Lens barrel with built-in ultrasonic motor, comprises photographing optical system having lens movable in the direction of the optical axis, fixed barrel supporting the optical system, manual operation member held on the fixed barrel and rotatable by external operation, ultrasonic motor including stationary member which is provided on fixed barrel and is rotatable about the optical axis and which can generate ultrasonic wave and rotor which is in frictional contact with stationary member and rotatable about the optical axis, and mode selection member by which is selectable automatic focus adjusting mode and manual focus adjustment mode. When automatic focus adjustment mode is selected stationary member is fixed to fixed barrel and rotor is rotated by ultrasonic wave generated by stationary member, and when manual focus adjustment mode is selected stationary member is released so that rotor and stationary member are united as one body to rotate together in coordination with manual operation of manual operation member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens barrel for a camera having a built-in ultrasonic motor that drives a photographing or shooting lens.
2. Related Background Art
A lens barrel having a built-in ultrasonic motor in which a stationary member as a vibration generating member of the ultrasonic motor and a manual operation member are connected so that the stationary member and the manual operation member rotate with respect to a fixed portion of the lens barrel, and in which the lens operating mode is selected by actuating an electrical switch, is known.
In such a lens barrel, when a manual focus adjustment mode is selected using a mode selection member, i.e., by actuating the electrical switch, a relative moving member or rotor and the stationary member of the ultrasonic motor become united and rotate as a single body in conjunction with the manual operation member (e.g., a manual operation ring that is rotated by a photographer) to drive a photographing optical system.
When an automatic focus adjustment mode is selected, the stationary member is fixed and does not rotate with respect to the fixed barrel. The stationary member of the ultrasonic motor vibrates to impart rotational movement to other components of the lens barrel, and the photographing optical system is driven by rotation of the moving member caused by vibration of the stationary member.
Consequently, when the manual focus adjustment mode is selected, the photographing optical system can be driven without damaging the surfaces of the stationary member and the relative moving member of the ultrasonic motor that contact each other.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a conventional lens barrel 2 having a built-in ultrasonic motor (see, e.g., Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 4-343310).
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a power supplying section of the lens barrel shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram that illustrates a power supply circuit of the lens barrel of the prior art.
FIG. 3 illustrates the lens barrel in the automatic focus adjustment state in which a focus adjustment optical system L2 and L3 is driven by the rotation of an ultrasonic motor Mo (FIG. 4), and a mode selection switch 20 is set to the automatic focus adjustment mode.
The focus adjustment optical system L2 and L3 is supported by a lens holding barrel 2 and effects focus adjustment by moving in the direction of the optical axis. The lens holding barrel 2 is fitted movably in the direction of the optical axis in an inner periphery of a center intermediate diameter portion la of a fixed barrel 1. A pin 3 is provided on the outer periphery of the lens holding barrel 2 . The pin 3 protrudes through a guide groove provided in the center intermediate diameter portion 1a in parallel with the optical axis. The tip of the pin 3 engages a cam groove 4a provided on the inner peripheral surface of a cam ring 4. The cam grooves 4a is so formed to move the lens holding barrel 2 in the direction of the optical axis by engagement of the cam groove 4a with the pin 3 when the cam ring 4 is rotated in the manner described hereinafter.
A pin 5 protrudes from the outer periphery of the center intermediate diameter portion 1a of the fixed barrel to engage a circumferential groove 4b provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cam ring 4. Consequently, the cam ring 4 cannot move in the direction of the optical axis and thus can only rotate by a predetermined angle about the optical axis. The cam ring 4 also includes a distance scale that is displayed on the right side large diameter outer peripheral portion 4c of the cam ring 4.
A stator or stationary ring member 6 of the ultrasonic motor Mo is fitted on the outer periphery of a center small diameter portion 1c of the fixed barrel 1 to rotate freely about the optical axis.
A biasing member 11 is provided between the center small diameter portion 1c of the fixed barrel 1 and the stator 6 and urges the stator 6 to an inner side surface of the large diameter portion 1d of the fixed barrel 1 through a glass epoxy plate 15, thereby imparting a predetermined friction torque so that the stator 6 may not rotate easily when the automatic focus control mode is selected.
A window member 8, which is formed of a transparent synthetic resin, is disposed on the large diameter unit 1d of the fixed barrel 1. The window member 8 displays the distance scale on the outer periphery 4c through an intermediate ring 7. The intermediate ring 7, which is preferably formed of transparent synthetic resin, is fitted on the inner surface of a manual operation ring 10 rotatably therewith.
A rotor or rotating member 9 (i.e., the relative moving member of the ultrasonic motor Mo) is so disposed to frictionally contact the stator or stationary member 6 at their radially extended surfaces each other and to be rotatable about the optical axis through a bearing 12a relation to the stationary member 6. In particular, a biasing member 14 causes the stationary member 6 and the rotating member 9 to contact at their radially extended surfaces each other via an annular plate 13 and a bearing 12b. An engagement groove 9a is provided on the left side of the rotating member 9 to engage an engagement protrusion 4d on the right side of the inner periphery of the large diameter portion of the cam ring 4. Consequently, the rotating member 9 and the cam ring 4 rotate together.
The manual operation ring 10 is fitted on both the large diameter portion 1d of the fixed barrel 1 and the left side large diameter portion 1e. The manual operation ring 10 cannot move in the direction of the optical axis, but it can rotate freely about the optical axis.
A glass epoxy plate 15 is fixed to the stationary member 6 and includes ring-shaped conductive portions 15a that extend around the entire circumference , as shown in FIG. 4. The glass epoxy plate 15 is formed with through-holes 15b at positions offset from the ring-shaped portion through which the conductive portions 15a form an electrical connection with the stationary member 6 at the rear surface of the glass epoxy plate 15. A brush 16 contacts the top surface of the conductive portions 15a, establishing an electrical connection with the stationary member 6 regardless of its angular position.
A pressure plate 17 urges the brush 16 toward a fixed brush plate 18 to fix the brush thereonto . The fixed brush plate 18 is attached to the fixed barrel 1 by small screws 19.
The mode selection switch 20 slides in the direction of the optical axis on the fixed barrel between the manual focus adjustment mode position M and the automatic adjustment mode position A. The mode selection switch is configured to generate an electrical signal in accordance with either mode when the switch is activated.
A switching plate 21 is attached to the mode selection switch 20 by a small screw 23. A plate spring 22 is attached to the fixed barrel 1 by a small screw 24. The plate spring 22 is disposed to cooperate with a plurality of engagement grooves 6a that are provided on the outer periphery of the stationary member 6.
When the mode selection switch 20 is slid to the M position, i.e., when the manual focus adjustment mode is selected, the switching plate 21 moves simultaneously, thereby pushing up the plate spring 22 radially outwardly as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 3. As a result, the plate spring 22 is withdrawn from the engagement grooves 6a. When the engagement grooves 6a of the stationary member 6 are separated from the plate spring 22, the manual operation ring 10 can be rotated.
When the mode selection switch 20 is slid to the A position, i.e., when the automatic focus adjustment mode is selected, the switching plate 21 is moved simultaneously, thereby allowing the plate spring 22 to return to its initial position as indicated by the solid line in FIG. 3. As a result, the plate spring 22 engages the engagement grooves 6a of the stationary member 6, and the manual operation ring 10 stops rotating.
The lens barrel is designed to satisfy a condition C<B<A, where A is friction torque between the stationary member 6 and the rotating member 9, B is friction torque between the fixed barrel 1 and the stationary member 6, and C is torque necessary to drive the lens holding barrel 2.
<Automatic Focus Adjustment Mode>
In operation, when the automatic focus adjustment mode is selected, the engagement grooves 6a of the stationary member 6 are engaged with the plate spring 22. Consequently, the manual operation ring 10 and the stationary member 6 stop rotating.
When a power source is connected to the ultrasonic motor Mo by a control mechanism (e.g., such as a power source unit 100 as shown in FIG. 4), ultrasonic waves are generated in the stationary member 6, and the rotating member 9 rotates in the circumferential direction. When the rotating member 9 rotates, the rotating member 9 and the cam ring 4 rotate together because the engagement groove 9a on the right side of the rotating member 9 engages the engagement protrusion 4d on the cam ring 4. When the cam ring 4 rotates, the lens holding barrel 2 moves along the optical axis so that automatic focus adjustment is conducted.
<Manual Focus Adjustment Mode>
In the manual focus adjustment mode, the mode selection switch 20 is in the position M, and power is not supplied to the ultrasonic motor Mo. When the mode selection switch 20 is slid to the M position, the plate spring 22 is depressed radially outwardly and becomes separated from the engagement grooves 6a. When the engagement grooves 6a and the plate spring 22 are separated from each other, the manual operation ring 10 can rotate. Power is not supplied to the ultrasonic motor Mo in this case, so the ultrasonic motor Mo does not drive the lens barrel. The stationary member 6 and the rotating member 9 are firmly pressed together by the biasing member 14.
Because the friction torque A between the stationary member 6 and the rotating member 9 and the torque C necessary for driving the lens holding barrel 2 satisfy the condition C<A, the stationary member 6 and the rotating member 9 rotate together with the intermediate ring 7 when the manual operation ring 10 rotates.
The rotating member 9 and the cam ring 4 rotate together because the engagement groove 9a on the left side of the rotating member 9 and the engagement protrusion 4d of the cam ring 4 are engaged. When the cam ring 4 rotates, the lens holding barrel 2 is moved in the direction of the optical axis, and manual focus adjustment is conducted.
As described above, when the automatic focus adjustment mode is selected, the mode selection switch is in the A position, and the engagement grooves 6a are engaged with the plate spring 22, whereby the manual operation ring 10 and the stationary member 6 stop rotating.
The friction torque B between the fixed barrel 1 and the stationary member 6 and the torque C necessary for driving the lens holding barrel 2 satisfy the condition C<B, even when the engagement grooves 6a and the plate spring 22 are not engaged . Therefore, when there is no engagement between the grooves 6a and the plate spring 22, only the rotating member 9 rotates (i.e., the stationary member 6 does not rotate). In other words, which focus adjustment mode has been selected can be ascertained by determining whether power is supplied to the ultrasonic motor Mo.
Accordingly, it becomes very easy to adopt a mechanism for effecting speedy change-over of such functions or modes as "go-home" photographing function in which an arbitrary photographing distance has been previously stored in memory and after a photographing is effected at a different photographing distance the lens is driven to the stored photographing distance, as well as a manual focus adjustment mode priority function in which, during phototaking in the automatic focus adjustment mode, the manual operation ring is rotated to thereby change over to the manual focus adjustment mode, since mechanical change-over becomes unnecessary.
The output torque from the moving member and the number of rotations in the ultrasonic motor described above are determined primarily according the size and shape of the motor. In other words, when the torque required to move the photographing optical system is determined, the number of rotations is known. Accordingly, when the time necessary for the photographing optical system to move from a photographing distance of infinity (.infin.) to a close position is determined the corresponding angle through which the moving member must be rotated is also known.
With the conventional lens barrel described above, however, when the manual focus adjustment mode has been selected, the rotor or moving member (i.e., the relative moving member ) and the stationary member or stator of the ultrasonic motor rotate together to drive the photographing optical system by the rotation of these components in conjunction with the manual operation of the manual operation member. Consequently, the angle necessary for rotating the manual operation member from a photographing distance of infinity (.infin.) to a close position is determined. A problem arises, however, when the angle is too small to allow manual focus adjustment.
The applicant has proposed a lens barrel with a built-in ultrasonic motor which overcomes the abovementioned problem in Laid-Open Japanese Patent Application No. 8-114739 (which corresponds to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/539,434 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,872).
FIG. 6 is a cross-section showing an embodiment of the lens barrel with the built-in ultrasonic motor proposed in JP8-114739.
In this embodiment, there are provided a plurality of rollers 25 each supported on a rotary shaft 26 whose center line is perpendicular to the optical axis and which in turn is provided on the outer periphery of the stationary member 6. Each roller 25 is in frictional contact with the fixed barrel 1 and the intermediate ring 7. Accordingly, if the manual operation ring 10 is rotated, the stationary member 6 is rotated about the optical axis on the outer periphery of the center small diameter portion 1c of the fixed barrel 1 through the intermediate ring 7 and the rollers 35.
The angle of rotation of the stationary member 6 at this time is a half of the angle of rotation of the manual operation ring 10 according to the principle of a planetary gear device.
This means that an angle required for rotating the manual operation ring from an infinite (.infin.) photographing distance to a close distance becomes larger than the angle of rotation of the rotor or moving member of the ultrasonic motor, thereby fine manual adjustment becoming possible.
As described, the lens barrel with the built-in ultrasonic motor proposed in JP8-114739 can overcome effectively the problem of the prior art.
In the proposed lens barrel, however, the ratio of the angle of rotation between the manual operation member and the stationary member is fixed to 2:1.
However, with respect to the angle of rotation of the manual operation member from an infinite (.infin.) photographing distance to a close photographing distance, a range in which good focusing operability can be obtained, depends on the specification of the lens barrel, such as, on the focusing length, close distance value and the like.
For this reason, the proposal made in JP8-114739 can not provide a lens barrel having good operability on manual focusing adjustment for all the specifications.


