The invention provides a method of manufacturing an irregular section tubular body and axle beam. The axle beam has a tubular worked body that has sealed liquid therein and is press-formed by upper and lower press molds. One of the press molds has a convex mold portion to form a concave portion concaved in an axis perpendicular direction at an axial part of the axle beam. The press-forming of the tubular worked body is completed by a one stroke process using liquid pressure that increases as the internal volume of the worked body decreases due to formation of the concave portion. The concave portion extends substantially the length of the axle beam and has a substantially U-shaped or V-shaped cross-section forming a closed and sealed space.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an irregular-section tubular body and an axle beam for a torsion beam and a method of manufacturing the same. In particular, the manufacturing method of the present invention manufactures the irregular-section tubular body having a concave portion by press-forming a tubular worked body by applying liquid pressure to an inner surface thereof. The axle beam for a torsion beam of the present invention is joined, if the torsion beam is used in a rear-wheel suspension device of a vehicle, to a pair of trailing arms to attach wheel sides integrally to the axle beam.
2. Description of Related Art
A manufacturing method for an irregular-section tubular body having a concave portion, concaved in a direction perpendicular to axis thereof (hereinafter simply referred xe2x80x9caxis perpendicular directionxe2x80x9d), at least part of the concave portion being in an axial direction is known. One such manufacturing method includes press-forming a tubular worked body by applying pressure to a liquid sealed in an internal space of a tubular body to an inner surface thereof.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open (Koukai) No. 8-90097 discloses a manufacturing method for manufacturing an irregular-section tube having a shape of which varies in a longitudinal direction by usage of liquid pressure. In this manufacturing method, an internal space of a circular tube as the worked body is filled with liquid. Further liquid is then supplied by a pump to apply predetermined pressure P1 to an inner surface of the circular tube. In this condition, the circular tube is press-formed by a pair of upper and lower press molds of predetermined shape and subjected to bending work. Finally, further liquid is supplied into the circular tube to increase the liquid pressure to a predetermined value P2 so that the circular tube bulges or expands along mold surfaces of the upper and lower press molds. Thus, the circular tube is formed into the final irregular-section shape to complete the formation.
Using the above irregular-section tubular body, an axle beam formed and used for a torsion beam as a rear-wheel suspension device of a vehicle is also known.
For example, EP 0650860 B1 discloses, as shown in the attached FIG. 20, a torsion beam comprised of a pair of trailing arms 91 attached to wheel sides, and an axle beam 92 each end of which is joined to each of trailing arms 91, respectively, to connect them integrally to the axle beam. The axle beam 92 is formed into a shape to have a large bending rigidity and small twisting (torsion) rigidity. As shown in the attached FIG. 21, the axle beam 92 has cross-section in the axis perpendicular direction of closed section shape including a closed space therein. The cross-section has a star shape in which three wing portions 92a extend radially outwardly and equidistantly in a circumferential direction.
However, the conventional manufacturing method of the irregular-section tube body requires both the press-forming process which bends the circular tube by the press molds, and the liquid pressurizing process, which pressurizes liquid in the circular tube by the liquid pressurizing device to obtain the final irregular-section shape of the tubular body. For these reasons, conventional manufacturing methods have been suffering from the disadvantages of the manufacturing process being complex and troublesome.
In addition, since the circular tube is bulged only by the liquid pressure to follow to the mold surfaces, very large liquid pressure is needed for the bulging. For this reason, the liquid pressurizing device used to positively pressurize the liquid, and a large-size extra hydraulic pressing device used to apply a mold fastening force to the press molds against the increasing liquid pressure are necessary. As a result, not only does the equipment become complex and large-sized, but equipment cost increases.
In the above conventional axle beam 92, as shown in FIG. 21, three wing portion 92a of the same size and same shape and extending radially outwardly and equidistantly in the circumferential direction are disposed. As a result, it has a cross-section shape in which a centroid and a shearing center coincide. Such coincidence decreases the roll rigidity in the axle beam 92 and creates an over-steer tendency, whereby the steer stabilizing is decreased.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a manufacturing method for an irregular-section tubular body which simplifies the manufacturing process and excludes the additional liquid pressurizing device and the extra hydraulic pressing device, thereby avoiding the complex and large-sized equipment and an increase equipment cost are avoided. Also, the present invention provides an axle beam for the torsion beam which provides an increase in the steer stabilizing character by an improvement of the section-shape in the axis perpendicular direction thereof. Further, the present invention provides upper and lower press molds for press-forming a tubular worked body to the axle beam for the torsion beam.
In a first embodiment of the manufacturing method for the irregular-section tubular body comprises a tubular worked body, with a sealed liquid therein, is press-formed by an upper press mold and a lower press mold at least one of which has at least one convex mold portion to form a concave portion concaved in an axis perpendicular (radial) direction at an axial part of the worked body by the convex mold portion; and the press-forming of the worked body to the final tubular body is completed by a one stroke process from a press start point to a press complete point by using a liquid pressure increasing as a decrease of the internal volume of the worked body occurs due to formation of the concave portion, without pressurizing the liquid in the worked body by a pressurizing device.
In the suitable mode, the one stroke process includes a pressure increase process in the former half of the stroke from the press start point to a predetermined point, the pressure increase process press-forming the worked body with the liquid pressure gradually increasing as a decrease of the internal volume of the worked body, due to formation of the concave portion to an inner peripheral surface of the worked body; and a non-pressure increase process in the latter half of stroke from the predetermined point to the press complete point, the non-pressure increase process, following the pressure increase process, press-forming the worked body without applying the increasing liquid pressure to the inner peripheral surface of the worked body.
Here, the press-forming performed without applying the increasing liquid pressure on the inner peripheral surface of the worked body includes a press-forming performed (i) with applying a liquid pressure maintained in a constant pressure on the inner peripheral surface of the worked body, (ii) with applying a gradually decreasing liquid pressure on the inner peripheral surface of the worked body, and (iii) with applying a gradually decreasing liquid pressure on the inner peripheral surface of the worked body from the start to midway through a non-pressure increase process, and without applying liquid pressure on the inner peripheral surface in a final stage of the non-pressure increase.
In the suitable mode, the mold surface of the upper press mold and a mold surface of the lower press mold do not restrain a circumferential part of an outer peripheral surface of the worked body to leave a non-restrain surface at a portion where the concave portion is being formed. Also, in the non-pressure increase process, the liquid pressure applied to the inner peripheral surface of the worked body is maintained at a constant pressure or is decreased, by a liquid-discharge controlling device discharging liquid from the worked body at the predetermined point. Further, in the pressure increase process, with the worked body being set above the lower press mold having the convex mold portion, the upper press mold is descended so that the concave portion is formed on the worked body by the convex portion of the lower press mold.
The second manufacturing method for manufacturing an irregular-section tubular body includes a step for sealing fluid in a tubular worked body and for attaching a fluid-discharge controlling device discharging the fluid so that fluid pressure does not go over a predetermined pressure to the worked body; and a press-forming step for press-forming the worked body to apply an acting force thereto, increasing pressure of the fluid near to the predetermined pressure by decreasing a sealed space of the worked body, and then press-forming the worked body with discharging the fluid therein by the fluid-discharge controlling device so that the pressure of the fluid does not reach the predetermined pressure.
In the suitable mode, the fluid-discharge controlling device can be a relief valve or an accumulator operating when the pressure of the fluid reaches near to the predetermined pressure. Also, the liquid-discharge controlling device can be a restricted portion having a predetermined open rate and constantly discharging the fluid.
The axle beam of the present invention has, at least at an axial part, a concave portion concaved in an axis perpendicular direction, an axis perpendicular section at the concave portion having a closed section shape including a closed and sealed space, and a shape a shearing center being offset from a centroid by a predetermined amount.
Here, the axis perpendicular direction shape at the concave portion having a xe2x80x9cclosed section shape including a closed and sealed spacexe2x80x9d means an outer peripheral wall of the axis beam does not have circumferential ends to form a ring. In other words, the outer peripheral wall of the axle beam is formed by an annular wall. The outer peripheral wall formed by the annular wall can form single closed and sealed space, or plural closed and sealed spaces separated by an overlap portion where opposing inner surfaces of the outer peripheral wall are overlapped.
In the preferred embodiment, a circumferential part of the worked body opposite the concave portion in the axis perpendicular direction is so shaped that the worked body has a substantially U-shape or V-shape axis perpendicular section at the concave portion.
In the preferred embodiment, a rough tube comprising a large-diameter axially intermediate portion, a pair of small-diameter axially end portions having smaller diameter than the large-diameter axially intermediate portion, and a pair of diameter change portions connecting each end of the large-diameter axially intermediate portion. Each of the small-diameter axially end portions are subjected to a bending work to form each of the trailing arms from each of the small-diameter axially end portions and to form the axle beam by at least the large-diameter axially intermediate portion. Here, the large-diameter axially intermediate portion, the diameter change portions and the small-diameter axially end portions are connected by a continuous surface having no radial step, due to an offset of the small-diameter axially end portions from the large-diameter axially intermediate portion in the same direction of the shearing center being offset from the centroid, at a circumferential part of the small-diameter axially end portions at the offset side.
In the preferred embodiment, each of the small-diameter axially end portions are bent in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the axle beam and orthogonal to a concave direction of the concave portion.
An upper press mold and a lower press mold for press-forming an axle beam for torsion beam by press-forming a tubular worked body with sealed liquid therein, includes one of the upper press mold and the lower press mold has at least one convex mold portion to form at least one concave portion concaved in an axis perpendicular direction at an axial part of the worked body and an axial length shorter than that length of the worked body. The other of the press molds has a concave mold surface having an axial length substantially equal to the length of the worked body.
In the suitable mode, the upper press mold or the lower press mold having the convex mold portion has width smaller than dimension of the worked body in the axis perpendicular direction.
The first manufacturing method for the present invention completes formation of the final irregular-section tubular body by only press-forming the worked body having sealed liquid therein, not requiring the liquid pressurizing process after the press-forming. As a result, the manufacturing process for the irregular-section tubular body becomes simple. Also, the liquid pressurizing device or the large-size extra hydraulic pressing device are not needed, thus avoiding complex and large-sized equipment and avoiding increase of the equipment cost.
In the manufacturing method of the present invention, none of a rise in the speed of the liquid pressure (pressure increase speed) in the worked body, a maintained time period of the max. pressure, nor the pressurized state of the liquid after the liquid pressure reaches max. pressure, affect the quality of the press-formed article.
During the pressure increase process in the former half of the stroke, the worked body is press-formed with the liquid pressure increasing as the internal volume of the worked body due decreases due to formation of the concave portion, being applied on the inner peripheral surface. By press-forming the tubular worked body filled with the liquid by the upper press mold and the lower press mold, a portion, or part of, the worked body pressed by the convex mold portion of the press mold plastically deforms to be concaved in the axis perpendicular direction.
During formation of the concave portion, the internal volume of the worked body decreases. The worked body is press-formed with the liquid gradually increasing as the internal space of the worked body decreases due to the forces being applied to the inner peripheral surface thereof. For this reason, in the pressure increase process, not only the worked body can be deformed or shaped to follow the mold surfaces of the press molds, but the worked body can be prevented from buckling. Thus, the worked body is smoothly formed.
