A ducting system for managing fiber optic, or other sorts of cabling. The duct has perforated circular punchouts in its sides. To drop cables to equipment below, the user simply punches out one of the circular perforated sections in the duct. This will leave a hole, which is sized to receive a downspout. Instead of punchouts, holes for the downspout could simply be drilled in the initial product. Regardless, the downspout is dropped to its full extent through and out of the duct through the hole, and is then retained by a grommet which bears against the interior of the duct. Once the downspout is secured in the hole, the selected cables are dropped from the duct through the hole, down the downspout, and into standard ribbed flex tubing, which may be force fit onto the downspout.

Raceway duct systems are used to route, protect and conceal cabling. This cabling may comprise data, voice, video, fiber optic, or power cabling. This type of duct system can have numerous configurations. The most typical kind of ducting occurs in longitudinal sections which have a trough and a lid. There are also a variety of other types of sections included with these systems, such as 90° elbows, 45° elbow fittings, t-fittings, four way intersections (or x-sections), and others. These systems often times run the cable through ducts which are run along the ceiling in a facility. The type of facility referred to might be, e.g., a telecommunications facility, or a computer equipment center office. These types of facilities often include numerous, often time hundreds or thousands of computing equipment racks. The duct work is used to deliver the cables to the appropriate pieces of equipment in these racks. Because the cabling is run along the ceiling of such facilities, the cabling must be "dropped" to the equipment.
The prior art techniques for dropping cable to equipment from a ceiling duct system are labor intensive and costly. The most common technique used to accomplish this is disclosed in prior art FIG. 1. Referring to the figure, we see a prior art fiber optic raceway system with a cable drop assembly 10. These types of prior art systems are used to drop cabling between two standard ducts. These ducts are first standard duct 12 and second standard duct 14. Each of these will be well known to those skilled in the art as common 4 inch trough-type ducts which are usually sold in 6 foot sections. These trough sections have 4 inch sides and a four inch floor (all in cross section). They are typically constructed in durable plastic and are rather thick. In fact, they are usually manufactured with a thickness of ⅛ inch, which makes this type of duct very durable. This protects the cable from trauma and fire. But its thickness makes it virtually impossible to cut with a standard utility knife, or other cutting equipment which might be available to technicians in the field.
The prior art methods involve the time consuming method of creating a drop at a junction between two existing in the ducts. Referring to FIG. 1, first and second ducts, 12 and 14 respectively, are normally connected using a single connector.
This kind of connector is often referred to as a junction kit by those skilled in the art. Junction kits are used snap fit two longitudinal sections together. For example, two 6 foot sections can be snapped together to form a continuous 12 foot section.
Occasionally, it will be necessary to access some of the cables running through the two sections and deliver them to equipment below. This equipment is usually located in what are known as telco or server racks.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art technique of dropping cables in such a circumstance. When it is necessary to drop a group of cables (a subcomponent of the plurality presently included in the duct) the technician will install a drop unit 16 in between ducts 12 and 14. Drop unit 16 is T-shaped and is used to drop the cables which have been separated from the bundle to be delivered to equipment below. The dropping occurs through a lower portion 18. Lower portion 18 enables the cable to run down to the equipment, e.g., server racks, routers, and other telecommunications or computing equipment. The techniques for doing this will be well known to those skilled in the art. T-shaped drop units like that shown as drop unit 16 are readily available in the market. Both ends of the "T" in junction 16 are connected to ducts 12 and 14 using a first junction kit 22 and a second junction kit 24, respectively. First junction kit 22 and second junction kit 24 are commercially available. They are each used to snap the junction in between the ducts. A third junction kit 26 may be used to connect the lower part of the T to a vertical duct 20. Vertical duct 20 may be used to direct the cabling downward to protectively access it to the equipment it is designated for.
After vertical duct 20, the cabling being dropped will be inserted into what is known to those skilled in the art as corrugated (or ribbed) split tubing. Corrugated split tubing comes having a one inch, two inch, or sometimes even three inch inside diameter. Thus, it forms a conduit having a smaller cross sectional smaller size than the ducts have. This split tubing is also split along its length to allow access for inserting and removing cables therefrom. It is used to direct the cables to their particular destinations in smaller bundles.
The installation of the drop cabling systems such as that shown in FIG. 1 is extremely time consuming. It may take the average technician over 24 hours to complete the drop of a small number of cables. This creates significant human resource issues and costs.
Another negative is the cost of these systems. The drop unit 16, and the three junction kits 22, 24, and 26 are somewhat expensive. Much more expansive than the simple straight ducting and split tubing. This in many cases, makes the FIG. 1 process, though effective in protecting the cabling, unreasonably expensive.
Besides the FIG. 1 system, another prior art technique exists. This alternative system is known commercially as an Express Exit™ system. It is sold by ADC, Inc. This ADC system lifts the selected cables, which are intended to be dropped out from above the duct. Once the dropped cables are raised out from above the duct, they are directed to specified equipment below in protective ducting or ribbed split tubing. The ADC product, however, has proved to be a difficult system to use. Especially in situations in which the space within the technician is allowed to work above the duct is limited. In many situations, the technician will be precluded from using the ADC system because there is insufficient work space above the duct (which typically runs along the ceiling of the facility). Furthermore, the installation of the ADC system has proven to be labor intensive, and it has significant part costs—much like the system disclosed in FIG. 1.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system that is much easier and less time consuming to use, but still allows for the adequate protection of cables being dropped out of an overhead, or otherwise placed duct.


To alleviate problems experienced with field rate unconversion, a high definition source is field rate upconverted prior to bandwidth compression. Bandwidth compression is performed by a number of different methods, at least one of which is applied to the upconverted source signal. The branch or method of bandwidth compression transmission is selected in accordance with a control signal responsive to picture content. Prior to transmission of the upconverted bandwidth compressed signal, the signal is collapsed to the transmission field rate and the samples rearranged into a quincunxial configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for upconverting the field rate of a television signal. In particular it is concerned with upconversion of time division multiplex signals such as HD-MAC although it is also applicable to frequency division signals such as PAL, NTSC or SECAM.

Field-rate upconversion of television signals


A magnetic head for writing information on perpendicular media has a write pole tip and a return pole tip with a media-facing area at least two orders of magnitude greater than that of the write pole tip, the return pole tip is spaced from a trailing corner of the write pole tip by a submicron nonferromagnetic gap. Magnetic flux emanating from the write pole tip is strongest adjacent the trailing corner and directed at an angle that is not perpendicular to the write pole tip. The angled flux provides increased torque to rotate magnetic dipoles in the adjacent media layer that are oriented substantially perpendicular to the disk surface. The media may have a soft magnetic underlayer that is spaced from the write pole tip by a distance similar to the gap spacing.

The present invention relates to electromagnetic transducers for information storage and retrieval systems, such as disk or tape drives.
Current commercially available disk drives employ magnetoresistive (MR) sensors for reading data, and store data in domains having magnetizations that are substantially parallel to concentric media tracks, the parallel magnetic storage sometimes called longitudinal recording. It has been predicted that such longitudinal magnetic storage will become unstable at normal operating conditions when the domains reach a minimal size, termed the superparamagnetic limit. In order to store the data at higher density, the drive system may instead be designed to store data in domains that are substantially perpendicular to the disk surface, which may be termed perpendicular recording.
FIG. 9 shows a prior art system for perpendicular recording, which includes an inductive transducer 20 positioned in close proximity to a surface 25 of a medium such as a disk 22. The inductive transducer 20 has a U-shaped core 30 formed of high-permeability, low-coercivity or "soft magnetic" material and the disk 22 has a soft magnetic underlayer 33, the core and underlayer forming a magnetic circuit indicated by flux lines 28 that traverse a higher coercivity media layer 32, for magnetizing the media layer or reading the magnetization of the media layer. The core has magnetic pole tips 36 and 38 that differ in media-facing area so that the magnetic signal is concentrated in the smaller pole tip for reading or writing data. The local portion of the disk may be traveling in the direction of arrow 40 or in a reverse direction, to write magnetic signals on a track. The pole tips are sufficiently separated to encourage magnetic flux to travel through the media, instead of across a submicron nonmagnetic gap that is typically employed for longitudinal recording. The prior art transducer of FIG. 9 is sometimes called a probe head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,725 to Payne et al. discloses a transducer with a ring-shaped core terminating in a pair of pole tips that are separated by a nonmagnetic gap, with write fields emanating from corners of the pole tips closest to the gap, which may be termed a ring head. The ring head of Payne et al. has a head to medium spacing that is a fraction of the gap spacing, so that perpendicular rather than longitudinal write fields predominate in the media layer, with the leading corner of the trailing pole tip leaving the magnetic signal on the disk.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,949 to Mallary et al. discloses a head for perpendicular recording with a write pole that is shielded with a downstream shield so that non-perpendicular fringe fields do not demagnetize the perpendicular signal written by the write pole. Mallary et al. note that reducing the spacing between the head and the medium allows the spacing between the write pole and the shield to be increased, because there is a greater incentive for flux to pass between the more closely spaced head and medium.