A pultruded shaped composite material of carbon fiber having a diameter not greater than 0.001 inch aligned linearly with a degree of waviness defined by an average amplitude to length (A/L) ratio of less than 0.9 percent, the matrix formed around the fiber and solidified or cured into a rigid form that will not melt during subsequent processing steps to prevent an increase in waviness during subsequent processing steps. The matrix material consists essentially of a resin present in the range of about 10 to 50 percent by volume of the composite material. The A /L ratio is determined by measuring the distribution of angularity found in the aligned carbon fibers in a selective cross section cut at five degrees to the fiber plane, wherein the standard deviation for a 300 sample angularity measurement is not greater than 0.88 degrees.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the area of technology known generally as "composite materials", and in particular to methods and apparatus for producing composite materials and structures of increased strength.
2. Background Information
Composite materials consisting of fibers and a matrix of resin are used to produce a wide range of useful products, from fiberglass sail boats to the recent radar transparent, stealth aircraft. Structures of composite materials have numerous advantages that include the promise of higher strength and lower weight than those of other materials such as metal. The promise has not been fulfilled, however, because some composites materials, principally those using graphite fibers, have compressive strengths that are only a fraction of the tensile strength. Theoretically, composite materials of graphite fiber should have a compressive strength that equals the tensile strength. In practice the compressive strength is much less for reasons that have not been fully understood.
It has been demonstrated that composite materials that include curved graphite fibers have a reduced fatigue resistance. It has been suggested that waviness of graphite fibers in a composite material can reduce compressive strength.
Meanwhile, the commercially available composite materials that include graphite continue to be made with fibers that by reason of waviness, or some other reason, have decreased compressive strength. As a result, the promise of reducing weight by the use of composite materials has not been realized, with a consequent increase in cost and a decrease in performance in structures such as aircraft.

Unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced pultruded composite material having improved compressive strength


Methods and arrangements for generating a voice model in speech processing. Upon accepting at least two input vectors with spectral features, vectors of ranks are created via ranking values of the spectral features of each input vector, ordered vectors are created via arranging the values of each input vector according to rank, and a vector of ordered average values is created via determining the average of corresponding values of the ordered vectors. Thence, a vector of ordered average ranks is created via determining the sum or average of the vectors of ranks, a vector of ordered ranks is created via ranking the values of the ordered average ranks and a spectral feature vector is created via employing the rank order represented by the vector of ordered ranks to reorder the vector of ordered average ranks.

Text-to-speech systems generally include two parts; the first typically takes text as input and generates phonetic and prosodic sequences as output, and the second, the synthesis step, typically takes the phonetic and prosodic sequences as input and generates audio as output. Several efforts have historically been made in connection with the second part, but room for improvement continually exists.
Speech synthesis today is mainly done by one of two methods, either formant synthesis or concatenative speech synthesis. Formant systems are small, but require considerable tuning to achieve acceptable quality, and cannot be automatically matched to a reference voice. Concatenative systems can be automatically trained to match a reference voice, but must be quite large to provide acceptable quality, and require a complex dynamic programming process to generate the audio. A need has therefore been recognized in connection with providing an arrangement that is small, fast, and can be easily trained to match a reference voice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,037 ("Phonetic Hidden Markov Model Speech Synthesizer"; Giustiniani et al.) relates to a system for speech synthesis that uses sequences of feature vectors chosen from a model set as the basis for synthesizing speech. The feature vectors, however, are computed by simple averaging over all instances for each model vector. This has the disadvantage of "smearing" the spectra, resulting in distorted audio upon generation.
Systems for altering voice characteristics, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,012 ("Method and Apparatus for Converting Voice Characteristics of Synthesized Speech"; Lin et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,449 ("Method and Apparatus for Altering Voice Characteristics of Synthesized Speech"; Blanton et al.) rely on modifications of the sampled audio to produce a voice that sounds different, but the types of differences are limited, and they cannot be directed to contain particular desired characteristics. The system for voice transformation discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,303 ("Voice Processor with Adaptive Configuration by Parameter"; Matsumoto) discusses subject matter similar to the Lin et al. and Blanton et al. patents, but uses a set of global parameters estimated from a target speaker to perform the transformation. Similarly to those patents, however, the changes are not specific to particular sounds, and so are limited.
Some systems for voice transformation use the spectral envelope of the source speaker together with the excitation signal component of the target individual to generate the target signal, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,008 ("Speech Synthesis Using Perceptual Linear Prediction Parameters"; Hermansky et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,092 ("Targeted Vocal Transformation"; Gibson et al.) which, like Matsumoto, infra, discusses a limited global transformation.
In another system, spectral equalization is performed based on parallel utterances by the source and target speaker (U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,912, "Formant Converting Apparatus Modifying Singing Voice to Emulate Model Voice"; Matsumoto) but, here, novel utterances are not allowed for.
Other systems use sets of model vectors taken from individual instances of training data, for example, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,442 ("Method and Apparatus for Speaker Individuality Conversion"; Abe et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,521: "Speech Transformation System"; Savic et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,412: "High Performance Voice Transformation Apparatus and Method"; Baumgartner et al.). As a result, the model vectors are subject to noise and variations in the reference speakers' performance, thereby degrading the smoothness of the generated audio.
Some voice coding systems also use model vectors taken from individual instances of training data, for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,879 ("Method and Apparatus for Improved Voice Transmission"; Cline et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,805 ("Retaining Prosody during Speech Analysis for Later Playback"; Boss et al.); the same limitations as with Abe et al., Savic et al., and Baumgartner et al. (all supra) are thus apparent.
One method of voice morphing, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,073 ("System for Automatically Morphing Audio Information"; Slaney) uses a dynamic time warp to align parallel utterances which are interpolated using either cross-fading or a dynamic frequency warping. Cross-fading, however, does not blend the voices, but only overlaps them. Dynamic frequency warping does blend the voices, but the process is complex.
In view of the foregoing, a need has been recognized in connection with improving upon the shortcomings and disadvantages of prior efforts.

