The present invention is an attachment to a mixer blade for wiping the sides of a container and producing a mixture that is uniform and consistent. The attachment is placed onto the mixer blade either temporarily or permanently. After the attachment is on the mixer blade, the rotating spin of the mixer blade and the angular positioning of the flexible fins wipe the mixture on the sides of the container to the center of the container. By using a flexible material for the fins, the fins come into direct contact with the container while not damaging the container. The direct contact allows for the complete wiping of each side of the container. The attachment is easily cleaned.

Mixers come in a variety of styles. There are many types of mixers ranging from hand held appliances to large mixers for commercial use. In some applications of mixers, a single blade is used for mixing material in a container. The mixer blade rotates and hovers in a position right above the container to mix the material. In other applications, the mixer has two beaters.
Preferably, the mixer blade is composed of plastic or metal or other rigid material. The rigid material provides for sturdy attachment to the mixer. The attachable/detachable mixer blades may be removed from the mixer for easy cleaning.
In any of the previous described mixers, when mixing some of the ingredients may cling to the inside wall of the container so that the final product is improperly mixed or does not have the correct ratio of ingredients mixed uniformly and consistently throughout the product. In the previously described mixers, it is incumbent upon the user to utilize a spoon or the like to scrape away the ingredients clinging to the wall of the container. This poses a problem because users may have to consistently scrape the sides of the container. Users expose themselves to danger when the spoon or the like may catch in the mixer blade. To safely scrape the sides of the container, a user may have to turn off the mixer several times during the mixing process. This results in delay and inconvenience. Additionally, when users attempt to mix ingredients by repositioning the mixer blade, damage may occur when the mixer blade touches the side of the container.
In order to solve the previous problem, manufactures developed a paddle-like attachment to continually wipe the sides of the excess material. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,946,285, 5,556,201, 2,753,160. However, these inventions do not direct the flow of the mixture. Thus, the mixture is not uniform or consistent.
As a result, a need exists to provide an improved mixer blade that overcomes the above mentioned problems. A need exists for mixing ingredients in a consistent and uniform way while not damaging the container that contains the ingredients.
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an attachment for wiping a mixture from the sides of a container may be easily applied to a pre-existing mixer blade.
The attachment may be preferably heated permanently onto the pre-existing mixer blade. The attachment may also temporarily snap onto the pre-existing mixer blade.
The attachment may contain angular flexible fins for pushing the mixture to the center of the container. The fins may be used for lifting the mixture located in the center of the container. The fins may be made of a flexible material for providing smooth contact between the fins and the container.
The mixer blade attachment with flexible fins may provide a uniform and consistent mixture. The mixer blade attachment with the flexible fins is easy to clean.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an attachment for a mixer blade is described. The attachment allows for the smooth contact between the mixer blade and the container without damaging the container. The angular direction of the fins directs materials in the container downward. By directing material downward, the attachment gives the mixture uniformity and consistency.
In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned above, other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and exemplary embodiments.

Mixer blade attachment with flexible fins


An over-voltage protection circuit structure for protecting a high power translation circuit is provided. The over-voltage protection circuit structure receives an alternating current input and comprises a relay circuit, a voltage detection module, and an energy supply circuit. The relay circuit relays the alternating current input to the high power translation circuit. The energy supply circuit provides power to the voltage detection module in response to the alternating current input. The voltage detection module detects a voltage value of the alternating current input continuously. When the voltage value is greater than or equal to a first reference value, the voltage detection module generates an over-voltage signal. The relay circuit opens to cease delivering the alternating current input into the high power circuit in response to the over-voltage signal, thus the purpose of protecting the high power circuit is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protection circuit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protection circuit capable of preventing damage from the over-voltage.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional over-voltage protection circuit structure 1 for protecting a high power translation circuit is illustrated. The over-voltage protection circuit structure 1 comprises a voltage detection module 110 and a relay circuit 134. The relay circuit 134 comprises a switch 116 and an inrush resistor 117 connected in parallel with the switch 116. The high power translation circuit comprises a power correction module 111, a direct current to direct current (DC/DC) module 112 and an auxiliary power supply 113. The power correction module 111, the DC/DC module 112 and the auxiliary power supply 113 are all well-known to those skilled in the art, and therefore no further description thereof will be made herein. The voltage detection module 110 is configured to detect a voltage across alternating current (AC) terminals 114 and 115. When the voltage go excessively high, the voltage detection module 110 merely opens the switch 116, with the AC voltage still passing through the inrush resistor 117 and a bridge rectifier 118 into the circuit continuously. When the AC voltage reaches a certain value, breakdown usually occurs in such elements as lightning arresters, power transistors and capacitors, thus causing damage to the circuit.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional way to make improvement on this shortcoming, which is a conventional over-voltage protection circuit structure 2. The over-voltage protection circuit structure 2 differs from the over-voltage protection circuit structure 1 in that, in the relay circuit 234, an auxiliary switch 220 is connected in series with the inrush resistor 117, both of which are then connected in parallel with the original switch 116. Once an AC over-voltage occurs, the voltage detection module 110 quickly opens the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116 in sequence, thus preventing the AC voltage from being delivered into the circuit. Additionally, a bulk capacitor 119 is configured to supply energy to the auxiliary power supply 113, which in turn supplies power to the power detection module 110. The power detection module 110 also detects a voltage across the bulk capacitor 110, and once this voltage drops smaller than a certain preset recovering value, the power detection module 110 closes the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116 in sequence, so that the AC voltage of the circuit recovers through the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116. If the AC voltage stays excessively high continuously, the voltage detection module 110 quickly opens the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116 in sequence again to prevent from that the AC over-voltage is delivered into the circuit. Once again, the bulk capacitor 119 supplies energy to the auxiliary power supply 113, i.e., the bulk capacitor 119 begins to discharge. Therefore, when the AC voltage stays high continuously, the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116 are opened at first, and then closed after the bulk capacitor 119 is discharged for a time of period, and again opened immediately upon detection of an over-voltage. This operating cycle is repeated over and over again according to the aforesaid voltage status.
Unfortunately, after long periods of opening and closing operations, carbon deposition tends to occur on contacts of the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116, causing failure to open after the switches are closed. As a consequence, the entire circuit will fail to work and the AC over-voltage is delivered continuously into the circuit to cause disruption. Furthermore, such a circuit cannot actively detect an AC voltage on a continuous basis; rather, the voltage detection module 110 cannot continue to determine occurrence of an AC over-voltage until the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116 are closed to allow delivery of the AC voltage into the circuit.
In summary, efforts still have to be made in the art to ensure that the voltage detection module 110 can still detect and determine an over-voltage continuously while the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116 are opened, so as to reduce frequency to open and close the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116. This helps to prevent failure of the auxiliary switch 220 and the switch 116, and maintain a voltage of the bulk capacitor within a reasonable and safe range, thus accomplishing the goal of protecting the overall circuit.

Over-voltage protection circuit structure and method thereof


An image forming apparatus includes a movable member that moves cyclically in synchronization with an image forming process and a position detector. The position detector includes a scale, an image sensor, a signal processor, and a position computing unit. The scale is attached to the movable member and includes a plurality of optical marks formed in line at a substantially constant interval. The image sensor captures data relating to at least one optical mark at a time. The signal processor computes a coordinate of the optical mark with respect to a reference position. The position computing unit computes a distance traveled by the optical mark based on a number of the optical marks that pass the reference position and the coordinate of the optical mark with respect to the reference position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus including a position detector capable of detecting a relative position of and the distance traveled by a movable component and/or a rotational component.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general, image forming apparatuses that employ electrophotographic printing methods, such as copying machines, printers, facsimile machines, etc., include an image forming mechanism and movable elements, such as a photoconductor drum, a transfer belt, and/or a conveyance member. For example, in one electrophotographic printing method, the image forming mechanism forms an electrostatic latent image on a rotating photoconductor drum, develops it with toner, and transfers the developed image onto a recording sheet. The recording sheet is conveyed to the image forming mechanism by a conveyance belt.
A color image may be formed by superimposing images of different colors on top of one another. Images of different colors on a recording sheet or a transfer member may be displaced relative to each other when being superimposed, which blurs the color image. Therefore, positioning of the images is important to avoid position displacement among the different colors of a color image. Positioning may require detection of position, distance traveled, and/or speed of a movable element.
One type of image forming apparatus includes an image sensor to measure positional displacement. The image sensor reads an image on a movable part, compares the current image data with a previously read image data, and computes the position of the image. The above method is convenient since it requires only a detector and a reference scale is not required. However, extensive calculations may be required to accurately calculate the position or distance traveled by the image using only an image sensor.
One type of position detector may employ a method in which a correlation coefficient of density data of an optical mark is calculated and a position having a highest correlation is regarded as a relative displacement position. A large amount of calculation may be required because a correlative coefficient regarding every pixel is calculated.
Another type of image forming apparatus is provided with an encoder including a scale having a pattern in which optical marks are arranged at substantially constant intervals to detect and to measure the distance traveled by a movable element. The encoder detects position and/or speed of the movable element, measures them using the scale, and converts the measured values into electrical signals. However, to accurately calculate a relative position or distance traveled by a movable element, a highly accurate optical system and high quality scale and sensor are required. Furthermore, when optical marks are provided on a flexible or deformable component, variation may be caused in the intervals due to environmental factors, such as temperature and/or humidity.

