A hub assembly for a bicycle wheel comprises a tubular body part having two spaced flanges for connection to the spokes of the wheel. A tubular sprocket carrier support extends from one end of the body part, and surrounding the sprocket carrier support is a carrier on which axially spaced toothed sprockets are mounted. The carrier is rotatable in one direction relatively to the hub to provide a free-wheel. The bearing between the carrier and the support is a plain bearing to minimise the diameter of the carrier and support, and thus permit smaller sprocket wheels to be employed. The hub bearing sets are so dimensioned that they may both be inserted from the same end of the body part.

The present invention relates to hub assemblies, and particularly to hub assemblies for bicycle wheels.
Lightweight bicycle components improve the efficiency and performance of the bicycle to which they are fitted. In many cycling activities, and particularly in competition racing, even small reductions in the weight of components are regarded as highly significant. One part of the bicycle for which it is desirable to produce lightweight components, while maintaining sufficient strength and reliability, is the bicycle drive system, which includes the rear wheel hub, the chain, the derailleur, the chain rings which drive the chain, and the sprockets which are attached to the hub and driven by the chain.
In order to reduce the weight of the drive system it is desirable to use sprockets which are as small as possible. Smaller sprockets are of course lighter, but they also produce higher gear ratios for any given size of chain ring, and this may also enable the size and weight of the chain rings to be reduced. Because the sprockets are of smaller diameter than the chain rings, any reduction in the number of teeth on a sprocket produces a greater increase in gear ratio than would a corresponding reduction in the number of teeth on a chain ring. This means that significant reductions in size of the chain rings can be achieved for relatively modest reductions in size of the sprockets, while maintaining the same effective range of gear ratios.
Furthermore, the reduction in size of the sprockets and chain rings enables a shorter, and hence lighter, chain to be used and also makes it possible to reduce the size of derailleur which is required. Alternatively, if no reduction in the weight of the drive system is required, small sprockets can be used simply to increase the maximum gear ratio of the bicycle. It will be seen therefore that a large number of benefits can arise from sprockets having a small number of teeth. However, it has hitherto proved to be difficult to use a sprocket having less than twelve teeth with conventional bicycle hub assemblies.
One reason for this difficulty arises in the case where a free-wheel is required. In this case the sprockets are non-rotatably mounted on a sprocket carrier which is mounted on a sprocket carrier support by ball bearings, or sometimes needle bearings, to allow the carrier and sprockets to rotate relatively to the sprocket carrier support. A one-directional coupling, such as a pawl and ratchet device, is connected between the carrier and support to permit relative rotation between the sprockets and support in only one direction. The necessity of providing ball or needle bearings, and appropriate mountings for such bearings, between the carrier and carrier support means that, in practice, there is a minimum practical outer diameter for the sprocket carrier and consequently a minimum size for the smallest sprocket.
In one conventional type of hub assembly, the sprocket carrier support is formed in two separable parts: a main part on which the sprocket carrier is rotatably mounted, and an intermediate part which is integrally formed at one end of the main hub unit. These two parts of the support are formed with interengaging screw threads so that the main part, bearing the sprocket carrier and sprockets, may be attached to the hub unit by screwing it on to the intermediate part. When assembling the hub unit, therefore, it is necessary to pass one of the ball-bearing sets through the intermediate part of the sprocket carrier support. This imposes a minimum diameter on the intermediate support part and this may, in turn, impose a minimum diameter on the size of sprockets which can be used on the assembly.
In another known arrangement, the sprocket carrier support is omitted, and ball-bearing sets are located directly between the sprocket carrier and the axle. Again, however, the necessity of providing such ball-bearing sets imposes a minimum diameter on the sprocket carrier, and hence on the sprockets.


A toolless blade clamp is disclosed for mounting a saw blade to the drive shaft of a reciprocating saw, such as a jigsaw. The clamp has a housing formed with a channel into which the blade may be inserted and an inclined track along which a roller is movable. The roller is biased by a spring into engagement with the blade during operation of the reciprocating saw. A release device, also attached to the spring, is pivotally mounted to the housing and may be rotated against the spring load from a locked position adjacent the housing to an unlocked position away from the housing. A pair of elongated links are pivotally connected to the release device and pivotally support the roller therebetween. The links act to translate rotation of the release device to movement of the roller, such that rotation of the release device to the unlocked position pulls the roller away from the blade allowing the blade to be removed from the channel.

In operation, a jigsaw or the like requires a clamp to firmly retain the saw blade during endwise reciprocation of the motor drive shaft. Numerous methods have been employed in an attempt to reliably secure the saw blade within the clamp housing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,025 to D'Angelo teaches the use of set screws tightened against opposite sides of the blade, whereas U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,721 to Knoll discloses a variation wherein clamps surrounding the blade are tightened with screws. The first configuration locally deforms the saw blade placing it under excessive strain, and both methods are subject to the loosening of screws due to the reciprocatory motion of the blade. Furthermore, requiring a tool to release and tighten the screws each time a saw blade is to be changed is tedious.
Alternative methods to retain a saw blade, such as those detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,716 to Daniel, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,473 to Hoffman, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,402 to Hoffman, have involved the use of blades having apertures or notches which are engaged by pins or cams in order to secure the blade in its inserted position. However, these cutouts compromise the structural integrity of the blade and restrict the form of saw blade capable of being accommodated by each clamp.
Therefore, a blade clamp should be able to accept any arrangement of saw blade without requiring tools to change the blade. To this end, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,477 to Barrett et al. and published European Patent Application No. EP 0719610A1 to Woodward et al. disclose a blade clamp capable of gripping an unnotched or unapertured blade via contact with a spring-loaded roller, and providing release of the blade through a manual shift of the roller against the spring load. However, the release device used to shift the roller away from the blade either obstructs the field of view or only provides for limited roller movement. Furthermore, the clamp housing lacks durability during periods of extended use.


A knob assembly for the switch of a radio is provided which prevents the switch from being rotated to certain positions except when the knob is moved in an axial direction after contact with a stop. The knob may be returned to a location where other switch positions may be selected without requiring further axial motion of the knob on the part of the radio operator.

Satellite radios include a switch which is movable to a number of positions, typically, "off," "channels 1–5" (or more), "scan," "front panel," which allows the channels and modes of operation to be selected using the key pad on the front panel of the radio, and, "Z-all." The Z-all position refers to zero-all which clears the encryption cipher keys in the radio. When switching channels, current switch designs allow the radio to be inadvertently turned off. The radio must then reboot, essentially cutting off communication for the duration of the reboot.
The switches presently employed with satellite radios also permit inadvertent movement to the Z-all position. Although the radio is protected while in the Z-all position by requiring actuation of the volume up button, it is desirable to prevent inadvertent movement to the Z-all position directly. There is a need for an improved device for controlling the operation of the switch of satellite radios to protect against inadvertent switch movement.

Knob assembly for operating the switch of a radio


A combined mirror and presentation medium includes a presentation member (24) for displaying an image, a presentation body (23) inserted into the presentation member to display an image, a light-emitting unit (25) disposed on one side of the presentation member, a transparent member (21) disposed on one side of the presentation member, and a reflection member (22) deposited between the transparent member (21) and the presentation member (24); a body unit (10) for supporting the presentation medium; a speech recognition drive unit (40) installed inside the body unit (10), configured to detect speech frequencies from a user's speech signals, and driving the system; a control unit (50) installed inside the body unit (10) and configured to control the presentation medium (20) and the speech recognition drive unit (40); and a power source unit (60) for supplying power to the presentation medium, a speaker (70), and the control unit (50).

In general, a backlight is installed below a photo film or presentation medium so that an internal presentation body, such as a photo, can be clearly seen at night, therefore a photo or presentation body can be seen at night.
However, the above-described presentation medium device allows a user to directly control illumination using a switch, or controls only the On/Off operation of illumination and the internal presentation body through detection of a signal, such as light or body temperature, therefore there is inconvenience in that various control methods cannot be provided.