Voice model for speech processing based on ordered average ranks of spectral features

International Business Machines Corporation


Hair clasping and brushing device and method of styling hair using the same. The device is capable of being arranged in a brushing configuration for brushing hair and in a clasping configuration for clasping hair, and generally comprises a clasp frame, a brush assembly, a clasp bar, a hinge mechanism, and a releasable clasp locking mechanism. The clasp frame has a first clasp frame end portion, a second clasp frame end portion, and an intermediate clasp frame portion disposed therebetween. The brush assembly is disposed along the intermediate clasp frame portion, for brushing hair. The clasp bar has a first clasp bar end portion, a second clasp bar end portion, and an intermediate clasp bar portion disposed therebetween, which is capable of being grasped in the hand of a user. The hinge mechanism pivotally connects the first clasp frame end portion to the first clasp bar end portion so that the clasp bar can be selectively folded down over the clasp frame to provide the clamping configuration, or longitudinally extended with respect to the clasp frame to provide the brushing configuration. The clasp locking mechanism is provided for releasably locking together the second clasp frame end portion and the second clasp bar end portion when the clasp bar is folded over the clasp frame.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a single device which can be used for brushing and clasping hair, and also to a method of styling hair using such a device.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Hair styling plays an important role in the social life of most men and women in our society. In general, the primary goal of hair styling is to render hair neat and attractive.
For women with longer length hair, a hair brush is often necessary to style and neaten their hair at various times during the day. Consequently, these women must carry a hair brush or comb in their pocketbooks, handbags or purses.
When women with longer length hair desire to hold their hair in place in a particular fashion, they often use a hair clip or bar, referred to as a "barrette". When these women style their hair, they must perform the following sequence of steps in a ritualistic manner. First, they must remove the barrette from their hair, place it aside, and retrieve a brush from their handbag or purse. They then use the brush to style their hair, retrieve the barrette, and use it to hold their hair in a selected fashion. As this procedure is time consuming and requires carrying a brush often in a purse or pocket, most women typically limit styling their hair to once or twice a day. Consequently, their hair does not look as neat and attractive as possible.
Hitherto, a wide variety of hair brushes and combs have been developed. In more recent times, fashion trends have been to carry smaller handbags, and thus there has been a corresponding demand for hair brushes which can be easily folded or collapsed for compact storage. An exemplary number of foldable hair brushes disclosed in U.S Pat. Nos. 4,987,633 to Heneveld; 4,507,818 to Perdiz; 4,494,269 to Makabe; 4,116,205 to Owen; and 4,057,868 to Latham. While the hair brushes disclosed in these U.S. Patents can be used to style hair and thereafter folded for compact storage, they have no other utility when folded and otherwise occupy the handbags, pocketbooks, and purses.
In an effort to provide a single device which can be used, to comb and clasp hair, U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,061 to Colclasure discloses a clasp member which can slidably move along the teeth of a comb in order to clasp hair therebetween. This prior art device, does not, however, provide a brush, is limited in terms of the amount of hair which can be clasped, and generally detracts from the appearance of its user.
Also, while hair clips having teeth elements are generally known in the art, none of these prior art devices can be used to brush and hold hair in a desired manner, while providing an aesthetically pleasing ornamental function.
Thus, there is a great need in the hair styling art for a single device which can be used to facilitate both hair brushing and clasping functions, without detracting from the appearance of the user.


An antenna for a wireless device is provided. The antenna mounts on a substrate such as a printed circuit board. The antenna includes a carrier having sidewalls with inside surfaces defining an internal recess. A conductive trace resides on the carrier. The conductive trace having a first end and a second end opposite the first end with at least one lead extending from an end and extending the sidewall. The lead terminates in a hook that traversing the sidewall and has a portion extending along the inside surface of the internal recess. A locking clip is sized to fit in the internal recess and frictionally lock the portion between an outside surface of the locking clip and the inside surface of the internal recess such that the locking clip locks the portion, the at least one hook, the at least one lead, and the conductive trace in position on the carrier.

Printed circuit, boards or substrates for wireless devices often have antennas mounted on them. Referring to FIG. 1, an antenna 100 mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 102 is shown. As is generally understood in the art, printed circuit board comprises a plurality of electronic circuits 101 on PCB 102 that may be connected to antenna 100 or other portions of the wireless device. Antenna 100 comprises a conductive trace 104, such as a cooper trace, supported by a carrier 106 such that conductive trace 104 resides above, and typically parallel, to the printed circuit board 102. Conductive trace 104 has a first end 108 and a second end 110 opposite first end 108 connected by a body 112. Leads 114 extend from printed circuit board 102 to conductive trace 104 to provide RF power and ground to antenna 100 or, in some instances, the pad on the antenna trace is connected to the printed circuit board for mechanical reasons only.
Conventionally, conductive trace 104 is attached to carrier 106 using an adhesive or the like. In some cases, the adhesive breaks down prior to antenna 100 being mounted on PCB 102. When the adhesive breaks down, conductive trace 104 may move or slide in relation to carrier 106. The movement may influence the electrical characteristics of antenna 100. Moreover, an electrical connection between printed circuit board 102 and leads 114 is formed by electrical connectors 118, such as, for example, press fit contacts or spring contacts. Movement of conductive trace 104 and/or leads 114 may inhibit the ability to connect antenna 100 to radio frequency power.
Against this background, an improved antenna is provided.


A canister including a canister body with a removable lid, incorporating a seal element of elastomeric material, releasably mountable to the canister body. The seal element, bonded to the lid, includes a first sealing surface engaging and sealing to the upper edge of the canister body, and a sealing bead spaced below the sealing surface and engaging and defining a seal with the inner surface of the canister body.

The present invention is concerned with canisters of the type conventionally used for the storage and preservation of foodstuffs, for example, sugar, flour, rice, biscuits, snack foods, and the like. Such canisters are frequently provided in sets, and while normally used in the home, can also be used to contain foodstuffs for purchase in stores.
The principal problem with known canisters is the difficulty in obtaining an effective sealing or closing of the canister to provide a liquid tight and airtight container, while at the same time providing a lid or closure which effectively resists internal pressure build-up and is easily secured to and released from the canister body.
With regard to the problem of pressure build-up, both as the cover is mounted and due to any food-generated gases, it has in the past been known to provide vents. However, such vents will frequently affect the integrity of the seal, and the actual formation of the vents requires precision manufacturing techniques within rather confining parameters.

Canister with pressure resistant sealing lid


An industrial process sensor includes a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis and an outer diameter surface. A cam follower surface is recessed into the outer diameter surface. A diameter reduction is formed on the outer diameter surface, between the cam follower surface and the distal end. The diameter reduction defines an annular process sealing shoulder that faces the distal end and lies in a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis. A sensor element is carried at the distal end. A cable is electrically coupled to the sensor element and extends from the proximal end.

The present invention relates to an industrial process sensor configured for mounting to a process through a cam arm locking coupler.
Industrial process sensors are used in a variety of applications for measuring characteristics, such as pH, of a sample solution. Sensor installations are often positioned in difficult to access locations, and installation may require a ladder or protective clothing. Sensor installations frequently use male pipe threads for securing the sensor into a process threaded pipe or tank fitting. With a threaded fitting, multiple revolutions of the sensor and its attendant electrical cable are required to install or remove the sensor. Installation and removal with threaded fittings usually require a tool and are time consuming and potentially damaging to the sensor.
Alternative fittings have been used to alleviate these problems. These fittings include a union nut fitting, a bolted flange fitting, a compression fitting, a bayonet fitting and a quarter-turn fitting. However, these fittings still require the use of tools or partial rotation of the sensor. For example, a typical bayonet fitting includes engaging pins projecting radially from the sensor surface. The engaging pins pass through slots in the process fitting, which are parallel to the long axis of the sensor, until the engaging pins align with channels formed on the inner diameter surface of the fitting. The sensor is then rotated to slide the pins within the channels, thereby locking the sensor into place. Also, these fittings typically do not provide a visually perceptible indication of a proper seal.