Image forming apparatus including position detector


The present invention is an apparatus for collecting snow in a high wind ironment. An apertured vessel has upstanding side walls, a closed bottom and an open top for receiving a flexible liner therein. The walls of the vessel have apertures therein for allowing the liner to be drawn against the interior walls of the vessel by wind induction. A baffle is secured to the vessel for covering a portion of the open top to thereby promote entrapment of precipitation within the vessel. An adjustable supporting bracket is secured to the vessel for selectively positioning the open top of the vessel with respect to the wind to maximize collection of now. Other forms of precipitation may be collected in the apparatus as desired.

Snow is collected at various fixed locations for a variety of reasons including to perform chemical analysis, to determine collection efficiency and for other reasons. The location is selected often times based upon its relative isolation from sources of local pollution. A mountain top is an ideal collection point. Snow collected at such a location can provide an indication of pollution sources located far from the collection point. Thus, depending upon the wind direction, a correlation between remote sources of pollutants and the storm track can be made.
A problem with mountainous regions is that the prevailing winds, especially in the winter time, may be gusting greater than 80 mph. It is therefore, difficult to collect precipitation of any kind, but it is especially difficult to collect snow in sufficient quantities to be practical. Known apparatus for collecting liquid precipitation typically includes a bucket lined with a removable cup or other rigid liner. The apparatus is typically located near the ground and is mounted vertically for catching the precipitation. In high winds, the precipitation is blown over the top of the device. While the bucket may be oriented facing the wind direction, this often results in the precipitation being blown out of the vessel as quickly as it is deposited.
For snow collection, it is desirable to place within the collection vessel a flexible liner for each sample. However, it has been found that it is difficult to maintain such liners in place because the prevailing winds drag the liner out of the vessel.

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


The number of terminals included in a semiconductor device which is included in an electronic device is reduced. The electronic device includes: a first semiconductor device having first and second input terminals; a second semiconductor device having a first output terminal and a first driver circuit to drive the first output terminal; and a wiring substrate over which the first and second semiconductor devices are mounted. The first and second input terminals are commonly coupled to the first output terminal via a first line formed on the wiring substrate. A composite resistance value of first and second termination resistors coupled to the first and second input terminals, respectively, is equivalent to a drive impedance of the first driver circuit.

The present invention relates to an electronic device, for example, one configured with an LPDDR4 (low power double data rate 4) SDRAM (synchronous DRAM) and a controller therefor both included in a SiP (system in package).
In Japanese Translation of PCT International Application Publication No. 2011-513845, for example, a dual-channel memory architecture is disclosed which is configured with a first memory device and a second memory device. The first memory device is coupled to a memory controller using a common address bus and a first clock signal. The second memory device is coupled to a memory controller using a common address bus and a second clock signal. The polarity of the second clock signal is a reversal of the polarity of the first clock signal. JEDEC Standard JESD209-4 includes the LPDDR4 standard.


An assembly for producing printing plates from photopolymerizable resins includes an upper fixture assembly and a lower fixture assembly. The upper fixture assembly includes an upper glass plate, and an upper shutter box in which an upper UV light source is located. The upper fixture is mounted on a guide post so that the upper fixture assembly can be raised and lowered relative to a lower fixture assembly. The lower fixture assembly includes a lower light bank table containing a lower UV light source, and a lower glass plate on which the resin layer is cast. A doctor blade is drawn over the resin layer to smooth the latter on the lower glass plate. The resin layer is then exposed to UV light through a print pattern-defining negative so as to selectively harden the resin layer and form a printing plate that is defined by the negative pattern. In order to maintain the flatness of the lower glass plate, and thus the thickness of the resin layer during the doctor blade step, a support post is positioned in the lower fixture to support the center of the lower glass plate. The support post has transparent portions so as not to interfere with subsequent light transmission to the resin layer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved assembly for producing flat printing plates; and more particularly to an assembly of the character described wherein the resin-supporting glass plate is structurally reinforced so as to maintain its planar condition in the assembly without retarding light transmission through the glass plate.
2. Description of the Art
An assembly for producing printing plates by selectively cross-linking a photo-polymerizable resin layer typically includes an upper fixture assembly having an upper UV light bank, and a lower fixture assembly containing a lower UV light bank. Both assemblies are provided with glass plates, which are brought together when the resin layer is processed. The resin layer is cast on a transparent sheet, which is positioned on the lower glass plate, and the resin layer may be smoothed and evened by means of a doctor blade, which passes over the resin layer. After the smoothing operation, the upper fixture is properly positioned and the light banks are activated so as to selectively cross-link the resin layer so as to form the printing plate. The selective cross-linking is accomplished by means of a photo negative of the pattern desired for the printing plate. The lower UV light bank is directed against the lower surface of the resin layer through the negative. The upper UV light bank is directed against the upper surface of the resin layer so as to form a cross linked floor portion of the printing plate. Excess liquid resin which is not cross linked in the process is removed from the cross linked printing plate.
The aforesaid assembly can be used to produce relatively large area printing plates, but in order to maximize printing plate and print image quality, the lower glass plate must be maintained as flat as possible. The larger the printing plate, the heavier the resin layer that is deposited on the lower glass plate, and the greater the tendency of the lower glass plate to bow downwardly at its center since it is only supported on its edges. The use of a doctor blade also increases bending of the lower glass plate, which results in a thicker resin layer at the center of the lower glass plate. The net result is a resin layer which may not be flat, and which may have a thicker central portion. It would be desirable to be able to provide an auxiliary support for the lower glass plate so as to maintain the flatness of the lower glass plate during production of any size printing plate, and also to allow the production of larger printing plates than are presently feasible.

