The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for removing dissolved selenium from a wastewater solution. The apparatus treats heated selenium containing solution in a single, flow-through operation by employing both the anode chamber and cathode chamber of an electrolytic cell and a series of sub-micron filters. In operation, the present invention has proven to be very effective in treating selenium containing solution to meet or better the government toxicity characteristic specifications of .ltoreq.1 ppm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for removing dissolved contaminants from a solution. More particularly, the present invention provides method and apparatus for electrolytically and mechanically removing selenium from a solution.
2. Background of the Prior Art
A common problem today is the reclamation of chemical solutions so that they may be reused or safely discarded. Toxicity characteristic tests established by the United States government have placed severe limits on the amount of contaminants which can be included in waste solutions to avoid the undesirable and costly designation of "hazardous substance."
Among the more difficult of contaminants to remove from solution is selenium (Se). Government toxicity characteristic (TCLP) specifications require that selenium in waste streams must be 1.0 ppm or less. Although these restraints have generated a great deal of interest in finding a method for removing selenium from solution, present methods for attempting to accomplish selenium removal are all considered far more complicated and costly than should be necessary.
Most examples of existing selenium removal techniques center around various chemical procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,635 issued Jan. 20, 1976, to Marchant employs a metallic reducing agent to remove selenium. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,999 issued Sep. 16, 1980, to Weir et al. uses a procedure of chemical reduction of Se.sup.+6 to Se.sup.+4 and a chemical co-precipitation of Se.sup.+4 with ferrous iron or ferric oxide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,556 issued Mar. 22, 1983, to Hofirek also employs chemical co-precipitation, in this case with sulfur dioxide or sulphite solution. U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,010 issued Mar. 20, 1990, to Khalafalla employs bacterial induced bioreduction of Se.sup.+6 to Se.sup.+4, exchange reaction with pyrite (FeS.sub.2), and burning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,928 issued Apr. 10, 1990, to Marcantonio employs an strong-base anion exchange resin to remove selenide (S.sup.-2) from a wastewater effluent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,141 issued Feb. 18, 1992, to Murphy discusses using a chemical process for selectively removing organoselenium compounds and selenate (Se.sup.+4) from water supplies.
One of the difficulties recognized in a number of the above patents is that selenium tends to occur in multiple valance states, compounding the difficulty in removing all of it from any given solution. In its natural state, selenium tends to occur as elemental selenium (Se[0]), and, in non-organic natural water systems, as selenite (Se.sup.+4) and selenate (Se.sup.+6). Moreover, in addition to Se.sup.+4 and Se.sup.+6, in some industrial waste solution streams selenium is also found in the negative valence state of selenide (Se.sup.-2).
Accordingly, attempting to remove a substantial portion of dissolved selenium from a solution containing selenite, selenate, and selenide requires addressing both different positive valence states of Se.sup.+4 and Se.sup.+6 as well as the negative valence state of Se.sup.-2. Even with the on-going interest in the problem of selenium removal reflected in the above patents, applicants are aware of no instance where such a removal can be readily accomplished without performing multiple independent treatment procedures.
Although electrolytic cells have been recognized as one method of removing certain dissolved impurities from some solutions, the relatively complex nature of mixed positive and negative valence states of selenium dissolved in industrial solutions complicates its removal using such techniques. When initially confronted with this problem, applicants attempted to employ an electrolytic cell, similar to that disclosed in applicants' U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,868, to remove selenium in the cathode compartment of the cell. Unfortunately, this method removed only some of the dissolved selenium and was completely inadequate in reaching necessary purity levels.
Examples of previous attempts to remove chemical impurities through electrolysis are illustrated in a number of issued United States Patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,506,560 issued Apr. 14, 1970, to Grangaard; 3,954,594 issued May 4, 1976, to Recht; 4,564,432 issued Jan. 14, 1986, to Nagai et al.; 4,963,241 issued Oct. 16, 1990, to Brattan; and 5,006,216 issued Apr. 9, 1991, to Dietrich et al. Although these devices may work well for their stated purposes, none of these patents attempt to address the problem of removing various forms of selenium from solution or how to deal with mixed positive and negative valence states of a dissolved metal.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for readily removing dissolved selenium from a solution.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus which can effectively remove all forms of dissolved selenium from solution, including selenite, selenate, and selenide, in a single easily performed process.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus which can accomplish effective selenium removal while producing minimal secondary waste in the removal procedure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus which require minimal investment to implement and operate, including functioning with minimal supervision and maintenance.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a method and apparatus which can rapidly and effectively treat relatively high volumes of solution at minimal cost.
These and other objects of the present invention will become evident from review of the following specification.

Method and apparatus for removal of selenium from solution


A barrier device that is capable of being configured simply and thinly without enlarging an external diameter of an image pickup lens barrel even if an aperture in front of an image pickup lens is large. A pair of principal blade members that can open and close are arranged facing to the aperture. A plurality of pairs of auxiliary blade members are driven to open and close interlocked with open-close operations of the principal blade members. A pair of barrier driving springs are disposed between a barrier driving member that rotates around an optical axis of an image pickup optical system and the principal blade members, and to force to pull them each other in a direction to close the principal blade members. The open-close operations of the principal blade members are performed using spring forces of the barrier driving springs as the barrier driving member rotates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a barrier device provided in front of an image pickup optical system to protect an image pickup lens, and also relates to an image pickup apparatus having the barrier device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally an image pickup apparatus such as a digital camera is provided with a barrier mechanism in front of an image pickup lens barrel to protect an image pickup lens from dust invaded from the outside. This kind of barrier mechanism is disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication (Kokai) No. H7-159856 (JP H7-159856A), for example.
The barrier mechanism disclosed in the publication is provided with a pair of barrier blades, which can open and close an image pickup aperture of an image pickup optical system, in front of an image pickup lens barrel. The barrier blades are driven to open and close by a barrier drive ring that rotates around an optical axis. When closing the barrier blades, a rotation cylinder of the image pickup lens barrel is rotated in a clockwise direction. When a rotating force of the rotation cylinder is transmitted to the barrier drive ring via a connecting shaft, the barrier drive ring rotates in the clockwise direction while charging a barrier opening spring. At this time, the barrier drive ring pushes the barrier blades to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, which closes the barrier blades to cover the image pickup aperture in front of the image pickup optical system.
On the other hand, when opening the barrier blades, the rotation cylinder is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, which rotates the barrier drive ring in the counterclockwise direction. This releases a pressure to the barrier blades from the barrier drive ring, and the barrier blades rotate in the clockwise direction by a spring force of the charged barrier opening spring. This rotation opens the barrier blades, which opens the image pickup aperture in front of the image pickup optical system.
In recent years, a wide lens with a large effective optical path diameter is in increasing demand. The wide lens requires wide-area barrier blades in the barrier mechanism that uses the pair of barrier blades as shown in the above-mentioned publication. However, the larger the size of the barrier blades is, the larger the diameter of the image pickup lens barrel is in order to secure an escape space for the barrier blades when the barrier blades open.
Then, a method of increasing the number of the barrier blades is devised instead of enlarging the size of each barrier blade. For example, a barrier mechanism disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication (Kokai) No. 2007-102086 (JP2007-102086A) is provided with a first barrier blade group having three barrier blades that are rotatably supported by a pivot and a second barrier blade group that pairs off with the first barrier blade group and has three barrier blades similarly.
Each barrier blade group is provided with first and second springs, and one driving lever. The first spring gives a force in a direction to close the barrier blades and the second spring gives a force stronger than that of the first spring in a direction to open the barrier blades. The driving lever is driven by an external force to interrupt the spring force of the second spring to the barrier blades. When opening the barrier blades, the external force is not given to the driving lever. Accordingly, both the spring forces of the first and second springs are applied to the barrier blades. Since the spring force of the second spring is stronger than that of the first spring, the barrier blades open. When closing the barrier blades, the external force is given to the driving lever to interrupt the spring force of the second spring to the barrier blades. This closes the barrier blades by the spring force of the first spring.
However, since the barrier mechanism of the above-mentioned JP2007-102086A needs one driving lever and two springs for each barrier blade group, a component count increases, and the space therefor is also required.

