Process for controlling the energy performance of an industrial unit, in which process: the value of a set (V) of variables relating to the industrial unit and to the environment are measured, as is the value of a quantity representing the energy performance (W), an estimate (We) of the quantity representing the energy performance is calculated, the value of an energy performance indicator (TE, TE+) is determined and the value of this indicator is compared with at least one threshold value (S) determined so as to detect a drift in the energy performance.

The present invention relates to a process and to a system for controlling the energy performance of an industrial unit or of a part of the latter.
An industrial unit uses equipment which consume electrical power, for example an air separation unit comprising a whole set of equipment of the compressor, liquefier and pump type, or for example also a part of said unit such as a set of compressors.
The cost of operating a unit of this type is mainly constituted by the purchasing of the electrical power necessary for the operation of the abovementioned equipment.
Such equipment forms the subject of configurations and settings which have an influence on the electrical power consumed by the industrial unit, for a given production constraint.
Various existing solutions aim to minimize the energy cost in conjunction with a variation in the cost of purchase of the electrical power over time by optimizing production.
In particular, document EP 0 581273 describes a process optimization process, in which a modelling of an industrial unit is carried out, the model thereafter being optimized and subjected to particular production constraints. The process aims to obtain optimization of production over a given period of time, as a function of the variable cost of the energy consumed in the course of this period of time.
This process uses a method of solution of the model and an optimization which do not make it possible to carry out monitoring of the system with a view to improving its settings and its configuration for a given production.
It is also desirable to optimize the mode of running, that is to say all the settings of the unit, for a given production constraint.
To do this, the consumption of electrical power must form the subject of tracking, so as to determine whether the settings are satisfactory or not from a point of view of the consumption of electrical power, and to correct these settings if necessary, so as to avoid drifting of electrical power consumption and to optimize the use of the equipment.
For this purpose, document US 2003/0097243 describes a process and a system intended for controlling an industrial unit for hydrocarbon production. The process described uses a mixture of linear and nonlinear models with a view to solving the model and optimizing production and with a view to providing proposals for configuring the system.
This document does not describe a solution making it possible to track performance.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,049 describes a process for controlling a cryogenic industrial unit, in which process a monitoring of performance indicators is carried out, these indicators being compared in real time with nominal values, and proposals for modifications are made if the values of the indicators deviate from the nominal values, the process being based on a prerecorded diagnostic tree providing qualitative suggestions.
This document does not describe precisely the model used, nor its mode of construction, nor the settings to be performed in real time on the equipment.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a process for controlling the energy performance of an industrial unit which makes it possible to take account of the specific features of a particular industrial unit, without using any complex modelling of the behaviour of this unit, and which makes it possible to signal the drifting of electrical power consumption and to optimize the use of the equipment.
Another aim of the invention is to allow the control of an industrial unit as a whole, or of a subpart of this unit comprising a whole set of equipment.
The subject of the present invention is a process for controlling the energy performance of an industrial unit or of a part of the latter, in which process:                the value of a set of variables relating to the production of the industrial unit and to the environment are measured, as is the value of a quantity representing the energy performance,        an estimate of the quantity representing the energy performance is calculated, using a statistical model calibrated during a phase of learning over a reference period, on the basis of the values of the set of the variables relating to the production of the industrial unit and to the environment,        the value of an energy performance indicator is determined on the basis of the measured value and estimated value of the quantity representing the energy performance,        the value of this indicator is compared with at least one threshold value determined so as to detect a drift in the energy performance.
These provisions make it possible to tailor the model for each production unit.
The statistical model calibrated by learning takes account of the operating point of the plant and the inaccuracy in the measurement instrumentation. In fact it suffices for the measurements to be reproducible in order for this model to be usable.
The development cost is low, since the method is simple, as is the handling by non-specialist operators.
Upon changes due to significant maintenance, a new calibration may also be performed simply, since it is based on automatic measurements and learning, and not on physical modelling of the industrial unit.
Advantageously, the quantity representative of the energy performance is the electrical power consumed of the industrial unit.
According to a mode of implementation, an alert to an operator is emitted in case of energy over-consumption.
Advantageously, the energy performance indicator is defined as the ratio of the measured value to the estimated value of the quantity representing the energy performance.
According to a possibility, the statistical model is of linear type, in particular obtained by linear regression on data of the learning phase.
According to another possibility, the statistical model is of nonlinear type, in particular comprising at least one neural network or tools for local regression.
According to a mode of implementation, during the learning phase, the operating points, corresponding to the best energy performance observed associated with each given value of the set of input variables, are taken into account in the model.
Advantageously, in the model, each association between a given value of the set of input variables and the best energy performance, corresponding to an operating point, also comprises the set of configuration and setting data for the equipment associated with this operating point and this best energy performance.
According to an embodiment, when an over-consumption is detected, the model provides a set of learnt configuration and setting data for the equipment that made it possible to obtain the best energy performance for the current value of the set of input variables.
According to a first possibility, the set of input variables comprises:                the atmospheric pressure and the ambient temperature,        production flow rates for the unit,        production pressures for the plant,        production rating data,        flow rates of vaporization of the liquids and of venting of gases,the set of configuration and setting data for the equipment comprises the configuration of the equipment and their setting in terms of flow rate, and the energy performance is that of the industrial unit as a whole.
According to a second possibility, the set of input variables comprises:                the flow rate and the pressure of the gas produced from a group of equipment of compressor type,        the pressure and the temperature upstream of the compressors,the set of configuration and setting data for the equipment comprises the configuration of the equipment and their setting in terms of flow rate, and the energy performance is that of the group of compressors.
According to a third possibility, the set of input variables comprises:                the liquid flow rate of product leaving a liquefier,        the pressure and the temperature of the gas entering the liquefier,the set of configuration and setting data for the equipment comprises the pressure of the cycle, the temperature of the liquid and the recycling flow rate, and the energy performance is that of the liquefier.
Advantageously, the set of configuration and setting data for the equipment of the industrial unit comprises at least one variable of usage of an item of equipment indicating its on or off state.
According to a mode of implementation, the set of configuration and setting data for the equipment of the industrial unit comprises at least one value of setting of an item of equipment, in particular a flow rate setting.
Advantageously, the set of learnt configuration and setting data for the equipment that made it possible to obtain the best energy performance for the current value of the set of input variables is proposed to the user, with:                the list of advocated equipment, using the on/off values of the usage variables recorded, and        the estimate of the settings for the equipment, if necessary.
According to a mode of implementation, a list of the changes induced so as to achieve a given configuration and settings of the equipment with respect to the current configuration and settings is provided, indicating the equipment to be turned off or to be started up, as well as the possible settings to be effected.
Advantageously, the process is implemented in real time, the measurements being performed continuously.
According to a mode of implementation, a recalibration is performed, so as to integrate new learning data, at a pre-established frequency, or on the request of an operator.
The subject of the present invention is also a system for controlling the energy performance of an industrial unit, making it possible to implement a process according to the invention, comprising:                means of measurement in the industrial unit,        means of storage making it possible to record the corresponding data,        means of calculation,        means of informing an operator,        means of network communication linking the components of the control system.
As represented in FIG. 1, diagrammatically, an industrial unit ASU for separating gases from the air comprises in particular compressors 2, as well as pumps 3, this equipment representing the main sources of consumption of electrical power of the unit.
The industrial unit ASU also comprises distillation columns or oxytonnes 4.
A single item of equipment of each category is represented in FIG. 1, for greater clarity.
While operational, the unit ASU makes it possible to carry out the following operations. Ambient air is sucked into the inlet 5, then compressed by a compressor 2, and cooled by a cooler 6, purified in a purification unit 7 before being introduced into a distillation column 4.
A distillation column 4 makes it possible to output:                oxygen in gaseous form Og and liquid form Ol,        nitrogen in gaseous form Ng,        argon in liquid form Arl.
Compressed air is also produced by compression of the ambient air.
The unit ASU also comprises a liquefier 8 for carrying out the production of liquid nitrogen Nl, on the basis of gaseous nitrogen Ng coming from a column 4, as represented diagrammatically in FIG. 1 by the link 9.
The gaseous products, after compression by compressors 2, are conveyed by pipes 10 to customer sites 12, for immediate consumption. The liquid products are stored in tanks 13, then subsequently delivered to the customers, by appropriate means of transport.
The industrial unit ASU is associated with a system SC for controlling the energy performance according to the invention, as is represented in FIG. 2.
The system SC comprises means of measurement 14 positioned in the industrial unit ASU performing measurements at a frequency of the order of a second. The measurements are however used in the form of time averages. Means of storage 15 make it possible to record the corresponding data.
The measurements include in particular measurements of the electrical power consumed W, as well as production parameters and environmental parameters.
The system SC also comprises means of calculation 16 using a behavioural or statistical model to calculate an estimate We of the electrical power consumed.
