Disclosed is an apparatus for hanging articles and the method of manufacturing the apparatus includes a hanger body having first and second paperboard panels separated from one another by a fold line. The first paperboard panel includes a central tab extending from a periphery thereof opposite the fold line. A polymeric hook portion engages with the hanger body and includes a support portion and a hook base, the hook base having an alignment aperture formed therein through which the central tab of the first paperboard panel is inserted so as to provide means for securing the polymeric hook to the hanger body. In a preferred embodiment, apparatus for hanging articles and the hook portion are made from recycled or recyclable material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clothes hangers, and more particularly to environmentally friendly hanger constructions that include a paperboard body with a first and a second panel, at least one central tab extended from a peripheral edge of one of the panels, and a polymeric hook secured the paperboard body using the central tab.
2. Background of the Related Art
Numerous hangers have been developed as alternatives to conventional metal and plastic hangers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,289 discloses a folded paperboard hanger that includes a slant plate part 1 having two slant portions, and a connecting plate part 2 that is connected to the ends of the slant portions, so as to form an isosceles triangular structure. A hanging plate part 3 is integrally formed with the slant plate part for hanging the hanger and a reinforcement plate part 4 extends at a 90-degree angle from either the slant plate part 1 or the connecting plate part 2, so as to stiffen the hanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,945 discloses a merchandise support assembly that includes a paperboard blank 10 having first, second, third, fourth, and fifth portions 12, 14, 16, 18, and 26, respectively, folded at crease lines 20, 22, 24, and 28. The second portion 14 is folded at the crease line 20, so that it overlies part of the first portion 12 to which it is secured by adhesive. Folding at crease lines 20, 22 forms a pocket between the second and fourth portions 14, 18 that are spaced apart by the width of the third portion 16. A hook 40, which is made from a stiff flexible plastic material, includes a hook member 42 and flexible resilient support arms 46 inserted through an opening 38 adjacent a fourth crease line 28 at the junction of the first and fifth portions 12, 26. The arms 46 engage the sheet material along crease line 28 to support the folded blank 10.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0031825A1 discloses a garment hanger that includes two parts or elements 2, 2′ that are hinged together so that they can be folded from a first relatively flat or opened out configuration to a second configuration in which the two parts or elements are adjacent and facing each other. At least one of the parts including first means 15, a hook, by which the hanger can depend from a support when in its second configuration. The two parts provide a second means 12, shoulders, from which a garment can be hung. The two parts or elements are preferably of a flexible stiff sheet material, such as a corrugated material, e.g. corrugated cardboard.
The hanger designs discussed above pose several disadvantages. Hangers that are manufactured entirely from paper do not provide enough support to become acceptable substitutes especially in retail markets. Once a weak spot is formed in the hook portion of an all paper hanger, structural failure quickly results no matter how reinforced the paper. Further, all paper construction cannot be used with standard dry cleaning equipment because the hangers will tear or shred.
Moreover, previous hanger designs that utilize separate non-paper hooks often have weak attachment mechanisms. For example, the cantilevered support arms of the hook in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,945 are simply manipulated into place between the paperboard layers of the hanger. No adhesive is used to secure the support arms of the hook within the paperboard hanger body. Designs, which rely on the flexural strength of the hook support arms or use a paper hook cannot support heavy garments.
Billions of hangers are discarded each year. Only 15% of hangers are typically recycled with most going into landfills. Thus, there is a need for an environmentally friendly, easy-to-use, and structurally sound hanger that can be manufactured quickly and at an acceptably low cost.


A tape driver for use in a tape recorder or similar devices which use a data cartridge provided with a drive roller. The tape driver including a motor unit laterally disposed relative to the data cartridge and an idler located between the motor unit and the drive roller on the data cartridge such that the motor unit rotates the drive roller through the idler. Alternatively, a pulley rotated by the laterally located motor unit is used to directly rotate the drive roller.

The present invention relates to a tape driver for use in a tape recorder or similar devices which use a data cartridge having a drive roller.
Presently, tape recorders and similar devices use a data cartridge which contains magnetic tape wound on a pair of reels. The data cartridge provides a drive roller which is coupled to the reels by a drive belt.
A conventional tape driver includes a pulley mounted on the rotary shaft of a motor. The motor is located under the data cartridge when the data cartridge is loaded into the tape recorder. A conventional tape driver rotates the drive roller so as to turn the reels and run the magnetic tape as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Examined Publication No. 14976/77.
As presently configured the height of a tape recorder or similar device cannot be made less than the sum of the thickness of the data cartridge and the height of the motor in a conventional tape driver. Furthermore, the close proximity of the motor to the magnetic head adversely affects performance.


A call signaling protocol that uses simplified messaging to set up, confirm set up, tear down, and confirm tear down of a connection. The available capacity of communications links is tracked so that it can be quickly determined whether or not a link can handle a call. Segments (e.g., time slots, wavelengths, etc.) of a link having enough available capacity are allocated by a separate operation. Connection state information is also tracked. The simple messages and information used by the signaling protocol permits it to be easily implemented in hardware. Such an implementation enables high-speed, high-capacity, call signaling.

§ 1.1 Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns signaling used to reserve a communications path having certain characteristics. More specifically, the present invention concerns, a high-speed, high capacity call signaling protocol.
§ 1.2 Description of Related Art
The description of art in this section is not, and should not be interpreted to be, an admission that such art is prior art to the present invention. Circuit switched and packet switched networks are introduced in §1.2.1. The need for label switched paths, their operation, and their establishment is introduced in § § 1.2.2–1.2.4, respectively. Finally, the need for higher capacity, high speed call signaling is introduced § 1.2.5.