Combined mirror and presentation medium capable of speech recognition


An RF transmission system including an RF power amplifier, said system comprising an harmonic cancellation processor. The harmonic cancellation processor produces a predistorted RF input signal to the RF amplifier which cancels harmonic energy generated by the amplifier. The RF output of the amplifier is sampled and stored in the harmonic cancellation processor. The harmonic cancellation processor also comprises a digital signal processor controlled by a computer program, the program comprising steps for analyzing the harmonic content of the sampled RF feedback signal, steps for comparing the harmonic content of the RF feedback signal to a history value for harmonic content, steps for adaptively correcting a predistorted RF waveform based on the harmonic content of the RF feedback signal to cancel harmonics produced by the RF amplifier when the predistorted waveform is input to the amplifier, and steps for producing a digital sample representation of the predistorted RF waveform for conversion to analog form and input to the RF amplifier.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent, and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates to radio frequency systems, and particularly to the cancellation of harmonics generated in high power radio frequency amplifiers used for communications, electronic warfare, and other RF systems.
Managing harmonic frequency distortion in radio frequency (RF) amplifiers and transmission systems is always a prime consideration for system designers. Given that the most efficient RF power amplifiers are commonly class AB or class C amplifiers that operate on less than the complete small signal waveform, generating large harmonic distortion components, designers have to include hardware in RF systems that removes or suppresses the harmonic frequency content of the system output.
In fixed frequency systems the problem is easily managed by including filters at the amplifier output. Tuned frequency systems, and frequency-agile systems particularly, must be capable of filtering harmonics across broad ranges of frequency that change constantly. This most often requires a bank of filters having different cutoff frequencies that must be switched into and out of the system as the transmission frequency changes. Where the frequency changes quickly and often, switching these filters becomes more difficult and places restrictions on system performance related to the finite switching times and impulse responses of the filters.
The most efficient way to reduce the harmonic distortion of a generated RF signal is to suppress the generation of the harmonic distortion in the amplifier without trading away the efficiency of the broadband amplifier. The present invention is directed to controlling the harmonic content of the output of high power RF amplifiers for modulated RF systems.
One method of controlling harmonics in the output of a device is to predistort the input signal to the device. The predistortion creates frequency products at the input that, when passing through the non-linear amplifier device, combine with and cancel the normal harmonic output of the device. This is normally done at baseband or intermediate frequencies, predistorting the modulation signal (or an IF) before combining it with the final RF carrier wave. In this way, the harmonic distortion of the information signal may be controlled within the modulated signal output.
However, nothing in this process addresses the problem of the harmonic frequency components generated by an RF amplifier operating on the modulated RF carrier wave. These harmonics must be controlled at the output of the transmission system. The present invention is intended to control RF harmonic output to avoid the necessity for high power switched RF filters and the practical limitations that they impose on a tuned frequency transmission system.
The present invention is a harmonic cancellation system for broadband, high-power RF transmission systems. A transmission system constructed according to the invention is capable of amplifying a modulated RF waveform, performing direct digital sampling of the RF waveform, analyzing the harmonic content of the waveform, and generating a predistortion signal to feed back into the amplifier input to suppress the harmonics generated in the RF amplifier.
The invention comprises a high-power RF amplifier, a directional coupler for diverting a small portion of the amplifier output to a feedback controlled, harmonic cancellation processor, a high-speed digital sampling device, a digital signal processing device for analysis of the RF signal harmonic content, a digital waveform generator for generating a predistorted RF carrier signal, and a modulation input and control.
The harmonic cancellation system comprises a computer-based apparatus for cancelling output signal harmonics in a radio frequency transmission system, comprisinga radio frequency amplifier, a means for diverting a portion of the amplifier output as a feedback signal. The system further comprises a computer-controlled harmonic cancellation processor, said processor comprising an analog to digital converter for sampling the feedback signal from the diverting means, a digital signal processor for calculating the harmonic content of the amplifier output feedback signal, said digital signal processor comprising machine-readable program instructions for analyzing the feedback signal harmonic content and generating a predistorted RF waveform for cancelling the harmonics generated by the radio frequency amplifier, and a digital to analog converter to produce a predistorted RF waveform for input to the radio frequency amplifier.
The invention further comprises a digital signal processor having machine readable instructions for analyzing the harmonic content of the RF output signal and generating a predistorted RF signal for combining with the modulated RF carrier wave input into the RF amplifier. The instructions comprise a method for cancelling the harmonics comprising the steps: creating a matrix of real-time digital samples of a representative portion of an RF waveform produced by an amplifier, performing a fast Fourier transform on the samples of RF waveform to quantify the harmonic content of the waveform, comparing each measured harmonic magnitude and phase to an immediately previous magnitude and phase that is stored in memory for the same harmonic, comparing each harmonic magnitude and phase in the current predistorted waveform for input to the amplifier to an immediately previous magnitude and phase that is stored in memory for the same harmonic, calculating a new model transfer function for the amplifier using the results of the comparisons of the previous two steps, computing a new RF input waveform for the amplifier that is predistorted using the new model transfer function for the amplifier, generating a new RF input waveform with predistortion for input to the RF amplifier to cancel harmonics produced by the amplifier.


A continuous gas-phase method for producing single-wall carbon nanotubes at high catalyst productivity and high yield is disclosed. The method involves the use of a novel in-situ formed catalyst to initiate and grow single-wall carbon nanotubes using a carbon-containing feedstock in a high temperature and pressure process. The catalyst comprises in-situ-generated transition metal particles in contact with in-situ-generated refractory particles. The population of nucleating sites for single-wall carbon nanotubes is enhanced due to the ease of formation of a population of refractory particles. These, in turn, improve the nucleation and stability of the transition metal particles that grow on them. The larger number of transition metal particles translate into a larger number of sites for single-wall carbon nanotube production. The higher catalyst yields provide a means for obtaining higher purity single-wall carbon nanotubes.