The flow of power through a field effect transistor to a DC motor is controlled by the output of a frequency modulator having a low frequency pulsed signal applied to one input thereof and a high frequency pulsed signal applied to a second input thereof. The pulse width of each "on" pulse of the low frequency pulsed signal is varied in response to a signal representing a desired motor speed. Optionally, the pulse width of each "on" pulse of the high frequency pulsed signal can also be varied in response to the signal representing the desired motor speed. A filter circuit can be employed to prevent rapid changes in the pulse width of the low frequency pulsed signal. Similarly, a filter circuit can be used to avoid rapid changes in the pulse width of the high frequency pulsed signal. A freewheeling diode can be used to minimize inverse voltage spikes across the motor.

Traditionally, the speed (revolutions per minute) and torque (horsepower) of a DC motor have been controlled by varying the magnitude of the voltage applied across the motor and/or the magnitude of the current passed through the motor. One technique employed a variable resistance connected in series with the DC power source and the windings of the DC motor. Another technique employed a variable shunt resistance connected across the motor terminals in parallel with the motor. A third technique employed a combination of series and parallel connected variable resistances. In each of these techniques, a substantial amount of the power provided by the DC power source is wasted due to the power loss in the variable resistance throughout the normal range of motor speed. The dissipation of power in the variable resistance also results in the production of heat in the control circuit, which can be detrimental.
A fourth technique avoided the use of the variable resistance elements by employing an interrupter or chopper to produce "on" pulses having a variable width in order to control the average current available to the motor by changing the pulsewidth of the "on" pulses. However, when a DC voltage is applied to or removed from a DC motor, the inductive components of the motor react to produce voltage and current excursions within the interconnected power system. This inductive reactance is opposite in polarity with the desired change in DC current and detracts from the motor performance. In order to minimize this effect, diodes have been placed across the motor terminals to absorb the inverse voltage spikes. As a result of the diode action, the motor can temporarily overspeed or "freewheel" instead of resisting changes in the RPM of the motor.
The inductive components of the DC motor are inherently sensitive to frequency. The pulsing rate (frequency) used in controlling a DC motor must be high enough to overcome the tendency of the motor to "buck" or "jump" on startup or when running under load at low RPM. However, if the motor RPM is above the stall range, the pulsing rate can be reduced significantly.
Some solid state motor control devices, e.g. the system of Nelson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,229, have utilized a voltage signal from a speed control lever as an input to a high frequency generator to vary the on-off ratio of fixed frequency pulses which are supplied to a power FET circuit to control the power flow to a DC motor. Some of these devices also employ freewheeling diodes to minimize the inverse voltage spikes which occur at the beginning and end of each pulse. These devices generally provide a DC power efficiency which is 10% to 20% better than that achieved with resistive controls. However, each on-off cycle of the high frequency pulses results in a power loss due to heat produced by the transition of the power FET devices from a high resistance value to a low resistance value.
Thus, there is still a need for a control circuit which can achieve a greater efficiency in the operation of a variable speed DC motor.

DC motor control using frequency and pulsewidth modulation


A computer storage system includes a controller and a storage device array. The storage device array may include a first sub-array and a fast storage device sub-array. The first sub-array includes one or more first storage devices storing data. The fast storage device sub-array includes one or more fast storage devices storing a copy of the data stored in the first sub-array.

Disk arrays are used to provide storage for computer applications that need increased reliability in the face of component failures, as well as high performance for normal use. The disks in the disk arrays are often arranged as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID). The RAID arrays provide larger capacity, higher performance and, typically, higher availability for stored data than using disks individually. This is done by distributing the data across multiple disks and with back-up information. The back-up information may be a copy of the data or enough parity information to regenerate the data if a disk or related component fails. Storing a copy of the data usually provides higher performance for read operations, however, write operations can be slower, because both copies of the data must be updated in the RAID.
One problem with RAID arrays is that the disks are relatively inefficient in accessing small amounts of data that are not sequentially stored on a disk. In a typical 4 KB read, a conventional disk might require between 5 and 20 ms to position the disk head before beginning to transfer data, and less than 0.5 ms transferring the data. When copies of the data are stored in a disk array, small writes are typically even more inefficient. The original data and a copy must be written. Accordingly, disk heads corresponding to disks storing the original data and the copy spend time positioning themselves before writing the small amount of data.
Another problem with RAID disk arrays is that when a disk fails, the resulting extra load is not spread uniformly over the remaining disks, and the length of time for rebuilding the data onto a replacement disk is long.
There are several proposed techniques for ameliorating these problems, but each has its own disadvantages. In one technique, two copies of the data, each using different stripe sizes, are maintained. Both copies are on a disk, and the disk has both a "large-striped" copy and a "small-striped copy." Having one copy that is large-striped improves performance for large, sequential input/output (I/O) accesses. However, there is no provision for spare space to accommodate disk failures, and this technique generally does not improve rebuild time after a disk fails.
A second technique incorporates distributed sparing. A spare space is distributed over a pair of disk arrays. If a disk fails, the data in that disk is reconstructed and temporarily stored in the spare space on the other array. When the failed disk is replaced, the data is then copied back to this disk. Because the data to be copied is distributed over the disk array, a significant amount of a disk head movement is typically needed to perform the copy-back operation, which results in poor performance.

Storage system using fast storage device for storing redundant data


A treatment device for improving the cutting properties of the blade of a non-electric shaving razor. The device has a treatment surface for interacting with the cutting edge of the razor blade, as the blade is put into sliding contact with the treatment surface. The treatment surface has a plurality of resilient honing projections that are compressed as the blade is moved in sliding contact with the surface.

There are known devices for sharpening the blades of non-electric shaving razors (such as permanent or disposable manual safety razors) in order to improve their cutting properties and so prolong their operational lifespan. Certain of these devices use sophisticated mechanical or electronic components and mechanisms that abrade a razor blade (or blades) in order to make it sharp again. Typical examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,540,078, 1,588,322, 2,289,062, 2,458,257, 3,854,251, 3,875,702, 5,036,731, 5,224,302, 6,062,970, 6,506,106, and 6,969,299, as well as in PCT Patent Publication WO 2006/053189-A1 and British Patent Publication No. GB-332130.
These devices overlook the particular characteristics and mechanical properties of a razor blade (such as its ductility and malleability), as well as plastic deformation(s) that can occur along the limits of the cutting edges of these blades (i.e., in an area typically within three (3) microns of the blade's cutting edge). In particular, the round-shaped rims of the microscopic cutting edges that perform the cutting action define radii of no more than 0.00005 mm (0.000002″). However, these micro-fine edges are, in fact, considerably smaller than the average size of the abrading grit considered or used by many known sharpening devices, namely an average size of about one (1) micron, or approximately 0.001 mm (0.00005″). Accordingly, abrasive grit is not well suited to bring a dulled blade back to its original condition due to its grain size as the destructive abrading action between the blade and the grit may create micro-indentations along the cutting edge of a razor blade that promotes plastic flow toward the hidden side of the edges, and which consequently compromises the shaving comfort of a user.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device for use on non-electric shaving razors for treating the blades of these razors in order to improve their cutting properties.

Device for treating blades to improve their cutting properties


A computer-implemented method includes identifying a representation of a feature of an animated character by inverting an skinned representation of the feature in one position. The inversion includes a non-linear inversion of the skinned representation of the feature. The method also includes skinning the identified feature representation to produce the animated character in another position.

Numerical models may be generated by a computer to represent bones and joints that may be combined to form a skeleton of an animation character. By displacing and rotating the joints and bones, the character may be animated to illustrate various types of motion and mannerisms. Through a process known as enveloping or skinning, a deformable mesh or other similar representation is wrapped around the skeleton to provide the character with an outer layer (such as skin). By attaching the deformable mesh to the skeleton, movement of the skeleton may be transferred to the mesh and correspondingly deform the mesh to illustrate animation.


A hermetically sealed container is provided with a dispensing nozzle terminating in an aperture surrounded by locking lugs. A removable closure portion unitary with the dispensing nozzle and delineated by a frangible web that circumscribes the opening is provided as well so that the closure portion may be severed from the cap portion at the frangible web. An apparatus for fabricating such container is provided which includes a main mold assembly for molding the container body and dual seal mold assemblies for molding the container cap portion and container closure. The main seal mold assembly includes a top surface having a knife edge and an annular cavity. After the main seal mold assembly is closed during the molding process, a forming assembly including a mandrel is extended through the parison into abutting contact with the parison over the top surface of the main seal mold assembly. The mandrel is urged against the parison and the parison is urged against the knife edge and into the annular cavity for respectively forming the frangible web between the cap portion and closure portion of the container and molding the lugs on the dispensing nozzle of the container.