Signaling for reserving a communications path


A character image layout method lays out n lines (2xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m) out of m lines of character string images (mxe2x89xa72) through any of uniform layout processing, left end alignment processing, right end alignment processing, center alignment processing, scale-up processing and scale-down processing. The character image layout method includes a reference line-selecting process for selecting a desired one of n lines of character string images as a reference line and an other line layout process for determining the range of the length of a character string image on the reference line as a layout range to lay out each character string image on each of other lines, within the layout range. In the other line layout process, when the length of a character string image on any of the n lines to be laid out is longer than that of the layout range, the any of the n lines to be laid out is reduced in size through the scale-down processing and laid out in the layout range.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and device for laying out a plurality of lines of character string images comprised of images of characters, such as letters and symbols, in a desired layout range, to obtain a print image for printing on a tape to form a label or the like and a stamp image for engraving on the stamping face of a stamp.
2. Prior Art
In word processors and the like, there have been conventionally employed a technique called xe2x80x9cline appearance modificationxe2x80x9d for laying out characters of a character string within a range defined by the width of a printing paper or a range (layout range) designated by ruled lines. Typical methods of the line appearance modification are xe2x80x9cuniform layoutxe2x80x9d for arranging character images on each line at equal space intervals of space, xe2x80x9cleft end alignmentxe2x80x9d for aligning the left end of each line, xe2x80x9cright end alignmentxe2x80x9d for aligning the right end of each line, and xe2x80x9ccenter alignmentxe2x80x9d (centering) for aligning the center of each line.
The layout methods of the above mentioned kinds used in the word processors and the like can be also applied to a stamp making method to lay out stamp images with reference to a predetermined size of the stamping face of each stamp. Similarly, these layout methods can be applied to a tape printing apparatus, for arranging print images with reference to a length of fixed length printing set by the user. On the other hand, for the tape printing apparatus, there has also been proposed a method of the line appearance modification which determines a layout range therefor with reference to the longest line of a plurality of lines of character strings when the fixed length printing is not carried out (see FIG. 34).
In the tape printing apparatus, however, there is a case where a particular one of a plurality of lines, such as a line of a menu title or a name of a person or firm in a label, is desired to be made conspicuous. However, when such a particular line is not the longest one, the line cannot be made conspicuous so long as the line appearance modification is carried out with reference to the longest line.
Further, in order to make a line of interest conspicuous in the cases of a layout range being determined with reference to the length of fixed length printing set in advance, it is required to take into account the layout, the arrangement, and the scale up/down ratio not only of the line of interest but also of the other lines. Conventionally, manual calculation has been only means for obtaining values of settings for realizing them, which requires troublesome and time-consuming operations.
The second-mentioned problems concerning the fixed length printing are commonly encountered by a stamp making apparatus. In the case of the stamp making apparatus, the stamping face of a stamp has a predetermined limited size and the number of characters on each line is small. For this reason, a line desired to be particularly conspicuous and a line desired to be inconspicuous can be much more different in layout from each other, which presents a critical problem to the stamp making apparatus.
It is an object of the invention to provide a character image layout method and device which is capable of laying out character images through simple operations by setting a desired one of a plurality of lines of character string images to a reference line.
To attain the object, according a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of laying out character images by carrying out layout processing on n lines (2xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m) out of m lines (mxe2x89xa72) of character string images,
the method comprising the steps of:
selecting a desired one of the n lines of character string images as a reference line;
carrying out the layout processing on the n lines of character string images in a manner such that the n lines of character string images are laid out to a layout range defined as a predetermined range of length of the reference line; and
carrying out scale-down processing on a character string image of any of the n lines in a manner such that the character string mage is reduced to be adapted in size to the layout range, if a length of the character string image of the any of the n lines of character string images is longer than a length of the layout range.
To attain the above object, according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a character image layout device for laying out character images by carrying out layout processing on n lines (2xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m) out of m lines (mxe2x89xa72) of character string images,
the character image layout device comprising:
a reference line-selecting section for selecting a desired one of the n lines of character string images as a reference line;
a layout section for carrying out the layout processing on the n lines of character string images in a manner such that the n lines of character string images are laid out to a layout range defined as a predetermined range of length of the reference line; and
a scale-down processing section for carrying out scale-down processing on a character string image of any of the n lines in a manner such that the character string mage is reduced to be adapted in size to the layout range, if a length of the character string image of the any of the n lines of character string images is longer than a length of the layout range.
According to the above character image layout method and device, n lines (2xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m) out of m lines of character string images (mxe2x89xa72) are designated as lines to be laid out, and a desired line is selected from the n lines as a reference line for carrying out a character image layout operation to set the range of a full length of a character string image on the reference line to a layout range, whereby each character string image on the other lines is laid out within the layout range. In this process, if the length of a character string image on any of the lines to be laid out is longer than the length of the layout range, character images on the line are reduced in size to lay out the resulting character images within the layout range.
That is, since a line of interest can be selected as a reference line, and at the same time, character images on a line longer than the reference line are reduced in size, each character image on the reference line can be made conspicuous than the character images on the longer lines. Further, the user is only required to select the reference line to carry out the above processes, and hence it is possible to lay out character string images in a desired layout range by the simple operation.
Preferably, the method includes the step of designating a range of length of an image of at least one character on the reference line as the layout range.
Preferably, the character image layout device includes a layout range-designating section for designating a range of length of an image of at least one character on the reference line as the layout range.
According to these preferred embodiments, n lines (2xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa6m) out of m lines of character string images (mxe2x89xa72) are designated as lines to be laid out, and a desired one of the n lines is selected as a reference line for carrying out a character image layout operation, similarly to the above. Typically, however, not the full length of the reference line but a range of a length of part of the character string image on the reference line is designated as a layout range, and each character string image on the other lines is laid out within the layout range.
That is, not the whole reference line but part thereof is designated as a layout range for layout of the other lines, whereby it is possible to make a line of interest (reference line) more conspicuous and lay out or arrange character string images in various manners, without spoiling the simplicity of the layout operation. If the apparatus is configured such that this method and the method of designating the whole of a reference line as a layout range can be employed in combination, the apparatus further enables the user to lay out a desired one(s) of the lines other than the reference line (other line) in a layout range defined by the whole reference line (the full layout range), as well as lay out the other desired line (s) in a layout range defined by part of the reference line (the partial layout range).
Preferably, the layout processing includes uniform layout processing for arranging character images of each character string image at equal space intervals, left end alignment processing for aligning a left end of each character string image with a left end of a predetermined range, right end alignment processing for aligning a right end of each character string image with a right end of a predetermined range, center alignment processing for aligning a center of each character string image with a center of a predetermined range, scale-up processing for expanding a size of each character image of a character string image in a manner such that a length of the character string image is made correspondent to a predetermined range, and the scale-down processing for reducing a size of each character image of a character string image in a manner such that a length of the character string image is made correspondent to a predetermined range.
More preferably, the step of carrying out the layout processing includes, when a length of a character string image on any of the n lines is equal to or shorter than the length of the layout range, laying out each character image of the character string image on the any of the n lines, within the layout range, by any of the uniform layout processing, the left end alignment processing, the right end alignment processing, the center alignment processing, and the scale-up processing.
More preferably, when a length of a character string image on any of the n lines is equal to or shorter than the length of the layout range, the layout processing section lays out each character image of the character string image on the any of the n lines, within the layout range, by a selected one of the uniform layout processing, the left end alignment processing, the right end alignment processing, the center alignment processing, and the scale-up processing.
According to these preferred embodiments, when a length of a character string image on any of the lines to be laid out is equal to or shorter than that of the layout range, each character image on the any of the lines to be laid out is laid out in the layout range through any of the uniform layout processing, the left end alignment processing, the right end alignment processing, the center alignment processing and the scale-up processing. That is, if only a line of interest is selected as the reference line, it is possible to carry out a line appearance modification process including the scale-up processing on character images on the other lines, character images can be laid out through the simple operation without designating a particular layout range therefor.
More preferably, the method further includes the step of selecting one of the uniform layout processing, the left end alignment processing, the right end alignment processing, the center alignment processing, and the scale-up processing, and
the step of carrying out the layout process includes carrying out the selected one of the uniform layout processing, the left end alignment processing, the right end alignment processing, the center alignment processing, and the scale-up processing.
More preferably, the character image layout device further includes a layout processing-selecting section for selecting one of the uniform layout processing, the left end alignment processing, the right end alignment processing, the center alignment processing, and the scale-up processing, and
the layout processing section carrying out the selected one of the uniform layout processing, the left end alignment processing, the right end alignment processing, the center alignment processing, and the scale-up processing.
According to these preferred embodiments, when a length of a character string image on any of the lines to be laid out is equal to or shorter than that of the layout range, it is possible to select any of the layout processing except for the scale-down processing, which makes it easy to arrange (lay out) a character string image whose length is equal to or shorter than that of the layout range as the user desires.
Preferably, the method further includes the step of carrying out a setting concerning whether or not the scale-down processing is automatically carried out, when a character string image on any of the lines to be laid out is longer than the length of the layout range.
Preferably, the character image layout device further includes a scale-down processing setting section for carrying out a setting concerning whether or not the scale-down processing is automatically carried out, when a character string image on any of the lines to be laid out is longer than the length of the layout range.
According to these preferred embodiments, the apparatus is configured such that the user can select whether or not a line to be laid out which is longer than the length of the layout range is to be automatically reduced in size. In this process, if the automatic scale-down mode is set, it is made unnecessary to consider the layout or arrangement of the line to be laid out as well as a scale up/down ratio for scaling up or down the size of the line, which saves the trouble of carrying operations for considering or setting them. On the other hand, if the apparatus is configured such that the automatic scale down of a line to be laid out is not carried out, it is possible to prevent an unexpected line from being reduced in size and select a layout method and a scale up/down ratio as the situation requires. Thus, the usefulness and operability of the apparatus are enhanced.
Preferably, the method further includes the step of carrying out notification when any of the n lines of character string images is longer than the layout range.
Preferably, the character image layout device further includes a notification section for carrying out notification when any of the n lines of character string images is longer than the layout range.
According to these preferred embodiments, when the length of a character string image on any of the lines to be laid out is longer than the length of its layout range, the user is notified of the any of the lines to be laid out. That is, the notification enables the user to easily know that a character string image on the line to be laid out is longer than that of the range of the layout range. Therefore, when the automatic layout process is carried out, the user is permitted to deal with an undesired layout more quickly, whereas when the automatic layout process is not effected, the display mode makes it easier to prevent an unexpected or undesired layout from being effected.
Preferably, the method further includes the steps of:
setting an arbitrary length as a length of a range of a fixed length; and
laying out each character image on the reference line by at least one of the scale-up processing or the scale-down processing, and the uniform layout processing in a manner such that the length of the character string image on the reference line is made equal to the length of the range of the fixed length,
the layout range being determined based on the character string image on the reference line having the each character image laid out thereon.
Preferably, the character image layout device further includes:
a fixed line-setting section for setting an arbitrary length as a length of a range of a fixed length; and
a reference line layout section for laying out each character image on the reference line by at least one of the scale-up processing or the scale-down processing, and the uniform layout processing in a manner such that the length of the character string image on the reference line is made equal to the length of the range of the fixed length,
the layout range being determined based on the character string image on the reference line having the each character image laid out thereon.
According to these preferred embodiments, a length of a range of a fixed length is set, and each character image on the reference line is laid out such that the length of the character string image on the reference line becomes equal to the length of the range of the fixed length. That is, it is possible not only to make a line of interest conspicuous as a reference line but also to set the length of the line of interest.
More preferably, the method further includes the step of carrying out a setting concerning whether or not the each character image on the reference line is automatically laid out so as to make the length of the character string image equal to the length of the range of the fixed length.
More preferably, the character image layout device further includes a reference line layout-setting section for carrying out a setting concerning whether or not the each character image on the reference line is automatically laid out so as to make the length of the character string image equal to the length of the range of the fixed length.
According to these preferred embodiments, it is selected whether or not the character string image on the reference line is to be automatically laid out. In this case, if an automatic layout mode is set, it is made unnecessary to consider the layout or arrangement of the reference line within the range of the fixed length and a scale up/down ratio for scaling up or down the size of the reference line, so that trouble of carrying out operations for setting them can be saved. On the other hand, if the apparatus is configured such that the automatic layout is not carried out, it is possible to prevent an unexpected or undesired layout from being effected and select a layout method and a scale up/down ratio as the situation requires. Thus, the usefulness and operability of the apparatus are enhanced.
More preferably, the method further includes the step of carrying out notification when the length of the character string image on the reference line is longer than the length of the range of the fixed length, before laying out the each character image on the reference line so as to make the length of the character string image equal to the length of the range of the fixed length.
More preferably, the character image layout device further includes a notification section for carrying out notification when the length of the character string image on the reference line is longer than the length of the range of the fixed length, before laying out the each character image on the reference line so as to make the length of the character string image equal to the length of the range of the fixed length.
According to these preferred embodiments, when the length of the reference line before being laid out is longer than that of the range of the fixed length, the user is notified of the reference line being longer than the length of the range of the fixed length. That is, the notification enables the user to easily know that the character string image on the reference line is longer than the length of the range of the fixed length. Hence, when the automatic layout is carried out, the notification enables the user to deal with an unexpected or undesired layout more quickly, whereas when the automatic layout process is not effected, the notification makes it easier to prevent an unexpected or undesired layout from being effected.
Preferably, the method further includes the step of selecting the n lines out of the m lines of character string images as lines to be laid out.
Preferably, the character image layout device further includes a layout line-selecting section for selecting the n lines out of the m lines of character string images as lines to be laid out.
According to these preferred embodiments, n lines are selected from m lines of character string images as lines to be laid out. That is, n lines can be selected from character string images comprised of m lines in total to lay out the same by the above mentioned character image layout method and device. This enables one or plurality of lines which were not selected as part of the n lines to be maintained in an original state thereof (in an original arrangement thereof) or to be arranged by another layout method. Further, after the arrangement, it is possible to additionally lay out some of the arranged lines by still another layout method. Therefore, the character image layout method and device according to the invention can be applied to wider range of uses.
More preferably, the step of selecting the n lines includes the step of designating n consecutive lines out of the m lines of character string images by range selection.
More preferably, the layout line-selecting section includes means for designating n consecutive lines out of the m lines of character string images by range selection.
According to these preferred embodiments, n consecutive lines are designated out of the m lines of character string images as lines to be laid out, by range selection on the display screen. This enhances the usefulness and operability of the apparatus.
More preferably, the step of selecting the n lines includes the step of designating lines to be laid out by marking n desired lines out of the m lines of character string images.
More preferably, the layout line-selecting section includes means for designating lines to be laid out by marking n desired lines out of the m lines of character string images.
According to these preferred embodiments, n desired lines out of the m lines of character string images are marked as lines to be laid out, which makes it possible to select n lines as ones to be lines to be laid out through simple operations, even when they are not consecutive lines. This further increases the usefulness and operability of the apparatus.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Character image layout method and device


