The present invention is a novel fully interactive multimedia recording system that organizes and catalogues different multimedia data easily and expeditiously using uniform arrays of data packets, thereby achieving improved efficiency of transfer to a memory and storage means over prior art. The data packets may be time variable thus each array is also time variable at the discretion of the user. The effect is to reduce the time of synchronizing the different memory and storage mediums for transfer by providing temporal and uniform data arrays.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to recording systems and more particularly to providing a fully interactive multimedia recording system and a method for cataloging multimedia data for transfer to storage, computer systems and between multimedia devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There presently exist many types of audio and video recording systems. The most common being magnetic tape systems with digital recording systems becoming more popular. The magnetic tape or digital media systems capture images via a camera and record the corresponding audio using a microphone. However, stand-alone audio devices are not easily compatible with video devices because of the different recording techniques of the respective devices. Furthermore, editing of separate video or audio recordings requires interconnecting the recording devices separately to a central editing machine.
Continuing efforts are being made to improve the transfer of data between multimedia recording devices and computer systems. By way of example, infrared light waves have been used as a method of transmitting the multimedia data between a device and computer system. Digital still cameras and digital video cameras allow images to be stored without the use of traditional film products or magnetic tape. However, synchronizing the recording devices for transferring the data to a computer system can be difficult for an amateur user and time consuming. Furthermore, the prior art does not catalogue or organize the data after being downloaded to a computer system, but the data is simply stored and not in chronological order.
There exists a need to allow a user to organize and catalogue different multimedia data easily and expeditiously during transfer to a computer system. In summary, the needed improvements include reducing the time to synchronize the different multimedia data for downloading and allowing different types of multimedia data to be recorded in sequential fashion. Additionally, a product that incorporates all of the above features and allows collaboration using the Internet, intranet, or similar communicative means is also needed.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.


Winding holding means 8 for retaining windings 6 are respectively provided at axially opposite end portions of each pole protrusion 5 of a stator on the inner peripheral side of the pole protrusions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reluctance motor used for driving a compressor of such as an air conditioner or a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the structure of a typical reluctance motor, one shown in FIG. 18 is conventionally well known. Referring to FIG. 18, a description will be given hereafter of the structure of the conventional reluctance motor.
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a general reluctance motor, in which reference numeral 1 denotes a rotor shaft; 2 denotes a rotor; 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d denote pole protrusions of the rotor; 4 denotes a stator; 5a, 5b, . . . , 5f denote pole protrusions of the stator; 6 denotes a stator winding; 7 denotes a gap between the stator 4 and the rotor 2; 12 denotes a groove provided in the stator 4; and 13 denotes an insulating portion surrounding the groove 12.
The rotor 2 is formed by laminated steel plates which are laminated in the direction of the rotating shaft 1, and the rotor 2 has around the rotor shaft 1 a plurality of, e.g., four, pole protrusions 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d arranged at equal intervals and having equal shapes. The stator 4 is formed by laminated steel plates which are laminated in the direction of the rotating shaft 1 in the same way as the rotor 2. The stator 4 is arranged around the rotor 2 with the gap 7 therebetween, and has a plurality of, e.g., six, pole protrusions 5a, 5b, . . . , 5f arranged at equal intervals and having equal shapes. The stator winding 6 is wound around each of the pole protrusions 5a, 5b, . . . , 5f of the stator. Generally, each of the pole protrusions 5a, 5b, . . . , 5f of the stator has a straight-sided pole profile in which its lateral faces are parallel with each other.
Next, referring to FIG. 19, a description will be given of the basic principle of the driving of the reluctance motor having the above-described configuration. In the drawing, STEP 1, STEP 2, and STEP 3 show states in which the relative positional relationships between the rotor 2 and the stator 4 differ. STEP 1 shows a state in which the pole protrusion 5a of the stator and the pole protrusion 3a of the rotor are remote from each other, while STEP 2 and STEP 3 show states in which the pole protrusion 5a of the stator and the pole protrusion 3a of the rotor are close to each other. If the winding of a phase A is excited in the direction shown in the drawing when the pole protrusion 5a of the stator and the pole protrusion 3a of the rotor are located in the state shown in STEP 1, the magnetic flux is headed from a corner of the tooth of the pole protrusion 5a of the stator toward a corner of the tooth of the pole protrusion 3a of the rotor, passes along the path indicated by the broken line in the drawing, and flows while being curved. At this time, since the magnetic line of force is in an unstable state, and magnetic attraction acts in a magnetically stable direction in which the magnetic flux flows straightly, the rotor 2 moves in the direction of arrows.
When the rotor 2 reaches the position of STEP 2 which is magnetically most stable, the magnetic attraction ceases to act in the circumferential direction and acts only in the radial direction, so that torque does not occur. Accordingly, by changing over the energizing phase from phase A to phase B, the pole protrusion 5f of the stator and the pole protrusion 3d of the rotor are set in a state of being spaced apart from each other, and produce the magnetically unstable state again, thereby producing a torque. For this reason, the rotor 2 moves in the direction of the arrow shown in STEP 3.
In the above-described manner, the rotor 2 can be rotatively driven by consecutively changing over the energizing phases of the windings in correspondence with the positions of the pole protrusions 3 of the rotor 3. At this time, if it is assumed that the winding current is i, the number of turns is N, the winding inductance is L, and the position of the rotor is .theta., then the torque T which is generated in the range where magnetic saturation does not occur can be expressed by Formula (1): EQU T=1/2.multidot.(N.multidot.i).sup.2 .multidot.dL/d.theta. (1)
Namely, torque is proportional to the square of the winding current and the change in the winding inductance with respect to the position of the rotor. In particular, the change in the inductance is a term which is largely ascribable to the tooth profiles of the pole protrusions 3 of the rotor and the pole protrusions 5 of the stator. That is, to make the torque large, it is desirable to enlarge the salient pole ratio (Lmax/Lmin), i.e., the ratio between the inductance at the position where the teeth of the pole protrusion 3 of the rotor and the pole protrusion 5 of the stator are aligned with each other with respect to the energizing phase (maximum inductance: Lmax) and the inductance at the position where the teeth of the pole protrusion 3 of the rotor and the pole protrusion 5 of the stator are most remote from each other (minimum inductance: Lmin). For this reason, with the conventional reluctance motor, the tooth profile of each of the pole protrusions 3 and 5 has parallel straight sides from the standpoint of improvement of the salient pole ratio.
In addition, FIGS. 20 and 21 show a variable reluctance motor disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 65056/1990. FIG. 20 is a side elevational view schematically illustrating the conventional variable reluctance motor, and FIG. 21 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the stator. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes the rotor shaft; 2 denotes the rotor; 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d denote the pole protrusions of the rotor; 4 denotes the stator; 5a, 5b, and 5c denote the pole protrusions of the stator; 6 denotes the winding; 19a and 19b denote projecting portions; 20 denotes a retaining member; and 21 denotes a retaining portion.
As shown in the drawings, the stator 4 has a plurality of pole protrusions 5 on its inner peripheral side, and the winding 6 is wound around each pole protrusion 5. The rotor 2 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the stator 4, and the plurality of pole protrusions 3 are provided on its outer peripheral side. The retaining members 20 which are formed from an insulating material are respectively retained in such a manner as to straddle the pole protrusions 5, and abut against the windings 6 wound around the respective pole protrusions, so as to prevent the windings 6 from coming of the pole protrusions 5.
In addition, FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the conventional compressor-driving motor. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes the rotor shaft; 2, the rotor; 4, the stator; 6, the winding; and 22, a slotted portion.
The conventional compressor-driving motor is constituted by an induction motor, a permanent magnet-type motor, or the like, and its rotor has the structure of a round cross section, as shown in FIG. 22. For this reason, in the case where the motor is used as the compressor-driving motor, the outer peripheral portion of the stator 4 is not formed with a completely circular shape, but is provided with the slotted portions 22.
The conventional reluctance motor configured as described above has had the following problems.
With the reluctance motor sown in FIG. 18, since the tooth profile of each pole protrusion 5 of the stator has a parallel straight-sided shape, it is difficult to hold the windings 6, and if an attempt is made to increase the space factor of the windings 6, there occurs a failure such as the slipping off of the windings 6 to the inner peripheral side of the stator 4, thereby hampering the improvement of the space factor. Further, if the space factor is made unduly large, the windings 6 bulge to the inner peripheral side of the stator 4, giving rise to the failure such as that it becomes impossible for the rotor 2 to be incorporated on the inner peripheral side of the stator 4. For this reason, with the conventional stator 4 having the straight sides, it has been inevitable to make the space factor of the windings 6 small. Namely, it has been necessary to decrease the wire diameter of the windings 6 or reduce the number of turns. This results in an increase in the winding resistance and an increase in the winding current, so that there have been problems in that the copper loss increases, and the efficiency declines.
In addition, with the reluctance motor shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the projecting portions 19a and 19b, which project in the circumferential direction, are provided at inner peripheral end portions of each pole protrusion 5 of the stator so as to prevent the windings 6 from slipping off by means of these projecting portions 19a and 19b, thereby facilitating the holding of the windings 6. These projecting portions 19a and 19b are provided at all the inner peripheral end portions of the pole protrusions 5 of the stator over the entire axial length.
As described above, the reluctance motor has a double salient pole structure in which both the stator 4 and the rotor 2 have pole protrusions, and it has been clarified through experiments and magnetic-field analysis that, to bring out the torque most effectively, in light of the improvement of the salient pole ratio it is desirable to make substantially equal the dimensions of the tooth width of the pole protrusion 5 of the stator and the groove width of the stator 4 and make substantially equal the dimensions of the tooth width of the pole protrusion 5 of the stator and the tooth width of the pole protrusion 3 of the rotor. However, in the structure of the projecting portions 19a and 19b provided over the entire axial length, the tooth width of the pole protrusion 5 of the stator becomes large relative to the groove width of the stator 4, resulting in a decline in the salient pole ratio necessary for effectively bringing out the torque. Consequently, to obtain the same torque, a greater current is conventionally required, causing an increase in copper loss and deteriorating the efficiency.
In addition, the stator of the compressor-driving motor is provided with the slotted portions 22 in the outer peripheral portion of the stator to secure passages for a refrigerant gas, but these slotted portions 22 makes the core back portion of the stator thin. As a result, the magnetic flux density of the core back portion increases, which deteriorates the magnetic characteristics, resulting in an increase in iron loss.