Methods and apparatus for moldings filling and sealing hollow thermoplastic containers are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,793 to Weiler et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,966 to Weiler et al.
Of particular interest is the method for forming and filling a container, of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,793, which container includes a frangible web to allow a closure to be severed and removed from the container.
The method disclosed therein initially includes the step of extruding a tubular parison between two coacting main mold halves. The main mold halves are then closed around the parison. A segment of the extruded parison is severed at a location extending out of the closed mold halves and the severed segment is held open by a pair of holding jaws.
Next, a blowing and filling nozzle assembly is moved downwardly into the parison opening and between two sealing mold halves. The nozzle assembly includes a mandrel which is urged against the parison wall. The container is then formed by blowing gas to extend the parison segment outwardly against the walls of the main mold halves.
Thereafter, liquid is introduced into the formed container through a fill nozzle. After the container has been filled, the blowing and filling nozzle assembly is retracted and the sealing mold halves are moved together pinching the exposed top portion of the parison segment to form a unitary closure for the container and delineated from the container by a frangible web.
After the container has been sealed at the top, the main mold halves and the separate upper sealing mold halves are opened and the finished container is removed.
Although the above-discussed apparatus and method for forming a container with a frangible web is satisfactory in many applications, it is not adapted for the application where it is desirable to form and mold not only a frangible web between the container and the closure of the container but also to provide locking lugs around the access opening for the container.
It would thus be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for simultaneously molding a frangible web between the container and its unitary closure as well as locking lugs for connecting the container to a dispensing system such as an intravenous kit. The present invention meets these needs.

Hermetically sealed container with frangible web and locking lugs and method and apparatus for making same


A write-once optical recording medium and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the recording medium, are provided. The recording medium includes at least one recording layer and SRR information on the recording layer. The SRR information pertains to at least one SRR and includes a header, an SRR entry list, and a terminator. The SRR entry list includes a plurality of SRR entries, each of the SRR entries pertaining to an SRR and including at least one status area for storing therein session start information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a write-once optical disc, and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the write-once optical disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an optical recording medium, optical discs on which high-capacity data can be recorded are widely being used. Among them, a new high-density optical disc, for example, a Blu-ray disc, has been recently developed for recording and storing high-definition video data and high-quality audio data for a long term period.
The Blu-ray disc is the next generation HD-DVD technology and the next generation optical recording solution, and has an excellent capability to s02FDIS045US01 tore data more than an existing DVD. Recently, a technical specification of international standard for HD-DVD has been established.
The Blu-ray disc, one of the international standards for HD-DVD, uses a 405 nm blue laser, which is much denser than a 650 nm red laser used in the existing DVDs. In addition, compared to the existing DVDs, a larger quantity of data can be stored in the Blu-ray disc having a thickness of 1.2 mm and a diameter of 12 cm. Generally, the Blu-ray disc has an optical transmission layer with the thickness of 0.1 mm.
Recently, a standard relating to the Blu-ray disc is being developed. Following a rewritable Blu-ray disc (BD-RE), various standards for a write-once Blu-ray disc (BD-WO) are being prepared. Specifically, among the standards for the BD-WO, a method for recording management information has been discussed. This method involves a process of recording information indicating the used status of the write-once optical disc.
The information indicating the used status of the disc is information indicating a recorded status of the disc in order to allow a host or a user to easily find a recordable area on the write-once optical disc. In the existing write-once optical disc, this information is called differently. For example, in the case of CD series, the recorded status indicating information is called track information. In the case of DVD series, the recorded status indicating information is called an RZone, a fragment or a recording range.
FIG. 1 shows the structure of a DVD-R according to a related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the management information of the disc is recorded in a recording management data (RMD) area. The information indicating the used status of the disc is managed using RMD Fields 4 to 12 of the recording management area (RMA). There are an open RZone, an invisible RZone and a close RZone.
If the host or the like requests a recordable location to additionally record data on the DVD-R, the driver checks the recorded status indicating information (RZone information) recorded in the above-described manner and checks last recorded addresses LRAs of first and second open RZones and transmits generally the location "LRA+1" as the recordable location to the host. The recordable location is called a "next writable address" (NWA). Due to the transmitted NWA information, the host or the like is allowed to validly perform the additional recording on the disc.
However, since the existing DVD-R and other disc types are different from a write-once Blu-ray disc (BD-WO) in their physical structure and use environment, the conventional method of providing the management information cannot be applied to the BD-WO. In case of the BD-WO, a driver manages disc defects, but the BD-WO is required to have a special additional area for the driver to manage the defects. The BD-WO, thus, has a complex disc structure and as a result, the method of managing the recorded status indicating information of the DVD-R cannot be used for the BD-WO.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of efficiently recording management information corresponding to the used status of a high density write-once optical disc such as a BD-WO, so that the disc can be accessed easily and used more effectively. And such management information should be structured to ensure compatibility with the overall structure, use and standards of the BD-WO. In addition, there is a demand for a method of recording management information on a disc, which can be applied to other write-once high-density optical discs performing defect management, as well as to the above Blu-ray discs.

Write-once optical disc, and method and apparatus for recording management information thereon


In a system that provides network-based computer infrastructure services, a monitoring agent is installed on a computer to gather and report operational metrics from various sources, which may include infrastructure support services as well as elements of the computer itself. Metrics to be gathered and reported by the monitoring agent, as well as the format in which metrics are to be reported, are specified declaratively so that they can be changed without altering the procedural aspects of the monitoring agent.

Large-scale, network-based computing represents a paradigm shift from traditional client-server computing relationships. With large-scale, network-based service platforms (e.g., data centers), customers are able to leverage shared resources on demand by renting resources that are owned by third parties and that reside "in the cloud." With these resources, users of the platform are able to launch and maintain large applications without actually owning or servicing the underlying infrastructure necessary for these applications. As a result, network-based service platforms have expanded the class of individuals and companies able to effectively compete in the realm of computing applications.