Magnetic head for perpendicular recording with magnetic loop providing non-perpendicular write field


In order to also be able to economically use iron ore dust which is created by the extraction and preparation of iron ore and has not been usable until now, the invention proposes an agglomerated stone comprising (in wt. %) 6-15% of a cement binding agent, up to 20% of a carbon carrier, up to 20% of residual and recyclable substances, optionally up to 10% of a coagulation and solidification accelerator and the remainder consisting of iron ore in a stone format in the form of particles having a particle size of less than 3 mm as well as possessing after three days an initial strength of at least 5 N/mm2 and after 28 days a cold compression strength of at least 20 N/mm2. As a result of the particular hardness St and form stability thereof even at high temperatures T, agglomerated stones according to the invention are especially suitable for use in shaft, corex or blast furnaces. The invention also relates to a method for producing agglomerated stones according to the invention.

The invention relates to an agglomerated stone for using in shaft, corex or blast furnaces, to a method for producing such agglomerated stones as well as to the use of fine and superfine iron ore dust.
In the extraction, dressing, preparation and processing of ore, large quantities of fine and superfine iron ore dust having a particle size of up to 3 mm occur. In order to be also able to use this dust for metal production, it must be converted into a stone format. Usual methods for making stones from fine and superfine ore used in the metallurgical industry are sintering and pelletising.
In order to sinter iron ore dust, a mixture of dampened fine ore as well as coke slack or another carbon carrier and limestone, quicklime, olivine or dolomite aggregates are usually spread onto a circulating grate, the so-called "sintering belt" and fired from above. Carbon contained in this mixture incinerates with the aid of the air drawn by the sintering belt and thus causes agglomeration of the ore particles. On reaching the end of the sintering belt the layer lying on the belt is completely sintered in this way. The solidified iron ore is broken up, sieved in the still glowing state and fed to a cooler, where it is gently cooled so that its hardness is not impaired. The sinter obtained after further sieving the fine components of the cooled sinter mixture, due to high gas permeation and good reducibility, is suitable for direct charging in the blast furnace.
With the known sinter method iron ore dust can usually only be converted economically into a stone format, if its particle size is 2 mm or more. Iron ore dust having substantially smaller particle sizes can be used for metal production by pelletising.

Agglomerated stone for using in shaft, corex or blast furnaces, method for producing agglomerated stones and use of fine and superfine iron ore dust


Nonvolatile flash memory systems and methods are disclosed having a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, including non-diffused channel regions through which electron flow is induced by application of voltage to associated gate elements. A plurality of floating gates are spaced apart from one another and each insulated from the channel region. A plurality of control gates are spaced apart from one another and insulated from the channel region, with each control gate being located between a first floating gate and a second floating gate and capacitively coupled thereto to form a subcell. A plurality of spaced-apart assist gates are insulated from the channel region, with each assist gate being located between and insulated from adjacent subcells. The channel is formed of three regions, two beneath adjacent control gate elements as well as a third region between the first two and beneath an associated assist gate.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a non-diffusion-junction split-gate nonvolatile memory cell, associated arrays, as well as methods of manufacture and operation.
2. Description of Related Information
Nonvolatile memory cells having a floating gate for the storage of charges thereon to control the conduction of current in the channel region in the substrate of the semiconductive material are well known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,130 whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Structurally, nonvolatile memory cells using a floating gate for storage may be classified as either a stacked gate configuration or a split gate configuration. In a stacked gate, a control gate is positioned directly over the floating gate. In a split gate, the control gate has one portion over and another portion adjacent the floating gate, where the control gate controls one region of the channel and the floating gate controls another region of the channel.
In an article entitled "90-nm-node multi-level AG-AND type flash memory with cell size of true 2-F/sup 2//bit and programming throughput of 10 MB/s" by Y. Sasago et al., published in the 2003 IEDM Technical Digest, pp. 34.2.1-34.2.4 (also pp. 823-26), the authors described an AG (assist gate) AND-type array of floating gate nonvolatile memory cells. See also, the paper entitled "Self-boosted charge injection for 90-nm-node 4-Gb multilevel AG-AND flash memories programmable at 16 MB/s" by H. Kurata et. al, published in the 2004 Digest of Technical Papers—Symposium on VLSI Circuits, pp. 72-73.
AND arrays and cross-sectional views of arrays of floating gate nonvolatile memory cells disclosed in the aforementioned papers are shown on FIGS. 1A and 1B, respectively. The arrays are comprised of a plurality memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. Schematic diagrams and cross-sectional views illustrating alternating floating gate/control gate structures and associated differing voltage conditions required for operation are shown (i.e. FIG. 1A illustrates structure and voltage conditions for the program and read operations of Sasago et al., and FIG. 1B illustrates structure and voltage conditions for the program operation of Kurata et al.). However, these arrays are restricted by operation of selected control gates in association with shared floating gates, and require a wide variety of operating voltages to be maintained independently at specified values.
Many such AND arrays of the prior art are formed in a row or column direction with a bit line and a line connecting the respective control gates. One problem with these structures is that they must be fabricated to allow voltages for both the bit line and the control gate line to be set independently for each cell. With two such lines for each cell and where for non-volatile memory cells the lines must carry high voltages, there may be excessive voltage control lines required for the pitch of each cell. In addition, such AND-type structures are often uni-directional in operation.
Memory arrays in which the adjacent rows/columns are electrically connected at ends of the array are known. See, e.g. FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,084. Additionally, control gates that are substantially T shaped positioned between a pair of floating gates and having a portion over a channel region, and capacitively coupled to the pair of floating gates are also known in the art. See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,248. Finally, fabrication of memory cells and arrays without diffused junctions/channel regions is also known, as this can achieve desirable process simplification. Drawbacks of these structures and arrays, however, include additional or complex fabrication processes and undesired operating functionality such as higher operating voltages, restricted read operations, etc., among other disadvantages.
Accordingly, there is a need to reduce manufacturing complexity, increase cell density, increase data storage density, and improve operation of nonvolatile memory devices.

Non-diffusion junction split-gate nonvolatile memory cells and arrays, methods of programming, erasing, and reading thereof, and methods of manufacture


An electronic food distribution system for pets, particularly fish for feeding and maintaining fish in an aquarium. The system contains an electrical timing circuit for periodically distributing food stuffs contained in a hopper to the aquarium. The distribution is accomplished by an electric motor driving a gear box, the output of the gear box driving a cylinder that has a rough surface. The cylinder in cooperation with a pair of baffles sends a predetermined amount of food into the aquarium during the feeding time interval. This system maintains the feeding of fish during times when manual feeding is unavailable, i.e., absence, vacation, etc. The aesthetic nature of the food distribution system enhances the decor in the environment in which it is used, as well as performing the function for which it is intended.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for automatically distributing food to fish in an aquarium. More specifically, the invention distributes the food without food loss due to moisture adhesion in the delivery system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art illustrates an abundance of automatic fish feeding devices for aquariums. Most the known systems have a moisture buildup problem which contaminates the fish food and also clogs the dispensing mechanism. Also, many of the prior art systems do not protect the fish food from environmental effects or pests.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,979, issued Aug. 18, 1992 to Baird et al. discloses a solenoid activated plunger for dispensing fish food requiring a manual operation in order to dispense food of various sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,125, issued Feb. 20, 1973 to Sanders discloses an automatic fish food dispenser that is positioned outboard of the aquarium requiring special positioning of the aquarium and leveling of the dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,438, issued Feb. 1, 1994 to McLaughlin discloses an aquarium having an elaborate feeding scheme.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,072, issued Nov. 22, 1977 to Vassallo et al. discloses an aquarium lighting and feeding device a rotating timer vertically positioned, and a turntable that carries a plurality of food scoops, such that as the timer rotates a horizontally extended rod from the timer engages the turntable moving the one of the feeding scoops over a hole allowing the food to fall into the aquarium. The feeder of Vassallo et al. does not keep the fish food from environmental conditions or pests.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,764, issued Jun. 9, 1992 to Tum, discloses a combination fish feeder and water filtration system having a cantilever mechanism for counterbalancing a portion of the filtered water with a food dispensing chute.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


