High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods and systems are disclosed that combine sequential, serial injection of a plurality of samples into mobile-phases supplied in parallel to two or more chromatographic columns, such that staggered, parallel separation of the plurality of samples is effected. Because injection of samples is relatively fast as compared to separation, substantial efficiencies are gained with respect to overall sample throughput. The disclosed HPLC methods and systems are preferably applied in connection with combinatorial chemistry, combinatorial material science and more particularly, combinatorial synthesis and screening of polymeric materials.

The present invention generally relates to liquid chromatography, and specifically, to high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods and systems for rapidly separating and/or characterizing a plurality of samples. The invention particularly relates, in a preferred embodiment, to hybrid parallel-serial HPLC methods and systems for separating and/or characterizing a combinatorial library comprising different polymers.
Liquid chromatography is generally well known in the art. High-pressure liquid chromatographic techniques involve injection of a sample into a mobile-phase that flows through a chromatographic column, separation of one or more components of the sample from other components thereof in the chromatographic column, and detection of the separated components with a flow-through detector. Approaches for liquid chromatography typically vary, however, with respect to the basis of separation and with respect to the basis of detection.
Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), a well-known form of size exclusion chromatography (SEC), is a frequently-employed chromatographic technique for separation of samples generally, and for polymer size determination in particular. Another chromatographic separation approach is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,310 to Frxc3xa9chet et al. and involves the use of a porous monolithic stationary-phase as a separation medium within the chromatographic column, combined with a mobile-phase composition gradient. Other separation approaches are also known in the art, including for example, normal-phase (e.g., adsorption) chromatography and reverse-phase chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, hydrophilic interaction chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, among others.
After separation, a detector can measure a property of the sample or of a sample componentxe2x80x94from which one or more characterizing properties, such as molecular weight can be determined as a function of time. Specifically for polymers, for example, a number of molecular-weight related parameters can be determined, including for example: the weight-average molecular weight (MW), the number-average molecular weight (Mn), the molecular-weight distribution shape, and an index of the breadth of the molecular-weight distribution (MW/Mn), known as the polydispersity index (PDI). Other characterizing properties, such as concentration, size (e.g. for particles or polymers), architecture, chemical composition and/or chemical composition distribution can likewise be determined. A variety of continuous-flow detectors have been used for measurements in liquid chromatography systems. Common flow-through detectors include optical detectors such as a differential refractive index detector (RI), an ultraviolet-visible absorbance detector (UV-VIS), or an evaporative mass detector (EMD)xe2x80x94sometimes referred to as an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). Additional detection instruments, such as a static-light-scattering detector (SLS), a dynamic-light-scattering detector (DLS), and/or a capillary-viscometric detector (C/V) are likewise known for measurement of properties of interest.
Broadly available liquid chromatography systems are not entirely satisfactory for efficiently screening larger numbers of samples. With respect to polymers, for example, high-performance liquid chromatographic techniques can typically take up to an hour for each sample to ensure a high degree of separation over the wide range of possible molecular weights (i.e., hydrodynamic volumes) for a sample. Notably, however, substantial improvements in sample throughput have been achieved in the art. For example, rapid-serial approaches for characterizing polymers have been developed by Symyx Technologies, Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) and disclosed in the aforementioned co-pending U.S. patent applications from which the present application claims priority. As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,450 to Yoshida et al. discloses rapid-serial protocols and systems for preparation, purification and separation of small molecules such as catecholamines and protaglandins from biological samples such as blood.
Parallel approaches for liquid chromatography have also been contemplated in the art. Zeng et al., Development of a Fully Automated Parallel HPLC/Mass Spectrometry System for the Analytical Characterization and Preparative Purification of Combinatorial Libraries, Anal. Chem. 70, 4380-4388 (1998), disclose analytical and preparative HPLC methods and systems involving the sequential preloading of samples onto two chromatographic columns, and then applying a mobile-phase in parallel to each of the columns to effect parallel separation of the samples. According to an alternative approach disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,481 to Zambias et al., parallel separation of a plurality of molecules is effected by forming a mixture of selected, compatible molecules, and subsequently resolving the mixture sample into its component molecules by separation in a single-channel HPLC system. Parallel approaches have likewise been employed in other separation protocols, such as capillary electrophoresis. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,934 to Gilby et al.
Although such parallel approaches and systems have been generally contemplated, there nonetheless exists a need in the art for improving such approaches and systems with respect to overall sample throughput and/or quality of data. Moreover, with the development of combinatorial materials science techniques that allow for the parallel synthesis of libraries comprising a vast number of diverse industrially relevant materials, and especially polymeric materials, there is a need for HPLC methods and systems to rapidly characterize the properties of samples from such combinatorial libraries.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide HPLC systems and protocols having a higher overall sample throughput, and in preferred applications, employing such systems and protocols for characterizing combinatorial libraries of material samples such as polymer samples, and particularly, libraries of or derived from reaction mixtures such as polymerization product mixtures, to facilitate the discovery of commercially important materials such as polymeric materials, catalysts, polymerization conditions and/or post-synthesis processing conditions.
Briefly, therefore, the present invention is directed to methods for separating and characterizing components of a plurality of samples with a high-performance liquid chromatography system. According to one preferred method, a mobile phase is supplied (e.g., pumped) in parallel through each of first and second chromatographic columns of a liquid chromatography system. First and second samples are serially injected into the mobile phase of the first and second chromatographic columns, respectively. At least one sample component of the injected first and second samples is then separated from other sample components thereof in the respective chromatographic columns. Preferably, in applications to analytical chromatography, a property of at least one of the separated sample components of the first and second samples is detected. A property of interest can then be determined from the detected property (e.g., by correlation to known standards for the property of interest).
The invention is also directed to several preferred variations of the aforedesribed method. In one preferred variation, four or more different samples are serially and distributively injected into a mobile phase being supplied in parallel to four or more chromatography columns. In another preferred variation of such method, ten or more different samples are serially loaded into an injection system (and preferably into an injector such as an injection valve), and then serially and distributively injected through a multi-port switching valve into one of the mobile phases being supplied in parallel to four or more chromatography columns. In each of the aforementioned methods, the number of parallel chromatographic channels is preferably at least four of more, and the number of samples (e.g., polymer samples) is preferably at least ten or more (and in some cases forty or more). In particular, for polymer screening, the invention is advantageously combined with rapid serial approaches applied in one or more of the parallel chromatographic channels.
The invention is directed as well to a liquid chromatography system useful for rapid separation and/or characterization of a plurality of samples. The system includes two or more chromatographic columns, and two or more supply conduits for providing parallel fluid communication between a liquid mobile-phase source and the two or more chromatographic columns, respectively. The liquid chromatography system also includes an injection system for serially and distributively injecting a plurality of samples into a liquid mobile phase supplied to the two or more chromatographic columns. The injection system comprises an injector and a multi-port switching valve. The injector has a sample-loading port (e.g., an injection port) for receiving a plurality of samples, and has a sample-discharge port for discharging the plurality of samples under pressure to the switching valve. The injector is preferably a multi-loop injection valve of the type known in the art. The switching valve has an inlet port and two or more selectable outlet ports. The inlet port of the switching valve is in fluid communication with the sample-discharge port of the injector, and is in selectable fluid communication with the two or more selectable outlet ports. The two or more selectable outlet ports are themselves in fluid communication with the two or more chromatographic columns, respectively, such that the injection system can serially and distributively inject the plurality of samples into the parallel-supplied mobile phase of the two or more chromatographic columns. A control system is preferably used to control the switching valvexe2x80x94that is, to control which of the two or more selectable outlet ports are in fluid communication with the inlet port. The system can also include one or more detectors having a flow cell in fluid communication with the chromatographic column effluentxe2x80x94for detecting a property of the plurality of samples or sample components. The system can also include an autosampler for loading the samples into the loading port/injection port of the injector.
In preferred embodiments, the system is a high-performance liquid chromatography system comprising four or more chromatographic columns, or eight or more chromatographic columns configured in parallel with respect to the mobile-phase flow through the columns. The system also preferably includes one or more microprocessors and one or more associated control systems or sub-systems for controlling the autosampler, injector, multi-port switching valve, and detectors, as well as the one or more pumps that supply the mobile-phase to the chromatographic columns.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to other applications of the aforementioned methods and systems for evaluating interactions between a plurality of liquid samples (e.g., samples dissolved in, dispersed in or emulsified in a liquid phase) and one or more solid materials or supported materials. Inverse chromatography with the single-injection/parallel mobile phase system is exemplary. More generally, however, the methods and systems of the invention can be applied to study solid/liquid interactions without regard to whether or not separation is effected.
The present invention provides substantial advantages over known approaches for parallel liquid chromatography systems. High overall throughput is achieved with a HPLC system involving time-based resolution of sample components without compromising data quality. In particular, the present invention overcomes limitations associated with the system disclosed by Zeng et al.xe2x80x94involving sequential pre-loading of the sample onto two columns, and subsequently initiating mobile-phase flow in parallel through the columns to effect parallel separation. Comparatively, the instant methods and system are more accurate and reproducible, since the methods and systems of Zeng et al.xe2x80x94inherently require an equilibration period once mobile-phase flow is initiated. Moreover, the instant methods and systems can be used with a broader range of detectorsxe2x80x94especially detectors that would be sensitive to or incompatible with the variation in mobile-phase flow (e.g., evaporative light scattering detectors (ELSD)), as well as with a broader range of rapid-serial techniques, such as overlaid injection, that require or advantageously employ continuous mobile-phase flow. Additionally, the prior art methods are inherently limited with respect to sample throughput. The time spent for stop-flow loading of samples onto or into the columns cannot, a priori, be used for separation, and as such, adversely affects the speed and overall throughput. Moreover, the interruption of flow cannot occur while the preceding sample is resident in the detector (e.g., in the flow cell) without adversely affecting the detector output for that sample. The systems of the instant invention are also comparatively more robust, since the chromatographic columns of the invention are not necessarily subjected to repeated mechanical stresses associated with stopping and initiating the mobile-phase flow.
Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be in part apparent to those skilled in art and in part pointed out hereinafter. All references cited in the instant specification are incorporated by reference for all purposes. Moreover, as the patent and non-patent literature relating to the subject matter disclosed and/or claimed herein is substantial, many relevant references are available to a skilled artisan that will provide further instruction with respect to such subject matter.

