An anti-misinsertion mechanism for a card connector defining a correct card connector thickness, the mechanism including: a body; a first link generally extending along the body, the first link including an actuator for actuating the first link to be rotated from a normal position toward an operating position upon detecting existence of the correct thickness of a partially-inserted card; and a second link provided with a stopper for selectively preventing full insertion of the card, the second link being pivoted to the body and operatively connected to the first link, thereby being rotatable between a normal position and an operating position relative to the normal and operating positions of the first link.

Since the invention of the first IC card by Piland Moreno in 1970, IC card technology has been widely implemented in various fields. The main applications of IC cards are in the fields of IC smart cards and IC memory cards. However, other types of cards are also applicable. Smart cards are of a thinner profile, having a configuration similar to a credit card and a thickness of approximately 0.76 mm. Known applications of smart cards include banking, health care, telecommunication and MRT systems. Memory cards also known as PCMCIA cards or PC cards, which are of a thicker profile, have a dimension similar to a business card and follow the protocols established by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. There are three types of PCMCIA cards, which are Type I (3.3 mm), Type II (5.5 mm) and Type III (10.5 mm). Known applications of PCMCIA cards include electronic or video games, electronic dictionaries, modems, audio and Ethernet cards.
With the flourishing developments of technology nowadays, there are various means for recording data. The trend of allowing a single terminal to access a smart card and a PC card simultaneously is inevitable. However, due to the similar dimensions of a smart card and a PC card, an IC card having a thinner profile may be inadvertently inserted into a cardbus adapted to a memory card, which may cause system errors. Hence, it is necessary to provide an anti-misinsertion mechanism for preventing misinsertion of a thinner smart card into a cardbus adapted to a memory card, which may cause system errors.

Anti-misinsertion mechanism of card connector


The invention provides a photographic element comprising a red light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a cyan dye forming coupler having Formula (I) and a green light sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a magenta dye forming coupler having formula IIA or IIB: ##STR1## wherein the substituents are as defined herein.

A typical photographic element contains multiple layers of light sensitive photographic silver halide emulsions with one or more of these layers being spectrally sensitized to each of blue light, green light and red light. In the conventional subtractive color system, the blue, green and red light sensitive layers typically contain yellow, magenta and cyan dye forming couplers, respectively.
To form color photographic images, the color photographic material is exposed imagewise and processed in a color developer bath containing an aromatic primary amine color developing agent. Image dyes are formed by the coupling reaction of these couplers with the oxidized product of the color developing agent.
It has been an ongoing object of photographic researchers efforts for many years to develop and combine cyan, magenta and yellow image dyes of different chemical structures in order to improve the range of colors produced and hence increase the dye color gamut.
Direct viewing color print materials such as color papers, motion picture print films or color reversal slide films rely on the formation of color metamers within the photographic element to reproduce the color of an image. The color image is formed by generating a combination of cyan, magenta and yellow dyes in proportion to the amounts of exposure of red green and blue light respectively onto the element with the object being for the reproduced image to duplicate as nearly as possible the stimulation of the optic sensors of the eye resulting from the original image.
Thus, any color in the original scene is reproduced as a unique combination of the cyan, magenta and yellow image dyes in the viewed print material. The absolute relationship of the original color to the reproduced color is a combination of many factors. It is however, limited by the dye gamut achievable by the multitude of combinations of cyan, magenta and yellow dyes used to generate the final image. Dye gamut is a measure of the breadth of colors capable of being reproduced by the combination of dyes used to make the image.
Dye gamut is limited by many features of an imaging system. For example, dye gamut is limited by the minimum and maximum densities achievable by the photographic element, by the color purity of the individual dyes, etc. Color purity of a dye is a function of the secondary absorption of the dye, the shape of the absorption band of the dye, and its bandwidth. In addition to the individual dye characeristics, to achieve the highest color gamut it is necessary to have cyan, magenta and yellow image dyes which have the preferred absorption maxima relative to one another, narrow bandwidth (to increase color purity) and absorption band shapes which function together to provide a maximum dye gamut.
In the measurement of color, or colorimetry, the calorimetric term chroma (C*) is a measure of the color saturation or color purity (sometimes referred to as `brilliance`). Since C* changes as a function of its lightness (L*) it is necessary to specify L* when comparing C* measurements between different examples. In order to measure C*, it is first necessary to specify the illuminant under which the subject is to be measured or viewed. It is convenient to specify a color temperature rather than a specific light source such as daylight, tungsten or fluorescent. For daylight viewing, a color temperature of 5000.degree. K. is representative of a typical daylight illuminant.
Chroma itself does not imply a given color or dye hue, but rather is a measure of the purity of a given color. As such, a value for C* is first obtained by measuring two other colorimetric terms, a* and b*. These metrics, when specified in combination, describe the color of an object, whether it be red, green, blue, etc. The measurement of a* and b* is well documented and now represents an international standard of color measurement. (The well known CIE system of color measurement was established by the International Commission on Illumination in 1931 and was further revised in 1971. For a more complete description of color measurement refer to "Principles of Color Technology, 2nd Edition by F. Billmeyer, Jr. and M. Saltzman, published by J. Wiley and Sons, 1981.)
Simply stated, a* is a measure of how green or magenta the color is (since they are color opposites) and b* is a measure of how blue or yellow a color is. From a mathematical perspective, a* and b* are determined as follows: EQU a*=500{(X/X.sub.n).sup.1/3 -(Y/Y.sub.n).sup.1/3 } EQU b*=200{(Y/Y.sub.n).sup.1/3 -(Z/Z.sub.n).sup.1/3 }
Where X, Y and Z are the tristimulus values obtained from the combination of the visible reflectance spectrum of the object, the illuminant source (i.e. 5000.degree. K.) and the standard observer function.
Once a* and b* are obtained, the value of C* may be obtained by the following equation: EQU C*=(a*.sup.2 +b*.sup.2).sup.1/2
Thus in a photographic element, as dye formation increases as a function of increasing exposure, the density of the element increases. Since L* is a measurement of lightness or darkness it changes in concert with density. Since an L* of 100 is perfectly white, there is no color. Correspondingly, an L* of 0, is perfectly black and again, there is no color. Therefore color only exists if L* has a value greater than 0 and less than 100.
The value of L* is a function of the tristimulus value Y, thus EQU L*=116(Y/Y.sub.n).sup.1/3 -16
As exposure increases on a photographic element and dye density also increases in proportion due to color development, L* decreases. C*, however, increases with exposure to a maximum value. This maximum value is a function of many variables, but is generally bounded by the Dmin and Dmax of an element and the color purity of the dye being formed.
Magenta dyes absorb green light and typically have absorption maxima near the center of the green region, or about 550 nm. The most commonly used magenta couplers are those of the pyrazolone type. The image dyes derived from these couplers have several deficiencies, including an absorption spectra having too much unwanted absorption of blue and red light which limits the gamut of the colors obtainable using this type of coupler.
In recent years, magenta couplers have been developed based on pyrazolotriazole compounds. Compared to the pyrazolone based magenta couplers, the pyrazolotriazole couplers have been shown to have significantly lower unwanted absorption of blue and red light and to have a narrower dye adsorption bandwidth. The pyrazolotriazole couplers have also been shown to be excellent for light and dark image stability when compared to the pyrazolones.
Yellow dyes absorb blue light and typically have absorption maxima of about 450 nm. The precise location of the peak absorption depends upon several other factors including the shape of its absorption band, its bandwidth and the shapes and positions of the absorption bands of the cyan and magenta dyes with which it is associated. Couplers used to form the yellow dyes in direct viewing color print materials are usually based upon acylacetanilides and most typically, alkylacylacetanilides. Benzoylacetanilides are known to have absorption bands which absorb more green light than the alkylacetanilides and therefore are not preferred in direct viewing photographic systems.
Alkylacylacetanilide couplers in which the acetanilide ring is substituted with an alkoxy group in the ortho position of the anilide ring are known to produce yellow image dyes which have an absorption maxima at shorter wavelengths than those couplers which have a halogen (i.e. Cl) or other substituent. Shifting the absorption band to shorter wavelengths increases the color saturation and resultant color purity of the dye by reducing the unwanted absorption of green light. This is therefore a preferred embodiment. A preferred subclass of these yellow couplers is a cycloalkylacylacetanilide compound. The image dyes produced from these couplers have absorption maxima at shorter wavelengths with sharp cutting bands on their long wavelength sides also resulting in higher color purity.
Cyan dyes absorb red light and typically have an absorption maximum of about 650 nm. Traditionally, the cyan dyes used in color papers have had nearly symmetrical absorption bands. Such dyes have rather large amounts of unwanted absorption in the green and blue regions of the spectrum. Much effort has gone into the design of the cyan dye forming coupler used in concert with the magenta and yellow couplers described above.
Couplers used to form cyan image dyes are generally derived from naphthols and phenols, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,367,351, 2,423,730, 2,474,293, 2,772,161, 2,772,162, 2,895,826, 2,920,961, 3,002,836, 3,466,622, 3,476,563, 3,552,962, 3,758,308, 3,779,763, 3,839,044, 3,880,661, 3,998,642, 4,333,999, 4,990,436, 4,960,685, and 5,476,757; in French patents 1,478,188 and 1,479, 043; and in British patent 2,070,000.
From an historic perspective, the most common cyan couplers used in color papers are phenolic couplers (Formula 1), wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl or aryl group, most often an alkyl group substituted at the alpha position by an aryloxy group; R.sub.2 is an alkyl group, usually methyl or ethyl; X is a halogen atom; and Z is a halogen atom or a coupling-off group, usually halogen. ##STR2##
These couplers of the phenolic class are most prevalent in modern direct viewing photographic systems as they combine the advantages of ease of synthesis, reasonable cost, good light and dark image stability and a dye absorption band which is adequate to obtain a satisfactory color dye gamut. Nevertheless, these dye properties leave room for improvement. Furthermore, these dyes have a tendency to be bleached by reaction with ferrous ions that are present in the the bleaching solution of the color development process.
Cyan couplers that have been proposed to overcome some of these problems are 2,5-diacylaminophenols containing a sulfone, sulfonamido or sulfate moiety in the ballasts at the 5-position (not the 2-position), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,609,619, 4,775,616, 4,849,328, 5,008,180, 5,045,442, and 5,183,729; and Japanese patent applications JP02035450 A2, JP01253742 A2, JP04163448 A2, JP04212152 A2, and JP05204110 A2. Even though cyan image dyes formed from these couplers show improved stability to heat and humidity, enhanced optical density and resistance to reduction by ferrous ions in the bleach bath, the dye absorption maxima (.lambda.max) are too bathochromically shifted (that is, shifted to the red end of the visible spectrum) and the absorption spectra are too broad. Thus, these couplers are not practical for use in color papers or other direct color print viewing systems.
Although the use of sulfone (--SO.sub.2 --) groups in the ballast moieties of phenolic cyan couplers has been described in various publications cited above, the coupler structures disclosed do not result in the desired improved color reproduction and color saturation in color photographic papers.
There have been numerous attempts to improve the dye gamut of direct viewing photographic imaging materials. Bowne, U.S. Pat No. 4,960,685, discusses the advantages of combining certain naphtholic cyan couplers with specified magenta and yellow dyes. The cyan dye forming couplers of those inventions usually have poor solubility in organic solvents and are difficult to disperse in gelatin. Furthermore, the cyan dyes derived from them exhibit hue shifts as a function of increasing image density. They have not, therefore found any practical application.
It is a problem to be solved to provide a photographic element, especially one for direct viewing, which produces colors of greater color saturation and which exhibits an increased color gamut compared to elements heretofore available.

