A bi-ventricular cardiac assist device maintains blood circulation in a patient having a minimally functioning or malfunctioning heart. The biventricular cardiac assist device includes a self-supporting cup-shaped outer shell having opposed upper and lower ends, and an inner surface which establishes an interior cavity for receiving a heart therein. The outer shell defines a pair of diametrically opposed slots oriented generally longitudinally between the upper and lower ends of the outer shell. An annular diaphragm conformably shaped to the outer shell is positioned adjacent to the outer shell's inner surface. The diaphragm most preferably includes upper and lower edges bonded to the outer shell at the upper and lower ends thereof, and a pair of diametrically opposed, generally longitudinally oriented unitary connection flange. Each connection flange is preferably generally T-shaped in cross-section and coupled to a respective one of the slots. The connection flanges are thus bonded to the outer shell so that the diaphragm defines a pair of semi-annular fluid chambers with the inner surface of said outer shell. Most preferably, all structural components, e.g., the outer shell and the diaphragm, are formed of substantially the same urea-linked polyureathane copolymer, but have different Shore A hardness values.

It is common practice today to use mechanical devices to maintain a supply of oxygen and blood circulation during heart failure. One type of device used for this purpose is known as the heart-lung machine. A heart-lung machine performs the function of the heart and lungs. Venous blood is removed from the patient's body and passed through an external oxygenator. The oxygenated blood is then returned to the patient's body. Heart-lung machines are frequently used during open-heart surgery to maintain a supply of oxygen and blood circulation.
Another method which is used to maintain blood circulation is a ventricular actuation cup. These devices typically comprise a cup which fits around the human heart. A thin membrane is bonded to the inner surface of the cup and functions as a diaphragm. Positive and negative pressure is applied to the space between the membrane and the cup wall to alternately inflate and deflate the diaphragm. When the diaphragm is inflated, the heart is squeezed to simulate systolic action. Similarly, when the diaphragm is deflated, the heart muscle relaxes to simulate diastolic action.
The ventricular actuation cups described above have been proven effective in the treatment of patients subject to heart failure. The blood circulation of such patients can be maintained for periods up to several weeks with such devices. However, ventricular actuation cups have some drawbacks.
One frequently encountered problem with the present ventricular actuation cups currently in use relates to the possibility of the failure of the diaphragm. In prior art designs, the diaphragm is bonded to the inner surface of the cup. During the systolic pumping phase, the diaphragm is progressively distended. Several stress factors localized at the bond zones are significantly increased in magnitude. The stress factor associated with a lifting or tearing force at the bond zone reaches its maximum value at maximum systolic distention. This lifting/tearing vector tends to separate the membrane from the cup wall. Continued cyclic development of this stress vector may lead to bond failure which renders the device inoperative. When a bonding failure occurs, the patient's life becomes seriously threatened.
Another significant drawback of currently available ventricular actuation devices is that right and left ventricle pumping is accomplished by using a single diaphragm. As a result, it is difficult to simulate the normal heart function. It is well established that differences exist between right and left ventricle output. It is known, for instance, that right and left ventricular pressures are different. Normal ventricle pressures are 120 over 12-15 mm Hg for the left ventricle and 25-30 over 0-5 mm Hg for the right ventricle. As a result, the pressure selected for ventricular actuation will, at best, be a compromise between the optimum pressure for either the left or right ventricle. Any adjustment of-left ventricular flow or pressure will alter right ventricular pumping parameters. Thus, it is virtually impossible to achieve optimum output and pressures for both the right and left ventricle using a single diaphragm.
The design of currently available ventricular actuation cups also leads to trauma of tissue and organs surrounding the heart. Most cups have a large port molded to the outer surface of the cup which is used for actuation of the diaphragm. When the cup is positioned to contain the heart, the combined reaction to the continuous systolic/diastolic pumping action causes the cup to continually oscillate about its longitudinal axis. The magnitude of this longitudinal oscillation can vary from as much as +15.degree. to -15.degree.. As the device oscillates, the relatively high profile inlet port rubs against surrounding tissue and lungs. The continuous rubbing or abrasion of lung tissue may lead to progressive development of atelectasis in which the alveolar cells in the traumatized lung tissue collapse. In the most serious cases, the continuous trauma has resulted in pulmonary bleeding with resultant pulmonary function compromise.
Another consideration that existing ventricular actuation cups often fail to take into account is the variation in size of the human heart from one person to another. Furthermore, it is possible that different size cups may be needed for the same patient. Certain physiological conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension can result in dilation of the heart. When the ventricular actuation cup is initially placed, a relatively large cup may be needed to accommodate the dilated heart. As the heart returns to a more normal size, the efficiency of the oversize cup in maintaining blood circulation may diminish to the point that a smaller cup must be used. This problem is usually addressed by manufacturing cups of different size to accommodate different size hearts. The surgeon must therefore have a relatively large number of differently sized cups on hand to select from depending on the size of his patient's heart and the patient's physiological condition.
Current univentricular devices, e.g. Anstadt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,804 (incorporated herein by reference), presently use a rotary vane combination pressure-vacuum pump as the common source for obtaining and maintaining the pressures and vacuums required for systolic and diastolic ventricular cup actuation. Systolic and diastolic pumping action times are essentially controlled by a combination of timers operating solenoid valves in both the pressure and vacuum lines such that the single drive line delivers a timed sequence of diaphragm distending systolic pressure pulses and diaphragm retraction diastolic vacuum pulses.
An unavoidable requirement in this type of drive line source is a mechanical device called a "damper valve" in the primary drive line exiting the sequencing pressure-vacuum manifold. This valve serves the primary function of "damping" the transition from systolic-diastolic pumping action, in order to prevent diaphragm "slap" during diastolic relaxation. The damper valve is also used in establishing the pressure profile of systolic pumping action e.g. applying during early systolic compression approximately 25-30 mm.Hg and during late systolic compression approximately 120-150 mm Hg. Similarly, during the diastolic phase of each cycle, vacuum pressures of approximately -100 to -120 mm Hg are applied.
The requirement of the damping valve for purposes just set forth totally prohibits simultaneous and independent control of both left and right ventricular pumping action, in terms of required physiological flow rates and pressures, and related to patient forward flow requirements of a changing nature with time.


A photovoltaic power generation system is disclosed, which can allow a user to easily acquire information on a photovoltaic inverter, easily control the photovoltaic inverter, and save electric charges.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic power generation system, and more particularly, to a photovoltaic power generation system that can allow a user to easily acquire information on a photovoltaic inverter, easily control the photovoltaic inverter, and save electric charges.
2. Background
Recently, alternative energy sources for replacing the existing energy sources have been developed due to worry about energy depletion. Examples of the alternative energy sources include small hydropower energy, photovoltaic energy, solar thermal energy, wind power energy, waste energy, bio energy, geothermal energy, and ocean energy, as new renewable energies.
In order to use the aforementioned alternative energy sources in a load or grid, a grid connected inverter is required. This grid connected inverter serves to convert and/or invert a DC power input among an alternative energy collecting module, a battery, a grid and a load.
However, it is general that an alternative energy inverter (for example, photovoltaic inverter) according to the related art is installed at a place (for example, the outdoor, the rooftop, or the basement) where a user and/or a manager is not easy or convenient to approach, due to the risk of electric shock or the appearance. For this reason, a problem occurs in that the user and/or the manager should directly move to the place having poor access so as to manipulate or control the alternative energy inverter. Also, a problem occurs in that the user and/or the manager may be exposed to the risk of electric shock even though the user and/or the manager approaches to the place. Moreover, there is inconvenience that the user or the manager should directly move to the place where the photovoltaic inverter is installed, to acquire information on the alternative energy inverter.
Furthermore, a problem occurs in that price information on electricity cannot be identified from the grid in real time. The price information could restrictedly be identified through a power exchange. A problem also occurs in that a pricing policy is variable depending on time zones. Although electric charge peak time system that includes an electric charge peak time zone corresponding to the most expensive electric charge time zone is partially carried out in each field, a problem occurs in that inducements such as incentive for a consumer through pricing change cannot be used. In order to solve the problems and improve efficiency of energy, active studies on a smart grid have been recently made. The necessity of a photovoltaic power generation system or a photovoltaic processing system associated with the smart grid has been suggested.


A patterned multiple antibody substrate for use in biosensors or immunosensors is produced by (1) coating an antibody-adsorbent substrate with a material that resists antibody adsorption, (2) using ion beam sputtering, laser ablation, or mechanical scribing to remove the coating at specific sites on the substrate, and then (3) adsorbing specific antibodies at the sites. The substrate is capable of detecting multiple chemical species simultaneously.