Apparatus for parallel high-performance liquid chromatography with serial injection


The present invention provides delivery systems for and methods of delivering conduction protein genetic material to cardiac cells in localized areas of the heart to improve the conductance therein. More specifically, there is provided a system and method for delivering connexin proteins or nucleic acid molecules encoding connexin proteins to a site in the heart which has been determined by mapping procedures to have a conduction disturbance. For cases where conduction is impaired, selected genetic material is delivered to cells around the disturbance area, in order to enhance overall conductivity patterns; in other cases, genetic material is selected to slow conduction in affected areas, so as to prevent, e.g., brady-tachy syndrome.

The conduction system of the human heart is normally automatic, resulting in the contraction of the atria and ventricles by means of electrical impulses that originate in cardiac tissue. The cardiac cycle is separated into the contraction phase (systole) and relaxation phase (diastole). Although the rhythm of the cardiac cycle is intrinsic, the rate of this rhythm is modified by autonomic nerves and hormones such as epinephrine. The autonomic nervous system is comprised of parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves which release neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and norepinephrine, respectively.
The natural pacemaker of the human heart is located in the posterior wall of the right atrium in a small area, approximately 2 by 5 by 15 mm, referred to as the sinoatrial node (SA node). The SA node initiates the cardiac cycle of systole and diastole phases by generating an electrical impulse that spreads over the right and left atria, causing them to contract almost simultaneously. This electrical impulse, referred to as the pacemaker potential, is created by the depolarization of the myocardial cells of the SA node, which results from changes in membrane permeability to cations. When the cell membrane is depolarized to about −30 mV, an action potential is produced. This impulse then passes to the atrioventricular node (AV node), which is located on the inferior portion of the interatrial septum. The impulse then continues through the atrioventricular bundle, referred to as the bundle of His, which is located at the top of the interventricular septum. The bundle of His divides into right and left branches which lead to the right and left ventricles respectively. Continuous with both branches of the bundle of His are the Purkinje fibers, which terminate within the ventricular walls. Stimulation of these fibers causes the ventricles to contract almost simultaneously and discharge blood into the pulmonary and systemic circulatory systems.
Abnormal patterns of electrical conduction in the heart can produce abnormalities of the cardiac cycle and seriously compromise the function of the heart, sometimes being fatal. For example, patients having such cardiac conduction disturbances may suffer from sick sinus syndrome (SSS), "brady-tachy syndrome," bradycardia, tachycardia, and heart block. Artificial pacemakers are often used in patients which suffer from these cardiac conduction disturbances.
In SSS, the conduction problem relates to, inter alia, intermittent reentry of the electrical impulse within the nodal tissue, sometimes resulting in rapid heart beats. A dual chamber pacemaker is often used to sense atrial activity and control the ventricle at the appropriate rate.
In some congenital diseases such as "brady-tachy syndrome," bradycardia, a slow rate of impulse, and tachycardia, a rapid rate of impulse, occur intermittently. The disease can be fatal where long pauses allow premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) to occur in multiples, initiating tachycardia. A pacemaker and/or cardioverter can be used to control episodes of tachycardia, and conventional demand type pacemakers have long been effective in treating bradycardia.
Excessive delay or failure of impulse transmission in abnormally slow impulse conduction is known as heart block. Heart block is often caused by scar tissue disrupting the conduction system. The cardiac impulse is believed to normally spread from the SA node along internodal pathways to the AV node and ventricles within 0.20 seconds. Heart block occurs in three progressively more serious stages. In first-degree heart block, although all impulses are conducted through the AV junction, conduction time to the ventricles is abnormally prolonged. In second-degree heart block, some impulses are conducted to the ventricles, whereas some are not. In third-degree heart block, no impulses from the natural pacemaker are conducted to the ventricles. This results in a slower ventricular contraction rate. The rate of contraction in this case is usually determined by the rate of the fastest depolarizing His-Purkinje cell distal from the block site. Typically, heart rates in third-degree block are in the 20 to 60 bpm range, but can also be as low as zero in some cases.
Arrhythmias resulting from cardiac conduction disturbances can be treated with a variety of drugs that inhibit specific aspects of the cardiac action potentials and inhibit the production or conduction of impulses along abnormal pathways. Drugs used to treat these arrhythmias block the fast Na+ channels (quinidine, procainamide, lidocaine), block the slow Ca++ channel (verapamil), or block β-adrenergic receptors (propranolol).
The cardiac conduction system, or electrical activation of the heart, involves the transfer of current, in the form of chemical ion gradients, from one myocardial cell to another. Conductive proteins in cardiac cells facilitate this transfer of current. Individual cardiac cells express a plurality of gap junction channel proteins, through which ions traverse. The intercellular channels of gap junctions are assembled from individual membrane-spanning connexin proteins, several of which have been cloned and sequenced in mammals. These proteins facilitate the transfer of ions from cell to cell and are responsible for electronic coupling of cells. Saffitz, et al., J. Card. Electrophys., 1995, 6, 498-510.
Connexin proteins comprise a family of related proteins and include, for example, Cx43 (Fishman, et al., J. Cell Biol., 1990, 111, 589-598), and Cx40 and Cx45 (Kanter, et al., J. Mol. Cell Cardiol., 1994, 26, 861-868). Cx43 appears to be the most abundant connexin in the heart, with expression in the ventricle and atrial myocardium, and distal bundle of His and Purkinje fibers, while being absent from the SA node, AV node, and proximal bundle of His. Gourdie, et al., J. Cell Sci., 1993, 105, 985-991, and Davis, et al., J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., 1994, 24, 1124-1132. Cx40 is most abundantly expressed in the atrial myocardium, and in the distal bundle of His and Purkinje fibers, while present at reduced levels in the ventricular myocardium, and the nodes. Gourdie, et al., J. Cell Sci., 1993, 105, 985-991, and Davis, et at, J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., 1994, 24, 1124-1132. Cx45 is moderately expressed in the ventricle and atrial myocardium, and distal bundle of His and Purkinje fibers, while present at lower levels in the SA node, AV node, and proximal bundle of His. Gourdie, et al., J. Cell Sci., 1993, 105, 985-991, and Davis, et al., J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., 1994, 24, 1124-1132. Cx43 and Cx40 connexins are relatively fast conductive proteins, whereas Cx45 is a relatively slow conductive protein.
Gene therapy has recently emerged as a powerful approach to treating a variety of mammalian diseases. Direct transfer of genetic material into myocardial tissue in vivo has recently been demonstrated to be an effective method of expressing a desired protein. For example, direct myocardial transfection of plasmid DNA by direct injection into the heart of rabbits and pigs (Gal, et al., Lab. Invest., 1993, 68, 18-25), as well as of rats (Ascadi, et al., The New Biol., 1991, 3, 71-81), has been shown to result in expression of particular reporter gene products. In addition, direct in vivo gene transfer into myocardial cells has also been accomplished by directly injecting adenoviral vectors into the myocardium. French, et al., Circulation, 1994, 90, 2415-2424, and PCT Publication WO 94/11506.
It has long been desired to effectively treat conduction pathway abnormalities. To this end, conventional procedures including drug therapy, pacemaker technology, or a combination thereof, have been employed. In contrast to these therapeutic procedures, Applicants' invention is directed to treating and/or correcting disturbances in the cardiac conduction pathway by using delivery systems to deliver conduction protein genetic material into myocardial tissue. In patients with cardiac conduction disturbances, it is desirable to locate the problematic area within the heart, and either treat the problematic cells to restore proper cardiac conduction or enhance the cardiac conduction of normal cells surrounding the problematic area. For example, in a patient with heart block, a tract of normal, healthy cells surrounding the scar in the ventricle, which is causing the heart block, is identified and treated by expressing cardiac conduction proteins, such as, for example, gap junction proteins to impart a faster or otherwise enhanced conduction system. In this case, the block can be effectively bridged, or shunted, resulting in a QRS of a width intermediate between a normally conducted beat and a PVC.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for genetically treating cardiac conduction disturbances


A front cover for a portable electronic device, such as a tablet computer, includes a plurality of panel sections and a plurality of hinges formed in the front cover. Each panel section is separated from another by a hinge. This front cover can be folded along the hinges to act as stand for the portable electronic device. This stand can support the device in various working and viewing angles, for both portrait and landscape orientations.

