hopper, cover, screw feeder and narrowed base and by said antechamber, forming chambers, pistons and actuation means, can be tilted independently between operating positions and cleaning and maintenance positions in relation to fixed frame comprising the valve and the outlet.

Patent WO 99/29178, in the name of the current applicant, describes a stuffing/dosing machine of this type comprising a hopper like deposit containing a food material, that can be closed hermetically, wherein a vacuum has been created, and two stuffing cylinders, which operate alternatively, provided with corresponding pistons that perform a first section of their respective strokes directly within a narrowed area or antechamber in the lower part of the deposit in order to stir and push the food material as far as respective stuffing-dosing chambers placed at the base of said deposit and aligned coaxially with the cylinders, and a second section within said stuffing-dosing chambers to compact and introduce the food material into respective collector pipes connected to a rotary collector/distributor valve, the movement of which is synchronized with that of said stuffing cylinders to give way alternatively to the food material driven by one or other of the cylinders towards a common outlet duct. The speed and travel of the cylinder strokes and the movements of the valve are controlled by regulating means to provide a single continuous flow of food materials in said outlet conduit or, optionally, an interrupted flow of precisely dosed portions.
The said two stuffing cylinders are located outside the deposit, parallel to one another and in proximity, in a slightly inclined position and they are housed in an empty section of a side wall of the deposit, while their corresponding stems extend through the deposit wall to actuate in the antechamber and in the stuffing-dosing chambers located at the base of the deposit. In this way, the deposit, the antechamber, the cylinders, the pistons and the stuffing-dosing chambers form an ensemble or first structural unit, which is articulated at the base thereof with respect to the machine bed so that it can tilt, moving between a first position, or operative position, in which lower mouthpieces of the stuffing-dosing chambers are hermetically positioned in higher inlet mouthpieces of said alternative valve, and a second position, or cleaning and maintenance position, wherein said lower mouthpieces of the stuffing-dosing chambers are separated from said higher inlet mouthpieces of the alternative valve to a sufficient degree to enable easy access to both mouthpieces.
Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,876, in the name of the current applicant, discloses a machine similar to that described above, but provided with a single cylinder having a single piston and dosing means associated with the outlet conduit.
Although these arrangements have proved to be satisfactory in practice, they can be improved, particularly when the material to be formed is, for example, meat cut into pieces or minced, that is compact and has high adherence properties, such as a meat mass for preparing mortadellas and salamis, and meat at a relatively low temperature, for example, between 0° C. and −5° C. In this case, the means for stirring and driving the material towards the inlet to the stuffing-dosing chambers, which consist of the pistons in the first section of their strokes, prove to be inefficient and the material tends to form gluts that prevent it from moving down inside the hopper.
An object of this invention is to provide one of said improvements concerning the accessibility to different parts of the machine, for example, to the piston heads, the stirring and driving means, stuffing-dosing chambers, valve, etc.
Another object of this invention is to provide another of said improvements concerning said means for stirring the food material contained in the deposit and driving it towards the antechamber where the first section of the stroke of the pistons is performed.

Stuffing/dosing machine comprising a tilting hopper


The present invention relates to a low-inductance electromagnetic drive without driving magnetic flux circuit, which comprises a magnetic pole, a drive coil, an upper magnetic inductive board, a permanent magnet and a lower magnetic-inductive board. The magnetic pole is integrated with the lower magnetic-inductive board, and the permanent magnet is located between the upper magnetic-inductive board 4 and lower magnetic-inductive board 6. The drive coil is wrapped around the magnetic pole and is movable in the axial direction. The electromagnetic drive further comprises the fastening coil, and the fastening coil is fastened to a certain proper place of the magnetic flux circuit of the drive coil. Furthermore, the fastening coil is connected with the drive coil in opposite phase. The present invention is characterized in that the drive source applies the excitation to the fastening coil in an equivalent quantity as the drive coil but in opposite phase, so that the excitation energy generated by the current flowing through the speaker for the magnetic flux circuit system is reduced to the minimum, the inductance quantity of the speaker is decreased to the minimum, and the sound distortion of the vibration system connected with the drive coil is decreased.