A varistor and a PTC resistor formed from a composite material containing a polymer matrix and a filler. The varistor experiences two nonlinear changes caused by the current due to applied voltage, the varistor comprising a composite material comprising a filler and a polymer matrix, the filler consisting of particles of grained microstructure. The PTC resistor experiences a first nonlinear dependency of resistivity at a first PTC temperature resulting from an interaction of the filler and the polymer matrix and a second nonlinear dependency of resistivity at a second, lower PTC temperature resulting from the filler.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention proceeds from a composite material comprising a filler and a matrix which embeds the filler, in which material at least one physical quantity causes at least two nonlinear changes in a material property or at least one nonlinear change in each case in one of at least two material properties as a result of acting on the filler and/or the matrix.
2. Discussion of Background
EP 0 548 606 A2 discloses an electrical resistor. Said resistor contains a resistor body composed of a composite material containing a polymer as matrix. Embedded in the polymeric matrix as fillers are an electrically conductive powder, for instance soot, and a powdered varistor material, for instance based on a sprayed granular material. In this resistor, the electrically conductive powder forms current paths passing through the resistor body during normal operation. Above a certain value of the current, the resistor body heats up intensely. The polymer matrix expands considerably and thus separates the particles of the electrically conductive filler which form the current path. The current is interrupted. If the voltage across the resistor body or locally in the resistor body increases too strongly under these circumstances, the particles of the varistor material form percolating paths, which dissipate the undesirably high voltage, locally or throughout the entire resistor body above a specified limit value of the voltage. However, two different fillers are needed for the abovedescribed functions of current interruption and of voltage limitation, which functions are caused by a nonlinear behavior of the composite material with respect to the current carried or to the applied voltage. For some applications this is undesirable and may possibly result in difficulties in the production of the composite material.