Because of their exquisite specificity, biological molecules, including antibodies, have been employed in biosensors. Biosensors are devices capable of identifying and quantifying a target chemical. Biosensors are highly sensitive to their analyte (the chemical species to be detected--for an antibody-based biosensor, the analyte is the antigen to the antibody). They are able to detect quantities as small as 10.sup.-15 gram. They are also extremely specific toward the analyte because of the unique ability of the antibodies to recognize their target species at the molecular level.
The present state of the art in antibody-based biosensors is illustrated by the various commercially available immunoassays. An immunoassay is a chemical test based on the use of antibodies to bind the molecule to be detected. In these assays, an antibody specific to the analyte (the "capture antibody") is immobilized onto a solid surface. This surface is then exposed to the sample to be analyzed and the immobilized antibodies bind some of the analyte present in the sample. After the surface is washed, it is immersed in a solution of a second antibody (the "signal antibody") specific to the same analyte. The signal antibody is conjugated (attached chemically) to a radioactive, fluorescent, or enzymatic label, so that it can be detected with high sensitivity. The amount of the signal antibody bound to the analyte is determined by the amount of radioactivity, intensity of fluorescence, or quantity of enzymatic reaction product, which in turn is proportional to the quantity of antigen in the sample. In the case of the enzyme label, the enzyme converts molecules of an added colorless reactant to colored reaction products. The intensity of the color change is read by a spectrophotometer. This type of assay is called ELISA(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Examples of commercially available ELISA test kits are home pregnancy tests and environmental monitoring tests for BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), PAH(polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) or PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls) in water. ELISA assays are also used in the military for battlefield detection of chemical and biological warfare agents. A disadvantage of these immunoassay kits is that a separate kit is required for each antigen or closely related family of antigens being tested for. Not only is this costly and labor consuming when many antigens must be tested for, but it can also result in dangerous time delays as when chemical and biological warfare agents are being tested for on the battlefield.
It would be desirable to provide a single device that could perform multiple immunoassay tests at the same time. The test results of such a device would be read and evaluated automatically. In order to achieve this, each type of antibody must be precisely and discretely located on the test surface. Cross contamination of the antibodies must be avoided. Moreover, such devices should be inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

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


A pump container comprising a container body, discharging pump and a movable bottom part, configured so as to prevent air from being taken into the container body by allowing, when contents are discharged by pumping operation, the bottom part to move upward by the volume of the contents discharged by pumping operation, wherein the pump container comprises a main container and an auxiliary container separated from the main container by a separating mechanism, and through operation, the separating mechanism allows the constitution of a communication between the main container and the auxiliary container to allow mixing of the contents of the both containers.

In recent years, so-called biocosmetic products are being produced and sold widely. Biocosmetic products, typically, are cosmetic products that contain constituents which can be naturally produced by living organisms but are produced through the use of biotechnology. Biotechnology is a new technology which is meant to create new living organisms through, e.g., genetic recombination, gene fusion, and clone technology which is a mass-replication technique, and to make the use of them in food and pharmaceutical production.
Through the application of the biotechnology, active constituents of animals and plants that could have earlier been extracted only by a small amount, can now be mass-produced through tissue culture, which is a basic technique of the biotechnology, and the development of cosmetics that contain such constituents compounded to suite them to human skins, is being underway.
For example, a lip color containing shikonin, which is a pigment obtained from the root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. Et Zucc., is one successful example realizing the mass-production and commercialization through the cultivation of shikonin which could have conventionally been obtained only in an extremely small amount.
Furthermore, there are bio-essence products compounded with hyaluronic acid and γ-linolenic acid that are the constituents of the dermal layer of skin and enhance moisturizing action of skin. These constituents are also commercialized through the use of mutants having high productivity. These biocosmetic products differ from artificially synthesized conventional cosmetics, in that they use substances that are naturally produced by living organisms, and they are characterized as being harmless and safe.
Also, they are highly esteemed by consumers as natural cosmetic products. Furthermore, since they can use constituents having favorable effects to skins and being biotechnologically produced through cultivation using replications or clones, in contrast to the passive concept of general cosmetics whose main object is to control skins through color tone makeup, they have advantages as active-concept cosmetics that can control skins by maintaining the skin balance as functional cosmetics, as well as improving various skin problems such as dead skin cells, enlarged pores, wrinkles, pigmented spots, dusts etc.
These functional cosmetic products, such as biocosmetics, can give desired effects even in a small volume, so that generally, a small amount of a primary constituent as a primary content is used with a large amount of a supplementary constituent as a supplementary content.
However, if such a functional cosmetic product is sold with the primary and supplementary constituents pre-mixed, such as in conventional cosmetics like creams, or detergents such as gel-type shampoos and conditioners, and liquid soaps, the primary constituent that is susceptible to direct sunlight or ambient conditions would instantly react, so that its storage life would be extremely shortened, and as a result, the distribution period of the product is shortened, making it's price too expensive for general consumers to purchase it.
As an example, in a case where a product containing retinol (vitamin A) as one of the primary constituents mixed in a cosmetic product with a supplementary constituent is distributed and sold, there has been a problem that the distribution life of the cosmetic product would be shorter than the case where the cosmetic product as the primary constituent and retinol as a supplementary constituent are separately stored and used.
Furthermore, in a case of the packaging container of conventional cosmetic products in which a primary constituent and a supplementary constituent are mixed together, the contents of the container cannot fully be discharged from the container and used, so that even though there is an amount of the liquid contents remained within the container, the user must often purchase a new one, or discard it as it is. This causes the production of a large amount of waste that may cause environmental pollution as one of national issues, and also, discarding a usable portion without further using will promote a disbenefit at home.
In addition, since a layer of air is formed within conventional cosmetic containers, the portion of the cosmetic in contact with the air would easily change in its quality, there is a risk of promoting damages to the skins of users who used the cosmetic without knowing the change. When the cosmetic in this condition is not used for a long period of time, the user has no choice but to discard it without using it because of possible oxidization and corruption of the cosmetic in the worst case.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems found in the conventional cases, and at the same time, to provide a packaging container with contents mixing structure which is distributed in a state where primary contents and supplementary contents are held separately within the one packaging container so that the primary and supplementary contents are mixed only when necessary to extend the distribution period of the product, and also, the supplementary contents stored separately within the packaging container are completely discharged after mixing it with the primary contents to provide economical use as well as to increase the reliability of the product, thereby avoiding the environmental pollution beforehand.

Packaging container with contents mixing structure


An optical sensor head for the directional detecting of optical radiation has an arrangement of individual optical systems that are differently sloped with their optical axes, are convergently aligned in the viewing direction and each have conical, partially overlapping viewing areas. To provide an exact bounding of the observation sector assigned to the sensor head without any impairment of the operatability, at least one outer-edge-side individual optical system of the sensor head is provided with a beam diaphragm which partially shades the assigned viewing cone. At least one of the neighboring optical systems, which is situated closer to a sensor center, is arranged with its light entrance opening approximately at the level of the diaphragm-bounded edge beams of the outer-edge-side individual optical system.