In the non-pressure increase process in the latter half of the stroke, the worked body is press-formed without the liquid pressure increasing stage being applied to the inner peripheral surface thereof. That is, in the non-pressure increase process, the worked body is press-formed (i) with the liquid pressure being applied to the inner peripheral surface maintained at a constant level, (ii) with the liquid pressure being applied to the inner peripheral surface thereof gradually decreasing, or (iii) with the liquid pressure being applied to the inner peripheral surface thereof from start to midway of non-pressure increase process gradually decreasing, and without the liquid pressure being applied to the inner peripheral surface thereof in a final stage. By press-forming the worked body without applying the liquid pressure under the increasing stage to the inner peripheral surface thereof, the liquid pressure in the worked body is prevented from excessively increasing.
A one stroke process of the press-forming from the press start point to the press complete point can also be comprised of only a pressure-increase process. The process applies liquid pressure gradually increasing as decrease of the internal volume of the worked body due to formation of the concave portion to the inner peripheral surface thereof.
As the concave portion is formed at the axial part of the worked body, a single concave portion, two or more axially separated concave portions, or a long concave portion axially extending over the worked body, can be adopted. Plural concave portions separated in the axial direction can be disposed at the same position or at the different (separate) positions in the circumferential direction of the worked body. Also, plural concave portions disposed at one axis perpendicular section of the worked body can be separated in the circumferential direction. There is no limit or restriction in the shape and size of the concave portion. When plural concave portions are provided, they can have different shapes and sizes.
The convex mold portion is provided on at least one of the upper press mold and the lower press mold. Shape, size, number and location of the convex mold portion can be selectively determined to correspond to that of the concave portion of the irregular-section tubular body to be formed. The mold surfaces of the upper press mold and the lower press mold, other than the convex mold portion, can also be selectively determined to correspond to an outer surface shape of the irregular-section tubular body to be formed.
The worked body can be press-formed by restraining the whole outer peripheral surface at the portion where the concave portion is formed, by the mold surfaces of the upper press mold and the lower press mold. However, press-forming the worked body without restraining the circumferential part(s) of the above portion by the press molds is preferable. In this case, the circumferential part(s) of the portion forms the restrained surface(s) which is not restrained by the mold surfaces of the upper and lower molds.
By constructing the upper and lower molds in this way, the convex mold portion can be a convex partial mold having a width shorter than an axis perpendicular width of the worked body (diameter when the worked body is tubular). This reduces mold cost and a mold wear compared to the upper and lower press molds of sealed and closed type.
Even when the worked body is press-formed without restraining the surface(s), excessive deformation of the worked body at the non-restrained surface can be prevented by controlling the max. pressure of the liquid in the worked body. The max. pressure the liquid may reach during the press stroke, including the press complete point, can be set to be smaller than the predetermined value by, for example, removing an increase of the liquid pressure in the predetermined point of the press stroke.
Also, in the first and second manufacturing methods, the liquid pressure applied to the inner surface of the worked body, in the non-pressure increase process, is preferably maintained at a predetermined pressure or decreased by using a fluid-discharge or liquid-discharge controlling device that discharges the fluid or liquid from the worked body at the predetermined point. With such a liquid-discharge controlling device, the liquid pressure applied to the inner surface of the worked body can be easily and accurately controlled, so that any increase of the liquid pressure at the predetermined point can be easily and securely removed.
The liquid-discharge controlling device is, for example, comprised of a discharge tube and a relief value. The discharge tube is connected to a seal plug sealingly closing the end portion of the worked body and communicating with the internal space of the worked body. The relief valve is provided on the discharge valve and automatically opens when the liquid pressure in the worked body goes over the set pressure and automatically closes when it goes below the set pressure.
Another type of liquid-discharge controlling device can be comprised of an accumulator including a cylinder member, a connect tube and a gas supply means. The cylinder member has a closed operating chamber of a predetermined capacity in which a partition member is disposed reciprocately. The partition member liquid-sealingly partitions the closed chamber into a liquid chamber and a gas chamber. The connect tube is connected at one end thereof to a water-discharge hole of a second seal plug and is connected at other end thereof to the liquid chamber of the cylinder member, to connect the internal space of the worked body and the liquid chamber of the cylinder member. The gas supply means is connected to the gas chamber of the cylinder member to supply gas of a predetermined pressure thereto.
Still another type of the liquid-discharge controlling device can be comprised of a discharge tube and a restrict portion. The discharge tube is connected to a seal plug sealingly closing the end portion of the worked body and communicating with the internal space of the worked body. The restrict portion is provided on the seal plug or the discharge tube and has a section-area of a flow passage so that the liquid pressure in the worked body becomes the max. pressure at the predetermined point in the press stroke.
Here, the above irregular-section tubular body is used to construct the torsion beam by bending both end portions thereof in another step so that at least the large-diameter axially intermediate portion forms the concave portion of the axle beam, while at least the small-diameter axially end portions form the trailing arms.
The axle beam for the torsion beam of the present invention is joined to the paired trailing arms integrally attached to the wheel side. The axle beam can be formed integral with each of the trailing arms joined to each end of the axle beam. Alternatively, the axle beam can be formed independent from each of the trailing arms, and then connected to them by welding, for example.
The axis perpendicular section of the axle beam, at the concave portion has a closed section shape including the closed and sealed space, and has the shape the shearing center being offset from the centroid.
Here, the xe2x80x9ccentroidxe2x80x9d of the axis perpendicular section shape means a center of gravity of a plane figure thereof. The xe2x80x9cshear centerxe2x80x9d of the axis perpendicular section shape means a point in the section where a composed force of shearing forces acts so that the axle beam is subjected to simple bending without generating a twisted deformation, even when the twisting force, for example, resulting from the force applied to the trailing arms, is applied to the section in addition to the bending moment. The concept of xe2x80x9cshear centerxe2x80x9d is well known in the field of material mechanics. The centroid and the shear center can be determined unequivocally based on the axis perpendicular section shape by a predetermined geometrical calculation.
The concave portion of the predetermined shape formed at the axial part of the axle beam, and the offset of the shear center from the centroid, at the concave portion, not only increases the roll rigidity, but diminishes under-steer and increases the tracking character of the vehicle. Thus, steering stability increases.
Due to the cross-section shape of the concave portion, the torsion rigidity and roll rigidity of the axle beam can be adjusted by the changing size or dimension of the closed and sealed space. For this reason, no additional stabilizer for the roll control is required. Also, the axle beam, having the closed cross-section shape including the closed and sealed space, does not have any shear edge portion generating fatigue cracks, so that endurance character has increased.
Regarding the offset amount of the shear center from the centroid in the axis perpendicular section shape, the above advantages resulting from the offset can not be rendered when the offset is too small. Also, the tracking characteristics of the vehicle is affected badly when the offset is too large. For this reason, the offset amount of the shearing center should be determined in range so that both requirements are satisfied. Regarding the offset direction of the shear center from the centroid in the axis perpendicular section shape, the shear center is sufficiently disposed at a position at least to be above the centroid when the axle beam is mounted onto the vehicle. However, for effecting the steering stabilizing character resulting from the offset, the shearing center is preferably disposed at a position to be just above the centroid when the axle beam is mounted onto the vehicle.
Regarding the shape of the axis perpendicular section shape at the concave portion, various shapes can be adopted as long as it has closed section shape having the closed and sealed space and the shearing center is offset from the centroid. The axis perpendicular section shape can be formed into a substantially U-shape,V-shape, Y-shape or laid U-shape. Among them, the U-shape or V-shape is preferable. In such shapes of the axis perpendicular section shape, the size of the closed and sealed space and the offset amount of the shear center can be easily changed. As a result, the twist rigidity, roll rigidity of the axle beam, and steering character can be easily adjusted. In addition, the shear center can be effectively offset from the centroid in a limited space.
In addition, with adjustment of the twist rigidity and roll rigidity of the axle beam, the twist rigidity and roll rigidity become larger as the closed and sealed space becomes larger. For this reason, the size of the closed and sealed space is suitably determined corresponding to the required twist rigidity and roll rigidity. The closed and sealed space can be formed by single closed and sealed space enclosed by an outer peripheral wall of the axle beam, or plural closed and sealed spaces separated by an overlapped portion where opposing inner surfaces of the outer peripheral wall are abutted.
In view of certain restrictions such as setting space in the vehicle, the axle beam for torsion beam, the trailing arms preferably have small size as thin as possible in the range where it has the necessary rigidity. For satisfying such a requirement, an axle beam shown in FIG. 18 can be adopted. For manufacturing the axle beam, a rough tube 60 is prepared. This rough tube 60 is comprised of an large-diameter intermediate portion 61 located at an axially intermediate position of the worked body, small-diameter end portions 62 located at both end positions thereof and having smaller diameter than the large-diameter intermediate portion 61, and outer diameter gradually change portions 63 connecting each end of the large-diameter intermediate portion 61 and each of the small-diameter end portions 62 respectively. All of the large-diameter intermediate portion 61, small-diameter end portions 62 and outer diameter gradually change portions 63 are disposed to be coaxial. By bending the rough tube 60, the torsion beam in which, at the both ends of the axle beam having the concave portion of the predetermined shape, a pair of trailing arms are joined integrally is manufactured.
After forming the concave portion 61a on the large-diameter intermediate portion 61, the rough tube 60 is subjected to the bending work. Thus, each of the small diameter end portions 62 forms each of the trailing arms, and at least the large-diameter intermediate portion 61 and each of the outer diameter change portions 63 form the axle beam.
However, following problems arise. In the rough tube 60 having three portions 61, 62 and 63 all of which are coaxial but each of which has different diameter, each of the outer diameter gradually change portions 63 gradually decreases the outer diameter thereof from one end of the large-diameter intermediate portion 61 to one end of the small diameter end portions 62 equally in the circumferential direction. As a result, a radial step H having equal height in the circumferential direction is formed between the large-diameter intermediate portion 61 and each of the small-diameter end portions 62.
For this reason, as shown in FIG. 19, even after the concave portion 61a has been formed on the large-diameter intermediate portion 61, the radial step H remains at circumferential part between the large-diameter intermediate portion 61 and each of the small-diameter end portions 62. A compression force applied to the axle beam in an axial direction thereof may cause a buckle at a portion of the step H, so that rigidity of the axle beam against the axial input may decrease. If the steps H exist at the both end portions of the axle beam, rigidity of the axle beam against the input from the lateral directions of the vehicle may decrease.
To the contrary, a rough tube in which each of the small-diameter axially end portions is offset from the large-diameter axially intermediate portion in the same direction as the offset direction of the shear center from the centroid can be used. In this rough tube, at a circumferential part at a side of the small-diameter axially end portions are offset, the large-diameter axially intermediate portion, outer diameter gradually change portions and small-diameter end portions are connected by a continuous surface without a radial step. By using such rough tube for manufacturing the axle beam, the continuous surface remains at the circumferential part even after the concave portion has been formed. In this way, the above step H that decreases the rigidity of the axle beam against the input in the axial direction can be removed, whereby rigidity against the input of axial direction can be increased.

