A fuel injection control device for outboard motors optimizes the air-fuel ratio when trim is applied to the outboard motor, especially those with two-cycle engines. In such an outboard motor, engine speed, throttle setting, engine boost pressure, engine temperature, intake air temperature, and/or other variables are detected and a basic fuel injection volume determined. Fuel is supplied to each of the engine's cylinders according to the detected values. A trim angle detecting means is used to indicate trim angle. During low-speed operation, the trim angle is detected, and the magnitude of a change in the trim angle is calculated. The magnitude of the change in the trim angle is used to estimate the residual fuel volume within the engine. The estimated value is used to apply correction to the basic fuel injection volume following the change in the trim angle. As a result, during low-speed operation, an optimal air-to-fuel ratio can be obtained when the trim of the outboard device is changed.

The present invention relates to a fuel-injection control device for outboard motors. In particular, the present invention relates to fuel-injection control for low-speed operation of an engine.
Traditional internal combustion engines use a carburetor as a means for supplying a fuel-and-air mixture into the combustion chamber. A carburetor in the suction flow path of an engine takes advantage of the air sucked in by the engine and expels fuel in a mist form from a chamber inside the carburetor. The fuel mist mixes with the air and the resulting fuel-and-air mixture is sent into the engine.
To compensate for specific engine characteristics the operating demands of the automobile or marine environment, and the characteristics of the load driven by the engine (e.g., an automobile or a boat), the carburetor uses a combination of different jet types to provide an optimal setting. However, a carburetor cannot adapt continuously to changes in driving conditions and the surrounding environment. In particular, achieving a proper setting for the air-to-fuel ratio when the engine is started or during low-speed operation is difficult.
In recent years, engines with fuel-injection devices have been widely used as an alternative to carburetors. A fuel-injection device uses as its control parameters such factors as the temperature of the engine, the temperature of the water used to cool the engine, the air suction temperature, the engine boost pressure, the engine speed, the intake air temperature, the throttle setting, and so forth. It is clear to one skilled in the art that the above list of parameters is neither exclusive nor exhaustive, and a number of other parameters may be used also or in combination with the above list as control parameters for the engine. One or more of these control parameters defines the engine state. These control parameters are analyzed using a computer to determine a correction value. A fuel injector injects an amount of fuel appropriate at that particular instant directly into the air suction path of the engine. Thus, both combustion efficiency and engine output optimized. Also, fuel consumption is minimized, since only the minimum necessary amount of fuel is injected into the engine.
In outboard motors used in small marine vessels, the engine can be pivoted (trimmed) around a shaft on an attachment bracket. This provides increased efficiency from the propeller to correspond with the orientation and speed of the marine vessel. For outboard motors using a two-cycle engine, applying trim to the outboard motor results in a fuel residue remaining on the walls of a crank chamber within the engine and the inner walls of a surge tank. When fuel is left as residue at these locations, it is possible for there to be temporarily insufficient fuel introduced into the combustion chamber of the engine until the residual fuel becomes constant relative to the incline of the outboard device. This can result in a lean air-to-fuel ratio, which is undesirable. Also, depending on the magnitude of the change in the trim angle, there can be variations in the value at which the air-to-fuel ratio becomes lean as well as variations in the time required for the air-to-fuel ratio to return to normal and stabilize (see FIG. 9(a) and (b)).
Referring to FIG. 7, a sample correction map is shown for the magnitude of the change in the trim angle and the tailing time (i.e. the stabilization of the correction with time after a change in the trim angle).
Referring to FIG. 8, a relationship is shown between the correction continuation time and the change in the trim angle (magnitude and direction).
When the outboard device is trimmed down, the residual fuel left in the engine flows into the combustion chamber all at once. When the fuel flows into the combustion chamber all at once, there is an excessive fuel supply, resulting in a richer air-to-fuel ratio, which is not desirable. Also, depending on the magnitude of the change in the trim angle, there can be variations in the value at which the air-to-fuel ratio becomes rich as well as variations in the time required for the air-to-fuel ratio to return to normal and stabilize (see FIG. 9(c) and (d)).
Referring to FIG. 10(a), the residual fuel left in the engine is greater when the trim angle is larger.
Also, the residual fuel volume varies according to the operating state of the engine. Referring to FIG. 10(b), there is a higher residual fuel volume when the engine rotation speed is lower compared to when the engine rotation speed is higher.
Referring to FIG. 10(b), as in engine rotation speed, a lower engine temperature results in a higher residual fuel volume compared to a higher engine temperature. Referring to FIG. 10(d), there is higher residual fuel volume when the intake air temperature is lower than when the intake air temperature is higher.
As described above, the volume of residual fuel varies according to the operating state of the engine. In particular, residual fuel volume is high when the engine is operated at low speeds.
The use of corrections based on the trim angle of the outboard device to control the fuel supply volume has been disclosed in the past, such as in Japanese laid-open publication number 2-283833 and Japanese laid-open publication number 6-66177. In these references the fuel supply volume is corrected based solely on the trim angle of the outboard device, and no consideration is given to changes in the trim angle and the operating state of the engine. When the fuel supply volume is corrected based solely on considering the trim angle, the fuel can be too rich or too lean so that an appropriate air-to-fuel ratio cannot be obtained. This can result in white smoke in the exhaust gas and increased engine vibrations (when the air-to-fuel ratio is too rich), or in sudden engine stoppage (stall) (when the air-to-fuel ratio is too rich or too lean).

Fuel-injection control device for outboard motors for low-speed operation


An electrically heated window intended to be fitted with an imaging device which views an object through a viewing area of the window. A resistance heating element comprises at least one electrically conductive wire extending across the viewing area a plurality of times along a plurality of arc-shaped path.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electrically heated window with a resistance heating element, and more specifically to a window with a resistance heating element which is arranged to be in working cooperation with an imaging device such as a camera.
2. Background
As road safety bodies, government agencies, vehicle manufacturers and other interested parties strive to increase road safety, despite increasing congestion and the proliferation of potential distractions to drivers, one approach adopted is to provide technical aids to drivers to assist them to drive safely. For example, one such aid may monitor a vehicle's course relative to the road ahead, and alert the driver when deviations occur. It is also possible to monitor the separation between one vehicle and the next, and alert the driver when the separation drops below a desired value. In more advanced systems, it is possible to arrange for the vehicle to take remedial action, such as braking, automatically. A further possibility is to provide assistance to the driver in conditions of poor visibility due to adverse weather or low light levels, e.g. in fog or at night. It is also desirable to assist the driver to maneuver the vehicle without incident by using cameras to augment the driver's vision in areas where it is difficult for the driver to see, e.g. immediately around the vehicle below the level of the windows, especially to the sides or rear of the vehicle.
All such systems rely on some type of imaging device, for example a camera, to view or monitor the vehicle's surroundings, be it the road itself, other vehicles, etc. It is self-evident that the functioning of such systems will be adversely affected if the image formed by the device is impaired in some way. Accordingly, one prerequisite is for the imaging device to have a clear view, free of condensation, frost, ice, moisture or snow on the window, regardless of weather conditions.
Patent publication of EP 1,605,729 A2 teaches a double-paned window that may be used in a vehicle such as a car. The document further describes the use of an imaging device. To prevent the imaging device from being obstructed by ice or moisture window, a conducting heating element is laminated between the two panes of the window. The conducting element disclosed comprises thin tungsten wires which are typically 15-50 μm thick and arranged 1.8-3.0 mm apart. The tungsten wires can be arranged along a path which may be crimped. However crimped wires or wires with a meander form have been found to glare, i.e. to provide multiple points of unwanted reflections that interfere with the imaging device especially during sunny weather. Hence these forms provide drawbacks for sensitive imaging devices. This problem becomes readily apparent when such imaging devices are arranged to feed digital signals to processing units such as computers, which are to read and analyze the captured image(s).
The described wires may further be arranged in a boustrophedon pattern, i.e. straight, parallel lines connected to one another and extending in alternating directions. However for sensitive imaging devices and the connected analysis devices, these kinds of patterns can cause interference with the readings of the imaging device and the interpretation of the captured image(s), for instance when imaging specific parameters such as the center line of the road or the horizon. It therefore remains to provide a solution which provides both a reduced tendency to glare and which minimizes the risk of interference with sensitive imaging devices and related analyzing equipment.