The present invention relates to an optical sensor head for the directional detecting of optical radiation, having an arrangement of individual optical systems which are differently sloped with their optical axes, are convergently aligned in the viewing direction and each have conical partially overlapping viewing areas.
Known sensor heads of this type (German Patent Document DE 37 36 616 C1), whose optical axes are aligned to be convergent with an intersecting point which is situated in front of the light entrance openings of the individual optical systems, have considerable constructive advantages in comparison to those sensor heads with a rearwardly converging axis geometry. This is mainly because they permit a flat construction of the sensor head and an extremely close positioning of the light entrance openings on the forward sensor head surfaces. These sensor head however are unsuitable for applications in which a precise bounding of the observation field of the sensor head to a defined angular area is required. This is the case, for example, when for a circumferential observation, several sensor heads are provided which are each aligned with different observation sectors. It must not only be ensured that each observation sector is controlled without gaps only by the sensor head assigned to it but that any overlapping at the sector boundaries, which make a clear determination of the direction of the optical radiation which is incident in this area difficult or impossible, must be avoided.
It is an object of the invention to provide a sensor head of the above-described type so that, while a simple method of construction and operation is maintained, a precise bounding of a given angular area is ensured.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides an optical sensor head for directional detecting of optical radiation, comprising an arrangement of individual optical systems that have optical axes that are differently sloped, are convergently aligned in a viewing direction and have conical partially overlapping viewing areas. The individual optical systems include at least one outer-edge-side individual optical system and at least one neighboring optical system situated closer to a sensor center and having a light entrance opening. A beam diaphragm partially shades the viewing cone of the outer-edge-side individual optical system to create a diaphragm-bounded edge beam of the outer-edge-side individual optical system. The neighboring optical system is arranged with its light entrance opening approximately at the level of the diaphragm-bounded edge beams of the outer-edge-side individual optical system.
The present invention is based on the recognition that an angularly precise bounding of the observation range of the sensor head cannot be achieved merely by partial shading of the individual optical systems on the exterior edge. Rather, with surprisingly low constructional expenditures, the precise bounding is achieved by a combination of such a shading with the raising of the individual optical systems situated farther on the inside, without any disturbing effect on the operability of the sensor head in the thus limited observation sector. The sensor head according to the invention is especially well-suited for the above-described application in which, for ensuring a clear angle detection of the received optical radiation, any disturbing overlapping across boundaries between adjacent observation sectors, which are each controlled by a sensor head, must be prevented.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the optical axis of the neighboring optical system(s) which is situated farther toward the inside, taking into account the viewing cone opening angle, is sloped in such a manner that the lower edge beams of the viewing cone, without any diaphragm bounding extend essentially at the same slope as the edge beams of the individual optical system on the side of the outer edge of the sensor head which are bounded by the diaphragm. Thus, the viewing range of the neighboring optical system(s), because of the arrangement of the diaphragm, is essentially maintained in an unlimited manner.
In certain embodiments that are particularly advantageous with respect to installation, the beam diaphragm is preferably arranged outside the sensor head surface occupied by the individual optical systems so that it can be accommodated on the sensor head without any problems and without interfering with the narrow mutual positioning of the light entrance openings on the forward sensor head surface.
For continuous covering of the observation sector with as few individual optical systems as possible which are uniformly distributed with their viewing cones, in certain embodiments the viewing cone of the outer-edge-side individual optical system is shaded by means of the diaphragm arrangement up to the optical axis.
For a protection against interfering reflexes and/or beam scattering, the beam diaphragm in certain embodiments expediently has a reflection-reducing surface structure. To this end, certain embodiments have a saw-tooth structure and/or a radiation-absorbing surface coating.
In certain embodiments, an axis geometry which constructionally and operationally is particularly preferred for the monitoring of the diaphragm-bounded observation sector has the optical axes of the individual optical systems centrically aligned with the center axis of the sensor head.
In certain embodiments of the invention, the individual optical systems are connected via optical fibers with an optoelectrical converter which feeds the directional receiving signals to an electronic analyzing circuit for angle detection.
In certain embodiments, the diaphragm-bounded viewing area of the sensor head extends along a spatial angle of 90.degree. so that an azimuthal full-circle observation can be achieved by means of four sensor heads which bound on one another without overlapping.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Optical sensor head with sloped, convergent optical systems and beam diaphragm


A knuckle 1 has a through hole 3 provided in a fitting hole 4 thereof. A cutting tool 9, which has a diameter being larger than that of the through hole 3 and also has a cutting part having a hemispherical leading end portion, is caused to go into the through hole 3 at an angle at which the tool 9 does not touch the remaining part of the knuckle 1. Then, a burr formed at a fitting-hole-side open end portion 7 of the through hole 3 is removed by rotating the cutting tool 9 while the leading end portion thereof is made to obliquely abut against the open end portion 7 of the through hole 3.

The present invention relates to a deburring method for removing a burr formed at an open end portion of a through hole, and to a deburred automotive knuckle.
Hitherto, as disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-80307 and the Examined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei7-117548, a wheel speed sensor of an automobile has been fixedly mounted therein in a radial direction with respect to an axle.
When this wheel speed sensor is attached to an automotive knuckle, a through hole is drilled toward an inner surface of a fitting hole, into which a wheel bearing is fitted, from a radially outward direction. The wheel speed sensor is fixedly attached thereto from this through hole.
However, when the through hole is drilled in the inner surface of the fitting hole provided in the knuckle, a burr occurs on the inner surface portion of the fitting hole, which is an open end portion of the through hole. To remove the burr, the following manual processing is performed. That is, first, a special tool having a cutting part is carefully inserted into the through hole from the outside thereof. When the cutting part is projected into the fitting hole from the open end portion of the through hole, the cutting part is outthrust in such a way as to abut against the open end portion of the through hole. Then, the cutting part is rotated to thereby remove the burr. Upon completion of deburring, the tool having the cutting part is returned to a central portion of the through hole. Finally, the tool is drawn out of the through hole.
An operation of performing processing by using such a special tool is troublesome. Moreover, even an operation of setting the tool at an object to be processed requires high precision, because the tool is advanced and retreated through the through hole.


The present invention relates to an apparatus for securely fastening joints in pressure vessels, pipes, and other structures intended to isolate internal volumes from the external environment. It can join a blank cover to a pressure vessel or it can join tubular members. It may be used in any application currently utilizing standard bolted flanges. It provides a flange retaining clamp for remotely disconnecting and remotely connecting flange members disposed on a pressure vessel, in which one of the flange members is disposed on the pressure vessel and the second flange hub end is applied in a gasketed, sealing relationship thereto, in which the flange hub ends each have a outwardly extending flange hub, wherein, the clamp has at least two clamp segments which are moveable from a closed, sealing, flange member retaining position to an open, unsealed, flange member liberating position. Said clamp segments engaging the flange members holding them together in the closed, sealing position, wherein clamp segment fastening devices can remotely forcefully open and close the clamp, wherein said clamp segment fastening devices comprise a redundancy of clamp segment conjoining elements. The clamp segment fastening devices can be remotely locked and unlocked.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a device to securely fasten joints in pressure vessels, pipes, and other structures intended to isolate internal volumes from the external environment, or in structural joints. The present invention can join a blank cover to the end of a pressure vessel or it can join tubular members having internal passages. The present invention may be used in any application currently utilizing standard bolted flanges.
Specifically, the joint connecting mechanism is a clamp that fastens flange members together in an abutting engagement creating a pressure seal in order to isolate the joints' internal environment from its external environment. Some processes require frequent and rapid opening, closing and separation of flanged joints to allow access to internal volumes. The present invention relates to a automatic joint connecting means for quickly opening and closing joints by remote actuated means to allow separation of the flanges, in situations where work persons are put at risk performing the operation.
2. Description of Prior Art
In many cases, the prior art sacrifices safety to provide a quick acting joint connecting means. The prior art illustrates single point failure mechanisms where failure of only one member could cause the integrity of the joint to be catastrophically compromised. A higher standard of safety is dictated in today's world. The present invention provides multiple fasteners thus providing more safety. There is a need in industry to be able to automatically and remotely open and close a joint, and those with ordinary skill in the art can appreciate, providing redundancy in the fastening means adds difficulty. Many companies have developed quick acting connectors, but do not provide safety. Failure of these mechanisms prompted the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to develop rules in their Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes that give specific rules for adding safety to "Quick Acting" devices. In order to construct a quick acting connecting means in accordance with the Codes, these rules must be observed. Single acting fastening means and single point failure devices must have secondary back-up retaining elements that will assure joint integrity upon failure of the single acting fastening means or single point failure devices. Such retaining elements will complicate automated operation.
In some installations, pressure vessels, pipes, and structural joints are opened and closed manually under conditions hazardous to the work persons performing the operation. Most prior installations utilize joint connecting means consisting of bolted flanges that are very labor intensive. The basic closing nature of bolted flanges is illustrated in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Publication BB16.5. Other manually operated prior art for connecting joints consist of threaded, clamped, and breach-lock mechanisms. These labor intensive designs are not well suited in hazardous environments. After observing many "Quick Acting" joint connecting means, the present inventor realized that a safe, simple, and reliable, remotely operable, "Quick Acting" connecting means did not exist, and that a substantial need therefore went unmet in the industry. Although prior art provides simplicity, it does not provide sufficient safety. In analyzing paths of failure, the prior art contains unsafe single component failure paths that upon failure would catastrophically cause the opening of the connected joint. A logical method to create a safe connecting means is to incorporate redundancy in the fastening elements and to remove all single point failure devices from the connecting means.
Supplying redundancy in a automatic connecting means can be difficult and expensive. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the benefit of the simple automatic operation of the present invention which provides safe redundant fastening elements. Of course, the system should be operable manually as well, if necessary due to a power failure or other interruption. When compared to other automated joint connecting means, it can be noted that a significant economic benefit is realized with the present invention due to its simplicity. This simplicity directly relates to lower operating costs and shorter down time. In some processes, one day of down time can result in an economic loss far surpassing the initial cost of the automated connecting means. Therefore, simplicity in design is highly valued by end users of this technology. The prior art automated joint connecting device, providing redundancy in the fastening elements contain overly complex mechanisms compared to the present invention. In the process of providing redundancy, the prior art sacrifices simplicity, reliability, and economy.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,336,375; 4,820,384; 5,221,019; 5,294,157; 5,228,825; 5,048,876 and 4,726,109 are mechanisms designed to remotely assist or perform connecting and disconnecting of joints in pressure vessels. One can easily observe that these devices are overly complex and will inherently be unreliable, and will also be expensive to manufacture and maintain.
Pressure and temperature of the working fluid, mechanical loads, and mechanical properties of the sealing gaskets dictate the magnitude of the axial closing force. Gaskets that are suitable for moderate to high temperatures and pressures are not generally self-energized elastomers as required in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,458 ("the '458 patent"). The mechanism disclosed in the '458 patent cannot supply axial joint closing force since it allows clamp halves and closing elements and the pressure vessel housing to move axially relative to each other. Another result stemming from this relative movement is fatigue damage. The '458 patent device will encounter unacceptable fatigue damage in cyclic operation, requiring frequent testing, repair, or replacement. The '458 mechanism also requires external guide frames and anchor locations for automatic actuators and supports, such as foundations, that are not practical or economical. It is much simpler and safer to connect a joint with a connecting means that closes onto itself independent of external devices. The '458 mechanism also lacks positive locking fastening elements that hold the clamp halves together, where, under pressure, predictable radial and tangential forces will force the clamp halves apart. Also, this device must take on different forms depending on its orientation with respect to gravity.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,310,329 and 4,347,944 disclose clamp connecting devices that consist of a unity clamp band automatically actuated to liberate and secure flange members. In both of these devices, unacceptably high stresses will be generated at the midpoint of the clamp band farthest away from the separation gap in the clamp band. The stresses will alternate between very high compression to very high tension as the clamp band is cycled from the open position to the closed position. All economical materials available for construction of the clamp band will undergo unacceptable fatigue damage, which will limit the useful life of these clamp connecting devices. The clamp band of these mechanisms can be compared to a single piece of wire which is bent back and forth until severe fatigue damage separates it into two pieces.
To avoid the problem of severe fatigue damage associated with aforementioned inventions, the prior art incorporated further degrees of freedom in the clamp band. High bending stresses are alleviated by hinges that interconnect segments of the clamp band. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,982,437 and 5,455,739 illustrate such hinged clamp band connecting means. The hinge in these mechanisms is an unacceptable single point failure location. Further, the actuating means or drive that opens and closes the clamp band, is a single point failure location. U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,165 is another example of a single point failure mechanism. Such single point failure mechanisms are unsafe.
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes give rules for the minimum acceptable safe construction of pressure retaining components. Prior automated clamp connecting means are unsafe and are not ASME Code compliant. Accordingly, there remains a need for an automated joint connecting means suitable for normal and extreme service that is simple, reliable, rugged, and above all, safe.