Irregular-section tubular body and axle beam for torsion beam and method of manufacturing the same


A tube interconnect includes a tube and a header overmolded about the tube.

Many fluid handling systems utilize one or more tubes for directing the flow of fluid, such as one or more liquids or gases. Fluid interconnection of the one or more tubes is sometimes addressed with one or more headers secured to ends of the tubes. Adequately securing such headers to the tubes is difficult and often results in leakage. Moreover, existing methods by which the header is secured to the tubes are often limited for use with tubes that are too large, too inflexible or too gas or moisture permeable.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A new and improved method and apparatus for exercising the hand is disclosed herein. A stretchable web, with an array of spaced apertures is molded over a rigid frame. The web has multiple portions, wherein each portion is made of a different material with different resistance levels.

A. Field of Invention
This invention relates to hand exercisers and more particularly to exerciser devices for use in strengthening and therapy of the muscles of the forearm, wrist, hand and fingers.
B. Description of the Related Art
Hand exercise units, herein generally termed hand exercisers, are well known devices employed in the exercising of the muscles. The muscles are brought into operation in the forearm, hand, wrist and fingers as a result of contraction of the hand against the resistance of the hand exercise unit. This resistance is generally offered by steel elements under tension, such as springs, or by rubber balls to be gripped by the hand. These devices are intended to accommodate the hand but are generally limited to a single range of movement as the devices are forced to contract. This limited range of movement accordingly limits the benefit that can be achieved in carrying out exercises using such exercisers. The form of contraction resistance facility offered by the devices soon leads, on repeated use of the device, to those muscles which are exercised achieving a stale condition, nullifying any neuromuscular stimulation which has been achieved and correspondingly nullifying any progress which has taken place. It is a universally acknowledged fact in physiotherapy that neuromuscular progress is dependent on the ability to stimulate muscles from different angles with use of different exercises and training principles.
There are a few provisions for accommodating all the movements associated with the anatomy in question in a single hand exerciser. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,734 to Greenfield discloses a hand exerciser that provides for a wide variety of neuromuscular responses in physiotherapy and muscle building in a single device. The Greenfield patent further discloses that different resistance levels can be experienced within the hand exerciser depending on the location of the apertures with respect to the ring. However, the varying degree of resistance is limited due to the uniform nature of the material used to form the hand exerciser. The Greenfield patent also discloses that different resistances can be applied to different sectors on the web. However, this is achieved by using an external frame with adjustable tensioning devices. The present invention addresses these issues by creating a hand exerciser made from multiple materials wherein each material consists of a different elasticity modulus. Therefore, a wide range of resistance levels can be provided for with a single hand exerciser without the need for an external force to vary the resistance of the web.


