An electrolytic cell that prevents, or at least minimizes, damage to a membrane and reduces electrolytic voltage may include an elastic member attached to an electrolytic partition wall within an anode chamber and/or a cathode chamber. The elastic member comprises a spring retaining part and a bonding part that is bonded to the electrolytic partition wall, parallel first support parts extending from the bonding part away from the electrolytic partition wall, a second support part connecting the first support parts, and two parallel spring rows. Each spring row may include first flat spring-like bodies, which originate from the first support part and extend toward the opposite direction of the electrolytic partition wall, and second flat spring-like bodies, which originate from the second support part and extend toward the opposite direction of the electrolytic partition wall.

In an electrolytic cell used in electrolysis of an aqueous solution, the voltage necessary for electrolysis is influenced by various factors. Among such factors, the interval between the anode and the cathode greatly affects the electrolytic cell voltage. Thus, the amount of energy consumption required for electrolysis is reduced by decreasing the interval between the electrodes to decrease the electrolytic cell voltage. In an ion-exchange membrane electrolytic cell or the like used in electrolysis of a salt solution, the anode, ion-exchange membrane, and the cathode are arranged in a closely fitted state so as to reduce the electrolytic cell voltage. However, in a large electrolytic cell in which the electrode surface area may reach several square meters, in the case that the anode and the cathode are bonded to the electrode chambers by a rigid member, it has been difficult to closely fit the electrodes to the ion-exchange membrane and decrease the electrode interval to retain it at a prescribed value without applying excessive pressure to the ion-exchange membrane.
In order to overcome such problems, an electrolytic cell has been proposed in which a flexible electrode is used for at least one of the anode and the cathode so that the interval between the electrodes is adjustable.
Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2004-2993 A proposes providing an elastic member and a flexible electrode in at least one of the electrode chambers. The elastic member has a structure including a support member disposed on an electrolytic partition wall and a plurality of pairs of comb-like flat spring-like bodies extending in an inclined manner from the support member, and the comb-like flat spring-like bodies of each pair are inserted so the adjacent flat spring-like bodies mutually oppose each other. By installing the above-described elastic body, the electrode surface can be kept smooth even when using an electrode with a large surface area, and damage to the ion-exchange membrane due to positional deviation of the electrode and excessive pressure applied to the surface of the ion-exchange membrane can be reduced.
However, even in the ion-exchange membrane electrolytic cell proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2004-2993 A, it was difficult to completely prevent damage to the ion-exchange membrane. Further, due to the shape of the electrode, there were cases in which the voltage rose when the electrode was combined with the elastic member of Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2004-2993 A. In addition, further reductions in the electrolytic voltage were desired in order to reduce the operational costs.
Thus a need exists for an electrolytic cell that prevents, or at least minimizes, damage to a membrane such as an ion-exchange membrane or a diaphragm and that can reduce the electrolytic voltage compared to conventional electrolytic cells.

Electrolytic cell including elastic member

THYSSENKRUPP UHDE CHLORINE ENGINEERS GMBH


A dental instrument is provided for removing caries attacked dentine in connection with chemical-mechanical treatment of caries by means of a caries-dissolving solution applied to the caries for loosening the caries tooth substance. The instrument comprises a tool head with a number of scraping edges or bristles for scraping away the loosened caries tooth substance. In the spacings formed therebetween drops of the gel solution used for the chemical-mechanical treatment can be carried (transported) up to the tooth treatment site. The instrument is power-driven in order to provide the tool head with a predetermined scraping motion.

The present invention relates to a dental instrument for removing caries attacked dentine.
In traditional caries treatment the attacked tooth substance is removed mechanically by means of a dentist""s drill or a cutting excavator. Such a caries treatment is often a painful and unpleasant experience for the patient. Some of the patients feel so uncomfortable with the treatment that they wait far too long before they visit a dentist, which means that it is often too late to save the caries attacked teeth. Extraction of the teeth is then the only treatment method that is left.
However, there are other methods which are based on a chemical-mechanical treatment for the removal of the caries attacked substance. Such methods are described in SE 460258, SE 507437 and SE 98.00025-0. According to these methods a preparation in the form of a two-component liquid is mixed and then immediately applied to the caries lesion. Functioning in a biological way, the liquid makes the caries attacked substance soft without causing any damage to the tooth or the soft tissue. After 10-15 seconds the dentist can start removing the carious substance by means of a scraping instrument. The scraping continues until all caries substance has been removed. Then the cavity is filled with a suitable filling material.
According to SE 460258 the two-component liquid consists of a sodium hypochlorite component and a nitrogen-containing. component. The nitrogen-containing component consists in this case of three nitrogen-containing compounds with different charge states in its side chain; one neutral, one with a negative net charge and one with a positive net charge.
Unlike conventional mechanical caries treatment methods the biological treatment method is usually not painful at all. Neither does it require any investments in expensive equipments. It only requires a scraping instrument to remove softened carious dentine material.
Traditional excavator instruments, however, are not suitable for this purpose as they are cutting and not made for just scraping away already softened dentine material from different types of cavities and therefore could damage healthy dentine.
An instrument specifically made for removing softened carious dentine is previously disclosed in SE 96.04626-3. This instrument makes it possible to manually scrape in different directions and the scraping edges of the tool head of the instrument are adapted to all types of caries lesions. The instrument comprises a star-shaped tool head having four symmetrically arranged scraping edges with a curved, preferably spherical, outer contour (periphery) for scraping away softened carious substance.
The instrument can also be used to pick up drops of the liquid solution used for the chemical-mechanical treatment method and apply these drops to the caries lesion. This is possible because of the open, empty spaces which are formed between the scraping edges of the tool head of the instrument and this function of the instrument is facilitated as the liquid solution which is used has a viscous, gel form.
So by using this type of scraping instrument which then also functions as a simple applicator for the gel used for the treatment, there is no need for the dentist to invest money in any expensive equipments for distribution and application of the liquid gel solution.
However, in cases where a relatively large amount of liquid is required for the treatment, it might be time-consuming to use any of said instruments as applicators as the instrument cannot pick up and carry so much volume of the liquid that would have been desired.
In SE 9700960-9 it is described a scraping instrument in which the tool head member has drop catching means in order to improve the ability to catch and carry liquid drops. The drop catching means can be made in the form of collars, flanges, surface enlargement portions, protrusions, grooves, holes, channels or the like.
Both of these instruments are made for manually scraping softened, carious dentine, ie. the scraping motion is made by hand.
As the scraping motion should be carried out in different directions and repeated until all carious dentine has been removed, it might be a hard work for the dentist from an ergonomically point of view to fulfil the caries treatment. The dentist has to position the instrument as well as control the instrument with respect to the scraping direction. At the same time the scraping motion should not affect any of the healthy teeth. It should not be allowed to apply too heavy pressure from the instrument on the tooth.
It is an object of this invention to provide a scraping instrument which facilitates for the dentist to remove carious dentine. Specifically, it is an object to unload the specific scraping motion from the dentist so that he can concentrate on positioning the instrument. This means a more efficient treatment procedure.
A further object of this invention is to speed up the scraping operation so that each caries treatment procedure is shortened.
Also a further object of the invention is to provide a scraping instrument with a more controlled scraping motion and a more steady scraping speed, which means that the scraping motion is independent of different users of the instrument, which in turn means a more predictable result from the treatment procedure.
According to the invention the scraping instrument is power-driven, i.e. the instrument is equipped with, or connected to, for instance an electric motor for driving the tool head of the instrument according to a predetermined motion pattern. For instance it could be a rotating, low-speed motion, a reciprocating motion, a pendulating, wobbling or oscillating motion.
According to a preferred embodiment the instrument has a star-shaped tool head and a shaft for connecting the instrument to a rotating machine (power tool).
Also other tool heads could be used, such as brush type tool heads. According to a further preferred embodiment a set of different instruments, i.e. instruments with different tool heads but easy connectable to the rotating machine, could be used.