According to a first embodiment, the behavioural model used is of linear type ML, obtained by linear regression on real data, during a prior phase of learning over a reference period.
The set V of input variables of the model ML comprises production constraints, and in particular:                the flow rate QNghp of production of high-pressure gaseous nitrogen        the flow rate QOghp of production of high-pressure gaseous oxygen,        the flow rate QOgmp of production of medium-pressure gaseous oxygen        the flow rate QAir of production of compressed air        the flow rate QNl entering the means of storage of the production of liquid nitrogen        the flow rate QOl entering the means of storage of the production of liquid oxygenand moreover environment parameters, in particular:        the atmospheric pressure Pa         the ambient temperature Ta.
The system furthermore comprises means of informing an operator, in the form for example of a computer terminal 17.
The components of the control system are linked by networked communication means.
The following steps are thus carried out, at regular intervals, after the initial learning phase.
In a first step LE1, the value of the set V of input variables hereinabove, as well as the consumption W, are provided by the means of measurement 14.
In a second step LE2, by taking account of the value of the set V of input variables, which is provided by the means of measurement 14, the model ML calculates an estimate We of the electrical power consumed by the industrial unit.
In a third step LE3, it is then possible to calculate an indicator called the energy coefficient TE, corresponding to the quotient W/We.
In a fourth step LE4, the indicator TE is compared with at least one determined threshold S. If the indicator TE exceeds this threshold, an over-consumption is detected. Likewise, an under-consumption may be detected, by comparison with an under-consumption threshold.
In a fifth step LE5, an alarm may be emitted in case of energy over-consumption.
The model ML thus makes it possible, for example monthly, to obtain an evaluation of the energy efficiency, that is to say a diagnosis of under-consumption or of over-consumption with respect to past observations, of which the model takes account through its learning.
The model ML takes no account of the various settings and configurations of the equipment of the plant, and it is linear.
Consequently, it is of medium accuracy, but it is simple to put in place.
The value of the energy coefficient indicator TE is in general close to one.
According to a second embodiment, the control system SC comprises the same elements as those indicated in the first embodiment and in FIG. 2.
However, in this second embodiment, the model used by the means of calculation 16 is a nonlinear model MNL, comprising according to variants at least one neural network or tools for local regression, the model being calibrated on real data, during a prior phase of learning over a reference period.
The set V of input variables of the model MNL comprises production constraints, and in particular:                the flow rate QNghp and the pressure PNghp of production of high-pressure gaseous nitrogen,        the flow rate QOghp and the pressure POghp of production of high-pressure gaseous oxygen,        the flow rate QOgmp, the pressure POgmp and the percentage purity PPOgmp of production of medium-pressure gaseous oxygen,        the flow rate QAir and the pressure PAir of production of compressed air,        the flow rate QNl entering the means of storage of the production of liquid nitrogen,        the flow rate QOl entering the means of storage of the production of liquid oxygen,environmental parameters, in particular:        the atmospheric pressure Pa         the ambient temperature Ta and parameters characteristic of the production context, in particular:        the nitrogen vaporization flow rate QNv         the oxygen vaporization flow rate QOv         the oxygen venting flow rate QOAir.
By taking account of the above input variables, the model calculates an estimate of the electrical power consumed by the industrial unit.
Furthermore, additional measurements relating to the configuration of the equipment are carried out, in particular:                the variables of usage UCv of the variable flow rate compressors,        the variables of usage UCp of the fixed flow rate compressors,        the variables of usage UP of the pumps,        the variables of usage UO of the columns.
Each usage variable for an item of equipment considered may take two values corresponding to the item of equipment considered being on or off.
Measurements are also carried out relating to the setting of the equipment, in particular:                the flow rates QCv of the variable flow rate compressors        the flow rates QP of the pumps        the flow rates QO of the columns.
The set CR of the abovementioned configuration and setting data for the equipment are stored in the means of storage 15.
During the learning phase, the following steps are carried out at determined time intervals.
In a first step, all the data relating to the state of the industrial unit are provided by the means of measurement 14: the value of the set V of input variables, as well as the set CR of configuration and setting data for the equipment and the consumption W, during a reference period, and stored in the means of storage.
In a second step, among the data stored, the set of operating points, that is to say of given combinations of values of the set V of input variables, are traversed to search for the best consumption W for each of them and to form an association ASSO between the values of the set V and this best consumption W, the set of associations constituting the calibration parameters of the model MNL.
To each association ASSO is added the set CR of configuration and setting data for the equipment, that made it possible to obtain this optimal consumption.
The thus-constructed set of associations ASSO, representing the calibration parameters of the model, is stored in a specific file FS in the means of storage.
The configuration of the equipment and their settings corresponding to a best energy consumption, which we shall denote CR+, may thus be retrieved during a phase of real-time control.
During the usage of the control system in an energy performance control phase, the following steps are carried out, as is represented in FIG. 4.
In a first step NLE1, all the data relating to the state of the industrial unit are provided by the means of measurement 14: the value of the set V of input variables above, as well as the set CR of configuration and setting data for the equipment and the consumption W.
In a second step NLE2, by taking account of the value of the set V of input variables above, provided by the means of measurement 14, the model MNL calculates an estimate We+ of the electrical power consumed by the industrial unit, corresponding to a best consumption observed.
In a third step NLE3, it is then possible to calculate the value of the energy coefficient indicator TE+, corresponding to the quotient W/We+.
In a fourth step NLE4, the value of the indicator TE+ is compared with at least one determined threshold S. If the indicator TE+ exceeds this threshold, an over-consumption is detected. Likewise, an under-consumption may be detected, by comparison with an under-consumption threshold.
In a fifth step NLE5, an alarm may be emitted in case of energy over-consumption.
In a sixth step NLE6, the model MNL provides, in conjunction with the estimate We+ of the best consumption obtained and the set of values of input variables V, the associated set CR+ of configuration and setting data for the equipment.
In a seventh step NLE7, this set CR+ of configuration and setting data for the equipment making it possible to improve consumption is proposed to the user, with:                the list of equipment advocated from among the compressors 2, the pumps 3 and the columns 4, this amounting to indicating the recommended on/off values of the usage variables UCv, UCF, UP, UO, and        the estimate of the settings of the associated flow rates QCv, QP, QO for the equipment, if necessary, for the variable flow rate compressors 2, the pumps 3 and the columns 4.
A summary of the changes induced to achieve a given configuration and given setting CR+, with respect to the current configuration and settings CR, may also be provided, indicating the equipment to be turned off or to be started up, as well as the possible settings of flow rate to be carried out, doing so by identifying the differences between the current configuration and current settings CR and the proposed configuration CR+.
The process is implemented in real time, the measurements being performed by the means of measurement 14 continuously.
The implementation of this process and of the control system SC, in this embodiment, makes it possible, in real time, to obtain an automatic evaluation of the energy efficiency, that is to say a diagnosis of under-consumption or of over-consumption with respect to the past observations.
The configuration and setting data sets CR+ recorded during the learning phases correspond to a minimum of energy consumption, with given input variables V.
As a variant, it is possible to propose several sets CR+ of configuration and setting data recorded to the operator in case of over-consumption.
Thus it is possible to propose simple changes which, however, induce a small energy gain and complex changes which induce larger gains.
The model also makes it possible to obtain an estimate of potential gain of energy consumption on making a change.
In contradistinction to the energy coefficient indicator TE of the first embodiment, the value of the energy coefficient TE+ of the second mode of implementation is in general greater than one, since the model represents the best consumption observed in the past under the same conditions. This rate becomes less than one if the consumption is less than that noted in the past. A relearning may then be carried out so as to take account of the set CR of current configuration and setting data.
It is thus possible to use the system SC as a real-time decision aid tool for assisting the operators with setting and configuring, to obtain a setting which is at least as good as in the past.
In this mode of implementation, as in the previous one, it is necessary to carry out a phase of learning over an initial reference period, and it is possible to carry out a new learning after a determined duration of usage of the system.
According to a variant, a new learning is carried out after a determined duration of usage of the system SC. In particular, it is possible to carry out an automatic learning at regular time intervals. For example, a relearning every month on a learning base which includes the data recorded in the means of storage 15 in the course of the twelve months preceding the relearning, or else a relearning each month on a learning base of increasing size which includes all the data since the last major technological modification of the plant up to the date of relearning.
According to a variant, the industrial unit for which the energy performance is not the air separation unit as a whole, but only a group of compressors for oxygen or nitrogen, or air product.
In this case, the set V of input variables comprises:                the flow rate and the pressure of the gas produced by the group of equipment of compressor 2 type,        the pressure and the temperature upstream of the compressors 2.
The set CR of configuration and setting data comprises the configuration of the equipment and their setting in terms of flow rate, and the electrical power consumed W is that of the compressor group 2.
According to another variant, the industrial unit for which the energy performance is not the air separation unit as a whole, but only but a liquefier 8.
In this case, the set V of input variables comprises:                the liquid flow rate of product NL leaving the liquefier 8,        the pressure and the temperature of the gas entering the liquefier 8.
The set CR of configuration and setting data comprises specific data of the liquefier, namely the pressure of the cycle, the temperature of the liquid and the recycling flow rate, and the electrical power consumed W is that of the liquefier 8.
As goes without saying, the invention is not limited to the preferential embodiments described hereinabove, by way of nonlimiting examples; on the contrary it embraces all the variants thereof within the scope of the claims hereinbelow.
It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments in the examples given above.