An apparatus for forming a beam in a base station is provided and includes a plurality of channel cards for processing and outputting signals to be transmitted to each channel; a signal synthesizer/distributor for synthesizing the signals from the channel cards and compensating phases of the signals; a channel controller for controlling beams of the signals from the signal synthesizer/distributor according to a demand of a mobile communication terminal and outputting the controlled beam signals; a middle frequency generating block for receiving the signals from the channel controller and synthesizing the signals in each frequency to generate middle frequency signals; a transmitter for converting the middle frequency signals received from the middle frequency generating block into signals in a transmitting band; an RFB for amplifying the signals from the transmitter into signals in an output band and controlling phases of transmitting and receiving signals; and an antenna connection block for switching the signals to corresponding antennas of the RFB so that beams can be generated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a base station apparatus in a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to a base station apparatus for increasing the efficiency of the base station to enlarge capacity and service quality of the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the base station of the mobile communication system includes a radio environment, in which each one of the base stations is composed of one cell. Also, each of the base stations is comprised of different radio environments, according to the construction and shape of the base station, which allows them to accept radio subscribers. There are many different types of base stations such as a sectored base station and an omni-type base station. The sectored base station has three sectored areas partitioned into 120 areas about the base station at the center of a circle. Each area includes equipment such as antennas, etc. Also, the sectored-type base station is classified into stations using 3FA and 1FA, where FA is a Frequency Assignment. Meanwhile, the omni-type base station is constructed to have the whole area in one radius without dividing sectors.
The base station is installed according to the number of mobile communication system users, and hardware for the base station is constructed of one basic frame, which can be extended when the extension of capacity is necessary. Therefore, the base station can be constructed of a basic frame and an extended frame, in which the basic frame and the extended frame have differences as follows:
The basic frame is comprised of a CCB (Common Control Block) for performing an overall control of the base station, a CPB (Channel Processing Block) for performing a channel process and an RFB (Radio Frequency Block). The extended frame comprises additional parts. In other words, the foregoing blocks are installed only in the basic frame, which perform functions including antenna diagnosis, base station control via a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), self-diagnosis and self-test by the base station without assistance of a base station control block, etc. Also, the CPB is extended based on a shelf system, according to the capacity of the base station, and classified into two CPBs: one for accepting 32 channels and the other for 16 channels. The 32 and 16 channel cards can be freely installed and operated within the same shelf, and allows an optimum channel to be constructed, according to the capacity of the base station. Also, one shelf of the CPB can support an omni-6 CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) carrier, a 3 sector 2 CDMA carriers and a 6 sector 1 CDMA carrier.
Also, the RFB performs signal transmitting/receiving amplification and a front-end function, and has various options which allows the RFB to select and install a front-end module most suitable to the construction of the base station.
In general, the base station includes a duplexer, and needs only two antennas per sector, including a transmission route, and a receiving diversity route. The RPB has a basic configuration, which includes a power amplifier, and can alternatively have a LPA (Low Power Amplifier) or an optic transceiver as optional features without using the power amplifier.
The base station having a cell construction of a 3 sector or 6 sector shape provides more enhanced capacity via sectored gain than using an omni-antenna. In this construction, however, the base station fails to provide an effective interference cancellation. Therefore, the enhanced capacity of the base station cannot be provided as much as a communication provider desires. The base station requires high electric power and thus there is a problem because a high quality service cannot be provided to a subscriber when other subscribers are also transmitting and receiving signals from the base station.
Also, the base station should have different hardware and software, according to the frequency allocated to the communication provider, service type, etc. Accordingly, development cost is increased and resource waste is incurred. While the communication providers are requesting compact sized outdoor base stations with middle capacity, some technical problems have not been solved such as cooling heat generated from the base station, reducing hardware volume, etc. In addition, if a shading area takes place during a service by the communication provider, this problem can be solved by applying relays. Presently, there are no methods available that address the aforementioned problems, which allows a system to solve this problem by itself. In other words, even if one base station frequently shows variation in popularity of the users, change cannot be always carried out, according to channel environment, and thus a problem occurs when the capacity of one base station should be increased. In other words, even if the users are counted within the range that can be accepted by one base station, the ability of each subscriber to use a base station cannot be solved when many users are crowded in one specific sector, and accordingly a problem occurs where the channels of the base station should be increased. Also, there have been problems where the construction of the RPB becomes huge when the output is decreased due to increase of power loss and cost is increased as the system capacity increases.
Therefore, there exists a need for an apparatus and a method that allows a base station to handle an increase amount of traffic from users.

Apparatus for forming beam in a base station of a mobile communication system


A hinge system (1, 1a) for use with a lightweight, portable gangway (100), the hinge system (1a) comprising at least three plates (2a,2b,2c), a bar (4) and a washer (6), wherein a first pair of the plates (2a,2b) are attached at either side of a lower surface (106) of a first section (102a) of the gangway (100) and the other plate (2c) is attached at approximately the centre of a second section (102b) of the gangway (100), so that when the sections (102a,102b) are brought towards each other, the first pair of the plates (2a,2b) are aligned with the other plate (2c).

Generally, gangways used aboard ships, boats and pleasure craft come in varying guises and performance ability. For ships, the gangways tend to be heavy and require a crane, mechanical aid or another lifting machine to position the gangway in place. These gangways tend to be permanently fixed to the ship and are impossible to move without using the lifting machine. They are also capable of handling heavy loads. It would be impossible to use this type of gangway on a pleasure craft, fishing vessel or small boat due to space constraints and the weight of the gangways, at least.
Pleasure craft and small boats generally use portable, sometimes lightweight, but generally foldable gangways that can be either stored aboard the pleasure craft and boats or on dockside. They are also lightweight enough to be lifted and positioned by two or more people. The foldable gangways can either fold around a hinge or can be telescopic in nature. While these gangways are useful for getting on or off the boat, they are generally used on pleasure craft and would not be suitable for working boats such as fishing vessels, oil rig supply boats and the like, as the gangways would not be capable of bearing working loads on such vessels.
US Patent Application 31/34999 describes a lightweight, portable gangway suitable for use with and stored on a boat. The gangway is hinged in one position, bisecting the gangway in two. However, the gangway is constructed from plywood and a typical domestic door hinge, and is constructed for use on small boats. The gangway would not be capable of bearing much weight (no more than the weight of a couple of people at a time) and would not be suitable for use on offshore vessels such as fishing boats and supply boats.
French Patent Application No. 2869869 describes a gangway for a boat or the like that has two or three sections hinged together around an axis such that sections may fold on top of each other, wherein transverse slats act as steps and the gangway can be folded to a storage box or the like when in the folded position. Some of the sections of the gangway fold such that they fit into each other. The locking mechanism for each of the sections appears to be a nut and washer mechanism. However, the gangway uses a nut and bolt-type of hinge, and is generally used for pleasure craft, and would be not be capable of bearing much weight (no more than the weight of a couple of people at a time). The gangway would not be suitable for use on offshore vessels such as fishing boats and supply boats.
GB2355021 describes a walkway comprising a plurality of sections connected together by a pin and aperture hinging system and is generally used for lying over rough ground or for use in getting into restricted access sites, such as lofts, and would be not be capable of bearing much weight (no more than the weight of a couple of people at a time), nor being suitable for use on vessel.
None of the gangways mentioned above will pass the safe working load (SWL) tests required to meet the safety requirements for a load-bearing gangway for use in the industrial fishing or offshore vessel market. It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

Hinge system and a portable gangway using the hinge system


A device and method for generating a physical plasma in hoses of long and simultaneously constricted lumen, flexible or rigid dielectric hoses, tubes or other hollow bodies in the low, normal or overpressure range, which are partially or completely filled or flushed by process medium of gas or gas mixtures, one or more liquids, liquids including gas bubbles, liquid-gas mixtures, aerosols and/or foam, for purposes of cleaning, activating, coating, modifying and biologically decontaminating, disinfecting, sterilizing the inner walls of the hoses or the process medium itself. The device includes a high voltage supply and a process medium supply, at least one electrically conductive grounded electrode and at least one electrically conductive high voltage electrode, both embedded in the wall of the hose.

For a large number of applications, especially in the area of biomaterials for medical devices, it is necessary to modify the inside walls of long and simultaneously thin tubes made of a dielectric material. Such a process includes cleaning, activation, modification and biological decontamination. Typically these modifications cannot be performed during the production of the materials, while in many fields, and depending on the area of application, the modification must be regularly renewed after the manufacturing process has been carried out. Physical plasmas offer a large number of advantages for this kind of application. The modifications achieved are distributed homogeneously over the surface, are very thin (nm range), are strongly adhering and alter the composition and properties of the basic material only very slightly. The different modifications may be achieved by suitable choice of the process medium and of the physical parameters of the plasma. For cost reasons, and for simple integration into existing process steps, the modifications by a physical plasma should take place as far as possible under normal pressure. Heretofore, however, it has proved to be extremely difficult to generate, under normal pressure, a plasma that is homogeneous over the entire length of the tube for a highly variable range of parameters and large aspect ratio of the tubes. Especially for complex medical devices, such as endoscopes, for example, it is difficult to couple electrical fields from outside the endoscope into the interior of the working channels, in order to ignite a physical plasma therewith. From the user's viewpoint, it is also disadvantageous to introduce electrodes into the working channels in order to couple in the power for the plasma, since the surfaces of the channels could be damaged.

Device and method for generating an electrical discharge in hollow bodies

Leibniz-Institut fuer Plasmaforschung und Technologie E.V., INP Greifswald


An apparatus for carrying foldable footwear that comprises a drawstring pouch having a side pocket that reversibly adjusts between undrawn and drawn states. When undrawn, the pouch is characterized by an opening at the top of the pouch that is dimensioned and configured for receiving a pair of foldable shoes in an interior of the pouch. When drawn, the pouch is characterized by a drawstring arranged on the upper portion sealing off the opening, thereby concealing the interior of the pouch. The apparatus further comprises a collapsible tote bag removably inserted in the side pocket, where the tote bag is configured to reversibly convert between unfolded and folded states. When unfolded, the tote bag is characterized by an interior portion that receives a pair of unfolded shoes, where the interior portion further includes a storage pocket. When folded, the tote bag is completely contained within the second pocket.