The present invention relates to a collapsible funnel that is easily adaptable to a variety of liquid receptacles, with an associated moveable rod, extending within the funnel, connected to a screw cap which provides for the funnel to be pushed into a liquid receptacle, through a filling spout therein, in a collapsed position when not in use. The collapsible funnel needs to be pulled out of the liquid receptacle to automatically assume a standing and extended operative position over and in association with the spout and facilitates the filling of the liquid receptacle, especially when moveable rod with screw cap partially clear the way in order for funnel to easily receive the liquid.

Prior patents for collapsible funnels have been issued. Most of these inventions provide for collapsible funnels to be inserted and enclosed into liquid receptacles and to spring out when the closing cap is removed. Later improvements also included rods to push funnels into or pull them out of necks or filling spouts of various liquid receptacles such as automobile radiators, when not being used or when in operative position respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,461,654 dated Jul. 10, 1922 to W. J. Haessler discloses a collapsible funnel with a rod vertically arranged within the funnel and inseparably attached to a screw cap. The limitation of the prior art is that the rod and the cap are in the way, since the rod is unmoveable, when the user pours a given liquid into the funnel, such an arrangement makes it difficult to use the device, causes spillage, accidental splashing and gets liquid onto the screw cap which the user wants to avoid.


A networking system, method, and device is provided for improving network communication performance between client sites at a distance from one another such that would usually require long haul network communication. The networking system includes at least one network bonding/aggregation computer system for bonding or aggregating one or more diverse network connections so as to configure a bonded/aggregated connection that has increased throughput; and at least one network server component implemented at an access point to a high performing network. Data traffic is carried over the bonded/aggregated connection. The network server component automatically terminates the bonded/aggregated connection and passes the data traffic to the network backbone, while providing a managed network path that incorporates both the bonded/aggregated connection and a network path carried over the high performing network, and thereby providing improved performance in long haul network connections.

While the capacity of network connections has increased since the introduction of dial up, high speed connectivity is not ubiquitous in all regions. Also, bandwidth is not an unlimited resource and there is a need for solutions that improve the utilization bandwidth and also that address network performance issues.
Various solutions exist for improving network performance such as load balancing, bonding of links to increase throughput, as well as aggregation of links. In regards to bonding/aggregation various different technologies exist that allow two or more diverse links (which in this disclosure refers to links associated with different types of networks and/or different network carriers) are associated with one another for carrying network traffic (such as a set of packets) across such associated links to improve network performance in relation for such packets.
Examples of such technologies include load balancing, WAN optimization, or ANA™ technology of TELoIP™, as well as WAN aggregation technologies.
Many of such technologies for improving network performance are used to increase network performance between two or more locations (for example Location A, Location B, Location N or the "Locations"), where bonding/aggregation of links is provided at one or more of such locations. While the bonded/aggregated links provide significant network performance improvement over the connections available to carry network traffic for example from Location A to an access point to the backbone of a network (whether an Internet access point, or access point to another data network such as a private data network or high performance wireless network) ("network backbone"), the bonded/aggregated links are generally slower than the network backbone.
Prior art technologies including bonding/aggregation generally result in what is often referred to as "long haul" bonding/aggregation, which means that the bonded/aggregated links are maintained for example from Location A and Location B, including across the network backbone, which in many cases results in network impedance. As a result, while bonding/aggregation provides improved network performance for example from Location A to the network backbone, network performance across the entire network path for example from Location A to Location B, may be less than optimal because the technology in this case does not take full advantage of the network performance of the network backbone.
There is a need for a system and method that addresses at least some of these problems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System, apparatus and method for providing improved performance of aggregated/bonded network connections between remote sites


A washing machine includes a water tub; a water supply device to supply water into the water tub; a detergent supply device to supply detergent; a circulating device to circulate the water supplied into the water tub; a drum mounted in the water tub to receive clothes therein; a motor to rotate the drum; and a control unit to control the water supply device and the detergent supply device so that the water and the detergent are supplied into the water tub, bubbles of detergent dissolved water are generated, and washing of functional clothes is performed using the bubbles by varying a drive operation rate of the motor stepwise for a washing period.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a washing machine and a control method thereof to achieve washing performance using bubbles without damage to fiber structures of functional clothes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a washing machine (normally, a drum washing machine) includes a water tub in which water (wash water or rinse water) is received, a drum rotatably mounted in the water tub, in which laundry fabric (hereinafter, referred to as fabric) is received, and a motor to generate drive force required to rotate the drum. The washing machine washes the fabric received in the drum via an action by which the fabric repeatedly rises along an inner wall of the drum and falls during rotation of the cylindrical drum.
The washing machine performs a series of operations, such as, e.g., a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a dehydrating operation. The washing operation serves to separate contaminants from the fabric using detergent dissolved water (i.e. wash water). The rinsing operation serves to rinse bubbles or residual detergent out of the fabric using water containing no detergent (i.e. rinse water). The dehydrating operation serves to dehydrate the fabric via high speed rotation. Of these operations, more particularly, the washing operation is carried out in such a manner that water and detergent are input into the water tub when a user selects a washing course and thereafter, the detergent dissolved water is directed to the fabric via rotation of the drum, causing the fabric to be washed using falling force.
However, in the case of functional clothes, more particularly, sports clothes, such as, e.g., hiking clothes, ski wear, and golf wear, clothing surface or fiber structures may be substantially influenced by mechanical force. Therefore, to wash functional clothes with high performance, it may be necessary to effectively remove sweat, contaminants, etc. while maintaining the surface or fiber structures of the functional clothes, i.e. maintaining the functionality of the functional clothes.
Hiking clothes or ski wear have a special function of rapidly discharging sweat generated by the body while preventing invasion of snow, rainwater, etc. To realize this function, materials having coating, adhesion, and other special fiber structures are used. Functions of these materials may easily be destroyed due to surface damage under general washing conditions and alternatively, may exhibit malfunction as pores thereof are blocked by sweat, contaminants (dirt), etc. when repeatedly worn without washing.
Accordingly, without proper care functional clothes gradually become unsuitable for their intended purpose. Therefore, there is a need for a washing course suitable for functional clothes.
Recently developed washing machines have a washing course to wash functional clothes, such as sports clothes, outdoor clothes, etc. However, most of the recent washing machines only wash functional clothes by using mechanical force that is approximately half of a standard course and a delicate course to attempt to minimize damage to clothes. This has substantial drawbacks since maintaining the washing performance may cause deterioration in the functionality of the functional clothes, whereas maintaining the functionality of the functional clothes may result in deterioration of washing performance. Accordingly, there is a need for a control method to satisfy both the washing performance while maintaining functionality of the functional clothes.