Assembly and method for producing flat printing plates

MacDermid Imaging Technology, Incorporated


A process for the gas phase polymerization of olefins. In this process a transition metal-containing solid catalyst component is introduced into a cylindrical section of a vertically disposed reactor in a first stream. A second stream, comprising an organometallic cocatalyst component is simultaneously separately introduced into the said cylindrical section of a vertically disposed reactor at a distance from the point of introduction of the first stream of no more than about 20% of the inside diameter of the tubular reactor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for the gas phase polymerization of olefins. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for polymerizing at least one olefin monomer in the presence of a catalyst system whose components are separately introduced into a gas phase reactor in close proximity to each other.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Gas phase processes and apparatus for the polymerization of at least one olefin are well known in the art. Among recent processes and apparatus developed for this purpose are systems wherein the catalyst components that constitute the catalyst system utilized in the olefin polymerization are separately introduced into the polymerization reactor.
More specifically, it is known in the art to separately introduce, into a tubular gas phase reactor, a solid catalyst component and a cocatalyst component. That is, a solid catalyst component, which includes at least one transition metal, is introduced into the polymerization reactor separately from the cocatalyst component, which typically is an organometallic compound of a metal of Group 1, 2 or 13 of the Periodic Table. The organometallic compound of the cocatalyst component is preferably a hydrocarbyl-containing compound which includes a metal of Group 1, 12 or 13. More preferably, the cocatalyst component is an alkyl-containing compound which includes at least one of the aforementioned metals. The organometallic compound, which acts as the cocatalyst component, may optionally include halogen or hydrogen atoms and thus be a halide or hydride compound.
These processes and apparatus are specifically designed to provide processing improvements over earlier olefin gas phase polymerization processes and apparatus. None of these recently developed systems, however, have adequately addressed certain well known problems associated with such processes and apparatus. Specifically, although the aforementioned recent developments are designed to eliminate operability problems, such as problems associated with catalyst clumping, which adversely affects operability, i.e. large catalyst particles tend to plug polymerization reactor withdrawal system, such as outlet conduits and the like, these developments have not fully addressed the associated problems of producing polymers having the necessary physical properties to meet specific customer needs.
The most pertinent examples of the prior art, which illustrates gas phase polymerization of olefins wherein the catalyst and the cocatalyst components are separately introduced into the polymerization reactor, include U.S. Pat. No. 2,846,426 to Larson et al. In this process an ethylene gas stream is introduced into liquid titanium tetrachloride. The thereupon vaporized titanium tetrachloride is, in turn, introduced into a polymerization reactor. At the same time, a second ethylene gas stream is introduced into liquid diisobutylaluminum hydride to form a second vaporous composition which is also fed, through a separate inlet, into the same polymerization reactor. A third ethylene gas stream is separately introduced into the reactor. This scheme permits not only gas phase polymerization of ethylene but, in addition, in-situ formation of the catalyst system which catalyzes this polymerization reaction. This processing scheme is alleged, in the '426 patent, to improve control of active catalyst concentration relative to the concentration of the polymerizable ethylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,846 to Gordon et al. describes a process wherein two separate inert gas streams entrain the vapors of two catalyst components of a Ziegler catalyst system utilized in olefin polymerization reactions. One of the inert gas streams entrains a vapor of a reducing compound, i.e. an aluminum-containing compound. The other inert gas stream entrains a vapor of a salt of a metal of Groups IV to VI of the Periodic Table. A particularly preferred metal of Groups IV to VI, preferred in the '846 patent, is titanium. Also, in a preferred embodiment of the invention of the '846 patent the olefin monomer is used as the entraining gas. The two separate gas streams are intermixed at a temperature at which the reducing compound and the salt of a metal of Groups IV to VI are vaporizable. The olefin monomer is thereupon passed through a point at which the two gaseous streams intermix to form the solid catalyst. In an alternate embodiment, the solid catalyst product is deposited in a polymerization reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,560 to Caumartin et al. is directed to a fluidized bed olefin polymerization process wherein a first catalyst component, comprising the solid product of reaction of a transition metal compound and an organomagnesium compound, which may or may not be supported on an inert carrier, is entrained by the upward flow of a gaseous mixture which contains hydrogen and one or more olefin monomers. The thus formed fluidized bed also includes a second catalyst component, an organometallic compound of a metal of Group II or III of the Periodic Table, disposed on an inert porous support separately introduced into the reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,566 to Karol et al. sets forth a continuous process for ethylene copolymer production employing a gas phase fluidized bed vertical tubular reactor. A catalyst system is provided by a so-called precursor composition which is the solid reaction product of magnesium chloride and titanium tetrachloride. This "precursor composition" is activated in one of two ways. In the first, the precursor composition is slurried in a solution of the activator compound, triethylaluminum. The thus coated solid particles are thereupon dried and introduced into a vertical disposed tubular reactor downstream of the point of introduction of the monomer or monomers. In addition, supported activator particles, formed by slurrying an inert support in a solution of triethylaluminum followed by the driving off of the solvent, is introduced into the reactor along with the activated precursor composition.
In an alternative embodiment, the triethylaluminum may be introduced in the liquid state by merely introducing a liquid solution of triethylaluminum in an inert hydrocarbon at the same position in the reactor as is the activated precursor solid composition. This second activation embodiment is very similar to the first described activation process except that the solid precursor composition particles and the solid aluminum disposed on an inert support are premixed prior to their introduction together into the reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,143 to Ahluwalia et al. sets forth a process for polymerizing olefins in a vertical tubular reactor. An olefin monomer or monomers is introduced into a reactor in a gaseous stream at the upstream, bottom end of the reactor. A first catalyst component, the reaction product of a transition metal compound and a metal alkyl of a metal of Group IA, IIA or IIIB, disposed on an inert support, is introduced downstream of the point of introduction of the monomeric gas stream. A second catalyst component cocatalyst, an aluminum alkyl, is introduced with the olefin monomer into the reactor in an inert hydrocarbon liquid solution above and downstream of the introduction point of the first catalyst component. The distance between the introduction of the first and the second catalyst components is at least two mixing distances. A mixing distance is defined as the distance, measured from the injection point, where only an equilibrium concentration of the introduced substance is present. This mixing distance limitation is said in the '143 patent to insure against the formation of "hot spots," and to minimize "lump" formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,919 to Lin et al. is directed to a process and apparatus for the polymerization of an olefin monomer, preferably propylene, in a vapor phase tubular horizontal reactor. A titanium-containing first catalyst component is introduced into the top side of the horizontal reactor adjacent to its upstream end. A second and a third catalyst component, i.e. a cocatalyst and a modifier, respectively, are also fed into the top side of the horizontal reactor vessel, downstream of the point of introduction of the first catalyst component. This downstream distance is at least 25% of the internal diameter of the tubular reactor. This minimum distance is needed to minimize formation of polymer lumps.
The above described processes and apparatus of the most pertinent prior art references provide improvements in gas phase olefin polymerization operability. However, these processes and apparatus do not address the need in the art for olefin polymeric products having the desired crystallinity and strength properties required of high strength olefin polymers. Thus, there is still a need in the art for an improved gas phase olefin polymerization process and apparatus which provides not only improved operability but an olefin polymer product having improved physical properties.

Process for gas phase polymerization of olefins


Provided is a sheet storage apparatus for storing a sheet conveyed by a sheet conveyance unit, wherein at a home position, at least a part of a sheet presence detection flag overlaps a rotational axis of a sheet presence detection flag of an adjacent sheet storage unit in a vertical direction.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet storage apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet storage apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine that can temporarily store a sheet on which an image has been formed (hereinafter, referred to as "image-formed sheet") in a sheet storage unit, and discharges the stored sheet so that a user can receive the sheet by an operation (e.g., button operation or identification (ID) authentication).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-220905 discusses a sheet storage apparatus capable of relieving a user of time and labor of searching for and receiving the user's own sheet (job) from a discharge tray on which sheets (jobs) printed by a plurality of users are stacked (in mixed manner). In other words, the sheet storage apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-220905 is advantageous in that the user can easily receive the user's own printed job.
In a sheet storage apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-220905, to restrain enlargement of an image forming apparatus while securing a sufficient storage area in a sheet storage unit, reduction in size in a height direction of the sheet storage unit is necessary.

Sheet storage apparatus and image forming apparatus


An optical sensor arrangement is protected against interfering environmental influences by a transparent cover. To avoid interfering reflections, a baffle with lamellae oriented in the direction of the emitted and reflected light is arranged between the cover and the transmitting-receiving device.

Such a sensor arrangement is, for example, known from the DE 41 15 747 C2. The known sensor arrangement comprises a transmitting-receiving device with a transmitting part for the emission of light into an observation space and a receiving part for the detection of the light reflected in the observation space. The essential disadvantage of this sensor arrangement is that it comprises a high sensitivity with respect to interfering environmental influences, especially with respect to moisture and contaminations.

Automotive Distance Control Systems GmbH


A ventilation device having a housing with a grille at the bottom and two ventilation members at two sides of the grille is provided. A fan assembly is mounted on the housing and controlled to draw filthy air out of a room through air vents in the ventilation members. The ventilation device includes a plurality of electronic heating tubes mounted inside the housing and controlled to produce heat. A plurality of sleeves formed of a far infrared emitting material are respectively mounted on the electric heating tubes and heated by the electric heating tubes to emit energy in the far infrared portion of the spectrum. A reflector is provided which reflects far infrared rays into the room through gaps in the grille, and a light source provided for illumination.

The present invention relates to ventilators, and more particularly to such a ventilator which emits far infrared rays into the room when operated to draw filthy air out of the room.
An electric heater may be used in a room during a cold day, so as to keep the room warm. In order to keep outside cold air from passing to the inside of the room, the door of the room may be closed, and the air inside the room becomes filthy quickly when hot.


To facilitate a processor during a reset operation, a linked list of pointers to a list of defective cache lines is created. The good data bits in defective cache lines are used for creating a linked list or other data structure for storing relevant information regarding defective cache lines.

As is well-known, a cache stores information for a computer or computing system in order to decrease data retrieval times for a processor. Some examples of computing systems are a personal digital assistant, internet tablet, and a cellular phone. The cache stores specific subsets of information in high-speed memory. A few examples of information are instructions, addresses, and data. When a processor requests a piece of information, the system checks the cache first to see if the information is stored within the cache. If so, the processor can retrieve the information much faster than if the data was stored in other computer readable media, such as, random access memory, a hard drive, compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM), or a floppy disk.
Modern integrated circuit (IC) devices include large numbers of gates on a single semiconductor chip, with these gates interconnected so as to perform multiple and complex functions. The fabrication of an IC incorporating such Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) must be error free, as any manufacturing defect may prevent the IC from performing all of the functions that an IC or SoC is designed to perform. Such demands require verification of the design of the IC or SoC and also various types of electrical testing after the IC or SoC is manufactured.
As cache sizes increase, so does the impact to yield. Consequently, testing and manufacturing become more complex. Typically, one reduces the impact to yield by allowing a processor to have a predetermined number of defective lines. However, one would need to disable the defective lines during a manufacturing or normal execution. Regardless of the method of disabling the defective lines, one needs to track the defective lines. For example, one needs to track the defective lines across processor reset since the reset may have destroying the tags associated with the defective lines. One solution is placing a fixed number of defective cache lines in dedicated on-core resources. Consequently, this increases hardware requirements. Furthermore, this limits the number of disabled lines by the amount of dedicated resources and may only allow for a fixed number of disabled lines.

