A magnet fixing structure includes a bottom wall, stopping units, a top wall and an elastic arm. The stopping units are connected to the bottom wall. The top wall is connected to the stopping units. A containing space is formed between the bottom and top walls. The elastic arm disposed on the bottom wall has a protrusion. A passage connected to the containing space is formed between the elastic arm and one stopping unit. When a magnet resists elastic force of the elastic arm to pass the passage along a first axis and partially move into the containing space, parts of the stopping units stop the magnet moving along a second axis, the bottom wall and the top wall stop the magnet moving along a third axis, and the protrusion stops the magnet moving along the first axis. Besides, an electronic device having the magnet fixing structure is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a magnet fixing structure and more particularly, to a magnet fixing structure and an electronic device having the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Advancement of semiconductor devices and display technology leads to continuous development of electronic devices towards compactness, capabilities for performing multiple functions, and portability. Common portable electronic devices include tablet PCs, smart phones, notebook computers, and so forth.
Taking the notebook computers for example, a typical notebook computer can be divided two parts, a display device and a host, and the two parts are pivoted to each other, such that the display device can be opened or closed relatively to the host. When the display device is closed relatively to the host, the closed state has to be maintained to prevent the display device from being unexpectedly opened relatively to the host. A common way to maintain the closed state of the notebook computer is using a magnetic attraction force provided by at least one magnet. In the conventional design, the magnet is commonly fixed to at least one machine body of the notebook computer by means of adhering. However, such fixing means results in falling off of the magnet. Moreover, in some notebook computers, an iron member or a magnetic component made of any other material is fused to the machine body of the notebook computer so as to fix the magnet by the magnetic attraction force between the iron member and the magnet. Such fixing means has a defect that the fused structure is difficult for a rework process, and during manufacturing and delivery processes, the magnet is easy to be magnetically attracted by other magnetic components to fall from the machine body.

Magnet fixing structure and electronic device having the same


A method and an apparatus are provided for measuring the rate of permeation of a gas or vapour through a test sample with the gas container detachable from the sensor. The gas container consists of an upstream and a downstream chamber in communication with a test sample. The upstream chamber of the gas container containing the test sample is filled with a gas or vapour. The pressure increase in the downstream chamber is monitored and recorded at successive increments of time. To estimate the rate of permeation one or more experimental pressure values can be used as input for a mathematical approximation procedure. Using the starting pressure and one or more pressure values taken at different times allows the gas container with the test sample to be detached from the sensor and hence an increased sample throughput is realised.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the measurement of the rate of permeation of a gas or vapour through a sample of a material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Permeation describes the process of species entering, moving through and leaving a test sample. Measuring the rate of permeation (or strictly speaking the rate of transmission) of vapours and gases through materials, in particular barrier materials, is important in various fields. Examples are packaging of food, of medical supplies, of electronic components and as membranes in fuel cells. Barrier layers serve the purpose of preventing or restricting the passing of a gas or a vapour.
A number of methods are known to measure the rate of permeation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,755,660, JP 63132137A and ASTM standard D1434-82(2003) describe a method where one side of the test sample is kept at a constant pressure and the pressure increase on the other side of the sample is measured.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,539 and ASTM standard F1249-05 describe the use of electrochemical and infrared sensors for the detection of oxygen and water vapour.
US2002/0173922A1 describes a sophisticated method combining an acoustic wave and optical detection method where the barrier layer for permeation measurements needs to be deposited onto a transducer, followed by an elaborate measuring procedure consisting of many steps.
EP 1373861A2 describes the "Calcium test" where the progress of corrosion of a thin layer of calcium deposited on the test sample is taken as measure for the amount of water or oxygen that has passed through the test sample.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,909,088 describes a mass-spectrometric method for measuring the rate of permeation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,989 describes a very sensitive method to detect water vapour permeation by using radioactive water.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,858,461 and 5,081,863 describe a multi-chamber setup, which requires continuous gas flow; stack arrangements have been suggested too (U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,951).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,898 describes a method using a carrier gas to calculate the permeability P as product of the measured coefficient of diffusion D and the solubility S.
All methods described in the art have the detecting means attached to the assembly with the test sample. Despite all the effort that has gone in the invention of these methods and apparatuses they suffer from serious drawbacks. The proximity between test sample and sensor limits the parameter range of testing, because the sensors are usually not rated to high temperatures. Another disadvantage is the limited sample throughput as continuous measurement even in an arrangement with multiple cells requires the detector in attendance of the test sample over substantial periods of time. Using a carrier gas makes the experimental set-up more cumbersome and costly.

Method and apparatus for measuring the rate of permeation


In a camshaft adjuster for an internal combustion engine comprising a control valve having a control piston slidably supported in a valve housing, an operating unit for adjusting the angular position of the camshaft relative to a crankshaft of the engine and a drive unit with an electric motor and a transmission structure for actuating the control piston, the transmission is non-self-locking so that backward movement of the valve piston can be achieved by a backward force on the valve piston.

The invention resides in a camshaft adjuster for an internal combustion engine including a control valve with a valve housing in which a control spool is disposed for controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to an actuating unit for adjusting the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft of the engine, the control spool being operable by an electric motor and a transmission structure.
For reducing the fuel consumption and raw emissions and increasing the power output and torque, internal combustion engines generally include control devices for adjusting the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft. At this time, mostly hydraulic vane cell adjusters including hydraulic actuating chambers are used. The angular adjustment of the camshaft is achieved by the controlled admission of hydraulic oil from the engine lubricating circuit to the chambers of the hydraulic vane cell adjuster by means of a control valve. The control valve is operated by an electromagnetic device.
DE 36 19 956 discloses a camshaft adjuster of an internal combustion engine with a control valve which is disposed in the camshaft and which includes a control piston disposed in a valve housing. The camshaft is provided with an operating unit for adjusting the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft of the engine under the control of the control valve. The control piston is actuated by an operating unit which includes an electric motor; and a motion transmission structure which moves the control piston in an advancing or retarding direction. As operating unit, an electric motor with an operating rod, which is capable of axially moving the control piston, is used. The use of the operating rod however requires an expensive control arrangement for the positioning of the operating rod since the motor must be energized for the back and forward movement of the operating rod.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a camshaft adjustor for an internal combustion engine having a simple, reliable and relatively inexpensive control arrangement for the adjustment of the angular position of the camshaft relative to the crankshaft of the engine.

Camshaft adjuster of an internal combustion engine


A grommet through which a long member is passed and mounted on a fixing hole of a fixing plate, includes an outer member and an inner member. The outer member includes a cylindrical insertion portion, through which the long member is passed, a brim-shaped close contact portion, extending outward from the insertion portion and having a mounting groove engaging with an edge of the fixing hole and an inner groove, formed on an inside face of the close contact portion. The inner member include a periphery edge portion, substantially shaped into a disc shape having a central opening, and inserted in the inner groove and a projection, extended from the periphery edge portion.

The present invention relates to a grommet. For example, the invention relates to a grommet that is provided between two fixing plates such as those of the body and the back door of a vehicle to protect a long member that is cabled between the two fixing plates.
As shown in FIG. 5, a wire harness 103 that is cabled between a body 101 and a back door 102 of a vehicle 100 is covered with a grommet 105.
Providing the grommet 105 between the body 101 and the back door 105 and covering the wire harness 103 with the grommet 105 prevents the wire harness 103 from being exposed to outside when the back door 102 is opened.
The grommet 105 has, at the two ends, a body-side fixing portion 111 to be engaged in a fixing hole 106 (see FIGS. 6A–6E) of the body 101, a door-side fixing portion 112 to be engaged in a fixing hole 107 of the back door 102 and a bellows-shaped connection pipe 113 connecting the body-side fixing portion 111 and the door-side fixing portion 112 so as to be integral with those.
The body-side fixing portion 111 and the door-side fixing portion 112 are approximately identical members. In the following, only the door-side fixing portion 112 will be described (the description of the body-side fixing portion 111 will be omitted).
To attach the grommet 105 to the body 101 and the back door 102, the grommet 105 in which the wire harness 103 is fitted is inserted into the fixing hole 106 of the body 101 from inside the body 101 as shown in FIG. 6A and then taken out to the space between the body 101 and the back door 102 as shown in FIG. 6B.
After a tip portion 103A of the wire harness 103 is inserted into the fixing hole 107 of the back door 102, the door-side fixing portion 112 is put into the space inside the back door 102 through the fixing hole 107 as shown in FIGS. 6C–6E. Then, the door-side fixing portion 112 of the grommet 105 is engaged into the fixing hole 107 of the back door 102, whereby the grommet 105 is attached to the back door 102.
As shown in FIG. 7, to allow the wire harness 103 to pass through and be held by the fixing hole 107 (see FIGS. 6A–6E) of the back door 102, the door-side fixing portion 112 of the grommet 105 is provided with an outer member 121 and an inner member 120. The outer member 121 has a pipe-shaped insertion portion 115 that is to be inserted into the fixing hole 107 and into which the wire harness 103 can be inserted, a brim-shaped dose contact portion 116 that extends outward from the insertion portion 115 and is to come into close contact with the front face of the back door 103, a pressure contact portion 117 that is provided outside the insertion portion 115 and is to come into pressure contact with the back face of the back door 102, and a groove 118 that is formed by the inside face of the close contact portion 116. The inner member 120 is generally shaped like a disc having a central opening and is inserted in the groove 118. The inner member 120 is provided outside a pipe-shaped guide portion 119.
In general, the inner member 120 is generally elliptical in a plan view. The inner member 120 can easily be inserted into the groove 118 of the close contact portion 116 of the door-side fixing portion 112 by first inserting a portion, on its major axis 120A, of the inner member 120 into the groove 118.
By the way, when a top portion of the door-side fixing portion 112 of the grommet 105 is inserted into the fixing hole 107 of the back door 102, the close contact portion 116 may hit the back door 102 as shown in FIG. 6C.
The projection width W1 of the inner member 120 is relatively small as shown in FIG. 8A. Therefore, should the close contact portion 116 hit the back door 102, the close contact portion 116 may be turned up to come off the inner member 120 as shown in FIG. 8B.
One method for solving this problem, that is, preventing the close contact portion 116 from being turned up, would be to set the projection width W1 of the inner member 120 large and thereby increase the overlap width between the inner member 120 and the close contact portion 116.
However, if the projection width W1 of the inner member 120 is set large, a top portion 116A of the close contact portion 116 may interfere with the back door 102 as shown in FIG. 6E increases, in which case the work of attaching the grommet 105 to the back door 102 would take longer time.


