A module for a sensor box for automation devices and a respective sensor box includes a containing body, an electronic circuit housed inside the containing body and is designed to define a so-called master module, or a so-called slave module. The module also includes one or more main electric contacts emerging from a first side of the containing body, at least one passage for a respective connecting cable for the connection to an outside device and one or more openings, each arranged on a second side of the containing body which is opposite to said first side. The main electric contacts and the openings are arranged in corresponding positions on the first side and on the second side, so that all the main electric contacts emerge from the first side in a position corresponding to that of at least one opening on the second side.

In the field of industrial automation, the use of automation devices or industrial robots, such as grippers or robotic arms, for the handling and manipulation of objects during an industrial process, is well known.
These devices are usually equipped with sensors to check the correct operation of the various components, or tools, of the automation device, so as to ensure the correct state of the device or the correct positioning of the object it supports, before starting a subsequent step of the machining or handling process.
In order to wire the sensors on board the devices of the above mentioned type, at least one box for connecting sensors, also defined sensor box, can be installed, which allows a plurality of sensors, even different from one another, to be connected in series.
The sensor boxes currently available on the market, as shown in FIG. 1, have a box-like body 100 closed by a cover 101 inside which a series of contacts 102 are arranged in order to deliver the electric power supply to the sensors, receive from the sensors themselves an indication of their state and transmit this state to a control device, such as a PLC. For this purpose, the sensor box is connected to the control device via a special cable and to the sensors installed in the automation device via one or more cables, usually multipolar cables.
For the connection of these cables to the circuitry of the sensor box, the sensor box itself comprises respective passages 103, 104 arranged in fixed positions, in particular in predefined positions with respect to the fastening surface of the sensor box, which is responsible for combining the latter with the structure of the automation device.
In particular, there is a first passage or output 103 for the connecting cable towards the control device, and a second passage or output 104 for each of the cables intended for the sensors.
In addition, it must be said that the aforementioned cables are large, not very flexible and therefore difficult to be wired.
Additional elements, such as fastening brackets, are also required to fasten the sensor box to the structure of the automation device.
Sensor boxes currently available are designed for connecting a maximum number of sensors, for example up to 2, up to 4, up to 6, up to 8, up to 12, etc., so that during the step of setting up the automation device, a sensor box must be selected having a number of contacts 102 consistent with the number of sensors to be mounted. However, since these are standard sizes, not all the contacts available are always used. In this case, inconveniently, the bulk is greater than necessary.
The above is significant if we consider that, due to their very shape, the sensor boxes are rather cumbersome, especially when compared to the small spaces available in automation devices of the above said type.
In fact, the box-like body is sized to house all the contacts, some of which, or all in case all the available outputs are in use, must then be joined by jumpers to form the series connection of the sensors depending on the required design.
In addition, since there are different sizes depending on the maximum number of sensors that can be connected, sensor boxes of various sizes have to be kept in stock in order to meet all needs.
There are also devices comprising several modules arranged in series or in parallel to measure and/or monitor consumption, in particular power consumption.
Specifically, document US2015/0241480 A1 concerns a power meter designed to receive rear and side expansion modules. For this purpose, the meter is provided with a rear opening and a side opening to receive a connector of an expansion module.
European Patent EP 2 635 877 B1 concerns a modular measuring system, comprising at least one slave module to measure a parameter, e.g. the consumption of power, gas, water, etc., and a master module electronically communicating with the slave module, for example wirelessly or via a communication module, wherein each slave module can comprise a meter for measuring the respective parameter from a remote load, while the master module is arranged to poll the slave modules and can comprise an electronic processor, a memory, a data logger and a user interface to display information received from a slave module selected through keyboard.
Document US 2008/0284614 A1 relates to a modular system for monitoring the power of one or more electric power lines, comprising a central unit including a meter and several optional modules, each combined with the central unit in parallel with the others.
Document GB 2503479 relates to a telemetry device to be used in a consumption unit, having at least one input to receive electric power data, e.g. data from a meter related to local electric power consumption or generation, and at least one output channel arranged to transmit electric power data, e.g. via wireless communication, to a remote server.
European Patent Application EP 0 726 631 A2, on the other hand, provides a junction box to be arranged on a floor to hold therein electrical and telephone equipment, EDP equipment or the like, which comprises a box-like body having openings for cables to pass therethrough.

Module for a sensor box for industrial automation and respective sensor box


A computer network control plane tampering monitor that detects unauthorized alteration of a label-switched path setup for an information packet intended for transmission through a computer network.