Method, system, and apparatus for tracking defective cache lines


Method for handling material in a pneumatic materials handling system, in which material, such as waste material, is input from an input aperture of an input point, such as from an input aperture of a refuse chute or of some other input point, and is handled with a shaping device, arranged in connection with the input point or in the proximity of it, to be more compact and is transferred onwards. The shaping device is a rotary shaper, which includes rotatable handling device, which includes an aperture, which is arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation, and which rotary shaper includes at least one stationary handling device, in which case the material to be handled is conducted into the rotary shaper and/or through it at least partly by means of gravity and/or suction and/or a pressure difference.

The invention relates generally to materials handling systems, such as to partial-vacuum conveying systems, more particularly to the collection and moving of wastes, such as to the moving of household wastes.
Systems wherein wastes are moved in piping by means of an air current produced by a pressure difference or suction are known in the art. In these, wastes are moved long distances in the piping. It is typical to these systems that a partial-vacuum apparatus is used to bring about a pressure difference, in which apparatus a partial vacuum is achieved in the transfer pipe with partial-vacuum generators, such as with vacuum pumps or with an ejector apparatus. A transfer pipe typically comprises at least one valve means, by opening and closing which the replacement air coming into the transfer pipe is regulated. Input points at the input end of the material are used in the systems, from which input points the material, such as wastes, is transferred into the system. The system can also comprise refuse chutes into which material, such as waste material, is input and from which the material to be transferred is transferred into a transfer pipe by opening a discharge valve means, in which case, by means of the sucking effect achieved by the aid of the partial vacuum acting in the transfer pipe and also by means of the surrounding air pressure acting via the refuse chute, material such as e.g. waste material packed into bags, is transferred from the refuse chute into the transfer pipe. The pneumatic waste transfer systems in question can be utilized particularly well in densely populated urban areas. These types of areas have tall buildings, in which the input of wastes into a pneumatic waste transfer system is performed via a refuse chute arranged in the building.
The refuse chute is a vertical pipe, preferably comprising a number of input points, which are typically arranged in the wall of the refuse chute at a distance from each other. Tall buildings can comprise many tens, even hundreds, of storeys, in which case the refuse chute forms a very high pipe.
Wastes are transferred pneumatically in a closed system to the reception station, in which the wastes are compressed with a press only after transportation. The pipes of a pneumatic transfer system are in normal cases rather large in diameter, e.g. in the region of 500 mm in their diameter.
Also known in the art are solutions wherein a waste mill, such as a waste grinder, with which the wastes to be input are ground into small size, is arranged in connection with or in the proximity of a waste input location. A waste mill grinds wastes but does not compress the wastes. In the solution in question the blades of waste mills are also subjected to large stressing, in which case they must be replaced often.
Publication WO8203200 A1 discloses a device for fine-grinding, compressing and outputting a high-volume bulk good, more particularly household wastes, by means of which the waste material conducted through the device can be compacted. In the solution according to the publication large output powers are typically needed, especially in situations in which the device is used to cut or fine-grind a material, in which case the energy consumption of the drive devices and the costs of the drive devices are high. In addition, the passage of stones or other corresponding material between the cutting blades can produce breakage of the blades.
The aim of the present invention is to achieve a new type of solution in connection with input points of wastes, or in connection with refuse chutes or waste bins, by means of which the drawbacks of prior art will be avoided.

Method and apparatus for handling material in a pneumatic materials handling system


Method for producing sintered ore in which air above a charged layer containing a gaseous fuel supplied from a plurality of gaseous fuel supplying devices installed in a machine length direction on a downstream of an ignition furnace of a sintering machine is sucked by a wind box disposed below a pallet and is introduced into the charged layer, and the gaseous fuel and the carbon material are combusted inside the charged layer to produce the sintered ore, wherein a total amount of supply of the gaseous fuel supplied from the gaseous fuel supplying devices is set to be constant, the amount of supply of the gaseous fuel supplied from each gaseous fuel supplying devices is increased or decreased depending on an amount of air sucked into the charged layer in a region which each gaseous fuel supplying device is installed, thereby optimizing a supply ratio of the gaseous fuel.