Automated flange retaining clamp with redundant fasteners


Domains are formed in a mobile ad hoc network by exchanging topology update messages among neighboring nodes, each message including the node coverage of the originating node. The node having an optimum coverage of its neighbors becomes a domain lead (DL) node, and nodes within hearing distance or range of the DL node form a network domain. Each domain node, including the DL, selects a set of bridge nodes (BNs) that can link the domain node to nodes in corresponding neighboring domains. All domain lead nodes in the network exchange messages to inform one another of the nodes contained in their respective domains. A node in one domain seeking a route for a message destined to a node in another domain, may send a route discovery (RDisc) message to the DL node of the inquiring node's domain. A responsive route resolution (RRes) message is returned to the inquiring node.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is a directed to a message routing protocol for a mobile ad hoc network (MANET).
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Mobile ad hoc networks or MANETs are self configuring networks in which a number of mobile nodes may interconnect with one another via wireless links. The locations of the nodes with respect to one another, i.e., the topology of the network, may therefore change rapidly particularly when such networks are deployed in emergency situations or in military operations. Early implementations of MANETs were referred to as "packet radio" networks. Today, for example, the so-called "Wi-Fi" wireless protocol specified by IEEE 802.11x also includes an ad-hoc mode that enables message traffic to be handled among a local "cloud" of wireless devices (e.g., Wi-Fi equipped laptops) in the absence of a wired infrastructure.
In a military joint airborne environment, efficient networking requires operational flexibility with ad-hoc management of networking resources. It is also important to maintain low overhead so that bandwidth remains available for communication among users. Network users may also require end-to-end quality-of-service (Qos) support to manage latency, stability, and response time. Other desirable operational requirements may include security, adaptability, interoperability, speedy join time, and rapid network formation.
Request for Comment (RFC) No. 3626 (October 2003) discloses a so-called Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol for mobile ad hoc networks. A given node in the network selects a subset of neighboring nodes each of which is within hearing distance (one hop) from the given node. The nodes of this subset are referred to as multipoint relays (MPRs), and are situated so that when they retransmit a message broadcast by the given node, the message will be received by all nodes that are two hops away from the given node. Neighbors of the given node that are not in its MPR set do not forward messages received from the given node, however. Although the MPRs may help to reduce redundant retransmissions of network updates, a fast changing topology is likely to trigger an excessive number of updates and thus propagate increased control overhead throughout the network. See also US Patent Application Publication 2002/0145978 (Oct. 10, 2002) which discloses a routing protocol for mobile networks, including the discovery of a route to a destination node that is beyond two hops from a source node wanting to send a message.
An Internet Draft entitled "The Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP) for Ad Hoc Networks" (July 2002) discloses a hybrid protocol having both proactive and reactive components. It is suggested in an implementation of ZRP that OLSR be used for proactive routing, and that Ad-Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing (AODV) be used for reactive routing. Like OLSR, ZRP is not readily adaptable to rapid changes in network topology, however.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,751 (Jul. 29, 1997) discloses an architecture for mobile radio networks with dynamically changing topology. A network is partitioned into physical subnets each of which includes a number of nodes in close proximity to one another. Each node in a physical subnet is affiliated with a corresponding node in each of the other physical subnets, thus defining a number of virtual subnets. A message is routed from a source node to a remote destination node in the network, by forwarding the message through nodes that are members of the same physical subnet during a first phase of two alternating transmission phases, and through nodes that are members of the same virtual subnet during the second transmission phase. Although the patent contemplates network routing in a fast changing topology, it requires complex address management, physical partition of subnets, and hardware/spectrum changes.

Adaptive message routing for mobile ad HOC networks

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A coupling for anchor bolts, includes a sleeve having an internal screw thread and two anchor pipes having an external screw thread, the ends of the pipes being screwed into the sleeve. The sleeve is provided with an annular rib in the longitudinal centre thereof, the rib having a cylindrical inner end surface. The ends of the anchor pipes sealingly engage in the annular rib, and have cylindrical thread-free circumferential surfaces. In order to improve the tightness of the coupling and ensure that the transfer of impact energy from the first anchor pipe to the second anchor pipe does not engender much loss, the annular front surfaces of the anchor pipes are sealingly arranged against each other in the annular rib region. A leak-free coupling for anchor bolts which prevents the discharge of rinsing medium and/or setting mass is provided.

The problem in these couplings is that the flushing medium (air or water) which flows through the cavity of the anchor pipes while drilling and the setting mass (for example cement mortar) which is pressed through the cavity of the anchor pipes toward their front end which is held in the borehole after completion of the borehole can escape in the area of known couplings. In this way losses of flushing media occur and in the case of setting mass with leaky couplings plugs of setting mass form which prevent complete filling of the borehole around the drill anchor.
A coupling of the initially mentioned type is known from DE-A-42 20 636. DE-A-4 220 636 shows a coupling of drill anchors with a sleeve with an inside thread and with two anchor pipes which bear an outside thread and which are screwed into the sleeve from opposing sides, essentially in the lengthwise middle of the sleeve there being an annular rib which projects to the inside, and the front surfaces of the ends of the anchor pipes held in the sleeves being located in the area of the annular rib and directly adjoining one another, the outside surfaces of the ends of the anchor pipes adjoining the inner end surface of the annular rib, forming a seal. In the coupling as claimed in DE-A-42 20 636 there are annular seals located next to the annular rib.


A driving tool includes a hammer which hits instantaneously a connecting member for connecting the hammer with a spindle provided with a wrench at an end thereof. A housing has an on-off switch provided at a grip thereof and is divided into a part chamber in which parts are disposed and a motor chamber in which a motor is disposed. An inertial wheel is installed rotatably in the part chamber and engaged with a shaft of the motor, and a spindle is installed rotatably between the part chamber and the inertial wheel and provided with a connecting member on an outer circumference thereof and a wrench on one end thereof. The hammer is pivotally installed at the inertial wheel to hit the connecting member by centrifugal force according to the rotation of the inertial wheel and returned an initial position by a return spring positioned between the inertial wheel and the hammer. A pair of balls contained in holes are formed at both sides of the inertial wheel and arc shaped grooves formed at the hammer, respectively. Each of springs presses the balls into the holes inwardly, and screws are threaded to the holes for adjusting the pressing force of the balls by the springs, respectively.