Abstract: The invention proposes the learning of a model based on the best energy performance (W) observed for each value of a set (V) of input variables and in the proposing in real time to the operator of a best configuration and of best settings (CR) of the equipment based on those associated with this best energy performance (W) observed in the past for the current value of the set (V) of input variables.

L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude Et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude


A bearing assembly for a roller of an inking or wetting device includes a drive device that moves in a first direction to move a roller holder holding a roller from a print ready to an away position. The drive device also moves in a second direction to lock the roller holder onto a base of the bearing assembly at the print ready position. A spring urges the roller holder toward the print ready position when the drive device is inactive.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bearing assembly for a roller of an inking or wetting device of a printing machine for moving the roller toward or away from a print ready position.
2. Description of the Related Art
German reference DE 42 31 672 C2 discloses a bearing assembly for a roller in an inking or wetting device of an offset printing machine. Each roller journal is held in a roller holder that is linearly movable toward the print-ready direction. The roller holder runs on a linear guide located in a housing mounted on a frame of the inking or wetting device. Further, the roller holder is urged by a spring toward the print-ready position. The housing also contains a pressure-medium-operated clamping device for clamping the roller holder in the print-ready position.
A problem with this prior art device is that to remove the roller for a roller change, for example, an adjusting device that contains the spring must be detached. Therefore, the roller cannot be moved away from the counter roller or counter rollers in a simple manner.

Bearing assembly for a roller of an inking or wetting device


A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a well region in the semiconductor substrate, and a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) device. The MOS device includes a gate dielectric overlapping the well region, a gate electrode over the gate dielectric, and a source/drain region in the well region. The source/drain region and the well region are of opposite conductivity types. An edge of the first source drain region facing away from the gate electrode is in contact with the well region to form a junction isolation.

In the manufacturing of integrated circuits, the sizes of integrated circuit devices are scaled down increasingly. For example, Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) Image Sensor (CIS) chips have increasingly smaller pixel sizes. Accordingly, the requirement in the DC and noise performance of the CIS chips becomes increasingly stricter. Conventional circuit formation processes thus cannot meet the strict requirements of the CIS chips. For example, Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) regions were used to isolate devices. In the formation of the STI regions, the silicon substrate, in which the STI regions are formed, suffers from damage caused by the formation of the STI regions. As a result, charges such as electrons are trapped at the interfaces between the STI regions and the silicon substrate. These charges cause background noise in the signals of the CIS chips.

Self-aligned implantation process for forming junction isolation regions

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A method of adjusting ultrasonic bonding energy on a wire bonding machine, the method comprising the steps of: providing a reference relationship between free air ball squash and ultrasonic bonding energy; determining an actual relationship between free air ball squash and ultrasonic bonding energy on a subject wire bonding machine; and adjusting at least one ultrasonic bonding energy setting of the subject wire bonding machine such that the actual relationship of the subject wire bonding machine is closer to the reference relationship.

In the processing and packaging of semiconductor devices, wire bonding continues to be the primary method of providing electrical interconnection between two locations within a package (e.g., between a die pad of a semiconductor die and a lead of a leadframe). More specifically, using a wire bonder (also known as a wire bonding machine) wire loops are formed between respective locations to be electrically interconnected. The primary methods of forming wire loops are ball bonding and wedge bonding. In forming the bonds between (a) the ends of the wire loop and (b) the bond site (e.g., a die pad, a lead, etc.) varying types of bonding energy may be used including, for example, ultrasonic energy, thermosonic energy, thermocompressive energy, amongst others.
Due to variations amongst like wire bonding machines, it may be difficult to obtain wire bonds having substantially uniform bonding characteristics (e.g., shear strength, pull strength, etc.) using or employing the same input bonding parameters across the like wire bonding machines. For example, ultrasonic transducers (e.g., including piezoelectric crystal) tend to vary from machine to machine even though they are nominally the same. Thus, even though the same energy (e.g., electrical current) is applied to the various transducers, the output characteristics of the transducers (and the resultant various wire bonds) may vary significantly.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide improved methods of forming consistent wire bonds amongst a plurality of like wire bonding machines.

Methods of adjusting ultrasonic bonding energy on wire bonding machines


A circular crown shaped pressure disk (1), furnished with, on its external rim, jutting stirrup shaped, flexible elements (2) whose size makes them press on the internal surface of the drum (7) within which the disk is housed. The internal rim of the disk is equipped with winglets (3) and with flexible tabs (5) directed nearly tangentially in respect to the tubular trunk (8), placed at the center of the drum (7). The flexible tabs are for stopping the rise of the bundle of coils so as to impede their knotting and to help guiding the wire, as it is pulled to the outside of the drum and unwound from the bundle.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a mechanism for the braking of the unwinding of a bundle of metallic wire housed in a container drum and aimed particularly at feeding soldering machines, in particular those operating continuously, with automatic advancing of the wire that constitutes the weld metal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coils of metal wire are used, particularly in the field of continuous soldering machines, where said wire is unrolled and carried to the soldering point where it is melted to join the two parts to be soldered.
When the quantity of wire being used is large, instead of being wound in rolls of a few kilogrammes in weight, the metallic wire, is contained as a bundle of various quintals inside a drum with a positioning cylindrical core, so that it is capable of feeding the soldering machine for a long period of time, eliminating in this way its frequent stoppage due to lack of the same soldering wire.
This type of feeder drum is positioned, when operative, with its axis in vertical position and the wire of the bundle is pulled up by a dragging unit. Due to the extreme elasticity of the wire and of its tendency to straighten out, when it is pulled towards the outside, various turns tend to rise together and they can become tangled among each other so as to provoke the stoppage of its advancement. This inconvenience is being presently avoided by the use of a crown shaped weight, placed inside the drum and on the bundle of wire with the aim of avoiding the rising of various turns at the same time and therefore their tangling up.
However, there is a clearance between said crown and the inner surface of the drum's contour and between the crown and the surface of the inner tubular trunk which keeps the bundle in position, without said clearance, due to the fact that the drums are not strictly identical to one another, the crown shaped weight could adhere to said surfaces and not slide enough to maintain itself adherent to the bundle, as the wire is used, or could impede the unwinding of the wire because of the pressure placed on the contours of the drum where it adheres, and would end up by carrying out a blockage on the wire that should instead move forward.
If instead the crown shaped weight should have a relatively ample clearance compared to the internal surface of the drum and of the internal tubular trunk, the movement of the coils at the top of the bundle, determined by the unrolling movement, could bring said turns or parts of them above the pressure disk and interact with it to form a knot, therefore blocking the unwinding of the bundle and consequently of the soldering machine.

Mechanism for braking the unwinding of a bundle of metallic wire housed in a drum


Provided are a capacitance detection circuit (200). The capacitance detection circuit (200) is used for detecting capacitances of N capacitors to be detected, and includes: a reference capacitor, at least N−1 first front end circuits (210) for converting capacitance signals of the capacitors to be detected into first voltage signals and performing differencing on the first voltage signals, at least one second front end circuit (220) for converting capacitance signals of a capacitor to be detected and a reference capacitor into second voltage signals and performing differencing on the second voltage signals, and a processing circuit (230); and the processing circuit (230) determines a capacitance value of each of the N capacitors to be detected according to a first differential signal output by each of the first front end circuits (210) and a second differential signal output by each of the second front end circuits (220).