In general, a sintered ore serving as a main raw material of a blast furnace iron-making method is manufactured through steps illustrated in FIG. 1. The raw material of the sintered ore includes iron ore powder or sintered ore undersize powder, recovery powder occurring in an ironwork, CaO-based auxiliary raw material containing limestone, dolomite or the like, granulating aids such as quick lime, coke breeze, anthracite or the like, and these raw materials are cut on a conveyor at a predetermined rate from each of a hopper 1, . . . . An appropriate amount of water is added to the cut raw materials by drum mixers 2 and 3 or the like, and the cut raw materials are mixed and granulated and converted into sintering raw material as quasi-particles having an average diameter of 3 to 6 mm. Thereafter, the sintering raw materials are charged onto an endless moving type sintering machine pallet 8 from surge hoppers 4 and 5 disposed on the sintering machine via a drum feeder 6 and a cutting chute 7 at a thickness of 400 to 800 mm to form a charged layer 9 that is also referred to as a sintering bed. Thereafter, by igniting the carbon material of the charged layer surface in an ignition furnace 10 provided above the charged layer 9, and by sucking air above the charged layer downward via a wind box 11 disposed directly below the pallet 8, the carbon material in the charged layer is combusted, and the sintering raw material is melted by combustion heat generated at this time to obtain a sintered cake. Thereafter, the sintered cake thus obtained is crushed and regulated in particle size, and agglomerate of about 5 mm or more is recovered as a finished product sintered ore and supplied to the blast furnace.
In the above-described producing process, the carbon material in the charged layer ignited by the ignition furnace 10 then continues to combust by the air sucked toward a lower layer from an upper layer within the charged layer, thereby forming a combustion and melting zone (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "combustion zone") having a width in a thickness direction. Since a molten portion of the combustion zone inhibits the flow of the sucked air, it becomes a factor that the sintering time is extended and productivity decreases. Also, over time, that is, along with the movement of the pallet 8 to the downstream side, the combustion zone is gradually shifted to the lower layer from the upper layer of the charged layer, and after the combustion zone has passed, a sintered cake layer (sintered layer) in which the sintering reaction is completed is generated. Also, as the combustion zone is shifted to the lower layer from the upper layer, water contained in the sintering raw material is vaporized by combustion heat of a carbon material, and concentrated in the sintering raw material of the lower layer in which the temperature has not risen yet, thereby forming a wet zone. When the water concentration reaches a certain level or higher, a void between the sintering raw material particles serving as a flow passage of the suction gas is filled with water, and similarly to the melt zone, this becomes a factor that increases the air-flow resistance.
FIG. 2 illustrates distributions of a pressure loss and a temperature within the charged layer when the combustion zone moving in the charged layer having the thickness of 600 mm is located at a position (below 200 mm from the charged layer surface) of about 400 mm on the palette in the charged layer, and illustrates that the pressure loss distribution at this time is approximately 60% in the wet zone and is approximately 40% in the combustion zone.
Meanwhile, in general, an amount of production (t/hr) of the sintering machine is determined by productivity (t/hr·m2)×sintering machine area (m2). In other words, the amount of production of the sintering machine changes by a machine width or a machine length of the sintering machine, a thickness of the raw material charged layer, a bulk density of the sintering raw material, a sintering (combustion) time, an yield or the like. Therefore, in order to increase the amount of production of sintered ore, it is believed that it is effective to reduce the sintering time by improving air permeability (pressure loss) of the charged layer, or alternatively, to improve the yield by increasing the cold strength of the sintered cake before crushing.
FIG. 3 illustrates the transitions of the temperature and the time at a point in the charged layer when productivity of the sintered ore is high and low, that is, when the pallet movement speed of the sintering machine is high and low. The time kept at a temperature of 1200° C. or higher, at which the sintering raw material starts to melt, is represented by T1 in the case of low productivity and represented by T2 in the case of high productivity. Since the movement speed of the pallet is high when the productivity is high, the high-temperature zone retention time T2 becomes shorter as compared with the time T1 when the productivity is low. The retention time at a high temperature of 1200° C. becomes shorter, the combustion is insufficient, the cold strength of sintered ore is lowered, and the yield is lowered. Therefore, in order to manufacture the high-strength sintered ore with a high yield and with good productivity in a short time, by taking some means, it is necessary to extend the time kept at a high temperature of 1200° C. or higher and increase the cold strength of the sintered ore.
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a process in which the carbon material of the charged layer surface ignited in the ignition furnace continues to combust by the sucked air to form a combustion zone, the combustion zone sequentially moves from the upper layer to the lower layer of the charged layer, and a sintered cake is gradually formed. In addition, FIG. 5(a) is a diagram schematically illustrating each of the temperature distributions when the combustion zone is present within each layer of an upper layer part, an intermediate layer part, and a lower layer part of the charged layer illustrated within a bold frame in FIG. 4. The strength of the sintered ore is affected by the product of the temperature to be maintained at a temperature of 1200° C. or higher and the time. The greater the value is, the higher the strength of the sintered ore is. Since the combustion heat of the carbon material of the upper layer part of the charged layer is preheated by being carried by the sucked air, the intermediate layer part and the lower layer part of the charged layer are kept at a high temperature for a long time, and meanwhile, in the upper layer part of the charged layer, the combustion heat is insufficient as much as a level that is not preheated, and the combustion melting reaction required for sintering (sintering reaction) is liable to be insufficient. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 5(b), in the yield distribution of the sintered ore in the width direction cross-section of the charged layer, the yield is lowered in the upper layer part of the charged layer. Also, both width end portions of the palette cannot ensure a sufficient retention time at a high-temperature zone required for sintering by radiation from the palette side wall and the excessive cooling due to the large amount of passing air, and after all, the yield is lowered.
To solve these problems, conventionally, a method of increasing the carbon material (coke breeze) added to the sintering raw material has been performed. However, by increasing the amount of addition of coke, as illustrated in FIG. 6, it is possible to increase the temperature in the sintered layer and to extend the time kept at 1200° C. or higher. However, at the same time, the highest achieving temperature while sintering exceeds 1400° C., which leads to decreases in reducibility of sintered ore and the cold strength by reasons to be described below.
Non-Patent Document 1 discloses tensile strength (cold strength) of various minerals generated in the sintered ore during the sintering process and the reducibility as in Table 1. Moreover, FIG. 7 illustrates that, during the sintering process, melt starts to be generated at 1200° C., and at the highest strength in the constituent mineral of the sintered ore, calcium ferrite having relatively high reducibility is generated. This is the reason that 1200° C. or higher is required as a sintering temperature. However, when the temperature rise further proceeds in excess of 1400° C., and precisely exceeds 1380° C., calcium ferrite starts to be decomposed into amorphous silicate (calcium silicate) having the lowest cold strength and reducibility, and skeleton crystal-like secondary hematite liable to be reduced and powdered. Also, from the results of the mineral synthetic test, as illustrated in the state diagram of FIG. 8, since the secondary hematite serving as an origin of reduction powdering of sintered ore rises to Mag.ss+Liq.zone, and is precipitated upon cooling, it is important to produce the sintered ore via a path of (2) rather than a path of (1) illustrated in the state diagram in suppressing the reduction powdering.
TABLE 1Type of mineralTensile strength (MPa)Reducibility (%)Hematite4950Magnetite5822Calcium ferrite10235Calcium silicate193
That is, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that, in securing the quality of sintered ore, very important management items are controls of the highest achieving temperature during combustion and the high-temperature zone retention time, the quality of the sintered ore is substantially determined by the controls. Therefore, in order to obtain the sintered ore with high strength, excellent reducibility, and excellent reduction powdering characteristics (RDI), it is important not to decompose calcium ferrite produced at a temperature of 1200° C. or higher into calcium silicate and secondary hematite, and in order not to do that, it is necessary to keep the temperature of the charged layer to 1200° C. (solidus temperature of calcium ferrite) or higher in a state in which the highest achieving temperature in the charged layer while sintering does not exceed 1400° C., preferably, does not exceed 1380° C. Hereinafter, in the present invention, the time kept at the temperature zone of 1200° C. or higher and 1400° C. or lower is referred to as a "high-temperature zone retention time".
In addition, conventionally, some techniques for keeping the upper layer part of the charged layer at a high temperature for a long time have been suggested. For example, Patent Document 1 suggests a technique that injects the gaseous fuel onto the charged layer after ignition to the charged layer, Patent Document 2 suggests a technique that adds a flammable gas into air sucked into the charged layer after ignition to the charged layer, Patent Document 3 suggests a technique that disposes a hood over the charged layer for increasing the temperature in the charged layer of the sintering raw material, and blows a mixed gas of air and the coke furnace gas from the hood at a position immediately after the ignition furnace, and Patent Document 4 suggests a technique that simultaneously blows the low-melting point solvent, the carbon material, and the combustible gas at the position immediately after the ignition furnace.
However, since these techniques use the gaseous fuel of high concentration and do not reduce the amount of carbon material when blowing the gaseous fuel, the highest achieving temperature in the charged layer while sintering becomes a high temperature exceeding 1400° C., as an upper limit temperature for the operating control, calcium ferrite generated in the sintering process is decomposed, the sintered ore having low reducibility and cold strength is generated and the gaseous fuel supply effect cannot be obtained, the air permeability is degraded by the temperature rise due to combustion of gaseous fuel and the thermal expansion, productivity is lowered, and further, there is a risk of causing a fire in an upper space of the sintering bed (charged layer) by the supply of gaseous fuel. Accordingly, none of the techniques leads to the practical use.
Accordingly, as a technique for solving the above-described problems, the inventors have developed a technique in which, after reducing the amount of carbon material to be added to the sintering raw material, the downstream of the ignition furnace of the sintering machine and the upper layer part of the charged layer lacking in the amount of heat required for sintering cause a sintering reaction, in a first half of the machine length of the sintering machine, various gaseous fuel diluted to the lower limit concentration of combustion or lower is introduced into the charged layer from the palette top, and the fuel is combusted inside the charged layer, thereby controlling both the highest achieving temperature in the charged layer and the high-temperature zone retention time within an appropriate range, and suggest the technique to Patent Documents 5 to 7.
In applying the techniques of the above-described Patent Documents 5 to 7 to the method for producing the sintered ore to reduce the amount of addition of carbon material to the sintering raw material, when the gaseous fuel diluted to a lower limit concentration of combustion or lower is charged into the charged layer and the gaseous fuel is combusted inside the charged layer, as illustrated in FIG. 9, since the gaseous fuel is combusted inside the charged layer (inside the sintered layer) after the carbon material is combusted, it is possible to expand the width of the combustion and melting zone in the thickness direction in a state in which the highest achieving temperature of the combustion and melting zone does not exceed 1400° C., thereby being able to effectively extend the high-temperature zone retention time.


A sports guard 1 for placing in a mouth of a user is disclosed. The guard 1 includes generally a base member 2 having a generally U-shaped form corresponding to the outline of a jaw of a user defining an upper channel 10 within which an upper row of teeth of a user can be received. The guard also discloses a teeth engaging element 3, associated with the channel 10 which is made of a material able to be user conformed or user moulded to the mouth of the user. The guard also includes shock absorption means associated with the base member 2 for absorbing impact shock. The shock absorption means comprises open channels in the base member 2 that function much like air springs. Further the base member advantageously comprises polyethylene mixed with up to 10% of EVA. The addition of EVA gives the guard more flexibility. The teeth engaging element is made of EVA.

Customised sports mouthguards are known. Typically they are made by taking a mould or impression of a user's mouth and then moulding the guard individually from this impression to fit the specific and unique mouth of the user. While these customised guards obviously fit well in the user's mouth, it will be readily understood that this method of making sports guards is expensive as each guard is made to custom fit the user's mouth. Mass produced sports guards often do not produce a close fit and the protection that they provide is reduced as a result. This has limited their acceptance in the market place despite a clear need for an efficacious mass produced sports guard.
A further limitation of existing custom made and mass produced sports guards is that they are relatively soft and they offer only limited protection to the front teeth. If a blow strikes the front of the mouthguard, the guard tends to deform, so that the brunt of the blow is borne by the front teeth. This makes the front teeth vulnerable to being damaged or dislodged. It would be better if the force was transferred to all the teeth and particularly through to the back teeth that are particularly firmly anchored to the jaw.
Clearly it would be advantageous if a guard could be devised that had the strength and rigidity to transfer the force rearwardly so that the force is spread over all the teeth and particularly the back teeth. Clearly it would also be advantageous if a guard could be devised that had the fit of a custom made guard but that was mass produced and easy to fit in a domestic environment.
It would also be advantageous if a guard could be devised that was very efficacious at dissipating the energy of an impact. This would reduce the potential for injury or trauma to a user.
It is an object of the invention to provide a sports guard that ameliorates at least some of the shortcomings of the prior art described above.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


There is disclosed a wand activated dispensing valve that can be installed on the spouts of water faucets. The valve includes a housing having an internal cup-shaped member with the bottom wall of the cup-shaped member being foraminous and having a substantial thickness. The bottom wall preferably has a plurality of circumferentially disposed radial slots in an outer annular area, surrounding a central wand aperture which receives a rod-like wand. Preferably the wand aperture is surrounded by an internal recess in the bottom wall of the cup-shaped member which receives the bulbous upper end of the wand, capturing the wand in the assembly. The lower end of the valve member rides on the bulbous upper end of the wand and the valve member is lifted when the wand is tilted to one side. The housing includes a valve plate having a central port which receives the valve member, the upper end of which seats against a valve seat carried by the valve plate. The housing has conventional threads at is upper end to permit attachment to the spout of substantially all water faucets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dispensing valve for a water faucet, and in particular, to a wand activated valve.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
The conventional water faucet for wash basins, sinks and the like, in household and commercial use, has a single central faucet with hot and cold manual valves. Attempts to avoid the use of the manual valves have included electronic devices with proximity sensors which turn the water on when a person's hands are placed beneath the faucet. Also some commercial rest rooms provide foot activated valves, etc.
A recent improvement of mine, which is described in application 98001 filed on Apr. 29, 1991, in Israel, is a wand actuated valve which fits on the end of the faucet and which has an internal valve member with a dependent wand which lifts the valve member from its seat when the wand is displaced side-to-side. In this application, the manual valves are left open and the dispensing of water from the spout is controlled by the wand activated valve. The wand hangs downwardly from the lower end of the dispensing valve so that it can be readily swung to one side when water is desired.
The aforementioned dispensing valve is very simple in construction and can be readily installed on substantially all household and commercial faucets, as it fits into the threaded ends of the faucet spouts replacing aerators which are commonly used on the faucets. The wand activated dispensing valve is an ideal aid for handicapped persons. Additionally, it conserves water as the valve automatically closes when the wand is permitted to return to its vertical, undeflected, position.