Reluctance motor and compressor-driving reluctance motor


A circuit for measuring the frequency of an electrical signal includes a detector that senses a reoccurring phase point the electrical signal. A divide-by-M counter is connected to the detector and produces a control signal upon every Mth occurrence of the indication, where M is a positive number greater than one. A clock signal generator is provided. An output counter counts cycles of the clock signal between occurrences of the control signal and divides the count by M to produce an output count that corresponds to the frequency of the electrical signal.

The present invention relates to apparatus which measure the frequency of an electrical signal; and particularly to such apparatus which detect a predefined reoccurring characteristic of the electrical signal.
The frequency of an electrical signal is measured by detecting a given reoccurring characteristic, such as a maximum, minimum or zero crossing point, in the signal waveform. The amount of time the elapses between each occurrence of such a signal characteristic indicates the period of the signal, which parameter corresponds to the frequency.
For example, a sinusoidal signal has two zero crossings per cycle, i.e. one crossing at the beginning of the cycle and another at the mid point of the cycle; of course there is another zero crossing at the end of the cycle when another signal cycle begins. Detecting one zero crossing per cycle can be employed to determine the frequency or the period of the signal.
Circuits have been developed to detect zero crossings of a signal. However, such prior circuits detected every zero crossing and could not distinguish the zero crossing at the beginning of a cycle from the one at the cycle mid point.


An arrangement and method for Turbo processing iterative decoding in a radio receiver comprises receiving a block of data for decoding; decoding a whole block of data to produce a respective decoded output; dividing the received decoded whole block of data into a plurality of sub blocks; producing a determination of whether the decoded output of each of the sub blocks has substantially converged; storing said determination for each of the sub blocks; and further decoding over the whole block of data only sub blocks whose determinations do not indicate substantial convergence.

In the field of this invention it is known that in recent years, iterative decoding has emerged as one of the most promising techniques for improving performance of a communication receiver such as a wireless communication receiver. In an iterative decoding scheme for decoding received transmitted symbols, two receiver modules (e.g., two constituent decoders, equalizer and decoder, multi-user detector and decoder, etc.) are running iteratively while exchanging data. Each decoder module receives an a-priori soft input information and generates an a-posteriori soft output, which serves as an a-priori information to the other decoder module. The quality of the a-priori information improves iteratively until some stopping condition is met.
During the data transmission there will be some data blocks that will be correctly decoded after several iterations, while there will be other blocks that will require more iterations to converge to the error-free result. It is desirable to adopt some method of estimating whether the decoding is correct and to stop the iterations after the method indicates the correct decoding. In this way the average number of iterations, and consequently the average power consumption by the decoding device, can be reduced.
The above method is called 'stopping criteria' for turbo decoding. Several different 'stopping criteria' methods are known:
Cyclic Redunancy Check (CRC) Method
If the encoded blocks contains CRC bits, the cyclic redundancy check is performed after each iteration. If CRC passed, the iterations are stopped. This method:                Provides the best stopping performance—saves up to 70% iterations comparing to 8 iterations decoding for high SNR (signal to noise ratio) without error-correction degradation        CRC check that has to be done anyway is performed by decoding device        Not applicable to blocks without CRC bits        Introduces processing delay (CRC done after each iteration)Cross-Entropy (CE) Method
The cross-entropy between the soft output of the current and the previous iterations is calculated. If the computed value is less than a threshold value the iterations are stopped. This method:                Provides good stopping performance—saves 50%-60% iterations comparing to 8 iterations decoding for high SNR without error-correction degradation        Requires memory to store the previous iteration data (1 word/encoded_bit)        Introduces processing delay (cross-entropy calculation done after each iteration)Sign-Change-Ratio (SRC) Method
The number of sign changes between the extrinsic information of the current and the previous block is calculated. If the number of sign changes is less than a threshold value the iterations are stopped. This method:                Provides good stopping performance—saves 50%-60% iterations for high SNR without error-correction degradation        Requires memory to store the previous iteration data (1 bit/encoded_bit)        Introduces processing delay (SRC done after each iteration)Hard-Decision-Aided (HDA) Method
After each iteration the hard decision on the information bits is done. If the hard decision of the current and the previous block agree, the iterations are stopped. This method:                Provides good stopping performance—similar to CE and SRC methods        Requires memory to store the previous iteration data (1 bit/encoded_bit)        Introduces processing delay (the processing done after each iteration)The LLR (Log Likelihood Ratio) Amplitude Aided (LAA) Method
The absolute value of the amplitude of each extrinsic data is compared to a threshold value. A counter counts the number of times the amplitude exceeds the threshold. At the end of each iteration, the count is compared to a certain threshold. When the count is higher than the threshold, the iterations are stopped. This method:                Provides the simplest criteria for hardware implementation—requires only one comparator and one counter.        Introduces no processing delay.        Provides performance equivalent to CE, SRC and HDA.
However, all these prior art methods have the disadvantage that they work only on a whole block. Iterations will always be done on the whole block even in cases where most of the bits in the block converged to the right solution and only a small fraction of it needs more iterations to converge. This results in a significant waste of processing resources. A need therefore exists for an iterative decoding scheme wherein the abovementioned disadvantage(s) may be alleviated.

Arrangement and method for iterative decoding


The present invention relates to a power amplifier for amplifying an electronic input signal (51) and a multi-band capable frontend with such power amplifier. The power amplifier comprises an amplifier transistor stage (1) having an input (52) and an output (53) and a feedback loop (4) placed between the output (53) and the input (52) of the amplifier transistor stage (1). The feedback loop (4) comprises a capacitor (41) and a resistive element (44) in a RF path and an inductive element (42) in a DC feed path, wherein said resistive element comprises a feedback transistor (45) arranged as variable resistor within the feedback loop, and a bias control circuit (46).

Power amplifiers are widely employed in the telecommunications industry. Telecommunication applications, such as UMTS, WiMAX, high data rate fiber transmission system or microwave systems need power amplifiers that have the ability to amplify wideband signals, e.g. spread spectrum signals in an efficient manner. Since wideband power amplifiers often show gain variations versus the used frequency range, it is difficult to provide the same output power for several frequency bands that shall be covered by the power amplifier.
For example, variable attenuators are used to compensate the gain variations versus frequency.

Power amplifier with controllable feedback loop


The invention provides a transflective liquid crystal display device in which display is bright, with high contrast, and with less dependence on the viewing angle in the transmissive display mode. A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell, the liquid crystal cell including an upper substrate, a lower substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the upper and lower substrates, and a transflective layer on the inner surface of the lower substrate. The liquid crystal display device further includes a first elliptical polarizer elliptical polarized light from the upper substrate being incident on the liquid crystal layer; and a second elliptical polarizer, elliptical polarized light from the lower substrate being incident on the liquid crystal layer. Only the first elliptical polarizer has a liquid crystal film in which a hybrid alignment is fixed.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display device enabling both a reflective mode and a transmissive mode, and an electronic apparatus including the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A transflective liquid crystal display device combining a reflective display mode with a transmissive display mode consumes lower amounts of power and performs clear display regardless of ambient brightness by switching to either a reflective display mode or a transmissive display mode according to ambient brightness.
A related art transflective liquid crystal display device has a structure in which a liquid crystal layer is disposed between an upper substrate and a lower substrate each having a circular polarizer. It has a reflective film formed of metal, such as aluminum, on the inner side of the lower substrate, the film having a slit to transmit light. This reflective film functions as a transflective film. In such a liquid crystal display device, in the reflective display mode, ambient light incident from the side of the upper substrate passes through the liquid crystal layer, is reflected by the reflective film disposed on the inner side of the lower substrate, passes through the liquid crystal layer again, and then is output from the side of the upper substrate. In the transmissive display mode, light from the backlight is incident from the side of the lower substrate, passes through the liquid crystal layer from the slit formed in the reflective film, and then is output from the side of the upper substrate. Therefore, the area in which the slit of the reflective film is formed is a transmissive display area. The area in which the slit of the reflective film is not formed is a reflective display area.
With respect to such a transflective liquid crystal display device, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-31717 discloses a technique to enhance the brightness of display and to achieve display with high contrast and less dependence on the viewing angle in the transmissive display mode. In the technique, with respect to a circular polarizer disposed on the outer side of each substrate, an optical anisotropic element formed of a liquid crystal film in which a nematic hybrid alignment structure is fixed is used as a retardation plate.