A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, a head actuated over the disk, a host interface for receiving disk access commands from a host, a command queue for queuing the disk access commands, and a stream detection engine for evaluating the disk access commands to detect a plurality of streams accessed by the host. The stream detection engine maintains a stream data structure for each detected stream, wherein the stream data structure comprises a frequency counter for tracking a number of disk access commands associated with the stream out of a predetermined number of consecutive disk access commands received from the host. A disk controller selects one of the streams for servicing in response to the frequency counters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disk drives. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disk drive employing a stream detection engine to enhance cache management policy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Disk drives typically employ a cache system for caching data in semiconductor memory in order to minimize the access time of the disk drive. For example, the access time for read commands is reduced significantly if the read data is already cached in the semiconductor memory. This is because the access time of the semiconductor memory is much faster than the disk due to the mechanical latencies in actuating the head and rotating the disk. Similarly, caching write data for write commands reduces the access time from the host perspective since the write command is completed once the write data has been transferred and stored in the semiconductor memory. The host can transmit additional access commands to the disk drive while the disk drive writes the cached data to the disk.
A further reduction in access time is attained through "predictive caching" wherein additional data sectors preceding and/or following a current read command are cached in anticipation that the host will eventually request these data sectors in subsequent read commands. This is particularly true in applications where data is processed in streams (such as video applications) where there is a high probability that a number of consecutive data sectors will be requested by the host through multiple read commands. Since the cache memory is extremely small compared to the capacity of the disk, a significant effort is made to efficiently manage the cache memory to prevent overflow while retaining the data sectors having the highest cache hit probability. A simple cache management policy de-allocates data sectors from cache based on aging, wherein the oldest or least recently used (LRU) data sectors are de-allocated first since they are least likely to be requested by the host.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/150,172 (Pub. No. 2003/0217230) discloses a more sophisticated cache management policy that identifies and "traces" streams accessed by the host. As new host requests are received causing new data sectors to be cached for a particular stream, the LRU data sectors for that stream are de-allocated from the cache rather than indiscriminately de-allocating LRU data sectors from the cache. Although the stream tracer may improve the de-allocation policy of cache management, it provides only a limited amount of information for enhancing the cache policy firmware.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,115 discloses a technique for tracing streams that provides additional information which further enhances cache management. For example, each stream data structure includes a count indicating the number of sequential accesses made by the host. If the count exceeds a threshold, indicating the stream is "very sequential", the read-ahead prediction value (prestage) for the stream is increased so that more data sectors following a current read command are cached, thereby improving the probability of cache hits for very sequential streams. Although tracking the number of sequential accesses in order to adjust the size of the read-ahead prediction value for a particular stream may improve the probability of cache hits, further improvements to cache management are desirable.
There is, therefore, a need to improve cache management in a disk drive when multiple streams are accessed by a host.

Disk drive employing stream detection engine to enhance cache management policy


A power shaft including a belt retaining geometry is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The power shaft includes a shaft including a normal belt position portion adapted for receiving a belt and a reduced diameter portion formed on the shaft and located adjacent to the normal belt position portion. The belt can move into the reduced diameter portion of the power shaft during operation and the reduced diameter portion creates an alignment tension force on the belt that operates to return the belt to the normal belt position portion.

Motors are widely used to power many devices and machines. The rotational power developed by a motor can be harnessed and directed by a belt. The belt can run in a pulley mounted on the shaft. Alternatively, the belt can run directly on the power shaft, wherein tension in the belt holds the belt in place on the power shaft.
One use of a motor is in a vacuum cleaner. A motor in a vacuum cleaner can power a driven device such as a vacuum fan unit, a powered brushroll, drive wheels, etc. However, the use of the vacuum cleaner in a dirty environment often leads to belt slippage. A motor-driven belt can slip due to excessive load on the driven device, for example. A powered brushroll can encounter an obstacle, such as a heavy carpet, that can slow or stall the brushroll, resulting in motor stall or belt slippage. Alternatively, a powered brushroll can accumulate fiber strands and other foreign objects that can slow or stall the brushroll. Another common belt slippage cause is the presence of lubricant or other foreign liquids on the belt. Yet another cause can be dirt, etc., between the belt and the shaft.
The slowing or stalling of a driven device can additionally cause the belt to move on the power shaft. Typically, the belt will move toward a side of higher belt tension. Therefore, if the belt is improperly aligned or improperly installed, the belt can move away from the desired running location on the power shaft. In severe cases, the belt can move completely off of the shaft. Another consequence is that the moving belt can contact a housing or wall structure next to the belt. For example, in a vacuum cleaner a power shaft and belt can be located in close proximity to an access door. If the belt moves on the power shaft, the resulting wearing action can damage both the belt and the vacuum cleaner structure.
One prior art approach has been to form a ridge or flange on the shaft to prevent moving of the belt. For example, a flange can be formed on the end of the shaft. However, this prior art approach does not prevent improper installation/alignment. This prior art approach does not move the belt to a desired alignment if the belt is improperly installed or aligned.

Power shaft including a belt retaining geometry


An apparatus for identifying a fake fingerprint, the apparatus comprising: a prism having a fingerprint contact surface with which a fingerprint comes in contacted; an internal light source configured to irradiate light from the inside of the prism; an external light source configured to irradiate light from the outside of the prism; an image sensor configured to acquire diffused light image by the internal light source and transmitted light image by the external light source; and a controller configured to compare the diffused light image and the transmitted light image acquired by the image sensor to determine whether the fingerprint is a fake fingerprint or not.

The user's biometric information already came into general use to perform individual authentication using information devices because of its highly invariance and uniqueness. Among other things, fingerprint recognition becomes a certification means that is receiving most attention and generalized for a simple structure and a superior performance in comparison to other means.
An individual authentication is mainly used in the field that requires the importance of security such as access control, e-commerce, financial transaction, security of a personal computer (PC), office settlement system, etc., and thus it is more important than anything to effectively identify a fingerprint that is made artificially (hereinafter referred to as a 'fake fingerprint').
Therefore, a technique for identifying fake fingerprint is proposed in which physiological material such as hemoglobin is analyzed through spectral distribution characteristic of light that is reflected or scattered from a finger after providing the light to the finger. Another technique senses the variation in capacitance caused by a finger when fingerprint is touched on a metal plate of a fingerprint sensor prism in a state where a small amount of charges is formed on the metal plate, thereby identifying the fake fingerprint.
In addition, another technique of identifying fake fingerprint throws light on a finger but irradiates from the outside of the finger so that the light passes through along an inner surface adjacent to the surface of the finger and obtains a surface image from the light that has passed through the finger and exited to the outside. The surface image is then analyzed to determine whether it is derived from the fake fingerprint.
In general, because a living body is subjected to a high extent of light attenuation, the light is rapidly attenuated and is vanished while progressing in the living body. On the contrary, for a fake fingerprint, most of the light passes through the fake fingerprint to yield a small difference between an incident light amount and a transmitted light amount due to a low light attenuation of the fake fingerprint. Based on this phenomenon, the aforementioned techniques can identify the fake fingerprint.
However, the following problems occur in applying these conventional techniques to a diffusive fingerprint sensor that is widely used in the field of fingerprint recognition. In the characteristic of a total reflection fingerprint sensor, the problem is that there may be the difference in the transmitted light amount that is detected depending on the degree of contact between the fingerprint and the sensor. In other words, if the contact between the fingerprint and the sensing surface of the sensor is not good due to a dried surface of the fingerprint even though the finger has the same transmission characteristic, the transmitted light amount is substantially less. On the contrary, if the contact is good, the transmitted light amount increases. Consequently, the accuracy of fake fingerprint identification using the gray level distribution of the surface image decreases significantly.
That is, in the diffusive fingerprint sensor, the fake fingerprint identification technique using an external light source may occur the judgment error caused by the difference in the contact degree depending on the state of the fingerprint since the amount of the light that passes through the inside of the prism varies according to the degree of contact between the finger and the surface of the prism.

Method and apparatus for identifying fake fingerprint


A system is provided for stimulating one or more cells, wherein the stimulation is sub-threshold and may alter a transmembrane potential of the one or more cells. For some populations of cells it may be possible to affect the transmembrane potential to gain a therapeutic benefit. Cells of the sino-atrial node spontaneously depolarize predominantly due to the slow depolarization of transmembrane potential. The present system may provide sino-atrial cells with a local field stimulation that while not eliciting an action potential may nonetheless alter local transmembrane potential. Such alteration of transmembrane potential may permit an increase or decrease in a rate of depolarization, and hence modify heart rate.

