When the vehicle is running in a low speed condition, a vehicle-mounted running control device performs vehicle control of a normal mode without performing of traffic jam control of the vehicle, if it is discriminated that the vehicle will change a running course thereof on the basis of road information of a scheduled vehicle running course obtained from a navigation system, and performs the traffic jam control with the vehicle being discriminated as in the traffic jam condition, if it is discriminated that the vehicle will not change the running course thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a running control device mounted in a vehicle for controlling a vehicle by using a navigation system, and more specifically relates to a running control device in which a required large driving force can be obtained without a performance for a traffic jam control such as reduction of an output of an engine of the vehicle when the vehicle changes the direction like turning right or left, or when the vehicle accelerates after passing through an intersection or a tollgate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram for showing a central control unit of a conventional vehicle, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram for showing a general navigation controlling unit.
In FIG. 4, a reference numeral 101 denotes a central control unit for controlling information of each control unit totally, such as an engine controlling unit 102 for controlling an engine of a vehicle, a transmission controlling unit 103 for controlling a transmission of the vehicle, and so on. In FIG. 5, a reference numeral 104 denotes a navigation system controlling unit for controlling navigation of the vehicle, and a reference numeral 105 shows a memory unit for storing map information. A reference numeral 106 denotes a course determining unit, having road information of an estimated running course, for processing information of a destination of the vehicle, a destination of the vehicle or the like so as to determining a scheduled running course of the vehicle, and a reference numeral 107 illustrates a position detecting unit for measuring a present position of the vehicle. A reference numeral 108 shows a display unit for displaying map information, a present position of the vehicle, and a scheduled course for the vehicle, and a reference numeral 109 denotes a voice message informing unit for informing a voice message of the present position of the vehicle or a running direction at an intersection of a road.
Generally, as shown in FIG. 4, a vehicle includes several sensors (not shown), and the engine controlling unit 102, the transmission controlling unit 103 and so on. The vehicle controls an engine, a transmission, a suspension, a steering device, an air conditioning system, a lighting device and so on for example based on results of processing information from the controlling units.
The controlling units are sometimes managed individually. However, the central controlling unit 101 generally manages the engine controlling unit 102, the transmission controlling unit 103 and so on totally while the central controlling unit 101 refers to and relates information of the controlling units.
In addition, recently, there has been developed an apparatus called a navigation system having a structure shown in FIG. 5 for detecting the present position by using signals from an artificial satellite or a sensor. In this conventional navigation system, a starting point, a destination of a vehicle and a plan of running course can be instructed on the basis of the processing results by the course determining unit 106, the position detecting unit and so on. The course determining unit 106 calculates a scheduled course by using a map information previously registered in the memory unit 105 in addition to the starting point, the destination of a vehicle and the plan of running course. The vehicle can be navigated by the information of the present position of the vehicle, a course direction at an intersection and the like displayed on the displaying unit 108, or outputted from the voice massage informing unit 109.
As a conventional example utilizing the above-mentioned vehicle sensors and controlling units, for instance, there is known as a traffic jam detecting apparatus described in JP-A 63/172397. In this conventional traffic jam detecting apparatus, an output value from a vehicle speed sensor is calculated, and the calculated result and a predetermined value which is previously determined are compared, then a traffic jam is determined when the calculated result indicates low speed running in the predetermined speed. A vehicle height adjusting device, suspensions, an automatic transmission device and an engine are controlled on the basis of the determination.
In addition, as another conventional traffic jam detecting apparatus for detecting a traffic jam by utilizing an output from a vehicle speed sensor, for instance, there are JP-A 59/200845, JP-A 59/200846, JP-A 59/200847.
Next, as a conventional example for controlling a vehicle on the basis of information from a navigation system, for instance, there is known as a hybrid-type vehicle described in JP-A 6/187595. In this conventional hybrid-type vehicle, accuracy of information for navigating the vehicle is improved by adding information of the road in which the vehicle running presently to map information of the navigation system, simultaneously a driving source (engine and motor, specifically) in accordance with a running position is switched so that the driving source adapts to a condition where various different peripheral environments at the same point exist such as a condition at a multilevel crossing or the like.
In the above-described conventional traffic jam detecting apparatus, if the speed of running vehicle becomes smaller than a standard value which is predetermined and into a slow speed condition, and the vehicle runs in the slow speed condition for a certain while, the apparatus determines a traffic jam condition. Thus, since the vehicle runs in the low speed lower than a predetermined speed when the vehicle changes the course such as turning right or left, or when the vehicle approaches near an intersection or a tollgate, the apparatus determines that the vehicle is in the traffic jam condition, whereby a traffic jam control is performed such that the output from the engine is reduced. As a result, there is a problem that a required driving force cannot be obtained, although a large driving force is required when the vehicle changes the course such that the vehicle turns right or left, or when the vehicle passes through an intersection or a tollgate.
Furthermore, in the above-described conventional navigation system, there is no means for canceling the traffic jam control when the vehicle changes the course direction such that the vehicle turns right or left while the vehicle runs in a traffic jam condition control or when the vehicle approaches near a tollgate while the vehicle runs in a traffic jam condition control. As a result, there is a problem that a required driving force is lacked, because the traffic jam control can not be canceled although the traffic jam control should be canceled in order to obtain a large driving force when the vehicle changes the course or when the vehicle passes through an intersection or a tollgate.

Running control device mounted in a vehicle


A fuel pumping apparatus is disclosed which comprises a pumping plunger reciprocable within a bore. A spill valve communicates with the bore. A pilot piston is exposed to the fuel pressure within the bore, the pilot piston being arranged to move under the action of the fuel pressure to supply a pilot quantity of fuel to an injector. The pilot piston is arranged so that, in one position, only part of an end face thereof is exposed to the fuel pressure within the bore.

This invention relates to a fuel pumping apparatus for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine and of the kind comprising a fuel pumping plunger which is slidably mounted in a plunger bore formed in a body, a fuel injection nozzle carried by the body and including a valve member which is resiliently biased into engagement with a seating to prevent flow of fuel through an orifice from a nozzle inlet, the valve member being lifted from the seating by fuel under pressure at the nozzle inlet, a spill valve connected to said plunger bore and passage means through which fuel can flow to the nozzle inlet from said plunger bore.


A fixing device may include: a nip member; an endless belt; a heater; a temperature detection unit; and a biasing member. The endless belt may circularly move such that an inner peripheral surface thereof may move in a sliding direction at a position in sliding contact with the nip member. The temperature detection unit may include: a temperature sensor and a holder. The temperature sensor may detect a temperature of the inner peripheral surface and may include: a base and a sensor element supported at the base. The holder may support the base and may have a guide surface for guiding the inner peripheral surface. The guide surface may be disposed on at least one of first and second sides of the temperature sensor in a first direction extending along an axis of the endless belt. The biasing member may bias the holder toward the inner peripheral surface.

There is conventionally known a fixing device including a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of an inner peripheral surface of an endless belt. In such a conventional fixing device, the temperature sensor is biased toward the inner peripheral surface by a spring or a sponge, thereby detecting the temperature of the inner peripheral surface.

Fixing device provided with temperature detection unit


A tunable steering wheel release/stroking system adapted for use with a steering column, and to selectively absorb energy during a crash event, includes a steering column and an energy-absorbing element configured to receive a force from the column during the event, wherein the element is formed at least in part of an active material changeable between first and second phases when exposed to an activation signal, and configured so as to be caused to deform by and therefore absorb energy from the force at a first energy-absorbing magnitude in the first phase and at a second energy-absorbing magnitude in the second phase.

