A controlled extrication module for the injured composed of a body with several means of immobilization of an injured person and supplied with devices for handling, maneuvering and transporting. The module is composed of a rigid plaque that provides a rear part with a medium zone coinciding with a person's back, a lower zone coinciding with a sacrococcygeal zone, and an upper zone coinciding with neck and head. The upper zone has a rounded edge which coincides with a cranial base and a border enabling attachment to an upper end of a seat. The upper zone also has two cavities for placing cervical collar straps which delimit a central help and semi-rigid fins connected to additional straps which attach at their ends. Both sides of the medium zone have upper and lower projections and an intermediate space supplying a side border. The border is placed on a side edge of the seat. The module also has a harness made up of upper and lower strips. The plaque lower zone is provided with two belts and a number of hand-holds.

This invention consists of a controlled extrication module for people injured in motor vehicle crashes.
In order to understand this invention so that it can be easily put into practice, a detailed description of the recommended implementation and drawings will be given in the following paragraphs. The description purpose is purely demonstrative and does not set limits to the invention itself whose components could be selected among several equivalents without neglecting the invention principles stated in this documentation.
One of the main problems in motor vehicle crashes is removing the injured trapped inside the vehicle.
This situation gets worse when people trying to help do not have first aid training.
In fact, people trying to assist the victims in a vehicle crash frequently cause more severe injuries than the ones they are trying to reduce.
Reduced reaction time when accelerating and stopping modern vehicles give the user more versatility in driving; however, motor vehicle accidents are more severe every time.
Although most motor vehicles have safety devices to reduce the impact resulting from a crash, such as safety cage deformation, safety belts, and air bags amongst others, these safety devices do not guarantee zero trauma injuries due to the nature of the accidents that occur.
In such accidents, spine injuries are a frequent consequence as a result of muscle tension weakening the vertebrae, in most of the cases, as well as compressions, side movements, etc. resulting from the vehicle crash itself.
Similarly, significant collapse of the vehicle structure and high speed cause fractures, fissures, luxations, and even explosion of vertebrae. Since these injuries are close to the medullar duct, they may result in the victim having permanent mobilization difficulties.
Taking into account, as stated before, that many of the injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes are due to displacement of the medullar duct of the vertebrae effected while moving the victim's head, neck or spine, different devices have been designed with the aim of reducing injuries.
In fact, the well known cervical collar or Philadelphia collar has been designed to be used to immobilize head and neck position in relation to the spine.
Another device for reducing injuries is the rigid backboard supplied with body and head straps as well as side handles making patient transportation easier for the rescuers.
An extrication vest used to immobilize the patient while performing rescue and patient transport operations is also well known.
The wraparound design of the extrication vest provides flexibility and allows for thorax, head, and neck immobilization.
Standard extrication vests are generally supplied with hand-holds which make application as well as patient transportation safer, and with colored-coded straps for easy application as well as for getting X-rays and receiving first aid, without taking off the extrication vest.
Such extrication vests adapt for children and pregnant women and may be used as hip splints. They are also easy to fold and manipulate.
However, as required in some of the procedures described, it is necessary to move, and in some cases to remove, the victim in order to use or apply the extrication device.

Controlled extrication module for motor vehicle crash injured people


An apparatus for determining the amount of lubricant within a housing is disclosed. The apparatus includes a shaft driving the housing about an axis, a number of interior components positioned within the housing, and an opening defined in the housing and centered on the axis. The distance between the a lower edge of the opening and the lowest portion of the housing is proportional to the amount of lubricant displaced by the components. The level of the lubricant within the housing determined relative to the lower edge. A work machine and method are also disclosed.

The present invention generally relates to a drive hub, and more specifically to a drive hub having an oil check hole.
Many new machines have drive hubs which contain a number of internal components such as gears. These components need to be lubricated in order to ensure a long service life. Generally, an oil check hole is provided so that the level of the lubricant within the drive hub can be checked. A drawback to oil check holes that have heretofore been used in drive hubs is that reading the level of the oil within the drive hub requires that the hub be moved to a predetermined orientation prior to checking the lubricant level. In addition, there are usually at least two drive hubs, so the work machine must be precisely positioned at least twice to read the lubricant level in both drive hubs.
Placing the oil check hole along the axis of rotation would allow the level of lubricant to be read if the components within the drive hub were equally distributed about the axis. Unfortunately, many drive hubs contain planetary gear sets which have a number of planet gears positioned between a sun gear and a ring gear. A drawback to using a single round hole placed along the axis of rotation is that it would be impossible to accurately read the level of lubricant within the drive hub at any orientation if the hub contained a planetary gear set.
What is needed therefore is a drive hub having an oil check hole which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for determining the amount of lubricant within a housing. The apparatus includes a shaft driving the housing about an axis, a number of interior components positioned within the housing, and an opening defined in the housing and centered on the axis. The distance between the a lower edge of the opening and the lowest portion of the housing is proportional to the amount of lubricant displaced by the components. The level of the lubricant within the housing is determined relative to the lower edge.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a work machine having, a frame, an engine, a shaft driven by the engine which drives the housing about an axis, a number of interior components positioned within the housing, and an opening defined in the housing and centered on the axis. The distance between the a lower edge of the opening and the lowest portion of the housing is proportional to the amount of lubricant displaced by the components. The level of the lubricant within the housing is determined relative to the lower edge.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for determining the amount of lubricant within a housing (ii) driven by a shaft along an axis, (ii) having a number of interior components positioned therein, having an opening defined therein and centered on the axis. The method includes the step of configuring the opening such that the distance between the lower edge of the opening and the lowest portion of the housing is proportional to the amount of lubricant displaced by the components. The method further includes the step of determining the level of the lubricant within the housing relative to the lower edge.


A screw-type fastener includes an internal cinching mechanism that physically locks exposed threads of a screw outside a housing after a certain number of turns. The fastener may for example, be affixed to a faceplate of a printed circuit board. The exposed threads may then be rotated to threadably engage corresponding threads of a sub-rack or other enclosure in a manner that prevents movement of the faceplate relative to the enclosure as the screw engages the enclosure. When the internal cinching mechanism is locked, the physical relationship (e.g., distance) between the faceplate and the sub-rack is retained until the fastener is unscrewed.

This application relates generally to fasteners and more specifically to threaded fasteners that secure an item at a fixed distance from another item.
Fasteners such as screws and bolts are commonly used to mechanically couple hardware. In some electronics applications, such as where a printed circuit board is attached to an enclosure, it may be preferable to secure the board to the enclosure in a manner that ensures that the board remains seated in an edge connector without imposing stress on the board that might cause electrical or mechanical failure. There remains a need for an improved fastener for use in such applications.


An adjustable mounting lug for an electrical box that diminishes the degree of play of the adjustable mounting lug relative to at least an orientation of a front face of the electrical box. Sidewalls of the adjustable mounting lug can include a first portion comprising a first segment, and a second portion comprising a first inclined side, an intermediate curved side, and a second inclined side. The second portion can be configured accommodate the adjustable mounting lug having a relatively large height while maintaining at least a minimum length of a bottom wall of the adjustable mounting lug that is supported by a support louvre of the electrical box. The second portion also provides the sidewalls of the larger adjustable mounting lug with a configuration that can prevent the adjustable mounting lug from interfering with at least fittings in the box that can be associated with relatively large knockout openings.

Electrical boxes, also referred to as electrical outlet boxes, are typically used to connect one or more electrical devices, such as switches and receptacles, among other devices, to electrical cables or wires that may run through, or behind, a wall(s) of a structure and into the electrical box. Typically, such electrical boxes are mounted to a wall stud that may be, or will be, supporting structural wallboard. Attempts are typically made to mount the electrical box with respect to the stud and/or wall so that the so that the front face of the electrical box is in vertical alignment with the front of the wallboard that is, or will be, placed against the stud.
Occasionally, however, a mistake in the mounting of the electrical box can result in the front face of the electrical box being misaligned with the front of the wallboard. Additionally, in at least some instances, after accurate mounting of the electrical box to a stud, subsequent electrical installation relating to connecting wires or cables that are inserted into the electrical box with an electrical device(s) that is to be mounted to the electrical box can cause the box to displaced, such as, for example, pushed inwardly into a wall cavity, thereby causing the front face of the electrical box to become misaligned with the front of the wallboard.
Various attempts have been made at accommodating such situations so that the misaligned electrical box can still be utilized in a manner that maintains desired visual esthetics. Moreover, such attempts have sought to attain, through use of the misaligned electrical box, an aesthetic appearance with respect to at least an alignment of the electrical devices that are mounted to the electrical box relative to the front of the wallboard. Yet, at least some of these prior approaches cannot provide a relatively secure manner of adjustment while also accommodating relatively large knockouts, including, for example, relatively low depth electrical boxes that have knockouts having a diameter of around 25.5 millimeters (mm). Additionally, attempts to correct such misalignment have included use of mounting components of electrical boxes that have an overabundant amount of freedom, or relatively excessive degree of play, in movement. Such relatively excessive movement can result in mounting holes of the electrical box being relatively easily misaligned with the mating fasteners that are used to mount the electrical devices to the box such that, when the electrical devices are being mounted to the box, the fasteners strip the internal threads of the mounting holes.
Accordingly, although various electrical boxes are available currently in the marketplace, further improvements are possible to provide electrical boxes having ample space around a knockout for a fitting installation while also providing a stable adjustability for the relative orientation of at least electrical devices that can be mounted to the electrical box.