Fullerenes are spheroidal, closed-cage molecules consisting essentially of sp2-hybridized carbons typically arranged in hexagons and pentagons. Fullerenes, such as C60, also known as Buckminsterfullerene, more commonly, "buckyballs," and C70, have been produced from vaporized carbon at high temperature. Presence of a transition metal catalyst with the high temperature vaporized carbon results in the formation of single-wall tubular structures that may be sealed at one or both ends. These carbon cylindrical structures, known as single-wall carbon nanotubes or, commonly, "buckytubes" have extraordinary properties, including both electrical and thermal conductivity and high strength.
Nested single-wall carbon cylinders, known as multi-wall carbon nanotubes, possess properties similar to the single-wall carbon nanotubes; however, single-wall carbon nanotubes have fewer defects, rendering them stronger, more conductive, and typically more useful than multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Single-wall carbon nanotubes are believed to be much more free of defects than are multi-wall carbon nanotubes because multi-wall carbon nanotubes can survive occasional defects by forming bridges between the unsaturated carbon of the neighboring cylinders, whereas single-wall carbon nanotubes have no neighboring walls for defect compensation. Single-wall carbon nanotubes are individual molecules of carbon, and their chemistry and their interactions with materials are fundamentally different from that of multi-wall carbon nanotubes.
In defining the size and conformation of single-wall carbon nanotubes, the system of nomenclature described by Dresselhaus et al., Science of Fullerenes and Carbon Nanotubes, 1996, San Diego: Academic Press, Ch. 19, will be used. Single-wall tubular fullerenes are distinguished from each other by a double index (n, m), where n and m are integers that describe how to cut a single strip of hexagonal graphite such that its edges join seamlessly when the strip is wrapped onto the surface of a cylinder. When n=m, the resultant tube is said to be of the "arm-chair" or (n, n) type, since when the tube is cut perpendicularly to the tube axis, only the sides of the hexagons are exposed and their pattern around the periphery of the tube edge resembles the arm and seat of an arm chair repeated n times. When m=0, the resultant tube is said to be of the "zig zag" or (n,0) type, since when the tube is cut perpendicular to the tube axis, the edge is a zig zag pattern. Where n≠m and m≠0, the resulting tube has chirality. The electronic properties are dependent on the conformation, for example, arm-chair tubes are metallic and have extremely high electrical conductivity. Other tube types are metallic, semi-metals or semi-conductors, depending on their conformation. Regardless of tube type, all single-wall nanotubes have extremely high thermal conductivity and tensile strength.
Several methods of synthesizing fullerenes have developed from the condensation of vaporized carbon at high temperature. Fullerenes, such as C60 and C70, may be prepared by carbon arc methods using vaporized carbon at high temperature. Carbon nanotubes have also been produced as one of the deposits on the cathode in carbon arc processes.
Single-wall carbon nanotubes have been made in a DC arc discharge apparatus by simultaneously evaporating carbon and a small amount of Group VIIIB transition metal from the anode of the arc discharge apparatus. Arc discharge methods produce only small amounts of carbon nanotubes, intermingled with other non-nanotube carbon forms, with the population of these carbon nanotubes exhibiting significant variations in size and structure.
Another method of producing single-wall carbon nanotubes involves laser vaporization of a graphite substrate doped with transition metal atoms, such as nickel, cobalt, or mixtures thereof, to produce single-wall carbon nanotubes. The single-wall carbon nanotubes produced by this method tend to be in clusters, termed "ropes," of about 10 to about 1000 single-wall carbon nanotubes in parallel alignment, held together by van der Waals forces in a closely packed triangular arrangement. Nanotubes produced by this method vary in structure, although certain structures tend to predominate in some circumstances. Although the laser vaporization process produces an improved yield of single-wall carbon nanotubes, the product is still heterogeneous, and the nanotubes tend to be too tangled for many potential uses of these materials. In addition, the laser vaporization of carbon is a high-energy process, requiring substantial power input for vaporization of graphite.
Another way to synthesize carbon nanotubes is by catalytic decomposition of a carbon-containing gas by nanometer-scale metal particles supported on a substrate. The carbon feedstock molecules dissociate on the metal particle surface and the resulting carbon atoms combine to form nanotubes. The method typically produces imperfect multi-walled carbon nanotubes, but under the certain reaction conditions, can produce excellent single-wall carbon nanotubes. One example of this method involves the disproportionation of CO to form single-wall carbon nanotubes and CO2 catalyzed by transition metal catalyst particles comprising Mo, Fe, Ni, Co, or mixtures thereof residing on a support, such as alumina. Although the method can use inexpensive feedstocks and moderate temperatures, the yield of single-wall carbon nanotubes can be low, with large amounts of other forms of carbon, such as amorphous carbon and multi-wall carbon nanotubes present in the product. The method often results in tangled carbon nanotubes and also requires the removal of the support material for many applications.
All-gas phase processes can be used to form single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one example of an all gas-phase process, single-wall carbon nanotubes are synthesized using benzene as the carbon-containing feedstock and ferrocene as the transition metal catalyst precursor. By controlling the partial pressures of benzene and ferrocene and by adding thiophene as a catalyst promoter, single-wall carbon nanotubes can be produced. However, this method suffers from simultaneous production of multi-wall carbon nanotubes, amorphous carbon, and other products of hydrocarbon pyrolysis under the high temperature conditions necessary to produce high quality single-wall carbon nanotubes.
Another method for producing single-wall carbon nanotubes involves an all-gas phase method using high pressure CO as the carbon feedstock and a gaseous transition metal catalyst precursor. ("Gas Phase Nucleation and Growth of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes from High Pressure Carbon Monoxide," International Pat. Publ. WO 00/26138, published May 11, 2000, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety). This method permits continuous nanotube production, and it has the potential for scale-up to produce commercial quantities of single-wall carbon nanotubes. This method is also effective in making single-wall carbon nanotubes without simultaneously making multi-wall nanotubes. Furthermore, the method produces single-wall carbon nanotubes in high purity, such that less than about 10 wt % of the carbon in the solid product is attributable to other carbon-containing species, which includes both graphitic and amorphous carbon. Although the carbon nanotubes from this product are of high quality and purity, there is still a need for a method for producing single-wall carbon nanotubes at higher catalyst productivity and feedstock yields in order to improve the process economics and produce high quality single-wall carbon nanotubes at lower cost.
The search for methods to produce single-wall carbon nanotubes at high yield and high catalyst productivity has been an on-going need in order to make nanotubes economically viable in various applications. Besides improving economics, higher process and catalyst yields provide routes to increased availability of larger amounts of single-wall carbon nanotubes. In conventional chemical processes, higher product yields can often be achieved with higher temperatures, pressures, catalyst and feed concentrations. Contrary to convention, these techniques have not been effective in making single-wall carbon nanotubes in the gas phase using CO as the carbon-containing feedstock. Although somewhat higher yields are observed at higher pressures, the higher yields can often be attributed to higher associated catalyst concentrations. In the gas phase, using CO as the carbon-containing feedstock, single-wall carbon nanotube yield decreases at temperatures above 1050° C., possibly due to metal cluster evaporation and chemical attack of the metal catalyst clusters by CO. (See Bronikowski, et. al., J Vac. Sci. Technol. A 19:1800 (2001)).
Although transition metal catalyst particles formed from the dissociation of the transition metal precursors can result in high quality single-wall carbon nanotubes, higher yields are confounded by inherent limitations in metal clustering. Obstacles to transition metal clustering include, among other factors, low metal-metal binding energies, metal evaporation and chemical attack by CO to form metal carbonyls. In the case of iron, a preferred transition metal catalyst, the binding energy for a Fe—Fe dimer is relatively low and on the order of 1 eV, and the electronic structure of the free iron atoms is not highly conducive for the formation of dimers from the association of free atoms. Low binding energies and electronic structure makes initial nucleation more difficult and metal evaporation more problematic.
Metal clustering dynamics can be improved to some extent by nucleating the clusters using other transition metals having higher metal-metal binding energies. For example, nickel, which has a metal-metal binding energy on the order of 2 eV, or approximately twice that of iron, can be introduced into the reactor through the dissociation of another catalyst precursor, such as nickel tetracarbonyl. The presence of nickel is expected to facilitate nucleation and growth of clusters comprising both iron and nickel. Although nucleation may be improved, use of different metal species can affect the characteristics of the single-wall carbon nanotubes formed as well as the nanotube yield. Generally, the addition of other transition metals to assist cluster nucleation and growth can provide some improvement in single-wall carbon nanotube production. However, generally, the use of mixtures of iron and other transition metals does not result in substantial yield enhancements.
Not meaning to be held by theory, the formation of stable transition metal catalyst clusters of the appropriate size can be a rate-limiting step in the production of single-wall carbon nanotubes. Furthermore, in a high pressure reactor operating with very short residence times, on the order of a few hundred milliseconds in a "once-through" mode, the need for fast, stable metal clustering becomes even more critical to high yield production of single-wall carbon nanotubes. Longer residence times may enhance the carbon nanotube yield, but longer residence times also allow the metal clusters to grow large through Oswald ripening. If the cluster diameter exceeds about 3 nanometers, it becomes overcoated with amorphous and graphitic carbon, as the growth of these forms of carbon are energetically favored on large metal clusters compared to the formation of single-wall carbon nanotubes. Metal catalyst particles that are too large to grow single-wall carbon nanotubes therefore contribute to a poor ratio of carbon nanotube product to catalyst.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a method for producing single-wall carbon nanotubes at high yield and high catalyst productivity.

Process for making single-wall carbon nanotubes utilizing refractory particles


One end of a flexible positioning cord is fixed on one end side of a molding drum and the positioning cord is then pulled from the other end side thereby applying a tension to the positioning cord. The tensed positioning cord presses a joint of an extensible fabric into one of tooth part forming grooves to position it therein. Next, a tension member cord is wound in a spiral form and the tension applied to the positioning cord is then relieved to allow the removal of the positioning cord from the tooth part forming groove. Thereafter, an unvulcanized rubber sheet is wrapped around the extensible fabric wound with the tension member cord, and the resultant substance is then subjected to cure through the application of pressure thereby forming a cylindrical slab. The slab is cut into round pieces at specific widths thereby obtaining synchronous belts. In this manner, there is obtained the synchronous belt in which the joint of the extensible fabric is positioned in the tooth part forming groove of the molding drum so as to avoid movement and is correctly located on a tooth tip end of a tooth part.

This invention relates to a method of producing a synchronous belt in which the surfaces of tooth parts are covered with an extensible fabric and a fabric positioning apparatus used in the method, and particularly relates to measures for placing a joint of the extensible fabric formed into a cylindrical form by sewing on the tooth tip face of the tooth part of the synchronous belt.
In a typical synchronous belt used as a power transmission belt for vehicle engine and other applications, a tension member cord is embedded in a belt body along a longitudinal direction of the belt, a multiplicity of tooth parts are formed on the belt body at specific intervals along the longitudinal direction of the belt in a single-piece structure integral with the belt body and the extensible fabric is adhered to the surfaces of the tooth parts.
Such a synchronous belt is generally produced in the following manner. First, an extensible fabric is sewed into a cylindrical form thereby forming a joint, and the extensible fabric thus obtained is fit around a molding drum. The outer periphery of the molding drum has a multiplicity of tooth part forming grooves which are formed at specific intervals in a circumferential direction of the molding drum so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction. Next, a tension member cord is spirally wound around the extensible fabric and an unvulcanized rubber sheet is then wrapped around the extensible fabric wound with the tension member cord. Thereafter, the unvulcanized rubber sheet is subjected to cure through the application of pressure, so that the tooth part forming grooves are filled with parts of the unvulcanized rubber, respectively, thereby forming a cylindrical slab whose inner periphery has a multiplicity of internal teeth extending in a direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the slab. The slab thus obtained is cut in round pieces at specific widths. As a result, obtained are synchronous belts in each of which the tension member cord is embedded in the belt body along the longitudinal direction of the belt, the multiplicity of tooth parts are formed on the belt body at specific intervals in the longitudinal direction of the belt in a single-piece structure integral with the belt body and the extensible fabric is adhered to the surfaces of the tooth parts.
Meanwhile, since the joint of the extensible fabric in cylindrical form is generally formed by sewing with a machine sewing thread, if the joint after the formation of a belt is located at a bottom land or a tooth root, a breakage of the machine sewing thread at the joint may occur due to friction, bending, tension or the like of the joint at the time of engagement with a synchronous pulley thereby opening the joint. This exposes a rubber layer of the tooth part through the opening of the joint and brings the rubber layer into direct contact with the synchronous pulley, resulting in ease of production of a crack. Therefore, to avoid such a situation, it is necessary to correctly position the joint on the tooth tip face of the tooth part.
However, in the above-mentioned method of producing a synchronous belt, even if the extensible fabric is positioned, when fit around the molding drum, so that the joint is located at one of the tooth part forming grooves, the joint moves when the tension member cord is wound after that so that the position of the joint is not fixed. This invites the above-described inconvenience.
As a measure for positioning the joint of the extensible fabric, there is proposed a method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 63-69627. This method is described bellow.
First, when the extensible fabric is sewed into a cylindrical form, a solid bar is integrally sewed in the joint. Next, one end of the bar is hitched to a flange provided at one end of the molding drum while the other end thereof is fixed by a tape-like substance at the other end of the molding drum.
Thus, the joint is held in the tooth part forming groove of the molding drum together with the bar and at last the joint can be correctly positioned on the tooth tip face of the tooth part of the synchronous belt. After the subsequent step of winding the tension member cord is completed, the bar is pulled out of between the extensible fabric and the tension member cord.
However, the above method disclosed in the gazette has the following problems:
1. The method requires a special technique for integrally sewing the bar in the joint of the extensible fabric.
2. When a plurality of joints exist in one extensible fabric, much time and effort are expended in sewing bars in respective joints and the necessary number of bars increases.
3. The extensible fabric must be carried in integral form with the bar. This increases the weight and therefore invites inconveniences in transportation and storage.
4. The method requires a bar longer than the axial length of the molding drum. Such a long bar is inconvenient to store.
5. The molding drum must be provided with the flange for fixing one end of the bar. This complicates the molding drum configuration.
6. The bar is difficult to pull out of the tooth part forming groove unless pulled out with a large force, because the bar experiences a tension of the machine sewing thread at the time of integrally sewing the bar in the joint and a force of winding the tension member cord. This is a point to which greatest attention should be paid. This further requires a special tool for pulling out the bar from one end side of the molding drum and also requires to provide, on the one end side of the molding drum, a stroke sufficient for pulling out the bar, that is, a space having at least the length of the bar.
To cope with the sixth problem, it can be considered to use the following method. In this method, the bar is not sewed in the joint of the extensible fabric. Instead of this, the joint is pressed from above by the bar so that the joint is held in the tooth part forming groove together with the bar. Thus, since only a force of winding the tension member cord acts on the bar, the bar can be easily pulled out of the tooth part forming groove.
In this method, however, when both ends of the bar are fixed on both end sides of the molding drum, respectively, a middle portion of the bar is lifted outwardly along a radial direction of the molding drum so that the joint cannot entirely be pressed by the bar. This may cause the joint to move when the fabric is wound with the tension member cord, thereby making it difficult to position the joint. Further, even though a force acting on the bar is only a force of winding the tension member cord, the bar cannot absorb the force of winding the tension member cord because of its solidity as well as be tightly bound by the tension member cord. Therefore, a large force is required for pulling the bar out of the tooth part forming groove of the-molding drum. Thus, also in this method, the bar cannot easily be pulled out as in the case of the above-described gazette. Furthermore, this method also has the problem of requiring a space for pulling out the bar as in the case of the above-described gazette.