The present invention relates to a driving tool for fastening fasteners, more particularly to a tool for electrically fastening or unfastening fasteners, such as the bolts used for mounting tires on an automobile.
Generally, fasteners, such as bolts, used for mounting tires on an automobile frequently become frozen in place, e.g., by rust, so that they are difficult to remove by conventional wrenches. This problem is particularly present when changing a vehicle tire if the tire bolts have not been removed for a long period of time. When this occurs, women or older and weaker persons are not able to unfasten the tire bolts because it is necessary to apply an extremely large force to the tire bolts in order to unfasten them. Various driving tools have been designed in order to resolve this problem, these driving tools are all driven by a power of motor.
In operation of these conventional driving tools, however, chattering occur with irregular and inaccurate hitting of a hammer since the engaging speed of the hammer and a connecting member is slow, the connecting member is for connecting the hammer to a spindle of which one end is provided with a wrench. Also, the chattering cause wear of parts in those driving tools and shortens their lifetime thereof.
An object of the present invention is to provide a driving tool for fastening fasteners of which a lifetime can be increased by regularly and accurately hitting a connecting member for connecting the hammer to a spindle and preventing chattering from generating therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a driving tool for fastening fasteners which can easily be used by women or older and weaker persons for mounting tires on an automobile.
These and other objects can be accomplished a driving tool for fastening fasteners according to one embodiment of the present invention which comprises a housing having a switch provided at a grip thereof and being divided into a part chamber in which parts are disposed and a motor chamber in which a motor is disposed; an inertial wheel being installed rotatably in the part chamber and engaged with a shaft of the motor; a spindle being installed rotatably between the part chamber and the inertial wheel and provided with a connecting member on an outer circumference thereof and a wrench on an end thereof; a hammer being pivotally installed at the inertial wheel to hit the connecting member by centrifugal force according to the rotation of the inertial wheel and returned to the initial position by a return spring positioned between the inertial wheel and the hammer; and means for accelerating instantaneously the pivoting motion of the hammer when the hammer is pivoted outwardly.
The hammer is preferably provided with a weighting member positioned at the rear portion thereof.
The weighting member has a weight against a spring force of the return spring such that the rear portion of the hammer can be pivoted outwardly when the inertial wheel is rotated.
The return spring has a loop shape to contain the rear portion of the inertial wheel.
The accelerating means includes a pair of balls contained in holes formed at both sides of the inertial wheel and arc shaped grooves formed at the hammer, respectively, springs for pressing the balls into the holes inwardly, respectively, and screws threaded to the holes for adjusting the pressing force of the balls by the springs, respectively.
The accelerating means may also includes an acceleration plate moving in the same direction as that of the hammer and having a recess for containing and supporting the rear portion of the hammer and an opening for containing the rear shaft of the inertia wheel, a cylindrical body engaged with the rear portion of the hammer and supporting the return spring, and a spring and a ball for accurately positioning the accelerating plate.
The spindle has a key groove at the outer side thereof, the connecting member has a hollow portion in the center thereof, the hollow portion has jaws formed at the inner surface thereof in a certain angle, a pair of springs are provided oppositely between the hollow portion and the spindle to absorb shock generated when the key engaged in the key groove is caught on one of jaws in both directions.
Alternatively, these and other objects can be accomplished a driving tool for fastening fasteners according to another embodiment of the present invention which comprise a housing having on-off switch provided at a grip thereof and being divided into a part chamber in which parts are disposed and a motor chamber in which a motor is disposed; an inertial wheel being installed rotatably in the part chamber and engaged with a shaft of the motor; a spindle being installed rotatably between the part chamber and the inertial wheel and provided with a connecting member on an outer circumference thereof and a wrench on an end thereof; a hammer being pivotally installed at the inertial wheel to hit the connecting member by centrifugal force according to the rotation of the inertial wheel and returned an initial position by a return spring positioned between the inertial wheel and the hammer; a hitting adjusting plate for gripping an upper portion of the hammer to accelerate instantaneously the pivoting motion of the hammer when the hammer is pivoted outwardly; and means for absorbing shock generated when the hammer hits the connecting member and provided between the spindle and the connecting member.
The hammering adjusting plate is directly connected with the hammer.
The means for absorbing shock is a pair of springs which are disposed oppositely between the spindle and the connecting member when the spindle is coupled with the connecting member.


In one embodiment, a method includes determining, by a first application installed on the client system, that a second application is installed on the client system, wherein the first application is configured to switch contexts to the second application; receiving, by the client system, a context-switching gesture input within a first context of the first application, detecting, by the client system, the context-switching gesture has passed a first threshold within the first context, presenting, by the client system, a preview associated with the second application on a portion of a display of the client system in response to the context-switching gesture passing the first threshold within the first context, detecting, by the client system, the context-switching gesture has passed a second threshold within the first context, and switching contexts to a second context of the second application in response to passing the second threshold.

A social-networking system, which may include a social-networking website, may enable its users (such as persons or organizations) to interact with it and with each other through it. The social-networking system may, with input from a user, create and store in the social-networking system a user profile associated with the user. The user profile may include demographic information, communication-channel information, and information on personal interests of the user. The social-networking system may also, with input from a user, create and store a record of relationships of the user with other users of the social-networking system, as well as provide services (e.g. wall posts, photo-sharing, event organization, messaging, games, or advertisements) to facilitate social interaction between or among users.
The social-networking system may send over one or more networks content or messages related to its services to a mobile or other computing device of a user. A user may also install software applications on a mobile or other computing device of the user for accessing a user profile of the user and other data within the social-networking system. The social-networking system may generate a personalized set of content objects to display to a user, such as a newsfeed of aggregated stories of other users connected to the user.
Social-graph analysis views social relationships in terms of network theory consisting of nodes and edges. Nodes represent the individual actors within the networks, and edges represent the relationships between the actors. The resulting graph-based structures are often very complex. There can be many types of nodes and many types of edges for connecting nodes. In its simplest form, a social graph is a map of all of the relevant edges between all the nodes being studied.
Computing devices typically have numerous applications installed to access various services, including social media accounts, messaging applications, banking services, internet browsers, and other features. Current ways to switch between applications include a process of returning to a home screen, searching for an application to access, and clicking an icon associated with the application to initialize the application.