Adjustable mounting lug for electrical box


A fastening device for a plug, which is plugged into a jack with two ends that each have a threaded hole, the fastening device comprising: a left bolt and a right bolt, each having a main body, a male thread, inserted in the threaded holes of the jack, and several transversal holes; and a securing wire, having two ends, two fastening sections at the two ends, which are inserted into a transversal hole of the left bolt and a transversal hole of the right bolt, two connecting sections, respectively continuing from the fastening sections, and a holding section between the two connecting sections; wherein the securing wire has a securing position for securing the plug on the jack and a releasing position for removing the plug from the jack and is switched between said securing and releasing positions by turning around the fastening sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug securing device, which is simple, durable, inexpensive and convenient to use.
2. Description of Related Art
When using electronic and data processing devices, a big worry is to lose power or data connections, which leads to loss of data and possibly to great damage. What is more, conventional power plugs and data connectors loosen easily.
To prevent plugs from falling off their jacks, screws that are fastened to the jacks or a casing have been used. The screws keep a plug fastened to its jack, but they are inconvenient to use. Whenever the plug is removed, the screws have to be loosened one by one. When the plug is put back, the screws have to be fastened one by one.
Therefore, recently another device for securing plugs has been designed, using fastening pins, which are inserted into suitable holes in the plug. Although this device works effectively and allows fast plugging and unplugging, it has a complicated structure. Considering the small space usually available and the mass use of securing devices, the probability of defects is relatively high. A plug with a defective securing device has to be replaced completely with the cable at a high cost, in order to achieve a securing capability again. Furthermore, the fastening pins of various samples often vary in position and size, which leads to inconvenient using.


The present invention is directed to a purification method for purifying a fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer of the formula (1), in which the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer is purified by distillation in the coexistence of a phenolic compound A such as 6-tert-butyl-2,4-xylenol and a phenolic compound B such as 2,2′-methylene-bis(4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol).

Because of fluorine's water repellency, oil repellency, low water absorption, heat resistance, weather resistance, corrosion resistance, transparency, photosensitivity, low refraction index, low dielectric property etc., fluorine compounds have been used and developed for a wide range of applications mainly in the field of advanced materials. For example, active researches and developments have been made on the applications of fluorine compounds for the formation of anti-reflective films with low refraction index and visible light transparency, optical devices with transparency in high wavelength band (optical communication wavelength band), resist materials with transparency in ultraviolet region, and the like.
Among others, a fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer of the formula (1) is a monomer compound that has a (CF3)2(OR3)C moiety derived from hexafluoroacetone and succeeds in incorporating polar groups in the same molecule in a well-balanced manner while attaining a high fluorine content (see Patent Document 1).
In the formula (1), R1 is a group selected from a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group and a fluorine-containing alkyl group (wherein the fluorine-containing alkyl group is in straight or branched chain form and may contain a cyclic structure); R2 is a divalent or trivalent organic group selected from an aliphatic hydrocarbon group (wherein the aliphatic hydrocarbon group is in straight or branched chain form and may contain a cyclic structure), an aromatic ring group and a composite group thereof, a part or all of hydrogen atoms of R2 may be substituted with a fluorine atom or hydroxy group; R3 is a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a fluorine-containing alkyl group (wherein the fluorine-containing alkyl group is in straight or branched chain form and may contain a cyclic structure), or an aromatic ring group; the hydrocarbon group or fluorine-containing alkyl group as R3 may have a divalent linking group selected from an ether group (—O—) and a carbonyl group (—(C═O)—); m is an integer of 1 to 2; and, when m is 2, two R3 may be of the same kind or of different kinds.
It is known that: the above-mentioned fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer has excellent polymerizability; and a fluorine-containing polymer obtained by polymerization of the above-mentioned fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer combines transparency due to fluorine atoms with adhesion and processability due to polar groups, and exhibits good physical properties for use as anti-reflective film materials, optical device materials, resist materials, and the like (see Patent Document 1).
On the other hand, there has recently been a demand to improve the quality of optical materials and materials for semiconductors. Accordingly, there has also been a demand to improve the quality of polymerizable monomers used as raw materials for these materials. Various proposals have been made to provide polymerizable monomers with high purity, with less quality variations between production lots and at low cost.
As a technique of obtaining a single compound with a high purity from a mixture (crude product), there are known purification methods such as recrystallization, reprecipitation, distillation, sublimation, column chromatography etc. Column chromatography is an effective purification method at a laboratory level. In the case of mass production, however, this purification method is not efficient and becomes a cause of cost increase. Recrystallization, reprecipitation and sublimation are purification methods difficult to apply to compounds that are liquid in the vicinity of room temperature. In addition, each of these purification methods may require a complicated cleaning operation or a process step accompanied by a relatively large temperature change (e.g. a step of cooling from a temperature higher than 50° C. to a low temperature lower than or equal to 0° C.), and thus cannot be said as a convenient method.
By contrast, distillation is a superior purification method in that it is often convenient to purify a large amount of the target compound at one time in the case where the boiling point of the target compound is in the range of room temperature to several hundreds of degrees. For adoption of such a distillation purification method, however, some contrivance may be necessary to avoid decomposition or polymerization of the target compound during distillation.
It is well known to distill a easily polymerizable compound with the addition of a polymerization inhibitor. Many polymerization inhibitors, such as phenolic compounds (also called hydroquinone derivatives) and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (TEMPO) derivatives, are provided as commercially available products. Examples of the use of these polymerization inhibitors are too numerous to enumerate. In the case of distilling a compound that claims high functionality, on the other hand, there is known a technique to use a polymerization inhibitor newly developed for the target compound rather than to use a commercially available polymerization inhibitor (see Patent Documents 2 and 3).
Further, there is disclosed an example of adding a contrivance to distillation equipment. For example, Patent Documents 4 and 5 each propose distillation equipment of special structure so as to suppress polymerization of the target compound inside the distillation equipment, prevent clogging of the distillation column due to polymer formation and obtain the target compound efficiently with reduced cleaning of the distillation equipment. This technique is certainly effective, but requires introduction of new distillation equipment.
Furthermore, there is generally widely known a technique to perform distillation while flowing oxygen gas in distillation equipment (which is so-called "aeration distillation") in order to enhance the effect of the phenolic polymerization inhibitor. There is also proposed the use of NOx such as nitrogen dioxide gas in combination with the polymerization inhibitor (see Patent Document 6) for the purpose of suppressing polymerization in the gas phase.
Under these circumstances, Patent Documents 7 and 8 disclose embodiments in which a 1,1-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-diol acrylic acid ester compound of the formula (1a), which belongs to the compound of the above formula (1), is synthesized with the use of a compound selected from hydroquinone, methoquinone, 2,5-di-t-butylhydroquinone, 1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene, 2,5-bistetramethylbutylhydroquinone, leucoquinizarin, Nonflex F, Nonflex H, Nonflex DCD, Nonflex MBP, Ozonone 35, phenothiazine, tetraethylthiuram, disulfide, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine, Q-1300 (available from Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) and Q-1301 (available from Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) as a polymerization inhibitor.
In the formula (1a), R1a is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, a sec-butyl group, a tert-butyl group, a fluoromethyl group, a difluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, or a perfluoroethyl group; and R2a is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, a sec-butyl group, a tert-butyl group, a fluoromethyl group, a difluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, or a perfluoroethyl group.
It is described in Patent Documents 7 and 8 that, after the step of synthesizing the compound, the resulting crude product is subjected to post-treatment such as water washing and then subjected to distillation purification. The polymerization inhibitor cannot be removed completely from the crude product of the formula (1a) just by performing several times of water washing. Thus, a part of the polymerization inhibitor added in the synthesis step is used as it is as a polymerization inhibitor during the distillation in the embodiments of these patent documents. In Example 2 of Patent Document 7, however, the polymerization inhibitor (phenothiazine) used in the synthesis step remains in the system; and the distillation takes place by separately adding some amount of the polymerization inhibitor (phenothiazine) into the system immediately before the initiation of the distillation.