This invention relates to accessories for electronic devices and more specifically to cases for portable electronic devices and electronic tablets.
With each new generation, portable electronic devices provide greater functionality and have more capabilities. These portable electronic devices allow people to play and record music, send and receive e-mail, send text messages, browse Web pages, make phone calls, play and record video, take and view pictures, edit documents, and much more. These devices continue to revolutionize the way people interact, learn, connect with other people, conduct business, and find things. They help people manage their daily lives and can be a source of entertainment. These devices can be used to store valuable information including personal information (e.g., phone numbers, financial information, private photos or videos, and favorite music tracks).
Typically these devices are intended to be carried or moved about. As such, these devices are more vulnerable to damage as compared to non-portable devices. These devices are more likely to be accidentally dropped, hit, or scratched. Some types of damage may be cosmetic (e.g., scratch). However, other types of damage may ruin or limit the functionality of the device. Often these devices contain sensitive and fragile components (e.g., screen, camera lens, flash, processors, accelerometers, and sensors). Accidentally dropping the device could render various features unusable.
Protective cases are used to protect these devices from possible damage. It is desirable that these cases allow users to use the functionality of their devices, while devices remain in their cases. Cases can also be used to enhance the functionality and capabilities of the device.
Therefore, there is a need for cases for portable electronic devices that will protect the devices, while at the same time enhance the functionality and usability of the devices.


A label peeling mechanism has a peeling member for peeling adhesive backed labels from a backing member of a continuous label strip. A conveying unit conveys the continuous label strip to the peeling member. A discharge frame has a discharge opening for discharging the adhesive backed labels peeled by the peeling member from the backing member of the continuous label strip. A slack preventing member integral with the discharge frame suppresses slack of the continuous label strip as the adhesive backed labels are peeled by the peeling member from the backing member of the continuous label strip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a label peeling mechanism for a continuous label strip and to a label printer apparatus using the label peeling mechanism. More specifically, the present invention relates to a label peeling mechanism by which a continuous label strip obtained by provisionally attaching multiple adhesive label pieces to the front surface of a sheet-shaped backing strip and winding the backing strip with the label pieces to a roll shape is conveyed, and the label pieces are peeled and separated from the backing strip at a predetermined position. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique with which it is possible to suppress slack in the conveyed continuous label strip.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been used a label printer apparatus that uses a continuous label strip (hereinafter referred to as the "label sheet") obtained by provisionally attaching label pieces (hereinafter simply referred to as the "labels") to the front surface of a sheet-shaped backing strip and winding the backing strip with the labels to a roll shape, and that performs predetermined printing on each label.
As an example of a print scheme used by this apparatus, such as a thermal print scheme can be named with which a printable surface made of a thermal coloring layer is formed on the front surface of each label and printing is performed on the label by a thermal head abutted against the printable surface. After information, such as characters or a barcode, representing a trade name or a price is printed on the printable surface of the label, the label is peeled from the backing strip and is stuck on an article, such as a commodity product, through the adhesive underside thereof.
If printed labels are peeled one by one by manual work, this consumes much time and effort, and there occurs an inefficiency problem. In particular, in the case of labels for commercial use, it is required to peel many labels in a short period of time, so that if this peeling operation is manually conducted, the inefficiency problem becomes prominent.
In view of this problem, there has been devised a mechanism for automatically peeling printed labels.
Such a label peeling mechanism and a label printer apparatus provided with the mechanism are disclosed in prior art documents such as JP 11-171155 A, JP 06-40443 A, Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3040855, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. Hei 05-86808, and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. Hei 03-75114.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic construction of a label printer provided with a conventional label peeling mechanism disclosed in the above prior art documents.
In FIG. 5, a roll-shaped label sheet Y obtained by provisionally attaching multiple adhesive labels L to the front surface of a sheet-shaped backing strip D at predetermined intervals and winding the backing strip D with the labels L is contained in a label printer P.
After the label sheet Y is drawn out, the underside of the backing strip D is abutted against a platen roller 10 serving as a first conveying unit, and the label sheet Y is nipped between the platen roller 10 and the surface of a thermal head H serving as a print unit. Then, the label sheet Y is conveyed in the direction of an arrow S1 (upward direction on the paper plane of FIG. 5).
Above the platen roller 10, a rod-shaped peeling pin 30 serving as a label peeling member that peels the labels L from the backing strip D is provided so as to extend in the widthwise direction of the label sheet Y. Then, the label sheet Y makes a U-turn around the peeling pin 30 and is conveyed in the direction of an arrow S2 (downward direction).
Obliquely below the peeling pin 30, a peeling roller 20 serving as a second conveying unit is provided so as to contact the peripheral surface of the platen roller 10 and to rotate by following rotation of the platen roller 10. Finally, the backing strip D, from which the labels L have been peeled, is nipped between the peeling roller 20 and the platen roller 10 and is discharged in the direction of an arrow S3.
Here, reference symbol F2 denotes a frame constituting a discharging opening 600, through which the conveyed backing strip D is discharged, and the like.
Next, there will be described a principle by which the labels L of the label sheet Y are peeled from the backing strip D by the peeling pin 30.
The peeling pin 30 is selected so as to have a diameter smaller than those of the platen roller 10 and the peeling roller 20, and the label sheet Y is pulled so as to make a sharp U-turn around the peeling pin 30 in the direction of an arrow S2 that is approximately opposite to the conveying direction S1. Here, a paper piece constituting each label L is thicker and stiffer than the backing strip D, so that when the conveying direction is changed and the label sheet Y makes the U-turn along the perimeter of the peeling pin 30, only the backing strip D is conveyed in the S2 direction and the labels L are peeled and separated from the surface of the backing strip D due to their own stiffness (see the broken line L′).
That is, after the label sheet Y is conveyed by the platen roller 10 in the S1 direction and is subjected to predetermined printing by the thermal head H, the backing strip D is pulled in the S2 direction from the peeling pin 30 by the platen roller 10 and the peeling roller 20. As a result, the labels L are automatically peeled from the backing strip D.
By the way, in order to prevent the labels L from strongly adhering to the front surface of the backing strip D, the surface energy of the front surface of the backing strip D is lowered by, for instance, applying a resin thereto. Consequently, when the backing strip D is nipped between the platen roller 10 and the peeling roller 20 and is pulled in the S2 direction, a skid (freewheeling) may occur on the peripheral surface of the peeling roller 20 that slidably contact the front surface of the backing strip D.
When such a skid occurs, a difference is caused between the speed, at which the label sheet Y is conveyed in the S1 direction by the platen roller 10, and the speed at which the backing strip D is conveyed in the S2 direction by the platen roller 10 and the peeling roller 20. Consequently, slack in the printed label sheet Y occurs between the platen roller 10 and the peeling pin 30, which results in an inconvenient state where the label sheet Y floats up in the direction of an arrow B as shown in FIG. 5.
As a result of the slack in the label sheet Y, there occurs the state shown in FIG. 5 where the printed label sheet Y is spaced from the peripheral surface of the peeling pin 30 and there occurs a phenomenon where there is reduced the angle at which the label sheet Y makes a U-turn around the peeling pin 30 in the S2 direction. Consequently, there occurs a problem that the labels L are not peeled by the peripheral surface of the peeling pin 30 and are conveyed along with the backing strip D in the S2 direction.
In order to prevent such peeling failure of the labels L, it is required to eliminate the slack in the label sheet Y by manually pulling the end portion of the backing strip D in the S3 direction. Alternatively, a mechanism for driving the peeling roller 20 may be additionally provided, for instance. With this construction, the peeling roller 20 is rotated at all times in the direction of an arrow K1 shown in FIG. 5 and tension is applied to the label sheet Y. In this case, however, there occurs a problem that the construction becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost is increased.

Label peeling mechanism for continuous label strip, and label printer apparatus using the mechanism


A Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) solution is provided to mobile devices having multi-constellation, multi-frequency (MCMF) functionality, in which a single base station may have a baseline much farther than traditional base station and where the high accuracy positioning is achieved in a relatively short period of time. To enable this, embodiments involve modeling of an ionosphere-free carrier phase corresponding to combinations of at least three signals received from one or more satellites. The modeling retains the integer nature of carrier phase ambiguities, thereby allowing for fast convergence in determining the integer ambiguity of the carrier phases.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to high accuracy positioning of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver by using multi-frequency Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) measurements.
High-accuracy positioning can provide significant value to various modern-day applications for mobile devices. For example, not only is it helpful to have meter-level positioning to determine the lane of the road in which a vehicle is located for autonomous driving applications, it is further helpful to have sub-meter-level positioning to determine where, within the lane, the vehicle is located. Consumer-grade GNSS receivers now offer quality carrier phase measurements, with multi-constellation, multi-frequency (MCMF) functionality. When used with RTK correction, these receivers can provide this type of high-accuracy positioning.