Capacitors are widely applied to numerous electronic terminal devices, such as a touch control sensor for touch control on a display screen of the terminal device. In a process of using a capacitor, it is indispensable to measure and analyze a capacitance value thereof. Nowadays, self-capacitance detection has become a very important measurement and analysis method.
However, since a self-capacitance tends to be relatively great, an existing self-capacitance detection method has lower sensitivity when the self-capacitance is greater; and a volume of a cancel capacitor for improving the sensitivity is larger, so that the cancel capacitor cannot be integrated, and is also excessively high in cost; and further, an increase in self-capacitance causes the sensitivity of the existing self-capacitance detection method to be lower, such that the capacitance value cannot be correctly detected. Therefore, how to improve the sensitivity of self-capacitance detection and accurately detect the capacitance value within a controllable cost range is an urgent problem to be solved.

Capacitance detection circuit, capacitance detection method, touch detection apparatus, and terminal device


A marine pipelaying vessel with a pipeline stinger connected to said vessel, preferably pivotable, and forming a downwardly directed support for pipeline to be laid. The vessel further includes a stinger suspension assembly between the stinger and the vessel from which the stinger is suspended at least during operation, preferably the stinger suspension assembly allowing to lower and raise said stinger. The stinger suspension assembly includes a sacrificial stinger impact absorber which is adapted to absorb impact energy resulting from a violent stinger motion, e.g. induced by a freak wave. Preferably, the impact absorber forms an elongatable structure, e.g. a telescopic structure, which is elongated under impact energy absorption.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of marine pipelaying, wherein a pipeline is laid from an offshore vessel onto the seabed.
2. Description of Background Art
In this field is it known to use a pipeline supporting stinger to support the pipeline from the vessel into the water. The vessel can be of any suitable design, including a monohull vessel, a semi-submersible, a barge, etc. Often said stinger provides a curved or semi-curved path for the pipeline, e.g. when the pipeline is assembled or paid out in a generally horizontal direction from the vessel. The design of the stinger commonly depends on factors like the envisaged water depth, pipeline size and weight, pipeline properties (stiffness, material(s), possible coating, etc), pipeline tension during laying, etc.
For some years pipelaying has been done or at least proposed for deepwater, which has led to design of very large stingers which allow supporting the pipeline along a significant arc, up to an essentially 90 degrees arc, from horizontal. Stingers have been designed having a weight of more than 100 hundred tonnes, even several hundreds of tonnes. It is noted that the pipeline suspended between the stinger and the seabed also has a very significant weight, which load is carried by said stinger.
In WO 2005/123556 an example is shown of a pipelaying vessel having a stinger and an associated stinger suspension assembly. In said example the stinger suspension assembly is connected at one end to the foot of a very large crane on stern of the vessel. Several stinger suspension assemblies are proposed therein which are adapted to raise and lower the stinger.
In another known design it is known to arrange two cantilevers on the stern of the vessel, which project rearward above the water and each carry a winch with a cable from which the stinger is suspended.
Many prior art vessels having a stinger are designed for typical S-lay, wherein the vessel is provided with a pipeline-laying installation with one or more connecting stations, usually welding stations, for connecting pipe sections in a substantially horizontal orientation on a deck of the vessel. It is noted that stingers are also known on vessels for laying reeled pipeline, which pipeline to be laid is stored on one or more reels.
In the field of pipelaying the continuity of the pipelaying process is a prime factor. The weather and associated wave conditions generally form a limitation on the continuity as pipelaying has to be suspended under certain unfavourable conditions in order not to compromise the pipeline and/or the pipeline installation system.


A power distribution box (PDB) includes relays to connect a vehicle battery to corresponding electronic control units (ECUs) of a vehicle. A processor is programmed to instruct the PDB via a control interface to cause one of the relays to power a target ECU, send a sleep command over a vehicle bus to cause powered ECUs other than the target ECU to sleep, and install a software update to the target ECU.

Software updates applied to a vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) at the dealership may involve a diagnostic download method. A technician connects a test tool to the vehicle (e.g., via an on-board diagnostic port). Using the test tool, the vehicle is placed into a programming mode. In the programming mode, the current version of software is erased and replaced with a new version. During the update, the technician usually connects the vehicle to a battery charger to ensure sufficient power to the ECUs during the update process.


An object is to perform processing on an expedited basis by a plurality of printers while maintaining the total power consumption of the plurality of printers at a low level. A server for managing a plurality of jobs to be performed by a plurality of image forming devices having a print engine, the server comprising: a job division instruction unit configured to instruct the image forming devices to which the jobs are input to divide each of the plurality of jobs into preprocessing that does not involve driving of the print engine and postprocessing that involves driving of the print engine; and a job management unit configured to control timing of starting the postprocessing to prevent the postprocessing from being performed simultaneously by the plurality of image forming devices.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of controlling jobs to be performed by a plurality of image forming devices under the management of a server.
Description of the Related Art
In an office environment, as routine work, an instruction to print document data is given from a PC to an image forming device such as a Multi Function Printer (MFP) in order to perform printing in an environment in which the PC and the image forming device are connected via a network. In recent years, there is a growing tendency to save power and, in office work, there is also a need to save energy.
FIG. 1 is a graph showing a relationship between power consumption and elapsed time in performing a plurality of types of jobs with one MFP. The vertical axis of the graph shows the power consumption of a controller of the image forming device, and the lateral axis shows the elapsed time. As is understood from the graph of FIG. 1, power consumption for a copy job and a print job is far higher than power consumption for any other processing (such as processing for a scan job or sleep processing).
FIG. 2 is a graph showing a relationship between power consumption and elapsed time in performing print jobs simultaneously with two MFPs. It is found from the graph of FIG. 2 that in a case where the two MFPs simultaneously perform print jobs whose power consumption is high, the total power consumption of the controller is sharply increased. This means that maximum power consumption in an office environment is increased greatly. In order to save energy, it is important to reduce maximum power consumption.
From this viewpoint, in the case of using a plurality of MFPs, it is conceivable to perform control so that after a first MFP completes a print job, a second MFP performs a print job (sequential control). FIG. 3 is a graph showing a relationship between power consumption and elapsed time in a case where control is performed so that two MFPs sequentially perform print jobs. Maximum power consumption can be reduced by performing control in the above manner.
However, in a case where control is performed in the above manner to prevent the plurality of print jobs from being overlapped with each other, the second job does not start until the first job ends. This makes it time-consuming to perform the jobs and reduces work efficiency. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-299264 and No. 2002-142385 proposes a technique of controlling power by measuring the amount of a rush current of a device and the amount of power of a whole system. However, devices for the measurements and the like are necessary, and the cost becomes high.
Further, besides a print function, an MFP has various functions such as a copy function, a SEND function (a function for scanning a manuscript and transferring resultant electronic data), and a FAX transmission/reception function. Accordingly, it is necessary to perform comprehensive control for processing these jobs. For example, in a case where printing is being performed, a user has to wait at an MFP for a copy job or a FAX transmission job instructed by an operation unit of an MFP body until the print job ends and mere sequential control may result in significant reduction in work efficiency. Accordingly, efficient processing for jobs other than a print job is also required to be attained.

Server controlling job management by a plurality of image forming devices


A system for identifying a selected electrical circuit of interest from a number of electrical circuits, by locating a circuit interrupter connected to interrupt the flow of electrical power from an electrical power supply to the selected circuit of interest. The system includes a remote portion configured to detect when the selected circuit is energized, and in response to generate a wireless signal indicative thereof to a receiver portion located in the vicinity of the circuit interrupter. In response to the wireless signal, the receiver portion is configured to generate an alert indicative to an operator that the flow of electrical power is not interrupted to the selected circuit. By switching the circuit interrupter between the ON and OFF positions, the operator is able to determine from the alert at the receiver portion whether the selected circuit interrupter is connected to control the flow of electrical power to the electrical outlet, load, fixture, or wiring of interest.