Method for purifying polymerizable fluoromonomer by distillation

Abstract: By the combined use of the phenolic compound A and the phenolic compound B, it is possible to significantly suppress polymerization or oligomerization of the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer even during industrial-production-scale distillation and efficiently purify the fluorine-containing polymerizable monomer by distillation.


An apparatus for synchronizing the reception of a spread-spectrum signal includes a synchronization apparatus having a code-matched filter, a running average unit coupled to the filter, a peak detector coupled to the running average unit, and a synchronizer coupled to the peak detector for providing an index of a peak. A corresponding method includes receiving a spread-spectrum signal having a period comprising a plurality of indexable samples, maintaining a mean array comprising a running mean value for each indexable sample over a variable number of periods, detecting a peak value of the array, calculating an average value of the array, computing a peak-to-average ratio in accordance with the detected peak value and the calculated average value, comparing the peak-to-average ratio against a time-varying threshold, and synchronizing the received signal when the peak-to-average ratio exceeds the current value of the threshold.

The present disclosure relates to spread-spectrum communications and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for providing synchronization of Wideband Code Division Multiple Access ("WCDMA") receivers. In typical spread-spectrum communications systems, a system designed for a worst-case low signal-to-noise ratio ("SNR") scenario averages the incoming signal over a fixed number of slots, thereby unnecessarily increasing the synchronization time when the SNR is high.
Unfortunately, the channel conditions and SNR in a mobile environment may change very rapidly, and the SNR levels in a spread-spectrum system, such as, for example, a WCDMA system, are typically low for worst-case scenarios. Accordingly, what is needed is a strategy and architecture for providing synchronization of WCDMA receivers that is responsive to varying SNR conditions so that the synchronization time is not unnecessarily increased when the SNR is high.

Synchronization strategy and architecture for spread-spectrum receivers


A ratchet device contains: a base, a ratchet head, at least one retainer, and a direction control mechanism. The base includes at least one accommodation portion. The ratchet head is accommodated in the at least one accommodation portion and includes a first fitting portion and a toothed portion. The at least one retainer is accommodated in the at least one accommodation portion and includes at least one locking tooth. The direction control mechanism includes a rotatable driving loop having at least one engagement portion, and the direction control mechanism includes at least one actuation element. Each of the at least one actuation element has a first pushing element and a second pushing element, wherein the first pushing element is biased against each of the at least one engagement portion, and the second pushing element abuts against each of the at least one retainer.

A conventional ratchet device of small size is applied to connect/remove a bolt with/from an object by matching with an operation tool (such as a socket), such that the ratchet device is gripped by user's hand and is pressed by a palm of the user's hand so as to drive the operation tool to connect or remove the bolt tool.
Referring to 1-2, a conventional ratchet device 10 contains a base 11 having an accommodation groove 111 defined in the base 11, a toothed portion 112 arranged on an inner wall of the accommodation groove, and a control member 12 in which an engagement block 13 is accommodated, wherein the engagement block 13 has multiple locking teeth. The base 11 also has a rotatable disc 14 housed in a first end thereof and configured to control the engagement block 13 to offset, a quadrangular column 121 extending from a second end of the base 11 so as to fit with the operation tool (not shown), such as a socket.
The control member 12 is received in the accommodation groove 111 of the base 11, the quadrangular column 121 extends out of a bottom of the base 11, and the multiple locking teeth of the engagement block 13 engage with the toothed portion 112 of the base 11. The rotatable disc 14 extends out of a top of the base 11 so that the user switches an operation direction of the ratchet device 10, and a fastening loop 15 connects the control member 12 with the base 11.
In operation, the quadrangular column 121 of the control member 12 is fitted with the socket (not shown). The user's hand grips the base 11 and its palm presses the rotatable disc 14 of the base 11 so as to drive the base 11 to rotate, such that the quadrangular column 121 of the control member 12 actuates the socket to rotate simultaneously, thus connecting or removing the bolt member.
As desiring to change the operation direction of the ratchet device 10, the rotatable disc 14 of the base 11 is rotated so as to switch the multiple locking teeth of the engagement block 13 to engage with the toothed portion 112 of the base 11.
However, the ratchet device 10 has defects as follows:
1. When the user's hand grips the base 11 and its palm presses the rotatable disc 14 to revolve, the user's hand touches the rotatable disc 14 to rotate uncarefully, thus changing the operation direction of the ratchet device 10 (i.e., idly rotating the ratchet device).
2. A fitting trench cannot be defined in a top of the control member 12 of the base 11, because the rotatable disc 14 extends out of the top of the base 11. In addition, the quadrangular column 121 is fitted with the socket and cannot match with other drive tool (such as a tool bar), hence the user's hand has to exert large force to operate the ratchet device 10.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.


An apparatus for wrapping groups (1) of products (2) with film (3), comprises: a second surface (6) for forming the product groups (1) and wrapping them with a length of film (3) using suitable means (7) having a first drive axis (AE1); a unit (8) for feeding the film (3) and defining the length of it by cutting, located under and close to a slot (9) for accessing the second surface (6), the feed unit (8) having a second, electric drive axis (AE2) for unwinding the film (3) in the direction of the second surface (6); a unit (10) for pre-unwinding the film (3) and comprising a roll (11) of film (3) located upstream of the feed unit (8) in a film (3) unwinding direction (B), a third electric drive axis (AE3) being located and operative on the pre-unwinding unit (10) to move the film (3) towards the feed unit (8) according to the film (3) requirement or feed speed of the second electric axis (AE2); and a unit (12) which controls the second and third electric axes (AE2, AE3) and which is located and operative between the two electric axes so as to synchronize the control of film (3) feed.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for wrapping groups of products with plastic film, especially heat-shrink film.
The apparatus applies to the field of product packaging machines, with particular reference to the treatment of products of cylindrical or parallelepiped shape, such as bottles, cans and the like.
At present, automatic machines of this type present a line for processing and feeding bottles (this specific term being used for convenience of description, without thereby excluding products of a different shape) to a series of stations for positioning and collating the products, and for wrapping the resulting product groups with plastic film.
The positioning and collating stations are designed to form groups with a preset number of products, which may vary according to the size of the product and of the package to be made (in the case of bottles, for example, each group may consist of two rows of three bottles each), and to convey the products to the wrapping stations, at the end of which each group of products formed leaves the station and is fed to an end station where the packaging process is completed, usually with heat-shrink film.
The wrapping station includes a roll feed system constituting a station for continuously feeding heat-shrink plastic film (used to wrap the products) and located at a level below the conveyor along which the products are moving.
The roll feeds a unit for defining and cutting the length of film necessary to wrap the group of products in a direction corresponding to the direction of product feed as far as the product conveyor.
According to known methods, a wrapping "bridge" on the conveyor guides the film (suspended on crosspieces driven by parallel chains on both sides of the crosspieces themselves) over the product groups, passing through a slot, in such manner as to wrap the product group as it moves along the conveyor.
In practice, the group of products is wrapped by the film being unwound in the same direction as the products are being fed, the ends of the film partially overlapping after the wrapping operation and leaving an opening in the wrapping at the vertical lateral faces of the group itself. The tightening of the film over the product is accomplished by the typical heat-shrink properties of the film, as is very well known in the trade.
Up to now, based on this machine structure, attempts have been made to improve productivity and to reduce down time, for example, for size changeover, requiring various operations on the drive units (such as those of the unit which feeds and cuts the film, so as to change the size of the film lengths), and mechanical down time, for example, due to adjustments with manual means in the height of the structure which drives the film lifting and guide crosspieces.
For this reason, the Applicant designed and built a feed and cutting unit (see patent EP 839.723) located immediately below the slot for film feed to the wrapping surface and consisting of a pair of counter-rotating rollers between which the film to be fed is inserted, at a tangential point of contact. The first roller has a radially projecting blade, whilst the second roller has a radial groove which accommodates the blade during a cutting rotation, and a flat facet on its surface, forming a channel for the free transit of the film.
This structure significantly improves film feed and cutting, making it almost continuous, and speeds up changeover procedures in terms of the length and formation of the length of film to be used on the groups of products.
Following these improvements to the film feed and forming unit, the Applicant has also designed and built an improved unit for wrapping the groups of products (see Italian patent application BO2001A000284). This improved unit consists of at least one crosspiece for supporting and guiding the film, supported at one end by a single, motor-powered bar, positioned close to one side of the conveyor surface, and adjusting means acting at least upon the single bar and designed to allow a rotation of the crosspiece between a first, active trajectory, extending over the conveyor surface, and a second, return trajectory, extending under the conveyor surface, following an arc-shaped path whose distance from the conveyor surface varies and may be preset according to the dimensions of the group of products to be wrapped.
This constructional architecture has made it possible to further increase wrapping speed and reduce changeover down time, connecting the drive and control system of the wrapping unit to the film feed and cutting unit, the latter consisting of pairs of feed rollers mounted on both sides of a film cutting unit.
After numerous tests, however, it has now been found that the increased wrapping speed and faster changeover time have upset the normal functioning of the traditional station for unwinding the film from the roll.
Indeed, in current machines, the pre-unwinding station consists of the aforementioned roll of film and of a roller (usually known as "dandy roller) that moves with rocking motion, located downstream of the roll in the unwinding direction of the film and acting as a feed buffer keeping the cutting unit supplied with film.
Since the operation of the cutting unit depends on the system described above, it is subjected to irregular requests for film feed, due above all to the faster rate at which the groups of products are wrapped and which is not compensated by the pre-unwinding unit.
This irregularity may cause the film to be elastically deformed or move off its feed path as it travels from the dandy roller to the cutting station just under the working surface.
This may lead to unwanted waviness or folds in the film being fed to the cutting unit, which may in turn result in the film being cut erratically and to incorrect lengths.
Moreover, the area close to the cutting unit is, used for centering the printed spots on the film so that the latter is correctly positioned on the group of products: it is evident that deformation or waviness in the film prevents the printed spots from being correctly positioned when the length of film is cut.
The present invention therefore has for an aim to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks through an apparatus for wrapping groups of products with plastic film structured in such a way as to provide high productivity and to significantly reduce changeover down time while at the same time offering a high degree of film unwinding precision suited to the productivity of the apparatus, but without altering the basic structure of the apparatus itself.