A high speed winding apparatus for winding a continuous web of material onto cylindrical cores to form winding rolls has at least one turret rotatably mounted to a frame. The web is surface wound at a predetermined surface speed on individual winding arms mounted within the turret. The winding rolls are driven through the cores and are urged against a surface winding drum turning at the web surface speed. Cores are changed automatically by cutting and splicing the web segments to a new set of cores. The completed roll is unloaded, and the turret is then rotated 180.degree. with the empty winding arms passing between the web segments.

The present invention relates generally to the art of processing web-like material, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for automatically changing a plurality of cores while winding a series of web segments onto the cores.
Web processing lines, whether for forming, printing, laminating or otherwise processing the web, frequently have as a final station a winding machine for winding the web onto one or more cylindrical cores. As each core fills with material and becomes a large roll, the winding operation must be terminated on that core and started on a new core. The core changing operation is often done automatically, without slowing down or stopping travel of the web through the line. Such "on the fly" changeover offers several advantages: first, downtime during the core changeover is avoided, increasing the overall efficiency of the web processing line; second, and often more important, other operations on the line upstream from the winder need not be shut down during core change. This is especially important in certain web forming operations such as the manufacture of a blown film web, where process parameters must be carefully adjusted during start-up, and an interruption in the process requires a long, involved procedure in order to resume the formation of the web.
In addition to winding the web on a roll, it is often desirable to slit the web longitudinally, and to wind the resulting web segments on shorter, individual cores. Machines performing this function are called slitter/rewinders. Such an operation is often performed off-line by a machine that unwinds a web from a "master" or "jumbo" roll produced on a web forming line, slits the web into a series of segments and rewinds the segments onto smaller cores. The operation is performed off-line because slitter/rewinders often require the web to be stopped or slowed down during core changing.
As a web of material is wound on a roll (hereinafter called a "winding roll"), there is a tendency for air to become entrapped between the web and the roll as the web wraps onto the roll. To overcome this problem, lay-on rolls are often used in winding operations. Lay-on rolls are free-wheeling rolls that apply pressure to the outermost layer immediately after it is wound onto the rolls. They are used to prevent air from being pulled into the rolls between adjacent layers. In such an arrangement, the torque required to maintain tension on the web as it is wound onto the roll is provided by driving the core at the center of the roll, a technique called "center winding." Because the diameter of the roll changes as the process progresses, the torque and speed at which the core is driven must change as the roll increases in diameter in order to maintain constant web tension. Even with such controls, however, such an operation may result in "cinching" of the roll and an unevenness in the tightness of the roll between the inner layers and the outer layers.
Lay-on rolls may be adapted to maintain continuous contact with a winding roll during an automatic core changeover. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,141 discloses a rewinding machine having a turret on which winding cores are supported at diametrically opposite positions. During winding of a web onto a core, a primary frame-mounted lay-on roll applies pressure to the outside of the winding roll, reducing the amount of air entrapped between the layers. Before changing cores, an auxiliary lay-on roll, which is mounted on the turret, is indexed into contact with the web in order to continue to provide pressure on the outside surface of the web during the indexing of the turret. The primary lay-on roll is then retracted, the turret is rotated 180.degree. and the web is severed and attached to an empty core in the opposite position on the turret. Lay-on rolls such as those disclosed in the '141 patent are not driven, and therefore play no part in maintaining tension on the web, which is done by driving the winding roll itself. Because changeover is automatic between cores, this machine may be used at the end of a line without the necessity of stopping or slowing down the line in order to change cores. The machine, however, is not capable of slitting the web into separate segments, and this operation, if required, must be done later off line. Furthermore, because the winding rolls are driven from the core, cinching and uneven tension in the winding roll may be a problem.
A "surface winding drum" is used in order to reduce the cinching and unevenness problems associated with driving the winding operation from the center of the winding roll. A surface winding drum is driven at the surface speed of the incoming web, and is urged against the winding roll at a predetermined pressure at the point where the web joins the winding roll. The web typically travels some angular distance around the winding drum before being transferred to the winding roll at the nip between the two. By driving the surface winding drum at the web surface speed, the surface speed of the outer layer of the winding roll is controlled without transferring torque through the layers of the winding roll. The winding roll may also be driven from the core at a controlled torque in order to prevent loosening of the inner wraps and unevenness that might otherwise result from friction of the core chuck bearings and the angular momentum of the roll during the gradual deceleration of angular velocity during winding.
An example of a surface winding drum is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,371. A single surface winding drum is used in conjunction with two winding rolls contacting diametrically opposite points on the winding drum. The winding rolls are mounted on respective turrets that urge the winding rolls against the winding drum. The incoming web of material is slit by a knife, and the resulting two segments are wound onto the two rolls. In order to change a core, auxiliary lay-on rolls mounted on the turrets are indexed into contact with the completed winding rolls, and the turrets are rotated, indexing new cores into position proximate the winding drum. The web is then severed and attached to the new cores. During rotation of the turrets, the winding drum is not in contact with the active winding rolls. During that time, the winding rolls are instead driven from their centers. Thus, cinching or uneven winding may occur during core changing as torque is transmitted through the roll.
Another winding drum arrangement having automatic core changing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,583. In this arrangement, primary and secondary surface winding drums are mounted on arms rotatably mounted to the frame, and cores and winding rolls are mounted on a turret. In order to change cores, the secondary winding drum is brought into contact with an empty core, trapping the web between, and a knife and brush assembly is simultaneously indexed across the web, cutting it and attaching it to the core. The newly active core is then indexed to the primary winding position on the turret, and the primary surface winding drum is brought into contact with the active winding roll before contact is broken with the secondary winding drum. Thus, contact is maintained between a winding drum and the winding roll at all times during winding. Such a design does not lend itself to slitting because there is no provision for applying uniform winding pressures for individual rolls created by individual segments of the slit web. Such provisions are necessary, for example, if the unslit web has micrometer thickness variations across its width. In the above-described machine, a single winding roll to winding drum distance is maintained across the width of the web, regardless of thickness variations. Thus, the winding machine disclosed in the '583 patent is not easily adaptable for slitting. If slitting is required for a web processed on such a machine, it must be done by a slitter/rewinder in a subsequent off-line operation.
When a web is slit into individual segments, the center-to-center distance between the winding rolls and the surface winding drum must be adjusted individually for the individual winding rolls. As noted, the winding pressure would otherwise vary on individual winding rolls depending on the web thickness for that individual roll. One way of providing individual winding pressure for each web segment is mounting the individual winding rolls on winding arms. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,755. The winding arms permit a force-based adjustment of the relative positions of the winding roll and the surface winding drum for each individual winding roll, while using a single, continuous surface winding drum to wind a plurality of winding rolls. Furthermore, the winding arms may be adjusted during a changeover to accommodate varying segment widths in a slitting/rewinding operation. Each of two surface winding drums in the '755 patent is associated with a series of winding arms, pairs of which support winding rolls receiving alternating web segments. Thus, adjacent web segments are routed to different surface winding drums, providing clearance between the segments for chucks and for the winding arms. No provision is provided for automatic core changing in the slitter/rewinder disclosed in the '755 patent. Instead, the winding operation must be stopped and the arms moved to a load/unload position remote from the surface winding drums, where completed winding rolls are removed and replaced with empty cores.
There therefore remains a need for a machine capable of slitting a relatively wide web into a plurality of segments and winding the segments onto separate cores, wherein the segments are wound relatively evenly throughout the roll, are wound without applying undue torque through the layers of the web, and are wound with substantially the same winding pressure applied to each of the rolls; while at the same time, providing for automatic changeover of the cores without stopping the incoming web. Currently, where a web is formed in a process that cannot be stopped or slowed down, the web is either wound as a single, wide roll that is later slit and rewound, or the web is slit and wound on center winding machines not capable of eliminating the adverse effects caused by applying torque to the winding roll through the core.