The present invention provides a multicolor display optical composition comprising a dispersion medium, a periodic structure having a porous structure inside communicated with the outside, and mobile particles contained in the dispersion medium so as to be movable and having a volume average primary particle diameter from 1 nm to 80 nm in a dispersion state in the dispersion medium, a volume average particle diameter of coagulated particles of 100 nm or larger in optical coagulation state by stimulation application, and having a refractive index different from that of the dispersion medium by 0.1 or more, wherein the mobile particles show no coloration in the dispersion state when the particles are dispersed in the dispersion medium and show white coloration with a predetermined whiteness value or higher in the coagulation state when the particles are coagulated, an optical device, and a display method of the optical device.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a multicolor display optical composition, an optical device, and a display method of the optical device and particularly to a multicolor display optical composition employing periodic structures, an optical device, and a display method of the optical device.
2. Related Art
In recent years, display systems/color modulating systems employing color emitting mechanisms of "structural colors" using periodic structural bodies in sub-micro scale (regular structural bodies) have been proposed. To date, color emission of structural colors using periodic structural bodies such as colloidal crystals of mono-dispersion particles of silica and polymers, micro-domain structures of block copolymers, and lamellar structures of surfactants have been reported.
For example, periodic structures each consist of orderly and densely arranged spherical particles, which are a plurality of the structural units, and an externally stimulating unit for stimulating the periodic structures are employed. Structural color alteration is made by changing the cycles of the periodic structures by changing the particle diameter composing the periodic structures by applying voltage by the externally stimulating unit.
A technique enables easy design of switching of opacity and a desired colored state by employing structures having spherical spaces arranged cyclically and filled with a mixture of a compound causing optical isomerization and a nematic liquid crystal, thereby enabling phase transition between nematic phase and isotropic phase of the liquid crystal by optical isomerization of the compound, and accordingly carrying out ON/OFF switching of the reflectivity by reciprocally radiating ultraviolet rays and visible lights and adjusting the wavelength of the reflection peak dependent on the diameter of the spherical space.
A technique enables obtaining various optical properties by forming three-dimensional periodic structures with different refractive indexes in the thickness direction by forming recessed pores in two-dimensional cycles on a substrate formed by cyclically layering a plurality of media with different refractive indexes and etching properties; filling the pores with a liquid crystal; and making the three-dimensional periodic structure variable.
According to a technique, the non-cyclical property of the refractive index can be changed as desired by changing the size of a substrate by applying an external field such as a magnetic field or an electric field to periodic structures formed by cyclically arranging an optical medium in or on the substrate.
From the viewpoint of improving contrast and the like, display devices are required to show white coloration with high degree of whiteness. However, with respect to the above-mentioned techniques, the optical amount is controlled by changing the cycles of the periodic structures by changing the sizes of the spaces of the periodic structures, of the periodic structures themselves, or of the diameters of the particles composing the periodic structures. Moreover, by changing at least one of specific reflection wavelength and transmission wavelength of visible lights, the displayed colors are changed. Although a plurality of different colors can be exhibited, visible lights in the full range of the wavelength cannot be reflected. In other words, it has been difficult to show white coloration. Therefore, since white color can only be exhibited by combining three primary colors reflected from, for example, three different regions, it has been difficult to achieve high reflectivity, i.e., to show white coloration with high degree of whiteness.
With respect to a method of changing the cycles of periodic structures by filling pores of the periodic structures with a liquid crystal, since the light scattering property by the liquid crystal is low and for the same reasons as described above, it has been difficult to show white coloration with high degree of whiteness.

Multicolor display optical composition, optical device, and display method of optical device


A method of providing an ultrasound elastography image that includes inducing a shear wave by transmitting a first ultrasound signal pushing an object to the object, transmitting a second ultrasound signal tracing the shear wave to the object to receive a response signal to the second ultrasound signal from the object; acquiring an elastography image of the object, based on the response signal, and providing the elastography image of the object and transmission position information of the first ultrasound signal.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to a method and ultrasound apparatus for providing an ultrasound elastography image using a shear wave.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasound diagnostic apparatuses transfer an ultrasound signal from a surface of an object to a certain part of a human body, and obtain a tomography image of a soft tissue or an image of a blood flow by using information of an ultrasound signal reflected from an internal tissue of the human body.
Ultrasound diagnostic apparatuses are small and inexpensive, and display an acquired image in real time. Also, ultrasound diagnostic apparatuses have a high stability because an object is not exposed to X-ray or the like, and thus are being widely used along with other image diagnostic apparatuses, such as X-ray diagnostic apparatuses, computerized tomography (CT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatuses, and nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatuses.
An elastography method displays an elasticity of an object as an image. An elasticity of an object is relevant to a pathologic phenomenon of the object. A tumor is harder than normal tissue. That is, an elasticity of tumor is greater than that of a normal tissue, and thus, when the same pressure is applied to the tumor and the normal tissue, a strain of the normal tissue is greater than that of the tumor. Therefore, the elastography method may be used to diagnose a tumor or cancer.
For example, an elasticity contrast index (ECI) acquired by the elastography method may be used to diagnose a nodule of a tissue. The ECI is obtained by quantifying a hardness difference between a nodule of a tissue and a normal tissue near the nodule. As the ECI increases, the nodule is hard, and a probability that the nodule is malignant increases. Also, the elastography method may be applied to various fields such as monitoring of a kidney transplant, skin and tissue engineering, monitoring of cancer treatment, etc., in addition to detection and classification of cancer or tumor.
As the elastography method, a free-hand elastography method is being most widely used. The free-hand elastography method is a method in which a user directly applies a pressure by using a probe, and is simple in use. However, the free-hand elastography method has a drawback in that a pressure cannot equally be applied.
Therefore, an ultrasound apparatus that solves the drawback of the free-hand elastography method and provides accurate elastography is needed.

Method and ultrasound apparatus for providing ultrasound elastography image


An optical lens barrel having a transmissive liquid crystal display function, liquid crystal display module and display screen, wherein the optical lens barrel comprises a lens barrel body, an eye lens disposed at one end of the lens barrel body, an objective lens disposed at the other end of the lens barrel body, and an LCD display screen disposed at a focal plane position of the optical lens barrel, wherein the LCD display screen is a light scattering LCD display screen; the optical lens barrel is further internally provided with a visible light source; the position of the light source should satisfy: the light source is disposed outside a visible area of the light scattering LCD display screen.