This invention relates to a method for monitoring the establishment of a label-switched path (LSP) through a global domain of label-switched nodes, such as, for example label-switched routers (LSRs). It provides for the detection of adversarial or accidental alterations of the label-switched path during its set-up.
As rapid Internet growth continues, global communications becomes more dependent on Internet availability for information transfer. Recently, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) introduced a new protocol, Multiple Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), to provide high-performance data flows within the Internet. MPLS emulates two major aspects of the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology. First, each initial IP packet is "routed" to its destination based on previously known delay and congestion avoidance mechanisms. This allows for effective distribution of network resources and reduces the probability of congestion. Second, after route selection each subsequent packet is assigned a label at each hop, which determines the output port for the packet to reach its final destination. These labels guide the forwarding of each packet at routing nodes more efficiently and with more control than traditional IP forwarding (based on complete address information in each packet) for high-performance data flows.
Label assignment is critical in the prompt and accurate delivery of user data. However, the protocols for label distribution were not adequately secured. Thus, if an adversary compromises a node by intercepting and modifying, or more simply injecting false labels into the packet-forwarding engine, the propagation of improperly labeled data flows could create instability in the entire network. In addition, some Virtual Private Network (VPN) solutions take advantage of this "virtual channel" configuration to eliminate the need for user data encryption to provide privacy. VPN's relying on MPLS require accurate label assignment to maintain user data protection.
A number of patents exist concerning MPLS networks. They do not address the need for monitoring the establishment of a label-switched path (LSP) through a global domain of label switched routers (LSRs) to allow the detection of adversarial or accidental alterations of the label-switched path during its set-up.
Casey et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,488) reports a virtual private network that enables private communications between two or more private networks over a shared MPLS network. The virtual private network disclosed includes multiple routers connected to the shared MPLS network and configured to dynamically distribute VPN information across the shared MPLS network. The VPN information distributed by a router includes a VPN identifier assigned to that router, which identifies a VPN with which that router is associated. The router includes a first table which stores a map of the label switched paths from the router in question to all other routers connected to the shared MPLS network. The router also includes a second table which stores a map of label switched paths from the router in question to all other routers connected to the shared MPLS network which share a common VPN identifier.
Schuster et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,053) reports a method and apparatus for measurement-based conformance testing of service level agreements in networks. The method includes first collecting quality of service information from network traffic over a plurality of network nodes. Then, the collected quality of service information is compared to a plurality of specified quality of service levels. A plurality of possible virtual quality of service pathways through a plurality of network nodes is provided, based on the compared quality of service information. One embodiment of the method includes the additional step of creating a virtual connection using the compared quality of service information. In another embodiment of the method, the step of collecting quality of service information from network traffic over a plurality of network nodes includes first transmitting test traffic from a source to a destination over a plurality of network nodes. The transmitted test traffic is then received at the destination, and quality of service information is identified by comparing characteristics of the test traffic transmitted by the source to characteristics of the test traffic received by the destination.
Armitage et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,303) reports an arrangement of label augmented, multi-protocol routing of data packets in a network utilizing fixed length labels that are negotiated between adjacent label routing routers in the network. Portions of each routing label may be assigned by both upstream and downstream routers in the network. Routing labels are used in lieu of conventional address headers to route data packets through said network; and by using routing labels the routers have more flexibility in routing data packets through said network and can use network links between routers that normally carry less traffic.
Stacey et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,765,921) reports a communications multi-service network arrangement for transporting information packets from a user station to a destination that comprises a label switched core network constituted by a plurality of abstract nodes interconnected by tunnels. Each abstract node comprises one or more real nodes. An access network provides user access to the core network. A route across the core network comprises a plurality of label switched path sections specified in terms of a sequence of abstract nodes, the route being identified by a label stack identifying a quality of service capable connection from the end station via the access network to the core network and across the core network to a destination.
Fleig et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,431) reports systems and methods for monitoring exchanges between a client and a server across a network. Implementation of the Fleig et al. invention takes place in association with a client and server that use standard Internet protocol to exchange requests and responses over a network. An extendable network monitor is employed to obtain a network monitor trace. Entire requests and responses are rebuilt. Chunked information is coalesced. Interleaved packets are collected. Bodies of data written in extensible markup language are reformatted by including white space and highlighting important data. Bodies of data written in hyper-text markup language are optionally removed from the requests and responses. As such, and in accordance with the present invention, the requests and responses exchanged by a client and a server across a network are made easily readable to a user, thereby allowing the user to read, interpret, and analyze the exchanges to ensure that the exchanges occurred correctly and as expected.
Hulyakar et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,751,196) reports a method and apparatus for assessing the quality of the communication paths among all stations in a network. This assessment is useful as a continual monitor of the quality of the network, and can be utilized to select an alternative central control station based upon the quality of communication paths to and from this station. Additionally, the quality assessment can be utilized to establish relay communication paths, as required.
The following is not an MPLS-based patent.
Lewis et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,442) reports how control of network surveillance in communications networks is accomplished by dividing the surveillance task into two sub-tasks. The first sub-task automatically identifies communications within the network which are to be monitored. Such identification is accomplished by the application of a reasoning system to data received from the network. The identification of the data to be monitored is received by the second sub-task along with network topology information. The second sub-task also applies a reasoning system to this data in order to configure probes and switches within the network so that the identified data can be captured.
The preceding do not enable a network administrator to detect and identify the location of an adversary who is tampering with the passage of data through a network in an attempt to degrade network performance or to obtain user data in an unauthorized manner. There is a pressing need for a tamper-detection method such as that implemented by this invention due to the range of adversarial threats to proper transfer of information through a network. The following is a list of some possible adversarial threats that are addressed by the tamper-detection method of this invention.
The network under consideration is owned and controlled by a single entity. The ingress and egress nodes are the nodes that are in physical communication with nodes in another network. The transit nodes can only communicate with other nodes within the network.
The adversary may have three goals for the manipulation of signaling messages.                a) The adversary wishes to obtain network messages because the data content has value to the adversary.        b) The adversary wishes to do traffic analysis.        c) The adversary wishes to degrade the capability of the network, for example, by harming the overall throughput.
Typically, the control channel is secured through some sort of link-by-link security feature. It is generally impractical to implement a link-by-link encryption scheme within a network domain. Such implementation entails providing a crypto key management function for every potential link traversed by a control message. This would increase unacceptably the complexity and processing overhead of each participating network node. An adversary may view and/or delete any control message, but any altered message will be discarded. As such, the adversary may sever physically or logically any control link that appears in the network that he can gain access to. Further manipulation of the control messages by an adversary requires compromise one or more nodes. However, that if one only monitors the two end nodes, it may not be possible to tell if a disruption is generated at one end of a series of linked nodes, in the middle of the link, or the other end of the linked nodes.
A particular compromised node may not have the resources to process the desired data. It may need to forward the data to another compromised node or some other node outside the network so that it can be saved and/or processed there. This can be accomplished by forwarding a label switch path request toward a more accessible location within the network. This can be accomplished by changing the hop-by-hop assignment in the explicit route table within the LSP message unit, redirecting a flow through a compromised node or link that is accessible for monitoring. Such rerouting can also be accomplished by a compromised node forwarding the LSP unit request through a port that may be less desirable as a legitimate route selection, but which allows the flow to traverse part of the network that is less secure and more amenable to unauthorized monitoring.
As long as control-plane data remains unprotected, there may be an adversary motivated to manipulate the control-plane data in order to acquire user data. Any such manipulations are likely to degrade the overall throughput of the network, which in turn affects the bottom line of the network. It may seem that a good way to remove the temptation for an adversary to acquire user data would be to encrypt the control-plane data from ingress node to egress node. However, such encryption comes at a cost in overall network performance. This encryption must be administered link by link throughout the entire domain; an end-to-end VPN tunnel cannot be implemented because the control-plane data is changed as it is processed throughout its node-by-node traversed path from the ingress of the network to the egress. A network must weigh that cost against the expected degradation in performance associated with reroutes because an adversary desires data content.
An adversary that desires to harm the network by degrading its performance has many options. These options include physical attacks on the equipment, user-plane attacks, and control plane attacks.
Because the intent of MPLS is to efficiently switch datagrams through the network, cryptographic security means generally will not be applied to the switching information in the packet headers due to the great reduction in efficiency that would result. This means that an adversary with access to the control-plane channel would be able to modify the switching information to send packets down unauthorized LSPs. The adversary may modify information deeper in the packet that only the egress node would be able to detect, or information that only the end user would be able to detect. In any of these cases, the corrupt information may pass through the network before its corruption is detected. This corruption may initiate a resending of the information, thereby degrading the network's overall performance. The effects of such attacks are felt throughout the network as corrupt packets are forwarded through the network.
Since the switched packets are not authenticated en route, the adversary with channel access may generate locally valid looking packets to the full capacity of the channel. The falsely generated packets may progress through the network in a number of ways.
The preceding methods of network disruption have not required compromising a node. Furthermore, the denial-of-service (DoS) mechanisms described above are independent of the security features applied at the control-plane. For such types of attacks, a secure control plane will not be able to prevent all denial or degradation of service attacks. Therefore, it is especially important to understand the impacts on overall network performance that may result from the application of a particular security method to the control-plane.
If a node is compromised, the adversary will have the ability to accomplish any of the DoS attacks describe thus far, but he will also have additional abilities. If an ingress node is compromised, it may generate traffic of any sort. It may flood the control plane of the entire network with bogus messages. It may reserve very high bandwidth, very high priority, and very explicit circuitous routes. On the more subtle side, a compromised ingress node may just bump up the bandwidth reservation requirements of all valid flows by a certain percentage. It may choose the worst paths that are still within-tolerance paths. One compromised ingress node may completely shut down the entire network. Network degradation due to a compromised ingress node is generally independent of any additional control-plane security methods that may be applied. Ingress nodes should be independently hardened to the highest level to protect the network.
Compromised transit nodes within the network may cause serious problems. If the route set-up messages are not globally authenticated, a transit node may mimic an ingress node and generate very high bandwidth, very high priority, and very explicit circuitous routes. This will have as serious an effect on the network as when an ingress node generates the false requests. However, a control-plane security method such as use of the control plane tamper detection method of this invention can be applied to detect and stop this behavior.

Computer network control plane tampering monitor


An impact start assist device for an electric motor comprises a driven member coupled to a load and a drive member coupled to the motor and to the driven member. The driven member and the drive member are rotatable, relative to each other, through at least a portion of a revolution. The device further comprises an arrangement for providing a substantially instantaneous transfer of angular momentum from the drive member to the driven member after relative rotation of the members through at least the portion of the revolution. A locking arrangement is provided for locking the drive member and the driven member together at high rotational speeds. At least a portion of the locking arrangement is centrifugally actuated, and a spring is provided to disengage the locking mechanism at low speeds, or at rest. A spring arrangement is also provided to position the drive member and driven member in predetermined angular positions relative to each other when the drive and driven members slow to a predetermined low rotational speed, or to a stop. In one embodiment, the arrangement for instantaneously transferring momentum from the drive member to the driven member comprises a hammer surface and an anvil surface on the respective members which impact one another after the members have rotated through at least a portion of a revolution. The device may be constructed as a coupler to be situated between a motor and a load, integrally constructed as part of the motor or the load, or integrally designed into the rotor of the motor.