Multi-frequency real-time kinematic (RTK) measurements for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers


Disclosed are a process and an apparatus for using an olefin as an azeotropic entrainer to isolate a target organic compound from a waste stream. The olefin may be, for example, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, or 1-tetradecene. The target organic compound may be 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in waste stream comprising a 2,2′-oxybis(1-chloropropane).

1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (DCP) is a di-functional raw material that may be useful in various processes. It may be prepared by chlorination of glycerin (K. Kawahata, Y. Awano, Y. Hara, Japanese Patent Publication No. JP2010047492 (2010)), and is an intermediate in the production of epichlorohydrin, useful for the manufacture of epoxy resins, from glycerin (E. Van der Graaf, L. Gonclaves de Mendonca Filho, WO2010102368 (2010); D. Shi, X. Che, Z. Shen, Y. Song, L. Fu, P. Dong, J. Jin, Q. Zhou, B. Gao, Chinese Patent CN101805243 (2010); W. Fan, C. Kneupper, S. Noormann, R. Patrascu, B. Hook, C. Lipp, M. Cloeter, H. Groenewald, United States Patent Application No. 2010/029960 (2010)). As part of the isomeric mixture of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol and 2,3-dichloro-1-propanol mixture obtained by chlorohydroxylation of allyl chloride with hypochlorous acid, reaction of DCP with base generates epichlorohydrin (M. Spadlo, A. Brzezicki, J. Dula, T. Wilusz, W. Madej, A. Gorzka, E. Oknińska, T. Koziel, J. Wasilewski, Polish Patent PL176853 (1999); D. Shi, Y. Song X. Che, P. Dong, B. Gao, Chinese Patent CN101712661 (2010)).
Reaction of epichlorohydrin with hydrogen chloride produces primarily DCP, with a trace of the 2,3-isomer and other by-products (M. Spadlo, M. Adamczyk, A. Brzezicki, J. Dula, K. Giza, A. Gorzka, W. Madej, G. Masztalerz, E. Oknińska, Z. Pokorska, M. Stajszczyk, Z. Zawiski, Polish Patent PL163256 (1994); H. Schmidt-Neuhaus, DE1210774 (1966)).
One low cost source of DCP is the distillation residue from a propylene oxide/propylene glycol process. Functionalization of propylene by hydrochlorination to generate propylene oxide and propylene dichloride also generates epichlorohydrin as a by-product. Following recovery of the epichlorohydrin and other products by distillation, a waste stream, often referred to as the Crude PDC Bottoms, remains. Although the accessible amount of epichlorohydrin has been recovered from this waste stream, it still contains residual epichlorohydrin and other by-products.
The residual epichlorohydrin in the Crude PDC Bottoms can be converted to DCP by reacting with hydrogen chloride. However, the isolation and purification of the DCP generated is difficult due to an azeotrope formation of DCP with 2,2′-oxybis(1-chloropropane), one of the major by-products of the propylene oxide/propylene glycol waste stream. An azeotrope is a mixture of two or more liquids in such a ratio that its composition cannot be changed by simple distillation, because when the solution is boiled, the vapor that results has the same ratio of constituents as the original liquid mixture. This may be because the boiling point temperature of the azeotrope is less than the boiling point temperatures of any of its constituents (a positive azeotrope) or because the boiling point temperature of the azeotrope is greater than the boiling point temperatures of any of its constituents (a negative azeotrope). Traditional heterogeneous azeotropic distillation requires an additional column for entrainer recovery. Alternative methods of conventional distillation are time-consuming and costly. A need exists, therefore, for a simplified and economic processes and apparatuses for isolating DCP from the 2,2′-oxybis(1-chloropropane)-containing Crude PDC Bottoms waste stream.

Apparatus and process for using olefin as an azeotropic entrainer for isolating 1,3-DICHLORO-2-propanol from a 2,2′-oxybis (1-chloropropane) waste stream


A conductor is disposed within an area where electric coupling and magnetic coupling take place between the conductor and a device-under-test (DUT) in at least a portion of frequency band width, and the value of composite currents that is outputted in a plurality of directions different from each other against the DUT, is measured. Based on the measured plurality of values of the composite currents, the first electric current due to electric coupling between the DUT and the conductor and the second electric current due to magnetic coupling between the DUT and the conductor are calculated. From these first and second electric current values, electric field intensity and magnetic field intensity are calculated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a device for measuring intensity of electromagnetic field which is formed by electromagnetic waves radiated outward from various kinds of electronic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a method for measuring intensity of electromagnetic field due to electromagnetic waves radiated outward from electronic device as a measure to cope with EMI (ElectroMagnetic Interference), those such as described below have been specified. As an example, nominated is a method to implement measurement with a device-under test (DUT) being a piece of electronic device as an measurement object being disposed in an open space, and with a loop antenna or a dipole antenna being disposed at a distance of 3 m to 10 m from this DUT. Thus, in the case where an antenna has been disposed at an ample distance from the DUT, the loop antenna can measure only magnetic component of the far-remote radiation electromagnetic field, and the dipole antenna can measure only electric field component thereof. And one component of the far-remote radiation electromagnetic field being measured, the other can be calculated. In addition, a method for implementing measurement not in an open space but in a radio darkroom has also been specified.
On the other hand, there is also a case where the radiation source of an electromagnetic wave is specified. For example, this takes place in the case where it is specified that from which part on a circuit substrate the electromagnetic wave is being intensively radiated. In such a case, unlike the said measurement, the intensity of electromagnetic field is measured adjacent to the DUT. In general, a small loop antenna is made to approach the DUT and the magnetic field component is measured. That is, in this method, the magnetic field component of the electromagnetic field due to the DUT is measured by using the dielectric electromotive force due to magnetic coupling. In addition, based on the result of this measurement, current-voltage distribution in the DUT is obtained and the radiation source is specified.
Incidentally, a method utilizing the said open space or radio darkroom requires a vast disposing space and a large amount of device investment. Therefore, in recent years, as an assessment method on intensity of radiated electromagnetic waves, an assessment method utilizing a coaxial transmission line called TEM Cell (Transverse ElectroMagnetic Cell) attracts public attention. In this assessment method, assessment is implemented with a DUT being disposed between interior conductor and exterior conductor of the coaxial transmission line, and based on signals to be outputted from one end of interior conductor. This method is advantageous in its capability to implement assessment with a comparatively small device.
However, the method utilizing the TEM Cell has presented a problem that it cannot give correlation with measurement in an open space. That is, the problem is that since the DUT and the interior conductor come in close vicinity to each other in terms of distance, the output current from the TEM Cell can no longer ignore the current due to magnetic coupling and the current due to electric coupling.
On the other hand, it is necessary to exclude influence by electric field component for the purpose of specifying in good accuracy the radiation source of the electromagnetic waves utilizing the said loop antenna. Therefore, shielded loop antenna in which a loop antenna has undergone shielding are often used. With this shielded loop antenna, which is hardly influenced by the electric field component, measurement only on the magnetic field component can be implemented comparatively highly accurately.
However, even with a shielded loop antenna, which will give rise to an electric field coupling between itself and the test sampling device in the section having not undergone shielding due to its configuration problems, it will be difficult to measure only magnetic field component accurately. In addition, configuration comprising shielded sections makes it difficult to implement miniaturization. That is, it was difficult to improve resolution capacity.

Method and device for measuring intensity of electromagnetic field, method and device for measuring current-voltage distribution, and method for judging quality of electronic device, and electronic device therefor