An existing optical lens barrel comprises a lens barrel body, an eye lens disposed at one end of the lens barrel body, an objective lens disposed at the other end of the lens barrel body, and a transmissive LCD or LED display screen disposed at a focal plane position, wherein the LCD display screen allows a user to directly view an object outside the objective lens from the eye lens via the objective lens; furthermore, the LCD display screen can also display a preset word and/or a pattern under the control of an LCD driver.
At present, the LCD display screens used in the existing optical lens barrel manly comprise the following types: the first one is a TN display screen, and such a display screen has a low light transmittance rate and cannot be used in a dark environment; the second one is a highly-transmissive liquid crystal display screen, and such a display screen has a light transmission rate as high as 90%, but cannot be used in a dark environment just like the TN display screen; and the third one is an improved highly-transmissive liquid crystal display screen, and such a display screen is provided with a monochromatic LED lamp on a small side surface of the highly-transmissive liquid crystal display screen perpendicular to a display panel, such as a red, a green or a blue LED lamp; when the light is dark, the monochromatic LED lamp can be turned on to display on the display screen the word and/or the pattern in the same color as the LED lamp but in a different light intensity; however, the background color of the improved highly-transmissive liquid crystal display screen is the same as the color of the LED lamp; on one hand, the color difference between the word and/or the pattern and the background color becomes small, thus influencing the reading of the user; on the other hand, the chromatic background color reduces the light transmission rate of the display screen. Apart from the LCD screens, another actively-light-emitting display screen is also used, such as LED and OLED. The OLED display screen is a self-light-emitting display screen, and thus better solves the problem that the existing display screen cannot be used in a dark environment. However, the OLED display screen itself is a light emitter; if external environment light is very strong, the luminance of the OLED display screen would be counteracted by the luminance of the external environment, in which case the word and/or the pattern would not be easy to see clearly. Furthermore, the light transmittance rate of the display screen is much less than the level of the highly-transmissive LCD. In addition, since the OLED display screen is expensive, the optical lens barrel with the OLED display screen is also very expensive, and can only be used on a high end market. An optical lens barrel having a high light transmittance rate, a colorless or almost colorless LCD display screen background, being free from the influence of external environment light intensity, and being cost effective is in urgent need on market.

Optical lens barrel having transmissive liquid crystal display function, liquid crystal display module and display screen


A cardiac pacemaker programmed to pace in a demand mode with hysteresis is further programmed to recognize and correct a pacemaker mediated bradycardia. Such a pacemaker mediated bradycardia is the result of an idioventricular rhythm that occurs while hysteresis is operative and which inhibits the pacemaker from further pacing.

Cardiac pacemakers are medical devices, usually implantable, that provide electrical stimulation in the form of pacing pulses to selected chambers of the heart (i.e., the atrium and/or ventricle). As the term is used herein, a pacemaker is any cardiac rhythm management device that performs cardiac pacing, including implantable cardioverter/defibrillators having a pacing functionality. Pacemakers typically have a programmable electronic controller that causes the pacing pulses to be output in response to lapsed time intervals and sensed electrical activity (i.e., intrinsic heart beats not as a result of a pacing pulse). Implantable pacemakers sense intrinsic cardiac electrical activity by means of internal electrodes disposed near the chamber to be sensed. A depolarization wave associated with an intrinsic contraction of the atria or ventricles that is detected by the pacemaker is referred to as an atrial sense or ventricular sense, respectively. In order to cause such a contraction in the absence of an intrinsic beat, a pacing pulse (either an atrial pace or a ventricular pace) with energy above a certain pacing threshold must be delivered to the chamber.
Most pacemakers are programmed to operate in a so-called demand mode (a.k.a., synchronous mode), where a pacing pulse is delivered to a heart chamber during a cardiac cycle only when no intrinsic beat by the chamber is detected. An escape interval is defined for each paced chamber, which is the maximum time interval in which a beat must be detected before a pace will be delivered. A ventricular escape interval thus defines the minimum rate at which the pacemaker will allow the ventricle to beat, sometimes referred to as the lower rate limit or its inverse, the lower rate interval. Similarly, in a pacemaker configured to pace the atria in addition to the ventricles on a demand basis, an atrial escape interval is defined as the maximum time interval in which an atrial sense must be detected after a ventricular sense or pace before an atrial pace will be delivered. The lower rate interval in that case is the sum of the atrial escape interval and the programmed atrioventricular (AV) delay (i.e., the delay between an atrial sense or pace and a ventricular pace). If functioning properly, the pacemaker in this manner makes up for a heart's inability to pace itself at an appropriate rhythm in order to meet metabolic demand.
As pacemaker technology has developed, a number of standard operating modes have been developed which define how the device paces the heart. The modes employed for bradycardia pacing are usually described by a three-letter code developed by the Inter-Society Commission for Heart Disease where each letter in the code refers to a specific function of the pacemaker. The first letter refers to which heart chambers are paced and which may be an A (for atrium), a V (for ventricle), D (for both chambers), or O (for none). The second letter refers to which chambers are sensed by the pacemaker's sensing channels and uses the same letter designations as used for pacing. The third letter refers to the pacemaker's response to a sensed P wave from the atrium or an R wave from the ventricle and may be an I (for inhibited), T (for triggered), D (for dual in which both triggering and inhibition are used which implies a tracking mode), and O (for no response). A pacemaker operating in a demand mode is therefore designated with an I or a D as the third letter. Additional sensing of physiological data allows some pacemakers to change the rate at which they pace the heart in accordance with some parameter correlated to metabolic demand. Such pacemakers are called rate-adaptive and designated by a fourth letter added to the three-letter code, R.
A pacemaker operating in a demand mode may also employ hysteresis in its control algorithm to vary the escape interval. Hysteresis in this context means that if the heart starts to beat intrinsically at a rate above the lower rate limit, so that the pacemaker is not having to pace the heart, the lower rate limit is lowered to a hysteresis value. That is, the next pacing escape interval is prolonged to a hysteresis value after a spontaneous, or natural beat. The intrinsic heart rate must then fall below the hysteresis value before the pacemaker starts to pace the heart again, at which point the lower rate limit is returned to its original value. For example, the pacemaker may be programmed to pace at 60 beats per minute (bpm), but if intrinsic beats are being sensed at rates above 60 bpm, the escape interval is then lowered to a hysteresis value, e.g., 50 bpm. The advantage of hysteresis is that it enables the pacemaker to follow a natural rhythm that is just slightly below the original programmed lower rate limit (LRL) but still at a high enough rate that it is not necessary to override these natural beats with pacing. One advantage of allowing natural beats to occur to as great an extent as possible is that the longevity of the pacemaker's battery is extended due to not having to deliver as many pacing pulses. Furthermore, in a pacemaker operating in a mode that does not attempt to provide AV synchrony, such as VVI, natural beats that do provide such synchrony are physiologically better for the patient, and hysteresis provides a means of allowing such natural beats to occur as often as possible. Even in dual chamber pacemakers operating in a mode that does attempt to provide AV synchrony with atrial tracking, such as DDD or VDD, hysteresis with respect to the atrial escape interval enables increased tracking of natural atrial beats which is physiologically desirable in a chronotropically competent patient. Even in a pacemaker providing atrioventricular sequential pacing (i.e., in DDI or DVI modes) which does not track natural atrial beats, it remains desirable to maximize the number of natural beats in a patient without AV block so as to maximize the number cardiac cycles where the heart is permitted to beat with its own natural AV synchrony

Method and apparatus for breaking pacemaker mediated bradycardia


As part of a communication session, a wireless source device can transmit audio and video data to a wireless sink device, and the wireless sink device can transmit user input data received at the wireless sink device back to the wireless source device. In this manner, a user of the wireless sink device can control the wireless source device and control the content that is being transmitted from the wireless source device to the wireless sink device. The input data received at the wireless sink device can have associated coordinate information that is scaled or normalized by either the wireless sink device or the wireless source device.

Wireless display (WD) or Wi-Fi Display (WFD) systems include a wireless source device and one or more wireless sink devices. The source device and each of the sink devices may be either mobile devices or wired devices with wireless communication capabilities. One or more of the source device and the sink devices may, for example, include mobile telephones, portable computers with wireless communication cards, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable media players, or other such devices with wireless communication capabilities, including so-called "smart" phones and "smart" pads or tablets, e-readers, or any type of wireless display, video gaming devices, or other types of wireless communication devices. One or more of the source device and the sink devices may also include wired devices such as televisions, desktop computers, monitors, projectors, and the like, that include communication capabilities.
The source device sends media data, such as audio video (AV) data, to one or more of the sink devices participating in a particular media share session. The media data may be played back at both a local display of the source device and at each of the displays of the sink devices. More specifically, each of the participating sink devices renders the received media data on its screen and audio equipment.

User input back channel for wireless displays


A system and methods enable efficient data association of input sensor data with uniquely identified candidate targets. The methods may use information provided by a target status history database, a target geolocation history database, and a target technical characteristics database, as well as data processing procedures provided by an algorithm rules database. The algorithm rules database provides procedures for generating target classification and identification information for input sensor data, for matching target classification and identification information obtained from input sensor data with information provided by the target technical characteristics database to generate an initial set of consistent, uniquely identified candidate targets, for estimating the minimal required speed of advance for each candidate target, for calculating weights and corresponding data association probabilities for the initial set of candidate targets with the input sensor data, and for selecting a final set of uniquely identified candidate targets with their data association probabilities.