A circuit interrupter is essentially an electrical component or device designed to interrupt an electrical connection upon a predetermined flow of over-current, according to its rating, so as to avoid damage to a circuit or itself. Types of circuit interrupters include a fuse and a circuit breaker. A fuse is generally configured to automatically open an electrical connection to a circuit, and cannot be reset. A circuit breaker is generally configured to open and close a circuit by non-automatic means (e.g., a manual selector switch), and to automatically open an electrical connection to a circuit in response to an over-current condition. In contrast to a fuse, a circuit breaker is capable of being reset
A house or other building will typically have a series of circuit interrupters located at a common control or breaker panel. Each of the circuit interrupters is electrically connected to interrupt an over-flow of electrical power to a respective electrical circuit. When servicing an electrical system, it is often difficult to determine which of a series of circuit interrupters is connected to control electrical power to a circuit of interest, especially where there is a large amount of wiring or a lack of organized routing of the circuit wiring from the control panel.
Various known interrupter locator devices and methods have been employed by electricians to identify which circuit interrupter is associated with a selected circuit. A certain known interrupter locator is a two-piece device having a stimulator and a detector. The stimulator is configured to be plugged into an outlet and to modify the flow of electrical power in that particular circuit. To modify the flow of electrical power, the stimulator either introduces a signal into the circuit or draws a large amount of current repetitively for a short duration. Meanwhile, at the control panel, an operator passes the detector over the series of circuit interrupters. Upon detecting the presence of the introduced signal at a particular circuit interrupter, the detector emits an alert indicative of the location of the selected circuit interrupter connected to the selected circuit of interest.
However, the above-described interrupter locator device has several drawbacks. For example, the two-piece locator device described above lacks specificity. In particular, the detector does not have the ability to positively identify with absolute certainty the one-and-only circuit interrupter associated with the selected circuit introduced with the signal. Thus, the operator does not have total confidence that the located circuit interrupter is associated with the selected circuit. A large amount of wiring leading to the control panel and a lack of organized routing of the circuit wiring can exacerbate a lack of confidence that the operator has in the detector of the two-piece locator device in identifying the circuit interrupter associated with the selected circuit of interest from the series of other circuit interrupters associated with the other circuits.
Another known device and method of locating a circuit interrupter associated with a selected circuit includes employing a first operator to plug a lamp or other indicating load at a remote outlet electrically connected to or part of the selected circuit of interest. A second operator at the control panel then begins to sequentially actuate each of the circuit interrupters (e.g., circuit breakers) between the OFF and then ON positions. When the lamp is turned off, the first operator provides a vocal alert (usually by yelling at a necessary substantial volume), or uses a communication device such as a walkie-talkie, so as to announce the event of the lamp turning off to the second operator. An obvious drawback of this known method is that it requires a two-person crew. Furthermore, the vocal alert associated with this method can be difficult to hear in noisy environments, disruptive to work environments that are not typically noisy, and inefficient to perform.


A reinforcing yarn and an abrasion resistant knitted fabric made therewith are disclosed. The reinforcing yarn is made by Z twisting one end of a "Z"-twist textured yarn together with one end of a "S"-twist textured yarn to yield an S/Z yarn pair, which is then reverse twisted together with a duplicate S/Z yarn pair to yield a 4-end multi-twisted reinforcing yarn. This reinforcing yarn is knit in plaited relationship to the body yarn of a fabric to produce a fabric with exceptional abrasion resistance.

The present invention relates to a reinforcing yarn and fabric having high abrasion resistance made therewith. The abrasion resistance enabled with the yarn of the invention is particularly useful in socks, the knees of pants and the elbows of shirts.
Since the tendency to develop holes during wear is particularly troublesome with socks, the invention will be described with particular reference to socks.
Socks are typically subjected to the greatest wear in the heel and toe regions. Consequently, to improve the wear life of socks, manufacturers have incorporated reinforcement in the heel and toe regions. Toe and heel reinforcements have frequently been used in socks made of cotton, wool and acrylic, or blends thereof, with the most common method being to incorporate a reinforcing yarn by knitting it into the sock in alternating courses with the body yarn of the sock, or, alternatively, plaiting the reinforcing yarn on the main/primary yarn of the sock.
While prior efforts to produce more durable socks using reinforcing yarn as aforedescribed have increased their abrasion resistance, they have not been entirely successful inasmuch as it is still commonplace for socks to wear through in the heel or toe when the remainder of the sock is still in a wearable condition. Efforts to produce socks having improved wear performance have recently focused on the incorporation of para-aramid fibers into sock yarn, to improve abrasion and cut-resistance. An example of such an attempt is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,912. The blended fiber spun yarn described in this patent is said to exhibit a surprising combination of abrasion and cut-resistance. However, para-aramid fiber is considerably more expensive than conventional sock fibers, so any superior results achieved through the use of para-aramid fiber is presumed to come with a price disadvantage.


A head rest of a vehicle seat may include a head support portion for supporting a head of a passenger, and a drive unit for moving the head support portion. The drive unit has a moving mechanism that is arranged and constructed to move the head support portion toward and away from the passenger head, an actuator for actuating the moving mechanism, a load detecting device that can detect a load applied to the actuator and generate a control signal representative of the detected load, and a controller that can control the actuator so as to control the moving mechanism. The controller controls the moving mechanism so as to move the head support portion toward the passenger head. The controller controls the moving mechanism based on the control signal so as to stop the motion of the head support portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to head rests of vehicle seats. More particularly, the present invention relates to head rests of vehicle seats that can increase restraint performance for heads of passengers when a vehicle collision is sensed or predicted.
2. Description of the Related Art
A head rest of a vehicle seat that can increase restraint performance for a head of a passenger when a vehicle collision is sensed or predicted is already known. Such a head rest (an active head rest) is taught, for example, by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Number 11-334439.
In the known head rest, a head rest main body is arranged and constructed to be tilted or inclined. When a vehicle collision (in particular, a back-side collision) is predicted or sensed by a sensor, the head rest main body is tilted, based on a signal from the sensor, so as to move toward the passenger head. As a result, the head rest main body moves closer to the passenger head so that the passenger head can be reliably supported by the head rest main body. Thus, the passenger can be prevented from suffering a whiplash injury.
Typically, the head position of the passenger sitting on the vehicle seat differs somewhat depending on the body type and the body size of the passenger. Therefore, in the known head rest, the head rest main body is not always appropriately positioned relative to the passenger head. That is, the head rest main body cannot be previously adjusted so as to be appropriately adjacent to and aligned with the passenger head. In addition, during a vehicle collision, the head rest main body is tilted over a predetermined angle range regardless of the body type and the body size of the passenger. Consequently, when a vehicle actually collides, often times, the passenger head cannot be suitably held by the tilted head rest main body. This means that the passenger cannot be sufficiently prevented from suffering a whiplash injury.


There is provided a nanocomplex having a core-shell structure. The shell of the nanocomplex comprises a functionalized hyaluronic acid while the core of the nanocomplex comprises a flavonoid encapsulating a metal-containing compound. Preferably, the flavonoid is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and the hyaluronic acid is thiol-functionalized and subsequently conjugated to the flavonoid. There is also provided a method of forming the nanocomplex, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the nanocomplex, medical uses of the nanocomplex and a method of treating a patient, preferably with cancer using the nanocomplex.

Anticancer drugs such as those containing platinum have been popularly used in the treatment of a broad range of cancers including ovarian, cervical, testicular, bladder and non-small cell lung cancers. Currently, it is estimated that as many as 50 to 70% of cancer patients are treated with platinum-based anticancer drugs. However, a number of patients receiving such treatment experience serious side effects such as nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity and ototoxicity, which may result from non-specific systemic distribution of the anticancer drugs.
Over the past decades, there have been considerable efforts to develop delivery systems for such anticancer drugs, where the delivery systems are able to provide superior antitumor efficacy and reduced toxicity. For example, existing delivery systems for cisplatin include liposomal cisplatin, N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymer-cisplatin conjugates or poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(glutamic acid) block copolymer micelles, where these are used as nanocarriers for cisplatin delivery. Such nanocarriers are designed to increase the intratumoral concentration of cisplatin by accumulating in tumors preferentially via the enhanced permeability and retention effect, a phenomenon whereby nanoparticles tend to extravasate through the leaky tumor vasculature and accumulate within the tumor due to an impaired lymphatic drainage. While only a few cisplatin nanocarriers have entered clinical investigation, the results of such cisplatin nanocarriers were not satisfactory. In a Phase I clinical trial of cisplatin-loaded block copolymer micelles, hypersensitivity reactions occurred more frequently than those caused by cisplatin although disease stabilization was observed in 7 out of 17 patients with advanced solid tumors. A randomized Phase III study of liposomal cisplatin plus paclitaxel demonstrated a reduction of cisplatin-related toxicity compared to the combination of cisplatin with paclitaxel, but there was no significant improvement in the effectiveness in patients with inoperable (stage IIIb/IV) non-small-cell lung cancer. Hence, alleviation of off-target toxicity of cisplatin still remains a challenge because the majority of systemically administered nanoparticles are sequestered by the mononuclear phagocytic system distributed in healthy organs and tissues.
There is a need to provide a nanocomplex that overcomes, or at least ameliorates, one or more of the disadvantages described above.
There is a need to provide the nanocomplex as a delivery system that is able to have reduced toxicity, better stability and/or slower clearance from a patient as compared to known delivery systems.

AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH


An open networking routing system includes at least one forwarding element, and a control element communicatively coupled to the forwarding element(s). In one embodiment, the control element is equipped with a route cache manager to receive notification of a routing table update in the control element, and facilitate notification of the routing table update to at least one functional component within the control element and forwarding element(s) in a coordinated manner to maintain routing coherency between the control element and forwarding element(s).