Photographic element containing improved coupler set


A magnetic disk apparatus includes that a head positioning actuator assembly is retracted to a predetermined position for retraction at the time of stop of power supply from a power source, an electric power to be supplied to a driving circuit of the actuator assembly at the time of stop of power supply from the power source is supplied in three separate steps with time differences therebetween. First, an electric power for stopping the actuator assembly is supplied. With a second power supply using a small electric power, the actuator assembly starts a retracting operation at a sufficiently low speed so that it reaches the vicinity of a ramp. Thereafter, a third power supply is performed to accelerate the actuator assembly so that it is surely retracted to the predetermined position for retraction. Since the speed of impingement of the actuator assembly upon the ramp at this time can be set to a sufficiently low value, it is possible to reduce the damage of the ramp.

The present invention relates to a magnetic disk device, and more particularly to a control method and a magnetic disk apparatus in which a magnetic head slider is retracted when the supply of an electric power from a power source is interrupted.
The conventional control method of retracting a magnetic head portion of a magnetic disk apparatus at the time of interruption of a power source includes a method disclosed by JP-A-7-211031. Namely, in the case where a head positioning actuator assembly is to be retracted at the time of interruption of power supply, the disclosed retracting method includes a step of charging a capacitor during a usual power source turn-on operation by a voltage which exceeds a power source voltage supplied to the magnetic disk apparatus, a step of discharging the stored current to the head positioning actuator assembly through the switching of the capacitor circuit at the time of interruption of power supply to the device, and a step of driving the actuator assembly to a predetermined position for retraction.
Also, JP-A-3-248379 has disclosed a method for stand-by driving of a magnetic head in which a back electromotive force from a member for driving the rotation of a magnetic disk is supplied to a magnetic head driving member at the time of stop of a magnetic disk driver to transport the magnetic head to a stand-by position at which the magnetic head or a magnetic head supporting member is engaged with a bearing member so that it mounts on (or gets on) the bearing member, thereby supporting the magnetic head on the bearing member in a state in which the magnetic head floats from the magnetic disk. The driving method includes a first step in which a voltage obtained by lowering the back electromotive force from the disk rotation driving member is supplied to the magnetic head driving member so that magnetic head is transported toward the stand-by position to bring the magnetic head into a state in which the magnetic head or the magnetic head supporting member contacts the bearing member but it does not mount on the bearing member, and a second step in which a voltage higher than the voltage supplied in the first step is supplied to the magnetic head driving member to bring the magnetic head or the magnetic head supporting member into an engagement with the bearing member so that the former mounts on the latter.
In the method disclosed by the JP-A-7-211031, a retraction operation is performed after the stop of supply of an electric power of the power source in such a manner that an electric power stored in the capacitor at the time of supply of the electric power is supplied to a magnetic head driving circuit. If this method is applied to a ramp type load/unload mechanism, there is a problem that a head or a head supporting portion impinges upon a ramp portion with a result that the head or the ramp portion is damaged.
In the method disclosed by the JP-A-3-248379, the retraction is made at the time of cut-off of a power source by performing the power supply in two steps by use of the back electromotive force of a rotating spindle motor. Namely, up to the front side of a lifter (or ramp), the magnetic head or the magnetic head supporting member is operated with a low voltage so that it impinges upon the lifter and is stopped. Thereafter, a high voltage is applied so that the magnetic head or the magnetic head supporting member ascends a ramp portion of the lifter.
In this case, the JP-A-3-248379 has stated that since there is employed a construction in which the application of the low voltage is continued immediately after stop of the power source, the magnetic head or the magnetic head supporting member impinges upon the lifter at a low speed. Practically the acceleration of the actuator is however continued so that the speed of the magnetic head or the magnetic head supporting member at the time of impingement thereof upon the ramp portion becomes high. As a result, it is also difficult to prevent the head from being damaged. In order to suppress the speed at the time of impingement to a tolerance, it is required that the voltage to be applied should be made considerably low.
An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk apparatus of a retraction system using a high reliable ramp load type for reducing the ramp damage so that the speed of impingement on the ramp is made sufficiently low to allow the securely unloading retraction system when the power is even stopped supplying from a power source.
To attain the above object, a retracting method at the time of stop of supply of an electric power from a power source and a magnetic disk apparatus according to the present invention are characterized by comprising means for performing, at the time of stop of power supply from the power source, the supply of an electric power to an actuator assembly driving circuit in three separate steps with time differences therebetween.
A first aspect of the present invention lies in that there is provided means for performing a first power supply immediately after the interruption of supply of an electric power from a power source and performing the next power supply through the operation of a switch after the lapse of a fixed time from the first power supply.
A second aspect of the present invention lies in that there is provided means for detecting the arrival of an actuator assembly at an unload point (or the vicinity of a position at which the actuator assembly contacts a ramp). Immediately after the interruption of supply of an electric power from a power source, a first power supply is performed to a driving circuit of the actuator assembly. Thereafter, a switch is operated at the unload point (or the vicinity of the position of the actuator assembly contacting the ramp) so that the next power supply is started.
A third aspect of the present invention lies in that at the time of interruption of an electric power from a power source, a back electromotive force of a spindle motor is supplied to a head positioning actuator assembly in three separate steps with time differences therebetween.
A fourth aspect of the present invention lies in that means for storing an electric power during a usual power source turn-on operation is provided so that at the time of interruption of supply of an electric power from the power source, the stored electric power is supplied to a head positioning actuator assembly in three separate steps with time differences therebetween.