Liquid crystal display device and electronic apparatus


A technique is described in which a layer to be transferred is easily peeled and transferred to a transferred body that is pliable or flexible. Also, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device using these peeling and transfer techniques, and electronic equipment fabricated with the semiconductor device is described. A transfer method in which a layer to be transferred formed on a substrate is transferred to a transfer body that is pliable or flexible includes the first step of forming a layer to be transferred on a substrate; the second step of bonding the layer to be transferred formed on the substrate to a transfer body that is pliable or flexible fixed on a fixture; and the third step of peeling the layer to be transferred from the substrate and transferring the layer to be transferred to the transfer body.

Recently, with respect to fabrication of thin film devices provided with thin film transistors (TFTs), thin film diodes (TFDs), etc., techniques have been examined in which a thin film device that is lightweight, excellent in shock resistance and is flexible is fabricated by transferring a thin film element, for example, to a flexible substrate that has flexibility from an original fabrication substrate, in which the thin film element is fabricated.
For example, the applicant has developed a method for transferring a thin film element fabricated on an original fabrication substrate to a flexible substrate that serves as a substrate to be transferred, and for which an application has been applied (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 10-125931). In the method, a thin film element is fabricated on the original fabrication substrate with a peeling layer. Then, it is adhesively bonded on a substrate to be transferred and irradiated with light. As a result, a separation occurs to peel off the original fabrication substrate from the thin film element.
The applicant also has developed a transfer method in which a thin film element is transferred to a temporary transfer substrate (the first transfer body) as the first transfer and then transferred to a second transfer substrate (the second transfer body) as the second transfer. Patents have been applied for relating to this method (Japanese Unexamined Patents 11-26733 and 2001-189460).
With these transfer methods, flexible thin film devices can be fabricated by the following manners: a thin film element that requires high temperature processes and high processing accuracy in fabrications is fabricated on an original fabrication substrate that is excellent in heat resistance and shape stability, and is suitable for fabricating the thin film element; and then the thin film element is transferred on a substrate, for example, such as a resin substrate that is lightweight and is flexible.
However, the flexible thin film device fabricated by using conventional transfer techniques as mentioned above has a disadvantage in that handling is difficult due to an unstable shape while the flexible thin film device is lightweight and flexible. That is, the same method for handling conventional glasses or silicon wafers easily causes mistakes of dropping, etc., in holding or transferring a substrate due to the pliability of the substrates. Particularly, in a case where a thin film device is fabricated in large quantity that is divided into a comparatively small area of approximately from several square millimeters to several square centimeters, it is very difficult to handle each thin film device individually and to conduct inspection or mounting processes promptly.
In addition, transferring a layer to be transferred to a transfer body that is soft (like film) makes a peeling operation difficult. Even if a transfer body that is hard is used as a temporary transfer substrate (the first transfer body), a problem still arises in which the first transfer body is hardly detached from the second transfer body (to which a layer to be transferred is bonded if a substrate to be transferred (the second transfer body) to which the transfer is finally conducted) is composed of a material that has pliability or flexibility such as film, etc.
Also, even if the first transfer body is composed of a material that can be removed by etching etc., for example, a problem arises in which material selection is complicated.

Thin film device supply body, method of fabricating thin film device, method of transfer, method of fabricating semiconductor device, and electronic equipment


A rotor-shaft subassembly (33) is disclosed of the type for use in a Roots blower supercharger. The subassembly includes a rotor (39) mounted for rotation on a driveshaft (41) at forward (49,53) and rearward (57,51) axially spaced-apart locations. The rotor (39) is a cast member with each lobe thereof (61,63,65) defining a hollow chamber (71,73,75). The rotor includes a cylindrical web portion (67) disposed axially between the forward and rearward locations. Each lobe cooperates with the web portion to define a core opening (81,83,85) adapted to facilitate removal of a core from the hollow chamber after completion of the casting process. Each core opening provides open communication between its respective hollow chamber and the shaft bore, and each is disposed axially between the forward and rearward locations, so that after the rotor is press-fit on the shaft, there is no leak path of pressurized air into the hollow chambers.

The present invention relates to rotary pumps, compressors, and blowers, and particularly to blowers of the Roots type. More particularly, the present invention relates to pumps and blowers of the type having rotors non-rotatably attached to their shafts, such as by press-fitting or some other suitable means.
Although the present invention may be used with various types of pumps and blowers, it is especially advantageous when used with a Roots type blower, and will be described in connection therewith.
Rotary blowers of the Roots type typically include a pair of meshed, lobed rotors, with each of the rotors being mounted on a shaft, and each shaft having mounted thereon a timing gear. Rotary blowers, and particularly Roots blowers, which are employed as superchargers for internal combustion engines normally operate at relatively high speeds, typically in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 rpm.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, it is preferable that the rotors mesh with each other, to transfer volumes of air from an inlet port to an outlet port, without the rotors actually touching each other, although it is known to permit certain types of coated rotors to have limited contact. It is now becoming more common to utilize some sort of clutch (typically, electrically operated) disposed between an input pulley and the blower, in order to be able to disengage the blower when its operation is not required. The durability and life of such a clutch, as it engages and disengages the blower, is determined largely by the inertia of the rotors which, in turn, is a function of the size and mass (weight) of the rotor lobes. Typical Roots blowers produced commercially by the assignee of the present invention for use as internal combustion engine superchargers have a lobe radius in the range of about 2 inches (about 5 cm) to about 3 inches (about 7.5 cm).
The desire to reduce the rotating mass, and therefore the inertia, of the rotor lobes has caused those working in the art to attempt to develop rotors which do not have solid lobes, i.e., at least some portion of each lobe is "hollow". In some of the so-called "hollow" rotor designs, the "hollow" portion would be in communication with some portion of the pressurized air, thus creating a leakage path reducing volumetric efficiency. In other attempts at producing hollow lobed rotors, the hollow portion of each lobe was wholly within the lobe, and therefore would not result in a leakage path. However, such rotors were typically of a two-piece type of construction, requiring the addition of either an "endcap" to enclose the hollow chamber, or some sort of plug arrangement. In either case, one result was the need for subsequent, additional machining operations on the rotor, thus making the rotor economically unacceptable.

Rotary pump and rotor-shaft subassembly for use therein


A liquid crystal display device is discussed, which includes a first substrate and a second substrate, which face each other; a liquid crystal layer formed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a column spacer formed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the column spacer is formed within a light-shielding region on the first substrate or the second substrate, and a width of the light-shielding region in the periphery of the column spacer is greater than that of the light-shielding region where the column spacer is not formed. Since the width of the light-shielding region in the periphery of the column spacer is greater than that of the light-shielding region where the column spacer is not formed, even though an alignment film is damaged by the column spacer, light leakage can be prevented from occurring at the damaged portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly, to a liquid crystal display device that can prevent light leakage from occurring.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display device is widely used in various fields of notebook computers, monitors, spacecraft, aircraft, and etc. owing to advantages of low power consumption based on a low driving voltage and portability.
The liquid crystal display device includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the lower and upper substrates. In the liquid crystal display device, an alignment state of liquid crystal molecules is controlled based on whether or not an electric field is applied thereto, and light transmittance is controlled according to the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules, whereby images are displayed thereon.
Hereinafter, a related art liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the related art liquid crystal display device.
The related art liquid crystal display device includes an upper substrate 10, a lower substrate 20, a column spacer 30, and a liquid crystal layer 40.
Black matrixes 12 are formed on the upper substrate 10, and a color filter 14 is formed between the black matrixes 12. An overcoat layer 16 is formed on the color filter 14, and an upper alignment film 18 is formed on the overcoat layer 16.
A device layer 22 including a thin film transistor, a pixel electrode, and a common electrode is formed on the lower substrate 20, and a lower alignment film 24 is formed on the device layer 22.
The column spacer 30 is formed between the upper substrate 10 and the lower substrate 20 to maintain a cell gap of the liquid crystal display device.
The liquid crystal layer 40 is formed between the upper substrate 10 and the lower substrate 20. The liquid crystal layer 40 is arranged depending on an alignment direction of the upper alignment film 18 and the lower alignment film 24 in a state that no electric field is applied between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. An alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer 40 is varied depending on an electric field direction in a state that an electric field is applied between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.
In the aforementioned related art liquid crystal display device, the upper alignment film 18 or the lower alignment film 24 is damaged by the column spacer 30, whereby the alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer 40 is varied. For this reason, a problem occurs in that light leakage is caused. This problem will now be described in more detail.
With the tendency of slimness of the liquid crystal display device, thicknesses of the upper substrate 10 and the lower substrate 20 have been gradually reduced. If the thicknesses of the upper substrate 10 and the lower substrate 20 are reduced, it is likely that the substrates get bent. If the substrates get bent, the column spacer 30 is pressurized and its position may be varied. In this case, the column spacer 30 may damage the upper alignment film 18 or the lower alignment film 24 while moving.
As described above, if the upper alignment film 18 or the lower alignment film 24 is damaged by the column spacer 30, an initial alignment direction of the liquid crystal layer 40 is varied at the damaged position. For this reason, light leakage occurs, whereby quality of the liquid crystal display device is deteriorated.