The heart is an innervated multi-chambered muscular organ that maintains blood flow through the circulatory system of the body. In a normal, healthy heart, blood flow is regulated by a coordinated contraction and relaxation of various heart chambers. The coordinated contraction and relaxation is controlled by periodic electrical depolarizations originating from the sino-atrial (SA) node located in the posterior wall of the right atrium. The SA node is a population of specialized cardiac cells that act as a pacemaker by generating cellular depolarizations, termed action potentials, at regular intervals in response to physiological inputs. The SA node is richly innervated by vagal and sympathetic fibers, making it susceptible to autonomic influences. Stimulation of the vagus nerve for instance causes a decrease in the rate of action potentials generated by the SA node, causing a decrease in heart rate. Conversely stimulation via sympathetic fibers causes an increase in the rate of action potential generation, thereby increasing heart rate and blood flow. Action potentials generated by the SA node are conducted throughout the heart in a regulated manner to ensure coordinated contraction and relaxation of the various chambers.
Coordinated depolarization of cardiac tissue should occur in a controlled manner throughout the heart chambers to maintain high pumping efficiency. A depolarization generated by the SA node is initially conducted through the atria, causing the atria to contract and forcing blood from the atria into the ventricles. The depolarization pulse then conducts to the atrio-ventricular (AV) node and onto a group of specialized conducting myocardial cells termed Purkinje fibers, where it is transmitted through the inter-ventricular septum and ventricles. The depolarized left and right ventricles contract, forcing blood out of the heart and through the circulatory system of the body.
Numerous cardiac pathologies may affect the myocardial depolarization process. For example, acute myocardial events, such as a myocardial infarction, may damage cardiac conduction pathways, leading to altered depolarization progression throughout the myocardium that may decrease cardiac output and/or pumping efficiency. Chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, valvular disease, certain types of infection, and diabetes may give rise to slowly-progressing conduction disturbances and contraction inefficiencies.
Under some circumstances pharmaceutical therapies may partially restore heart function. Many pharmacologic treatments are effective at increasing cardiac output, preventing arrhythmias, and/or treating symptoms associated with heart failure. However, for some patients, pharmaceutical therapy may be ineffective or inadequate. For example, many patients who have suffered acute or chronic damage to myocardial conduction pathways have lasting and/or recurring arrhythmias. In some patients, conduction through the ventricles may be abnormal and/or the depolarizations may be asynchronous, whereby contractions of the atria and ventricles are poorly coordinated. These condition disturbances may have a deleterious effect on cardiac output, may contribute to the progression of cardiac disease, and may ultimately lead to death.
For some patients implantable cardiac rhythm management (CRM) systems may be used to reduce the effects of conduction abnormalities. CRM systems may include pacemakers and/or defibrillators configured to provide electrical stimulation to specific regions of the myocardium. Pacemakers generally include a pulse generator which houses various electrical components, such as a battery, control hardware, communications systems, and/or other diagnostic components. The pacemaker may also include a number of leads and electrodes configured to transmit an electrical stimulation pulse from the pulse generator to specific regions of the myocardium. Numerous different pacemakers, defibrillators, leads and electrodes are available, depending on the pathology to be treated and clinical factors of the patient.
More recently, various biological therapeutics have been proposed to treat various cardiac pathologies, and some are currently undergoing clinical development. These biological therapies include gene-based and cell-based therapies; gene-based therapies aim to modify or supplement endogenous gene expression of existing cardiomyocytes while cell-based therapies includes augmentation or replacement of existing cardiomyocytes with other cells. It is also possible to combine gene-based and cell-based therapies to genetically modify cells prior to transplantation into the heart. Such therapies may also benefit from advances being developed for stem cell therapeutics.
The various molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac functionality are complex. Numerous ion channels are known to regulate specific ion fluxes across the cellular membranes of cardiomyocytes, and various gap junctions have been identified and shown to allow current flow between adjacent cells. Different distributions of various membrane associated proteins and protein complexes are also thought to contribute to various conduction processes within the myocardium. Recent work has also highlighted the heterogeneity of various myocardial cell populations, revealing molecular differences between cells of the SA node, AV node, Purkinje fibers, atrial myocytes, and ventricular myocytes. Such molecular heterogeneity partially contributes to different electrophysiological activity of the various cardiac cell types, and action potential propagation throughout the myocardium.
Improved molecular and cellular techniques may permit formation of cell types with molecular properties that mimic the cellular functions of the various cell populations of the native heart. For example, cells may be genetically altered to upregulate expression of HCN2 and/or HCN4, ion channels associated with a current (termed "funny" current, If) that flows across a cell membrane and leads to the spontaneous depolarization of SA node type cells. Genetically altered cells may be engineered to replace or augment the function of natural cardiac pacemaker cells, such as the SA and AV nodes, and upon implantation may help to restore appropriate generation and/or propagation of action potentials.
The spontaneous rate of depolarization of cardiac cells is dependent on the type and density of various ion channels, local ion concentrations, neurohormonal state and the local transmembrane potential. The kinetics of specific types of ion channels may be dependent upon specific current-voltage relationships as transmembrane potential may influence channel gating. Channels of different sequence and/or conformation may exhibit different current-voltage relationships, and different types of channels may activate, deactivate, and/or maintain a particular state at different potentials. Such regulation of channel gating affects the timing and duration of ion fluxes caused by specific ion channels. In the case of the funny current, altering a cell's transmembrane potential through application of a local field can modify the cell's channel kinetics to alter the cell's rate of spontaneous depolarization.
Effective functioning of cells introduced into the myocardium may benefit from concurrent use of a Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) system. For example, the introduced pacemaker cells may initially have a limited pacing rate that may be insufficient during high metabolic demand. The introduced cells may also require a training period whereby the CRM system may pace the introduced cells at specific rates to enhance formation of gap functions and/or other proteins required for adequate engraftment. Further, the introduced cells may be temporarily or permanently affected by medications or other condition that may affect normal myocardial cells (e.g. infarction). In addition, a CRM system may be desired to monitor, record, and/or transmit information related to patient status to healthcare professionals to facilitate continued treatment.
The present disclosure provides systems, devices and methods for providing local field stimulation to affect the transmembrane potential of one or more cells.

Cell training for local field stimulation


A magnetic tape cassette loading and winding apparatus having a pivotable adhesive tape applicator for splicing the end of a leader tape to the end of a magnetic tape and winding into the cassette. The loading and winding apparatus has three tape holders. Two of the holders are pivotally mounted so they can be moved to sequentially change position to first hold the leader tape while it is cut, hold one cut end of the leader on a free end of the magnetic tape while it is spliced with an adhesive tape, and then hold the other cut end of the leader tape and a second cut end of the magnetic tape while it is spliced. The pivotable tape holders can thus perform several functions. A movable adhesive tape is also provided to move from one position to another to apply pieces of adhesive tape to the cut ends of leader tape.

There has been well known a magnetic tape winding apparatus for winding magnetic tape into a cassette case having leader tapes provided in advance. It is constructed so that the leader tape is drawn, held, and cut outside of the cassette case, one of the cut leader tapes is stuck to a magnetic tape supplied from a supply reel having a long magnetic tape wound therein. The reel in the cassette case is revolved to wind in the magnetic tape. After this the magnetic tape is cut and the magnetic tape on the cassette case side is stuck to the other cut leader tape held in place, and the magnetic tape and attached leader tape outside of the cassette case are wound into it.
However, recently developed cassette cases are small in size, and the leader tape is too short. This leads not only to complicated mechanism for sticking the end of the withdrawn leader tape to the magnetic tape outside of the cassette case before winding the magnetic tape in, but also makes adjustment and maintenance difficult. To solve such difficulties, Japanese Patent application Hei 2-22835 disclosed an improved magnetic tape winding apparatus. In this improved apparatus, the leader tape is drawn out and cut. A block holding one end of the cut leader tapes is revolved and moved to locate it. The leader tape is stuck to the end of magnetic tape at the located position of development. At the end of winding, a preparatory sticking is made by sticking half of a piece of adhering tape to the cut end of the magnetic tape on the cassette case side at the located position. The holding block is then returned to the original position. The other cut leader tape end and the magnetic tape having half of a piece of adhering tape stuck to it are stuck together by pressing the remaining half of the side of adhering tape to the cut end of the leader tape with the use of a roller.
However, the conventional mechanism for locating the holding block has the disadvantage of production time for one volume, that is, the cycle time cannot be made shorter as the first sticking and the next preparatory sticking are made at the same position located.
To make the cycle time shorter is a very important problem for manufacturers who have to complete the magnetic tape cassettes quickly for mass production.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a magnetic tape winding apparatus that can make the cycle time shorter even when the magnetic tape is wound into a cassette case having short leader tape.

Cassette tape loading device having pivotable adhesive tape applicator and method of use


A display device and a timepiece calendar device capable of large display of letters and numbers is provided, which can be simplified and reduced in size. The display device comprises a first display wheel having a denotation portion for showing information about a part of a period and a toothed portion including a plurality of teeth to be driven. The device also has a second display wheel having a denotation portion for showing a part of the period other than the part of the period shown by the first display wheel, an opening via which the first display wheel is exposed, and a toothed portion including a plurality of teeth to be driven, and placed overlapping the first display wheel. The device also has a driving finger for driving the first display wheel and the second display wheel to rotate.

