An automatically and remotely operable retractable mooring cleat. The retractable cleat is mountable in a surface, such as the deck, of a marine vessel. A source of motive energy forms part of an actuation mechanism energisable by a user to extend or retract cleat members from the surface. The cleat members each travel along diverging paths as they extend and travel along the same respective paths as they are retracted. The cleat is thereby able to extricate itself from an attached mooring line as it retracts. Multiple retractable cleats may be positioned about a marine vessel, each of which is operable remotely to extend or retract. Single-handed launching of a moored vessel is therefore possible.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mooring cleat and in particular though not solely to a retractable mooring cleat which is automatically operable to retract in to the deck or some other surface of a boat while at the same time automatically releasing an attached mooring line.
2. Background Art
Mooring cleats (also known as bollards in some countries/situations) are widely used in the marine industry to tie lines (such as ropes or cables) to. Cleats usually have two, but may have more, projecting ends and are fixed to a surface (such as the deck) of a marine vessel. Retractable mooring cleats were developed to provide a "flush" or smooth deck when the cleat is not in use. This is both visually appealing and safer for boat crew. Most existing retractable mooring cleats are manually retractable into the deck or other surface of a boat.
An example of a manually retractable mooring cleat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,388A wherein a spring biased cleat is telescopically moveable vertically within a hollow housing mounted in the deck of a boat. The cleat is locked in position within the housing by a locking mechanism which is released by a user manually depressing the cleat which then moves to its extended position under the force provided by the spring.
An automatically retractable cleat is disclosed in WO 03/086854. This document discloses various embodiments of retractable cleat including cleats which retract by rotating about a horizontal axis just below the deck surface and automatically vertically retractable cleats. However, before any of the disclosed cleats may be retracted, any attached mooring line or rope must first be manually removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,470A discloses a mooring line coupler which is not retractable but which is operable to automatically release an attached rope having a preformed loop at its end through which a vertically projecting part of the cleat passes to lock the rope in position. A solenoid pin normally holds the projecting part in the vertical plane. The pin is retractable to allow the projection to swing (under a spring bias) away from its vertical position thereby releasing the rope.
None of the above documents disclose a retractable cleat that, during retraction, is capable of extricating itself from an attached mooring line. It would be an advantage to provide an automatically retractable cleat which also automatically released an attached mooring line as it was retracted or during the retraction process and wherein standard mooring lines could be used.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a retractable cleat which will go at least some way towards meeting the above desiderata or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
In a first aspect, the invention consists in a retractable cleat comprising:
a frame having an upper surface,
a first member extendable from said upper surface along a first path,
a second member extendable from said upper surface along a second path, divergent from the first path, and
an actuation mechanism mounted on said frame operable to cause the first and second members to move along the first and second paths respectively to either protrude from the said upper surface or to retract below, or substantially flush with, said upper surface.
Preferably, the movement between the upper surface and the first or second member respectively is a purely sliding action.
Preferably, the movement between the upper surface and the first or second member respectively is a sliding and/or twisting action.
Preferably, the first and second paths are enclosed entirely within the three dimensional volume defined by the first and second members respectively when at their fully extended positions.
Preferably, the cross-section of the first and/or second members are constant along their length, at least along the portion which is able to protrude from the frame.
Alternatively, the first and/or second members are tapered towards their ends which extend from the frame.
Preferably, the first and second members have a circular cross-section.
Alternatively, the first and second members have a substantially square cross-section.
Preferably, the first and second members are substantially straight.
Alternatively, the first and second members are curved.
Preferably, the first and second members are curved in fixed radius arcs.
Preferably, the first and second members are helical and moved along their respective paths by a screwing action.
Preferably, the force applied by the first and second members is greater at the start of retraction and reduces towards the end of retraction.
Preferably, a base plate forms said frame.
Preferably a housing forms said frame.
Preferably, each of the first and second members are each supported within the housing by at least one fixed bushing through which the first or second member respectively is able to slide.
Preferably, the first and second members are each supported within the housing by two fixed bushings that are formed from a compressible material.
Preferably, the bushing or bushings have an opening that matches the cross-sectional shape of the first and second members.
Preferably, the first and second members have lower ends that remain below the upper surface of the housing and upper ends that are extendable above housing's upper surface wherein the first and second members have a stop projecting outward at or near their lower ends and lower bushings on the respective first and second members include a depression shaped to receive the stop when the member is in its fully extended position.
Preferably, the first and second members have lower ends that remain below the upper surface of the housing and upper ends that are extendable above the housing's upper surface, wherein a first driving member is pivotally connected at or near the lower end of the first member and a second driving member is pivotally connected at or near the lower end of the second member and the actuation mechanism includes a source of motive energy connected to drive the first and second driving members to thereby cause the first and second members to move along their respective paths.
Preferably, the first and second driving members each include a rack formation and the source of motive energy is connected to rotate drive wheels, one of which engages with the rack formation on the first driving member and another of which engages with the second driving member.
Preferably, the source of motive energy comprises an electric motor that rotates a worm gear coupled to drive a worm gear wheel that is coupled to rotate the drive wheels.
Preferably, actuating means are provided to manually disengage the source of motive energy from the drive wheels.
Preferably, the actuation mechanism comprises a plurality of interconnected gear wheels between a central drive wheel, that is driven directly by the worm gear wheel, and the rack formations and the actuating means comprise a lever adapted to disengage the central drive wheel from its connection to the worm gear wheel.
Preferably, the central drive wheel and the worm gear wheel are mounted on the same shaft with the worm gear wheel slidable and rotatable on the shaft and the central drive wheel fixed to the shaft so that it is movable axially with the shaft and rotatable thereon, wherein the central drive wheel and the worm gear wheel are engaged together by a dog clutch formed by features on their adjacent side surfaces when the shaft is in a first position and disengaged when the shaft is moved axially to a second position that moves the central drive gear away from the worm gear wheel.
Preferably, biasing means are provided to urge the first and second members away from their fully retracted positions.
Preferably, the biasing means comprise a spring that stores mechanical energy as the first and second members are retracted and is connected to provide a resultant torque to one of the first or second members in a direction to cause extension of the first and second members.
In a second aspect, the invention consists in a retractable cleat comprising:
a housing having an upper surface,
at least one first member, the or each first member extendable from the housing's upper surface along a respective first path,
at least one second member, the or each second member extendable from an associated first member along a respective second path, and
an actuation mechanism operable to cause the or each first member to move along their respective first paths to either protrude from the upper surface or to retract below, or substantially flush with the upper surface and to cause the or each second member to move along their respective second paths to either protrude from or to retract within their associated first member.
Preferably, extension and retraction of a second member occurs while its associated first member is fully extended.
Preferably, each first path is substantially straight and perpendicular to the housing's upper surface.
Preferably, each second path is substantially straight and perpendicular to the first path of its associated first member.
Preferably, the retractable cleat includes one first member and at least two associated second members.
Preferably, the retractable cleat includes two spaced apart first members, each including a single second member extendable therefrom wherein the respective second paths extend in opposite directions.
Preferably, the or each first member comprises a post having an oblong cross-sectional shape viewed in the direction of the first path.
Preferably, a base plate forms the outer surface of the housing.
In a third aspect, the invention consists in a marine vessel including at least one retractable cleat according to the first or second aspects, mounted in a cavity formed in or beneath a surface in the marine vessel.
Preferably, a plurality of retractable cleats are provided within respective cavities beneath or in a surface or surfaces of the marine vessel and the actuation mechanism of each retractable cleat is operable in unison.
To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.


An image forming apparatus, including at least three image forming units, a substrate, a frame to support the image forming units and the substrate, and a plurality of spring electrodes, is provided. The plurality of spring electrodes includes a first spring electrode, a second spring electrode, and a third spring electrode configured to serve a common function and arranged to align along an aligning direction, which is orthogonal to rotation axes of photosensitive drums in the image forming units. The frame includes a pair of supporting parts arranged along the aligning direction to support the substrate. A distance between the second spring electrode and the third spring electrode is greater than a distance between the first spring electrode and the second spring electrode. A center between the pair of supporting parts is located in a position between the second spring electrode and the third spring electrode.

1. Technical Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming units and a substrate to supply power to the image forming units.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus having a plurality of processing units arranged to align in line is known. The image forming apparatus may include a substrate to feed power to the processing units, and a plurality of spring electrodes to transmit the power. The substrate may be arranged on one side of the processing units, and the plurality of spring electrodes may be arranged in positions between the processing units and the substrate in a compressed condition. Among the plurality of spring electrodes, some of the spring electrodes serving a common function, such as spring electrodes for supplying electricity to electric chargers in the processing units, may be arranged to be evenly spaced apart from one another along an aligning direction of the processing units.