Apparatus for wrapping groups of products


A printer system includes an ink ribbon end detector for detecting that the ink ribbon cassette has been used to the end; an used ink ribbon cassette holding position memory device for storing therein information indicative of holding position of a used ink ribbon cassette held on a stocker when the ink ribbon cassette end detection means detects that an ink ribbon has been used to the end, and a cassette holding determining device for determining whether or not an ink ribbon cassette whose ink ribbon has not been used is set in the stocker based on holding information. In the printer system having the described arrangement, an optimal available ink ribbon cassette is selected, and in the case of storing plural ink ribbon cassettes in the same color, a continuous printing operation of a large capacity may be performed without using user's hands.

According to a conventional color printers, an ink ribbon cassette is divided into a plurality of areas, in a checkered manner (see FIG. 61) or in a stripe manner (see FIG. 62), such as Y (yellow)/M (magenta)/C (cyan)/B (black) so as to be printed while overlapping one another as disclosed in the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 60-253578/1985 (hereinafter referred to as JP'578).
However, such a printer has the problem that the ribbon on whose color is not used is sent without being contributed to the printing when the colors are not uniformly used. In order to solve the problem, the thermal transfer printer disclosed in the JP'578 is arranged such that a plurality of ink ribbon cassettes are prepared so as to be disposed parallel to a moving direction of a carriage, thereby ensuring that the carriage can go and catch a target ink ribbon cassette in accordance with the need.
FIG. 63 is an explanatory view illustrating such an arrangement. As illustrated in FIG. 63, a carriage 100 can be moved in the direction parallel to a platen (not illustrated) by a timing belt 107 and a carriage drive motor 108. A stocker 105 can hold four ink ribbon cassettes 101 through 104 in the direction parallel to the platen.
Since the carriage 100 holds the ink ribbon cassette 103 as illustrated in FIG. 63, the printing can be carried out by a printing head 109 with the use of the ink ribbon cassette 103. When carrying out the printing with the use of another ink ribbon cassette such as an ink ribbon cassette 103, the ink ribbon cassettes 101 may be acquired by the carriage 100 after the ink ribbon cassette 103 is returned to a vacant position of the stocker 105.
The following methods are for delivering an ink ribbon cassette between the carriage 100 and the stocker 105: a method wherein the carriage moves and gets the necessary ink ribbon cassette without the movement of the stocker; and a method wherein the stocker itself moves and places the ink ribbon cassette on the carriage.
Here it is assumed that the colors of the respective ink ribbon cassettes 101 through 104 are the same. In such a case, when the ink ribbon cassette 101 is ended, the ink ribbon cassette 102 is substituted therefor. When the ink ribbon cassette 102 is ended, the ink ribbon cassette 103 is substituted therefor. Thus, the consecutive printing can be carried out.
According to the JP'578, a method wherein four ink ribbon cassettes are stacked on a carriage is proposed.
FIG. 64 is an explanatory view illustrating the method proposed in the JP'578, and shows that the upper most ink ribbon cassette 101 among the four stacked ink ribbon cassettes is in a state where the printing operation can be carried out.
In such a state, in order to change the ink ribbon cassette with another one for use in the printing operation, it is required that (1) a motor (not illustrated) for moving up and down the ink ribbon cassette is rotated, (2) the legs of a cassette cradle are pushed up, and (3) the motor from moving up and down the ink ribbon cassette is stopped when the next ink ribbon cassette is disposed in the position of the printing head 109.
In the case where the printing is carried out by moving the ink ribbon cassettes group in the moving direction of the printing head, i.e., in the vertical direction with respect to the shaft direction of the platen, when the current ink ribbon is consumed, the changing of the ink ribbon cassettes are automatically carried out from the fourth stacked ink ribbon cassette to the third stacked ink ribbon cassette, from the third to the second, and from the second to the first. Thus, the consecutive printing can be carried out.
According to the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 62-227781/1987 (hereinafter referred to as JP'781), the consecutive printing by the ink ribbon can be carried out with the use of a thermal transfer serial printer in which an ink ribbon cassette containing two ink ribbons is provided.
FIG. 65 is a front view illustrating the state where the lower side ink ribbon (159b) of the two ink ribbons 159a and 159b which are contained by the ink ribbon cassette 158 is used. FIG. 66 is a front view illustrating the state where the upper side ink ribbon (159a) of the two ink ribbon s 159a and 159b is used.
In FIGS. 65 and 66, supporters 156a and 156b are (1) fixed to a holder 155 for holding the ink ribbon cassette 158, (2) are fitted to respective guides 153a and 153b which are fixed to a carrier frame 151, and (3) are slidable in the up-and-down direction by a driving mechanism 155a (a solenoid 152, an armature 152a, and a spring 152b).
In FIG. 65, when one line printing with the ink ribbon 159b is finished, the printing operation is suspended so that the holder 155 is pushed down so as to change the state into that of FIG. 66. Namely, the state is realized where the ink ribbon 159a and the printing head 154 can neighbor with each other. Then, the printing operation restarts while the ink ribbon 159a is fed by a ribbon motor 157. When it is detected that the ink ribbon 159a became in a ribbon end state during repeatedly carrying out the bidirectional printing in accordance with the foregoing operations, the printing operation is suspended. In such a case, the printing for the remaining characters is continuously carried out while the ink ribbon cassette 158 is lifted up to the position of FIG. 65 and the ink ribbon 159b is driven.
The following is well known as the printers having no stocker: a thermal printer disclosed in the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 61-112666/1986 (hereinafter referred to as JP'666); a thermal transfer recording apparatus disclosed in the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 3-187777/1991 (hereinafter referred to as JP'777); and a thermal printer disclosed in the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 5-169783/1993 (hereinafter referred to as JP'783). According to such a printer, the printing is carried out with respect to a plain paper with the use of an ink ribbon cassette, in addition thereto the printing may be carried out with respect to a thermosensible paper which colors up on receipt of heat. The printer has the problem that the ink ribbon cassette should be taken out for each printing with respect to the thermosensible paper. In order to solve the problem, the thermal printer disclosed in the JP'666 proposes the arrangement wherein a carriage is provided with the moving mechanism for moving the ink ribbon cassette from a thermal head and wherein the ink ribbon cassette is taken out from the thermal head during the mode in which the printing is carried out with respect to the thermosensible paper which does not necessitate the use of the ink ribbon cassette.
FIGS. 67(a) and 67(b) are explanatory views illustrating such an arrangement, FIG. 67(a) illustrates the state in which the printing is carried out with respect to the plain paper while FIG. 67(b) illustrates the state in which the printing is carried out with respect to the thermosensible paper. A carriage 110 can be moved by a timing belt (not illustrated) and a carriage drive motor (not illustrated) in a direction vertical to a moving direction of a recording paper 111 as illustrated in FIGS. 67(a) and 67(b) .
The carriage 110 is provided with (1) an ink ribbon cassette holder mechanism 113 having an ink ribbon cassette winding mechanism 112 and (2) a printing head 114. With the arrangement, the printing is carried out by the printing head 114 with an ink ribbon cassette 115 being held by the carriage 110. In contrast, when the printing is carried out with respect to a thermosensible paper 119 without the ink ribbon cassette 115, the ink ribbon cassette holder mechanism 113 is pushed up by a cam plate 116, which is actuated by a motor 118 and a gear 117 in the carriage, so that the printing is carried out while the ink ribbon cassette 115 is taken away from the printing head 114.
FIGS. 68(a) and 68(b) are views illustrating the arrangement disclosed in the JP'783, FIG. 68(a) illustrates the state in which the printing is carried out with respect to the plain paper while FIG. 68(b) illustrates the state in which the printing is carried out with respect to the thermosensible paper. In the thermal printer disclosed in the JP'783, like the foregoing case, a carriage 120 is provided with an ink ribbon cassette plate 122 for holding an ink ribbon cassette 121, the carriage 120 being moved by a timing belt (not illustrated) and a drive motor (not illustrated) in a direction vertical to a moving direction of printing paper (not illustrated). The carriage 120 is connected with the ink ribbon cassette plate 122 by a moving arm 123 so that the ink ribbon cassette plate 122 can be parallelly moved with respect to the carriage 120.
With the arrangement, in the mode in which the printing is carried out with respect to the thermosensible paper without the ink ribbon cassette 121, a cam 124 pushes up the ink ribbon cassette plate 122 so that a printing head 125 directly comes into contact with printing paper (not illustrated), thereby ensuring that the printing is carried out with respect to the thermosensible paper without the user's removing operation of the ink ribbon cassette 121.
The thermal transfer recording apparatus disclosed in the JP'777 proposes the structure in which (1) a carriage holds a plurality of ink ribbon cassettes and (2) a mechanism is prepared for avoiding of the erroneous insertion of the ink ribbon cassette, thereby ensuring that the plurality of ink ribbon cassettes are simultaneously used for the multiple color printing. FIG. 69 is an explanatory view illustrating such a thermal transfer recording apparatus. There is provided, on a carriage 127, with a cassette plate 128 which can hold a plurality of ink ribbon cassettes that are elevated by an elevator 126, the carriage 127 being moved by a timing belt (not illustrated) and a drive motor (not illustrated) in a direction vertical to a moving direction of printing paper (not illustrated).
When the color printing is carried out by the thermal transfer recording apparatus, a yellow ink ribbon cassette 129c, a magenta ink ribbon cassette 129b, and a cyan ink ribbon cassette 129a are stacked in this order on the cassette plate of the carriage out (see FIG. 70) so that (1) the printing is carried out in yellow color by the yellow ink ribbon cassette 129c while keeping the cassette plate 128 lowered, then (2) the printing is carried out in magenta color by the magenta ink ribbon cassette 129b while the elevator 126 keeps the cassette plate 128 raised by one stage, and thereafter (3) the printing is carried out in cyan color by the cyan ink ribbon cassette 129a while the elevator 126 keeps the cassette plate 128 further raised by another one stage.
The three different color ink ribbon cassettes 129a through 129c have detection elements 130a through 130c for identifying respective ink ribbon colors (see FIG. 71). Detection switches 131a through 131c for detecting the detection elements 130a through 130c respectively are provided in the cassette plate 128 (see FIGS. 69 and 70).
As illustrated in FIG. 69, in the cassette plate 128, the detection switches 131a through 131c are disposed so as to come into contact with the detection elements 130a through 130c of the respective ink ribbon cassettes 129a through 129c when the ink ribbon cassettes 129a through 129c are attached to the cassette plate 128.
When the ink ribbon cassettes 129a through 129c are attached to the cassette plate 128, the detection switches 131a through 131c detect the detection elements 130a through 130c of the respective ink ribbon cassettes 129a through 129c, thereby judging whether or not the respective ink ribbon cassettes 129a through 129c are appropriately attached to the cassette plate 128.
The detail operations of the thermal printer in the JP'666, the thermal transfer recording apparatus in the JP'777, and the thermal printer in the JP'783 are disclosed in the respective unexamined patent publications, so such explanations are omitted here. In FIGS. 72(a) and 72(b), a printing paper feed roller feeds a printing paper 111 in an arrow direction. When the printing paper 111 is inserted, the output of a sensor 113 for detecting whether or not the printing paper exists becomes the on state.
The following methods are for delivering an ink ribbon cassette between the carriage 100 and the stocker 105: a method wherein the carriage moves and gets the necessary ink ribbon cassette without the movement of the stocker; and a method wherein the stocker itself moves and places the ink ribbon cassette on the carriage. FIGS. 72(a) and 72(b) illustrate the latter method. FIG. 72(a) illustrates the state where the stocker is moved up, while FIG. 72(b) illustrates the state where the stocker is moved down so that the ink ribbon cassette is held by the carriage.
According to the Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2-258276/1990 (hereinafter referred to as JP'276), in order to smoothly feed the printing paper, the carriage is moved to the center of the printing paper so as to press the printing paper during feeding of the printing paper, so that the jam of the printing paper can be avoided. FIGS. 73 through 75 are explanatory views illustrating the technique of JP'276.
In FIG. 73, the feed system of the printer is composed of a printing head 201, a platen 202 facing the printing head 201, a ribbon guide 206 disposed between the printing head 201 and the platen 202, a carriage (carrier) 207, movable in the right and left directions, having the printing head 201 and the ribbon guide 206, a tractor 204 for feeding a printing paper 203, and a cutter 205 for cutting away the printing paper. The tractor 204 is driven to rotate by a stepping motor 209 through a driving shaft 208.
The carriage 207 is horizontally moved by a stepping motor 211 through a timing belt 210. There is provided a detection sensor 212, for determining the feed position of the printing paper, on the feed path connecting the printing head 201 and the tractor 204. FIG. 74 is a view illustrating the position of the carriage 207 when the printing paper 203 is fed in the discharge direction. FIG. 75 is an enlarged view illustrating the printing paper feed path up to the cutter after the printing.
A predetermined amount of the printing paper is fed based on the fact that (1) the printing paper 203 is set to the tractor 204, (2) the stepping motor 209 is driven upon pressing a switch on an operation panel so as to feed the printing paper 203, and (3) the detection sensor 212 detects the upper end portion of the printing paper. Note that the carriage 207 is driven by the stepping motor 211 so as to move to the center of the printing paper upon pressing the switch on the operation panel (see FIG. 74), thereby causing that the printing paper 203 is pressed by the ribbon guide 206.
Thus, the printing paper 203 is fed while being fallen in a direction reverse to the direction in which the printing paper 203 winds around the platen 202 (the printing paper feed path), and the upper end portion of the printing paper is caught by a guide lower end 205" of the cutter 205, thereby avoiding the printing paper jam.
In a conventional printer which can not change the ink ribbon cassette while holding a plurality of ink ribbon cassettes, when a ribbon end is detected during printing, it is required that (1) the printing is suspended so that the user takes away the ink ribbon cassette from the carriage and attaches the new ink ribbon cassette on the carriage, and thereafter (2) the user restarts the printing.
JP'578 does not disclose how to control the continuous printing when a plurality of same color ribbons are set. However, since one ink ribbon cassette can be automatically changed with another ink ribbon cassette, the method, where in the printing is carried out while changing the ink ribbon cassettes in order when each ribbon end is detected during printing, may be proposed.
However, such a method presents the problem that it is likely that the printing is carried out while the ink ribbon cassette which is already ended is attached to the carriage again, since the holding positions of the respective ink ribbon cassettes which are already ended are not stored.
In contrast, when the holding positions of the ink ribbon cassettes which are already ended are stored, the following problem arises. More specifically, even though the user changes the ink ribbon cassette which is already ended with a new one, the new ink ribbon cassette will never be used since it is not detected on the printer side whether or not the changing of the ink ribbon cassette has been carried out.
Moreover, since the control wherein the ink ribbon cassette having least remaining amount has priority over other ink ribbon cassettes to be used is not carried out, it is likely that a plurality of ink ribbon cassettes which can still be used are presented.
According to the continuous printing method of the ribbons disclosed in JP'781, one ink ribbon cassette contains two ink ribbons and when one ink ribbon is ended, another ink ribbon is substituted therefor.
However, such a method presents the problem that the user can not know whether or not only one ink ribbon has been ended when the first ink ribbon was ended. Thus, since the printing can not be carried out when the second ink ribbon is ended, at this time the user must simultaneously change two ink ribbon cassettes with new ones.
Even if the user knows that the first ink ribbon cassette is ended and changes only the first one with a new one, the printer can not know the changing of the first ink ribbon cassette. Therefore, the printer continues the printing with the use of only the second ink ribbon cassette though the first ink ribbon cassette has been changed with a new one.
Accordingly, though such a printing method carries out the bidirectional printing with the alternate use of the first and second ink ribbons, the continuous printing can not be carried out while changing the ink ribbon each time each ink ribbon is ended.
In the arrangement where the stocker is provided which stores plural ink ribbon cassettes in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the carriage, and the ink ribbon cassette is exchanged between the carriage and the stocker, the following problems are presented.
In order to exchange the ink ribbon cassette between the carriage and the stocker smoothly and speedily, it is required to place the carriage and the stocker so as to face one another and to set the distance between them as small as possible. Therefore, the space between the carriage and the stocker wherein the ink ribbon cassette is set becomes small, and it is not easy to insert the user's hand, thereby presenting the problem of inconvenience in exchanging the cassette.
For this reason, it may be arranged such that the user exchanges the ink ribbon cassette by adopting the stocker which is rotatable or detachable, i.e., by opening the stocker. However, if the carriage is activated by mistake when the stocker is opened, even if the exchange is not performed properly, the printing may be started using the wrong ink ribbon cassette without notice.
Moreover, in the case of placing the ink ribbon cassette on the carriage by moving the stocker in the direction of the carriage, since the entire height of the printer is low, by setting such that the printer is set in this state except during the printing operation, the printer can be miniaturized.
However, in this state, since the stocker and the carriage are in tight contact with one another through the ink ribbon cassette, it is not possible for the user to exchange the ink ribbon cassette.
Furthermore, when the ink ribbon has been used to the end in the middle of the printing operation, and the ink ribbon cassette of the same kind (color) is not stored in the stocker, the new ink ribbon cassette is set on the carriage, and the printing operation must be restarted. In the described printer, it is difficult to set and take out the ink ribbon cassette on and from the carriage as being disturbed by the mechanical section of the stocker and the carriage.
In the case of the printer which is not provided with the detection means for detecting the kind (color) of the ink ribbon cassette for reducing the cost, etc., normally, the color of the ink ribbon cassette to be mounted to the position of the stocker is set beforehand, for example, black, yellow, magenta, cyan, etc. from the left end, so as to store the color of the ink ribbon each time.
However, when the user sets the ink ribbon cassette not on the s tocker but directly on the carriage, since the printer does not know the set ink ribbon cassette is in what color, a printing operation may not be performed in correct color.
The thermal transfer printer disclosed in the J'578 is an automatic changer printer in which the ink on the ribbon of the ink ribbon cassette is transferred to the printing paper by heating a plurality of small heating elements disposed on the printing head while the printing head comes into contact with the ink ribbon. However, since there is no sensor for detecting whether or not the ink ribbon cassette is attached to the carriage, it can not be detected whether or not the ink ribbon cassette is attached onto the carriage. Thus, in the case where the printing is carried out with respect to a thermosensible paper which colors upon receipt of heat without the ink ribbon cassette, the user has to confirm whether the ink ribbon cassette is not attached to the carriage for each printing so that the printing is not carried out while the ink ribbon cassette is attached to the carriage. When the user finds that the ink ribbon cassette is attached to the carriage, the user must take out the ink ribbon cassette from the carriage. Note that no description concerning the printing with respect to the thermosensible paper is disclosed in the the JP'578.
Moreover, in the case where the ink ribbon cassette is automatically moved to the carriage for each printing from the stocker which holds the ink ribbon cassettes, the ribbon which is to be moved to the carriage should be taken out from the stocker beforehand prior to each printing.
Namely, it is required to confirm for each thermosensible paper printing whether or not the ink ribbon cassette is attached to the carriage so that the printing is not carried out with the ink ribbon cassette, thereby presenting the problem that the printing is not effectively carried out.
According to the thermal printer of the JP'666 and the thermal printer disclosed in the JP'783, the user can carry out, without taking out the ink ribbon cassette at the user's end, (1) the printing with respect to the plain paper with the ink ribbon cassette and (2) the printing with respect to the thermosensible paper without the ink ribbon cassette. However, it is not considered to carry out the multiple color printing with the use of a plurality of ink ribbons. Accordingly, the user must change the ink ribbon cassette in accordance with the color to be printed for each multiple color printing.