The invention relates to a microarray structure that may include a substrate material layer, a continuous three-dimensional (3D) surface layer on the substrate material layer that is capable of functionalisation for use as an array, and an inert material. The structure may include accurately defined and functionalisable isolated areas which are millimeter to nanometer in size. The functionalisable areas may be part of the continuous 3D surface layer and may be isolated by the inert material but interconnected within the structure by the continuous 3D surface layer.

There are currently a number of known methods for fabricating arrays. These include printing techniques such as screen printing or ink jet printing, lithographic techniques whereby the array is etched onto a surface, photolithography, direct electrodeposition (deposition of wires), patterning of carbon nanotube/nanofiber arrays and assembly techniques, for example, wires set in an epoxy resin. However, these known methods have a number of limitations. In particular, they are cumbersome to carry out and it is difficult to accurately define the arrays over a large surface area and on the millimeter to nanometer scale. Thus, the resolution of the arrays produced is often poor due largely to that lack of definition. The inability to accurately place sensor sites on such arrays causes problems as qualitative and quantitative measurement is detrimentally affected. In particular, issues of cost arise with the fabrication of nanoscale arrays as, while they can be made, control over definition and cost remain problems which cannot be easily overcome. Economy of scale is a particular issue.
The fabrication of arrays on the millimeter to nanometer scale, particularly on the micrometer to nanometer scale over large surface areas having improved accuracy of definition would be particularly valuable in the areas of sensing, electrochemistry and catalysis. Electrochemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the use of spontaneous chemical reactions to produce electricity, and the use of electricity to bring about non-spontaneous chemical change. In particular, it is the study of aqueous chemical reactions which occur at the interface of an electron conductor such as a metal or a semiconductor (the electrode) and an ionically conducting medium (the electrolyte) and which involve electron transfer between the electrode and the electrolyte or species in solution. Catalysis concerns the creation of a new reaction pathway with a lower activation energy, thereby allowing more reactant molecules to cross the reaction barrier and form reaction products.
In a typical electrochemical detection process it is, in general, preferable to employ an array of smaller electrodes as opposed to a single large electrode. Reasons for this include:                the ability to use smaller sample volumes;        application in both in vivo and in vitro measurement;        low depletion rate of target molecules;        low background charging due to their reduced surface area;        reduced IR drop; and        high current density arising from enhanced mass transport to the electrode surface as a result of convergent diffusion.
Accurately defined arrays would also be valuable for use in:                the analysis of fluids (e.g. biological: blood, urine, milk and non-biological: waste water streams, beverages);        integration with living, biological systems into lab-on-a-chip devices,        in vitro or in vivo biological sensing such as enzyme-linked assays and the detection of many other biomolecules;        catalysis;        trace metal monitoring in the environment;        corrosion monitoring; and        energy production and storage devices.
Co-pending PCT application number PCT/2011/000052 also concerns microarray structures. However, the microarrays as described in PCT/2011/00052 simply include a continuous inert base substrate with functionalisable areas isolated by an inert material. The functionalisable areas are not stated to be conductively interconnected and the structures do not include at least one continuous interconnected layer, separate to the base substrate material and inert material, that allows for improved functional and structural flexibility of the microarrays formed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide arrays including isolated but conductively interconnected functionalisable areas and/or methods of forming such arrays. It is a further or alternative object of the present invention to at least provide the public with a useful choice.


A device for placing a ply on a substrate surface includes a vacuum manifold assembly configured for attachment to a vacuum source and a substrate seal configured to provide a substantially gas impermeable interface with the substrate surface. This device further includes a ply seal configured to provide a substantially gas impermeable interface with the ply. In this manner, vacuum applied to the vacuum manifold assembly depressurizes an area between the ply and the substrate surface.

Laminated materials such as, for example, composites are widely utilized to increase structural rigidity in a wide variety of products. For example, composites are generally utilized by the airplane construction industry to build structural members of airframes. In some of the most advanced aircraft, where high strength and rigidity and low weight are extremely important, composites may account for a significant portion of the airframe as well as the external surface or skin. Typically, these composites are constructed from a plurality of layers placed over a form. These layers are often referred to as partial or full plies. For structures exceeding the available material width, each layer is typically made up of a series of strips or courses of material placed edge to edge next to each other. Each ply may be in the form of woven fibers in a fabric, unidirectional fiber material or a variety of other conformations. Unidirectional fiber material is often termed, "tape." The fibers may be made from any of a multitude of natural and/or "man-made" materials such as fiberglass, graphite, Kevlar®, and the like.
While these plies may simply include the above described fibers, generally the plies are pre-impregnated with a resin. Resins are typically formulated to allow the ply to adhere to the form as well as to previously applied plies. If some plies do not adequately adhere to their respective substrate, such as the previously applied plies or the form, internal and/or external surface imperfections. Accordingly, in order to facilitate proper adhesion, pressure is typically applied to the plies during and/or after ply placement.
For relatively small items, a press may be employed. For example, some known presses utilize a vacuum debulking table. In such arrangements, following placement of the plies, the part, referred to as a layup, is placed on the debulking table, a membrane is placed over the layup, and a pump is employed to remove the air from the layup. As the layup is depressurized, a compressive force is applied by the atmospheric pressure and air within the layup is removed. However, as the size of the layup increases and/or permeability of the layup decreases, the use of debulking tables tends to become undesirably expensive and cumbersome.
For relatively larger items, a rolling press may be employed. For example, in some known rolling presses, tape is dispensed from a dispensing head and then pressed on the substrate surface with a compaction roller. While the exact amount of force exerted by the roller depends upon a variety of factors, 100 Kg or more is often utilized in certain applications. In order to exert this relatively large force while accurately placing plies, substantial support and guidance structures are generally required. Another disadvantage of such known rolling presses is that a correspondingly substantial support is required for the form in order to withstand the force exerted by the roller. These and other disadvantages associated with the relatively large forces employed by rolling press systems greatly increase the costs of producing composite items.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus capable of overcoming the disadvantages described herein at least to some extent.

Vacuum assisted ply placement shoe and method


The present disclosure is directed to a relay. The relay includes a frame and a header seal assembly base having contacts and a return spring. The relay also includes an armature assembly which engages the return spring. The armature assembly has at least one actuator. The relay further includes a core assembly located on the armature assembly. The core assembly has an end engaging the frame. The relay also includes a coil shim having a cutout section. The coil shim is connected to the frame and the cutout section engages the armature assembly when the relay is in the de-energized state. The coil shim has an opening for accepting the core assembly. The relay also includes a coil engaging the coil shim. The coil has an opening for accepting the core assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to an electromechanical relay and, more particularly, to an RF relay with high insertion loss repeatability.
2. Description of the Background
Ultraminiature electromechanical relays are used in many test equipment circuits, instrumentation circuits, communication circuits, attenuator circuits, RF signal pulse generator circuits, tower mount amplifier bypass circuits, and other applications where signals are at low power levels and high frequencies. In such applications, it is expected that a relay's radio frequency (RF) insertion loss value is repeatable over the applied signal frequency range. Thus, when the system which contains the relay is calibrated to an RF insertion loss value at some frequency, it is expected that the RF insertion loss value of the signal path through the relay shall be the same value or repeat within an acceptable maximum deviation on subsequent operation of the device in which the relay is incorporated. General purpose direct current (DC) ultraminiature electromechanical relays were not specifically designed to handle RF signals and thus do not provide repeatable RF output signals through the relay signal path for the applicable frequency band with high reliability.
The relevant art has incorporated coil shims in relays with tall frames and long coils to provide structural support for the motor assembly components. Relevant art relays with short frames and short coils do not include coil shims. However, the coils shims were not added with the express purpose of improving the RF performance of the relays. The relevant art has also incorporated a cutout section in the coil shim of relays with tall coils near the forward actuator bead end of the armature when the relays are in the de-energized state. Such cutout sections are not bent and are used as identification marks.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a relay 10 from the relevant art. The relay 10 is shown in its de-energized state, i.e. when no voltage is applied across coil 12. The relay 10 includes a stop component 14 which is welded to the top side of a header seal assembly base 16. The stop component 14 limits the clockwise rotation, or downward movement, of an armature assembly 18 in the relay 10. When the coil 12 is de-energized, the armature 18 rests on the stop component 14. The stop component 14 may be adjusted up or down to vary the gap between the armature 18 and a motor assembly frame pole face 20. The moment arm from a fulcrum edge 21 of a core assembly 19 to where the stop component 14 is located is larger than the moment arm from the fulcrum edge 21 of the core assembly 19 to the point where a return spring 17 pushes against the armature 18. Thus, the normal force at the stop component 14 to the corresponding armature 18 location is relatively small.
The relay 10 has the disadvantage that it does not have significant reliability of RF signal repeatability over the frequency range of low frequencies to frequencies of 3 GHz and above because the relay does not provide an effective ground circuit for RF signals when it is in the de-energized state. RF signals which travel along the path of moving contacts 15 and upper stationary contacts 13 radiate, or leak out of the path. The radiation causes signal losses at random, resulting in non-repeatability of the relay's RF insertion loss characteristics during operation. Thus, there is a need for a relay that has an RF insertion loss value which is repeatable over the applied signal frequency range.