In the following, a case in which date calendar information is displayed in a timepiece in larger numbers, using a timepiece calendar device as an example of a display device, is described.
Conventionally, for large display of a calendar in a calendar window, two date dials are used to display the calendar such that the calendar letters on the respective date dials are shown in the calendar window defined on the dial. Specifically, an arrangement in which one of the two date dials is advanced while the other is kept still and, thereafter, the other is advanced while the one is kept still makes it possible to display the letters on the two date dials. This is disclosed in Swiss Patent No. CH 660941 B5 (see FIGS. 1 and 3).
This concept is disclosed also in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. 2005-156562 (FIGS. 4, 5, and 6) and 2005-156563 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 4), both disclosed later than the priority date of this application.
The above-described three patent documents are common in that the upper date dial of the two date dials has sixteen sectors, while the lower date dial has seventeen sectors. Accordingly, the upper and lower date dials have different numbers of teeth in the toothed portion, with the upper date dial having sixteen teeth and the lower date dial having seventeen teeth. The difference of one tooth results in a difference (displacement) in positional relationship in a plan view between the teeth of the upper and lower date dials.
Thus, as disclosed in Swiss Patent No. CH 660941 B5 (FIG. 1), Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2005-156562 (FIG. 7) and 2005-156563 (FIG. 5), both disclosed later than the priority date of this application, two date jumpers in two shapes mounted in different positions in a plan view are necessary, one shape for the upper date dial and the other shape for the lower date dial. This results in the need for a wider space and a complicated structure.
When a position where one tooth of the upper date dial overlaps in a plan view one tooth of the lower date dial is reserved for a drive wheel, a space for mounting a date corrector setting wheel cannot be ensured as no other such space where the tooth of the upper date dial overlaps the tooth of the lower date dial is available. Thus, initial CH 660941 B5 (FIG. 1) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-156563 (FIG. 6), disclosed later than the priority date of the present application, make a proposal without a date correction mechanism. However, as a date correction mechanism is necessary to advance the date dial for date matching when the timepiece date becomes different from the current date at the end of a short month, at activation of the timepiece, or due to battery exchange, a proposal including no date correction mechanism is inconvenient as it makes a correction operation troublesome. Therefore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-156562 (FIG. 8) discloses a two-toothed portion structure in which a toothed portion having different positions (pitches) is placed on the toothed portion of the lower date dial, the toothed portion to place. This results in the lower date dial having a complicated structure.
An object of the present invention is to propose a display device and a timepiece calendar display capable of large display of information and solving a conventional technical problem.

Display device and timepiece calendar device


A magnitude of an acceleration along a direction included within a predetermined plane is detected as an electric signal. A fixed substrate (10) and a displacement substrate (20) are disposed in parallel. The fixed substrate (10) is secured within a cylindrical casing, and the displacement substrate (20) is elastically supported at the periphery thereof within the cylindrical casing by supporting means (30). An annular displacement electrode (E21) and a central displacement electrode (E22) are provided on the upper surface of the displacement substrate (20), and a weight body (40) is secured on the lower surface of the displacement substrate (20). An annular fixed electrode and is a central fixed electrode opposite to the annular displacement electrode (E21) and the central displacement electrode (E22) are provided on the lower surface of the fixed substrate (10), and an annular capacitance element (C1) and a central capacitance element (C2) are constituted. By vibration of the earthquake, etc., the weight body (40) is oscillated. As a result, the displacement substrate (20) is caused to undergo an displacement with respect to the fixed substrate (10). Based on a change of the electrostatic capacitance value of the annular capacitance element (C1), a magnitude of the transverse vibration can be detected. Based on a change of the electrostatic capacitance value of the central capacitance element (C2), a magnitude of longitudinal vibration can be detected.

In view of grasping movement of an object, detection of acceleration has important meaning. For this reason, various acceleration sensors have been conventionally proposed. Particularly, in recent years, the spotlight of attention upon multi-dimensional acceleration sensors capable of detecting two-dimensional or three-dimensional acceleration every respective directional components has been focused. For example, in the International Publication No. WO88/08522 based on the Patent Cooperation Treaty, a three-dimensional acceleration sensor using piezo resistance elements is disclosed. In this sensor, plural piezo resistance elements are formed at specific positions on a semiconductor substrate, thereby making it possible to respectively independently detect acceleration components in respective coordinate axes directions in the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system. Moreover, in the International Publication No. WO91/10118 or the International Publication No. WO92/17759, a three-dimensional acceleration sensor using electrostatic capacitance elements is disclosed. In the International Publication No. WO93/02342, a three-dimensional acceleration sensor using piezoelectric elements is disclosed. In these sensors, plural electrodes are formed at specific positions, thereby making it possible to respectively independently detect acceleration components in respective coordinate axes directions in the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system in a manner similar to the above.
In such three-dimensional acceleration sensors, since all of respective coordinate axes direction components of applied acceleration can be respectively independently detected by a single sensor, it is possible to specify an acceleration to be detected as a vector quantity within the three-dimensional space. Accordingly, such three-dimensional acceleration sensors can be widely utilized in use for precisely detecting acceleration exerted on an object moving within the three-dimensional space, e.g., a vehicle being traveled, or an air-plane being flown, etc. in a manner to include its direction. In future, it is expected that its utilization value will be increased.
On the other hand, the acceleration sensor can be utilized also as a seismometer or an impact detector. For example, in a control system for control valves of the city gas or a control system for control an elevator, an acceleration sensor functioning as a seismometer is included. In the case where an acceleration based on vibration of the earthquake exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control system stops supply of gas, or stops an operation of the elevator. Moreover, in automotive vehicles with an air bag which begins being popularized rapidly in recent years, an acceleration sensor functioning as an impact detector is mounted, wherein there is employed a mechanism to momentarily swell the air bag to protect a driver in the case where an acceleration based on impact exceeds a predetermined threshold value. However, it is to be noted that the acceleration sensors used in seismometers or impact detectors are mainly mechanical type sensors which detect an acceleration by means of mechanical operation. For example, a mechanical sensor recognizes whether or not a steel ball is flown out from a bowl-shaped vessel, and judges whether or not an acceleration more than the threshold value is exerted.
As described above, the acceleration sensors utilized as seismometers or impact detectors are mainly mechanical type sensors for the present. However, such mechanical acceleration sensors have drawbacks that the detection accuracy or the reliability is low, and it is difficult to electrically take out detection results. On the other hand, three-dimensional acceleration sensors using piezo resistance elements, capacitance elements or piezoelectric elements have a high detection accuracy and reliability, and can electrically take out detection results. However, for the purpose of the seismometer or the impact detector, such three-dimensional acceleration sensors are not necessarily required. On the contrary, there are even instances where the conventional three-dimensional acceleration sensor is difficult to use.
For example, for the purpose of measuring an intensity of the earthquake, it is sufficient to provide a function to respectively independently detect a magnitude of "transverse vibration (vibration in the horizontal direction)" and a magnitude of "longitudinal vibration (vibration in the vertical direction)". In this case, it is desirable to have an ability of directly detecting the magnitude of "transverse vibration" and the magnitude of "longitudinal vibration". Generally, it is known that the "transverse vibration" in the earthquake is a vibration resulting from a wave called "S-wave", and the "longitudinal vibration" is a vibration resulting from a wave called "P-wave". As long as it is possible to respectively independently detect the magnitude of the S-wave and the magnitude of the P-wave, such a detection mechanism can sufficiently function as a seismometer. Namely, when an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system respectively having an XY-plane on the horizontal surface and a Z-axis in the vertical direction is defined at a certain measurement point, if a magnitude of vibration in the direction along the XY-plane (transverse vibration) and a magnitude of vibration in the direction along the Z-axis (longitudinal vibration) can be measured, such a measurement mechanism can sufficiently function as a seismometer
It is a matter of course that even if a conventionally proposed three-dimensional acceleration sensor is employed, such a measurement can be made. If the conventional three-dimensional acceleration sensor is used as a seismometer, a precise detection can be made in which even a particular direction of vibration is specified such as "transverse vibration directed to north-northeast", etc. However, for the purpose of carrying out supply control of the city gas or operation control of an elevator, it is unnecessary to specify as far as azimuth (direction) of the transverse vibration. Actually, when a magnitude of transverse vibration exceeds a predetermined threshold value, irrespective of "transverse vibration directed to north-northeast" or "transverse vibration directed to southeast", it is necessary to stop the supply of the city gas or the operation of the elevator. As long as even a magnitude of the transverse vibration can be detected, it is possible to sufficiently perform the function as an seismometer. Moreover, in the conventional three-dimensional acceleration sensor, since X-axis direction component .alpha.x, Y-axis direction component .alpha.y and Z-axis direction component .alpha.z are respectively independently detected with respect to an acceleration in the XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system, an operation (calculation) to obtain a sum of .alpha.x.sup.2 +.alpha.y.sup.2 and to obtain a square root of this sum is required in order to determine a magnitude of the transverse vibration along the XY plane.
As stated above, the conventional three-dimensional acceleration sensors can be used as a seismometer. However, since the structure thereof is complicated and a particular operation circuit is required to function as a seismometer, there results the problem that the cost is increased as a whole. Particularly, when attention is drawn to utilization to the supply control of city gas or the operation control of elevator, there is the necessity of respectively installing such an acceleration sensor within every gas meter of respective homes or every control unit of respective elevators. Therefore, realization of low cost acceleration sensors having simple structure is expected.
Such circumstances are the same also in an acceleration sensor used as an impact detector for operating an air bag of the automotive vehicles. If the traveling surface of the automotive vehicles is assumed to be XY plane, an impact produced by collision of the automotive vehicle is the impact mainly including an acceleration component along the XY plane. Accordingly, an acceleration component along the Z-axis can be neglected. In addition, irrespective of whether the corresponding collision is a frontal (head-on) collision or a side collision, the fact that the impact which allows a driver to suffer from risk is applied is the same. Namely, even if a collision in any direction takes place, there is the necessity of swelling the air bag to protect the driver. Accordingly, when a magnitude of acceleration components in the directions along the XY plane can be detected, such an acceleration detection system sufficiently satisfies the purpose. Namely, it is unnecessary to precisely detect as far as the direction.
With the above in view, an object of this invention is to provide an acceleration sensor suitable for detecting, as an electric signal, a magnitude of acceleration directed toward the directions included within a predetermined plane.