A control system for injection molding machines comprises a memory means (16) for storing set values. Further, a signal input for the transmission of actual values to the control system is provided. A first control means (18) is used for the transmission of a control field with consideration to previous values. A second control means (20) is provided for the transmission of a correction value, in particular with consideration to a deviation of the actual value from the set value. A correlation means (22) serves to correlate the control field values with the correction value for outputting a control variable.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a control system and a control method for injection molding machines.
2. Description of Related Art
Controlling injection molding machines requires to perform as exact a control of the speed and/or position as possible. Such controls are necessary, for example, for displacing the closing unit, displacing and driving the injection unit, and the like. Control systems for injection molding machines use PID (proportional plus integral plus derivative) controllers for control purposes. Speed is controlled, for example, by a speed profile being inputted into a memory means by a user. The user profile thus represents the target values. By means of the control system, for example, the current actual value of the speed is compared to the required target speed value. Depending on the current deviation between the target value and the actual value, the PID controller determines a control variable in order to achieve an adjustment of the actual value to the target value. This method is well suited, for example, for controlling constant speeds, e.g. the rotation of a feed screw, since the speeds are to be maintained constant over a longer period of time. However, if accelerations are to be controlled, the known control system has a drawback that the PID controller responds exclusively to a current deviation between the target value and the actual value, whereby the actual value always lags behind the target value.
A target value of a speed is predetermined as a target value development 10 (FIG. 1) and has a trapezoidal development. In a corresponding speed control using a PID controller of the prior art, an actual value follows the development 12 shown as a dotted line. Depending on a current comparison between the actual value 12 and the target value 10, a development of a control variable 14 shown in a dashed line is calculated, and a corresponding control variable is transmitted to the drive motor, a corresponding control or the like. As is obvious from FIG. 1, controlling a speed development using a PID controller always amounts to responding. At a time t1, the actual value 12 is below the target value 10. This is due to the start-up behavior and the inertia of the system. Thus, at the time t1, a control variable 14 is above the target value 10. According to the development of the target value, a constant speed is to be maintained at the time t2 after an acceleration has come to an end. Since the PID controller can always only compare current values, an overshooting of the actual value curve occurs at the time t2. By a corresponding counter-control using the control variable 14, an undershooting of the target value 10 is caused at the time t3. Such over- and undershooting occurs until the system has settled. From a time t4, when a braking or a reduction of the speed is performed, corresponding curve progressions are obtained. Since the PID controller, as illustrated in FIG. 1, can always only respond to an instantaneous comparison between the actual value and the target value, no high quality of control can be achieved.
Another drawback of PID controllers is that PID controllers cannot respond to long-term changes such as signs of wear, temperature variations or different qualities of the raw material. As a consequence, a PID-controller is unable to compensate, for example, signs of wear from a certain degree on. This compromises the quality of the parts produced.
EP 1 245 364, EP 1 163 993 and U.S. 2002/0163097 describe different control methods for injection molding machines, which, however, do not solve the above problem.

Control system and a control method for injection molding machines


The invention refers to a cutting device for a plotter for automatic cutting of a paper band on which markings are formed by marking means, the plotter comprising a marker carriage for receiving the marking means and for moving the marking means in a direction transverse to the movement of the paper band, with the cutting device comprising a cutting element and in which the cutting element is arranged on a cutter carriage means being provided for the selective engagement or disengagement of the cutter carriage to or from the marker carriage. During a cutting operation the cutter carriage is engaged to the marker carriage and moved across the paper band due to the movement of the marker carriage. The marking means comprise a pen which can be disengaged from the marker carriage during a cutting operation. The driving means for the engagement and disengagement of the cutter carriage are the same as those for raising or lowering the drafting pens.

This invention refers to a cutting device for a plotter for carrying out the cutting of the paper band at the end of a plotting cycle.
The application of this invention is foreseen for plotters which have a continuous paper band consisting of a roll of paper incorporated on the plotter, so that at the end of each plotting cycle, a paper band length has to be cut which comprises the graphic representation drawn by the plotter.
According to the present state of the art, a number of devices have been disclosed for cutting the paper band in plotters and printers.
To obtain high quality cuts of the paper band, sliding carriages are usually provided to cut the paper. Such cutter carriages are independent of the plotting carriage or printing device, having independent motors and transmission systems to produce the displacement of the cutting carriage along straight guides in order to carry out the cutting of the paper band usually by means of a rotating cutter.
Thus, as an example, German Patent DE3119998 discloses a device for the cutting of a continuous paper band comprising a carriage which may slide along specific guides and which has a motor to operate a toothed belt which is connected to a wheel incorporated on the shaft carrying the rotating cutter. This prior disclosure shows as well a couple of angle shaped plates for the guidance of the continuous paper band in the vicinity of the cutter carriage.
In other cases, straight cutters are provided to act on the whole width of the continuous paper band, practically with a single stroke.
An example of this technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,577, which shows a device for the cutting of paper sheets by means of a rotating cutter which has a swiveling movement from a rest position up to a cutting position, coming back to the starting position after each cutting cycle. In this case, there is no movable carriage as the cutting is carried out in only one stroke on the whole width of the paper sheet.
This system does not permit to obtain high quality cuts on the paper band as the cutting action is simply carried out by compression between the swiveling cutter and the fixed cutter. Besides, the system is not appropriate for great paper band widths.


Bandwidth for a radio access network may be efficiently allocated for certain voice over LTE (VoLTE) services. In one implementation, a request associated with traffic flows may be received. Each of the traffic flows may be associated with an amount of guaranteed bit rate (GBR) traffic. The method may further include selectively summing the GBR traffic, to obtain an aggregate bandwidth value. The method may further include reserving an amount of GBR bandwidth corresponding to the previous version of the aggregate bandwidth value when a comparison indicates that the aggregate bandwidth value is less than the previous version of the aggregate bandwidth value; and reservation an amount of GBR bandwidth corresponding to the aggregate bandwidth value when a comparison indicates that the aggregate bandwidth value is not less than the previous version of the aggregate bandwidth value.

The Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for mobile devices and data terminals. LTE is based on the GSM/EDGE (Global System for Mobile Communications/Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) and UMTS/HSPA (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System/High Speed Packet Access) network technologies. Relative to GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA, LTE may increase the capacity and speed of the wireless network based on improvements to the radio interface and improvements to the core network.
The LTE standard is based on packet-switched IP networking and does not have inherent support for circuit-switched voice calls. The Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) standard is one approach that may be used to provide voice calls in a network based on LTE.
At the radio access network (RAN) level in an LTE network, base stations, called eNodeBs ("eNBs"), may include radios that provide wireless connectivity to mobile user devices, called user equipments (UEs). Voice calls implemented using VoLTE may require, at the RAN level, reservation of a guaranteed minimum bandwidth. Because the radio resources of an eNodeB are finite, it can be important to efficiently use the radio resources of the eNodeBs.