Fabric positioning apparatus used in producing synchronous belt


An electrostatic actuator includes a waveform output register which generates waveform data having a drive time and a drive pattern on the basis of an operation request from the outside and has queues 0 and 1 to 3 holding the waveform data, a waveform data management unit which erases the waveform data held in the queue 0 of the waveform output register after the drive time has elapsed and moves the waveform data held in the queues 1 to 3 to the queue 0, an output waveform generation unit which generates a corresponding waveform signal on the basis of the drive pattern held in the queue 0 of the waveform output register, and a switching circuit which converts the inputted drive pattern into voltage to electrode substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic actuator, an electrostatic actuator driving method, an electromechanical transducer, a waveform output device, and the electromechanical transducer and an electric element in which the waveform output device is incorporated, particularly to those in which high-accuracy control can be performed while power consumption can be reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
The electrostatic actuator which generates electrostatic force between a stator and movable element constituting the actuator to drive the movable element by repulsion/attraction of the electrostatic force, is well known (see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-140367 and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-239578). As shown in FIG. 39, the electrostatic actuator includes an MPU (waveform data generation unit) 2001, a waveform output register 2002, an output waveform generation unit 2003, a switching circuit 2004, and an actuator (stator and movable element) 2005. FIG. 40 shows a process of inputting data to the waveform output register 2002 on the basis of a control program stored in a program ROM 2006.
In the electrostatic actuator, as shown in FIG. 41, a current position and a drive direction of the actuator (the current position and the drive direction of a movable element relative to a stator) are calculated by combining a control program and the MPU 2001 (ST1). An appropriate waveform data (drive time and drive pattern) is extracted from a waveform data string on the program ROM 2006 to set the waveform data in the waveform output register 2002 (ST2). The output waveform generation unit 2003 generates the waveform data on the basis of the waveform data set in the waveform output register 2002. The switching circuit 2004 converts the waveform data into voltage and the voltage is applied to electrodes provided in the actuator (movable element and stator).
It is decided whether the predetermined drive time has elapsed or not (ST3). When the predetermined drive time has elapsed, in accordance with the current position and drive direction of the actuator, the appropriate waveform data is set into the waveform output register 2002 from the waveform time data string in order to output the next waveform data.
In addition to the electrostatic actuator, the electromechanical transducer such as a piezoelectric actuator is known as the device in which drive force is generated by applying the voltage (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-119917 and Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-27767).
The following problem exists in the electrostatic actuator and the electrostatic actuator driving method. Namely, in order to correctly generate the waveform data to a set minimum waveform unit time (for example, 0.1 ms to 1 ms), it is necessary to suppress the step of calculating the current position and the drive direction of the movable element to a sufficiently small value (for example, not more than 1/1000) relative to required resolution (0.1 ms) of the drive waveform. In order to realize the requirement, it is necessary to drive the MPU at extremely high speed. For example, when about 3000 clocks are necessary to calculate the current position and drive direction of the movable element, the clock of 300 MHz is required for the MPU. In such high-speed clock, power consumption is increased in the MPU, and the high-speed clock is not appropriate to mobile applications in which there is little margin in the power source.
There is known the control unit which controls actuators such as the electrostatic actuator, the piezoelectric actuator, and a stepping motor and electronic devices such as LED using the waveform signal. FIG. 42 shows an example of the control devices. FIG. 42 shows a configuration of a general purpose processor having a parallel output port (for example, see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H6-277894). An MPU 2010 performs processing by reading a command set of a program RAM 2011. The MPU 2010 writes the data in an output data register 2012 if necessary, and the MPU 2010 transmits the data to an output waveform generation unit 2013. The output waveform generation unit 2013 transmits the waveform signal to a switching circuit (not shown) to drive the actuator or the like. The MPU 2010 has a timer inside MPU 2010 to perform time management. When the MPU having the parallel output port is used, the control device can be easily formed because the MPU 2010 can perform the time management by itself.
FIG. 43 shows another example of the control devices. FIG. 43 shows the configuration of the control circuit of the stepping motor (for example, see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-94569). A control unit 2020 decides a drive direction (CW/CCW) bit for determining a rotation direction of the stepper, and the control unit 2020 also decides whether a stepping motor 2023 is operated in a half step or a full step. The control unit 2020 outputs a half step mode (HSM) bit and a STEP bit in which one step provides a direction of the generation at each negative edge of a STEP signal. A waveform data generation unit 2021 generates a specific sequence from the three bits and outputs the sequence to ports PA1 to PB2. The waveform data generation unit 2021 prepares four types of drive patterns, and the waveform data generation unit 2021 has a function of controlling which sequence is invoked depending on the state of a flag. A switching circuit 2022 receives the output data (TTL level, e.g. 3.3V) of the waveform data generation unit 2021 to output current (for example, 500 mA) having a voltage level (for example, 10V) necessary to drive the stepping motor 2023. There are many digital still camera lens actuator using the stepping motor controller.
The following problem exists in the control device which outputs the waveform signal. Namely, when the processing device (MPU) simultaneously performs time management and waveform management, it is necessary that the MPU should be driven at high speed in order to perform the time management with high accuracy. Specifically, in order to correctly generate the drive pattern to the set minimum waveform unit time (for example, 0.1 ms to 1 ms), it is necessary to suppress the step of calculating the current position and the drive direction of the movable element to the sufficiently small value (for example, not more than 1/1000) relative to required resolution (0.1 ms) of the drive waveform.
Accordingly, when about 3000 clocks are necessary to calculate the current position and drive direction of the movable element, the clock of 300 MHz is required for the MPU. When such high-speed clock is used, the power consumption is increased in the MPU. As a result, there is the problem that the high-speed clock is not appropriate to mobile applications in which there is little margin in the power source. Since, usually, the system clock is of the order of 10 MHZ, it is difficult to correctly perform the time management by the above-described configuration.
Since periodic ON/OFF signal having a plurality of different phases is used in the stepping motor controller, several types of output waveform patterns are previously determined. On the other hand, in the general purpose actuator (electrostatic actuator), the huge number of drive patterns can be generated depending on the form of the actuator (auto-focusing, zooming, and other applications). Therefore, since the configuration of the controller significantly depends on the form of the actuator, it is difficult that all the drive sequences are previously installed in the controller. Since the general purpose actuator is not compatible with the drive sequence which is not previously assumed, there is the problem that the drive sequence of the general purpose actuator is not compatible when the configuration of hardware (the number of input terminals) of the actuator is changed after a chip has been developed.