Wand activated dispensing valve for a faucet


A method of operating an internal combustion engine is proposed, the engine comprising an exhaust system with a DOC and a DPF and, downstream thereof a SCR catalyst. The ECU is configured to allow operation in at least one of a normal mode and a heat-up mode. A predicted temperature evolution of said second exhaust after treatment means is regularly determined based on a thermal model taking into account the thermal inertia of the exhaust system and having as input the current temperatures of the DOC/DPF and SCR. The predicted temperature evolution of SCR is indicative of the temperature that the SCR may reach during a simulated time period in case the operating mode. The engine operating mode is changed depending on the predicted temperature evolution.

Current emission control regulations necessitate the use of exhaust aftertreatment systems in order to reduce the concentration of combustion byproducts and/or products of incomplete combustion.
Spark ignition (i.e., gasoline) engines conventionally use three-way catalytic converters to satisfy emissions regulations. Compression ignition (i.e., diesel) engines, however, are typically equipped with two-way catalytic converters (also referred to as Diesel Oxidation Catalyst—DOC), which may not efficiently reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx). Accordingly, diesel engines may include a reductant-based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device in order to seek reduction in NOx, often the most abundant and polluting component in exhaust gases. In addition, diesel engines may also include diesel particulate filters (DPF) for particulate matter control.
Urea-based SCR catalysts use gaseous ammonia as the active NOx reducing agent. Typically, an aqueous solution of urea, also known as carbamide ((NH2)2CO), is carried on board of the vehicle, and an injection system is used to supply it into the exhaust gas stream entering the SCR catalyst where it decomposes into gaseous ammonia (NH3) and is stored in the catalyst. The NOx contained in the engine exhaust gas entering the catalyst then reacts with the stored ammonia, which produces nitrogen and water. It is worth noting that to attain the conversion efficiency required to achieve the emission limits, the SCR-catalyst must be at least at a predetermined temperature known as light off temperature.
In an engine's exhaust system, the SCR catalyst is conventionally placed downstream of other exhaust after-treatment means, namely the catalytic converter and possibly a particulate filter.
One of the challenges in such exhaust line with serially mounted exhaust aftertreatment devices is its thermal management. In the above case of an exhaust line comprising, in series, an oxidation catalyst, a particulate filter and a SCR catalyst, the catalytic elements should reach their respective light off temperature as early as possible.
But the SCR catalyst is usually the last treatment component in the exhaust line and the most remote from the engine exhaust valves. In addition, each component in the exhaust line has a thermal inertia, whereby the temperature increase of components situated further away from the engine is delayed as compared to those near the engine. Thermal losses in the exhaust pipe itself are also to be taken into account. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical temperature trace, in a diesel engine, for each of the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and the SCR catalyst.
As can be seen, the temperature of the SCR catalyst is heavily dependent on the thermal behavior of the other components in the exhaust line. In order to heat-up the catalysts as soon as possible, the engine is normally operated in a heat-up mode by acting on engine control parameters to heat-up the temperature of engine-out gases or by injecting fuel in the exhaust line that is burned in the DOC. Such heat-up strategy is e.g. described in US 2009/0217645.
The heat-up mode may be triggered from engine start up. Conventionally the thermal management is then carried out by monitoring the current temperature of the SCR catalyst; and the heat-up mode is stopped as soon as the target temperature in the catalyst is reached, e.g. the light off temperature.
Unfortunately, under such control conditions the DOC gets very hot, while at the same time the SCR is still relatively cool due to thermal inertia of the components in the exhaust line. As can also be understood from FIG. 1, when the heat-up mode is stopped at, e.g., a light off temperature TLO of 250° C. measured in the SCR-catalyst, the thermal inertia in the system leads to an overshoot in the SCR temperature TSCR above 300° C. Such high temperatures are not required for NOx conversion and thus reflect a waste of fuel to heat-up the exhaust line.

Internal combustion engine with exhaust aftertreatment and its method of operation

Delphi International Operations Luxembourg S.A.R.L.


A fuel cell system that employs a purge valve, an accumulator and a bleed valve for selectively purging and bleeding anode exhaust gas. When the purge valve is opened, the anode exhaust gas purges to the accumulator where it is collected. The bleed valve provides a controlled release of the anode exhaust gas from the accumulator that allows the concentration of hydrogen bled from the accumulator to remain below its combustible limit. In one embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with the cathode exhaust gas and released to atmosphere. In another embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with a cathode input gas. In another embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with an anode input gas.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a hydrogen fuel cell system and, more particularly, to a hydrogen fuel cell system that employs a purge valve for purging a combustible anode exhaust gas from the fuel cell stack, an accumulator for accumulating the purged anode exhaust gas, and a bleed valve for slowly bleeding the accumulated anode exhaust gas from the accumulator in a non-combustible manner.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Hydrogen is a very attractive source of fuel because it is clean and can be used to efficiently produce electricity in a fuel cell. The automotive industry expends significant resources in the development of hydrogen fuel cells as a source of power for vehicles. Such vehicles would be more efficient and generate fewer emissions than today's vehicles employing internal combustion engines.
A hydrogen fuel cell is an electrochemical device that includes an anode and a cathode with an electrolyte therebetween. The anode receives hydrogen gas and the cathode receives oxygen or air. The hydrogen gas is dissociated in the anode, typically by a catalyst, to generate free hydrogen protons and electrons. The hydrogen protons pass through the electrolyte to the cathode. The hydrogen protons react with the oxygen and the electrons in the cathode to generate water. The electrons from the anode cannot pass through the electrolyte, and thus are directed through a load to perform work before being sent to the cathode. The work acts to operate the vehicle.
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) type fuel cells are a popular fuel cell for vehicles. The PEM fuel cell generally includes a solid polymer electrolyte proton conducting membrane, such as a perfluorinated acid membrane. The anode and cathode typically include finely divided catalytic particles, usually platinum (Pt), supported on carbon particles and mixed with an ionomer. The combination of the anode, cathode and membrane define a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). MEAs are relatively expensive to manufacturer and require certain conditions for effective operation. These conditions include proper water management and humidification, and control of catalyst poisoning constituents, such as carbon monoxide (CO).
Many fuel cells are typically combined in a fuel cell stack to generate the desired power. The fuel cell stack receives a cathode charge gas that includes oxygen, typically a flow of forced air from a compressor, and an anode hydrogen gas. An anode exhaust gas and a cathode exhaust gas are discharged from the fuel cell stack. The anode exhaust gas is the hydrogen gas stream applied to the stack minus the hydrogen used by the stack and the cathode exhaust gas is a depleted oxygen stream. The hydrogen in the anode exhaust gas makes it relatively combustible. When the anode exhaust gas is vented to atmosphere, an increased localized hydrogen content develops around the exhaust outlet which could become a combustible mixture, thus causing a possible dangerous situation. Sometimes a pump and return pipe is employed to pump the anode exhaust gas back to the anode input so that the unused hydrogen can be recycled. In other designs, the exhaust gas streams are sent to a tail gas combustor that burns the anode exhaust gas using oxygen from air and/or the cathode exhaust gas. Both the pump design for returning the anode exhaust gas to the input and the tail gas combustor add a level of complexity to the fuel cell system that requires significant system control.
In certain fuel cell designs, lower anode stoichiometric operation is desirable for increased efficiency of the system. In a dead-ended anode design, the anode exhaust is closed off and the amount of hydrogen in the input gas is almost completely consumed by the stack. However, dead-ended anode operation requires a periodic anode purge to minimize nitrogen and water buildup in the stack. If the anode is not periodically purged, then the build up nitrogen and water in the stack would decrease performance of the stack, and eventually cause it shut down. The purged anode exhaust gas includes hydrogen that is usually vented to the atmosphere or sent to the tail gas combustor.