A printer includes a device main body having a recording head, and a double-sided printing unit that forms an inverting transport path for inverting a medium fed from the side on which the recording head is located and that is configured to be mountable in and removable from the device main body. A photosensor that detects paper within the double-sided printing unit when the double-sided printing unit is mounted in the device main body detects the paper within the double-sided printing unit via an opening provided in an upper area of the double-sided printing unit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to recording devices such as facsimile machines, printers, and the like.
2. Related Art
Some recording devices, such as facsimile machines, printers, and the like, include inverting transport paths that invert recording paper, which is an example of a medium; and by inverting recording paper that has been recorded onto, a second surface (a rear surface) of the recording paper can be recorded onto in addition to a first surface (a front surface). Meanwhile, in the recording device disclosed in JP-A-2012-240813, an inverting roller that forms an inverting path for inverting recording paper is provided in a curved inverting unit that is removable from the main body of the recording device, and the configuration is such that removing the curved inverting unit exposes a paper transport path within the device.
Incidentally, a detection unit that detects the passage of a leading end or a following end of the paper has thus far been provided in an appropriate location in the paper transport path for the purpose of controlling the transport of the recording paper. There are cases where it is necessary to detect the passage of the paper through the curved inverting unit in the recording device disclosed in the aforementioned JP-A-2012-240813.
Electrical signals are exchanged between a control unit in the main body of the recording device and the detection unit, and thus in the case where the detection unit is provided in the curved inverting unit, it is necessary to provide electrical contacts between the removable curved inverting unit and the main body of the device. However, the contacts will degrade as the curved inverting unit is repeatedly attached and removed, leading to a risk that the electrical signals will no longer be able to be exchanged correctly between the control unit in the main body of the recording device and the detection unit.
Meanwhile, in the case where the detection unit is provided above the curved inverting unit, it is preferable to also provide a cover over the detection unit in order to protect the detection unit; however, providing such a cover makes it necessary to also provide a region for receiving the cover in a region above where the curved inverting unit is mounted in the main body of the device. However, some recording devices are configured as so-called complex machines in which a scanner is provided in an upper part of the main body of the device that has a recording mechanism, and in such a case, the aforementioned region for receiving the cover will interfere with the region where the scanner is installed, leading to an increase in the size of the device.


In an image-frame processing method, the image frame is outputted from and image sensor by an image processor via the buffering of a memory buffer. The method includes the following steps of: defining at least two storage spaces in the memory buffer; dividing the image frame into a plurality of image portions, each of which has a size corresponding to the size of one of said at least two storage spaces; sequentially storing the image portions into the storage spaces in turn; and sequentially processing said image portions stored in the memory buffer. This method is applicable to processing the image frame with the use of a small-sized memory buffer.

With highly development and improvement of image-processing techniques, various electronic apparatuses including web camera, digital camera, cellular and picture phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), multimedia computer, etc., take advantages of these techniques to get well developed and enhanced. FIG. 1 shows a typical real-time image transmission architecture for implementing a digital image processing technique, wherein an image sensor 11, an image processor 12 with digital signal processing (DSP) function, and a memory buffer 13 are shown. The image sensor 11 picks up image of an object (now shown) under exposure and outputs the resulting image frame within a specified period of time for image-frame processing. Then the image processor 12 stores the image frame into the memory buffer 13 for subsequent processing. The image frame processed by the image processor 12 is optionally outputted to a computer or an image storage apparatus for further processing.
In the above-descried architecture, the image sensor 11 is generally implemented with a CMOS sensor or a CCD sensor, and the image processor 12 can be a digital signal processor (DSP). The image frame is generally presented in either RGB or YCbCr format depending on the choice of the image sensor 11. When the DSP 12 is to do a JPEG compression of the image frame, however, the image frame has to be in YCbCr format. Hence, it is necessary to use an image sensor capable of generating image data in YCbCr format to serve as the image sensor 11. Otherwise, if an RGB-type image sensor is used as the image sensor 11, additional RGB to YCbCr conversion has to be performed before the image data can be compressed by the image processor 12.
Conventionally, an image frame is stored in the memory buffer 13 and accessed by the image processor 12 as a whole. Therefore, the capacity of the memory buffer 13 should be large enough to accommodate the entire image frame. Moreover, under the requirement of receiving next image frame while processing currently stored image frame, the capacity of the memory buffer 13 should be enlarged to a level able to accommodate at least two image frames so as to prevent from improperly overwriting image data. Taking a VGA image frame consisting of 640×480 pixels for example, the storage capacity of the memory buffer 13 should be equal to or larger than (640×480 bytes)×3×2, which is about 1.8 MB. It is difficult to integrate such a large-sized memory buffer 13 with the image processor 12, and thus the memory buffer 13 generally stands alone. It is apparent that such arrangement is inefficient in manufacturing process and production cost.

Method for processing image frame output from an image sensor by an image processor


A soil conditioner implement designed for operation in cooperation with a supporting skid steer vehicle, the skid steer vehicle being moveable over the soil to be conditioned and having a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for transmission to the soil conditioner implement for powering thereof and having a skid steer control system for providing a plurality of commands to the soil conditioner implement, the soil conditioner implement includes a drum member having a rotatable drum, the drum being selectively contactable with the soil to be conditioned. A bolster member is operably coupled to the drum member for supporting in part the drum member, the bolster member being shiftable between a soil engaging disposition and a flipped-up disposition, the bolster member being borne on the drum member when in the flipped-up disposition. A method of conditioning soil is further included.