Barrier device and image pickup apparatus


Methods and systems are provided for purging a fuel vapor canister into an engine intake. A method comprises flowing fuel vapors from a fuel tank through a full length of the fuel vapor canister from a first input to a first output on a first opposite side from the first input. The adsorbed fuel vapors may be purged from the fuel vapor canister through a full width in the fuel vapor canister from a second input to a second output on a second opposite side from the second input.

Vehicles may be fitted with evaporative emission control systems to reduce the release of fuel vapors to the atmosphere. For example, vaporized hydrocarbons (HCs) from a fuel tank may be stored in a fuel vapor canister packed with an adsorbent which adsorbs and stores the fuel vapors. At a later time, the evaporative emission control system may purge the stored fuel vapors from the fuel vapor canister into the engine intake. The fuel vapors may then be consumed during combustion.
During a canister purge operation, a canister purge valve coupled between the engine intake and the fuel vapor canister is opened, allowing for intake manifold vacuum to be applied to the fuel vapor canister. Simultaneously, a canister vent valve coupled between the fuel vapor canister and atmosphere is opened, allowing for fresh air to enter the canister. This configuration facilitates desorption of stored fuel vapors from the adsorbent in the canister, regenerating the adsorptive material for further fuel vapor adsorption.
However, hybrid vehicles and other low-manifold vacuum vehicles may have limited engine run-time with sufficient manifold vacuum to execute a purging operation. Herein, a duration of purge operation may not achieve adequate desorption of stored fuel vapors from the fuel vapor canister. As such, if the fuel vapor canister is not completely purged, exhaust hydrocarbons may slip into the atmosphere, degrading exhaust emissions and making the vehicle emissions non-compliant. In addition, the low vacuum may increase engine operation time in a hybrid vehicle in order to purge the fuel vapor canister. The unintended increase in engine run time for the hybrid vehicle can degrade vehicle fuel economy.
The inventors herein have recognized the above issues and have developed systems and methods to at least partially address them. In one example, a method may comprise flowing fuel vapors from a fuel tank through a full length of a fuel vapor canister from a first input to a first output on a first opposite side from the first input, and purging the fuel vapors from the fuel vapor canister through a full width in the fuel vapor canister from a second input to a second output on a second opposite side from the second input. In this way, a fuel system canister can be purged in a shorter duration since the flow directions of the purging and storing are oblique with respect to one another and of different effective lengths, in one example. Further, storage flow may be along only a single path without multiple internal blocking check valves in parallel, whereas purge flow may include a plurality of parallel flow paths via internal blocking check valves and apertures each positioned in parallel.
For example, a fuel vapor canister comprising adsorptive material may be fluidically coupled to a fuel tank via a first input. Fuel vapors received from the fuel tank may flow from the first input to a first output through an entire length of the fuel vapor canister. For example, the first output may be located directly opposite from the first input such that the entire length of the canister is encompassed between the first input and the first output. When purging conditions are met, a canister vent valve may be opened to enable atmospheric air to enter the canister through a second input and desorb stored fuel vapors from within the adsorbent in the canister. The atmospheric air may purge the desorbed fuel vapors through a full width of the fuel vapor canister by flowing from the second input to a second output. Herein, the second output of the canister may be positioned directly across from the second input such that the full width of the canister is encompassed between the second input and the second output. As such, the entire length of the canister may be greater than the full width of the canister. Thus, fuel vapors from the fuel tank may flow through a longer distance (entire length) for adsorption and desorbed fuel vapors may flow across a shorter distance (full width) during purging operation.
In this way, a canister may be quickly and sufficiently purged by reducing a length of purge flow. By flowing the fuel vapors through a longer portion of the adsorbent, a larger proportion of fuel vapors may be adsorbed within the canister. Further, as the adsorbed vapors are purged across a shorter width of the canister, fuel vapors may be expelled more rapidly from the canister, and a duration to purge the canister may be lowered. Furthermore, the likelihood of bleed emissions from the canister may be reduced by enabling a more complete purge of the canister. Overall, exhaust emissions and emissions compliance may be improved.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Canister design for evaporative emission control


A rotational pressure drive for filling a medical syringe with a fluid and obtaining, maintaining, and releasing a desired fluid pressure within the syringe. The commercially available medical syringe includes a barrel with a plunger extending therein. Extending laterally and radially about the proximal end of the syringe barrel are several flanges. The rotational pressure drive comprises a hollow cylindrical chamber with a partially closed, proximal end with an opening therethrough. The drive further includes an axial extension member extending through the opening in the partially closed end for engaging and urging the proximal end of the syringe plunger toward the partially closed, proximal end. The drive, in another aspect, includes a syringe plunger having a distal and a proximal portion. The distal portion is inserted into the syringe barrel with the proximal portion extending through the opening of the partially closed, proximal portion of the drive. Positioned circumferentially and longitudinally along the chamber are pluralities of internal threads with individual starts for engaging the radially extending flanges of the syringe barrel. The plunger or axial extension member of the drive is pulled toward the partially closed, proximal end of the drive to fill the syringe with fluid. The flanges of the syringe barrel are rotationally engaged with the starts of the internal thread pluralities for advancement into the passageway of the drive. As the hollow chamber of the pressure drive is rotated with respect to the syringe barrel, the plunger is pushed into the syringe barrel to obtain and maintain a desired fluid pressure therein.

High fluid pressures are required for the inflation of balloons used in medical procedures such as angioplasty and radial dilation of the urethra. The balloons are typically inflated for an extended period of time using a syringe filled with fluid. However, maintaining high fluid pressures for an extended period of time is difficult by simply applying manual force to a commercially available syringe.
One approach to this problem is to use a custom-made or modified syringe. All of these syringes commonly include an outer, internally threaded member and an inner, externally threaded member f or rotational advancement of the plunger in a syringe barrel.
A disadvantage of each of these custom-made or modified syringes is that they are relatively expensive to manufacture in comparison to standard, commercially available syringes. Another disadvantage is that these syringes are more complicated to use than a standard syringe. Therefore, the physician has to become skilled at operating the device. The physician's familiarity with the device is also critical for maintaining or releasing pressure when a threshold is reached. A timely release prevents bursting the balloon or overdilating tissue. Yet another disadvantage is that these custom-made syringes are fitted with pressure gauges or indicator rods that require visual monitoring by the physician during use. The physician must actuate the modified syringe while watching a pressure indicator for a threshold pressure to be obtained. When the threshold is obtained, these custom-made syringes are manually operated for permitting fluid to exit the syringe chamber, thereby decreasing the fluid pressure therein.
Another prior art device utilizes an internally threaded outer sleeve that fixedly engages the radial projections at the proximal end of a standard syringe barrel. The device includes an externally threaded plunger that attaches to the proximal end of a standard syringe plunger for longitudinal movement of the syringe plunger with respect to the pair of radial projections at the proximal barrel end. A problem with this device is that it is expensive to manufacture. From a user's perspective, the device is large, heavy, and cumbersome, and therefore difficult and inconvenient to use.
Another disadvantage of these prior art devices is that the plunger of the syringe must be disengaged from the device to fill the syringe barrel. Alternatively, these threaded devices must be rotated to withdraw the plunger from the distal end of the barrel to fill the syringe with fluid. This is particularly annoying and time consuming when the technician or physician has initially engaged the pressure device with the syringe and forgot to initiate filling of the syringe barrel with fluid.