Solution to improve RAN bandwidth efficiency during VoLTE call scenarios


An image processing apparatus and method in which plural gradation-information storage units are provided, and at least one of those units is selected to store a given body of gradation information based on command information, such as resolution information. The different units store gradation information in different forms, e.g., compressed and uncompressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus having a means capable of storing image information of a mixture of half-tone images, photographs possessing gradation (color included), characters possessing high resolution and line pictures.
2. Related Background Art
The storage capacity of a memory to store a half-tone image such as a photograph in the memory is (number of pixels).times.(number of gradation bits).times.(number of colors). In particular, a great storage capacity is necessary to store a high grade color image. Therefore, a variety of methods of compressing the quantity of information have been disclosed in order to reduce the required quantity of the memory before it is stored in the memory.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram which illustrates an ordinary method of storing a compressed image. An image described in PDL (Page Description Language), for example, PS (Postscript) suggested by Adobe, CAPSL suggested by Canon or the like, is received through an input terminal 1. The received PDL image is then supplied to a discrimination circuit 2 from which characters and line pictures described in accordance with the line picture code are transmitted to a branch line 2a before it is developed to bit map information for each pixel by a bit map development unit 3.
On the other hand, image data in which pixels having gradation are arranged, such as a photograph, is transmitted to a branch line 2b. The bit map information such as characters, line pictures and the like and image data are synthesized in an image synthesis circuit 13 while being synchronized with each other. Then, the synthesized data is sectioned into blocks by a block formation circuit 9 before they are encoded by an encoding circuit 10. Then, the encoded data is stored as a compressed image in an image memory 14. The image stored in the image memory 14 is decoded by a decoding circuit 12 while being synchronized with an output device synchronous signal (omitted from illustration). Then, it is rastered by a raster formation circuit 7 before it is, through an output terminal 8, transmitted to an output device (omitted from illustration), for example, a page printer of an electronic photographic system. The above-described process of compressing the image by means of the block formation and the decoding process may employ, for example, a baseline system disclosed by JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) as the international standard method of encoding a color still image.
However, a problem of deterioration in the quality of the line picture arises in the above-described conventional structure because the line picture which must possess a high resolution is also compressed similarly to an image having gradation (color). That is, characters and line pictures must be stored while priority is given to the resolution. On the other hand, photographs and graphs must be stored while priority is given to the gradation.
In general, texts must be stored while maintaining high resolution in order to maintain the smoothness and continuity of diagonal lines. On the contrary, images are stored while maintaining an excellent gradation in order to prevent the deterioration in the image quality due to the generation of a false profile. Therefore, the storage apparatus for storing an image of a mixture of image areas and text areas has been provided with a number of pixels, with which satisfactory resolution can be obtained to enable the grade of the text, that is, the smoothness and continuity of diagonal lines to be maintained. Furthermore, the storage apparatus has been arranged in such a manner that it possesses such number of gradations as to prevent deterioration in the image quality due to the image false contour.
However, a storage apparatus of the type described above has encountered a problem in that the size and the cost of the apparatus (hardware) cannot be reduced as desired because a great memory capacity is required with the increase in both of the number of pixels and the gradations for the purpose of improving the quality of each of the text and the image. In particular, when a full color image is stored, there arises necessity of providing three planes for red (R), green (G) and blue (B). Therefore, the required memory capacity is enlarged by three times. Assuming that the number of gradations for each of R, G and B planes is 256, the number of bits for each pixel, which is necessary to display the full color image, is 24. As a result, there arises a necessity of a large memory capacity which is 24 times the capacity required to display a monotone character (the number of bits for each pixel is 1).
The storage capacity required to store a half-tone image (hereinafter, called an "image") such as a photograph in a memory is (number of pixels).times.(number of gradation bits).times.(number of colors). In particular, a great storage capacity is necessary to store a high grade color image. Therefore, a variety of methods of compressing the quantity of information have been disclosed in order to reduce the required quantity of the memory by compressing the quantity of information before it is stored in the memory.
FIG. 25 is a block diagram which illustrates an encoding method ("Internationalized Encoding of Color Still Image", disclosed by Yasuda, pp.398-409, No. 6, Vol. 18 , 1989, published by the Image Electronics Society) of the Baseline System suggested by JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) as the international standard method of encoding a color still image.
Image pixel data received through an input terminal 401 is sectioned into blocks each of which is composed of 8.times.8 pixels by a block formation circuit 403. Then, the block is subjected to a cosine transformation in a discrete cosine transformation (DCT) circuit 417 before the transformation coefficient is supplied to a quantizer (Q) 440. The quantizer 440 linear-quantizes the transformation coefficient in accordance with quantization step information supplied from a quantizer table 441. A DC coefficient among the quantized transformation coefficients is, by a predictive encoding circuit (DPCM) 442, subjected to a subtraction process in which the difference (estimated error) from the DC component in the previous block is calculated. The difference thus obtained is then supplied to a Huffman encoding circuit 443.
FIG. 26 is a block diagram which illustrates the detailed structure of the predictive encoding circuit 442 shown in FIG. 25.
The DC coefficient quantized by the quantizer 440 is supplied to a delay circuit 453 and a subtracter 454. The delay circuit 453 is a circuit in which the discrete cosine transformation circuit is delayed by one block, that is, by the time necessary to calculate data for 8.times.8 pixels. Therefore, the DC coefficient of the previous block is supplied from the delay circuit 453 to the subtracter 454. As a result, the subtracter 454 transmits the difference (predictive error) in the DC coefficient from the previous block (since the predictive encoding circuit 442 according to this embodiment uses the value of the previous block as the predictive value, the predictive encoding circuit 442 is composed of the delay circuit 453 as described above).
A one-dimensional Huffman encoding circuit 443, shown in FIG. 25, variable-length-encodes a predictive error signal supplied from the predictive encoding circuit 442 in accordance with the DC Huffman code table 444 so as to supply it, as a Huffman code, to a multiplexer circuit 451 to be described later.
On the other hand, AC coefficients (coefficients except for the DC coefficient) quantized by the quantizer 440 are zigzag-scanned by a scan conversion circuit 445 in ascending order as shown in FIG. 27 so as to be supplied to a significant coefficient detection circuit 446. The significant coefficient detection circuit 446 judges whether or not the quantized AC coefficient is "0". If it is "0", the significant coefficient detection circuit 446 supplies a count-up signal to a run length counter 447 so that the value of the counter is increased by one. If the AC coefficient is not "0", a reset signal is supplied to the run length counter 447 so as to reset the value of the counter. Furthermore, the coefficient is, by a group formation circuit 448, sectioned into group number SSSS and an additional bit as shown in FIG. 28. The group number SSSS is supplied to the Huffman encoding circuit 449, while the additional bit is supplied to the multiplexer circuit 451.
The above-described run length counter 447 is a circuit for counting a run length of "0"'s and as well as supplying the number NNNN of "0"'s present between significant coefficients except for "0" to a secondary-dimensional Huffman encoding circuit 449. The Huffman encoding circuit 449 variable-length-encodes the supplied run length NNNN of "0"'s and the group number SSSS of the significant coefficient in accordance with an AC Huffman code table 450 so as to supply them to the multiplexer circuit 451.
The multiplexer circuit 451 multiplies the DC Huffman code for one block (input pixels 8.times.8), the AC Huffman code and the additional bit so as to transmit compressed image data through an output terminal 452.
As described above, compressed image data transmitted through the output terminal 452 is stored in the memory, while the compressed image data is expanded at the time of the reading operation. As a result, the memory capacity can be reduced.
However, the above-described conventional structure possesses only one quantizing table 441 in the quantizer unit 440 thereof. Therefore, it has been difficult to improve the reproducibility of both of the line picture such as the character graphs and the half-tone image such as the photograph. That is, the character (line picture) must improve the resolution, while the half-tone image must improve the gradation.

Discriminating an image data characteristic and controlling storage of the data accordingly


An arrangement of a basic transmission and an add-on module having a module housing. The basic transmission has a driveshaft with a central axial bore for the supply of a lubricating oil stream and the add-on module has a connecting shaft mounted in the module housing by way of at least one roller bearing. The driveshaft and the connecting shaft are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner by a plug-in connection, and the plug-in connection and the at least one roller bearing are supplied with lubricating oil, by way of the central axial bore of the driveshaft. The lubricating oil stream can be divided into at least two flow streams in such manner that a respective flow-stream can pass to the at least one roller bearing and to the plug-in connection.

In the applicant's earlier application with file number 10 2011 002 904.4, an add-on module connected with a basic transmission is disclosed, which is supplied with lubricating oil coming from the basic transmission, i.e. which is connected to the lubricating oil circuit of the basic transmission by means of an inflow line and a return line. The add-on module has a connecting shaft, which is mounted on one side in a housing of the module and on the other side by a plug-in connection to the input shaft or driveshaft of the basic transmission. The plug-in connection, designed in the form of drive gearing, and the roller bearing, are the two lubrication points which must essentially be supplied with lubricating oil. In the approach adopted by the earlier application it is provided that the two lubrication points are positioned one behind the other in the oil supply line so that oil flows first through the drive gearing and then through the bearing. By way of an axis-parallel return bore the oil is returned again to the area of the basic transmission. In the separation area between the transmission input shaft and the connecting shaft an oil transfer element is provided, which separates the oil inflow from the oil return.

Arrangement for oil-supply of an add-on module


A vehicle seat assembly is provided with a structural member adapted to be mounted within a vehicle to provide support to an occupant. The structural member has at least one channel formed therein. A cushion member is provided adjacent to the structural layer. The cushion member has at least one channel formed therethrough. A trim member is secured over the cushion member to form a seating surface. At least one attachment member is mounted to the trim member extending through the at least one channel of the cushion member. The at least one attachment member extends into the at least one channel of the structural member such that at least one of the trim material and the cushion layer is retained on the structural member.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a layered seating system.
2. Background Art
Most seat assemblies include three fundamental components: (a) a frame to support the seat assembly and mount it to a body, such as a vehicle; (b) a foam cushion to cover the frame; and (c) trim material to cover the foam cushion and provide a durable surface for contact with a seat assembly occupant. A conventional vehicle seat design typically involves the mixing of base construction polymers joined in a manner that is difficult to disassemble and not focused on environmentally friendly material use.


A rotating head assembly includes a body, an implement, a clamp assembly, a drive member, a hydraulic motor, and a bypass circuit. The drive member is threadingly connected to a first clamp member and a second clamp member. The hydraulic motor is connected to the drive member to cause the drive member to rotate in a selected direction. An inlet of the bypass circuit is in fluid communication with an inlet of the hydraulic motor to receive a portion of the pressurized hydraulic fluid passing to the hydraulic motor. An outlet of the bypass circuit is in fluid communication with the outlet of the hydraulic motor. At least one bypass valve is interposed between the inlet of the bypass circuit and the outlet of the bypass circuit. The bypass valve has an actuator positioned adjacent one of the first clamp member and the second clamp.