Electrostatic actuator, electrostatic actuator driving method, electromechanical transducer, waveform output device and electric element


A data transmission apparatus includes one input-side transmission path and a plurality of output-side transmission paths. The input-side transmission path includes a plurality of handshaking-type data transmission paths provided in series. Each of the output-side transmission paths includes a plurality of handshaking-type data transmission paths provided in series. Data to be transmitted includes an identifier for designation any or all of the plurality of output-side transmission paths. A comparison and determination logic portion determines whether the identifier included in the data designates any of the plurality of output-side transmission paths or all of them. A control portion sends the data supplied from the input-side transmission path to any or all of the plurality of output-side transmission paths, in response to a signal outputted from the comparison and determination logic portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data transmission apparatuses, and more particularly, to data transmission apparatuses autonomously and selectively transmitting data supplied from a preceding stage. The data is supplied at an arbitrary time interval or data having a plurality of words to any of a plurality of parallel succeeding stage portions. Interface apparatus is used for controlling data transmission from a first apparatus to one or a plurality of second apparatuses, and to data transmission apparatuses for serially sending out data transmitted in parallel.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a processor such as an electronic computer, a plurality of processing units are coupled in communication by digital signals. A plurality of data processings are performed by a plurality of processing units in a distributed manner. In this case, the contents of the data processing in each of the processing units is different, and data required for each data processing and the obtained results are also different. In such a processor, if a plurality of processings requiring the data to be sent and received are coupled by interconnections for every processing and input/output ports are provided in the respective processing units, the hardware becomes very complicated and makes the apparatus large in scale, thereby increasing the cost for manufacturing the same.
The inventors of the present invention proposed, in Japanese Patent Laying Open No. 62-174857, a data transmission apparatus capable of transmitting different types of groups of data through the same data transmission path.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the above described proposed data transmission apparatus.
First, referring to FIG. 1, a brief description will be made on a data transmission apparatus for transmitting data through two divided transmission paths.
In FIG. 1, each of data transmission paths 1, 7, and is comprised of a data register for holding data and a transfer control portion. An identifier transmission path 2 is provided in parallel with the data transmission path 1. The identifier transmission path 2 transmits an identifier called "tag". The identifier indicates to the data transmission path 7 or 8 whether the data transmitted to the data transmission path 1 should be sent.
When both of the data transmission paths 7 and 8 are empty to allow data transmission, UK signals 5a and 6a are supplied to control portions 5 and 6 from the data transmission paths 7 and 8, respectively. Similarly, UL signals 5d and 6d from data transmission paths (not shown) in stages subsequent to the data transmission paths 7 and 8 are supplied to the control portions 5 and 6, respectively. The UL signals 5d and 6d are supplied from arbitrary data transmission paths in the stages subsequent to the data transmission paths 7 and 8 and indicate that the data transmission paths in the succeeding stage are empty to allow the data transmission therethrough. Control portions 5 and 6, when the UK signal 5a, the UL 5d, the UK signal 6a and the UL signal 6d are respectively supplied, determine that the data transmission path 7 and the data transmission path in the succeeding stage, and the data transmission path 8 and the data transmission path in the succeeding stage are empty. Control portions 5 and 6, if they have held the data until that time, transfer the data to the data transmission paths in the succeeding stage and enter an enabling state which allows the control for branching the succeeding data.
An NOR gate 4, on receiving from the control portions and 6 determination signals 5b and 6b indicating that both of the control portions are empty and enabled, supplies an AK signal to the data transmission path 1 and the identifier transmission path 2.
As described, the UK signals and the UL signals from the data transmission paths 7 and 8 and the data transmission paths in the succeeding stages authorize or inhibit data transmission from the control portions 5 and 6 to the data transmission paths 7 and 8, and also authorize or inhibit data to be branched and transmitted from the data transmission path 1 to the control portion 5 or 6, depending on whether the succeeding stages are empty or not.
For example, an identifier indicating that the data transmitted to the data transmission path 1 is to be transmitted to the data transmission path 7 is supplied from the identifier transmission path 2 to an identifier decoding portion 3. The identifier decoding portion 3 decodes the identifier received from the identifier transmission path 2, supplies a control signal 5c to the control portion 5. As a result, this allows the data transmitted from the data transmission path 1 to be transmitted to the data transmission path 7 through the control portion 5.
On the contrary, when an identifier indicating that the data is to be transmitted to the data transmission path 8 is supplied from the identifier transmission path 2 to the identifier decoding portion 3, the identifier decoding portion 3 supplies a control signal 6c to the control portion 6 and enables the same. As a result, this allows the data transmitted to the data transmission path to be transmitted to the data transmission path 8 through the control portion 6.
If, out of the data transmission paths 7 and 8 and the data transmission paths in the succeeding stages, for example, the data transmission path 7 holds the data or is transmitting the data, the UK signal 5a is not supplied to the control portion 5. Similarly, when the data transmission path in the stage subsequent to the data transmission path 7 holds the data or is transmitting the same, the UL signal 5d is not supplied to the control portion 5. Therefore, the control portion 5 determines that the data transmission path 7 or the data transmission paths in the succeeding stage is transmitting the data or busy. As a result, the control portion 5 stores the data inputted in a register (not shown) included therein and supplies a signal of a "H" (logical high) level to one input terminal of the NOR gate 4. This causes the NOR gate 4 to be closed and consequently the AK signal is supplied neither to the data transmission path 1 nor to the identifier transmission path 2.
In the event any of the data transmission paths 7 and 8 and the data transmission paths in the succeeding stages holds the data or is transmitting the same and furthermore the control portions 5 and 6 hold the data, the data transmitted to the data transmission path 1 is inputted to neither of the control portions 5 and 6 but held in the data transmission path 1.
However, when the data transmission path 7 and the data transmission path in the succeeding stage or the data transmission path 8 and the data transmission path in the succeeding stage, and the control portion 5 or 6 finish transmitting the data to change from a busy state to a ready state, the control portion 5 or 6 is enabled. As a result, it is possible to autonomously branch the data held in the data transmission path 1 in accordance with the identifier again.
In the above described data transmission apparatus, the data supplied from the preceding stage can be sent to any one of a plurality of parallel units provided succeeding stage portions, the data supplied from the preceding stage portion can not be sent to all the plurality of parallel provided succeeding stage portions.
Secondly, in case the data to be transmitted comprises a plurality of words and an arbitrary word of the plurality of words includes an identifier for a branch destination, it is not possible to autonomously and selectively send out the data comprising the plurality of words to any of the plurality of parallel provided succeeding stage portions.
In addition, a handshaking type data transfer is known as data transmission in an information processor or the like. For example, data transmission from a first data transmission path to a second data transmission path in accordance with the handshaking type data transmission is performed as follows.
Transmission signals are supplied from the first data transmission path to the second data transmission path and transmission acknowledging signals are supplied from the second data transmission path to the first data transmission path. First, data is supplied from the first data transmission path to the second data transmission path, together with the transmission signals. The second data transmission path, in response to the transmission signals, makes the transmission acknowledging signals being inhibited in order to inhibit additional data sending for a fixed time period. After a lapse of the fixed time period, when the transmission acknowledging signals return to the authorized state, data transmission from the first data transmission path to the second data transmission path is again authorized. Thus, the handshaking type data transmission is performed in an information processor or between a plurality of information processors.
In case of the data transmission between a plurality of apparatuses, long signal lines for connecting the apparatuses cause delay in signal transmission. As a result, some time period is required until the first apparatus receives a signal inhibiting additional data sending after the data is supplied from the first apparatus to the second apparatus together with the transmission signals. Therefore, before the second apparatus finishes data transmission, additional data is sent out from the first apparatus to the second apparatus.
Furthermore, in case of the data transmission from one apparatus to a plurality of apparatuses, if interconnection paths connected between the apparatuses differ in length, every interconnection path differs in a signal delay time. Therefore, in order to adjust timing skews of signals in the plurality of interconnection paths, there is a need for providing a delay circuit comprising a gate element or a delay circuit comprising a resistor and a capacitance element on each path.
Since the interconnection paths between the apparatuses are always changed in accordance with an arrangement for a packing of a plurality of apparatuses, such skew adjustment as described above is required in accordance with a packing form of the plurality of apparatuses.
Time periods required for processing data in the respective plurality of processing units differ depending on received data and the contents of processing required of the processing units. In addition, groups of data processed in the respective processing units are not always transmitted in the same order and at the same time intervals. Therefore, there can occur stay of a group of data due to difference in processing time in each processing unit. If a transmission path itself can have a buffer function of decreasing such stay of the group of data to the utmost, it is possible to decrease the amount of hardware of the data processing apparatus.


A liquid crystal display device includes: common electrodes that are opposed to pixel electrodes respectively; a detection circuit that detects a waveform of a common potential at the plurality of common electrodes; and a determination circuit that determines abnormality of the liquid crystal display device based on the waveform detected by the detection circuit. A plurality of pixels are divided into a plurality of segments, the common electrodes are provided corresponding to the plurality of segments, and the detection circuit detects the waveform of the common potential at each of the common electrodes when a predetermined data signal is input to at least one of data signal lines whiled a predetermined gate signal is input to at least one of gate signal lines.