Disclosed is a vacuum preventing device including a housing engaged to one side of an outer circumference portion of a fixed scroll to divide the area into a discharge region and a suction region, a chamber formed in the housing and having a compression hole connected to a compression region at one side therein, a suction hole connected to a suction region at the other side therein, and a discharge hole connected to a discharge region at a middle side therein, an open/close member is movably installed in the chamber to selectively connect the discharge hole to the suction hole, and an elastic member is installed in the chamber to provide an elasticity force to the open/close member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scroll compressor, and more particularly, to a vacuum preventing device for a scroll compressor in which gas in a discharge region flows backward to a suction region at the time of an abnormal driving such as when pump is down or when an expansion valve is blocked, thereby preventing a vacuum of the compressor.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, a compressor is a device for converting mechanical energy into latent energy of a compression fluid. Generally they can be classified as a reciprocation compressor, a scroll compressor, a centrifugal compressor, and a vane compressor based upon the compression method.
The scroll compressor has a structure such that gas is taken-in, compressed, and discharged by using a rotation member, such as the centrifugal type and the vane type, differently from the reciprocating type which uses a linear reciprocation of an open/close member.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an inner part of the conventional scroll compressor.
As shown, the scroll compressor comprises: a case 1 divided into a gas suction tube SP and a gas discharge tube DP; a main frame 2 and a sub frame (not shown) respectively installed at both upper and lower portions of an inner circumference surface of the case 1; a driving motor 3 installed between the main frame 2 and the sub frame; a rotation shaft 4 engaged with a center portion of the driving motor 3 for transmitting a rotation force of the driving motor 3; an orbiting scroll 5 installed to have an eccentric rotation at an upper portion of the rotation shaft 4 and having a wrap 5a of an involute curve shape at the upper portion thereof; and a fixed scroll 6 fixed to an upper portion of the main frame 2, engaged to the orbiting scroll 5, and having a wrap 6a of an involute curve shape so as to form a plurality of compression spaces P therein.
The case 1 is divided into a suction region S1 and a discharge region S2 by a high and low pressure separation plate 7, and a compression region S3 is formed at a position connected to the compression space P.
A gas inlet 6b and an outlet 6c are respectively formed at a lateral surface and a center portion of the fixed scroll 6, and a non-return valve 8 for preventing discharged gas from flowing backward is installed at an upper surface of the fixed scroll 6.
The main frame 2 and the sub frame are fixed to the inner circumference surface of the case 1 by a fixation means such as welding, and the fixed scroll 6 is also fixed to a bottom surface of the high and low pressure separation plate 7 by a fixation means such as a bolt.
Meantime, in case that a pump is down and an expansion valve blockage, the suction region S1 of the compressor becomes a high vacuum state. As a result, components of the compressor may be damaged and destroyed.
To prevent this problem, a vacuum preventing device 20 is provided in the conventional art.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation during normal driving, of the vacuum preventing device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an operation during abnormal driving of the vacuum preventing device of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the vacuum preventing device 20 includes a chamber 10 formed at one side of the fixed scroll 6, and a discharge hole 11 connected to the discharge region S2 at an upper surface of the chamber 10.
A compression hole 12 connected to the compression region S3 is formed at a bottom surface of the chamber 10, a plug 14 having a suction hole 13 is fixed to an opening portion of the chamber 10 by a fixation pin 15, and the suction hole 13 is connected to the discharge hole 11.
An open/close member 17 for selectively connecting the discharge hole 11 and the suction hole 13 is movably installed in the chamber 10.
A spring 16 for limiting a movement of the open/close member 17 and providing an elasticity force thereto is installed at the opening portion of the chamber 10.
Hereinafter, operations of the conventional scroll compressor will be explained.
First, when a power source is applied to the driving motor 3, the driving motor 3 rotates the rotation shaft 4, and the orbiting scroll 5 engaged to the rotation shaft 4 is rotated to an extent of its eccentric distance.
At this time, a plurality of compression spaces P formed between the wrap 5a of the orbiting scroll 5 and the wrap 6a of the fixed scroll 6 gradually move towards a center portion of the fixed scroll 6 as the orbiting scroll 5 continuously performs an orbiting movement, thereby causing a decreased volume.
By the decreased volume of the compression spaces P, gas of the suction region S2 is taken into the compression space P through the inlet 6b, and the taken gas is discharged to the discharge region S2 through the outlet 6c.
When the compressor is normally driven (FIG. 2), a pressure of the compression region is larger than an elasticity force of the spring 16, so that the open/close member 17 overcomes the elasticity force of the spring 16 and shields (i.e., abstracts) the discharge hole 11.
However, when the compressor is abnormally driven (FIG. 3), a pressure of the compression region is smaller than the elasticity force of the spring 16, so that the open/close member 17 is moved by the elasticity force of the spring 16 and opens the discharge hole 11. At this time, the discharge hole 11 is connected to the suction hole 13.
As the discharge hole 11 and the suction hole 13 are connected to each other, gas of the discharge region S2 flows backward into the suction region S1 through the discharge hole 11 and the suction hole 13, thereby releasing a vacuum of the compressor.
Moreover, in the conventional art, since the vacuum preventing device is formed in the fixed scroll, a fabrication cost is expensive and a strength of the fixed scroll is degraded, thereby easily destroying the fixed scroll at the time of an operation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vacuum preventing device for scroll compressor


A planar light source device includes a light source section having a plurality of light emitting diodes as a light source, and a light guiding plate guiding light from the light source section to emit planar light. The light emitting diodes being turned off detect the quantities of light from the other light emitting diodes, and adjust the quantities of light emission of the other light emitting diodes based on the detected quantities of light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to planar light source devices and display devices using the same, and particularly to planar light source devices using light emitting diodes and display devices using the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
As a planar light source device having a light emitting diode (LED) as a light source, a backlight of a liquid crystal display device used in a personal computer and the like has been conventionally well known. This planar light source device includes a light guiding plate for confining light, and a light source section. The light guiding plate is made of resin that is transparent and has a high refractive index, such as polycarbonate resin or acrylic resin. A light emission section is formed by mounting a plurality of LEDs on a substrate, and is arranged on opposite side surfaces of the light guiding plate.
In order to obtain stabilized luminance with this device, it is further required that a sensor be used to measure the quantities of light from the LEDs, and the quantities of light emission of the LEDs be adjusted by utilizing the results of measurements. For this reason, a planar light source device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-260572 (1999) has a particular optical sensor provided on the end face of a light guiding plate, to adjust the quantities of light emission of LEDs serving as a light source by utilizing the results detected by the sensor.
When using LEDs as a light source like the planar light source device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-260572, the outputs of the LEDs have strong temperature dependence, causing chromaticity and luminance to vary with a change in ambient temperature. The temperature dependences of LED outputs vary depending on colors of red (hereafter also indicated as R), green (hereafter also indicated as G), and blue (hereafter also indicated as B). Accordingly, a problem is encountered in the emission of white light by using LEDs of the three colors R, G and B such that a white balance varies with a change in ambient temperature. The light emission characteristics of LEDs vary among LEDs of the same color as well. Further, the life characteristics of LEDs also vary depending on the colors, so the range of variation in light emission characteristics of LEDs grows wider among the colors due to age deterioration.
In order to solve the above-discussed problems, the particular optical sensor detects variations in chromaticity and luminance of the LEDs caused by temperature changes and age deterioration, and the quantities of light emission of the LEDs are adjusted based on the detected results in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-260572. It has thus been required of conventional planar light source devices to include an additional particular optical sensor.
However, the provision of an additional particular optical sensor for a planar light source device involves increases in component count and the number of steps of the device, increasing the manufacturing cost. Further, the addition of an optical sensor, which is expensive in itself, increases the cost for the planar light source device itself.