Oil, gas, water, and geothermal wells are drilled with a drill bit attached to a hollow, rotating drill string. The drill string passes down through a well casing installed in a well bore. A rotating control device, or "rotating head," is a pressure sealing device typically installed near the surface above a blowout prevention stack. The rotating head creates a seal around the rotating drill string to keep drilling fluids from flowing to the rig floor or releasing into the atmosphere. The head thus permits the forced circulation of drilling fluid or gas during drilling operations.
Rotating heads typically include a tubular, stationary body that carries a variety of drilling implements. For example, a commonly used implement is a bearing assembly with roller bearings and at least one annular rubber seal configured to allow the drill string to rotate within the body. The rotating head further includes a clamp assembly to secure the implement disposed within the body. The clamp assembly often has two clamp members hinged on one side and a drive member, such as a threaded bolt, opposite the hinge. The drive member extends between the clamp members for moving the clamp assembly between open and closed positions. Prior art also discloses the clamp assembly as having two clamp members and two drive members connecting the clamp members opposite each other. In either embodiment, the position of the clamp members around the implement can be adjusted either manually or using a motor. For example, a hydraulic motor can be connected to the drive member for opening and closing the clamp.
Drilling operations require the clamp be open when access to the implement or the drill string is needed for maintenance or repairs. The clamp is opened by sending pressurized hydraulic fluid to the motor so the drive member is rotated in a selected direction, thereby separating the clamp members. However, operators often cause the clamp assembly to jam or bind up during opening by sending excessive pressurized hydraulic fluid to the motor. Further, over-operation of the hydraulic motor has led to leaks and inadvertent machine contact, which have caused damage to equipment and loss profits from rig downtime.
To this end, a need exists for a rotating head with a bypass circuit that overcomes the problems of the prior art. It is to such a rotating head that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed.


A motor driving circuit for driving a motor includes: a driving-stage circuit, for converting an input voltage into a first output voltage and a second output voltage, and comprising a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor and a fourth transistor; an output stage circuit, for converting the first output voltage or the second output voltage into a motor speed signal; and a control unit, coupled to the first, the second, the third and the fourth transistors and the output stage circuit, for generating first, second, third and fourth transistor control signals to control the first, the second, the third and the fourth transistors respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor driving circuit which drives a direct-current (DC) motor, and more particularly, to a motor driving circuit which uses an output terminal of a motor driving circuit as a motor speed signal for determining the speed of a DC motor, and a motor driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A DC motor driver is a necessary power transformation device in modern industries. The DC motor is capable of transforming electricity into kinetic energy required for driving devices. Conventional motors include DC motors, AC motors, and stepping motors. DC motors and AC motors are often applied in products which do not require particularly delicate manipulation, for example, blades of an electric fan are usually rotated with a DC motor or AC motor. In recent years, many countries have been aware that significant climate change has occurred in the world due to over-use of electric power resource, such that power saving has become major policy in many countries. If power consumption of electric devices can be effectively reduced, there will be a huge effect on the speed of climate change. Therefore, how to reduce power consumption in electric devices has become a major objective in the industry.

Motor driving circuit and method thereof


A ground fault circuit breaker includes separable contacts for interrupting current flow in a protected AC electric system when opened. The protected AC electric system includes a ground fault switch, such as a ground fault receptacle having a people protection ground fault trip curve, downstream from the ground fault circuit breaker. A current transformer generates an AC sensor signal representative of AC current flowing from the protected AC electric system to ground. A ground fault controller, connected to the current transformer, generates a ground fault trip signal as a function of the AC sensor signal and an equipment protection ground fault trip curve. A trip means, which is responsive to the ground fault trip signal, opens the separable contacts.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to electrical switching apparatus and, more particularly, to circuit interrupters, such as a circuit breakers, which respond to ground faults, and in particular to such circuit interrupters which are employed with downstream devices.
2. Background Information
Electrical switching apparatus include, for example, circuit switching devices and circuit interrupters such as circuit breakers, contactors, motor starters, motor controllers and other load controllers. Circuit breakers are generally old and well known in the art. An example of a circuit breaker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,191. Circuit breakers are used to protect electrical circuitry from damage due to an overcurrent condition, such as an overload condition or a relatively high level short circuit or fault condition.
Ground fault circuit interrupters include ground fault circuit breakers (GFCBs) and other ground fault contactors, motor starters, motor controllers and other load controllers.
Ground fault switches include ground fault receptacles (GFRs), and cord-mounted or plug-mounted ground fault protection devices (e.g., ground fault protection circuitry at the alternating current (AC) plug end of the AC power cord of an appliance, such as a hair dryer).
A typical ground fault circuit interrupter includes an operational amplifier which amplifies a sensed ground fault signal and applies the amplified signal to a window comparator. The window comparator compares the amplified signal to positive and negative reference values. If either reference value is exceeded in magnitude, a trip signal is generated.
A common type of ground fault detection circuit is the dormant oscillator detector. This detector includes a first sensor coil through which the line and neutral conductors of the protected circuit pass. The output of the first sensor coil is applied through a coupling capacitor to the above-described operational amplifier followed by the window comparator. A line-to-ground fault causes the magnitude of the amplified signal to exceed the magnitude of one of the reference values and, thus, generates a trip signal. The dormant oscillator ground fault detector also includes a second sensor coil through which at least the neutral conductor passes. A neutral-to-ground fault couples the two detector coils causing the amplifier to oscillate which also results in the generation of the trip signal.
GFCBs can provide an additional level of wiring protection, especially when used in conjunction with arc fault detection (AFD). However, there has been a tendency to favor the use of GFRs over the use of GFCBs, due to the convenience of localized resetting. GFRs cannot, of course, protect any wiring preceding them.
Accordingly, there is room for improvement in the circuit interruption function of electrical switching apparatus.

Ground fault electrical switching apparatus for coordinating tripping with a downstream ground fault switch


A surface light source device includes a light source body having an internal space. A partition wall is disposed in the internal space of the light source body to divide the internal space into a plurality of discharge spaces. The partition wall has end portions that make contact with inner surface of the light source body. The partition wall has a throughhole, through which the discharge spaces are connected to each other. The light source body includes a voltage applying part that applies a voltage to the discharge space to generate plasma in the discharge space. A barrier is disposed adjacent to the throughhole to restrict a flow of the plasma generated from a discharge gas through the throughhole. The barrier screens the throughhole to restrict the flow of the plasma through the throughhole. Therefore, uniformity of luminance of the surface light source device is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface light source device and a liquid crystal display apparatus having the surface light source device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a surface light source device capable of decreasing channeling, and a liquid crystal display apparatus having the surface light source device as a light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, liquid crystal has both electrical and optical characteristics. An arrangement of the liquid crystal is changed in response to a direction of electric field applied to the liquid crystal. Light transmittance of the liquid crystal is changed by the arrangement of the liquid crystal.
A liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus displays an image by using the liquid crystal. The LCD apparatus has various characteristics, for example, such as a thin thickness, a small volume and a lightweight compared with a cathode ray tube (CRT). Thus, the LCD apparatus is widely used for a portable computer, a communication device, a television set, etc.
The LCD apparatus includes a liquid crystal controlling part that controls a liquid crystal, and a light providing part that provides the liquid crystal controlling part with a light.
The liquid crystal controlling part includes a plurality of pixel electrodes that are formed on a first substrate, a common electrode that is formed on a second substrate, and a liquid crystal that is interposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. A number of the pixel electrodes is determined by a resolution. Each of the pixel electrodes is electrically connected to a thin film transistor (TFT), so that a pixel voltage is applied to the pixel electrode through the TFT. A reference voltage is applied to the common electrode. The pixel electrode and the common electrode include transparent conductive material.
The light providing part provides the liquid crystal with the light. The light generated from the light providing part passes through the pixel electrode, the liquid crystal and the common electrode to display an image. A display quality of the liquid crystal display apparatus is determined by a luminance and a uniformity of the luminance of the light. That is, when the luminance and the uniformity of the luminance of the light generated from the light providing part are increased, the display quality of the liquid crystal display apparatus is improved.
Generally, the light providing part may include a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a light emitting diode (LED). The CCFL has various characteristics, for example, such as a high luminance, a long lifespan, a low heating value etc., and the LED has also various characteristics, for example, such as a low power consumption, a high luminance, etc.
However, the luminance of the CCFL and the LED is not uniform. In order to increase the uniformity of the luminance, the light providing part includes a light guide plate, a diffusion member, a prism sheet, etc.
When the light providing part includes the light guide plate, the diffusion member and the prism sheet, a size and a weight of a liquid crystal display apparatus are increased.
A surface light source device having a flat plate shape has uniform luminance. A conventional surface light source device includes a first substrate and a second substrate corresponding to the first substrate. A plurality of partition walls is disposed between the first and second substrates. The partition walls are disposed in substantially parallel with one another, and the partition walls are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined interval to form discharge spaces between the first and second substrates. A sealing member is disposed between the first and second substrates to isolate the discharge space from an exterior. A discharge gas is injected into the discharge space. Two electrodes that apply a voltage to the discharge gas are disposed on outer surfaces of the first and second substrates.
The partition walls are arranged so that the discharge spaces form a serpentine shape. The discharge spaces are connected to one another. That is, odd numbered partition walls have a first end portion that makes contact with the sealing member and a second end portion that is spaced apart from the sealing member to form a connection passage, and even numbered partition walls have a first end portion that is spaced apart from the sealing member to form a connection passage and a second end portion that makes contact with the sealing member.
When pressures of the discharge gas in the discharge spaces are different from one another, electric field strengths applied to the discharge spaces may be different from one another. When the discharge spaces are connected to one another by the connection passage, plasma may abruptly move through the connection passage to form a channeling between the discharge spaces. That is, when the electric field strengths are different from one another, densities of the plasma in the discharge spaces are different from one another so that a portion of the plasma moves toward one of the discharge space, which has lower density of the plasma, thereby forming the channeling. When the channeling is formed in the discharge spaces, the uniformity of the luminance is deteriorated.