Duplex slitter/rewinder with automatic splicing and surface/center winding


First and second mobile carriers are accessible to individual cells defined in a storage. The first and second mobile carriers move along overlapped paths. First and second controller circuits are connected to the first and second mobile carriers, respectively. The second controller circuit is also connected to the first mobile carrier. Even when a defect occurs in the first controller circuit, the transport mechanism allows the second controller circuit to take over the control on the first mobile carrier from the first controller circuit. The control on the first mobile carrier serves to avoid interference between the first mobile carrier and any obstacle on the path. If the first mobile carrier is removed from the path of the second mobile carrier, the second mobile carrier is allowed to keep operating. The operation of the transport mechanism can be kept without any interruption.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transport mechanism preferably employed in a library apparatus such as a magnetic tape library apparatus, for example. In particular, the invention relates to a transport mechanism including first and second mobile carriers accessible to individual cells defined in a storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication 10-255373, a library apparatus sometimes includes first and second mobile carriers accessible to individual cells defined in a storage. The library apparatus includes a first controller circuit connected to a power source of the first mobile carrier. A second controller is connected to a power source of the second mobile carrier. The movement path of the first mobile carrier partially wraps over the movement path of the second mobile carrier.
For example, when the first mobile carrier is urgently stopped based on the instructions from the second controller circuit, the first controller circuit cannot control the first mobile carrier. The first mobile carrier cannot move at all. The first mobile carrier thus interferes with the movement of the second mobile carrier. Unless the first controller circuit is started again, the second mobile carrier cannot return to the operation. The library apparatus is expected to always operate without any interruption.

Fault tolerant transport mechanism in storage and method of controlling the same


A structural turbine engine casing is disclosed. The casing includes a central hub, at least one intermediate shroud, and an external ring, which are concentric, the external ring and the intermediate shroud being connected via links, the intermediate shroud and the central hub being connected by a series of radially fastened hollow arms. The series of arms includes at least one main arm and at least one secondary arm, each main arm being arranged in the continuation of a link and having a mass which is greater than that of a secondary arm arranged at a distance from the links.

The present invention relates to a structural casing for supporting rotating parts of a turbine engine, in particular of a turbojet.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a turbine engine 1 generally comprises a tubular enclosure 2, containing rotating bodies, such as compressor stages 3-4 and turbine stages 5-6, mounted on one or more rotating shafts 7 arranged axially in the enclosure 2 of the turbine engine, which constitutes a stator.
The structure of a turbine engine 1 includes structural casings 8 and 9 which support the shaft or shafts 7 in rotation. These casings are connected to the aircraft via suspension parts (pylon, strut, attachments or links).
A turbine engine 1 includes at least two structural casings 8 and 9: an intermediate casing which supports rotation bearings at the front of the rotating shaft 7 and an exhaust casing 9 which supports rotation bearings at the rear of the rotating shaft 7.
The casings 8 and 9 have the function of suspending the rotating bodies 3 to 7 of the engine in the stator 2, of immobilizing the rotation bearings and of transmitting the mechanical loads of the bearings toward the stator 2.
Documents FR-A-2 641 328, FR -A-2 681 401 and JP-A-9-324 699 show examples of structures of turbine engine casings.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a structural turbine engine casing 9 of known type comprises a central hub 10 serving as a bearing support, an intermediate annular shroud 20 and an external ring 30, which are concentric to the central hub 10. The central hub 10 and the intermediate shroud 20 are connected fixedly and rigidly by a series of multiple arms 11 to 19 (numbering nine here) arranged radially. The intermediate shroud 20 and the external ring 30 are connected in an articulated manner by means of suspension links 22. These links 22 serve to transmit the mechanical loads (landings, steering maneuvers, thrust, engine unbalance) between the hub 10, the arms 11-19, the intermediate annular part 20 and the external annular part 30. The structural arms 11-19 have a profiled hollow structure which is dimensioned to withstand these mechanical loads.
The disadvantage is that the dimensioning of the hollow arms of the known structural casings does not allow them to withstand large mechanical loads over a prolonged period.
However, a constant objective in aeronautics is to reduce the mass of the component parts of aircraft without harming their performance.


A downstream side of a chute associated with at least one sorting hole is branched into a first chute and a second chute, through which coins ejected from the sorting hole are guided into first and second temporary storages, respectively. A route-switching mechanism is also provided that switches, between the two chutes, a route of the coins ejected from the sorting hole. The following control is conducted for the coins of a denomination to be ejected from the sorting hole. (i) Switching the route of the coins ejected from the sorting hole from the first chute to the second chute in appropriate timing to ensure that the last coin (CN) to be received into the first temporary storage enters the first chute, and (ii) controlling an ejection mechanism to eject, among coins following the last coin, all coins that have reached the ejection mechanism (6a) earlier that the above route-switching operation.

JP2002-92678A (WO02/23493, U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,452) describes a coin sorting system including a presorting device that presorts coins into three groups as a disc rotates. The coin sorting system additionally includes two rectilinear main sorting devices that further sort by respective denominations two of the three coin groups presorted by the presorting device. These main sorting devices each have four sorting structures (sorting holes) each configured to eject coins of a particular denomination. The coins that have been ejected by the respective sorting structures are collected into corresponding coin receiving units (temporary storage) through chutes.
Incidentally, the number of coin denominations varies from currency to currency. For example, the Euro circulates in eight denominations, and US dollars in five denominations (except for rare one-dollar coins). In general, the sizes and circulation volumes of coins also vary according to denominations.
Accordingly, the number of coin receiving units (e.g., eight) is set with one of the currencies largest in the number of denominations (e.g., the Euro) as a reference. If a currency whose number of denominations is smaller than eight (e.g., US dollar) is to be handled, two coin receiving units are assigned to each of at least one sorting structure (e.g., three sorting structures). In this case, two chutes along which the coins ejected from the sorting structure will be guided into the two receiving units are provided to allow coin route switching to either of the two chutes. When the number of coins of a particular denomination (e.g., US 25-cent) that have been collected into one of the two receiving units reaches a previously set number N, the chute (the route of the coins) is switched so that further coins will be collected into the other receiving unit.
In this case, denominations of the coins are discriminated by using a discrimination sensor provided at the coin-introducing side of the sorting device. The last coin to be collected from the sorting structure into one receiving unit (i.e., the N-th coin) and the first coin to be collected into the other receiving unit (i.e., the (N+1)-th coin) are identified on the basis of the discrimination results. It is practically impossible, however, to switch the chute timely between the last coin and the first coin while sorting the coins at high speed. In order to compensate for this inconvenience, therefore, the introduction of coins is temporarily stopped immediately after the last coin has moved past the discrimination sensor, and then the chute is switched before the introduction of the remaining coins is restarted.


A filter system includes several filters, particularly a main filter and at least one prefilter, which are disposed one after another and are made of a filter material that is encompassed by frames. The sides of the frame of the main filter and the frame/s of the prefilter/s, which face each other, include connecting elements. The individual filters can be coupled to each other in a form-fitting manner.

To an increasing degree, clean rooms are required in plants where precision instruments or the requisite parts for such instruments are manufactured. Also, the demands placed on the purity of the incoming and circulating air used in industrial processes are becoming increasingly more stringent. It is essential to have air that is purified of dust and microorganisms, and air filter systems having different designs are used. In this connection, cartridge filters are frequently used, which have a fold pack that is oriented perpendicularly to the direction of flow or a plurality of fold packs arranged in a V-shape, which are inserted into one frame. The fold pack and the frame are sealed from one another by a sealing material. As a fold pack, an insert made of accordian-folded filter paper is used. When working with filters for fine particulate matter, a filter fleece can be inserted as sealing material. However, in the case of filters for suspended particulate matter, plastics, which are mostly processed in liquid form, are used.
The frame gives the filter the requisite stability, protects the fold pack from damage, and allows the filter to be inserted into a receptacle system provided for it. The finished filter, together with the frame, is installed on site in a holding receptacle of an air filter system. The air filter systems frequently have a multistage design and are composed of series-connected filters, for the most part of different filter classes, the separation efficiency of the filters typically increasing in the direction of air flow. When the filters of any one stage are installed in a filter system, in each case in a separate holding receptacle, the filter system must be sized to have equivalent dimensions. This entails higher capital costs as compared to a single-stage system. For this reason, efforts are also directed toward achieving a most compact possible design of the two-stage or multistage filter systems. In practice, in a two-stage filter arrangement, the prefilter and the main filter are installed together in only one filter receptacle. The prefilter is positioned loosely against the main filter, and, once inserted in the filter receptacle, both elements are held securely by the latter. The sealing action between the prefilter and main filter is provided by a peripheral seal that is placed on both filters. Since the service life of the prefilter is typically shorter than that of the main filter, problems arise when replacing the prefilter. The problems are further aggravated in filter systems which are only accessible from one side, since the prefilter and the main filter can only be installed from one and the same side into the holding receptacle.