In a continued effort to streamline women's accessories and provide more footwear options for women, a class of footwear known as foldable shoes has become popular.
Various bags and pouches have been designed to hold foldable shoes so that a woman may carry such shoes within a bag or a purse, while wearing conventional shoes, until such a time that the foldable shoes are desired. Then, when desired, the foldable shoes can be removed from the bag or pouch and used. The prior art further provides tote bags to place the conventional shoes in while the foldable shoes are being worn.
While systems that include both a pouch for the foldable shoes and a tote bag for the conventional shoes provide a significant advance in the effort to streamline women's accessories and provide more footwear options for women, there is significant room for improvement. For instance, the provision of a pouch for the foldable shoes and a tote bag for conventional shoes leads to disorganization and clutter. There are a multitude of parts involved: (i) a purse, (ii) a pouch for the foldable shoes, and (iii) a tote bag for the conventional shoes. Moreover, the pouch that holds the collapsible shoes becomes easily lost within the depths of a purse when the pouch is empty.
Given the above background, what is needed in the art are improved systems and methods for carrying foldable footwear and methods for using same.

Apparatus and methods for carrying footwear


A device for fastening a nut (4) on the surface of a body (2) by means of a plate (5) that holds the nut (4) captive. The plate (5) has both a centering member (14) and a lug (15) projecting from its seat (6) against the body (2), which centering member and lug are housed in corresponding orifices (16, 17) in the body (2). Means for bonding by cementing or by riveting prevent the plate (5) fitted against the body (2) from moving axially. The cementing means involve melting the lug (15) inside the orifice (17) that receives it, the lug being heating to form cementing material. The plate (5) includes a cell (19) in register with the lug (15) for guiding tooling.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of means for assembling two bodies together by causing a nut and a bolt to co-operate. The present invention relates more particularly to devices for fastening a nut to the surface of a body by means of an assembly plate interposed between them.
The present invention provides such a fastening device comprising a plate having a nut and fitted with means for fastening to the surface of a body.
(2) Description of Related Art
It is common practice to assemble two bodies together by means of two assembly members that co-operate with each other. In a common method of assembly, the assembly members are respectively of the bolt type and of the nut type. It is known to bond a nut on a body by means of a fastener device making use of an assembly plate that is provided with the nut and that is fitted with means for fastening to the surface of the body. The plate may incorporate the nut, but in order to reduce the cost of obtaining the fastener device, it is preferable for the plate and the nut to be separate items made of respective materials having different mechanical properties. The body on which the plate is applied is in particular in the form of a slab or an analogous structural element that is generally plane and of small thickness. Such a slab makes it easy for an attachment member to be pressed axially against the plate and the body. By way of example, such an attachment member may be a rivet or a screw, or indeed any other analogous attachment member suitable for applying opposing axial thrusts between two generally plane elements for assembling together. Since the plate and the body are both generally plane in shape and are placed superposed one on the other, the attachment member bears axially simultaneously against opposite large faces respectively of the plate and of the body.
The plate is of a generally plane shape having a large face constituting a seat pressed against the body that receives it, and opposite another large face forming an access face that is oriented outwards relative to the plate installed on the body. The plate commonly includes a housing for holding the nut captive, which housing opens out to the access face of the plate. The nut is held captive inside the housing by means for preventing it from turning and by means for retaining it axially. The turning prevention means may for example be arranged as a blocking polygon, providing co-operation between an outside shape of the nut, which is polygonal, and lateral abutments included in the housing. At least two sides of the polygon bear respectively against the side abutments so as to oppose any turning of the nut by the bolt with which it is to co-operate. By way of example, the axial retention means are arranged as an axial abutment included in the plate. The axial abutment, e.g. as formed by a shoulder forming part of the housing or at least a claw, is arranged in register with the housing and applies axial thrust against the nut in the direction opposite to the direction in which the nut bears axially against the bottom of the housing.
The means for fastening the plate on the body perform three functions: preventing the plate from separating from the body; positioning the nut relative to the body; and preventing the plate from turning on the body when the nut is co-operating with the bolt. The plate has a through barrel for passing the screw of the bolt that co-operates with the nut. The barrel is arranged at the bottom of the housing which it extends towards the seat face of the plate. In order to perform all three functions, the fastener means usually include at least a pair of fastener members that are arranged on either side of the barrel. The fastener members make use of said attachment members such as rivets or screw, for example, that engage spaced-apart points both on the plate and on the body. It is also known to make use of cementing means between the plate and the body, in addition to or as a replacement for the attachment members. Merely replacing the attachment members by cementing means performs the function of preventing the plate from separating from the body, but it is difficult to implement so that the cement on its own also performs the other two functions of the fastener means.
For prior art that is close to the present invention, reference may be made to document US 2009/103997 (T. Csik; I. Komsitsky) that describes such a fastener device between a nut and a body and making use of an assembly plate.
By way of indication, reference may also be made to document US 2004/202523 (T. Csik), which discloses a more complex solution for fastening a nut on a body making use of a clip instead of a plate. The clip carries the nut and is fastened to the body by means of two hinged branches forming parts thereof. The branches are fitted with co-operating mutually fitting members for holding the clip in the closed position, bearing respectively against two opposite faces of the body. The fitting members are arranged as a barrel of one of the branches for receiving a hollow cylinder of the other branch. The barrel and/or the cylinder pass through the body via an orifice for passing the screw that co-operates with the nut. The fitting members are used to center the clip on the body, while the hinged zoned between the branches is used to constitute an obstacle to the clip turning by pressing laterally against an edge face of the body. Such a solution that is mentioned by way of example is bulky, expensive, complex to implement, and can only be used near the margin of a plane body.
The use of an assembly plate remains a preferred solution, in particular concerning savings in manufacturing costs and in costs of implementing the fastener device, and also concerning the possibilities of optimizing application of the fastener device. Nevertheless, it is necessary to find a compromise between various constraints.
The costs of manufacturing the plate must be as small as possible, without affecting its reliability and long-lasting to perform all of the functions it is required, in particular concerning the ways in which it is fastened to the body. It is desirable to limit the number and the complexity of manufacturing operations that lead to providing the plate. For example, when fastening is performed by riveting or by screwing the plate to the body, it is necessary to provide at least three orifices formed through the plate, including a middle orifice for passing the screw that co-operates with the nut and two lateral orifices for passing attachment members that prevent the plate from turning on the body. Countersinking needs also to be provided in the plate for receiving the attachment members. Such operations performed on the plate increase manufacturing costs that it is desirable to keep down.
It is also desirable to limit the weight of the fastener device, and in particular of the plate and its means for fastening it to the body. The plate is commonly obtained from a sheet of inexpensive metal material, which is then shaped by cutting and folding and then machined in order to provide the orifices in the plate. A solution that is advantageous in terms of reducing the weight of the plate consists in forming it by molding a plastics material. Nevertheless, it is still necessary for the ways in which the plate is fastened to be of weight and of cost that are limited, and their arrangements need to be as simple as possible in order to enable it to be used easily and at low cost.
The means for fastening the plate on the body give rise to deterioration of the body, which it is desirable to avoid. The various functions that are to be performed by the means for fastening the plate to the body need to be obtained as well as possible, in a manner that is reliable and long-lasting, while not making the structure of the plate more complicated, and while limiting degradation of the body. It is desirable to organize the plate so as to enable it to be fastened to the body while avoiding risks of corrosion as well as possible, which risks may be induced by the plate or by the attachment members, in particular when they are constituted by rivets or analogous metal attachment members.
It is also desirable for the plate to be easily removable from the body on which it is fastened, should that be necessary, e.g. to perform a maintenance operation. The operations of manufacturing the plate and the operations that need to be performed in order to install it on the body, or indeed in order to remove it, if necessary, must be small in number and easy to implement.
The organization of the plate must enable it to be adapted easily to receiving any kind of nut, and in particular regardless of the means with which the nut is intrinsically provided for preventing it from turning inside the housing included in the plate. Such adaptation seeks specifically to simplify the number of different part references for fastener devices that associate a nut in co-operation with a plate, it being desirable for the variety of plates to be as small as possible for some given number of specific nuts. The way the plate is organized should also tend to make it as compact as possible, while nevertheless facilitating the implementation of the operations needed for installing it on the body.

Device for fastening a nut to the surface of a body by means of an assembly plate


Various methods include receiving, by a controller, a temperature reading of a memory array, the temperature reading includes a temperature value; determining the temperature value is below a first threshold; in response, modifying a duration of a verify cycle of a write operation to create a modified verify cycle; then programming a first data into the memory array using the write operation that uses the modified verify cycle. Methods additionally include receiving a second temperature reading of the memory array, the second temperature reading includes a second temperature value; determining the second temperature value is below a second threshold, in response, decreasing the duration of a verify cycle of a verify cycle to create a second verify cycle, where the second verify cycle is shorter than the modified verify cycle; and then programming a second data into the memory array using the write operation that uses the second verify cycle.