A liquid crystal display device incorporated in a monitor may deteriorate over time due to use by a user. For example, when a transistor or the like constituting a pixel of the liquid crystal display device deteriorates over time to become an abnormal state, image quality of the liquid crystal display device is degraded. In particular, long-term reliability of video is required for monitors used in a medical field or a broadcasting field.
For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-212937 proposes a technique of calibrating the liquid crystal display device using a dedicated calibration device in order to correct the abnormal state due to the deterioration over time of the liquid crystal display device.

PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.


A plunge base router for use in an upright and an inverted position is disclosed. The router includes a depth adjustment mechanism, a depth stop mechanism, a post lock mechanism, and a return spring defeat mechanism. The depth adjustment mechanism includes a coarse adjustment mechanism and a fine adjustment mechanism to set the cutting distance of a bit. The course and fine adjustment mechanisms are usable in both the upright and inverted positions and the fine adjustment mechanism is operable without being reset throughout the full range of motion of the plunge router. The depth stop includes a mechanism for locking the end of a rod on the housing to the base in order to set the relative position in between the housing and the base. The depth stop also includes a plurality of steps for engaging the rod and permitting incremental passes of cutting at different depths with the router. The post lock mechanism includes a lever for locking the housing to the guide posts in a relative position relative to the base, and the lever is normally biased to the lock position. The lever includes a latch for locking the lever in the open positions so that the plunger can be easily mounted in an inverted position under a worktable without the need to hold down the lever in order to permit relative movement between the housing and the base. The return spring defeat mechanism defeats the return spring that biases the housing away from the base so that it is easier to mount the plunge router in an inverted position on the underside of a worktable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plunge base router and, in particular, to a plunge base having a number of advantageous features for facilitating use of the router in either an upright position or an inverted position. The inventive features of the plunge router of the present invention include a depth adjustment mechanism, a depth stop mechanism, a post-lock mechanism, and a return spring defeat mechanism.
2. Scope of the Prior Art
Plunge base routers have long been used to make grooves and cuts of various types. Such routers include a housing having a motor which rotates a router bit for making grooves and cuts in a work. The housing is vertically movable relative a base on two guide posts that are connected to the base. It is known that a plunge base router can be used in an upright (or normal position) and an inverted position for use under a router table. In the upright position, the router can plunge on the posts and is used to make cutouts, for grooving and edge-forming of wood or other solid-surface materials. When the router is mounted under the table, it is used like a shaper mainly for cutting repetitive shapes and for heavy decorative edge-cuts. When used in the upright position, the term cutting depth is used to describe the amount that the bit is exposed through the base. When used in the inverted position, the term cutting height describes the amount that the bit is exposed above the router table.
Typically, the housing of the plunge base router is slidable on the guide posts to permit plunging of the router and positioning of the housing relative to the base. The housing contains a compression spring adjacent to at least one of the guide posts for biasing the housing away from the base. The compression spring may be on the outside or inside of the post.
Most plunge base routers provide a depth adjustment mechanism to accurately position the bit at the correct cutting depth or height. Some routers provide a coarse adjustment mechanism to generally find the depth or height and a fine adjustment mechanism to accurately locate the depth or height. The coarse and fine adjustment mechanisms are both used to arrange the router for the desired cutting depth or height.
The prior art plunge base routers typically include a fine adjustment mechanism that is separate from the coarse adjustment mechanism. In such mechanisms, the fine adjustment mechanism typically has a short range of travel for fine tuning the adjustment of the course adjustment mechanism. Thus, if it is determined after making a cut that a larger adjustment is needed, both the course adjustment mechanism and the fine adjustment mechanism must be reset. The process of resetting both the course and fine adjustment mechanisms is fairly time consuming because both adjustment mechanisms must be zeroed again and the cutting depth or height completely reset. It is therefore believed to be desirable to have a plunge base router where the coarse and fine adjustment mechanisms are interdependent so that they do not have to be reset and zeroed repetitively.
A number of prior art plunge base routers are shown in issued U.S. Patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,573 to Monobe et al. discloses a plunge base router that uses a bolt and nut mechanism for course adjustment. The nut mechanism moves between a released position so that the plunge base router can be adjusted and a locked position to hold the bolt. The upper end of the bolt includes a knob for fine adjustment of the router. U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,264 to Ferenczffy discloses a clamping screw for use as a coarse adjustment mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,921 to McCurry discloses a pinion and gear arrangement as a coarse adjustment mechanism. However, in each of these constructions, the fine adjustment mechanism has a limited travel length, and both the course and fine adjustment mechanisms may need to be reset and zeroed repetitively in order to arrive at the final cutting depth or height.
In prior art constructions, it can be difficult to adjust the cutting height of the plunge base router when the router is in an inverted position due to the weight of the router. The operator often finds it awkward to reach under a router table to press up on the router when adjusting the cutting height. It is therefore believed to be desirable to have a plunge base router that assists the operator with supporting the weight of the router during adjustment of the router in the inverted position.
After a final cutting height or depth is established, most plunge base routers include a post lock lever for locking the router in a selected position. The post lock lever is normally biased to the locked position, and the user must press on the post lock lever to release a locking mechanism so that the housing can be moved relative to the base. However, pressing the post lock lever when the router is in the inverted position and mounted under a router table can be awkward and difficult. It is therefore believed to be desirable to incorporate a mechanism for holding the post lock lever in the released position for easier adjustment of the router.
Plunge base routers typically have a compression spring that biases the housing away from the base and this compression spring can make it more difficult to mount the plunge base router in the inverted position under a router table. In particular, when an operator is mounting the router in the inverted position under a router table, the operator must hold the substantial weight of the router as well as push against the force of the compression spring in order to mount the router in the inverted position. Effectively, the compression spring adds to the weight of the router when an operator mounts it for inverted use. It is therefore believed to be desirable to provide a mechanism for defeating the force of the compression spring when the router is to be used in the inverted position.
The plunge base router of the present invention is particularly suited for use in either an upright position or an inverted position under a router table. The router includes several advantageous features to facilitate such use, and includes an advantageous mechanism for adjusting the cutting depth or height of the router. The router includes a base, a motor to rotate a bit, and a housing encasing the motor and being movable relative to the base on at least one guide post for adjustment of a cutting depth or height of the bit. The router further includes a return spring for providing a spring force between the base and the housing and biasing the housing away from the base.
In an embodiment, the router includes a means for defeating the spring force of the return spring on the router. The return spring defeat means is particularly advantageous for using the router in an inverted position because the operator does not need to struggle against both the weight of the router and the force of the return spring when mounting the router under a router table.
In an embodiment, the return spring defeat means includes a spring rod mounted within the return spring and having a first end engaging the return spring and second end having a groove and a head. A spring clip is movably mounted in the base and is movable between a first position not engaged with the spring rod and a second position engaged in the groove in the spring rod to vertically lock the spring rod and to defeat the return spring. When the spring rod is vertically locked, the first end of the spring rod that engages the return spring holds the return spring in a compressed condition or state so that its spring force is defeated. The base further includes a button that engages the spring clip and is adapted to selectively move the spring clip between the first position in which it does not engage the spring rod and the second position in which it engages the spring rod and defeats the return spring.
In an embodiment, the first or top end of the spring rod includes a snap ring that engages the top of the return spring, and when the spring clip locks the spring rod, the snap ring holds the return spring in the compressed state or condition.
In an embodiment, the spring clip includes first, second and third legs that form a triangle. The first leg extends under the button and biases the button toward the upward position. The second leg includes a free end that rides along the side of the button. The button includes a top portion that can be depressed by the operator, a small diameter midportion, and a large diameter bottom portion. In use, the button is depressed so that the free end of the spring clip moves into the smaller diameter mid-portion and the free end also engages the groove in the spring rod to vertically lock it in position. The button can then be depressed again so that the free end of the spring clip is moved adjacent to the larger diameter portion and the spring clip is moved away from the spring rod so that it does not lock it in position.
In an embodiment, the plunge base router of the present invention includes both a course adjustment and a fine adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanisms include a rod vertically mounted on the housing and being axially movable relative to the housing to set a cutting depth of the router. The rod preferably takes the form of a worm rod having a threaded portion. A course adjustment knob is connected to a gear mounted within the housing and the gear engages the threaded portion of the worm rod. The course adjustment knob and gear are rotatable to cause axial movement of the rod relative to the housing. A gear lock lever is also provided for locking the course adjustment knob and gear in a selected position. When the course adjustment knob and gear are locked in a selected position, the gear acts as a nut against which the worm rod can travel.
The depth adjustment mechanism further includes a fine adjustment knob secured to the rod for rotating the rod around its longitudinal axis. The fine adjustment knob and rod are rotatable, when the gear lever locks the gear in the selected position, to cause axial movement of the rod relative to the housing.
In use, the course and fine adjustment mechanism are used to adjust the position of the rod relative to the housing so that a free end of the rod is positioned a selected distance away from a surface on the base of the router. When the router is plunged, the free end of the rod hits the surface on the base and sets the cutting height or depth of the router.
In an embodiment, the router includes a rotatable depth stop mounted on the base under the worm rod. The rotatable depth lock includes a surface for engaging the rod and fixing the relative position of the housing with respect to the base to set the cutting depth or height of the router.
In an embodiment, the rotatable depth lock also includes a protrusion adapted for engaging a groove on the free end of the rod and locking the rod to the base. The depth lock is rotatable between a first position in which the protrusion engages the groove on the free end of the rod and locks the rod to the base, and a second position in which the protrusion does not engage the groove in order to allow axial movement of the rod. The rotatable depth lock is advantageously used to lock the rod to the base when it is desired to use the plunge base router in an inverted position. In the inverted position, the rod that is fixed to both the housing and the base help support the weight of the housing and motor, which makes it easier for the operator to adjust the cutting height or depth of the router.
In an embodiment, the depth stop includes a keyhole having a first opening large enough to receive the head and groove of the worm rod, and a second opening smaller than the head of the worm rod and being defined by the protrusion that engages the groove of the rod to lock the rod to the base. In use, the head of the rod are inserted into the first opening, and then the rotatable depth stop is rotated so that the protrusion of the second opening engages the groove and locks the rod to the base.
The rotatable depth stop may also include a recess on its underside for trapping the head on the rod. This prevents the rod from becoming dislodged for the rotatable depth stop during use of the router.
In an embodiment, the plunge base router includes a post lock lever and a means for holding the post lock lever in the released position. The post lock lever includes a lock element movable between a locked position wherein the housing is fixed relative to the base and a released position wherein the housing is movable relative to the base. A torsion spring biases the post lock lever and lock element into the lock position. A latch is provided that is movable to secure the post lock lever and lock element in the released position when desired. The latch is particularly useful for holding the post lock lever in the released position when it is desired to mount the router in an inverted position under a router table.
In an embodiment, the latch is mounted on the post lock lever, and a pin pivotally secures the latch to the lever. The latch includes a distal end that can project outwardly from the lever to engage a boss on the housing and hold the post lock lever in the released position. A second spring may be provided for biasing one end of the latch outward, and that end of the latch can then be depressed so that the latch pivots and the distal end engages the boss on the housing. The latch is particularly advantageous for defeating the post lock lever and holding it in the released position when it is desired to use the plunge base router in the inverted position under a router table.
These and numerous other features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.