Disclosed is a shutter system for selectively blocking the path of light of a high intensity discharge lamp. The shutter system comprises a high intensity discharge lamp, a high intensity discharge light housing into which the lamp is secured and a shutter and light absorption system secured to the light housing comprising a light absorbing shutter screen, a screen moving system for moving the screen in front of the lamp to block selectively the path of light and for withdrawing the screen from the path of light and a support system for the screen moving system, wherein said screen when retracted will not significantly interfere with the path of light of the system and when fully extended will substantially block the path of light of the high intensity discharge lamp.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is a shutter system for blocking the path of light of a high intensity discharge lamp. More particularly, the invention is an adjustable shutter system which blocks the path of light of a high intensity discharge lamp while also absorbing light from the lamp and discharging heat created by the light away from the system.
2. Prior Art
In theater lighting or lighting for sporting events, it is often desirable to partially or totally block the path of light from spot lights to achieve varied lighting effects. Often during these events, it is also desirable to completely block the path of light and thereby create a darkened atmosphere for short periods of time. With some lighting systems, this effect is achieved by merely turning the lights off and back on. However, because of their structure and composition, it is difficult to turn off and quickly turn back on certain types of lighting, such as high intensity discharge lights. With this type of lighting source, once the system is turned off, there is generally a delay, sometimes of several minutes, to re-energize the system before it can be turned back on. Thus, it is undesirable to extinguish high intensity discharge lighting at any time during such an event. Other methods of blocking the path of light must then be used to achieve the desired darkened atmosphere.
Several systems currently exist which block the path of light of a light source. One system commonly used is an iris-type shutter system as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,303. Another type of shutter system uses a series of shutter blades which are extended or withdrawn from the path of light to block or partially block the path of light. By fully extending the blades, the path of light of the lighting system can be completely blocked. A number of these type of shutter systems are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,695,547, 4,210,955 and 5,510,969.
In addition to blocking the path of light, it is often desirable to defuse the light, thus changing its intensity or color. Light diffusing systems also often utilize a system of shutters that partially or totally block the path of light of a lighting system. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,607. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,264 discloses a shutter system utilizing hinges which block portions of the light spectrum from escaping from a light source, such as white or infrared light.
A more complicated mechanical system for diffusing light is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,306. In this system a tambour-type panel of sections is attached to a track system. The panels are moved by this track system in front of the path of light. By blocking the path of light with different types of filter panels, the spectrum of the light which escapes the system is modified.
With lighting systems such as high intensity discharge lights, it is important not only to block the path of the light, but also to prevent heat buildup within the high intensity discharge light system while the path of light is being partially or totally blocked. Modern high intensity discharge lights operate at high temperatures, as high as 750.degree. F. If a shutter system merely blocks the path of light of a high intensity discharge light, heat created by the lighting system is trapped within the system resulting in serious heat build up which reduces the effectiveness and life expectancy of the system. In addition, these high temperatures increase the likelihood of fire or other heat-related damage to the lighting system.
It is therefore an object of this invention to disclose a shutter system for use with a high intensity discharge lighting system.
It is a further object of this invention to disclose a shutter system for use with a high intensity discharge lighting system which substantially blocks the path of light from a high intensity discharge lighting system.
It is a still further object of this invention to disclose a motorized shutter system for use with a high intensity discharge lighting system which is capable of both blocking the discharge of light and permitting full discharge of light from the high intensity discharge light.
It is a still further object of this invention to disclose a lighting and shutter system which combines a motorized shutter system to prevent light from escaping the high intensity discharge light system with a heat absorbing cover which absorbs and discharges heat away from the light system.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the detailed description, drawings and claims. The description along with the accompanying drawings provides a selected example of construction of the device to illustrate the invention.

Shutter system for high intensity discharge lights


Provided is an electric actuator, including: a driving motor (2); a motion conversion mechanism (6) configured to convert a rotary motion of the driving motor (2) to a linear motion; a transmission gear mechanism (5) configured to transmit a driving force from the driving motor (2) to the motion conversion mechanism (6); and a speed reduction mechanism (3) configured to reduce a speed of the rotary motion of the driving motor (2), and output the rotary motion reduced in speed to the transmission gear mechanism (5), wherein a side of one end portion of a rotation shaft (18) of a gear (16) of the transmission gear mechanism (5) is rotatably supported by a bearing (19), and a side of another end portion of the rotation shaft (18) of the gear (16) is rotatably supported by the output shaft (2a) of the driving motor (2).

In recent years, electrification of automobiles and the like has been promoted for power saving and reduction in fuel consumption. For example, a system for operating an automatic transmission, a brake, a steering wheel, and the like of the automobile with use of power of an electric motor has been developed and brought to the market. As an electric actuator for use in such an application, there has been known an electric linear actuator employing a ball screw mechanism configured to convert a rotary motion of a motor into a motion in a linear direction.
For example, in Patent Literature 1, there is proposed an electric linear actuator configured to transmit a driving force from an electric motor to a ball screw mechanism thorough a plurality of gears.


A recreational vehicle includes a hull coupled to a chassis where the hull is formed by coupling pre-formed panels together using two piece channel members, and/or the chassis is formed by mechanically coupling pre-formed segments together. In some instances, the two piece channel members will interconnect substantially perpendicular panels such as by coupling wall panels to a floor panel, to a ceiling panel, and to adjacent wall panels. Such a vehicle can be quickly assembled from space efficient pre-formed pieces by lower skilled assemblers than are typically required in manufacturing a recreational vehicle.

Recreational vehicles such as travel trailers and motor-homes have expanded in size and amenities. However, recreational vehicle (RV) construction methods and materials applications have not progressed as far as in other industries. Present day construction of RVs virtually mimics nearly one half century of prior construction techniques and material application.
With increases in size and amenities, RV weights have increased. For towed RVs such as travel trailers, increased RV weight limits the vehicles that can be used to tow the RV. For self-propelled RVs such as motor-homes, increased weight increases the cost of components used to move the RV such as the engine, transmission, and axles. For all types of RVs, increased weight results in increased fuel costs. In order to keep RV weight down, manufacturers generally must compromise in regard to size and amenities.
RV manufacturers typically produce two types of RVs, stick-and-tin, and hardwall. Each of these types has its own distinct material content and assembly methods. While other types/methods have been patented (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,883,233, 5,690,378, and 5,738,747) or perhaps imposed into mainstream production, they are not as commonplace as RV trailers manufactured using stick-and-tin or hardwall assembly techniques.
Trailers assembled with wooden stick-and-tin walls and wooden ceilings are manufactured with sticks glued and stapled together to form the frame. Interior lauan panels are adhered and stapled to form the interior wall. The partially complete wall is secured atop a plywood floor underlayment. Floor underlayment is mechanically fastened atop wooden stud framing and the steel chassis. Fiber glass blanket insulation, similar to insulation used in home construction, is subsequently placed between the vertical wood frame studs. Painted sheet aluminum exterior siding (referenced as "tin") is placed against the wooden framework, interlocked and permanently stapled in position thereby encasing the fiberglass insulation.
Hardwall products are constructed in a similar fashion, but differ in the materials used. Hardwall construction consists of a welded steel or aluminum framework wall and ceiling structure instead of wooden stick framing. Exterior fiberglass with a lauan substrate backer is adhered to expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam insulation panels placed between the steel/aluminum framework, and interior vinyl lauan panels. Completed sidewalls are Tek-screwed (i.e. fastened using self drilling screws) through the wall framework into the side of either a wooden or aluminum stud framed floor.


An interface output stage includes a pull-up circuit and a pull-down circuit connected to a positive power supply signal line having a first voltage, an output signal line having an output voltage and a negative power supply signal line having a second voltage. The pull-up circuit includes a single output transistor and a body snatcher circuit, both interconnected between the positive power supply signal line and the output signal line. The body snatcher circuit ties the bodies of the output transistor and the transistors forming the body snatcher circuit to either the first voltage or the output voltage. The pull-down circuit is designed generally similar to the pull-up circuit to tie bodies of its transistors to either the output voltage or the second voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of digital communications, and particular to communications interface circuitry.
2. Related Art
Various communication interface standards have been created for establishing a common communications scheme between computers and peripheral devices. For example, RS-232 serial communication interface standard has been widely used in many applications, including personal computers. Moreover, RS-485 serial communication interface standard has provided a more robust connection to support higher communication speeds and longer cables.
Normally, these and other serial communication interface standards were created for and relied upon power supply voltages of approximately five volts (5V). However, over the past few years, many electronic devices have been designed to utilize lower power supply voltages. As one illustrative example, portable computers have been manufactured with internal power supplies providing approximately 3V.
As a result, traditional output stages have been unable to drive various types of serial communication links (e.g., RS-232 and RS-485 communications) at these lower power supply voltages. The reason is that devices, connected to the serial communication link and operating at higher supply voltages, occasionally require an output to be driven above and/or below the power supply rails. Thus, it has been necessary to implement a high swing interface output stage which would allow the output of an electronic device to be appropriately driven.
Referring now to FIG. 1 and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,314 assigned to the Assignee of the present application, an integrated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) high swing interface output stage 100 is shown. The interface output stage 100 utilizes three P-channel devices P10, P11 and P15 and three N-channel devices N12, N13 and N14. Two of the three P-channel devices P10 and P11 are connected in series between a positive power supply terminal 110 and an output of the interface 120 while N-channel devices N12 and N13 are connected in series between the output of the interface 120 and a negative power supply terminal 130.
As described, this conventional high swing interface output stage 100 poses a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that this output stage 100 utilizes two output transistor pairs (P10,P11) and (N12,N13) in series. These transistors collectively occupy a substantial percentage of die area, and more than one-half of the die size in some cases. Hence, it would be desirable to replace each series of output transistor pairs with a single output transistor in order to save die area.

Single output transistor output stage for interface applications


A property assessment system includes image processing logic configured to identify building structure attributes from image data and rate their associated condition. The outputs can include property condition ratings, occupancy predictions and similar scores.