The generation of comprehensive intelligence on targets of interest requires unique identification of the targets. Intelligence decisions are often limited by their dependence on the specific target identification method germane to the observing sensor. When the target is difficult to identify, the confidence in the target identification is low and is further complicated when there exist multiple observing sensors having varying levels of ambiguity in their observable characteristics. When targets are also difficult to detect, the difficulty of the target identification problem is compounded by the paucity of sensor data and its lack of temporal and spatial continuity.
There exists a need for a system and method that may reliably and accurately identify detected targets that are difficult to detect, difficult to identify, or both difficult to detect and difficult to identify.

System and method for classification of multiple source sensor measurements, reports, or target tracks and association with uniquely identified candidate targets

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A child seat (10) for a vehicle has a seat belt system (12) for restraining a seated child. The seat belt system (12) includes seat belt webbing (16), a pair of webbing anchors (150, 160), and a retractor assembly (18). The webbing (16) has a plurality of sections including first and second shoulder belt sections (64, 74), each which has an upper end and a lower end. The webbing anchors (150, 160) permanently attach the upper ends (154, 164) of the shoulder belt sections (64, 74) to the seat back (24). The retractor assembly (18) takes up slack in the webbing (16) by pulling the lower ends (170, 172) of the shoulder belt sections (64, 74) toward the seat cushion (22).

A child seat for a vehicle generally has a child seat belt system for restraining a seated child. The child seat belt system includes a pair of shoulder belts which extend downward from the seat back toward the seat cushion. The shoulder belts typically are connected to a common tongue which is releasably lockable in a buckle at the front of the seat cushion.
In one type of child seat belt system, the shoulder belts have free ends at the seat back, and are adjusted to desired lengths by sliding their free ends through clasp-type buckles on the seat back. Such a child seat belt system is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,622. In a similar type of child seat belt system, the shoulder belts are adjusted in length by detaching and reattaching their free ends to the seat back. An example of that type of system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,325. A child seat belt system having a combination of the foregoing types of adjustment features is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,600.
In another type of child seat belt system, the ends of the two shoulder belts are connected to a third belt. The third belt extends downward behind the seat back, and further extends forward beneath the seat cushion to a seat belt retractor which is mounted on the seat cushion. The retractor continuously applies a retracting force to the third belt, and thus pulls the third belt downward behind the seat back. The ends of the two shoulder belts are pulled downward behind the seat back with the third belt. As a result, the portions of the shoulder belts that extend from the seat back toward the seat cushion are pulled upward toward the seat cushion. Slack in the shoulder belts is thus taken up continuously by the retractor. An example of this type of child seat belt system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,012.

Child seat for a vehicle and a seat belt system for the child seat


A die assembly having die structures that are cooperable to define a die cavity into which a metallic tubular blank can be disposed. A first die structure is moveable to seal the die cavity, and after the die cavity is sealed, the first and second die structures are moveable to reduce the cross-sectional area of the die cavity and thereby deform the metallic tubular blank within the die cavity.

The present invention relates generally to hydroforming die assemblies, and more particularly to a hydroforming die assembly which prevents the metallic tubular blank to be hydroformed from being pinched during closure of the die assembly.
Hydroforming methods are commonly known as a means for shaping a tubular metal blank into a tubular component having a predetermined desired configuration. In particular, a typical hydroforming operation involves the placement of a tubular metal blank into a hydroforming die cavity and providing high pressure fluid to the interior of the blank to cause the blank to expand outwardly into conformity with the surfaces defining the die cavity. More particularly, the opposite longitudinal ends of the tubular metal blank are sealed, and high pressure water is provided through a hydroforming port or ram sealing one of the tubular ends. The fluid provided within the tube is pressurized by a conventional intensifier.
Typically, the die assembly includes a lower die half and an upper die half. The upper die half moves downwardly to cooperate with the lower die half to form the sealed die cavity therebetween. The tubular metal blank is placed in the lower die half before the upper die half is lowered to seal the tubular blank within the cavity.
For many applications, the tubular blank, which typically has a circular cross-section, is hydroformed into a tubular part or component having a boxed or rectangular cross-section as defined by the die cavity. Because the circumference of the tubular blank is significantly less than the circumference or cross-sectional perimeter of the surfaces defining the die cavity, it is often desirable to slightly crush or deform the tubular blank within the die cavity as the upper die half is lowered to seal the die cavity. The desirability of slightly deforming the tubular blank within the die cavity prior to pressurizing the tube for expansion stems, in part, from the need to conform the cross-sectional perimeter of the tubular blank more closely to the cross-sectional perimeter or circumference of the surfaces defining the die cavity to alleviate some of the need to expand or stretch the metal material of the tubular blank during the pressurizing phase of the hydroforming operation. In addition, providing a tubular blank with a cross-sectional perimeter which more closely conforms to that of the die cavity (which can be viewed as providing some "slack" in the metal material for facilitating expansion thereof into conformity with the die cavity) facilitates the ability for expansion of the tubular blank into the "hard" corners of the die cavity.
A problem encountered during the deformation of the tubular blank upon closure of the die cavity is the possibility of the deformed tubular blank to become pinched between the upper and lower die halves as the die cavity is sealed. One solution to this potential problem is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,803. This patent discusses an arrangement wherein the tubular blank must be pressurized sufficiently prior to lowering the upper die half, and the exterior surface of the blank must be smoothed sufficiently, such that the internal pressure within the tubular blank prior to the upper die half being closed is at least sufficient to overcome the frictional forces exerting on the blank by the die sections on closing of the die sections. This construction places a degree of criticality on the internal pressure within the tubular blank and the smoothness of various friction surfaces. In addition, because the die assembly deforms the tube before the die cavity is sealed, the pinching problem remains a possibility.
An alternate proposal in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,667 likewise requires deformation of the tubular blank prior to sealing of the die cavity. This, again, creates the possibility of pinching the tube upon closure of the die cavity. In addition, this patent provides a die cavity with very specific contours to take into account the possibility of pinching the tubular blank. Thus, only limited shapes of tubular components can be formed by this process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,852 provides yet another proposal to solving this problem. However, in this arrangement two die structures must come together with a very high degree of precision to make certain that each of the side walls of the die cavity come into close proximity with sealing surfaces of the opposing die structure. In addition, this construction provides a severely acute angle at the transition between the ledge and heel of the die structures. This corner, formed at such an acute angle, provides a relatively weak portion of the die structure which may be subject to chipping or cracking after prolonged use.
It is object of the invention to overcome the difficulties in the prior art noted above. The present invention accomplishes this by providing at least three separate die structures cooperable to define a die cavity into which a metallic tubular blank can be disposed. The first die structure is moveable to seal the die cavity, and after the die cavity is sealed, the first and second die structures are moveable to reduce the cross-sectional area of the die cavity and thereby deform the metallic tubular blank within the die cavity.
Also in accordance with the present invention, two moveable die structures and a single fixed die structure are provided to define the die cavity. Relative movement between the first and second movable structures seals the cavity. After the cavity is sealed, movement of the first die structure relative to the fixed die structure reduces the cross-sectional area of the die cavity to deform the metal tube in the die cavity.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of hydroforming a metallic tube. The method comprises placing the metallic tube in a hydroforming die assembly having three separate die structures, the three die structures being cooperable to define a die cavity; moving a first one of the die structures to seal the die cavity; then moving the first one of the die structures and a second one of the die structures to reduce the cross-sectional area of the die cavity; and deforming the metallic tube as a result of reducing the cross-sectional of the die cavity.
A further object of the invention is to provide a hydroforming die assembly comprising a lower die assembly defining a lower die cavity portion into which a metallic tube can be placed, the lower die assembly providing side walls defining opposite sides of the lower die cavity portion, and a lower wall defining a lower surface of the lower die cavity; an upper movable die structure having sealing surfaces which are movable to engage the lower die assembly on opposite sides of the lower die cavity portion to seal the lower die cavity portion and thereby provide a sealed die cavity; the lower die assembly and the upper die structure being cooperable to reduce a size of the sealed die cavity to deform the metallic tube after the die cavity is sealed.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be realized in accordance with the following detailed description, appended drawings and claims.

