An RLL demodulator for performing RLL demodulation on primary modulation data performs hard demodulation outside an iterative decoding loop. Further, decoding in compliance with a constraint concerning a PR transfer characteristic is performed by a PR-channel APP detector which performs iterative decoding by repeatedly feeding and receiving a priori information regarding the primary modulation data to and from an APP decoder for error-correcting codes.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method used for subjecting information data to an error-correcting coding and a modulation such as a run length limited ("RLL") modulation to create channel data, recording the channel data onto a recording medium, and subjecting channel data reproduced from the recording medium to a demodulation, such as an RLL demodulation, and an error-correcting decoding to reconstruct the information data, and more particularly to a recording-medium reproducing apparatus, a decoding method, a decoding program, and a program-recorded medium containing the decoding program.
Among error-correcting methods, the turbo code method and the low density parity check ("LDPC") code method have been capturing the spotlight mainly in the communication field by virtue of its having such high performance as to approach the theoretical limit of the transmission rate at which transmission can be achieved without errors (namely, Shannon limit). Further, studies on applications of the turbo code method and the LDPC code method to the recording medium field as well as the above-noted communication field, have energetically been presented.
A recording and reproducing apparatus using this turbo code is explained briefly. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a recording and reproducing apparatus as a first background art, which performs coding and decoding processes of turbo codes. A turbo coder 1 performs turbo coding on inputted information data ui to output code data ci. An RLL modulator 2 performs RLL modulation on the inputted code data ci to output modulated data mi. A pre-coder 3 performs non-return-to-zero inverse ("NRZI") conversion on the inputted modulated data mi to output channel data ai. The channel data ai outputted in this way is transmitted to a partial response ("PR") channel 4. This PR channel 4 has a property that adjacent channel data ai interfere with each other. As a result of this, an intersymbol interference occurs to a reproduced signal y′i reproduced from the PR channel 4. Also, the channel data ai, when passing the PR channel 4, undergoes deformation such as noise addition, band limiting or crosstalk. Therefore, the reproduced signal y′i reproduced from the PR channel 4 has errors added thereto. It is noted here that a symbol with a prime (′) indicates that the symbol is data reconstructed after reproduction (that is, indicating addition of errors by the PR channel 4), and a symbol without a prime (′) indicates that the symbol is data before recording.
In the case where the PR channel 4 is a recording medium, i.e., in the case of a system which performs recording and reproduction on media such as magnetic recording, magneto-optical recording and optical recording, there exist constraints such as band limiting of the PR channel 4, intersymbol interference, clock synchronization and the like. Therefore, the RLL method is usually used for the modulation. Generally, RLL data is expressed as RLL(d, k), where "d" and "k" represent minimum and maximum run lengths of 0's in a modulated data sequence. The run length restriction on the modulated data sequence is called "RLL condition."
Describing the RLL in more detail, polarity inversion intervals of recording waveform sequences or trains are limited to a minimum polarity-inversion interval Tmin and a maximum polarity-inversion interval Tmax. That is, inversion intervals T of recording waveform trains are within the limits of Tmin≦T≦Tmax. Generally, the minimum polarity-inversion interval Tmin is expressed as (d+1)×Tw. The maximum polarity-inversion interval Tmax is expressed as (k+1)×Tw. It is noted here that "Tw," which denotes the width of a detection window for reproduced signals, is equal to the greatest common measure of polarity-inversion intervals, i.e., Tw=η×Tb, where "Tb" denotes a data interval before modulation, and the symbol "η," called a coding rate, is equal to m/n. That is, pre-modulation m bits are transformed into post-modulation n bits.
Moreover, if a polarity per polarity-inversion interval T is expressed by one bit like "0" or "1", then a recording waveform train is equal to a channel data train. The channel data train is expressed, for example, as " . . . 011100001111111100111 . . . " In this channel data train, a series of succeeding "0" bits or a series of succeeding "1" bits has a bit length of not less than (d+1) and not more than (k+1). Hence, a constraint concerning the channel data is also called RLL condition. More specifically, the RLL condition can be expressed as a constraint concerning modulation data. Moreover, the RLL condition can also be expressed as a constraint concerning channel data.
A PR channel a posteriori probability ("APP") detector 5, to which the reproduced signal y′i is inputted, performs an a posteriori probability decoding in compliance with constraints concerning channel data ai, pre-codes and a PR transfer characteristic, and outputs a logarithmic likelihood ratio L(m′i) relating to modulation data m′i.
An APP decoder 6 for RLL modulation, to which the logarithmic likelihood ratio L(m′i) of the modulation data m′i from the PR-channel APP detector 5 is inputted, performs an a posteriori probability decoding in compliance with the constraint concerning RLL modulation, and outputs a logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(c′i) relating to coded data c′i.
A turbo decoder 7 performs a turbo decoding in compliance with the constraint concerning turbo codes placed by the turbo coder 1, and outputs a logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(u′i) relating to information data u′i. Thus, the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(u′i) of the information data u′i outputted from the turbo decoder 7 is binarized by a comparator 8 and outputted as reconstructed information data u′i.
A detailed description regarding the operation principle of a recording and reproducing apparatus employing turbo codes according to the first background art is found in, for example, "Turbo coded RLL constrained optical recording channels with DVD minimum mark size", Optical Data Storage Topical Meeting 2001, pp. 91–93, April 2001 (Literature 1), and "Turbo Decoding with Run Length Limited Code for Optical Storage", Japanese Journal Applied Physics, Vol.41 (2002) pp. 1753–1756, Part 1, No. 3B, March 2002 (Literature 2).
However, in the demodulation corresponding to the RLL modulation performed in the recording and reproducing apparatus, input modulation data is soft information and output coded data is also soft information as with the case of the APP decoder 6 for RLL modulation, which necessitates execution of a soft decoding. Herein, the term "soft decoding" refers to the decoding in which the coding results are outputted in the form of probabilities of being "0" or "1" (likelihood). Such processing for performing the demodulation for RLL modulation (hereinbelow, referred to as RLL demodulation) through the soft decoding requires an extremely large calculating amount. This increases the size of an RLL demodulation circuit.
Accordingly, there has been proposed a recording and reproducing apparatus which can reduce an RLL demodulation processing amount to be lower than that in the recording and reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 18 is a schematic view showing a reproducing apparatus as second background art. The reproducing apparatus performs iterative decoding processing. Moreover, FIG. 19 is a schematic view showing a recording apparatus for transmitting channel data reproduced by the reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 18 to a PR channel. Description will be first given of the recording apparatus with reference to FIG. 19.
A first RLL modulator 11 performs the RLL modulation upon inputted information data u′i and outputs primary modulation data m1i. The primary modulation data m1i is then inputted into a primary pre-coder 12 and a systematic error-correcting coder 13. The primary pre-coder 12 performs the NRZI conversion upon the primary modulation data m1i to generate primary channel data a1i and outputs it to a multiplexer 16. The systematic error-correcting coder 13 performs the systematic error-correcting coding on the inputted primary modulation data m1i to generate and output checking data pi. A second RLL modulator 14 performs the RLL modulation on the inputted checking data pi to output a secondary modulation data m2i. A secondary pre-coder 15 performs the NRZI conversion on the inputted secondary modulation data m2i to generate a secondary channel data a2i and outputs it to the multiplexer 16.
The multiplexer 16 multiplexes the primary channel data a1i received from the primary pre-coder 12 and the secondary channel data a2i received from the secondary pre-coder 15 to generate channel data ai and outputs it to a PR channel 17.
Description is now given of the reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 18. Data y′i reproduced by the PR channel 17 is inputted to a PR channel APP detector 21. Then, in compliance with constraints concerning channel data, pre-codes and a PR transfer characteristic, the a posteriori probability decoding is performed and a logarithmic likelihood ratio L(m′i) relating to modulation data m′I is outputted. A multiplexer 22 decomposes the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(m′i) of the modulation data m′i and divides the data into a logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data and a logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(m2′i) relating to secondary modulation data. The logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data is inputted into an adder 24, while the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(m2′i) relating to secondary modulation data is inputted into an APP decoder 23 for RLL modulation.