The present invention relates to steering wheel stroking systems, and more particularly, to a steering wheel stroking system and method of energy absorption utilizing active material actuation.
To reduce risk of injury to the driver during a crash event, conventional steering columns often feature energy-absorbing elements, such as a collapsible steering shaft, and break away mounting features. These features, more particularly, enable the steering column to give upon impact with the driver, in what is also known as "steering wheel stroking." While increasing safety, however, these features typically present one-size-fits-all allowances, wherein the rate of energy-absorption remains constant regardless of event or driver characteristics. Of further concern, the irreversible shearing and deformation typically provided by these systems result in one-time usage, which necessitates repair and/or the replacement of parts after use.
An energy absorption system wherein a variable damper is externally coupled to the column and driven by air-bag deployment has also been developed, but this system also presents concerns. For example, the addition of external structure creates packaging challenges in the typically tight spacing afforded steering columns. Moreover, with respect to driver safety it is appreciated that stroking optimization occurs near the end of or subsequent to, as opposed to at the beginning of, typical air bag deployment.

Steering wheel release/stroking using active material actuation


In the present invention, for measurement of line widths, for example, at 36 locations within a substrate processed in a coating and developing treatment system, the 36 measurement points are divided and, for example, six substrates are used to measure the line widths at all of measurement points. In this event, the line widths at six measurement points are measured in each of the substrate, which exist in substrate regions different for each substrate. Then, the measurement results of the line widths at the measurement points of the substrates are combined, so that the line widths at 36 measurement points are finally detected. According to the present invention, the measurements of product substrates can be performed without decreasing the throughput of processing of the product substrates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate measuring method, a computer-readable recording medium recording a program thereon, and a substrate measuring system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a photolithography process in manufacturing, for example, a semiconductor device, for example, a plurality of steps such as a resist coating step of applying a resist solution onto a wafer to form a resist film, an exposure step of exposing the resist film into a predetermined pattern, heating step of accelerating the chemical reaction in the resist film after exposure (post-exposure baking), and a developing step of developing the exposed resist film are performed in sequence, so that a predetermined resist pattern is formed on the wafer. The series of processing is performed in a coating and developing treatment system incorporating various kinds of processing and treatment units and wafer transfer units, in which, for example, a plurality of wafers for the same recipe are successively transferred and processed.
Incidentally, to grasp, for example, the processing tendency within the wafer of the series of processing, it is necessary to measure the processing state of the wafer such as the line width of the resist pattern after the wafer processing in the above-described coating and developing treatment system. The measurement of the wafer is performed by processing a test wafer before processing of a product wafer, for example, in the coating and developing treatment system and measuring the processing states at a plurality of measurement points on the test wafer, for example, by a measuring unit incorporated in the coating and developing treatment system (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-128572 and JP No. 2003-209093).
However, when the wafer processing state is measured using the test wafer as described above, it takes a long time to start processing of the product wafer. For this reason, it is considered to directly measure the processing state using the product wafer.
However, the product wafers are transferred in succession by a plurality of wafers for each lot in the coating and developing treatment system. Therefore, if a product wafer is measured at many points after the product wafer has been subjected to the last step, it takes a long time for the measurement, causing waiting time of other product wafers subsequent thereto. This causes congestion of the product wafers transferred in succession, resulting in decreased throughput of the wafer processing.

Substrate measuring method, computer-readable recording medium recording program thereon, and substrate measuring system


The present invention relates to a safety device which finds particular application in association with the quick disconnect assembly of a pneumatic hose. In its broadest context, the present invention includes a first hose clamp which is adapted to be removably secured to a first segment of pneumatic hose. The present invention also includes a similar second hose clamp which is adapted to be removably secured to a second segment of pneumatic hose. These two hose clamps are interconnected by way of a length of cord. When in use, the two clamps and cord prevent the first and second segments of hose from falling away from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety device and more particularly pertains to such a device for use upon a quick disconnect assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of connectors is known in the prior art. More specifically, connectors are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,465 to Elliott et al discloses an electrical plug connector lock. U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,243 to Carmo discloses a releasable cord connecting lock. U.S. Design Pat. No. 353,578 to Johnson discloses an electrical plug and connection holder. U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,961 to Cifalde discloses an extension cord clip. U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,106 to Osten discloses a cord connector. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,107 to Sheryll discloses a plug retention device.
In this respect, the safety device of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing the two ends of a quick disconnect from separating after uncoupling.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for improved safety devices for interconnections. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Safety device for quick disconnect couplings


A sheet feeding apparatus 80 includes a lifter plate 23 that is disposed in a sheet storage case 4 and stacks a sheet 7a, an air heater 14 and a fan 11 that blow heated air to the sheet 7a stacked on the lifter plate 23, and a control device 16 that changes a control condition of the heated air blown by the air heater 14 and the fan 11 based on a storage period of time of the sheet 7a on the lifter plate 23.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus that includes a sheet stacking portion, which stacks sheets disposed in a sheet feeding apparatus body, and a heated air blowing portion, which blows heated air to the sheets stacked to the sheet stacking portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine or a printer, continuously feedable sheets are generally limited to high quality paper or plain paper designated by a copying machine maker. In these sheets, since smoothness of a surface is low and air permeability is high (air can easily pass through the sheets), the air easily flows between the sheets. Accordingly, when each sheet is extracted from the stacked sheets, absorption between the sheets is rarely generated. As a result, overlapping sheet feeding is rarely generated.
Meanwhile, in recent years, with diversification of a recording medium, an image may be formed on thick paper, an OHP sheet, and tracing paper. Further, in order to give a white degree or luster in accordance with a market request for coloring, even in sheets having a smooth surface, such as coat paper and art paper where a surface of a sheet is subjected to coating processing, an image formation request has been increased. In addition, in the OHP sheet, the tracing paper, the art paper, and the coat paper, since smoothness is high and air permeability is low (air rarely passes through them), the air is not easily flown between the sheets. Accordingly, when the sheets are stacked in a high-humidity environment in particular, the sheets can be easily absorbed there between. In a friction separation system that is generally used in a copying machine or a printer according to the related art, separation is not sufficiently made. As a result, overlapping sheet feeding or erroneous feeding is frequently generated.
In regards to the sheets that have the high smoothness and the low air permeability, techniques for suppressing absorption between the sheets and reducing overlapping sheet feeding or erroneous feeding are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-32473 and 2001-048366.
Specifically, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-32473 discloses a sheet feeding apparatus including an air exhaust portion that blows air heated by a dehumidifying heater provided at the lower side of a housing frame to a top surface or a side surface of a sheet stacked on a stack tray. According to this apparatus, it is possible to resolve a problem of absorption between the sheets by blowing the heated air to the sheets and removing humidity.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-048366 discloses a sheet feeding apparatus including an air blowing portion that blows air heated by an air heating portion to sheets stored in a sheet storage portion. According to this apparatus, it is possible to resolve a problem of absorption between the sheets by controlling the air heating portion and blowing air having proper humidity.
Meanwhile, according to the techniques that are related to sheet feeding disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-32473 and 2001-048366, if a sheet bundle is additionally stacked in a state where the sheets are stored in the sheet feeding apparatus, the sheets that are stored in the sheet feeding apparatus are located below the added sheet bundle. The sheets that are located at the bottom portion continuously are stored in the sheet feeding apparatus until there is no sheet that is stored in the sheet feeding apparatus. As such, if a long period of time passes in a state where the sheets are not used, moisture that is contained in the sheets may be continuously evaporated by the heated air blown to the sheets. In addition, if proper moisture is not contained in the sheets, warping is generated in the sheets. As a result, a sheet conveyance defect may be easily generated, or a surface property of the sheet or an electrostatic resistance value varies to cause a defective image to be easily formed. Accordingly, between the sheets that are stored in the sheet feeding apparatus for a long period of time and sheets that are newly stacked, image qualities may be different from each other, even though the same printed material is formed. In order to avoid this problem, a method is considered in which the amount of moisture contained in sheets having various surface properties is measured at the time of feeding the sheets and an image formation condition is changed. However, it is difficult to carry out the method, because the amount of contained moisture should be instantaneously measured at the time of feeding the sheets. Further, a method is also considered in which provided is a measuring apparatus that measures the amount of moisture of the sheets stored in the sheet feeding apparatus. However, if the measuring apparatus is provided, this causes enormous costs.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus that can properly maintain the amount of moisture contained in a sheet even though a storing period of time of the sheet is increased, prevent a sheet conveyance defect and an image formation defect on the sheet from being generated due to a decrease in the amount of moisture contained in the sheet, and stably output a high-quality printed material.

Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus


An abrasive waterjet nozzle for intelligent control is illustrated. The invention includes a nozzle cartridge dismountably attached to a holder allowing quick and automatic nozzle changes. Provisions are further included for sensing the condition of nozzle components.

Abrasive waterjet systems are used in many industries. The primary use of abrasive waterjet systems is trimming parts created by other tools. Industries often view abrasive waterjets as a rough cutting tool only. This view is too limited. The abrasive water jet is of use as a precision machining tool for such applications as drilling, turning and milling. These functions are routinely accomplished today by automated systems. Abrasive waterjets have not been widely used in automated systems for the reasons outlined below.
Waterjets are used to cut materials. A waterjet cutting system includes a source of high pressure fluid and a nozzle. The nozzle includes a pierced jewel or orifice and a housing to contain the orifice. The jet emerges from the orifice when high pressure liquid fills the housing. The jet is the actual cutting tool. Many ingenious mountings and systems of joints and seals connect the nozzle to a source of high pressure liquid. Waterjet cutting systems are routinely used to cut relatively soft materials to precise shapes. Precise cutting of sheet goods with minimal material wastage is a typical application.
Abrasive waterjets developed recently are increasingly used in manufacturing industries. An abrasive waterjet system entraps a finely divided abrasive material in a jet of high pressure liquid. First, a waterjet is created as in a waterjet cutting system. Abrasive material is supplied to the waterjet in a chamber. The waterjet with abrasive material is shaped and formed by a mixing tube before reaching the workpiece.
The nozzle for such a system must include several components. A high pressure connector is required to connect the nozzle to a supply of high pressure liquid. The high pressure connector is customarily a metal to metal seal. A jewel orifice is used for forming a waterjet. A source of abrasive and means of conveying the abrasive to the nozzle is needed. A means for mixing abrasive and the jet from the jewel orifice and forming a jet are essential functions of the nozzle. The mixing and forming functions are accomplished by an erosion resistant mixing tube. In such a nozzle the liquid pressure is very high, on the order of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of pounds per square inch. A suitable housing is required to hold all these components together.
As would be expected in such a system various portions wear with use. In particular, jewels, although made of extremely hard materials, break or erode. The mixing tube is exposed to rapidly moving abrasive. This causes the mixing tube to erode and require replacement. In all existing systems replacement of the jewel and/or mixing tube requires disassembly of the nozzle system.
Disassembly and subsequent reassembly is done by hand on current nozzle systems. Hand assembly is needed because the high pressures used require the use of metal to metal seals for assembly of the housing. Metal to metal seals demand a high tightening torque for assembly. This is because the pressure between the seal members must be greater than the difference between internal and external pressures. The various components of the nozzle must be very accurately aligned . Minor misalignment of the jewel, jewel mount or mixing tube can adversely affect the operation of the system. The dual requirements of high torque and accurate alignment demand hand assembly.
The necessity for periodic manual disassembly of the nozzle limits the use of abrasive waterjets in automated systems. In order to replace the worn components the system must be turned off and manufacturing interrupted. The worn part must be replaced by hand and the device reassembled. This stops the manufacturing process. In a production line this is intolerable. If automated replacement of worn components were possible abrasive waterjets could be used in many more manufacturing applications. Consequently, there is a demand for an abrasive waterjet system adapted to automated control.
In addition to automated replacement of worn components an automated system requires a means of detecting when the component must be replaced. In current manual systems the worker knows when a mixing tube or orifice must be replaced because the device stops functioning, In an automated system this is too late. Consequently, provision must be made for monitoring the condition of components prone to wear.

Abrasive-waterjet nozzle for intelligent control

National Center for Manufacturing Sciences


A universal valve switch for signaling the operative state of a valve assembly is disclosed that is attached to the body of the valve assembly using a bracketing arrangement. The valve switch comprises a housing defining a chamber and an aperture formed through the housing that communicates with the chamber. The valve switch may include a contact arrangement having a spring-loaded plunger that is extendable through the aperture with the plunger being operatively associated with the contact arrangement for selectively transmitting a signal to a remote panel whenever the lever is rotated out of contact with the plunger. In other embodiments, the contact arrangement may be replaced with various types of sensor assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to switches, and particularly to a valve switch for a fire suppression system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a valve switch universally fitted to an existing valve assembly.
2. Prior Art
Sprinkler systems for suppressing fires and initiating a fire alarm are well known in the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1, prior art sprinkler systems commonly include a valve assembly 12 interposed along a conduit 18 located between a water supply and the sprinkler system. The valve assembly 12 includes a valve body 14 and a valve member (not shown) which is used to close off the flow of water through assembly 12 using a rotatable lever 16 in order to test and perform maintenance on the sprinkler system. In some cases, particularly with large valve arrangements, the valve assembly 12 includes an integral valve switch 13 which transmits a signal to a remote panel (not shown) whenever the valve member is placed in the closed position. Over the course of time the valve switch 13 may fail which requires maintenance personnel to replace the entire existing valve assembly in order to replace the failed valve switch because the prior art valve switch 13 is an integral component of the valve assembly 13. Accordingly, maintenance personnel must take the extra time to replace the entire valve assembly which is a time consuming and wasteful procedure.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a valve switch which may be easily universally fitted to an existing valve assembly for a fire suppression system. There is a further need in the art for a valve switch that does not require direct integration of the valve switch to an existing valve assembly.


A control unit of a vehicular headlamp apparatus can selectively perform steering angle control and navigation-cooperative control. The steering angle control operates a drive mechanism based on a steering angle and a speed of a vehicle to control a headlamp's swivel angle. The navigation-cooperative control operates the drive mechanism using a navigation unit to control the swivel angle. When a current position of the vehicle reaches an entry control start point, the control unit starts navigation-cooperative control at the entry into a curved road. The control unit finds a target swivel angle based on a curvature radius and curved road direction information about the curved road. While the vehicle moves from the entry control start point to a curved road start point, the control unit operates the drive mechanism to gradually change the headlamp's swivel angle to the target swivel angle.