Rotational pressure drive for a medical syringe


A door-latching system for a sectional door with multiple door panels helps hold the door at its fully open position in case the door's counterweight torsion spring fails to do so. The door-latching system includes a latch assembly that moves between a maintained release position and a door-blocking position. In the door-blocking position, the latch assembly helps hold the door open by providing an obstruction to the door panels. In the maintained release position, the latch assembly allows the door to move freely between open and closed positions without the door-latching system clacking as the door panels or their guide rollers travel past the latch assembly. Movement of the door panels automatically shifts the latch assembly from its release position to its door-blocking position, and manual actuation returns the latch assembly back to its release position. The latch assembly is especially suited for mounting to a track that guides the movement of the door panels.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally pertains to sectional doors and more specifically to a latch assembly for such a door.
2. Description of Related Art
A sectional door typically includes a series of panels whose adjacent horizontal edges are connected by hinges. As the door opens or closes, the door panels travel along two lateral tracks that, for some door styles, curve between horizontal and vertical. To close the door, the tracks guide the panels to a vertical position across the doorway. When the door opens, the hinges allow the panels to curve around onto horizontal sections of the tracks, where the door panels store horizontally overhead. For other door styles, the sectional door maintains a generally vertical, planar configuration and is stored more directly above the doorway. Such doors, regardless of their configuration, are often open and closed manually. To ease the operation of the door, a torsion spring is often used to counteract the weight of the door panels. Sectional doors are commonly used as residential garage doors; however, they are also often used in warehouses and other industrial buildings.
When used in high-traffic industrial applications, overhead-storing doors are very susceptible to being struck by large trucks, trailers, forklifts and other vehicles passing through the doorway. Collisions are often caused by a door's torsion spring becoming weak with age or not being properly preloaded, which can allow a door to droop or not stay in its fully open position. Consequently, an upper edge of a vehicle may catch the lower edge of the door, and thus break or damage the door.
Holding a sectional door fully open without relying solely on the door's torsion spring can be accomplished by a safety catch disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,829. Such a catch includes a spring that urges the catch to an extended position. In this position, the catch is able to engage the underside of a roller or its shaft to prevent the door from accidentally falling down to its closed position. To release the door, a solenoid pulls on the catch. This rotates the catch out from underneath the roller, which allows the door to close. Such a device, however, has a few drawbacks.
For example, as the door opens, several rollers or their shafts repeatedly snap the catch between its extended position and a release position, as the rollers or their shafts travel past the catch. The wasted snapping movement of the catch can create noise, as well as create wear on various parts of the door and wear on the catch itself. Moreover, to release the door out from underneath the catch, the catch rotates in such a way as to first raise the door panels slightly before allowing them to descend. Thus, the weight of the door could add significantly to the force needed in moving the catch to its release position.


In an apparatus which previously displays a television program or the like most desired for each person on an individual timetable, or enables the family to look at the TV channel number displayed on the timetable, it provides means for storing data of the timetable for one day or a week into a storage device, such as a wrist watch, to be always carried by each person and for displaying the data by pressing the button of the wrist watch as occasion demands. Accordingly, a viewer can find on which channel the most desired program is aired by pressing the button of the wrist watch while he/she is out or is at work, whereby he/she can watch the program on the nearest television.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for displaying the most desired individual program in order of time, selected from among all the TV programs or the like aired through mass communication media.
There are known apparatus for selecting the most desired program for each viewer/auditor from among all the TV programs or the like aired through mass communication media. However, the only clue for finding the contents of the data displayed is to look at the TV channel number indicated on a display of such an apparatus. Therefore, when an individual person wishes to know the most desired program while the person is not at home, he/she will have to call his/her own hone by telephone, asking someone to confirm the program. Even when the VCR installed at home is controlled so as to videotape a desired program via a telephone line, there was no way to confirm the program other than looking at a timetable by carrying it all the time.

Apparatus for displaying individual television programs or the like


Disclosed are a light-emitting diode and a method for manufacturing the same. A light-emitting diode according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a first conductive clad layer; a light-scattering pattern configured, in the first conductive clad layer, having a refractive index different from that of the first conductive clad layer; an active layer located under the first conductive clad layer; a second conductive clad layer located under the active layer; a first electrode configured to be electrically connected to the first conductive clad layer; and a second electrode configured to be electrically connected to the second conductive clad layer. The light-scattering pattern can improve light extraction efficiency.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode and a method of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, to a light emitting diode having improved light extraction efficiency and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, group-III nitrides such as gallium nitride (GaN) have excellent thermal stability and direct transition type energy band structure, and thus have attracted attention as materials for light emitting devices for emitting light in visible and ultraviolet bands. In particular, blue and green light emitting devices using indium gallium nitride (InGaN) have been used in a wide application range, such as large natural color flat displays, signal lamps, indoor lighting, high flux light sources, high resolution output systems, optical communications, and the like.
A light emitting diode includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer and an active layer interposed between the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers, and emits light through recombination of electrons and holes injected into the active layer upon application of forward bias to the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers.
Since it is difficult to produce a homogeneous substrate capable of growing gallium nitride layers, a group-III nitride semiconductor layer is generally grown on a heterogeneous substrate having a similar crystal structure to the gallium nitride layers through metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). As for the heterogeneous substrate, a sapphire substrate having a hexagonal crystal system is generally used.
However, an epitaxial layer grown on the heterogeneous substrate has a relatively high dislocation density due to lattice mismatch and difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the epitaxial layer and the growth substrate, thereby providing a limit in improvement in luminous efficacy of the light emitting diode.
Accordingly, studies have been made to develop a novel technology capable of producing a gallium nitride-based light emitting diode using a gallium nitride substrate as a growth substrate. Since the gallium nitride substrate is a homogeneous substrate with respect to epitaxial layers grown thereon, the gallium nitride substrate can improve luminous efficacy of the light emitting diode by reducing crystal defects in the epitaxial layers.
For a conventional sapphire substrate, a certain pattern is formed on the growth substrate as in a patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) to enhance light extraction efficiency of the light emitting diode. However, since the gallium nitride substrate is formed of the same kind of material as that of the epitaxial layer grown thereon, the epitaxial layer and the substrate have substantially the same index of refraction. Thus, even if the pattern is formed on the gallium nitride substrate, since there is no difference in index of refraction between the substrate and the epitaxial layer, the pattern does not cause scattering or refraction of light. Thus, light generated in an active layer reaches a bottom surface of the substrate through the gallium nitride substrate having a relatively high thickness of about 300 μm, thereby causing substantial loss of light in the gallium nitride substrate.
In addition, since the sapphire substrate is electrically non-conductive, the sapphire substrate restricts the structure of the light emitting diode. In recent years, various attempts have been made to develop a technology of manufacturing a vertical type light emitting diode by growing epitaxial layers such as nitride semiconductor layers on a heterogeneous substrate, for example, a sapphire substrate, bonding a support substrate to the epitaxial layers, and separating the heterogeneous substrate from the epitaxial layers by laser lift-off or the like.
Generally, as compared with a typical lateral type light emitting diode in the art, the vertical type light emitting diode includes a p-type semiconductor at a lower portion thereof to secure excellent current spreading performance, and employs a support substrate having higher thermal conductivity than the sapphire substrate to provide excellent heat dissipation.
In addition, an n-type semiconductor layer disposed at an upper portion of the vertical type light emitting diode may be subjected to anisotropic etching such as photo-enhanced chemical (PEC) etching and the like to form a roughened surface on the n-type semiconductor layer, thereby significantly improving light extraction efficiency.
However, in such a vertical type light emitting diode, since the overall thickness (about 4 μm) of the epitaxial layers is very thin as compared with a light emitting area of, for example, 350 μm×350 μm, or 1 mm2, there is severe difficulty in current spreading.
To address such problems, an electrode extension extending from an n-type electrode pad is formed to allow current spreading within the n-type semiconductor layer, or an insulation material is disposed on a p-type electrode at a place corresponding to the n-type electrode pad to prevent direct flow of electric current from the n-type electrode pad to the p-type electrode.
However, these structures also have a limit in prevention of current crowding under the n-type electrode pad and cannot achieve uniform spreading of electric current over a wide light emitting area.