Generally, an APP decoder has 2-input and 2-output terminals, i.e., an information input terminal u;I into which the likelihood relating to information data is inputted, a code input terminal c;I into which the likelihood relating to code data is inputted, an information output terminal u;O from which the likelihood relating to information data is outputted, and a code output terminal c;O from which the likelihood relating to code data is outputted. The APP decoder, receiving inputs of the likelihood relating to information data and the likelihood relating to code data, updates those likelihoods in compliance with a constraint concerning codes. It is to be noted that likelihoods inputted to the information input terminal u;I are called a priori information. From the information output terminal u;O, likelihoods regarding information data are outputted as a posteriori probability decoding results. From the code output terminal c;O, likelihoods regarding code data are outputted as the a posteriori probability decoding results. Herein, the term "information data" refers to data inputted to a coder corresponding to an APP decoder, and the term "code data" refers to data outputted from the coder.
Moreover, the APP decoder can be expressed as a 1-input and 1-output block if a priori information regarding the information data is not inputted thereto and code data is not outputted therefrom as an a posteriori probability decoding result, i.e., if the information input terminal u;I and the code output terminal c;O are not provided. Receiving inputs of the likelihood relating to code data, this 1-input and 1-output APP decoder performs the a posteriori probability decoding in compliance with the constraint regarding codes and outputs the likelihood relating to information data. Such a 1-input and 1-output APP decoder is embodied by, for example, the PR-channel APP detector 21 and the APP decoder 23 for RLL modulation shown in FIG. 18.
Further, if the error-correcting codes are systematic error-correcting codes, the APP decoder for these systematic error-correcting codes has 2-input and 2-output terminals. The 2-input and 2-output terminals of the APP decoder for the systematic error-correcting codes are sometimes embodied in different forms. That is, the input terminals are composed of an information input terminal u;I into which likelihoods regarding information data are inputted, and a checking input terminal p;I into which likelihoods regarding checking data are inputted. The output terminals are composed of an information output terminal p;O from which likelihoods regarding information data are outputted, and a checking output terminal c;O from which likelihoods regarding checking data are outputted. Herein, the term "systematic code" refers to such a code that information data (i.e., input data) is contained as it is in code data (i.e., output data). Among the output data (code data), data other than the input data (information data) (i.e., a redundancy generated by coding) is called checking data. Such APP decoders include, for example, an APP decoder 28 for error-correcting codes that will be described later with reference to FIG. 18.
In FIG. 18, the APP decoder 23 for RLL modulation, into which the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(m2′i) relating to the secondary modulation data is inputted, performs the RLL demodulation through the a posteriori probability decoding processing, and outputs a logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(p′i) relating to checking data p′i.
The adder 24, into which the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(m1′i) relating to the primary modulation data m1′i is inputted, further adds extrinsic information L2,ext(m1′i) inputted from a later-described second subtracter 27 and outputs a result as a priori information L1,a(m1′i) regarding the primary modulation data m1′i.
Receiving inputs of the a priori information L1,a(m1′i) regarding the primary modulation data from the adder 24, an APP decoder 25 for RLL condition performs the a posteriori probability decoding in compliance with an RLL condition, and outputs a logarithmic-likelihood ratio L1,post(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data. The RLL condition can be expressed by a trellis diagram. For example, FIG. 20 is a trellis diagram showing the RLL condition in (1, 7)RLL modulation. In FIG. 20, bits "0" and "1" given to transmission branches extending from internal states S0–S7 at a point k to internal states S0–S7 at a point (k+1) represent modulation data. The RLL condition in this (1, 7)RLL modulation is: a minimum run length d=1, and a maximum run length k=7.
The trellis diagram shown in FIG. 20 has eight internal states of from "S0" to "S7". In this case, the point "k" is updated every bit of modulation data. A path that satisfies the trellis diagram is, for example, ". . . 010010001000000010100 . . . ". The RLL condition regarding modulation data in the (1, 7)RLL modulation is a constraint that a run of "0" bits between consecutive "1" bits must have a length of at least d and not more than k, i.e., a bit length of at least 1 and not more than 7. In other words, the APP decoder 25 for RLL condition performs a decoding based on the trellis diagram representing the RLL condition concerning modulation data.
A first subtracter 26 subtracts the extrinsic information L2,ext(m1′i) regarding primary modulation data outputted from the second subtracter 27 from the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L1,post(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data inputted from the APP decoder 25 for the RLL condition, and outputs a result as a logarithmic-likelihood ratio L1,ext(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data.
In the APP decoder 28 for error-correcting codes, the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L1,ext(m1′i) from the first subtracter 26 is inputted into the information input terminal u;I, while the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L(p′i) from the APP decoder 23 for RLL modulation is inputted into the checking input terminal p;I, and the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L2,post(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data is outputted from the information output terminal u;O. It is to be noted that the checking output terminal p;O from which logarithmic-likelihood ratios regarding checking data are outputted is not connected to any terminal.
The second subtracter 27 is fed with the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L2,post(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data m′i that is outputted from the information output terminal u;O of the APP decoder 28 for error-correcting codes, and the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L1,ext(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data m′i from the first subtracter 26. Then, the second subtracter 27 subtracts the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L1,ext(m1′i) from the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L2,post(m1′i), and outputs a result as extrinsic information L2,ext(m1′i) regarding primary modulation data to the first subtracter 26 and the adder 24.
Thus, between two APP decoders, i.e., the APP decoder 25 for RLL condition and the APP decoder 28 for error-correcting codes, the iterative decoding is performed by repeatedly delivering logarithmic-likelihood ratios regarding the primary modulation data. By this iterative decoding, errors of later-described reconstructed primary modulation data m1′i can be decreased.
A comparator 29 binarizes the logarithmic-likelihood ratio L2,post(m1′i) relating to primary modulation data outputted from the information output terminal u;O in the APP decoder 28 for error-correcting codes, and outputs obtained binarized values as reconstructed primary modulation data m1′i to an RLL demodulator 30. Consequently, the RLL demodulator 30 performs the RLL demodulation on reconstructed primary modulation data m1′i and finally outputs a result as reconstructed information data u′i. At this point, the RLL demodulator 30 performs a hard decoding involving inputting and outputting of binarized hard information. This drastically reduces a computing amount of soft decoding processing, allowing achievement of a smaller-sized demodulation circuit for RLL modulation.
A detailed description regarding the operation principle of a recording and reproducing system involving the iterative decoding according to the second background art is found in "Constrained Coding Techniques for Soft Iterative Decoders", Global Telecommunications Conference 1999, pp. 723–727.
However, the recording and reproducing system in the second background art has the following problems. That is, as described above, two APP decoders for executing iterative decoding are the APP decoder 25 for RLL condition and the APP decoder 28 for error-correcting codes. Among these, the APP decoder 25 for RLL condition performs the APP decoding in compliance with a constraint concerning a run length limit among the constraints concerning the RLL modulation. This implies that the decoding processing adopting iterative decoding would not contain a constraint concerning a PR transfer characteristic. As a result, decoding processing in the above recording and reproducing system in compliance with the constraint concerning the PR transfer characteristic is executed only once in the PR-channel APP detector 21.
In other words, in the above recording and reproducing system, decoding is not executed through iterative adoption of the constraint concerning the PR transfer characteristic. This causes deterioration of the error rate of reconstructed information data u′i, thereby posing a problem of decreased recording density of a recording medium such as the PR channel 17. Moreover, there is also a problem that stricter tolerances are required for the recording medium and the recording and reproducing system.
Herein, the term "tolerances" refers to allowable errors in parameters that would cause increases in errors of reconstructed information data. The parameters with respect to the tolerances to the recording medium are exemplified by warpage expressed by tangential tilts or radial tilts, substrate noise, and the like. Further, when the recording medium is an optical disk, the parameters also include thickness errors of a cover glass, refractive index, birefringence index, and the like. On the other hand, the parameters with respect to the recording and reproducing apparatus include, for example, a detracking amount of a tracking servo, recording power, and the like. Furthermore, when the recording and reproducing apparatus is a recording and reproducing apparatus adopting the optical recording or magneto-optical recording scheme, the parameters further include aberrations of objective lenses, offsets of the focusing servo (defocus amount), reproducing power, and the like.