Retraction control method and magnetic disk apparatus


A self-pumping hydropneumatic strut with an internal level control, especially for automobiles, has a power cylinder. The power cylinder is under the pressure of at least one gas pad acting as a spring. The gas pad is placed in a high-pressure chamber, which high-pressure chamber is filled with damping agents. The power cylinder is divided into two working chambers by a working piston. The working piston is carried by a hollow piston rod and is equipped with valves. A piston pump is driven by the spring motion and transports oil from a low-pressure chamber into the working chamber. The working chamber is connected to the high-pressure chamber. The piston pump includes a pump chamber formed by the hollow piston rod and a pump rod that is connected to the power cylinder. The damping agent in the pump chamber can be pressure-impacted by a driving element.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to a self-pumping hydropneumatic strut with an internal level control, especially for automobiles. The self-pumping hydropneumatic strut has a power cylinder which is under the pressure of at least one gas pad acting as a spring. The gas pad is placed in a high-pressure chamber, which high-pressure chamber is filled with damping agents. The power cylinder is divided into two working chambers by a working piston. The working piston is carried by a hollow piston rod and is equipped with valves. A piston pump is driven by the spring motion and transports oil from a low-pressure chamber into the working chamber that is connected to the high-pressure chamber. The piston pump includes a pump chamber formed by the hollow piston rod and a pump rod that is connected to the power cylinder.
2. Background Information:
Self-pumping hydropneumatic struts are already known (e.g., German Patent No. 38 40 790 and German Patent No. 39 14 385, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,616), where, by means of the piston pump of the strut, while the vehicle is in motion, damping agents are pumped into the power cylinder until the level position of the vehicle is reached. After reaching the level position, the power cylinder disengages a downward-control opening so that, with the aid of a short circuit or bypass, further upward-control of the vehicle's built-up can be avoided. In order to reach the level position while the vehicle is charging, immediately after starting the vehicle, it is possible, while the vehicle is not in motion, to transport oil into the working chamber by means of a pressurized accumulator. In contrast to the high-pressure chamber and the low-pressure chamber, the pressurized accumulator is impacted with higher pressure so that, when the vehicle is charging, the piston rod, in the standing position, dives into the strut, and thus a bypass system between the pressurized accumulator and the high-pressure chamber is opened. As a rule, the volume of the pressurized accumulator is sufficient for a one-time actuation so that during the next trip, by means of the piston pump, charging of the pressurized accumulator must once again take place.

Self-pumping hydropneumatic strut with an internal level control


In a computer system equipped with a large number of registers which have an access time much shorter than that of a main memory, a register designating address part in which the assignment of an area register having a register address of a register area as its value and the assignment of a register displacement value expressing a relative register address within the register area are combined is provided in each instruction so that, even when physical registers are increased, save and restore of registers attendant upon task switches, etc. may be lessened to attain a raised speed of program run processing. Besides, an address part for designating main memory is provided in the same instruction.

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus adopting an organization method and an access method for registers which are well suited to a case where the access times of the registers are much shorter than the access time of a main memory.
Heretofore, in a computer system furnished with a large number of registers, a method of assigning the individual registers has been discussed in, for example, D. A. Patterson and C. H. Sequin: A VLSI RISC, Computer Sep. 1982, IEEE (pp. 8-21) and has generally been realized in the form of a RISC I-microprocessor (hereinbelow, abbreviated to "RISC I").
In the RISC I, there are banks of 32 logical registers which can be assigned by instructions, and a total of 138 physical registers exist. Letting L.sub.0, L.sub.1, . . . and L.sub.31 denote the logical registers to be assigned by the instructions, and letting R.sub.0, R.sub.1, . . . and R.sub.137 denote the physical registers, the registers L.sub.0, L.sub.1, . . . and L.sub.9 correspond respectively to registers R.sub.0, R.sub.1, . . . and R.sub.9 at all times. The registers L.sub.10, L.sub.11, . . . and L.sub.31 are respectively held in correspondence with registers R.sub.116, R.sub.117, . . . and R.sub.137 at the time of initialization. However, they are respectively brought into correspondence with the registers R.sub.100, R.sub.101, . . . and R.sub.121 after the call of the first subprogram, and with the registers R.sub.84, R.sub.85, . . . and R.sub.105 after the call of a subprogram directly below the level of the first subprogram. In this manner, the correspondence of the registers is shifted downwards or advanced by 16 registers in conformity with the nest level of the subprogram call. At the time of return from a subprogram, the correspondence is brought back upwards or retracted by 16 registers. The logical registers L.sub.26, L.sub.27, . . . and L.sub.31 before the subprogram call indicate the same physical registers as those corresponding to the registers L.sub.10, L.sub.11, . . . and L.sub.15 after the subprogram call, respectively.
In this fashion, partly different register sets are utilized in accordance with the nest levels of the subprogram calls, thereby intending to lessen the "save" and "restore" operations of the registers. When the number of the nest levels of the subprogram calls becomes large and the physical registers are used up, interruption arises.
With the prior art as stated above, the following problems are involved: (a) A register area to be used is shifted upwards or downwards (advanced or retracted) by a fixed amount only when a subprogram is returned or called, and it is not considered at all to change a register position for use in adaptation to the property of a program or to a programming form, so that the efficient utilization of registers cannot be attained. (b) Large quantities of physical registers need to be saved and restored when a task is switched, and further increase in the number of physical registers does not lead to an increase in speed. (c) When physical registers have been used up, register saving, operations are executed by an interrupt handling routine, and hence, a long time is expended for processing.
Among them, the item (b) poses a problem in that the high-density integration technology of LSI's cannot be fully exploited.

Data processing system having multiple register management for call and return operations


A wheel bearing having a sensor holder (8) to hold a sensor that detects the rotational movement of a wheel, including:                a rotating inner race (1) onto which a wheel of the motor vehicle can be mounted,        a stationary outer race (2) attached to a motor vehicle,        an encoder (4) associated with the rotating inner race (1),        a cover (4) arranged on the stationary outer race (2),whereby the sensor holder (8) is formed by a recess that is provided in the cover (3) and that is arranged opposite from the encoder (4), said recess being closed on the side facing the encoder (4) by a partition (7) that is permeable to the magnetic alternating field between the encoder (4) and the sensor.

Such a wheel bearing is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,894. The basic structure of the wheel bearing consists of a wheel hub that is attached to a motor vehicle and that has a stationary outer race and a rotating inner race onto which a wheel of the motor vehicle can be mounted. The structure described corresponds to the wheel bearing provided on a non-driven wheel. Between the outer race and the inner race, there is a bearing which comprises a plurality of rolling elements that are arranged, for example, in two parallel bearing races. Moreover, an encoder, for instance, in the form of a toothed ring, is non-rotatably secured on the rotating inner race. The stationary outer race also has a sensor holder to hold a sensor that is positioned in such a way that the surface of the sensor held therein is situated opposite from the rotating encoder. Fundamentally speaking, the wheel bearing has to be lubricated, whereby, in order to attain the longest possible service life, it is important for the lubricant not to leak out or to be contaminated by dirt particles that might get into it. For this purpose, the wheel bearing has to be sealed. Since the sensor holder of the wheel bearing disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,894 is open towards the encoder, this wheel bearing has to have a gasket situated between the sensor and the sensor holder. This gasket itself increases the probability that damage might occur to the wheel bearing since the gasket can be damaged, for example, when the wheel bearing is being assembled or it might lose its sealing effect due to wear and tear.
International patent application WO 2008/006777 A1 discloses a wheel bearing in which the encoder is additionally protected towards the outside by means of a cover that prevents the penetration of dirt particles while also preventing leakage of the lubricant. In the case of this wheel bearing, the sensor itself has to be mounted on the outside since no sensor holder is provided on the wheel bearing itself.


A louver assembly includes a support, a plurality of blades, and an insert. The support extends along a length and includes a plurality of slots formed therethrough. Additionally, each louver blade of the plurality of louver blades includes a retention aperture formed therethrough, where each louver blade of the plurality of louver blades extends through a respective blade aperture of the plurality of blade apertures. Moreover, the insert extends through the retention aperture of each louver blade of the plurality of louver blades.

The disclosure relates generally to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and specifically, to a louver assembly that enables air to be directed through an HVAC system.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) systems are utilized in residential, commercial, and industrial applications to control environmental properties, such as temperature and humidity, for occupants of respective environments. The HVAC system may control the environmental properties through control of an air flow delivered to and ventilated from spaces serviced by the HVAC system. For example, an HVAC system may transfer heat between the air flow and refrigerant flowing through the system. The air flow may be directed through the HVAC system via a louver assembly. The louver assembly may include blades that are implemented to block unwanted particles, such as debris, from flowing through the louver assembly. It is now recognized that an impact of certain debris against the blades of the louver assembly may affect a position of the blades on the louver assembly.

System for louver assembly blade reinforcement


A rubberized pad with high flexibility, in particular for chains for handling/lifting product line products, has a vertical symmetry axis with a full base for coupling with the chain and a hollow upper part, including a wall opposed with respect to said base and suitable for engaging with a conveyed product. The pad has a total height and the upper part includes lateral walls having two semi-walls, with a thickness and connected with the wall, and two semi-walls having a thickness connected with the base. The pairs of semi-walls making between each other an angle (a1) directed toward the hollow part of the upper part, the semi-walls realizing an angle (a2) with respect to the vertical symmetry axis of the pad. The pad has a ratio between the height and thickness of ≥10, in that the angle (a1) is ≤90°, and in that the angle (a2) is ≥40°.