Non-volatile memory systems retain stored information without requiring an external power source. One type of non-volatile memory that is used ubiquitously throughout various computing devices and in stand-alone memory devices is flash memory. For example, flash memory can be found in a laptop, a digital audio player, a digital camera, a smart phone, a video game, a scientific instrument, an industrial robot, medical electronics, a solid state drive, and a USB drive.
Various factors and parameters can impact performance of the flash memory. One of the factors used to measure the performance of the flash memory includes the speed of reading or writing to the flash memory. Writing data into flash memory can involve several programming and verify cycles, while reading data can include read cycles and various error correction codes to recover faulty data. A programming cycle can include one or more programming pulses defining a pulse width and height, while a verify cycle also includes one or more different pulses corresponding to different read levels. A verify cycle reads data to verify correctness of a programming cycle.


We describe a system for electric field assisted magnetic recording where a recordable magnetic medium includes a magnetic recording layer of high coercivity and vertical magnetic anisotropy that is adjacent to an electrostrictive layer which can be placed in a state of stress by a electric field or which is already pre-stressed and which pre-stress can be turned into strain by an electric field. When the magnetic medium is acted on simultaneously by a magnetic writing field and an electric field, the stress in the electrostrictive layer is transferred to a magnetostrictive layer which is the magnetic recording layer by itself or is coupled to the magnetic recording layer, whereupon the magnetic recording layer is made more isotropic and more easily written upon. Residual stresses in the electrostrictive layer can then be removed by an additional electric field of opposite sign to the stress-producing field.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to magnetic writing on a magnetic medium where a magnetic layer to be written upon is stressed by the electrostriction of an adjacent electrostrictive layer and the electric field producing the electrostriction and the magnetic field producing the writing are both simultaneously generated by a recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic recording at area data densities of between 1 and 10 Tera-bits/in2 (Tbpsi) involves the development of new magnetic recording mediums, new magnetic recording heads and, most importantly, a new magnetic recording scheme that can delay the onset of the so-called "superparamagnetic" effect by the use of magnetic recording mediums with high magnetic anisotropy that can still be written upon by the increasingly small write heads required for producing the high data density. The problem has two conflicting requirements: 1. the need for a stronger writing field that is necessitated by highly anisotropic magnetic mediums and; 2. the need for a smaller write head to produce the high a real write densities, which write heads, disadvantageously, produce a smaller field gradient and broader field profile. Satisfying these requirements may be a limiting factor in the further development of the present magnetic recording scheme used in state of the art hard-disk-drives (HDD). If that is the case, further increases in recording area density may not be achievable within those schemes.
The prior art "assisted-recording" schemes being applied to the mitigation of the above problem share a common feature, which is to pump energy into the magnetic system through the use of physical methods that are not directly related to the magnetic field produced by the write head. If such an assisted recording scheme can produce a medium property profile to enable low-field writing localized at the write field area, high data density recording can be achieved by even a weak write field as a result of the multiplicative effect of the spatial gradients of both the medium property profile and the write field. However, these prior art methods either involve deep sub-micron localized heating by an optical beam or ultra-high frequency AC magnetic field generation, both of which are expensive, complicated and inefficient to produce.
Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a schematic, vertical-plane cross-sectional illustration of a prior art perpendicular recording system. The perpendicular recording medium (10) includes a magnetic recording layer, (1), a magnetically soft underlayer (SUL) (2) and an interlayer (3). The magnetic recording (write) head (20) comprises a write coil (4), a pole-tip (5) and a yoke/return pole (6). During the recording process, the write coil (4) is energized by an electrical current that induces a magnetic field whose flux lines are concentrated by the yoke/pole structure. The pole tip (5) concentrates these flux lines still further, producing a locally high density of flux lines in the recording layer (1) beneath the pole tip. The SUL (2) acts as a magnetic imaging layer for the writer, which both enhances the magnetic field produced in the recording layer at the pole tip and also provides a return path for the magnetic flux to the rear portion of the yoke/return pole producing a closure of the flux lines. An inherent problem in the recording scheme as exemplified by this figure is that as the size of the pole tip (5) decreases to increase the recording density, the magnetic field produced in the recording layer at the pole tip position decreases in amplitude, which causes a loss of writability and increases in lateral spread, which causes interference with neighboring bits and, thereby, decreases achievable data density.
For thermal-assisted magnetic recording, also known as heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), an optical laser beam is directed onto the write head. By passage through an optical waveguide and a near-field antenna, the optical energy is focused into a deep sub-micron size optical spot on the recording layer (1) close to the pole-tip (5), where the write field profile of the pole-tip overlaps with the optical spot. The optical energy delivered to the recording layer heats up the layer locally. The temperature rise produces a decrease in the magnetic anisotropy of the recording layer material and the magnetization of the recording layer grains becomes more easily switched by the write field. With the optically created medium anisotropy profile overlapping with the writer field profile, the effective write field spatial gradient can be significantly enhanced due to the multiplicative effect of the thermal and magnetic field gradients. Thus, recording can be achieved with the lower magnetic write field of the smaller write head with a resulting higher recording density.
For ferromagnetic-resonance-assisted magnetic recording, also known as microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR), an AC magnetic field in the frequency of tens of Giga-Hz (GHz) is imposed upon the location of the recording medium where the write head reverses the magnetizations of the magnetic recording layer (1). When the frequency is close to the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) frequency of the magnetization of the magnetic grains in the recording layer (1), energy can be pumped into the magnetic medium grain magnetizations to bring them into an FMR mode, which leads to their switching by a much lower write head field than would otherwise be required. With the medium FMR having a high quality factor, i.e., at a given AC field frequency, the highest FMR occurs at a given reversing field and decreases quickly as the field deviates from that value (sharply peaked frequency dependence of FMR), the write field gradient can also be effectively enhanced and higher write densities can be achieved at lower fields.
The binary-anisotropy-assisted magnetic recording (BAMR) is similar to HAMR. In this scheme an antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic (AFM-FM) transitional layer is formed beneath the uppermost perpendicular-to-plane high-anisotropy recording layer and another, lower, high anisotropy layer having in-plane anisotropy is formed beneath the transitional layer. Upon local heating, the AFM-FM switches from its AFM phase to its FM phase and exchange couples the upper high anisotropy recording layer to the lower high anisotropy layer. Thus the locally heated area acts similarly to a single magnetic domain with two high-anisotropy axes that are perpendicular to each other. The in-plane anisotropy of the lower layer makes the magnetization of the upper recording layer easier to switch. With the heating gradient profile effectively multiplying the write-field gradient, the effective write-field gradient is enhanced as it is in HAMR.
The existing assisted-recording schemes discussed briefly above have a common feature, the pumping of energy into the magnetic system by means other than directly increasing the magnetic write field of the write head. However, as already mentioned, these methods all are expensive, complicated and energetically inefficient. What is needed and what the present invention will provide, is an easy and effective transition from conventional perpendicular magnetic recording to an assisted form of magnetic recording in which the assistance methodology requires less complication of existing head-manufacturing processes and relies on a physical property of the recording system that is more easily controlled.

Electric field assisted magnetic recording


An improved impact absorbing pad comprising a foam core attached to and enclosed within a generally air impermeable covering, having at least one selected air permeable region, and wherein at least a portion of the covering enclosing one side of the core is comprised of stretch fabric.

Impact absorbing protective pads, used to protect humans and animals from absorbing forces, are generally known. Such pads may include cotton padding, foam padding, air bladders, composite foam cores and pads incorporating air management systems. In particular, the present inventor's own U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,486,901 and 4,513,449 and the references cited therein disclose a variety of types and styles of protective pads.
A key function of human or animal impact absorbing pads, as taught in the art, is to absorb and disperse the force of individual impacts. Absorbing and dispersing the forces minimizes the amount of force to be absorbed by the underlying body and extends the area of the body over which the force may be absorbed.
Notwithstanding the acknowledged improvements taught and disclosed in the above references, including in particular air management systems, statistics are now showing that athletes in contact sports are subject to above their normal or expected level of arthritic complaints. Complaints from these athletes appear to occur at earlier ages than in the general population and, significantly, apparently relate to areas of the body that have repeatedly absorbed impact. These areas of the body may never have absorbed any single injury-causing blow.
The present invention is directed toward ameliorating at least in part, the above situation. One intent of the invention is to further reduce and disperse the amount of forces that might be repeatedly absorbed by prominent bones under pads.
The invention has further advantages. It provides a better fitting, and more comfortable body pad, capable of conforming more exactly to the desired contours of the body. It provides a pad covering that enhances the structural integrity of the foam core. It exhibits what is referred to as "good hand" in the trade.