Surface light source device and liquid crystal display apparatus having the same


A conductive pin assembly arrangement for a wall opening of a machine housing including a removable plate in sealed relation to the wall opening, the plate having at least one opening extending therethrough, and a conductive sleeve and pin assembly extending longitudinally through the plate in sealed relation to the plate with one end of the pin in the housing and the opposite end outside the housing.

The present invention relates to conductor pin assembly arrangements and more particularly to a conductor pin assembly arrangement which can be removably associated readily as part of a housing with electrical connection openings of a walled machine housing, particularly of the semi-hermetic type.
Terminal assemblies which incorporate at least one current carrying electrically connected terminal pin extending in insulated relation through a cup shaped body mounted in turn in sealed relation to a housing wall opening are generally known. The outer segment of the pin is connected to an electrical power source and the confined inner segment of the pin to a machine or motor unit in the housing. Such a hermetic terminal assembly arrangement can be found in a number of U.S. patents, issued to Benjamin Bowsky et al, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,433 issued on Apr. 22, 1966, the general arrangement being particularly adapted to hermetically sealed housings for comparatively low horse power rated compressor units (for example, one horse-power). It further is known to support a plurality of electrical conducting pins in spaced apart relation in the same sandwiching cover fused to an electrical casing, such as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 2,768,231, issued to D. O. Schwennesen et al on Oct. 23, 1956 and to mold one or more electrical conducting pins in a glass insert forming part of an electrical casing, such as taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,721,943, issued to M. D. Curr on Mar. 20, 1973 and 4,961,018, issued to P. Akther on Oct. 2, 1990.
In higher horse-power rating demands, it also is known to provide current conductive pins threaded adjacent at least one extremity and bolt head configured at the other extremity, the pin extending through opposed faces of an annular compressible insulated seal, usually rubber. The seal engages in an opening in a machine housing wall and when compressed by the urging of a threaded nut engaging against at least one face of the seal, the compressible seal radially expands to provide tightened sealing engagement with the wall housing opening. This past adjustable arrangement has been comparatively expensive with sealing problems arising due to thermal changes and possible compressible material distortions with non-uniform radial expansion of the compressible seal.
More recently in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/698,954, filed May 13, 1991, in the name of F. Dieter Paterek, a novel conductive pin terminal assembly arrangement is provided which can be inserted as a complete unit including glass to metal seals within a machine unit housing wall portion to provide a positive, uniform hermetic seal with the wall housing panel. This inventive unit provides for ready removal of the complete terminal assembly unit by providing an internally threaded wall opening engageable by an externally threaded sleeve forming part of the terminal assembly unit.
The present invention provides a further unique and novel conductive pin assembly which also is straight-forward and economical to manufacture and assemble and which can be even more readily inserted as a complete unit including sealing means within a unit housing wall portion to provide a positive uniform seal with the housing wall panel without requiring comparatively costly internal and external threading.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.

Conductive pin assembly for a machine housing


A method and device for generating a template that includes identifying events of a plurality of sensed events having predetermined characteristics as first selected events and generating the template from the first selected events. Events of the plurality of events having the predetermined characteristics are identified as second selected events, and a determination is made as to whether the template is valid in response to the second selected events. The template is updated from the second selected events in response to the template not being valid.

In the medical fields of cardiology and electrophysiology, many tools are used to assess the condition and function of a patient's heart, including the observed frequency, polarity and amplitudes of the PQRST complex associated with a heart cycle. Such tools include classic external ECG systems for displaying and recording the characteristic lead ECG signals from skin electrodes placed on the patient's chest and limbs, ambulatory ECG Holter monitors for continuously recording the ECG or segments thereof from a more limited set of skin electrodes for a period of time, and more recently developed completely implantable cardiac monitors or cardiac pacemakers and pacemaker/cardioverter/defibrillators (PCDs) or implantable cardioverter/defibrillators (ICDs) having the capability of recording EGM segments or data derived from atrial and ventricular EGMS (A-EGMs and V-EGMs) for telemetry out to an external programmer for external storage and display.
One of the problems addressed in the design of implantable PCDs or ICDs is the avoidance of unnecessary electrical shocks delivered to a patient's heart in response to rapid heart rates caused by exercise (sinus tachycardia) or by atrial fibrillation. Such rhythms are known collectively as supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs). Studies have shown that SVTs may occur in up to 30% of ICD patients. While ICDs are generally effective at identifying ventricular tachycardia events, the ICD can occasionally deliver a therapy to treat what is detected as being a ventricular tachycardia when in fact the source of the event is related to a supraventricular tachycardia event. Since delivery of the treatment is painful and disconcerting to the patient, deficiencies in distinguishing ventricular tachycardia events from supraventricular tachycardia events tends to be problematic, making the reduction of the incidences of inappropriate treatment highly desirable.
One approach to the problem of distinguishing between normal QRS complexes present during SVTs from those indicative of a VT is to study the morphology of the QRS complex and discriminate normal heart beats from abnormal ones based on the similarity of the signal to a sample waveform recorded from the normal heartbeat, typically referred to as a template. Since a normal QRS complex, or slow rate rhythm, is generally narrower than the QRS complex during VT, or fast rate rhythm, one of the existing methods to discriminate between VT and normal EGM waveforms is based on the properly measured width of the QRS complex. By creating the template based on information sensed from supraventricular rhythm complexes, the ICD is able to compare cardiac complexes sensed during tachycardia episodes against the supraventricular rhythm template. Based on the results of the comparison, the ICD is able to classify the tachycardia episodes as being either a VT complex or a SVT complex, and delivers therapy according to the classification.
In theory, the shape of the QRS complex in the EGM signal during SVT will not change significantly in most patients, because ventricular depolarizations are caused by normal HIS-Purkinje conduction from the atrium to the ventricle. If high ventricular rates are due to a ventricular tachycardia (VT), one can expect a very different morphology of the electrogram (EGM) signal of the ventricular depolarization (QRS complex) because of a different pattern of electrical activity of the heart during VT. However, in certain instances, such as during the electrode/tissue maturation process, or when the patient begins taking new or additional medications, develops a myocardial infarction, or experiences other physiological changes causing the electrical tissue of the patient to change, the morphology of the normal heart rhythm of the patient may change from that originally used as a basis for creating the template. As a result, since deviation from the "normal" heart rhythm of the patient occurs, the template begins to become corrupted, no longer being representative of the patient's current normal heart rhythm and therefore causing the number of inappropriately delivered therapies to increase.
In addition to reducing delivery of inappropriate therapy, another major consideration to be taken into account in the development of the ICD is the limited battery power of the ICD that is available. Since the batteries supplied in the ICD cannot be replaced after initial implantation of the device without surgical procedures, the entire ICD must typically be surgically replaced once the batteries become depleted, making it very desirable to conserve battery power of the ICD. As a result, one of the ways to conserve battery power is to reduce the current drain by reducing the complexity of the signal processing that must be performed by the ICD, limiting the available solutions to reduction of inappropriate therapy delivery. Accordingly, what is needed is a method for reducing the instances of inappropriate therapy delivery that maximizes conservation of the battery power of the device.