In especial, three color ink ribbon cassettes, i.e., the yellow, magenta and cyan ink ribbon cassettes, are ordinarily used for the color printing. So, it is frequently required to change the ink ribbon, thereby presenting the problem that the color printing can not effectively carried out. In order to carry out only the color printing, the complicated structure is separately required, thereby presenting another problem.
According to the thermal transfer recording apparatus disclosed in the JP'777, with the use of a plurality of ink ribbon cassettes, the user can effectively carry out the multiple color printing without changing the ink ribbon cassette. The thermal transfer recording apparatus is arranged so that the ink ribbon cassettes are stacked on the carriage.
When the printing is carried out with respect to the thermosensible paper, another sliding corresponding to one ink ribbon cassette is required so that the printing head does not face the ink ribbon of the ink ribbon cassette thereby realizing the printing with respect to the thermosensible paper. So, when using three color ink ribbons such as yellow, magenta and cyan ink ribbons, the space for four ink ribbon cassettes should be totally prepared on the carriage for the color printing based on the fact that the space for the three ink ribbon cassettes and the space for the sliding during the printing with respect to the thermosensible paper should be prepared, thereby requiring the great space and thereby resulting in that the printer becomes bulky.
According to the thermal transfer printer disclosed in the JP'578, there is no sensor provided for detecting whether or not the ink ribbon cassettes are attached to the stocker, i.e., for detecting the ink ribbon cassette holding states of the respective carriage and stocker. This causes to present the problem that no errors can be detected such as (1) the error that the changing operation is not appropriately carried out due to some error that the automatic changer fails to move the ink ribbon cassette from the carriage to the stocker for example or (2) the error that the ink ribbon cassette is detached in response to the externally applied shocks during printing. When the error is not detected, the stresses are concentrated on the element whose strength is weaker, thereby causing to present the problem that the printer becomes out of order or the elements are damaged.
The thermal transfer printer disclosed in the JP'578 is a color printer that can carry out the multiple color printing by automatically changing the three color ink ribbon cassettes, for example, Y (yellow)/M (magenta)/C (cyan) ink ribbon cassettes during the printing, although only a single ink ribbon cassette can be attached to the carriage at a time.
In general, when carrying out the color printing, it is required that (1) the data to be printed are divided into respective Y (yellow)/M (magenta)/C (cyan) components and (2) the Y component data are printed by the Y color ink ribbon cassette, the M component data are printed by the M color ink ribbon cassette, and the C component data are printed by the C color ink ribbon cassette. Accordingly, when the ink ribbon cassettes are not attached to respective appropriate positions in the stocker, the color printing can not appropriately be carried out.
The thermal transfer printer disclosed in the JP'578 has no sensor for detecting whether or not the ink ribbon cassettes have been attached to the stocker. So, the user can not judge whether or not each ink ribbon cassette has been appropriately attached to the stocker for each selected printing mode, thereby presenting the problem that the appropriate printing may not be carried out.
The thermal transfer recording apparatus disclosed in the JP'777 identifies each one of the ink ribbon cassettes stacked on the carriage based on the fact that the detection switches, provided in the cassette plate for identifying the types of the respective ink ribbon cassettes, detect the respective detection elements attached to the respective ink ribbon cassettes so that the respective ink ribbon cassettes have been appropriately attached.
However, since the ink ribbon cassettes are stacked on the carriage, the following problems (a) and (b) arise: (a) (1) the thickness of the carriage including the thickness of the cassette plate becomes thicker in proportion to the attachable number of the ink ribbon cassettes and (2) the entire thickness of the printer becomes so thick because the space on the upper side of the carriage for the sliding width by which the cassette plate elevates is further required; and (b) it is only judged whether or not the ink ribbon cassette is the one which should be held in its ink ribbon cassette holding position because only a single detection switch is provided in each ink ribbon cassette holding position in the cassette plate.
According to the ink ribbon cassette automatic changer printer disclosed in JP'578, the ink ribbon cassette is delivered between the stocker and the carriage based on the fact that the stocker is moved up and down by the changer, thereby enabling to attach and detach the ink ribbon cassette.
Accordingly, if the carriage is tried to be moved when (1) the stocker has been moved down by the changer or (2) the stocker has been down due to some reasons, the carriage can not be moved because the carriage collides with the stocker, thereby causing to excessively burden the carriage drive motor. So, to keep moving the carriage under such a condition causes the carriage drive motor to be heated up, thereby presenting the reasons of some faults and accidents.
According to the ink ribbon cassette automatic changer printer disclosed in JP'578, the ink ribbon cassette is delivered between the stocker and the carriage based on the fact that the stocker is moved up and down by the changer, thereby enabling to attach and detach the ink ribbon cassette.
Accordingly, in the case where the carriage is forcedly moved by the user when the stocker has been moved up by the changer, if the changer tries to move down the stocker, the carriage collides with the stocker, thereby causing to excessively burden the changer. So, if the changer keeps moving down the stocker under such a condition, it causes that the carriage drive motor is heated up, thereby presenting the reasons of some faults and accidents.
Alternatively, if the changer tries to move up the stocker when something is placed on the stocker, such a movement excessively burdens the changer, thereby presenting the problem similar to the foregoing case.
According to the ink ribbon cassette automatic change printer disclosed in JP'578, the ink ribbon cassette is delivered between the stocker and the carriage based on the fact that the stocker is moved up and down by the changer, thereby enabling to attach and detach the ink ribbon cassette.
So, if the user tries to set the printing paper when the stocker has been moved up by the changer, such operation presents the problem that the printing paper is caught by the lower end portion of the stocker (see FIG. 72(a)).
JP'276 discloses a technical method wherein the carriage is controlled so as to move to the center of the printing paper, thereby avoiding the paper jam. However, in the foregoing ink ribbon cassette automatic changer printer having the stocker, when the carriage is merely moved to the center of the printing paper, both ends of the printing paper are caught by the lower end portion of the stocker, thereby presenting the problem that it is not possible to smoothly feed the printing paper.
Therefore, in order to supply the printing paper to the foregoing ink ribbon cassette automatic changer printer having the stocker, it is required that the stocker is kept be down so that the printing paper is not caught by the lower end portion of the stocker. In other words, when the stocker is kept be down, the printing paper is not caught by the lower end portion of the stocker. Thus, the printing paper is guided by the front surface portion of the stocker so as to be fed (see FIG. 72(b)).
In the case where the user supplies the printing paper to the printer when the stocker is kept be up, it is required for the user to carry out the operation for moving down the stocker prior to supplying the printing paper, thereby requesting the user to have troublesome things.
According to the ink ribbon cassette automatic changer printer disclosed in JP'578, the ink ribbon cassette is delivered between the stocker and the carriage based on the fact that the stocker is moved up and down by the changer, thereby enabling to attach and detach the ink ribbon cassette. Therefore, in the case where the changer moves up from the down state after setting the printing paper, when the stocker is moved up while the ink ribbon cassette is held by the carriage and the ink ribbon cassette which is first used after starting to print is different from that held by the carriage, it is required that the ink ribbon cassette of the carriage is once returned to the stocker and the ink ribbon cassette which is first used for the printing is attached to the carriage. Thus, the problem arises that another time is required for returning the ink ribbon cassette to the stocker, thereby requiring longer time for starting the printing operation.
In contrast, in the case where the stocker is moved up from the down state by the changer after setting the printing paper, when the stocker is moved up after removing the ink ribbon cassette from the carriage and the ink ribbon cassette which is first used after starting to print is coincident with that which has been originally held by the carriage, it is required that the same ink ribbon cassette must be attached to the carriage again, thereby causing dead time and dead operation in the entire printing operation.
According to the ink ribbon cassette automatic changer printer disclosed in JP'578, the ink ribbon cassette is delivered between the stocker and the carriage based on the fact that the stocker is moved up and down by the changer, thereby enabling to attach and detach the ink ribbon cassette. Therefore, it is judged, when the carriage is not provided with the ink ribbon cassette type detection device, what type of the ink ribbon cassette is attached to the carriage by judging that the ink ribbon cassette was removed from what position of the stocker.
The types (colors) of the respective ink ribbon cassettes which are held by the stocker are predetermined, i.e., for example, the colors of the respective ink ribbon cassettes of the stocker are B (black), Y (yellow), M (magenta) and C (cyan) respectively from the left end to the right end in this order. So, when the ink ribbon cassette is attached to the carriage during staying of the carriage in the left end of the stocker, it can be identified that the color of thus attached ink ribbon cassette is black.
However, generally, in the conventional printers, a sensor is provided which turns ON when the carriage moves to the left end of the stocker. The position of the carriage is identified in accordance with the moved distance of the carriage from the position in which the sensor turns ON. Thus, the position of the carriage can not be identified before carrying out the initialization of the printer.
The initialization is carried out, for example, just after turning on the power source. When the initialization of the printer is carried out, for example, the carriage is moved to the position in which the sensor turns ON. Accordingly, at that time, the type (color) of the ink ribbon cassette which has been attached to the carriage by the changer can not be identified. Even in the case where the ink ribbon cassette has already been attached to the carriage at turning on the power source, the type (color) of the ink ribbon cassette can not be identified.
As a result, even if the carriage has already held the ink ribbon cassette which is first used at the starting of the printing, it is required that (1) the ink ribbon cassette is once returned to the stocker, (2) the position of the carriage is identified, and thereafter (3) the ink ribbon cassette is again held by the carriage, thereby presenting the problem that the printer must do such vain operations.