Operational reporting in a computing environment


This invention is directed to a ferromagnetic tunnel junction, an MR element and a magnetic head. A ferromagnetic tunnel junction is constituted by sequentially laminating a first ferromagnetic film, an insulating film and a second ferromagnetic film. These are laminated on an appropriate insulating substrate. The present invention is characterized in that the barrier potential of the insulating film is set within a range of 0.5 to 3 eV. A ferromagnetic tunnel junction with which a high MR ratio can be achieved with good reproduction characteristics is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ferromagnetic tunnel junction, a magnetoresistive element (hereafter referred to as MR element) which employs the ferromagnetic tunnel junction as a sensing portion and it also relates to a magnetic head employing this element.
2. Discussion of Background
Magnetoresistive heads (hereafter referred to as MR heads) that utilize the anisotropic magnetoresistance (hereafter referred to as AMR) effect are in commercial production as magnetic heads for high density magnetic recording. However, since an AMR head typically employs an AMR effect film such as NiFe to constitute the magnetic film, its magnetoresistive ratio (hereafter referred to as MR ratio) and sensitivity are low, at approximately 2% and 0.5%/Oe respectively. Therefore, development of magnetoresistive films (hereafter referred to as MR films) with a higher MR ratio and a higher sensitivity is required.
As a technology that will meet this requirement, a new phenomenon, i.e., the giant magnetoresistance effect (hereafter referred to as GMR effect), has come to light in recent years and since it affords a greater MR ratio compared to the AMR effect film in the prior art, much research into this phenomenon has been conducted. In particular, the GMR effect achieved by utilizing a spin valve (SV) film has become the focus of great interest. Since a spin valve film with a film structure constituted of ferromagnetic film/non-magnetic metallic film/ferromagnetic film/antiferromagnetic film, which creates the GMR effect, demonstrates characteristics with a high degree of sensitivity, at 2 to 5%/Oe, it is thought to have potential as a reproduction element in a next generation magnetic head and further research has commenced toward achieving practical utilization thereof.
Apart from the GMR effect, the phenomenon known as the ferromagnetic tunneling effect, whereby a tunneling effect manifests depending upon the relative angles of magnetization of two ferromagnetic films in a junction constituted of a ferromagnetic film/insulating film/ferromagnetic film, is of interest and research into development of an MR element utilizing this phenomena has been in progress. Since a ferromagnetic tunneling effect film provides an extremely high degree of magnetic field sensitivity, it has potential to be adopted as a reproduction magnetic head in ultra high density magnetic recording on the order of 10 Gbit/inch.sup.2. In IEEE Trans. Magn., MAG-18, 707 (1982), S. Maekawa, V. Gafvert et. al. demonstrated theoretically and through experiment that the manifestation of the tunneling effect depends upon the relative angles of magnetization of the two magnetic films in a magnetic film/insulating film/magnetic film junction.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 42417/1992 discloses a magnetic head provided with a ferromagnetic tunneling effect film capable of detecting minute changes in leaked magnetic flux with a higher degree of sensitivity and a higher degree of resolution than an MR head in the prior art and also discloses that the reproduction sensitivity can be further improved by reducing the junction area to reduce the incidence of pinhole formation in the insulating film.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 103014/1992 discloses a ferromagnetic tunneling effect film that applies a bias magnetic field from an antiferromagnetic film to a magnetic film and a magnetic head employing this ferromagnetic tunneling effect film.
Furthermore, T. Miyazaki, N. Tezuka et. al. report in J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 139 (1995) L231 that an MR ratio of 18% was achieved at room temperature in an Fe/Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Fe tunnel junction. In addition, M. Pomerantz, J. C. Sloczewski, E. Spiller et.al. disclose an Fe/a-Carbon/Fe film.
There are a number of problems that have yet to be addressed in the various types of ferromagnetic tunnel junctions that have been disclosed to date.
Publications on the known art such as Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 42417/1992, for instance, disclose several means for detecting minute changes in a magnetic flux with a high degree of sensitivity by employing an MR element provided with a ferromagnetic tunneling effect film in order to achieve a high, stable output. In one of such means, one of a pair of magnetic films constituting an MR film with a multilayer structure, namely, the magnetic film whose direction of magnetization changes due to leak magnetic flux from the medium, is required to have a reduced anisotropic dispersion angle and to have a single magnetic domain to ensure that the magnetization rotation occurs entirely and at once. To be more specific, a single magnetic domain is achieved by inserting an intermediate film such as BN in the magnetic film.
However, even with a film with a small anisotropic dispersion angle formed in this manner, there is still a problem in that when the film is patterned to a size of several .mu.m to be operated in a high frequency magnetic field at or above several tens of MHz, disturbance in units of microns in the spinning direction occurs at the end portions of the finely patterned film, thereby forming a magnetic domain wall, which, in turn, disrupts the single magnetic domain structure and results in Barkhausen noise and the like.
Next, in regard to the AMR magnetic head and the spin valve GMR magnetic heads in the prior art, a method for preventing Barkhausen noise by forming a magnetic domain control film at the two end portions of the MR film to apply a longitudinal bias has been disclosed (prior art publications: U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,037 and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 21166/1996). In these structures, the magnetic domain control films are formed in direct contact with the areas of the two end portions of the entire sensing portion, since as an AMR head or a spin valve GMR head is used with the current being supplied in a direction parallel to the surface of the MR element, no problem is posed in practical use, even if the magnetic domain control films are in contact with the two end portions of the sensing portion.
However, in a ferromagnetic tunnel junction in which a first ferromagnetic film, an insulating film and a second ferromagnetic film are laminated in the vertical direction, a change in magnetoresistance occurs because of a tunnel current flowing in the direction of the lamination. Thus, if bias magnetic layers for magnetic domain control are placed in contact with the overall end portions of the sensing portion as in the prior art, the upper and lower ferromagnetic films, which are separated by the insulating film, become electrically shorted, cutting off the tunnel current and, consequently, no magnetoresistance change is achieved.
In order to adopt a shield type magnetic head in high density recording/reproduction, it is necessary to reduce the distance between the shields at the ABS. In a shield type magnetic head, an insulating film constituted of alumina and so on, for instance, is normally provided in order to maintain insulation between the ferromagnetic tunnel junction and the shield films in addition to the ferromagnetic tunnel junction between the shields.
Consequently, in order to reduce the distance between the shields, the thicknesses of the insulating film and the ferromagnetic tunnel junction must be set as small as possible. However, if the electrode film is made to be exposed at the ABS as disclosed in the publications on the known art, even with the thicknesses of the insulating film and the ferromagnetic tunnel junction reduced, a certain distance is still required between the electrode film and the shield films, constituting an obstacle to reduction of the shield distance and, therefore, it is not suited for high density recording/reproduction.
In the publications on the known art, the area over which the electrode film is provided is large to ensure that all current runs through the ferromagnetic tunnel junction. However, since it is necessary to assure resisting voltage equal to or greater than a specific level between the ferromagnetic tunnel junction and the shield films, if the electrode film is made to be exposed at the ABS taking up a large area, as disclosed in the publications on the known art, dielectric breakdown due to static electricity tends to occur, and therefore it is not desirable.
It is to be noted that the ferromagnetic tunnel junction according to the present invention is the same as the ferromagnetic tunneling effect film described above.

Ferromagnetic tunnel junction, magnetoresistive element and magnetic head


A shelving assembly includes a support plate, left and right side supports, and rear and front anti-tip and retention features. The side supports each include a front end located adjacent to a front edge of the support plate, and a rear end located adjacent to a rear edge of the support plate. A portion of the rear and front anti-tip and retention features is disposed above the support plate for preventing tipping and for retaining the support plate on the side supports. The front and rear anti-tip and retention features are spaced apart such that a majority of the top surface of the support plate along opposite left and right side edges is freely exposed and unencumbered by the front and rear anti-tip and retention features.

Appliances contain shelves and similar storage devices within the appliance interior used to organize and support stored goods such as food and containers. These shelves and similar storage devices can be made from a variety of materials including glass, plastic, wood and metals, such as wire and sheet steel.
Conventional appliances are known to include different types of shelving designs. Some conventional shelving designs include assemblies comprising the use of different materials such as glass, plastic and metals. The kinds of materials used in shelf assemblies are chosen for a variety of reasons including cost, strength, quality, features offered, performance characteristics and design flexibility.
Many conventional shelving assemblies are often bulky and frequently utilize a combination of several of the materials identified above. In addition, conventional shelving assemblies can include adhesives, rivets or silicones to help with manufacture and assembly. One common type of conventional shelving assembly design is often referred to as encapsulated glass shelving. In this type of shelving assembly, the perimeter of a piece of glass is encapsulated in plastic such that the plastic covers the sides and adjacent edge portions of the top and bottom of the glass. Such arrangements typically rest on two metal support brackets. Such designs may also be commonly referred to as encapsulated glass cantilever shelving.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Anti-tip and retention assembly for appliance support plate


The present invention provides an oil composition for parenteral administration comprising a dihydropolyprenol of formula I and a pharmaceutically acceptable oil ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of 5 to 7.

Dihydropolyprenols are a class of known polyprenols that have been found to enhance nonspecific host defenses against a variety of pathogenic microbes in rodents, cows, calves, pigs and swine. Because of their properties of enhancing host resistance, these compounds may be utilized as agents to treat or control infections in animals and human beings.
However, it is becoming increasingly evident that drug development involves much more than merely finding the compound with maximum biological activity. Many other aspects must be considered before a potent active compound can become a medicinal product. Items of high importance are the stability of the active agent, the absorption behavior from the intended site of administration, the physical state of the active agent, and many other related considerations. Economic factors such as the cost of the bulk drug are additional considerations to those of the properties of the active agent itself.
Recognizing these problems, the present invention provides an unexpected oil composition of dihydropolyprenols, which is pharmaceutically elegant and avoids all the problems noted above. This oil composition limits the components to just the vehicle (i.e., oil) and dihydropolyprenols to be efficacious; therefore, it has the potential for a longer shelf-life as there are fewer components interacting with dihydropolyprenols in a detrimental manner. The oil composition also protects dihydropolyprenols from oxidation, a primary degradation pathway for polyprenols, since oxygen would need to diffuse through the oil vehicles to the dihydropolyprenols and more advantageously some oils contain endogenous antioxidants. In addition, physical stability is not a concern with an oil composition since it is a single phase solution. On the other hand, other formulations such as, for example, emulsions disclosed in the related art, are two phases and have the possibility of interreacting each other with time.
The oil composition of the present invention is easy to administer since it can be more concentrated than emulsion formulations, which results in less volume being injected into animals. For example, the emulsion formulation is normally made at 10 mg/mL while our oil based formulation can be at least 150 mg/mL, with a 15-fold reduction in the volume. Also, this oil composition can be easily syringed since the viscosity is low enough for it to flow through a typically used syringe and needle while for example, an implantable pellet containing dihydropolyprenols would be more difficult to administer to animals.
Finally, a simple method is available for manufacturing oil compositions of dihydropolyprenols at a large production size while more complicated and expensive methods are often required for other dosage forms.