Automated template generation algorithm for implantable device


A foil seal lamp in which even when a high temperature of the seal area is reached oxidation of the molybdenum metal foils and the molybdenum outer leads which have been placed in the seal area can be reliably prevented, and in which a long service life can be obtained. is achieved by providing the surfaces of the metal foil and the outer lead which are placed in the seal areas with protective coatings of crystalline molybdate. An increase in the amount of protective coating that can be carried is produced by surface roughening the outer leads.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a foil seal lamp in which in the seal area a metal foil of molybdenum and an outer lead of molybdenum are installed.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventionally known foil seal lamp is described below. FIG. 1 shows a foil seal lamp of the filament lamp type with bilateral seal areas. FIG. 2 shows the seal area of the foil seal lamp as shown in FIG. 1 in an enlargement.
In the figure, a filament lamp 10 has seal areas 3 which are formed on the two ends of a glass bulb 1, and in each of which a metal foil 2 of molybdenum is installed. An outer lead 4 of molybdenum is connected to one end of the respective metal foil 2 by welding and projects from the outer end face 3A of the respective seal area 3 to the outside. On the other hand, within the bulb 1 there is a filament 5. The two ends of the filament 5 are welded via inner leads 6 to the metal foils 2 which are located on the two ends.
In the seal area 3 of such a filament lamp 10, as is shown enlarged in FIG. 2, in the vicinity of the outer lead 4, there is an extremely small cavity G which extends from the outer end face 3A of the seal area 3 to the metal foil 2.
The reason for forming this cavity G is described below. In the formation of the seal area by a pinch seal, major tensile stress does not arise in the glass because the metal foil is relatively thin. In this way, the metal foil is located directly tightly adjoining the glass. A relatively large outer lead, however, is not entirely located directly tightly adjoining the glass because, as a result of the high viscosity of the glass, the glass does not flow adequately according to the shape of the outer lead, and because the difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion between the outer lead and the glass is large. Thus, the cavity G is formed. Therefore, it is impossible, in fact, to completely eliminate the cavity G.
In such a foil seal lamp, during operation, the temperature of the seal area rises. If the metal foils and the outer leads reach a temperature of at least 350° C., rapid oxidation of the metal foils and the outer leads by the air which has penetrated into the cavity G progresses, by which MoO3 is formed on the surfaces of the metal foils and the outer leads. In this way, the volume of the metal foils and the outer leads which are installed in the seal areas expands. This leads to crack formation in the seal areas. Therefore, this has resulted in cases in which the lamp was ultimately destroyed.
A lamp with a pinch seal arrangement was described above. In a discharge lamp with a vacuum shrink seal arrangement, a cavity is formed between the metal foil of molybdenum and the outer lead of molybdenum which are likewise installed in the seal area, and the glass. Therefore, the above described disadvantage has also occurred here.
Various techniques have been developed to suppress this oxidation of the metal foils of molybdenum and the outer leads of molybdenum.
Previously, U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,944 disclosed coating half of the side of the seal area end of the metal foil of molybdenum with thin chromium. In this way, the disadvantage of oxidation was eliminated to a certain extent. However, there was the disadvantage of a reduction of the strength of adhesion to the glass.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,615, a new attempt was made. Here, the chromed layer was made conical or tapered. The chromium layer on the outer end in the vicinity of the weld spot of the outer lead is relatively thick, while in a metal foil which forms the hermetically sealed area it is thin. Thus, the glass-adhesive property was improved. This arrangement somewhat suppressed the oxidation of the metal foil of molybdenum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,711 discloses an ion implantation process in which the metal foil is coated with Al, Cr—Al, SiC or Si3N4, besides Cr. Published German Patent Application DE 30 06 846 discloses a process in which, by sputtering, CVD, ion implantation or the like, the metal foil is coated with Ta, Nb, La, Sc, Hf or the like, besides Cr. In this process, there is the disadvantage of high production costs because coating is done beforehand, prior to sealing.
In such a process in which the metal foil and the outer lead are coated with chromium, there are the disadvantages of complicated production processes and high production costs because sealing takes place after coating of the metal foil and the outer lead with chromium.
Furthermore, recently, environmental concerns have become more critical. There is the tendency for material with high environmental burden to be limited, chromium not constituting an exception either.
The possibility that metallic chromium will change to hexavalent chromium is low. The mist which is formed by the electrolytic bath in the galvanization process and which contains hexavalent chromium is said, however, to cause lung cancer. This means that the environmental effect in the production process is regarded as a problem. Furthermore, a chromium coating which decomposes in chromous acid and chromium chloride, as was described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,944, due to production of hexavalent chromium is inherently environmentally harmful and therefore disadvantageous.
Japanese patent disclosure document HEI 9-12335 discloses a process in which the cavity formed in the seal area is sealed with molten sealing glass which contains 1 to 18% Tl2O3 besides 55% to 85% Sb2O3 and 5% to 30% B2O3. But since Tl2O3 is used, the effect on the environment is considered disadvantageous.
A process in which, after sealing, a sealant in the form of an aqueous solution is added to the cavity is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,353. In this process, an alkali metal acid salt is added to the cavity.
Japanese patent specification HEI 6-54657 also discloses a process in which, after sealing, a sealant with lead or lead oxide as the main component is produced in the cavity. However, since lead oxide is used, the effect on the environment is regarded as more and more disadvantageous.
In these processes a sealant is formed after sealing so that there is, therefore, the advantage that, compared to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,420,944; 3,793,615; 5,021,711, and German patent 30 06 846, the production costs are relatively low.
Even when these tests were carried out, in an environment with a temperature of the seal area of greater than 400° C., oxidation of the metal foil of molybdenum and of the outer lead of molybdenum which are exposed to the cavity of the seal area could not be reliably prevented. Furthermore, there was the disadvantage that to prevent oxidation a substance must be used which has an adverse effect on the environment.


The invention comprises real-time down-hole intelligent communication based on the characterization of signal attenuation caused by a coaxial cable used as a communication medium and by frequency response changes of the electronic components of the transmitters and receivers, generated by the down-hole operating environment. The invention relates to a method for the real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a two-way communication system using a coaxial cable, consisting in: generating test tones for the real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a two-way communication system in the transmission and reception bands, measuring the signals received, estimating noise and the ratio to the communication signal, comparing with reference responses, adjusting the transmission and reception frequencies in order to maintain the communication with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio. The invention also relates to an adaptive two-way transmitter/receiver system for communication using coaxial cable as a link means, formed by: a transmitter with automatic adjustment of the operating band by means of the real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a two-way communication system. The invention further relates to adjustable filtering and coupling devices for optimizing the transmission and reception bands, and a control module capable of measuring the transmission and reception attenuation responses.

Down-hole measurement of thermodynamic and geophysical parameters, increasingly deep and hot, of oil reserves is a cardinal factor for proper extraction. Measurement of these parameters is performed using tools that are designed specifically to endure the adverse environments of these applications. Some important parameters provided by these tools are temperature, pressure, flow rate, and vibrations, among others. The records of these parameters are useful for the characterization of reserves, since these tools are in direct contact with the formation thereof.
The depth of oil wells increases gradually and nowadays, in some cases, it exceeds 7000 m. Consequently, at those depths it is possible to obtain high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. Temperatures may exceed 200° C. and pressures may exceed 20,000 psi. It is considered high temperature above 150° C. and high pressure above 10 000 psi.
The measurement and recording of the characteristics of oil reserves has driven the design and implementation of measuring tools with specialized electronics and innovative communications systems. The challenges of communication systems, in these hostile environments, which lead to obtaining very poor signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), include noise interference, cable attenuation, and thermal drift of passive electronic components, among others.
The state of practice is integrated by technologies that use cable connections for communications and power transmission. Various communication techniques have been described, for example:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,644 describes a system and method to digitally transmit down-hole measurement information; signal transmission via cable is performed on baseband (without modulation) by means of a synchronization system with phase encoding. However, the intelligent communication system presented here does not have the electronic circuits or the method for real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a bidirectional communications system using coaxial cable as linking medium, adjustment of transmission and reception frequencies to maintain communication with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio, and comparison with reference attenuation responses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,310 describes a communications system for down-hole data capture that uses bidirectional communication with universal interconnection and addressing, which recognizes the control instruction from devices based on that addressing. However, unlike the intelligent communication system presented herein, this patent does not have the electronic circuits or the method for real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a bidirectional communications system using coaxial cable as linking medium, adjustment of transmission and reception frequencies to maintain communication with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio, and comparison with reference attenuation responses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,895 describes a data transmission system that uses bidirectional transmission-reception by means of modulation by PCM-pulse encoding. However, this patent does not consider the electronic circuits or the Method for real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a bidirectional communications system using coaxial cable as linking medium, adjustment of transmission and reception frequencies to maintain communication with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio, and comparison with reference attenuation responses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,727 describes a device and a method to transmit and receive digital data over a bandpass channel. It comprises a method and a device for transmission and reception combining amplitude modulation with QAM-phase modulation. However, this patent does not consider the electronic circuits or the method for real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a bidirectional communications system using coaxial cable as linking medium, adjustment of transmission and reception frequencies to maintain communication with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio, and comparison with reference attenuation responses.
Patent US 2010/0052940 uses switched power line communication at frequencies greater than 400 kHz, and the transmission of communication signals is sent at low frequency, which causes switched power transmission not to interfere with communication. However, unlike the intelligent communication system presented herein, this patent does not have the electronic circuits or the method for real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a bidirectional communications system using coaxial cable as linking medium, adjustment of transmission and reception frequencies to maintain communication with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio, and comparison with reference attenuation responses.
The aforementioned patents do not consider adaptive bidirectional transmission-reception equipment for communication using coaxial cable as linking medium, with a transmitter having operating-band automatic adjustment based on real-time frequency response of the communication link and the assessment of the signal-to-noise ratio for data transmission, the use of adjustable coupling and filtering devices for transmission and reception bands, a control module capable of measuring attenuation responses in transmission and reception to determine operating frequencies, and an intelligent receiver with operating-band automatic adjustment capability that best fits to modulation techniques in data transmission and reception.
In addition, the aforementioned patents do not deal with a method for real-time characterization of the attenuation response of a bidirectional communications system using coaxial cable as linking medium, by the generation of sweep signals by test tones or time-domain narrow pulse signals with known wide spectrum to characterize bands of interest covering transmission and reception bands, processing and measurement of received signals, comparison with reference responses, adjustment of transmission and reception frequencies to maintain communication with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio.