This invention relates to a start assist device for use with an electric motor having low starting torque, and particularly to a device for transferring angular momentum from a motor driven element to an element coupled to a load. More particularly, the invention relates to a device which provides substantially instantaneous transfer of momentum from the motor driven element to the element coupled to the load by means of an impact between respective surfaces of the elements.
Some electric motors, and particularly many types of single phase induction motors, develop inherently low starting torque, as compared to the running, or load torque. In some applications, unusually high starting torque requirements may exist continuously by design, or intermittently due to variations in operating conditions or mechanical malfunctions. In the latter case, unanticipated torque demands may cause a motor to be unable to start.
Conventional dishwashers typically rely on a sliding seal (e.g., carbon-ceramic surfaces) in the bottom of the dishwasher housing where the drive shaft penetrates the wall. Prolonged periods during which a dishwasher is not used may result in "sticking" of this seal due to contamination by detergents or water or other corrosion processes. The "stuck" seal represents an additional frictional barrier to starting the dishwasher that a low torque motor is sometimes unable to overcome, resulting in the need for a service call or other repair efforts. Thus, a need exists for a device which will provide an effective increase in the starting torque characteristic of a motor, such as a single phase induction motor of the type used to power an appliance such as a dishwasher, so as to allow the motor to start and function normally in the face of unanticipated high starting torque demands.
Start assist devices for use with electric motors are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,097 to Trinter; U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,159 to Lord; U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,304 to Jessup et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,586 to Moutardier.
Conventional start assist devices generally consist of one or more springs coupled to a driving member and a driven member. The driving member is accelerated by the motor, thereby applying tension to the spring. In reacting to the applied tension, the spring tends to drag the driven member up to speed, providing for increased starting torque through a gradual acceleration of the driven member. The spring absorbs some of the energy meant to be imparted to the driven member to bring it up to speed, with a resultant decrease in the overall efficiency of the device. Furthermore, the gradual transfer of energy from the driving member to the driven member may not be adequate or appropriate in all situations, including the "stuck" seal situation referred to above.
A device that provides a substantially instantaneous transfer of energy from the driving member to the driven member would overcome these liabilities. Utilizing impact for the transfer of energy would take advantage of the relatively high running speed and associated angular momentum of the driving member to provide a substantially instantaneous transfer of energy to the driven member for improved starting assist. At the same time, use of an impact start assist device would avoid the use of springs and thereby provide an improved starting assist without the energy losses and other problems inherent in the arrangements which use springs. Thus, a device that provides for a transfer of energy from a driving member to a driven member by utilizing impact would represent an improvement over conventional start assist devices. An object of the present invention is to provide such an impact start assist device for use with electric motors.
According to the present invention, an impact start assist device for use in an electric motor comprises a driven member coupled to a load and a drive member coupled to the motor and to the driven member. The driven member and the drive member are rotatable, relative to each other, through at least a portion of a revolution. The device further comprises means for providing a substantially instantaneous transfer of angular momentum from the drive member to the driven member after relative rotation of the members through at least said portion of a revolution.
In one embodiment, the impact start assist device further comprises means for locking the drive member and the driven member together at high rotational speeds. Means is also provided for unlocking the drive member and the driven member at low rotational speeds, and at rest.
Illustratively, the means for providing an instantaneous transfer of angular momentum includes at least one anvil surface formed on the driven member and at least one hammer surface formed on the drive member. The hammer surface is positioned to impact the anvil formed on the driven member after the drive member has rotated through at least a portion of a revolution relative to the driven member.
The locking means illustratively includes at least one sprag that moves from a rest position to a wedged position between the hammer surface and the anvil surface at a first relatively high rotational speed. The locking means further includes a resilient element, such as a spring, coupled to the sprag to move the sprag from the wedged position to a rest position at a second relatively low rotational speed. The device also includes a resilient element coupled to the drive member and the driven member to return the members to predetermined angular positions relative to each other at a third relatively low rotational speed.
The impact start assist device of the present invention may be constructed as a coupling device which is used to connect a standard electric motor to a load. Alternatively, the impact start assist device may be integrally constructed with an electric motor, or the rotor of an electric motor may be constructed of two, relatively rotatable components which comprise driving and driven members and which function to provide the substantially instantaneous transfer of momentum in the manner described.
By providing a drive member which is initially free of the load, the present invention allows the drive member to quickly develop a high angular momentum. By rotatably coupling the drive member to the driven member and providing for a substantially instantaneous transfer of the drive member momentum to the driven member, the present invention provides a considerable improvement over conventional start assist devices.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as previously perceived.

Impact start assist for an electric motor


A method includes calculating a Fourier transform of an image, extracting a plurality of arrays, from the Fourier transform utilizing, for each of the plurality of arrays, one of a plurality of templates each of said templates corresponding to a texture orientation, calculating a maximum value for each of the plurality of arrays, identifying each of the plurality of arrays having a calculated maximum value greater than a predetermined threshold and determining, for each of the plurality of identified arrays, the texture orientation of the template utilized to extract the identified one of the plurality of arrays.

The performance of accurate texture detection and analysis is an important task when performing image analysis. Specifically, texture detection and analysis is utilized when detecting motion for use in frame interpolation for frame rate up-conversion, video surveillance, and the like. The performance of such analysis in real or near real time when dealing with video can require substantial computational resources.
There may therefore exist a need to provide a low-complexity solution to identifying texture orientations, particularly those which repeat with an identifiable periodicity.

Method of and apparatus for low-complexity detection of periodic textures orientation


A housing structure includes a shell integrally formed in aluminum and at least one mounting member. The shell includes a bottom wall, a first end wall, a second end wall and a top wall connected to the first end wall and the second end wall. The first end wall and the second end wall extend from opposite ends of the bottom wall. The bottom wall, the first end wall, the second end wall, and the top wall cooperatively form a receiving space with at least one opening. A first installation rail and a second installation rail protrude respectively from inners wall of the first end wall and the second end wall. The at least one mounting member is connected with the first installation rail and the second installation rail to enclose the at least one opening. The disclosure also supplies an electronic device using the same.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to housing structures, and particularly to a housing structure of an electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Housings or housing structures of electronic devices are usually made of plastic, and manufactured by injection molding. Different kinds of plastic members or components need to be used to enclose functional members or components in the housing of the electronic devices during assembly, so the efficiency is relatively low. In addition, plastic housing is poorer in preventing electromagnetic interference and providing electronic protection as compared to a metal housing. However, manufacturing cost of metal housings is higher because the metal housing is usually manufactured by stamping and milling by CNC (computer numerical control) machine tools several times.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Housing structure and electronic device using the same

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.