Techniques and systems for production of composite images, videos, or films which exhibit virtual objects. More particularly, techniques and systems for rendering, scaling, and/or locating, virtual objects within composite images, videos, or films employing marker objects as reference objects. In at least one embodiment, a virtual object is rendered by synchronizing a virtual camera with a real camera and, subsequently, synthesizing a canvas featuring the virtual object at a position determined in reference to the position of a detected marker object.

The use of representative models (typically less than full-scale), both real and computer generated, has heretofore been important to various commercial industries. For example, small-scale physical models (e.g. constructed from wood) have been prolifically employed in the construction/architecture industry in order so that proposed building designs can be viewed and evaluated for aesthetics, etc. prior to incurring the expense of commencing or completing construction. Also, computer generated images (hereinafter CGI's) have been employed for similar purposes and provide certain advantages in that CGI's are easily duplicated and can be transmitted electronically to distant locations virtually instantly (as compared to the cumbersome process of packing a fragile wooden model and shipping it via ground or air freight).
Similarly, the use of special effects in both the movie and television industries is becoming increasingly common. In a typical movie or television program which employs special effects, a real scene might be augmented with CGI's. For example, a computer generated character or fictitious animal might be inserted into a previously filmed location shot. Conversely, in science fiction movies for example, entire scenes can be generated by computer with either real or computer generated characters existing in the scene.
Certain drawbacks exist with respect to the above technologies, however, and improvements which address these drawbacks are desired. For example, the detail engineered or crafted into a physical model is time demanding and labor intensive. Similarly, changes to the design or appearance of a physical model often require expenditures of time and resources nearly equal to that of building the original model itself. Furthermore, it is difficult to envision the full aesthetic nature of a project if built only on a small scale and with non-realistic building materials (e.g. with wood, plaster, or paper) and not the actual building materials which are desired (e.g. glass, concrete, steel, etc. including their associated colors, textures, reflectivity, etc.). Still furthermore, construction of models approaching 1:1 scale is expensive and typically impractical except for in some industries (e.g. the movie industry).
In addition to problems with physical models, the use of computer technologies related to CGI's presents various additional drawbacks. For example, in some applications, it is desired that a CGI be precisely sized and located relative to the scene (or object within the scene) in which it appears. Existing technologies do not adequately address these problems of scale and positioning. Furthermore, in outdoor environments, weather/lighting conditions change continuously and therefore affect the appearance of imaged/filmed scenes. In order to maintain an adequate degree of realism, the appearance of a CGI ("virtual object") inserted into a scene should be modified accordingly (to reflect the lighting and/or appearance of its "live" surroundings). Current technologies do not sufficiently resolve this problem.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need in the art for methods and apparatus which overcome one or more of the above drawbacks. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill these needs in the art, as well as other needs which will become apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.

Method and apparatus for producing composite images which contain virtual objects


Embodiments may include a vehicle seat having a seatback and a headrest. The headrest has a first headrest portion, a second headrest portion and an elastic portion. The first headrest portion is connected to the seatback. The second headrest portion is arranged closer to an occupant than the first headrest portion. The second headrest portion is movable relative to the first headrest portion. The elastic portion generates an elastic force so as to restore the second headrest portion to an initial position when the second headrest portion moves from the initial position.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to vehicle seats, specifically to vehicle seats with a headrest.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional vehicle seat such as a car seat is equipped with a headrest for supporting the head of an occupant. An interior of the headrest is filled with a pad configured to exert an appropriate elastic force. When, for example, a collision is generated from behind a car (hereinafter such collision from behind will be referred to as "back collision"), the headrest reliably supports the head of the occupant. This helps to secure the safety of the occupant.
There are various kinds of back collisions. For example, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, there is a collision in which the occupant is thrown backwards before his body moves upward. As shown in FIGS. 18 to 22, there is a collision in which the occupant is thrown backwards before his body moves downward. Further, there is a collision in which the body moves upward before moving downward.
In the case when the body moves upward after the collision, the head of the occupant is supported as long as it is supported by the pad of the headrest. As shown in FIG. 16, however, when the body moves upward, the head receives a backward rotating force. As a result, there is a possibility of the occupant suffering a so-called whiplash injury.
Also in the case when the seat falls down toward the floor after the collision, relative movement between the head and the headrest is typically generated. As a result, there is the possibility that the occupant may suffer a whiplash injury.
In the situation when the body moves downward after the collision, the head of the occupant is supported as long as it is supported by the pad of the headrest. As shown in FIG. 21, however, when the body moves downward, the head receives a forwardly rotating force. As a result, there is the possibility that the occupant may suffer a whiplash injury.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-149862 discloses a vehicle seat headrest having a tension spring and a sensor. When the sensor predicts a back collision, urging force of the tension spring is released by using a solenoid. The tension spring causes the movable headrest to move upward. The headrest is forcibly moved upward not at the point in time when the back collision is generated but at the stage when the back collision is predicted. Thus, when the body of the occupant moves upward, there is a possibility that the timing with which the body moves does not coincide with the timing with which the headrest moves. Accordingly, it may be impossible to sufficiently prevent the backward rotation of the head of the occupant. Even when simultaneous timing is attained, the movement distance of the headrest is fixed. Thus, when the movement distance of the headrest is excessive or insufficient, it may be impossible to sufficiently prevent the backward rotation of the head of the occupant. When the body of the occupant moves downward, the headrest may further increase the force with which the head of the occupant is rotated forward. This phenomenon is undesirable.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a vehicle seat which helps to reduce a burden on an occupant's neck when a back collision or the like occurs.


A self-healing crack stop structure and methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. The structure comprises a crack stop structure formed in one or more dielectric layers and surrounding an active region of an integrated circuit chip. The crack stop comprises self healing material which, upon propagation of a crack, is structured to seal the crack and prevent further propagation of the crack.

Crack stops, guard rings and other moisture oxidation barriers (MOB) are structures fabricated along the perimeter of an integrated circuit chip to prevent delamination of the various layers of the integrated circuit chip and other edge damage that may occur during "dicing" of individual integrated circuit chips. The guard rings and MOBs are sometimes referred to as crack stops. These structures can protect the active area of the chip from moisture, mobile ions, and mechanical damage. For example, the guard rings can prevent moisture from corroding the structures on the integrated circuit chip. Also, the guard rings can prevent damage to the components within an active area of the integrated circuit due to cracking that may form during the dicing process.
More specifically, after formation of the active and passive components, the wafer is cut or diced into individual integrated circuit chips, either by sawing or by scribing and breaking. During the cutting or dicing process, the wafer is subjected to high shear stresses which can cause cracks extending inwardly from the edges of each chip. Due to the stresses encountered when dicing the chip, or even later during use, cracks can propagate inward from the edges of the chip and eventually reach the active portion of the chip, damaging semiconductor devices disposed in the active region. Guard rings, though, can prevent the propagation of cracks from reaching the active region of the chip.
Guard rings, though, can be damaged due to dicing issues. Also, guard rings use valuable real estate on the integrated circuit.


A drip chamber includes an elongated transparent container, and a cap. The container has open proximal and distal ends. The cap covers the distal end and further includes a drip forming tube, a cannula and an attachment element used to removably attach the chamber to a connector. The cannula extends distally away from the chamber and is surrounded by the attachment element. A pathway for fluid is established through the cannula and into the chamber.