Described is a real-time content management and data analytics system for AR-based platforms. The data management system described herein manages AR content and user interactions with the AR content. Additionally, a new multiple-stage information augmentation design based on real-time data analysis and live AR interaction is described. In this design, AR content design is very flexible and may be organized into one or more stages containing pre-defined content, on-line searched content, user generated content, other user generated content, real-time user interactively generated content, or some combination. The flexibility content structure brings allows for a high customizable AR experience for each user to maximize user relevance and stickiness. An example application of the system described herein is for interactive advertisements.

Mixed reality (MR) is the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. MR combines augmented reality (AR) techniques with virtual reality (VR) method to deliver an immersive experience. The goal of MR is to provide a rich, real-time interactive experience for the user that allows them to feel as if they were in a place that is different from their actual physical location. Applications of MR are widespread and diverse, but each is based on the underlying concept of receiving real world sensory input, for example, sound, video, graphics, haptics, or location data and adding further digital insights to that information.
Recent technological advancements and social changes have brought MR/AR/VR technology into the mainstream. Powerful mobile computing devices, such as smart phones, tablet computers, laptops, and navigation devices provide the necessary hardware to support more advanced applications for processing real word sensory input. Additionally, widespread use and adoption of specialized computer applications and artificial intelligence has generated significant consumer and professional interest in using AR platforms to provide a more realistic simulation of a real world experience. This abundance of computing devices and growing interest from business and the public has spawned a perfect storm for the development and adoption of MR/AR/VR platforms.
Holographic MR is an emerging type of MR experience. Holographic MR environments display fully three-dimensional objects within an AR environment. Until recently, these complex systems where impossible to provide at scale because of computational resource limitations. A continued rise in performance of computer memory and graphical processing speed in accordance with Moore's Law, however, is bringing scalable holographic MR systems within the realm of possibility. Despite much excitement about- and development on-holographic MR systems most of the infrastructure necessary to realize scalable MR has not been completed. Accordingly, there exists a well-established need for content management systems that efficiently provide AR content to a holographic MR environment.
Despite the technological potential of advanced MR/AR systems most AR environments render digital objects within a real environment. These systems allow users to picture impossible, expensive, or hard to find virtual objects in an a familiar environment, for example, the home, school, walk to work, or other common scenes from everyday life. In other words most AR systems bring the virtual world into the immediately accessible real world environment. Currently, there is no possibility for actual real life objects, including people, pets, and personal possessions to travel to- and interact with- a virtual world. Accordingly, there exists a well-established need for an content management system that manages MR/AR/VR content in a way that provides live user interaction with a virtual environment. Similarly, there exists a well-established need for a content structure that can be easily managed within a content management system to provide real life images and live user interactions within a virtual environment. The user interactions should be fully dynamic and the content structure should be flexible enough to allow different user interactions with the same MR/AR/VR environment. Additionally, there exists a well-established need for a content management system that incorporates a real time data analytics module that can modify or update and AR environment according to user preferences or analytics data. Moreover, there exists a well-established need for an AR content structure that can be efficiently managed to incorporate real life images and live user interactions as well as real time data analytics information. The content structure should allow some parts of the AR content to be modified without effecting the remaining portions. The transitions between items of AR content or portions of the same AR content should also be independently modifiable.

Real-time AR content management and intelligent data analysis system


A method for the simultaneous localization and mapping in 2D using a 3D scanner. An environment is scanned with the aid of the 3D scanner in order to generate a three-dimensional representation of the environment in the form of a 3D pixel cloud made up of a multitude of scanned pixels. A two-dimensional representation of the environment in the form of a 2D pixel cloud is subsequently generated from the 3D pixel cloud. The 2D pixel cloud is conveyed to a 2D SLAM algorithm for the generation of a map of the environment and for the simultaneous ascertainment of the current position of the 3D scanner within the map.

Autonomous vehicles are dependent on a continual determination of the own position or location. In addition to methods that have to rely on a detailed map of the environment for the localization, conventional methods allow for a localization in unknown or continuously changing environments. Among others, in the case of mobile robots, for example, or autonomous vehicles such as autonomous shuttles for the transport of persons, or what are known as AGVs (automatic guided vehicles) for the transport of containers in ports, there are also localization methods in use which make it possible to map the environment. In this so-called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology, the localization and mapping are carried out in a continual interplay, so that an infrastructure-free localization is provided. The SLAM technology has progressed quite far, in particular when using a 2D-laser system. In the 2D lidar SLAM, a flat world is assumed in which the structures are mainly of a two-dimensional nature. This makes it possible for a 2D laser scanner, which measures horizontally at a defined level, to sense the structures to be acquired with sufficient accuracy. While this approach works well on level surfaces such as in enclosed spaces, the aforementioned 2D assumption of a flat world generally does not apply to the outdoor area. The base plane or road need not necessarily be level, and there are also many structures such as hills or bushes that are not purely vertical. A standard 2D lidar or SLAM is therefore unable to provide the necessary reliability and precision in the outdoor area. One alternative here is the use of 3D-laser scanners and the development of a 3D SLAM system. However, all six degrees of freedom (DOF) of the movement (x, y, z, roll, pitch, yaw) must be determined in such a 3D SLAM system. As a result, there is also a clearly greater degree of complexity in the 3D SLAM system in comparison with a 2D SLAM system, in which only three degrees of freedom (x, y, yaw) have to be determined. Because of the more complex algorithms, the computational effort and the computational time become greater.

Simultaneous localization and mapping in 2D using a 3D-scanner


A hydraulic system for a motor vehicle includes a hydraulic pump which has a hydraulic steering device including a steering motor and a steering valve which is movable from an intermediate position in opposing directions and by which hydraulic fluid lines to and from the steering motor are controlled. A ventilator motor with the bypass line are placed in series with the steering device between the latter and the hydraulic pump. The bypass valve aids the distribution of fluid flow through the ventilator motor and the bypass line for adjustment of the fluid flow in accordance with required cooling power. The bypass valve can be adjusted to allow more hydraulic fluid to flow through the bypass line during actuation of the steering valve, thereby to lower the system pressure for reduced cost and complexity of the hydraulic pump.

The present invention relates to a hydraulic system for a motor vehicle.
Various concepts are known for the drive of a hydraulic fan motor and a hydraulic steering motor. One concept is based on providing two completely separate hydraulic fluid circuits for the drive of a fan and a hydraulic steering device and therefore also two pumps. The two pumps can be substantially integrated in one another, and are then referred to together as a tandem pump. Despite the extensive integration such a tandem pump is more expensive than a single hydraulic pump, such as used in motor vehicles for instance for the supplying of hydraulic fluid to only a power-assisted steering device.
In another design, known from DE-OS 28 50 481, for the driving of a hydraulic steering motor and a hydraulic fan motor only a single hydraulic pump is employed. Behind the hydraulic pump there is a priority valve which provides assurance that, up to a limit value, the entire amount of hydraulic fluid delivered by the hydraulic pump flows to the steering device. Only the excess can be fed to the fan motor. With such a design of a hydraulic system, a pump having a large piston displacement is necessary since, in addition to the quantity pumped which flows continuously to the steering device, an additional amount must be produced for the fan motor. Furthermore a priority valve is required so that a hydraulic system in accordance with DE-OS 28 50 481 is elaborate and costly.
Finally, from U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,129, a hydraulic system is known in which the fan motor is arranged in series with the steering device between the latter and a hydraulic pump. As in the case of the other embodiments sketched, the embodiment in accordance with the U.S. patent also has a bypass valve by which the division of the fluid flow through the fan motor and the bypass line circumventing the fan motor is variable as a function of the cooling power required. If the cooling power required increases, the bypass valve is adjusted in such a manner that the flow of hydraulic fluid through the bypass line is reduced. Conversely, the flow of hydraulic fluid through the bypass line increases when the cooling power required decreases. In principle, a two-position control is also possible in this connection such that the bypass line is entirely open or entirely closed. In the hydraulic system of U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,129, the hydraulic pump is to be able to cover the added pressure requirement of the hydraulic steering device and the fan motor regardless of the amount thereof, and is to be developed accordingly. Only for the limiting of parasitic power losses of the internal combustion engine which drives the hydraulic pump is it provided that, as from a given pump pressure, the pressure drop over the fan motor is reduced so that the pump pressure would only rise again when there is no longer a pressure drop over the fan motor and the fan motor is at a standstill. For the reduction of the pressure drop over the fan motor as from a given pump pressure, a pressure-limiting valve which is set to said pump pressure has its inlet connected to the outlet of the hydraulic pump, which at the same time is the inlet of the fan motor and has its outlet connected to the outlet of the fan motor.