Conventionally, there has been available a vehicle headlamp apparatus for driving at night (e.g., see patent document 1). The apparatus can change a swivel angle in the optical axis direction (light distribution direction) of a headlamp at the vehicle front in response to a steering angle within an area approximately parallel to a road surface.
Generally, a driver drives a vehicle by visually checking a road forward in the traveling direction. When there is a curve in the vehicle's traveling direction, the driver feels wanting to visually check ahead of the curve before the vehicle enters the curve.
There may be a need for controlling a swivel angle according to the steering angle as mentioned above. The headlamp's light distribution direction does not follow the curve direction until the driver operates a steering system. Accordingly, the above-mentioned conventional vehicle headlamp apparatus may not sufficiently ensure the driver's visibility caused by the headlamp's light distribution.
To respond to changes in the curvature of a road shape ahead, there is proposed a vehicle headlamp apparatus based on navigation-cooperative control (e.g., see patent document 2). The apparatus is combined with a navigation system that associates position information obtained from a position detection unit such as the GPS (Global Positioning System) with map information. The apparatus is constructed to control the headlamp's swivel angles in cooperation with the navigation system. The vehicle headlamp apparatus based on navigation-cooperative control selectively enables a steering angle control mode and a navigation-cooperative control mode. The steering angle control mode controls optical axis directions for the headlamp in accordance with steering angles. This aims at concurrently providing stable control of headlamp's swivel angles during cornering and appropriate control of headlamp's swivel angles during curvature changes at entry into or exit from a corner.
There may be a case of changing between the steering angle control mode and the navigation-cooperative control mode in the above-mentioned vehicle headlamp apparatus based on navigation-cooperative control. In this case, the headlamp's swivel angle (light distribution direction) suddenly makes discontinuous changes, causing the driver to feel uncomfortably.                Patent document 1: JP-S61-211146A        Patent document 2: JP-3111153 B2 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,733)


A drinking glass liner (20) is utilized to retain ice pieces within a drinking glass (10) and permit a liquid entrapped within the ice pieces to drain away from the ice pieces. The drinking glass liner comprises a mesh sheet (22) having a textured front side (24), interconnected links (32) which define openings (34), and ridges (44) extending outwardly from a back side (26). Protrusions (38) optionally may extend outwardly from the front side to additionally retard movement of ice pieces. The ridges are provided to create a gap (46) between an inner surface (14) of the drinking glass and the back side to enable the liquid to freely flow away from the ice pieces.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of beverage containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a liner for a drinking glass.
II. Description of the Related Art
It is common for a consumer of a liquid beverage to place ice pieces into a drinking glass to cool the consumer's beverage of choice, thereby enhancing the drinking experience. However, as the beverage within the drinking glass is imbibed, the ice pieces often slide along the wall of the drinking glass from the bottom toward the rim as the drinking glass is tilted. When the ice pieces reach the rim, the consumer is presented with the annoyance of having the ice pieces striking the consumer's mouth. Sometimes, particularly when the level of the beverage within the drinking glass nears the bottom, the ice pieces can form a weak bond with the drinking glass wall. In this circumstance, the ice pieces can break free from the wall as the consumer sips from the drinking glass. This, in turn, can result in an unanticipated and overwhelming amount of beverage at the consumer's mouth, thereby potentially causing a slightly embarrassing moment for the consumer.
Also, the ice pieces, especially crescent-shaped ice from typical domestic automatic ice dispensers, can entrap a portion of the beverage, particularly when most of the beverage has been removed from the drinking glass. Often, the consumer must undesirably maintain the drinking glass in a tilted position for an inordinate amount of time to allow the beverage to drain from the ice pieces.
U.S. Patents issued to Swing (U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,063), Rupe (U. S. Pat. No. 2,690,064), Gaines etal. (U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,049), Langston (U.S. Pat. No. 2,753,050 and Macaluso, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,533) show various devices which are placed into a drinking glass to block ice from coming into contact with the mouth of the consumer. Commonly, these devices are placed proximate the rim of the drinking glass and extend perpendicularly from the wall of the drinking glass toward the longitudinal axis thereof. Swing and Rupe show devices which extend fully across the opening of the glass, comparable to a lid having a small port. Gains et al. and Langston show devices which extend partially across the opening of the drinking glass a sufficient distance to block the ice. Macaluso, Jr. shows a device which clips to the rim and projects a guard downwardly into the drinking glass to form a protected volume in which ice and/or other floating solids are prevented from penetrating.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,084, Rodges describes an ice guard having a arcuate base portion which is inserted into the glass. As shown in FIG. 2 of this patent, the base portion does not have a mesh. Rodges again teaches the use of a blocking device located within the glass proximate the rim which extends across the opening to block the ice.
Marks et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,338 describes a splash retarding vessel having a center core, cylindrically shaped device for preventing splashing of liquids contained within the vessel. This is a baffling device and the patent does not suggest that ice, or any other solid, is prevented from sliding along the wall toward the mouth of the drinker.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,129 issued to Fitz Gerald describes a baby nurser. The baby nurser has a pair of sections which are pivotally mounted to each other at the bottom to form a bottle that supports a flexible, plastic container generally utilized with nursing enfants. While engaging each other, the two sections form a cylindrically shaped bottle which has reticulated panels serving as vents. The walls of the baby nurser are rigid and the vents are provided strictly to provide access to the atmosphere from the interior of the bottle. As a child draws the fluid from the container, the container collapses, thereby preventing air from entering the child's stomach.
Stuhmer in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,028 describes a ice holder incorporated within a beverage container. This device is basically a sealable, perforated bag that receives and retains ice.


According to various aspects of the present disclosure, medium access control (MAC) sublayer logic of a device or a system may generate and implement a preamble structure of a data unit including a signal field which includes a four-bit cyclic redundancy check sequence providing a Hamming distance of two. The signal field portion of the preamble structure may include information related to a plurality of physical layer parameters used for wireless communication of the data unit. The preamble structure may be stored on a machine-accessible medium. The preamble may be generated by a data unit builder of the device, which may further receive a frame including a data payload, and encapsulate the frame with the preamble portion to generate the data unit. A transmitter coupled with the data unit builder may then wirelessly transmit the data unit using an antenna array.

The 802.11ah specification framework as defined in the IEEE 802.11ah specification framework document as of July 2012, entitled "11-12-0953-01-00ah-tgah-sfd-d9-x.docx" (available at https://mentor.ieee.org/802.11/dcn/12/11-12-0953-01-00ah-tgah-sfd-d9-x.docx) prescribed a four-bit cyclic redundancy check (CRC) sequence in the "SIG" field of the preamble structure to detect errors in that field. This CRC definition, however, has a Hamming distance of 1, which does not guarantee that single-bit errors will be detected.

Methods and arrangements for a check sequence


A computer program to assist in programming an industrial control system provides a programmer with a functional description of the data of low-level devices in the industrial controller, as gleaned from electronic data sheets, whose data is extracted and combined with mapping data used during the configuration of the industrial controller. The functional description may be used to create a reference for the programmer that may be incorporated into the control program source file.

The present invention relates to industrial controllers for controlling equipment and processes, and in particular to a computer program for use in programming industrial controllers.
Industrial controllers are specialized electronic computers providing high reliability operation and real-time control within well-characterized performance standards. The industrial controllers are normally tailored to a particular application by combining a number of standard components such as a central controller, a network, and input/output (I/O) modules.
The control programs executed by an industrial controller, unlike standard applications executed on conventional computers, are often unique to a particular installation, reflecting the particular requirements of the equipment and machinery subject to control, and the selected components of the industrial controller. For this reason, it is important that the task of writing programs for the industrial controller be simple and efficient, and that the user of the industrial controller be provided with effective tools to write and maintain the specialized control programs.
Many of the variables used in a control program are data from sensors or to actuators communicating with the controlled process or equipment. This data can be identified numerically, for example, as related to an I/O connection point or terminal on the industrial controller. More typically, however, program development programs for control programs allow the programmer to select variable names, or "tags" chosen for mnemonic purposes.
Identifying and naming a large number of input and output variables and linking them to industrial controller components can be quite difficult. For this reason, it is known to provide a program development program that can provide the programmer with information about the types of data provided by the principal hardware components of an industrial controller. As new devices are added, the program development program is updated so that the programmer is always provided with a reference to the types of data available from each component and the meaning of that data. The programmer can use this reference to properly identify variables needed in the program being developed.
A drop in computing costs has caused an increase in low-level devices, such as sensor and actuators, that provide multi-bit data transfers with an industrial controller. Unlike the principle hardware components of the industrial controller, such low-level devices may be manufactured by a large number of different companies and be subject to a much greater variety of function and rates of change of specification. Accordingly, information about the meaning and function of the data from such devices is not easily incorporated into the program development program.