Disclosed is a transfer printing method including the steps of: with use of a thermal transfer ink sheet wherein a heat-meltable ink Y containing a sublimation dye for yellow, a heat-meltable ink sublimation M containing a dye for magenta and a heat-meltable ink C containing a sublimation dye for cyan are applied on a single foundation or separate foundations respectively, selectively melt-transferring at least two of the sublimation inks Y, M and C onto a master sheet to form a master image in which at least two of respective images of the sublimation inks Y, M and C are superimposed one on the other; and transferring the sublimation dyes contained in the superimposed images onto an image receptor, wherein the sublimation inks Y, M and C are transferred onto the master sheet in the order of ink C, ink M and ink Y with an optional skipping-over of untransferred sublimation ink to the succeeding one. With this method a color dyed image can be obtained with a good color reproducibility, especially for an achromatic color.

The present invention relates to a transfer printing method wherein with utilization of a thermal transfer technique a master image containing a sublimation dye is formed, and then the sublimation dye in the master image is transferred onto an image receptor such as textile goods to form a dyed image thereon.
There is a transfer printing method using a sublimation dye as one of the methods of forming dyed images on textile goods. According to this method, generally, a transfer paper sheet wherein an image is printed on a sheet of paper with a printing ink containing a sublimation dye is formed first, then pressed against a textile article, followed by heating to give a dyed image thereon. Such a method, however, needs to fabricate a form for forming the transfer paper sheet and is, hence, suitable for mass production but unsuitable for production of diversified items each in an small amount.
On the other hand, there is a method of the type wherein with use of a thermal transfer ink sheet provided on a foundation with a non-transferable resin layer containing a sublimation dye, an image is printed on an image receptor such as a paper sheet with a thermal transfer printer. Such a method will be referred to as "direct transfer method" hereinafter. This method, although suitable for production of diversified items each in a small amount, has a difficulty in obtaining a clear dyed image if an image receptor is of textile because the heating energy produced by a thermal head of a typical thermal transfer printer is not so large.
As a method which overcomes the drawbacks of the above two method wherein with use of a thermal transfer ink sheet provided on a foundation with a heat-meltable ink layer containing a sublimation dye, the ink layer is selectively melt-transferred onto a master sheet such as made of paper with a thermal transfer printer to form a master having an image of heat-meltable ink containing the sublimation dye, and then this master is pressed against a textile article and heated to cause the sublimation dye therein to transfer onto the textile article, thereby obtaining a dyed image (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 102390/1982). With such a method a dyed image of a desired design can be readily obtained as compared with the foregoing transfer printing method since a master can be formed with a thermal transfer printer, and a clearer dyed image can be obtained on a textile article as compared with one obtained by the foregoing direct transfer method since the transfer from the master can be achieved with a hot press or the like.
With the transfer printing method disclosed in the above publication, however, merely a monochromatic dyed image is obtained from a single master. Recently, there has been a strong desire to obtain a polychromatic dyed image from a single master in accordance with this transfer printing method.
An attempt has been made by the present inventors to obtaining a polychromatic image from a single master by using a thermal transfer ink sheet wherein applied on a foundation are a heat-meltable ink Y containing an yellow sublimation dye, heat-meltable ink M containing a magenta sublimation dye and heat-meltable ink C containing a cyan sublimation dye, sequentially selective-transferring these inks onto a master sheet to form a master image in which the inks are superimposed one on the other, and pressing this master image against a textile article while heating to cause the sublimation dyes in the master image to transfer onto the textile article.
By the way, a thermal transfer color printer which is commercially available at present uses a thermal transfer ink sheet wherein on a single foundation or a plurality of foundations are applied a heat-meltable transparent ink layer Y containing an yellow pigment, heat-meltable transparent ink layer M containing a magenta pigment and heat-meltable transparent ink layer C containing a cyan pigment, and is adapted to form a polychromatic image in accordance with the subtractive color mixture of yellow, magenta and cyan by sequentially transferring these transparent inks onto an image receptor such as made of paper to form a printed image in which the transparent inks for respective colors are superimposed one on the other. With this printer, for example, red is obtained by superimposing the yellow and magenta inks on each other, green by the yellow and cyan inks, blue by the magenta and cyan inks, and black by the yellow, magenta and cyan inks.
It is known that in obtaining a color other than the three primary colors by superimposing transparent inks of the primary colors the color reproducibility depends on the order of superimposition, and that the superimposition of yellow, magenta and cyan ink layers in this order from an image receptor offers the best color reproducibility. For this reason the thermal transfer color printer is designed to transfer the inks for respective colors in that order.
Accordingly, in the case of the thermal transfer ink sheet provided on a single foundation with the transparent inks for respective colors, the yellow ink Y, magenta ink M and cyan ink C are arranged in the order of Y, M and C in the direction opposite to the ribbon-feeding direction (indicated by an arrow) as shown in FIG. 9. The arrangement of Y, M and C constitutes a pattern P which is repeatedly provided on the foundation. Correspondingly the thermal transfer color printer is designed to transfer the inks for respective colors in the order of Y.fwdarw.M.fwdarw.C (which means that Y is transferred first, M second and C third).
If the thermal transfer color printer is employed to form the aforesaid master for transfer printing, the inks respectively containing sublimation dyes in the thermal transfer ink sheet for forming the master are arranged in the same order as in the thermal transfer ink sheet for superimposing transparent inks, and transferred in the order of Y.fwdarw.M.fwdarw.C. In the master image formed in this manner, Y, M and C are superimposed in this order on the master sheet.
However, it has been found that transfer printing on a textile article with use of such a master cannot offer a satisfactory color reproducibility.
It is an object of the present invention to improve the color reproducibility offered by a transfer printing method wherein a master is formed by superimposing inks containing sublimation dyes for respective colors by means of thermal transfer and a polychromatic dyed image is obtained by transferring the sublimation dyes from the master onto a textile article.
This and other object will become apparent from the description hereinafter.


In a process and apparatus for drying small articles in a process container, such as closure elements of pharmaceutical vessels after a treatment of the closure elements, an air-permeable support is arranged beneath the articles to support them and prepared preheated air is fed to the interior of the process container and through the support to dry the articles while they are resting on the support. An additional air mass flow is at least once briefly passed under the support during the drying operation, to lift and thereby turn the small articles to ensure at least substantially complete drying thereof.

