Animal waste is removed from a barn floor by moving a trolley in a first direction adjacent a first trough in the floor. As the trolley moves in the first direction: a blade extending from the trolley scrapes the waste into a region adjacent the trough; rotating paddles on the trolley drive the waste from the region into the trough; and a plow on the trolley that extends into the trough drives the waste toward one end of the trough for removal. Alternatively water drives the waste in the trough in the first direction. When the trolley moves away from the one end, the blades scrape the waste toward the region and the paddles drive the waste into the trough, but the plow is idle because the plow pivots to ride on top of the waste.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for collecting animal waste, and more particularly, to systems and methods for removing manure from a floor of barn.
Systems and methods for automatically collecting and disposing of animal waste products are often desired to eliminate the manual labor associated with such tasks. Such automated systems and methods are especially desirable when dealing with a large number of farm animals in an environment where the animal waste cannot be left to naturally degrade.
Prior art systems have been developed to deal with this problem, however, there are a number of drawbacks associated with these prior art systems. For example, plows have been used to push animal waste across a floor to a collection area. Such systems may not work very effectively, however, due to the potentially large volume and weight of animal waste collected against the plow. Other systems have been developed to reduce the load on the plow by diverting the animal waste through an opening into a collection area below the floor. These systems are disadvantageous, however, because they require a very wide opening to avoid clogging of the opening by the animal waste. Such a large opening is not practical on a floor where a large farm animal walks. Additionally, other systems utilize a false floor having many openings or slots to form a grated false floor. Thus, the current animal waste collection systems of which I am aware have one or more drawbacks.
Therefore, new and improved animal waste collection systems are desired to effectively collect and dispose of animal waste.

System, apparatus and method for removing large animal waste from a floor


The system for taking images includes a portable base (2) for managing an image sensor (1) used to take the image of a tooth, providing an electronic image which is transmitted to display circuits (80), and it includes sequencing circuits, which respond to the action of image file validation circuits, the sequencing circuits managing a library, for filing a sequence of image files, by associating, with each validated image file, rank sequence data in the sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system including a portable device that consists of a base for receiving dental images taken with an X-ray sensor.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Equipment used for taking dental images usually includes a PC connected to a small electronic device, generally of the size of a cellular phone, which is used as an interface which is dedicated to supplying the desired clock signals to the sensor, and which is of the electrical charge transfer (CCD) type, to recover these charges and digitize the quantity as image data-defining image elements (pixels). The base may thus be placed near the patient and connected to the CCD sensor by means of a relatively short cord, which limits the electronic noise that disturbs the electronic signal of the charges.
However, the ergonomics of the equipment still leaves something to be desired. In fact, the practitioner must, on the one hand, locate the sensor at a precise point in the mouth of the patient and, on the other hand, control the equipment, i.e. he must activate the X-ray source and manage the images that are taken; in other words, he must examine them, and delete, in real time, those of insufficient quality, so that he may take another one. He must also file them.
In particular, in order to check the quality of the image that has just been taken, the practitioner must temporarily leave the base and move to the PC in order to activate a display program therein. He must also select the last image received by the PC, so that he may check its quality.
Filing involves opening the patient's electronic file in the PC and transferring to it each new image taken, by associating service information to it which specifies the position of the tooth in the jaw and the date the image is taken.
These tasks—examination and filing of the images thus obtained—consequently represent a large amount of work for the practitioner.
The object of the present invention is to provide a solution that is less burdensome to the practitioner, for addressing at least one of the above problems, by facilitating the filing process and the examination of the quality of the images taken.

System including a portable device for receiving dental images


A method for displaying on an image plane of a display unit a first area as an area representative of array data and displaying in place of the first area the, in response to a first input from an input device which assigns a position on the image plane of the first area and a first process applied to some elements of the array data, as an area representative of the array data, a second area having at least two partial areas including the partial areas include a first partial area representative of a group of elements subjected to the first process and a second partial area representative of a group of elements not subjected to the first process a program is generated, in response to a position in the image plane of at least one partial area in the second area and a third input instructing the program generation input from the input device after the second input from the input device assigning the second process applied to a group of elements corresponding to the at least one partial area. The program applies the second process to a group of elements corresponding to the at least one partial area after the first process has been executed with respect to some elements of the array data.

The present invention relates to program preparation methods, and particularly to a program preparation method suitable for preparation of processing programs having complicated data structures.
In the past, as a method for visualizing a program to enhance the efficiency of preparation, a method using a program diagram represented by a flow chart has been used. There is also known an apparatus in which a two-dimensional chart is directly input on CRT to enhance the efficiency, as in the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3039/1983.
The above-described prior art enables the two-dimensional visualization and display of controls such as selection, repetition and the like in programs. In the prior art, no consideration has been given to the visualization of data themselves. There gives rise to a problem in that in a program which principally deals with the operation of the data construction, the contents processed are not defined. This problem will be described briefly with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 14 is a flow chart of a divisional processing which constitutes a center portion of a quick sort program for sorting a plurality of data. The divisional processing herein termed means that elements of array data A are rearranged, so that a first group of elements (for example, n) of values smaller than a divisioned central value suitably assigned will be elements A(1),A(2), . . . A(n) which are small in number while a second group of elements (for example, N-n) of values larger than M will be elements A(n+1), . . . A(N) which are large in number. In the divisional processing, judgement is first made, starting A(1) out of elements A(1)-A(N) in array A, whether the respective elements are larger than M (Steps 900-904); when an element (for example, A(k)) smaller than M is first detected, judgement is made, starting A(N), whether the respective elements are smaller than M (Steps 905-907); and when an element (for example, A(l)) larger than M is first detected, the element A(k) is replaced by A(l) (Steps 908-910). Thereafter, the same processing is repeated (Steps 902-910). As will be apparent from FIG. 14, in the flow chart, the program control construction such as the judgement of conditions, a repetition (for example, Steps 904 and 907), are illustrated and defined, however, the data construction such as the positional relationship of the elements in the array is not visualized, which is not sufficient to intuitively understand the processing contents.

Automatic program generation method with a visual data structure display


An external gear pump, having a driving first pump gear and a second pump gear driven by the first pump gear, which intermesh to convey a fluid from a suction side to a pressure side of the external gear pump. The first pump gear and the second pump gear each have a plurality of teeth, each having a leading tooth flank leading in the rotation direction of the corresponding pump gear and a trailing tooth flank. The leading tooth flank of the first pump gear interacts with the trailing tooth flank of the second pump gear to drive the second pump gear via the first pump gear. The trailing tooth flanks of the first pump gear extend concavely to form a fluid pocket at at least one axial position in the radial direction at least in sections in each case.

The external gear pump serves for conveying the fluid from its suction side to the pressure side. Fundamentally, the fluid or state of aggregation thereof can be chosen at will; however, it is preferably a liquid under normal operating conditions of the external gear pump. The external gear pump is equipped with a plurality of pump gears, namely, the first pump gear and the second pump gear. The first pump gear is preferably driven directly. For example, for this purpose, it is connected to a drive shaft of the external gear pump, in particular rigidly and/or permanently. In contrast, the second pump gear is driven indirectly by the drive shaft, namely, via the first pump gear.
The two gears are each equipped with a plurality of teeth, which, depending on the rotational angle position of the pump gears, engage in one another and interact to convey the fluid from the suction side to the pressure side. Each tooth of the pump gears is equipped with the leading tooth flank and the trailing tooth flank, wherein the leading tooth flank is situated in the front in the rotation direction of the respective pump gear and therefore delimits the tooth in the front or in the rotation direction, whereas the trailing tooth flank is situated in the back in the rotation direction and consequently delimits the tooth in the back or opposite to the rotation direction. If the first pump gear is driven, then the leading tooth flank of a least one tooth of the first pump gear comes into physical contact with the trailing tooth flank of a tooth of the second pump gear. As a result, the second pump gear is driven by the first pump gear.
Known from the prior art is, for example, the publication DE 198 18 027 A1. This relates to a displacement gear pump that can be utilized to pump a hydraulic fluid. The gear pump comprises a driving gear and a driven gear. In a first embodiment, the driving gear has symmetrical teeth, whereas the driven gear has asymmetrical teeth. The asymmetrical teeth of the driven gear comprise working surfaces that have a profile corresponding to the profile of the working and non-working surfaces of the driving gear, but they have a non-working surface that is essentially relieved, so that it is essentially flat in form.
Consequently, in the zone of the pump in which the gears intermesh, a large dead space is created, which essentially prevents the formation of any bubbles. In a second embodiment, the driving gear and the driven gear have non-contacting surfaces, which are essentially flat in form in order to create an even larger dead space and to prevent any cavitation when the teeth are positioned further apart in the axial direction. The suppression of bubble formation essentially makes it possible to exclude any cavitation that might occur at high rotational speeds of the pump. Accordingly, damage due to cavitation at the pump can be prevented.