Hydroforming die assembly for pinch-free tube forming


A higher voltage out of a battery voltage applied to an ignition voltage terminal or a control voltage applied to a control voltage terminal is supplied to a switching regulator via a diode. Then, a supply of current to an LED in the switching regulator is controlled in compliance with the control voltage while using an input voltage as energy. When a PWM signal is input into a control voltage terminal as the control voltage, transistors are turned off and on, whereby an instruction to turn on the LED in a dimmed lighting mode is issued to the switching regulator. Then, a current that is smaller than that supplied in a full lighting mode is supplied to the LED.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a lighting control circuit for vehicle lighting equipment and, more particularly, a lighting control circuit for a vehicle lighting equipment constructed to control the lighting of a semiconductor light source that is formed of a semiconductor light emitting device.
2. Related Art
In the prior art, as the vehicle lighting equipment, the equipment using a semiconductor light emitting device such as LED (Light Emitting Diode), or the like as a light source is known. Also, the vehicle lighting equipment of this type is equipped with a lighting control circuit that controls the lighting of the LED.
In northern Europe, North America, and others, particularly in the district where an amount of solar radiation is small even in the daytime of winter, the driver is bound to turn on the headlamp of his or her car in the daytime. Therefore, in the vehicle such as the car, or the like sold in these countries, the configuration for turning on the headlamp as the DRL (Daytime Running Light) is employed, as the lamp control system that is used to turn on the headlamp in a dimmed lighting mode even in the daytime (see JP-A-10-86746 (page 2 to page 5, FIG. 1).
In turning on the headlamp of the vehicle as the DRL, there are two ways, i.e., one is the method of using the dedicated lamp as such headlamp and the other is the method of applying the existing lamp to such headlamp. For example, when the bulb having a filament made of halogen, or the like is used as the dedicated lamp, such bulb can be turned on in a dimmed lighting mode by causing the bulb to emit a light at the designated brightness. While, when the LED is used as the dedicated lamp, such LED can be turned on in a dimmed lighting mode by supplying a predetermined power or current to the LED.
In contrast, when the existing lamp is also applied to such headlamp, e.g., when the low-beam headlamp or the high-beam headlamp is also applied to such headlamp, these lamps can be turned on in a dimmed lighting mode using a PWM (Pulse WidthModulation) signal, for example, from the viewpoint of energy saving a quantity of light is too much if these lamps are turned on in a full lighting mode. The PWM signal is defined as such a signal that has a frequency in a range of several hundreds Hz to several tens kHz, for example, and turns on/off the power (voltage/current) request at a particular duty ratio. When a duty ratio of the PWM signal is set to 50%, half of the power required in the full lighting mode is put into the lamp and thus the brightness emitted from the lamp gives a quantity of light correspondingly. In case the lamp is turned on in a dimmed lighting mode using the PWM signal, either the bulb using the halogen filament or the LED can be employed as the lamp.

Lighting control circuit for vehicle lighting equipment


The invention provides materials and methods for making skin care compositions that contain dried or fresh fruit particles, and also can contain suspending agents, surfactants, emollients, emulsifiers, and/or cationic polymers. The basic fruit components typically are from the pulp and peel of the fruit, which can be specially processed to retain the colors, phytochemicals and nutritive ingredients. The compositions provided herein can contain particles made from whole fruits (minus seeds, leaves, and stems) that have been subjected to drying techniques (e.g., air-drum drying or freeze drying) and then processed into small particles.

A fruit is a ripened ovary of a female flower. The major types of fruits are aggregate fruits, berries, drupe fruits, false berries, hesperidium fruits, and multiple fruits. Aggregate fruits consist of many tiny seed bearing fruits combined in a single mass (e.g., blackberries). Berry fruits are derived from a single ovary, and contain one or more seeds (e.g., bananas). Drupe fruits are single seed fruits that develop entirely from a single ovary (e.g., plums). False berry fruits consist of many seeded fruits that result from fusion of an ovary and receptacle (e.g., cranberries). Hesperidium fruits include citrus fruits, which develop from a compound ovary into a many seeded, multi-sectional fruit in a tough skin. Multiple fruits are derived from the ovaries and receptacles of multiple flowers on a common base (e.g., pineapple).
Fruits typically contain saccharides (monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides), fiber, various macro and micronutrients, vitamins, and vitamin factors. Many fruits also contain phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds (e.g., flavonoids), which are known to prevent and treat certain disease conditions. Flavonoids also can act as antioxidants that have free radical scavenger properties.
Extracts of fruits and herbs have been used in cosmetic products to provide a perception of naturalness and to take advantage of the benefits of the phytonutrients and phytochemicals contained therein. Such products often contain only insignificant amounts of the extracts, due to the high cost of extracts and in order to minimize discoloration of the finished products. Typically, fruit and herbal extracts are diluted with carriers such as water, alcohol, propylene glycol or butylene glycol. Commercial fruit or botanical extracts generally contain minimal amounts of phytochemicals and other nutrients due to their dilution, long extraction processes, and extended storage time before customers utilize the product.
The use of intact fruit pieces or dried fruit pieces in skin care compositions has not been commercially feasible. Fruit pieces can be hard to process, can potentially cause microorganism contamination, can be difficult to handle during production, often are not aesthetically attractive, can cause suspension problems, and can leave residue on the skin.


The present invention aims to provide a substance(s), especially a peptide(s) capable of inhibiting the TGF-β activation reaction. The present invention provides a peptide consisting of 11 to 50 amino acid residues, which comprises an amino acid sequence Gln-Ile-Leu-Ser-X1-X2-X3-X4-Ala-Ser-Pro (SEQ ID NO: 1) wherein each of X1 to X4 independently represents any given amino acid residue, and X1-X2-X3-X4 is a sequence that is not Lys-Leu-Arg-Leu (SEQ ID NO: 12) and is not cleavable by proteases.

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a multifunctional, homodimeric cytokine with a molecular weight of 25 kD, and exhibits a variety of biological activities.—e.g. It strongly promotes pathogenesis of sclerotic diseases including hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis, atherosclerosis, lung fibrosis, scleroderma, renal failure (glomerulonephritis) or myelofibrosis as well as rheumatoid arthritis and proliferative vitreoretinopathy via stimulating the excessive production of extracellular matrices from mesenchymal cells and suppressing the growth of epithelial cells. Furthermore, TGF-β not only suppresses the growth and functions of skin keratinocytes, thereby causing their apoptosis and being deeply involved in epilation, but also suppresses functions of immune cells. It has been shown from the results of studies utilizing neutralizing antibodies against TGF-β in animal models that sclerotic diseases can be prevented or cured by suppressing the activities of TGF-β. For example, it has been reported to block TGF-β's activity at the entrance by employing either antibody therapies with neutralizing antibodies against TGF-β and its receptors, or gene therapies with dominant negative TGF-β receptor genes or soluble TGF-β receptor genes (JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-121001 A; Schuppan et al., Digestion 59: 385-390, 1998; Qi et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96: 2345-2349, 1999; Ueno et al., Hum Gene Ther 11: 33-42, 2000). However since such an antibody therapy and a gene therapy retain problems in having an uncertainty in a necessary amount and an administration method, these methods cannot be immediately applied to the clinics. Thus, a challenge has been underway to develop a low molecular weight inhibitor based on the molecular mechanism of TGF-β's actions.
Using animal models, the present inventors demonstrated that a low molecular weight compound, cytoxazone, inhibits the signal transduction pathway of TGF-β, so as to suppress the pathogenesis of liver diseases (International Publication WO2005/039570). However, a target protein, on which cytoxazone directly acts, has not yet been identified.
On the other hand, by focusing on the fact that TGF-β is generated as an inactive latent molecule and converted to its active form by the action of protease (TGF-β activation reaction), the present inventors demonstrated a possibility that a low molecular weight synthetic protease inhibitor (Okuno et al., Gastroenterology 120: 18784-1800, 2001) as well as an antibody against the proteases (JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-252792 A; Akita et al., Gastroenterology 123: 352-364, 2002) can be used to inhibit the TGF-β activation reaction, thereby preventing the diseases in animal models. However, since the current protease inhibitors have a wide range of inhibitory spectrum, there is a severe concern of side effects when applied to humans. Furthermore, since relatively high concentrations will be required for the current antibodies to work, there is a big concern of high costs due to a requirement for purification of a large amount of antibodies when applied to humans.
Moreover, the present inventors identified the cleavage site during the aforementioned TGF-β activation reaction, and succeeded in producing antibodies that recognize the cutting ends, and thus in demonstrating for the first time in the world that the proteolytic TGF-β activation reaction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of human liver diseases using these antibodies (International Publication WO2005/023870).
In the past, a peptide consisting of 8 to 17 amino acids that suppresses the generation of TGF-β in an immortalized hair papilla cell line was reported (JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-239695 A). However, underlying action mechanisms thereof, including the possibilities of suppressing gene expression and/or activation reaction, as well as the effectiveness thereof in vivo, has not been shown.
Moreover, the group of Murphy-Ullrich at the University of Alabama, U.S.A. investigated the adherent-type TGF-β activation reaction by a glycoprotein, thrombospondin 1, and reported that TGF-β is activated by binding of KRFK sequence corresponding to amino acid numbers 412-415 of thrombospondin 1 to LSKL sequence corresponding to amino acid numbers 54-57 of LAP, and that the synthetic KRFK peptide activates TGF-β, whereas the synthetic LSKL peptide inhibits the TGF-β activation reaction (Schultz-Cherry et al., J. Biol. Chem. 270: 7304-7310, 1995; Crawford et al., Cell 93: 1159-1170, 1998; Ribeiro et al., J. Biol. Chem. 274: 13586-13593, 1999; Murphy-Ullrich and Poczatek Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews 11: 59-69, 2000). The LSKL sequence derived from amino acid numbers 54-57 of the aforementioned LAP overlaps with the plasmin cleavage site K56-L57 identified by the present inventors. By binding to and cutting this portion, respectively, thrombospondin 1 and proteases may inhibit a noncovalent bond between this portion and active TGF-β molecule, resulting in release of the active TGF-β molecule from a latent complex (namely the TGF-β activation reaction). The present inventors, however, could not reproduce both the induction of TGF-β activation by the synthetic KRFK peptide and inhibition of TGF-β activation by the synthetic LSKL peptide, in their additional tests. Murphy-Ullrich et al. indicated an involvement of a thrombospondin 1-dependent adherent-type TGF-β activation reaction in the pathogenesis of lung or pancreatic diseases, but not in the pathogenesis of liver diseases.