The present disclosure provides a display module and a method for preparing the same. The display module includes a display panel and a light-concentrating layer arranged on a light-exiting surface of the display panel, in which the light-concentrating layer includes a plurality of light-concentrating units for concentrating light from the light-exiting surface.

Since a display panel has a multi-layer structure, light is diverged in various directions after passing through the layers, leading to the light emitted to the outside of the display panel having a large divergence angle, so that the display brightness in the front view region of the display panel is insufficient.
In order to allow the front view region on the display side of the display panel to have a sufficient display brightness, it is necessary to increase the display power, thereby causing a large power consumption of the product.

Display module and method for preparing the same

CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A disposable adhesive multi-use bib is disclosed configured for entertaining a child and wearable to protect the garments of the child or adult. The bib comprises a sheet component and a wearable component. At least the back surface of the wearable component is coated with an adhesive. The bib is designed to entertain a child while, for example, waiting to have food served or during a craft project. The wearable component is removed from the sheet component and is applied to the garments of the child for protecting the child's clothes while eating. The remaining sheet component is then utilized as a placemat.

As is known to those skilled in the art, young children often soil themselves, their clothing, and their immediate surroundings during a meal creating clothing stains that are not easily removed. Such problems have typically been mitigated by the use of bibs to cover the area of the torso underneath the mouth of the child. Bibs are well known in the art.
In the home, supervising adults often utilize multi-use fabric or plastic/vinyl bibs that collect misdirected or rejected foodstuffs during mealtime. The soiled bib can then be laundered and reused at the next meal. In a public setting, such as in restaurants, disposable bibs are provided for use by patrons during their visit.
Disposable bibs are well known in the art. Disposable bibs are designed to be worn once and discarded. Generally, a bib includes a functional portion for at least partially covering and protecting a wearer's garments and a fastening portion for fastening the bib to the wearer. Most typically, the fastening portion includes tie cords, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, leads with clips on each end, adhesive-backed straps or tabs, hook and eye or other adhesive configuration. Typical disposable bibs are made of a plastic or paper material and often include a depiction of a red lobster, animal or cartoon character imprinted thereon.
A number of adhesive disposable bibs are also known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,776 to Gruenwald discloses a bib using adhesive straps to secure the bib to the wearer's shoulders. U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,321 to Johnson discloses a disposable bib having a food catching pocket held open by adhesive tabs secured to a supporting surface such as a table and an adhesive tab to secure the bib's neck closure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,844 to Kehl discloses a disposable bib for use by dental patients having a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive across the top edge of the back of the bib. U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,048 to Campbell discloses a self-adhesive napkin having adhesive material located along at least the top edge thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,788 to Loewer discloses a bib of absorbent material having a neck cut-out in the upper end and a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed over substantially the entire back surface of the bib except for an un-coated border surrounding the neck cut-out. In another embodiment of Loewer, the pressure sensitive adhesive is applied in strips running from top to bottom near the sides of the back side of the bib. U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,603 to Horton et al. discloses a placemat having intergrated adhesive stickers or labels used as decorations for the placemat.


A computer system is provided which employs a hardware rotation unit capable of rotating a raster-scan portrait image by 90 degrees in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction in order to create a landscape image on a raster-scan display device. Rotation of a portrait image is accomplished by a mapping of pixel information associated with the portrait image to corresponding frame buffer locations necessary to properly display the portrait image as a landscape image. A video controller incorporating the hardware rotation unit stores only pixel information associated with the landscape image in a frame buffer. Dedicated circuitry within the hardware rotation unit allows full support of portrait image data read and write operations involving the landscape image pixel information stored in the frame buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer graphics systems and more particularly to the rotation of video display images in video display systems employing raster-scan display techniques.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Most computer systems use video display systems which employ the same raster-scan display techniques used in television sets. Digital video information stored in a memory system is used by a video display system to create an image on the screen of a display device such as a cathode ray tube, a flat-panel display, or a liquid crystal display.
Video display systems employing raster-scan display techniques typically store images as horizontal rows of their component points, or pixels. Images are "painted" on a screen of a display device point by point, line by line, from the top of the screen to the bottom. The need to recreate images on the screen of a display device many times each second is a characteristic many video display systems employing raster-scan techniques share. The light output of a cathode ray tube fades quickly, hence a video display system with a cathode ray tube display device must refresh an image many times each second to avoid flicker. An image created on a flat-panel display must be refreshed many times each second in order to produce varying shades of gray, or to produce a color scale if the display device is capable of displaying color information.
Pixel information corresponding to each point on a screen of a display device is typically stored in a memory element called a frame buffer. This pixel information includes the intensity (i.e., brightness) of a point to be displayed, and may also include color information if the display device has the ability to display colors. Most frame buffers are comprised of a large number of storage locations in a semiconductor memory system. Indeed, it was the availability of relatively inexpensive semiconductor memory systems which made raster-scan display systems cost effective. Pixel information is typically stored in a frame buffer in the order in which each pixel is to be displayed on a screen of a display device. The number of pixels per horizontal scan line and the number of horizontal scan lines per display screen determine the resolution of a raster-scan display system.
A block diagram of a typical raster-scan video display system is shown in FIG. 1. A CPU is coupled to a system bus, and a video controller is also coupled to the system bus. A display device is coupled to the video controller. The CPU sends video information to the video controller in digital form via the system bus. The video controller converts this digital video information to signals used by the display device to display raster-scan images.
Turning now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a conventional video controller as provided in FIG. 1 is shown. The video controller comprises a bus interface unit, a frame buffer, and an image display system. The bus interface unit is coupled to the system bus and to the frame buffer. The frame buffer is coupled to the image display system. The image display system is coupled to the display device. The bus interface unit serves as the interface between the system bus and the video controller. Video information is stored in the frame buffer in digital form. Each memory location of the frame buffer contains the information associated with one or more pixels to be displayed. The image display system fetches digital pixel information from the frame buffer, converts the digital information to signals the display device can use, and provides these signals to the display device. The image display system may cycle through the digital pixel information stored in the frame buffer many times each second to recreate the image on the screen of the display device. Frame buffer memory addresses may be generated in synchronism with the raster scan of the display device, and the contents of each memory location in the frame buffer may be used to control the image display process.