A locking storage system for fishing rods includes a retention base, a sliding lock plate and a plurality of rod collars. A plurality of openings are formed through the retention base. A rod collar is inserted through the openings. The rod collar is sized to receive the end of a fishing rod. The sliding lock plate captures the reel pedestal of a reel of a fishing rod. The sliding lock plate is secured to the retention base with a padlock. A rod retention plate may be used in conjunction with the locking storage system for fishing rods. A second embodiment includes a contoured rod base and a sliding lock plate engaged with the contoured rod base. A third embodiment includes a rod tray, a rod support and a swinging lock plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fishing rods and more particularly, to locking storage systems for fishing rods, which allow a plurality of fishing rods to be stored and locked on a vessel or the like, when not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Avid anglers engaging in some types of fishing may utilize 4, 6, or more expensive fishing rods in the course of a fishing day. Because these rods are somewhat cumbersome they are often left unattended, for example in the cockpit of a vessel. Not surprisingly, it is not at all uncommon for these rods to be stolen off a boat while the vessel is docked overnight at a marina, left unattended at a fuel dock, or even when stopped at a traffic light while the boat is being pulled. Similarly, rods being transported in a vehicle or stored in a garage are also targets of thieves. In short, any time fishing rods are left unattended and unsecured the potential for theft exists. While several locking mechanisms for fishing rods exist, these either lock only the actual fishing rod (and not the reel) or require a cumbersome box to encase all or part of the rod/reel combination. Moreover, many of the existing designs do not allow for quick, unencumbered access to fishing gear when locking attributes are not required, and do not offer effective duality of use for storing related boating or fishing items such as gaffs, boat brushes, or boat hooks.
Vertically supported tubular rod holders with downward slots, which accommodate reel stems, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,099 are very common. This type of holder is inexpensive, typically manufactured to be suitable for a marine environment, offers flexible mounting options, and allows the fisherman to utilize the rack both for storage/transport and while he/she is actively fishing. However, this holder offers no security against theft.
Simple 'rod type' locking mechanisms, such as the truck bumper-mounted unit described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,473 provide a simple solution to the prevention of theft, however designs requiring full removal of the locking rod preclude installation on many of the available mounting surfaces of a boat (such as under a gunwale with an overhang, or on the inner surface of a narrow transom). This is because there must be an unobstructed area on one side of the unit equal to the locking-rod length to allow full removal of the locking rod. Moreover, such a design exposes a significant portion of the locking rod, inviting would-be thieves to simply cut the rod and remove the fishing rod and reel combinations. Finally, such locking devices are limited in their ability to lock reels other than spinning reels (e.g. conventional reels or fly reels) because these types of reels do not have a reel stem which sets the main body of the reel off from the fishing rod.
Enclosed designs, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,499,248 B2 and 4,572,416 are typically intended for automobile roof top transport of rods and are not suitable for boats because they require an inordinate amount of space. Perhaps more importantly, the unit obviously cannot be used to hold rods that need to be quickly and easily accessed, such as while fishing.
Semi-enclosed designs, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,170 may offer some protection from theft and relative ease of access, however this ease of access can be enjoyed only when the somewhat cumbersome cover is removed, requiring significant storage space somewhere on the boat. In addition, this design is limited with respect to the breadth of reel sizes that it can accommodate. Because the locking cover must be designed and permanently installed to accommodate the largest fishing rod/reel(s). However, smaller rod/reel combinations may not be enclosed snugly enough to prevent their disassembly and subsequent removal from the rack.
Similarly, such limitations deem these designs ill-suited for storing related boating accessories such as gaffs, boat brushes, and boat hooks. Such semi-enclosed or enclosed designs often require a user to relieve tension on the fishing line on a Rod/Reel Combination stored in the unit so that the enclosure can properly conceal the Rod/Reel Combinations, inviting the opportunity for tangles and dangerous dangling tackle. Moreover, this design requires more installation space as there are (2) independent units, which must installed. Finally, the specific design cited requires the use of 2 separate padlocks to secure the rods, reducing convenience.
Single-fishing rod locking devices, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,460,306 and 5,361,611 appear to provide some security and possible ease of access. However such designs obviously provide storage for only a single fishing rod. Storing multiple fishing rods would obviously require multiple padlocks, multiple mountings, etc, thus greatly increasing complexity of both installation and use.
Accordingly, there is an established need for locking storage systems for fishing rods, which may be locked to prevent unauthorized removal of the fishing rods (rod/reel units), when they are left unattended, but which provides convenient access to gear when the rack is not locked.

Locking storage systems for fishing rods


A lighted switch device, comprising a substrate, a switch provided on a first surface of the substrate, a light source provided on a second surface of the substrate, a key top to press the switch, and a light guide mechanism to guide light emitted from the light source to the key top or a periphery of the key top, the light guide mechanism including a first light guiding member to hold the key top and a second light guiding member disposed to surround the light source, the light emitted from the light source being guided through the second light guiding member to the first light guiding member holding the key top.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighted switch device used in in-car instruments, electric home appliances, front doors or equipments and apparatus expected to be used in darkness.
2. Description of Related Art
One known conventional lighted switch device used in meters of automobiles includes a press button, a lighting part provided on the press button, and a plurality of LEDs disposed on a wiring board, and the device is configured to guide light emitted from the LEDs through the lighting part to an emission surface provided on a top portion of the press button (for reference, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2004-146260, FIG. 3 and paragraphs 0016 to 0022).
Also known is a keyhole illumination device including a light guide disposed at a periphery of a keyhole and a light source provided on a side surface or lower surface of the light guide and used in an ignition key of a vehicle; the device is configured to illuminate the periphery of the keyhole through the light guide by light emitted from the light source (for reference, see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No.S62-137972, FIG. 1 and page1).
However, in the lighted switch structure as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2004-146260, because the distance from the LEDs to the emission surface is relatively short, it is difficult to diffuse the light towards the emission surface, and hence the emission surface tends to be one spot illumination. Conversely, if a light diffusion material is introduced in the lighting part to achieve increased light diffusion efficiency, there is a problem that the amount of light emission is reduced.
Furthermore, in the keyhole illumination device as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No.S62-137972, the device is structured to indicate the position of the keyhole in darkness, however, there is a problem that the light becomes non-uniform in the light guide, because the light source is attached to a portion of the light guide. Therefore, in this device, the structure makes it difficult for light emitted from the light source to go round to the opposite side of the light source.


A column of read-only-memory (ROM) cells is programmed to store two or more bits of information in each cell by forming a plurality of coding (bit) lines adjacent to the column of cells, and selectively connecting the cells to the plurality of coding lines so that the different logic conditions defined by the two or more bits are represented by the coding lines that are connected to a memory cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a read-only-memory (ROM) and, more particularly, to a ROM which has a memory cell that stores a plurality of bits of information.
2. Description of the Related Art
A read-only-memory (ROM) is a non-volatile memory that is only programmed once. As a result, ROMs are commonly used in applications where the information stored in the ROM is not expected to change.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram that illustrates a prior art ROM 1. As shown in FIG. 1, ROM 1 includes a storage section 10 that has a plurality of memory cells 12 arranged in rows and columns, and a decoder section 14 that decodes an input address to identify the memory cells 12 in storage section 10 that are to be read. As is well known, each memory cell 12 in storage section 10 permanently stores one bit of information as one of two logic states.
As further shown in FIG. 1, ROM 1 additionally includes a precharge section 18 that, along with decoder section 14, supplies operational voltages to the cells in storage section 10 that are to be read, and a sense amp section 20 that senses the output voltage associated with each of the memory cells 12 that have been read.
In addition, ROM 1 also includes a multiplexor section 22 that passes the output voltages from the memory cells 12 to the sense amp section 20, and a control section 24 that controls the operation of the various sections of ROM 1.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram that illustrates storage section 10. As shown in FIG. 2, each memory cell 12 of the plurality of memory cells formed in storage section 10 is implemented with a single MOS transistor.
In addition, storage section 10 also includes a plurality of word lines WL1-WLn which are arranged so that each word line WL corresponds with one row of cells, and a plurality of bit lines BL1-BLm which are arranged so that each bit line BL corresponds with one column of cells.
Each cell 12 is programmed to store one of the two logic states during the fabrication of the cell by connecting the gate of the transistor to either the source of the transistor if the cell is to store a first logic state, such as a logic "1", or the word line WL that corresponds with the cell if the cell is to store a second logic state, such as a logic "0".
In operation, when a predefined number of memory cells 12 in a row of cells are to be read, such as a byte of cells, decoder section 14 applies a gate voltage to the word line WL that corresponds with the row that contains the cells which are to be read, while grounding the other word lines WL. At the same time, precharge section 18 applies a precharged drain voltage to the bit lines BL that correspond with the cells that are to be read.
If the gate of a particular cell 12 is connected to the source of the transistor, such as the first cell in the first row of FIG. 2, then the gate voltage will not turn on the transistor. This, in turn, allows the bit line BL that corresponds with the cell to remain charged to the precharged drain voltage. As a result, sense amp section 20 senses a "high" voltage condition on the bit line BL, and outputs a logic "1".
On the other hand, if the gate of a particular cell 12 is connected to the word line WL, such as the second cell in the first row of FIG. 2, then the gate voltage will turn on the transistor, thereby causing the bit line BL that corresponds with the cell to be discharged to ground. As a result, sense amp section 20 senses a low voltage condition on the bit line BL, and outputs a logic "0".
Although ROMs are well known, as the systems that utilize ROMs get smaller, faster, and cheaper, the centrality that ROMs play in many applications means that there is a continuing need for ROMs that are faster, consume less power, and require less silicon real estate to implement.