A method and apparatus are used to determine an efficient transmit power for point to multipoint (PtM) transmissions by maintaining a database at a base station which specifies which of a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) are members of each PtM group. The transmit power of each WTRU's downlink dedicated channel is adjusted to the minimum required power necessary and the PtM transmit power for each PtM group is set such that the PtM transmit power of a PtM group is equal to the greatest of a WTRU in the PtM group plus a PtM power offset.

There is a growing desire to use point to multi-point services in wireless communication systems. In point to multi-point (PtM) services, one service is sent from a single point, such as a base station, to multiple points, such as multiple wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs). Examples of point to multi-point services are multimedia broadcasts and multicast services.
In traditional point to point (PtP) services, power control allows for efficient use of radio resources. Power control allows a particular wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to receive the PtP service at a desired quality of service (QoS) and minimize interference to other WTRUs.
In PtP, such as for the third generation partnership project (3GPP), when the WTRU's dedicated downlink physical channel is power controlled, that WTRU typically determines a target signal to interference ratio (SIR) based on the received block error rate (BLER) of the dedicated physical channel. The WTRU estimates the received dedicated physical channel's SIR. One approach to determine the SIR is as the ratio of received signal code power (RSCP) over the interference signal code power (ISCP).
When the WTRU determines that the SIR target value is greater than the calculated estimate of the received SIR value, the WTRU signals via the transmit power control (TPC) commands to the base station to increase transmit power of the downlink dedicated channel. When the SIR target value is less then the received SIR calculated estimate, TPC commands are generated to decrease DL transmit power.
One channel currently proposed for potentially supporting PtM services is the forward access channel (FACH). The FACH is a channel broadcast throughout a cell and the FACH is maintained at a power level so that any user in the cell can receive the FACH. As a result, adaptive power control mechanisms are not used for the FACH. One problem with the lack of FACH power control is that a high data rate service sent over the FACH will generate considerable interference. The FACH transmission power level needs to be set at a power level so that a WTRU at the periphery of the cell can receive the high data rate service at an acceptable quality.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have adaptive power control for PtM services.

Power control of point to multipoint physical channels


A method for operating a wind turbine includes: providing a curve defining optimal pitch angle as a function of tip speed ratio or as a function of wind speed; modifying at least a part of the optimal pitch angle curve by applying a safety buffer, thereby obtaining a safety modified pitch angle curve; operating the wind turbine in accordance with the safety modified pitch angle curve; measuring one or more parameters regarding wind conditions and/or loads on one or more component of the wind turbine; adjusting the safety buffer, based on the measurements, thereby obtaining an adjusted pitch angle curve; and operating the wind turbine in accordance with the adjusted pitch angle curve. Since the safety buffer is adjusted based on measured parameters, it can be reduced if actual operating conditions are less severe than expected. This allows the wind turbine to be operated in a more optimal manner.

When operating a pitch controlled wind turbine, the pitch angle of the blades is controlled in order to maximise the rotor power coefficient, CP, without exceeding the nominal power coefficient, CP, nom. Thus, at relatively low wind speeds, the so-called 'partial load' region, the pitch angle is controlled in such a manner that the power coefficient is as high as possible, and at higher wind speeds, the so-called 'full load' region, the pitch angle is controlled in such a manner that the power coefficient is limited to the nominal power coefficient, CP, nom. To this end theoretical curves are used for calculating the pitch angle to be applied under the given circumstances. Such curves could, e.g., specify the optimal pitch angle as a function of tip speed ratio, λ, the optimal pitch angle in this context being the pitch angle which provides the highest possible power coefficient, CP. The tip speed ratio, λ, is the ratio between the blade tip speed and the wind speed.
In some wind regimes, in particular at wind speeds just below the wind speed where the nominal power coefficient, CP, nom, is reached, there is a risk that the rotor blades stall and the airflow over the blades separates from the blade, if the turbine is operated in accordance with the 'optimal pitch' curves described above, e.g. in the case of turbulence or strong wind shear. Since this is very undesirable, a more precautious control of the pitch angle must be selected, at least in this wind region. Furthermore, the precautious control of the pitch angle is performed in a manner which prevents stalling of the blades as well as excessive loads on various components of the wind turbine, even in a 'worst case scenario'. As a consequence, the wind turbine is operated in a sub-optimal manner, and the power production of the wind turbine is reduced as compared to a theoretical maximum power production.
In Zhang, X., et al., "Intelligent control for large-scale variable speed variable pitch wind turbines", Journal of Control Theory and Applications 3 (2004) 305-311, a method for operating a wind turbine is disclosed. The proposed control system consists of two loops: An inner loop for generator torque regulation using adaptive fuzzy control based on variable universe to maximise the capture of power at below-rated wind speed; an outer rotor loop to control pitch angle and keep rated power using least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) control. The rotor loop controller input variables are the generator output power, the shaft rotational speed, ω, and the estimated effective wind speed, Vw. The output control variable is the reference pitch angle, βref, of the rotor blades.

Method for operating a wind turbine at improved power output


The present invention features an integrated control and seating system for a material handling vehicle. The system includes a pair of control handles integrated into the control arms within an operator's compartment. Additionally, the operator seat can be oriented in several ways. It is also vertically adjustable to achieve the greatest operator comfort. Adjustable arm rests are also provided. The result is that the operator can comfortably access the controls while seated, leaning or standing, to allow the vehicle to be used in a number of ways.

Anyone who has ever observed the operation of, or who has actually operated a fork lift vehicle will appreciate the complexity of the various control levers for achieving the movement of the fork arms, the operator compartment, and/or the travel movement of the vehicle itself. The present invention has a simplified, ergonometric, control system having the majority of its controls in two handles. This control system has the great advantage of being ergonometrically efficient. That is, the vehicle is easy to operate. Reference is made to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/802,171, filed Dec. 4, 1991, in which the ergonometric controls are explained in more detail. The teachings of the copending application are incorporated herein by reference.
One of the added advantages of a fewer number of controls is the further capability for mounting these controls in a more efficient manner. The present invention now provides controls that can be configured as an integrated part of the seat arm rests of the vehicle. In this manner, an efficient, integrated combination of controls and seating system is made possible. The seating arrangement itself is also improved as a result of the ergonometric design, thus allowing the operator to assume various standing, crouching or seated positions heretofore unavailable with standard seating arrangements.
The integrated control and seating system provides another desirable feature for the operator, wherein the vehicle can be operated while the operator faces either a tractor first or fork first direction.
It is not uncommon for fork lift operators to complain that their hands, feet and/or back hurt after a normal operating shift. The integrated system of this invention provides additional operating positions, thus reducing the possibility of operator discomfort.
In standard control systems, levers are remotely located about the operator compartment, and require an extended reach for access. Obviously, there is wasted motion moving from one lever to the next. Some typical controls that are presently in use require extended push or pull movements to actuate the desired vehicle functions. All of these excessive operator movements and inconveniences of control access cause operator fatigue, operator cumulative trauma disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and operating inefficiencies. In addition, these extraneous movements threaten safe vehicle operation.
The present invention reduces or eliminates these added motions, since most of the controls are at the finger tips of the operator. Also, because the controls are now part of the arm rests of the seat, they may be swiveled or moved with the arm rests to accommodate the operator's comfort zone. The operator can now change his position to either a standing, seated or crouching profile. The seat itself can fold up or fold down to accommodate the facing directions and/or positions and directions assumed by the operator in operating the vehicle.
In conclusion, the invention provides a versatile control and seat configuration for material handling vehicles, which configuration provides ease and efficiency of operation of the vehicle.

Integrated controls and seating configuration for reach-fork vehicles