Recording-medium reproducing apparatus, decoding method, decoding program, and program-recorded medium


A tool for removing a chisel, in particular from a chisel holder, having a base element which receives an actuating member, wherein the actuating member has an expeller mandrel. The actuating member is adjustable along a displacement direction. In order to be able to perform the removal simply and rapidly, the actuating member of this invention is indirectly or directly coupled to a piston of a fluid-charged cylinder, or to an electric motor unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool for removing a chisel, in particular from a chisel holder, having a base element which receives an actuating member, wherein the actuating member has an expeller mandrel, and the actuating member is adjustable.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Similar tools are employed, for example, in connection with road milling machinery, recyclers, surface miners, and the like. They are used for removing chisels, in particular shank chisels, such as round shank chisels. In this case, the chisels are clampingly held in chisel receivers. Customarily, the chisel receivers are designed as through-bores. The chisel holders themselves are fastened to the surface of a milling roller tube, in particular welded to it, or are interchangeably fixed in base supports, which also are welded to the surface of a milling roller tube. Tools are known for making the removal of the chisels easier, such as are described in German Patent Reference DE 296 23 508 U1.
This tool has two lever arms, which are connected with each other by a joint. Here, one of the arms constitutes the expeller mandrel, and the other lever constitutes a handle element. The expeller mandrel can be inserted with its free end into the chisel receiver so that its end contacts the chisel shank of the chisel to be expelled.
The tool can be placed with the second lever against a support shoulder on the milling roller tube. Then, the chisel can be pushed out of the chisel receiver by a lever displacement. Finally, the expeller mandrel is threaded out of the chisel receiver. In the restricted assembly space, the manipulation of the double lever is difficult and is time-consuming. Further, the tool requires a support shoulder on the milling roller, which is not always available.
Removal tools are also known, which can be placed with draw-off claws against the chisel head of the chisel. In this case, a circumferential groove is required in the chisel head, into which the draw-off claws enter. It is not possible to perform a removal of the chisels, if the chisel heads are worn to such a large extent that the groove is no longer sufficiently available. Also, chisels with broken-off chisel heads cannot be removed. Such tools are known from German Patent References DE 43 23 699 C2, DE 32 23 761 A1, and DE 84 03 441 U1 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,641 B1.
A further tool is described in German Patent Reference DE 30 26 930 A 1. This tool has a support arm, which can be fixed in place against the chisel holder. A pivot lever, which has a handle, is coupled with the support arm. The chisel holder has a linearly displaceable plunger. For removing the chisel, a pivot arm facing away from the handle is placed against the plunger. As a result of displacing the handle, the plunger can be displaced and the chisel can be pushed out of the chisel receiver by it. The plunger, which is structurally connected with the chisel holder, constitutes an additional part and assembly cost. Further, it requires an increase in the structural space in the chisel holder, which is not always acceptable in connection with modern precision milling machines.
Also, this type of construction requires the fixation of the chisel in a blind hole-like chisel receiver which can become soiled during operation, which leads to a loss of the system.


An induction heating type of fixing device to fix a recording material having a toner image thereon, having a heating member, an induction coil divided into a plurality of parts, a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the heating member, a signal generator for generating a switching signal that periodically controls permission and prohibition of energization of each of the divided induction coils, and a controller for controlling supply of a driving current to each of the divided induction coils to heat the heating member. The controller controls the energization by periodically switching the driving current to each of the divided induction coils on the basis of an energization signal that determines the permission and the inhibition of the driving currents according to a signal of temperature detected by the temperature detector, and the switching signal.

This invention relates to an induction heating type of fixing device and an image forming apparatus equipped therewith such as copy machine, printer and facsimile equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to energization control of an induction heating type of fixing device.
The image forming apparatus is equipped with a fixing device that thermally fixes toner images on a recording material. An induction heating type of fixing device is equipped with an electroconductive heating roller including an induction coil as a heat source and a pressing roller that is pressed against the heating roller and forms a nip section.
The induction coil is as long as the maximum width of the recording material to heat the whole heating roller (maximum width of the recording material). This configuration has caused various problems such as uneven surface temperature of the heating roller along the roller axis and unwanted temperature rises at roller surfaces where a recording material of a smaller size (than the maximum width of the recording material) does not pass by. To solve such problems, some methods have been disclosed. One of such methods is dividing one induction coil into some parts and controlling the quantities of currents to respective induction coil parts according to the quantity of current to a preset induction coil part. Another method is controlling energization of respective induction coil parts independently.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fixing device that controls currents to drive second and later excitation coils according to the current to drive the first excitation coil in order to keep the surface temperature of the fixing roller constant along its axis.
Patent Document 2 discloses an induction heating type of fixing device that is equipped with first and second temperature measuring means for detecting surface temperatures of a roller to be heated by first and second induction coils and controls driving currents for the induction coils independently to prevent excessive temperature rise at roller surfaces where a recording material of a smaller size does not pass by.
Patent Document 3 discloses an induction heating type of fixing device that synchronizes switching operations to turn on and off inputs to a plurality of induction coils, generates on-off signals by frequency modulation, and assigns a delay time for the turn-on signal of each induction coil.
Patent Documents 1, 2 and 3 mentioned above denote Japanese Non-examined Patent Publications 2000-206813, 2002-23557, and 2002-124369, respectively.
However, in the above prior art that energize a plurality of divided induction coils independently, it may sometimes happen that the induction coils may be energized simultaneously when operation modes or paper sizes are changed in the image forming apparatus.
When a high-frequency driving current flows through an induction coil that is made of a copper wire, the coil may generate a small vibration under the influence of a magnetic field. When the induction coils and the heating roller have different characteristics such as inductances and capacitances, the driving currents supplied from a power supply may have different frequencies. Therefore, if the adjoining induction coils are energized simultaneously, driving currents of different frequencies flow through the induction coils and cause the coils to generate small vibrations. These small vibrations turn into a big vibration by resonance. Further, this vibration resonates the heating roller and as the result, the induction coils generate noises such as resonant noises.
When the induction coils are not energized simultaneously, the temperature of the heating member may drop because of a loss time during which the heating member is not heated by the induction coils. This temperature drop causes a fixing trouble and a reduction in the heating rate of the heating member. Consequently, this prolongs the warm-up time (WUT: a time period required to heat up the heating member until it becomes ready to fix). Therefore, it is requested to control energization of induction coils without a loss time when heating the heating member.
Meanwhile, the image forming apparatus-has a maximum current rating (for ecxample, 15 A) and a maximum current available to the fixing device is limited by the operation mode (Image Formation mode, Warm-up mode, or Standby mode) of the image forming apparatus.
Judging from the above, we are requested to do the following when controlling energization of the fixing device: to avoid simultaneous energization of induction coils and to control energization more finely according to the operation mode of non-fixing devices in the image forming apparatus in consideration of the current supply balance of the induction coils.

Induction heating type of fixing device and image forming apparatus equipped therewith

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A coil spring is provided in a compressed state between a coupling wall section provided at a clutch guide and an inner-side locking section. The clutch guide is provided with a support section which supports one axial-direction end section of the coil spring from a side opposite to the clutch cover in an axial direction of the clutch guide. The clutch cover is provided with a leading-end protruding section which is projected with respect to the inner-side locking section so as to be inserted in the other axial-direction end section of the coil spring. The leading-end protruding section is inclined, with respect to a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the clutch cover, toward a support section side, so that the coil spring is curved so as to be convex to the support section side.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a webbing take-up device.
2. Related Art
In a webbing take-up device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2007-84042, a torsion shaft is fixed to a spool so as to be rotatable integrally therewith. On one end side of the torsion shaft, a second lock base is fixed so as to be integrally rotatable, and a circular plate is supported so as to be relatively rotatable.
The second lock base is provided with a spring accommodating hole, and a spring (coil spring) is accommodated in the spring accommodating hole. The spring is provided in a compressed state between one inner wall in the spring accommodating hole and a plate formed at the circular plate.
Further, second lock pawls are turnably supported by the second lock base, and guide pins projecting from the circular plate are movably engaged with elongated holes respectively formed at the second lock pawls.
When a stopper inserted between another inner wall in the spring accommodating hole and the plate is retracted so that the circular plate is rotated relatively to the second lock base, the guide pins move in the elongated holes. Accordingly, the second lock pawls are turned to an outer side of the second lock base so that the second lock pawls are engaged with a lock ring formed around the second lock pawls.
However, in the webbing take-up device disclosed in JP-A-2007-84042, the spring is largely curved when the spring is assembled into the spring accommodating hole, thus it is difficult to assemble the spring. In a case where the spring is largely curved in a state where the spring is assembled into the spring accommodating hole, an urging force of the spring is not sufficiently exerted, consequently it is required to adjust the urging force of the spring so that the circular plate is smoothly rotated relatively to the second lock base.


A plastic blind rivet includes a sleeve with a plurality of legs formed by a plurality of slits of constant width. A body lock is formed on the inside of the rivet sleeve, and a mandrel lock is formed in the shank of the mandrel. When the rivet is set, the body lock and mandrel lock are engaged so as to maintain the legs in an expanded condition. A stopper is formed in the mandrel shank and abutments formed in the sleeve body. During rivet setting, the stopper and abutments engage to limit further deformation of the sleeve legs.