Read-only-memory (ROM) having a memory cell that stores a plurality of bits of information


This invention provides a computer capable of displaying information in multiple windows and handling multiple audio signals in a manner convenient for a user. This is achieved in one embodiment of the present invention by audibly producing only one audio signal at a time, but allowing the user to monitor a second received audio signal by visually representing the second audio signal through a displayed icon. The display of the icon may vary over time, reflecting time-variable characteristics of the signal represented by the icon, thus enabling the user to monitor the audio signals that are received but not actually audibly produced. Examples of such time-variable characteristics include volume, semantics and pitch.

This invention generally relates to computers. In particular, it pertains to a computer which not only has audio signal input/output capability but also employs a multi-window display system.
The computer industry has continuously introduced various multi-media computers, many of which have audio signal input/output capability together with animated image display capability. Such a multi-media computer generally employs a multi-window display system to display different information simultaneously and independently on different areas called windows resulting from splitting a display screen, and plural icons are usually displayed so that an operator can activate any one of them using a device called a mouse.
In a conventional multi-window display system, a window, in which information that is not currently referred to by an operator is being displayed, can be closed to display an alternative to that window, i.e., an icon image with a smaller area. Thus, the area of a screen is effectively used. When closing an unnecessary window to display it as an icon image, a pattern to be applied to an icon image is read from a corresponding memory for display. Thereafter, such an icon image is displayed as a still image keeping the same pattern until it is activated to open a window.
There are certain types of icon images capable of changing their patterns whilst being displayed on the screen of a display unit. For example, when an icon image is selected by an operator with a mouse for initiating input operations, such an icon image changes its pattern so as to indicate its current status of "being selected". For the case of an icon image of a clock, such an icon image can change its pattern so as to show time. For the case of an icon image indicative of whether an electronic mail is received, it can change its pattern when a monitoring system detects the receipt of an electronic mail. However, it will take at least a period of some several seconds for an icon image to be able to change its pattern. Any shorter period than that results in disadvantageously increasing the burden to be handled by a CPU. This prevents conventional techniques from producing an icon image which shows no awkward movements.
There are several drawbacks presented by conventional multi-media computers.
For example, with a first piece of information being displayed in a first window, and with a first audio signal corresponding to the first piece of information being output through a loudspeaker in the form of a sound, if the first window is closed and displayed as an icon image in order that a second piece of information is displayed in a second window, both the first and second audio signals will be output in the form of a sound at the same time. This causes hearing confusion to an operator.
Meanwhile, if an audio signal corresponding to information of a closed window in the form of an icon image is stopped, that is to say, if such an audio signal is not output currently through a loudspeaker in the form of a sound, this allows an operator to clearly hear a sound corresponding to information displayed in a newly opened window. However, this presents a problem that it is most hard for an operator to visually realize that there exists a concealed sound behind a closed window now in the form of an icon image, since such a closed window is displayed as a still image with no movements.

Computer generating a time-variable icon for an audio signal

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A small portable power pack includes a fuel/air supply for mixing fuel, which is supplied from outside, with outside air, thereby providing mixed gas; a uniflow scavenging micro-engine for receiving mixed gas from the fuel/air supply and igniting mixed gas to explode; a control panel for operating and controlling the uniflow scavenging micro-engine; a capacitor battery for powering the control panel and the uniflow scavenging micro-engine. The portable power pack is easily carried and used without the restriction of spaces and sites.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable power pack, and more particularly, to a small portable power pack, which can be easily carried and used without the restriction of spaces and sites, and includes a fuel/air supply, which is connected to a fuel tank containing dimethyl ether (DME) fuel, and an engine, which performs a series of procedures, such as ignition, explosion, compression and exhaustion to convert mechanical energy to electric energy using the fuel delivered from the fuel/air supply thereby powering various devices, such as portable electronic devices and autonomous robots.
2. Description of the Related Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, electronic devices have been miniaturized due to the manufacturing technologies of Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), each of which has held the spotlight as one of the advanced technologies in 21st century. This technology has enabled the rapid development of portable electronic devices, such as a mobile phone, a Personal Data Assistant (PDA) and a notebook computer, and created new fields, such as a Micro-Air Vehicle (MAV) and a micro-robot, thereby providing driving force for realizing the ubiquitous age. However, a capacitor battery or a power pack (i.e., a portable power supply) having high power output is essentially required because a portable mobile communication device needs a greater amount of electric energy due to the increase of the display size thereof and the addition of picture and dynamic image functions and a micro-robot should be able to move in a wide range and operate in a long period of time.
At present, a lithium (Li) ion capacitor battery, which is mainly used in small electronic devices, has an energy density of about 90 W-h/kg. This battery can consecutively operate for 3 to 4 hours, and has to be recharged after that. Accordingly, in order to prepare for more developed ubiquitous age, there is essentially required a power pack having an energy density of 500 W-h/kg or more, which enables such electronic devices to operate in a longer period of time.
However, the existing power pack is too complicated to reduce its size. Even if the power pack is miniaturized, the capacity thereof is insufficient to block the multiple use.

Portable power pack, fuel/air supply for the portable power pack, uniflow scavenging micro-engine for the portable power pack and operation method thereof


A grille guard assembly for a vehicle and method of making same includes a hydroformed tubular upper member and a hydroformed tubular lower member. The grille guard assembly also includes at least one inner member interconnecting the upper member and the lower member. The grille guard assembly further includes at least one bracket connected to the lower member for attachment to vehicle structure.

It is known to provide a grille guard for a vehicle such as a sport utility vehicle. Typically, the grille guard is made of a number of bent round tubes welded together as a space-frame type of assembly or cage to serve as a protective structure to a front grille of the vehicle.
It is also known to hydroform tubular components or members. Hydroformed tubular members are becoming increasingly popular in automotive vehicle body applications. During vehicle body manufacturing, many of the hydroformed tubular members are used in the vehicle body and chassis of the vehicle.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a new grille guard for a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a new grille guard for a vehicle that incorporates members formed by a hydroforming process. It is further desirable to provide a method of making a grille guard for a vehicle incorporating hydroformed tubular members. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a new grille guard and method of making same that meets these desires.


A manually extendible plastic spout for use in combination with the closure for an industrial container. The spout has a peripheral flange with a U-shaped channel which receives a downwardly extending flange on the closure so that the spout is installed from the bottom side of the closure rather than according to the more customary top-mounted procedure. The body of the spout is pleated and has an outlet collar which is threaded to receive a cap having a pull-ring, an integral internal seal is also provided. The spout can be extended to any of several stable positions or conditions.

It is known to install collapsible, but manually extendible, spouts in the closure decks of industrial containers for the purpose of facilitating the act of pouring out the contents of the container. One common spout uses a "roll sock" configuration wherein the soft plastic body of the spout is gradually turned inside out as the spout is extended. Roll sock spouts typically have three pieces and are of limited height.