A method for producing a golf club head made of joined component pieces in which a mold black is split into separate first molds. Each of the first molds have a cavity patterned after one of the joined component pieces. In one embodiment, superplastic alloy plates are positioned within the first molds. The alloy plates are heated and pressurized fluid is simultaneously introduced into the cavities of the first mold for superplastic deformation of the plates. The alloy plates are then positioned within second molds and pressed to form the component pieces. The formed component pieces have shaped piece sections having small radii of curvature. The component pieces are joined to form the golf head. In another embodiment, one of the alloy plates is pressed by the second molds prior to being inserted within the first molds. The pressed alloy plate corresponds to one of the component pieces and has piece sections having a small radius of curvature. The other alloy plate, which has not been pressed by the second molds, is also positioned within the first molds. The other alloy plate has piece sections with a large radius of curvature. The alloy plates are subject to superplastic deformation as described in the first embodiment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club head and a process for producing the same, and more particularly relates to improvements in mechanical properties and production of a hollow metallic golf club head of a metal wood or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A golf club head of this type has a planar face and a round body section including a sole, crown, heel and toe. Such a metal golf club head has conventionally been produced by precision casting from metals such a stainless steel alloys, aluminum alloys, titanium alloys and beryllium-copper alloys. Production by castings is, however, inevitably accompanied with segregation of components, generation of casting defects and coarse state of crystal particles which often exceed 0.5 mm in diameter. These factors in production usually result in poor proof stress and tensile strength of the product. Due to such low mechanical properties, it is difficult to provide the conventional metal golf club head with a thin shell construction. That is, increase in club head size unavoidably entails a thick shell construction which naturally increases the weight of the golf club head.
Thus, for the purpose of reduction in weight, a conventional metal golf club head is forced to assume a small dimension which allows provision of a very small sweet area only, thereby lowering the directional stability of the golf club head. That is, a ball struck by the golf club head does not fly correctly in the direction intended by its user.
As a substitute for such production by casting, a plastic process such as forging and pressing has lately been developed. More specifically, several pieces such as a face and a body section are first prepared by a plastic process and next joined together via, for example, welding to form a hollow main body of a metal golf club head. The body section is usually made up of two or more pieces which are joined together prior to joining to the face.
More specifically in real production via the plastic process, separate section models are prepared copying the shapes of the face, the crown and the sole of a golf club head to be produced. Next the section models are assembled together to form a hollow metallic mold. After placing an alloy plate, e.g., a Ti alloy plate, in position within the metallic mold, the mold with the alloy plate is heated up to, for example, 950.degree. C. with concurrent introduction of high pressure inert gas such as Ar gas in order to press the alloy plate against the inner wall of the metallic mold. After continued heating for about 60 min. the shaped parts are taken out of the mold for subsequent surface finishing. A part copying the face is prepared by a separate cutting process. The parts thus prepared are joined together via welding to a golf club head main body which is then assembled with a hosel to form a golf club head.
The golf club head produced by the plastic process is free from various troubles caused by the casting process, but is still accompanied by several drawbacks mainly caused by welding employed in production for joining the shaped parts. When striking balls, the face of the golf club head warps significantly and, as a consequence, high compressive stress acts on the welded junction between the face and the body section. The welded junction is additionally exposed to bending stress which is also caused by warping of the face when striking balls. Thus, the welded junction is rather poor in mechanical durability.
Further during production, the face and the body section are prepared by separate plastic processes and joined together thereafter via welding. This joining via welding tends to lower the dimensional accuracy of the product and the separate preparation apparently lowers production efficiency.

Golf club head and a process for producing the same


An implantable hearing prosthesis for a recipient patient is described. An implantable signal transducer includes one or more electromagnetic drive coils for receiving an electrical stimulation signal and a cylindrical transducer magnet arrangement including an inner disk magnet having a first magnetic field direction, and an outer annular magnet surrounding the inner rod magnet and having a second magnetic field direction opposite to the first magnetic field direction. Current flow through the one or more electromagnetic drive coils from the electrical stimulation signal creates a coil magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement to create vibration in the transducer magnet which is developed by the signal transducer as a mechanical stimulation signal for audio perception by the patient.

A normal ear transmits sounds as shown in FIG. 1 through the outer ear 101 to the tympanic membrane (eardrum) 102, which moves the ossicles of the middle ear 103 (malleus, incus, and stapes) that vibrate the oval window and round window openings of the cochlea 104. The cochlea 104 is a long narrow organ wound spirally about its axis for approximately two and a half turns. It includes an upper channel known as the scala vestibuli and a lower channel known as the scala tympani, which are connected by the cochlear duct. The cochlea 104 forms an upright spiraling cone with a center called the modiolar where the spiral ganglion cells of the acoustic nerve 113 reside. In response to received sounds transmitted by the middle ear 103, the fluid-filled cochlea 104 functions as a transducer to generate electric pulses which are transmitted to the cochlear nerve 113, and ultimately to the brain.
Hearing is impaired when there are problems in the ability to transduce external sounds into meaningful action potentials along the neural substrate of the cochlea 104. To improve impaired hearing, various types of hearing prostheses have been developed. For example, when hearing impairment is associated with the cochlea 104, a cochlear implant with an implanted stimulation electrode can electrically stimulate auditory nerve tissue within the cochlea 104 with small currents delivered by multiple electrode contacts distributed along the electrode. FIG. 1 also shows some components of a typical cochlear implant system which includes an external microphone that provides audio information to an external signal processor 111 where various signal processing schemes can be implemented. The processed data communications signal with the audio information is then converted into a digital data format, such as a sequence of data frames, for transcutaneous transmission by an external transmitting coil 107 to a corresponding receiving coil in an implant processor 108. Besides extracting the audio information from the data communications signal, the implant processor 108 also performs additional signal processing such as error correction, pulse formation, etc., and produces a stimulation pattern (based on the extracted audio information) that is sent through an electrode lead 109 to an implanted electrode array 110. Typically, this electrode array 110 includes multiple electrodes on its surface that provide selective stimulation of the cochlea 104.
When hearing impairment is related to operation of the middle ear 103, a conventional hearing aid may be used to provide acoustic-mechanical vibration to the auditory system. With conventional hearing aids, a microphone detects sound which is amplified and transmitted in the form of acoustical energy by a speaker or another type of transducer into the middle ear 103 by way of the tympanic membrane 102. Interaction between the microphone and the speaker can sometimes cause an annoying and painful a high-pitched feedback whistle. The amplified sound produced by conventional hearing aids also normally includes a significant amount of distortion.
Efforts have been made to eliminate the feedback and distortion problems using middle ear implants that employ electromagnetic transducers. A coil winding is held stationary by attachment to a non-vibrating structure within the middle ear 103 and microphone signal current is delivered to the coil winding to generate an electromagnetic field. A magnet is attached to an ossicle within the middle ear 103 so that the magnetic field of the magnet interacts with the magnetic field of the coil. The magnet vibrates in response to the interaction of the magnetic fields, causing vibration of the bones of the middle ear 103. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,305, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Middle ear implants using electromagnetic transducers can present some problems. Many are installed using complex surgical procedures which present the usual risks associated with major surgery and which also require disarticulating (disconnecting) one or more of the bones of the middle ear 103. Disarticulation deprives the patient of any residual hearing he or she may have had prior to surgery, placing the patient in a worsened position if the implanted device is later found to be ineffective in improving the patient's hearing.
U.S. Patent Publication 20070191673 and U. S. Provisional Patent Application 61/121,399, filed Dec. 10, 2008, which are incorporated herein by reference, describe driving a relatively large inertial mass to vibrate the skull bone of a hearing impaired patient. As shown in FIG. 2, a floating mass transducer (FMT) 203 is mechanically connected to the temporal bone of the patient. The mass of the floating mass transducer (FMT) 203 vibrates in response to the audio information in a data communications signal originating from an external processor 201 and transmitted to an implanted receiving coil 202. Bone conduction of the FMT vibrations through the temporal bone are transduced into fluid motion within the cochlea and perceived as sound.

MRI safe actuator for implantable floating mass transducer


Marine umbilicals are provided comprising polyamide compositions having good hydrolysis resistance and that may optionally contain plasticizer.

Marine umbilicals are used to transport materials and information between a control or processing facility such as a platform, surface vessel, or land-based installation, and an undersea oil wellhead. The umbilicals comprise a plurality of inner tubes encased in an outer casing. The inner tubes may independently convey materials such as hydraulic fluids, organic solvents such as methanol, corrosion inhibitors, hot water, etc. from the surface to the wellhead. The solvents and hot water may be used to remove asphaltines, waxes, tars, and other contaminants accumulated on the walls of well pipes. Other inner tubes may provide a conduit for communication cables such electrical and electronic cables or fiber optic cables.
Umbilicals often comprise internal steel tubes encased in an outer polymeric pipe, where the steel tubes are used to convey chemicals such as hydraulic fluids, organic solvents, hot water, and the like. Although steel can be resistant to the chemicals and any elevated pressures used, it can have the disadvantages of high cost, high weight, and poor flexibility and fatigue strength. Flexibility and fatigue strength are particularly important in applications where the umbilical is subjected to stresses caused by ocean currents, waves, transportation, and the like.
Because they have good chemical resistance, good physical properties, light weight, and can be conveniently formed into tubular structures with a variety of cross sections and incorporated into multilayered structures, polyamides are often a desirable material to use for pipes and tubes. However, many marine umbilical applications require that the inner tubes be exposed to nucleophiles such as water and alcohols at elevated temperatures. Under such conditions, the amide bonds of many polyamides may be susceptible to hydrolysis and the rate of hydrolysis increases with temperature. Hydrolysis of the amide bonds can cause a reduction in molecular weight and concomitant loss in physical properties that can result in failure of the pipe during use. Such a failure can be catastrophic, with the loss of fluid causing undesirable consequences ranging from the impairment of the performance of other components present in the umbilical, to contact of the fluid with the external environment if the outer pipe fails.
Aliphatic polyamides such as polyamide 6,12 or polyamide 11 are frequently used to make pipes and tubing, but many applications require greater hydrolysis resistance than can be obtained from currently available polyamides.
It would be desirable to obtain a marine umbilical inner tube component comprising a polyamide composition that has both improved hydrolysis resistance and can be conveniently plasticized to give it the flexibility needed to be useful in many applications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,538,198, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a marine umbilical including tubes having an inner polymer sleeve and an outer sleeve of carbon fibers in an epoxy matrix positioned around the inner sleeve.