A device for molding and vulcanizing a tire includes an outer shell, collapsible inner support, and movable crown. The movable crown is interposed between the outer shell and inner support. The movable crown and outer shell form a cavity of controlled volume for moulding and vulcanizing, wherein the controlled volume of the cavity fits a defined volume of the tire so that the moulding pressure is maintained within a predetermined range of values. A method of moulding and vulcanizing a tire includes preparing a tire on an inner toroidal support, disposing the tire and the toroidal support in an outer shell, and molding and vulcanizing the tire. Molding and vulcanizing are carried out in a controlled-volume cavity, wherein a volume of the controlled-volume cavity increases or decreases to adapt to a volume of the tire so that the volume of the controlled-volume cavity equals the defined volume of the tire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for moulding and vulcanizing a tyre, said moulding and vulcanizing operations being carried out at controlled volume.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, tyre manufacture involves the preparation, on a drum, of a green product consisting of a toroidal sleeve comprising a carcass that has a crown zone inserted between a pair of axially-opposed sidewalls, ending in beads for anchoring the tyre to a corresponding assembling rim, a belt structure and a tread band. The carcass and the belt structure are formed from preselected elastomeric materials and reinforcing elements, the tread band and the sidewalls are formed from strips of elastomeric material.
Then, the green tyre is extracted from the drum and submitted to vulcanization in a mould, under the combined action of heat and pressure.
Generally, the vulcanizing mould comprises a crown of radially adjustable sectors, interposed between two axially-opposed, mirror-finish cheeks, and an inflatable internal elastic chamber. Inside the mould, the green tyre is heated simultaneously from the outside and from the inside by means of a fluid under pressure (typically steam or hot water) circulating in the mould and introduced into the internal elastic chamber. During mould closure the cheeks are axially brought closer each other and the sectors are moved centripetally, to generate an outwardly closed cavity. During vulcanization, the elastic chamber expands and compresses the tyre from the inside against the mould. The tyre thus acquires the final tread pattern and the final shape.
During this moulding and vulcanization process, any variations of volume and/or of thickness of the green tyre can be tolerated because the internal elastic chamber, being deformable, automatically adapts itself to said variations and can "make adjustments" for them.
More recently, this traditional technique has been supplemented with a tyre moulding and vulcanization technique with a constant-volume mould. This consists of placing a predetermined volume of reinforcing elements and elastomeric material, which constitute the green tyre that is to be built and vulcanized, onto a rigid support of a toroidal shape (with outside surface matched to the inside surface of the finished tyre). The vulcanizing mould has an outer shell formed of a crown of sectors and of cheeks, and an inner part formed of the rigid support carrying the green tyre. When the mould is closed, the outer part of the mould is in its stop position and between said position and the rigid support there is the formation of a hollow space whose volume always remains constant.
The green tyre that is to be moulded and vulcanized in said mould must have a similar shape to that of the hollow space and a volume substantially equal to said constant volume of the hollow space of the mould because the moulding pressure depends on the difference between the volume of the green tyre and the volume of the hollow space. If the volume of the green tyre is less than that of the hollow space, the value of the moulding pressure is insufficient and hence the final result is unsatisfactory. On the other hand, in the case of excessive volume of the green tyre (in view of the constant volume available inside the mould and of the incompressibility of the rubber), high pressures are generated inside the mould. Said high pressures can generate excessive stresses on the mechanical components of the mould and lead to the deformation of the mould and hence to the production of a "distorted" product, or to the formation of unacceptable fins, if the elastomeric material flows into the clearances between said mechanical components and/or into suitable vents provided in the mould, or even to mould breakage.
Therefore, in moulding at constant volume, the volume of the green tyre should be substantially equal to the free volume of the closed mould. In practice, the volume of the green tyre must be just slightly greater than that of the hollow space in which it is accommodated.
EP-A0 264 600 describes a method and an equipment for moulding and vulcanizing a pneumatic tyre, at constant volume, in which elastomeric products and reinforcing elements are placed, in succession, on a rigid support, so that a green tyre is built up progressively. Placing of the elastomeric products is effected by means of at least one volumetric extruder having a discharge orifice positioned, relative to the support, in a lane in which the elastomeric product is applied for making the green tyre. The quantity of elastomeric product deposited is controlled by extruding a given volume from the volumetric extruder in relation to the speed of rotation of the support and to the deposition radius. The profile of the elastomeric product to be produced is obtained by means of a substantially meridian movement of the orifice relative to the rotating deposition surface.
The method and the equipment described in this document employ a mould in which the inside is constituted of a rigid support on which the green tyre is built. Thus, it is a constant-volume mould.
Therefore, in this case too, the method and the equipment described in the above-mentioned document require a green tyre that is to be moulded and vulcanized with a volume as constant as possible, and as close as possible to the theoretical (nominal) volume of the hollow space of the closed mould.
However, because of the inevitable variations of an industrial process, the quantity of elastomeric compound delivered is liable to fluctuations and the volume of the green tyres is not constant, whereas the volume of the hollow space of the mould is constant. Therefore, if there is a shortage of the elastomeric compound, constancy and correct moulding pressure are not guaranteed, whereas if there is excess of the elastomeric compound there are the problems and the difficulties described above.
Moreover, the above-mentioned variations in volume of the delivered material may depend, as well as on purely mechanical causes, also on the various characteristics of the elastomeric material and/or of the additives from one supplier to another or from batch to batch and/or on the process for mixing the components of the elastomeric compouds.
EP-A-0 400 496 describes a volumetric pump for the delivery of green rubber for an apparatus for moulding and vulcanizing a tyre, at constant volume. The pump comprises at least one delivery piston sliding in a cylinder with alternating motion between a top dead point and a bottom dead point. The pump also comprises a feed chamber, means for forced feed for feeding said cylinder and a discharge opening provided with a non-return valve. The cylinder wall comprises, as sole communication of the cylinder with the exterior, one or more inlet ports in which the feed chamber ends. The inlet port is arranged axially between the top dead point and the bottom dead point and is closed by the delivery piston during its movement towards the top dead point. The volume extruded in one cycle of the pump depends on the volume swept by the delivery piston between the point at which it closes the inlet port and the top dead point and by the fact that the feeding means and said delivery piston are actuated by a single input shaft.
This is a very complex pump which, however, does not guarantee deliveries of perfectly constant volumes.
The inventors observed that, in practice, in the process of building of a green tyre there is always a variation in the mass of materials delivered equal to ±δmass and hence a variability in the volume of the green tyre equal to ±δvolume relative to the nominal volume V0. For example, if ±δmass is of the order of ±100 g, assuming a specific density of 1.1 g/cm3, ±δvolume is equal to ±91 cm3. The variability of tyre volume, in percentage terms, is ±1%.
This value is, however, unacceptable for modem, sophisticated tyres intended for equipping high-performance cars.

Controlled volume device and method for moulding and vulcanizing a tire


A system and corresponding methods efficiently transport Program Clock Reference (PCR) for audio services delivered on an MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS) to an audio subsystem. The system processes an original Transport Stream (TS) to remove video packets other than those carrying the Program Clock Reference (PCR) and delivers the packets carrying the Program Clock Reference (PCR) along with audio to a receiving device. The total bandwidth needed to deliver the audio plus the necessary system clock and presentation timing information is therefore reduced.