The present invention relates to a plastic blind rivet suitable for attaching an attaching part to a member being attached to, such as a panel.
A blind rivet is comprised of a rivet body comprising a hollow tubular sleeve and, at one end of that sleeve, a hollow flange formed so as to have a large diameter, and a mandrel that passes through the rivet body to extend out from the flange and that has a head, of larger diameter than the inner diameter of the sleeve, at the end of the sleeve that is opposite the flange. To fasten the blind rivet, the rivet body, having the mandrel passed through it, is inserted, mandrel head first, into an attachment hole in an attaching part that has been placed on a member being attached to, so as to line up with its attachment hole until the mandrel head protrudes from the back side of the member being attached to, and the sleeve flange is flush against the attaching part. Next, using a fastening tool, the mandrel portion extending out from the flange on the attaching part side is pulled out from (relative to) the flange with such force that it breaks. As a consequence of that pulling out, the portion of the sleeve on the back side of the member being attached to is expanded; whereupon, the blind rivet is fastened to the member being attached to and the attaching part, with that member being attached to and that attaching part clamped between the expanded portion and the flange, so that the attaching part is coupled to the member being attached to.
The most commonly used blind rivets are made of metal, but plastic blind rivets are also known, as described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2. Compared to a metal blind rivet, a plastic blind rivet has the advantages of being light in weight and easy to machine, but, on the other hand, suffers such disadvantages as that when the sleeve of the rivet body expands, it is not easy to achieve the expansion deformation at the desired position without the sleeve breaking, and it is not easy to obtain a fastening of the desired strength. Also, in cases of plastic deformation that exceeds the limitations of the plastic material, there is a danger of problems such as cracks* occurring. To prevent cracks, plastic materials exhibiting good elongation (such as Nylon) are selected. With Nylon or the like, however, the elongation performance during drying becomes poorer than the performance when water (humidity) is being supplied. For that reason, it is necessary to continually supply water (humidity) in order to maintain constant elongation performance, which results in increased cost, and, in addition, the fastening force thereof will be affected by such environmental factors as humidity and so does not stabilize.
Prior art literature includes: Patent Literature 1, TOKKAI [Unexamined Patent Application] No. S55-065710/1980; and Patent Literature 2, TOKKAI No. S61-013012/1986. With the plastic blind rivets described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, latching grooves (or latching projections) are formed in multiple stages in the axial direction of the outer circumferential surface portion of the mandrel corresponding to the sleeve thereof, and latching projections (or latching grooves) are formed in multiple stages in the axial direction on the corresponding inner wall surfaces, thus making provision so that the expansion deformation can be maintained at the desired position when the sleeve of the rivet body expands. However, the formation of latching grooves and latching projections in multiple stages in the axial direction on the outer circum-ferential surface of the mandrel and inner wall surfaces of the sleeve involves complex molding, and machining is no longer easy.
In the plastic blind rivets described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, furthermore, there are slits that extend in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve, formed to facilitate sleeve expansion; however, in order to effect expansion at the desired position, the slits are not formed with constant widths along their entire length, but rather are formed so that some portions thereof, in the longitudinal direction, are of different width than other portions. When the slits in the sleeve are not formed with constant widths, however, molding becomes complex, and machining is no longer easy.


In order to connect a trailer coupling, in particular for motor vehicles, comprising a ball neck, a cross member, which is provided with a holding unit for the ball neck, and also two spaced attachment parts, which engage on the cross member and connect the cross member to mounting elements, which are themselves mountable on a rear part of a motor vehicle body, in such a manner that undesirable moments and/or forces are transferred to the motor vehicle body on the lowest possible scale, it is proposed that a connection between the cross member and the mounting elements is achieved only by means of the attachment parts, that the attachment parts have a cross member holding strip element connected to the cross member and that, through at least one curved strip element running to the cross member without connection, the cross member holding strip element runs to a mounting strip element, which is connected to the respective mounting element.

The invention relates to a trailer coupling, in particular for automobiles, comprising a ball neck, a cross member, which is provided with a holding unit for the ball neck, and also two spaced attachment parts, which engage on the cross member and connect the cross member to mounting elements, which are themselves mountable on a rear part of a motor vehicle body.
Such trailer couplings are known from the prior art. Both pull/thrust forces, which lead to an elastic deflection of the cross member, and transverse forces, which act in the longitudinal direction of the cross member and are transferred from the cross member to the attachment parts and from the attachment parts to the mounting elements, act on the ball neck in these trailer couplings.
However, the motor vehicle body should be subjected on the lowest possible scale to bending moments generated, for example, by the deflection of the cross member and/or to transverse forces acting parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cross member, since otherwise damage ensues at the rear part of the motor vehicle body.
Therefore, the object forming the basis of the invention is to connect the cross member to the motor vehicle body in such a manner that undesirable moments and/or forces are transferred to the motor vehicle body on the lowest possible scale.


A method and apparatus for orienting elongated components, where the components are initially oriented in a random manner with respect to the ends of the components. Improperly oriented components are separated from properly oriented ones and are transferred to a turnaround device; this device rotates the improperly oriented components 180.degree. about a transverse axis running from one end of the component to the other end of the component. The stream of rotated elongated components is then reintegrated with the stream of elongated components which were initially properly oriented. All of the elongated components are then removed from the orienting apparatus. The output stream of properly oriented elongated components coincides with the input stream of randomly oriented elongated components.

The present invention relates to a mechanism for uniformly orienting elongated components having distinct and readily identifiable ends, where such components were initially randomly oriented. More specifically, the invention is capable of automatically converting a randomly oriented steady-stream input of elongated objects into a uniformly oriented steady-stream output of such objects.
The prior art shows methods and apparatus for tip-turning non-randomly aligned cylindrical objects, such as cigarettes, through 180.degree., to achieve a stream of properly aligned objects.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,215,250 describes a method and apparatus for rotating, by 180.degree., every cigarette of one of two rows of cigarettes exiting a cigarette-making machine. The rotation results in the filters of both rows of the cigarettes pointing in the same direction. The cigarettes are rotated by rotating the flute in which they are positioned through 180.degree.. Once rotated, the two rows of cigarettes are combined into a single row of properly oriented cigarettes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,249 describes a method and apparatus for aligning each succeeding pair of non-randomly oriented cigarettes. Pairs of coaxial cigarettes with their filter ends oriented in opposite directions are fed to the mechanism. One cigarette from each pair is tip-turned 180.degree. so that each pair of cigarettes discharged from the mechanism has its filter ends oriented in the same direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,644 also describes a method and apparatus for orienting each succeeding pair of non-randomly oriented cigarettes or other smoking products. Two rows of oppositely oriented cigarettes are formed when a cigarette of double unit length with a double-length filter in its middle is cut in two. One cigarette from each of the pairs is tip-turned 180.degree. to produce a single row of cigarettes, with both filter ends oriented in the same direction.
A drawback of these prior art inventions is that they are only capable of acting upon each one of a continuous stream of succeeding cylindrical objects. That is, the prior art devices are not able to discriminate between cylindrical objects which are properly oriented and those which are improperly oriented, reorienting only those objects which are improperly oriented.