Planar light source device and display device using the same


The invention provides a display panel 9; a gain variable liquid crystal driving circuit 10 for driving the display panel 9; a backlight operating circuit 6 for operating, based on a lamp control signal, a backlight 8 for illuminating the display panel 9; a level extension signal calculating circuit 11 for outputting an optical output level extension signal Lout by extending a predetermined output level used to operate the backlight 8; and a white peak improving circuit 5 for receiving the optical output level extension signal, and for outputting a lamp control signal, whose white peak level has been adjusted according to a change in brightness of a scene and for calculating and outputting a video amplitude gain as a coefficient to a gain variable driving amplifier circuit 3, wherein the lamp control signal is outputted when the brightness of a scene is above normal level, and the video amplitude gain is outputted when the brightness is at normal level.

In recent years, various types of liquid crystal color displays have been developed and marketed. One of the important goals in achieving better display quality in liquid crystal displays is to improve white peak in a bright scene and contrast in a dark scene.
In one conventional method of improving contrast in a dark scene, a gain is calculated from the peak level of a video signal during predetermined intervals of time, and the output level of light is reduced and the amplitude of the video signal is extended according to the calculated gain, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Nos. 102484/1994 (Tokukaihei 6-102484; published on Apr. 15, 1994), 109317/1999 (Tokukaihei 11-109317; published on Apr. 23, 1999), and 65528/1999 (Tokukaihei 11-65528; published on Mar. 9, 1999), for example. With this method, contrast can be improved in a bark scene without varying display brightness.
FIG. 13 illustrates a conventional liquid crystal display device with improved contrast in a dark scene.
The liquid crystal display device includes, for example, a peak level detecting circuit 201, a gain calculating circuit 202, an amplitude modulating circuit 203, an optical output control circuit 204, a backlight operating circuit 205, a liquid crystal driving circuit 206, a backlight 207, and a liquid crystal panel 208.
The peak level detecting circuit 201 receives a video signal and outputs a peak level. The gain calculating circuit 202 receives the output peak level from the peak level detecting circuit 201 and outputs a gain.
The output gain of the gain calculating circuit 202 is supplied to the amplitude modulating circuit 203 and the optical output control circuit 204. The amplitude modulating circuit 203, having received the output gain and a video signal, outputs an amplitude-modulated video signal, so as to drive the liquid crystal panel 208 through the liquid crystal driving circuit 206. The optical output control circuit 204, having received the output gain of the gain calculating circuit 202, outputs a backlight control signal for controlling the brightness of the backlight 207, so as to operate the backlight 207 through the backlight operating circuit 205.
Described below is one exemplary operation of the liquid crystal display device improving contrast in a dark scene.
First, in response to an input video signal, the peak level detecting circuit 201 detects a peak level during certain intervals of time, for example, such as a vertical synchronous period, and outputs the detected peak level to the gain calculating circuit 202. In response, the gain calculating circuit 202 calculates a gain value.
For example, the gain value is 0.5 when the peak value of the video is half the 100IRE value (i.e., 50IRE), and is 1.0 when the peak value of the video is 100IRE. The gain value calculated in the gain calculating circuit 202 is supplied to the amplitude modulating circuit 203 and the optical output control circuit 204. In the amplitude modulating circuit 203, the amplitude of the video signal is divided by the gain value. In the optical output control circuit 204, a normal control signal for operating the backlight 207 is multiplied by the gain value to obtain a new control signal for the backlight 207. Note that, "100IRE" is an input signal when the video is white. Accordingly, when the peak value of the video is 100IRE, it means that the peak value of the input video signal during certain intervals of time is the highest gradation level of white.
With this method, when the peak of the video signal is 50IRE for example, the amplitude of the video signal is doubled and the brightness of the backlight 207 is reduced in half. The end result of this is that the number of gradations in the video signal is doubled and contrast is improved in a dark scene, without varying display brightness.
That is, the method does not change the overall display brightness because the multiplication of the control signal of the backlight 207 by the gain value is offset by the division of the video signal by the gain value.
A magazine article "Improve Image Quality of Liquid Crystal Panel by Controlling Luminance of Light Source" (Nikkei Electronics, Nov. 15, 1999, No. 757, pp. 139–146) suggests that improved white peak luminance can be achieved by increasing the overall image brightness. The article suggests that this can be accomplished by extending the control signal for the backlight in such a manner that the output luminance of the backlight is maximized not to the level of normal operating conditions but to the level allowed by the rating of the backlight. However, a problem of this conventional method whereby white peak luminance is improved, for example, by uniformly extending the control signal for the backlight is that the output video appears brighter than the input video in a dark scene, as compared with setting the maximum luminance at normal level.
For example, when the control signal for the backlight is extended 1.2 times, the maximum luminance becomes 1.2 times greater than its normal level, thereby improving white peak luminance. However, in this case, the minimum luminance is also increased 1.2 times, causing the phenomenon of pale black display. That is, a dark scene appears bright.
Further, in this case, since the improved peak luminance is accompanied by a proportional increase in minimum luminance, the dynamic range remains unchanged from the level set by a normal luminance.
It should be noted here that a wider dynamic range can be obtained when a dark scene is displayed at a minimum luminance without the extended gain value, and when a bright scene is displayed with a peak luminance with the extended gain value.
Another drawback of the foregoing method is that the extension of the gain value that multiplies the control signal for the backlight increases the inflow of a current into the backlight, with the result that power consumption is increased. Further, improvement of white peak luminance requires a process by which display brightness is increased from its normal level.
Turning back to the prior art shown in FIG. 13, display brightness does not change, and there accordingly will be no deterioration of display quality even when contrast is improved by, for example, doubling the amplitude of a video signal and reducing the brightness of the backlight in half. This contrasts to the foregoing magazine article, which, in order to improve peak luminance, requires the output video to be brighter than the input video. That is, the improvement of peak luminance is accompanied by a change in display brightness from its original level, which may lead to deterioration of the input video in terms of display quality.
The present invention was made in view of the foregoing problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a display apparatus that improves peak luminance in a bright scene and suppresses pale black display in a dark scene and thereby provide a wide dynamic range without increasing power consumption.


In one embodiment, in an execution pipeline having a plurality of execution subunits, a method of using a bypass network to directly forward data from a producing execution subunit to a consuming execution subunit is provided. The method includes producing output data with the producing execution subunit, consuming input data with the consuming execution subunit, for one or more intervening operations whose input is the output data from the producing execution subunit and whose output is the input data to the consuming execution subunit, evaluating those one or more intervening operations to determine whether their execution would compose an identify function, and if the one or more intervening operations would compose such an identity function, controlling the bypass network to forward the producing execution subunit's output data directly to the consuming execution subunit.

A micro-processor may include a processing pipeline to allow multiple instructions to be processed simultaneously. More particularly, a micro-processor may include an execution pipeline having multiple execution subunits to allow multiple instructions to be executed simultaneously. Due to this temporal overlap, data flow through a load/store portion (e.g., memory locations) of the execution pipeline may cause data dependences between some instructions.
In one example, data dependencies may be detected as early as a decode stage of the processing pipeline by a scheduler. Depending on when data is available in the load/store portion and when that data is needed for consumption in an execution subunit, the scheduler can send data from the load/store portion through a bypassing network to the execution subunit, or the scheduler can stall execution of the instruction until the data is available in the load/store portion. In either case, some time (e.g., one or more clock cycles) may pass while waiting for the data to become available for use in the load/store portion of the execution pipeline. Accordingly, in some cases, data may not be available for use as quickly as desired.


A hair brush applicator for applying flowable hair care products such as hair conditioner and styling gel to the hair of a user. The hair brush applicator includes a hair brush with a handle portion and a head portion. The handle portion of the hair brush has a chamber therein. The head portion of the hair brush has a plurality of bristles outwardly extending from the front face of the hair brush. The bristles of the head portion comprise a plurality of narrow bristles and a plurality of wide bristles. Each of the wide bristles is tubular and has an open root coupled to the head portion and terminates at a closed tip. The hair brush has a passage therein fluidly connecting the chamber adjacent the neck portion to the open roots of the wide bristles. Each of the wide bristles has a plurality of lateral apertures positioned between the root and tip of the respective wide bristle. The hair brush has a rotatably mounted disk blocking the passage of the hair brush. The disk has a plurality of bores therethrough. The disk is rotatable to permit selective alignment of each of the bores of the disk with the passage of the hair brush to fluidly connect the chamber to the wide bristles through the aligned bore.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hair care product applicators and more particularly pertains to a new hair brush applicator for applying flowable hair care products such as hair conditioner and styling gel to the hair of a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of hair care product applicators is known in the prior art. More specifically, hair care product applicators heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,522; U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,501; U.S. Pat. No. 2,228,213; U.S. Pat. No. 2,279,708; U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,963; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 256,294.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new hair brush applicator. The inventive device includes a hair brush with a handle portion and a head portion. The handle portion of the hair brush has a chamber therein. The head portion of the hair brush has a plurality of bristles outwardly extending from the front face of the hair brush. The bristles of the head portion comprise a plurality of narrow bristles and a plurality of wide bristles. Each of the wide bristles is tubular and has an open root coupled to the head portion and terminates at a closed tip. The hair brush has a passage therein fluidly connecting the chamber adjacent the neck portion to the open roots of the wide bristles. Each of the wide bristles has a plurality of lateral apertures positioned between the root and tip of the respective wide bristle. The hair brush has a rotatably mounted disk blocking the passage of the hair brush. The disk has a plurality of bores therethrough. The disk is rotatable to permit selective alignment of each of the bores of the disk with the passage of the hair brush to fluidly connect the chamber to the wide bristles through the aligned bore.
In these respects, the hair brush applicator according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of applying flowable hair care products such as hair conditioner and styling gel to the hair of a user.