The present invention relates generally to intravenous (IV) liquid medicament infusion equipment, and more particularly to drip chambers, valves and attachment mechanisms.
One of the most widely used methods of medical therapy is the intravenous (IV) infusion of liquid medicaments and/or nutrients into the bloodstream of a patient. A familiar apparatus that is used in many IV infusion applications is an IV container, such as an IV bag or bottle, which contains the liquid to be infused into the patient.
When the IV container is a bag, or bottle, a rigid, hollow, sharpened IV spike is pushed into the container to establish a pathway for fluid communication through which the liquid can flow out of the container. The spike, in turn, is connected to or formed integrally with an inlet port of a small, elongated, transparent hollow container familiarly referred to as a xe2x80x9cdrip chamberxe2x80x9d, with the fluid pathway of the spike in fluid communication with the inlet port of the drip chamber.
Additionally, an IV line is connected to the bottom or proximal end of the drip chamber. Preferably, a means for controlling the flow (a roller clamp, pump, or other suitable flow regulating device) is engaged with the IV line, and a medical technician can manipulate the flow controlling means and thereby regulate fluid flow through the IV line. To complete the path for fluid communication from the IV container to the patient, a sharp needle is connected to the IV line to puncture the patient.
Usually, the container is elevated above the patient to establish a positive pressure head to force the fluid that is within the container through the drip chamber into the patient. Because the drip chamber is transparent, a medical technician can view the medicament as it passes (normally by dripping) through the drip chamber to aid the medical technician in establishing a predetermined flow rate of medicament into the patient as the medical technician adjusts the flow controlling means on the IV line.
While effective as aiding in the establishment of a predetermined fluid flow to the patient, existing drip chambers, as noted above, require the use of sharpened spikes to puncture the IV container containing the liquid. This is undesirable, particularly in the era of AIDS, because spikes, like other sharps instruments, can inadvertently puncture the bag or medical technician who is manipulating the spike and thereby potentially contaminate the bag contents or infect the technician with AIDS or other disease. Thus, as recognized by the present invention, it is desirable to avoid the use of sharp instruments whenever possible, while preserving the quick connection such instruments provide.
Further, it is desirable to connect and disconnect the drip chamber or other components in the IV system without spillage of medicament. As recognized by the present invention, such reduction in spillage can be obtained through the use of reflex valves which are compatible with spikeless drip chambers and other needleless IV components.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a valve apparatus in an IV drip chamber or other IV component for engaging a complementary fitting, without the need to use a sharp connector. Another object of the present invention is to allow connection and disconnection of components without the spillage of medicament. Yet another object of the present invention to provide a drip chamber which is easy to use and cost-effective to manufacture.
A drip chamber includes an elongated transparent container defining an elongated hollow chamber. The container has both a proximal end and a distal end. A cap covers the distal end of the container, and it includes a drip-forming tube, a cannula and an attachment element. The drip forming tube is disposed within the container while the cannula extends distally away from the tube and establishes a pathway for fluid communication between a IV medicament container and the drip chamber. The attachment element surrounds the cannula and is configured so as to removably engage the chamber with a connector.
In one presently preferred embodiment, the proximal end of the drip chamber is engageable with an IV tube and connector to establish a pathway for fluid communication between the drip chamber and a patient.
The cannula in the presently preferred embodiment, is metal, but the present invention recognizes that it may be formed from other materials such as plastic.
In another embodiment, the proximal end of the container is a solvent bondable port element in fluid communication with the chamber. In yet another embodiment, the proximal end of the container is also configurable as a luer fitting. The present invention recognizes that either a male or female luer fitting may be used in this embodiment.
On the distal side of the container, to retain the chamber with an IV medicament connector, an attachment element is used. In one embodiment, the attachment element is configured as a threaded collar fitting. In another embodiment, the attachment element is configured as a so called xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d clamp. The xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d clamp has an open and a normal retention configuration, and is biased to the normal configuration. Preferably, the clamp includes two clamp elements, two fulcrum bars and two retaining lips. More clamp elements, fulcrum bars and lips are possible, but two of each is the most efficient. Specifically then, the clamp elements each have a distal pincer end and a proximal squeezeable end. The fulcrum bars are then attached on one side to the clamp element and on the opposite side to the cannula element or cannula holding element. The fulcrum bars are long enough such that the distal pincer ends are separated when the clamp is in the normal configuration. Ideally, the pincer ends open to facilitate easy assembly of the connector. The distal pincer ends may also configured with a lip to engage a complementary surface on the connector. The connector can be the port of any IV device, but the port of an IV bag, or other source of fluid, is preferable. To further facilitate engagement of the xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d clamp, the lips include an angular surface which, when urged against the connector port, move the pincer ends open sufficiently to allow mating of the lip and the complementary connector surface.
In another embodiment, a drip chamber includes an elongated container defining a hollow chamber. The chamber has both a proximal end and a distal end. A cap preferably covers the distal end of the container and it includes a drip forming tube, a valve body, at least one valve member disposed in the valve body and a valve actuating element. The drip forming tube is disposed within the container while the valve body defines a pathway for fluid communication through the cap. The valve member is disposed in the body and is biased to a first configuration where the path for fluid communication is not established. That is, in the first configuration, fluid may not pass through the body. Additionally, the valve member is movable to a second configuration where fluid communication through the body is permitted. Also disposed in the valve body is the valve actuating element. This element defines at least one engagement surface for contacting a mating element. Contact with the mating element causes the valve actuating element to move against the valve member. This pressure causes the valve member to move to the second configuration.
A variation of the above includes a valve member defining an outer periphery that is interrupted at least once within the periphery. The interruption within the periphery allows the fluid to pass directly through the member when in the second configuration rather than around the member (although the fluid could also pass through and around the member as envisioned above). In other words, when the valve member is in the second configuration, the interruption within the periphery defines an opening in the valve member allowing fluid through the valve member and thus, through the body.
The proximal end of the drip chamber may be configured in a variety of ways. In one embodiment the proximal end is configured as a male luer fitting. In another the proximal end is configured with a solvent bonded IV tube. And in yet another the proximal end is configured as a female luer fitting.
In another preferred embodiment, an IV component connector includes a valve body, a valve member and a valve element. In this embodiment, the valve body has a distal and a proximal end which define a path providing fluid communication through the body. The distal end has an attachment element to engage a complementarily shaped connector or surface. The proximal end has an outlet providing fluid communication with a connected component.
The valve member in this embodiment is disposed in the body and defines an outer periphery that is interrupted within the periphery at least once. The valve member is biased to a first configuration where the path for fluid communication is not established through the body. Also, the member is movable to a second configuration where fluid communication is permitted. The valve element is also disposed in the body and defines at least one engagement surface distally beyond the body. This surface contacts a mating element from another component that causes the valve element to move against the valve member thus moving the valve member to the second configuration.
In one presently preferred embodiment, the attachment element is configured as a male luer fitting to removably engage a female luer connector.
In another variation, the component connected to the proximal end may be any of various other IV components as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,538 to Richmond and incorporated herein by reference. Particular attention is directed to FIGS. 13, 15, 18, 19, 22-30; and the Specification, column 2, lines 14-18.
These and other aspects of the present invention can best be appreciated in reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

Spikeless connection and drip chamber with valve


In order to selectively reduce the size of an auxiliary image, such as may be displayed within main image during a so called "picture-in-picture" or "PIP" mode of operation of a television system, a fixed amount of the auxiliary image is caused to be cropped from the auxiliary image without changing the compression ratio of the compressed auxiliary video signal from which the auxiliary image is derived.

Many modern television systems include provisions for displaying an auxiliary image corresponding to an auxiliary video signal source as well as a main image corresponding to a main video signal source. Such provisions allow a viewer to monitor one program while watching another program. The auxiliary image may be displayed within the main image in a so called "picture-in-picture" or "PIP" format. The auxiliary image may also be displayed next to the main image in a so called "picture-outside-picture" or "POP" format.
The auxiliary image is formed by converting the analog video signal from the auxiliary signal source to a digital video signal, "subsampling" the digital video signal by eliminating pixel samples and lines from the digital video signal, storing the resulting compressed digital video signal in a memory, and retrieving the stored digital from the memory in synchronism with the horizontal and vertical synchronizing components of the video signal from the main video signal source. A so-called "antialiasing" filter is utilized to reduce the bandwidth of the digital signal before compression to avoid artifacts in the auxiliary image due to the subsampling process. The digital signal retrieved from the memory is converted to an analog video signal and the resultant analog video signal corresponding to the auxiliary image is combined with the analog signal corresponding to the main image to form a combined analog video signal. The combined analog video signal is coupled to a display device. The combining operation is performed by a switching section or "multiplexer" which selectively decouples the main video signal from the display device and instead couples the auxiliary video signal to the display device during predetermined portions of predetermined horizontal scanning lines of the main video signal.
The auxiliary image is usually considerably smaller than the main image. For example, the auxiliary image may be one-third the size of the main image. However, it may be desirable to be able to selectively reduce the size of the auxiliary image still further, for example, from one-third size to one-fourth size, so that the auxiliary image does not obscure the main image. One way of accomplishing this is to change the compression ratio of the auxiliary image. However, this requires relatively extensive and complicated circuitry for changing the subsampling ratio and the associated anti-aliasing filtering, and changing the management of the memory for storing of the subsampled digital signal. Moreover, the additional compression tends to make details of the auxiliary image and text and graphics inserted within the auxiliary image harder to see.