Gesture-based context switching between applications


In a control system for switching between a first system and a second system of a duplicated selecting structure in an ATM exchange, one of the first and second systems operates as an active system, and the other operates as a standby system. A generator unit writes specific bits into ATM cells received via an input transmission line. The specific bits respectively written into ATM cells to be transferred via the active system indicate a first state, and those respectively written into the ATM cells to be transferred via the standby system indicate a second state. A first table stores the specific bits respectively assigned to VPI/VCI pairs related to the ATM cells transferred via the first system. A second table stores the specific bits respectively assigned to VPI/VCI pairs related to the ATM cells transferred via the second system. A selecting unit compares the specific bits written into the ATM cells with the specific bits stored in the first and second tables by using the VPI/VCI pairs of the ATM cells, and outputs only ATM cells respectively having specific bits respectively indicating the first state to an output transmission line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) exchanges, and more particularly to a control system for switching between duplicated switch units in an ATM exchange.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, there has been considerable activity in the research of a B-ISDN (Broadband-Integrated Services Digital Network) as well as ATM exchanges used for such a B-ISDN. In order to attain high reliability, it is desirable to employ a redundant (duplicated) structure with respect to important parts of ATM exchanges.
In the ATM exchanges, switching is carried out for each cell. The duplicated structure has two systems, one of which is the active system, and the other of which is the standby system. If a fault has occurred in the duplicated structure, the standby system must immediate as the active system. In this case, it is desirable to perform the switching without any increase in the buffer capacity and complex control processing.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional ATM exchange having a duplicated structure, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an ATM switch shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, the ATM exchange comprises a transmission line interface 10, two switch units 11a and 11b, a selector 12, and a transmission line interface 13. A duplicated structure consists of the switch unit 11a serving as system #0, and the switch unit 11b serving as system #1. Each of the switch units 11a and 11b is made up of a multiplexer MUX, a switch SW, and a demultiplexer DMX.
One of the switch units 11a and 11b functions as the active system, and the other switch unit functions as the standby system. For example, the operation modes of the switch units 11a and 11b are periodically interchanged with each other. If a fault has occurred in the active system, the active system is switched to the standby system, while the standby system is switched to the active system. The above switchover is achieved by means of, for example, hardware.
It will now be assumed that the switch unit 11a is the active system and the switch unit 11b is the standby system. ATM cells transferred sequentially via the incoming transmission line are supplied to both the switch units 11a and 11b via the transmission line interface 10. During the above operation, the transmission line interface 10 receives an instruction signal from a control device (not shown for the sake of convenience), and writes a one-bit active-system indication bit into each ATM cell. For example, the active-system indication bit can be written into an ATM header of each ATM cell. According to the CCITT Recommendations I.361 and I.363, one ATM cell is a piece of 53-byte data, and consists of a 5-byte header and a 48-byte information field. In cases where routing information (route indication information) for switching is added to the ATM header of each ATM cell, the one-bit active-system indication bit is written into the routing information. For example, "1" is written, as the active-system indication bit, into each ATM cell output to the switch unit 11a, and "0" is written into each ATM cell output to the switch unit 11b.
The ATM cells with the active-system indication bit added thereto are switched in the switch units 11a and 11b, and are output to the selector 12. The selector 12 refers to the active-system indication bit in each ATM cell, and allows only the ATM cells from the active system (switch unit 11a in the example being considered) to pass through the selector 12. That is, the ATM cells having the active-system indication bit "1" are allowed to pass through the selector 12.
As has been described previously, the switching between the active system and the standby system is carried out periodically or carried out when a fault has occurred in the active system. In the example being considered, when a fault has occurred in the switch unit 11a, the switch unit 11a is switched to the standby system, and the switch unit 11b is switched to the active system under the control of the control device (not shown). The transmission line interface 10 writes the active-system indication bit "0" into each ATM cell output to the switch unit 11a, and writes the active-system indication bit "1" into each ATM cell output to the switch unit 11b. In this case, it is necessary for the selector 12 to select all ATM cells, each having the active-system indication bit "1", from the switch unit 11a which was previously the active system. After the above selection is completed, that is, all ATM cells, each having the active-system indication bit "1", from the switch unit 11a have been transferred to the transmission line interface 13, the selector 12 selects all ATM cells, each having the active-system indication bit "1", from the switch unit 11b which is the active system at present.
FIG. 2 shows the structure of the switch unit 11a shown in FIG. 1. The structure of the switch unit 11b is the same as that of the switch unit 11a, and is therefore omitted. The multiplexer (MUX) 110a comprises two multiplexers MUXI and MUX2. The switch (SW) 111a consists of three switching stages, each of which includes two SRMs (Self Routing Module), A and D, B and E, and C and F. Each of the SRMs at the first and second stages is connected to the two SRMs at the second and third stages, respectively. For example, the SRM A of the first stage is connected to the SRMs B and E of the second stage. Each of the SRMs has the switching function of directing each ATM cell to one of a plurality of outputs thereof (two outputs in the structure shown in FIG. 2) in accordance with the route indication information contained in the routing information and defined for each of the switching stages. The SRMs C and F of the third (final) stage are connected to demultiplexers DMX1 and DMX2 of the demultiplexer (DMX) 112a, respectively. The demultiplexers DMX1 and DMX2 are respectively connected to selectors (SEL1) 12A and (SEL2) 12B of the selector 12. The selectors 12A and 12B receive ATM cells from the switch unit 11b in the same manner as the above.
When the switch unit 11a is operating as the active system, each ATM cell input from the multiplexer 110a to the switch 111a has the active-system indication bit "1". Each ATM cell is subjected to the switching operation by means of the SRMs of the switch 111a, and is output to either the demultiplexer DMX1 or DMX2.
When the switching between the active system and the standby system is performed under the control of the control device, the active-system indication bit "0" is written into each ATM cell output to the switch 111a, and the active-system indication bit "1" is written into each ATM cell output to the other switch. The selectors 12A and 12B select all ATM cells which respectively have the active-system indication bit "1" and which are output from the switch 111a that was previously the active system. Further, the selectors 12A and 12B select all ATM cells which respectively have the active-system indication bit "1" and which are output from the other switch that is presently the active system after all the ATM cells respectively having the active-system indication bit "1" have been output from the switch 111a.
As has been described above, the conventional ATM exchange shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outputting of ATM cells output from the active system switched from the standby system is started after all the ATM cells remaining in the switch which was previously the active system have been read therefrom. Hence, it is necessary to hold the ATM cells in the active system which was previously switched from the standby system until all the ATM cells respectively having the active-system indication bit "1" have been read out from the other switch which was previously the active system. As a result, the switch units 11a and 11b have a large buffer (storage) capacity (particularly, the buffer capacity of the demultiplexers DMX1 and DMX2) used for temporarily holding the ATM cells.
In addition, the conventional ATM exchange has the following disadvantage. The demultiplexer DMX1 is connected to the SRM C, and therefore the demultiplexer DMX1 does not have information concerning the status (the available buffer capacity) of the SRM F. Hence, the demultiplexer DMX1 does not determine whether or not the SRM is completely empty. The above holds true for the demultiplexer DMX2, which does not have information converting the status of the SRM C. Hence, it is very difficult to determine the timing for switching in the selectors 12A and 12B. It is to be noted that the selectors 12A and 12B connected to the same demultiplexer (DMX) 112a must be concurrently switched.
Furthermore, it is necessary to define various control signals and provide devices for generating the control signals in order to achieve the above-mentioned switching between the active system and the standby system. For example, a control signal is needed to select only ATM cells respectively having the active-system indication bit "1" after switching. Further, it is necessary to use a control signal showing that all ATM cells respectively having the active-system indication bit "1" have been output from the switch unit which was the active system before switching.

Control system for switching duplicated switch units in ATM exchange


An injector includes a boosting mechanism and a nozzle. The boosting mechanism boosts fuel, and the nozzle injects and supplies the fuel boosted by the boosting mechanism. The boosting mechanism includes a tubular piston and a column piston. The tubular piston has a bore, which extends through the tubular piston in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the tubular piston. The column piston is loosely received by the tubular piston and has an end portion, which projects from the tubular piston, and which is engaged with the tubular piston. The tubular piston is slidably received by a first cylinder. The end portion of the column piston is slidably received by a second cylinder, which is provided generally coaxially to the first cylinder, and which has a diameter different from that of the first cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an injector that injects and supplies fuel to an engine.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, an injector is mounted on a direct injection engine (e.g., a diesel engine), which receives fuel from a fuel supply source (e.g., common rail) for directly injecting and supplying the fuel into a cylinder of an engine.
Recently, in order to improve an efficiency of combustion by further atomizing fuel spay of the fuel injected through the injector, injection pressure of the fuel by the injector has been increased. And, there has been a study for even aggressively increasing the pressure by providing a boosting mechanism (intensifier mechanism) to the injector, not only by increasing supply pressure of the fuel in a fuel supply source.
For example, the boosting mechanism includes a boosting piston (intensifier piston), which integrally includes a large-diameter piston member and a small-diameter piston member. Here, the large-diameter piston member is slidably received in a large-diameter cylinder, and the small-diameter piston member is slidably received in a small-diameter cylinder. Also, the boosting mechanism blocks the large-diameter cylinder by the large-diameter piston member to form (define) a boosting chamber, which the fuel as a boosting medium flows into and out of. Also, the boosting mechanism blocks the small-diameter cylinder by the small-diameter piston member to form (define) a boosted chamber, which fuel to be boosted flows into and out of.
Then, the boosting mechanism boosts the fuel (increases the pressure of the fuel) in the boosted chamber in accordance with an area ratio between an end face (boosting surface) of the large-diameter piston member and an end face (boosted surface) of the small-diameter piston member. Here, the end face (boosting surface) is exposed to the boosting chamber and applies pressure to the fuel in the boosting chamber, and the end face (boosted surface) is exposed to the boosted chamber and applies pressure to the fuel in the boosted chamber (see, for example, JP-A-2003-106235).
By the way, in order to retain oil tightness in the boosting mechanism, a clearance (large-diameter side slide clearance) and a clearance (small-diameter side slide clearance) both need to be set small to be, for example, 1˜5 m. Here, the clearance (large-diameter side slide clearance) is a clearance between the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter cylinder and the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter piston member, and the clearance (small-diameter side slide clearance) is a clearance between the inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter cylinder and the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter piston member.
However, when the boosting piston is formed in a condition, where the large-diameter piston member and the small-diameter piston member are integrally formed with each other and are generally coaxially to each other, an erroneous measurement of an axial center position of the large-diameter piston member against that of the small-diameter piston member needs to be set smaller than a total measurement of the large-diameter and small-diameter side slide clearances in order to retain appropriate slidability. Then, it is very difficult to machine the boosting piston with a high degree of accuracy in the coaxiality between the large-diameter piston member and the small-diameter piston member under a condition where the large-diameter and small-diameter side slide clearances are set smaller as above.
Further, when the injector is assembled and fixed to the engine, the injector is applied with a very large fixing force. Therefore, because of the fixing force, the error may be generated in the axial center positions between the large-diameter piston member and the small-diameter piston member. Then, in the boosting piston, where the large-diameter and small-diameter side slide clearances are set small and also the coaxiality is formed highly accurately, slide deficiency of the large-diameter and small-diameter piston members may occur with a very high probability due to the above error of the axial center positions.
Thus, according to the conventional boosting mechanism, in order to retain the oil tightness in the boosting mechanism, the large-diameter and small-diameter side slide clearances need to be set small. But on the other side, the slide deficiency of the large-diameter and small-diameter piston members may occur with the very high probability due to the fact that the large-diameter and small-diameter side slide clearances are set small. Therefore, the injector having the conventional boosting mechanism has difficulty in retaining both the oil tightness and the slidability.