The present invention relates to a breaker apparatus and breaker unit. The breaker apparatus comprises a breaker unit including a power supply/cut-off breaker part, a power connecting part, a first unit connecting part, a ground connecting part and a second unit connecting part and further comprises a breaker unit mounting board including a mating power connecting part, a mating ground connecting part, a first connection mediating part and a second connection mediating part. This breaker apparatus is capable of constituting a power distributing apparatus with a necessary but minimized construction, and of extending the breaker unit in a minimum unit according to necessity. In addition, with this breaker apparatus, parts can be used in common irrespective of a change of a ground system, and further, can be replaced in the hot-line condition without cutting off the power supply to a system.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a breaker apparatus and breaker unit suitably applicable to a power distributing apparatus for use in communication systems.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In a terminal station of a communication system, a breaker apparatus is provided in a power distributing apparatus which is for the purpose of distributing power, fed through a power-supply line, to each of units in that station. The breaker apparatus is made up of a breaker (NFB: Non Fuse Breaker) which serves as a current limiter for, when a current exceeding a predetermined value flows, breaking that current, with a current supplied being made to be fed through the NFB to each of the units so that the supply of an excessive current exceeding an allowable value of each of the units thereto is preventable.
Meanwhile, for coping with a system extension in the future, a communication system is usually designed in consideration of the enlargement of an exchange system associated with the extension of that communication system. Accordingly, in a power distributing apparatus including such a prior breaker apparatus, the power-supply ability per one rack column is determined on the basis of the maximum number of racks or units in the station, and the power distributing apparatus is designed and manufactured to exhibit the maximum power-supply ability.
In addition, the communication system is requested to execute the maintenance without its stopping, and therefore, employs a double-powered construction.
There are a CG (Communication Ground) forming a return ground for a power supply, a SG (Signal Ground) being a ground for a signal, and an FG (Frame Ground) for human-body protection among the kinds of grounding for a communication system,. Further, the ground systems are classified into an isolated ground system and an integrated ground system, and in the case of communication systems installed overseas, either the isolated ground system or the integrated ground system is taken according to the standard the nation concerned employs.
The isolated ground system is principally employed in Japan, European nations and other countries, and in this system, all the ground earths are gathered at a GW (Ground Window) in a station house and then connected to a main ground at one point (see FIG. 3). Thus, since the isolated ground system takes a structure in which the FGs are connected at one point, an advantage exists in that, even if that building is struck by thunderbolt or the like, it is difficult that the noises caused by the thunderbolt or the like are introduced through the FGs into the system, whereas there is a disadvantage in that the ground lines are led from the communication system to a power room of each of the units to cause a higher wiring cost.
The integrated ground system is principally employed in the United States of America and others, and each of the grounds within the communication system is connected to a CG within a power distributing apparatus (see FIG. 16) which in turn, is connected to an FG of an exchange system. Further, the CG in the power distributing apparatus is connected as a power supply return in the power room to a rectifier.
This integrated ground system does not require the leading of the SG from the communication system to the external but requires only a connection of the FG of the power distributing apparatus to a neighboring FG of, for example, an exchange system, and therefore, the ground line wiring work is facilitated to decrease the wiring work cost, and the requirement to the electric insulation of the communication system from the station house building does not necessarily exist, and hence, a spanning cable rack or the like of the communication system is not needed to be electrically insulated from the station house constructing materials, which facilitates the associated works and lowers the wiring work cost, so that its construction cost becomes lower than that of the aforesaid isolated ground system. However, when being used for a large-scale communication system, this integrated ground system shows a disadvantage of being poor at noises because, at the falling of a thunderbolt, the thunderbolt noises are introduced through a shield for signal cables existing between spanning rows into the building.
The selection between the isolated ground system and the integrated ground system depends upon the standard ruled by the nation employing the communication system, and the ground system meeting the standard by that nation is chosen, whereupon a power distributing apparatus and a communication system are produced accordingly.
In the case of a power distributing apparatus equipped with such a prior breaker apparatus, since difficulty is experienced to perform the extension of the NFB or the like resulting from the enlargement of the power-supply capacity, as mentioned before, in the design of the power distributing apparatus, in consideration of the future extension of the exchange system or the like, the power-supply ability per one rack column, and in its turn the breaker capacity, is designed on the basis of the maximum number of racks in the station.
Accordingly, the power distributing apparatus with the prior breaker apparatus is constructed to provide a breaker capacity corresponding to the maximum power-supply ability at all the time, with the result that the manufacturing cost of the power distributing apparatus increases. Further, in a small-scale communication system (small station system), the rate of the cost of the power distributing apparatus to the total system cost rises, and the rise of the power distributing apparatus cost hinders lowering the total system cost, thus reducing the cost advantage on the market when being applied to a small station system.
Furthermore, in the recent years, with the improvement of the functions of the units constituting a communication system, its densification advances, with the result that the power consumption increases in units of units or in units of racks, and hence, since a consideration should be given to a power-supply ability covering this increasing power consumption at the above-mentioned design of the power distributing apparatus, the power-supply capacity of the power distributing apparatus further increases to further heighten the manufacturing cost of the power distributing apparatus.
Still further, although the communication system is required to undergo maintenance without stopping and, hence, its power supply system employs a double-powered construction, in the case of a power distributing apparatus equipped with a prior breaker unit, the replacement of the NFB or the extension of the power distributing apparatus requires that the power supply to the distribution board to be replaced is turned off or that the work for the replacement or the extension is done risking the short-circuit accident in the hot-line condition without turning off the power supply, which creates a problem in the stabilization of the system operation.
Besides, since the NFB is attached through screws to the power distributing apparatus, there is a problem in that the replacement work efficiency of the NFB deteriorates.
Moreover, because the determination as to whether the ground system is constructed as the isolated ground system or as the integrated ground system relies upon the standard taken by the nation installing the communication system and the power distributing apparatus is to be manufactured to be conformable to that nation, there is a problem in that difficulty is encountered to commonly use the products, which causes the increase in the number of parts so that the manufacturing cost goes up.
The present invention has been developed with a view to eliminating the above-mentioned problems, and it is therefore an object of this invention to provide the improvement of constructions of a breaker apparatus and breaker unit which is capable of not only constituting a power distributing apparatus with a necessary but minimized construction along with extending breaker units in the minimum unit as needed, but also commonly using parts irrespective of the change of the ground system, and even allowing the replacement work in the hot-line condition without the suspension of the power supply to the system.
For these purposes, in accordance with this invention, there is provided a breaker apparatus comprising a breaker unit including a breaker part for supplying/cutting off power, a power connecting part for connecting the breaker part to a power line, a first unit connecting part for supplying power through the breaker part to a unit side, a ground connecting part to be connected to a ground line, and a second unit connecting part for connecting the unit side through the ground connecting part to the ground line, and further comprising a breaker unit mounting board including a mating power connecting part on which the power connecting part is detachably mountable, with the mating power connecting part connecting the power connecting part to the power line when the power connecting part is mounted thereon, a mating ground connecting part on which the ground connecting part is detachably mountable, with the mating ground connecting part connecting the ground connecting part to the ground line when the ground connecting part is mounted thereon, a first connection mediating part allowed to connect a power supply line to the unit side and the first unit connecting part and a second connection mediating part allowed to connect a ground line to the unit side to the second unit connecting part.
Thus, owing to the breaker apparatus according to this invention, a power distributing apparatus can be constructed through the use of a breaker unit with a necessary but minimized power capacity and, hence, can be manufactured at a minimum cost, thus reducing the system manufacturing cost. In addition, particularly, in constructing a small station system, the useless initial investment is reducible and the rate of the cost of the power distributing apparatus to the total manufacturing cost is lowered.
In this case, it is also acceptable that the breaker unit is equipped with a board member on which disposed are the aforesaid breaker part, power connecting part, first unit connecting part, ground connecting part and second unit connecting part, and the board member is provided with a first connecting line for connecting the breaker part to the power connecting part, a second connecting line for connecting the breaker part to the first unit connecting part and a third connecting line for connecting the ground connecting part to the second unit connecting part.
Accordingly, the above-described breaker apparatus according to this invention can achieve the size-reduction of the breaker unit to construct the breaker unit as a small-sized unit, and can easily produce the power distributing apparatus in accordance with a required power capacity, and further, facilitate the replacement of the breaker unit at the system maintenance, the enlargement of the breaker unit and other operations to enhance the working efficiency.
In addition, it is also possible that the aforesaid power connecting part is made up of a power connecting piece member having a piece portion and a leg portion constructed such that at least their surface portions serve as electric conducting portions, and a first connecting part electrically connected to the leg portions of the power connecting piece member is formed in the first connecting line.
With this construction, the breaker apparatus according to this invention allows the power connecting piece member to be easily connected to the first connecting line, which simplifies the construction of the breaker unit and reduces the manufacturing cost.
Furthermore, it is also appropriate that the foregoing first connecting part is provided with a plurality of connecting portions arranged at a predetermined interval along a portion facing the mating power connecting part so that the first connecting part is electrically connectable to the leg portions of the power connecting piece member.
With this construction, the breaker apparatus according to this invention can increase and decrease the number of the power connecting piece members, with the result that the useless initial investment is held down while the manufacturing cost is cut down.
Besides, it is also possible to place a holder for connecting the adjacent power connecting piece members to each other.
Thus, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the power connecting piece members are preventable from falling down, and hence, the electrical connection between the power connecting piece members and the mating power connecting part is surely maintainable, thereby improving the reliability of the device.
Still further, it is also appropriate that the foregoing first connecting part is equipped with a plurality of connecting portions arranged at a predetermined interval along a direction crossing a portion facing the mating power connecting part to be electrically connectable to the leg portions of the power connecting piece members.
As a result of this construction, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the power connecting piece members in the first connecting part can be disposed at a desired position.
Moreover, it is also acceptable that the aforesaid ground connecting part is made up of a ground connecting piece member having a piece portion and a leg portion constructed such that at least their surface portions serve as electric conductive portions, and a second connecting part electrically connected to the leg portions of the ground connecting piece members is formed in the third connecting line.
Whereupon, the breaker apparatus according to this invention can simplify the construction of the breaker unit and reduce its manufacturing cost.
Furthermore, it is also acceptable that the aforesaid second connecting part is equipped with a plurality of connecting portions arranged at a predetermined interval along a portion facing the mating ground connecting part so that it is electrically connectable to the leg portions of the plurality of ground connecting piece members.
Thereupon, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the number of the ground connecting piece members can be increased and decreased when necessary, and the useless initial investment can be held down while the manufacturing cost can be cut down.
Besides, it is also possible to place a holder for mutually connecting the adjacent ground connecting piece members.
Accordingly, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the ground connecting piece members are preventable from falling down, and hence, the electrical connection between the ground connecting piece members and the mating ground connecting part is surely maintainable, thereby improving the reliability of the device.
Still further, it is also appropriate that the aforesaid second connecting part is equipped with a plurality of connecting portions arranged at a predetermined interval along a direction crossing a portion facing the mating ground connecting part to be electrically connectable to the leg portions of the ground connecting piece members.
Accordingly, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the ground connecting piece members in the second connecting part can be disposed at a desired position.
Still further, it is also appropriate that, at the mounting of the breaker unit on the breaker unit mounting board, the connection between the ground connecting part and the mating ground connecting part is done prior to the connection between the power connecting part and the mating power connecting part, while at the detachment of the breaker unit from the breaker unit mounting board, releasing the ground connecting part and the mating ground connecting part from their connection is made after releasing the power connecting part and the mating power connecting part from their connection.
Thereupon, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, in the attachment/detachment of the breaker unit to/from the breaker unit mounting board, the connection between the ground connecting part and the mating ground connecting part is always established at the connection between the power connecting part and the mating power connecting part and the releasing from this connection, and therefore, even when the breaker unit is attached/detached to/from the breaker unit mounting board in the hot-line condition, the earth line is securable, thus improving the safety.
Besides, the aforesaid first and second unit connecting parts can also be mounted on a common first connector part, whereupon, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the wiring becomes simple to reduce the manufacturing cost, and the working efficiency of the attachment/detachment of the breaker unit to/from the breaker unit mounting board is improvable.
Moreover, it is also appropriate that the breaker unit mounting board is composed of an insulating plate member, a first conductive plate member mounted on one surface of the insulating plate member to constitute the mating power connecting part, a power line connecting part provided on the other surface of the insulating plate member to be used for the power line, a second conductive plate member mounted on the one surface of the insulating plate member to organize the mating ground connecting part, and a ground line connecting part provided on the other surface of the insulating plate member to be used for the ground line.
With this construction, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the breaker unit mounting board can be made with a simple construction so that the manufacturing cost is reducible, and further, the breaker unit mounting board can be constructed to have a small dimension so that the size reduction of the device is achievable.
Besides, the mating power connecting part can also have an engaging hole portion accommodating the power connecting piece member and electrically connected to the power line.
Thus, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the easy connection between the power connecting piece member and the power line and the releasing thereof from the connection become feasible, thereby enhancing the working efficiency.
In addition, the mating ground connecting part can also have engaging hole portions accommodating the ground connecting piece members and electrically connected to the ground line.
Thus, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the easy connection between the ground connecting piece members and the ground line and the releasing thereof from the connection become feasible, thereby enhancing the working efficiency.
Furthermore, it is also appropriate that a connecting portion to the power supply line extending toward the unit side and a connecting portion to the ground line extending toward the unit side are mounted on a common second connector part while the second connector part and the first connector part are made to be connectable to each other.
With this structure, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the wiring becomes simple and the manufacturing cost is reducible, besides the working efficiency of the attachment/detachment of the breaker unit to/from the breaker unit mounting board is improvable.
Still further, it is also acceptable that the aforesaid first and second connection mediating parts are constructed as a connector through-hole for enabling the first and second connector parts to be connected to each other.
Accordingly, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the wiring becomes simple and the manufacturing cost is reducible, and further, the working efficiency of the attachment/detachment of the breaker unit to/from the breaker unit mounting board is improvable, besides the construction of the breaker unit mounting board can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be cut down.
In addition, the ground connecting part can also be constructed as a ground connecting part to be connected to one kind of ground line, and therefore, the breaker apparatus according to this invention contributes to an easy arrangement of an isolated ground system and further to the reduction of the manufacturing cost.
Besides, the ground connecting part can also be constructed as a ground connection part to be connected to a plurality of kinds of ground lines, and therefore, the breaker apparatus according to this invention contributes to an easy arrangement of an integrated ground system and further to the reduction of the manufacturing cost.
Moreover, the ground connecting part can also be equipped with a ground fixed connection portion to be fixedly connected to one type of ground line, and a connecting switch portion allowed to connect the ground fixed connection portion to a different type of ground line. Therefore, in the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the one type of ground line and the different type of ground line can share the breaker unit, thereby lowering the manufacturing cost.
Furthermore, the breaker part can also be made as a non-fuse breaker, and hence, with the breaker apparatus according to this invention, the operations/practical use of the breaker unit become easy and the running cost comes down.
In addition, in accordance with this invention, there is provided a breaker apparatus comprising a breaker unit including a non-fuse breaker part for supplying and cutting off power, a power connecting part composed of a power connecting piece member having a piece portion and a leg portion formed such that at least their surface portions serve as conductive portions for connecting the non-fuse breaker part to a power line, a ground connecting part composed of a ground connecting piece member having a piece portion and a leg portion formed so that at least their surface portions serve as conductive portions for connection with a ground line, a unit connecting part for supplying power through the non-fuse breaker part to a unit side and further for connecting the unit side through the ground connecting part to the ground line, and a substrate or board member for holding the breaker part, the power connecting part, the ground connecting part and the unit connecting part, and for carrying a fourth connecting line having a first engaging section for making a connection between the non-fuse breaker part and the power connecting part and allowed to engage with the leg portion of the power connecting piece member and a fifth connecting line for making a connection between the non-fuse breaker part and the unit connecting part and a connection between the ground connecting part and the unit connecting part, and further, comprising a breaker unit mounting board, in correspondence with each of the plurality of breaker units, including a mating power connecting part having an engaging hole portion allowed to engage with the power connecting piece member and electrically connected to the power line for allowing detachable mounting of the power connecting part and for connecting the power connecting part to the power line when the power connecting part is mounted on the mating power connecting part, a mating ground connecting part having an engaging hole portion allowed to engage with the ground connecting piece member and electrically connected to the ground line for allowing detachable mounting of the ground connecting part and for connecting the ground connecting part to the ground line when the ground connecting part is mounted on the mating ground connecting part, and a connection mediating part for making a connection between a power supply line extending toward the unit side and the unit connecting part and for making a connection between a ground line to the unit side and the unit connecting part.
Thus, the above-mentioned breaker apparatus according to this invention can provide the following advantages.
(1) Since a power distributing apparatus can be constructed with breaker units each having a necessary but minimized power capacity, the power distributing apparatus is producible at a minimum cost and the system manufacturing cost is reducible. In addition, particularly, in constructing a small station system, the useless initial investment is held down and the rate of the cost of the power distributing apparatus to the total manufacturing cost is lowered. Further, the size reduction of the breaker unit is achievable and the breaker unit can be constructed as a small-sized unit and the power distributing apparatus can easily be constructed to a required power capacity. Still further, the replacement of the breaker unit at the maintenance of the system or the like, the extension of the breaker unit and others are facilitated to enhance the working efficiency.
(2) The construction of the breaker unit is simple, so that the manufacturing cost is reducible.
(3) The connection and release from the connection between the power connecting piece member and the power line is easy, thus improving the working efficiency.
(4) The connection and release from the connection between the ground connecting piece member and the ground line is easy, thus improving the working efficiency.
(5) The operations/practical use of the breaker unit become simple, and the running cost is reducible.
Moreover, in accordance with this invention, there is provided a breaker unit comprising a breaker part for supplying and cutting off power, a power connecting part for connecting the breaker part to a power line, a first unit connecting part for supplying power through the breaker part to a unit side, a ground connecting part to be connected to a ground line, and a second unit connecting part for connecting the unit side through the ground connecting part to the ground line.
Accordingly, the breaker unit according to this invention can constitute a power distributing apparatus in a state of having a necessary but minimum power capacity, and hence, contributes to the manufacturing of the power distributing apparatus at the minimum cost and consequently cuts down the system manufacturing cost. In addition, in constructing a small station system, the useless initial investment is held down and the rate of the cost of the power distributing apparatus to the total manufacturing cost comes down.