Competition for housing stock is rapidly increasing in the United States. In some areas turnover of housing is extremely small and cannot satisfy demand. The problem is exacerbated as people live longer and stay in their residences for longer periods than in the past. Young families have significant difficulties finding suitable existing homes for rent or purchase in many desirable areas.
Current and useful information about housing stock is often both incomplete and inaccurate. While some details can be found at governmental websites (tax authorities, planning departments) and at sites such as Zillow, Trulia, Redin, etc., there is no easy mechanism by which a prospective renter or purchaser can search and locate properties that—while not in perfect condition—may be good leads. For example many homes are dilapidated or in poor condition as a result of owners being unable to maintain such properties (or attendant grounds) because of age, poor health, etc. In some instances the structure is not even inhabited. These homes would be excellent leads for housing opportunities but currently go undiscovered and thus unexploited due to inadequate research and assessment tools.
In a similar vein other interested parties would benefit from more detailed knowledge on the types and conditions of housing stock in their areas. For example public agencies should be kept aware of the health and welfare of citizens who may be too elderly to travel on their own, or respond to phone calls. Construction and home building supply, insurance and other providers are also similarly unable to quickly and accurately assess the health of housing stock with current tools.
While some tools have been used in the past to assess buildings, these have been limited and do not address the problems above. For example, generic image databases of real estate properties are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,216. U.S. Pat. No. 8,078,436 to Pershing et al., and US Publication No. 2003/0171957 to Watrous (both incorporated by reference herein) are all directed to simple overhead, top down aerial inspections of the roofs of structures. Such system typically rely on satellite or other image databases. Billman (U.S. Pat. No. 8,289,160) requires a number of sensors in a house from which he records data such as temperature, water pressure, humidity, etc. to assess a future risk of damage or destruction of the structure. Schwartz (US Publication No. 2004/0162710) requires a manual inspection form for rating a risk of mold. Similarly, Pendergast et al. (5,842,148) incorporates a manual inspection form that is used to assess a risk of damage to a house as a result of physical disturbance such as wind, earthquakes, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,335 issued in 1998 to Cannon (incorporated by reference herein) teaches the use of a camera system for surveying a property. The setup is quite complicated, however, and requires extensive manpower to implement. Maciejczak (U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,376 incorporated by reference) similarly uses a complex unmanned apparatus for capturing condition information for a structure. However, in both references little or no automated processing is done of the captured structure information. Cannon for example teaches only that recordings capture over time can be manually examined to detect weathering changes. Despite these older teaching, the state of the art has not improved beyond what is shown therein.
In addition there is a considerable market in the US for home improvement goods and services, such as for example, windows, landscaping, siding, paint, roofing, plumbing and similar products to name a few. Companies in this space have traditionally used generic flyers for marketing purposes, as they have little or no specific structural information for a specific property. Current hard copy advertising materials therefore are represented by the examples shown in FIG. 9. Furthermore, to date such types of entities have not targeted groups of homes in a neighborhood by identifying common issues with structures that could induce or at least incentivize group purchasing behavior.

Property assessment and prospecting tool


A bowling ball and pin separator to prevent bowling pins from being caught up by a ballwheel within an electromechanical pinsetter machine. The separator includes a base plate, a hinge with a spring, and a rigid arm. The hinge connects the rigid arm to the base plate, and the spring provides sufficient tension such that only the weight of a bowling ball is enough to cause the arm to be moved. In certain embodiments, the rigid arm is an elongated member having a plurality of bends.

Pinsetter machines for bowling centers have existed for over fifty years. Most of these machines operate electromechanically. Although these machines are a great improvement over methods where pins are reset by hand, the pinsetter machines currently available have room for improvement.
Many of these machines have ballwheel arrangements to separate bowling balls from the pins during resetting and other operations. One major problem with the models of electromechanical pinsetter machines having ballwheels is damage caused to pins, balls, and even the ball lift rod or other parts of the pinsetter machines. This damage often occurs due to the failure of the pinsetter machine to properly separate the pins from a ball after the deck has been cleared. One or more pins may be caught up with the ball on the ballwheel, and either or both the pins and balls may be damaged. Specifically, one or more pins may cause the ball to be wedged between a lift rod and a shaker board of the machine, which results in the ball being damaged by the ball wheel. Other times, one or more pins may get caught up in a lift rod, possibly becoming damaged itself and/or causing damage to the ball as the ballwheel spins it up the lift rod. Sometimes components of the pinsetter machines themselves, such as the lift rod, are damaged by such jams. Bowling balls may cost hundreds of dollars, and the cost of repair or replacement is almost always borne by the bowling center. While bowling pins are not as expensive, replacing them incurs some cost and can add up over time. Pinsetter machine parts may also be expensive, and the lane down time for a pinsetting machine requiring repair also may cause the bowling center to lose business.
Bowling center mechanics have long sought to alleviate this problem through slowing down the ballwheels and/or installing springs, bungee cords, and various other items within the pinsetter machine. While some of these attempted improvements help to limit these problematic occurrences, they are often unsuccessful and do not hold up to the wear and tear of use. These attempted improvements are also less than ideal since slowing down the operation of the pinsetter machine results in slower games, resulting in fewer games played and less money spent at the bowling center.


By providing a light source device inside an exterior member forming a contour of a storage case, and by forming a light transmitting portion to transmit light of the light source device to the exterior member, various decorations can be obtained using light, and the storage case can be decorated to create an aesthetically pleasing or original and novel effect to give a characteristic and unique atmosphere.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage case which can obtain a variety of decorations using light, to create an aesthetically pleasing or original and novel effect to give a characteristic and unique atmosphere.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, various kinds of containers are decorated by various methods conventionally to improve the design. For example, a surface of the container is decorated by coloring with a coating or the like, surface treating by sputtering or the like, applying letters or patterns as a plane or a three-dimensional appearance using a plate member or a transfer sheet, and superimposing a transparent or semi-transparent layer over an applied pattern or the like, and providing a portion to insert a sheet member such as a photo (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 54-83961, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. 58-179012, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. 58-179013, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. 58-179014, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. 59-1310, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. 59-45017, Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 1-37248, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 7-88890, and the like).
On the other hand, as a container provided with a light source, there is known that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 11-102601. An object of the conventional case is to provide a portable case having a light source so that even if a user is in a place with low lighting, for example, outside at night, in a conference using OHP, or inside a car at nighttime, the user can see inside a bag, and see what one is writing on a memo pad, and see the user's face reflected in a mirror when applying make-up. On an inner surface of a top lid portion of a container which comprises a case body and a top lid portion attached by a hinge to the case body to be able to open and close, there is mounted a light source unit comprised of an acrylic and opalescent diffusion panel, a light source formed of a cold cathode fluorescent tube provided at the rear of the diffusion panel, a reflector mirror attached with a reflector sheet formed of an aluminum thin plate provided in the rear of the light source, a circuit board to light up the light source, a power supply, and a switch means, and the light source is lit up. Thus, the inside of the container body can be lit up, and a face of a person holding the container body can be lit up so that a mirror can be used even in a dark place, and even in a place with low lighting, an object can be lit, and the face of the person in the mirror when applying make-up can be seen. Further, the light source was made to light up at a predetermined brightness, or a dimming means to dim the light manually was provided.
However, the "portable case having a light source" focuses only on the point of illumination, so that various effects which can be made by the light source to the container have not been used effectively or sufficiently. Specifically, in the relationship between the light source and the mirror, the light source and the mirror are provided in separate positions, and the light source only lights up the face or the like, and the mirror only shows the face which is lit up, and these functions were just used separately.
Further, conventionally, as a storage case to store a rod-shaped object, there is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 9-182621, a roll-up type rod-shaped object storage case which rolls up a lipstick which is rod-shaped when using it, and rolls down the lipstick into the storage case when storing it. Such a rod-shaped storage case has generally been decorated by various methods conventionally to improve the design. For example, the surface of the storage case is decorated by coloring with coating or the like, surface treating by sputtering or the like, applying letters or patterns in a flat or a three-dimensional appearance using a plate member or a transfer sheet, and superimposing a transparent or semi-transparent layer over an applied pattern or the like.
Further, as disclosed in for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2002-2742, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. 1-130957, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Publication No. 48-26149, there is conventionally known a storage case with a case body to store liquid, powder, or cream as a content, which comprises with a lid body attached to and detached from separably by screws and by fitting in a diameter to open and close the case body. The case body has been decorated by various methods conventionally to improve the design. For example, a variety of decorations are applied on the surface of the case body, by using as materials for the case body, glass bottles with color, and laminated tubes printed with patterns or the like, and applying methods such as coating, sputtering and the like for surface treatment, and applying letters or patterns or the like in a plain or a three-dimensional appearance using a plate member or a transfer sheet, and further covering with an exterior body which is made separately.
Further, in regards to the lid body, it has similarly been decorated by various methods conventionally to improve the design. For example, the surface of the lid body has been decorated by coloring with coating or the like, surface treating by sputtering or the like, applying letters or patterns in a flat or a three-dimensional appearance using a plate member or a transfer sheet, and superimposing a transparent or semi-transparent layer over an applied pattern or the like (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 7-88890).
However, decorations that can be obtained by conventional techniques shown in for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 7-88890 are already well-known, and from a technical view of applying decorations, there was a limit.
Further, a conventional container shown in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-102601 has a light source but focuses only on the point of illumination, and lights up the light source at a predetermined brightness, and dims the light by manually operating the dimming means, and does not focus on effectively and sufficiently using various aesthetically pleasing effects that can be given to the container by the light source. That is, it can be considered that, the container was configured under the idea that the light source was necessary only to obtain brightness.
However, when the light source is used, a variety of visual effects can be obtained, and the expression given by the effect of the light can vary even with the same product. The inventors of the present application focused on using light of the light source, and by decorating with light, so as to obtain an aesthetically pleasing decoration which has not been seen before on the storage case, thus achieving the present invention.