The present invention relates to rotary drum soil conditioners. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved soil conditioner that may be used in conjunction with a skid-steer utility vehicle.
Preparing land for construction of buildings, parking lots, and golf courses often involves extracting rocks and other debris from an upper portion of the soil profile and may involve generally planing the prepared soil profile as well. A number of implements have been prepared for those purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,546, issued to Fahrenholz Feb. 16, 1982, discloses a double roll rock windrower. The rock windrower of Fahrenholz includes a main roller and an auxiliary roller. The main roller is moved along the ground and is rotationally driven under power. The roller is disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the direction of travel, so that dislodged rocks are moved axially along the roller and laterally to the direction of movement, until the rocks are discharged at the trailing end of the roll in a windrow. The auxiliary roller is mounted above the main roller and spaced apart from the main roller. The auxiliary roller is unpowered. The auxiliary roller acts to prevent rocks from spilling over the main roller, thus making it possible to form larger windrows, while permitting dirt clods and some foreign material to pass between the main and auxiliary rollers. The auxiliary roller is mounted on arms which are pivotally mounted relative to the mounting for the main roller, thereby permitting the second roller to be spaced as desired relative to the main roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,639, issued to Hammarlund et al., May 14, 1985, discloses a powered landscape rake for fine grading of a landscape surface, as well as stone and debris removal therefrom. The rake is mounted to a tractor and includes a drum rotatably mounted on a drum frame. The drum frame, in turn, is mounted to a turntable assembly for allowing the drum frame to pivot about an axis generally perpendicular to the drum frame and which is located generally midway of the drum frame. A frame member is attached to the turntable and extends to a point under the tractor frame in front of the tractor front wheels. The free end of the frame member is mounted to pivot and swivel on a frame attachment member. First and second cylinders are further attached to the turntable for positioning the drum frame at any desired angle in a vertical plane to the landscape and to allow the drum frame to sway in a horizontal plane about the front frame attachment point. The drum can be rotated in either direction by a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor and drum provide a kicking-type action to the soil of the landscape surface to further provide a smooth, fine, finished grade for seeding and covering seed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,732, issued to Baskett Oct. 29, 1991, discloses a cylinder-type, ground-raking attachment for a bucket-equipped tractor. The ground-raking attachment includes a tubed, cylindrical rotor. The cylindrical rotor works the soil and simultaneously rakes the ground free of rocks, refuse, roots, sticks, and other debris which is then transferred to the tractor bucket by action of the rotor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,218, issued to Jones et al., Nov. 16, 1993, discloses a powered rake having a debris windrowing mechanism. The powered rake includes a main frame for coupling to a tractor, a subframe mounted for pivotal movement relative to the main frame about an upright pivot axis, a roller pivotal with the subframe at an oblique angle relative to the direction of travel, and a material control member including a blade extending along the length of the roller and presenting a gap therebetween. The subframe is preferably pivotal for presenting the roller at an oblique angle to the right or left with respect to the intended direction of travel, thereby permitting the powered rake to continuously windrow the debris in the path of the roller. The roller is rotatably mounted on a pair of downwardly and forwardly extending legs which present substantially open areas outboard the roller. These substantially open areas permit debris to pass freely outboard into a windrow without obstruction from the frame or subframe. The roller preferably presents a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially projecting splines. The splines are spirally oriented about the longitudinal axis of the roller to present an even load on the roller as the roller rotates in engagement with the soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,268, issued to McPherson et al., Apr. 9, 1996, discloses a bi-directional field implement for preparing a field. The bi-directional field implement includes a ground-engaging device which allows the implement to be pushed or pulled on the field. The ground-engaging device includes a reversible roller with projections joined to an outer surface thereof to engage the ground. The projections do not extend along the complete length of the roller, but rather only a portion thereof. The implement includes reversible/removable guards for keeping the disturbed soil in front of the roller when the guards are positioned to extend in the direction of travel of the vehicle to which the implement is attached. Such guards must be manually repositioned based on the expected direction of travel.
While some or all of these implements extract and windrow rocks and other debris and plane the profile of the soil being prepared, there is a need for an implement which is mountable to a prime mover such as a skid steer type vehicle, which will extract and windrow debris from the soil profile, which will generally plane or level the soil profile as well, and which operates when being either pushed or towed. Further, there is a need for an implement in which the profiling device is moveable proximate fixed objects, such as a tree or a building to effect a desired ground profile immediately adjacent to the object. Additionally, the implement should occupy minimal space on a transport vehicle when the implement is being transported between sites. The device should be simple to construct and maintain.
The following features comprise at last some of the novel features and improvements of the soil conditioner of the present invention.
1. Flip-up bolster member. The flip-up bolster member provides for unlocking the bolster member from its normal position with the caster wheels engaged with the ground and supporting the bolster member above the drum. In such disposition, the drum is the leading element of the soil conditioner. This allows the operator to work much closer to walls and other obstructions. Additionally, the soil conditioner may be operated in a reverse direction leaving no wheel traces on the ground to present a more attractive appearance of the conditioned soil. Further, with the bolster member in the flipped-up disposition, the transportation length of the soil conditioning implement and its supporting skid steer vehicle is substantially reduced. This is an important consideration as the soil conditioner implement and skid steer vehicle are frequently trailered from job site to job site on limited length trailers.
2. Oscillating bolster. The bolster member of the present invention has a beam axle supporting the two caster wheels. The beam axle is pivotally joined to the bolster frame by a pin. The pin is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the bolster member. This allows for oscillation of the beam axle and caster wheels about the longitudinal axis of the soil conditioning implement responsive to changes in the elevation of the soil being conditioned. Such oscillation assists in maintaining the drum in even contact with the ground that is being conditioned.
3. The bolster member adjusts the height of the drum relative to the ground. In the past, the height of the bolster was adjusted by separately adjusting the height of each caster relative to the beam axle by adjusting the height of a caster pin relative to the knuckle at the end of the beam axle. This required two separate adjustments, one for each caster in order to effect a height difference of the drum relative to the ground surface. The present invention has an adjusting link. The adjusting link is pivotally coupled at a first end to the drum frame. The second end is adjustably coupled to the bolster frame. The relative length of the adjusting link may be set by varying the position on the adjusting link of two nuts that affix the adjusting link to the bolster frame. This single adjustment affixes the height of the casters relative to the drum and therefore adjusts how deeply the drum works the underlying soil.
4. More aggressive teeth. The drum of the present invention has more aggressive teeth than the prior art. The teeth have a sharper point that permits the rotating drum to rip out more deeply embedded plants during soil conditioning operations.
5. Crisscrossing tooth pattern on the drum. The tooth pattern design includes ten longitudinal rows of teeth wherein the teeth are spaced along a line parallel to the dimension L. The rows of teeth are numbered 1, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5a, and 5b. The first tooth in each row as seen from the left of the drum corresponds to the numbering of the rows, e.g., row 1 has the leftmost first teeth and rows 6a, 6b have the rightmost first tooth. Rows 1 and 4 are not repeated. Rows 2a, 2b,rows 3a, 3b, rows 5a, 5b, and rows 6a, 6b are repeated, the teeth of the corresponding a and b rows being aligned radially in the R dimension. The arrangement of the rows relative to each other presents a crisscross pattern when viewed radially. During rotation of the drum, the crisscross pattern works the soil back and forth to produce an undulating pattern on the conditioned soil.
6. Drum replaceable shell. In the past, when the teeth were worn or the drum was otherwise damaged, the entire drum assembly including all the drive components had to be replaced. This is an expensive proposition, as the drum assemblies must be replaced on a fairly regular basis as a result of heavy usage. The drum assembly of the present invention has two readily separable components, an axle, including the drive components, and a cylindrical shell to which the teeth are attached. The shell may be readily removed from the axle and replaced without replacing the axle with its associated drive components.
7. Symmetrical drum. The drum is frequently operated with the longitudinal axis of the drum at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the soil conditioner implement. In such disposition, one end of the drum is typically advanced relative to the other end of the drum. When operated in a forward direction, small stones and other debris move laterally along the drum and are ejected in a windrow at the rearward end of the drum. When operated in this manner, the teeth that are proximate the forwardmost or leading end of the drum tend to wear much more quickly. By having a symmetrical drum of the present invention, the shell may simply be removed from the axle, reversed, and reinstalled on the axle. In such disposition, the teeth that were at the trailing end of the drum are now positioned proximate the leading end of the drum, replacing the worn teeth.
8. The drum assembly is easily removed. In the present invention there are no chains or sprockets coupling the motor and the drum. The motor assembly is directly coupled by means of splines to the drum assembly. Further, the motor assembly is easily removed. Once the motor assembly is removed, the first end of the drum assembly (that is engaged to the motor) is then free. Removing three additional bolts from the second end of the drum frees the second end of the drum and the drum assembly falls free of the drum frame.
9. Radial float assembly. The radial float assembly is pivotally coupled to the back plate by float pins pivotally engaged in pin receivers defined in the radial float assembly and corresponding receivers on the back plate. In this disposition, the radial float assembly is free to pivot about the float pin. It is noted that the float pin is at a certain height above the ground. The back plate is directly coupleable to the skid steer vehicle and is tiltable with respect to the skid steer vehicle. Tilting the back plate has the effect of decreasing the height that the float pin is above the ground when the back plate is tilted forward and increasing the height when the back plate is tilted rearward to a more vertical disposition. Since the casters always ride on the ground when the bolster member is in the soil engaging disposition, tilting the back plate forward (more toward the horizontal) has the effect of forcing the drum downward, thereby causing the drum to take a more aggressive bite at the ground. Thus the bite of the drum can be easily altered by an operator from the cab of the skid steer vehicle.
10. Fixed guards. Two fixed guards are projected forward relative to the drum. A fixed guard is disposed proximate either end of the drum. While the guards are removable, they are not reversible such that a guard could be positioned rearward of the drum. If the guards are utilized, they must always project forward relative to the drum.
11. Fixed deflectors. The present invention has a pair of depending fixed deflectors. A first deflector is affixed to the drum frame and is disposed slightly forward of a vertical plane passed through the drum. A second deflector is affixed to the drum frame and is disposed slightly rearward of a vertical plane passed through the drum centerline. The deflectors are preferably formed of a relatively hard rubber material and are replaceable. However, once in place, neither of the deflectors is adjustable in height relative to the position of the drum. Accordingly, the two deflectors are fixed relative to the drum.
The present invention is a soil conditioner implement designed for operation in cooperation with a supporting skid steer vehicle, the skid steer vehicle being moveable over the soil to be conditioned and having a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure for transmission to the soil conditioner implement for powering thereof and having a skid steer control system for providing a plurality of commands to the soil conditioner implement, the soil conditioner implement includes a drum member having a rotatable drum, the drum being selectively contactable with the soil to be conditioned. A bolster member is operably coupled to the drum member for supporting in part the drum member, the bolster member being shiftable between a soil engaging disposition and a flipped-up disposition, the bolster member being borne on the drum member when in the flipped-up disposition. The present invention is further a method of conditioning soil.


A pass-through device is provided with one or more sealed connection channels which permit fluid to pass through an environmental protection suit. The device includes an inner housing and an outer housing formed from a flexible PVC with one or more respective inner channels and outer channels configured in each, such that when the inner housing and outer housing are connected, the inner channels and outer channels are sealably connected at a central channel opening to provide sealed conduits through which a fluid or gas passes. The inner housing and outer housing may be connected via a plurality of peripheral retention screws on the inner housing which interface with a plurality of peripheral barrel nuts on the outer housing.