A lens includes a depth of field (“DOF”) range and a macro range. The macro range is distinct and separate from the DOF range. The macro range is a near field relative to the DOF range. The DOF range provides a first field of view (“FOV”) while the macro range provides a second FOV that is smaller than the first FOV within the DOF range. The lens transfers sharpness from a peripheral viewing region within the macro range into a central viewing region within the macro range.

In optics, the depth of field ("DOF") is the range between the nearest object and the furthest object in the scene that appears acceptably sharp in the image. A lens can only precisely focus on a single depth within a scene, as such sharpness gradually decreases on either side of the focus distance. Objects that fall within the depth of field are considered to have acceptable sharpness.
Some cameras have a variable focus lens while others have a fixed-focus lens. A variable focus lens enables the camera to translate its depth of field to focus on objects at variable distances from the camera. A fixed-focus camera does not have this ability and therefore has a non-translatable depth of field. Variable focus lenses are typically more bulky and more expensive than fixed-focus lenses and often include auto-focus circuitry with an actuator to move the lens system back and forth to achieve the best focus at a large range of object distances. Auto-focus introduces a number of disadvantages such as an increase in cost, size, weight, power consumption, and focus latency as the optical components are moved.
A fixed-focus lens of a fixed-focus camera typically has a depth of field biased towards the far field (e.g., greater than 1 m). This means that the fixed-focus camera typically does not have a macro-capability to focus on the near field (objects positioned close to the camera). For example, a picture taken of a book positioned at typical reading distances ends up unsatisfactorily blurry.
At least one technology exists for extending the depth of field of a fixed-focus camera and is aptly referred to as Extended Depth of Field ("EDOF"). This technology uses lenses designed to purposefully have large longitudinal chromatic aberration. FIG. 1A illustrates an example EDOF lens 100. As illustrated, the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) wavelengths are focused to different focal points by EDOF lens 100. Doing so extends the depth of field of EDOF lens 100 compared to standard lenses, which typically strive to minimize chromatic aberration to reduce image blurriness.
The mean transfer function ("MTF") is a measure of sharpness after a ray of light passes through an optical system. An MTF of 1.0 means that the ray of light loses no sharpness after passing through the optical system. FIG. 1B illustrates a demonstrative MTF curve 101 of a standard lens system and a demonstrative MTF curve 102 of an EDOF lens system. As illustrates, the EDOF technique operates to broaden MTF curve 102 while slightly lowering the MTF within the DOF. In essence, the EDOF transfers sharpness along the object distance axis (depth axis extending from the lens system towards the object) from outside the EDOF to within the EDOF, but in so doing slightly lowers the overall MTF value.
In order to obtain an acceptably sharp image when using an EDOF lens, significant post processing steps, to convert the chromatically dispersed image into a sufficiently clear image, are required. Thus, EDOF cameras consume greater power relative to a conventional fixed-focus lens and can be more expensive due to the additional post processing circuitry. Because of the required post processing, an EDOF lens can only be used with an EDOF image sensor capable of performing the post processing functionality. When designing camera systems, an EDOF lens limits the designer's image sensor options.

Fixed focus camera with lateral sharpness transfer


The present invention is directed to a compound of the following formula: ##STR1## pharmaceutical compositions containing the same and the use thereof as an anticonvulsant.

The predominant application of anticonvulsant drugs is the control and prevention of seizures associated with epilepsy or related central nervous system disorders. Epilepsy refers to many types of recurrent seizures produced by paroxysmal excessive neuronal discharges in the brain; the two main generalized seizures are petit mal, which is associated with myoclonic jerks, akinetic seizures, transient loss of consciousness, but without convulsion; and grand mal which manifests in a continuous series of seizures and convulsions with loss of consciousness.
The mainstay of treatment for such disorders has been long-term and consistent administration of anticonvulsant drugs. Most drugs in use presumably exert their action on neurons, glial cells or both of the central nervous system. The majority of these compounds are characterized by the presence of at least one amide unit and one or more benzene rings that are present as a phenyl group or as part of a cyclic system.
Much attention has been focused upon the development of anticonvulsant drugs. As a result many such drugs have been prepared. For example, the hydantoins, such as phenytoin, are useful in the control of generalized seizures and all forms of partial seizures. The oxazolidinediones, such as trimethadione and paramethadione, are used in the treatment of nonconvulsive seizures. Phenacemide, a phenylacetylurea, is one of the anticonvulsants employed today. However recently, much attention has been focused on diazepines and piperazines. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,002,764 and 4,178,378 to Allgeier, et al. disclose esterified diazepine derivatives useful in the treatment of epilepsy and other nervous disorders. U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,543 to Nakanishi, et al. describes a thieno 2,3-e! 1,4! diazepine compound also having anticonvulsant activity and other depressant activity. U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,516 to Heckendorn, et al. relates to triazole derivatives which exhibit anticonvulsant activity and are useful in the treatment of epilepsy and conditions of tension and agitation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,974 to Fish, et al. discloses a pharmaceutical formulation containing an aliphatic amino acid compound in which the carboxylic acid and primary amine are separated by three or four units. Administration of these compounds in an acid pH range is useful in the treatment of convulsion disorders and also possess anxiolytic and sedative properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,729 to Kohn, et al. discloses compounds and pharmaceutical compositions having central nervous system (CNS) activity which are useful in the treatment of epilepsy and other CNS disorders having the formula: ##STR2## wherein
R is hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, aryl, aryl lower alkyl, heterocyclic, heterocyclic lower alkyl, lower alkyl heterocyclic, lower cycloalkyl, lower cycloalkyl lower alkyl, and R is unsubstituted or substituted with at least one election withdrawing group or election donating group;
R.sub.1 is hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, aryl lower alkyl, aryl, heterocyclic lower alkyl, heterocyclic, lower cycloaklyl, lower cycloalkyl lower alkyl, each unsubstituted or substituted with an electron donating group or an electron withdrawing group;
R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, aryl, aryl lower alkyl, heterocyclic, heterocyclic lower alkyl, lower alkyl heterocyclic, lower cycloalkyl, lower cycloalkyl lower alkyl, or Z-Y, wherein R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 may be unsubstituted or substituted with at least one electron withdrawing group or electron donating group:
Z is O, S, S (O).sub.a, NR.sub.4, PR.sub.4 or chemical bond;
Y is hydrogen, lower alkyl, aryl, aryl lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, halo, heterocyclic or heterocyclic lower alkyl, and Y may be unsubstituted or substituted with an electron donating group or an electron withdrawing group, provided that when Y is halo, Z is a chemical bond; or
ZY taken together is NR.sub.4 NR.sub.5 R.sub.7, NR.sub.4 OR.sub.5, ONR.sub.4 R.sub.7, OPR.sub.4 R.sub.5, PR.sub.4 OR.sub.5, SNR.sub.4 R.sub.7, NR.sub.4 SR.sub.7, SPR.sub.4 R.sub.7, PR.sub.4 SR.sub.7, NR.sub.4 PR.sub.5 R.sub.6, ##STR3##
R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are independently hydrogen, lower alkyl, aryl, aryl lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, or lower alkynyl, wherein R.sub.4, R.sub.5, and R.sub.6 may be unsubstituted or substituted with an electron withdrawing group or an electron donating group;
R.sub.7 is R.sub.6, COOR.sub.8 or COR.sub.8 ;
R.sub.8 is hydrogen, lower alkyl or aryl lower alkyl and the aryl or alkyl group may be unsubtituted or substituted with an electron withdrawing group or an electron donating group;
n is 1-4 and
a is 1-3.
Unfortunately, despite the many available pharmacotherapeutic agents for the treatment of epilepsy, a significant percentage of the population with epilepsy still suffers from this malady. Moreover, none of the drugs presently available are capable of achieving total seizure control and most have disturbing side effects. Clearly, current therapy has failed to fully control these debilitating diseases.
These shortcomings of these drugs on the market has prompted the present inventor to find new drugs having anticonvulsant properties. The present invention provides novel compounds exhibiting CNS activity, particularly anticonvulsant activity, which are useful for treating epilepsy and other CNS disorders.


The invention relates to a projectile firing device used on a platform and comprising at least two tubes integral with a base.