Printer system with automatic ink ribbon cassette exchange function


A method is disclosed for computing an association rule in a database having numerical attributes and 0-1 attributes. First, a numerical attribute is divided into a plurality of intervals (or buckets), and each data set is placed into a single bucket according to the value of the numerical attribute. The number of data sets in each bucket and the number of data sets with a 0-1 attribute being 1 are counted. Second, the starting bucket of an interval to be detected is to be detected. Third, the terminating bucket corresponding to the starting bucket is detected. That is, the largest interval with a confidence equal to or larger than a predetermined value. Fourth, one of the detected pairs of starting and terminating buckets which includes the largest number of customers is the answer to this question. Finally, the required data attributes of data included in this interval is subsequently retrieved.

Analyzing the correlation among data sets in a database to discover a significant association rule among attributes is called "data mining".
The fact that a customer has purchased a commodity A or has a credit card can be considered as data with a 0-1 attribute. This attribute can be indicated by 0 or 1 to represent, respectively, whether or not the customer has purchased a commodity A or has a credit card. Attempts have been made to determine a rule from the correlation based on an 0-1 attribute. For example, R. Agrawal, T. Imielinski and A. Swami, "Mining association rules between sets of items in large databases", Proceedings of the ACM SIGMOD Conference on Management of data, May 1993, and R. Agrawal and R. Srikant, "Fast algorithms for mining association rules", Proceedings of the 20th VLDB Conference, 1994 describe methods for determinating an association rule representing that "a ratio r of the customers who have purchased a commodity A have also purchased a commodity B."
In conventional relational databases, their query languages can be used to provide a numerical attribute A and an interval I in order to easily solve the question, for example, that "X % of the data with A the value of which is included in I has a 0-1 attribute B". In this case, however, the interval I must be input. Current databases do not have a function for outputting the interval I. This is because the association rule between the numerical value and a set of intervals based thereon has a very large searching space.
For example, given a database for data on bank customers, it is very useful to be able to determine an interval I that meets an association rule for a combination of a numerical attribute (an increase in the amount of a fixed deposit) and a 0-1 attribute (whether or not a credit card is used). The association rule may then be used for determining the percentage of customers whose increase in the balance of a fixed deposit is included in the interval I also use a credit card. Although there are many intervals I, generally, the interval I with the largest number of customers can be uniquely determined. The determination of the interval I also allows information useful to other operations to be acquired.
Such questions, however, are applied to databases with a large number of data sets, so it is essential to be able to process such a large number of data sets in practical time.
It is thus an objective of this invention to provide a method for determining the correlation among data sets with a numerical attribute and a 0-1 attribute.
It is another objective of this invention to execute the above processing at a high speed.
It is yet another objective of this invention that if the rate of data sets with their numerical attribute z included in the interval I=[r1, r2] is defined as a support for the interval I, and the rate of those data sets with their numerical value included in the interval I whose 0-1 attributes (a) are 1 is defined as a confidence, the interval I with both a confidence of .alpha. % or more and the maximum support (which is referred to as a "dual association rule") can be determined.

Method and apparatus for computing association rules for data mining in large database

International Business Machines Corporation


In a pneumatic vibration isolator that includes a housing, an upper part with a first cylindrical side wall and a lower part with a second cylindrical side wall, a pneumatic spring is disposed in an annular gap between the first and the second cylindrical side wall and which opposes radially directed relative movements between the upper part and the lower part and a bearing in axial direction between the upper part and the lower part which permits relative movements of the upper part and the lower part in radial direction such that the stiffness and or the damping of the pneumatic spring are controlled or changed from the outside by means of a pressure control or respectively an adjustable throttle that are part of a pneumatic line system connected to the pneumatic spring.