The audio and/or video apparatus is popular in people's lives. There are energy converters for converting sound energy to electric energy mutually in audio and/or video, such as loudspeakers, earphones and sonic transducers (microphones). The energy conversion between electricity and sound is performed by applying a magnetic field on a current-carrying conductor in a converter which comprises the driving system, vibrating system and supporting system. The electromagnetic energy converters with drive coils and inductance are employed in the driving system. The inductive impedance changes with the variation of frequency, i.e., when the frequency rises, the inductive impedance increases so that the obtained energy of the electromagnetic energy converter changes, which will lead to the change of driving force. At the same time, because of the existence of inductance, the phase shifts will occur due to the voltage and the current through the loudspeaker, which will lead to defective feedback to the power amplifier used for driving the loudspeaker. Moreover, due to the effects of conversion between electric energy and magnetic energy and the magnetic hysteresis, the energy supplied to the drive coil of the loudspeaker will excite the magnetic circuit of the loudspeaker to generate magnetic energy that is stored in the magnetic circuit system of loudspeaker. When the phase of voltage changes in combination with the effect of magnetic energy converting to electric energy, the energy stored in the magnetic circuit of loudspeaker will act on the drive coil via the differential resistance of the power amplifier, which will lead to frequency response and distortion of the loudspeaker, earphone and sonic transducer.
As far as the inventor of this invention knows, a short-circuit ring 8 was installed in the sensitive position of drive coil 2 to reduce the harmful excitation of the drive coil to the magnetic circuit system and the inductance quantity of electromagnetic drives in some products in the prior art (as shown in FIG. 11), and the short-circuit ring which is generally a conductor such as copper is made into a closed ring and mounted around the periphery of magnetic pole 1. But because only part of the energy produced by drive coil can just be passively consumed by the short-circuit ring, and the short-circuit ring is not connected electrically with the drive coil, the short-circuit ring may not apply positive and equivalent feedback excitation to the magnetic circuit system to counteract the harmful excitation of the drive coil on the magnetic circuit system. The effectiveness is limited, so they are different from this invention.

Low-inductance electromagnetic drive without driving the magnetic flux circuit

Yuyao Temperature Instrument Factory Co., Ltd.


A contents forming method for multi-media encoding method provided with an IPMP system, characterized by generating IPMP information containing identification information (404) for identifying the IPMP system type and version information (405) for identifying the intellectual property rights management and protection system version, and burying the IPMP information into contents.