Systems and methods for optically determining the direction of an object, such as a pointer, relative to an imaging system, particularly systems where triangulation is employed to determine the location of a pointer within a generally planar viewing field, such as a touch screen. Rather than employing focused imaging systems to produce a sharp image at the plane of a photodetector, and to thus define the visual pen for finger position, a deliberately diffuse or blurred image is employed. The diffusion produces a characteristic "bell-shaped" or Gaussian intensity distribution. By recognizing the characteristic intensity distribution, the position of the maximum intensity, and thus the direction of the object, can be determined to a small fraction of the distance between sample points, with an accordingly much higher resolution than focused systems. In a preferred embodiment, the position location system is incorporated into a computer system as a touch screen apparatus and a cursor is displayed on the screen as soon as a pointer is detected above the display.

The present invention relates generally to systems for optically determining the direction of an object relative to an imaging system or for optically determining the position of an object such as a pointer and, more particularly, to the use of imaging systems placed about a computer display device to monitor the motions of a pointer.
There are so-called "touch screen" systems wherein a user interacts with a computer system by touching or pointing to various locations within a touch screen area, typically associated with a display such as a CRT, or other display device. The touch screen serves as easily used data input apparatus because the operator can quickly and easily feed data into a computer by indicating various specific positions of the touch screen area.
As employed herein, the term "pointer" refers to any suitable pointing object, externally illuminated or self-illuminated which is easily moved relative to a two-dimensional plane surface or area. By way of example and not limitation, the pointer may comprise a pen, stylus, finger, or any typically long and slim element.
As employed herein, the term "touch screen" means apparatus used to locate the position of a pointer within a generally planar viewing field. In accordance with the invention, such a viewing field may be an area defined on or near the surface of solid material, such as near an inert panel, or may be a geometric plane defined in space or in the air.
Such "touch screens" have many possible applications, for example: pointing to or selecting a particular image or region on a video screen or on a panel, plate or tablet to select or indicate a specific item, informational element, letter, number, symbol, parameter line, region or characteristic; to locate or track a pointer held generally perpendicular to the plane and moved along the plane for plotting data, drawing a graph or picture or for laying out a network or diagram; for indicating or tracking the relative motion or coordinates of movement or trajectory of a moving object; for use as a custom keyboard in an electronic input module; and so forth.
For convenience, the terminology "Stylus Detection" is employed herein to refer to the subject invention; it will be appreciated, however, that "stylus" refers to any "pointer" or other object whose direction relative to an imaging system or position is to be determined. In addition, the term "camera" is employed herein as a synonym to imaging system, where a "camera" may be characterized as an electronic device for capturing either one- or two-dimensional images and converting them to electrical signals for further processing.
In overview, the Stylus Detection system of the invention employs two or more cameras placed strategically about a computer display to obtain the position of the computer operator's hand or an object such as a pen or stylus. The precise position of the hand or object is determined using trigonometric triangulation. Pointer position, as well as signals derived from the change of position or the rate of change of position, can be interpreted as commands to the computer system.
The Stylus Detection devices of the invention most closely resemble what collectively have been called touch screens in the prior art. Touch screens themselves have been largely divided into two groups: overlay, in which a device sized to fit the display is placed over or attached to the display screen itself; and non-overlay, in which no such display-screen-covering device is required. Although not touch screens, the Stylus Detection devices of the invention could be classed as non-overlay.
At the present time, by far the most commonly used touch screen technologies are overlay. Overlay touch screens usually require placing a specially prepared device over the computer display and using the device to determine the position, in two dimensions, of the operator's finger or some other stylus. Typical examples involve one- or two-layer arrangements of glass or plastic sheets which have been coated or patterned with special materials so that the position of a stylus or finger touch can be determined by making resistance or capacitance measurements on the device. Another approach broadcasts acoustic waves on the surface of a specially prepared piece of glass and determines two-dimensional positions by timing when the waves have been attenuated by a touch from a finger or other sufficiently compliant stylus. This latter device lays claim to a third-dimension sensing capability, but the "third dimension" actually relates to firmness of touch, since no detection at all takes place until the finger or stylus is firmly in contact with the display screen.
In addition to being unable to detect the position of a pointing device before it is actually in contact with the device surface, overlay technologies suffer from several other problems. Any nominally transparent overlay material reduces light transmission from the display and also is an increased source of distracting reflections from the face of the display. Reflections are greatly increased for technologies such as resistive and capacitive touch screens since the required overlays are coated with a metallic film that acts as a mirror. These overlays are often covered with diffusive coatings used to reduce the added reflections, but the diffusion also reduces the sharpness of the display. Thus the net result of applying overlay technology is a dimmer display which may also have a fuzzy appearance or disturbing surface reflections. These problems are especially serious when dealing with liquid crystal displays, which are characteristically dimmer than desired even without the overlay.
Overlays also increase the problem of parallax. The thickness of the overlay increases the distance between the display image plane and the point of touch. When the user moves his head, and thus the position of his eyes, a fixed point being touched on the surface of the touch screen appears to move relative to the display image plane underneath. As a perpendicular distance between the image plane and the point of touch is increased, this parallax effect is magnified accordingly.
Overlay sensors also present a major logistical problem for manufacturers. Typically, each model of computer display requires a specially designed and configured overlay sensor. Even displays of the same nominal size tend to differ slightly in actual visible display area, in curvature of the display surface, or even in the available space behind the display bezel, making the required overlay designs differ. This means that a large inventory and an on-demand design capability be maintained unless the touch screen manufacturer wishes to severely limit the display models to which his technology can be applied. Furthermore, retrofitting displays for overlay touch screens is usually a complicated and specialized job, not easily performed in the field.
Non-overlay touch screens have thus far been largely unsuccessful in the marketplace, due largely to the awkwardness of the approaches which have heretofore been taken. One such device includes a linear array of perhaps twenty-five infrared light-emitting diodes placed along one side of a display and a matched linear array of infrared detectors along the other side. When touching the display screen, the operator's finger breaks a light beam, thus indicating position on the vertical axis of the display. A similar arrangement at the top and bottom of the display is employed to determine horizontal axis position. As implemented, this prior art system provides relatively low precision in determining two-dimensional position. Because the diodes have to be placed a significant distance out from the display screen, parallax is also a problem. While this system obviously has the ability to detect the approach of a finger or stylus some distance above the display, it actually is forced to use this above-display point as precisely equivalent to touching the display. This detection of a touch before it actually happens results in a poor feel and lack of tactile response, and contributes greatly to the lack of success of the sensor.
Light pens are one of the oldest display interaction technologies available. Light pens are not usually classed with touch screens, mainly for historical reasons. They require a special stylus (the light pen) which typically must be tethered to a controller via a cord carrying an electronic or optical signal from the display unit. Light pens require that a delicate balance be struck between the persistence of the display and the achievable horizontal resolution, a problem which is aggravated by color displays, which require three phosphors, typically having different persistences. Light pens are completely non-functional in situations in which there are significant dark (unlighted) areas in the target display, especially problematical with monochrome displays. These impediments have prevented the wide-spread use of light pens despite their early availability.
It will be appreciated that, in systems of the type employing imaging systems placed strategically about a computer display, each imaging system includes a photodetector, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) having a plurality of elements organized as an array, and a lens to focus an image of the pointer object onto the photodetector. Assuming the position of the object image on the sensor array can be accurately determined, the direction of the object relative to the imaging system can be determined in a straightforward manner since position within the photodetector array is related to the angular position within the field of view of the imaging system, typically in a nearly proportional manner. Given directions relative to at least two imaging systems, pointer object position can be determined by triangulation, as is disclosed for example in Denlinger U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,328.
Prior to the present invention, the resolution of such systems has generally been limited by the number of photodetector elements, although interpolation in some cases has been used to infer an image position between two detector elements, for example. As described in greater detail hereinbelow, such is a highly inefficient use of a CCD array.