In a method of erasing flash memory cells, the flash memory cells organized in selectable memory blocks, the erasing step comprising applying an erase pulse voltage to a commonly biased cell well of at least one selected and at least one unselected memory blocks, the method comprising the steps of: raising the erase pulse voltage to a first intermediate voltage less than a target erase pulse voltage; maintaining the erase pulse voltage at the first intermediate voltage for a first period of time; after the first time period, raising the erase pulse voltage to the target erase pulse voltage; and maintaining the erase pulse voltage at the target erase pulse voltage during an erase operation.

NAND type EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memories) or flash memories have been developed for solid-state mass storage applications for portable music players, mobile telephones, digital cameras, and the like, as well as have been considered as a replacement for hard disk drives (HDDs).
Referring to FIG. 1, a circuit diagram of an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory is shown comprising an array of memory cells, which is formed on a chip substrate. As will be recognized by those in the art, FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a portion of a NAND flash memory array. Various components, such as column and row decoders, sense circuitry and other control circuitry are not shown but are familiar to those in the art.
An exemplary memory array is partitioned into many memory "blocks." Each block has several "pages." A page has many memory "cells." For example, a 1 Gb memory has 1024 blocks, and one block has 64 pages. Each page has 2K bytes of bits (i.e., 16K bits). A word line contains a page or multiple pages. A cell string or two cell strings are provided per block in the bit line direction. A cell string has 16 bits, 32 bits or
The illustrated memory array of FIG. 1 includes a plurality of parallel bit lines BL1, BL1, BL2 . . . through BLn coupled to memory cells defined at intersections of individual bit lines and word lines of the memory array. In the illustrated memory, the individual cells are floating gate flash cells, although other cell structures, such as SONOS or split gate flash cells are used in some EEPROMs. Parallel word lines WL0, WL1, WL2 . . . WL15 are formed over the substrate so as to form control gates for the individual flash memory cells. Selection transistors are associated with each bit line and are coupled to signals SS and GS.
Block select signal BK is used to select a block of memory cells and bias the gate terminal of the NMOS pass/driving transistors. The driving transistors receive global word line signals GWL0, GWL1, . . . through GWL15, respectively, at their drain terminals for biasing word lines WL0 to WL15, respectively, during program and erasing. CS designates the common source line. A cell string is connected to a bit line through SS selection transistor on one side and to CS through the GS transistor.
The tables of FIG. 1 show the program and erase conditions for the flash memory of FIG. 1. The erase conditions are of particular note. During erasure, all of the word lines in a string of the selected block are grounded and the cell well voltage (VW) is raised to about 20V. This large voltage difference forces the electrons stored in the floating gate to escape into the cell well. The unselected blocks share the common cell well with the selected block, which is biased at the high voltage. The corresponding word lines in the unselected block are floating. Since the coupling factor between the cell well and the floating control gate (i.e., the floating word line) has been reported at about 98%, the word line voltage of these unselected blocks is coupled to about the voltage level of the cell well (the P well of the NMOS memory cells), i.e., about 20V. The corresponding word line pass transistors of these unselected blocks are turned off, as select signal BK is set to 0V for the unselected block. The driving transistors of the unselected blocks, therefore, experience about a 20V stress from source node (i.e., the word line voltage node) to the gate node (i.e., the block select node). If the gate oxide thickness of the pass transistors is about 300 Å, then the resulting electrical field is about 6.7MV/cm (20V/300 Å), which produces reliability concerns for the high density NAND flash. For example, in current 1 Gbyte NAND flash devices have 1024 blocks, 64 pages per block, two pages per word line, and each word line divided into two lines to reduce RC delay, there are 64K driver transistors (1024×32×2) that can be stressed.
Therefore, there remains a need for an improved flash memory erase procedure, as well as an improved flash memory, that considers the voltage stress on the driving transistors of unselected blocks.

Method and apparatus for reducing stress in word line driver transistors during erasure

Elite Semiconductor Memory Technology, Inc.


Provided is a compact and high-luminance semiconductor light-emitting device which has excellent color rendering characteristics and which enables arbitrary selection of emission color depending on the use of the device. The semiconductor light-emitting device includes a light-emitting element assembly configured by a plurality of fluorescent semiconductor light-emitting elements each of which has external connection electrodes respectively connected to an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer, wherein at least an outer surface other than the external connection electrodes of each of the fluorescent semiconductor light-emitting elements is coated with a resin containing a fluorescent material. The light-emitting element assembly is configured such that the external connection electrodes of the fluorescent semiconductor light-emitting elements are directly connected in series using solder.

Light-emitting diodes (hereafter abbreviated as LEDs), which are compound semiconductors, have been widely utilized as light-emitting devices, taking advantage of characteristics such as long operating life and compact size. Furthermore, as a result of the development of LEDs which emit blue light using, for example, gallium nitride based compound semiconductors, the commercialization of white light and pseudo-white light-emitting devices has advanced, and high luminance and high output light-emitting devices, for which LED heat dissipation methods have been devised, have been commercialized as well. In addition, since light-emitting amount is limited by one LED element, an assembled semiconductor light-emitting device is known in which a number of LED elements are mounted on a small mounting area to achieve a large amount of light.
For example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-115928, a semiconductor light-emitting device is disclosed which has first LED elements mounted on a substrate, and a second LED element mounted above the first LED elements in a laminated and shifted state, and each of the first LED elements has p and n electrodes on the upper surfaces thereof, and the second LED element has p and n electrodes on the lower surface thereof. In this semiconductor light-emitting device, the p electrode of the second LED element is attached to the n electrode of one of the adjoining first LED elements, and the n electrode of the second LED element is attached to the p electrode of the other of the adjoining first LED elements. Since the second LED element is hereby mounted in the laminated and shifted state relative to the first LED elements, the mounting area of the LED elements can be reduced and the luminous flux density per unit area can be improved, thus enabling miniaturization of the entire package and improvement of luminosity.
In addition, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H10-173225, a semiconductor light-emitting element is disclosed in which three or more of a first LED element and a second LED element are alternately lined up and connected in series into a straight-line shape. In this semiconductor light-emitting element, the first LED element has an n-side electrode and a p-side electrode, and the second LED element has semiconductor layers laminated on the front surface side of a transparent substrate, has an n-side electrode and a p-side electrode, and is disposed so that the side on which the electrodes are provided faces the opposite direction of the first LED element. With the first and second LED elements, the n-side electrodes or the p-side electrodes on the different sides are directly attached to each other. Since there are no gaps between the LED elements, this semiconductor light-emitting element can achieve a size reduction of approximately one-half compared with a light-emitting element having the same amount of light and the same number of LED elements connected therein.
In addition, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-94294, a semiconductor light-emitting device is disclosed which has multiple LED elements stacked in two layers on a circuit board, and which is configured such that upper layer LED elements and lower layer LED elements are alternately connected in series through bumps. The circuit board of this semiconductor light-emitting device has a recessed portion for accommodating the LED elements, and the lower layer LED elements are accommodated in the recessed portion. All or some of the upper layer LED elements are electrically connected through bumps to a wiring pattern formed on the circuit board. By such a configuration, the heat generated by the LED elements can be dissipated through the circuit board. In addition, since the upper and lower layer LED elements and the wiring pattern formed on the circuit board are connected without using bonding wires, the light source unit can be made compact, which makes it possible to reduce the size of the semiconductor light-emitting device and increase the lighting intensity of the illumination unit.


In one embodiment, an airflow regulation device comprises a at least one base member configured to couple to a connector on a circuit board, a first segment connected to the at least one base member and extending a first height from the at least one base member, and a second segment removably connected to the first segment and extending a second height from the at least one base member, wherein the second height is different than the first height.