Non-flammable exhaust enabler for hydrogen powered fuel cells


One example embodiment of a system for implementing a guest operating system on a host operating system is disclosed. The computer system comprises a memory for storing computer executable instructions, wherein the memory comprises a first partition and a second partition and a processing unit configured to access the memory and execute the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions comprising a host operating system stored on the first partition of the memory configured to limit the access to an I/O port, the host operating system executing a virtual machine. The computer executable instructions also comprise a guest operating system stored on the second partition of the memory, the guest operating system executing on the virtual machine of the host operating system, the guest operating system being configured to provide access to the I/O port, wherein the guest operating system is configured to transfer data between a data drive connected to the I/O port and the first partition.

General purpose computer systems typically execute an operating system. An operating system is a set of system software programs in a computer system that regulate the ways application software programs use the computer hardware and the ways that users control the computer. For hardware functions such as input/output and memory space allocation, operating system programs act as an intermediary between application programs and the computer hardware, although application programs can be executed directly by the hardware.
A personal computer system (e.g., a micro-computer system) can be configured to execute a number of different operating systems. For example, a personal computer system can execute a variety of different MICROSOFT® products, including WINDOWS XP®, WINDOWS 7®, WINDOWS SERVER® and WINDOWS HOME SERVER®. Personal computer systems can also be configured to execute Linux, MAC OS X®, etc. Each operating system can provide specific features to a user of the computer system.

Systems and methods for implementing a guest operating system on a host operating system

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


A medical device includes a surgical end effector, an end effector control handle, and a control shaft having a longitudinal axis and a handle portion connecting the control shaft to the control handle rotatably about the longitudinal axis. A passive articulation joint connects the end effector to the control shaft. An articulation joint release unlocks the articulation joint when actuated and locks the articulation joint when unactuated. An end effector control device is rotationally fixedly connected to at least a portion of the control shaft to correspondingly rotate the control shaft about the longitudinal axis when the control device is rotated and is longitudinally connected to the joint release to selectively unlock the articulation joint when actuated.

Endoscopic surgical instruments are often preferred over traditional open surgical devices because a smaller incision tends to reduce the post-operative recovery time and complications. Consequently, significant development has gone into a range of endoscopic surgical instruments that are suitable for precise placement of a distal end effector at a desired surgical site through a cannula of a trocar. These distal end effectors engage the tissue in a number of ways to achieve a diagnostic or therapeutic effect (e.g., endocutter, grasper, cutter, staplers, clip applier, access device, drug/gene therapy delivery device, and energy device using ultrasound, RF, laser, etc.).
Positioning the end effector is constrained by the trocar. Generally, these endoscopic surgical instruments include a long shaft between the end effector and a handle portion manipulated by the clinician. This long shaft enables insertion to a desired depth and rotation about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, thereby positioning the end effector to a degree. With judicious placement of the trocar and use of graspers, for instance, through another trocar, often this amount of positioning is sufficient. Surgical stapling and severing instruments, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,895 to Knodel et al., are an example of an endoscopic surgical instrument that successfully positions an end effector by insertion and rotation.
One stapler manufactured by United States Surgical Corporation and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,644,532 and 6,250,532 to Green et al. have an end effector that pivotally moves along a single plane in steps dependent upon activation of a lever that correspondingly moves along a single plane in similar steps. See FIGS. 31 and 32 therein. The U.S. Surgical Corp. stapler, however, is limited by the predetermined angles that it can achieve and by the limited side to side pivoting (−45 degrees to +45 degrees) that requires two hands for operation.
Depending upon the nature of the operation, it may be desirable to further adjust the positioning of the end effector of an endoscopic surgical instrument rather than being limited to insertion and rotation. In particular, it is often desirable to orient the end effector at an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft of the instrument. The transverse movement of the end effector relative to the instrument shaft is conventionally referred to as "articulation". This articulated positioning permits the clinician to more easily engage tissue in some instances. In addition, articulated positioning advantageously allows an endoscope to be positioned behind the end effector without being blocked by the instrument shaft.
While the aforementioned non-articulating stapling and severing instruments have great utility and may be successfully employed in many surgical procedures, it is desirable to enhance their operation with the ability to articulate the end effector, thereby giving greater clinical flexibility in their use. Articulating surgical instruments generally use one or more firing bars that move longitudinally within the instrument shaft and through the articulation joint to fire the staples from the cartridge and to cut the tissue between the innermost staple lines. One common problem with these surgical instruments is control of the firing bar through the articulation joint. At the articulation joint, the end effector is longitudinally spaced away from the shaft so that the edges of the shaft and end effector do not collide during articulation. This gap must be filled with support material or structure to prevent the firing bar from buckling out of the joint when the single or multiple firing bars is subjected to longitudinal firing loads. What is needed is a support structure that guides and supports the single or multiple firing bars through the articulation joint and bends or curves as the end effector is articulated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,840 to Schulze et al. describes a flexible articulation joint that is formed from an elastomeric or plastic material that bends at the flexible joint or "flex neck". The firing bars are supported and guided through a hollow tube within the flex neck. The flex neck is a portion of the jaw closure mechanism and moves longitudinally relative to the end effector, shaft, and firing bars when the jaws are closed on tissue. The firing bars then move longitudinally within the flex neck as the staples are fired and tissue is cut.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,537 to Oberlin et al. (owned by Richard-Allan Medical Industries, Inc.) describes an articulation joint that pivots around a pin, rather than bends around a flex joint. In this instrument, firing bars are supported between a pair of spaced support plates connected at one end to the shaft and at another end to the end effector. At least one of those connections is a slidable connection. The support plates extend through the articulation joint adjacent to the flexible drive member in the plane of articulation such that the support plates bend through the gap in the plane of articulation and the flexible firing bar bends against the support when the tip is articulated in one direction from its aligned position. U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,965 to Milliman et al. from U.S. Surgical teaches the use of support plates that are fixedly attached to the shaft and slidably attached to the end effector.
Although these known support plates guide a firing bar through an articulation joint, it is believed that performance may be enhanced. For instance, it is often desirable for the firing bar to be rapidly accelerated during firing to ensure sufficient momentum for severing tissue effectively. Rigidly attached support plates may tend to dislodge in response, allowing the firing bar to blow out from the articulation joint. As a further example, it is desirable for the instrument to operate in the same manner whether articulated or not. Increased friction when articulated would be inconvenient and distracting to the clinician if required to exert a varying amount of firing force.
Consequently, a significant need exists for an improved articulation mechanism for a surgical instrument mechanism that provides enhanced support to a firing bar through the articulation joint.

Surgical stapling and cutting device with dual actuating control knob


A method for producing a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the pair of substrates, wherein the liquid crystal layer includes a polymeric region and a liquid crystal region substantially surrounded by the polymeric region, and liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal region are axis-symmetrically oriented, the method including the steps of: injecting a precursor mixture containing a liquid crystal material and a polymerizable material between the pair of substrates; heating the precursor mixture to a first temperature which is equivalent to or higher than a miscible temperature of the precursor mixture; cooling the precursor mixture from the first temperature to a second temperature which is lower than the miscible temperature; forming the polymeric region substantially surrounding the liquid crystal region by polymerizing the polymerizable material; and providing a tilt angle to the liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal droplet phase-separated from the precursor mixture by continuously applying a prescribed external field to the precursor mixture at least while the precursor mixture is being cooled from the miscible temperature to the second temperature