Environmental protection suits are used to isolate a user from an external environment which may be hazardous or uncomfortable to a human. The environmental protection suit completely encloses a user within the suit and avoids exposure to the outside environment. The environmental protection suit may prevent exposure to an outside environment which may contain dangerous chemicals or radiation, biological contaminants, harsh environmental conditions (fire or smoke) or even uninhabitable environments (underwater, space).
The impermeable or semi-permeable garments that provide protection against hazardous environments can retain body heat that needs to be removed if the garment user is to adequately perform required tasks, especially when the user is physically active. Otherwise, trapped heat can lead to heat exhaustion or hyperthermia, a potentially dangerous condition that can severely degrade mission performance, cause injury and in extreme cases, death.
Flexible heat exchangers have proven to be one of the most effective methods of adding or extracting heat from the human body. In general, heating or cooling garments are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,451,812; 3,425,486; 3,419,702; 4,691,762; 4,718,429; and 4,998,415, which are incorporated herein by reference. Other types of systems for body heating and cooling are illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,114,620 and 5,062,424 and Patent Publication No. 2011/0120624, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
A liquid cooled garment ("LCG") normally consists of a fabric shell and a labyrinth of flexible tubing affixed in some fashion to the shell. A liquid is cooled using a chiller and circulated through the LCG by a pump to which the LCG is connected through external tubing and a manifold that distributes the liquid to the LCG's tubing. Liquid chillers can be as simple as a water/ice bath or as complicated as a vapor compression refrigeration device. Whichever device is used, it lowers the temperature of the liquid below the skin temperature of the user and mechanically re-circulates the liquid through the LCG.
In many situations, the integrity of the environmental protection suit is critical to the health and safety of the wearer—the suit must remain impermeable to the hazard from which the user is being protected. However, if an LCG is to be worn underneath the suit, connections must be provided to provide an unimpeded flow path from the chiller and pump outside of the suit and the LCG inside the suit without compromising the protective barrier provided by the suit. The pass-through device must provide a durable secure connection between the interior and exterior tubing while simultaneously preventing the hazardous substance or condition, e.g., gas, fluid, radiation, heat, etc., from entering the suit.
Prior art pass-through devices are typically formed from rigid plastic such as polyamides, e.g., NYLON®. Barbs formed at inlet and outlet fittings of the pass-through device are generally used to secure the tubing. This configuration produces a significant reduction in inner diameter of the channel at the hose barbs, which impairs the performance of the garments due to the reduced liquid flow (increased back pressure) at both the input and output ports. For example, for a fitting with an inner diameter of 0.070 in. (1.78 mm) and flexible tubing having an inner diameter of 0.096 in. (2.4 mm), the barbed fitting reduces the cross-sectional area of the supply/return tubing by ˜10% to ˜50% of the garment tubing.
In addition, incompatibility in durometer (hardness) between the rigid pass-through material and the flexible PVC tubing can produce a weaker joint, requiring secondary fixation such as cable ties or clamps. On the other hand, if the same fitting configuration were to be fabricated using PVC resin, it would require a thicker cross-section to achieve strengths similar to the current rigid polymer version. Additional drawbacks of such designs include the lack of conformability to the natural curvatures and movements of the human body, which can introduce strain on the tubing due to increased flexing near the pass-through connections; increased garment wear near the location of the pass-through, and possible discomfort for the user.
Accordingly, the need remains for a pass-through device that can be used for an environmental protection suit which provides an adequate seal and an improved flow for the cooling substance.

Pass-through device for environmental protection suit


The present invention is directed to an insecticidal water based suspension concentrate formulation comprising a water-soluble insecticide selected from the group consisting of N-cyanomethyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)nicotinamide and (EZ)-1-(6-chloro-3-pyridylmethyl)-N-nitroimidazolidin-2-ylidineamine and at least one water-soluble salt selected from the group consisting of magnesium sulfate (hydrated and anhydrous forms) and sodium sulfate, wherein the water-soluble insecticide is present in an insecticidally effective amount and methods of use.

To enable the efficient elimination or controlling of unwanted insects in agriculture and related endeavors, it is desirable to use effective chemical insecticides on these unwanted pests. Formulations containing insecticides are desirable in agricultural and related endeavors in order to effectively distribute the active ingredient to the area that insect control is desired. Physical stability is most important in this type of formulation in order to ensure the small amount of the insecticide is fully effective. The production of a stable, water-based suspension concentrate formulation of a water-soluble insecticide is difficult due to the formation of large crystals in the process known as Ostwald ripening. These large crystals may not dissolve completely when diluted with water resulting in clogged spray apparatus and uneven pesticidal applications. Maintaining a stable suspension concentrate with a uniform particle size distribution (i.e. no large crystals) is most important for this type of formulation in order to prevent settling of particles during storage.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Stable suspension concentrate formulation for water-soluble compounds


This invention concerns a remote control unmanned boat which can be freely operated by remote control and a remote control device. The remote control unmanned boat comprises a propelling power source 11 for generating a propelling power, a steering device 13 for freely varying the direction of advance, a first transmit-receive antenna 24 for receiving the signal transmitted by ratio from a control device 20, a first controller 15 for controlling the propelling power source 11 and the steering device 13 based on the signal received from the first transmit-receive antenna 14, a memory device 17 for memorizing the initial position set in advance, and a GPS antenna 16 for receiving the electric wave transmitted from an artificial satellite. The first controller 15 calculates the present position based on the electric wave received by the GPS antenna 16 and, when the stated condition is satisfied, initiates automatic control of the propelling power source 11 and the steering device 13 so as to attain regression to the initial position based on the present position and the initial position. Thus, the remote control unmanned boat has no possibility of being missed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a remote control unmanned boat which can be freely operated by remote control and to a remote control device therefore.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At various scenes, unmanned models which permit free remote control are being utilized.
For the purpose of surveying the conditions of water bottoms and water bodies of seas, lakes, ponds, and rivers, an unmanned boat which is capable of remote control (hereinafter referred to as "remote control unmanned boats") is used. The remote control unmanned boat is loaded with a sonar and consequently enabled by transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward the water bottom and receiving the ultrasonic wave reflected as by the water bottom to detect the condition of a water bottom or a water body. An operator can operate this remote control unmanned boat from a distant place and survey a water bottom at an expected place. A technique of this system is disclosed in the official gazette of JP-A-HEI 11-350536. This technique enables the survey to be effected at a shoal or a narrow water region which defies approach by a large manned boat even during a foul weather and day and night.
When the remote control unmanned boat of such a construction as described above is operated, however, it does not always follow that the operator will succeed in controlling this remote control unmanned boat. The remote control unmanned boat will be no longer controllable in the following cases, for example, as when the remote control unmanned boat rides over waves and flows to a place too distant to be reached by the electric waves of a remote control device, when the boat body is vigorously tossed by waves and the antenna for receiving the electric waves of the remote control device is broken by collision of the boat against a rock, and when the power source for the remote control unmanned boat is exhausted and prevented from supplying a drive electric power.
In such a case, men are compelled to search for the remote control unmanned boat. The possibility that this search will end in failing to locate and recover the missing boat is not undeniable.

Remote control unmanned boat and remote control device


The present invention is directed to a process and composition for dyeing hair, the composition containing: (a) greater than about 10% by weight, based on the weight of the composition, of at least one fatty acid alkanolamide; (b) at least one C6-C36 dicarboxylic acid; (c) at least one water soluble base capable of reacting with (b) to form a soap; (d) at least one conditioning polymer; (e) at least one oxidation dye; and (f) at least one oxidizing agent, wherein the composition is in cream form.

Disclosed herein is a composition, in cream form, for the oxidation dyeing of keratin fibers, for example human keratin fibers, such as the hair.
It is a known practice to dye keratin fibers, such as human hair, with dye compositions comprising oxidation dye precursors, generally known as "oxidation bases", such as ortho- and para-phenylenediamines, ortho- and para-aminophenols, and heterocyclic bases.
Oxidation dye precursors are compounds that are initially uncolored or only weakly colored, which develop their dyeing power on the hair in the presence of oxidizing agents, leading to the formation of colored compounds. The formation of these colored compounds may result either from an oxidative condensation of the oxidation bases with themselves or from an oxidative condensation of the oxidation bases with coloration modifiers, or "couplers", which may be present in the dye compositions used in oxidation dyeing and may be represented for example by meta-phenylenediamines, meta-aminophenols, meta-diphenols, and certain heterocyclic compounds.
The variety of molecules used, which comprise on the one hand the oxidation bases and on the other hand the couplers, may allow a wide range of colors to be obtained.

Conditioning cream color base having improved color deposition properties


A filter system for use in a three-phase slurry reactor is provided. The filter system comprises one or more bundles of a plurality of filter elements for separating liquid from a mixture of liquid and solids contained in the reactor. Each filter bundle is connected to a product transfer conduit transporting separated liquid to a location outside of and downstream from the reactor. The transfer conduit is provided with means for backflushing the filter bundle and guard filter means.