MPEG (Moving Picture Coding Experts Group) 4 and similar multi-media encoding systems (hereinafter referred to as MPEG-4) having a similar intellectual property rights (ex., copyright) management and protection system (IPMP system) are receiving much attention in the movie industry and other fields which place much importance on protection of copyrights. This is because such encoding systems have a system for protection of copyrights within the contents itself.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an MPEG-4 player explaining a copyright protection system of the MPEG-4. FIG. 1 was drafted based on "ISO/IEC 14496-1 FIG. 8", and detailed explanation thereof is abbreviated here.
As depicted in FIG. 1, an IPMP system 102 obtains information relating to copyright protection via an IPMP decode buffer 101, and processes this information. The IPMP system 102 is configured so as to be able to reference an object descriptor (OD) 103 while performing such operations as decoding code of each object such as voice or picture images and detecting digital watermarks.
On the other hand, specific commands regarding the decoding of the code and the detecting of the watermark, such as what sort of technique should be applied and what part should be processed, are generally written among the data read by the IPMP system 102 as the IPMP stream. In other words, the IPMP system 102 must be designed in advance so as to be able to interpret the contents of the IPMP stream.
The most important part of the IPMP stream, the IPMP message, is described in "ISO/IEC 14496-1 188.8.131.52 IPMP message syntax and semantics" as follows:
188.8.131.52.1 Syntaxclass IPMP_Message( ) extends ExpandableBaseClass{bit(16) IPMPS_Type;if(IPMPS_Type == 0){bit(8) URLString[sizeOfInstance-2];} else {bit(8)IPMP_data[sizeOfInstance-2];}}18.104.22.168.2 SemanticsThe IPMP_Message conveys control information for an IPMP System. IPMPS_Type—the type of the IPMP System. A zero value does not correspond to an IPMP System, but indicates the presence of a URL. A Registration Authority as designated by the ISO shall assign valid values for this field.URLString[ ]—contains a UTF-8[3] encoded URL that shall point to the location of a remote IPMP_Message whose IPMP_data shall be used in place of locally provided data.IPMP_data—opaque data to control the IPMP System.
What is important here is that the IPMP system type (IPMPS_Type) can uniquely identify the specifications of the data, being the main part of the IPMP stream, and that the contents of the data portion (IPMP_data) are not particularly determined.
That is, it is presumed that the contents formation system can understand the IPMP system used by a contents reproducing device (such as a player), and the IPMP message must be buried into the multi-media data which is the contents.
Further, from the perspective of the contents reproducing device (i.e., the player), it is necessary to examine the IPMP system type (IPMPS_Type) in order to determine whether it will be possible to interpret the IPMP message in the multi-media data that the player will attempt to reproduce.
Thus, in the prior art, in order to transfer IPMP data that could be understood by both the contents formation system and the reproducing device in advance, one had to use IPMP system type as one's sole starting point.
As described above, in the conventional MPEG-4 and conventional contents formation systems and contents reproducing devices having intellectual property rights management and protection systems (i.e., IPMP systems) similar to MPEG-4 for use in multi-media encoding systems similar to MPEG-4, the means for verifying the IPMP data for activating the intellectual property rights (ex., copyright) protection system relied solely on the IPMP system type (IPMPS_Type). Thus, there existed the following problems.
(1) In the case that an IPMP message defined in a specific IPMP system type is read by an ill-intentioned external third party, the IPMP message may be switched over to a new protection system. However, in order to use a message of the new protection system, it is necessary to register the new IPMP system type with the RA (registration authority), even if the change is minimal. It is also necessary to establish an IPMP system having a different IPMP system type from the previous IPMP system type and an IPMP system that can interpret the IPMP stream. As a result, the contents formation system and the contents reproducing device needs a redundant process recognizing multiple IPMP system types registered with the RA, and thus, decreases in processing efficiency and increases in memory usage may occur.
(2) Also, in the process of upgrading, in a case where the IPMP system type remains the same while the IPMP stream is generated with partially-different data specifications, since the IPMP system type is the only reference for the contents reproducing device for verifying whether the IPMP message can be interpreted or not, the IPMP system type is no longer identifiable uniquely. Thus, inconvenient runaway processing may occur.
(3) Even when the IPMP system of the contents reproducing device responds correctly to the sent IPMP message, there can still be instances in which the IPMP system cannot operate properly. In this case, there is no way for the contents reproducing device to inform the side that sent the contents that the IPMP system did not operate properly.
(4) For example, there are instances in which it is presumed that the side sending the contents will convert the contents into an IPMP message of an IPMP system type that the contents reproducing device corresponds to, and then send the contents. However, in such instances, the contents-sending side cannot provide instruction as to when the contents reproducing device should give notification of the IPMP system type that the contents reproducing device corresponds to.
(5) The IPMP message is one stream buried into the contents; therefore, in the case when no contents exist, it is impossible to perform a test or tests of conditions by means of standard technique based on the MPEG-4. Also, there is no method available for testing the IPMP during reproduction in a way that does not influence the reproduction. Thus, there exists no test method that is standard across different devices, and there is no chance of guaranteeing compatibility across the respective devices.
(6) Related to the above problems, it is impossible to request a communication path protected by security technology from the contents reproducing device to a so-called "back channel" of the side sending the contents.
The above-mentioned problems are based on the need in an IPMP system to guarantee unique identifiability and to guarantee security such that details of such the indentificability are not generally disclosed. This unique identifiability and this security rely on the contents forming device and method, and the operation of the contents reproducing device and method. In the prior art, in order to resolve these problems, it was necessary to apply extremely complicated control systems. When these types of resolutions are applied to portable apparatus with limited processing power and memory, it is particularly difficult to avoid problems.
In light of the above-mentioned issues, an object of the present invention is to provide a contents forming method, a contents reproducing method, a contents reproducing device and a computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing the contents forming method or the contents reproducing method, being capable of performing more efficient processing by adding discrepancy (version) information or request information of IPMP data, in addition to the IPMP system type in the IPMP stream, in an encoding system of MPEG-4 with an IPMP system or an encoding system with an IPMP system that is similar to the MPEG-4.