Television system with provisions for displaying an auxiliary image of variable size


The invention relates to a process for producing foamable material articles, to the compacted semifinished product obtainable in this way, to the use of the semifinished product for foaming a closed-cell metal article, and to the closed-cell metal articles obtained in this way. The mixtures of the foamable metal articles are produced from at least one metal powder and one gas-producing blowing agent and compacted to a semifinished product, wherein a gas-producing blowing agent comprising magnesium hydride is employed.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,807 discloses a process with which it is possible to produce a porous metal article of any geometric shape. This entails a mixture of a metal powder and a blowing agent being, in the first step, compacted cold under a pressure of at least 80 MPa. The mixture is subsequently extruded in order to be at least 87.5% compacted. This high degree of compaction is regarded as necessary to destroy the oxide coating on the particles by the mutual friction thereof during the compaction process and to bond the metal particles together. The extruded rod produced in this way can be foamed to a porous metal article by heating to at least the melting point of the metal. The foaming can take place in various molds so that the finished porous metal article has the required shape. The disadvantages of this process are that, because of its two-stage compaction operation and the very high degree of compaction required, it is elaborate and restricted to semifinished products which can be produced by extrusion. The only blowing agents which can be used in the process disclosed herein are those with a decomposition temperature above the compacting temperature, because otherwise the gas would escape during the extrusion operation. The extrusion operation in the process described herein is regarded as necessary because the bonding of the metal particles is produced by the high temperatures occurring during the extrusion operation and by the mutual friction of the particles, i.e. by fusion of the particles together.
EP-B-0 460 392 describes a process for producing foamable metal articles with predominantly closed porosity, where the resulting pores are intended to be uniformly distributed in the entire metal article and to have a uniform size, wherein a mixture of at least one metal powder and at least one gas-producing blowing agent powder is produced and compacted to a semifinished product. The process described herein is characterized in that the hot compaction takes place at a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, with the bonding of the metal powder particles taking place mainly through diffusion, and under a pressure which is high enough to prevent decomposition of the blowing agent in such a way that the metal particles are firmly bonded to one another and represent a gas-tight seal for the gas particles of the blowing agent.
DE-C-41 24 591 describes a process for producing foamable metal articles by rolling a powder mixture, wherein the powder mixture consists of at least one powder containing a blowing agent and one metal powder, wherein the powder mixture is packed into a metal hollow section and rolled. The cold press article obtainable according to this publication can not only be heated before the rolling operation but also be reheated after the individual rolling stages. In this case too, the cold press article is heated to a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent.
DE-A-44 26 627 relates to a metallic composite material and to a process for its production. The metallic composite material having a core of one or more porous metallic materials and at least one outer layer of solid material has metallic linkages between the core and the outer layer/outer layers.


The invention relates to a light-diffusing material, having a high transmission of UVA light, useful for horticultural lighting. The light-diffusing material has a hiding power of greater than 50% at 350 nm and a transmission of light at 350 nm of at least 30 percent, and preferably at least 50%. Additionally the light-diffusing material also transmits and diffuses at least 50% of light at 300 nm, 465 nm, and at 800 nm. The light-diffusing material is especially useful as a glazing for horticultural use.

In order to satisfy the world's increasing need for food, new farming methods are being developed. One such method that preserves space, is vertical farming.
Vertical farming is a new crop growing strategy that uses artificial LED horticultural light to grow crops indoors (or provide supplemental LED light to greenhouse or outdoor crops), requiring far less space, water, and nutrients than conventional farming. Accordingly, vertical farming it is an ideal solution to achieving food production capacity in densely populated urban areas, and/or where arable land is sparse. However plant biologists are now discovering that direct LED light is not ideal for maximizing crop efficiency. Many plants perform better in diffused light, and research has shown that diffused light increases the yield of some plants, and changes the antioxidant profile in tomatoes. (Annls of Botany 114:145-156, 2014, and J. Sci. Food Agric 2018: 98: 44427-4435).
It is known to those skilled in the art that different segments of sunlight's spectral emission have different effects on crop growth. For example:                Blue and Red light: Key absorbance of Chlorophyll, essential for crop metabolism        Ultraviolet-A light: Production of plant flavonoids and phenyl propanoids. Additionally, UVA light increases food safety by destroying some fungi and microbacteria on the surface of food.        Far red light promotes stem elongation in plants of fuchsia hybrid        Ultraviolet B light has been shown to suppress plant diseases or pests such as mildew and spider mites (Plant Dis. 100:1643-1650, J Econ Entomol. 109(4):1758-65)
Polymer particles are used in a polymer matrix to manage light diffusion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,547,736 describes the use of particles having an average particle size of 15 to 70 microns to provide a frosted look and textured surface, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,163,827 describes a high light transmission diffusion screen having inorganic pigments and refractive index-matched particles. US 2015/0267891 describes a diffusing cover having diffusing particles of at least 2 different average particles sizes.
There are currently several commercial acrylic light diffusion materials, comprising spherical plastic particles dispersed within an acrylic matrix. Nearly all commercial acrylic/PMMA products contain additives that block UV light (200-400 nm) in order to increase safety for human exposure, the intended application of current commercial acrylic light diffusion materials. Products exist without UVA blockers, but these products are neither meant for use with LED light, nor contain diffusing particles, such as PMMA sheet for tanning beds (U.S. Pat. No. 7,407,998).
There is a need for a diffusing glazing material that will transmit high levels of UV-A light (350 nm), UV-B light (300 nm) and well as high levels of visible and IR light needed by plants for proper development. The diffusing glazing must also diffuse the light in the same (300 to 1000 nm) spectra, as diffuse light is more efficiently used by crops because it penetrates the crop canopy more efficiently than direct LED light or sunlight.

Light diffuser for horticultural lighting


A method and apparatus for processing a video frame is provided. The method includes dividing the video frame into pixel blocks each including a reference pixel; calculating difference values between the reference pixel and pixels neighboring the reference pixel; converting the calculated difference values into values that belong to a bit depth range; and performing entropy coding by using the converted difference values as symbols.

1. Field
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present disclosure relate to a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a video frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
As image processing and communication technologies have developed, a size of image data transmitted and received through a network has been gradually increasing. Recently, technology for reproducing full high definition (full-HD) video having a resolution of 1920×1080 by seamless streaming has been spotlighted. A seamless reproduction of mass storage and high quality image data needs a wide bandwidth, and thus research into communication technology for using a 60 GHz band has been actively conducted. A radio wave in the 60 GHz band has directionality, and thus an available bandwidth in 60 GHz communications is influenced by obstacles present in a path of a beam. In this environment, it is necessary to efficiently compress raw image data in order to secure a quality of service. To this end, an Advanced Video coding (AVC)/H.264 codec is used. However, most codecs used for image processing require many operations, which is complicated and uses up many system resources.
A device having a limited power capacity and operation resources, such as a mobile device, requires image processing technology that is relatively easily implemented and requires a small amount of operations compared to conventional codecs, in order to process mass storage and high quality image data.

Method and apparatus for processing video frame by using difference between pixel values


This onboard reception device includes: a first receiver; a second receiver which is tuned to a second frequency which is different from a first frequency to which the first receiver is tuned, and whose reception level is low; a noise cancellation means which cancels noise included in a first demodulated received signal which is demodulated by the first receiver, based upon a second demodulated received signal which is observed by the second receiver; and an output means which outputs the first demodulated received signal in which noise has been cancelled, in a manner in which it can be appreciated by a user.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an onboard reception device which is endowed with a noise cancellation function.
2. Description of Related Art
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-06-268539, there is disclosed a noise elimination circuit which, along with controlling the amount of attenuation of an antenna circuit in response to a wide band AGC output signal which corresponds to the strengths of interference radio waves and of radio waves from a desired station, supplies the received signal from the above described antenna circuit to a high pass filter, detects the noise from this output signal, and eliminates the noise in this detected signal by the operation of a gate circuit.
However, there is the following problem with the method of eliminating the noise included in the received signal by, as in the above described related art, along with instantaneously cutting off the received signal by operating a gate circuit when noise has been detected, also performing interpolation processing so as to reduce the distortion of the received signal due to this instantaneous cutting off. That is, if noise is mixed in over a long span of time, or continually, then not only the noise survives, but also distortion of the received signal due to continuous instantaneous cutting off and interpolation becomes prominent, so that it is difficult to eliminate the noise in an effective manner.