Three-phase slurry processes are known in the art. These processes are highly exothermic catalytic reactions. Basically, the three phases comprise a liquid phase in which solid catalyst particles are dispersed by a gas phase bubbling through the liquid phase. A typical three-phase slurry process is the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis process in which synthesis gas, i.e., a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is contacted with a catalyst dispersed in a hydrocarbon liquid. The catalyst used usually is a Group VIII metal catalyst supported on a catalyst carrier. Most of the hydrocarbons produced in this process are liquids under reaction conditions and need to be removed from the slurry reactor for further processing and upgrading to the desired end products.
In carrying out a three-phase slurry process, such as the Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis process, it is important to keep the catalyst and liquid inventory in the reactor vessel substantially constant. Thus, it is necessary to be able to separate liquid product from the catalyst and remove it from the reactor.
Various filtration schemes have been proposed to separate liquid, especially liquid hydrocarbon reaction products produced in a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, from the slurry in a three-phase slurry reactor. Some involve the use of filter elements located within the slurry reactor. Examples of these include U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,849, WO 2005/084791 A1, and US Patent Publications 2001/0039298 A1 and 2002/0128330 A1.
Other schemes involved the use of external filter systems. Examples of these include U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,629 and US Patent Publication 2003/0232894 A1.
Filtration systems that may be used within or outside of the slurry reactor are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,469 and US Patent Publication 2004/0235966 A1.
One problem with filtering systems such as described above is the build-up of catalyst particles on the filter which results in a decrease in the filter rate. Typically, the catalyst build-up is removed by periodic backflushing of the filter elements. Thus, for example, a surge vessel for backflushing is operably connected to one or more banks of filter elements via a common conduit. Valves may be provided, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,849, for isolating individual banks of filter elements from the common conduit. This permits backflushing of individual banks of filter elements one at a time.
A key issue not addressed by the foregoing references is the need to protect downstream equipment from a potential mechanical failure of any of the many filter elements or piping connections located in the reactor. In a larger reactor, there may be thousands of filter elements, making it virtually impossible to guarantee complete system integrity for an extended run. The consequence of even a small leak in the filter system is a significant degradation of product quality, and loss of performance in downstream process equipment. One proposed approach to handle a filter element failure is to install a small filter screen in each primary filter element so that if an element fails, the solids plug the screen, thereby avoiding a large loss of catalyst into the downstream piping and equipment. However, this approach does not protect against a coupling or piping failure inside the reactor. In addition, the screen is in the flow path for the backwash so it may diminish the effectiveness of the backwash operation. Finally, the screen would not be accessible for maintenance during operation.
Thus, there remains a need for a filtration system for slurry reactors that improves the effectiveness of backflushing multiple filters and that provides failure detection and protection to downstream equipment from potential mechanical failure of a filter element or piping within the slurry reactor.

Product filtration system for slurry reactors

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company


A method of exchanging information between a first network implementing a routing protocol using static routing tables and a second network implementing a routing protocol using dynamic routing tables and including stages of exchanging identification messages and of exchanging routing table update messages, the method comprising the steps of: a first routing element associated with the first network issuing to a second routing element associated with the second network identification messages containing identifiers of network elements to which the first routing element knows it is connected either directly or indirectly, and in the second routing element updating the routing table from the identification messages coming from the first routing element.

Networks of a first type are known in which information is routed between different elements of the network by using static routing tables. For each element of the network, a routing table lists the portions of the network that are directly or indirectly connected to the network element in question, together with the interfaces of said network element giving access to these various portions of the network. A routing table is said to be static when any change to the network assumes that a corresponding change will be made by an operator to the routing tables of the network elements.
Networks of a second type are known in which information is routed between the various elements of the network by using dynamic routing tables. One such routing protocol is the link state hierarchical routing protocol, known as open shortest path first (OSPF), which constitutes specifically the subject matter of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) technical report RFC 2328. This type of routing protocol provides for a state in which identification messages and routing table update messages are interchanged. Each identification message includes a neighborhood identification field normally dedicated to receiving the identifiers of neighboring network elements that are connected directly to the network element issuing the identification message, and serving to inform the neighboring network elements that the emitting network element is active. The update messages contain, in particular, in usual manner, the identifiers of network elements to which the message-emitting network element knows it is connected either directly or indirectly.
There are proposals for installing on-board networks in certain airplanes, comprising an avionics network of the first type that is secure and that is used to operate the airplane, and a public network of the second type that is less secure and that is used by the crew for obtaining information about the flight or the passengers, about the airports used, . . . , and also to enable passengers to have access to entertainment means. The public network is also used by maintenance teams on the ground for obtaining flight parameters after the airplane has landed. The avionics network is connected to the public network via at least two first routing elements selectively associated with the avionics network, and at least one second routing element associated with the public network and connected to the first routing elements.
Ideally, in order to ensure full inter-operability between the two networks, it would be necessary for the first routing element to be capable of implementing the routing protocol on the basis of dynamic tables and of exchanging identification messages and update messages with the second routing element. Nevertheless, such exchanges of information would burden the first routing devices in quite significant manner, particularly since as a general rule such routing devices have computing resources that are relatively limited.
In addition, in order to ensure that the network is reliable, provision is made for the two first routing elements to be connected to the first network in alternation. It is thus essential for the second routing elements to be able to identify which first routing element is active in order to perform effective routing.

Method of exchanging information between two networks operating under different routing protocols


This device comprises a generator producing bursts (Si) of N pulses (I) of VNS stimulation generated in succession during respective periods of activity (TON) separated by intermediate periods of inactivity (TOFF) during which no stimulation is issued. Stochastic modulation circuitry controls the delivery of the bursts of each of the N pulses of each VNS burst by selective inhibition or not, of the generation of each of the VNS pulses depending on the result of a respective randomization. The number of VNS pulses of each burst is thus randomly varying, and thus the VNS stimulation energy of this burst and the interval between successive pulses, which counteract the appearance of a physiological compensation loop.

The invention relates to "active implantable medical devices" as defined by Directive 90/385/EEC of 20 Jun. 1990 of the Council of the European Communities, specifically implants for delivering therapies of stimulation of the vagus nerve, called VNS therapies (Vagus Nerve Stimulation). The stimulation of the nervous system is recognized as a possibility for treating many disorders such as epilepsy therapy, pain, heart failure, sleep apnea, obesity, or others.
The devices used for this purpose typically include a lead equipped with an electrode implanted on the vagus nerve and a generator supplying VNS pulses on this electrode. If the vagus nerve is to be stimulated further in synchronism with the heartbeat, the apparatus may further include one or more cardiac leads for collecting of depolarization waves of the myocardium.
In some devices, the VNS therapy is to add an arbitrary signal (VNS pulses) overlapping signals naturally conveyed by the nervous system. This stimulation of the vagus nerve may act in an efferent manner, carrying the pulses to the organ, or act in an afferent manner (e.g., pulses are sent to the brain to affect the central nervous system). The arbitrary signal including VNS pulses may be interpreted by the central nervous system as a solicitation that the central nervous system will try to compensate to oppose, and thereby preventing production of the expected effects.
The profile of stimulation of the vagus nerve consists of bursts (or trains) of repetitive pulses produced during a period known as "activity", followed by an "inactive" period during which the stimulus is no longer delivered. The energy of each burst is determined by the width, amplitude, number, frequency, and pulse morphology, parameters that all are adjusted by appropriate setting of the VNS pulse generator.
The problem addressed by the invention is related to the fact that if neuronal therapy by VNS stimulation is effective at the beginning of its application, the VNS stimulation often seems to lose its effectiveness over time (e.g., a few weeks) due to compensation phenomena coming from the creation of a loop of physiological control.

Active implantable medical device for neural therapy with stochastic stimulation of the vagus nerve


A curable silicone is used to encapsulate porous, photoluminescing silica nanoparticles having three-dimensional, web-like structures. The encapsulation protects the silica nanoparticles, preserves their photoluminescent effect, and can be used as a coating. The composition is used to prepare articles of manufacture by casting it on a substrate such as glass or a silicon wafer and curing it. Special effects can be obtained by using a mask on the substrate prior to deposit of nanoparticles and curing the silicone matrix.

This invention is directed to the encapsulation of photoluminescent silica nanoparticles in a coating matrix.
In the prior application SN 08/398,268, there is described a novel form of silica having a three-dimensional web-like nanoparticle morphology. The material is prepared as a low density powder which exhibits strong visible photoluminescence when excited with ultraviolet (UV) light.
However, for useful applications of the photoluminescent effect, the powder form of silica nanoparticles is not convenient. To solve this problem, we have shown that these silica nanoparticles can be encapsulated in a curable silicone composition, and that the mixture can then be cast as a coating on a substrate (i.e., glass or a silicon wafer), without loss of the photoluminescent properties of the silica nanoparticle structure. Such coatings are useful in image intensifiers that convert soft X-rays to visible light, or in detectors of UV light rays for beam positioning.