Method and logic system for the rotation of raster-scan display images


A wavelength converter which has simple configuration and can be easily controlled and operated with stability, and used for a long-distance mass optical communication, comprises a waveguide for causing a change of a nonlinear refractive index. The converter includes a delay interference circuit having two optical paths and of different optical path lengths. A CW light source is input into the waveguide. A coherent length determined by a spectral line width of CW light output from the CW light source is longer than an optical path difference between the two optical paths in the delay interference circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wavelength converter for use in a wavelength division multiplex (WDM) optical communication, and more particularly to a wavelength converter for use in high-speed WDM optical communication.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
In recent years, WDM optical communication has begun to be developed as a mass optical communication system. In this WDM optical communication, each wavelength in a signal light whose wavelength is multiplexed is allocated to each communication channel. In order to transmit or receive a signal between channels, it is necessary to convert the wavelength of an original signal string to the wavelength corresponding to the specified channel. Conventionally, this signal wavelength conversion has been performed by converting optical signals once to electric signals and then converting the electric signals to optical signals having a different wavelength again.
On the other hand, recently research has been performed on a device designed to convert wavelengths of optical signals directly without converting them to electric signals. There have been proposed interaction-type devices such as a symmetrical Mach-Zender type device and a polarization-discrimination type device.
The symmetrical Mach Zender type wavelength converter has been conventionally reported as an optical switch (xe2x80x9cApplied Physics Letters,xe2x80x9d by S. Nakamura et al., vol. 65, pp. 2445), which has also a feature of a wavelength converter since it outputs signal pulses having wavelengths different from those of input signal pulses. This symmetrical Mach-Zender type wavelength converter (hereinafter, a wavelength converter of a conventional example 1) has a configuration in which two waveguides 24 and 25 causing changes of nonlinear refractive indices (hereinafter, nonlinear waveguides) are arranged in respective arms of a Mach Zender interferometer as shown in FIG. 1A. If continuous wave (CW) light having a wavelength xcex2 output from a CW light source 21 is entered from a CW light input port 22, it is branched in a branch section 23 and then each light beam is introduced into the nonlinear waveguide 24 or 25. On the other hand, from a signal input port 26, an original signal of an input signal pulse having a wavelength xcex1 is entered. The input signal pulse is branched in a branch section 27, and both are is transmitted through an optical path 28 or 29 and introduced to the nonlinear waveguide 24 or 25, so as to change a refractive index of the nonlinear waveguide 24 or 25 for a fixed period of time. Assuming that xcex94t is a delay time generated between input signal pulses transmitted through two optical paths due to an optical path difference between the optical paths 28 and 29, if the pulse width xcex94T of an input signal pulse is sufficiently shorter than xcex94t, entering the input signal pulse into the signal input port 26 at time t1, for example, outputs an output signal pulse having a wavelength xcex2 with the first transition at the time t1 and the last transition at time t1+xcex94t. In this manner, the wavelength converter of the conventional example 1 converts the wavelength xcex1 to the wavelength xcex2. As a wavelength converter which is the same as the above except that an optical delay section composed of two optical paths 28 and 29 is arranged differently from that in FIG. 1A, there is a converter which is disclosed in Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. 7-199240 to Nakamura.
Alternatively a polarization-discrimination type wavelength converter as shown in FIG. 1B (hereinafter, a wavelength converter of a conventional example 2) is also conventionally reported as an optical switch (xe2x80x9cApplied Physics Letters,xe2x80x9d by T. Tajima et al., vol. 67, no. 25, pp. 3709-3711, 1995 and xe2x80x9cIEEE Photonics Technology Letters,xe2x80x9d by N. S. Patel et al., vol. 8, pp. 1695-1697, 1996). This optical switch serves as a wavelength converter like the above-mentioned symmetrical Mach Zender type converter. It differs from the above wavelength converter of the conventional example 1 in that a specifically polarized light component is delayed by xcex94t using a polarization-discrimination delay circuit 43 and then advanced by xcex94t using a polarization-discrimination delay circuit 47 to resume the previous state. After an input signal pulse having a wavelength xcex1 is entered into the signal input port 45 at time t1 by these actions, it becomes possible to perform a wavelength conversion in which output signal pulses at time t1 to time t1+xcex94t can be output from a signal output port 48 comparable to the wavelength converter of the conventional example 1 by using only a single nonlinear waveguide 44. For example, assuming that the polarization-discrimination delay circuit 43 is used to perform a polarization-discrimination and a delay for an input light of an S polarized light and that the polarization-discrimination delay circuit 47 is used to perform a polarization-discrimination and a delay for an input light of a P polarized light, the operations are as follows: if a CW light having a wavelength xcex2 is entered from a CW light source 41, the polarization-discrimination delay circuit 43 performs a delay by xcex94t only for S polarized light components of the CW light and then the components are introduced to a nonlinear waveguide 44, while an input signal pulse having a wavelength xcex1 is entered with a pulse width xcex94T which is efficiently shorter than xcex94t into a signal input port 45 and introduced to the nonlinear waveguide 44 via a combiner section 46 so as to change a refractive index of the nonlinear waveguide 44. When the CW light passes through the nonlinear waveguide 44, only the P polarized light components are given a delay by xcex94t, in other words, the S polarized light components are advanced by xcex94t, by which the above output signal pulses are output from the signal output port 48.
The above-mentioned wavelength converters of the conventional example 1 and the conventional example 2, however, have problems as described below, respectively.
The wavelength converter of the conventional example 1 has a problem that a configuration is complicated due to two nonlinear waveguides 24 and 25 arranged therein. In addition, it is necessary to control a balance strictly between refractive indices (therefore a phase of a transmitting signal pulse) and changes of the nonlinear refractive indices of the two nonlinear waveguides 24 and 25 each other. If waveguides are operated for a long time using semiconductor materials for the waveguides, for example, the refractive indices of the semiconductor waveguides change little by little. Such a slight change difference between refractive indices of the two nonlinear waveguides significantly deranges operating conditions in the wavelength converter of the conventional example 1, and therefore a long-time continuous change of the refractive indices becomes a significant problem and a precise control circuit is required in order to adjust a difference between the refractive indices of the two nonlinear waveguides each other.
On the other hand, the wavelength converter of the conventional example 2 includes only a single nonlinear waveguide 44, and therefore it has a simple configuration and easy controls in comparison with the conventional example 1. The wavelength converter of the conventional example 2, however, has problems that it is required to arrange elements used for polarization-discrimination in the polarization-discrimination delay circuits 43 and 47 in the configuration and that it is necessary to set an axis of each polarization-discrimination delay circuit according to a polarization status of an input CW light.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wavelength converter which has a simple configuration without a need for elements used for polarization-discrimination and does not have any dependency on input CW light polarization.
According to the present invention, there is provided a wavelength converter which comprises a waveguide which causes a change of a nonlinear refractive index, a delay interference circuit having two optical paths of different optical path lengths, and a CW light source, wherein a coherent length (xcex94Lc=vg/xcex94xcexd:vg is a traveling speed of the CW light in the delay interference circuit) determined by a spectral line width (xcex94xcexd) of CW light output from the CW light source is longer than an optical path difference (xcex94Ld) between the two optical paths in the delay interference circuit (xcex94Lc greater than xcex94Ld).
As another aspect of the invention, a wavelength converter further comprises a signal input port for entering an input signal pulse which is an original signal whose wavelength is required to be converted for the waveguide which causes a change of the nonlinear refractive index, wherein the optical path difference xcex94Ld obtain a relation of a formula, xcex94Ld=vgT0/2 (T0 indicates an interval of the input signal pulses) with the traveling speed. (vg) of the CW light in the delay interaction circuit and the input signal pulse entered into the signal input port.
A primary effect of the wavelength converter according to the present invention having these configurations is to convert a wavelength to another by causing two CW light beams to interfere with each other after being output from the CW light source at different times.


A hybrid-power driving system (HPDS) (110) includes an engine, a motor, and a transmission. The HPDS may include a single clutch and the transmission can provide at least six forward speed ratios and can provide for a reverse speed ratio. The transmission can include three synchronizers and multiple gearwheels that are used in multiple speed ratios. In addition to a pure engine driving mode and a pure motor driving mode, the HPDS can operate using a hybrid-power driving mode (HDM). In the HDM, the HPDS can provide for shifting of gears without power interruption to the half-axles and wheels of a vehicle. In the HDM, the continuous power being output can be achieved by keeping a synchronizer engaged to a gearwheel for two consecutive speed ratios.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the elements described in this section, the technical field, and the background art are not prior art to the claims and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A. Technical Field
This application relates to a vehicle hybrid-power driving system (HPDS). A vehicle HPDS described in this application can include synchronizers that are cooperatively switched and gearwheels that are shared in different gear ratios (i.e., speed ratios), an electric motor (or more simply, "EM"), and an internal combustion engine (or more simply, "engine" or "ICE").
B. Background Art
As the pollution of the environment, the demand for petroleum, and the requirements for vehicle emission equipment increase, vehicles with new power sources get more and more attention. Hybrid-power vehicles are widely used, at least in part, because of their low operating cost and low emissions. In known hybrid-power vehicles, the ICE, the clutch, the EM, and the transmission are disposed in sequence and occupy a large space in a vehicle. Deploying those hybrid-power vehicle components in such a layout can result in limiting the size of the EM, and as a result, limiting the power of the EM and the power capacity of the vehicle. As such, the fuel use efficiency cannot be improved significantly with respect to non-hybrid vehicles. Furthermore, the driving ability in a pure motor driving mode is not satisfying when the power of the EM is too low.
Furthermore still, in current vehicle hybrid-power driving systems, driving comfort cannot be ensured since power interruption cannot be avoided automatically in the configuration having a single clutch. In a known vehicle hybrid-power driving system, the EM and the ICE have their corresponding power transmitting mechanisms that are disposed in parallel and function cooperatively, which results in a vehicle hybrid power driving system having complex power transmitting paths.

Hybrid-power driving system for a vehicle and a transmission thereof