Closure elements for pharmaceutical purposes such as stoppers or plugs are often subjected to a treatment which involves firstly washing them in a washing phase by means of high-purity, germ-free water. The washing operation can be effected with or without the addition of one or more detergents. To initiate the washing phase a process container is firstly filled with the closure elements or plugs and then water is added. For the actual washing operation, the closure elements are moved by means of compressed air which is supplied to the process container. The washing water is then drained away again, after the treatment operation. The washing phase and the drainage phase may then be followed by a silicone-coating operation, in a third phase. For that purpose, hot, highly pure water is again supplied to the container, with the water being mixed with a metered amount of silicone. The water is then removed and in a subsequent further phase sterilisation is effected using steam.
After the steam sterilisation procedure, the closure elements are still wet and have to be dried before being removed from the process container. In order that few or no drops remain on the closure elements or plugs, the closure elements or plugs may be moved around in the process container in such a way that they are dried to the greatest reasonable possible extent.
To do that, the process container may be moved mechanically during the feed of hot air into same, in order thereby to provide that during the drying operation the closure elements respectively adopt different positions from their previous positions in the process container, so that the hot air can also reach those parts and regions of the closure elements which, when they were in their previous position, either bore against the inside wall surface of the process container or against other closure elements or plugs. A disadvantage in that respect is that complicated and costly equipment is required to produce the above-mentioned mechanical movement of the process container. In addition, the fact that the closure elements are continuously rubbing against each other in the drying procedure means that undesirable abrasion and erosion thereof occurs. Furthermore, particularly when dealing with silicone-coated closure elements, the drying procedure may often fall foul of the undesirable phenomenon that the closure elements or plugs stick together and thus form clumps, resulting in what can be called compacting of the closure elements within the process container.
Drying procedures can also be implemented in fluidised bed driers, in which respect attention may be directed for example to K Kroll: Trockner und Trocknungsverfahren, [`Driers and drying processes`], Springer-Verlag 1959, pages 275 ff. In such a drier air flows constantly upwardly through a layer of particles at such a rate that the particles are slightly lifted and loosened up but are not carried away by the air flow. In such a procedure all the parts of the material are continuously in movement. Such an apparatus and procedure can thus be used to dry materials which are capable of a trickle flow, which also includes plastic materials. A disadvantage in this respect however is also the fact that the movement of the particles means that they are frequently striking and knocking against each other and thus suffer from a considerable degree of abrasion and erosion. Furthermore a fluidised bed drier of that kind is not suitable for particles which have a tendency to compacting as discussed above.
DE 42 11 485 C2 describes a process for removing moisture from the interior of a solid material, for example wood. In that procedure, the wood is firstly acted upon by a high pressure which mechanically drives the moisture out of the solid material, and it is then exposed to a periodically rapidly changing pressure in order to remove the residual moisture. This operating procedure also involves the risk of severe particle abrasion and erosion, due to the continual fluctuations in pressure.

Process and apparatus for drying small articles in a container


A structure for removably securing a container to a planar supporting surface comprises a flexible plastic tape having an adhesive coating on a first portion of each of its two sides, and a second portion where there is no adhesive coating. The second portion forms a graspable tab to facilitate removal of the container from its supporting surface, and is retained in a position which is generally out of sight. De-adherence of the flexible plastic tape is achieved by stretching the tape from the graspable tab. Retaining means for the graspable tab may comprise a slot which is parallel to the back face of the container, located a distance away from the back face which is less than the length of the graspable tab; or it may also comprise a pair of opposed tabs spaced away from and substantially parallel to the face against which the graspable tab is placed.

The present invention relates to structures for removably securing a container to a substantially planar supporting surface. In particular, the present invention relates to structures which permit the placement and removal of a container, or other item having width, depth, and thickness, to a supporting surface in such a manner that the structure is retained in a position which is out of sight until such time as the container or other item having width, depth, and thickness, is to be removed from its supporting surface.
People have always wanted to mount objects to supporting surfaces. Typically, such mounting of objects to supporting surfaces is, for example, hanging paintings on walls, placing calendars or posters or the like on a wall, putting clocks and decorative items in place, and so on. Sometimes this is accomplished by driving nails or screws into the wall, or by the use of adhesive tape, and so on. Indeed, there is a myriad of different ways of hanging or securing items in place on a supporting surface.
However, there are some supporting surfaces which, for a variety of reasons, do not invite or permit items to be secured to them. Mirrors and glass windows are such an example, as well as relatively thin structures such as medicine cabinet doors and the like where it is impossible to place a nail or screw due to the lack of material to grasp the nail or screw to hold it in place. Of course, except carefully and very skilfully, it is not possible to place a nail or screw through a glass structure such as a mirror or window.
Other means for securing items in place include adhesive and gummed tapes, hanging devices, and so on.
None of these devices, however, is deemed to be satisfactory in many instances, particularly instances where the item to be secured to a supporting surface is to be removably secured so it can be taken away at a later time.
For example, if nails or screws are used to secure any item to a wall, and the nail or screw is later removed, an unsightly hole may be left. Likewise, if a gummed or adhesive hanger is to be used, and later removed, it may take the paint with it.
Of course on glass or mirrors, and the like, the use of gummed or adhesive tapes may result in the gum or adhesive being left on the surface after the securing tape has been removed. Such circumstance is unsightly, and may require further treatment so as to remove the residue.
Several products have been introduced to the market, particularly by 3-M Company in association with the trade-mark COMMAND(trademark). The items which are being marketed are, in particular, plastic strips which are intended for placing posters on the wall, or hooks which may be removably secured to a wall, without damage to the wall in any event. However, when these adhesive strips or devices having adhesive strips are used, there always remains a removal tab which is grasped to stretch the tape and thereby de-laminate it from the supporting surface against which it has been placed. The adhesive strip may or may not be removable from the item to which it has been attached.
In any event, the removal tab which forms an integral part of the adhesive strips is unsightly. It is possible to secure a poster to a wall in such a manner that the adhesive strips are totally covered, but in that case there may be a tendency for the bottom edge of the poster to curl.
There may also be circumstances where it is desirable to place a container or other device which has width, depth, and thickness, in a manner such that it is removably secured to a substantially planar supporting surface. Such circumstances may, indeed, include the mounting of framed pictures, holders for writing or cooking utensils, magnifying mirrors for use when applying makeup or inserting or removing contact lenses, placing decorative items on windows or mirrors, or placing such items as dental floss dispensers on bathroom mirrors or on the back surface of a medicine cabinet door. In all of those instances, the item to be removably secured to a substantially planar supporting surface exhibits the characteristics of having width, depth, and thickness, and may be a container or other item as suggested above. In any event, the use of adhesive strips having the necessary characteristic that they permit removable securement to a substantially planar supporting surface, especially without damage to the supporting surface or without leaving a residue, is to be commended; but until now use of such adhesive strips may not necessarily be acceptable, due to the presence of an unsightly removal tab.
On the other hand, it is generally desirable that at least a small portion of the removal tab should be either visible or at least very easily accessible, so that when it is desired to remove the container or other item by de-adhering the plastic adhesive strip from the supporting surface, the removal tab and its intended purpose will be available and understandable to the user.
Until now, any advertising that is currently known in publications and is particularly on television which promotes the stretchable and removable adhesive plastic strips, has clearly indicated the evident and unsightly presence of the removal tab.
The present invention provides a structure for removal of a container or other item from a substantially planar supporting surface, in such a manner that the graspable removal tab is folded forwardly and generally out of sight from the substantially planar supporting surface to which the container or other item has been removably secured, by providing a means for retaining the graspable removal tab in a folded and generally out of sight condition which extends forwardly from a substantially planar back face of the container or item being removably secured to the substantially planar supporting surface.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide for such a structure as described immediately above, whereby the structure can be employed to secure a container or item to a substantially planar supporting surface by employing a flexible plastic tape, but retaining a graspable removal tab in a generally out of sight condition after the container or other item has been mounted in place.
To that end, therefore, the present invention provides a structure for removably securing a container or other item having width, depth, and thickness, to a substantially planar supporting surface in such a manner that a portion of the structure is retained in a position which is generally out of sight but from which that portion may be put into an operable position. Thus, the container or other item to be removably secured to a substantially planar supporting surface has a substantially planar back face which is to be placed adjacent a substantially planar supporting surface, and it has at least one substantially planar container thickness defining face which extends forwardly from the substantially planar back face.
The structure comprises a flexible plastic tape having an adhesive coating on at least a first portion of each of the first and second sides thereof, and having a second portion at a first end of each of the first and second sides where there is no adhesive coating adhered thereto.
The first side of the flexible plastic tape is adhered to the substantially planar back face of the container at the first portion of the tape. The second portion of the flexible plastic tape forms a graspable tab to facilitate removal of the container or other item from a planar supporting surface when it has been adhered thereto by the adhesive coating on the second side of the tape. De-adherence of the flexible plastic tape at least from the planar supporting surface is achieved by stretching the tape by grasping the graspable tab.
The structure in keeping with the present invention further comprises retaining means for the graspable tab.
The retaining means is located on the at least one substantially planar container thickness defining face, for releasably retaining the graspable tab in a folded and a generally out of sight condition extending forwardly from the substantially planar back face of the container or the other item.
For the sake of clarity, and so as to avoid ambiguity, use of the word xe2x80x9ccontainerxe2x80x9d herein is intended to relate to any item which has the characteristics of width, depth, and thickness, with at least a substantially planar back face and at least one substantially planar container thickness defining face which extends forwardly from the substantially back face.
In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the retaining means comprises a slot which is formed in the at least one substantially planar container thickness defining face for inserting the first end of the flexible plastic tape thereinto. The slot is parallel to the substantially planar back face of the container, and is located a distance away from the substantially planar back face of the container, which distance is less than the length of the graspable tab.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the retaining means comprises a pair of opposed tabs which are spaced away from and substantially parallel to that portion of the at least one substantially planar container thickness defining face against which the graspable tab is placed when it is folded forwardly from the substantially planar back face of the container. The distance between the opposed tabs is less than width of the flexible plastic tab. The first end of the plastic tab extends forwardly of the pair of opposed tabs.
In a structure as defined immediately above, the portion of the at least one substantially planar container thickness defining face against which the graspable tab is placed, is formed as a shelf or groove which has a width greater than the width of the flexible plastic tab.
Two representative prior art patents, each teaching flexible plastic tapes of the sort discussed above, and each belonging to 3-M Innovative Properties Company of St. Paul Minn., are noted below;
First there is U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,708 to Kreckel, issued Nov. 23, 1999. That patent teaches a removable adhesive tape which has a highly extensible and substantially elastic backing, and a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. The backing has a high tensile strength and may be elongated or stretched by at least about 150 percent, with less than 50 percent of elastic recovery after being stretched. The adhesive is a normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesive, which is coated on at least one surface of the film backing. The adhesive is preferable highly extensible, and will not separate from the backing during stretching; and the adhesive has higher cohesion than adhesion to any suitable substrate. After it is applied to a substrate, the adhesive tape is firmly bonded to that substrate, but can be easily be removed without damaging the substrate by stretching the adhesive tape in the direction which is substantially parallel, and in any event not more than about 35 degrees to the surface of the substrate to which it has been applied.
The other patent is issued to Breis et al as U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,471, dated Dec. 14, 1999. A double-sided removable and stretchable adhesive tape is described, and is said to be for use in conventional applications including particularly the mounting or joining of an object to another surface. In this case, the timing of the debonding of both surfaces is controlled so that one adhesive surface releases before the other. This is achieved by use of a double-sided adhesive tape which has a stretchable backing layer, which is plastic or elastic, and which has a lower adhesion or non-adhesive portion of one adhesive surface, so that a corresponding greater adhesion adhesive portion on the other side of the tape remains more aggressively adhered to a surface during stretch removal. The portion of the one adhesive surface which is less adhesively adhered may then be completely released from the surface. There may be a non-adhesive portion which provides the removal tab and which, in all Figures of the drawings is shown to extend downwardly from an object being adhered to a surface, in a direction parallel to the surface to which the object is adhered.