Source material (or a program), such as movies, sports, news, and music typically includes video, audio, and other associated data, which are commonly formatted for storage and transmission according to MPEG-2 Systems Standard ISO/IEC 13818-1 2000, titled "Information Technology—Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio—Part 1: Systems," pp. 9-21 into a video elementary stream (video ES) and one or more audio elementary streams (audio ES). The video ES and the audio ES are packetized into a video packetized elementary stream (video PES) and one or more audio packetized elementary streams (audio PES). The video PES, audio PES, and associated data are multiplexed into a Transport Stream (TS), which may be delivered to a receiving device, such as a television set or a set top box, via cable, satellite, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) Player, and/or terrestrial broadcast. PES packets that form a program share a common time base.
Each MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS) may carry several programs, each of which is made up of one or more program elements. Each program element is packetized for delivery into Transport Stream packets. Each Transport Stream packet is a 188-byte structure made up of a four-byte header and a payload of up to 184 bytes. The TS packet header includes a thirteen-bit Packet Identifier (PID), which is a unique integer value associated with each program element. All packets in a particular program element have the same PID value. Packets in another program element have a unique value of PID.
The identities of the video and audio elementary streams (ES) are defined by descriptive information called Program Specific Information (PSI) included in the Transport Stream (TS). Program Specific Information (PSI) tables contain information needed by receiving devices to demultiplex and present programs. The Program Specific Information (PSI) includes a Program Association Table (PAT) and a Program Map Table (PMT). The PAT provides the association between a program number and the Packet Identifier (PID) value of the Transport Stream (TS) packets carrying a Program Map Table for that program. The Program Map Table (PMT) provides the mappings between program numbers and the program elements that make up the program. The Program Map Table (PMT) lists the elementary stream (ES) components, the "stream type" of each component (e.g., audio stream, video stream, data stream, etc.), and the Packet Identifier (PID) value associated with each elementary stream (ES).
The receiving device receives the Transport Stream (TS), delivers the video portion of the program to a video subsystem such as a display (e.g., television screen), and delivers the audio portion to an audio subsystem such as a decoder/amplifier, a powered loudspeaker, or headphones. Sometimes the receiving device may deliver the audio portion of the program via one or more network interfaces the physical link to the audio subsystem of which is bandwidth limited. In this case, audio may have to be sent in compressed format. Delivery of compressed audio requires time-based alignment (or synchronization) of the (decoded) audio with the associated video (i.e., lip-synch).
One known way to accomplish lip-synch is to include presentation timing information called a presentation time stamp (PTS) in each presentation unit (e.g., per video frame, per audio frame), which indicates the time of presentation of a particular frame with respect to a system clock time base. In essence, the program is a collection of program elements with a common time base.
Frames of decoded video or audio are delivered to the audio/video outputs when the time value of the system clock matches the PTS value. The system clock in MPEG-2 is based on a twenty-seven megahertz (MHz) oscillator that is synchronized on the receiving end by means of Program Clock Reference (PCR) samples. The receiving device uses the values of the PCR samples to adjust its twenty-seven MHz oscillator up or down as necessary to achieve lock with the like oscillator in the source device. In this and other known ways to accomplish lip-synch, the full Transport Stream (TS) is delivered to the receiving device and the receiving device then decodes and delivers the audio portion of the program to one or more audio subsystems. Still other known ways of accomplishing lip-synch involve delivery of audio packets and video packets corresponding to the Program Clock Reference Packet Identifier (PCR PID).
Typically, the video elementary stream (ES) carries the Program Clock Reference (PCR) samples. Timing information in PCR fields needed for lip-synch is coded as the sampled value of a program's system clock. This can be problematical because one or more packets in the video PES commonly include the PCR and the bit rate of the video is too fast to be properly conveyed by the physical layer transport methods used by certain wireless communication systems in use today. For example, the video bit rate (e.g., commonly ranging from two to twenty megabits per second (Mbps)) far exceeds the capacity of well-known wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b Standard "Wireless LAN Media Access Control (MAC) Physical Layer Specifications: High-Speed Physical Layer Extension in the 2.4 GHz Band." As a result, such technologies may be unusable in high-speed applications.

Efficient transport of program clock reference for audio services delivered on an MPEG-2 transport stream


A hydraulic servo-control of a servo-controlled gearbox provided with a hydraulic accumulator, having an outer housing and a piston that is slidable axially inside the outer housing and adapted to define a first variable-volume chamber for a gaseous material and a second variable-volume chamber for a control fluid under pressure; and at least one limit stop arranged at an open end of the outer housing which serve as a lower limit stop element; wherein the outer housing is provided with an upper limit stop element, which acts to limit the pressure value inside the first variable-volume chamber within a predetermined safety range.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a hydraulic servo-control of a servo-controlled gearbox.
2. Description of Related Art
Servo-controlled gearboxes have become increasingly widespread and are structurally similar to a traditional manual gearbox except in that the clutch pedal and the gear changing stick operated by the driver are replaced by corresponding electric or hydraulic servo-controls.
Using a servo-controlled manual gearbox, the driver only needs to send the order to shift to a higher gear or to a lower gear to a gearbox control unit and the gearbox control unit autonomously changes gear acting on both the engine and the servo-controls associated with clutch and gearbox.
Generally, the gearbox servo-control is of the hydraulic type and acts on a gearbox control shaft for transmitting both an axial displacement (i.e. along a central axis) for selecting the gear range, and a rotation about the central axis for engaging and disengaging the single gears, to the control shaft itself. Accordingly, the gearbox servo-control includes a linear hydraulic actuator mechanically coupled to the control shall for axially displacing the control shaft, and a rotary hydraulic actuator mechanically coupled to the control shaft for rotating the control shaft.
The gearbox servo-control further comprises a storing tank containing the control fluid used by the hydraulic actuators (typically oil) at room pressure, a hydraulic accumulator containing control fluid under pressure, a motor pump which draws the control fluid from, the storing tank and feeds the control fluid under pressure to the hydraulic accumulator, and a number of solenoid valves, which are adapted to selectively connect the chambers of the hydraulic actuators to the storing task and to the hydraulic accumulator.
Hydraulic accumulators of the known type comprise an outer housing which is internally divided into a first variable-volume chamber adapted to accommodate the control fluid and a second variable-volume chamber adapted to receive a gas under pressure (typically N2).
The division between the first and the second chambers is typically carried put by partition means arranged inside the outer housing, axially mobile inside the outer housing itself between an upper limit stop position and a lower limit stop position so as to vary the volumes of the first and second chamber, respectively, defined inside the outer housing. In particular, the partition means may comprise, for example, a bellows element made of a metal material, or a flexible partition membrane or even a piston.
In particular, hydraulic accumulators have become increasingly employed, which are provided with an outer housing shaped as a cup-shaped body, and with a piston arranged inside the outer housing, made axially sliding and mobile inside the outer housing itself.
While the above-described hydraulic accumulators are simple and inexpensive to be implemented, they have however the drawback that, if a traumatic and large damage occurs downstream of the hydraulic accumulator itself (e.g. a damage of about 10 mm in a piping, resulting in a considerable leakage of control fluid), a depression is generated such as to remove the partition means from the dedicated seat obtained into the outer housing and cause damage to the whole hydraulic servo-control.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hydraulic servo-control of a servo-controlled gearbox


A motorized, rotatable treadmill and a system for creating the illusion of user movement while the user is stationary with respect to an environment as the user walks or otherwise moves on an endless track of the treadmill. The user can then travel an unlimited distance in unlimited directions while remaining stationary in physical location. The speed of the treadmill is precisely controlled and/or precisely matched with movement of a camera and a real-world speed of movement of the user and the distance the user travels on the belt to create the illusion of movement of the person being filmed. When the treadmill is provided within an LED virtual film set or green screen set, background imagery is added to further supplement the movement in a selected environment.

Camera tracking systems are used with green screen backgrounds LED wall backgrounds to allow a person being filmed to appear as though they are in another environment, one that is generally created by CGI artists and is rendered in real-time by a rendering engine along with a media server. While the possibilities are unlimited with respect to the environment in which the person can be inserted, the person is otherwise very limited in how far and in what directions they are able to walk or run within this virtual environment.
Most "virtual film sets" currently use a camera tracking system that severely limits the movement of the person being filmed to a very small area in the center of the LED or green screen-based set. The person as well as the camera are always stuck in the same spot of the scene essentially and unable to travel. For a video-based environment to appear realistic in its position, it must remain static relative to that of the person. Even though the tracked film camera is able to move and view the environment from different perspectives, it is essentially static due to the fact that it must always view the person from the same frontal point of view with a very limited ability to orbit around them.

Motorized rotatable treadmill and system for creating the illusion of movement


Provided is a method for making a double-walled yoke that allows an inner yoke (4) and outer yoke (3) to be integrally joined to each other both easily and securely. Such a yoke provides an adequate cross sectional area for a magnetic path of the yoke while minimizing the weight of the yoke. A tubular member (14) destined to be form the inner yoke and a cup-shaped member (13) destined to form the outer yoke are both fitted on a punch (7) and a drawing process is executed by using an appropriate drawing die (8). The outer yoke may have a small wall thickness as long as it is capable of retaining its shape during use or supporting a bearing for the motor. The inner yoke is required to be relatively small in size as long it is capable of forming a satisfactory magnetic path for the motor. A satisfactory magnetic path can be obtained if the yoke is provided with an adequate wall thickness so as to provide an adequate cross sectional area for the magnetic path.