Integrated programmer reference for industrial control device data


A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Duegla13’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early flowering habit; inflorescences with large clear white-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Duegla13'. Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been made available publicly nor sold for more than one year prior to the filing of this application.
The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create vigorous Poinsettia plants with attractive flower bract coloration.
The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2010 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number F-012-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number E00-0147-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in December, 2012.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since December, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A system includes M memories, wherein a first mapping assigns each point of an N-point input sequence to one of the M memories. A pipelined data path receives an input from each of the M memories, stores an output to each of the M memories, and iteratively processes pairs of points of the N-point input sequence. A control module designates the pairs of points from the M memories for processing by the data path, wherein only one point of each of the pairs is designated at one time.

The Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) transforms a discrete time-domain sequence of finite length into a discrete set of frequency values. The DFT of an N-point sequence x(n) is
            X                    (        k        )              =                            ∑                      n            =            0                                N            -            1                                                                                x                                      (              n              )                                                      W            N            kn                                                                        for                                                              k                    =      0        ,  1  ,            …                                      N        -    1.  WN, often referred to as a twiddle factor, is shorthand notation for e−j2π/N. The inverse DFT (IDFT) relation is identical to the DFT relation scaled by a constant and with the sign of the exponent reversed:
            x                    (        n        )              =                            1          N                                              ∑                          k              =              0                                      N              -              1                                                                                X                                            (                k                )                                                                W              N                              -                kn                                                                                for                                                                          n                              =      0        ,  1  ,            …                                      N        -    1.  Therefore, techniques developed for the DFT apply with minimal adaptation to the IDFT.
The DFT is capable of handling complex x(n), in which case the DFT will transform N (or fewer) complex time-domain inputs into N complex frequency-domain outputs. Because WN is complex, the X(k) generated by the DFT are often complex, even when the input sequence x(n) is real. If the DFT of a sequence of length 2N is desired, a 2N-point DFT can be used. If the 2N-point sequence is real, however, it seems intuitively possible to arrange pairs of the 2N real inputs to make N complex inputs. This N-point complex input can then be processed with an N-point DFT. This technique will be useful if the 2N-point DFT can be extracted from this N-point DFT.
If a sequence containing 2N real values is denoted g(n), two N-point real sequences can be formed from g(n). These N-point sequences may contain the even and odd points of g(n), respectively: e.g., x1(n)=g(2n) and x2(n)=g(2n+1). These two sequences can be combined into a single complex sequence of length N by assigning x1(n) as the real part and x2(n) as the imaginary part: i.e., x(n)=x1(n)+jx2(n). The 2N-point real sequences can be expressed in terms of the combined sequence as follows:
            x      1                  (      n      )        =                              1          2                                  [                                    x                                            (                n                )                                      +                          x              *                              (                n                )                                              ]                                                    and                                                        x          2                                  (          n          )                      =                  1                  2                                                              j                                  [                              x                                      (              n              )                                -                      x            *                          (              n              )                                      ]            The DFT is a linear relation, so:
                    X        1                          (        k        )              =                            1          2                                  [                                    D                                                                                F                                                                                T                                                  (                                      x                                                              (                      n                      )                                                        )                                                      +                          D                                                                                F                                                                                T                                                  (                                      x                    *                                          (                      n                      )                                                        )                                                              ]                                                    and                                                      X          2                                  (          k          )                    =                                    1                          2                                                                                j                                                      [                                          D                                                                                F                                                                                T                                                        (                                          x                                                                    (                        n                        )                                                              )                                                              -                              D                                                                                F                                                                                T                                                        (                                          x                      *                                              (                        n                        )                                                              )                                                                        ]                          .            Symmetry of the DFT means that:
            X      1                  (      k      )        =                              1          2                                  [                                    X                                            (                k                )                                      +                          X              *                              (                                  N                  -                  k                                )                                              ]                                                    and                                                        X          2                                  (          k          )                      =                            1                      2                                                                          j                                            [                                    X                                            (                k                )                                      -                          X              *                              (                                  N                  -                  k                                )                                              ]                    .
The desired output is the DFT G(k) of the original 2N input sequence g(n). The definition of the DFT can be used to reconstruct G(k), where
                    G                          (          k          )                    =                                    ∑                          n              =              0                                                      2                                                                                N                            -              1                                                                                g                                            (                n                )                                                                W                              2                                                                                N                            kn                                      =                                                            ∑                                  n                  =                  0                                                  N                  -                  1                                                                                g                                                        (                                          2                                                                                n                                        )                                                                                W                                      2                                                                                N                                                        2                                                                                kn                                                                        +                                          ∑                                  n                  =                  0                                                  N                  -                  1                                                                                g                                                        (                                                                  2                                                                                n                                            +                      1                                        )                                                                                W                                      2                                                                                N                                                        k                                                              (                                                                        2                                                                                n                                                +                        1                                            )                                                                                =                                                                      ∑                                      n                    =                    0                                                        N                    -                    1                                                                                x                      1                                                                                (                      n                      )                                                                                W                    n                    kn                                                              +                                                W                                      2                                                                                N                                    k                                                                                ∑                                          n                      =                      0                                                              N                      -                      1                                                                                x                        2                                                                                (                        n                        )                                                                                W                      N                      nk                                                                                =                                                                                X                    1                                                                          (                    k                    )                                                  +                                                      W                                          2                                                                                N                                        k                                                                                X                      2                                                                                (                      k                      )                                                                                =                                                1                  2                                                                  (                                                            {                                                                        X                                                                                (                            k                            )                                                                          +                                                                              X                            *                                                                                (                                                          N                              -                              k                                                        )                                                                                }                                        -                                          j                                                                                W                                                  2                                                                                N                                                k                                                                                {                                                                              X                                                                                (                              k                              )                                                                                -                                                                                X                              *                                                                                (                                                              N                                -                                k                                                            )                                                                                }                                                                              )                                                                                for                                                              k                =        0            ,      1      ,      …                                ,              N        -        1            The DFT of a real sequence is Hermitian symmetric:
            G                    (                              2                        N                    -          k                )              *    =                    [                              ∑                          n              =              0                                                      2                                N                            -              1                                                                                g                                            (                n                )                                                                W                              2                                                                                N                                                              (                                                            2                                                                                N                                        -                    k                                    )                                                n                                                    ]            *        =                                        W                          2                                                                                N                                      2                                                                                Nn                                                      [                                          ∑                                  n                  =                  0                                                                      2                                                                                N                                    -                  1                                                                                g                                                        (                    n                    )                                                                                W                                      2                                                                                N                                                        -                    kn                                                                        ]                          *            =                                    ∑                          n              =              0                                                      2                                                                                N                            -              1                                                                                [                                      g                                                              (                      n                      )                                                        ]                                *                                                          [                                  W                                      2                                                                                N                                                        -                    kn                                                  ]                                      *                          =                                            ∑                              n                =                0                                                              2                                                                                N                                -                1                                                                                g                                                  (                  n                  )                                                                          W                                  2                                                                                N                                kn                                              =                      G                                      (              k              )
Therefore, once the first N points are calculated, the next N are simply the complex conjugates of the first N in reverse order. Interleaving real g(n) into a complex sequence x(n) may be accomplished by the way in which g(n) is initially stored in memory. For example, g(n) may be stored in memory sequentially, and complex numbers may be read as alternating real and imaginary parts. Calculation is therefore divided into two steps: the DFT and post-processing. A computational reduction of approximately two times is achieved in the DFT step by using an N-point DFT instead of a 2N-point DFT, a savings that becomes more significant as N increases.
This technique is discussed in John G. Proakis & Dimitris G. Manolakis, Digital Signal Processing: Principles, Algorithms, and Applications § 6.2.2 (3d ed. 1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Referring now to FIG. 1, the flow of data is summarized for an exemplary sequence length. An 8192-point real sequence 50 is split into two 4096-point real sequences 52 consisting of the even and odd values of the original sequence 50. The even and odd real sequences form the real and imaginary parts, respectively, of a 4096-point complex sequence 54. A 4096-point DFT transforms the complex sequence 54 into a 4096-point frequency domain sequence 56. Post-processing creates a new 4096-point sequence 58. Hermitian symmetry dictates what the next 4096 points are, to allow generation of a 8192-point complex sequence 60.
The technique is equally applicable when calculating the IDFT of a 2N-point frequency domain sequence G(k) that is Hermitian symmetric (corresponding to a real time-domain sequence). This is the case in VDSL (Very high bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line) applications. In this situation, the calculation steps are pre-processing and IDFT calculation. Pre-processing involves calculating
            X      1                  (      k      )        =            1              2                                                          [                        G                                (            k            )                          +                              G                                      (                              N                -                k                            )                                *                    ]      and
            X      2                  (      k      )        =                    1        2                          [                              G                                      (              k              )                                -                                    G                                            (                                  N                  -                  k                                )                                      *                          ]                        ⅇ              j2π                                                            k          /          N                    and from the first N points of G(k) (the next N points add no information, as they are simply conjugates of the first N according to Hermitian symmetry). The sequence upon which the IDFT is performed is X(k)=X1(k)+jX2(k), and the resulting sequence x(n) will contain the even samples x1(n) as the real parts, and the odd samples x2(n) as the imaginary parts.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a data flow summary of this inverse process is depicted. A 4096-point complex sequence 70 (although Hermitian symmetry dictates the other 4096 points of a 8192-point sequence) is pre-processed to another 4096-point complex sequence 72. An IDFT transforms the sequence 72 into a 4096-point complex sequence 74. The real and imaginary parts 76 of the complex sequence 74 are the even and odd values, respectively, of an 8192-point real sequence 78.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a data flow summary of a similar technique is depicted. In this case, the DFT of two real sequences is desired. The two 4096-point real sequences 90 form the real and imaginary parts of a 4096-point complex sequence 92. A DFT transforms the sequence 92 into another 4096-point complex sequence 94. Post-processing extracts two 4096-point complex sequences 96 from the sequence 94. The sequences 96 are the DFTs of the respective sequences 90.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a data flow summary of the process inverse to that of FIG. 3 is shown. Two 4096-point complex sequences 100 are added (multiplying the second sequence 100 by j) to create a 4096-point complex sequence 102. An IDFT transforms the sequence 102 into a 4096-point complex sequence 104. The real and imaginary parts of the sequence 104 are the respective values of two 4096-point real sequences 106. The sequences 106 correspond to the IDFTs of the sequences 100.
The DFT can be evaluated directly according to its definition,
      X              (      k      )        =            ∑              n        =        0                    N        -        1                                                  x                          (          n          )                                            W          N          kn                .            Due to the DFT's importance, many techniques have been developed that speed this process. These techniques are generally labeled Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT), and have complementary Inverse FFTs (IFFT). The above technique for obtaining a 2N-point DFT sequence using only an N-point DFT is equally applicable when an FFT is used to calculate the DFT.
One popular FFT methodology is referred to as divide-and-conquer. For N=L*M, the divide-and-conquer FFT will calculate L M-point DFTs and combine the L DFTs into a single DFT. For example, if M is 2, L 2-point DFTs can be calculated. If N is a power of 2, this division can be repeated log2 N times. This FFT is known as Radix-2. If N is a power of 4, a Radix-4 FFT can be used. The Radix-4 FFT is more complex to implement, but for large N, its reduction in computation time is worth the trade-off. Because an input sequence can be zero-padded up to a length of a power of 2 or 4, Radix-2 and Radix-4 can be used for any input sequence.