Down-hole intelligent communication system based on the real-time characterisation of the attenuation of signals in a coaxial cable used as a transmission medium


A system and method for coordinating the transmission and receipt of large data blocks as a series of smaller burst transfers through an intermediate interconnect coupling a pair of devices. A device receiving a transaction request ("initiator") specifies the data block size of the requested transaction to the other device ("target"). The target response will indicate that it is committed to the transaction, that it does not support requested transactions of the specified data block size, or that it currently lacks the buffer capacity to commit to the requested transaction. In the first instance, the initiator and target exchange the data block through the interconnect as a series of burst transfers until all data has been transferred, at which time the initiator (for read transactions) or the target (for write transactions) forwards the transferred data as a data block of the specified size. When the response indicates the target supports only smaller data block sizes, the initiator may adjust the specified data block size accordingly and proceed with the transaction once the target is committed. When the target response indicates insufficient buffers are currently available to accommodate data of a supported block size, the transaction may proceed as a series of independent burst transfers until all data is transferred or buffers sufficient for the specified block size become available.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the area of digital data communications and in particular, to the communication of digital data through high speed interconnects between devices characterized by data block sizes larger than the burst transfer size supported by the interconnect.
2. Background Art
High performance buses and bus-like interconnects ("interconnects") are characterized by relatively small block transfer sizes and correspondingly short arbitration latencies. For example, the Scalable Coherent Interconnect (SCI, IEEE Std 1596-1992) provides bus-like read and write transactions of sixty four (64) bytes each, as does Serial Express, a proposed higher-performance, longer-distance extension of the Serial Bus (IEEE Std. 1394-1995). Both interconnects are designed to support high-speed data transfers between high speed devices such as video cameras/monitors, PCI-card chassis, high performance I/O devices, and Serial Bus bridges.
The relatively small burst transfer size supported by SCI and Serial Express can create a bottleneck when data packets are being transported between devices that support larger sized data blocks, i.e. much larger than 64 bytes. A general rule of thumb for efficient data transfer across a bus is that the time necessary for arbitration and header transmission should allow on the order of 75% of the time to be available for transferring data. Thus, buses with longer arbitration latencies (such as Serial Bus) typically support large data block transfers. If a data block is simply fragmented into multiple 64-byte data packets for transmission through an intermediate Serial Express interconnect, subsequent transmission of each fragmented data packet on the remote Serial Bus would be inefficient. In effect, each data burst would be subject to the longer arbitration latency of the remote Serial Bus, making transfer of the data on the remote Serial Bus very slow.
The mismatch in block sizes and the resulting bottleneck may be substantial as, for example, where a pair of Serial Buses are coupled by a Serial Express interconnect through a pair of Serial Express-Serial Bus bridges. In this case, a 4k byte burst transfer originating on one Serial Bus is fragmented at the first bridge into sixty four 64-byte burst transfers for transmission through the interconnect. If treated independently, each of the sixty four 64-byte burst transfers will be subject to the Serial Bus arbitration latency at the second bridge.
Another problem presented by the mismatch in burst transfer sizes occurs where a bus master on a PCI bus writes data to a memory on a host bus through a Serial Express interconnect. Given the relatively high latency for host bus memory accesses, the Serial Express-to-PCI bridge requires a large posted write buffer for efficient data transfer. Simply fragmenting a large, contiguous block of posted writes into 64-byte burst transfers for concurrent transmission across the interconnect will not work correctly. Posted-writes must be delivered in the order received, but high performance interconnects like Serial Express (and SCI) can re-order the 64-byte blocks during transmission.
Mismatches in data block sizes can also create inefficiencies where devices other than buses are coupled through high speed interconnects. For example, large data blocks may be written from a hard disc to memory through a high speed interconnect. Address translation for such writes will be more efficient if memory processes the data as a block rather than as multiple fragments.
In each case described, the transmission inefficiencies arise because there is no effective block transfer protocol to recognize the integrity of the original data block and reconstruct the data block following transmission through the interconnect. PCI bus protocols include hint bits, which may be used to indicate when additional read or write transactions should be expected. However, the hint bits do not specify the amount of additional data. Nor do the hint bits or any other elements of the PCI bus protocol provide means for committing resources to the transaction or reassembling fragmented data blocks following transmission. Likewise, the inclusion of future-use hints in transactions are of marginal utility because the interconnect may reorder the original transaction, which includes the future use hint, with respect to the following transactions to which the hint applies.
There is thus a need for a system and method for maintaining the integrity of large data blocks when they are fragmented for transfer through a high speed interconnect, supporting burst transfer sizes that are smaller than the data block.

System for transferring data specified in a transaction request as a plurality of move transactions responsive to receipt of a target availability signal


The invention provides a method of commutation control, for changing the speed of a direct current electric motor of the constant flux type, having an encapsulated inductive winding with n poles, each of which is supplied by a separate brush. In this method, a speed at a level i, where i is in the range 1 to n-1 inclusive, is obtained by connecting a group of i+1 brushes to the terminal of the direct current supply source. The state of connection of the brushes is modified in accordance with a control characteristic which comprises modifying the composition of the group of i+1 brushes to be connected in order to obtain a motor speed at a predetermined level i, and/or by interrupting the connection of one of two consecutive brushes to the brush previously connected during a speed changing operation.

One arrangement for changing speeds in such a motor is described and shown in the specification of French published patent application No. FR 2 658 962A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,531 which is incorporated herein by reference. It enables a speed of rotation of the motor at a level i, where i is in the range 1 to n-1 inclusive, to be obtained by connecting a group of i+1 brushes of the motor to the terminals of the current supply source. Reference to that specification is invited for detailed information of the principle of the commutation control means and the various advantages that result from its use in practice. Its main advantages are its relatively low price and its reduced size.
Although such a commutation control means is satisfactory in operation, it is found that, in use, it does have the drawback of giving rise to irregular wear as between the various brushes that supply the poles of the inductive winding of the motor.
Brushes used in direct current motors are generally of the electro-graphitic type, made from amorphous carbon which is converted to graphite by high temperature heat treatment and consolidated with bonding agents. The wear to which these brushes are selected is partly mechanical, being linked to the general question of sliding friction of the brushes, but it is also partly electrical in nature.
Experiments carried out by the Applicant (i.e. the Applicant for the patent application in France on which this present application is based) have shown that wear that occurs for electrical reasons is in fact predominant over mechanical wear, and that this results in wear taking place more rapidly as a function of the extent to which each brush is conducting current. For this reason, the useful life of the direct current motor of the kind mentioned above can be substantially reduced if, as tends to happen, a single brush wears out prematurely.

Method of changing speeds in a multi-polar electric motor of the constant flux type, and a motorized fan unit with change of speed controlled by such a method


A synthetic lubricant composition is a blend of a polyol ester blend admixed with effective amounts of an antioxidant, yellow metal pacifier and rust inhibitors. The polyol ester blend includes a major proportion of poly(neopentyl polyol) ester blend formed by reacting poly(pentaerythritol) with at least one C.sub.7 to C.sub.12 carboxylic acid mixed with an ester formed by reacting a polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and at least one C.sub.8 -C.sub.10 carboxylic acid. Preferably, the acids are linear and avoid those which can cause odors during use. Effective additives include secondary arylamine antioxidants, triozole derivative yellow metal pacifier and an amino acid derivative and substituted primary and secondary amine and/or diamine rust inhibitor.