Collapsible spout for a container and method of manufacture thereof


A distributed interconnect and a method is provided for interconnecting electrical components which minimizes coupling inductance and increases bandwidth. The interconnect includes a transmission line with a first and second conductive transmission element. The first conductive transmission element is disposed between a first and second terminal, and has an impedance characteristic that increases from the first terminal to the second terminal. The second conductive transmission element is disposed between a third and fourth terminal, and has an impedance characteristic that increases from the third terminal to said fourth terminal. The conductive transmission elements are furthermore positioned in parallel alignment with respect to each other. A plurality of conductive interconnect elements interconnect the first and second transmission elements and are distributed along the first and second transmission elements and at least interconnect the first terminal to the fourth terminal and interconnect the second terminal to the third terminal. Furthermore, a first port is connected to the first terminal and a second port is connected to a third terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to interconnections between electrical components. In particular, the present invention relates to interconnections and methods that may be utilized to overcome the negative impact of high inductance indigenous to interconnections (such as bondwires or vias through substrates) between components utilized in microwaves applications.
2. Background of the Invention
An important consideration in microwave design engineering is dealing with unwanted inductance. Inductance becomes increasingly common as the frequency of an alternating current increases. At microwave frequencies, this phenomenon becomes a major consideration in the design of electronic equipment. Any length of wire has some inductance. As with a transmission line, the inductance of a wire increases as the frequency increases. Wire inductance is therefore more significant at microwave frequencies than at lower frequencies. As a result, in microwave applications the frequency of any circuit can be altered by inductance, degrading the performance of the equipment.
Typically, individual microwave components are usually connected together by mounting the components with epoxy or by soldering them onto metal traces on a substrate. For larger systems, metal traces on one substrate must be connected to the metal traces on another substrate. A common way of accomplishing this is with small bondwires, bonded (either with an ultrasonic scrub or with thermo-compression) from a metal trace on one substrate, over a gap, to a metal trace on another substrate. The wirebond is typically 1 mil (0.001 inch) in diameter, and may be anywhere from about 10 mils to 50 or even 100 mils or more in length. While 0.10 seems minimal, it can be an appreciable fraction of a wavelength. For example, at 10 GHz, a wavelength is about an inch which means the bondwire can be about 1/10 of a wavelength long. This can have a serious negative impact on the fidelity of a microwave signal.
Usual methods of dealing with high bondwire inductance include: (1) making the bondwires shorter; (2) arranging a plurality of bondwires in parallel; and/or (3) "matching" the inductance of the bondwire by resonating it with a small capacitance. Limitations to each of these approaches exist. Bondwire length typically must be at least a certain length for mechanical reasons, such as allowing for thermal expansion and contraction of the substrates. Arranging wires in parallel is limited by the mutual coupling that inevitably exists between wires if they are close together, and by other effects if the wires are spread out too much. Resonating or matching the bondwires is limited to achieving a certain amount of bandwidth.
There have been numerous research studies which have pertained to controlling inductance in transmission lines. For example, there is known a "distributed amplifier" which distributes capacitance across a transmission line to produce an amplifier with greater bandwidth, which is described in an abstract by Ginzton et. al., ("Distributed Amplification", Proc. I.R.E., v. 36, pp. 956–969, 1948). The canonical approach for the distributed amplifier is to use a constant impedance transmission line for the input and output. However, the distributed amplifier is concerned with distributing capacitance, rather than inductance. Furthermore, the distributed amplifier utilizes amplifying elements and transmission line terminations.
Another reference is the microwave circuit configuration known as a "traveling wave power divider/combiner." It is also sometimes called a "chain" combiner (Russell, Kenneth J., "Microwave Power Combining Techniques", IEEE Trans. on MTT, vol. MTT-27, pp 472–478, May 1979). This approach varies the impedance of a transmission line as a portion of the energy is sent in a different direction. However, this design is based on an assumption that each energy tap of the traveling wave power divider is expected to have a good impedance match, not a high inductance. Moreover, each tap is separated from the next by a nominal 90 electrical degrees which can be prohibitively larger for many applications. Also, in this approach, isolation resistors are typically used for the traveling wave power divider.
Another technique involves matching the interconnect inductance with shunt capacitance. This technique addresses the same performance issues by simply providing paralleled inductances and matched elements applied to either end. This approach was published by Nelson, Steve, Marilyn Youngblood, Jeanne Pavia, Brad Larson, and Rick Kottman, "Optimum Microstrip Interconnects, 1991 IEEE MTT-S Digest, pp 1071–1074. This method for dealing with unwanted inductance has been shown to be effective, but, at a substantial cost of bandwidth.
Moreover, the performance limitations produced by individual interconnects were examined in some detail by R. M. Fano in his paper "Theoretical limitations on the broadband matching of arbitrary impedances," published in the Journal of the Franklin Institute, vol. 249, Jan. 1950 pp 57–83 and Feb. pp 139–155. Nevertheless, the aforementioned references still do not teach or suggest a solution towards overcoming microwave application interconnections having high inductances.
It would be advantageous and desirable to provide an interconnect and method of interconnected components which overcome the negative impact of high inductance indigenous to interconnection elements utilized in microwave applications. Moreover, it would be beneficial to provide an interconnect that can be cost-effectively manufactured while delivering optimal performance.


The present invention relates to a casting mold having a molten metal received therein which is rotated in one direction by a rotary device with the vertical axis as a rotary axis while solidifying the molten metal for a predetermined period of time, and, after the predetermined period of time is lapsed, the casting mold is rotated in the direction opposite the direction of rotation for a predetermined period of time, and the rotation in the opposing directions is repeated so that the molten metal is solidified. The molten metal can be shaken and agitated without roughening the surface of the molten metal to uniformalize the distribution of temperature of the molten metal in the casting mold.

For alloys which are subject to weight segregation due to incorporation of additive elements having a great difference in specific gravity or alloys containing elements which are segregation during solidification, it has been desired to effectively prevent occurrence of segregation during casting in order to improve product quality. In particular, Mg alloys and other light alloys are subject to the aforementioned segregation.
Referring to segregation of alloying elements that occurs during casting, a method can be proposed which includes lowering a casting temperature in order to reduce a time required until solidification, eliminate crystal growth or prevent phases having a high specific gravity or elements having a great atomic weight from settling. However, in actual casting, fluidity of molten metal in a thick shape or complicated shape must be taken into account. Thus it is difficult to substantially lower the casting temperature. Further, in a simple shape such as ingot, the casting temperature can be lowered. However, such a material is normally thick and thus needs a long solidification time even if the casting temperature is somewhat lowered. Thus, segregation occurs inevitably.
Besides this method, a method has been proposed which comprises eliminating segregation or finely dividing texture during casting to indirectly eliminate segregation (e.g., Patent Documents 1, 2).
The method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a casting method which comprises effecting solidification in a horizontal direction in a directional solidification furnace having a chilling plate and a heating furnace while being slowly rotated on a horizontal axis. Thereby, casting defectives such as shrinkage cavity and segregation are eliminated while providing a sufficient temperature gradient.
Further, the method disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a casting method which comprises repeating mincingly rotation/reversed rotation or rotation in one direction and suspension of rotation of a casting mold placed on a chilling plate (water-cooling plate) so that a horizontal vibration is given to the casting mold in order to produce a fine regular system structure.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-2000-343204    Patent Document 2: JP-A-2002-331354


A bipolar ionizer comprising an electronic circuit, microprocessor, and step-up transformer providing high-voltage signals to carbon-fiber electrodes producing bipolar ion concentrations greater than +/−200 million ions per cubic centimeter. The bipolar ionizer monitors, reduces, and converts high-voltage signals to feedback signals used by the microprocessor to vary a frequency and a duty cycle of a digital signal to control an excitation signal for a step-up transformer output voltage to consistently maintain an unbalanced high-voltage output ratio less than 80 percent, balanced bipolar ion concentration ratio greater than 80 percent, and zero ozone concentration over a range of electrical signal inputs. The microprocessor calculates and reports bipolar ionizer concentrations based on feedback signals. The microprocessor monitors concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in an airflow serving the bipolar ionizer and adjusts the positive/negative DC high-voltage signals and bipolar ion concentration when VOC concentrations are above a threshold.