1. Technical Field
Certain illustrative embodiments described herein relate to devices and processes for routing packets of information in network communications and, more specifically, to systems and methods for implementing route updates.
2. Background Information and Description of Related Art
Networks of computers such as intranets, local and wide area networks, and public networks such as the Internet typically exchange information in the form of packets/datagrams. In addition to data, a packet typically includes header section that contains information identifying the packet and indicating its origin and destination. The header can further include network protocol identifiers, which describe the version number of the protocol that is to be used to transmit the information through and amongst networks.
Network devices that transmit data packets and their associated headers amongst networks are known as "routers." In order to be transmitted from one network to another, data packets are typically routed by one or more routers to one or more public networks, private networks and/or individual server/client computers. Routers often include a routing table that specifies the manner in which the data packets are transmitted from the input ports to the output ports of the routers based on the destinations of the packets. Routers can implement a dynamic routing process whereby each router exchanges with other routers through standard routing protocols (such as Routing Information Protocol (RIP) as e.g. defined in RFC 1058 dated June 1988 and available at "http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1058.txt?number=1058" and/or Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) as e.g. defined and RFC 1583 dated March 1994 and available at http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1583.txt?number=1583). The periodic route updates of such routing protocols provide information regarding how to route the packets along the paths by which the router is currently connected to other routers and networks. Upon receipt of routing update packets, such as a RIP or OSPF update, each router can process the update and record any new routing information, or network path descriptors, into its routing table.
Routers can have an open network architecture wherein the router includes a control plane that creates and manages the routing protocols, and a separate forwarding plane that forwards the packets pursuant to information specified e.g. in an associated forwarding table, sometimes called a FIB. In such architectures, the forwarding plane may include multiple forwarding elements managed by a single control element. In such cases, each forwarding element may contain both a RIB and a FIB, where a RIB typically contains the routing information that entities exchange via an inter-domain routing protocol, and the FIB typically contains the information that that the entities use to forward the inter-domain traffic.
Unfortunately, routing errors can occur if route updates are implemented at different times by the various forwarding elements controlled by the single control element. For instance, if a packet is received by a router that is processing route updates, the packet could be transmitted by an "updated" forwarding element to a "un-updated" forwarding element that drops the packet because it has not yet processed the route update. Further compounded the chance of routing errors occurring due to route update inconsistencies is the fact that the forwarding plane typically performs wire speed packet forwarding whereas the control plane operates at a somewhat slower speed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatuses for route management on a networking control plane


An apparatus, system, and method for mounting accessories on device, such as a camera, binoculars, firearm, weapon, and the like. The apparatus, system, and method may include a mounting device, which may be a bracket or rail. The apparatus, system, and method also include a safety mechanism that may be an integral part of the mounting device, or may be coupled or attached to the mounting device. The safety device allows accessories to be attached to the mounting device, but also prevents inadvertent detachment of the accessories from the mounting device.

This disclosure relates to an apparatus, system, and method for securely mounting accessories, including camera accessories and accessories for other devices. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an apparatus, system, and method for safely securing various kinds of accessories and other devices to a camera, a weapon, binoculars, and the like.
Accessory mounting brackets (also referred to as rails or mounts) are found on a variety of products, including still and video cameras, binoculars, guns and other weapons. These mounting brackets may be used hold a wide variety of accessories, including battery packs, adapters, lights, handles, scopes, sights, bayonets, grips, and laser aiming modules.
Conventional mounting brackets allow users to slide an accessory onto the bracket, but the accessory may also inadvertently or accidentally slide off. For example, if the bracket is mounted on a camera, and the camera is accidentally tilted, the angle of tilt may allow the accessory to slide off the end of bracket. If this occurs, the accessory may be damaged. The conventional mounting brackets lack a safety mechanism that will allow accessories to be simply and quickly placed onto a mounting bracket and also prevent the accessories from inadvertently or accidentally coming off.

Apparatus for securely mounting accessories to a camera or firearm


Topically applicable cosmetic/dermatological compositions well suited for the therapeutic treatment or care of human skin, nails, hair and/or of the scalp, in particular for treating and/or preventing xerosis, ichthyosis, actinic keratosis and/or photoinduced cutaneous aging, comprise a water-in-oil emulsion containing (a) at least 10% by weight of at least one hydroxy acid, (b) an effective emulsifying amount of at least one polyoxyalkylenated silicone, and (c) an effective coemulsifying amount of at least one polyol alkyl ester, polyol alkyl ether or oxyalkylenated alkyl ether, with the proviso that the subject compositions are devoid of any C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanol.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel cosmetic/dermatological compositions for topical application, comprising water-in-oil emulsions containing a high content of hydroxy acids, for therapeutic treatment or care of the skin, nails or hair and/or of the scalp, and to the use of same, in particular for treating and/or preventing xerosis, ichthyosis, actinic keratosis and/or photoinduced cutaneous aging.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to this art to employ hydroxy acids for preventing or reducing the dermatological signs of aging of the skin and/or of hair, which are due to factors that are intrinsic to aging or else to external factors, such as, especially, UV irradiation, air pollution, wind, cold, heat and cigarette smoke. These are also known active agents for treating dermatological afflictions related to a disorder of the keratinization of the skin, nails and/or hair, such as especially acne, xerosis, ichthyosis and actinic keratosis.
However, these hydroxy acids are difficult to formulate as an emulsion in cream or milk form. Indeed, when they are incorporated in a concentrated amount, the hydroxy acids render the formulation unstable and therefore difficult to commercially exploit.
In addition, these compounds present the disadvantage of causing tingling, itching or pulling sensations after their application, which can result in considerable discomfort. To avoid this discomfort, it has been considered to release the hydroxy acids slowly and gradually, while maintaining their effectiveness.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,592 describes a stable water-in-oil emulsion for topical application, for treating acne, which includes a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl lactate, a silicone oil, a nonionic liquid emulsifier and C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanol, these constituents being present in specific amounts. Volatile polar liquids such as the alkyl lactate and the alkanol are essential ingredients of this emulsion because, together with the silicone oil, they stabilize the emulsion. However, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkanols present the disadvantage of being irritants to the skin or to the mucosae and hence of contributing to the aforesaid discomfort caused by the hydroxy acids.

Cosmetic/dermatological w/o emulsions highly concentrated in hydroxy acids

Centre International de Recherches Dermatologiques Galderma


An electromagnetic actuator for actuating a gas-exchange valve in a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the electromagnetic actuator comprising: an armature which is operatively connected to the gas-exchange valve; two electromagnets, each having a pole face; two oppositely oriented restoring springs; wherein the armature is guided in a reciprocating manner counter to the force of the two oppositely oriented restoring springs between the pole faces of the two electromagnets whose current supply can be controlled by a control device, the two electromagnets being disposed in mutual spacing and acting as opening and closing devices; and at least one additional mass which is associated with the gas-exchange valve and can be guided so that it is movable relative thereto and in the same direction of the gas-exchange valve, the at least one additional mass entering into operative connection with the gas-exchange valve, in the final phase of the armature's motion in the direction of a respective one of the two electromagnets, via a coupler.

In electromagnetic actuators for actuating the gas-exchange valves of an internal combustion, there is a need to achieve high switching speeds and at the same time high switching forces. These actuators essentially comprise an armature, which is connected to a gas-exchange valve to be actuated and is guided to reciprocate counter to the force of two oppositely oriented restoring springs between the pole faces of two spaced-apart electromagnets. The electromagnets have a current supply which is controllable via a control device and act as opening and closing devices. For actuating the gas-exchange valve from one position, for instance the closing position, to the other, in this case the opening position, the holding current at the holding electromagnet is turned off. This causes the holding force of the magnet to drop below the spring force, and the armature begins to move, accelerated by the spring force. Once the armature has passed through its position of repose, the "flight" of the armature is braked by the spring force of the opposed restoring spring. In order now to intercept the armature in the opening position and hold it there, the corresponding magnet is supplied with current. In this interception process, the problem arises that the requisite induction of force by the magnet depends on numerous parameters. For instance, depending on the current engine load, the braking of the gas-exchange valve by gas forces, particular for the outlet valve, is highly variable. Moreover, the energy required for the interception is subject to influence by mass-production variations and from wear. Correspondingly, the "correct" energy supply for proper operation is quite important. If the energy supplied to the intercepting electromagnet is too high, then because of the overly high impact speed, severe wear occurs along with an unacceptable noise level. Under unfavorable circumstances, The armature can even bounce away again and thus put the valve out of operation for this stroke. If the energy supplied to the intercepting electromagnet is too low, then the armature is not intercepted, and the gas-exchange valve swings back again, so that at least in this cylinder cycle proper operation will not occur.
To overcome these problems, the attempt has already been made to reduce the impact speed of the armature by providing buffers comprising damping materials. However, problems of wear that could hardly be solved resulted.
The attempt was also made to solve the problem by providing air damping, as described in German Patent Disclosure DE-A 38 26 974. The disposition of an air damper presents engineering problems upon conversion to mass production. Particularly the construction of rectangular armature cross sections presents considerable problems in this respect. Moreover, energy losses that can longer be ignored result. In both known attempts to solve these problems, the disadvantage also exists that adaptation to changing operating parameters or wear factors is impossible.