A conventional motor casing typically comprises an end plate supporting a brush holder and a cup-shaped yoke connected to the end plate. The cup-shaped yoke is typically formed by a deep drawing process. FIG. 14 shows such an example. A radial outer flange 31a is formed at an open end of a cup-shaped yoke 31. The flange 31a is formed at the same time as forming the yoke 31 by a deep drawing process.
The circumferential wall 31b of the yoke 31 that supports permanent magnets 32 is required to have a certain thickness so that a magnetic path having an adequate cross sectional area may be achieved. Therefore, the material for forming the yoke 31 is required to consist of a plate member having a corresponding thickness. When such material is subjected to a deep drawing process, the bottom portion that defines a bearing support portion 31c is stretched, and is given with a reduced wall thickness upon completion of the deep drawing process. However, the radial flange 31a would not be stretched to such an extent during the deep drawing process, and is given with a wall thickness d similar to that of the circumferential wall upon completion of the deep drawing process. Therefore, the thickness of the radial flange 31a is greater than desired, and this adds to the weight of the yoke without providing any benefits.
However, there is an ever growing demand to reduce the weight of a motor, and it is desired to minimize the weight of a yoke without unduly complicating the manufacturing process.
Japanese patent laid-open publication 11-089123 discloses a double-walled yoke that combines a tubular inner yoke for supporting permanent magnets and a cup-shaped deep-drawn outer yoke having a relatively small thickness. Thereby, only the part of the yoke that defines the magnetic path for the permanent magnets is given with an increased thickness while the remaining part of the yoke is given with a reduced thickness. Therefore, the weight of the yoke can be minimized without compromising the magnetic performance of the yoke.
According to this previously proposed yoke, the inner yoke and outer yoke are integrally combined apparently by press fitting the inner yoke into the outer yoke. However, a press fitting process may involve seizure and/or deformation of the inner yoke unless the inner and outer yokes are prepared at a very high precision, and a considerable amount of effort and cost are required to carry out the press fitting process for a yoke of this type in a successful manner.


Nanostructured elements and a method for fabricating such nanostructured elements with an enhanced power and aerial power density are disclosed. A hierarchical template with ordered and arrayed nanopores is produced on either a mating part or a support material that is pre-shaped so as to be conformable to the mating part. At least one compound can be optionally layered within the nanopores to reduce the diameter thereof. The template is supplied with filling material having selected electrical or thermoelectric properties. Selective removal of the template produces freestanding nanostructure arrays which are then backfilled with thermoelectric material or the like to form a nanostructure array comprised of nanowires supported by the backfilled material on the substrate.

The present invention is directed to nanostructured thermoelectric elements and the like, and a method for enhancement thereof, namely by combining layer-by-layer assembly of silica or mesoporous silica precursors or other suitable compounds within ordered nanoporous templates, then upon nanowire growth, removal of the template followed by layer-by-layer growth thermoelectric material in the voids; thereby creating a thermoelectric support. These hierarchical templates can be either fabricated freestanding or fabricated directly on support materials such as electrically conductive or insulating material. Furthermore, inclusion of material within the hierarchical nanopores facilitates the directed fabrication of ultra-high aspect ratio nanostructures.
In the primary currently preferred first embodiment, the composite thermoelectric laminates according to the present invention can increase the total power output of a thermoelectric device. In addition, a new process fabricates conformal (or conformable) thermoelectric nanowire arrays embedded within a composite thermoelectric matrix, which are grown on any shaped support when s the initial support is composed of aluminum, zinc, tin, antimony, titanium, magnesium, niobium, tantalum or any other metal that undergoes electrochemical formation of ordered nanopores. The materials listed are known producers of arrayed nanopores under anodic electrochemical oxidation (abbreviated hereto forth as "anodization" or "anodized"). In another contemplated embodiment, the advantages of these nanostructures can be leveraged in applications where ultra high surface area, vertically oriented and arrayed nanostructures are desired such as in batteries, capacitors, electrochemistry, chemical conversion, photovoltaic devices and many other chemical and physical applications as will be apparent to those skilled in such applications.
In a thermoelectric material, the redistribution of charge carriers is simultaneously associated with the formation of an electric field and a temperature gradient. Thus, the external application of a thermal gradient across the material results in the formation of an electrical bias. Likewise, an externally applied bias across the thermoelectric will cause heat to flow through the material. The degree that a particular material responds to either imposition is measured by the material's thermoelectric figure of merit, zT
                    zT        =                              σ                                                                                S              2                                                  T              av                                                          κ              e                        +                          κ              l                                                          (        1        )            where σ, S, κe, κl and Tav are the thermoelectric material's electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity due to electrons and phonons (lattice contribution), and average temperature, respectively. Thermoelectric efficiency increases with both zT in Equation. (1) and the Carnot efficiency (′c=1j Tcold=Thot), which is given by the ratio of temperatures from heat-source to heat-sink.
Theoretical calculations show the immense potential that ultra-low diameter nanostructures can have on zT. [see, e.g., Hicks and Dresselhaus; Thermoelectric figure of merit of a one-dimensional conductor. Phys. Rev. B, 1993, (47), 16631-16634]. Such calculations show, however, that significant enhancements in zT are only observed once the confinement length (i.e. nanowire diameter) drops below 20 nm. Only at dimensions below 10 nm is the nanostructure confinement on the order of or less than that of the phonon wavelength. A 100-fold increase in phonon scattering has been found as nanowire diameter decreased from 20 to 1 nm, while electron scattering only decreased by a factor of 2. [see, Kim, Stroscio, Bhatt, Mickevicius and Mitin; Electron-Optical-Phonon Scattering Rates in a Rectangular Quantum Wire. J. Appl. Phys., 1991, (70), 319-325]. Therefore, achieving zT, 4 likely requires nanostructures with diameters less than 5 nm.
It is possible to reduce the diameter of the AAO below its natural lower limit by incorporation of other materials within or on the walls of the AAO pores. This has been accomplished through filling the AAO pores with mesoporous silica, coating the AAO pores with mesoporous silica [see, Hill, Cotton and Ziegler; Alignment and Morphology Control of Ordered Mesoporous Silicas in Anodic Aluminum Oxide Channels by Electrophoretic Deposition. Chem. Mater., 2009, (21), 1841-1846], or layer-by-layer deposition on the AAO template [see Liu, Wang, Indacochea and Wang; Interference color of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) films for sensor application, Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2009, 2009, (7292), 729217-11]. Furthermore, the fabrication of thermoelectric nanostructures within ultra-low diameter nanopores has been predicted and partially verified to substantially enhance factors contributing to thermoelectric performance.
While ultra-low diameter nanowires show significant increase in zT, the low diameters limit the maximum power output of the device. The total power output of a thermoelectric device is the power factor (or PF),PF=S2σwhere S and σ are the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity respectively. PF is very similar to zT but does not account for the thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric material, as this is only a factor in efficiency. The PF is instead representative of the amount of energy that can be produced by the device. Increasing the PF of a nanostructured thermoelectric device will allow for greater energy generation in applications where maximum energy needs to be produced from an excess of heat.
A primary object of the present invention is the ability to increase the thermoelectrically active area of the device beyond the area of the nanowires. This has been accomplished by selectively removing the AAO template following wall coating of the nanostructures (henceforth referred to as the pore size reduction medium [PRM]) and filling of nanostructures with thermoelectric material. This freestanding nanostructure can then be supported by filling the nanoscale void with thermoelectric material, thereby increasing the total power output of the device.

Nanostructured thermoelectric laminates and a method to enhance the power factor and aerial power density of such thermoelectric laminates based on vertically oriented and densly arrayed nanowires