Method and apparatus for orienting elongated components with distinct ends


An optical pathway of a scanning spectral radiometer for a continuous monitoring of spectral radiation employs a diffuser having an upper source directed surface and a lower sensor directed surface for diffusing radiation incident on the upper surface and transmitting the diffused radiation. An occulting ring laterally surrounds the diffuser. A filter receives the diffused radiation from the light diffuser and passes a predetermined wavelength range. A photodetector is positioned to receive the filtered radiation. The photodetector is positioned at one end of an optical path, with a diffuser being positioned at the other end of the optical path. A collimator is provided between the diffuser and the photodetector, with the optical path extending through the collimator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a spectral scanning radiometer which can detect the presence of and the intensity variations of radiant energy in specific wave bands, such as the visible, near infrared, and ultraviolet wave bands. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an optical pathway of radiant energy in a computerized spectral scanning radiometer.
2. Discussion of the Background
In the environment, solar light plays a key role in seasonal control of growth and development of plants which are harvested for food and medicinal products. In fact, all biological systems in one way or another are dependent upon light for survival. In recent years, environmental concern has focused on the amount of ultraviolet radiation (UV) passing through the Earth's atmosphere due to shifts in the thickness of the protective ozone layer. UV measurements are routinely taken at various places to determine the "sunburn index" at that location to offer warnings to the general public. In industry, the measurement of UV radiation is used for wide ranging applications from the production of chemical fluorocarbons, to aiding the growth of plants in natural and artificial environments, to the production of natural products, and from bioreactors to the testing of light effects on materials such as paints, coatings, building materials, etc.
A thorough understanding of the effects of irradiance, and particularly UV irradiance, and the role it plays in environmental, agricultural and industrial processes is vitally important. In plants, for example, specific photo processes are initiated by the absorption of radiant energy in specific wavebands of UV, visible and near visible IR spectrum. In order to understand the effects that minute differences in the wavebands of radiant energy may have on these processes, it is important to accurately quantitate the irradiance spectrum in the field and in the laboratory.
Measurements of the energy of the sun (solar radiation) reaching the surface of the earth have been undertaken for more than 100 years using a number of techniques and instrument designs. One observation method utilizes an instrument design which "sees" not only the direct beam of light from the sun, but also all solar radiation scattered toward the earth by the earth's atmosphere as well. The usual method of measuring this "sun and sky" radiation was by an instrument whose collector was a metallic flat plate mounted in a horizontal position, and coated with a solar energy absorbing compound. As the plate heated from the absorbed solar radiation, the temperature increase could be measured and quantified. With a calibrated instrument of this type, quite accurate measurements of solar energy could be obtained.
The energy absorbed by a horizontal flat plate collector decreases as the angle of the energy source moves away from the zenith (directly overhead) even though the distance from the source to the collector remains constant. This change in absorbed energy is proportional to the cosine of the angle of the source to the detector's zenith (zenith angle). This effect is referred to as the cosine response of the instrument. A very great number of readings have been made and published using a wide variety of flat plate type collectors.
Developments in instrument design utilizing different detectors and using filters to narrow the regions of the solar spectrum detected by the instrument require that those components be mounted inside the instrument case. Because of the long history of the use of flat plate collectors, there is a need for instruments of other designs to mimic the flat plate collector cosine response to the angle of incident light.
Since the early 1970's the Smithsonian Institution has been developing spectral radiometers designed to monitor solar radiation in narrow spectral bands. These instruments use detectors and filters mounted well inside the instrument. This configuration required the design of a light entrance port window which could mimic the cosine response of a flat plate detector. The port design has to address two problems, because of which problems a transparent flat plate is an unsuitable window. The first problem is that detectors such as photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) have a small active surface which is sensitive and light arising from varying points will have different "views" of the detector. This positional dependence needs to be removed. Second, because of the position of the detector deep within the instrument, rays at high zenith angles will not reach the detector. Characteristic of the first problem is quadrant dependent response, and characteristic of the second problem is failure of cosine response at high zenith angles of incident light. These two technical problems have been addressed in the past by (1) using a diffusing material which will randomize light propagation removing the position (or quadrant) dependency, and (2) introducing an elevated contour on the diffuser surface to more efficiently capture light at high zenith angles.
The optical properties of this window material and the diffuser shape are critical for proper duplication of a correct instrument cosine response, particularly in the UVB range. The material must be able to diffuse the light falling upon it as well as transmit the wavelengths of light desired to be measured. The material needs to diffuse the light falling on it, such that light incident from any angle would be diffused through the window in a direction toward the instrument filters and detector. The material must also be able to transmit the wavelengths of light which are desired to be measured.
The shape of the diffuser is also critical for proper cosine response. This is particularly important with respect to obtaining a proper cosine response for UVB radiation. UVB light will come in from all angles, as it is widely scattered. Optical properties of filters in an optical path also require collimation of the light passing through the window in order to understand the instrument spectral response.

Cosine corrected optical pathway of a spectral radiometer

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center


A heat exchanger used for a refrigerating cycle has a plurality of grooves formed in the inner surface of a pipe thereof in the flowing direction of a refrigerant. At least two types of grooves which differ in width are used. The pipe also has fins which are coated with a hydrophilic paint that is black in color. This design enables the heat exchanger to provide improved performance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger used for a refrigerating cycle composed of a compressor, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a heat exchanger used for the electric equipment for refrigeration or air conditioning (such as an air conditioner, a freezer, and a cooled showcase) is constructed with a refrigerant pipe which forms a refrigerating cycle and has a plurality of fins as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-16711 (F28G9/00).
The fins are designed to pen-it efficient dissipation or absorption of heat between the refrigerant, which flows through the refrigerant pipe, and air. They are usually made of aluminum sheet which is approximately 100 to 120 microns thick.
When such a heat exchanger is used as a condenser for a refrigerating cycle, for example, a gas refrigerant of high temperature and high pressure which is discharged from a compressor flows into the heat exchanger, causing the temperature thereof to go up to approximately +20 to +100 degrees centigrade. The heat of the refrigerant is transferred from the refrigerant pipe wall of the heat exchanger or the condenser to the fins and it is radiated into the air from the surfaces of the fins, a part thereof being radiated from the surfaces of the refrigerant pipe.
The refrigerant radiates heat and condenses from such heat radiation. The surfaces of the fins of the conventional heat exchanger are provided with transparent hydrophilic coating after they are washed; therefore, the color of the surfaces is silver, which is extremely close to white (hereinafter referred to as "white").
The white color has high reflectance of light and therefore lowers the heat conductivity based on the wavelength of reflected light, i.e. heat ray, making it difficult to improve the heat radiation of the fins. Thus, the heat radiation from the fins is lowered, thus adversely affecting the condensation of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger. This adds to the difficulty in achieving an improved cooling capability of the refrigerating cycle.
Although the aforesaid problem is not as remarkable as in the case of a condenser, the same problem is observed when the heat exchanger is used for a cooler or evaporator. More specifically, as the reflectance of light increases, the absorption of heat by the ambient air deteriorates.
A means for improving the performance of a heat exchanger has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-21117 (F28F1/40). According to the disclosure, the inner surface of a refrigerant pipe is provided with many helical grooves, so that a refrigerant flows along the grooves from the capillary action all the way up to the top of the pipe to ensure heat exchange between the refrigerant and the refrigerant pipe over an extended area, or over the entire area ideally, of the inner surface of the pipe, thereby improving the heat transfer characteristic.
When a refrigerant composed of a mixture of two or more types of refrigerants is used as the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe, the respective ingredient refrigerants exhibit different properties, especially different viscosities. The grooves in the conventional refrigerant pipe, however, all had the same width; therefore, when the refrigerant is in the gas-liquid mixture condition and the rate of flow liquid in the refrigerant is small, setting the grooves to a small width for a refrigerant with low viscosity presents a problem in that the width is too small for a refrigerant with high viscosity and the flow resistance increases, leading to a large pressure loss. The result is stagnation of the refrigerant with high viscosity. Conversely, setting the grooves to a larger width so as to match it to a refrigerant with high viscosity poses a problem in that the grooves are too wide for a refrigerant with low viscosity and the capillary action no longer works.


An adjusting device for a vehicle component comprises at least one inflatable chamber and a pump configured to supply fluid to the at least one inflatable chamber. The pump comprises a housing, a first output port provided on the housing and a second output port provided on the housing. At least one of the first and second output ports has an integrated check valve disposed at the respective output port. The integrated check valve is configured to receive fluid discharged from a pump chamber and is in direct fluid communication with the respective output port. The integrated check valve is arranged within the housing.

Vehicles include a wide variety of adjustable components. Examples include lumbar supports, side supports or other adjustable supports as well as massage units which can be provided in seats to enhance an occupant's comfort when seated on the seat. Lumbar support devices are provided in backrests in order to provide adequate support in the lumbar vertebral or lordosis region of a person sitting on the seat by forming a suitable support surface. Side supports are provided on a backrest and/or on a seat portion to provide adjustable side support. The latter may be desirable not only to accommodate varying occupant sizes, but also to actively adjust lateral support in response to centrifugal forces. Massage units may be integrated into a seat to stimulate blood circulation and/or to further enhance occupant comfort.
Some implementations of adjusting devices for vehicles use one or plural inflatable fluid chambers. The fluid chambers may be configured as inflatable cushions or bladders which change their shape and/or size in dependence on an amount of fluid contained therein. Examples for seats having lumbar support devices implemented using inflatable fluid chambers are described in EP 1 072 465 A1 or in DE 100 63 478 A1. An adjustment of the adjustable support may be effected by means of a pressure source and a suitably configured pneumatic circuit comprising valves and connecting members, such as tubes. While pneumatic elements, such as valves, may enhance life time of and/or comfort provided by the adjustable support device, such components may add to installation space and cost. EP 2 361 800 A1 describes a seat adjusting device which uses a pump with integrated valves.
In addition to installation space and cost, versatility of components used in a pneumatic adjusting device is of importance. For illustration, depending on design constraints or for other technical reasons, it may be desirable to use a pump which can be easily configured for use with a valve module which includes normally open (NO) valves. In this case, the pump should have a design which prevents leakage from inflatable chambers towards a working chamber of the pump, while still being configured for use with a wide variety of valve modules.

Adjusting device for a vehicle component


Disclosed is a polymeric surfactant for high dielectric polymer composites, a method of preparing the same, and a high dielectric polymer composite including the same. The polymeric surfactant for high dielectric polymer composites, which includes a head portion having high affinity for a conductive material and a tail portion having high affinity for a polymer resin, forms a passivation layer surrounding the conductive material in the high dielectric polymer composite including the polymeric surfactant, thus ensuring and controlling a high dielectric constant.