Onboard reception device, and noise cancellation method for onboard reception device


In an apparatus of adjusting a sound level of a reception voice in a telephone, an audio signal including a transmission voice signal and a peripheral noise is inputted through a microphone. A gain control signal corresponding to a level of the peripheral noise is generated while the transmission voice signal is not present and the gain control signal immediately before input of the transmission voice signal is started is held and outputted while the transmission voice signal is present. A variable gain amplifier amplifies a reception voice signal in accordance with the gain control signal such that a voice corresponding to the reception voice signal is outputted from a speaker with a sound level determined in accordance with the gain control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telephone, and more particularly to a circuit for automatically varying the sound level of a received voice signal in a telephone.
2. Description of Related Art
Many types of automatically variable sound level circuit in a telephone are already known. In these circuits, the sound level of a received voice signal is adjusted in accordance with a noise level inputted from a voice inputting microphone in a telephone. That is, when the level of peripheral noise is so high that it is difficult to hear the transmitted voice of another person, the sound level of the received voice signal is increased in accordance with the peripheral noise level. It is specifically important when communication is performed using a portable phone.
In order to realize such a sound level automatically variable circuit of a received voice signal, there have been some conventional proposals.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a conventional sound level automatically variable circuit for the received voice signal which is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Utility Model disclosure (Zitsukaisho 61-168747). Referring to FIG. 1, in the operation, a noise signal is detected from a voice signal inputted from a microphone 101 by a filter circuit 121. The noise signal amplified by an amplifier 122 is rectified by a rectifying circuit 123. The rectified output voltage is compared with a preset reference voltage in a voltage comparator 124. An analog switch 126 is controlled by the output of the comparator 124 so that the feed-back amount of a variable gain amplifier 110 is varied. As a result, the gain is varied and the sound level of the received voice signal from a speaker 111 is varied.
Further, there is another proposal in which a microphone for inputting noise is provided in addition to a voice inputting microphone and the audio signals from both the microphones are inputted to a comparator to remove a voice signal component of a speaking person such that a noise component can be obtained, as described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Disclosures (Tokukaihei 4-40142 and Tokukaihei 1-202960). As a result, a variable gain amplifier is controlled in accordance with the difference between the two audio signals, i.e., the noise component.
Further, in Japanese Laid Open Patent Disclosure (Tokukaihei 4-82331), a circuit is disclosed in which peripheral noise is calculated from voice signal inputted to a voice inputting microphone using a speech codec, and compared with two threshold levels preset through a button operation by a speaking person before he calls another person or is called by another person such that the sound level of the received voice signal is varied with three levels in accordance with the noise level and the threshold levels.
Furthermore, in Japanese Laid Open Patent Disclosure (Tokukaihei 2-250455), there is disclosed a circuit in which peripheral noise is detected in an off-hook state of a telephone, and the sound level of a speaker is adjusted in accordance with the detected peripheral noise level in a communication state.
In the above-mentioned conventional sound level automatically variable circuits for a received voice signal, however, there are the following problems in the detection of peripheral noise and the gain control of amplification of the received voice signal. That is, in a method according to the Zitsukaisyou 61-168747, since the noise component having the same band as that of the voice signal is removed by the filter in the detection of the peripheral noise, the sound level of the received voice signal cannot be varied even if there is a great noise component in the same band as that of the voice signal. Also, in the methods according to Tokukaihei 4-40142 or Tokukaihei 1-202960, since a microphone different from a microphone for inputting voice is required to detect the peripheral noise, it blocks the need for a small type of telephone such as a portable telephone. In the method according to Tokukaihei 4-82331, since the speech codec section is required to execute DSP processing, there is a problem in making a telephone small, manufacturing it with a low cost, and making it operable with a small current. Further, in the method according to Tokukaihei 2-250455, since the peripheral noise is detected in the on-hook state but it is not detected in the off-hook state, i.e., in the communication state, there is a problem in that the sound level cannot be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the peripheral noise in the communication state in the telephone such as a portable telephone used a place where the peripheral circumstances are varied.

Automatically variable circuit of sound level of received voice signal in telephone


An enzymatic transesterification method for preparing a margarine oil having both low trans- acid and low intermediate chain fatty acid content is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a transesterification reaction mixture containing a stearic acid source material and an edible liquid vegetable oil, transesterifying the stearic acid source material and the vegetable oil using a 1-, 3-positionally specific lipase, and then finally hydrogenating the fatty acid mixture to provide a recycle stearic acid source material for a recyclic reaction with the vegetable oil. Also described is a counter-current method for preparing a transesterified oil. The method includes the steps of providing a transesterification reaction zone containing a 1-, 3-positionally specific lipase, introducing a vegetable oil into the transesterification zone, introducing a stearic acid source material, conducting a supercritical gas or subcritical liquified gas counter-current fluid, carrying out a transesterification reaction of the triglyceride stream with the stearic acid or stearic acid monoester stream in the reaction zone, withdrawing a transesterified triglyceride margarine oil stream, withdrawing a counter-current fluid phase, hydrogenating the transesterified stearic acid or stearic acid monoester to provide a hydrogenated recycle stearic acid source material, and introducing the hydrogenated recycle stearic acid source material into the reaction zone.