A connector includes a housing and a front holder. The housing includes a terminal receiving chamber formed therein, the terminal receiving chamber being receivable a terminal therein, the terminal receiving chamber including a flexible retaining lance which is arranged to extend from an inner wall of the terminal receiving chamber, the retaining lance being preventable the terminal coming off while retaining the terminal, and a refuge space formed under the retaining lance. The front holder includes a main body portion and a flexion preventing portion preventable a flexion of the retaining lance by entering into the refuge space, the flexion preventing portion being arranged to extend from the main body portion, the front holder is insertable into the housing from a surface of the housing engageable with a mating connector so as to be retained in the housing. When the front holder is in a regularly retained position with respect to the housing, the flexion preventing portion is inserted into the refuge space to regulate the flexion of the retaining lance. On the other hand, when the front holder is in a temporarily retained position with respect to the housing, the flexion preventing portion is evacuated from the refuge space to allow the flexion of the retaining lance. Inclination preventing portions are arranged on the main-body portion, the inclination preventing portions regulate an inclination of the front holder in the temporarily retained position with respect to the housing so as to prevent an entrance of flexion preventing portion into the refuge space.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure for retaining a front holder in a housing. The structure allows the front holder for preventing a terminal coming off to be retained in the housing while the front holder is inserted into the housing from an engagement surface side of the housing.
2. Background
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional doubly retained connector which includes a housing and a front holder; FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a condition in which the front holder is inclined in the housing; and FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a relation between a flexion preventing plate portion and a refuge space in the condition in which the front holder is inclined in the housing.
A doubly retained connector 1 shown in FIG. 6 has been disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 8-203592. The connector 1 includes a housing 2 having a plurality of terminal receiving chambers 4 which are respectively receivable terminals therein, and a front holder 3 which is retained in the housing 2 from an engagement surface 2a side of the housing 2.
As shown in FIG. 8, flexible retaining lances 5 extend from an inner wall of the terminal receiving chambers 4, respectively. The retaining lances 5 have retaining stepped portions 6. The retaining stepped portions 6 respectively retain the terminals 7 received in the terminal receiving chambers 4, so as to prevent terminals 7 coming off from the terminal receiving chambers 4.
The front holder 3 includes a frame-forming main-body portion 8 and a plurality of flexion preventing plates 9 formed integrally with the frame-forming main-body portion 8 so as to project from the frame-forming main-body portion 8. The front holder 3 is inserted into the housing 2 from the engagement surface 2a of the housing 2 engageable with a mating connector. Furthermore, the front holder 3 is retained by the housing 2 at two positions, a regularly retained position and a temporarily retained position, with respect to the housing 2.
When the front holder 3 is in the regularly retained position, the flexion preventing plates 9 are respectively inserted into refuge spaces 10 under the retaining lances 5 in the terminal receiving chambers 4. Accordingly, inadvertent flexion of the retaining lances 5 can be prevented, and also the terminals 7 are doubly retained within the terminal receiving chambers 4.
On the other hand, when the front holder 3 is in the temporarily retained position, the flexion preventing plates 9 are evacuated from the refuge spaces 10 under the retaining lances 5 in the terminal receiving chambers 4. Under this condition, if a terminal 7 is inserted into a terminal receiving chamber 4, the corresponding retaining lance 5 flexes. When the terminal 7 is further inserted to be accommodated at a predetermined position within the terminal receiving chamber 4, the retaining lance 5 returns to the original shape by its own resiliency to thereby cause the retaining stepped portion 6 of the retaining lance 5 to be retained by the terminal 7.
On the other hand, in order to pull a terminal 7 out of a terminal receiving chamber 4, the retaining lance 5 can be forcibly flexed by a terminal releasing jig after moving the front holder 3 from the regularly retained position to the temporarily retained position. Accordingly, the terminal 7 can be pulled out of the terminal receiving chamber 4.
However, when the front holder 3 is in the temporarily retained position with respect to the housing 2, the front holder 3 may be inclined with respect to the housing 2 due to play in a direction of width as shown in FIG. 7. When the front holder 3 is inclined, one side of the width direction of the front holder 3 may be inserted unnecessarily into the housing 2. Accordingly, end portions of the flexion preventing plates 9 are undesirably inserted into the refuge spaces 10 of the retaining lances 5 as shown in FIG. 8. Since the retaining lances 5 are not allowed to flex under this condition, the problem that a terminal 7 cannot be inserted into a terminal receiving chamber 4 arises.
Furthermore, even if attempts are made to forcibly flex a retaining lance 5 by inserting the terminal releasing jig, the flexion preventing plates 9 regulate flexion of the retaining lance 5. From this arises the problem that the terminal 7 cannot be pulled out even if the front holder 3 is set in the temporarily retained position.

Structure for retaining front holder in housing


A radiofrequency unit comprising a first dielectric substrate supporting a first conductive antenna layer; a second dielectric substrate supporting circuit elements connected or coupled to ground formed in a second conductive layer, and comprising a radiofrequency antenna line; and a third screen conductive layer arranged between the first and second substrates, provided with a slot to couple the antenna line to the antenna layer, this conductive layer being floating; in which the thickness and the nature of the second substrate are chosen by taking into account the surface of said circuit elements for the screen layer to be coupled to ground by a capacitor forming a short-circuit for radiofrequencies.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a radiofrequency communication unit, and in particular a radiofrequency communication unit for replacing a cable link between two electronic devices with a radio link when the distance is small between the two devices.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Such a communication unit, of a range of a few meters, exchanges radiofrequency signals (having a frequency ranging between 1.8 and 10 GHz) by means of a small flat antenna, generally called in the art a patch antenna, coupled to a radiofrequency signal processing chip. Input/output pads of the unit enable the chip to exchange so-called "low frequency" signals (having a frequency ranging between 10 kHz and 10 MHz) with a device in which the unit is integrated.
FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross-sectional side view of a radiofrequency communication unit 2, comprised of a stratified substrate 4 formed of two dielectric substrates 6 and 8 arranged on either side of a conductive screen layer 10. A conductive layer 12 forming a patch antenna is printed on the upper surface of substrate 6. The lower surface of substrate 8 supports a printed radiofrequency antenna line 16 connected to a terminal 18 of a chip 20 intended to transmit or receive radiofrequency signals. Radiofrequency line 16 is coupled to antenna layer 12 by a coupling slot 22 made in the screen layer 10 perpendicularly to line 16. The lower surface of substrate 8 also supports printed tracks 24 which define a plurality of input/output pads (I/O) of the unit and their connection to terminals 26 (a single one of which is shown) of chip 20. Each of the input/output pads is formed of a metallized surface where a connection ball (or welding ball) is placed. At least one of the pads is provided to be connected to ground and at least another one is provided to be connected to a supply terminal of the unit; the other pads are provided to transmit low-frequency signals between chip 20 and the outside of the unit. At least one via 28 made in substrate 8 connects screen layer 10 to a grounded pad.
Coupling slot 22 is made in screen layer 10 vertically above a portion O of antenna line 16. Upon transmission, the radiation of portion O is captured by the antenna 12 which retransmits it. Upon reception, the unit operates symmetrically.
Such a unit operates satisfactorily, but a problem results from the fact that the welding balls arranged on the I/O pads, which enable a simple assembly with a low bulk, have a height limited to approximately 0.5 mm. This imposes assembling chip 20 head-to-tail directly on tracks 24 printed under substrate 8. Now, such an assembly imposes that the chip 20 and the substrate 8 have substantially identical thermal expansion coefficients to avoid occurrence of mechanical constraints likely to result in a tearing of the chip terminals. Thus, in the conventional case of a silicon chip 20, substrate 8 must preferably be made of glass. A glass substrate being very difficult to bore, the forming of via 28 requires great precautions. Further, glass is poorly wettable and the filling of via 28 with a conductive material is also difficult. All this substantially increases the unit manufacturing cost. It is, however, necessary for the voltage of the screen layer not to be left floating, since screen layer 10 captures the undesirable radiation of line 16 towards antenna 12 and the radiation of antenna 12 towards the inside of the unit. The voltage of screen layer 10, if it was left floating, would vary under the effect of the captured radiation and screen layer 10 would radiate in the radiofrequency field. Such a radiation would disturb the operation of antenna 12 and that of chip 20, which is not desirable.
A solution consists of replacing via 28 through substrate 8 by an external conductive track located on an edge of the substrate. However, the manufacturing of an external track remains difficult and expensive.


A processor distributes memory timing parameters and data among different memory modules based upon memory access patterns. The memory access patterns indicate different types, or classes, of data for an executing workload, with each class associated with different memory access characteristics, such as different row buffer hit rate levels, different frequencies of access, different criticalities, and the like. The processor assigns each memory module to a data class and sets the memory timing parameters for each memory module according to the module's assigned data class, thereby tailoring the memory timing parameters for efficient access of the corresponding data.

For some processing systems, memory performance puts a constraint on overall system performance. For example, a graphics processing unit (GPU) of a processing system can generate a high amount of memory traffic, and the performance of the memory can limit the overall speed with which the GPU executes its assigned operations. One approach to improve memory performance is by adjusting the architecture of the memory and memory interface, such as by employing High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) interfaces and three-dimensional (3D) stacked memory architectures. Another approach is to employ dynamic voltage and frequency (DVFS) techniques to adjust the voltage and clock frequency supplied to the memory based on the processing system's power and performance constraints. However, existing DVFS techniques can undesirably limit system performance while allowing the system to consume a relatively high amount of power.

Distribution of data and memory timing parameters across memory modules based on memory access patterns


Described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media for evaluating vibrational characteristics of a vehicle such as an autonomous vehicle and vibrational characteristics of a road surface in conjunction with one another to identify anomalous vehicle vibrational characteristics that may be indicative of potential damage to the structure of a vehicle. A baseline vibrational signature may be generated for a road segment based on sensor data received from multiple vehicles traversing the road segment. A vibrational signature may also be generated for a particular vehicle being evaluated based on real-time sensor data. If the vibrational signature for the vehicle deviates from the baseline vibrational signature for the road segment by more than a threshold amount, the vehicle may be deemed to be exhibiting anomalous vibrational characteristics indicative of potential vehicular damage. One or more actions in response thereto may then be taken such as automatically halting the vehicle.