1. Field
This disclosure is directed to a polymeric surfactant for high dielectric polymer composites, a method of preparing the same, and a high dielectric polymer composite including the same, and more particularly, to a polymeric surfactant for high dielectric polymer composites, which includes a head portion, having high affinity for a conductive material, and a tail portion, having high affinity for a polymer resin, to a method of preparing the same, and to a high dielectric polymer composite including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to recent industrial trends in electronic products, mobile products are considered to lead technologies and markets. Thus, thorough research and development to decrease the size and weight of mobile products and increase the functionality thereof is being conducted.
In order to realize high-density surface mounting, a substrate is required to have fine via holes and as small a wiring pitch as possible, and to be able to be subjected to a build-up process. Further, IC packages should be miniaturized, pluralities of pins should be used, and passive parts, including condensers and resistors, should be miniaturized and surface mounted. However, with the advancement of the miniaturization of passive devices, the manufacture and mounting thereof become more difficult, and thus the conventional process has many limitations.
To overcome such limitations, there have been proposed techniques for directly forming passive devices, including resistors, inductors, capacitors, etc., on or in a printed circuit board (PCB), instead or mounting them on the PCB. The techniques for embedding passive devices are characterized in that passive devices are inserted outside or inside the substrate using new materials and processes, thereby substituting for the functions of conventional chip resistors and chip capacitors. Accordingly, there is no need to mount chip parts of the passive devices on the printed wiring board, thus realizing high density and high reliability. As the passive devices are embedded in the PCB through such techniques, the surface area of the substrate is decreased, thereby making it possible to decrease the size and weight of products. Further, inductance is reduced, to thereby improve electrical performance, and furthermore, the number of solder joints is decreased, therefore increasing apparatus reliability and reducing the manufacturing cost.
Methods of forcing passive devices on a substrate include, for example, a method of applying a mixture of organic polymer and high dielectric filler, a high loading method using an inorganic filler including barium titanate, and a method of using electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD), which can be used to form a film at low temperatures.
Among the passive devices, the resistor and inductor, which may be formed through a polymer thick film (PTF) process, have some design drawbacks, but entail no great difficulty in terms of materials and manufacturing processes. However, in the case of the capacitor, it cannot be applied to fields requiring a high capacity, because a material having high capacitance and a manufacturing process which enables the application of the material to a low-temperature process (<260° C.) have not been established. Typically, embedded condensers require capacity ranging from 1 pF to 1 μF, depending on the application fields thereof. When a thin film process is used therefor, high capacity may be achieved, but high-temperature annealing should be carried out. Furthermore, the produced ceramic thin film may easily break down when applied to an organic substrate, and the application to FR-4 or flex substrates is also limited, attributable to a high manufacturing process. In contrast, the PTF process may be easily and inexpensively performed and may ensure high applicability to an organic substrate, but results in low dielectric capacity. Hence, attempts to achieve a high dielectric constant with the use of the PTF process have been continuously made.
With the intention of realizing a high dielectric constant, the relate art discloses the use of a polymer composite consisting of a polymer resin and a conductive material. However, the above patent suffers because the conductive material in the polymer composite has a volume % associated with the percolation threshold of the polymer composite. Specifically, when the volume of the conductive material exceeds the percolation threshold of the polymer composite, electrical conduction or percolation between the particles of the conductive material occurs, drastically decreasing the dielectric constant.

Polymeric surfactant for high dielectric polymer composites, method of preparing the same and high dielectric polymer composite comprising the same


A shootbolt system for a fenestration assembly, such as a sliding patio door system, includes a chassis mountable to a stile of a sliding panel of the fenestration assembly, and a shootbolt slidably coupled to the chassis. The shootbolt is designed to be coupled to a corner drive system of the sliding panel for movement therewith upwardly or downwardly along the stile in response to an applied actuation force, such as from an operator handle. When extended, the shootbolt engages a receiver or stop mounted to the frame to prevent the sliding panel from rebounding when an adjacent second sliding panel is slidably moved to a closed position in contact with the sliding panel.

Fenestration panels may include window panels, door panels, and non-moving "fixed" panels installed into frames. The panels and frames may be provided individually or as a package, either pre-assembled or as a kit to be assembled on site, or the frames may be custom built. A fenestration system may include seals between the panel and the frame providing an environmental barrier. Some panels are movable, such as a sliding window or door. Other panels may be fixed to the frame so they cannot move relative to the frame. Panels may be large and heavy, sometimes weighing hundreds of pounds. Opening and closing the panel or otherwise moving the panel within a frame may be difficult and awkward. Some panels may ride on wheels to reduce the effort required for sliding movement. However, the mass of the panel may still require significant effort to start and stop movement of the panel. Some fenestration systems may have multiple sliding panels in which case two or more panels may be moved toward each other to a closed position where the two panels are latched together. In some instances, the forces required to draw two heavy sliding panels together may be ergonomically sub-optimal. Additionally, the user may need to actuate latching mechanisms while exerting forces on both panels to bring the panels together, which may further add awkwardness and difficulty. The present inventors have recognized that in some instances, the mass of the panels, and the relatively low friction provided by wheels, may cause the panels to rebound off each other upon contact when closing, causing the panels to separate.
The present inventor has thus envisioned a benefit of preventing movement of one panel away from a closed position while the other panel is being moved into the closed position. The present inventor has also recognized a need for retrofitting existing panel and latching systems to provide such benefits to existing fenestration systems.
Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Shoot bolt for limiting movement of a fenestration panel


A drip edge corner element for use in masonry wall construction has a generally planar elongated member with a top side and a bottom side, with opposed side edges. This elongated member may preferable take a rectangular shape in planar profile, with a relieved section formed across the member dividing the member into two parts. These two parts are connected at a place about which the two parts are relatively movable, such as an articulable joint or pivot therebetween. The drip edge corner is thereby angularly adjustable by moving at least one of the parts about the place or pivot.

In the context of cavity wall structures or construction, the walls are typically formed of two wythes. These may both be of masonry, the wythes being spaced apart to form a vertical space or cavity therebetween. Alternatively it may have an outer masonry wall such as of bricks, with an inner building wall of wood, wallboard, concrete, tile or similar commonly used interior wythe materials.
In conventional cavity wall construction, flashing is typically installed atop the foundation to direct water out of the bottom of the cavity (for instance), in association with weep holes or other elements which will enable water to escape or migrate through the outer masonry wythe. Water in the cavity is undesirable for many reasons.
Flashing typically used may be in the form of a membrane, such as a rubberized material, as well as sheet metal, just to name two fairly standard types of flashing material. It is known to provide a downturned edge along the part of the flashing which will be on the outside of the outer wythe. This is referred to as a drip edge. It is also known to construct the flashing in a hybrid manner, such that a relatively flexible membrane is used in conjunction with a relatively inflexible drip edge. The flashing may ordinarily be affixed in position using adhesive, for instance.
Building corners most often meet at ninety degree angles. The flashing can be cut to size in order to meet at a ninety degree angle in these instances. Additionally, a drip edge for use in conjunction with the flashing can be provided which is pre-formed in manufacture with parts forming a ninety degree angle. However, builders and architects are not confined to easy ninety degree corners, and corners may become obtuse as well as acute in angulation.


High-resolution three-dimensional imaging of a specimen is facilitated. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a series of very thin slices from a specimen are serially and robustly arranged on an imaging device such as a microscope slide. The slices are imaged and the images are used to reconstruct a three-dimensional image having high resolution at depths into the specimen. The serial arrangement of the slices facilitates the proper ordering of images for reconstruction. Further, the robust nature of the slice arrangement facilitates treatment of the slices and, in some applications, multiple treatments with corresponding imaging sequences for each treatment. Various embodiments are directed to methods and arrangements for three-dimensional characterization of biological specimen and to data that is accessible and/or executable by a computer for linking different images together in order to characterize such biological specimen in three dimensions.

Imaging has played an important part in the analysis of specimen, and in particular, in the analysis of biological specimen. The tools most commonly used for imaging biological molecular architectures are immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM), immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) and genetically encoded fluorescent protein markers and reporters (XFPs). These powerful and widely used tools have led to discoveries that point to the dependence of cell and tissue function upon the very finest details of molecular architecture, and further that demonstrate the extremely variable and dynamic molecular architectures of specimen.
IFM, IEM and XFP imaging methods present challenges, however, and many important aspects of cell and tissue molecular architecture are difficult to explore using previous approaches. For instance, while XFPs have provided unique opportunities for imaging live cell dynamics, they require the expression of transgenes and are thus impractical for the study of human clinical specimens. XFPs also entail substantial probability of perturbing the molecular architectures of interest, and offer generally limited molecular multiplexing capabilities.
While both IFM and IEM are generally confined to use on fixed cells and tissues, these techniques do not require transgene expression, and are thus readily applied to human cell and tissues. IFM provides an ease of use and substantial multiplexing capacity that have made it one of the most widely used tools of cell biology research. However, IFM has generally been limited in resolution and quantitative interpretability.
IEM provides a relatively high resolution and has been useful in its power to discern very fine details of molecular architecture. However, IEM has proven difficult to apply to three-dimensional architectures, has limited multiplexing capacity, and has had very limited volumetric imaging capabilities, particularly as applied to tissue-scale problems.
Generally, imaging specimen, and particular, imaging biological specimen has been challenging.