Light emitting diode and method for manufacturing same


A cover unit for lens unit having a lens barrel, which has a cylindrical support member to be coupled to an end of the lens barrel, at least one engaging pin member is provided at a predetermined position on the outer circumferential surface thereof. Further, the cover unit has a cylindrical hood member capable of being superposed on the lens barrel, at least one cam groove to slidably receive the at-least-one engaging pin member therein being formed on the inner circumferential surface of the hood member, wherein by means of the engagement of the at-least-one engaging pin member with the at-least-one cam groove, the hood member moves in its axial direction relative to the support member upon rotation of the hood member relative to the support member. Lens barriers are supported by the support member for covering the end of the lens barrel, the lens barrier means being openable. The lens barriers are driven in accordance with the movement of the hood member.

The present utility model relates to a cover unit for a lens unit of a camera.
Conventionally, a lens hood is adapted to a lens unit of a camera in order to prevent undesirable lights from entering into the lens from outside of an angle of view. Well known methods for adapting the hood to a camera lens are a screwed-type method, a bayonet-type method, and so on. In such methods, however, since the camera lens with adapting the hood is too big to carry on, the cylindrical hood is removed from the camera lens when the lens unit is not used turned about, and is fitted on the lens back to front when accommodated in a case.
In the constructions above, it is troublesome to remove the hood, further the hood may be lost because it is separated from the lens. In order to solve the above problem, there has been proposed a built-in-type hood wherein the hood is made shiftable in the back-and-forth direction with respect to the lens.
FIG. 13 shows an example of such a built-in-type hood. A camera lens 41 is attached to a camera body 40. The camera lens 41 includes a diaphragm ring 42 and a focus ring 43, which are rotatably coupled on a lens barrel 44 of the camera lens 41.
A cylindrical hood 45 is slidably inserted between an end portion of the lens barrel 44 and the focus ring 43. The rear end portion 45a of the hood 45 can be engaged with a front end portion 44a of the lens barrel 44.
With this arrangement, however, since the cylindrical hood 45 is constructed so as to be retracted inside the focus ring 43, the length of the cylindrical hood 45 is restricted depending upon the length of the focus ring 43, and therefore such a built-in-type cylindrical hood 45 may not have sufficient length to cut undesirous lights for certain camera lenses.
Moreover, with the construction above, since the angle of view differs depending on the kind of camera lens (for example, depending on the difference of focal lengths), it has been necessary to independently manufacture various cylindrical hoods having suitable lengths for respective camera lenses. Thus, the conventional built-in-type cylindrical hood was disadvantageous in view of manufacturing cost.
Furthermore, with such a built-in-type cylindrical hood, when carried on, if the lens barrel is inclined either upward or downward, there arises a problem that the cylindrical hood unexpectedly extends or retracts along the optical axis due to its weight.
Meanwhile, a lens cap is used to protect the lens surface, but the attachment and detachment thereof will be troublesome, and there will be a fear of losing the lens cap. For that reason, for example, in compact cameras, there has been known an openable lens barrier installed in front of a camera lens. Among a plurality of kinds of lens barriers, a shutter-type or double-door type lens barrier are well known. But, these types are complicated in construction and it is difficult to install them to exchangeable lenses, especially to large bore ones.

Rotatably controllable lens hood and cover unit


A power factor correction circuit includes an inductor L1, a diode D1, a switch Q3 and a controller 24. An input voltage Vin is applied to the inductor L1 which is cyclically discharged through the diode D1 by the operation of the switch Q3. The method of operation includes: operating a controller 24 to obtain an indication of the voltage across the switch Q3, monitoring the indication of the voltage across the switch Q3 to determine when the inductor L1 reaches a discharged state in response to the switch being in an off state, and the switch Q3 being controlled by the controller 24 to vary the on period of the switch Q3, during which the inductor is charged, for adjusting an output voltage Vbus towards a target value Vbus—target. The controller 24 monitors at least one of the indication of the voltage across the switch Q3 and the ratio of the switch on period Ton to the switch off period Toff for detecting that the input voltage Vin has a low value.

The power factor of an AC electric power system is the ratio of the real power flowing to the load to the apparent power in the circuit and is a dimensionless number between 0 and 1. It is desirable for the power factor to be as close to 1 as possible.
The power factor correction (PFC) circuits are often used within power supply applications in which AC/DC rectification is performed. Such rectifying arrangements typically comprise a full wave voltage rectifier (usually a diode bridge) and an output capacitor to provide regulation of the output waveform at the output bus. This type of rectifying arrangement only draws current from the AC supply when the full wave rectifier voltage is greater than the voltage across the output capacitor. This is unsatisfactory as it gives an inefficient current profile of the input AC current consisting of separated narrow pulses of current having large peak values. The high harmonic content of this current profile gives a low power factor (typically 0.5) of the rectifying arrangement as a whole.
The power factor is improved by applying a PFC circuit between the diode bridge and the output capacitor. Such a PFC circuit essentially comprises an inductor followed by a diode, with a switch (typically an FET) connected between the inductor and the diode to ground.
By rapidly switching the switch on and off, the inductor is repeatedly first connected directly to ground via the switch and then connected to the output capacitor (via the diode) when the switch is turned off. When the switch is on the current flow through the inductor increases and, during the subsequent time period in which the switch is off, the current decreases, effectively pushing current through the diode to charge the output capacitor. By adjusting the on and off times of the switch by a suitable power factor control circuit the output voltage may be adjusted to a fixed, desired value (target value), although the output voltage is always higher than the input voltage because of the action of the diode in conjunction with the "boosting" action of the inductor.
FIG. 1 shows such a known power factor correction circuit 125, based on a boost converter topology. A smoothing capacitor 104 filters a rectified AC input voltage (typically from a bridge rectifier) that is measured by a voltage divider 105, 106. The rectified input voltage is applied to an inductor 101. A secondary winding 102 detects the zero crossings of the current through the inductor 101. A current sensing resistor (shunt) 108 connected to the source of a switch 107 (typically a FET) allows the detection of the inductor peak current to determine a possible over-current condition. In parallel with an output capacitor 111, a second voltage divider 109, 110 is arranged to measure the DC output voltage and a surge condition, for example, due to by load variations.
The above four measurements that take place in the power factor correction circuit 125 by means of four measuring inputs 117, 118, 119 and 120 of an electronic control circuit 116. The control circuit 116 additionally has an output 121, through which the switch 107 is controlled. The electronic control circuit 116 is typically arranged as an ASIC. A total of five pins are used for power factor correction.
In this power factor correction circuit 125 the rectified input voltage is fed to the inductor 101. The inductor 101 is by means of the switch 107 either loaded or unloaded. The on-time of the switch 107 and thus the load time of the inductor 101 is controlled based upon a comparison of the measured DC output voltage Vbus with a fixed reference voltage. The switch 107 is turned off to discharge the inductor 101 until the current through the inductor 101 has fallen to zero (as detected by the secondary winding 102). The switch 107 is cycled with a much higher frequency (at least 10 kHz) than the frequency of the mains voltage (typically 50 Hz) and the frequency of rectified DC input voltage (typically 100 Hz)
To reduce costs power factor correction arrangements which include an electronic control circuit with only a single pin for receiving measurement inputs are know—for example from DE 102004025597 and WO 2011009717. Obtaining an indication of the mains voltage with such a single input pin PFC approach is difficult. Detection of low mains voltage is important, for example, as it may indicate a power failure—see, for example Standard VDE0108.
It is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide improved detection of low mains (or other input) voltage to a lamp. It should, however, be appreciated that the invention is applicable to PFC circuits that power devices other than lamps.


An apparatus and method for implementing a scratchpad memory within a cache using priority hints. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: providing a priority hint for a scratchpad memory implemented using a portion of a cache; determining a page replacement priority based on the priority hint; storing the page replacement priority in a page table entry (PTE) associated with the page; and using the page replacement priority to determine whether to evict one or more cache lines associated with the scratchpad memory from the cache.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of computer processors. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for implementing a scratchpad memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Scratchpad memories are local, high-speed memories that are manually controlled by the application. By precisely controlling data movements to and from scratchpads, applications can maximize performance, utilization, and energy efficiency. IBM's Cell and NVIDIA's recent GPUs, for example, provide such mechanisms.
Due to high hardware costs and a large increase to the architectural state, however, scratchpad memories are sometimes emulated on top of a cache-based memory hierarchy, typically by adjusting the cache line replacement policy (e.g., such as a least recently used (LRU) policy). For example, a processor will provide user-level instructions to directly adjust the replacement priority of a cache line, so that the application can effectively 'pin' a region of memory in the cache.
However, allowing user-level code to directly modify the cache replacement priority exposes fairness and security issues. For example, malicious code may aggressively mark its cache lines as pseudo-pinned, resulting in unfair utilization of shared cache space. Additionally, since the cache replacement priority is not maintained by the operating system, priority adjustments may survive context switching boundaries, and inadequately endow privileges to inappropriate software contexts (i.e., a process that is switched out may still occupy most/all of the cache space with pseudo-pinned lines).

Apparatus and method for implementing a scratchpad memory using priority hint


Disclosed is an information detecting device capable of reducing fluctuation in detection accuracy. A recording sheet P transported through a transport path comes into contact with a displacing member, and, in this state, a motor is driven to rotate a cam, and the resilient force of a coil spring causes a pressurizing member to collide with the recording sheet P. The impact force at that time is detected by a detection sensor, and transmitted to a sheet material information obtaining means. Then, on the basis of the detection result, it is possible to detect the type, density, thickness, surface irregularities, etc. of the recording sheet P. At this time, the recording sheet P is in contact with the displacing member, whereby it is possible to reduce fluctuation in detection accuracy due to positional deviation of the recording sheet P.

Recently, attention has been focused on a sheet material information detecting devices adapted to obtain information on a sheet material to discern the kind of sheet material.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,829, there is proposed a sheet material information detecting device mounted in an image forming apparatus, in which light is emitted toward a recording medium from a light source arranged along a recording medium path and in which the intensity of the radiation from the surface of the recording medium is detected by a sensor, thereby discerning the kinds of recording mediums.
However, due to the demand for a reduction in the size of image forming apparatuses, the recording medium path is curved in many cases. Further, the recording medium transporting speed has been increased. Thus, the sheet material, such as a recording medium, flutters as it is transported, so that its angle with respect to the light source and the sensor is not fixed, resulting in fluctuation in the accuracy in information detection.

Image forming apparatus with impact applying unit and detecting unit for detecting sheet information corresponding to impact force


A method of signaling quality of service information in response to a handover from a first access network to a second access network in an Internet Protocol (IP) based mobile network environment, the method comprising: transmitting a resource reservation message from a mobile node to the second access network; transmitting the resource reservation message to an IP-based core network from the second access network; and transmitting a resource reservation confirm message to the mobile node.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of signaling quality of service (QoS) information at a handover between access networks in an IP-based core network, and, more particularly, to a method of signaling QoS information at a handover between access networks in an Internet Protocol (IP)-based core network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A certain amount of resources are reserved to stably provide the resources during a handover (H/O) to guarantee the quality of service of multimedia application during the handover of a mobile node (MN) in a mobile network. Generally, the QoS is affected by a type of the handover.
The type of the handover is classified according to a control signaling load between different entities. That is, the handover is classified as a handover within an identical access router (AR), a handover between access routers (ARs) and a handover between access networks (ANs).
Meanwhile, the signaling load may be differently generated according to the type of the handover in an access network. For example, additional signaling is required according to consideration of the signaling situation when the signaling is achieved based on the resource reservation protocol (RSVP). That is, if an access router is not changed during a handover, a wireless resource is only controlled, but if a previous access router (PAR) is changed to a new access router (NAR), signaling must be achieved to reserve resources on a new path. Also, if a mobility event such as a handover occurs, the QoS is not properly provided until re-reserving resources by transmission of a refresh message between a crossover node (CRN) and a NAR. The CRN is a node at which a previous path and a new path meet.
Therefore, when a mobile node is moved to another access router, the time required to reset a routing path, and the time required to reconfigure resource management, needs to be optimized. That is, resources on the new path should be rapidly reserved, and resources on the previous path should be instantly released.
A main node serving the instant resource reservation and release is the CRN at which the previous path and the new path are met. Therefore, it is very important to quickly find the CRN to rapidly reserve and release the resources. Also, if the CRN is used, the resource re-reservation is achieved only on the new path between the CRN and a NAR, without re-reserving resources in an end-to-end level. Accordingly, a comparatively short delay time is required.
As described above, the resource reservation should be achieved by considering a mobile event such as a handover of a mobile node between access networks in a mobile environment. However, a conventional RSVP cannot be used in the mobile network because the conventional RSVP is designed without considering the mobility event. For overcoming the shortcomings of the conventional RSVP, various solutions have been introduced, such as mobile RSVP (MRSVP), RSVP tunnel, concatenation and optimization for reservation path (CORP), and hierarchical mobile RSVP (H-MRSVP).
The MRSVP provides stable QoS service without delay during a handover of a mobile node. However, the MRSVP ineffectively uses resources in an access network having insufficient resources. According to the MRSVP, a mobile node must previously reserve resources of cells around the area where the mobile mode is transferred, and the reserved resources are not quickly released. Accordingly, the resources are doubly wasted. Furthermore, resources are unnecessarily reserved in an end-to-end level between a sender and a mobile node, or a sender and a proxy agent, because resources are not re-reserved by finding the CRN according to the MRSVP.
The RSVP tunnel provides stable QoS in a tunnel by solving a conventional problem in which a RSVP message is not detected between the end points of tunnel, that is, between a tunnel entry point and a tunnel exit point. However, the RSVP tunnel does not provide a method of rapidly re-reserving resources at a handover of a mobile node, and a method of localized path repair, by instantly finding a CRN. Also, the RSVP unnecessarily performs the resource re-reservation of an end-to-end level.
Meanwhile, the CORP provides a QoS by expanding a conventional RSVP path when a handover occurs. In order to expand the RSVP path, a concatenation for a reservation path is used. However, the CORP wastes resources in a mobile access network having insufficient resources since a terminal must previously reserve resources of cells around the area where the terminal is transferred, and an end-to-end RSVP session is opened without using a node such as a CRN.
The H-MRSVP is a resource reservation protocol unified with the RSVP and a regional registration of a mobile IP. That is, resources are reserved by using a reserve tunnel between a gateway mobility agent (GMA) and a new proxy agent (PA) when an inter-region handover occurs. However, the H-MRSVP has a problem of a lack of resource usability caused by a passive reservation, although the resources are previously reserved only when a handover delay time becomes longer, i.e., when the inter-region handover occurs.

Method of signaling QoS information at hand-over between access networks in an IP-based core network


A number of variations may include a product including a single clutch pack having a plurality of clutch plates, and a first friction material on a first plate of the plurality of clutch plates, and a second friction material on a second plate of the plurality of plates, the first friction material being different than the second friction material, and constructed and arranged to provide a tailored combination of torque capacity and response time that would be produced by a clutch pack having solely the first friction material on plates thereof or the second friction material on plates thereof.

Materials used for clutch plates may have different torque characteristics which may vary with temperature and load demands.
SUMMARY OF ILLUSTRATIVE VARIATIONS
A number of variations may include a product including a single clutch pack having a plurality of clutch plates, and a first friction material on a first plate of the plurality of clutch plates, and a second friction material on a second plate of the plurality of clutch plates, the first friction material being different than the second friction material, and constructed and arranged to provide a tailored combination of torque capacity and response time that would be produced by a clutch pack having solely the first friction material on plates thereof or the second friction material on plates thereof.
Other illustrative variations within the scope of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while disclosing variations of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Clutch pack having different clutch plate materials


A robotic tank cleaning system is provided, comprising a light-weight, collapsible, and robotically controllable frame having an articulatable washing nozzle for spraying a petroleum-based solvent on a surface to be cleaned. Hydraulic power and control units are also provided which allow an operator to control the motion of the frame and washing nozzle from outside the tank, as well as a solvent supply system for delivering solvent to the washing nozzle. A hoisting mechanism is included to allow placement and retrieval of a waste removal pump, and a clearing blade is attached to the frame to assist movement of waste material to the waste removal pump. Waste material comprising dislodged oil sludge and expended solvent is collected in waste fractioning tanks where the collected oil sludge is allowed to settle below the expended solvent. The separated solvent in the waste fractioning tanks is redirected through the solvent supply system and is reused for further spraying of the tank interior. A sludge return pipeline delivers settled oil sludge from the waste fractioning tanks back to the refinery for further processing. A method of cleaning hydrocarbon storage tanks is also provided using the robotically controlled frame in conjunction with the waste removal, waste fractioning, and sludge return components.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to remotely movable and articulatable robots used for cleaning surfaces with a sprayable liquid, and more particularly to such devices as used for cleaning the interiors of large oil and hazardous material storage tanks. This invention also relates to methods used for cleaning such tanks and to the recycling of cleaning liquids and waste materials accumulated during the cleaning process.
II. Description of Prior Art
Large cylindrical tanks are the primary containers used by refineries for the storage of various grades of crude oil prior to refinement into fuels and other lighter petroleum products. Over time, an accumulation of sediment is commonly experienced within the tank, as well as a congealing of the oil into a tar-like sludge. In order to maximize use of the tank and to minimize the impurities in the crude oil to be refined, cleaning of the tanks is occasionally required, wherein the sludge and sediment are removed by spraying the tank interior surfaces with a highly pressurized liquid. The cleaning liquid most often used is a petroleum-based solvent capable of dissolving the sludge, and is sometimes referred to as "cutter stock". Less often, water is used to achieve a similar, but less effective, result.
Typically, a number of workers will use high pressure hoses inside the tank and spray the cutter stock on the interior surfaces to dislodge the sludge material from the tank, and a pump is placed in a lower sink area or sump in order to suction out all of the mixture of cutter stock and sludge. This process is clearly strenuous and burdensome to the workers, primarily because of the toxic hydrocarbon vapors which are always present inside the tank, the weight of the spray hoses, and the high temperatures generated within the tank interior during the warmer months. Protective garments and masks are commonly worn to protect the workers' skin from exposure to harmful chemicals, but this only adds to the discomfort caused by the heat. Consequently, workers may only stay within the tank for short periods before leaving to rest, during which times replacement workers step in to continue the job. As a whole, this manual method of cleaning the tanks is uncomfortable, strenuous and dangerous for the reasons discussed.
In an attempt to alleviate most of the problems associated with the manual method, a device patented by Krajicek, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,653 proposed a mobile tank cleaning, water washing robot having an articulatable spray nozzle. This device includes an open bottom frame having tank-type treads for locomotion, and an attached pump for removing accumulated waste water and material out of the tank. The motors which operate the treads, the attached waste removal pump and the spray nozzle are all powered by a hydraulic power system located outside the tank. The wash water supply is also situated outside of the tank, but the robot is controlled by an operator standing inside the tank. Some of the advantages disclosed by the Krajicek patent are that significantly higher water pressures and flow rates may be used because the spraying means is not held by human hands, only one operator need be stationed inside the tank in order to control the robot, and that the operator may safely stay within the tank for much longer periods due to the relative absence of any heavy labor compared to the manual method.
Several deficiencies exist, however, in the Krajicek device which must be overcome in order to provide the most efficient method of cleaning the interiors of hydrocarbon storage tanks, as well as to ensure the safety of the operator. Specifically, it is unclear whether Krajicek may be adapted for use with the cutter stock liquid described above. The use of water in that device tends to produce static electricity, which is extremely hazardous in the flammable environment inside the storage tank. Also, the waste removal pump in Krajicek is limited to removing waste materials directly in the path of the robot, because it is permanently attached to the frame. It is often desireable to suction the waste material from areas containing the greatest concentration of waste material and expended solvent, and the prior device must be diverted from continuous spraying in order to remove waste material from those areas. Additionally, while the Krajicek device is generally not hindered by debris and accumulated sludge in its path due to its large size and use of tank treads for locomotion, such a device is very bulky and heavy to move and potentially expensive to repair. Disassembly of that device is required before and after the tank cleaning process, and a scaffolding system must be constructed in order to move pieces of the device into and out of the tank.
Furthermore, regardless of which prior equipment or methods have been used to clean these tanks, no acceptable solution has been provided for the problem of disposal of the accumulated waste mixture. In too many instances, this waste mixture is simply dumped into a waste pit at the refinery site, or collected and disposed of through hazardous waste facilities. Given the heightened awareness of environmental issues by members of the public, government and industry, every attempt must now be made to minimize the effect of tank cleaning on the environment by incorporating in-process recycling of the cleaning liquids.


A method for joining a number of first and second wafers (11,12) having one polished surface in preparation for direct wafer bonding is provided. The method involves placing a number of first (11) and the same number of second (12) wafers into slots (16) of a retainer (14) so that each of the polished surfaces of the number of first wafers (11) is forced to contact one of the polished surfaces of the number of second wafers (12).

The present invention relates, in general, to bonding of silicon wafers to another semiconducting or semi-insulating substrate and, more particularly, to an automated method for bonding a plurality of wafers at the same time.
Silicon wafer bonding, which is bonding a silicon wafer to another silicon wafer, is a useful replacement for conventional epitaxial processing. Unprocessed or partially processed silicon top wafers can be bonded to an insulating bottom wafer or substrate to form a silicon on insulator (SOI) structure. Some recent applications take advantage of the flexibility of wafer bonding to created devices in which both the top and bottom wafers are processed to provide devices with complex buried layer structures.
Bonding two wafers to each other is usually accomplished by bonding one wafer pair at a time using an apparatus similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,215 issued to Goesele et al on Nov. 28, 1989. Bonding one wafer at a time, however, is a slow and expensive process. Moreover, prior single wafer bonders require manual handling of wafers resulting in dirty wafers and unpredictable yields. Further, previous manual wafer bonding method have relatively low productivity, resulting in increased costs for the useful and valuable bonded wafer substrates.
Another problem with previous wafer bonding methods is that the wafers were joined prior to permanent bonding in a horizontal orientation. The horizontal orientation causes dust and contamination to land on the wafers which is trapped during bonding. Trapped dust and contamination causes voids, which are also called bubbles, in the bonded wafer.
What is needed is an automated method for joining wafers that provides high productivity, low cost, and reproducible void-free bonded wafers. Moreover, a method of wafer bonding is needed that can be integrated with existing semiconductor wafer handling equipment to allow cassette-to-cassette transfer. Also, a method for joining wafers is needed that reduces particulate contamination problems associated with previous manual wafer bonding methods.


The mountable urine reservoir is a device designed to address a common problem that exists in commodes installed in mobile vehicles. Because the motion of the vehicle may jostle a person attempting to stand while urinating it is common for urine to splash outside of the commode. This is highly unsanitary. The present invention eliminates this defect in the current systems by providing whereby a person can urinate standing up while inserting their penis within the barrel of a reservoir. Thus the walls of said reservoir would prevent any urine from splashing to the exterior.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement on the current devices installed on mobile vehicles for receiving urine during expulsion. Included is a distinct and improved reservoir for receiving urine and dispensing said urine into a commode while also providing a convenient mounting system for said reservoir.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As today's society has become more mobile it has become commonplace for vehicles to be designed with commodes that can be used while the vehicle is in transport. Commodes can be found in airplanes, boats, buses, trucks, mobile homes, and trains to name a few. While these conveniences have proven to be invaluable assets, the combination has not been without fault. When males expel urine into the standard commodes installed on vehicles, the jostling of the vehicle can lead to a lack of control of the urine's trajectory. The result is that the urine will land on the exterior of the commode, the floor, or the surrounding walls. This is highly unsanitary and unpleasant. Thus a device that would receive all urine expelled by a male in the standing position despite, being jostled, would be a vast improvement on the prior art.
As described earlier, all of the devices for receiving urine on moving vehicles employ the standard seated commode. This design typically resembles a stool with an opening in the seat that is designed to receive human excrement. The only accommodation that exists for the male expulsion of urine in the standing position is that the seat of the commode can typically be lifted so that any urine that is splashed will not land thereon. While this design is adequate for stationary commodes, the bumps and turns of a moving vehicle can cause the user to miss the commode altogether. There are no devices in the prior art that recognize this fault and rectify it. The present invention comes from the realization that a reservoir is needed that is at an elevated level so that these accidents will not occur. The invention can be installed for use with preexisting arrangements at low cost. While there are other reservoir designs for the receipt of urine, most of these designs are for separate units. None of these provide for a permanent mounting system that makes the reservoir readily available to the user of a mobile commode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,058 to Robert W. Anderson and Carlos Witzke U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,998 are for urinals designed for use by a female, particularly those that do not have access to a commode. The similarities to the present invention relate to the use of a urine receptor cup that is attached to a hose by a port for the transport of urine. The cup designs however are distinctly different. The Anderson '058 and Witzke '998 design incorporate a cup that is suited for the female anatomy while the present invention is for the male anatomy. The primary difference is that the port orientation on the cup for these patents are located at a downward angle from the mouth of the cup which accommodates the female anatomy while the present invention consists of a port directly below the mouth of the cup thus being designed to suit the male anatomy. The present invention incorporates a dispensation design on the opposite end of the hose that is readily adaptable to most commodes while the Anderson '058 patent is designed to dispense the urine by a pumping mechanism. The Witzke '998 patent covers only a cup and hose design. Also unique to the present Invention is a mounting system for the cup that makes it possible to mount the present invention immediately next to a commode and to be used either mounted or grasped for use. This design feature is crucial to the present inventions utility in mobile vehicles and is not disclosed in the Anderson '058 patent or the Witzke '998 patent.
The urine conducting apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,111 to Paul R. Packer uses a cup and port design as well. The cup and its mouth are shaped with a curved design intended for the female anatomy and does not incorporate the barrel shaped structure of the present invention. Thus splashing due to jostling will be a far greater risk in the Packer '111 design. The Packer '111 design is for a receptor cup only and has none of the features of the present invention for mounting and adapting for a commode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,306 to Bernard B. Bringman and Des. 357,979 to Oneita A. Evans are for urinals that are attached to a container by a hose. The port-mouth orientation of these inventions is arranged for the male anatomy and this respect more closely resembles the present invention. However, the dispensing design for theses inventions is for the hoses to enter a container where said container incorporates a mounting receptor to hold the end of the hose in place. The present invention on the contrary includes a special design feature that allows the end of the hose to be mounted on the rim of a commode and thus be used permanently with that commode. In addition, neither the Bringman '306 nor Evans '979 patents disclose a means for mounting said cups for repeated usage in mobile vehicles.
U.S. Pat. Des. 213,557 is for a portable bidet that has a basin design that substantially resembles the standard bidet. A hose feeds into two tubes that are connected to both spray nozzles of the bidet. This hose is attached to a fitting that is designed to be mounted on a spout so that water will be fed to the abovementioned nozzles. The fitting is not suited for the mounting system of the present invention and is not meant for the purpose of receiving urine. The interface between the hose and the bidet is greatly different then the present invention and would not be readily adaptable to standard mobile commodes.
Therefore a need exists for a novel and enhanced device for receiving urine on mobile vehicles. Combining these tasks in a single unit would increase efficiency and minimize the use of storage space. In addition, the design should maximize the safety of the user. In this respect, the mountable urine reservoir according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of receiving urine in a mobile vehicle.


A knitting loom is provided with a base having top and bottom, the base including a plurality of knitting pegs equidistantly projecting upward from the top of the base, each of the knitting pegs having a top hole and a vertical groove formed on an outer surface; a plurality of convex risers each formed on a joining portion of the knitting peg and the top of the base, a plurality of cavities formed on the top of the base, each of the cavities communicating with the vertical groove, and a plurality of wells equidistantly formed on the bottom of the base; and a plurality of pins each including a shank fastened in the top hole, and an enlarged head.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to hand held knitting looms and more particularly to such a knitting loom for knitting garments with improved characteristic.
2. Description of Related Art
Weaving may utilize different kinds of looms such as hand held knitting looms which are for example circular and have upwardly projecting knitting pegs.
However, drawbacks of the typical hand held knitting loom are time consuming in producing knits, cumbersome in adjustment, and inconvenient in use.
Thus, the need for improvement still exists.


A head light module includes: a lamp disposed to irradiate light; a shield disposed to be rotatable about a rotating pin so as to selectively block a light path of a portion of the light irradiated from the lamp; a plunger disposed to be moved in a longitudinal direction thereof in order to push or pull one side of the shield; a compressive roll pad disposed so that an outer circumferential surface thereof is in contact with the plunger, rotated in accordance with a forward and rearward movement of the plunger, and compressed by the plunger or returns back to an original shape thereof when the plunger is moved forward or rearward; and an actuator which moves the plunger forward or rearward so that the shield selectively blocks the light path of a portion of the light irradiated from the lamp.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a head light module which improves driving convenience of a driver by selectively irradiating a low beam and a high beam in accordance with a mode and reduces noise that occurs when the mode is converted.
2. Description of Related Art
A head light module, also called a headlamp, is a device that serves to illuminate a forward path on which a vehicle runs, and requires brightness to enable a driver to verify obstacles on a road, which are 100 m from the front of the vehicle, at night.
A headlamp assembly of the related art (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-110213) includes a bulb (lamp), a reflector which supports the bulb and reflects forward light irradiated from the bulb, and a lens connected to a front side of the reflector by a holder.
The head light module is configured so that light irradiated from the bulb is converted into a low beam or a high beam by an operation of a shield unit provided in the head light module.
The shield unit includes a rotating pin, and a plate-shaped shield that is rotated about the rotating pin, and in this case, light irradiated from the bulb may be converted into a low beam or a high beam in accordance with a degree of rotation of the shield according to a linear movement of a solenoid.
Accordingly, a low beam state is made in an initial state in which the solenoid is not operated, and a high beam state is made when the shield is rotated forward about the rotating pin as the solenoid is linearly moved forward.
Meanwhile, the rotational operation of the shield of the shield unit is stopped by a damper (stopper), and in this case, noise and vibration occur due to a collision between the shield and the damper, and the noise and the vibration may be displeasing to the driver. Therefore, researches are continuously conducted to reduce noise and vibration occurring in the shield unit.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


The present application relates to an apparatus and method for detecting defects in composite insulators used in power systems. The apparatus includes a test frame, a hydraulic cylinder connected to a first end of the test frame for imparting a load on a composite insulator, a hammer for imparting excitations into the composite insulator, and a data collection device for collecting frequency responses traveling in the composite insulator as a result of the hammer striking the insulator. The composite insulator is secured between the hydraulic cylinder and a second end of the test frame.