Processing system and method for transform


A method for processing an interrupt signal within a microprocessor based system is described. The method includes storing a received interrupt signal within an interrupt cause register of an interrupt controller, outputting an interrupt command from the interrupt controller to an interrupt collector, asserting an interrupt signal to the microprocessor from the interrupt collector, and shifting the cause value field into a cause array. The interrupt command include an identifier field, a cause register ID field, and a cause value field, and content of the cause value field is based on a content of the interrupt cause register. The interrupt signal is asserted based on receipt of the identifier field and cause register ID field by the interrupt collector, and the shifting of the cause value field into a cause array within the interrupt collector occurs while the microprocessor services the receipt of the identifier field and cause register ID field from the interrupt collector.

This invention relates generally to processor based systems, and more particularly, to methods and systems for providing low latency and scalable interrupt collection capabilities for processor based systems.
Exception and notification based interrupt schemes for utilization within processor based architectures have been in existence since the first microprocessor systems were put into use. The term processor, as used herein, refers to microprocessors, microcontrollers, ASICS, FPGAs, RISC-based processors, programmable logic, and any other processing device that may incorporate one or more interrupt signals and associating servicing (interrupt handling) routines. Minimizing the hardware latency of interrupt signals and minimizing the software interrupt handler response time necessary to identify each interrupt source has been the topic of many technical papers and patents.
As digital microprocessor based systems increase in complexity and size, improved interrupt collection architectures are needed that provide scalability, low latency, and minimal I/O pin count. As a practical example, real time systems that are used for command and control in space based applications need predictable interrupt latency, and the ability to support a large number of interrupt sources.

Methods and system for providing low latency and scalable interrupt collection


A connector insertion and removal tool for an electrical system including a circuit board and at least one electrical connector therefor includes a first portion configured for coupling to a first surface of the circuit board, and a second portion configured for coupling to the first portion. At least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises an actuator adapted for movement toward and away from the circuit board to contact at least a portion of the connector.

The invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and, more particularly, to a tool for inserting and removing electrical connectors having a high density of connection pins to a circuit board.
Modern electronic devices, such as server systems for data communications systems, include an array of electrical connectors interconnecting circuit boards and peripheral devices of the system. A primary circuit board, sometimes referred to as a motherboard, often utilizes a number of peripheral circuit boards, sometimes referred to as daughter cards, in operation. Electrical connectors establish communication between the motherboard and the daughter cards, and typically include many pin contacts which are inserted through holes in the motherboard to establish electrical contact therewith.
Due to a large number of pin contacts in a relatively small area, large insertion and extraction forces may be generated when installing the connectors, and proper engagement of the pins of the connector to the motherboard can therefore be difficult. The applied force to overcome the mechanical resistance of the connector to insertion or removal from the motherboard tends to flex or bow the motherboard. Deflection of the motherboard as the connectors are installed makes installation and/or removal of the connectors more difficult, and may compromise the integrity of the electrical connection between the connectors and the motherboard.
Further, once installed to the motherboard, the electrical connectors are difficult to remove from the motherboard for service and maintenance of the system. Consequently, in some systems it has become conventional to take the server system off-line, disassemble the motherboard and daughter cards, and remove the motherboard from the system for service. The motherboard is then taken to a separate location where scopes, tweezers and tools are used to carefully extract and install connectors as desired, and then the motherboard is returned and the server system re-assembled.
Aside from being physically difficult to accomplish, off-site service of the motherboard is undesirable because it requires that the server system be shut down and powered off to dismantle the motherboard. Shutting down a busy server system inconveniences system users and may lead to economic loss.

Electrical connector insertion and removal tool


N,N'-Bis(sulfonamido)-2-amino-4-iminonaphthalen-1-ones and N,N'-Bis(amido)-2-amino-4-iminonaphthalen-1-ones are disclosed. Methods of inhibiting protein kinase C activity which comprises contacting protein kinase C with an effective amount of an N,N'-Bis(sulfonamido)-2-amino-4-iminonaphthalen-1-one or an N,N'-Bis(amido)-2-amino-4-iminonaphthalen-1-one are disclosed. Methods of treating an animal that is suspected of suffering from inflammatory, cardiovascular and/or neoplastic diseases which comprises administering an effective amount of an N,N'-Bis(sulfonamido)-2-amino-4-iminonaphthalen-1-one or an N,N'-Bis(amido)-2-amino-4-iminonaphthalen-1-one are disclosed.

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of calcium- and phospholipid-dependent serine/threonine-specific protein kinases which play an important role in cellular growth control, regulation, and differentiation. Protein kinase C is activated by diacylglycerol (DAG), a neutral lipid, and when activated will transfer the g-phosphate of MgATP to a serine or threonine residue on a substrate protein. The mechanisms of protein kinase C action have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,450 issued Mar. 28, 1989 to Bell et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
The activation of protein kinase C has been implicated in several human disease processes, including cancer tumors, inflammation and reperfusion injury. Accordingly, protein kinase C is a target for therapeutic agents useful in treating these conditions.
Cancer is a disease characterized in part by uncontrolled cell growth. Protein kinase C is directly involved in cellular growth control and is believed to be involved in tumor formation. Protein kinase C is fundamental to the processes involved in tumorigenicity, since it is the major high-affinity receptor for endogenous cellular DAGs as well as for several classes of tumor promoters. These tumor promoters also stimulate protein kinase C catalysis. Castagna et al., (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257:7847, reported direct activation of protein kinase C by tumor promoting phorbol esters.
Protein kinase C is the major, if not exclusive, intracellular receptor of phorbol esters, which are very potent tumor promoters. Phorbol esters and other tumor promoters bind to and activate protein kinase C. Since DAG and phorbol esters interact at the same site, DAGs have been suggested to be the "endogenous phorbol esters", analogous to the opiate receptor where the conservation of a high affinity receptor implied the existence of an endogenous analogue. DAG has been shown to increase the affinity of protein kinase C for Ca.sup.+2 and phospholipid and thus activates protein kinase C at cellular levels of these essential cofactors. Extracellular signals including hormones, growth factors, and neurotransmitters are known to stimulate phosphatidylinositol turnover resulting in the generation of IP.sub.3 and DAG.
Structures of 40 distinct oncogenes of viral and cellular origin have revealed that oncogenes encode altered forms of normal cellular proteins. Several of the gene products appear related to growth factors or other elements involved in transmembrane signalling. These oncogene products appear to function by altering the level of critical second messengers. Cells transformed with the oncogenes ras, sis, erbB, abl, and src have been shown to contain elevated levels of DAG which is then believed to activate protein kinase C. Studies on ras transformed cells have shown protein kinase C activation to be concomitant with elevation of DAG.
Phorbol esters, such as phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), have complex effects on cells including effects on membrane function, mitogenesis, differentiation, and gene expression. Synthetic DAGs mimic many of the effects of PMA in vitro and inhibitors of protein kinase C have been shown to block PMA-induced effects on cells. Thus, protein kinase C may mediate the actions of certain oncogenes, such as ras, which cause intracellular increases in DAG and concomitant increases in protein kinase C. In addition, activation of protein kinase C leads to the expression of c-myc, c-fos, c-cis, c-fms, nuclear protooncogenes which are important in cell transformation. Overexpression of protein kinase C in NIH 3T3 cells causes altered growth regulation and enhanced tumorigenicity and in rat fibroblasts leads to anchorage-independent growth in soft agar. Overexpression of protein kinase C in these cells resulted in tumor formation in animals receiving transplanted cells.
Several studies have shown increased expression of protein kinase C in certain tumor types such as breast and lung carcinomas. Activated protein kinase C has also been detected in human colon carcinomas although increased expression at the gene level was not seen. Topoisomerases are directly modulated by protein kinase C as substrates for the enzyme.
Protein kinase C inhibitors have been reported to potentiate the antitumor activity of chemotherapeutic agents such as cis-platin both in vitro and in vivo (Grunicke et al. (1989) Adv. Enzyme Regul. 28:201; and German Offenlegungsschrift DE 3827974). In addition, it has been suggested that protein kinase C would be a potential target for therapeutic design because of its central role in cell growth (Tritton, T. R. and Hickman, J. A. Cancer Cells 2:5-102 (1990).
Inflammation and reperfusion injury, particularly pertaining to cardiac injury, are common conditions for which there exists no definitive treatment despite extensive research. Appropriate treatments for these conditions are needed.
Protein kinase C inhibitors have been demonstrated to block platelet aggregation and release of neutrophil activating agents such as platelet activating factor (PAF) (Schachtele et al. (1988) Biochem Biophy. Res. Commun. 151:542; Hannun et al (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262:13620; Yamada et al. (1988) Biochem. Pharmacol. 37:1161). Protein kinase C inhibitors have also been shown to inhibit neutrophil activation, and chemotactic migration (McIntyre et al. (1987) J. Biol Chem. 262:15730; Lambreth et al. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263:3818; Pittet et al. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262:10072; and Gaudry et al. (1988) Immunology 63:715), as well as neutrophil degranulation and release of proteolytic enzymes and reactive oxygen intermediates (Wilson et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 26:12616; Fujita et al. (1986) Biochem. Pharmacol. 35:4555; Berkow et al. (1987) J. Leukoc., Biol. 41:441; Salzer et al. (1987) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 148:747; Kramer et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 262:5876; and Dewald et al. (1989) Biochem. J. 264:879).
Thus, inhibitors of protein kinase C have the capability of blocking all three of the most significant mechanisms of pathogenesis associated with myocardial reperfusion injury. Protein kinase C is, accordingly, a drug target for therapeutic agents. Additionally, the inhibitory effect of protein kinase C inhibitors on keratinocytes, and on the oxidative burst in neutrophils, provides an anti-inflammatory effect.
German Offenlegungsschrift DE 3827974 A1 discloses therapeutic preparations comprising a protein kinase C inhibitor in combination with a lipid, a lipid analogue, a cytostatic agent or phospholipase inhibitor which are useful for cancer therapy.
Cheng, C.C., (1974) J. Pharm. Sci. 63(2)307-310, disclose quinone imines as having antimalarial activity.