Spike pins made of hard rubber which may be used on vehicle tires, shoe soles or the shoes of walking sticks or the like and a system for mounting such spike pins made of hard rubber in a mounting surface such as the tread surface of vehicle tires or shoe soles or the shoes of walking sticks or the like, characterized in that the tread surface is formed with recesses in which each of said spike pin is mounted with a GaP between the periphery of the spike pin and the peripheral wall of the associated recess.

Spike pins for use on vehicle tires, shoe soles or tip ends of walking sticks to provide non-skidding function on ice and snow-covered roads have heretofore been made of metal.
However, it has been found that metal spike pins, especially ones used on vehicle tires may shave the road surface when they are covered with no ice or snow and produce dusts, posing an environmental problem, so that the use of metal spike pins has come to be regulated. In view of this, researches have been extensively conducted in search for new materials to replace metal for making spike pins.
In this regard, improvements on so-called studless tires have been made to modify the properties of the rubber itself of which tires are formed such that the rubber may be maintained in a soft condition even at a low temperature and may have an enhanced adhesiveness of the rubber to the ice and snow.
On the other hand, an attempt has also been made to make spike pins of other materials than metal such as synthetic resin or hard rubber for example.
As new materials, spike pins made of hard rubber have been proposed; for example, rubber compounds having a property of being in a softened state at a normal temperature and hardening at a low temperature (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Sho 63-235771 assigned to the assignee hereof) and rubber compounds having an increased hardness (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Hei 2-274240 assigned to the assignee hereof) have been developed.
In addition, spike pins made of metal for use on vehicle tires, shoe soles, or shoes of walking sticks as non-slipping means against ice and snow-covered roads have conventionally been mounted in such a manner that the spike pins protrude from the tread surface comprising the spike-mounting surface.

Spike pin and system for mounting a spike pin


Colas are prepared by mixing cola flavor, caramel color, and optionally caffeine with carbonated water, aspartame, acesulfame potassium and an acid component wherein the weight ratio of aspartame to acesulfame potassium is from about 1:1 to about 9:1 and (b) maintaining the admixture at a pH of from about 2.5 to about 3.3 with the proviso that the pH is at least about 2.5 or -0.05 R+2.9 whichever is the greater and further wherein the pH is less than about 3.3 or -0.06 R+3.4 whichever is the lesser; where R is the weight ratio of aspartame to acesulfame potassium.

Blends of acesulfame potassium and aspartame are known to be a preferred high intensity sweetener composition; as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,068 to Von Rymon Lipinski et al. High intensity sweetener compositions are useful in cola beverage recipes as is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,791 of Zablocki et al, which further describes the use of tamarind abstract in beverages. The '791 patent notes that the standard pH for a cola beverage is from about 3.05 to about 3.10 (See Column 2, lines 19-21). Such is apparently the case, notwithstanding the fact that in many respects higher, or more neutral, pH ranges have benefits in terms of extending the shelf life of aspartame containing products.
Due to the complex interaction of ingredients on the palate, it is not possible to predict the effect of ingredient combinations on flavor quality of cola formulations. One formulation is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,170 to Beyts et al, example 2 at Column 6 of the '170 patent:
______________________________________ Ingredients Parts By Weight ______________________________________ Phosphoric Acid 12 Sodium Citrate 1 Sodium Benzoate 2.5 Caramel 25 Cola Essence 11 Saccharin 1.7 Chlorodeoxysugar 0.8 Carbonated Water 9946.0 ______________________________________
Even small variations in pH or ingredients can have unacceptable results in terms of the flavor, especially the cola flavor strength, the preferred "sour" taste; and especially with respect to high intensity sweeteners, the observed level of chemical taste or chemical aftertaste.

Method of formulating acidified cola beverages and compositions so formulated


A scintillator crystal includes a plurality of first crystal phases and a second crystal phase located around the plurality of the first crystal phases, in which each of the plurality of the first crystal phases contains a sulfate, the second crystal phase contains an alkali halide that emits light by irradiation with radiation, and the refractive index of each of the first crystal phases is lower than the refractive index of the second crystal phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scintillator crystal that emits light by irradiation with radiation and a radiation detector including the scintillator crystal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner used in, for example, clinical practice, a scintillator receives X-rays passing through a subject, and light emitted from the scintillator is detected by photodetectors.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-131964 (US counterpart: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0292516) discloses a scintillator crystal (phase-separated scintillator crystal) having a phase-separated structure including a plurality of columnar crystals (cylindrical phase) and a crystal phase (matrix phase) around the columnar crystals. In the scintillator crystal, a material constituting the cylindrical phase differs in refractive index from a material constituting the matrix phase. This imparts a light-guiding function to the scintillator crystal itself, thus inhibiting light crosstalk.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-131964 discloses that in the case of a scintillator crystal in which the amount of light emitted from the matrix phase is larger than that from the cylindrical phase when the phases are irradiated with radiation, the matrix phase may be composed of a material having a higher refractive index than the cylindrical phase. The reason for this is that in the case where the matrix phase is composed of a material having a higher refractive index, it is possible to more efficiently confine light generated in the matrix phase, thereby enhancing light-guiding properties.
In this specification, among phases constituting a phase-separated scintillator crystal, a phase composed of a material having a high refractive index is referred to as a "high-refractive-index phase", and a phase composed of a material having a low refractive index is referred to as a "low-refractive-index phase". The magnitude of the refractive index is a relative scale. When a phase is composed of a material having a higher refractive index than a material constituting a low-refractive-index phase, the phase is regarded as a high-refractive-index phase. In general, a lower refractive index ratio of the low-refractive-index phase to the high-refractive-index phase (low-refractive-index phase/high-refractive-index phase) may result in higher light-guiding properties because light can be confined in the high-refractive-index phase.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-131964 discloses NaCl—CsI and KCl—CsI as examples of a scintillator crystal in which the amount of light emitted from the matrix phase is larger than that from the cylindrical phase when the phases are irradiated with radiation and in which the matrix phase is a high-refractive-index phase.
However, it was found that in the scintillator crystals disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-131964, a scintillator crystal having a lower refractive index absorbs a smaller amount of radiation and that the absorption of radiation is not sufficient, depending on the energy of radiation, in some cases. In the case where the scintillator crystal insufficiently absorbs radiation, a light-receiving device located downstream of the scintillator crystal can be damaged by radiation.

Scintillator crystal and radiation detector


A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array from which all bits of a data signal having a first number of the bits composed of a main data signal and an error detection/correction code data signal are simultaneously read, a sense amplifier for amplifying the read data signal, a selection unit for selecting a data signal having a second number of bits forming a part of the data signal amplified by the sense amplifier, and an error detection/correction unit for performing error detection and correction based on at least a part of the selected data signal having the second number of bits, wherein the selection by the selection unit is performed based on a row address.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device including an ECC (Error Checking and Correcting) circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, higher integration for implementing a SOC (System On Chip) at a low cost has been particularly required of an embedded DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). Since a memory array portion occupies a majority of a memory area, the area of each memory cell has been reduced by means of a technology for miniaturizing a memory cell transistor and a memory capacitor using a high-dielectric-constant insulating film in order to implement higher integration.
When a stacked memory cell is miniaturized, the surface area of a capacitor is accordingly reduced so that a sufficient capacitance is ensured for the capacitor by introducing a novel high-dielectric-constant insulating film. However, to increase the capacitance of the capacitor, the thickness of the insulating film should be minimized, which increases a tunnel leakage current in the capacitor insulating film. In addition, because of a strong demand for logic compatibility in the miniaturization process mentioned above, a storage node has been silicidized, which increases a junction leakage in the storage node. As a result, the deterioration of the charge retention time of a cell has presented a problem. In addition, there has also been a requirement for provision against degraded reliability resulting from the reduced charge retention time of a cell, an increased cell access time, each due to post-fabrication variations with time in the characteristics of a cell capacitor and a cell transistor, or the like. It is known that, to improve the degraded reliability of a cell, a method using ECC is useful.
As an example of a known technology related to a semiconductor memory device including an ECC circuit, the specification of US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0112321 discloses a sequence method wherein, to implement an error correcting operation with a byte write function, a word line and a sense amplifier are continuously activated in a serial sequence which performs a data read operation, and a write back operation of writing, back to a memory cell, replaced data obtained by replacing a part of error corrected data with external data as well as parity data generated from the replaced data.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-59290, a structure is shown which replaces m bits forming a part of n-bit error corrected read data with external input data, and performs a write back operation in order to implement an error correcting operation with a byte write function.
Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-25827, a structure is shown which performs a read-modify-write operation in order to implement an ECC operation with a byte mask function in an SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM). The structure allows midway interruption of the inputting of burst data by completing syndrome generation and error correction during read latency, preparing error corrected read data during read latency, and performing parity generation and a write back operation in each burst cycle after a lapse of read latency.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-244632, a structure is shown which performs a pipeline read-modify-write operation in order to implement an ECC operation with a byte mask function in an SDRAM. To prevent a data collision in a bus during a read operation prior to a write operation and during a write back operation of writing back data and parity data, the structure divides DQ lines into those for a read operation and those for a write operation. Alternatively, the structure separately performs a read operation and a write operation in an even-numbered cycle and an odd-numbered cycle of a burst operation.
In the case where stored data is read in each of the semiconductor memory devices, a multiple bit signal is read first from a memory cell array in accordance with a row address, and amplified and held by a sense amplifier (RAS (Row Address Strobe) Cycle)). Thereafter, a signal composed of some of the foregoing plurality of bits selected therefrom in accordance with a column address in a column gate is inputted to an ECC circuit via a buffer, subjected to error detection and correction, and outputted as read data from the semiconductor memory device (CAS (Column Address Strobe) cycle).
However, in the case where some of a plurality of bits read from a memory cell array are selected in accordance with a column address as described above, the foregoing selection, error detection and correction, and the like are performed after the column address is determined. This leads to the problem that it is difficult to reduce CAS access time and, therefore, it is also difficult to increase the speed of a memory access.