Structure for removably securing a container to a substantially planar supporting surface


An API calling process creates a named pipe through which a program can submit data to an application programming interface (“API”). Appropriate permissions are set on the named pipe such that only authorized applications can write data to the named pipe. When data is written to the named pipe, the written data is piped to the API calling process. The API calling process may process the written data, such as by placing the data into an appropriate format for submission to an API. The API calling process then utilizes appropriate credentials to call an API with the data written to the named pipe. For example, the API calling process might utilize service credentials to make a Web services API call to submit the data written to the named pipe to a Web services API exposed by a network service.

Creating program code for utilizing an application programming interface ("API") can be difficult and time consuming. For instance, in order for a programmer to program an application to utilize an API, such as a World Wide Web ("Web") service API, it may be necessary for the programmer to understand a network stack, various protocols, and the format and use of the API itself. The complexity in creating program code for accessing and utilizing certain APIs might discourage programmers from utilizing the APIs, especially when the APIs are not related to the core functionality of an application.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Providing access to an application programming interface through a named pipe


A switch may comprise a metal plate. A eutectic alloy may be proximate to the metal plate. An insulating material may be proximate to the insulating material. The insulating material may include a recess in the insulating material adjacent the eutectic alloy. A lead may be fixed in place by the insulating material. A first end of the lead is exposed from the insulating material by the recess.

Aircraft may rely on pyrotechnic switches to switch electrical circuits open or closed in response to an ejection or similar event occurring. The switches may be subject to extreme forces and vibration from when a pilot ejects to when an aircraft crashes, for example. When a switch is actuated, the connection may bounce open and closed to ambient vibration or forces. The bouncing may result in the undesirable effect of an inconsistent connection and cause the switch to function unreliably.


A moisturizing apparatus includes an ion generating device, a mist generating device, and a control device. The ion generating device generates positive ions and negative ions bound to water molecules from the air by an electrical discharge in the atmosphere. The mist generating device reduces the liquid to fine particles in the form of mist and sprays the liquid in the form of mist. The moisturizing apparatus moisturizes the skin or hair, through combined use of application of ions from the ion generating device and spraying of the mist from mist generating device, toward the skin or hair.

Cosmetically, preventing the skin from becoming dry is an issue, and there is a desire to increase the moisture content in the skin.
In order to increase the skin moisture content, conventionally, preparations such as lotions containing moisturizing ingredients are commonly applied to the skin.
Further, the following techniques for increasing the skin moisture content are known. In Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2011-5266 (PTD 1), for example, the skin moisture content is increased by spraying, to the skin, water in the form of particles generated by condensation and atomization of moisture in the air. In Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-497 (PTD 2), for example, the skin moisture content is increased by spraying mist generated using an ultrasonic device to the skin.

Moisturizing apparatus and electrical equipment including the same, and moisturizing method


A friction member to be used for a lock-up clutch device includes a plurality of friction portions and a plurality of grooves. The plural friction portions are disposed in alignment in a circumferential direction. The plural grooves are formed between or among the plural friction portions and penetrate therebetween or thereamong from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side. Further, each of the plural grooves includes an inner peripheral groove and an outer peripheral groove. The inner peripheral groove is formed in a V-shape, and includes a first groove that is disposed on the inner peripheral side and has an opening, and a second groove that is disposed on the outer peripheral side and continues to the first groove. The outer peripheral groove continues to the outer peripheral end of the second groove of the inner peripheral groove, and radially extends in the outer peripheral direction.

A torque converter is a device for transmitting torque from an engine to a transmission by fluid. The torque converter mainly includes: a front cover to which the torque from the engine is inputted; and components for forming a torus, i.e., an impeller, a turbine and a stator. Further, the torque converter includes a lock-up clutch device disposed axially between the front cover and the turbine.
The lock-up clutch device is a device for directly transmitting torque from the front cover to the turbine. As a type of the lock-up clutch device, a multi-plate type device has been provided that includes a plurality of clutch plates for increasing the capacity of transmitting torque. Here, the clutch plates are disposed on a front cover side (an input side) and a turbine side (an output side). Further, the clutch plates are configured to be press-contacted to each other by a piston configured to be actuated by hydraulic pressure. Accordingly, a clutch-on (torque transmission) state is produced.
The clutch plates are composed of: a plate to which friction members are fixed; and a plate to which no friction member is fixed. In general, the plate to which the friction member is fixed includes an annular core plate and friction members fixed to the both surfaces of the core plate. Further, as described in PTL 1, for lubrication and cooling and for reducing drag torque, a plurality of grooves are formed on the friction surface of each friction member so as to be extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery.

Friction member, clutch plate, clutch device and torque converter


A whipstock assembly includes a tubular anchor 36 which is expanded into engagement with the casing string 8, and a tubular expander 24 which is forcibly moved into the tubular anchor to expand the tubular anchor downhole into secure engagement with the casing string. The tubular anchor and tubular expander remain downhole. An orientation sleeve 18 at the upper end of the expander 24 includes an orientation surface 20. A whipstock 70 engages the sleeve 18 to orient the whipstock face for diverting a tool into a hole in the side of the casing string. Once the whipstock 70 is removed from the well, the orientation sleeve may receive a sealing nipple 130 at the lower end of a production tubing string.