An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer bearing a static image and an exchangeable type developing apparatus for developing the static image on the image bearer. The developing apparatus includes a developing chamber having a developing roller in an opening opposite to the image bearer, and a containing chamber containing a developer to be supplied to the developing chamber. A detection electrode is disposed outside the developing device and in which a voltage is induced. A detection device detects an amount of the developer in the containing chamber on the basis of an induced voltage in the detection electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copier, printer, and the like using an electrophotographic system or a static recording system.
2. Related Background Art
In the image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system, for example, a static latent image is formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum or a photosensitive belt, which is an image bearer, and the static image on the image bearer is developed by a developer, such as toner, to visualize an image as a toner image. The developed image is transferred to a transferring material by a transferring apparatus, to cause the toner image to be borne by the transferring material, and the toner image is fixed to the transferring material by heating and pressing by a fixing apparatus. By sequentially carrying out these steps, the image is formed.
Meanwhile, toner is consumed as the image forming apparatus is used and hence, a user should supply toner. Known methods for supplying toner include charging only toner in the image forming apparatus, replacing the developing apparatus including a toner container, or replacing a unit including the photosensitive drum.
There are methods for detecting of the amount of unused toner to inform the user of the time to replace toner. Conventional methods for residual toner detection are as follows.
In developing the static latent image formed on the image bearer by powder toner, toner is adsorbed and transferred by a static force. Toner is previously magnetized and then an electrostatic force is applied to the developing roller in the developing apparatus caused by a voltage difference to cause the toner to be adsorbed to the surface of the developing roller. The developing roller is disposed opposite to the image bearer and an electrostatic force stronger than that of the developing roller is applied to the image bearer. Then, toner is transferred and adsorbed from the developing roller to the image bearer and the latent image on the image bearer is visualized by toner.
Thus, the method for detecting a residual toner amount employs the voltage to be applied to the developing roller. Voltage is applied to the developing roller in order to adsorb and transfer toner as described above and the voltage and the electrostatic force are effective to all radial directions of the developing roller. For example, when an antenna, which is made of a conductive material is disposed in a position distant from the developing roller, an electric charge is generated in the antenna side by an electric potential difference. Hence, if toner which is a dielectric material exists between the developing roller and the antenna, the electric charge changes compared with absence of toner. As the amount of toner differs, the magnitude of the electric charge also differs and thus, the residual amount of toner can be detected by measuring the electric potential according to the electric charge to know relative comparison with the amount of toner.
However, there are problems in the conventional residual toner detection method as follows.
As shown in FIG. 4, the antenna 30 for measurement of the electric charge is disposed in the toner container 31 and thus, disturbs replacement of the toner container 31 (or, the developing apparatus or a process cartridge) for toner supply. In FIG. 4, a reference numeral 6 denotes a drum unit having a photosensitive drum 1.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, a contact 34 of antenna side in the toner container 31 should be attached to and detached from a contact 35 of main body side of the image forming apparatus. However, the conventional residual toner detection method is the detection method by measuring a micro voltage and therefore, a low reliability of the contact point does not allow for detection of a correct residual toner amount. Particularly, in a color image forming apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, having a plurality of developing apparatus 4BK, 4Y, 4M, and 4C, antennas 30BK, 30Y, 30M, and 30C are disposed in developing apparatus 4BK, 4Y, 4M, and 4C, respectively, and hence, the increased number of the contact points results in lower reliability of the image forming apparatus and also a plurality of 30BK, 30Y, 30M, and 30C are necessary and hence, the cost increases. For information, in FIG. 6, the reference numeral 6 denotes a photosensitive drum unit having a photosensitive drum 1.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus of high reliability of the contact point for detecting an amount of the developer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearer for bearing a static image; an exchangeable type developing for developer the static image on the image bearer, the developing apparatus comprising, a developing chamber having a developing roller in an opening opposite to the image bearer, and a containing chamber for containing a developer to be supplied to the developing chamber; a detection electrode disposed outside the developing apparatus and in which a voltage is induced; and detection means for detecting an amount of the developer in the containing chamber on the basis of an induced voltage of the detection electrode.
Further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

Image forming apparatus having detection electrode outside developing thereof


A waterproof closure system 1 including a plate 20 having a periphery 21 and at least one closure member 30 which can be fitted around the periphery of the plate so that when they are joined the closure member forms a border around the periphery of the plate. The closure member has at least two elements 30a,30b separated by a split 41 with there being a locking means, for example having a male part 42 provided on a first element on one side of said split and a female part 44 provided on a second element on the other side of said split that can lock the two elements together o closing the split and tightening the closure member around the periphery of the plate thereby locking a mouth of a bag placed around the plate between the plate periphery and closure member.

More and more people are now getting involved in activities such as watersports including boating, sailing or surfing and they take equipment with them during these activities that they use in their day to day activities, for example electronic equipment including cameras, mobile phones, MP3 players, laptops, mobile tablets. In addition other items such as food or books may be taken along. However in activities such as watersports there is always the risk that the item may be knocked or dropped into water where there is the risk that it will be damaged or rendered useless depending how much contact there is with the water.
Waterproof sealing systems are known for a range of products. Typically these systems involve the use of a bag into which a product is inserted and then the bag is closed in some way so that the product is encased in the bag. The system uses clips or fasteners such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,899,696 where clip members can be used to temporarily close the end of a bag. In this case the device includes clip members connected by a spring hinge at one end and can be fastened together by a depressible spring clasp at the other to close the bag.
Another type of closure is one as described in our earlier European Patent EP-B-0763377 which describes a closure mechanism in which two bars are releasably connectable together to clamp the edge of a bag between them to close the bag. The releasable connection is formed by at least one bayonet connector and the bars are connected to each other by the twisting of a bayonet closure. However in some cases, the small size of the bayonet connector may make it difficult for a user to quickly open or close the bag.
Other devices involve some physical interaction between two parts of the closure means such as the use of press studs, clamps or by securing one member to another so that the end of a bag is clamped between the parts.
However these known systems use fastening arrangements where one part of the fastener engages with another in a single plane means that if they are not secured tightly enough to one another there may be ingress of water between gaps in the two parts of the fastener. Further the tightening of fasteners such as nuts can be awkward because it requires both hands which may be difficult, especially if the hands are cold or wet.
Additionally, known cases often need to be opened and closed in order for a user to operate a device such as a camera that is in the case but the present invention provides a "use through case" which means that the device inside the case can be operated without having to be removed and this avoids the risk of a device being damaged if it is dropped by a person engaged in an activity such as sailing or canoeing where dropping the device in water could damage the device permanently. A further disadvantage is that when using small individual parts such as nuts or screws, they may be inadequately tightened which means that proper sealing may not be provided around an enclosed item.
Finally, if the sealing system is used in a marine environment, often metal parts such as nuts and bolts must be made from marine grade steel which is resistant to rusting and this adds to the expense of production of the bag. Also if the bag that is used has to be folded over as part of the closure process then additional material for the bag is need which adds to the cost of the bag and hence the whole system. The two-dimensional nature of all previous clamps means that, in order to create an aperture big enough for a device such as a camera to pass through, the flattened-material must be much longer than the item itself, and therefore the clamp must be disproportionally larger.
The present invention seeks to overcome the problems of the prior art by providing a system that is easy to use and which forms a particularly efficient waterproof covering for the device inside.
In addition the system is easy to use and provides a system where there is minimal risk of the parts not being secured together correctly and which is also cost effective. Further the invention allows for a larger aperture for a case which means that the case/bag can easily accommodate the dimensions of the object that is to be placed in the case/bag.