On-board sensors in a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle (AV), supplement and bolster the vehicle's field-of-view (FOV) by providing continuous streams of sensor data captured from the vehicle's surrounding environment. Sensor data can be used in connection with a diverse range of vehicle-based applications including, for example, blind spot detection, lane change assisting, rear-end radar for collision warning or collision avoidance, park assisting, cross-traffic monitoring, brake assisting, emergency braking, and automated distance control.
On-board vehicle sensors can be broadly categorized into two types: active sensors that provide their own energy source for operation and passive sensors that rely on an external power source for operation. On-board sensors include, for example, cameras, light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-based systems, radar-based systems, Global Positioning System (GPS) systems, sonar-based sensors, ultrasonic sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and far infrared (FIR) sensors. Sensor data may include image data, reflected laser data, acceleration data, angular movement data, or the like. Real-time spatial information may be acquired near a vehicle using various on-board sensors located throughout the vehicle, which may then be processed to calculate various vehicle parameters and determine safe driving operations of the vehicle.
As a vehicle travels along a road surface, it may encounter defects in the road surface (e.g., potholes, bumps, etc.); obstructions (e.g., an unintended object on the road surface); intentionally placed impediments designed to regulate vehicle speed (e.g., speed bumps, rumble strips, etc.); or the like. These defects/obstructions can cause damage to a vehicle's structure such as its suspension system if, for example, a vehicle traverses or otherwise contacts them at too high a speed.
In the case of a human-operated vehicle, potential damage to a vehicle's structure can be identified through human observation. For example, if a vehicle operator begins to hear an unusual noise during operation of the vehicle or feel an excessive amount of vibration, she has the capability of pulling the vehicle over and performing further inspection. In the case of an AV, however, where human observation from a vehicle operator is not available, damage to a vehicle structure can go undetected, potentially leading to large-scale failure that could have been avoided if the damage had been detected at an earlier stage. Technical solutions that address the drawbacks of autonomous vehicle technology with respect to automated vehicular damage detection are described herein.


A method and apparatus for electronically processing bill payment requests where respective sets of payment requests are received electronically from a plurality of independent sources, each set of payment requests corresponding to an associated set of payers requesting payments to a plurality of payees. The payment requests are processed at a single remittance processing system having a database including payee information for each of the plurality of payees to generate payment directions for paying the plurality of payees in accordance with the processed payment requests.

It has been common for many years for consumers to pay bills by way of a personal check written by the consumer to the order of an entity and delivered to that entity by mail or in person. With the proliferation of computers interconnected to computer networks, particularly the Internet, consumers can now pay bills electronically. However until recently it was not possible for a consumer, using a computer terminal, to interact with a single payment system capable of paying all the consumer's bills whether by electronic means or by a paper check. Such a system now exists in the form of a consolidated bill payment system as described by Kight, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,113, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRONICALLY PROVIDING CUSTOMER SERVICES INCLUDING PAYMENT OF BILLS, FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND LOANS.
Although the consolidated bill payment system described by Kight, et al. significantly advanced the state of the art, it did not focus on several problems which may arise in implementing a consolidated bill payment system capable of automatically paying consumer bills to merchants.
A typical state of the art electronic bill payment system is established by a financial institution or third party to provide subscribing customers with the capability to electronically pay registered merchants. Present day electronic bill payment systems operate in an integrated manner to collect payment requests electronically from consumers, process those requests to render them suitable for payment, and then pay the registered merchants, i.e., merchants listed in the system database. Hence, using present day systems, each has to establish relationships with both customers and merchants.
Developing and implementing a bill payment system has significant costs. First, a relationship has to be established with each merchant. Furthermore, special formatting requirements, and other rules and procedures required by each merchant for presenting payment data in a form the merchant system can process automatically must be determined and complied with. One of the features most desirable in any consolidated electronic bill payment system is that a consumer be allowed to pay any merchant to which the consumer owes a bill. Ultimately, this means that each conventional bill payment system may have hundreds of thousands of merchants in a database. Each bill payment entity must establish relationships with these merchants and comply with their special rules and procedures for the transfer of payment data. This is an expensive and time consuming process. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a way to reduce the time and expense which must now be spent by every bill payment entity to implement a consolidated bill payment system.
Another problem is that consumers or data entry personnel sometimes make mistakes in entering payment data required by the bill payment system. Such a case arises when a consumer's account number with a merchant is incorrectly entered. The payment system must submit a correct account number to the merchant who will use this account number to associate the payment with the consumer. Thus, a technique is needed to validate the submitted consumer's account number.
A data entry person may also enter payment data which incorrectly specifies the merchant's name or parts of the merchant's address. It has been found that merchant information such as the merchant name, address, zip code are typically mangled at the data entry stage. It has been further observed that errors will often be made upon entry of the zip code. The merchant's name, address, and zip code is typically required by the payment system in order to, for example, retrieve merchant records from the merchant database. If this data is incorrect, the payment system may be unable to retrieve the correct merchant's record for processing a payment. Thus, a technique is needed to correctly identify a merchant record notwithstanding the submission of erroneous merchant data.
A consolidated bill payment system must also have the capability to properly remit payments to the same merchant at more than one remittance center. Commonly a large commercial merchant, (e.g., shoe company, Sears) will have several remittance centers distributed geographically so that customers can submit bills to a center within their location. Thus, a technique is required to ensure that consumer payments are remitted to the proper one of multiple remittance centers associated with the same.
Advantageously, a consolidated payment system must also be able to handle the different processing formats and requirements of numerous separate merchant accounting systems. For example, each merchant's account system may require payment information, such as consumer account numbers, in a format different than that submitted by the consumer. For example, many merchant accounting systems will only accept an account number with some portion of a consumer's last name or the consumer's zip code appended to the end of the account number presented by the customer.
A merchant account system may even require an altered consumer account number which uniquely identifies the consumer. For example, two consumers, e.g., spouses, may have identical account numbers, but the merchant accounting system may designate the account of each consumer uniquely, such as by combining the account number with the prospective customer's name. Additionally, it is not unusual for a merchant to have different account numbers for a single customer. For example, an account number on an invoice which goes out electronically may be different from an account number for the same customer which goes out as a paper transaction.
Thus, a consolidated bill payment system must be able to handle the various formats required by the merchant accounting system of each merchant. Accordingly, a technique is required to transform payment data received from the consumer into a form compatible with a merchant's accounting system.