Diffusion-assisted position location particularly for visual pen detection


Systems and methods for isolated sensor device protection are provided. In one embodiment, an isolated sensor device comprises: a housing having an isolation chamber; an isolator sealed within the isolation chamber; an inertial sensor assembly sealed within the isolation chamber, the inertial sensor assembly coupled to an inner surface of the isolation chamber by the isolator; and at least one progressive impact interface applied to a periphery of the inertial sensor assembly, wherein the at least one progressive impact interface extends outward from the inertial sensor assembly towards the inner surface.

Inertial sensor systems used in guidance applications can experience high G environments, that include vibration, shock, and static events that require the use of sensor isolation systems. These isolation systems provide the inertial sensors with a limited freedom of movement within their housings in order to both protect the sensors and mitigate the influence of these forces on the navigation signal output produced by the inertial sensors. However, certain events can occur during operation that are beyond the capabilities of the sensor isolation system. For example, an extreme acceleration can cause the inertial sensors to move relative to their housing sufficiently to exhaust the available sway space within the housing. More specifically, the sensors "bottom out" and impact with the internal surface of their housing. The shock of such an impact produces extremely high, amplified, inputs to the isolated inertial sensor components. In many systems, these amplified events can cause sensor performance degradation as well as component damage which can result in a system failure. Techniques are available to reduce the magnitude of an amplified input by using pliable materials, such as elastomers, at expected contact points and planes. However, these techniques are limited and are mainly used for damage mitigation and don't provide sensor performance protection. These techniques are also mainly used during non-operating environments, such as component shipping or transportation, since they are limited in their ability to reduce the amplification needed to maintain acceptable sensor performance during operation.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, there is a need in the art for improved systems and methods


Section insulator for rigid catenary which has a dual functionality, since it can exercise the functions both of conventional section insulator and of neutral section insulator, configured so that it maintains a mechanical continuity which allows the smooth passage of the pantograph, minimizing the requirement for adjustment and maintenance. The insulator basically comprises a pair of conductor rail segments (2) between which is disposed a single central shoe (1) obliquely disposed with respect to the direction of the catenary, a pair of spark wires (9) wherein the electric field is broken and a series of strips (8) disposed on said central shoe (1) which, together with a bridging cable which extends from them to the conductor rail segment (2), enables bridging the wire conductor of the insulator (3) when one want to maintain the power supply to the pantograph.

The rigid catenary is a power system for rail transport alternative to the conventional catenary and which basically consists of an aluminium profile with an area in the form of a gripping device which serves as housing to the copper contact wire whereby it makes contact with the pantograph table positioned in the locomotor roof, thereby capturing the line current.
Despite the fact that its lower maintenance costs compared with conventional catenaries justify its installation in any part of the line, its use is normally almost exclusively restricted to the inside of tunnels since it reduces the gauge necessary therein. The fact that this electrification system is not widely used justifies that most of the section insulators are designed to be adapted to conventional catenaries and not rigid catenaries.
The overhead contact lines installed to supply electricity to the railway lines are subdivided in different sections or electric circuits to thus guarantee its operating availability. This sectioned design of the electrical installation enables the insulation of each of the sections independently, so that the power supply can be interrupted without having to cut the current supply to the entire installation. In this way, in the event that a fault occurs in one or several sections comprising the line (either the service is interrupted in a planned manner to perform periodic maintenance work or repair in the event of fault) the power supply is guaranteed, and therefore the operation of those sections that are not affected by said circumstances, thus avoiding the interruption of the rail traffic throughout the line.
To achieve this purpose, the aforementioned section insulators are used, which consist of insulating elements which, positioned between two adjacent sections of overhead contact line, interrupt the electrical continuity between said sections although they guarantee the mechanical continuity between both, thus allowing the passage of the pantographs. The section insulators should maintain the electric voltage in the pantograph, guaranteeing that the protection devices of the rolling stock are not affected nor are operating malfunctions created therein, thus avoiding the unnecessary triggering of the protection apparatus. Therefore, the configuration of said section insulators should be such that it permits the pantograph to come into contact with one of the ends of the insulator before losing contact with the other end. The most typical solutions in the state of the art consist of disposing two shoes which guarantee the continuity of the current at the time of passage through the insulator or splitting the contact wire in two, thus establishing a common contact area.
To electrically separate two adjacent sections of the overhead line supplied from two different substations the so-called neutral sections are interposed between said sections. The interposition of these sections enables separating sections between which there is a power difference, in the case of DC, or even a phase difference in the event that the feed current of the catenary is AC. The application is even known of neutral sections of considerable length in transition areas between the supply of DC and AC current, thus making a light rail system compatible with the metro system or even the network of regional trains. In classic designs, the neutral section is defined by the intermediate space, insulated or earthed, which is created between two section insulators or two air gap insulations.
As in the case of the section insulators, the neutral sections, aside from electrically insulating the two sections between which they are installed, must guarantee the mechanical continuity between both so that they enable the smooth passage of the pantograph. Nevertheless, unlike what occurs in the case of conventional section insulators, when the pantograph traverses the neutral section, the electrical derivations between the sections that said neutral section separates must be avoided. For this reason, to reduce the appearance of electric arcs, some systems use track magnets which automatically disconnect the power of the rolling stock when this approximates the neutral section, re-establishing the power immediately after crossing it, for which reason it incorporates a second set of magnets of a function programmed for "time out" in the system which controls the traction of the train or electric traction vehicle concerned.
Despite the fact that, as has been indicated, the rigid catenary is an electrification system which is not widely used and, therefore, most of the existing insulator designs do not adapt to this type of overhead line, there are some appropriate designs for its installation in this type of catenary.
Thus, for example, an insulator assembly can be found in the state of the art applicable to rigid catenaries which is inserted between two conductor rail bars, the ends of said insulator having the same profile as the conductor rail wherein it is inserted. The central part of the insulator is made of a material of great dielectric and mechanical rigidity, so that it complies with the requirements of this type of device: on the one hand, it interrupts the electrical continuity between the two conductor rail bars and further guarantees the mechanical continuity between both, permitting the passage of the pantographs. Shoes are mounted on each side of the insulator, in longitudinal direction, which receive the passage of the pantograph, the central part remaining at an upper level, for which reason the pantograph only rests on the side shoes and not on said central part.
The previous insulator assembly has the advantage that compared with other known insulators it can act as both section insulator and neutral section insulator by doing no more than establishing the appropriate electrical connections in each case. For this purpose, the insulator has copper strips which allow making bridging connections, so that the side shoes remain electrified, thus guaranteeing the power supply to the pantograph during its passage through the insulator. However, when the operating requirements demand the existence of a neutral zone, the bridging cables are removed and in this way, the side shoes are not electrified, so that the pantograph stops being electrically supplied on passing through the central zone which, on being electrically insulated, starts to behave as a neutral area. This functionality, however, obliges introducing a great separation between the side shoes in order to main the necessary safety distances to guarantee the electrical insulation between the different components.
Among this device's deficiencies, and which the insulator object of this invention tries to resolve, we should highlight the difference between the mechanical properties of the rigid catenary and the section insulator, which causes a discontinuity in the vertical rigidity of the system which leads to the appearance of hard points, with the consequent deterioration of the current capturing quality when configured as section insulator.
On the other hand, an undesirable behaviour of this type of section insulator has been observed in combination with pantographs which have a non-uniform wear of the collecting shoes, a phenomenon which is closely linked to the distance between the side shoes already mentioned. On passing through the insulator, the pantograph first rests on the contact wire inserted in the conductor rail profiles positioned at the ends and later in the side shoes of the central zone, which are found at the same height as said wire. On passing through the intermediate zone, wherein the three wires overlap, if the pantograph table is new or has uniform wear, the support is produced correctly and, therefore, the insulator's behaviour is that desired. However, on the occasions wherein the collecting shoe of the pantograph has a high degree of irregular wear, said wear being greater in the central area, there is a high risk of a collision of the sides of the table with the side shoes of the insulator. Sudden bumps against the shoes produce the breaking thereof and, furthermore, as a consequence of the bump, contact losses may occur with the central wire, increasing the wear caused by the appearance of electric arcs.
To avoid these bumps insofar as is possible, it is necessary to adjust the height of the shoes acting on the vertical studs which support them, thus avoiding the collision of the pantograph with the side shoes, even in the case that the pantograph in question has the table worn. Despite the fact that this solution is very simple, it is not of practical use, since logically, the wear of the table of each one of the pantographs which traverse the insulator will considerably vary from one to another, which means it would be necessary to adjust the height of the shoes prior to the passage of each vehicle, which is absolutely infeasible. However, this solution causes a geometric continuity in the height of the different elements of the section insulator, in addition to requiring frequent maintenance operations.
In light of the above, the objective of the present invention is to develop an insulator for rigid catenary which performs the dual function of section insulator, interrupting the electrical continuity between the sections when necessary, and neutral section, guaranteeing in both cases sufficient mechanical continuity between the catenary and the insulator to permit the smooth passage of the pantograph. It is likewise desirable that the insulator in question overcomes the drawbacks of the similar known devices, which means that their configuration should be such that it minimizes the need for adjustment and maintenance and has, insofar as is possible, similar mechanical properties to those of the rigid catenary wherein it is installed.