Some electronic devices such as, e.g., computing systems, utilize airflow cooling systems to dissipate heat generated by components such as, e.g., integrated circuits. Such systems may be designed to direct airflow across components in a particular manner to provide effective cooling to components of the electronic device. For example, some computing systems utilize direct in-line memory modules (DIMMs) as airflow impedance devices to direct airflow across a motherboard. Removing at least one DIMM or using short DIMMs can alter the airflow characteristics, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the cooling system.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of flip-flop sets, and a logic circuit configured to consolidate error-detection signals output from the flip-flop sets into one output signal, wherein each of the flip-flop sets includes one or more flip-flops configured to latch input data in synchronization with a common clock signal, and an error detection-&-correction circuit configured to detect and correct an error in data stored in the flip-flops, and to produce one of the error-detection signals indicative of the detection of the error upon the detection of the error.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor integrated circuits, and particularly relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit having an error correction function.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the days in which semiconductor technologies were not yet matured, the reliability of flip-flops inside semiconductor circuits were low, resulting in the destruction of data stored in the flip-flops in some cases. The reason why such data destruction occurred may be attributable to the low reliability of circuit operations, or may be attributable to radiation emitted from a metal contained in semiconductor packages. Since the possibility of data destruction in flip-flops was small, a countermeasure was taken by performing a parity check on the data of flip-flops so as to suspend the system upon error detection, for example.
At the present day, the problem of having the data stored in flip-flops being destroyed is no longer in existence due to the development of semiconductor technology. Even with the semiconductor integrated circuits manufactured by use of the state-of-the-art semiconductor technology, however, the existence of the phenomenon called "soft error" is known in the case of DRAM, for example. This phenomenon is attributable to high-energy neutrons resulting from cosmic rays (i.e., neutrons as secondary particles generated upon reaction between positrons included in the cosmic rays and atomic nucleus contained in the atmosphere). In this phenomenon, bits stored in memory cells are changed by electric charge resulting from ions that are generated by the collisions between high-energy neutrons resulting from cosmic rays and silicon atomic nucleus because the DRAM memory cells consist of minute capacitance. In the case of flip-flops, however, the HIGH/LOW logic state of nodes of a cross-coupling circuit stores data. Unlike the DRAM, thus, data is never inverted by such energy as small as that of neutrons resulting from cosmic rays.
In the future, the size of circuit elements and the width of cross-connects will be further reduced due to the development of semiconductor technology. As such progress is made, it is expected that flip-flops used in semiconductor integrated circuits may suffer data destruction due to high-energy neutrons resulting from cosmic rays. In this case, the frequency of such data destruction is expected to be relatively high, so that a countermeasure that suspends a system upon error detection will not be suitable.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-251898
Accordingly, there is a need for a semiconductor integrated circuit with flip-flops providing an increased data reliability.

Semiconductor integrated circuit with flip-flops having increased reliability


An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; a first body which rotatably supports the photosensitive member; an exposing unit which exposes the photosensitive member; a second body which supports the exposing unit movably between an exposing position in which the exposing unit exposes the photosensitive member and a retracting position in which the exposing unit is retracted from the photosensitive member; a first grounding unit which, when the exposing unit is positioned at the exposing position, causes the exposing unit to be electrically connected to the first body; and a second grounding unit which, when the exposing unit is positioned at the retracting position, causes the exposing unit to be electrically connected to the first body via the second body.

In an image forming apparatus, a charged photosensitive drum is irradiated with light, the potential of a portion irradiated with light is changed to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, a developer is supplied to the electrostatic latent image to form a developer image, and the developer image is transferred to a recording sheet, thereby forming an image on the recording sheet.
A related-art image forming apparatus of this type includes: plural LED heads (exposing units) which irradiate plural photosensitive drums with light; an apparatus body which supports the plural photosensitive drums; and a top cover which supports the plural LED heads, and which is pivotable with respect to the apparatus body (see JP-A-2007-65125). In the image forming apparatus, when the top cover is closed, the LED heads are positioned at an exposing position in which the LED heads are close to the photosensitive drums. When the top cover is closed, the LED heads are positioned at a retracting position in which the LED heads are separated from the photosensitive drums.
In the image forming apparatus, in order to prevent electromagnetic waves generated from the LED heads, into which a large current flows to perform lighting, from adversely affecting surrounding devices, grounding springs disposed at the sides of the LED heads are contacted with the apparatus body, thereby electrically grounding the LED heads.
In the above-described related art, in the state in which the top cover is opened, the grounding springs are separated from the apparatus body to cancel grounding of the LED heads. When, in the state in which the top cover is opened, electrostatic charges are accumulated on the LED heads, when the user touches the LED heads, a current flow occurs so that the LED head might be broken. This situation is not restricted in the LED heads, but may occur also in the whole exposing device including a laser scanner and the like.


A burn-in apparatus for burning MAC address stored a burning machine (100) onto an IC (302), which includes an isolation circuit (220), a voltage switching circuit (230) and a power switching circuit (240). The burning machine, the isolation circuit, the voltage switching circuit, and power switching circuit are serially connected and form a data transportation channel. The MAC address is transferred to the IC through the data transportation channel. The isolation circuit prevents interference between the burning machine and the IC. The voltage switching circuit supplies a high voltage to receive data for the IC to be burned. The power switching circuit supplies a working voltage for the IC. Finishing of the burning, MAC address returns to the burning machine through the data transportation channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a burn-in apparatus, and particularly to a burn-in apparatus for burning a media access control (MAC) address which has simple configuration and reduces the time of burning and checks the result of burning.
2. Description of the Related Art
A network card has two types of address, one is IP address, the other is MAC address, i.e., physical address. This is a sole mark of a network card. Wherever a network card is connected, the MAC address is unchanged. The length of MAC address is 48 bits of binary digit, which is composed of twelve 00-FFH hexadecimal digits, and a symbol "-" is placed between every two digits.
When a network card is assembled to Ethernet, a MAC address that was assigned to the network card in manufacturing process is required. The address is burned to EPROM of network card in manufacturing process.
With the develop of diversification of computer and the need reducing cost, a current motherboard is associated with a network card. In manufacturing process of a motherboard, main integrated circuit (IC) chipsets are mounted to the motherboard by surface mounting machines. A typical way is using integrated circuit test (ICT) machine to burn the MAC address to the network card. However, when burning using said machine, it will take a long time to test electric performance before burning, and it causes cumulus of motherboards in product line. Another means to burn a MAC address is using a burning device. An example of this means is disclosed in Taiwan patent application No. 90223729. The burning device comprises a burning unit. An IC to be burned must be assembled to the burning unit. However said burning device can only burn ICs before they are assembled to the motherboards. ICs such as EPROM of network adaptor cards which are already assembled to the motherboards will not be burned by such burning devices.
Thus, an improved apparatus for burning MAC address which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Burn-in apparatus for burning MAC address

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


To provide a preparing method for a charged niosome which is formed of a lipid containing a diacylglycerol PEG adduct and which is capable of being excellently impregnated into the skin and stored in the skin. The preparing method for the charged niosome includes the steps of: preparing a suspension of a niosome by mixing a lipid containing a diacylglycerol PEG adduct with an aqueous solution at a temperature where the lipid is in a liquid state so that the lipid forms the niosome spontaneously; preparing a cationic-surfactant aqueous solution by mixing a cationic surfactant with an acidic aqueous solution, the cationic surfactant being chosen from a group which consists of an aliphatic amine, an aliphatic or aliphatic-amide quaternary ammonium salt, an aliphatic amideamine and an acylamino acid derivative, the hydrophobic part of the cationic surfactant containing a saturated or unsaturated normal hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of 11 to 21; and preparing a suspension of a charged niosome by mixing the suspension of the niosome with the cationic-surfactant aqueous solution and allowing the cationic surfactant to modify a surface of the niosome with a positive charge of the hydrophilic part of the cationic surfactant.

A liposome is a phospholipid forming a biomembrane or a lipid similar thereto and has the structure of a double membrane or a multiple membrane, the liposome being known as a self-closed colloidal particle having a size of tens of nanometers to hundreds of nanometers. Particularly, a self-closed colloidal particle prepared with a lipid of a non-ionic surfactant is called a niosome. A liposome or a niosome has been widely utilized for drug delivery or the like in the fields of medicaments, cosmetics and the like.
An objective substance such as a medicine can be encapsulated in a water phase inside of a liposome, encapsulated in a membrane of a liposome and bonded on a surface of a liposome. A general method for preparing a liposome includes treatment processes, such as dissolving a lipid with an organic solvent, removing an organic solvent, an ultrasonic treatment or extrusion, and homogenization. In forming a liposome and simultaneously encapsulating a medicine or the like, subsequent treatments may cause the lipid and the medicine to dissolve. Further, problems may arise in the general preparing method, such as making unstable the size of each liposome or the number of liposomes, and on a manufacturing scale, making sterilization more difficult and causing differences in quality between batches.
In order to solve the problems, Patent Document 1 presents a preparing method for forming a liposome spontaneously by mixing a lipid mainly containing a diacylglycerol polyethylene glycol adduct (hereinafter, called the "diacylglycerol PEG adduct") and an aqueous solution containing an objective substance. (In a narrow sense, a self-closed colloidal particle formed of a phospholipid is frequently called a liposome. However, in Patent Document 1, it is formed of a lipid other than a phospholipid and hence called a liposome in a broad sense. Herein, a liposome formed mainly of a lipid other than a phospholipid is called a "niosome".)
In addition, Patent Document 2 includes modifying a surface of a liposome with polyethylene glycol, and thereby, the hydration and steric hindrance of polyethylene glycol enable the liposome to be impregnated into the organism without being captured by the reticulo-endothelial system. Particularly, it is known that the liposome is quite excellently stored in the blood.
In Patent Document 1, the lipid itself equivalent to the diacylglycerol PEG adduct has a PEG chain, and the surface of the liposome formed of the lipid is covered with the PEG chain. Therefore, the liposome of Patent Document 1 is capable of being excellently impregnated into the organism and stably kept in the blood. Hence, this liposome has the same advantages as those of the liposome of Patent Document 1 having the surface modified with polyethylene glycol.

Preparing method for positively-electrified charged niosome, and charged niosome