A trapezoidal circuit is formed with a D/A converter circuit for receiving the sequentially varying count of a counter and the D/A converter circuit is caused to generate a trapezoidal wave whose slopes on both sides vary linearly. When a control signal is rewritten at the time a leader picking signal is written and erased, the control signal is rewritten upon receipt of the signal linearly varying from the trapezoidal wave generating circuit at the time the write operation is started and terminated.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the control signal write circuits of a video apparatus, and more particularly, to improvements in a leader picking signal write process, in the control signal write circuits (those which will be described, in this specification, include video apparatuses incorporating cameras, stationary video tape recorders and video apparatus incorporating monitors) having a leader picking function.
2. Background Art
With the recent diffusion of video tape recorders, the function of the video tape recorder is increasingly intensified and diversified. A leader picking function is no exception.
The leader picking function is, such that, certain tag information is stored at each start point of recording (i.e., at the point from which recording is started) on a video tape so that the tape is automatically stopped by detecting the information at the time of fast feeding or rewinding. The leader picking function makes it possible to find out the leading end position of a program at the time of fast feeding and rewinding even when a plurality of broadcasting programs have been recorded thereon.
As leader picking systems, there are presently VISS (VHS Index Search System), VASS (VHS Address Search System) and the like.
In the case of the former system, leader positions are stored in the form of tag information and the tape is stopped at the predetermined position each time the information is read, whereas in the case of the latter, leader positions are stored in the form of predetermined address data, and when an address is designated, the position of the data conforming to the designated address is detected so that the tape is automatically stopped. The control signal written onto the control track of a video tape is generally used to read a leader picking signal or an index signal for obtaining leader picking information or data, or a part of an address signal for determining a stopping position of a video tape (hereinafter referred to as "leader picking signal") when such a leader picking function is practically utilized. The leader picking signal is written or erased by changing the duty ratio of the control signal.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, it is assumed that a video tape 10 is caused to travel in direction of arrow Y at the time of playback. A control track A.about.A' is provided on one side of the video tape 10. In this case, the side A represents what is to be read and the side A' what has already been read.
A control signal 10a is stored on the control track A.about.A' and used as a synchronizing signal (timing signal) when a video signal 10c to be stored on the video track are regenerated. In this case, an "ON/OFF" signal having a predetermined duty ratio (i.e., a signal which has been magnetized to the N- and S-polarity on the video tape 10) is normally used for the purpose. With the control signal for use in only specifying a position on the video track, at least the timing position of either a transition point from "ON" to "OFF" or a transition point from "OFF" to "ON" should only be identified. Therefore, there is no problem as long as the transition point is not changed, even when the duty ratio is changed. With this in mind, the leader picking signal is recorded by changing the duty ratio of the control signal.
Of the control signal, the portion used for the synchronizing signal is not directly related to the aforementioned duty ratio and this portion is assumed equivalent to a point where the magnetization is changed from the S- to N-polarity on the video tape 10. This transition point is a point at which the control signal is changed from "OFF" to "ON" when it is read by a control head 7 from the control track, that is, the point is equal in position to the timing of its rise. Consequently, the leader picking signal is written or erased by rewriting the duty ratio of the control signal in such a state that the transition point is rendered unaffected.
Of the control signal, the portion involved in the duty ratio is equivalent to a point where the magnetization is changed from the N- to S-polarity on the video tape 10. Therefore, the leader picking signal to be written or erased is rewritten at this point only. This point at which the control signal is reversely changed from "ON" to "OFF" is equal in position to the timing of the fall of the control signal and has no significance on the part of the control signal itself.
Incidentally, the writing of the control signal, which is dependent on its "ON" or "OFF" state, is based on d.c. recording effected by switching the direction of current from a terminal REC(+) to a terminal REC(-) in the control head or from REC(-) to REC(+) therein. While the control signal is being written, the direction of current is switched at predetermined intervals, whereby the direction of magnetization (i.e., N- and S-polarity) in the magnetic material on the control track A.about.A' is reversed at predetermined intervals.
In the case of the video tape loaded with images in a normal way, the control signal is in such a state that no leader picking signal has been recorded thereon, that is, a normal control signal whose duty ratio is about 60% as shown by 10a is employed and this signal is written onto the control track A.about.A'. On the other hand, a control signal whose duty ratio is about 27.5% as shown by 10b is written onto the control track A.about.A' at a leader picking position where the leader picking signal has been recorded.
When the leader picking signal 10b is written, current for use in writing N-polarity is supplied to the coil of the control head 7 after it has passed the point at which S-polarity of the control signal corresponding to the write position is transferred to its N-polarity (after about 8% in terms of the duty ratio). The direction of current is then changed so that S-polarity is written from a position at a duty ratio of 27.5% and the current is supplied to the coil of the control head 7. Subsequently, control is exercised in such a way that the current flowing through the coil of the control head 7 is suspended before the magnetization is transferred from S- to N-polarity (i.e., before about 10% in terms of the duty ratio).
In order to erase the leader picking signal 10b in such a state that the leader picking signal is read to cause the tape to stop at the position designated thereby, current for use in writing the N-polarity from the rising point of the control signal including the leader picking signal is made to flow through the coil of the control head 7 and the current is switched in such a way that the S-polarity is written from a position at which a duty ratio comes to 60%. This process is actually performed by letting the current for writing the N-polarity flow through the control head 7 after the control head 7 passes the transition point at which the S-polarity is switched to the N-polarity before the position of the leader picking signal 10b (after about 8% in terms of the duty ratio) and letting the current flow through the coil of the control head 7 in the opposite direction from a position where the duty ratio comes to 60% in order to write the S-polarity. Further control is exercised so that the current supplied to the coil of the control head 7 is stopped before the next transition point from the S- to N-polarity is reached (i.e., before about 10% in terms of the duty ratio).
In this way, only the position of the fall portion (the transition point from the N- to S-polarity) of the control signal is changed without changing its rise-up timing (the transition point from the S- to N-polarity) be rewriting to superimposing the control signal. The leader picking signal can thus be written or erased. In the case of the rewriting, the video signal and the like are not rewritten.
The control signal is rewritten as stated above so that the leader picking process is implemented and a part of the control signal is then rewritten. For this reason, there may arise a difference in the degree of magnetization between the control signal already written to the video tape 10 and what is rewritten thereto. Especially when it is attempted to rewrite the control signal so as to write a leader picking signal onto the control signal written by another video tape recorder, there inevitably arises a subtle difference in the degree and position of magnetization.
When such a difference in the degree of magnetization of the control signal ensues at the time of starting of terminating the rewriting, the magnetic flux density varies in that portion different in level when the control signal is read via the control head 7 at the time of playback and the waveform of the signal that has been read accordingly becomes discontinuous. A detection circuit for detecting the rise and fall of the control signal mistakes a transition point where the magnetization ratio varies for leader picking that is, the place where the aforementioned rewriting is started or terminated for the rise or fall timing of the control signal and so malfunctions as to generate a detection signal. The problem is that the image signal may fail to synchronize with the control signal.
In order to solve such a problem, the current flowing through the coil of the control head 7 is gradually increased or decreased when the rewriting of the control signal is started or terminated. As shown in FIG. 4, this process is accomplished by providing a trapezoidal wave generating circuit 11 mainly comprising a capacitor C1 and supplying its output to a drive circuit 12 so as to control current to be passed through the coil of the control head 7 by the operation of a charge/discharge circuit comprising resistors R1, R2 and the capacitor C1. In this way, the rise and fall conditions of the signal for rewriting the control signal to which the leader picking signal is written are made dull (see(L-shaped waveform) of FIG. 4).
Since circuits similar to those illustrated in an embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 1, which will be described later, are used for those other than the aforementioned of FIG. 4, the description of them will be omitted except that like reference characters are given in the embodiment.
In the prior art shown in FIG. 4, the trapezoidal wave generating circuit 11 is complete with one capacitor C1 and switch circuits SW1, SW2 are used to switch charging to discharging and vice versa. If the trapezoidal wave L is formed by using even one capacitor, the capacitor will have to be fitted outside when a control signal write circuit in the form of an integrated circuit (IC) is employed. Moreover, the drooping of the trapezoidal wave L remains irregular as the source voltage and the capacity of a capacitor for use vary. On the other hand, an increase or decrease in current at the time of starting or terminating writing in the case of rewriting has to be caused during the predetermined allowable time. Consequently, the trapezoidal wave L needs a relatively sharp drooping characteristic so that the variation of the write current is completed within a predetermined short period of time. Therefore, the maximum value of the drooping at the time of charging/discharging can not be too small. As a result, the problem of the malfunction of the circuit for detecting the control signal has not satisfactorily been solved yet.

Trapezoidal wave generation in a video control signal write circuit


A fabric with different thicknesses has an upper layer, a lower layer and at least one yarn layer made of firm yarn, connecting to and formed partially between the upper layer and the lower layer to from at least one thick section of the fabric. Multiple sections of the fabric without the at least one yarn layer are thin sections. Each of the at least one yarn layer is formed between two adjacent thin sections The fabric with different thicknesses is produced by a method comprising a mounting step, a forming step and a connecting step. The connecting step comprises connecting the upper layer partially to the lower layer by fibers to form the thin sections and connecting the upper layer to the lower layer by firm yarn to integrally form the at least one thick section to reduce the cost of the fabric.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a fabric with different thicknesses, and more particularly to a fabric that is formed integrally with different thicknesses.
2. Description of the Related Art
A normal sewing machine can produce only a piece of fabric. However, the fabric such as underwear may be thickened partially to make people comfortable when they wear the fabric.
A conventional fabric with different thicknesses is formed by following five steps.
(1) A first step comprises forming multiple upper layers and multiple lower layers.
(2) A second step comprises using a normal sewing machine to sew some of the upper layers respectively on some of the lower layers to form multiple connecting segments.
(3) A third step comprises using a double needle bar warp knitting machine for simplex fiber to treat the other part of the upper layers and the other part of the lower layers to form at least one single hollow bag.
(4) A fourth step comprises swing the at least one hollow bag respectively between the connecting segments to form the fabric.
(5) A fifth step comprises filling fillers respectively in the at least one hollow bag to thicken the fabric partially so the fabric has different thicknesses.
However, the conventional fabric with different thicknesses is formed by complex procedure that wastes time. Thus, a cost of the fabric with multiple different thicknesses will increase and customers have to pay more to get the fabric.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a fabric with different thicknesses to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned.


A wiring harness assembly of a door module, includes: an FPCB (Flexible Printed Circuit Board) connected to an external power supply for supplying electricity to a plurality of electric devices installed on the door module; a cover member coupled to the FPCB while protecting the FPCB; and a rib for protecting the FPCB from water.

Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a wiring harness assembly of a door module, and more particularly, to a wiring harness assembly of a door module, in which a plurality of wiring harnesses for supplying electricity to electric devices installed in a door are configured as one part, in order to facilitate an assembly process while simplifying the configuration.
Description of the Related Art
Recently, in an assembly process for complete vehicles, more and more modules, each of which includes unit parts assembled therein, have been employed in order to downsize the assembly line and to improve workability. For example, a door module including a door function has been proposed.
Such a door module is mounted on the door while including certain functional units of the door. The door module may be formed of plastic to reduce the weight of the door.
The functional units may include electric devices such as a window regulator system, an internal handle, a speaker support, an electric cable holder, and an electric side-mirror switch.
The electric devices having various functions must receive power for operation. In order to supply power, a separate electric cable is connected to a power supply unit separated from the door.
That is, the respective devices are connected to the power supply unit through separate electric cables, and the electric cables are bound and arranged by a cable tie or covered and protected by a separate protection member.
In the wire harness structure of the conventional door module, the electric devices performing various functions are connected through separate electric cables. Thus, the structure of the wire harness structure is very complex, a large amount of time is required for assembling the wire harness structure, and the price of the product is inevitably increased.


The invention relates to a child safety seat (100) comprising an integral harness belt (102) for restraining a child in the child safety seat (100), a belt tension monitor (106) adapted for monitoring a belt tension acting on the harness belt (102), a motorized harness belt tensioner (104) comprising a tensioning element (114) driven by an electromechanical actuator (122) and adapted for adjusting the belt tension acting on the harness belt (102), and a controller adapted for controlling the motorized harness belt tensioner (104) to adjust the belt tension to match a first predefined belt tension and for monitoring the resulting belt tension using the belt tension monitor (106).

Child safety seats can be placed on an installed seat of a passenger vehicle with or without a detachable connection to the vehicle frame, or they can be permanently installed in a vehicle. Passenger vehicles are usually also equipped with seat belts that can be used to secure a child safety seat and/or a child seated in the child safety seat to prevent injury during collisions or in other situations involving high acceleration/deceleration. Many vehicles also come with integrated anchoring structures to which a child safety seat can be attached, for example, according to the ISOFIX standard.

Child safety seat with a motorized harness belt tensioner


A process for coagulating a polybenzazole film which includes contacting a lyotropic polybenzazole dope film that is constrained in at least two directions with a coagulant under conditions such that the polybenzazole polymer separates as a gelled moiety with the structure set such that further removal of solvent will result in no more than a 5% increase in the force necessary to constrain the film.

This invention relates to films containing lyotropic polybenzazole polymers and processes for coagulating and washing them.
Polybenzazole polymers are typically synthesized by polymerization in nonoxidizing dehydrating acid solutions to form viscous dopes which are solutions of the polymer in the solvent acid. Uniaxially oriented film may be synthesized from these dopes by extruding onto a rotating drum that draws the film in the machine direction and rotates it down into a water bath to coagulate. Biaxially oriented films are synthesized by extruding the dope as a tube, which is blown or forced over a mandrel to impart some biaxial orientation, and is then immersed in water to coagulate it. Examples of such processes are described in: Chenevey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,735 (Dec. 11, 1984); Lusignea et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,595 (Oct. 3, 1989); Chenevey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,924 (Feb. 6, 1990); Harvey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,235 (Jul. 3, 1990); Harvey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,428 (Oct. 16, 1990); Lusignea et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,806 (Oct. 30, 1990); and Fujiwara, Japanese Kokai 63(1988)-74612 (published Apr. 5, 1988), which are incorporated herein by reference.
Once the polybenzazole dope film has been formed it must undergo coagulation in order to separate the polybenzazole from its solvent. Coagulation is the process in which a polymer in solution is contacted with a polymer nonsolvent, known as a coagulant, causing phase separation of the polymer into a gelled moiety. A coagulated film has a macroscopic structure that is essentially fixed. After the film has been coagulated it can be further washed in order to remove even more of the acid solvent. The amount of washing the film is subjected to depends upon the desired level of residual acid solvent in the final film.
The coagulated films and sheets may be used in structural materials or electronic components as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,595 (Oct. 3, 1989) and 11 Ency. Poly. Sci. & Eng., Polybenzothiazoles and Polybenzoxazoles, 601 (J. Wiley & Sons 1988), which are incorporated herein by reference.
It is necessary to coagulate and wash a dope film to obtain a polybenzazole film with a desired level of residual solvent in order to produce marketplace quality polybenzazole film.

Process for coagulating and washing lyotropic polybenzazole films


In an optical head unit, a shift of a laser beam is corrected by a parallel flat plate such that the center of an intensity distribution of the laser beam incident on an objective lens with a greatest numerical aperture among at least two objective lenses coincides substantially with the optical axis of the objective lens with the greatest numerical aperture. The parallel flat plate is disposed in an optical path of the laser beam traveling toward the lens such that a predetermined angle is defined between a surface of the parallel flat plate and the laser beam. Thereby, optical disks with different recording densities can be reproduced with high precision, without influence of the shift of the beam.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical head unit for recording information data on an optical disk member, and a method of manufacturing the optical head unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical head unit for use in recording information on an optical disk serving as a recording medium and reproducing information from the optical disk includes an actuator (movable unit) including an objective lens disposed near a recording surface of the optical disk, and a body unit (stationary unit) having a semiconductor laser element as a light source and a photodetector for converting a reflection laser beam received by the objective lens into an electric signal.
The objective lens is used to radiate onto the recording surface of the optical disk a laser beam of a predetermined wavelength produced by the semiconductor laser element and to receive the reflection laser beam reflected from the recording surface of the optical disk and to guide the reflection laser beam into the photodetector.
The photodetector photoelectrically converts the reflection laser beam received by the objective lens from the recording surface of the optical disk and produces an electric signal corresponding to the light intensity of the reflection laser beam.
Various methods for increasing the recording density have been proposed. For example, the diameter of a laser beam radiated on the recording surface of the optical disk by means of the optical head unit is reduced, i.e. the size of a recording pit is reduced; the interval of recording pits on the track on the optical disk is reduced; or the sensitivity of the photodetector for sensing the reflection laser beam from the optical disk is enhanced.
More than ten years have passed since the compact disks for musical use were developed. Moreover, various kinds of optical disks, typically CD-ROMs for personal computers or photo-CDs, have been developed for business use or household use.
The optical disks are mass-produced according to the standards stipulated in the industrial world. The standards themselves, however, have been altered to meet the demands of the times, for example, an increase in recording capacity or in number of functions (e.g. not only reproducing but also recording and/or erasing is performed). In addition, a number of new standards have been proposed.
As a result, about ten kinds of optical disks have been marketed.
It is practically not possible to prepare all types of drives matching with various optical disks, because of economic reasons, difficulty in handling the drives, or limited space for installation.
Under the circumstances, there is a demand for a method and an apparatus for reproducing information from different types of optical disks by means of a single drive. Needless to say, there is a similar demand for a method and an apparatus for recording and/or erasing information by means of a single drive.
According to one proposal, in order to provide different light spots of a laser beam necessary for reproducing or recording/erasing information on two or more kinds of optical disks with different recording densities, the actuator is provided with a necessary number of objective lenses with different numerical apertures and the optical objective lens is selected according to the kind of the optical disk.
However, in the optical head unit in which the objective lenses with different numerical apertures are switched, the tracking is controlled in the state in which the objective lens is shifted in the tracking direction (i.e. radial direction of the optical disk) relative to the parallel beam incident on the objective lens. In principle, while the apparatus is being operated, a beam shift (displacement between the center of intensity of the parallel beam and the center of optical axis of the objective lens) occurs more or less at all times.
According to another proposed method, when information recorded on an outer peripheral area of an optical disk needs to be reproduced while information on an inner peripheral area is being reproduced, the optical head unit is shifted in the radial direction of the optical disk to access a desired track in the state in which and the objective lens is shifted in the tracking direction by a predetermined amount.
In this method, the objective lens is restored at last to the shift-free state from the state in which it is shifted in the tracking direction. During the access, a tracking error signal having a predetermined quality level must be obtained to exactly seek a target track, though the objective lens is in the shifted state.
It is well known, however, that to shift a beam results in an offset of the tracking error signal or a decrease in signal amplitude. Consequently, the quality of the tracking error signal is degraded. In fact, there is a problem in that a beam is shifted due to machining precision of individual parts of the optical head unit and/or attachment precision of the parts.
To shift the beam, therefore, causes an offset in a focus error signal or a tracking error signal, or degrades C/N in reading recorded information signals.
In addition, the degree of shift of the beam differs among switchable objective lenses.
As a result, although the objective lenses with higher numerical apertures are used for optical disks on which information is recorded at high density, the recording/reproducing performance of the optical head unit is degraded.

Optical head unit for use in an information read/write apparatus