A fuel cell includes electromotive portions, a first sheet, a second sheet, a replenishing portion and a fuel adjusting film. The electromotive portions cause fuel and oxygen to react chemically with each other to produce electrical energy. The first sheet is provided to supply the fuel to the electromotive portions. The second sheet is provided to supply the oxygen to the electromotive portions. The replenishing portion is provided at a predetermined portion of the first sheet to replenish the first sheet with the fuel. The fuel adjusting film is inserted in the first sheet to adjust the amounts of the fuel to be supplied from the first sheet to the electromotive portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a direct type fuel cell in which fuel and air are made to react chemically with each other to produce electrical energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that there are provided fuel cells in which fuel and air are made to react chemically with each other to produce electrical energy. Of those fuel cells, a direct type fuel cell can be made smaller, and is expected to serve as an energy source for a portable electronic device such as a cellular phone or a notebook computer.
FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional fuel cell B.
As shown in FIG. 13, the conventional fuel cell B comprises an electromotive layer 100, a fuel supplying layer 200 and an air supplying layer 300. The electromotive layer 100 is provided to produce electrical energy. The fuel supplying layer 200 is provided on a surface of the electromotive layer 100 to supply fuel to the electromotive layer 100. The air supplying layer 300 is provided on another surface of the electromotive layer 100, which is located opposite to the above surface, to supply air (oxygen) to the electromotive layer 100.
The electromotive layer 100 comprises an electrolyte membrane 100a, a plurality of fuel poles 110b, and a plurality of oxidizer poles 100c. In the electrolyte membrane 100a, fuel and air are made to react chemically with each other. The fuel poles 100b are arranged in a matrix on a surface of the electrolyte membrane 100a, which is close to the fuel supplying layer 200, and supply fuel from the fuel supplying layer 200 to the electrolyte membrane 100a. The oxidizer poles 100c are arranged in a matrix on another surface of the electrolyte membrane 100a, which is located opposite to the above surface and close to the air supplying layer 300 of the electrolyte membrane 100a, and supply air from the air supplying layer 300 to the electrolyte membrane 100a.
The fuel poles 100b and the oxidizer poles 100c are located opposite to each other, with the electrolyte membrane 100a interposed between them. The fuel poles 100b, the oxidizer poles 100c and the electrolyte membrane 100a form respective electromotive portions 110 for generating voltages. That is, the electromotive layer 100 comprises the electromotive portions 110 the number of which is equal to each of that of the fuel poles 110b and that of the oxidizer poles 100c. The electromotive portions 110 are all connected in series to each other. The sum of the voltages produced by the electromotive portions 110 is the final output voltage of the fuel cell B.
The fuel supplying layer 200 comprises a felted liquid holding sheet 200a for supplying fuel to the fuel poles 100b, a replenishing portion 200b connected to the liquid holding sheet 200a, for replenishing the liquid holding sheet 200a with fuel, and a fuel diffusion film 200d which permits the fuel in the liquid holding sheet 200a to pass through the fuel diffusion film 200d, and which is provided on a surface of the liquid holding sheet 200a, which is close to the electromotive portions 110.
The air supplying layer 300 comprises a felted moisture-retentive sheet 310 which takes therein air from the vicinity of the fuel cell B, and then supplies it to the oxidizer poles 100c, and which prevents releasing moisture which is produced in the electrolyte membrane 100a due to chemical reaction of fuel and air, i.e., prevents drying of the electrolyte membrane 100a.
In the fuel cell B having the above structure, fuel with which the liquid holding sheet 200a is replenished from the replenishing portion 200b is advanced within the liquid holding sheet 200a toward the fuel diffusion layer 200d, while diffusing in a direction away from the replenishing portion 200b. It then reaches the fuel poles 100b on the fuel diffusion film 200d.
On the other hand, air taken in the moisture-retentive sheet 310 from the vicinity of the fuel cell B passes through the moisture-retentive sheet 310, and reaches the oxidizer poles 100c on the moisture-retentive sheet 310.
Then, the fuel reaching the fuel poles 100b and the air reaching the oxidizer poles 100c react chemically with each other at the electrolyte membrane 100a, causing voltages to be produced between the fuel poles 100b and the oxidizer poles 100c. The sum of voltages produced at the electromotive portions 110 is the final output voltage of the fuel cell B.
Furthermore, in a direct type fuel cell disclosed in, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-106201, a plurality of electromotive layers are stacked together, and liquid fuel is supplied to the electromotive layers by capillary action.
In most conventional fuel cells, the replenishing portion is provided at an end of the liquid holding sheet since the replenishing portion is restricted by the structure of the cell. In such a structure, there is a case where the concentration of the fuel in the liquid holding sheet is not uniform, i.e., the concentration varies from one part of the liquid holding sheet to another. In this case, the concentrations of fuel reaching the electromotive portions are also different, thus worsening the efficiency of production of electrical energy by the electromotive portions.
For example, if a large amount of fuel is supplied to the electromotive portions, surplus fuel which has not reacted in the electrolyte membrane reaches the oxidizer poles. Thus, it is wasteful, and in addition the voltage loss may increase due to reduction of the surface areas of catalysts included in the oxidizer poles. On the other hand, if an excessively small amount of fuel is supplied to the electromotive portions, the reaction energy becomes too large, as a result of which the voltage loss may also increase.
Thus, in order to improve the electrical characteristics of the fuel cell, it is important to make the concentration of fuel in the entire liquid holding sheet uniform, and supply a proper amount of fuel to the electromotive portions. However, in a portable electronic device required to operate for a long time, a fuel cell including a large liquid holding sheet is provided, and the concentration of fuel therein greatly varies from one part to another. Therefore, as is often the case, the amount of fuel supplied to each electromotive portion is too large or small, thus remarkably worsening the electrical characteristics.


A method is described for adjusting a setpoint operating state of a hybrid drive in a motor vehicle, the hybrid drive including an internal combustion engine and at least two electric motors as the drive motors, and the output shafts of the drive motor being capable of being operatively connected to a drive train of the vehicle, a setpoint operating point of the hybrid drive being adjusted as a function of an instantaneous power demand (output torque) on the hybrid drive and an instantaneous electrical power demand of an electrical system of the vehicle, by determining the speeds and the torques of the drive motors.

Hybrid drives for vehicles are known. In the case of the hybrid drives discussed here, an internal combustion engine is combined with two electric motors, so that a plurality of drive sources is available to the vehicle. In accordance with demands specified by a vehicle driver, the drive sources can selectively supply their input torques to a drive train of the vehicle. In a manner that is known per se, this results in different possible drive configurations depending on actual driving situations, the drive configurations serving in particular to enhance driving comfort and reduce energy use while reducing pollutant emissions.
In the case of hybrid drives for vehicles, serial configurations, parallel configurations and mixed configurations of internal combustion engine and electric motors are known. Depending on the configuration, the electric motors are capable of being engaged directly or indirectly in the drive train of the internal combustion engine. To operatively connect the internal combustion engine and/or the electric motors, it is known to position them in such a manner that they are capable of being operatively connected to each other via gearing, e.g., planetary gearing or the like, and clutches.
To permit optimum implementation of a driver's request for drive power from the hybrid drive, a coordinated actuation of the drive motors of the hybrid drive is required, which takes place in known fashion using an "engine control unit." The actuation of the drive motors can take place based on a setpoint operating state (optimum operating point) of the hybrid drive to be determined by the engine control unit.
It is known that, to determine the setpoint operating state, the required power of the internal combustion engine, the required speed of a first electric motor and the required torque of a second electric motor must be determined based on a power demand on the hybrid drive, corresponding to a vehicle driver's desired torque, and based on an instantaneous electrical power demand of an electrical system of the vehicle. These determined variables are sent to the drive motors as setpoint variables. It is disadvantageous here that the torque of the second electric motor cannot be adjusted with sufficient accuracy. This instantaneous torque of the electric motor must therefore be estimated based on a measured phase current, for example. Due to this inexact estimation, the adjustment of the torque of the second electric motor is faulty; as a result, the instantaneous output torque of the hybrid drive and the instantaneous power output of the vehicle electrical system deviate from their setpoint values. While the deviation of the output torque can be compensated for by a vehicle driver (by operating the accelerator pedal or the like), the deviation of the output of the vehicle electrical system can only be detected and regulated indirectly. The vehicle system voltage is adjusted by a higher-order controller, which is only capable of operating slowly due to a high capacity of a vehicle battery that is used. This regulation of the vehicle system voltage results in deviations of the instantaneous vehicle system output, making it necessary to correct the setpoint operating point of the hybrid drive.

Method for setting a desired operating condition of a hybrid drive for a vehicle

Abstract: At least one of the electric motors (16) is controlled by voltage regulation and the other electric motor(s) (14) is/are controlled by speed regulation.