Marine umbilical comprising hydrolysis resistant polyamides


Each pixel cell (12) of an image sensor (10) is made of a 4-Tr structure, in which only one Tr for resetting a column (X) is so added to an ordinary 3-Tr APS as to reset only an arbitrary pixel selectively, thereby to confine the pixel size. When a pixel signal is to be read, the period, for which the pixel signals composing an ordinary image of one frame are read, is finely divided so that the pixel signals of the pixels receiving an ID light for the period are read out bit by bit and repeatedly. At this time, for only the column being read, an electric current is fed to a read amplifier in the pixel cell (12) or a variable gain amplifier in an output unit (14), thereby to suppress the power consumption. As a result, a lower power consumption and a higher pixel formation can be attained in an image pickup device for picking up an image and for acquiring the ID information of a light beacon existing in the image pickup range.

In recent years, a new type of system called the identification (ID) recognition camera system (or ID cam) has been proposed. It includes an optical beacon for emitting a blinking signal containing ID information and other items of information relating to electronic devices and a camera with a high-speed image sensor. For example, a system disclosed in Patent Document 1 captures a series of images with an ID-recognition camera and outputs them as a scene image. Then, it decodes the blinking data of the optical beacon by use of all pixel values to create an ID image. Practical applications of this ID-recognition camera system have been also proposed, such as an audio assist system disclosed in Patent Document 2 and an automatic photography system disclosed in Patent Document 3.
The above-described ID-recognition camera system has the function of displaying an image captured with the camera, on which the ID information of each of the optical beacons detected within the captured image is shown at or near the detection point of each optical beacon, allowing users to select some of the ID information according to necessity and to use the related information. Such a system enables users to select one of the electronic devices and indicators and perform data communications with the selected device or control it, using a handheld information terminal.
On the other hand, various techniques using visible light for information transmission and communication have been drawing people's attention. Some of the new approaches are aimed at data communication using indoor or outdoor lighting, traffic signals, indicators of electronic devices or similar light emitters as optical beacons (for example refer to Non-Patent Document 1).
Any system employing such an optical beacon requires a special imaging device for extracting identification information transmitted by the optical beacon present within the captured images, which are normal, two-dimensional images. In general, the signal-reading speed of an image sensor used in a normal imaging device is determined in conformity to the standard frame frequency. Typically, the frame frequency is 30 Hz (frames per second: fps). In contrast, the blinking (or intensity-modulating) frequency of an optical beacon depends on the transmission rate of the identification information. To ensure an adequate amount of information to be transmitted, the blinking or intensity-modulating frequency should be minimally several hundreds Hz, preferably 1 to 100 kHz or higher. Thus, the frequency of the optical beacon is much higher than the frame frequency. Therefore, it is difficult to correctly detect the optical beacon by generally known methods for reading pixel signals from normal image sensors.
Conventionally, some image sensors that can be used in the aforementioned type of system have been proposed. For example, a system disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2 acquires the ID signals by reading pixel signals at a frame rate of 10 kfps, which is much higher than the standard frame frequency. This method is suitable to create a high pixel density device since it allows the use of a pixel circuit approximately identical to those used in normal image sensors without hardly increasing the pixel size. However, this system consumes a considerable amount of electricity; therefore it is necessary to supply a larger amount of current to the circuit components, such as an amplifier for reading the signals, since the operation frequency of the signal-reading circuit increases with the frame frequency. For example, the power consumption of the image sensor disclosed in Non-Patent Document 2 is as high as 2 Watts, which is considerably higher than those of normal image sensors having an equal number of pixels. Incorporating such an image sensor into a small-sized information device is impractical because it will significantly shorten the operating time of the device. Furthermore, use of an image sensor consuming so much power makes the device difficult to design because the heat-releasing performance must be considered. Another problem is that the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the readout signal is low. This is because the readout noise is high due to the high frequency band of the signal-reading circuit while the signal level is low due to the shorter period of time for collecting electric charges.
In a system shown in Non-Patent Document 3, an analogue circuit for detecting the light intensity modulation component of the ID signal transmitted by the optical beacon is provided for each pixel so that the identification information can be extracted within a pixel cell receiving the light emitted from the optical beacon. This method is advantageous in that, even though the signal change is minimal, the modulation component can be detected with a high S/N ratio since each pixel cell has inside a high-gain amplifier. However, this method is not suitable for creating a high pixel density device because the pixel size is considerably large due to the use of more transistors in one pixel circuit than in a pixel circuit of normal image sensors. Moreover, another factor impeding the creation of a high pixel density device is that the power consumption per pixel cell is much higher than in conventional cases since electric current must be continually supplied to the amplifier to operate the analogue circuit inside each pixel cell. This is another factor that impedes the creation of a high pixel density device.
[Patent Document 1] Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-323239
[Patent Document 2] Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-345376
[Patent Document 3] Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-348390
[Non-Patent Document 1] "Kashikou Tsuushin Toha (What is Visible Light Communication?"), [Online], Kashikou Tsuushin Consohshiamu (Visible Light Communications Consortium), [Searched on Oct. 15, 2004] Internet <URL: http://www.vlcc.net/about.html>
[Non-Patent Document 2] Miyauchi et al., "Kousoku CMOS Imeeji Sensa Wo Mochiita Nijigen Soujushinki Ni Yoru Heiretsu Hikari Kuukan Tsuushin No Teian (Parallel Optical Wireless Communication using High Speed CMOS Image Sensor"), Shingakugihou (The Technical Report of the Institute of Electronics Information and Communication Engineers of Japan), CS2004-18, 2004
[Non-Patent Document 3] Oike et al., "Fukugou Genjitukan Ouyou Ni Muketa Kousoku-Teikido ID Biikon Kenshutsu Imeeji Sensa (Smart Image Sensor with High-speed High-sensitivity ID Beacon for Augmented Reality System)", Eijougakkaishi (The Journal of the Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers), Vol. 58, No. 6, pp. 835-841, 2004

Imaging device and method for reading signals from such device

National University Corporation Nara Institute of Science and Technology


A waterproof footwear pocket which protects various small items from exposure to water while being secured in a pocket on a shoe. The waterproof footwear pocket generally includes footwear having a water-proof pocket positioned along an outer surface thereof. The pocket includes a main body having an opening leading to an internal cavity. A closure member is provided to selectively open or close the opening so that an object may be positioned therein. The closure member may include a sealant to further prevent water incursion. A flap is provided which may be selectively lowered over the main body of the pocket to cover the opening. Using the present invention, an object such as a key fob may be safely protected from water damage by being placed within the pocket when activities such as water sports which carry a high risk of water exposure are being performed.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pocket for footwear and more specifically it relates to a waterproof footwear pocket which protects various small items from exposure to water while being secured in a pocket on a shoe.
Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Protecting one's valuables from exposure to water is increasingly important in recent times, particularly due to the ever-increasing presence of various electronic devices in the average life. When performing activities which one could reasonably expect would risk exposure to water, one is often either required to leave small valuables (such as keys or a cell phone) in a locker or other location where they could be exposed to theft. Alternatively, one is forced to risk bringing such valuables along to such activities with the understanding that there is a risk of such valuables being exposed to water.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved waterproof footwear pocket which protects various small items from exposure to water while being secured in a pocket on a shoe.


A hair towel cape is provided having a body having a neck opening, a first layer, and a second layer. The first layer is joined to the second layer. The first layer is located on a first side of the body. The first layer has a water absorbent material. The second layer is located on a second side of the body. The second layer has a waterproof or water repellent material. The second side is opposite of the first side.

Towels and specialty hair drying towels are known for removing moisture from hair to at least partially dry the hair. Capes, wraps and smocks are known for protecting the wearer's body and clothes in the area covered by the cape, wrap, or and smock during the process of caring/styling of hair. Many hair care and hair styling techniques and processes require the use of a towel and a separate protective cape. Therefore multiple items are required to the hair care/styling process.
The inventor recognized the need for a device that provides absorbency features as well as protective features. The inventor recognized the need for a device that reduces the number of items needed during certain hair care or hair styling activities. The present inventor recognized the need for a device that aids in hair care, including but not limited to drying, cutting, coloring, or treating and/or styling.