A loading dock comprising a dock wall including a dock opening formed by a generally horizontal upper portion of the dock wall, a resilient head pad mounted in front of the upper portion such that the head pad is positioned to be compressible between the upper portion and a back of a vehicle when a vehicle is positioned at the loading dock, and a tether member interconnecting the head pad with the upper portion. The tether member is positioned to facilitate substantially vertical movement of the head pad relative to the upper portion. The assembly can further include a substantially rigid support member connected to the dock wall. Preferably, the loading dock further includes a back pad (e.g., a resilient pad) connected to the dock wall, and the head pad comprises a front pad positioned adjacent the back pad. One portion of the tether member can be secured to the front pad and another portion of the tether member can be secured to the back pad.

Most warehouses, manufacturing facilities and large retail stores include loading docks that provide a location for loading and unloading trucks and trailers. Loading docks typically include a raised platform and a dock opening positioned above the raised platform. The dock opening is formed by a dock wall having two vertical side portions extending upwardly from the platform, and a horizontal upper portion connecting the top of the side portions. Trucks and trailers can back toward the dock opening until the back of the truck or trailer is abutting the platform. The platform sometimes includes a dockleveler that provides a ramp between the platform and the bed of the truck or trailer to facilitate loading and unloading thereof (e.g., by a fork-lift).
Many loading docks include dock seals that provide a seal between the dock wall and the back of the truck or trailer. For example, such dock seals can include side pads and a head pad positioned along the side portions and upper portion, respectively. The pads are commonly made from a wear resistant fabric (e.g., urethane-coated fabric) surrounding a resilient material (e.g., foam) that is compressed when the back of the truck or trailer is positioned against the loading dock. The compressed pads provide a barrier against the elements (e.g., wind, rain and snow), thereby providing a comfortable working environment for the personnel working near the loading dock, and further provide a barrier against the loss of heat or cooling from inside the building.
The above describe dock seals provide good protection against the elements. However, as with most loading dock equipment, it must withstand repeated uses under a variety of weather and loading conditions. Any increase in longevity of the dock seals would therefore be an improvement.


A device for aiding in the installation of flat building materials includes a plurality of cross bars interconnecting first and second angles so that a first offset is formed between the first angle and the cross bars in order to accommodate a building material. A third angle is pivotally attached by a hinge to the second angle so that a second offset which is less than the first offset is formed between the third angle and the cross bars. Fasteners secure the first and third angles to a building framework.

The invention disclosed herein relates to the installing of building materials in sheet form used in the construction of new buildings, or during remodeling of older buildings. The materials used in the construction of buildings are of such size and weight as to be difficult to install. Most require two or more persons to hoist into place while a third person either nails or screws the sheet onto the framing. Over head is very difficult as the sheet must be held and completly anchored into place before the workmen can relax their holds. The hanging of these type of material causes the backs of workers to be strained, and most workmen experience back trouble of one type or another.
Prior art devices that have attempted to solve the above related problems and others include the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,582,147 issued to J. C. Stanley; 2,883,073 issued to F. J. Morris; 3,143,219 issued to A. C. Aldrich; 3,305,219 issued to F. Rhodes; 3,467,261 issued to R. C. Jewell; 3,642,150 issued to J. P. Zizak; 3,910,421 issued to J. Panneton; 4,449,879 issued to J. E Mercer; 4,826,390 issued to R. Paxton.
J. C. Stanley teaches a rack device that supports a piece of sheet material placed theron, pivoted into position for anchoring into place. It showes only installing overhead with no provision for vertical use.
F. J. Morris teaches a lifting device for positioning the sheet to the ceiling. In use the device is loaded with a sheet of material, pivoted into position and then propped in place till the sheet is fastened. There is no mention of side wall use.
F. Rhodes teaches a device for positioning the sheet but through the use of a rachet and cables. Again with no mention of vertical use.
A. C. Aldrich teaches a pivotal sheet rack that is supported with a leg or rod for support when in the horizontal position.
R. C. Jewell teaches an easel type device for supporting the sheet of material for ceiling installation. A sheet is placed on the easel frame and then it is rotated into position where it is locked untill the material is attached to the framing.
J. P. Zizak teaches the use of a "T" shaped device that is clamped to the framing on the head of the "T" and the leg of the "T" sets on the floor while the sheet is loaded and then is rotated into place against the ceiling. A leg holds the "T" in place while the sheet material is attached. Again no mention of vertical use.
J. Panneton teaches the use of two "T"s with a frame between for holding the material. One "T" is anchored to the ceiling while the other "T" is in the down position untill the material is hoisted into the up position wedging the sheet into place for attachment. Again no mention of vertical installations.
J. E. Mercer Teaches the use of a rectanglar tower with a rectanglar frame used to support the material and and a folding "T" leg at the other end of the frame. Again no mention of vertical use.
R. Paxton teaches the use of two arms that are clamped to the framing of the building. These arms are rotated to hold the building materials in place for attachment. The use of clamps could not be used to place the last sheet in place, nor could they be used on most metal framing members. The placement of two arms would require two or more person to place, and would require a lot of time to position them properly.
With the cost of building any type of structure going up it is of prime concern to provide a tool that is easy to use, quick to install and remove and provide very good support for the materials being installed. Whether on the wall or on the ceilings, and at any height the tool provides that and more. With the tool it is much safer to install any sheet material. There is less strain on the back for the sheet is hosited into place from one side. Once in place the sheet is held by the tool allowing the person doing the installation to move about freely. Then the sheet material can be adjusted to fit properly with out the danger of falling.

Device for installation of building material


According to an embodiment, a map converting method includes calculating existing frequency of depths in a first map, the first map corresponding to at least an image area of an image and each pixel of the first map representing a depth corresponding to a pixel of the image area; and first converting the first map into a second map that represents a depth in a first range for each pixel by using the existing frequency.