Arrangement and imaging of biological samples

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A composition such as foods, drinks, pharmaceutical composition, for prevention or improvement of inflammation such as chronic inflammation, comprising an omega 9 series unsaturated fatty acid such as 6,9-octadecadienoic acid, 8,11-eicosadienoic acid, 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid etc.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a composition for prevention or improvement of medical symptoms caused by leucotriene B4 (LTB.sub.4), comprising as an effective ingredient an omega 9 series unsaturated fatty acid. More specifically, the present invention relates a composition for prevention or improvement of inflammation, especially chronic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, or allergy, comprising at least one effective ingredient selected from the group consisting of 6,9-octadecadienoic acid, 8,11-eicosadienoic acid and 5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid.
2. Related Art
Inflammation is a defense reaction of organisms caused by a physical or chemical stimulation, immunological phenomena involving antibodies, immune complex, degradation products of complements, or the like. During the inflammation, characteristic phenomena occur including expansion and perforation of microvessels, leak of blood components into spaces between tissues, migration of leucocytes to an inflammatory tissue, and the like, resulting in symptoms such as erythema, edema, hyperalgesia, ache etc. In a process of inflammation, various pharmacologically active substances are locally formed and liberated, and mediate inflammatory reactions. These substances are called chemical mediators of inflammation, and include plasmakinins such as bradykinin, serotonin, histamines and the like, prostaglandin (PG), leucotriene (LT), various leucocyte migration enhancement factors, and the like.
Allergy is a condition wherein reaction harmful to an organism, such as destruction and abnormal reaction of tissue results from an immune response. In the allergy process, it is known that an allergen invades an organism and reacts with IgE antibody fixed to mast cell or basophilic leukocyte resulting in liberation of a chemical transmitter such as histamines, leucotriene (LT), eosinophilic migration enhancement factor, neutrophilic migration enhancement factor, and the like, providing cell infiltration, destruction of tissues, contraction of smooth muscle, stimulation of vascular permeability, stimulation of mucous secretion etc.
Generally, although anti-inflammatory drugs are used for inhibiting inflammatory symptoms and alleviating destruction of tissues, in the broad sense, they include allergic reaction inhibitory drugs (anti-allergic drugs). Currently available anti-inflammatory drugs are classified as steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (adrenocortical hormones) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Although the steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs provide strong anti-inflammatory action, they also exhibit strong side-effects, and therefore determination of termination of and method for administration is difficult. On the other hand, although acidic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, indomethacin etc. exhibit anti-inflammatory action by lowering cycloxygenase activity and inhibiting PG synthesis, and are used as frequently as antibiotics and lanking after steroidal drugs, they provide side effects such as gastro-intestinal injurys, nephrotoxicity, hemopoietic disorders, and therefore their use is very limited.
A more recent approach to the moderation of inflammatory and hypersensitivity responses has focused on blocking the action of arachidonic acid metabolites (including the prostaglandins), lipoxygenases and the leukotrienes. The leukotrienes (LT) metabolites are formed by oxygenation of a lipoxygenase (5-hydroperoxytetraenoic acid (5-HPETE)) which is formed by the specific oxygenation of the C-5 position of arachidonic acid. The first leukotriene formed in the metabolic pathway is the unstable epoxide intermediate leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4) which is the precursor to the family of peptide-leukotrienes, the first in the pathway being LTC.sub.4 which is formed by glutathione addition. LTC.sub.4 is transformed subsequently into LTD.sub.4 and LTE.sub.4 by successive elimination of a glutamyl and glycine residue. The peptido-leukotrienes primarily act on smooth muscle and other cells having contractile capacity, as well as playing a key role in hypersensitivity reactions. In addition, the peptido-leukotrienes are spasmogens, increase vascular permeability, activate airway smooth muscle, stimulate mucous secretion and are involved with the pathogenesis of certain inflammatory diseases such as bronchitis, ectopic and atopic eczema and psoriasis. Leukotrienes appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma such as allergic pulmonary disorders of asthma, hay fever and allergic rhinitis. In addition, LTC.sub.4, LTD.sub.4 and LTE.sub.4 may also decrease blood pressure by an action on the heart, because they reduce myocardial contractility and coronary blood flow.
Another family of leukotrienes, the LTB.sub.4, is derived from LTA.sub.4 by hydrolase-catalyzed addition of water. This 5,12-dihydroxy derivative, causes adhesion and chemotactic movement of leukocytes, stimulates aggregation, enzyme release and generation of superoxide in neutrophils. Additionally, LTB.sub.4 is a potent chemotactic and chemokinetic agent for eosinophils, macrophages and monocytes, stimulates suppressor T lymphocytes and enhances natural cytotoxic cell activity. LTB.sub.4 is also a potent (indirect) bronchoconstrictor but in contrast to the peptido-leukotrienes C.sub.4, D.sub.4 and E.sub.4 does not appreciably stimulate mucous production and induce edema of the airways by increasing vascular permeability.
It has been suggested that compounds antagonizing LTB.sub.4 activity may be valuable in the treatment of inflammatory diseases caused by tissue degrading enzymes and reactive chemicals liberated by tissue-infiltrating and aggregating polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
For example, PCT Japanese National Publication No. 6-502164 describes that novel monocyclic or bicyclic aryl compounds are selectively antagonistic to LTB.sub.4 and are useful for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-244023 describes that .omega.6 series unsaturated fatty acids such as dihome-.gamma.-linolenic acid are useful for treatment of arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction etc. by inhibiting production of LTB.sub.4. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-310668 describes that a novel leucine derivative has an inhibitory action to LTA.sub.4 hydrolase and are useful for treatment and prophylaxis of allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma, various inflammatory diseases, ischemia-reperfusion disorders. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 1-190656 discloses that novel leucotriene B.sub.3 dimethyl amide has an antagonistic action to LTB.sub.4 and is useful as anti-inflammatory drug, anti-rheumatic drug and gout-treatment drug.
On the other hand, it is known that 8,11-cis-eicosadienoic acid and 5,8,11-cis-eicosatrienoic acid (mead acid), which are omega 9 series fatty acids, are produced in animal tissues deficient in essential fatty acids. J. Biolog Chem. Vol. 259, No. 19, pp.11784-11789 (1984) discloses that in neutrophile of rat fed on essential fatty acid deficient feed, mead acid was detected, which was not detected in rat fed on normal feed, and an amount of LTB.sub.4 decreased. However, this phenomenon is under a specific condition of essential fatty acid deficiency, and it is not clear whether mead acid alone inhibits the production of LTB.sub.4 and exhibits anti-inflammatory or anti-allergic action.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-129241 describes that a particular ester or amide of 5,8,11-eicosatriynoic acid inhibits the metabolism of arachidonic acid caused by cyclooxygenase and lypoxygenase. U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,906 describes that 10,10-dimethyl-5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid and 10-methyl-5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid are useful as anti-allergic drug and anti-asthma drug because they do not inhibit the synthesis of PG, but inhibit the synthesis of SRS-A. U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,101 describes that 7,7-dimethyl-5,8-eicosadienoic acid and 7-methyl-5,8-eicosadienoic acid are useful as anti-allergic agent and anti-asthma drug because they do not inhibit the synthesis of PG and inhibit the synthesis of SRS-A. However, it is not clear whether or not omega 9 series unsaturated fatty acid such as mead acid has LTB.sub.4 production inhibitory action and is useful as prophylactic or improving drugs for inflammation, especially chronic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, and allergy.
Arthritic rheumatism is a chronic polyinflammatory disease, and in the serum and synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients rheumatoid factor which is an autoantibody reactive with immunoglobulin IgG is detected. Because of the presence of the rheumatoid factor, it is considered that the rheumatoid arthritis involves immune disorder. However, the cause of the disease is not known. In the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for symptomatic therapy through the entire disease process.