This invention relates to synthetic ester compositions and in particular to compositions based on a blend of poly(neopentyl) polyol ester and an ester of a polyol containing at least two hydroxyl groups, which is inhibited with a unique combination of additives. The compositions are particularly well suited for use as a coolant/lubricant in a rotary screw air compressor. The coolant/lubricant compositions minimize use of esters formed from highly odoriferous acids, yet provide extended life, higher temperature operation, excellent demulsibility, biodegradability, rust protection and hydrolytic stability--a combination of properties not available in existing synthetic compressor coolant/lubricant compositions.
It is well known to use hydrocarbon lubricating oils in rotary screw compressors. The oil seals the rotors, lubricates the bearings, cools the compressed gases and removes water condensed from the compressed gases. The high temperature and pressure and presence of water causes the hydrocarbon oils to break down and create sludge in a relatively short time.
Efforts to lengthen the useful life of coolants for air compressors have led to the use of synthetic esters as basestocks. Typical operating temperatures are between about 80.degree. to 104.degree. C. (170.degree. to 220.degree. F.). While these temperatures are not high for a synthetic lubricant, the environment is highly oxidative so that mineral oils tend to break down after about 1,000 hours of use and must be changed. Several of the synthetic coolant/lubricants presently in use extend the intervals between changing lubricants to as much as 8,000 hours.
A synthetic ester coolant based on diesters of adipic acid and phthalic acid have been used for more than 25 years in a variety of compressors including rotary screw compressors. Other synthetic coolants in use are based on synthetic hydrocarbons or poly alpha olefins (PAO's), polyalkylene glycols (PAG's), silicones, and mixtures of synthetic hydrocarbons and dibasic acid esters. All of these products provide extended lubricant life when compared to petroleum based coolants used in the highly oxidative environment in a screw compressor. However, none of the available lubricants are able to provide all of the desired properties, in particular the combination of biodegradability with hydrolytic stability, rust protection, and demulsibility while avoiding offensive odors.
In addition to these performance properties, certain physical properties are required, such as providing efficient cooling, low temperature start-up, sealing of the rotors, and lubrication of the bearings. In particular, the desirable physical properties include a viscosity at 100.degree. C. (212.degree. F.) of at least 8 cSt, a viscosity index of at least 140, a flash point of at least 260.degree. C. (500.degree. F.), and a pour point of at most -50.degree. C. (-58.degree. F.).
A wide operating temperature range for the coolant is highly desirable. In order to permit low temperature starting, a lubricant having a pour point less than -50.degree. C. (-58.degree. F.) is required. Suitable high temperature viscosity properties and low volatility are needed to permit suitable lubrication at higher operating temperatures. Thus, the coolant composition should have a flash point above 260.degree. C. which is required by some manufacturers for safety reasons.
All screw compressor coolant/lubricants will come into contact with water condensed from the compressed air. Therefore, any lubricant must exhibit good hydrolytic stability and provide good rust and corrosion protection. It is an added advantage to provide a lubricant exhibiting good demulsibility. This will permit separation of water from the spent lubricant and facilitate disposal and recycling of the spent lubricant.
Increased biodegradability is also highly desirable. In addition, the elimination of heavy metals, utilized in some commercial coolants, Is also desirable from an environmental point of view.
It is also highly desirable to avoid objectionable odors. Thus, it becomes desirable to avoid or minimize the use of esters formed from carboxylic acids having less than seven carbon atoms. Finally, adequate regulatory listing is desirable.
Existing petroleum based and synthetic air compressor coolant/lubricants are not capable of providing all of the desired performance and physical properties for modern rotary screw compressors. Often, modification of one component of a synthetic lubricant will improve a certain desired property, but at the expense of another. For example, coolants based on PAO's have poor biodegradability; coolants based on adipate diesters cannot provide the viscosity, or flash point properties; coolants based on phthalate diester have poor biodegradability and viscosity indices; coolants based on silicones have poor biodegradability and rust protection; coolants based on polyalkylene glycol have poor demulsibility and inadequate rust protection; and coolants based on mixtures of PAO's and diester do not provide the desired biodegradability.
The following table summarizes the desired properties generally available from current types of rotary screw compressor coolant/lubricants. While several different types may be noted as having satisfactory performance of a particular property, there will be variations within acceptable ranges, some of which may be significant to the user. An "X" indicates that the referenced type of commercially available coolant/lubricant can provide the desired property, and an "O" indicates that it is not fully acceptable.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ SIGNIFICANT DESIRED PROPERTIES FOR ROTARY SCREW COMPRESSOR COOLANT/LUBRICANT COMPOSITIONS PAO PAG Desired* Mineral (Polyalpha (PolyAlkylene Desired Properties Composition Oil Olefin) Diester PAO/Ester Glycol) Silicone Phosphate PAG/Ester __________________________________________________________________________ Pour Point < -50.degree. C. x .smallcircle. x .smallcircle. x x x .smallcircle. x Flash Point > 260.degree. C. x .smallcircle. .smallcircle. x .smallcircle. x x x x Good Rust Prevention x x x x x .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. Good Demulsibility x x x x x .smallcircle. x .smallcircle. .smallcircle. Good Hydrolytic Stability x x x .smallcircle. x x x .smallcircle. x Biodegradable x .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. .smallcircle. Viscosity Index > 140 x .smallcircle. x .smallcircle. x x x .smallcircle. x __________________________________________________________________________ *The poly(neopentyl polyol) ester based compositions prepared in accordance with the invention exhibit all of the desired properties.
One of the most widely used high performance rotary screw compressor coolants is a PAG/ester synthetic lubricant of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,343 to Carswell et al. The Carswell PAG/ester lubricant is an inhibited blend of a polyalkylene glycol with hindered alkanoic ester of aliphatic polyhydric alcohols having three to eight hydroxyl groups and five to ten carbon atoms. When properly blended and mixed with additives, the resulting synthetic coolant/lubricant has been found to satisfy the high temperature viscosity requirements and exhibit stability to the heat, air and water environment. However, ferrous metal corrosion resistance and demulsibility has been found less than satisfactory. The presence of the heavy metal barium also presents disposal concerns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,045 to Timony describes a compressor lubricant formed of a polyol ester of a carboxylic acid having from about four to thirteen carbon atoms. The polyols utilized are pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, trimethylolpropane, or combinations thereof. The lubricants are blends of the pentaerythritol ester and dipentaerythritol esters. While providing satisfactory useful life and temperature characteristics, the viscosity at 100.degree. C. (212.degree. F.) and pour point do not meet the desired values as set forth in Table I. In addition, the lubricants are based on substantial amounts of esters formed from valeric acid and thus in use present undesirable odor problems. Improvements in rust prevention and demulsibility are also needed.
As noted, the prior art describes a wide variety of synthetic lubricants based on various polyol esters and blends thereof admixed with various additives to improve performance. While these synthetic rotary screw air compressor coolant/lubricants are presently in wide use, it remains desirable to provide an improved coolant/lubricant composition which can provide all the significant desired properties noted in Table I, particularly increased oxidative stability, improved demulsibility, improved rust protection, increased biodegradability and low odor in use.

Poly(neopentyl polyol) ester based coolants and improved additive package


To improve the reliability of nodes that are utilized by a cloud computing provider, information about the entire lifecycle of nodes can be collected and used to predict when nodes are likely to experience failures based at least in part on early lifecycle errors. In one aspect, a plurality of failure issues experienced by a plurality of production nodes in a cloud computing system during a pre-production phase can be identified. A subset of the plurality of failure issues can be selected based at least in part on correlation with service outages for the plurality of production nodes during a production phase. A comparison can be performed between the subset of the plurality of failure issues and a set of failure issues experienced by a pre-production node during the pre-production phase. A risk score for the pre-production node can be calculated based at least in part on the comparison.

Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services (e.g., servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics) over the Internet. There are many different types of cloud computing services offered by cloud computing providers. One type of cloud computing service provides computing resources (e.g., virtual machines) for users to host their workloads. Users can deploy applications by provisioning virtual machines on nodes that are owned and operated by the cloud computing provider. Users can choose to scale these computing resources up or down based on their needs.
It is important for the nodes that host computing resources for users to function reliably. Any interruption to service due to failures (e.g., hardware failures) on the nodes that host these computing resources has a negative impact on user experience and retention. Such failures can also have a detrimental impact on the cloud computing providers' available capacity and revenue, because the failed nodes will be in repair as opposed to generating revenue for the cloud computing provider. Accordingly, benefits can be realized by techniques for improving the reliability of nodes that are utilized by a cloud computing provider to host computing resources for users.

Node health prediction based on failure issues experienced prior to deployment in a cloud computing system