1. Field of Invention
The technical scope of the invention is that of devices enabling projectiles to be fired from a platform.
2. Description of Related Art
Known devices comprise one or several tubes integral with a base, each tube being intended to receive at least one projectile as well as a propellant charge enabling said projectile to be expelled.
It is thus known for turrets to be made for cannons, which are mobile in traverse (that is to say around a vertical axis) and in elevation (with respect to a horizontal axis). Cannon turrets are more often than not implemented on armored vehicles and are generally able to swivel in traverse around 360°.
The elevation swiveling capacity is, however, more like 50° at most for a medium-calibre anti-aircraft cannon turret.
It is known to implement multi-tube devices to ensure the scattering of mines. These devices comprise at least two rows of multi-tube bases, able to move only in elevation, and positioned on either side of a platform integral with a specific vehicle.
The maximum swiveling capacity in elevation of these platforms is of 45° at most.
The vehicles thus implemented have been designed to rapidly lay large-sized mine fields. They are over-sized with respect to present-day needs, namely in terms of urban combat. Moreover, they are not suited to the rapid installation of small clusters of anti-tank mines, namely used to obstruct a passing place.
Moreover, for future military engineering vehicles it will be necessary to have launchers able to fire different types of projectiles, lethal or not, as may be selected or required.

Abstract: This device is characterized in that the base is mounted able to swivel on a turret around a first, substantially horizontal axis, such swiveling controlled by first drive means, the turret being able itself to pivot with respect to the platform around a second substantially vertical axis and being controlled by second drive means, the horizontal swiveling being made on either side of a median position in which the tubes are oriented with their axes substantially vertical.


A system for modulating a temperature of one or more fuel cells in a fuel cell stack includes a catalytic combustor in heat exchange relationship with the fuel cell stack. The catalytic combustor promotes an exothermic reaction. A hydrogen source selectively supplies hydrogen (H2) to the catalytic combustor. The H2 reacts with oxygen (O2) in the exothermic reaction. In one feature, the catalytic combustor lies adjacent to the fuel cell stack and includes a series of catalyst coated flow channels. In another feature, the catalytic combustor includes a plate having a catalyst layer and that is offset from the fuel cell stack. Heat to radiates from the catalytic combustor to the fuel cell stack. In still another feature, a jacket encloses the fuel cell stack to form a gap between the jacket and the fuel cell stack through which hot exhaust from the catalytic combustor circulates.

Fuel cell systems are increasingly being used as a power source in a wide variety of applications. Fuel cell propulsion systems have also been proposed for use in vehicles as a replacement for internal combustion engines. The fuel cells generate electricity that is used to charge batteries and/or to power an electric motor. A solid-polymer-electrolyte fuel cell includes a membrane that is sandwiched between an anode and a cathode. To produce electricity through an electrochemical reaction, a fuel, commonly hydrogen (H2), is supplied to the anode and an oxidant, such as oxygen (O2) is supplied to the cathode. The source of the oxygen is commonly air.
In a first half-cell reaction, dissociation of the hydrogen (H2) at the anode generates hydrogen protons (H+) and electrons (e−). The membrane is proton conductive and dielectric. As a result, the protons are transported through the membrane. The electrons flow through an electrical load (such as the batteries or the electric motor) that is connected across the membrane. In a second half-cell reaction, oxygen (O2) at the cathode reacts with protons (H+), and electrons (e−) are taken up to form water (H2O).
For optimum operation, defined as high power output and quick power delivery, fuel cells need a certain operating temperature. Heat generated through the electrochemical reaction increases the operating temperature of the fuel cell. Excess heat is dissipated through a cooling system.
At sub-freezing temperatures (e.g. below 0° C. or 273K), however, starting the fuel cell quickly is more difficult due to frozen water in the fuel cell and the fact that the electrochemical reaction rate in the fuel cell is significantly reduced. This limits current flow and further heating of the fuel cell to the optimum operating temperature.

Apparatus and method for stack temperature control


An outside mirror for a vehicle includes a generally planar member, a supporting member rigidly secured to the generally planar member and a vibrator rigidly secured to the supporting member. A space is provided between the generally planar member and the supporting member. The supporting member and the generally planar member have a similar coefficient of linear expansion in order to reduce the stress applied to the generally planar member and lessen the distortion of the planar member.

This invention relates to an outside mirror for a vehicle which sustains a clear rear view in spite of foreign substances such as rain drops, ice and frost.
Referring to FIG. 8, a conventional outside mirror will be explained. By way of example, Japanese Utility Model Laid Open Application No. 01-113069 published on Jul. 28, 1989, discloses such a conventional outside mirror. The outside mirror includes a mirror member 104, a supporting member 105 fixed to the mirror member 104 by a connecting member 151, and a piezoelectric vibrator 102 fixed to the supporting member 105. The connecting member 151 provides a space between the supporting member 105 and the mirror member 104. The mirror member 104 can be resonated by oscillating the vibrator 102 and the supporting member 105. Rain drops, ice, frost, and other foreign substances can be removed from the mirror member 104 due to the resonance vibration on the mirror member 104.
However, in the conventional outside mirror, if the supporting member 105 is made from an undesirable material, the supporting member 105 may stress the mirror member 104 due to variations in temperature. If the stress from the supporting member 105 is transferred to the mirror number 104, the reflecting image may be distorted.
Further, if the supporting member 105 is made from an undesirable material, the supporting member 105 may absorb oscillations of the vibrator 102. If the supporting member 105 absorbs the oscillations of the vibrator 102, rain drops, ice, frost or other foreign substances cannot be quickly removed from the mirror member 104.

Outside mirror for vehicle including a vibrator fixed to a one-piece supporting member separate from a holder member


There is provided a method for suspending roller tappets in an internal combustion engine without removal of the cylinder head and gasket. The rocker arm assembly is removed. Each push rod is then removed and replaced with tappet suspension tool to engage a corresponding roller tappet. A suspension tool guide bar is then installed to connect to the tappet suspension tools. The roller tappets are then simultaneously moved to a raised position away from the camshaft forming a clearance between the roller tappets and camshaft bearings. The roller tappets are then secured in the raised position by a securing block. The camshaft can then be removed from the engine block. Alternatively, the rear half of the front cover can be removed by first removing the idler gears, followed by removal of the camshaft, and last removing the rear half of the front cover from the engine case.

This invention relates generally to repair methods for internal combustion engines. More particularly, this invention relates to equipment and methods for installing and removing a camshaft or other engine components without removal of the cylinder head.
In the course of engine repair and maintenance, defective or obsolete engine components are removed and replaced with new or similar engine components. The repair process typically requires the removal and subsequent reinstallation of other auxiliary or associated engine components due to limited space in the engine compartment of a vehicle. The repair process is many times time consuming, cumbersome, difficult and oftentimes expensive.
For example, the repair or replacement of an engine camshaft or rear half of a front cover typically requires the removal of the cylinder head and cylinder head gasket along with other engine components. Existing repair methods for replacing a camshaft require the removal of the cylinder head, and attached gasket, to gain access to the roller tappets which sit on the camshaft lobes. The roller tappets are then removed which allow removal of the camshaft. Further, not only must the cylinder head and cylinder head gasket be removed but a new cylinder head gasket must be used when reinstalling the cylinder head on the engine case or block. This is the case, since the cylinder head gasket is always damaged in removal process. Moreover, existing methods of repairing or replacing a camshaft or a rear half of the front cover, including removal and reinstallation of the cylinder head and new gasket, are time consuming (e.g., a typical time is on the order of 1.5 man-hours) which leads to higher repair costs.
Accordingly, there is a need for more efficient and cost effective method that does not require the removal of the cylinder head or cylinder head gasket, for the removal or replacement of internal combustion engine components, such a camshaft or a rear half of a front cover.
The present invention provides a method for suspending roller tappets (also know as cam followers or valve lifters) in an internal combustion engine without removing the cylinder head and cylinder head gasket. The suspension of the roller tappets in the engine allow for the simplified removal and replacement of front engine components such as a camshaft or the rear half of a front cover among others. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of removing the rocker arm assembly or assemblies on the engine. Next, each push rod is removed and replaced with a corresponding tappet suspension tool to thereby engage a top portion of corresponding roller tappet. A suspension tool guide bar is then installed such that the plurality of tappet suspension tools are connected and can then be simultaneously moved in unison. All roller tappets are then moved to or suspended in a raised position above the camshaft, via movement of the suspension tool guide bar, thereby forming a clearance between the roller tappets and camshaft bearings. Next, the roller tappets are secured in the raised position by installing securing blocks between the suspension tool guide bar and the engine case. This method can be used for removal of a camshaft or the front half of a front cover.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the method can be used to replace the camshaft in an engine without removing the cylinder head and cylinder head gasket. This method uses the steps just described plus the additional the step of removing the camshaft from the engine block. The replacement camshaft can be installed by following the steps in reverse order.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the method can be used to replace the rear half of a front cover, without removing the cylinder head and cylinder head gasket. This method uses the steps just described plus the additionalsteps of removing the idler gears, removing the camshaft from the engine case, and finally removing the rear half of the front cover from the engine case. A rear half front cover can then be installed by following the steps in reverse order.
The following drawings and description set forth additional advantages and benefits of the invention. Other advantages and benefits will be obvious from the description and may be learned by practice of the invention.

Method for roller tappet suspension in an internal combustion engine for removal of a camshaft or other components

International Engine Intellectual Property Company, L.L.C.