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a liquid crystal display device having a flat display, such as a portable information terminal, a personal computer, a word processor, an amusement apparatus, and a television set usable by a large number of people, and a liquid crystal display device used for a display board utilizing a shutter effect, a window, a door, a wall, and the like.
1. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 6-301015 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,450) discloses a liquid crystal display device 100 (FIG. 13) having viewing angle characteristics remarkably improved by orienting liquid crystal molecules axis-symmetrically (e.g., radially, concentrically, or the like).
A partial cross section of the conventional liquid crystal display device 100 is shown schematically in FIG. 13. In the liquid crystal display device 100, a liquid crystal layer 27 held between a pair of substrates 21 and 23 includes a polymeric region 28 and a liquid crystal region 29 substantially surrounded by the polymeric region 28. The liquid crystal region 29 is formed so as to correspond to a pixel defined by an area between each electrode 22 and a portion of electrode 24 opposed to each electrode 22. Liquid crystal molecules (not shown) in the liquid crystal region 29 are oriented axis-symmetrically with respect to a center axis of the liquid crystal region 29 which is perpendicular to the substrates 21 and 23. As a result, the liquid crystal display device 100 has wide viewing angle characteristics.
A conventional method for producing the liquid crystal display device 100 requires a five-step process of manipulating temperature and voltage shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B in order to axis-symmetrically orient the liquid crystal molecules in a pixel region 25 surrounded by the polymeric region 28. The five steps will be described below.
(1) A step of maintaining a precursor mixture containing a liquid crystal material and a polymerizable material at a temperature at which the precursor mixture enters an isotropic phase (time 0-t1 in FIG. 7A). The temperature is equivalent to or higher than the miscible temperature of the precursor mixture. A pixel of the liquid crystal display device 100 is observed with a polarizing microscope from a direction perpendicular to a display surface (i.e. substrate 21 and 23; a crossed-Nicols state). The state of the pixel in this step is shown in FIG. 8A. The entire pixel is in an isotropic phase 10. The isotropic phase 10 is observed as a dark viewfield, but shown as a white viewfield in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D and BE for the sake of clarity.
(2) A step of gradually cooling and maintaining the precursor mixture which, in the entirety thereof, is the isotropic phase 10 and is in a miscible state in order to separate a liquid crystal droplet 11a (i.e., liquid crystal phase 11) from the isotropic phase 10 (time t1-t3 in FIG. 7A). The state of the pixel in this step is shown in FIG. 8B. The liquid crystal droplet 11a separates from the isotropic phase 10, and as a result, two phases (that is, the isotropic phase 10 and the liquid crystal phase 11) are generated in the pixel.
(3) A step of raising the temperature of the resultant precursor mixture in which the isotropic phase 10 and the liquid crystal phase 11 exist in order to reduce the size of the liquid crystal droplet 11a to facilitate the axis-symmetrical orientation of the liquid crystal molecules therein (time t3-t4 in FIG. 7A). The state of the pixel in this step is shown in FIG. 8C. Two phases (that is, the isotropic phase 10 and the liquid crystal phase 11) exist in the pixel, and the liquid crystal phase 11 is of a size which would allow the liquid crystal molecules therein to be oriented axis-symmetrically with an application of voltage.
(4) A step of applying a voltage to the precursor mixture while maintaining the size of the liquid crystal droplet 11a obtained in step (3) above in order to cause the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal droplet 11a to be axis-symmetrically oriented (time t4-t5 in FIG. 7A). The state of the pixel in this step is shown in FIG. 8D. Two phases (that is, the isotropic phase 10 and the liquid crystal phase 11) exist in the pixel. The liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal droplet 11a are axis-symmetrically oriented, and as a result, an extinction pattern 12 consisting of four (4) portions is observed.
(5) A step of gradually cooling the precursor mixture in order to cause the liquid crystal droplet 11a having the axis-symmetrical orientation to grow (time t5-t6 in FIG. 7A). The state of the pixel in this step is shown in FIG. 8E. The liquid crystal droplet 11a having the axis-symmetrical orientation extends over the entirety of the pixel.
As is described above, in the conventional technology, it is necessary to precisely control the temperature and the timing of a voltage application for axis-symmetrically orienting the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal droplet 11a. The temperature of the precursor mixture must be controlled and maintained so that the temperature allows the liquid crystal droplet 11a to be of a size which facilitates the axis-symmetrical orientation of the liquid crystal molecules therein. A voltage must be applied to the precursor mixture while maintaining this temperature.

Method for producing a liquid crystal display device


Methods of preparing extended content labels from prefabricated adhesive assemblies are described. The methods do not require delamination or relamination of the prefabricated adhesive assemblies. The prefabricated adhesive assemblies include a transparent face layer and an adhesive layer sensitive to radiant energy. Extended content printing is applied to a front face of the face layer. A mask is positioned between the adhesive layer and a radiant energy source. Radiant energy not blocked by the mask reduces the adhesion of irradiated portions of the adhesive layer. A floodcoat is applied over the extended content indicia, and front side indicia is applied over the floodcoat and is visible through the face layer and adhesive layer from a back side of the face layer.

Various applications and uses are known for extended/expanded content labels. Extended content labels ("ECL") provide a simple and effective means for presenting an increased amount of printed information on a product or its packaging without requiring a corresponding increase in the amount of space on the product or packaging for adhering the label.
Conventional ECLs include an opaque top panel that is either secured directly to the product, or to a base panel that is in turn secured to the product. The top panel includes information printed on its front/outer side, and includes an area of reduced adhesion that can be pulled away from the product to reveal a back/inner side of the top panel having extended content printing thereon.
Conventional methods for producing ECLs utilize previously prepared laminated adhesive articles. The previously prepared laminated adhesive articles typically include an opaque top panel, a release liner, and an adhesive layer laminating the top panel to the release liner. Because these top panels are opaque, conventional ECL manufacturing processes require delaminating the top panel from the release liner to expose the back side of the top panel, followed by back side printing of extended content to the back side of the top panel, and subsequent relamination of the top panel to the release liner. After relamination, front side printing is then applied to a front side of the top panel.
A typical semi-continuous method for producing ECLs is shown for example in FIG. 15, where a previously prepared adhesive assembly web 720 is unwound from an unwind roller 730. The adhesive assembly typically includes a non-transparent (i.e. opaque) top panel, a release liner, and an adhesive layer laminating the top panel to the release liner. The top panel is opaque so that the back side printing does not show through to the front side of the top panel. The adhesive assembly 720 is passed over a delamination plate 750, wherein the release liner 760 is delaminated at 740 from the combination 770 of the face layer and adhesive. The face layer and adhesive combination 770 then passes into a back side printing station 780 wherein extended content printing is applied to the back side (i.e. adhesive side) of the top panel and directly to the adhesive layer. Thereafter, the combination 770 enters a varnish station 790 where a varnish is applied to the adhesive layer to cover the back side printing in order to deaden or reduce the tackiness of the adhesive in that area. The printed face layer and adhesive combination 770 is then relaminated with the release liner 760 at the relamination station 800 to cover the adhesive layer. Although not depicted, typical production methods may include feeding the assembly through a turnbar to flip the assembly to be in the opposite orientation, such as having the face layer facing down. The entire assembly is then fed to a front side printing station 810 where front side printing is applied to the front side of the face layer. The relaminated and printed assembly 820 is then fed to a rewind roller 830 for future processing (e.g. die cutting into individual labels) and application to a substrate.
When applied to a product, the release liner is removed to expose the adhesive layer and the label is adhered to a product. The back side printed area has reduced adhesion due to application of the varnish, which allows the top panel to be pulled from the product in order to reveal the back side extended content printing.
However, production of conventional ECLs requires delamination and relamination, and passing the assembly through a turnbar, and therefore has a limited line speed and can lead to a variety of other processing difficulties. For example, conventional ECL processing requires extra delamination and relamination equipment that necessarily requires additional expenditures and periodic maintenance and repairs. The methods also require that the processing equipment be in a particular configuration. For example, the delamination and relamination equipment must be in close proximity to the back side printing equipment utilized between delamination and relamination. Conventional methods also require equipment operators with more press experience so as to facilitate proper delamination and relamination of the adhesive assemblies. Furthermore, such methods necessarily expose the adhesive layer to the environment, which requires special precautions to be taken in order to avoid contamination of the adhesive layer, and requires cleaning of any equipment that may come into contact with the exposed adhesive layer during production. Another major issue that arises from delamination and relamination, is that the tension on the films have to be carefully controlled so that the finished product is relaminated perfectly to prevent curl to either face layer or liner.
Accordingly, a need exists for a strategy to avoid or at least reduce the potential of these various problems when processing extended content labels, laminates and the like.

Clear extended content label with selectively detackified adhesive


A golf putting practice aid comprising a guide having a guide surface (3) with which a heel or the toe of a putter makes contact in use. The guide is positioned to extend upwardly from a substantially planar base or ground surface (1,100′). By making the guide surface straight throughout its length, and inclined towards the user, the surface will act to constrain the putter head to follow an inclined plane angled towards the user. By using a planar guide 3′, a player can decide whether to have the toe or the heel of the putter guided thereby.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a golf putting practice aid.
2. Description of the Background Art
Putting is a very important element within the game of golf. Putting skill requires the ability to strike the ball in the correct direction with the appropriate force. Except for very short putts, the margin of error in the direction that the ball is struck in order to successfully hole a putt, for a given force of putt, is extremely small.
Many aids have been suggested in order to help golfers improve their putting skill. One approach used is to construct a device to restrict the movement of the putter to follow a particular path. The idea is that by moving the putter in such a restricted manner, the golfer is trained to move the putter in the same way when the device is removed.
One theory of putting is that the movement of the putter head in the horizontal direction should be along the line of the intended putt and that the face of the putter should be kept perpendicular to this line. Many inventions have been devised to constrain the head of the putter to move in such a way including GB 2328618 and GB 2271722. As a variation on this, GB 2199754 uses a pair of guides to achieve a back swing which is initially straight but then curves, and the forward stroke follows the same path.
GB 301646 is also designed to constrain the putter to move along the line of the putt. It uses a vertical guide for the toe of the putter and an angled guide for the heel or shaft of the putter. The inventor presumably assumes that the putter is moved parallel to the ground rather than following an arcuate path in the vertical direction. The angled guide preferably includes a lip to the upper end of the guide to act as an abutment to the putter shaft. The angled guide is adjustable to different putter lies.