As is known in conveyor lines, in particular in the elevators and the descenders used in glassworks, chains with rubberized pads are used for handling and/or lifting the products.
The use of elevators/descenders within a line may be necessary for:                avoiding obstacles in the layout of the conveying line;        handling products between different production levels;        making steps that would otherwise force operators to travel long distances;        production need (for example in the case of pad reversers in glassworks which are used to evacuate any contaminants from the product or to allow washings of the entire container).
In order to allow such handlings, there are various types of chains which differ in the geometry of the rubberized pads which can have different shapes, as illustrated in FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d. Such pads differ according to the external shaping, and can be mainly identified as finger pads (FIGS. 1a-1b-1c) and with closed geometry (or D-shape) (FIG. 1d).
In particular, the pads for use in chains are characterized mainly on the basis of their shape and the properties of the material that constitutes them.
Among the main factors that characterize the application aspect of said rubberized pads, the maximum deflection value (d), related substantially to the height of the pad, and the crushing force (Fd) consequent to said deflection, are identified; this latter characteristic depends on the geometry of the deformable elements, and on the material of the pad, in particular on its elasticity modulus and its hardness.
It is also known that these pads require grip capacity sufficient to lift and/or lower the elements to be conveyed on the conveyor lines; this aspect is related to the friction coefficient between the pad and the conveyed product.
In summary, the capacity to grip the product through the pad is therefore linked to the deflection force (Fd) achieved on the product to be conveyed and achieved by the deflection of the rubberized pads (d) in the direction x-x (FIG. 3a).
By analysing the application of a generic elevator/descender, it is possible to deduce the forces necessary for the retention of a product during its handling; they depend on:                the weight of the product itself;        the coefficient of friction (COF) between the surface of the product and the rubberized pad;        the possible presence of contaminating elements (oils, greases, dust) between the pad and the product such as to reduce the COF;        the presence of curvilinear paths and therefore of centrifugal forces, which add up to the weight of the product.
As regards the pads instead, as already anticipated, the forces they exert on the product to be conveyed depend substantially on:                the geometry of the pad;        the deflection of the pad;        the mechanical characteristics of the elastomer with which the pad is made (elasticity modulus and hardness in particular).        Coefficient of friction between the rubberized grip pad and the product to be handled.
As can be easily guessed, there is an optimal value of deflection force (Fd) which allows to obtain the right compromise in order to meet conveying needs.
It should not be neglected that the deflection force Fd that is exerted to guarantee the grip of the product is decisive for the calculation of the force that stresses the wear surface of the chain (reference F in FIG. 3a); therefore if the deflection force Fd is exceeded, there is the risk of having an early wear of both the chain and the guide elements since the limits of PV will be reached, whereby PV refers to the product "pressure×velocity", that is a tribological index indicative of the limits of use of elements in relative movement to each other.
It is therefore necessary that the force values (Fd) that allow the safe handling of the products are not too high and consequently do not cause the PV of the chain-pathway system to be exceeded.
It is also important to ensure that the deflection force Fd can remain constant for an extended deflection range (d). This characteristic of the pad will be referred to as "adjustment capacity".
The wide adjustment capacity is important since the freedom of adjusting the relative position of the pads according to the format of the conveyed product, weight, velocity, or other specific characteristics of the application is left to the operator.
Therefore, the reduced adjustment capacity could lead the operator to errors and consequent malfunctions caused by the excess of the deflection force.
Other important application factors that vary depending on the construction characteristics of the pads are:                the limitation as much as possible of the "kicking" effect of the product, which occurs during the release of the product. In fact, the release of the rubberized pad tends to impart a variation in the product velocity in the direction of the motion; this component is usually unwanted as a result of the fact that it can cause an uneven spacing of the conveyed products and, in the worst of situations, the possible fall of the products;        sanitization/cleanability (difficult for "finger" geometries since they represent receptacles of dirt that are difficult to clean).
The geometries of the pads of the known type allow to satisfy some of the mentioned requirements, even if they often present drawbacks, which limit their application fields.
Among the known pads, it can be mentioned, always referring to FIG. 1:                the pads of FIG. 1a: they are suitable for the transport of heavy products, in which a significant adjustment capacity is not necessary and in which specific cleanability characteristics are not required; however they are characterized by a kicking effect of the product due to the effect of the asymmetry of the teeth and the high loads that distinguish them;        the pads of FIG. 1b: suitable for the transport of medium/light products, in which a high adjustment capacity is necessary, and in which specific cleanability characteristics are not required; they are characterized by a kicking effect of the product due to the effect of the asymmetry of the teeth despite being characterized by medium/low deflection loads;        the pads of FIG. 1c: suitable for the transport of light products, in which a high adjustment capacity is necessary, and in which specific cleanability characteristics are not required; however they are characterized by a kicking effect of the product due to the effect of the asymmetry of the teeth, despite being characterized by low deflection loads;        the pads of FIG. 1d: suitable for the transport of medium/heavy products, in which a significant adjustment capacity is not necessary and in which specific cleanability characteristics are required; they are characterized by a limited kicking effect due to effect of the symmetric geometry.
A pad geometry that allows combining all the application characteristics described so far does not exist.

Rubberized pad, in particular for chains for handling/lifting products in product lines


A method, system, and functional elements for transmitting cell management information in a cellular communication network, in which each cell comprises a base station communicating using at least one frequency and is defined by a radio coverage area of its base station, wherein a communication between a mobile station and a base station is based on a time frame structure comprising a plurality of time slots, in which transmitting time slots in the time frame structures of neighboring base stations, in which time slots cell management information relating to the respective cell is to be transmitted, are shifted against each other on a time basis. The transmitting of cell management information can be based on a predetermined transmission parameter, the value of which is representative of the radio coverage area of a base station.

Mobile communication systems have been developed with the aim to facilitate communication everywhere, with everyone and at any time. In recent years, mobile communication systems, and particularly cellular communication systems, experienced a huge increase, both in the number of users and in the quality and demands of services offered.
Commonly used and widely spread mobile communication systems such as the pan-European Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) are cellular systems. A cellular system or network is characterized in that it is organized on a cell basis, wherein each cell comprises a base station whose radio coverage area defines the geographical spreading of this cell.
Since only a limited frequency band is available for an entire mobile communication network and each communication channel requires a certain bandwidth, it is essential to exploit the available frequency band as efficient as possible such that as many users as possible can be serviced in the network. Therefore, in a cellular network, the available frequencies are usually reused on a cell basis. This means that the same set of frequencies, i.e. the same frequency band, which is used in one cell are also used in another cell of the same system in order to increase the user capacity of the system. However, in this regard, there exists a drawback in that interferences between the communications of users in different cells may occur, when the same frequencies are used. Such interferences are desired to be avoided since the communication quality is deteriorated due to them. Thus, the same frequencies are to be reused only in cells which are spaced at a minimum distance from each other. This distance is usually called spatial frequency reuse D (see FIG. 1). However, the larger distance D is and, thus, the lower potential interferences are, the fewer users can be serviced in the system, i.e. the lower the capacity of the system is. That is the spatial frequency reuse D is desired to be as small as possible, in particular in view of an increasing number of users.
In FIG. 1, a cell structure of a cellular mobile communication system is depicted according to the hexagon model, i.e. each cell is illustrated as a hexagon, irrespective of its actual physical shape. The number in each cell denotes a certain set of frequencies, i.e. a certain frequency band, which is allocated to this cell. According to FIG. 1, three frequency bands 1, 2, 3 are exemplarily used and a cell using frequency band 1 is surrounded by cells using frequency bands 2 and 3. This results in a frequency reuse factor k being 3.
Within one cell communications are effected in so-called channels. In the GSM system, for example, the channel allocation comprises a segmentation of channels both in the frequency domain and in the time domain. Thus, by dividing the available frequencies in an uplink band (for communication between a mobile station and a base station) and a downlink band (for communication between a base station and a mobile station) a frequency division duplex (FDD) technique is implemented. Further, by dividing an uplink/downlink band in a time frame structure comprising time slots, a time division duplex (TDD) technique is implemented. Other communication systems may use one of these techniques, either FDD or TDD, or a combination of these.
In order to cope with the increasing requirements mentioned above in terms of number of users and demands of services, which are posed on mobile communications, mobile systems and networks of the third generation (3G) and even the fourth generation (4G) are under development and partly already in operation, e.g. the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS).
The current working assumption for a 4G cellular system in a high frequency bandwidth requirement amounts to 1 Gbps (Gigabits per second) in maximum data rate. To achieve reasonable multi-operator scenarios in view of suchlike requirements and with limited total bandwidth availability, the frequency reuse factor in the network must be low. Further, for a continuous coverage of the whole cell by its base station, pilot and broadcast channels must be receivable over the whole cell area, which may also result in overlaps with neighboring cells. However, such overlaps are adverse with respect to the aim of a smaller frequency reuse factor, since overlaps between cells using the same frequency bands would again result in deteriorating interferences.
Generally, an overlapping can be avoided or, at least, reduced by accordingly affecting the transmission powers of cells using the same frequency band. A method for channel allocation utilizing power restrictions is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,685. In this method the time-slotted transmissions of synchronized base stations are arranged in such a way that transmissions utilizing maximum power P do not occur at the same time t in cells sharing the same frequency band.
The principle of a time-slotted transmission power scheme according to the cited prior art solution is illustrated in FIG. 2. The figure shows the power restrictions of the base station for a situation of three neighboring cells, with P denoting the transmission power of the base station of the respective cell and t denoting the time. In a normal situation, the single timeslots are allocated to different terminals at different geographical locations.
This prior art method results in a kind of "breathing" in the cell coverage areas, which would in this case be the desired outcome producing the spatial overlap in the border zone between two cells, enabling camping of a mobile station on either cell.
However, there are shortcomings of the prior art solution according to FIG. 2 in that it is not specified, in which time slot or time slots pilot and/or broadcast channels are transmitted. That is, there is no regulation provided by this method on how to arrange transmissions of cell management information such as pilot and broadcast channels, both within a time frame structure of a cell as well as in relation to neighboring cells.
Hence, on the one hand, it is possible that pilot and broadcast channels of different cells using the same frequencies are transmitted at the same time instant or clashing time instants. Even though in this case, the transmissions would have different power levels, which reduces a risk of spatial overlapping, a mobile station receiving all of the three transmissions of cell management information would not be able to conduct correct measurements of the cell management information relating to neighboring cells. Thus, it is at least difficult for the mobile station to select the most suitable cell or base station to assign to.
On the other hand, in case pilot and/or broadcast channels are transmitted in time slots with a low transmission power P, an overlapping might be avoided or reduced, but a full and continuous coverage of the whole cell area may not be ensured. Thus, a mobile station being located in (the border zone of) the actual cell area may not be able to receive pilot and/or broadcast channels, whereby the mobile station does not obtain the necessary cell management information. Moreover, if the power of the pilot signal is not synchronized to the power limits and becomes variable, the "cell breathing" results in unwanted continuous handovers between base stations.
Thus, a solution to the above problems and drawbacks is desirable for a cellular communication network, in which frequency reuse possibilities are limited.

Transmitting of cell management information in a cellular communication network


A double syringe delivery system is disclosed for holding a pair of syringes in a manner so as to accommodate the simultaneous activation of the plunger of each syringe in order to effect simultaneous delivery of the contents of each syringe. The double syringe delivery system includes an elongated support member that is placed between the barrel of each syringe. The elongated support member has resilient, C-shaped clamps on opposite sides of the support member. The clamps are used for holding the syringe barrels of both syringes so that the syringe barrels will be held together in a parallel manner. Further, elongated support member and clamps hold the syringe barrels in a fashion that is slightly longitudinally offset from one another to permit the two syringe barrels to be held together as closely as possible. An interconnecting bridge member connects the two syringe plungers so that they can also be simultaneously activated even though they are also slightly longitudinally offset from one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of systems utilized to measure out and mix two or more fluids, including freely flowing fluids and viscous fluids, by delivering them simultaneously to a single location. More particularly, the invention's field concerns systems for measuring and mixing by simultaneously dispensing freely flowing and viscous fluids from multiple interconnected syringes.
2. Prior State of the Art
There are many types of procedures that require the mixing of two or more substances before the mixed compound can be used. For example, in the field of dentistry a common practice in the dental arts is to measure separate substances, drop-wise, into a well or mixing dish and to then mix the separate substances together using an applicator brush, which in turn is then used to apply the mixed compound to teeth surfaces. More recently, more advanced mixing and delivery applicator syringes have been devised that permit mixing to occur within the same syringe used for delivery. As will be appreciated, in dentistry, it is often necessary to mix relatively small amounts because of the small surface areas that are to be worked upon. Furthermore, the materials which are mixed are often expensive, and rather than mix large quantities, relatively small quantities are mixed repeatedly so as to not waste undue amounts of the materials in question.
In such types of applications, not only is it important to be able to carry out the mixing procedure quickly and efficiently, but in order to do so, it is also important to be able to quickly, efficiently and accurately deliver the proper amounts of the two compounds that are to be mixed together. Such compounds are often delivered from syringes or other dispensers from which the compounds may be delivered in a drop-wise fashion. However, delivery from separate syringes or other drop-type dispensers can often unduly complicate the mixing process and can sometimes lead to inaccuracy or wasted time. For example, when delivering different compounds into a common mixing receptacle from different dispensers, if one of the dispensers is misplaced, additional time may be necessary to find and locate it. In the meantime, one must keep track of the amount of compound that has already been delivered from one dispenser, so that when the other dispenser is found, the appropriate ratio or amounts of the compounds will be mixed.
Another problem that occurs when using separate dispensers for delivery of compounds that are to mixed, is the additional time that is necessary in order to deliver the compounds to the mixing receptacle. Each compound must be separately measured and dispensed thus, in effect, doubling the amount of time that is required to accurately deliver the two compounds for mixing. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for delivery systems which are more efficient, which are less time consuming to use, and which are more accurate and less susceptible to error in connection with the delivery of two compounds that require mixing.


A lens that angularly redistributes light from an LED is disclosed. The desired illuminance (power per area) pattern for an LED/lens combination has a relatively flat center, a knee, and a gradual tail. By overlapping adjacent combinations' tails, the resulting illuminance pattern may be generally uniform, with relatively loose tolerances on LED/lens placement and performance. The lens has a proximal face with a concave spherical indentation with its center at the light source. The lens's distal face has a “center thickness” (CT) on-axis, a peak thickness away from a longitudinal axis of about 1.0 to 1.2 times the CT, a radius at which the peak thickness occurs of about 0.5 to 1.0 times the CT, a radius at which the thickness returns to the CT of about 1.1 to 1.5 times the CT, and a radius (maximum lateral extent) of the lens of about 1.6 to 1.9 times the CT.

In recent years, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have emerged as efficient, inexpensive, long-lasting light sources that produce little heat and require little maintenance. LEDs have been quickly adopted for applications that use colored light, such as red, yellow and green traffic lights, and are making inroads for illumination applications that use generally white light.
A good application for white-light LEDs is overhead street lighting, where LEDs mounted in downward-facing fixtures at the top of a series of poles illuminate the street below. The light output from LEDs is fairly directional, so that if bare LEDs were mounted in the fixtures and pointed downward, the bottom of the light poles would be significantly brighter than the street area between the poles.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an optic, preferably a lens, which can redistribute the light output from each LED, so that light from a series of the overhead-mounted LEDs and optics produces a more uniform illuminance at the street level. Such an optic may be used in other applications that require generally uniform illuminance at an observation plane from a series of discrete point-like sources laterally spaced away from the observation plane.

Free-form lens design to apodize illuminance distribution


A dusting device to be rotatably connected to the bottom of a cleaning machine or vacuum cleaner includes a rotary disc and a dusting element. The rotary disc includes a base and a connecting portion below the base. The connecting portion extends outward from the periphery of the base and has a bottom surface forming a pressing plate. The dusting element is detachably assembled to the connecting portion of the rotary disc in order to be pressed by the pressing plate. The dusting element includes at least one cleaning layer for contact with a surface to be cleaned so as to carry out dusting and cleaning.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a dusting device and, more particularly, to a detachable dusting device which can be rapidly connected to and detached from a cleaning machine and which is capable of dusting, cleaning, and polishing.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the most effective approaches to making the floor clean and shiny is to polish with wax. However, the conventional polishing process is time-consuming and laborious, for it is necessary to wax the floor and then polish the waxed floor manually to remove any excessive wax. In addition, it is crucial to clean the floor surface thoroughly before waxing, and yet the traditional cleaning method of sweeping and/or mopping is oftentimes not as effective as expected.
To increase the efficiency of the prerequisite cleaning step, automatic cleaning machines which collect dust by suction were developed. These machines are configured to suck in dust from the bottom (i.e., to vacuum-clean) while moving, or are equipped with a bristled tool for brushing the floor being vacuum-cleaned. A traditional cleaning machine typically operates on a built-in motor, which drives a rotary disc into rotation. The rotary disc is peripherally provided with plural bundles of bristles, generally made of nylon. Once the rotary disc starts rotating, the bristles in contact with the floor sweep, clean, and polish the floor. However, the bristles do not work effectively and tend to leave scratches on the floor. An improved rotary disc, therefore, includes plural strips of cloth in place of bristles. When rotated, the rotary disc drives the strips of cloth to provide an enhanced cleaning or polishing effect. Since the strips of cloth are fixed to the rotary disc, the entire rotary disc must be detached in order to wash the strips. Moreover, the rotary disc itself must not come into contact with water while the strips are washed, and this makes it difficult to wash the strips. In addition, the strips are likely to fall off when rotated and, if happening, will hinder the floor cleaning process. Also, the strips alone cannot be replaced after they have been used for a while; the rotary disc must be replaced together with the strips, which incurs a considerable cost. It is hence a pressing issue for the related industry to device a cleaning element for use with a cleaning machine, wherein the cleaning element can be washed and replaced with ease and be rapidly assembled to the rotary disc of the cleaning machine in a detachable manner.


An exemplary electrical connector assembly includes an insert connector and a receiving connector. The insert connector includes a first pin and a second pin. The receiving connector defines a first and a second holes corresponding to the first and second pins of the insert connector, respectively. The first hole has a shape and a size matching the first pin, and the second hole has a shape and a size matching the second pin. The first and second pins of the insert connector are respectively extendable into and engagable in the first and second holes of the receiving connector. A transverse cross sectional area of the second pin is larger than that of the first pin, whereby the second pin of the insert connector is prevented from being received in the first through hole of the receiving connector.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electrical connectors, and particularly to an electrical connector assembly having a receiving connector and a mating insert connector configured to prevent mismatching therebetween.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connector assemblies are commonly used for electrically connecting an electronic component to a drive circuit in an electronic device, such as in a computer. Generally, an electrical connector assembly includes an insert connector electrically connected with a drive circuit, and a receiving connector electrically connected with an electronic component. The insert connector includes a first pin and a second pin. The first and second pins are the same shape and size, and are electrically connected with a positive pole and a negative pole of the drive circuit, respectively. The receiving connector defines a pair of first and second holes therein corresponding to the first and second pins of the insert connector, respectively. The first and second holes are the same shape and size. Two conductors are received in the first and second holes, respectively, and are electrically connected with a positive pole and a negative pole of the electronic component. The first pin of the insert connector is received in the first hole of the receiving connector, and contacts the conductor in the first hole to electrically connect the positive pole of the drive circuit to the positive pole of the electronic component. The second pin of the insert connector is received in the second hole of the receiving connector, and contacts the conductor in the second hole to electrically connect the negative pole of the drive circuit to the negative pole of the electronic component.
However, as the first and second pins of the insert connector are the same shape and size, they are easily confused with each other, as are the first and second holes. Erroneous connection may thus occur, resulting in a short circuit, which may damage the electronic component.
Thus, there is a need for an electrical connector assembly which can overcome the described limitations.

Electrical connector assembly with anti-mismatching mating connectors


An apparatus for filling a cartridge having at least two compartments for storing fluid includes at least one reservoir of fluid; at least two metering pumps connected to the at least one reservoir of fluid; and at least two filling tubes connected to the at least two metering pumps, respectively; wherein each filling tube simultaneously fills one of the at least two compartments in the cartridge with the fluid. The apparatus preferably includes a puck which defines a substantially cylindrical cavity and a pin eccentrically disposed in the substantially cylindrical cavity whereby the cartridge may be inserted in the cavity in the puck and aligned by insertion of the pin of the puck in an eccentric through hole of the cartridge. A rotary screw engages the puck and positions the cartridge for sealing.

The present invention relates in general to automated machines for filling and sealing containers with fluids, and, in particular, to automated machines for filling and sealing cartridges (containers) having multiple compartments.
Automated machines that dispense fluid into containers having only one compartment are known (e.g. machines for filling beverage cans or bottles). Because there is only one compartment per container, the container need not be in any specific alignment with the filling mechanism. Also, the container can store only one type of fluid because there is only one storage compartment in the container.
When filling containers having multiple compartments, it is necessary that the container and the filling mechanism be aligned in a particular way such that each compartment is filled. In addition, when dispensing different fluids in the multiple compartments, it is necessary that the container be correctly aligned so that the differing fluids enter the proper compartments.
It is also advantageous that the filling nozzles be inserted into the compartments during filling. If the nozzles are not inserted, it is possible that the fluid will splash during filling or that some fluid flow will be misdirected. At a minimum, splashing and misdirected flow result in product loss, soiled container exteriors and soiling of the machinery and work space. When the fluid is hazardous or corrosive, the results of splashing and misdirected flow can be much more severe. Additionally, when different fluids are dispensed in the compartments, it is important to prevent one fluid from contaminating another fluid.
Some fluid containers having a single compartment are sealed with, for example, a foil using a heating head. In the single compartment containers, only the circumference of the container is sealed. Sealers for single compartment containers generally use a convex heating head. Because of the construction of multiple compartment containers, additional surfaces (i.e., the tops of the surfaces that divide the container into multiple compartments) other than the circumference must be sealed. Thus, convex heating heads are undesirable because the surfaces interior to the circumference must be melted down before the circumferential surface is sealed.


The present invention is to provide a laminated polyester film with excellent adhesive properties for use in a laminating material, and the laminated polyester film is a film in which a resin layer including a polyester resin and a oxazoline-based cross-linking agent is laminated on at least one side surface of polyester film, diethylene glycol accounts for 40 mole % or more of all diol components constituting the polyester resin and the mass ratio of the polyester resin to the oxazoline-based cross-linking agent resin layer is within a range of 20/80 to 80/20. Furthermore, the present invention is to provide a flame-retardant polyester film in which a polyimide-including layer is laminated on both sides of the laminated polyester film and also a copper-clad laminated plate in which the flame-retardant polyester film is used, and also a circuit substrate in which the copper-clad laminated plate is used.

Concerning a polyester film, in particular, a biaxially-oriented polyester film is used as magnetic recording materials, electrical insulating materials, capacitor materials, packaging materials and construction materials due to their mechanical and electrical properties. Furthermore, the film is also used in a variety of industrial materials in photography, graphic arts and heat-sensitive transcription.
However, a biaxially-oriented polyester film is high in crystalline orientation on the surface and low in adhesive properties with various types of paints and inks, and hence a drawback of the film.
Therefore, various methods have been studied in which adhesive properties are imparted to the surface of polyester film.
Conventionally, there is method for imparting adhesive properties to the surface of polyester film by carrying out various types of good adhesiveness-imparting treatments to the polyester film, which is the base film. For this purpose, many methods have been proposed and studied, for example, a surface activation method in which the surface is treated by corona discharge, ultraviolet irradiation or plasma is given to the film surface, a surface etching method in which chemicals such as acid, alkaline or amine aqueous solutions are used, and a method in which various types of resins with adhesive properties such as acrylic resin, polyester resin, urethane resin or polyolefin resin are provided on the film surface as a primer layer.
A resin layer made with a polyester resin and an oxazoline-based cross-linking agent has been proposed as an good adhesive primer layer with excellent solvent resistance and blocking resistance, for example, on page 5 in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 02-60941, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 06-293838, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 06-293839, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 07-242758, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-243760, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-136660 and others.
However, a polyester film easily soften or melt when heated and also burn, and hence a drawback.
Increasing requests to make a polyester film flame-retardant have been made due to the possibility of fire, in particular when the film is used in copper-clad laminated plates, adhesive tape, flexible print circuit substrates, membrane switches, film heaters and flat cables as electrical insulating materials or construction materials.
Furthermore, when a polyester film is used as a base film for copper-clad laminated plates to be used as flexible print substrates and the like, the film is required to have layer-to-layer adhesiveness which justifies its use, in addition to the above-described flame-retardant properties.
As disclosed on page 1 to 2 in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 10-278206, a polyester film have been technically improved in regard to flame-retardant properties through the conventional method in which flame-retardants based on bromine, phosphorus or inorganic chemicals are kneaded into a polyester film or in which halogen-including components or phosphorus-including components are subjected to copolymerization.
Furthermore, as disclosed in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-243760 and in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-80651, a method has been proposed in which resins such as polyamic acid are laminated onto a polyester film, thereby imparting heat resistance and flame-retardant properties to the film.
However, even when the technology is used which has been disclosed on page 5 in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 02-60941, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 06-293838, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 06-293839, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 07-242758, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-243760, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-136660 and others, as described above, it is difficult to obtain sufficient adhesiveness when a polyester film is subjected to heat treatment for long periods of time at high temperatures when and/or after a laminating material is provided, and in particular when a laminating material such as metal that is different in dimensional stability under heating from a polyester film is laminated for long periods of time at high temperatures.
For example, when metal is adhered to resin, in general, an adhesive agent made with resin components is used to effect adhesion. However, it is not easy to allow metal to adhere to resin in a short time at low temperatures because they are different in raw materials. In order to attain an excellent adhesiveness, they must be adhered for long periods of time at high temperatures. In particular, when copper foil and a resin film are used to produce a copper-clad laminated plate which is used as a circuit substrate for electrical appliances and electronic devices, strong adhesive properties exceeding 80 g/mm is needed. In order to attain this level of adhesiveness, it is necessary to meet the conditions that adhesion is made for long periods of time at high temperatures.
However, where a material such as metal that is different in dimensional stability under heating (heat shrinkage ratio and thermal expansion factor) from a polyester film is adhered by using an adhesive agent for long periods of time at high temperatures, there is a problem that the dimension changes on adhesion treatment at high temperatures or on cooling after the adhesion treatment due to differences in dimensional stability under heating, resulting in interlayer stress, which subsequently causes poor adhesiveness.
Where a material such as metal that is different in dimensional stability under heating from a polyester film is required to be strongly adhered, good adhesive primer layers described on page 5 in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 02-60941, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 06-293838, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 06-293839, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 07-242758, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-243760, in Claim 1 of the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-136660 or others are not able to solve the problem, even if provided on a polyester film.
The above-described problem of insufficient adhesiveness is often found particularly when a polyester film is peeled from a boundary face with another layer. Where an good adhesive primer layer is provided on the polyester film, peeling may often develop on a boundary face between the polyester film and a primer layer. Therefore, it is important to improve adhesive properties on the boundary face.
It is also difficult to attain adhesive properties and solvent resistance together. The adhesive properties are the properties of carrying out heat treatment for long periods of time at high temperatures.
Since the invention disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 10-278206 (on page 1 to 2) is that in which a flame-retardant is added to a polyester film, or polyester is subjected to copolymerization with halogen-including components or phosphorus-including components, there is a problem that intrinsic mechanical properties of the polyester film are reduced. Furthermore, there are concerns that, for example, halogen compounds may develop dioxin and other harmful chemicals, depending on combustion conditions, thereby affecting the environment or contaminating processes, which cause problems.
Furthermore, the technology disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-243760 (Claim 1 and others) and the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-80651(Claim 1 and others) has solved such a problem that flame-retardant properties are imparted without reduction in intrinsic mechanical properties of polyester film. The technology has also improved adhesive properties of the polyester film with resins such as polyamic acid by the use of a good adhesive primer layer.
However, the good adhesive primer layers disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-243760 (Claim 1 and others) and the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-80651(Claim 1 and others) have failed in providing a sufficient adhesiveness in a case where a laminated material such as metal that is different in dimensional stability under heating from a polyester film is laminated for long periods of time at high temperatures. For example, where a resin such as polyamic acid is laminated on the good adhesive primer layer and thereafter copper foil is laminated on the resin such as polyamic acid for long periods of time at high temperatures, a sufficient adhesiveness is not obtained.
In this instance as well, the problem of an insufficient adhesiveness is more often found where peeling develops on a boundary face between polyester film and an good adhesive primer layer. It is also important to improve adhesive properties on the boundary face.

Laminated polyester film, flame-retardant polyester film thereof, copper-clad laminated plate and circuit substrate


The present invention relates to compositions comprising from 0.01% to 10% by weight of the total composition of salicylic acid or derivatives thereof according to the following formula: ##STR1## wherein X is carbon, Y is one of the following groups --CHO, --OH, --(CH2)n--COOH, wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 20 and from 0.01% to 20% by weight of a compound selected from the group consisting of amine oxide surfactants according to the formula R1R2R3NO, wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 is independently a saturated substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl group of from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, soil suspending polycarboxylate polymers, soil suspending polyamine polymers, hydroxy-pyridine N-oxides and derivatives thereof, chelating agents, and mixtures thereof. Said compositions are particularly suitable for the cleaning of carpets, resulting in improved particulate stains and/or greasy/oily stains removal performance.

Carpets produced from synthetic or natural fibers and mixtures thereof are commonly used in residential and commercial applications as a floor covering. Various types of fibers can be used in making carpets such as polyamide fibers, polyester fibers as well as wool, cotton or even silk in the case of rugs.
However, carpets, irrespective of whether they are made from natural or synthetic fibers, are all prone to soiling and staining when contacted with many household items. Foods, grease, oils, beverages in particular such as coffee, tea and soft drinks especially those containing acidic dyes can cause unsightly, often dark stains on carpets. Also fibers may become soiled as a result of dirt particles, clay, dust, particulate soils in general, coming into contact with and adhering to the fibers of the carpet. These latter soils often appear in the form of a diffuse layer of soils rather than in the form of spots and tend to accumulate particularly in the so called "high traffic areas" such as near doors as a result of intensive use of the carpets in such areas.
There are a number of carpet cleaning compositions described in the art for removing stains and soils. However, these compositions do not satisfactorily meet the consumer's needs regarding their stain removal performance on different types of stains and soils. Indeed, these carpet cleaning compositions are not fully satisfactory on removing particulate stains and/or greasy stains, especially in the so called "high traffic areas".
Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide improved stains removal from carpets, in a manner which is applicable to a variety of carpet cleaning compositions, i.e. compositions being either in a liquid form or in a powder form or in a granular form.
It has now been found that the above object can be met by formulating compositions which comprise a salicylic acid or derivatives thereof according to the following formula: ##STR2## wherein X is carbon, Y is one of the following groups --CHO, --OH, --(CH2)n--COOH and wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 20 and a compound selected from the group consisting of amine oxide surfactants according to the formula R1R2R3NO, wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 is independently a saturated substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl group of from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, soil suspending polycarboxylate polymers, soil suspending polyamine polymers, hydroxy-pyridine N oxides and derivatives thereof chelating agents, and mixtures thereof. Indeed, such a composition allows to obtain excellent particulate stains removal performance especially on diffuse layers of stains and/or soils which occur in the so called "high traffic areas", i.e. on stains and/or soils which have become otherwise extremely difficult to remove. More particularly, it has been found that the combination of salicylic acid or derivatives thereof or mixtures thereof with a compound selected from the group consisting of amine oxide surfactants, soil suspending polycarboxylate polymers, soil suspending polyamine polymers, hydroxy-pyridine-N-oxides and derivatives thereof, chelating agents, and mixtures thereof, results in a synergistic effect on the removal of particulate stains and/or greasy stains from carpets. Furthermore, said combination is particularly suitable to be used in liquid carpet cleaning compositions which further comprise a source of active oxygen, thereby providing not only improved particulate and/or greasy stains removal performance but also improved stains removal on bleachable stains, as compared to the same compositions without said salicylic acid or derivatives thereof, or to the same compositions without said compound selected from the group consisting of amine oxide surfactants, soil suspending polycarboxylate polymers, soil suspending polyamine polymers, hydroxy-pyridine-N-oxides and derivatives thereof, chelating agents, and mixtures thereof.
An advantage of the present invention is that it is applicable to all carpet types, especially delicate natural fibers and is also safe to all carpet dye types, particularly sensitive natural dyes used therein. The compositions of the present invention are also suitable to be used to clean upholstery and car seats covering.
Another advantage of the compositions of the present invention is that they may be applied directly on the carpet without causing damage to the carpet. In addition the cleaning action of the invention commences as soon as the carpet cleaning composition has been applied to the surface. Indeed, the use of the carpet cleaning compositions of the present invention does not necessarily require rubbing or/and brushing of the carpet.
The following documents are representative of the prior art available on carpet cleaning compositions.
WO 92/17634 discloses a method for removing stains from carpet fibers which consists of applying an alkaline solution (pH=7 to 10.5) to said carpet, said solution resulting from mixing just prior use of a solution of a source of active oxygen with a solution of ammonium bicarbonate or carbonate and fluorinated alkyl sulfonic acid or its coordinated salt. This patent application nowhere mentions salicylic acid or derivatives thereof, soil suspending polycarboxylate or polyamine polymers, hydroxy pyridine N oxide, or amine oxide surfactants.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,760 discloses an aqueous carpet cleaner particularly suitable for removing pet stains, said carpet cleaner comprising hydrogen peroxide, hydrocarbon ether of ethylene or diethylene glycols, hydrocarbon monohydric alcohols and EDTA. No salicylic acid or derivatives thereof are disclosed.
EP-A-346 835 discloses an aqueous carpet cleaner at pH 7-12 comprising a water-soluble alcohol (C1-C5) and an oxidizing agent (hydrogen peroxide). No salicylic acid or derivatives thereof are described.
EP-A-629 694 discloses the use of stable aqueous compositions comprising a source of active oxygen, having a pH of from 1 to 6, for the cleaning of carpets. No salicylic acid or derivatives thereof are disclosed.
PCT patent application number US95/13995 discloses a method of cleaning a carpet wherein a composition comprising a chelating agent in combination with a soil suspending polycarboxylate or polyamine polymer is applied to said carpet. Salicylic acid or derivatives thereof are not disclosed therein.

Carpet cleaning compositions and method for cleaning carpets


An electrical connector backshell assembly may include at least one cable containing at least one electrical wire that is protected by a shield, at least a portion of the shield being separable from the at least one electrical wire. The backshell assembly also may include a housing defining an opening configured to receive the at least one cable and a termination area electrically coupled to the housing. The separable portion of the shield may be urged into contact with the termination area.

In some conventional electrical connector backshell assemblies, individual electrical cable shield braid terminations consume large amounts of space inside the connector backshell, thus leaving little room for the signal-carrying wires inside the backshell. Also, individually terminating each of the shield braids consumes large amounts of labor time. However, collectively terminating multiple shield braids that are not carefully organized and dressed may lead to partial or incomplete electrical contact between the shield braids and a termination area.
Thus, it may be desirable to provide electrical connector backshell assemblies having shield braid terminations outside of the connector backshell. It may further be desirable to collectively terminate multiple shield braids. In collectively terminating multiple shield braids, it may be desirable to organize and/or dress the shield braids to maximize electrical contact of the shield braids with the termination area.
Some conventional electrical connector backshell assemblies have an opening for receiving cable bundles having a wide range of diameters. When a bundle does not occupy the entire opening, electrical interference can enter the backshell via the unoccupied portion of the opening.
Therefore, it may be desirable to provide electrical connector backshell assemblies with an adjustably-variable opening that can be customized for any size bundle of cables at the time of cable installation.
The electrical connector backshell assemblies of the present invention solve one or more of the problems set forth above.

Electrical connector backshell assemblies


A retaining system holds sheet material smooth and flat upon a mattress against the movements of a bed occupant. Opposing edges of the sheet are provided with hems for removably receiving elongate rigid slats or battens. At the midpoint of each batten is an attaching means. An aperture in each hem provides access to the attaching means. A flaccid cord or tape assembly is passed beneath the mattress. The cord is provided at its ends with connectors for connection to the attaching means on the battens. The cord is pulled taut and held under tension. This pulls the battens down along the sides of the mattress and holds the sheet smooth and taut against the mattress.

This invention relates to bedclothes and more particularly to means for holding bedclothes of sheet material such as sheets, blankets, bedpads and the like in place under tension on a bed so as to prevent their being displaced by the movements of the bed occupant.
The use and operational positioning and retention of bedding and bed sheets, on mattresses presents annoying problems that were addressed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,826,766; 2,860,352; 2,896,226; 2,979,737; 3,606,622; 4,100,632; and 807,658. Some of these require changes to the bed and others are awkward to operate. There remains a need for a device which does not require changes to the bed, that permits conventional laundering of the bedclothes, that is inexpensive to implement and that is easy to operate and to apply tension from one side of the bed.


A convertible mower deck has a plurality of adjoining cuffing chambers under a mower deck, each cutting chamber having a cutting blade mounted to the lower end of a vertical spindle. Angled pivoting baffles are positioned in the openings between adjoining cutting chambers, and a baffle also is mounted in the discharge opening from one of the cutting chambers. The baffles may pivot between an open position for the grass clippings to be discharged or collected, a closed position for the grass clippings to be mulched, and one or more intermediate positions for some of the clippings to be discharged or collected, and the remainder to be mulched.

Mower decks have been designed that are convertible between a discharge or collection position and a mulching position. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,358 entitled "Mower Having a Mower Deck Adapted for Selective Mulching or Non-Mulching Modes" relates to a mower deck that can be converted between a discharge or collection position and a mulching position. The conversion may be done without using tools, and without separately attaching or detaching components on the deck. The convertible mower deck enables an operator to avoid the inconvenience of having to stop mowing to either remove or install a mulch kit. The convertible mower deck has adjustable baffles between adjacent cutting chambers that can be moved to an open position in which grass clippings move between the cutting chambers and out through a discharge opening, or to a closed position in which grass clippings are mulched by restricting their movement between cutting chambers and blocking the discharge opening. The pivoting baffles may be moved to either the open position or the closed position with a handle attached to the top surface of the deck.
In the mower deck shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,358, each pivoting baffle between adjacent cutting chambers includes a pair of plates that pivot on generally vertical axes, and a single plate over the discharge opening that pivots on a horizontal axis. The pivoting baffles may be linked together with a slot/follower linkage so that they open and close in proper synchronization. A convertible mower deck is needed having a simplified linkage between the pivoting baffles; i.e., a linkage having fewer parts and reduced cost.
The mower deck of U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,358 has a fixed baffle that extends from the pivot point of the right outer pivoting baffle to the discharge opening. To provide good performance in the mulching mode, the fixed baffle may be positioned near the mower blade under the right side of the mower. As a result, the discharge opening of the mower deck may be significantly smaller than the discharge opening of a conventional mower deck having a similar overall width. A convertible mower deck is needed that has a large discharge opening to maximize the quantity of clippings that may be discharged or collected, and to reduce the risk of build-up of grass clippings in or near the discharge opening.

Convertible mower deck with angled pivoting baffles


A liquid processing system to process liquid biological material includes: a trunk provided turnable on an axis, set within a predetermined work space; a first arm provided to the trunk and having at least three degrees of freedom or higher degrees of freedom; a second arm provided to the trunk and having at least three degrees of freedom or higher degrees of freedom; a driving mechanism configured to drive each of the trunk, the first arm, and the second arm; and physiochemical equipment situated within the work space and within the range of movement of at least one of the first and the second arm. The driving mechanism is operated by teaching playback based on the positions and shapes of the physiochemical equipment, and the biological material is processed using the physiochemical equipment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid processing system to process liquid biological material, and a liquid processing method using the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Analysis of materials of biological origin has been performed heretofore in the fields of biology and medicine. Materials of biological origin often are liquid materials, such as biological material like blood or urine, suspensions for cultured cells, and so forth. Such liquid materials are processed using equipment capable of accurately measuring liquids, such as micropipettors for example.
There have been developed as of recent systems including robots which operate analytical equipment and so forth, to handle for analysis and the like test specimens hazardous to humans. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-54690 describes an automatic cell cultivating apparatus including equipment necessary for culturing, such as incubators and centrifuges, and a robot to operate the equipment. The automatic cell cultivating apparatus according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-54690 allows a robot to perform cultivation in the place of humans.
However, the automatic cell cultivating apparatus according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-54690 is arranged such that the robot cooperatively works with special equipment designed specifically for the robot to be able to handle well. This creates a difficulty in reproducing the same equipment configuration and procedures as with analysis according to the related art performed by hand using this system. Further, the necessity for the dedicated equipment for the robot, and robot-specific consumables, may result in a large-scale apparatus configuration and high running costs.
It has been found desirable to provide a liquid processing system and liquid processing method capable of performing highly precise processing with a simple configuration.

Liquid processing system and liquid processing method


A pallet includes a top deck and pallet support legs coupled to the top deck. The top deck has a product support surface and an opposing underside, with the underside having snaps openings therein. Each pallet support leg includes a base extending across a width of the top deck, and a pair of outer leg supports extending from ends of the base. Each outer leg support includes at least one outwardly facing snap and at least one inwardly facing snap inserted into respective snap openings in the top deck.

Retail stores often prefer the use of fractional pallets when displaying products that are for customer purchase. Fractional pallets are typically one-quarter to one-half the size of full size pallets. Fractional pallets have a significantly smaller footprint, which allows retail stores to display a greater variety of products within the same size area as full size pallets.
In addition, retail stores often prefer the use of fractional plastic pallets instead of fractional wood pallets. Fractional plastic pallets are more aesthetically pleasing than fractional wood pallets, as well as being more sanitary.
Even in view of current fractional plastic pallets, there is still a need for a fractional plastic pallet that can be easily moved by pallet handling equipment and can enable product display that is aesthetically acceptable. Since the products to be carried by the fractional plastic pallet at times may be relatively heavy, the load carrying capacity of the pallet should not be sacrificed while also providing accessibility.

Half-size plastic pallet with removable pallet support legs


A method for predicting a time to failure of a component in a system is presented. The method comprises obtaining a set of data measurements related to the component. The set of data measurements are representative of a plurality of parameters including a plurality of leading parameters. The method comprises generating a prediction model based upon the leading parameters considered in combination. The prediction model is then used to predict the time to failure of the component based on a set of real-time measurements, wherein the plurality of parameters are processed to predict the time to failure for the component. Finally, a confidence level for the predicted time to failure is determined based upon the plurality of parameters.

The invention relates generally to prediction systems and more particularly to a system and method for predicting component failures in large systems.
A large system may be considered generally to be made up of a plurality of co-operating units or components that interact with one another to enable the effective functioning of the system. Examples of large systems may include, for example, locomotives, aircraft engines, automobiles, turbines, computers, appliances, spectroscopy systems, imaging devices, nuclear accelerators, biological cooling facilities, and power transmission systems. Such large and complex systems are generally monitored by a plurality of sensors to determine one or more performance characteristics of the system. These performance characteristics could comprise, for example, estimates or measurements of physical conditions, operational efficiency, projected remaining operational lifetime, security, or time to failure of the system or a component thereof.
Sensors provide data measurements that represent certain parameters related to the operation of the system, which may be used to measure the degradation of the components of the system over time. Additionally, a prediction system may be a part of such a large system, to further process the data measurements collected by the sensors to determine certain performance characteristics of the system such as, for example, the time to failure of the components in the system.
However, in general, large systems, such as those mentioned above, may be a part of a fleet of systems and each such system in such a fleet may be present at a different physical location or site. In addition, each system belonging to such a fleet of systems may be of different ages, may have non-uniform degradation rates and furthermore, each of the components comprising these systems may themselves have non-uniform degradation rates.
A predictive system that has the capability to identify and predict non-uniform component degradation rates in systems that are a part of a fleet of systems is therefore desired.

System and method for predicting component failures in large systems