The present invention relates generally to the detection of manufacturing defects in composite insulators and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for detecting defects in composite insulators used in power systems.
Composite insulators consist of a fiberglass rod with two metal end fittings attached. The rod is then coated with rubber material protecting the rod from the environment. It is possible that during the manufacturing process the rod is partially damaged and may result in a failure in the field (may happen many years after installation). The damage may occur while either the end fittings are being attached to the rod (usually by crimping), while the rubber material is being molded on, or during handling (especially when the rod is hot after molding).
For a number of years, investigations of vibration-based field inspection methods have been conducted to identify damaged insulators (both NCI and porcelain−note NCI=non-ceramic insulator=composite insulator=polymer insulator). After several investigations were performed on composite insulators, it was determined that while insulator damage could be detected in a vibration response, a number of variables, such as tension load and attachments, could affect the vibration response more strongly than the damage. This has made the technique challenging, almost impossible, to apply in field situations. For this reason, vibration-based inspection is best suited for a laboratory-type environment rather than a field installation.
Currently, two types of tests are used in the manufacturing process to identify potential rod defects: (1) To listen to acoustic signals while crimping the end fitting on to the rod—if the rod cracks or is over crimped a specific signal is identified, and (2) perform a Routine Test Load (RTL) test.
The RTL is performed at the end of the manufacturing process. All units are required to be subjected to an RTL which is 50% of their specified mechanical Load. This is a proper time to conduct the RTL since the geometry is well defined as is the mechanical load. However, while the RTL test provides a basis for mechanical strength, it has deficiencies in detecting defects in composite insulators.

Apparatus and method of vibration testing for manufacturing defect detection in composite insulators


A computer-implemented method and apparatus for unit testing, the method comprising: intercepting user interactions when a user is testing a function implemented by user code; recording execution data for the function execution; generating one or more tests based on the execution data, wherein each test is generated in accordance with a heuristic applicable for the function; detecting a code change in the function; and automatically executing the tests function to test the user code as changed.

Testing and quality control is a crucial part of software development, and should be done throughout all stages of the software development lifecycle. A software developer should test all the code he or she programmed for proper and exception-free operation, as well as ensuring that the code provided the expected results.
Defects, also known as bugs, may be introduced to a piece of software at any development phase, including for example during initial programming, at a later time when existing code is changed for adding new functionalities or for fixing other bugs, or further later when changing other pieces of code which influence or are influenced by the current code. Thus, in many cases bugs are introduced into a piece of code which was already tested and approved, but changes in that piece of code or in other parts caused the bug. Of course, the later a bug is discovered, the harder it is to localize it so it can be fixed, and the more expensive and resource consuming it is to fix it. Currently, it is hard to identify a new bug in code which has already been known to work properly.
Unit testing is a concept according to which individual units of source code are tested to determine if they are fit for use. A unit is a part of an application that can be tested independently of other parts. For example, in procedural programming a unit may be an individual function or procedure, while in object-oriented programming a unit may relate to a method or to a class having one or more methods.
The benefits of unit testing, which relate to bug isolation, version management and others, are recognized industry-wide, but many software developers do not perform proper unit testing, because of the added burden and time constraints. Instead, some employ very partial testing during development and rely on tests performed on integration stages, in which additional units are involved. In other cases, developers sometimes perform manual unit testing where they create a temporary program to test their new code and then throw the temporary program away, thus delaying the problem to the next development phase. Automated unit testing, however, is currently hard to implement and its implementation and usage requires a lot of discipline on the user's side.
A major disadvantage of this course of action is that even if a unit has been thoroughly and successfully tested, regression testing is still missing; it is not guaranteed, and indeed is rare, that the tests will be run again or that future versions will remain bug-free. In many cases a developer modifying code in one part of the product introduces bugs into other parts which already work, and these bugs can go unnoticed because the working unit will not be re-tested. This leads to many bugs being discovered at later quality assurance stages at which stage it may hold back other programmers, or even at customer sites, which incurs much higher costs, delayed deadlines and wasted resources.
For example, the cost of fixing a bug during coding is estimated in $25, during unit testing $100, in function testing it is estimated in $250, on system testing it is estimated in $1000, and after releasing the software it increases to as high as $16,000.
There is thus a need for a unit testing method and apparatus for enabling early bug identification during software development.

Method and apparatus for detecting software bugs


A thermal relief valve to be mounted in a fluid flow line. The valve comprises a valve body and a valve actuator movable in a bore defined by a bore wall in the valve body from a sealing position in which the actuator sealingly engages a valve seat to block flow through the valve to a non-sealing position. The valve actuator is responsive to the temperature of the fluid exceeding a predetermined temperature to move to its non-sealing position. The relief valve has an actuator body configured to have first exterior surfaces sized for a close clearance fit with the bore wall at spaced locations around the actuator body to prevent substantial lateral shifting of the body relative to the bore wall, and second exterior surfaces which extend between the first exterior surfaces and which are spaced farther from the bore wall to define flow passages to permit the flow of fluid past the actuator when the valve actuator moves to its non-sealing position.

This invention relates generally to relief valves in piping systems and, more particularly to a relief valve which is heat sensitive.
A substantial concern in the operation of fluid systems that may be exposed to local temperature gradients is thermal damage to system components. Exposure to heat is prevalent among fluid systems, as tubes and pipes are frequently located nearby heat-generating components of machines and industrial equipment. When heat is transferred into a pipe, fluid temperature can rise to levels that leave components served by the piping system susceptible to damage. Therefore, thermal relief valves are frequently included in fluid systems to prevent damage. When fluid temperature exceeds a predetermined limit, thermal relief valves open to vent hot fluid and permit entry of cooler fluid.
More specifically, this invention relates to an improved thermal relief valve of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,119, which is incorporated herein by reference. In that patent, a thermal relief valve is described as suitable for conventional or miniature fluid piping systems. The thermal relief valve includes a cylindrical valve body with a bore that houses a thermal actuator. The actuator has a piston and wax that melts and expands at a predetermined temperature. When fluid temperature exceeds the predetermined level, wax expands and causes the piston to extend, thereby moving the thermal actuator axially within the housing. The actuator moves from its normal closed position in which the actuator engages an O-ring seal to an open position in which the actuator unseats from the O-ring and forms a gap therebetween. Fluid may then pass through the valve, flowing first through an annular passage between the circular exterior of the thermal actuator and the circular interior wall of the bore in the valve body that houses the actuator. The fluid next flows through the gap adjacent the O-ring seal and exits the valve.
One drawback to thermal relief valves of this type is that in use they exhibit a high susceptibility to O-ring wear. Valves are frequently exposed to environments of severe vibration. Although the thermal actuator in its closed position is constrained from moving axially, being pressed against the O-ring by a spring, the actuator is not constrained from moving laterally. Specifically, the actuator can shift and vibrate in a side-to-side direction within the housing. As it moves, the annular passage between the thermal actuator and the interior wall of the bore in the valve body becomes irregular, wider on one side than on an opposite side, since the actuator is intermittently off-center within the bore. The actuator rubs against the O-ring seal, maintaining a sealing contact against it, but causing wear on the O-ring. The eventual results are leakage and a need for recurrent O-ring replacement.