A control device for a derailleur of a bicycle is described, comprising a support body, a cable-winding bush supported for rotation with respect to the support body, an indexer mechanism housed in the support body and suitable for controlling the angular position of the cable-winding bush, and a single manual actuation lever, the indexer mechanism comprising a toothed wheel integral in rotation with the cable-winding bush and having a first and a second plurality of slanting teeth, a first pawl integral with a driven arm of the lever and brought into thrusting engagement upon the first teeth while the lever is manually moved in a first direction beyond a predetermined rotation threshold, and a second pawl driven out of retention engagement with the second teeth by the driven arm of the lever while the lever is manually moved in the first direction up to the predetermined rotation threshold.

A bicycle is normally provided with a rear derailleur associated with the sprocket set, which consists of a set of coaxial toothed wheels (sprockets), with different diameters and numbers of teeth, integral with the hub of the rear wheel.
A bicycle is typically also provided with a front derailleur associated with the crankset, which consists of a set of toothed wheels (toothed crowns) with different diameters and numbers of teeth, associated with a bottom bracket axle driven into rotation by a pair of pedals. In less expensive bicycles, only one toothed wheel is associated with the bottom bracket axle and there is the rear derailleur only.
A transmission chain for transmitting the pedaling motion into the motion of the rear wheel extends in a closed loop between the sprocket set and the crankset.
The rear derailleur and the front derailleur—if present—engage the transmission chain, displacing it on toothed wheels with different diameters and numbers of teeth, so as to obtain different gear ratios.
By convention, one speaks of downward gearshifting when the chain shifts from a larger diameter toothed wheel to a smaller diameter toothed wheel, of upward gearshifting when the chain shifts from a smaller diameter toothed wheel to a larger diameter toothed wheel. In this regard it should be noted that in a front gearshift group, downward gearshifting corresponds to the passage to a lower gear ratio and upward gearshifting corresponds to the passage to a higher gear ratio; vice versa in a rear gearshift group, downward gearshifting corresponds to the passage to a higher gear ratio and upward gearshifting corresponds to the passage to a lower gear ratio.
The displacement in the two directions of a derailleur is obtained through a control device mounted so as to be easily handled by the cyclist, namely normally on the handlebars, near to the handgrips where there is also the brake lever to control the brake of the front and rear wheel, respectively. Control devices that allow driving both a derailleur in the two directions and a brake are commonly known as integrated controls.
By convention, the control device of the front derailleur and the brake lever of the front wheel are located near to the left handgrip of the handlebars, and vice versa the control device of the rear derailleur and the brake lever of the rear wheel are located near to the right handgrip.
More specifically, in a mechanical gearshift, each derailleur is moved between the toothed wheels, in a first direction by a traction action exerted by a normally sheathed inextensible cable (commonly known as Bowden cable), in a second opposed direction by releasing the traction of the cable and/or by the elastic return action of a spring provided in the derailleur itself.
Normally, but not necessarily, the direction in which the displacement is caused by the release of the traction of the cable and/or by the return spring is that of downward gearshifting; vice versa, the traction action of the traction cable normally occurs in the direction of upward gearshifting, in which the chain is displaced from a smaller diameter wheel to a larger diameter wheel.
The traction cable extends along the bicycle frame up to the control device. In the control device, the traction cable is traction- or release-actuated through winding and unwinding on a rotor element, commonly known as cable-winding bush, the rotation of which is controlled by the cyclist through suitable manual actuation means.
Typically, the manual actuation means comprise a pair of levers, a pair of buttons, a button and a lever, or a bidirectional lever.


An apparatus and method for reducing the amount of unburned carbon in raw flyash, wherein raw flyash containing unburned carbon is introduced into the tribocharger, the tribocharger producing positive and negative surface charges on the respective particles of carbon and flyash, introducing the charged particles into an electrical field containing positively and negatively charged plates, the positively and negatively charged particles being collected on the negatively and positively charged plates, and selectively vibrating the plates to selectively recover the unburned carbon and flyash.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating unburned carbon from raw flyash generated from a coal-fired power plant. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a two-stage system which utilizes a centrifugal classifier and a triboelectrostatic separator for separating unburned carbon from raw flyash. The flyash can be used as an additive for concrete, as a stabilizer and filler in civil engineering applications, as an additive to soil, e.g. as a fertilizer, artificial zeolite, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of centrifugal classifier systems and methods for separating unburned carbon from raw flyash are known in the art. Generally, the amount of flyash generated from coal-fired power plants will be increasing in proportion to increases in coal-fired power plant construction. As an example, the amount of raw flyash generated from coal-fired power plants in South Korea in 1990 was about 3 million tons.
Most raw flyash generated from coal-fired power plants has generally been considered a waste product and thus has been used primarily to reclaim land from the sea. However, the reclaimed land has created environmental pollution problems, environmental plant destruction problems, and other related problems.
Recently, recycled flyash produced from raw flyash by centrifugal classifier systems have been used. However, in these systems, unburned carbon is destroyed and forms a contaminant in the ash thus produced. Unfortunately, unburned carbon in the ash absorbs some of the other additives and reduces the concrete strength if the flyash is used as a concrete filler. In this situation, the flyash contains over 7% of unburned carbon. Usually, flyash containing less than 3% of unburned carbon is a valuable flyash.

Separation system and method of unburned carbon in flyash from a coal-fired power plant


An apparatus for automatically coupling a tool to a manipulator having a spindle. The apparatus includes a first adapter and a second adapter. The first adapter includes a spindle mating portion and a first threaded portion. The second adapter includes a second threaded portion adapted to engage the first threaded portion and a tool mating portion adapted to engage the tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically coupling a tool to a manipulator, such as a multi-axis robot.
2. Background Art
An automated collet-based tool for holding a threaded fastener is known in the automated fastener tool art, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,136.


In a method and apparatus for passing a mixed vapour and liquid stream between a first heat exchanger (101) and a second heat exchanger (102) the mixed vapour and liquid stream outflows from the first heat exchanger (101) through two or more outlets (104). Then, the mixed vapour and liquid stream in the outlets (104) passes through two or more intermediate conduits (103) to the second heat exchanger (102), after which the mixed vapour and liquid stream inflows from the intermediate conduits (103) into the second heat exchanger (102) through two or more inlets (105). The number (X) of outlets (104) is equal to or greater than the number (Y) of inlets (105).

Several methods of liquefying a natural gas stream thereby obtaining liquefied natural gas (LNG) are known. It is desirable to liquefy a natural gas stream for a number of reasons. As an example, natural gas can be stored and transported over long distances more readily as a liquid than in gaseous form, because it occupies a smaller volume and does not need to be stored at a high pressure.
Usually natural gas, comprising predominantly methane, enters an LNG plant at elevated pressures and is pre-treated to produce a purified feed stock suitable for liquefaction at cryogenic temperatures. The purified gas is processed through a plurality of cooling stages using heat exchangers to progressively reduce its temperature until liquefaction is achieved. The liquid natural gas is then further cooled (to reduce flashed vapour through one or more expansion stages) to final atmospheric pressure suitable for storage and transportation. The flashed vapour from each expansion stage can be used as a source of plant fuel gas.
In LNG plants, streams comprising a mixture of vapour and liquid phases pass, for example between two heat exchangers. One example is shown in FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,844 B1.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,844 B1 relates to a plant for liquefying natural gas. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment for pre-cooling the natural gas, involving first and second stage heat exchangers 102′ and 102. Between these first and second stage heat exchangers, there are two conduits 150 and 151, one for refrigerant and one for natural gas. The refrigerant and natural gas are mixed vapour and liquid streams, and such streams are carried by a single conduit between the heat exchangers 102′ and 102.
However, this way of passing streams between two heat exchangers can result in an uneven distribution of the vapour and liquid phases of the streams passing through the conduits 150 and 151. As a consequence, there may be non-uniform distribution of the vapour and liquid phases going into the second stage heat exchanger 102, which results in an uneven temperature distribution and therefore inefficiency in the second stage heat exchanger 102.
It is an object of the present invention to improve passing a mixed vapour and liquid stream between two heat exchangers.
It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the energy requirements of a cooling plant or method.

Method and apparatus for passing a mixed vapour and liquid stream and method of cooling a hydrocarbon stream


A method for checking a high-frequency transmit device of a magnetic resonance tomography system, excitation vectors that represent high-frequency signal strengths on the individual transmit channels are determined for a plurality of time points or time periods. High-frequency exposure values absorbed in an examination object are determined in accordance with predetermined check rules on the basis of the excitation vectors. The high-frequency transmit device is restricted in function when an exposure check value that is based on at least one high-frequency exposure value reaches or exceeds a predetermined limit check value. The check rules are predetermined as a function of a current transmit mode of the high-frequency transmit device. The respective transmit mode of the high-frequency transmit device is verified on the basis of the excitation vectors. When a transmit mode change is detected, the check rules are changed, and/or the high-frequency transmit device is restricted in function.