Contents forming method and contents reproducing apparatus and method


A computing system includes a semiconductor which sources/sinks current to/from components within the system, an in-circuit semiconductor on-resistance characterization circuit which measures the on-resistance of the semiconductor, and a processor which periodically or continuously engages the characterization circuit over the life of the semiconductor to obtain a series of on-resistance measurements. Depending on the type of semiconductor used, or depending on arbitrary design limitations, the computing system predicts semiconductor failure based on either a relative mode or an absolute mode. The relative mode is useful when using FET's since on-resistance values vary significantly. In the relative mode, an optional NVRAM is used to store one or more on-resistance measurements which may serve as a reference for assuring proper circuit operation within tolerable deviations from the reference. In the absolute mode, one or more optional thresholds are utilized to assure that circuit operation remains in a known good region.

This invention pertains to high availability computing systems and other systems which are able to benefit from predictive failure analysis and, more particularly, to a computer system which predicts the failure of a circuit in the system based on on-resistance values which are derived while the system is fully operational.
High availability systems require a minimum of downtime. Any scheduled downtime is used to update system components which cannot be updated during normal system operation such as BIOS, operating system patches, and low-level drivers. As such, even scheduled downtime requires a fully operational system.
With high availability systems, unscheduled downtime is to be avoided or eliminated. The worst types of unscheduled downtime are caused by catastrophic failure of system components. These types of failures have the capability to produce the longest unscheduled downtimes where replacement parts are not readily available.
Current carrying semiconductors, particularly FET's used in power circuits, are apt to fail without warning causing unscheduled downtime and possibly even further circuit damage. Semiconductor failures are caused by a variety of conditions including: contact degradation, contact migration, die corrosion, die scratches, dielectric breakdown, electromigration, electrical overstress, electrostatic discharge, gate oxide breakdown, hot carrier effects, junction burn-out, metal burn-out, mobile ionic contamination, oxide breakdown, and silicon breakdown. Many of these conditions are interdependent and cause the semiconductor to fail as either an open circuit or as a short circuit. For example, contact migration refers to the diffusion of the metal atoms, usually aluminum, from a metal layer into the silicon substrate. This phenomenon is due to the natural occurrence of interdiffusion between two different interdiffusible materials in contact with each other. This phenomenon of interdiffusion occurs in both directions: aluminum diffuses into the silicon and silicon into the aluminum. Where aluminum diffuses into silicon, a condition known as junction spiking occurs which causes a short circuit. Where silicon diffuses into the aluminum and has entirely penetrated the aluminum layer, the reverse, an open circuit results due to voids in the metal contact.
Computing systems today combat failures by including multiple redundant components in a system. If a primary device fails, a secondary device takes over. This redundancy increases the cost and size of a particular design.

Apparatus employing predictive failure analysis based on in-circuit FET on-resistance characteristics

International Business Machines Corporation