Electromagnetic actuator with impact damping

FEV Motorentechnik GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft


A cushion subassembly includes a support, a cushion of non-woven polymeric (PET) or PETE fibers with a formed edge that wraps over an edge of the support, and an upholstery sock pulled onto and covering the support and the cushion. The formed edge has sufficient mechanical structure to retain the cushion on the support as the upholstery sock is pulled onto the support. A back support shell supports the cushion assembly, and has first fasteners that engage in a first direction and second fasteners that prevent disengagement. The cushion assembly is stressed during assembly, especially at corners, but is thermally stress-relieved after assembly to relax the polymeric fibers and the upholstery sock to a state of minimized balanced tension. The back support shell includes a shallow depression on its face. The cushion fills the depression sufficient to eliminate loose fabric but provides a same force deflection curve across its shape.

The present invention relates to seating units, and more particularly relates to a chair having a formed cushion, where the cushion is shaped to mate with a stiffener in a manner adapted to facilitate subassembly into an upholstery sock, and also shaped to optimize comfort and appearance in the final seating product. Further, the present invention concerns methods of assembly related to the above.
Many chairs include a back structure covered by an upholstery subassembly, where the upholstery subassembly forms a sock-like hollow covering that can be pulled onto the back structure to aesthetically cover all or part of the back structure. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,637 to Peterson. A common problem in many such chair designs is that the sock must be tight enough to eliminate unattractive wrinkles and to eliminate loose fabric sections on the upholstery, but must not be so tight as to prevent the sock from being slipped onto the back structure or to cause distortions to its cushion during assembly. Quality problems often occur during assembly due to normal manufacturing variations in stitching and variations in part dimensions and material properties such as elasticity, compressibility, and tensile strength. Also, traditional polyurethane foam cushion material tends to frictionally drag on the sock (or grip the back structure if it is part of the upholstery subassembly) during assembly. Each of these conditions can result in distortions and non-uniformities in the cushion and/or in the upholstery after assembly (e.g., wrinkles, distortions, puckers, loose fabric sections, irregular corners, etc.). It is often difficult to know whether the distortions and non-uniformities are caused by conditions prior to, during, or after assembly . . . or a combination thereof. The problems tend to be especially evident at corners and feature lines of the back where dimensional variations in mating components and stitch lines are easily seen. Depending on the chair design, distortions and non-uniformities can be very unsatisfactory to consumers (particularly in higher end chairs), since such distortions and non-uniformities are interpreted as low quality. Thus, an improvement is desired that facilitates construction of an upholstery subassembly, and that facilitates assembly of the upholstery subassembly to a back structure. Further, an improvement is desired that helps eliminate or at least control distortions and non-uniformities. It is believed that part of a solution to the present problems is connected to managing and distributing the tension and stress between the cushion and the upholstery sock, particularly at highly visible corners.
Loose unsupported sections of upholstery are particularly difficult to control in large flat or recessed areas where the upholstery is poorly supported or totally unsupported. For example, if the upholstery is not properly and uniformly tensioned in all directions, the material hangs loose and sags. But if the upholstery is unevenly tensioned, the material forms undulating ridges and stretch-related channels that extend parallel a direction of the "over-tension". If the upholstery is simply too highly tensioned, the cushion may become locally distorted via uneven compression of the cushion, thus also causing visual defects. These conditions are especially problematic in large relatively-flat areas, such as along a front middle area of a chair back (i.e., a lumbar region) or on a center of a relatively flat-topped chair seat. Also, these conditions will occur when a concave face of a back support shell (i.e., a shallow depression surrounded by a ring of marginal material higher than a bottom of the shallow depression), since tension on the upholstery material will cause the upholstery material to bridge across the bottom at a location spaced above the bottom, . . . instead of pulling the upholstery against the bottom of the shallow depression. Typically, these problems may worsen over time and with use of the chair as the fabric stretches and as the cushion takes on a compression set.
It is noted that Peterson U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,637 discloses a chair construction of interest, including a PETE or PET cushion of non-woven fibers (see FIGS. 3-6 and 14), an upholstery sock-like structure of interest (see FIGS. 3-7 and column 6, lines 15+) and related assembly method (see FIGS. 3-7 and 13). However, improvement is desired so that the cushion holds itself on the cushion stiffener during assembly of the upholstery sock onto the cushion and cushion stiffener and to eliminate wrinkles and unevenly stretched areas after the assembly. Also, improvement is desired to better secure the cushion stiffener onto the back support shell.
Sometimes attempts are made to control the upholstery by adhering the upholstery to the cushion under the problem area. However, adhesives are expensive to purchase, and to apply . . . and further are not always a solution to the appearance problem. Further, adhesives can affect compression of the cushion and adversely affect user comfort. Still further, over time the cushion and upholstery may stretch and give, resulting in loose unsupported sections of upholstery.
One attractive style for chairs comprises a layered look where the upholstery subassembly (including a cushion) is attached only to a face of a support structure on a chair back or seat. In such chair designs, it is important to maintain proper centered placement of the upholstery subassembly on the support structure (i.e., to prevent the cushion and/or upholstery from creeping or "walking" toward one side or another of the support structure) to avoid warranty and appearance problems after significant use of the chair. Further, it is important that the attachment of the upholstery subassembly to the support structure be both secure, relatively thin, and preferably hidden, so that the style can be maintained without forcing the chair to have a thick heavy appearance, and without forcing the chair to include multiple visible screw heads or containment structure. Further, it is desirable to provide an attachment system that eliminates screws and time-consuming assembly steps, and that can be formed integrally with the underlying mating components.
Thus, a system having the aforementioned advantages and solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Seating unit with formed cushion, and manufacturing method


An imaging hypercentric lens assembly comprising of a First Lens Group that includes: 1) At least a first high NA (0.40 or greater) aspheric lens element followed by 2) at least a second lens element that converges the light emitted from the first element to a small spot. It is further comprised of a Second Lens Group whose entrance pupil is placed at the same position as said small light spot. The Second Lens Group serves to refocus the light and form an image of an object placed in front of the First Lens Group. In this combination, the present invention allows high NA aspheric lens elements to produce good quality images of objects whose size is not limited to being considerably smaller than the diameter of the clear aperture of the high NA aspheric lens element.

A hypercentric or pericentric lens is one in which a converging view of an object is achieved. This is as opposed to the more conventional diverging view lens common in most optical systems (including human vision), or for parallel (non-diverging, non-converging) view telecentric lenses.
Furthermore, at least two other combined properties distinguish a hypercentric lens from other types. The first property is that the entrance pupil (which may be defined as the image of the physical aperture stop as "seen" from the front of the lens) is located in front of the physical lens. The second is that such a lens may observe surfaces that are parallel to the optical axis. FIG. 1 illustrates this property. FIG. 1A shows the view of a converging view lens that is not hypercentric (such as a microscope objective), while FIG. 1B shows the essential hypercentric property.

Hypercentric lens assembly with high numeric aperture aspheric element


A drug effective for prevention and therapy of endometriosis and hysteromyoma is disclosed. The drug for prevention and/or therapy of endometriosis and/or hysteromyoma according to the present invention comprises as an effective ingredient a macrolide antibiotic.

Endometriosis is a disease wherein endometrium or endometrium-like tissue ectopically proliferates at a site other than the inner surface of the cavity of uterus which is the natural site thereof. The cause of endometriosis is unknown, and therapies such as separation of the adhered tissues by surgery, administration of hormones and administration of analgesics are performed. However, these therapies are symptomatic treatments, and no complete therapy exists.
Hysteromyoma is benign tumor formed on the muscle of uterus, and may cause emmeniopathy and metrorrhagia. If the myoma is large, it compresses ambient organs, so that congestion in the pelvis, lumbago or dragging pain likely to occur. There is no therapy of hysteromyoma other than surgery, and the surgery is total extirpation of uterus in principle. Pharmacotherapy of hysteromyoma is not performed.