A tamper switch actuator is used in combination with a circuit board held between two outer structural members. The tamper switch actuator includes a suspended displacement member moveable to a conducting position after a given amount of compression of a compressing member. The compressing member cooperates with an outer protecting sleeve and is positioned within and moveable in the axial direction of the sleeve. The tamper switch actuator separates the outer protecting sleeve from the displacement member. With this arrangement the electrical conducting surface of the displacement member can quickly respond to separation of the casing to produce a non-conducting condition or tamper indicating conditions while remaining protected within the outer protecting sleeve.

A number of different devices are subject to possible tampering and fraudulent activities. Financial transaction terminals, PIN pads and other related monetary devices are particularly vulnerable and a number of different security arrangements have been proposed to reduce the possibility of tampering. Many of these devices are used in non-secure environments such that protection is more difficult.
Some security arrangements include a switch arrangement associated with a printed circuit board. The switch is maintained in a conducting condition by a mechanical securement force maintaining a split case device secured. If a mechanical arrangement securing the casings is released and the split case opened, the switch moves to a non-conducting condition and the terminal appropriately shutdown and assumes an electronically secure condition.
With prior art tamper switch arrangements there is the possibility of compromising the switch to maintain the switch in a conducting position even though the casing has been opened. In some arrangements it is possible to slide a conducting member into an appropriate position on the circuit board to maintain the conducting condition. Guard conductors are sometimes provided on the circuit board to detect such a conductor. Although this assists in protecting the tamper switch arrangement it is not entirely satisfactory.
Most tamper indicating switches include a spring bias that is compressed when the split casing is in an assembled condition. The spring bias assists in maintaining a conducting condition but reduces the sensitivity of the switch when the casing is opened. Therefore, there is trade off between reliability in maintaining the conducting condition and sensitivity to respond to unauthorized access.
The present invention provides a tamper switch arrangement that accommodates expected tolerances between the two case components while also providing a secure tamper switch.


The present invention is an improved cassette delivery system. A plurality of cassettes to be loaded are maintained in a magazine. Cassettes are fed one at a time into an orientor which rotates them into the appropriate position for movement into the loading position. The empty cassette drops out of the orientor into an intermediate position where it rests upon the top edge of a pocket. The cassette is maintained at a slight angle so that it does not fall immediately into the pocket. The pocket moves outwardly to a point where its angle matches that of the cassette above it. The cassette then falls into the pocket and is carried backward into the loading position. Thereafter the cassette is loaded and discharged from the loading station.

Equipment for automatically winding blank or pre-recorded magnetic tape into cassettes, such as audio or video cassettes, is known. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,997,123, 3,814,343 and 4,836,464.
Typically, blank or pre-recorded magnetic tape is provided on one or two supply reels or "pancakes", which are mounted on hubs on the cassette loading machine. The blank or pre-recorded tape on a pancake is commonly referred to as "use tape".
A cassette, prior to loading, generally has two hubs located inside a plastic shell which are connected by a leader. An empty cassette (which has the two hubs connected only by a leader) is automatically delivered, from a magazine to a tape loading station of the cassette loading machine. At the loading station, a portion of the leader of the empty cassette is extracted and cut into two pieces by a cutter mechanism. Use tape from a pancake is spliced to one of the ends of the two cut leader pieces, and a pre-determined length of the use tape is wound, by a winding spindle, onto the appropriate cassette hub. For instance, enough blank use tape for 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes of recording time may be wound onto the cassette hub. Alternatively, a portion of use tape containing a pre-recorded program (e.g. a record album) may be wound onto the cassette hub.
A control system synchronizes the motors that run the winding spindle and the supply reel hubs in order to maintain proper tension on the use tape during the winding operation. After the correct amount of use tape is wound onto the cassette hub, the use tape is cut and the cut section of the use tape is spliced to the remaining leader piece. The now loaded cassette is ejected or removed from the winding station and a subsequent empty cassette is inserted. The tape loading and winding operation is then repeated.
As indicated above, an empty cassette is delivered to a cassette winding station from a magazine. Two main types of magazines have been employed in the storage of empty cassettes to be loaded. The first is a curved or "elephant trunk" magazine which requires the operator to manually orient all the cassettes in the same direction. This creates a curved stack of cassettes which roughly conform to the magazine. A weight is then required to force the cassettes down to the bottom of the magazine. This type of magazine eliminates the need for rotation of the cassette from a horizontal to a vertical position since each cassette rotates through approximately 90.degree. during its travel from the top to the bottom of the magazine.
A second type of magazine is a straight or vertical magazine. This type of magazine allows cassettes to be oriented in alternating directions (i.e. the way in which empty cassettes are typically packed) thus saving labor and simplifying the machine operator's task. Since cassettes are generally loaded while in a vertical position, this means that the cassette loading machine must rotate the cassette and orient the cassettes to a single common direction.
When the curved magazine is employed (as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,123) the first cassette located at the terminal end of the magazine is typically pushed, by a mechanical pusher mechanism, into a very short guide mechanism which guides the empty cassette into a cassette nest for loading. The cassette is held in the nest by a leaf spring mounted to the front panel of the machine behind the cassette. Each succeeding cassette which reaches the terminal end of the magazine rests on top of the cassette which is in the nest. When the cassette in the nest has been loaded, the cassette at the terminal end of the magazine is pushed with the pusher mechanism. Since this empty cassette is resting on top of the now full cassette in the nest, this action pushes the full cassette out of the nest and pushes the empty cassette into its place. (The force of the pusher mechanism overcomes the spring force of the leaf spring holding the cassette in the loading station.)
There are a number of drawbacks associated with this approach to cassette delivery. First, the operator must manually orient the cassettes prior to placing them in the magazine. Once the cassettes are placed in the magazine, a weight is needed to maintain the steady flow of cassettes toward the magazine's terminal end. This causes an operator still further delay in reloading the magazine. Additionally, the use of one cassette to push another cassette out of the loading station can mar the cassette shell and damage the cassette mechanism.
One approach to cassette delivery using a vertical magazine is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,343. In that approach the lowermost cassette is pushed sideways out of the vertical magazine into a receiver (which also functions as an orientor) which receives the cassette from the magazine and rotates it 90.degree. from a horizontal to a vertical position. The receiver rotates the cassette forward or backward depending on the direction the open end is facing (ultimately, the open end must face down). The receiver is located at the loading station. Thus, when the cassette is pushed into the receiver, it is also being pushed into the loading station. When the cassette is full, the receiver rotates it 90.degree. to a horizontal position. A second pusher mechanism located behind the front panel of the machine pushes the cassette into a discharge chute. The next cassette is then pushed into the receiver and the process is repeated.
This approach causes delays in the winding sequence because the cassette must be rotated immediately before it can be loaded. Still further delay occurs when the cassette must be rotated again prior to leaving the loading station. This approach does, however, avoid the manual orientation of cassettes prior to their placement in the magazine.
In another previously developed tape loading machine, empty cassettes are stored in a vertical magazine. The bottommost cassette from the magazine is pushed, with a pusher mechanism, into a rotating orientor. The rotating orientor maintains the cassette in a horizontal position, but rotates it 180.degree., if necessary, so that the open end of the cassette faces outwardly. A door, located beneath the rotating orientor, opens when the cassette is properly oriented. The door opens to an angle of approximately 45.degree. at which point the empty cassette slides out of the rotating orientor and falls into a vertical guideway. The bottom front edge of the cassette contacts two spaced apart vertical guide members which comprise a portion of the vertical guideway. This contact serves to complete the rotation of the cassette from a horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.
When the bottom of the cassette is approximately 75% of the way down the guideway, it contacts a pin cylinder which retains it in an intermediate position above the loading station. (This intermediate position is used to sense which side of the cassette, if any, has the screws showing). When the loading station is empty, the pin cylinder is retracted and the empty cassette falls into the loading station. A platform at the bottom of the loading station stops the fall of cassette and maintains it in position for loading. When the cassette is full, the platform retracts and the cassette falls into a discharge mechanism.
Because of variations, cassettes have a tendency to rebound when they freefall from the intermediate position and hit the platform in the loading position. This delays the wind sequence because time must be allocated to allow the cassette to settle. Misalignment of the cassette can also occur because of this rebounding. This causes blocking and also delays the wind sequence.