The present invention relates in general to a vibration isolator and in particular, to a pneumatic vibration isolator.
For example, a prior art pneumatic vibration isolator is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,862. However, this vibration isolator suffers from various drawbacks. The radial and axial relative movements between an upper part which is configured in the shape of a pendulum and a lower part, which is configured as a housing, act to deform a roll membrane disposed between the pendulum and the housing to thereby displace a viscous medium in the housing resulting in the reduction of the duration and the amplitude of these relative movements. A change in the natural frequency in this type of vibration isolator thus can be effected only during manufacturing of the vibration isolator by means of employing a shorter or longer pendulum. Likewise, the damping characteristic can be varied only during manufacture by using a viscous medium of different viscosity and by changing the spatial relationship of the pendulum or by changing the filling gauge of the viscous medium.
A further drawback of the known vibration isolator is seen in the lack of a sufficiently exact radial positioning of the upper part in relation to the lower part. However, in certain applications, such as the semi-conductor industry, there is a need that the natural frequency and/or the damping characteristic of a vibration isolator, when installed, can be adjusted or varied from the outside and also to realize a highly exact positioning, for example within the range of 1/100 mm.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved vibration isolator to obviate prior art shortcomings and provide a pneumatic vibration isolator whose natural frequency and/or damping characteristic can be adjusted or varied from an outside location when the pneumatic vibration isolator is installed, and by means of which highly exact radial positioning can be realized.


The present invention provides for a system and method for an optical communication system that utilizes an optical modulator as an optical correlator in a receiver. The present invention may be used as a correlator in a receiver for an On-Off Keying (OOK) system or for a Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK) system. A correlation modulator is followed by a low pass filter, which together act as a correlator to determine the correlation of the received waveform with possible transmitted waveforms to produce a maximized signal-noise ratio. The result is a high data rate communication system and method that approaches the theoretical performance limit.

The present invention generally relates to communication systems, and more particularly, to a high-data-rate optical communication system.
The need for high-performance optical communication techniques has become more apparent with the move towards ultra-high-speed 100-Gbps-class all-optical networks. High-sensitivity optical communication links are vital for the design of future high-performance communication networks. For highest sensitivity, it is usual to attempt to match the receiver response to the transmitted waveform. Sensitive receiver performance reduces transmitter or mid-span amplifier requirements, extends link distances, and provides additional margin. This is especially beneficial for free space communications since improvement in receiver sensitivity directly reduces transmitted power requirements.
Communication engineers generally strive to match the receiver response to the transmitted waveform in order to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N or SNR). This is usually accomplished using a filter which determines the response of the receiver. A filter with a response that is matched to the transmitted waveform is called a matched filter, and maximizes the SNR when the noise is additive white noise. Other methods are known within the art. In radio-frequency systems, an alternative to using a matched filter in the receiver is to use a correlation receiver to maximize SNR; in theory, a correlation receiver can achieve the same SNR as a receiver using a matched filter. The present invention is an optical implementation of a correlation receiver. The SNR also can be increased by providing a higher level of signal output power from the transmitter, if higher power is available.
There has been the desire to achieve the theoretical performance limit. The theoretical performance limit for sensitivity varies according to the system being used, and may be expressed as the energy per bit or the number of photons per bit required to achieve a specified bit error rate (BER). By way of example, the theoretical performance limit for the sensitivity of a Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK) system using an optical pre-amplifier may be near 20 photons per bit if the sensitivity is defined for a bit error rate of 1 per billion or 1/1,000,000,000. The theoretical performance limit for an On-Off Keying (OOK) system using an optical pre-amplifier may be 38 photons per bit if the sensitivity is defined for a bit error rate of 1 per billion or 1/1,000,000,000. High-data-rate optical communication systems using On-Off Keying (OOK) or Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK) have only recently approached the theoretical performance limit.
It is known within the art to utilize a matched-filter receiver to maximize the SNR. One system, as disclosed by D. O. Caplan & W. A. Atia, "A quantum-limited optically-matched communication link," Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibit 2001, vol. 1, Mar. 19, 2001, pp. MM2-1-MM2-3, using OOK was able to approach the theoretical limit for an optically preamplified OOK system by employing Return-to-Zero (RZ) OOK modulation and a matched optical filter. Previously, the system described by W. A. Atia & R. S. Bondurant, "Demonstration of return-to-zero signaling in both OOK and DPSK formats to improve receiver sensitivity in an optically preamplified receiver," LEOS '99 IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society 1999 12th Annual Meeting, vol. 1, 1999, pp. 226-227, demonstrated that the use of return-to-zero (RZ) signaling results in improved receiver sensitivity when compared to the more widely used non-return-to-zero (NRZ) format for the case when non-ideal optical and electrical filters are used. Caplan & Atia were able to improve the receiver sensitivity even more, to approach the theoretical limit for an optically preamplified OOK system, by using a matched optical filter instead of a non-ideal optical filter. However, matched optical filters are custom components and lack ease of modification to match different waveforms. It is desirable to provide a system and method for optical communication that approaches the theoretical performance limit without requiring customized equipment.
D. O. Caplan & W. A. Atia, "A quantum-limited optically-matched communication link," Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibit 2001, vol. 1, Mar. 19, 2001, pp. MM2-1-MM2-3, disclose a prior-art OOK matched-filter system, depicted in FIG. 1. As shown, there is a transmitter 10 and a receiver 20. The transmitter 10 consists of a laser 12, and a first Mach-Zehnder 14 that is sinusoidally driven to carve out return-to-zero (RZ) pulses. These pulses are subsequently modulated by a LiNbO3 Mach-Zehnder modulator 16 to encode 5 Gb/s non-return to zero (NRZ) data. The Mach-Zehnder modulator 16 is followed by a saturated erbium-doped fiber amplifier 13. The receiver 20 comprises a low-noise erbium-doped fiber amplifier 30 (EDFA) followed by an optional high-speed optical demultiplexer 27, a 0.1 nm Gaussian optical filter 28, a photodetector 29, and an error detector 26. There is also a power meter 25 to measure the power.
FIG. 2, as disclosed by Atia et al., depicts an optically preamplified DPSK system. The transmitter comprises a laser 34, a first modulator 36, and a second modulator 38, wherein the second modulator 38 is a data encoding modulator and is configured as a phase modulator. There is also a variable attenuator 40, a power meter 42, a pulse pattern generator 44, and a clock 46. The receiver 33 incorporates a erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) 48, a 26 GHz Fabry-Perot optical filter 50, a Mach-Zehnder demodulator with a 1-bit time delay interferometer 52 followed by a 10 GHz balanced detector. The error detector 54 is part of the measurement system which takes the place of the decision circuit or clock-and-data-recovery circuit of a practical system. If the Fabry-Perot optical filter were replaced by a matched optical filter, this system would represent a matched-filter system for DPSK. However, a matched filter may be a custom part which must be fabricated. Also known within the art are radar systems employing radio-frequency correlation receivers in lieu of radio-frequency matched filters. However, optical communications systems require optical implementations, such as the present invention.
As can be seen, there is a need for a high data rate optical communication system that approaches the theoretical performance limit and that may be re-configured for different waveforms without the need for custom optical filters. Also, an alternative means of approaching the theoretical performance limit allows choices which may prove easier to obtain or implement, or less costly.

Optical communication system using correlation receiver


This disclosure relates generally to health monitoring and assessment systems, and more particularly to perform postural stability assessment of a user and quantify the assessed postural stability. In an embodiment, the system, by monitoring specific actions (which are part of certain tests done for the postural stability assessment) being performed by a user, collects inputs which are then processed to determine SLS duration, the body joint vibration, and the body sway area of the user, while performing the tests. By processing the SLS duration, the body joint vibration, and the body sway area together, a postural stability index score for the user is determined, and based on this score, postural stability assessment for the user is performed.

Postural instability is one of the prominent symptoms associated with geriatric population and in many patients with neurological disorders like stroke, dementia, Parkinson's disease (PD), etc. Postural instability is also the major precursor of fall and about 35% of geriatric population fall each year, making fall prediction a significantly impacting parameter for geriatric health monitoring. Post stroke rehabilitation treatment reveals that about 83% of stroke patients suffer from postural instability leading to high fall risk.
Measurement or quantification of stability is required to estimate severity of stroke, define treatment plan and monitor progress of rehabilitation programs. Postural instability is one of the cardinal signs of PD. The instability leads to progressive reduction in both static and dynamic balance, resulting in recurrent falls.
The inventors here have recognized several technical problems with such conventional systems, as explained below. Most of these postural stability assessment systems are capable of performing the postural stability, however, require manual intervention at different stages of the assessment. Further, the existing systems require service of a trained person to operate the systems and a medically qualified person to interpret outputs. Further, the existing systems in the area of stability assessment work in a static manner by providing a pre-defined questionnaire to the user and by collecting and analyzing user response to the questionnaire.

Method and system for postural stability assessment