Preventives or remedies for endometriosis or uterine myoma


A variable valve device is constructed to prevent inclination of a sliding surface of a high speed rocker arm. In an engagement surface where a connecting pin and the engagement portion of a high speed rocker arm are in contact, the center of the width of the surface in the direction of the cam shaft is provided closer to the high speed rocker arm than the center of the width in the direction of the camshaft of a cam contact surface where the high speed cam and the sliding surface of the high speed rocker arm are in contact. The low speed rocker arm includes a cam receiver and a connecting portion. The width of the connecting portion is larger than that of the cam receiver. The side surface of the connecting portion projects beyond the side surface of the cam receiver. The high speed rocker arm includes a cam receiver and a connecting portion. The side surface of the connecting portion and the side surface of the connecting portion are provided in the cam contact surface and within the width of the surface in the direction of the camshaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable valve device and more specifically to a variable valve device arranged to switch a lift degree of a valve between a high speed state and a low speed state.
2. Description of the Background Art
JP 2002-303109 discloses a speed range selectable valve gear mechanism for an internal combustion engine. In the valve gear mechanism, a camshaft includes low and high cam noses, and a valve supported at a cylinder head is selectively engaged with one of the high and low cam noses, which allows the valve to be opened or closed according to the high and low speed ranges of the internal combustion engine. First and second rocker arms are pivotally supported at the cylinder head. The swinging end of the first rocker arm (for low speed) and the low cam nose are engaged with each other by the cam-linkage, and the swinging end of the second rocker arm (for high speed) and the high cam nose are engaged with each other by the cam-linkage. A columnar engaging member (connecting pin) is supported at the first rocker arm in a reciprocally slidable manner. The engaging member slides and projects from the side of the first rocker arm to the side of the second rocker arm in such a manner that it can advance/withdraw. This allows the first and second rocker arms to be detachably engaged with each other. The cylinder head is provided with a hydraulic actuator that applies an external force upon the engaging member while resisting against the energizing force of a disengaging spring. The actuator includes a cylinder hole (hydraulic cylinder) formed at the cylinder head and a piston (hydraulic piston) slidably inserted into the cylinder hole. The cylinder hole is in communication with the hydraulic pump through an oil passage. The oil passage is formed at the cylinder head. A coil-shaped rocker arm spring (lost-motion spring) is provided around a pivotal shaft of the rocker arm and the spring urges the second rocker arm so that the second rocker arm and the high cam nose are engaged with each other by a cam-linkage.
In this way, a through hole is formed at the first rocker arm, and the engaging member is inserted in the hole. A clearance is always provided between the through hole and the engaging member in order to allow the engaging member to slide and allow for working tolerances. More specifically, the diameter of the through hole is made slightly larger than the diameter of the engaging member. Therefore, the second rocker arm is engaged with the engaging member projecting from the through hole of the first rocker arm, and when force is applied in the direction vertical to the axial direction of the engaging member, the engaging member is inclined in the range of the clearance and the sliding surface of the second rocker arm is inclined as well. Consequently, the high cam nose and the sliding surface are not in a line contact state, and a so-called biased contact is caused, which results in the high cam nose and the sliding surface being unequally worn.


The invention relates to a method and a device for deforming a U-shaped electric conductor into a hairpin which can be used to produce a bar winding of an electric machine. Prior to the deforming process, the electric conductor has two parallel limbs which are integrally connected together by means of a connection limb, and the three limbs are arranged on an imaginary plane. According to the invention, the two parallel limbs are first clamped in a respective clamping device, the first limb together with the first clamping device is then held in place, the second limb is then moved away from the first limb on a circular path, thereby stretching the connection limb, and a deformation section of the electric conductor is simultaneously or subsequently moved on a guide surface of a twisting guide element, wherein the guide surface protrudes radially beyond the circular path.

The invention relates to a method and device for deforming a U-shaped electric conductor which is rectangular in cross section into a hairpin, which is used for the production of a bar winding of an electric machine, wherein before the deforming process the electric conductor has two mutually parallel limbs which are integrally connected to each other by means of a connection limb, and in which the three limbs are disposed in an imaginary, flat plane.
In the context of the invention, the term "electric machine" is understood to mean only electric motors and electric generators which convert electrical energy into mechanical energy or mechanical energy into electrical energy.
It is known from DD 47 392 B1 that so-called bar windings are used to produce the winding of high-performance electrical machines. These bar windings consist of a large number of solid bars of a highly electrically-conductive material. The bars are connected to each other after insertion thereof into the grooves of armature or stator cores in such a way that they form at least one winding strand depending on the design.
According to an embodiment known from GB 200,469 B, the bars used for the construction of a bar winding can have a substantially U-shaped geometry, in which two mutually parallel limbs are integrally connected to one another by means of a connection limb. The cross-sectional geometry of the limbs is rectangular. Such bars are also known as so-called hairpins. So that the two mutually parallel limbs of the U-shaped bars can be used in an armature or stator core in radially offset grooves, the U-shaped bars known from GB 200,469 B comprise an offset area in the area of the connection limbs of said bars, the U-shaped bar being twisted in said offset area, as will be explained with reference to an embodiment.
Moreover, it is known from EP 2 710 715 B1 that, in a conventional method for producing hairpins, the rod-shaped electric conductors initially receive their described basic U-shaped geometry through a first bending process. Subsequently, in a second deforming process, the top of such a conductor, i.e. the connection limb thereof, is formed in a molding press, wherein these two mutually parallel limbs are held in the orientation which is required for the subsequent placement thereof in associated slots in a core of a stator or armature of an electric machine. This production method is judged to be unfavorable because hairpins of only one geometry can be produced by such a method or in a production machine operating according to this method. If hairpins are to have a different geometry for the production of another, for example, larger stator or armature, the molds of such a machine must be exchanged for other, geometrically appropriate molding tools, which is expensive. In addition, it is judged disadvantageous that the electric conductor is subject to comparatively large mechanical stresses in such a deforming process in a mold, which can lead to damage to the electric conductor and/or insulation thereof. In order to avoid these disadvantages, EP 2 710 715 B1 proposes a device and a method for the production of hairpins for electrical machines, in which the use of molds is obviated in favor of other deforming tools and method steps which this author also considers unfavorable.

Method and device for deforming U-shaped electric conductors


The present invention provides an organic EL display device having a planarizing layer, which is prevented from being distorted. The above organic EL display device has a planarizing layer, which retains 5% or less the oligomer used to form this layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an organic electroluminescent display device and a manufacturing method thereof, as well as the display device having a planarizing layer between switching elements and lower electrodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, organic electroluminescent elements (hereinafter referred to as "organic EL elements") have been actively developed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-189252 discloses an organic active EL light-emitting device in which thin-film transistors, an interlayer insulating film, and organic EL elements are provided.
A layer provided between switching elements, such as thin-film transistors and lower electrodes of organic electroluminescent elements, is also called a planarizing layer. The planarizing layer covers the switching elements.
Various phenomena occur when this planarizing layer is distorted.
For example, water present in the planarizing layer is discharged.
In addition, for example, due to the deformation of the planarizing layer, a wire can break and become disconnected from an electrode (such as a lower electrode of an organic EL element).

Organic electroluminescent display device having a planarizing layer and manufacturing method thereof


A frame and method for forming a frame to mount a slew bearing to an undercarriage of a work machine that eliminates a machining process. The frame is formed of a single metallic plate. The metallic plate includes a vertical support portion having a first support leg and a second support leg. The metallic plate also includes a substantially planar top surface portion that couples the first support leg to the second support leg. A plurality of spaced apart slew bearing receiving apertures are formed in the substantially planar top surface portion.

The present invention relates to an undercarriage for a work machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a frame for mounting a slew bearing to the undercarriage of the work machine.
Excavators are widely used track propelling vehicles that include an undercarriage and an upper rotatable frame. The undercarriage includes a substantially horizontal surface that includes a frame for mounting a slew bearing. The slew bearing is configured to rotate the upper rotatable frame. In general, the frame for mounting the slew bearing to the undercarriage is a pedestal type frame. Pedestal type frames include a plurality of welded components. Some of the components are used to form a vertical support, while at least one of the components is used to form a horizontal support.
The component used to form the horizontal support has slight inconsistencies in flatness due to part variation as well as distortion due to welding the component to the vertical support. To properly mount a slew bearing, the horizontal support needs to be flat such that the bearing is accurately positioned on the pedestal frame. To obtain a surface that is flat and perpendicular to a vertical axis of rotation for mounting the slew bearing to the frame, at least one component used to form the horizontal support includes a machined surface. Machining components is a labor intensive and time consuming process that increases manufacturing costs.