Known bipolar ionizers are generally installed at an inlet of a fan installed on a Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. Bipolar ionizers may also be installed on a fan motor or a fan blade or inside an air duct or on the inlet of a fan of an air cleaner. Known bipolar ionizers are used to produce high concentrations of positive and negative ions which attach to particles in a volume of air or particles in an airflow volume causing said particles to become positively or negatively charged and combine with other particles which become larger and heavier. Clusters of larger and heavier particles are removed from the air by air filters or removed from the air by being attracted to surfaces in a duct system or surfaces inside a building. Bipolar ions are also attracted to virus, bacteria, mold, and other airborne pathogenic microbes. When positive and negative ions combine on the surface of a pathogen, a chemical reaction occurs on the cell surface membrane which produces hydroxide (OH+ or OH−) radicals which removes a hydrogen atom (H) from the pathogen. This chemical reaction severs a protein on the cell membrane which deactivates or destroys the pathogen. The ionized OH radicals bond with the removed hydrogen and form water vapor (H2O). Bipolar ionization kills pathogens without damaging the DNA in the interior cells of the pathogen, so it does not cause cancer. Bipolar ionization also breaks down hydrocarbon chains in harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into harmless compounds such as oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide. Bipolar ionization also removes dust and odors.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted a regulation to limit ozone emissions from indoor air cleaning devices (AB 2276). Since 2010, all indoor air cleaners sold in, or shipped to, California must meet ozone emission and electrical safety standards and produce a Time Weighted Average (TWA) ozone concentration less than 0.050 parts per million by volume (ppmv) over 8 hours when tested in a 30 meter cubed (m3) chamber. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2017-08/acrfactsheet.pdf https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/air-cleaner-regulation.pdf https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/californias-regulation-limit-ozone-emissions-indoor-air-cleaning-devices. The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires ozone output of indoor medical devices to be no more than 0.05 ppmv. See https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=801.415. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that workers not be exposed to an average concentration of more than 0.10 ppmv for 8 hours. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ozone standard is a maximum 8 hour average concentration of 0.08 ppmv. See https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/ozone-generators-are-sold-air-cleaners#ozone-health.
Known bipolar ionizers may operate over a range of electrical signal inputs from 20 Volts Alternating Current (VAC) to 30 VAC or line voltages from 120 to 277 VAC. Bipolar ionizers for HVAC systems are typically designed to operate at 24 VAC, but HVAC system transformer voltages may vary from 24 to 30 VAC. Known bipolar ionizers operating at transformer voltages from 24 to 30 VAC may provide higher ozone concentrations than allowed by the CARB and US FDA. The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 867 Section 40 ozone concentration tests or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) 22.2 Number 187 in-duct ozone concentration tests are used to certify polar and bipolar ionizers for public safety. These tests might provide false positive results if tests are only performed at a single transformer voltage of 24 VAC.
Field tests indicate that some bipolar ionizers are sensitive to magnetic fields from rare earth magnets used to attach bipolar ionizers to sheet metal surfaces of HVAC ducts or fan housings. A bipolar ionizer with two rare earth magnets installed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) caused ion concentrations to be reduced from 50 to 100 million ions per cubic centimeter (ions/cc) to 50 to 100 ions/cc. Lower ion concentration reduces the efficacy of bipolar ionizers to remove particles, break down VOCs, and inactivate airborne pathogens.
Known prior art bipolar ionizers only have one electrical signal input (and a common signal input) which typically requires the ionizer to be energized continuously which will cause dust to accumulate on the electrodes when the fan is turned off. Dust accumulation may require maintenance. Operating a fan continuously to power the ionizer continuously will significantly increase the fan energy use.
According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) gas phase ion energetics data, the ozone gas ionization energy is 12.53±0.08 electron Volts (eV). See https://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?ID=C10028156&Mask=20#Ion-Energetics. The threshold high-voltage output is dependent on and may vary based on an ambient air temperature and a relative humidity as well as a distance the positive-ion electrode is from a grounded surface and the distance the positive-ion electrode is from the negative-ion electrode.
A 2021 research study by YICHENG ZENG indicates that bipolar ionizers may not fully decompose Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). See YICHENG ZENG, et al., Evaluating a commercially available in-duct bipolar ionization device for pollutant removal and potential by product formation, Building and Environment Journal, May 15, 2021, 14 pages, Volume 195. Elsevier Science Direct. Building and Environment. Amsterdam, NL. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036013232100158X ZENG page 12 states that both "the laboratory and field data collected herein suggest that other unintended byproduct formation (e.g., of smaller, potentially oxidized VOCs) is likely occurring, with some consistencies observed in both constituent reductions (e.g., xylenes, ethylbenzene, and 1,2-dichloroethane) and increases (e.g., acetone, ethanol, and toluene), with some consistencies observed between both the chamber tests and field tests." ZENG page 12 further indicates that "if the residence time in the ionizing region is insufficient to fully ionize not only the parent VOCs initially in the indoor air, but also the multiple generations of daughter products, then the unintended consequence of ionizers may be to enhance concentrations of smaller, potentially oxidized daughter VOCs."
There are thousands of VOCs, and some VOCs such as formaldehyde, have been recognized as a health risk and have specific guidelines. The United States (US) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates formaldehyde as a carcinogen. OSHA has adopted an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for formaldehyde of 0.75 ppmv and an action level of 0.5 ppmv. According to the OSHA Standard Number 1910.1048(n)(1) for formaldehyde, employers shall not expose employees to formaldehyde at or above 0.1 ppmv. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has established an ambient level for formaldehyde of 0.4 ppmv or less for mobile homes.
Based on the OSHA 8-hour TWA PEL of 0.75 ppmv and action level of 0.5 ppmv and employee exposure limit of 0.1 ppmv for formaldehyde, the HUD formaldehyde level of 0.4 ppmv for mobile homes, and research findings published by ZENG regarding "unintended consequence of ionizers may be to enhance concentrations of smaller, potentially oxidized daughter VOCs," an unresolved problem exists regarding bipolar ionizers operating in an airflow where VOCs such as formaldehyde may be present at concentration levels at or above 0.1 ppmv.
A 2011 report by SIDHESWARAN, titled "Quantitative Room Temperature Mineralization of Airborne Formaldehyde Using Manganese Oxide Catalysts," indicated that air filters with manganese oxide catalysts (manganese sulfate or MnSO4 and sodium permanganate or NaMnO4) showed consistent single-pass formaldehyde oxidation efficiency greater than 80% for the synthesized catalysts, which remained active over at least 35 days. Catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation of MnSO4 and NaMnO4 followed by curing at 100, 200 and 400 C. Characterization was performed using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Diffractograms of samples treated at 100 and 200 C matched those of nsutite and cryptomelane (K(Mn4+,Mn2+)8O16) or manjiroite (Na(Mn4+7Mn3+)O16) structures, with high BET surface area (up to 149 m2/g) and small particle size (<50 nm), while curing at 400 C yielded pyrolusite with lower effective surface area. The BET or Brunauer, Emmett and Teller theory is used to evaluate gas adsorption expressed in units of area per mass sample (m2/g). Room temperature catalytic oxidation of airborne formaldehyde was studied by supporting the catalyst on a particulate filter media placed in a flow system, under stable upstream formaldehyde concentrations between 30 and 200 parts per billion (ppb). Two different face velocities (v=0.2 and 50 cm/s) were studied to evaluate the oxidation efficiency under different flow regimes using formaldehyde-enriched laboratory air at 25-30% relative humidity. Results showed consistent single-pass formaldehyde oxidation efficiency greater than 80% for the synthesized catalysts, which remained active over at least 35 days of continuous operation at v=0.2 cm/s and were able to process up to 400 m3 of air at v=50 cm/s without appreciable deactivation. Operation under high relative humidity (>90% RH) produced only a small reversible reduction in formaldehyde removal. Most significantly, 100% mineralization yields were verified by quantifying CO2 formation downstream of the catalyst for upstream formaldehyde concentrations as high as 6 ppm and a face velocity of v=13 cm/s. See M. SIDHESWAREN, H. DETAILLATS, D. SULLIVAN, J. LARSEN, W. FISK, Quantitative Room Temperature Mineralization of Airborne Formaldehyde Using Manganese Oxide Catalysts, June 2011, Pages 29, LBNL-5169E, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif. USA. https://indoor.lbl.gov/sites/all/files/lbnl-5169e.pdf.


The present device is an extender for pretension spiral rod window balances. The spiral rod extender is attached to the end of the spiral rod by the window or balance manufacturer. At the window manufacturer, the sash is installed into the window frame and the balance is inserted into one of the jamb channels. A hook tool, having a hooking element at one end, is used to grab onto a hole in the end of the spiral rod to pull it a sufficient amount out of the containment tube. The hook tool manipulates the spiral rod so that a sash hook mounted on the balance engages a ledge at the end of the sash, thereby securing the balance to the sash. The spiral rod extender is then removed from the spiral rod and may be reused by the balance manufacturer or discarded as desired.