Conventionally, display devices (hereinafter, "3D display devices") have been developed, which display a three-dimensional image (hereinafter, "3D image") that represents depth, by using a stereo image that includes two images having a parallax difference between two viewpoints, and an image to which a depth map that illustrates the depth for each pixel of the image is attached. The range of depth (hereinafter, "depth range") that can be reproduced on the 3D display device varies from device to device. Furthermore, the depth range of an image input to the 3D display device (hereinafter, "input image") is different from the reproducible depth range of the 3D display device to which the image is output; and therefore the depth range of the input image needs to be converted (corrected) to a depth range suitable for the outputting 3D display device for displaying the 3D image. If the image is displayed on the 3D display device without performing conversion of the depth range, the front or back side of the image may become blurred, or the image may appear with insufficient depth. Methods of converting the depth range include a method of sequentially correcting the depth range so that a desired parallax amount can be achieved.
With some of the depth range converting methods of the conventional technologies, however, the depth after the conversion is excessively reduced so that the image output and displayed onto the 3D display device may look flat.

Map converting method, map converting apparatus, and computer program product for map conversion


A commercial starch cooking and dispensing apparatus comprises means for preparing a starch suspension of uncooked starch in water and discharge means for discharging the starch suspension to a starch cooking valve for cooking the uncooked starch suspension to form a starch solution which is dispensed to one or more commercial laundry machines. A method of cooking laundry starch utilizes a starch cooking valve that dispenses cooked starch as it is cooked to one or more commercial laundry machines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cooking laundry starch. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for the cooking and dispensing of single batches of laundry starch which are cooked and discharged in consecutive single batches as needed to one or more commercial laundry machines.
2. Description of Related Art
In most modern commercial laundries, starch is added to the commercial laundry machines either by adding a precooked dry starch or a liquid synthetic starch directly to the machines as needed. Both precooked and synthetic starch are significantly more expensive than uncooked starch, which is sometimes referred to as "pearl starch." Additionally, precooked starch frequently does not dissolve completely leaving starch specks on the garments as well as causing starch build-up on the press heads when the garments are pressed. To avoid the expense of precooked starch some commercial laundries add uncooked starch directly to the laundry machines. The uncooked starch is later cooked when the garment is pressed. Although this method reduces starch costs, it causes starch buildup on the press heads and results in uneven starching of the garments.
To reduce the costs of using precooked dry starch or synthetic starch and to avoid the problems with using uncooked starch, some commercial laundries use existing starch cookers in which a large vat of starch solution is cooked and then drawn from the vat manually. Some examples of existing starch cookers can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,253,262 to Bierly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,418,320 to Miller, or U.S. Pat. No. 1,190,690 to Tyler.
The problems of existing starch cookers include insufficient agitation resulting in lumpy starch, inferior starching and starch build-up on press heads; overcooking the starch resulting in inferior starching of the garments; fouling of unused starch and employee dangers from the manual transfer of hot starch solution from the starch cooker to the laundry machine. These problems were first addressed by the single-batch starch cooking and dispensing apparatus described in application Ser. No. 08/192,559, now U.S. Reg. No. U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,169, and in the improvements and method described in the application to which this application relates, namely, application Ser. No. 08/496,369. Additional refinements and improvements on both the method and apparatus are disclosed herein.

Method and apparatus for cooking and dispensing starch


A columbarium apparatus comprises a columbarium structure defining a plurality of niches. Each niche has an open end, and a horizontal ledge extends from the structure near the bottom wall of each niche. An inside door is configured to cover the open end of the niche and is attached by a first set of tamper resistant hardware, and an outside door is configured to cover the inside door and conceal the first set of tamper proof hardware, and is attached by a second set of tamper resistant hardware such that an inner face of the outer door is supported by an outer face of the inside door, and such that a lower edge of the outside door is supported by the ledge. A vertical channel is provided to facilitate attachment of the outside doors.

It is commonly known to store cremains in above ground in a columbarium. To be attractive to families, it is desired that these columbaria have an appearance of permanence, dignity, and security where the remains of a loved one can be secure.
Such columbaria are disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,025 to Darby, U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,124 to Branan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,505 to Larkin, III et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,812 to Eickhof, and in Canadian Patent Application Number 2,270,697 of Mainville. The disclosed columbaria generally comprise a plurality of boxes, commonly referred to as niches, in an array of closely adjacent rows and columns. The niches are of a size to accommodate a cremains urn, and have an open front end for insertion of the urn that is conventionally closed by a relatively thin stone door. A dust door is often placed in the open end of the niche prior to installing the outer door to prevent the entry of dust and insects.
Stone, such as granite, is preferred for the doors because of its attractive and enduring appearance, however as can be seen in the above prior art, such doors are relatively thin in order to maintain the doors at a manageable weight, and reduce cost. As a result the stone doors can be broken by vandals without great difficulty.
The outer door, as illustrated in the disclosures of Darby, Branan, Eickhof, and Mainville, is secured to the columbaria by tamper-proof hardware such as screws, brackets, hooks, or the like to close the front of the niche in a manner that at least makes removal difficult without special tools. Branan and Mainville are directed particularly to providing door attachment systems that prevent removal of the door by vandals or other unauthorized personnel. These prior systems however do not address the fragility of the stone doors themselves, which are often broken by vandals. Once the stone door is broken, the urn is exposed and subject to theft or damage.


Galvanomagnetic sensor array system and method for providing data interface to a basic sensor array are provided. The sensor system includes an array of galvanomagnetic elements, and a processor coupled to receive each output signal from the array of galvanomagnetic elements. The processor and array of galvanomagnetic elements are integrated in a single semiconductor die.

Many kinds of measurements may not be satisfactorily performed with discrete galvanomagnetic sensors comprising a single, or even dual sensing elements. In general, the accuracy of a measurement can be greatly improved by the use of sensor arrays. Furthermore, a sensor array is conducive to a fault tolerant and/or a fail-soft sensing system. Although optical sensor arrays are well known and readily available, generally, they are not suitable for automotive or other industrial applications exposed to a dirty environment.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,201,466, titled, "Magnetoresistor Array", commonly assigned to the same assignee of the present invention, the inventor of the present invention has demonstrated a state-of-the-art magnetoresistor array that provides superior resolution and improved sensing capability. The foregoing patent innovatively addresses integrated-circuit topologies that have enabled the integration in a single die of a magnetoresistor array.
A user-programmable microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) would be desirable to process the data from the sensor array so that any unique processing needs may be appropriately addressed, without having to undergo any expensive and time-consuming redesign and/or retesting of the sensor array. For example, this DSP may be configured with appropriate algorithms for specific sensing tasks. The sensor manufacturer could include a family of some standard algorithms in the DSP. However, it is envisioned that end users could also develop and employ their own customized algorithms, which would allow them to create a uniquely configured sensor array using essentially the same sensor array hardware purveyed by the sensor array manufacturer.
Accordingly, for certain applications, it may be desirable to offer a single chip solution that embeds both the sensor array and the DSP. For these applications there is a need of providing a compact and relatively inexpensive array of galvanomagnetic sensors and processor integrated on a single semiconductor die. For other applications, where a DSP may be externally available to the end user, it would be particularly desirable to provide data interface techniques that would allow reducing the number of interface pins of the chip. It would be further desirable to provide data interface techniques that would allow the user to implement reliable and accurate data transfer between the sensor array and any external DSP. It would be further desirable to provide signal conversion techniques appropriately matched to the specific dynamic range provided by the sensor array.

Integrated galvanomagnetic sensor array system


An incoming communication is received. For example, an incoming voice call is received for a user. A rule is applied to the incoming communication. The rule is based on sensor information associated with the user, presence information associated with the user, and a prior history of handling communications by the user. In response to applying the rule to the incoming communication, a method of notifying the user of the incoming communication is determined. For example, a voice call may be converted to a text communication where the user is notified via text. The incoming communication is routed to a user communication device of the user based on the rule.

When a call comes into a user's communication device, the user may not want to be bothered at that time based on his or her activity. All of the user's communication devices may alert at the same time and in the same way, especially when in the same proximity. The user may also opt out of getting any messages by silencing all of the user's devices. There are times when the user wants the call even though the user may be engaged in an activity, but the user may not be able to physically pick up or respond to a device.
Current solutions fall short of being able to properly identify a user's context. For example, an Apple watch may react when in the vicinity of the user's iPhone. However, the Apple watch will still react to an incoming call to the iPhone, even if the iPhone is set to "do not disturb." The current functionality of these devices only provides a limited capability into determining the user's context (e.g., that the devices are in proximity) for properly handing an incoming communication.

Intelligent user device management in a multi device environment