The present invention is directed to enzymatic methods for preparing glycerides and to designed glycerides of specific composition.
The present invention is, in part, directed to margarine oils, and more particularly is directed to margarine oils having both low trans- acid content and low content of intermediate chain saturated fatty acids, together with margarine-type thermal melting characteristics and/or smooth organoleptic consistency. The invention is also directed to oils having a very low level of saturated fatty acid components, and to enzymatic transesterification methods for producing low-saturate, edible oil products. This invention may also be used to introduce specific health-promoting fatty acids, e.g., omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentanoic acid, into triglyceride oils and fats. This invention may also be used to introduce medium chain fatty acids, e.g., having six to twelve carbon atoms per molecule, into triglycerides. Said fatty acids can be derived from natural or synthetic sources and include both odd and even carbon numbers. This invention can also be used to incorporate difunctional fatty acids, such as succinic, adipic, octanedioic acid, etc. so as to create glyceride oligomers which may have desirable properties as cooking oils, etc. This invention may also be used to introduce incompletely metabolized, low calorie fatty acids, e.g., furan fatty acids, derived from natural or synthetic sources into triglyceride oils and fats. In addition, the invention is directed to counter-current methods for enzymatic esterification, interesterification, transesterification and refining.
Margarine oils are predominantly mixtures of triglycerides which have a plastic consistency at refrigeration and/or ambient temperature, but which have the essential characteristic of melting readily and with substantial completeness in the mouth of the consumer. Such a melting characteristic requires a solid fat index which has an extended gradient over a broad temperature range. In addition, margarine oils must have a crystal size and shape which provides a smooth organoleptic consistency without graininess or similar mouthfeel defects in homogeneity. Margarine oils are distinguished from plastic shortenings, which typically have a high stearic acid content and a melting point higher than body temperature, which is characterized by the presence of substantial solid fat content at body temperature. The high solid fat content at body temperature is desirable in plastic shortenings for use in various hot dishes, or in dispersed form in products such as pastries and baked goods where the high solid fat content is not deleterious. However, a residue of solid fat such as that present in conventional plastic shortenings which fails to melt at body temperature, imparts to a margarine oil an unacceptable waxy sensation in the mouth. As used herein, the term "margarine oil" and "margarine fat" are used interchangeably.
Coconut oil and the other oils of the lauric acid type have a relatively low melting profile as a result of their relatively high concentration of intermediate chain saturated fatty acids and may conventionally be utilized as a component of margarine oils. By "intermediate chain saturated fatty acid" is meant an edible saturated fatty acid having from 8 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly including palmitic, myristic and lauric acids or mixtures thereof. Because the melting points of saturated fatty acids exhibit a progressive increase as the carbon chain is lengthened, fats of the coconut oil type which contain relatively large proportions of C.sub.8 to C.sub.16 saturated fatty acid moieties, have lower melting points than fats with an equivalent degree of unsaturation that comprise a high proportion of C.sub.18 fatty acid glycerides. However, diets high in intermediate chain saturated fatty acids, notably lauric, myristic and palmitic acids common to lauric acid oils, have been reported in the medical literature as being a factor in the production of plasma cholesterol in populations at risk for coronary heart disease. However, stearic acid although it is a saturated fatty acid, has been reported to have minimal or even reducing effect on cholesterol level ["Effect of Dietary Stearic Acid on Plasma Cholesterol and Lipoprotein Levels", Bonanome, et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 318, 1244-1271 (1988)]. Accordingly, although lauric acid oils have desirable margarine oil properties, margarine oils which have low intermediate chain fatty acid content would be desirable.
Vegetable oils, such as cottonseed, peanut, sesame, corn and sunflower oils, and other liquid oleic-linoleic acid oils, as well as soybean oil, may be partially hydrogenated for the production of margarine oils of the requisite melt and consistency characteristics of broad thermal melting range, substantially complete melting at body temperature, and smooth organoleptic characteristics. The desired consistency is typically obtained by blending two or more partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, or blending liquid (unhydrogenated) vegetable oil with a partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. However, conventional partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils containing unsaturated acids, depending on catalyst selectivity, degree of hydrogenation and other processing variables, may produce substantial amounts of unsaturated fatty acids of trans-, rather than cis- configuration. margarine oils which contain minimal amounts of such trans- acid moieties, together with the requisite solid fat index thermal profile, smooth organoleptic consistency and low intermediate chain fatty acid content, would be desirable.
The main components of margarine oils are triacylglycerols (triglycerides) which are triesters of glycerol and various saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The physical properties of fats and oils are, to a large extent, determined by the characteristics of the individual fatty acid moieties and by their distribution within the triglyceride molecule. Interesterification is a technique which may be used to alter the fatty acid composition and distribution and therefore the physical properties of triglyceride mixtures. In such processes, chemical catalysis by sodium metal or a sodium alkoxide is used to promote the migration of fatty acyl groups between and within glycerol molecules, so that the product consists of acylglycerol mixtures in which the fatty acyl groups are randomly distributed among the glyceride molecules. The use of enzymes such as site specific lipases permits formation of novel, functional fats which cannot be obtained by conventional chemical processes.
Edible oils and fats typically primarily comprise various fatty acid triesters of glycerol with the structure of the fatty acid moieties and their distribution on the glycerol backbone determining the physical characteristics of the oil or fat. The specific types of fatty acids also play an important role in diet and health. Fats and oils in general are a rich source of energy in the diet and are important in the synthesis of membranes and other essential cell components. Moreover, dietary fatty acid content may potentially be controlled to affect physiological characteristics such as serum cholesterol levels. For example, studies of normcholesterolemic men has shown that a dietary decrease in saturated fatty acids may have more of an effect in lowering serum cholesterol [Keys, "Prediction of Serum Cholesterol Response to Change in Fats in the Diet" , Lancet, 2:959-962] than an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Natural vegetable oil triglycerides typically contain substantial amounts of esterified saturated fatty acids. For example, soybean oil may typically contain about 14-16 weight percent of esterified saturated fatty acids, and natural canola oil may contain about 5-8 weight percent of esterified saturated fatty acids. Intermediate carbon chain length (i.e., C.sub.12 -C.sub.16) dietary saturated fatty acids, notably lauric, myristic and palmitic acids, have been reported in the medical literature as being a more significant factor in the increase of plasma cholesterol than stearic acid, which has been reported to have minimal or even reducing effects on cholesterol levels ["Effect of Dietary Stearic Acid on Plasma Cholesterol and Lipoprotein Levels", Bonanome, et al., New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 318, 1244-1271 (1988)]. Soybean oil and canola oil typically contain, respectively, over 10 percent and over 3 percent by weight of esterified intermediate chain length saturated fatty acids, primarily palmitic acid. Accordingly, it would be desirable to economically produce or manufacture triglyceride oils having very low levels of saturated fatty acids, and particularly low levels of lauric, myristic and palmitic acids. Most food products prepared from vegetable oils having less than about 3.5 weight percent of esterified saturated fatty acids may be regarded as substantially free of such fatty acids for regulatory purposes.
Potentially, the modification of vegetable oils to produce low-saturate oil products could be carried out by dehydrogenation, chemical transesterification, enzymatic transesterification or genetic selection and modification. However, dehydrogenation processes are not available for selectively dehydrogenating esterified saturated fatty acids of vegetable oils. The use of somaclonal variation as a means of selection for genetic variation in plant parts which may produce triglycerides with specific desirable fatty acids may be used, but problems may arise in the stabilization of the desired trait in future generations. Recombinant DNA techniques might be used to increase the production of an oil of predetermined composition, but this is a very complex task in difficult or presently unknown areas of plant lipid biosynthesis. [Stumpf, "Biosynthesis and Function of Plant Lipids", Am. Soc. Plant Physiol., pp. 1-15, 1983]. For example, fatty acid synthesis has many potential rate limiting enzymes as well as proteins, such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase, ACP-acetyl transferase, 3-oxoacyl ACP synthase, ACP malonyl transferase and acyl carrier protein. Modifications of specific triglyceride synthesis entail changes in fatty acid composition dependent on acyl ACP thioesterase and various desaturase complexes, as well as acyltransferase enzymes which attach the fatty acid moieties to glycerol. Thus, to isolate the rate limiting enzymes/proteins and their corresponding genes to create transgenic plants which specifically express them in tissues for storage purposes poses substantial technical problems.
Chemical and enzymatic transesterification are well known for modifying the fatty acid composition or distribution of triglyceride oils. Chemical transesterification is based on the use of a chemical catalyst such as sodium methoxide or a sodium metal to promote the migration of the fatty acid moieties between glyceride molecules, to produce a random distribution of the fatty acid moieties.
Enzymatic transesterification of triglycerides may also be used to modify the characteristics and/or composition of triglycerides. Such processes may be used for selective interchange under relatively mild reaction conditions. For example, vegetable oils may be transesterified with a fatty acid or lower alkyl monoester to produce a variety of end products as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,268,527; 4,426,991; 4,275,011; 4,472,503 and U.K. Application 2,199,397.
Extracellular microbial lipases are generally of three types, depending upon their specificity. One group of lipases is generally nonspecific, both as regards the position on the glycerol molecule which is hydrolyzed or esterified, and the nature of the fatty acid released or esterified. Depending on the reaction conditions, such lipases catalyze the nonselective hydrolysis, alcoholysis and/or esterification (including transesterification) of fatty acid triglycerides. The lipases produced by Candida cylindracae, also known as C. rugosa (Benzonana, G. and S. Esposito, Biochim. Biophy. Acta. 231:15 (1971)), Corynebacterium acnes, (Massing, G. S., Ibid. 242:381 (1971)), and Staphylococcus aureus, (Vadehra, D. V., Lipids 9:158 (1974)), Candida lipolytica and Pseudomonas fluorescens are examples of such nonspecific lipases.
A second group of lipases preferentially acts on the primary, 1- and 3-positions of the glycerol or triglyceride molecule. When a 1-, 3-positionally specific lipase is used to catalyze the transesterification of a mixture of triglycerides or a mixture of triglyceride plus free fatty acid or monoester, the action of the enzyme is substantially confined to the 1- and 3-positions of the glycerol. The lipases of Rhizopus delemar and Mucor miehei such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,793, are examples of 1-,3- specific lipases, as are the lipases of Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhizopus niveus, Muror javanicus, Rhizopus javenicus, Rhizopus oxyzae.
A third group of lipases has substantial selectivity for certain long chain unsaturated fatty acids having a cis- double bond at the 9-position from the carboxylate group of the fatty acid. Long chain saturated fatty acids, and unsaturated fatty acid esters without a double bond in the 9-position, are only slowly hydrolyzed in the presence of such lipases. Thus the esters of oleic, palmitoleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, all of which have a cis double bond in the 9-position, are preferentially hydrolyzed, esterified or transesterified. The presence of an additional double bond between the carboxyl group and the double bond in the 9-position makes fatty acid esters resistant to the action of this lipase. Triglycerides containing medium chain saturated C.sub.10 and C.sub.8 fatty acids may exhibit some, albeit reduced, reactivity with such enzymes. Examples of such delta-9 specific lipases which preferentially act on long-chain fatty acids containing a cis- double bond in the 9-position are the lipase produced by the mold Geotrichum candidum [Macrae, A. R., in Microbial Enzymes and Biotechnology, edited by W. M. Fogarty, Applied Science Publishers, London, 1983, p. 225, Jensen, R. G., Lipids 9:149 (1974), Jensen, R. G., and R. E. Pitas, in Lipids, edited by R. Paolette, G. Porcellati and G. Jacini, Raven Press, New York, 1976, Vol. 1, p. 141], and the lipase produced by Penicilliun cyclopium [Glyceride Synthesis by Four Kinds of Microbial Lipase, Tsujisaka, et al.; Biochim. Biophy. Acta. 489; 415-422 (1977)]. Such lipases will activate transesterification of unsaturated delta-9 fatty acid groups of glyceride oils, but do not affect the saturated acid components of the oils.
Enzymatic methods which may be used to reduce the saturated fatty acid content of vegetable oils to levels below about 3.5 weight percent, and total levels of intermediate chain length fatty acids below about 2 weight percent, would be desirable, and it is an object of the present invention to provide such low-saturate vegetable oils. It is a further object to provide such methods which may be used to provide low-saturate oils having specific unsaturated fatty acid distribution, as well as low saturate edible oils having specific, nutritionally desirable properties of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. These and other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
Egg yolks provide excellent functional emulsification properties for food products such as mayonnaise, and are a necessary or desirable component for many food products such as spoonable and pourable food dressings. The functional emulsification properties of egg yolks are believed to be largely attributable to phosphatide, protein and phosphatide/protein complex components of the egg yolk. However, in addition to these components which provide functional emulsifying properties, egg yolks also contain a substantial amount of cholesterol.
Methods are desirable for removing cholesterol from egg yolks without solvent denaturation or heat-denaturation of the egg yolk protein, and without causing substantial loss of phosphatides or phosphatide/protein complexes which provide the desirable functional characteristics of egg yolks. Methods which also could optionally be carried out to minimize the loss of natural egg yolk triglycerides would also be desirable. It would also be desirable if such methods could be provided which could be utilized to separate cholesterol from dry or liquid whole egg products without denaturation of egg protein.
A wide variety of methods have been used for removal of cholesterol from egg yolks, including hexane and aqueous alcohol-hexane extraction, liquified methyl ether extraction, and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, but each of these methods has characteristic limitations or disadvantages. Extraction of egg yolk cholesterol into vegetable oil is effective for providing substantially cholesterol-free or cholesterol reduced egg yolks, but this produces a stream of cholesterol-containing vegetable oil. Such vegetable oil could be reused or used as a more desirable transesterification source material if the cholesterol could be readily removed.
Accordingly, it is an object to provide novel methods for separation of cholesterol from egg yolks and whole eggs. It is a further object to provide methods for producing low-cholesterol or cholesterol free food products such as mayonnaise, spoonable dressings and pourable dressing. These and other objects will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

Enzymatic method for preparing transesterified oils