A whipstock is a tool inserted in the wellbore to deflect a mill, drill bit or other tools in a direction that is angularly offset from the orientation of the original wellbore. The face of the whipstock is thus oriented at a selected directional azimuth relative to the borehole axis. One type of whipstock is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,399.
At various times, oil well operators are desirous of specialty whipstock assemblies which achieve particular purposes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,398,754 and 5,595,247 disclose retrievable whipstock assemblies. U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,762 discloses a through tubing whipstock assembly. A whipstock assembly with a spring biased reference sleeve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,295.
The prior art provides reliable whipstock assemblies for many applications, but commonly accepted whipstock assemblies, and particularly whipstock anchors, are complex with numerous moving parts. Other whipstock assemblies are comparatively simple, but tend to break loose from the casing string when high forces are transmitted to the whipstock assembly. Still other whipstock assemblies have a significantly reduced diameter bore through the whipstock anchor. When the whipstock is retrieved from the set anchor, tools cannot be reliably passed through the anchor due to the restricted diameter bore.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved whipstock anchor assembly is hereinafter disclosed.


A liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal panel; a light source disposed at a lower portion of the liquid crystal panel and providing light to the liquid crystal panel; a light guide plate for guiding light emitted from the light source toward the liquid crystal panel; and a lower cover including a plurality of guide protrusions being in contact with the side of the light guide plate to guide the position of the light guide plate and accommodating the light source and the light guide plate therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and, more particularly, to a liquid crystal display in which a light guide plate is precisely disposed at a desired position within a lower cover to prevent an erroneous assembling of a main support due to a movement of the light guide plate or to prevent damage of a lamp due to the movement of the light guide plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, currently, an application coverage of a liquid crystal display (LCD) extends thanks to its characteristics that it is lighter, thinner, and driven at a low power consumption. Thus, the LCDs are commonly used as mobile electronic devices such as notebook computers, mobile phones, or the like.
The LCD displays a desired image on its screen by controlling the amount of transmission of light according to a video signal applied to a plurality of controlling switching elements arranged in a matrix form.
The LCD includes a liquid crystal panel including a color filter substrate, an upper substrate, and a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate, a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal layer filled therebetween, and a driver that supplies a scan signal and image information to the liquid crystal panel to operate the liquid crystal panel.
The LCD is not a self-emissive display device which does not emit light by itself, so it requires a light source for providing light to the liquid crystal panel. Thus, the LCD includes a backlight assembly including a light source to supply light to the liquid crystal panel, and a light guide plate and an optical sheet to convert light emitted from the light source into white uniform plane light.
A light source for generating light in the backlight assembly includes a CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent lamp), an EEFL (External Electrode Fluorescent Lamp), the LED, or the like.
The general LCD will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the general LCD includes a liquid crystal panel 1, a backlight assembly providing light to the liquid crystal panel 1, a lower cover 4 for accommodating the backlight assembly, and a main support 7 disposed on the lower cover 4 and receiving the liquid crystal panel 1 therein. The backlight assembly includes lamps 2 disposed at both sides within the lower cover 4, a lamp housing 5 for accommodating the lamp 2 therein to protect it, a light guide plate 3 for guiding light emitted from the lamp 2 toward the liquid crystal panel 1, and an optical sheet 6 for converting light emitting from the lamp 2 and supplying the same to the liquid crystal panel 1. With reference to FIG. 1, the main support 7 is configured to have the interior which is open up and down and covers the side of the liquid crystal panel 1. The main support 7 includes a plurality of protrusions 7a protruded in an inward direction at its inner side, and the light guide plate 3 includes recesses 3a corresponding to the protrusions 7a.
In assembling the LCD, the light guide plate 3 is disposed at a substantial position at an inner side of the lower cover 4, the lamp 2 and the lamp housing 5 are disposed to correspond to the side of the edges of the lower cover 4, namely, at the side of the light guide plate 3, and then, the main support 7 is disposed on the lower cover 4. Then, the plurality of protrusions 7a formed on the inner side of the main support 7 and the plurality of recesses 3a of the light guide plate 3 correspond to allow the light guide plate 3 to be plated at its position as designed.
In this respect, however, because the light guide plate 3 is not fixed yet at the inner side of the lower cover 4 until before the main support 7 is disposed on the lower cover 4, the light guide plate 3 may move to cause damage to the lamp 2, or while the main support 7 is being disposed on the lower cover 4, it may not be properly placed on its due position as designed but erroneously assembled due to a movement of the light guide plate 3. In addition, in assembling the LCD, in the process of disposing the light guide plate 3 at the inner side of the lower cover 4, an alignment operation is required to place the light guide plate 3 at the same positioned as designed as exactly as possible, so the assembling operation is not effective.


A circuit board includes a substrate, an insulating layer, at least one protrusion, and a first circuit layer. The insulating layer is disposed on the substrate and has at least one protrusion-positioning region. At least a part of the protrusion is disposed on the protrusion-positioning region. The first circuit layer is disposed on the insulating layer and has at least one trace line extending onto the protrusion.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a circuit board and a method of manufacturing the same and more particularly to a circuit board formed by way of jetting and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Related Art
Among the current electrical products, circuit boards, which are indispensable components, may be classified into many types. In terms of application, the circuit boards may be classified into printed circuit boards for carrying various active devices or passive devices, and carrier circuit boards for carrying chips during the packaging process.
The printed circuit board is used for carrying various active devices or passive devices, on a trace line of which a pad is usually formed, or a protrusion may be formed on the pad in order to facilitate the electrical connection to the active device or passive device. In general, most of the protrusions formed on the printed circuit boards are solder bumps, gold protrusions, or the like.
In addition, the carrier circuit board is used for carrying a chip or chips during the packaging process, on a trace line of which a pad is also usually formed, or a protrusion may be formed on the pad in order to facilitate the electrical connection to the chip(s). In general, most of the protrusions formed on the circuit boards are solder bumps, gold protrusions, or the like.
As mentioned above, the trace lines on all kinds of circuit boards are usually formed by way of screen printing or photo-lithography etching, and the protrusions are then formed on the pads of the trace lines. However, owing to the limitation of the technology of forming the trace lines and the substrate material of the circuit board, the line width of the trace lines on the conventional circuit board or the size of the pads on the trace lines cannot be effectively reduced. In other words, the area of the circuit board cannot be effectively reduced, making it impossible to meet the trend to miniaturize electrical products. In addition, the trace lines and protrusions on the conventional circuit board have to be formed through complicated processes, so the manufacturing time or cost cannot be effectively shortened or reduced.
Thus, it is an important subject in the art to provide a circuit board and a manufacturing method thereof, which can effectively reduce the line width of the trace line and the pad size of the circuit board, shorten the time for manufacturing the circuit board and reduce the manufacturing cost.

Circuit board and manufacturing method thereof


A device for the longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle, having a sensor device for the location of objects in the nearfield of the vehicle, a controller which generates a reference variable for a motion variable of the vehicle for the regulation of the vehicle's speed, as a function of the location data of the sensor device, and an actuator which has an effect on the motion variable as a function of the reference variable, wherein a mathematical model of the actuator is stored in a memory, which describes the dynamic behavior of the actuator, that is, it produces a relationship between an input variable supplied to the actuator and an output variable of the actuator; and a compensating element is provided to convert the reference variable, by way of the model, into the input variable in such a way that the dynamic behavior of the actuator is compensated for.

An example of such a device is a so-called ACC system (adaptive cruise control), which makes it possible, among other things, to adapt the speed of the vehicle to the speed of a preceding vehicle that has been located with the aid of a radar system, so that the preceding vehicle is followed at a suitable safe distance. To do this, the ACC system intervenes in the drive system and, if necessary, also the braking system of the vehicle. Thus, in this case there are two actuators, namely, the drive system and the braking system, and the reference variables refer to the acceleration by way of the drive system and/or the braking slowdown. The reference variables may each be also described by an executive function over a specified time period.
ACC systems currently being used are generally designed for travel at higher speeds, for instance, on express highways. In this context, there will generally be only slight accelerations and slowdowns, and the reference variables have only low dynamics, i.e. small rates of change over time, which the actuators are able to follow with negligible time delay.
However, if such longitudinal guidance systems are also to be used in situations that are characterized by greater dynamics, for example, in stop-and-go traffic or in urban traffic, then the dynamic behavior of the actuators can often be no longer ignored.

Device for the longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle