A mobile communication terminal includes at least one function key which demonstrates improved resistance to vibration. This is achieved by positioning a spacer between the function key and an associated switch, which in the case of a mobile terminal may be a tact switch. The spacer may be made from an elastic material which compresses when inserted between the switch and function key. Alternatively, the spacer may be made from a rigid material. Also, the spacer may extend from one or more layers of a keypad and may be made to bend into proper orientation adjacent a side button on the terminal. By eliminating the clearance gap between the function key and switch, undesirable noise is prevented and improved stability to vibration is demonstrated. Also, a better feel to as user is achieved as a result of the reduction or elimination of this clearance gap.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to keypads, and more particularly to a keypad structure for inputting signals into electronic devices including but not limited to those having vibration motors.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a folding-type mobile communication terminal of the related art. This terminal includes an upper part 1 and a lower part 2. A lower end of the upper part is hinge-coupled with an upper end of the lower part so as to turn within a predetermined range of angles. The terminal also includes a speakerphone 4 and a liquid crystal display screen 5 which displays characters and numbers. These elements are installed on a front part of a case of the upper part. Also included is a keypad 7 and side buttons 8. The keypad has a plurality of key buttons 10 formed thereon and is installed on a front part of a case 6 of the lower folding portion. The side buttons control the volume of the speakerphone and are installed at one lateral side of the case.
As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 2, the keypad is mounted inside the case so that tops of key buttons 10 protrude out of the case through corresponding key button holes 9 formed on the front part of the case. Also, the side buttons are inserted through corresponding side button holes 11, so that top and bottom portions of the corresponding side buttons protrude from the side of the case.
The side buttons operate by activating a tact switch 12. As shown, a nose 13 of the tact switch contacts the bottom portion of the side button protruding inward into the case so as to support the side button 8. At another end, the tact switch is attached to a printed-circuit board 14 installed inside the case, so as to adhere closely to a rear face of the keypad. In operation, pressure is applied to nose 13 of the tact switch when a user presses a side button. A tact switch signal is then transferred to the printed-circuit board 14 in order to adjust the volume of the speaker phone.
This related-art terminal has a number of drawbacks. For example, a stroke of the nose of the tact switch is usually only 0.2 mm. If an assembly tolerance is +0.2 mm at a place where the side button is coupled with the case, then when the terminal is assembled the side button may push against a predetermined portion of the tact switch. As a result, the on/off operation of the tact switch 12 may be lost or at least adversely affected.
In order to overcome such a disadvantage, it has been proposed to couple the assembly of the side button with the case in such a maimer that one face of the keypad is just in contact with the nose of the tact switch. While this approach may have some limited success, it is complicated to perform and thus significantly increases the assembly time of the terminal.
FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the mobile terminal of FIG. 2. In this view, side button 8 and tact switch 12 are coupled with case 6 and printed-circuit board 14 (not shown in this figure) so as to maintain an interval of 0.1 mm between the nose of the tact switch and the adjacent bottom of the side button.
This modification of the related art also has drawbacks. In this arrangement, the side button is not fixed to the side button hole 11, but rather is merely inserted into the side button hole for assembly. As a result, the side button may float and thus may be affected by a vibration motor which is activated in the terminal when a call is received. More specifically, the side button may collide with the nose of the tact switch when the variation motor is activated, thereby producing an undesirable noise. Moreover, if the interval between the bottom 15 of the side button and the nose 13 of the tact switch becomes greater than −0.2 mm by the assembly tolerance, the tact switch may fail to smoothly operate when the side button is pushed.
A need therefore exists for a terminal which demonstrates improved resistance to vibration compared with related-art terminals, while at the same time prevents malfunctions from occurring as a result of inaccurate assembly tolerances relating to one or more function keys on the terminal.

Side button switch in mobile communication terminal and vibration-preventing device thereof


A method for reducing angulation error during the placement of dental implants or other dental procedures. Two or more sensors are used to monitor realtime orientation of a dental handpiece. One or more signal emitters are used in order to notify the user that a first orientation of the dental handpiece has been identified and recorded. One or more signal emitters are used to notify the user that the dental handpiece has been repositioned into a second orientation having a predetermined spatial relationship to the first orientation.

The placement of dental implants requires precise angulation for the best aesthetic result and longevity of the restorations that are fixed to the implants. Further, precise angulation is particularly important for proper implant functioning when occlusal forces are applied to the implant, as well as for prosthesis retention with overdentures. Additionally, improperly aligned implants can adversely affect the accuracy of impressions. Where two or more than two dental implants are implanted to support a restoration, precise angulation of the dental implants relative to each other is also required for the best function and longevity, and the least maintenance of the restoration that are fixed to implants.
Several factors can affect the alignment of implants, including anatomical variations and aesthetics, leading to sub-optimal alignment. A variety of techniques have been used to decrease angulation error during the placement of dental implants. For example, computer navigation programs have been used to produce surgical templates that guide implant placement to avoid vital structures, enhance esthetic positioning, direct placement into areas of limited bone, and permit the use of a flapless technique. These techniques increase the precision of the angular placement of dental implants, but disadvantageously, require cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, and substantial training and pre-implant planning, thereby adding to the cost and time for treatment.
Therefore, there is a need for a new method for reducing angulation error during the placement of dental implants.

Method and device for reducing angulation error during dental procedures


The present invention relates to a light line triangulation apparatus with                a measurement space for receiving a measurement object,        a light projector, adapted to project a light line into the measurement space and/or onto the measurement object,        an imager for detecting the light line in the measurement space, wherein the imager comprises imaging pixels arranged in a plurality of columns and rows. The apparatus of the invention is characterized in that the imager comprises multiple identical sets of polarization filters, wherein each set of polarization filters comprises at least two polarization filters with different polarization directions, wherein a respective polarization filter covers one of the columns.

Such light line triangulation apparatuses are used for a contactless determination of a contour of the measurement object. For determining the contour of the measurement object, the light projector projects the, preferably straight, light line onto the measurement object. The measurement object reflects the light from the light projector wherein the light reflected by the measurement object is detected by the imager. The imager is arranged distant from the light projector, thereby an angle of preferably below 90° is formed by the light projector, the measurement space and/or the measurement object and the imager. Due to said angle, it is possible to determine the contour of the measurement object based on triangulation.
The light line triangulation apparatus therefore allows a contactless determination of the contour of the measurement object. Such apparatuses are also known as light-section apparatuses or laser line triangulation apparatuses.
To correctly detect the contour of the measurement object, it is necessary to unambiguously identify the true position of the light line. However, direct reflections of the light line can locally saturate the pixels of the imager or be projected at wrong locations of the imager, thereby making the line analysis difficult if not impossible.


A hair styling device includes two blades that are hinged together at one end thereof and provide heated plates at the opposite ends for styling hair. The blades and heated plates provide a fine straight edge at one side and a rounded edge at the opposing side.

Various heated appliances are available for the drying and styling of hair including those that blow hot air onto the hair and those that contact the hair with a heated surface, such as hot curlers, curling irons and flat irons or flat straighteners. The styles that can be achieved by a heated surface device is limited by the shape of the surface and typically a different device is needed for each aspect of a hair style.
There have been previous appliances that combine straightening and curling functions in a single appliance either by providing detachable and interchangeable styling tools to a single barrel or by attempting to combine more than one shape on a single device. One such attempt is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,140 in which the blades are barrel and channel shaped in the inner portion (toward the hinge) and become flat in the end portions. Use of such a device could be inconvenient as a user would have to be careful not to place hair in the transition zone between the curved and flat portions of the blades. Such a user would also need to be very careful when using the inner, curling portion, not to touch and thus burn the hair or scalp with the protruding flat portions. A further disadvantage of such a device is that is has no internal heating mechanism and has to be heated by an external heating source so the temperature is uncontrolled and would decrease during styling.


A cooling system for a hybrid power system that includes an engine employs an engine cooling circuit to deliver coolant to the engine, the engine cooling circuit including a radiator and a main fan to draw air through the radiator. When the hybrid power system further includes an inverter, then the inverter is cooled via an inverter cooling circuit that is formulated as one portion of the cooling system to deliver coolant to the inverter, the inverter cooling circuit including a heat exchanger located such that the main fan draws air through the heat exchanger when the main fan is active. The cooling system also includes a secondary fan to selectively draw air though the heat exchanger during operation of an inverter cooling circuit coolant pump.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of power generating systems, and more specifically to a cooling system for a vehicular hybrid power system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical vehicular hybrid power system utilizes both a battery stack and a generator engine unit to develop electrical power. The battery stack can typically be charged from either the generator engine unit or from shore power. The hybrid power system can be used, for example, to generate electrical power for a vehicle such as a recreational vehicle (RV). When utilizing such a hybrid power system onboard a vehicle, problems can arise with the need for cooling the hybrid power system components. Manufacturing costs, maintenance costs, and space requirements are only some of the factors that need to be optimized for such a system.


The method for electronically vertically integrating a consumer, retailer and wholesaler of diamonds (or jewelry) includes maintaining a diamond inventory database which lists common characteristics, wholesale price and retail price. In the retail facility or space, the consumer electronically searches the diamond database and is presented with record displays of diamonds within the scope of the search and the retail price. A retailer's computer can mimic the consumer search and display the wholesale price. This tracking and a sales alarm trigger facilitates a face-to-face sale of the diamond. An alarm issues when the consumer's search exceeds certain predetermined parameters. A computer readable medium and an information processing system are included.

With the advent of the Internet, retailers and wholesalers of cut and polished diamonds have produced websites which enable the consumer to directly purchase finished diamonds (as well as other jewelry which typically includes diamonds). However, in conjunction with the purchase of diamonds, many times the consumer should be educated regarding the characteristics of the diamond, that is, the weight in carats, color, clarity and cut. The price of the diamonds at the retail level generally mystifies the typical consumer. After educating a consumer regarding the common characteristics of diamonds, often times a retailer can sell one or more diamonds to such consumer in a face to face transaction. However with on line sales efforts via the Internet, this personal face-to-face educational process and resulting commercial transaction (the sale of the diamond to the consumer) has been disrupted. Therefore, the Internet has reduced the profit margins of the retailer and the wholesaler, has increased the probability that the product purchased by the consumer may be inferior and has increased the possibility that the diamonds purchased on the Internet at retail are over-priced.

Method and computer readable medium for integrating a diamond consumer, diamond retailer, and diamond wholesaler, including consumer tracking


A device for sealing a passageway in a flue from a carbon anode baking furnace, the flue being generally rectangular in shape and comprising a flue top and bottom, a headwall on either end of the flue, two walls, an opening in the flue top, at least one baffle, and a plurality of spacers which are connected to both walls of the flue, the headwall, the two walls and the flue top define a headwall port which permits fluid passage between adjoining flues; the sealing device comprises; an inflatable bladder; a means to deliver air under pressure connected to the inflatable bladder by a seal to prevent air leakage between the means to deliver air under pressure and the inflatable bladder; the inflatable bladder is long enough to extend from the flue top to a headwall and seal off the communication between flues at the headwall port when inflated.

In prebake aluminum smelters, carbon anodes are baked to elevated temperatures before they are delivered to the potrooms. The baking process takes place in refractory constructed ring furnaces where anodes are stacked in pits and surrounded with coke to prevent anode deformation and exposure to air during baking. The pits are bordered on each side by flues in which fuel is burned to provide heat. These anode pits are positioned in a matrix, typically either six or seven abreast, alternately sandwiched between the flues. These sections are arranged in line with adjoining sections so the flues are connected in series, in effect forming a continuous ring.
Baking is performed by movement of independent fire groups over the baking sections, with packing of green anodes and removal of baked anodes occurring on either side of the sections undergoing bake. Each fire group consists of several burner bridges, a forced air cooling manifold, and an exhaust gas manifold. A burner bridge is comprised of a row of burners manifolded in parallel which are inserted into the flues of a section and individually regulated to achieve the desired flue temperature. The mobile forced draft air manifold located upstream of the burner bridges provides both the cooling air to the completed bake sections and, using this heat exchange, preheated combustion air to the fired sections. A mobile exhaust gas manifold draws the combustion gases through the fire group and directs them to an external fume treatment system. Once the desired final anode temperatures are reached in the final baking section, the entire fire group, including burner frames, cooling manifold and exhaust manifold, is repositioned one section downstream by overhead crane and another cycle is started. Typically, a fire group is moved every 24 hours, and a section of anodes completes the total cycle in about 20 days.
The firing equipment operates above the furnace and interfaces with the furnace through holes in each flue top. It is through these holes that the combustion air is induced, the fuel in introduced, and the spent gasses are extracted. Any instrumentation used to measure the conditions inside the flues is also inserted into these openings. Furnaces of this type have two to four smaller flue top openings of 3 to 5 inch diameter, and a larger opening of approximately 12 inch diameter (or square). The smaller holes are commonly called "peepholes," and are used for fuel input and instrumentation. These are always located on the flue top. The larger holes are known as exhaust port openings and are used for input of the cooling and combustion air at one end of the fire group, and for exhaust of spent gas at the other end. Depending on the furnace design, these holes are arranged one of two ways: one exhaust port opening on the headwall plus three or four peepholes on the flue top; and no openings on the headwall, two exhaust port and two peepholes, all located on top of the flue.
In order to direct only the exhaust gasses into the external fume treatment system and prevent cooler gasses from the upstream end of the adjacent fire group from flowing backwards into the exhaust, a seal is placed inside the flue or headwall. This seal is moved each time the fire group is moved. The design most often used is a flat, flexible, high temperature cloth that is placed across the internal rectangular opening in the headwall. This seal is manually positioned by an operator while on his hands and knees exposed to heat, dust and fumes. As a furnace ages, the effectiveness of this seal decreases as a flat seal cannot be effective on an uneven surface. This leads to higher energy costs due to the need for larger fans to move the increased quantity of exhaust gas. The cooling effect of added ambient air is one of the major factors in decreased efficiency for furnaces of this type.

Flue seal for a carbon anode baking furnace


A circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like, comprises at least one needle cylinder with vertical axis and has, on its lateral surface, a plurality of axial slots, each of which accommodates a needle and an element for actuating the needle. The actuation element comprises at least one connecting element and a selector. The connecting element is provided with a radially actuatable movable heel, and the selector protrudes with a portion between the bottom of the axial slot and the connecting element in any operative position of the machine. The selector is oscillatable on a radial plane of the needle cylinder to produce oscillation of the connecting element and extract its movable heel from the axial slot to achieve engagement with connecting element actuation cams facing the lateral surface of the needle cylinder.

Single-cylinder and double-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery or the like are known.
Single-cylinder circular knitting machines comprise substantially a needle cylinder which has a vertical axis and on the lateral surface of which there are a plurality of axial slots, each of which accommodates a needle which can be actuated with an alternating motion along the corresponding axial slot in order to form knitting. The needle is provided generally with a heel which protrudes radially from the corresponding axial slot of the needle cylinder, and the needle is actuated by providing a plurality of needle actuation cams which are arranged around the needle cylinder and define, as a whole, paths which are shaped with rising portions, parking or horizontal portions, and descending portions, which can be followed by the heel of the needles when the needle cylinder is actuated with a rotary motion about its own axis with respect to the needle actuation cams.
Double-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery generally comprise a lower needle cylinder which has a vertical axis and an upper needle cylinder which is arranged above and coaxially with respect to the lower needle cylinder, such cylinders being actuatable rigidly with each other with a rotary motion about the common axis.
A plurality of axial slots are formed on the lateral surface of the lower needle cylinder and on the lateral surface of the upper needle cylinder. The axial slots of the upper needle cylinder are aligned with the axial slots of the lower needle cylinder. A slider is accommodated in each of the axial slots of the lower needle cylinder and in each of the axial slots of the upper needle cylinder. Between the two needle cylinders, i.e., in the knitting region, in each of the axial slots there is a needle which is provided with two tips or heads, respectively an upper head and a lower head; depending on whether one wishes to provide plain stitches or purl stitches, such needle is moved into the lower needle cylinder so that its knits with its upper tip or into the upper needle cylinder so that its knits with its lower tip.
Since the needle does not have a heel, it is actuated by means of the slider arranged in the lower needle cylinder or by means of the slider arranged in the upper needle cylinder, depending on whether it has to form plain or purl stitches.
The sliders currently used in double-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery are constituted generally by an elongated laminar body, which has a first longitudinal side designed to rest on the bottom of the axial slot formed on the lateral surface of the lower needle cylinder or on the lateral surface of the upper needle cylinder.
Such sliders are further provided with two heels, which are mutually spaced along the longitudinal extension of the slider and protrude transversely from a second longitudinal side of the slider which lies opposite the first longitudinal side.
These heels are used to produce the movement of the slider along the corresponding axial slot of the lower or upper needle cylinder so as to cause the actuation of the needle associated with said slider in the various types of knitting of the machine or to transfer the needle from one needle cylinder to the other.
The slider is further provided, on its first longitudinal side, i.e., on its side directed towards the bottom of the axial slot within which it is accommodated, with a hook-shaped tab, which engages the lower head of the needle or the upper head depending on whether the slider is in the lower needle cylinder or in the upper needle cylinder.
Around the lateral surface of the lower needle cylinder and around the lateral surface of the upper needle cylinder there are a plurality of slider actuation cams, which define a series of paths with which the heels of the sliders engage when the needle cylinders are actuated with a rotary motion about their axis with respect to said cams. The paths defined by the cams are shaped so as to cause the movement of the sliders along the axial slots of the needle cylinders in which they are accommodated and consequently cause the actuation of the needles that are associated therewith.
In order to vary the actuation of each needle and therefore vary the type of knitting that the needle produces, it is necessary to actuate the transfer of its heel or of the heel of the slider that actuates it from one path to another path of the corresponding actuation cams, and this is achieved generally by providing, inside each axial slot, below the needle in single-cylinder circular machines or below the slider in the lower needle cylinder in double-cylinder circular machines, a sub-needle or selector, which is also provided with one or more heels which can protrude radially from the lateral surface of the needle cylinder in order to engage selector actuation cams which are also arranged around the lateral surface of the needle cylinder in single-cylinder circular machines or of the lower needle cylinder in double-cylinder circular machines.
The selectors can generally oscillate on the radial plane of the needle cylinder on which they lie in order to pass from an active position, in which they protrude from the corresponding axial slot of the needle cylinder or of the lower needle cylinder with at least one of their heels so as to engage the selector actuation cams, to an inactive position, in which they are embedded with their heel or heels within the corresponding axial slot so as not to engage the selector actuation cams, or vice versa.
The selector actuation cams have rising portions and descending portions so as to cause, as a consequence of the rotation of the needle cylinder about its own axis with respect to the selector actuation cams, when a heel of a selector engages them, the rising movement of the needle or of the slider that lies above in order to produce its direct actuation or the transfer of its heel from one path to another among the paths defined by the needle actuation cams or by the slider actuation cams or to allow the descending movement of the needle or of the slider which is usually caused by the needle actuation cams or by the slider actuation cams.
The passage of the selectors from the active position to the inactive position is actuated by means of selection devices which laterally face the needle cylinder of the machine and which, by means of the selectors, are capable of varying the actuation of the needles and therefore of varying the knitting that can be produced.
In currently commercially available circular machines, the intervention of the selectors, by means of the selection devices and the selector actuation cams, in order to cause a variation of the path followed by the heels of the needles or of the sliders, can occur only in certain conditions of mutual arrangement of the selector and the needle or the slider that is in the same axial slot, and this imposes severe constraints and limitations in the design of the set of actuation cams of the needles or sliders and selectors.
In currently commercially available circular machines, in order to overcome these limitations and increase the operating possibilities of the machines, very often, between the needle actuation cams and between the slider actuation cams there are also additional cams which can move on command, with respect to the fixed element that supports them, known as cam box, along a radial direction with respect to the needle cylinder, so as to pass from an active position, in which they are close to the needle cylinder in order to be engaged by the heels of the needles or of the sliders, to an inactive position, in which they are spaced from the needle cylinder so as to not interfere with the heels of the needles or of the sliders and vice versa.
The presence of these movable cams and of the corresponding actuators, which is necessary in order to produce the various kinds of knitting, has the problem of increasing considerably the complexity of the structure of the entire machine.
Moreover, the presence of these movable cams forces the provision, on board the machine, of an appropriately provided actuation program, which intervenes if an accidental stop of the machine occurs due to a lack of electric power supply and restores the correct position of the movable cams before knitting resumes, since if the machine were to restart without first restoring the correct position of the movable cams the heels of the needles or of the sliders might break.
In practice, the presence of these movable cams makes it necessary to provide the machine with electronic programs which store the position of the movable cams when the electric power supply is interrupted, and this constitutes a further complication in the manufacture of the machine.

Circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like


During a period of preparation for actual operation, a reference clock is supplied to both a comparison clock input portion and a feedback clock input portion of a phase comparator while a feedback loop of a PLL (phase-locked loop) is interrupted, and a delay of a reset signal within the phase comparator is adjusted so as to reduce a detection dead zone of phase differences in the phase comparator.

The present invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuits including a clock generation circuit, and more particularly to semiconductor integrated circuits in which a PLL (phase-locked loop) circuit is provided.
Computing systems, such as microprocessors or microcontrollers, are provided with PLL circuits functioning as a clock multiplier circuit in order to realize the function of multiplying an external frequency at a portion of the central processing unit to perform high-speed operations. Furthermore, in recent microprocessors, it is desirable to be able to maintain the clock phase between an external bus and within the semiconductor integrated circuit with high precision.
In conventional methods, the time that it takes until the PLL circuit stabilizes after the power has been turned on is counted with a timer, the clock supply from the PLL circuit to the central processing unit is halted for a certain amount of time, and the multiplied clock supply is started as soon as the timer overflows.
Now, in the phase comparator of the PLL circuit it is desirable that there is a linear relation between the phase difference of the two signals entered into it and the voltage that is output. However in practice, there are cases in which it is not possible to detect tiny phase differences, so that there may be a dead zone of phase differences, and there may be discontinuities when the sensitivity is too high.
It is known that the length of the delay time in the reset circuit has a large influence on the input/output characteristics of the phase comparator. In other words, in order to improve the input/output characteristics of the phase comparator, it is necessary to adjust the delay time in the reset circuit to an appropriate value. However, in the phase comparator according to a first piece of conventional technology, the delay time becomes shorter than the appropriate value because the reset circuit is made of one 4-input NAND circuit, and the input/output characteristics exhibit a dead zone (U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,954).
Several improvements have been suggested in order to adjust the delay time of the reset circuit to an appropriate value. In a second piece of conventional technology, the output of the reset signal is delayed by making the channel width of a transistor constituting the 4-input NAND circuit narrower (JP S63-119318A). Furthermore, in a third piece of conventional technology, a plurality of capacitors are used as a means for delaying the output of the reset signal (U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,509).
As described above, in the phase comparator according to the first conventional technology, the reset circuit is constituted by one 4-input NAND circuit, so that the delay time becomes shorter than the appropriate value and there is a dead zone in the input/output characteristics. In the case of the second conventional technology, a worsening of the yield due to variations in the channel width or the like has become unavoidable with the sub-micron gate widths of recent transistors. And with the third conventional technology, the capacitors lead to an increase of the chip surface area.
Charge pump circuits also have an aspect that worsens their input/output characteristics. When using a current-type charge pump circuit, it occurs that the output voltage of the phase comparator changes even though there is no phase difference between the two input signals. This means that even though clocks of the same phase are input, the phase difference is detected erroneously and a highly accurate PLL circuit cannot be realized.
Furthermore, clock drivers are designed such that they can supply a clock synchronized with zero skew to the function blocks, but due to temperature dependencies, process variations and the like, there are skew variations among chips.
Also, inside the function blocks, circuits that use two phases of clocks with clock synchronization, such as dynamic circuits or memories, are designed such that they can operate stably with some delay so as to avoid signal racing, but due to process variations, the margin between the two phases of the clocks may disappear, resulting in faulty operation.
Furthermore, there are function blocks that include the function of interrupting a series of operations when processing has become unnecessary during that series of operations, in order to reduce energy consumption, but depending on the operation frequency and process variations, the operation may not be halted completely, resulting in faulty operation.
Moreover, providing a tuning circuit in order to solve these problems is a waste of time, because the start of the operation of the tuning circuit needs to wait until the PLL circuit has stabilized.


Switching device comprising:                a switching unit comprising, for each electric pole, a first disconnection contact, a second disconnection contact and one or more solid state switches;        a supporting frame comprising, for each electric pole, a third disconnection contact and a fourth disconnection contact, which are coupled/separated respectively with/from the first and second disconnection contacts, when the switching unit is in an insertion/withdrawn position with respect to the supporting frame;        actuating means for moving the switching unit between the insertion position and said the withdrawn position, and viceversa;        a control unit comprising control means that are configured to coordinate the operation of the actuating means and the solid state switches, when an insertion/withdrawn operation of the switching unit has to be performed, so that the actuating means move the switching unit only when the solid state switches are in an off-state.

As known, low voltage switching devices are used in electric circuits or grids to allow the correct operation of specific parts of these latter.
For instance, low voltage switching devices ensure the availability of the nominal current necessary for several utilities, enable the proper insertion and disconnection of electric loads, protect (especially circuit breakers) the electric grid and the electric loads installed therein against fault events such as overloads and short circuits.
Numerous industrial solutions for the aforementioned switching devices are available on the market.
Conventional electro-mechanical switching devices generally have an external case that houses one or more electric poles.
Each pole comprises a couple of separable contacts to break and conduct current.
A driving mechanism causes the movable contacts to move between a first closed position, in which they are coupled to the corresponding fixed contacts, and a second open position, in which they are spaced away from the corresponding fixed contacts.
In closed position, well designed contacts result in quite low power losses, whereas in open position they provide a galvanic (electrical) isolation between the portions of the electric poles that are electrically upstream and downstream connected, provided that their mutual physical separation is above a minimum value.
Such a galvanic isolation is very important in common practice, since it enables safe repairing and maintenance works on the circuit in which the switching device is inserted.
Although such conventional switching devices have proven to be very robust and reliable, in direct current ("DC") applications, and mainly at relatively high voltages (up to 1500V), the interruption time can be quite long, and therefore electric arcs, which usually strike between mechanical contacts under separation, may consequently last for a relatively long time.
Severe wear of the contact may thus arise, with a consequent remarkable reduction of the electrical endurance, i.e. the number of switching operations that a switching device can perform.
In order to face with such issues, so-called Solid-State Circuit Breakers ("SSCBs") have been designed, which adopt, for each electric pole, one or more solid state switches for current breaking purposes.
Typically, solid state switches are semiconductor-based switching devices that can commutate between an on-state and an off-state.
The main advantage of SSCBs resides in that they have potentially unlimited electrical endurance due to their arcless breaking operations.
Further, their interruption time is remarkably shorter in comparison with the interruption time of the electro-mechanical switching devices.
On the other hand, SSCBs generally require intensive cooling to remove the heat generated by the current flowing through the solid state switches, when these latter are in an on-state.
An even more relevant drawback resides in that SSCBs are not suitable for providing a galvanic isolation between upstream and downstream connected portions of the electric poles.
In fact, small currents (leakage currents) flow through the solid state switches, even if these latter are in an off-state.
In order to mitigate these problems, there have been developed hybrid solutions, in which, for each electric pole, conventional electro-mechanical switches are electrically connected in parallel and/or in series with the solid state switches of the pole.
Hybrid SSCBs have proven to be quite reliable and effective in their operation but they are affected by some drawbacks, too.
Generally, they are relatively bulky and difficult to install on the field. Further, they have a relatively complex constructive layout that is often expensive to realize at industrial level.
In addition, the operations of the solid state and electro-mechanical switches must be managed according to very precise time sequences and a tight timing.
Therefore, in the market it is still felt the demand for technical solutions capable of solving, at least partially, the drawbacks mentioned above.


Rendering GUI widgets with generic look and feel by receiving in a display device a master definition of a graphics display, the master definition including at least one graphics definition element, the graphics definition element including a reference to a protowidget and one or more instance parameter values characterizing an instance of the protowidget, the protowidget includes a definition of a generic GUI object, including generic display values affecting overall look and feel of the graphics display, and rendering at least one instance of the protowidget to a graphics display in dependence upon the generic display values and the instance parameter values.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, systems, and products for rendering graphical user interface ("GUI") widgets with generic look and feel.
2. Description of Related Art
It is difficult to design an overall look and feel for GUI displays and at the same time allow third parties other than the designer to establish custom controls, GUI components, or widgets to their own specifications. The designer may not wish to hinder the developer's ability to lay out screens and displays, but it is difficult to maintain overall look and feel without limiting layout specifications. An inflexible example would involve a set of control attributes for a button, where the attributes are rectangle width, rectangle height, text color, and background color. This may work for simple button designs, but when a developer wishes to build elliptical buttons that contain icons, inflexible predetermination of width, height, color, and so on, is insufficient.

International Business Machines Corporation


A sensor can be mounted easily and an insulating distance between the sensor and a receiving blade can beheld reliably. A through-hole 7 is formed between plug insertion holes 6, 6, and a sensor 16 which detects a spark discharge occurring between plug blades is disposed internally of the through-hole 7. An insulating partition wall 13 is disposed between receiving blades 17, 17 in a standing manner, the sensor 16 is accommodated inside the partition wall, and arrangement is performed such that a portion of the sensor faces the through-hole. An outlet case is formed with an intermediate base body 5 provided with a mounting portion of the receiving blade 17 and a partition wall 13, a main body 3 which holds a circuit board 22 and the intermediate base body 5, and a cover body 4 which covers a front face of the main body 3.

Conventionally, there is a device shown in Patent Literature 1 as a power source outlet device having a function of preventing tracking. In a technique of Patent Literature 1, an electrically conductive plate is disposed in plug insertion holes on a front face of a power source outlet device, one end thereof being protruded from a surface while another end thereof being connected to a ground terminal, so that a leakage current occurring between plug blades is led to flow to the ground terminal via the electrically conductive plate before tracking occurs and a cable run is disconnected by letting a leakage breaker detect the leaked current.
However, in the above-described conventional power source outlet device, since an electrically conductive plate serving as a sensor is exposed to a surface of a cover of the power source outlet device, malfunction may occur when an electrically conductive material comes in contact with the electrically conductive plate. Further, a user's hand or the like may touch the sensor, and such exposure is not desirable.
In view of these circumstances, the present applicant has proposed a power source outlet device where a through-hole is provided without exposing a sensor to a surface of a cover of the power source outlet device so that a spark discharge (scintillation) between plug blades which causes a tracking phenomenon can be detected inside the cover in Patent Literature 2. In the power source outlet device, such a method is adopted that a sensor is disposed on a back face of the cover as a sensor mounting structure, and the sensor is fixed being covered its back portion with insulator such as resin.
[Patent Literature] JP-A-2001-35599
[Patent Literature] JP-A-2004-327247


An elastomer composition is provided which contains a matrix of biomass plastic and crosslinked natural rubber particles dispersed like islands in the matrix. An eraser using the elastomer composition is also provided. The present invention is capable of providing an elastomer composition and eraser using the same, which can be recycled, are friendly to the environment, and corresponds to the recycling society, without relying on fossil resources.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elastomer composition, a method for producing the same, and an eraser using the same, and more particularly to an elastomer composition, which can be recycled, is friendly to the environment, and corresponds to the recycling society, without relying on fossil resources, a method for producing the same, and an eraser using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
So far, industries and economies have been advanced using fossil resources such as coal and petroleum oil and social systems based on mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal have been established and many daily necessities have been based on the fossil resources whose depletion is now expected.
The present social systems have created economical affluence and convenience, but, on the other hand, wastes and carbon dioxide exceeding the natural purification capabilities have been discharged and it has resulted in serious environmental issues such as global warming and harmful substance generation.
In order to solve such problems, it is urgently required to reform today's one-way type social systems, in which a large quantity of commodities are produced from limited resources, consumed and disposed, and to shift the social systems to the recycling society, in which discharge of wastes can be suppressed and the limited resources can be advantageously utilized. To establish this recycling society, in our country, "Biomass Nippon Strategy" was decided upon by the Japanese government at a cabinet meeting held in December, 2002 and Japan has now been challenging reconstruction of the industrial competitive strength.
Biomass is sustainable and regenerable organic resources brought forth by natural blessings. Although biomass emits carbon dioxide when burned, carbon dioxide in atmospheric air is absorbed and fixed by photosynthesis at the time of plant growth and therefore biomass has a characteristic that it does not practically increase carbon dioxide. This is called "carbon neutral" and replacement of energy and commodities derived from fossil resources with biomass makes it possible to considerably lessen the carbon dioxide emission and accordingly, the techniques and product developments therefore have been acutely required.
In recent years, with respect to polymer materials as well, a plenty of proposals have been made in consideration of establishment of recycling society.
For instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 10-274494 describes a composition for rubber production containing natural rubber and biodegradable plastics (in Examples, a vulcanizing agent and a vulcanization accelerator are used). JP-A No. 2000-95898 describes a biodegradable material composition obtained by mixing a biodegradable material, epoxylated polyisoprene, and if necessary a crosslinking agent. JP-A No. 2000-319446 describes a biodegradable rubber composition obtained by adding a biodegradable resin and a filler to natural rubber. Further, JP-A No. 2003-183488 describes a polylactic acid type resin composition containing crystalline polylactic acid, and a rubber component selected from natural rubber and polyisoprene, and JP-A No. 2004-143315 describes a polymer blended material containing a continuous phase of polylactic acid and a dispersion phase of natural rubber or the like, evenly and finely dispersed in the continuous phase.
On the other hand, erasers can be broadly classified into three types: a vinyl chloride type eraser made of a vinyl chloride resin; a non-vinyl chloride type eraser made of a styrene type thermoplastic elastomer or an olefin type thermoplastic elastomer; and a natural rubber eraser.
Among them, more than 90% of erasers in an eraser market are a vinyl chloride type eraser and a non-vinyl chloride type eraser. The polymer material, a plasticizer, and a softening agent composing the erasers are all materials derived from fossil resources such as petroleum oil and continuous use of these erasers is contradictory to the theme of the recycling society establishment.
On the other hand, for instance, as described in JP-A No. 2000-43492 and Gomu Kogyo Binran (Rubber Industry Handbook) (new edition, edited by The Society of Rubber Industry, Japan, published by The Society of Rubber Industry, Japan, Nov. 15, 1973, p. 817, Table 25.2), natural rubber erasers utilize biomass such as subs (factices) produced from natural rubber and plant oils and is in accord with the theme of the recycling society establishment.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional techniques, those obtained without vulcanizing or crosslinking rubber are insufficient in tensile strength or elasticity and therefore applications thereof are sometimes limited and, for instance, they are inadequate as materials for erasers since they do not exhibit rubber elasticity. On the other hand, those which are vulcanized or crosslinked are also sometimes limited in applications because of excess tensile strength and elasticity and for instance, they become too hard as materials for erasers to give rubber elasticity and therefore inadequate. Further, since a vulcanizing or crosslinking step is necessary, the production process not only becomes complicated but also contains critical issue of safety of sulfur as a vulcanization agent and vulcanization chemical agents such as a vulcanization accelerator and an aid such as zinc oxide.
On the other hand, as described above, although the natural rubber erasers are suitable for satisfying the need for recycling society establishment, the natural rubber erasers are inferior in the erasing capability as compared with the vinyl chloride type erasers and since their production process includes a vulcanization step, the production process is complicated as compared with that for the vinyl chloride type erasers or non-vinyl chloride type erasers. Further, as described above, there is an issue of safety of sulfur and vulcanization chemical agents such as a vulcanization accelerator. Moreover, reuse of wastes generated in the production process is difficult, so that it could result in uneconomical consequence and a problem in terms of productivity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Elastomer composition, method for producing the same, and eraser using the same


In a method for detecting a starting intention of a stopped vehicle, a starting intention criterion is ascertained upon detection of a stopped vehicle, and decision data are formed based on the starting intention criterion, which decision data include an item of information on whether or not the stopped vehicle will start.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, a computer program and a device for detecting a starting intention of a stopped vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Driver assistance systems which are able to automatically stop behind other vehicles and restart are known per se. However, these driver assistance systems are primarily intended for use on freeways, i.e., without stationary traffic.
The drawback of the known driver assistance systems is in particular that these are not able to distinguish between a parked and a briefly stopped vehicle. A known driver assistance system would thus automatically stop behind a parked vehicle and carry out a bypass maneuver either never or at least only after a time period. This costs time. If the engine of the vehicle should still be running during the waiting period, this also costs additional energy in the form of fuel and/or electrical energy.

Method and device for detecting a starting intention of a stopped vehicle


A system for rapid and automatic identification of persons, with very high reliability and confidence levels. The iris of the eye is used an optical fingerprint, having a highly detailed pattern that is unique for each individual and stable over many years. Image analysis algorithms find the iris in a live video image of a person's face, and encode its texture into a compact signature, or "iris code." Iris texture is extracted from the image at multiple scales of analysis by a self-similar set of quadrature (2-D Gabor) bandpass filters defined in a dimensionless polar coordinate system. The sign of the projection of many different parts of the iris onto these multi-scale quadrature filters, determines each bit in an abstract (256-byte) iris code. The degrees-of-freedom in this code are based on the principle forms of variation in a population of irises studied. Because of the universal mathematical format and constant length of the iris codes, comparisons between them are readily implemented by the Exclusive-OR (XOR) logical operation. Pattern recognition is achieved by combining special signal processing methods with statistical decision theory, leading to a statistical test of independence based on a similarity metric (the Hamming distance) that is computed from the XOR of any two iris codes. This measure positively establishes, confirms, or disconfirms, the identity of any individual. It also generates an objective confidence level associated with any such identification decision.

This invention is related to the field of personal identification, and more specifically to the field of automated identification of humans by biometric indicia.
Identification of humans is a goal as ancient as humanity itself. As technology and services have developed in the modern world, human activities and transactions have proliferated in which rapid and reliable personal identification is required. Examples include passport control, computer login control, bank automatic teller machines and other transactions authorization, premises access control, and security systems generally. All such identification efforts share the common goals of speed, reliability, and automation.
The use of biometric indicia for identification purposes requires that a particular biometric factor be unique for each individual, that it be readily measured, and that it be invariant over time. Although many indicia have been proposed over the years, fingerprints are perhaps the most familiar example of a successful biometric identification scheme. As is well known, no two fingerprints are the same, and they do not change except through injury or surgery. It is equally clear, however, that identification through fingerprints suffers from the significant drawback of requiring physical contact with the person. No method exists for obtaining a fingerprint from a distance, nor does any such method appear likely.
A biometric indicator that has been largely ignored by the art is the iris. The iris of every human eye has a unique texture of high complexity, which proves to be essentially immutable over a person's life. No two irises are identical in texture or detail, even in the same person. As an internal organ of the eye the iris is well protected from the external environment, yet it is easily visible even from yards away as a colored disk, behind the clear protective window of the eye's cornea, surrounded by the white tissue of the eye. Although the iris stretches and contracts to adjust the size of the pupil in response to light, its detailed texture remains largely unaltered apart from stretching and shrinking. Such distortions in the texture can readily be reversed mathematically in analyzing an iris image, to extract and encode an iris signature that remains the same over a wide range of pupillary dilations. The richness, uniqueness, and immutability of iris texture, as well as its external visibility, make the iris suitable for automated and highly reliable personal identification. The registration and identification of the iris can be performed using a videocamera without any physical contact, automatically and unobtrusively.
By comparison, other biometrics such as signatures, photographs, fingerprints, voice prints, and retinal blood vessel patterns all have significant drawbacks. Although signatures and photographs are cheap and easy to obtain and store, they are impossible to identify automatically with assurance, and are easily forged. Electronically recorded voice prints are susceptible to changes in a person's voice, and they can be counterfeited. Fingerprints or hand prints require physical contact, and they also can be counterfeited and marred by artifacts.
Iris identification is not to be confused with retinal identification. The iris is easy to see and can readily be imaged with a videocamera. The retina, on the contrary, is hidden deep within the eye, and is difficult to see. Common conditions such as small pupils or cataracts make it difficult or impossible to see the retina, but they do not affect the visibility of the iris.
The only previous attempt to take advantage of these favorable characteristics of the iris for a personal identification system is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,349, issued to Flom and Safir and entitled "Iris Recognition System," (hereinafter '349). The '349 reference discloses the general concept of using the iris as a method of identification, but it does not describe a developed embodiment of such a system. It does not disclose automatic means to find and isolate the iris within an image, regardless of the location and size of the iris, nor means to extract and encode its texture. Moreover, the '349 reference does not describe any method for computing an identification decision once a list of features has been compiled. In general, a listing of features from two iris images will partially agree and partially disagree, whether or not they originated from the same iris. Generally such lists will also differ in the number of features they comprise. No theoretical or mathematical formulation was provided for basing decisions on such comparisons between incommensurate data sets. Moreover, no method was disclosed for calculating the confidence levels associated with identifications.

Biometric personal identification system based on iris analysis


The present invention is a brazing composition for brazing a tube made of aluminum or aluminum alloy and a fin made of aluminum or aluminum alloy when manufacturing a heat exchanger such as evaporators, condensers, radiators, etc., comprising a powder of Al--Si--Zn alloy and binder, wherein the content of Zn in the powder of Al--Si--Zn alloy is in a range of 10 to 55 wt %.

This invention relates to an art of heat exchangers for automobiles such as evaporators, condensers, radiators, etc.
Heat exchangers made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy material (hereinafter simply referred to as Al material) are manufactured through a steps of forming tubes or fins using brazing sheets clad with brazing materials, assembling them in a predetermined shape and brazing them.
However, it is difficult to manufacture brazing sheets and the yield is low, so that this method is wasteful. In addition, waste processing thereof is costly because brazing sheets are not suitable for recycling. Furthermore, it needs special techniques to manufacture tubes using brazing sheets. Also, brazing sheets are difficult to be processed to a fin shape and apt to damage jigs. In addition, brazing sheets are difficult to be processed so as to be thin, so that it is also difficult to produce small and light heat exchangers.
By the way, as a brazing material for brazing sheets, an Al--Si alloy is used (Japanese Patent Publication No.27037 (1983)).
In addition, as another brazing material, Al--Si--Zn alloy is known (Japanese Patent Publication No.27037 (1983), Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.151188 (1991)). The method of manufacturing brazing sheets by cladding a brazing material made of Al--Si--Zn alloy thereon, however, is difficult, so that this method is not used in practice.
Moreover, when using Al--Si alloy as a brazing material, it is proposed to provide a Zn film thereon in advance with a means such as flame spray coating, etc. for increasing the corrosion resistance. Namely, this implies that a fin and a tube on which an Zn film is provided are brazed with the Al--Si alloy clad on the fin. But, this method includes complicated steps such as the step of providing a Zn film, so that this method is not preferable.
Like this, in the prior art, when trying to keep a sufficient corrosion resistance, the manufacturing process becomes complicated and wasteful. Contrary to this, if trying to reduce manufacturing cost, the corrosion resistance goes down.

Brazing composition, aluminum material provided with the brazing composition and heat exchanger


Shrub rose plant having a vigorous, upright growth habit; large clusters of medium-sized flowers; a strong clove scent that degrades to a strong musk; dark green, healthy foliage; profusion of small prickles on flowering wood; and an ability to own root easily.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of rose plant of the shrub class which was originated by me by crossing the variety LaMarne (not patented) with the variety MACman (not patented).
The primary objective of this breeding was to produce a new rose variety having the shrub habit and plant disease resistance of the female parent combined with the larger flowers of the male parent. The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in the new variety and that distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties of which I am aware:
1. Vigorous, upright, rounded growth habit;
2. Large clusters of medium sized flowers;
3. Strong clove scent;
4. Dark green, healthy foliage;
5. Profusion of small prickles on flowering wood; and
6. Ability to own root easily.
Asexual reproduction of this new variety by cuttings, as performed at Wasco, Calif., shows that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

Shrub rose plant named xe2x80x98JACignatxe2x80x99


Apparatus for transferring at least partially finished packets containing cigarettes or other rod-shaped smokers' products from a lower level, where the packets are advanced along a horizontal path toward a stationary transfer station, into the receptacles of a rotary indexible conveyor at a higher level, has an elevator with two superimposed components which clamp a packet during lifting from the lower level to the conveyor. A packet which is in the process of advancing to or has reached the upper level is engaged by one of several holders which are associated with the receptacles and hold the adjacent packets against undesirable displacement, at least during the initial stage of indexing of such packets from the transfer station.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for transferring commodities between different levels, especially for transferring at least partially finished packets containing arrays of articles of the tobacco processing industry from a first level where the packets or analogous accumulations of plain or filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos or other rod-shaped articles or products of the tobacco processing industry are supplied to a stationary transfer station, to a second level at which successively transferred articles are indexed about a fixed axis, e.g., about a vertical axis.
It is customary to assemble packets of cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry (hereinafter simply referred to as cigarettes for short but with the understanding that analogous procedures can be resorted to in connection with the manipulation of filter cigarettes, plain or filter cigars, plain or filter cigarillos and/or any other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry) while the cigarettes are being assembled into arrays (of, for example, twenty parallel cigarettes each) and are transported between a series of successive treating stations at which the making of the packets is carried out and completed. The making of packets can involve the delivery of one or more blanks from suitable source or sources of supply, draping the blanks around the arrays of rod-shaped articles, sealing the blanks, insertion of coupons or the like, the application of light-transmitting outer wrappers and, if necessary, additional procedures.
The advancement of arrays of cigarettes from treating station to treating station is determined by the nature of the transferring instrumentalities, by the nature of treatment at a particular station, and by the sensitivity of the articles forming the arrays and/or other parameters. It has been found that the transfer of arrays, with or without partially completed or finished packets, is often slowed down owing to the required direction and/or nature of transfer from a preceding station to the next-following station. This can result in the establishment of bottlenecks, i.e., in a slowing down of the operation of an entire production line, e.g., a production line including one or more cigarette makers, one or more makers of filter rod sections, one or more filter tipping machines wherein plain cigarettes are united with filter rod sections to form therewith filter cigarettes of unit length or multiple unit length, one or more packing machines wherein arrays of filter cigarettes are introduced into packets (e.g., into hinge lid packets), one or more cellophaning machines, one or more carton filling machines, and one or more carton crating and strapping machines. Even minor improvements in the rate of advancement of arrays of cigarettes, with partially completed or finished packets, can entail huge increases in the output of such production lines.
Certain types of presently known apparatus for transferring packets of rod-shaped smokers' products and/or analogous or similar commodities are disclosed, for example, in British patent specification No. 699,448 published Nov. 4, 1953, in German patent No. 42 25 062 C2 published Aug. 17, 1995, in German patent No. 1 013 482 published Jan. 23, 1958, in German Auslegeschrift No. 1 251 224 published Sep. 28, 1967, in German patent application No. 28 40 850 published Apr. 5, 1979, and in German patent application No. 37 39 579 A1 published Jun. 23, 1988.

Apparatus for transferring packets of rod-shaped smokers' products


To achieve favorable directivity in a directional coupler, even with a low magnetic-field coupling coefficient, the directional coupler includes a main line, a secondary line, and impedance conversion sections. The main line is connected between a signal input port and a signal output port. The secondary line is coupled to the main line through coupling capacitance and mutual inductance. The impedance conversion sections are connected between the secondary line and a coupling port or an isolation port, and the impedance viewed from the secondary line differs from the impedance viewed from a port side while both impedances viewed from the secondary line are equal.

Directional couplers are used for measuring high frequency signals and the like.
FIG. 7(A) is a typical block diagram of a radio frequency (RF) transmitter circuit 100 of a cellular phone device or the like. The RF transmitter circuit 100 includes an antenna 111, a directional coupler 120A, a transmission power amplifier 113, a modulation circuit 112, and a detection circuit 114. The directional coupler 120A is of a transmission line type, and includes a main line 121 and a coupling line (secondary line) 122. The main line 121 is connected between the antenna 111 and the transmission power amplifier 113. The detection circuit 114 is connected to the secondary line 122 of the directional coupler 120A and controls the transmission power amplifier 113 based on a signal from the secondary line 122 that couples to the main line 121.
FIG. 7(B) and FIG. 7(C) are equivalent circuit diagrams of the directional coupler 120A. Here, it is assumed that the directional coupler 120A is an ideal circuit in which a magnetic-field coupling coefficient (Km) of a mutual inductance M formed between the main line 121 and the secondary line 122 is equal to one. The main line 121 is connected to a signal input port RFin and a signal output port RFout at its two end portions. The signal input port RFin is connected to the transmission power amplifier 113. The signal output port RFout is connected to the antenna 111. The secondary line 122 is connected to a coupling port CPL and an isolation port ISO at its two end portions. The coupling port CPL is connected to the detection circuit 114. The isolation port ISO is connected to a termination resistor. The main line 121 and the secondary line 122 are electrically coupled to each other through a distributed capacitance (coupling capacitance) C between two lines and magnetically coupled to each other through a mutual inductance M.
As illustrated in FIG. 7(B), when a signal S1 is inputted from the signal input port RFin, electric-field coupling causes a signal S2 to propagate in a direction to the coupling port CPL and a signal S3 to propagate in a direction to the isolation port ISO in the secondary line 122. Further, magnetic-field coupling causes a signal S4 and a signal S5 to propagate in a direction from the isolation port ISO to the coupling port CPL in a closed loop formed of the secondary line 122 and ground (GND). The signals S2 and S4 flowing to the coupling port CPL are aligned in phase. Powers of the signals S2 and S4 are added together, and a resulting signal is outputted from the coupling port CPL. On the other hand, the signals S3 and S5 flowing at the isolation port ISO are in opposite phase. Powers of the signal S3 and the signal S5 cancel out each other at the isolation port ISO. Thus, the output power of the RF transmitter circuit 100 may be detected from the output of the coupling port CPL of the directional coupler 120A.
Further, as illustrated in FIG. 7(C), when a signal S6 is inputted to the signal output port RFout due to reflection from the antenna or the like, the electric-field coupling causes a signal S7 to propagate in a direction to the coupling port CPL and a signal S8 to propagate in a direction to the isolation port ISO in the secondary line 122. Further, the magnetic-field coupling causes a signal S9 and a signal S10 to propagate in a direction from the coupling port CPL to the isolation port ISO. The signals S8 and S10 flowing to the isolation port ISO are aligned in phase. Powers of the signals S8 and S10 are added together, and a resulting signal is outputted from the isolation port ISO. On the other hand, the signals S7 and S9 flowing at the coupling port CPL are in opposite phase. Thus, powers of the signal S7 and the signal S9 cancel out each other at the coupling port CPL. Accordingly, an effect of the signal S6 due to the reflection from the antenna or the like does not reach to the coupling port CPL but reaches only to the isolation port ISO. Typically, the isolation port ISO is connected to a termination resistor. However, recently in some cases, the isolation port ISO has been connected to a detection circuit for detecting the reflection from the antenna and controlling the RF transmitter circuit. Note that, when detecting the reflection from the antenna, names and functions of respective ports (signal input port, signal output port, coupling port, and isolation port) change. However, in the following description, each port name is kept the same as for the transmission signal.
As described above, in the directional coupler for use in a RF communication circuit, the coupling capacitance C corresponds to the electric-field coupling coefficient (Kc), and the mutual inductance M corresponds to the magnetic-field coupling coefficient (Km). In the ideal directional coupler, the electric-field coupling coefficient (Kc) and the magnetic-field coupling coefficient (Km) are both equal to one. Thus, it is possible to cancel out the signal due to the electric-field coupling and the signal due to the magnetic-field coupling completely at the isolation port or the coupling port. However, in an actual directional coupler, there is parasitic inductance due to a peripheral circuit such as routing wiring, wires, or the like, and it is difficult to set the value of the magnetic-field coupling coefficient (Km) to one as described above. Thus, it is hard to cancel out the signal due to the electric-field coupling and the signal due to the magnetic-field coupling completely, and it is difficult to achieve ideal directivity of the directional coupler.
The signal due to the electric-field coupling and the signal due to the magnetic-field coupling may be cancelled out completely at the isolation port or the coupling port by adjusting (decreasing) the electric-field coupling coefficient (Kc) in response to a decrease in the magnetic-field coupling coefficient (Km) of the directional coupler. However, it is necessary to make some changes in physical structure such as widening a line gap between the main line and the secondary line or the like in order to decrease the electric-field coupling coefficient (Kc). Such changes in physical structure may increase the size of the directional coupler or cause a further change or decrease in the magnetic-field coupling coefficient (Km). Thus, the adjustment of the electric-field coupling coefficient (Kc) should be avoided as much as possible.
Therefore, in some cases, a load circuit with an adjustable impedance (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 01-274502 is used in place of the termination resistor that is to be connected to the isolation port. FIG. 8(A) is a circuit diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a directional coupler to which a load circuit is connected. This directional coupler 120B is provided with a load circuit 123 at the isolation port ISO. The load circuit 123 includes a resistor R, an inductance L, and a capacitor C, which are connected in parallel between the isolation port ISO and a ground potential. In this load circuit 123, the impedance may be varied by adjusting the resistor R or the inductance L or the capacitor C. This enables improvement in the directivity of the directional coupler 120B.
Note that, in some cases, an attenuator is added at the secondary line of the directional coupler (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-044303). FIG. 8(B) is a circuit diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a directional coupler including attenuators. In this directional coupler 120C, attenuators 124A and 124B are connected to the coupling port CPL and the isolation port ISO to remove effects of mismatching at the coupling port CPL and the isolation port ISO.


A collision- or rapid deceleration-initiated stiffening system for a structural member of a motor vehicle frame. The system includes a structural member that defines a hollow, substantially gas-tight interior. The system also includes an inflator for pressurizing the interior of the structural member to increase the stiffness and the axial or buckle strength of the structural member upon collision or rapid deceleration of the motor vehicle. The inflator may produce inflation gas for pressurizing the structural member from different sources including the burning of solid pyrotechnic gas generant or the release of a stored gas, for example. In addition, the inflator may be initiated by different initiators including an electrical initiator squib connected to a remote deceleration sensor or a depressible initiator plunger in alignment with a bumper strut, for example. The inflator also may be used to inflate an airbag cushion of an airbag module in addition to pressurizing the structural member.

Decreasing the weight of motor vehicles to provide better fuel economy, and increasing the strength of motor vehicles to provide greater protection to occupants during a collision are both desirable goals. These goals, however, are often in conflict and compromises between decreasing weight and increasing strength are often made in the design of motor vehicles. The ultimate goal is to provide motor vehicles that are sufficiently strong to provide adequate protection for occupants in the event of a collision and are also sufficiently light in weight to maximize fuel economy.
A typical motor vehicle has a frame upon which body panels and engine and suspension components are mounted. The frame also supports the vehicle's bumpers and provides protection to vehicle occupants during a collision. The overall protection provided by the frame is dependent upon the rigidity and buckle strength of individual structural members that make up the frame. Many of the structural members, especially those upon which the vehicle's bumpers are mounted are tubular or have a non-circular hollow cross-section. The rigidity and buckle strength of the individual tubular or non-circular hollow structural members is normally dependent upon the sidewall thickness of the structural member. Increasing the sidewall thickness increases the strength of the structural member but also increases the weight of the structural member, while decreasing the sidewall thickness decreases the weight but also decreases the strength.
In summary, the frame of a motor vehicle comprises a large portion of the total weight of the motor vehicle and also comprises a large portion of the protection provided by the motor vehicle to vehicle occupants during collisions. Accordingly, there is a need for reducing the weight of the tubular or non-circular hollow structural members of the frame without substantially reducing the rigidity and buckle strength of the structural members. There is also a need for increasing the strength of the tubular or non-circular hollow structural members without substantially increasing the weight or sidewall thickness of the structural member.

Stiffening system for structural member of motor vehicle frame


A method for defining an isolation area around an object of interest in a cell culture vessel, the method comprising the steps of: —obtaining one or more images of the cell culture vessel using one or more of a plurality of illumination sources, each illumination source being capable of illuminating the vessel from a different direction; —selecting an image or combination of images for further processing; —applying a circular object detection transformation to identify one or more objects of interest being substantially circular objects in the cell culture vessel, which circular objects of interest are representative of isolated colonies in the cell culture vessel and determining the center of an object of interest; —applying a binarizing step to obtain a binarized image of the object of interest and other objects, wherein the center of the binarized image corresponds to the center of the object of interest; —iteratively forming concentric circles with increasing radius, wherein the concentric circles are centered on the center of the binarized image; —identifying coronas, wherein a corona is delimited by two circles having successive radius values; —for each corona: determining the presence and the location of any other object located in the corona to determine the presence and the location of other objects; —determining a clearance angle defining an angular sector free of other objects around the object of interest to define the isolation area around the object of interest.

In vitro analysis is carried out in many environments in order to identify biological samples such as microorganisms, cell and tissue cultures, cellular or sub-cellular extracts, and purified molecules. Samples of various materials are isolated from their usual biological context and provided with an environment in which they can grow. This environment is often provided in the form of a Petri dish which is placed into an incubator in order for the samples to grow. The Petri dish normally includes a microbiological culture medium which encourages growth of the sample. Ideally, incubation on an appropriate culture medium gives rise to the growth of a number of colonies of the sample. Subsequent analysis of the colonies is generally carried out to identify the microorganisms and assess their sensitivity or resistance to antimicrobials.
An important part of the analysis of the samples is the ability to identify particular microorganisms or bacteria, for example, in the colonies. In addition, the treatment of bacteria with appropriate medication can also be analyzed based on the growth of the microorganisms in the sample and the interaction with any medication applied to the sample.
Much of the preliminary analysis is carried out by visual analysis of the Petri dish by qualified scientists. Preliminary visual analysis works well, but is prone to human error and inconsistency due to the huge diversity of shapes, colors, sizes and forms of the different microorganisms which may be difficult to interpret. However, visual inspection is still one of the best ways to quickly identify microorganisms at present.
In addition, as much of the growth is "random", it is not easy to model microorganism growth and find automated systems which lend themselves to the diversity identified above.
Known incubators may include a window through which samples can be viewed, but in general, the Petri dish is taken out of the incubator to be visually analyzed. Preliminary visual analysis involves holding the Petri dish in front of a light source to identify colonies. Further detailed chemical and microscope analysis methods can then be carried out on particular identified colonies, as required.
Biological scanners, i.e. devices used to scan or count bacterial colonies, are known in the state of the art. For example, US 2004/0101951 and US 2010/0232660 both disclose biological scanners for scanning biological growth plates having different structures but both having in common the ability to generate images of the plates and perform an analysis of these images to detect biological growth. However, both use a single light source providing front or back illumination. Indeed, it is stated in both US2004/0101951 and US2010/0232660 that "some biological growth plates may require only front or back illumination, but not both." Such illumination is basic and does not allow images of a sufficient quality to carry out a preliminary analysis in an efficient manner to be obtained.
Certain prior art systems exist in which a sample in a Petri dish is illuminated by different colors or wavelengths of light in order to form images of the sample. The images are captured by an appropriately orientated camera.
FR2926820 discloses a method for detecting at least one specific microorganism in a biological sample, said method comprising, amongst others, the step of subjecting a culture medium to at least two radiations, each presenting a specific wavelength. Preferably, two lighting systems are used, each lighting system emitting radiation of a specific wavelength. More specifically, FIG. 1 of FR2926820 shows the combination of visible top lighting and ultraviolet backlighting. The subsequent combined image from the two different illuminations is then used to detect the presence of specific microorganisms.
Similarly, published Japanese patent application, JP2010104301, describes, amongst others, a method for detecting microorganisms comprising an imaging step to take an image of a culture medium on which microorganisms grow and a colony detection step, said method also using a combination of top lighting and backlighting.
Once an image of a biological sample has been obtained, processing techniques can be used to enhance the image. However, there are many problems associated with enhancing images of biological samples. These problems may relate to:                the sizes of colonies being viewed;        the proximity of one colony to another;        the color mix of the colonies;        the nature of the Petri dish;        the nature of the culture medium        etc.
A first problem of the present invention relates to the determination of the neighborhood of a colony to provide guidance regarding the picking process of the colony. It appears that there is a need to determine one or more isolation areas around a colony.
Another problem relates to the presence of illumination artifacts, such as specular reflections, which result from the use of a directional illumination source. It appears that there is a further need to solve the problem of illumination artifacts located on colonies in an image of a biological sample.
A further problem relates to the determination of the number of colonies, taking into account the colonies located in the periphery of the Petri dish. It appears that there is a need to improve the counting process of the colonies in an image of a biological sample.

Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives


A new and distinct Osteospermum plant cultivar is disclosed, characterized by small daisy type inflorescences, freely flowering, compact growth habit, creamy white inflorescences with a creamy yellow underside and a gray-green center and a high heat tolerance.

The new cultivar 'DEL COM YS' is a product of open pollination in a heterogeneous population of Osteospermum mass selection in 2004. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by Markus Schmulling in June 2005 in Billerbeck, Germany.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'DEL COM YS' by cuttings from adventitious shoots was performed in Oxnard, Calif., and has shown that the unique features of this new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type on successive generations.


A fastener for securing two workpieces together in a desired spatial relation, at an axial distance within a predetermined spacing range comprising a screw, an insert, and a heat curable member. The heat curable member has a predetermined thickness establishing a maximum spacing within the predetermined range. The screw is drawn down toward the insert and the heat curable member is reduced in thickness until the desired spacial relation is attained. The heat curable member is subsequently cured setting the fastener and the first and second workpieces in the desired special relation.

It is common in the automotive industry to fabricate automotive vehicle bodies through the attachment of a plurality of metal or plastic body panels to a metallic sub-frame. The sub-frame cooperates with the outwardly facing body panels, to support and reinforce the body panels and carry the loads required in normal vehicle applications.
Recent practice in the automotive industry is utilization of plastic fabricated parts for some or all of the external body panels. The fastening of plastic outer body panels to a metallic inner structural sub-frame presents certain unique problems not previously dealt with in the automotive industry.
For example, conventional fastening techniques often distort the body panel near the point of attachment. In addition, common fastening techniques often include time consuming and sometimes difficult spatial adjustment of body panels in relation to each other. Specifically, the spatial relationship between adjacent body panels must be adjusted until the respective edges of the adjacent body panels are even or flush with each other. This affords aerodynamic advantages which are directly related to energy consumption of the vehicle and also adds particular aesthetic value to the overall appearance of the vehicle.
In addition to the assembly process, the spatial relationship of adjacent body panels is important when a vehicle body panel is damaged and must be repaired. Often these damaged body panels are removed and repaired or replaced with a new body panel. At this point, it is again necessary to spatially relate adjacent body panels to achieve maximum flushness between the outer respective edges of the adjacent panels.
One solution employed to overcome the above problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,968 to Dixon et al., also assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Dixon et al. discloses an assembly system in which a flanged cup is inserted into a hole in a metal sub-frame and a heat curing thixotropic plastic/adhesive is applied into the recess of the cup.
A heated fixture is next brought into contact with the plastic/adhesive to mold the adhesive to a predetermined height above the metallic sub-frame. The heated fixture simultaneously cures the plastic/adhesive and forms a fastener receiving aperture extending from its outer face into the cup area. Thus, in this system an intermediate plastic structure for positioning the plastic outer body panel with respect to the metal sub-frame is manufactured on the panel assembly line with the spatial relationship, i.e. the height of the intermediate plastic structure being set by the fixture, and not by a pre-positioning of the actual body panel itself.


An apparatus for temporarily repairing a pierced human earlobe that is entirely cleft through from the pierced hole, or an earlobe whereupon the pierced hole is so enlarged as to preclude the wearing of pierced or post-type earrings, is provided by a strip of flexible, polymeric, essentially transparent, non-allergenic material, adhering to the front, bottom and back of the earlobe and forming a structural bridge over the damaged tissue, whereby the post of an earring may be inserted in the location of the original pierce and the weight of the earring is transferred into the earlobe tissue by the adhesive-coated material.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a protector for the human earlobe, and more particularly to a reinforcement to prevent or temporarily repair the tearing of the earlobe by the weight of heavy pierced earrings, to minimize the pinching associated with clamp-type earrings, to allow the wearing of some styles of pierced-type earrings when the earlobes are not pierced, or to simulate the look of earrings without the necessity for holes pierced in the ears.
2. Description of Prior Art
Numerous people experience difficulty, discomfort and frequently disfiguring and painful injury from wearing earrings suspended from openings pierced through the earlobes. One source of problems with such pierced earrings is that the entire weight of the earring is transmitted through a post or stem of very small cross-sectional area which passes through the opening in the earlobe. Some earrings are heavy and over time, the result can be a downward tearing or shearing of the earlobe tissue. The hole may be enlarged to the extent that an earring will no longer be retained by the ear. It eventually may rip all the way through the bottom of the earlobe, such that no hole exists but rather two flaps of skin upon which the wearing of any type of earring becomes impossible. Correction of this damage requires an expensive plastic surgery procedure, and even afterwards the ear tissue may be forever weakened in this area.
While there are many kinds of earrings that do not require holes pierced in the earlobes, they are retained on the ear by means of spring-loaded or screw-adjustable clamps which pinch the soft tissue of the earlobe in their jaws. Wearers of this type of earring experience discomfort and possible injury from the prolonged compression of the tissue. Furthermore, people will attempt to wear clamp or clip-type earrings on earlobes already damaged from wearing pierced earrings. Additional injury is often the result.
There also exists a very real danger to children of infection and injury as a result of having their ears pierced at an early age. Young children often may not properly care for what is essentially an open wound created in the earlobe, thus making infection more likely. Physical injury is always a possibility as a result of snagging either the earring or the opening itself during play.
While there are several devices which deal with pierced earlobes in general, the prior art has not recognized or dealt with tendency of the post or stem of the pierced earring to travel downward through the bottom of the earlobe in response to gravity. Although the problem has been partially addressed by the increasing availability of extremely lightweight earrings, the lighter-weight materials don't provide the glamour associated with precious metals and stones; and the cosmetic effect is diminished from that provided by more traditional earrings. There has been no attempt to structurally reinforce the earlobe.
The patent to Baker, U.S. Pat. No. 161,853 is a device to prevent an open-stemmed earring from climbing out of the earlobe. The patents to Spicher, U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,207; Abramowitz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,829; and Shein, U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,223 are surgical instruments intended to remain in the lobe only while it heals and not while an earring is being worn. The patent to Ivey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,341 is a device to protect from allergic reaction but provides no structural reinforcement to the earlobe tissue. The patents to Cuvar et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,540; Beam et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,817; and Didomenico, U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,788 are methods or means of non-allergenic earring construction. The patent to Fountoulakis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,050 is simply a clutch-type retainer for a post-type earring.
There are several pad-type devices that provide some cushioning for clamp-type earrings, but the pads attach to the clamps of the earring themselves and, as the surface that contacts the ear is somewhat slick, the entire assembly tends to slip off the ear.
Some self-adhesive ear decorations are available for children but do not simulate actual earrings. The materials from which they are constructed and their accompanying adhesives give these decorative stickers a useful lifespan of minutes and as such they have no value as anything other than children's novelties.
I am unaware of any product that allows the wearing of pierced-type earrings without the necessity for holes in the earlobes. Thus, there presently exists a need for a means to conveniently and effectively remedy the above described situations that have been ignored by the prior art.


A convertible roof latching and switch operating system provides an actuator which moves a first latch toward a vehicle centerline and a second latch away from a vehicle centerline in order to engage their respective strikers. In another aspect of the present invention a movable handle is directly and mechanically coupled to the pair of latches. In a further aspect of the present invention, the handle also operates one or more switches which activate driving means for raising or lowering a convertible roof.

The invention relates generally to automotive convertible roofs and specifically to a latching and switch operating system for an automotive vehicle convertible roof.
It is common to employ a variety of latches to retain a convertible roof to a front header panel and tonneau cover of an automotive vehicle. The front header panel is a structural member extending crosscar above a windshield. The tonneau cover is a rigid member which pivotably covers a boot well between a rear seat and a trunk. Such conventional latches are often provided near the outboard corners of the front header and tonneau cover, and may either be moved by one or more manual handles, a central hydraulic unit or an electric motor. Examples of such constructions are disclosed within the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,301,987 entitled "Convertible Top Stack Latch" which issued to Tokarz et al. on Apr. 12, 1994; 5,085,483 entitled "Convertible Top Latching Mechanism" which issued to Alexander on Feb. 4, 1992; 5,042,869 entitled "Latching Arrangement for a Motor Vehicle Top" which issued to Brin on Aug. 27, 1991; 3,425,742 entitled "Locking Means for Locking the Top of a Convertible Automobile" which issued Rauber on Feb. 4, 1969; 2,916,327 entitled "Power Operated Convertible Top Header Latch" which issued to Gilson on Dec. 8, 1959; 2,785,914 entitled "Locking Mechanism for Convertible Top" which issued to Thomas et al. on Mar. 19, 1957; 2,709,621 entitled "Convertible Top Header Lacking Mechanism" which issued to Votypka et al. on May 31, 1955; and, 2,360,524 entitled "Latch for Convertible Automobile Top" which issued to Simpson on Aug. 17, 1944. The disclosures of all these patents are incorporated by reference herewithin. The last six of the afore-referenced latching system patents appear difficult to operate, overly complicated, heavy, cumbersome to package, aesthetically displeasing and expensive to manufacture.
Furthermore, recent convertible roofs are remotely operable through use of a driver actuable, two-way rocker switch located on a center floor mounted console. Upon switch actuation, the convertible roof is raised or lowered by an electric motor or hydraulic actuated linkage system. However, these traditional roof actuation switches are operated independently from the front header latches. This has proven problematic when a vehicle driver depresses the roof opening switch without disengaging the convertible roof latches. When this occurs, the convertible roof driving motor attempts to retract the convertible roof without success which can lead to premature failure of the motor, linkage system, latches or fuses. Various parts may be loosened or destroyed by this incorrect operation. Even when parts are not damaged, this sequentially incorrect operation is annoying to the vehicle driver.
In accordance with the present invention, a preferred embodiment of a convertible roof latching system provides an actuator which moves a first latch toward a vehicle centerline and a second latch away from a vehicle centerline in order to engage their respective strikers. In another aspect of the present invention a pivotable handle is directly and mechanically coupled to the pair of latches. In a further aspect of the present invention, a handle of a switch operation system activates one or more switches which causes a convertible roof to be raised or lowered. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a front header mounted handle serves to operate a pair of switches which activate a pair of convertible roof latches.
The latching and switch operating system of the present invention is advantageous over traditional constructions since the present invention integrates activation of many different convertible roof functions into a single, multi-function, sequentially correct, driver accessible actuator. The present invention insures correct sequential operation of the latching and roof raising/lowering features through an easily accessible, simple to use and aesthetically pleasing device. Furthermore, the present invention is relatively inexpensive and easily packaged as compared to conventional systems. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Latching and switch operating system for a convertible roof