The present embodiments relate to a method for checking a high-frequency transmit device of a magnetic resonance tomography system.
In a magnetic resonance system, a body to be examined may be exposed to a relatively high basic field magnetic field of, for example, 3 or 7 tesla with the aid of a basic field magnet system. A magnetic field gradient is also applied with the aid of the gradient system. High-frequency excitation signals (HF signals) are emitted by a high-frequency transmit system using suitable antenna devices. The high-frequency excitation signals are used to tip the nuclear spin of certain atoms that have been excited in a resonant manner by this high-frequency field, with spatial resolution through a defined flip angle relative to the magnetic field lines of the basic magnetic field. During relaxation of the nuclear spin, high-frequency signals (e.g., magnetic resonance signals) are emitted. The high-frequency signals are received using suitable receive antennas and are further processed. Raw data thus acquired may be used to reconstruct desired image data. The emission of the high-frequency signals for nuclear spin magnetization may take place using a "whole-body coil" or "body coil," or also (in the case of many measurements) using local coils that are placed on the patient or participant. A typical structure of a whole-body coil is a birdcage antenna including a plurality of transmit rods that are disposed in parallel with the longitudinal axis around a patient chamber of the tomography system, in which a patient is present during the examination. End faces of the antenna rods are respectively connected in a capacitive manner in a ring.
The whole-body antennas may be operated as "volume coils," in, for example, a "CP mode," in which a circularly polarized high-frequency signal (HF signal) is transmitted as homogeneously as possible into the whole of the volume that is enclosed by the whole-body antenna. For this purpose, a single temporal HF signal is emitted to all components of the transmit antenna (e.g., all transmit rods of a birdcage antenna). In this case, the pulses may be transferred to the individual components in a phase-shifted manner with a displacement that is adapted to the geometry of the transmit coil. For example, in the case of a birdcage antenna with 16 rods, the rods may each be shifted through 22.5° phase displacement with the same HF magnitude signal.
Such a homogeneous excitation results in a global high-frequency exposure (HF exposure) of the patient. The global high-frequency exposure is to be limited according to the usual rules, as too high a high-frequency exposure may harm the patient. HF exposure may include not only the HF energy that has been introduced, but also a physiological exposure that has been induced by the HF irradiation. A typical measure of the high-frequency exposure is the specific absorption rate (SAR) value that indicates, in watts/kg, the biological exposure acting on the patient due to a certain high-frequency pulse output, or the specific energy dose (SED). Either value may be converted into the other. According to the IEC standard, a standard limit of 4 watts/kg at a "first level" currently applies with respect to the global whole-body SAR or HF exposure of a patient, for example. Accordingly, the total power that is absorbed by a patient must not exceed a value of 4 watts/kg in a time window that is averaged over six minutes. In order to provide this, the high-frequency exposure is monitored continuously during each measurement by suitable safety devices on the magnetic resonance system. A measurement is changed or terminated if the SAR value exceeds the specified standards.
In the context of more recent magnetic resonance systems, individual HF signals tailored for imaging purposes may be assigned to the individual transmit channels (e.g., the individual rods of a birdcage antenna). A multichannel pulse train including a plurality of individual high-frequency pulse trains that may be emitted in parallel via the different independent high-frequency transmit channels is emitted for this purpose. Such a multichannel pulse train (e.g., a "pTX pulse" due to the parallel emission of the individual pulses) may be used as an excitation, refocusing and/or inversion pulse, for example. Such a transmit antenna system, which allows the parallel emission of pTX pulses via a plurality of independent transmit channels, is also referred to as a "transmit array," which term is used in the following (irrespective of the appearance in detail of the architecture of the transmit antenna system).
During the emission of multichannel pulse trains, the previously homogeneous excitation may be replaced by an excitation of any form in the measurement chamber and hence also in the patient. In order to estimate the maximal high-frequency exposure, every possible high-frequency superimposition is therefore to be considered.
The monitoring of the superimposed electrical fields over a plurality of individually activatable antenna elements is important, for example, because the electrical fields add up in a vectorially linear manner. The local power release and hence the exposure of the patient at the relevant location is proportional to the square of the resulting electrical field.
The local high-frequency exposure may not be measured directly. Suitable body models having a (complex) conductivity distribution are therefore created, and the suitable body models are used to calculate the fields that are produced by the respective antenna elements at the individual locations of the model. Such calculations are performed in the prior art using a finite different time domain (FDTD) method, for example. In this case, the examination object may be divided into a plurality of voxels, and the electrical field strengths that are produced by the individual antenna elements, and the superimposition thereof, are determined for each voxel. Given the plurality of voxels concerned (e.g., many models have 50,000 voxels, others have many more than 100,000 and even several million voxels in extreme cases) and due to the complexity of the calculations to be performed, realtime monitoring or online capability may not be provided when such an approach is used.
DE 10 2009 030 721 describes a method and a device for SAR monitoring, in which cross-correlation matrices of excitation vectors relating to the individual antenna elements are determined for a plurality of time points or time periods in each case. The cross-correlation matrices are added up over a summation time period. The sum matrix is multiplied by a number of hotspot sensitivity matrices. Each hotspot sensitivity matrix represents the sensitivities at a plurality of points of the examination object with reference to the calculation of the maximal local high-frequency exposure (e.g., SAR). Such "hotspots" may develop in the high-frequency field in the patient. The applied HF power and hence the physiological high-frequency exposure at the hotspots may produce a multiple of the values previously experienced from the homogeneous excitation. In order to provide that the local high-frequency exposure does not exceed the limit values, it is therefore only necessary to monitor these hotspots. DE 10 2010 011 160 also describes a method that facilitates correct selection of the hotspots with reference to previously performed electromagnetic simulations (e.g., FDTD).
The flexibility in the excitation of spin magnetizations using transmit arrays allows emission of a homogeneous high-frequency signal in the whole volume, as per the previous volume coils. A transmit array may also be operated in a "volume coil mode," which may be appropriate for many measurements and/or examinations. Such a "volume coil mode" or "homogeneous mode" in the following may be an operating mode of the high-frequency transmit device, in which the transmit array is operated in a manner equivalent to that of a volume coil (e.g., the transmit channels are operated using high-frequency signals that have a fixed amplitude and phase relationship).
Accordingly, the present regulations and/or standards relating to the high-frequency exposure also stipulate that transmit arrays feature properties of both volume coils and local coils, and that the monitoring rules to be applied in each case (e.g., the limit values) depend on the way in which the transmit array is used. In this context, monitoring of the local SAR is required when used in the manner of local coils (e.g., with low limit values that are relatively narrowly defined), while only a whole-body SAR or exposed-part-of-body SAR is monitored when used as a volume coil.
In order to operate a transmit array as a volume coil, a "Butler matrix" may be used between the high-frequency amplifiers of the high-frequency transmit system and the antenna elements. All of the transmitters may be switched off except for the transmit channel that is used by the Butler matrix for the volume mode. The Butler matrix is equivalent to an electrical hardware-type connection of the transmit arrays as a volume coil. However, such a hardware connection has the disadvantage that the already available high-frequency amplifiers of the individual transmit channels are unevenly utilized. While one amplifier of a channel is to deliver the full high-frequency power, the amplifiers of the other channels remain unused. A further consequence is that at least the high-frequency amplifier used for the volume coil mode, and all subsequent components in the transmit channel, are configured for a significantly higher high-frequency voltage. This makes the system relatively expensive.
The transmit array may be operated in a volume coil mode by using software alone to activate the high-frequency amplifiers of the individual transmit channels such that the individual elements of the transmit arrays are operated using relative amplitude and phase relationships that have been preset correspondingly. The operating mode of the transmit array therefore only differs from an operating mode, in which individual non-homogeneous fields are emitted, in that corresponding commands are output to the high-frequency amplifier (e.g., the pTX pulse is selected accordingly). Seen from the transmit side, the transmit array is therefore classified as a use in the form of local coils, and therefore the local SAR limit values (as required for local transmit coils) that are far too low would actually apply (e.g., even though it would be sufficient only to apply the whole-body SAR limit values due to the operation in the volume coil mode). The local SAR limit values, which are far too low for the volume coil mode, would therefore not allow the operation of the customary single-channel volume coil application.