Pretension spiral window balances have advantages over non-pretension balances. Pretension balances have a spiral rod that is pre-wound and set with a certain amount of tension. This saves the window manufacturer having to manually turn or wind the lift force onto the spiral rod of the balance prior to attaching the end of the spiral rod to a window sash. Pretension balances also eliminate the possibility of the window manufacturer applying an incorrect number of windings (lift force) to the balance, which could result in the improper operation or outright failure of the window balance.
When a non-pretension balance is installed into the jamb channel of a window frame, the rod is free to drop below the window sash and the rod end can be accessed for winding the lift force into the balance and then attaching it to the window sash. However, this requires specific tooling and which may be prone to human error. In a pretension balance, the lifting force is machine wound. Then the pre-wound rod is locked in position by the balance manufacturer, by means of the balance spring torque, inside a special pretension balance anchor.
After a pretension balance is mounted within the jamb channel of a window frame, the rod end may not be accessible from below the window sash because it is not free to drop below the bottom end of the sash. This makes it difficult for the window manufacturer to install the balance in the jamb channel and attach the end of the spiral rod to a ledge on the window sash.
There is a need, therefore, for a device to extend the end of the spiral rod so that the spiral rod can be pulled below the sash and secure a clip which is located at the end of the spiral rod onto a ledge on the sash. A conventional window industry balance installation tool can now be attached to the extension device and used to attach the spiral rod end to a ledge on the window sash.

Device and method for improving the installation of pre-tensioned spiral balances in window balances

Caldwell Manufacturing Company North America LLC


A hollow fiber spinning nozzle in which supply bores and a nozzle structure connected to these and having a mass discharge opening and a needle with a coagulation agent bore are formed in a base body. At least two plate-shaped bodies structured by means of micro-structure technology are joined together to form the base body.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hollow fiber spinning nozzle in which coagulation agent/support agent passages and mass supply passages and a nozzle structure connected to these and having a mass discharge opening and a needle with a coagulation agent/support agent bore are formed in a base body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hollow fiber spinning nozzles are already known which serve the manufacture of polymeric hollow fiber membranes. As shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with the enclosed drawing, such hollow fiber spinning nozzles 10 consist of a base body 12 made of metal into which a plurality of bores 14, 16, 18, 22 have been introduced. A tube 20 has been fitted into the bore 14 and a coagulation agent passage or a support agent passage 22 has been formed therein for the introduction of the coagulation agent or support agent. The bores 16 and 18 form mass supply passages for a polymer which is discharged via a ring passage 22 which likewise consists of a corresponding bore. Methods of customary metal working are used in the manufacture of the known hollow fiber spinning nozzles 10. It is here therefore that the nozzle structure arises by the assembly of both nozzle parts, with any irregularity, for example in the geometry of the ring space 22 totalizing from the production errors on the production of the base body 12 and the tube 20. Furthermore, possible assembly errors also occur which can likewise result in an irregularity of the geometry. Finally, the hollow fiber spinning nozzles known from the prior art cannot be reduced to any desired size.


A magnetic recording method employing a magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium, wherein the size (H.sub.n) of the magnetic field which gives the maximum differential for the direct current remanance curve of the magnetic recording medium and the intensity (H.sub.head) of the recording magnetic field of the magnetic head at the track center position are in the relationship: H.sub.head /2.ltoreq.H.sub.n .ltoreq.H.sub.head, and the maximum value for the magnetic interaction between magnetic particles of the magnetic recording medium (.delta.M) is less than 0.3.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording method and device employing a magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium, and particularly it relates to a magnetic recording method and magnetic recording device which employ a magnetic recording medium which is capable of high density recording by high magnetic coercive force and has reduced medium noise. The magnetic recording method of the invention is a magnetic recording method which not only reduces medium noise during on-track time, but also reduces the diffusion and height of medium noise during off-track time.
2. Description of the Related Art
The pulse width Pw50 of a waveform reproduced from in-plane magnetic recording media is known to be related to the magnetostatic characteristics of magnetic coercive force Hc, remanance M.sub.r and magnetic layer thickness t of the medium by the following equation: EQU a.varies.(t .times.M.sub.r /Hc).sub.1/2 EQU Pw50=(2(a+d).sup.2 +(a/2).sup.2).sup. 1/2
Here, d represents the magnetic spacing.
Basically, smaller pulse widths are suitable for high recording density media. Thus, a high density recording medium is preferably a medium which has a minimized magnetic layer thickness and produces the maximum magnetic coercive force. When using magnetic resistance (MR) heads and giant magnetic resistance (G-MR) heads, sufficient output can be obtained even with a tBr of 120 G.mu.m or less.
With current CoCr alloy-based magnetic recording media, the magnetic coercive force has been improved by varying the concentration of Cr and by adding Pt, etc. A greater concentration of Cr in the CoCr alloy is associated with a higher degree of magnetic isolation of the magnetic particles, and can also be employed as a means of lowering the noise.
Recent years have seen a greater demand for reduced medium noise in addition to the high magnetic coercive force for producing practical high sensitivity MR heads. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-105525 concentrates on the fact that the medium noise is related to the degree of magnetic interaction between the magnetic particles (.delta.M value), and the degree of magnetic interaction (maximum .delta.M value) demanded for low noise media is defined as 0.3-0.7. However, this prior art is primarily aimed at reducing the noise in the transition region of magnetization and does not deal with improving the off-track characteristics of medium noise.
A study on track edge noise has been reported by B. D. Martin, D. N. Lambeth et al. in IEEE Trans. Mag., 28, 3276 (1992). According to their report, when a bit cell (hard bit cell) with a magnetization oriented opposite to the previous DC-erased direction is recorded on a medium surface subjected to DC erasure, the track edge noise is caused by disordered magnetization patterns generated on the track edge section of the bit cell.
High track recording density and narrow tracks for high track density are both essential to achieve high density magnetic recording media. However, because of the relative increase in the ratio of the track edges as the tracks are narrowed, reduction in track edge noise has become an issue. It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic recording system suitable for high density recording which reduces transition noise while also minimizing the diffusion and size of the track edge noise.


A heating device for a system for distributing windshield washer fluid of a motor vehicle. The heating device may include a sleeve comprising two flow channels for distributing the windshield washer fluid, the two flow channels being parallel to one another. The heating device may include at least two heating conductors embedded in a mass of the sleeve. The heating device may include a current regulator controlling the current flowing in the heating conductors as a function of a temperature of said heating conductors.

Motor vehicles are commonly equipped with a glass surface wiping system which may be used to provide a driver with a clear view of the environment thereof, in particular in the event of bad weather. Such a system generally comprises one or two windshield wiper blades which scrape the outer surface of the glass surface so as to clear water and/or snow present on this surface out of the field of vision of the driver.

Device for heating a system for distributing windscreen-washer liquid of a motor vehicle, hydraulic coupling including such a device and associated assembly method


An optical receiver with an expanded dynamic range for an input current is disclosed. The optical receiver includes a photodiode to generate a photocurrent, a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) to convert the photocurrent into a voltage signal, a dummy TIA with a same arrangement as that of the TIA to generate a reference, a differential amplifier to amplify a difference between the voltage signal and the reference, a current source to extract a portion of the photocurrent, and a level detector to detect an average photocurrent and adjust the reference based on the average photocurrent.

Field of the Invention
The present application relates to an optical receiver that converts a received optical signal into an electrical signal.
Related Background Art
Recent optical communication system installs optical receivers that convert optical signals transmitted through optical fibers with sensitivity. Such an optical receiver often implements a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) in a front end thereof to amplify a faint signal converted from the received optical signal by a photodiode (hereafter denoted as PD).
Various techniques have been reported to enhance the dynamic range of a TIA. One technique installs a composite feedback element of a resistor and a diode connected in parallel to each other. A large input current automatically turns on the diode in the feedback element, which equivalently reduces the feedback impedance. Another prior art of a TIA provides a variable feedback resistor to vary, exactly reduce the closed feedback gain. However, such techniques are hard to secure the high frequency performance of the TIA. Also, a variable resistor implemented within the feedback element, which is typically a field effect transistor (FET), inevitably accompanies parasitic capacitance and degrades a small signal response of the TIA. One modification has been investigated to cope the response in a high input current with that in a small input current by raising an input DC level when the TIA receives the high input current. However, no TIA that fully satisfies the response for the small input current and that in the large input current without degrading temperature response of a TIA.

Optical receiver to enhance dynamic range thereof