Method and high-frequency check device for checking a high-frequency transmit device of a magnetic resonance tomography system


In a camera driving stop apparatus, a motor serves as a driving source upon reception of a current. A driven unit performs a predetermined operation associated with driving of a camera by using the motor as the driving source. A pulse generator outputs a pulse in response to the operation of at least one of the motor and the driven unit. A position detector detects the current position of the driven unit by counting pulses output from the pulse generator. When the width of the pulse output from the pulse generator is equal to or larger than a first time, an energization unit energizes the motor for only a second time shorter than the first time. An energization stop unit stops energization of the motor for only a third time shorter than the first time. A forcible energization stop unit inhibits energization of the motor. A storage unit holds the target position of the driven unit. A controller compares the target position of the driven unit held in the storage unit with the current position detected by the position detector, alternately operates the energization unit and the energization stop unit when the target position and current position do not coincide with each other, and operates the forcible energization stop unit when target position and current position coincide with each other.

The present invention relates to a camera which automatically operates by controlling an electric motor and, more particularly, to a camera driving stop apparatus which performs precision control to stop, at a desired target position, a driving mechanism for performing zooming and focusing of a photographing lens, film feed, switching of the driving force transmission path, and the like.
In conventional camera zooming or focusing driving control, when a driven unit comes close to a target position, its driving speed is reduced in order to stop it at the target position as accurately as possible, as described in Jpn. UM Appln. KOKOKU Publication No. 7-49455 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,504).
In the above control, if the electric motor comes to stop immediately before the driven unit reaches the target position, the electric motor is restarted so as to allow the driven unit to reach the target position.
In this prior art, the driving speed is simply reduced until the driven unit reaches the predetermined target position, or the electric motor is restarted. For this reason, the driven unit is influenced by the ambient temperature, the posture of a driving system, aging deterioration, the mechanical time constant of the driving system, and the like, resulting in variations in the final stop position of the driven unit.
The reason why the stop position of the driven unit varies will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are timing charts, respectively, showing the waveform of the output pulse from a pulse generation means which is attached to the driven unit such as a focusing mechanism for a photographing lens, and operates in response to movement of this driven unit, and the ON/OFF state of the motor which drives the driven unit at this time.
FIG. 12A shows that the driven means properly overruns and stops at a target position (n+N) upon turning off the ON motor when the count value, 1, . . . , n-1, n, n+1, . . . , n+(N-1), n+N, of output pulses from the pulse generation means reaches a predetermined pulse count (n) before the target position.
That is, the stop position coincides with the target position in this case.
If the moving speed of the driving system is known, the overrunning pulse amount (N) can be predicted, so that control in this form is possible.
In fact, however, the driven unit may stop before the target position due to changes in ambient temperature, posture differences of the driving system, aging deterioration, or the like, resulting in variations the final stop position.
For this reason, as shown in FIG. 12B, if the count value does not reach the predetermined pulse count (n+N) a predetermined time a after the pulse edge at a point n+(N-1) upon turning off the motor at the predetermined pulse count (n), control is performed to restart the motor in order to drive the driven means to the target position, and to stop the motor after it is detected that the driven unit has indeed reached the target position (n+N).
Under this control, however, the response is delayed owing to the mechanical time constant of the driving system, and the driven unit undesirably stops at a position n+(N+x) past the target position.
That is, even if the motor is energized immediately before the target position, and turned off when the driven unit reaches the target position, since excess energy has been supplied to the driving mechanism including the motor due to the mechanical time constant of the driving system before the driven unit reaches the target position, the driven unit overruns by a distance corresponding to the excess energy, and stops.


An integrated circuit device including a FIFO and a clock generator having a pulse swallower. The pulse swallower eliminates pulses from a reference frequency signal, producing a primary digital transceiver clock signal having a frequency of chiprate(S)(n), which is used to clock a digital transceiver when the device is in a primary mode. A first clock divider divides the frequency of the primary digital transceiver clock signal to produce a FIFO output clock signal having a frequency of chiprate(S). The FIFO has a data bus input for coupling to a data output, for example from an analog transceiver. The FIFO also has an external clock input for coupling to a clock output, for example from the analog transceiver. The external clock signal clocks the data into the FIFO asynchronous with the primary digital transceiver clock signal at a frequency of chiprate(S). The internal clock signal clocks the data out of the FIFO, synchronous with the primary digital transceiver clock signal at a frequency of chiprate(S). When in a secondary power savings mode, the pulse swallower produces an output signal having a frequency of chiprate which is used to maintain CDMA network time, permitting the analog transceiver to be powered down during the secondary mode. In another embodiment of the invention, the external clock signal from the analog transceiver having a frequency of chiprate(S) is multiplied by (n) to produce the primary digital transceiver clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to generating clock signals and synchronizing data signals with a generated clock signal. More particularly, the invention concerns processing a reference frequency signal to generate a plurality of clock signals, and synchronizing data signals with one of the generated clock signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular radiotelephone networks are a widely used type of spread spectrum communication system. Frequently, mobile telephones are small handheld units operating from battery power. Consequently, power conservation is a constant goal of handheld radiotelephone designers. A well known technique for saving power entails reducing the clock rate or completely cutting off the clock supplied to components of the radiotelephone that are not needed for the present mode of operation of the telephone. When the clock to selected components is reduced or eliminated, the telephone is in what is referred to as a secondary mode of operation.
For a CDMA radio telephone system to operate correctly, it is necessary for the radiotelephone to have a master timer that establishes and maintains synchronism with a CDMA network timer. To enable the radiotelephone to resume communications with a base station quickly and without using an excessive amount of power after leaving the secondary mode, the radiotelephone must maintain synchronism with the network timer even when the radiotelephone is in the secondary mode.
Typically, a radiotelephone has an analog transceiver that is commonly left operating when the radiotelephone is in the secondary mode, because the radiotelephone provides timing signals. However, leaving the analog transceiver operating during the secondary mode increases power consumption during the secondary mode due to the power consumption of the analog transceiver.
Consequently, there is a need for a way to maintain CDMA network time in a radiotelephone while the radiotelephone is in the secondary mode, without running the analog transceiver. Additionally, it would be desirable to clock a digital transceiver in a radiotelephone at a frequency higher than the commonly used frequency of chiprate(8), in order to allow for more efficient usage of digital transceiver resources through timesharing.
An illustrative embodiment of the invention is an integrated circuit device having a FIFO and a clock generator. The clock generator includes a pulse swallower that has an input for coupling to a reference frequency signal source, for example, from a voltage controlled temperature compensated crystal oscillator (VCTCXO). The pulse swallower eliminates pulses from the signal from the VCTCXO, producing a primary digital transceiver clock signal having a frequency of chiprate(S)(n), for example chiprate(16), at an output of the pulse swallower. The primary digital transceiver clock signal is used to clock the digital transceiver when the device is in a primary mode. An input of a first clock divider is coupled to the output of the pulse swallower. The first clock divider divides the frequency of the primary digital transceiver clock signal; to produce a FIFO output clock signal having a frequency of chiprate(S), for example chiprate(8). The output of the first clock divider is coupled to the output clock input of the FIFO. The FIFO has a data bus input for coupling to a data output, for example from an analog transceiver, providing data signals. The FIFO also has an external clock input for coupling to an output, for example from the analog transceiver, providing an external clock signal. The external clock signal is used to clock the data into the FIFO asynchronous with the primary digital transceiver clock signal at a frequency of chiprate(S), for example chiprate(8). The internal clock signal is used to clock the data out of the FIFO, synchronous with the primary digital transceiver clock signal at a frequency of chiprate (S), for example chiprate(8). Thus, the invention generates a primary digital transceiver clock signal having a frequency of chiprate(S)(n), for example chiprate(16), and synchronizes data from the analog transceiver with the generated primary digital transceiver clock signal.
Further, when in a secondary power savings mode, the pulse swallower produces an output signal having a frequency of chiprate, which is used to maintain CDMA network time without the need for any clock signals from the analog transceiver, thereby permitting the analog transceiver to be powered down during the secondary mode.
For some frequencies of the reference frequency signal, the primary digital transceiver clock signal produced at the output of the pulse swallower may have clock jitter which is too great for some applications. Consequently, in another illustrative embodiment of the invention, the external clock signal from the analog transceiver having a frequency of chiprate(S) is multiplied by (n), for example with a PLL, to produce the primary digital transceiver clock signal. As in the previously described embodiment, in this alternative embodiment, when the device is in the secondary mode, the chiprate signal for maintaining CDMA network time is generated with the external reference frequency source and the pulse swallower, allowing the analog transceiver to be powered down during the secondary mode to save power.
The invention can also be implemented as a radiotelephone and as a method. The invention advantageously provides for generation of a digital transceiver clock signal having a frequency that is higher than commonly used digital transceiver clock signals, to allow for more efficient usage of digital transceiver resources through timesharing.
The invention also provides for maintaining CDMA network time without operating the analog transceiver during the secondary mode, thereby reducing power consumption during the secondary mode. Additional advantages and benefits of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

Device and method for generating clock signals from a single reference frequency signal and for synchronizing data signals with a generated clock