Prevention and improvement of inflammation caused by leucotriene B4


A conduit is configured to facilitate the assembly of a gear case to a driveshaft housing of a sterndrive marine propulsion device while maintaining the proper position of the conduit and assuring proper sealing when the gear case is attached to the driveshaft housing. An alignment protrusion extends from a central portion of the conduit to facilitate the proper positioning of the conduit in relation to the driveshaft housing prior to the attachment of the gear case to the driveshaft housing. A flared portion of a lower end of the conduit is shaped to facilitate the insertion of an outlet of a water pump into the conduit, wherein the water pump is attached to the gear case prior to assembly of the gear case to the driveshaft housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a cooling system for a marine propulsion device and, more particularly, to a conduit which is configured to facilitate the assembly of a gear case and driveshaft housing of a sterndrive propulsion system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Those skilled in the art of marine propulsion devices are familiar with sterndrive systems which are attached to the transom of a marine vessel. Water is typically drawn from the body of water in which the marine vessel is operating and conducted, by a pump, through a cooling passage that directs the water through the transom of a marine vessel and to internal cooling passages of a marine engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,351, which issued to Tousey on Feb. 1, 1983, describes a marine sterndrive cooler. The cooling apparatus for a marine sterndrive unit has a conduit for carrying water from below the water level to a position over the marine sterndrive unit so that water can be sprayed on the sterndrive unit. A water receiving aperture is in communication with a lower portion of the conduit and opens generally horizontally and forwardly for receiving water into the conduit. A water dispensing aperture communicates with an upper portion of the conduit and dispenses the water on the exterior of the marine sterndrive unit thereby cooling a portion of the marine sterndrive unit out of the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,972, which issued to Bland et al. on Sep. 13, 1983, describes a marine propulsion device including engine housing pump mechanism. A siphon conduit is provided for removing water from the sump, the siphon conduit including an inlet end housed in the sump and a discharge end projecting from the housing for discharging water from the sump. Another conduit is connected to the siphon conduit end for generating water flow through the siphon conduit from the sump and toward the siphon conduit discharge end. The second conduit is connected to the engine water pump and adapted to force a jet of water into the siphon conduit and toward the discharge end of the siphon conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,566, which issued to Kermis et al. on Jun. 5, 2001, describes a cooler for a marine sterndrive. The apparatus is of the kind making use of the ram effect and having an intake tube carried on the sterndrive unit with its intake end in the water. The tube has an intake port held below the water surface for accepting water by the ram effect while the boat is moving forward. The water is carried by the tube to a system for delivering water from the intake tube to the sterndrive unit for cooling it.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,451, which issued to Walcak on Dec. 16, 2003, discloses a siphon pump for a marine propulsion device. A fluid draining device for an outboard motor is provided with a conduit through which exhaust gases are directed. The flow of exhaust gas through the conduit induces a lowered pressure in a central portion of the structure. The reduced pressure magnitude in the central portion of the structure causes a pressure differential in a drain tube that is sufficient to induce a flow of water through the drain tube from a region to be drained toward the central portion. The device uses the Venturi effect to create the lowered pressure. The exhaust gas flow is directed through the conduit from an idle relief exhaust passage to an exhaust port from which the exhaust exits from the marine propulsion system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,432, which issued to Davis et al. on Oct. 26, 2004, discloses a marine propulsion device with a cooling system cover. The system draws water from a body of water in which a marine vessel is operated and conducts the water through a conduit to an outlet end that is configured to direct a stream of water into a space which is defined under a removably attachable cover and above a surface of a heat producing portion of the outdrive. The cover contains a turbulently flowing stream of water in the space in order to more efficiently conduct the water in thermal communication with the outer surface of the heat producing portion. Return passages are provided between the cover and the surface of the outdrive to allow water to return, under the influence of gravity, back to the body of water from which it was drawn.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
The patents described above involve the conduction of water within the structure of a marine propulsion device. In certain marine propulsion devices, it is necessary to provide a fluid conduit between two portions of the marine propulsion device. When the two portions are assembled together, it is sometimes difficult to properly position the water conducting device in its proper position while maintaining an appropriate seal to prevent leakage of water being conducted through the device. This is particularly troublesome when the assembly requires that the portions of the marine propulsion device be attached together without allowing continued access to, or visibility of, the fluid conductor during the assembly process. It would therefore be significantly beneficial if a water conducting tube or hose could be provided that facilitates the assembly process while maintaining the integrity of the seals used to contain water within the fluid conducting device.

Cooling system for a marine propulsion device


A high pressure slurry pump is described which automatically provides a clean fluid buffer around the intake and exhaust valves of the pump and in front of the pump piston in order to displace erosive slurry material and thus extend the life of the pump and improve pump efficiency.

The petroleum, chemical, and cement industries, among others, often require the transport of slurries (solid rich liquids) as part of their process handling. Particularly when these slurry pump systems must operate at higher pressures a number of design and maintenance issues arise. Some example pumps that can handle slurries are—piston (e.g., triplex), centrifugal, bladder, displacement pot and progressing cavity (eg. Moyno®) types. They are driven by hydraulic (pressure) and mechanical (mostly with a power transmission rod connected to a crankshaft) means. Any of these means can be powered by a number of prime mover types (electric motor, gasoline engine, natural gas engine, etc. . . . ). Only the piston pump and the displacement pot types can handle the higher pressure needs of industry. On a mechanical actuated piston pump, the rod goes to a crankshaft or another hydraulic piston motor. Another means of actuating the piston/plunger and thus the pump action is by hydraulic means—alternating pressure differentials from either side of the piston. In a hydraulic actuated piston pump, the differential pressure across the plunger/piston can be minimized although the piston cylinder and heads undergo high-pressure cycles.
The problem that arises is that slurries are very erosive of the pump internal parts, especially on valves, seats, piston, cylinders, pump heads and wherever the slurry flow pattern changes or the velocity is high, i.e., turbulence. As a valve closes the area remaining for flow decreases, the slurry velocity increases (if rate stays the same) increasing the erosive ability of the slurry. Rapid velocity or flow pattern changes, as through valves seats, also focus the rapid erosion wear of pump parts. A hardened steel valve closing onto a hardened steel seat with solids in between makes sealing difficult and results in damaged parts and lower efficiencies. The high velocities and rapid flow direction changes in a centrifugal pump, plus their inherent inefficiencies, makes centrifugal type pumps not the first choice for such high-pressure applications. Progressing cavity type pumps can handle the solids but cannot easily achieve the higher pressures desired due to the elastomer materials in the stator.
The DIAjet, a displacement pot type by BHR, is currently available. It pressurizes clean fluid with a pump (of any type, triplex is most common) that is then directed (in full or in part) into a pressure pot that contains a pre-mixed batch of slurry which is then displaced or discharged from the pot. Production or continuous slurry pumping is difficult with this type system, since pots have to be alternately restocked and resealed for use.
A number of investigators have tried to address the problems of abrasive materials plugging or eroding piston or piston seals. Examples of this can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,619 to Swartkout, U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,469 to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,057 to Bailey, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,691,620, 4,598,630, and 4,476,771 to Kao. These investigators have developed a number of variations of flushing techniques to operate in the immediate vicinity of piston rings and seals to keep them as free as possible of abrasive materials during operation.
The flushing techniques in the aforementioned references are useful in addressing the problems of abrasive materials and are one aspect of the instant invention to be described. Further improvements are needed however to keep the abrasive materials away from any contact with the seals and rings of pistons and, in addition, away from the intake and exhaust valves of the slurry pump during the times the valves are required to close and seal.


Systems and methods for authenticating and executing a user request with increased security and efficiency are provided. A method may include receiving a selection from a user to restrict informational access of a selected administrator who is logged in to a system network, and locking access of the administrator to secure user information. The method may also include receiving, from the user, limited identifying information, and transmitting to the user, based on the limited identifying information, a uniform resource locator (URL) link and a one-time password (OTP). The method may also include achieving 2-factor authentication when the user accesses the URL link and submits the OTP, and receiving from the user the secure user information and a service request. In response to receiving the secure user information and the service request, the method may include executing a response to the service request via the system network.

Many networks offer services to network users. Some services utilize sensitive user data. Some services use sensitive user data to initiate the service. Difficulties may arise in obtaining the sensitive data when an unsecure or unrecognized channel is used to initiate or provide the service.
For example, a user may request the service via a telephonic system. The user may verbally request the service from a system administrator over the telephone. The user may not recognize the administrator. The user may be uncomfortable providing sensitive data over a telephonic system and/or to an unfamiliar administrator.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide systems and methods for transmitting sensitive data with increased security. It would be further desirable for the systems and methods to provide location recognition for increased efficiency.

Geo-aware capture with reduced personal information disclosure


A removable step used to climb a vertical surface. The step has first and second structural members and at least two brace members spacing the structural members. A coupler is rigid with one of the structural members and is operable to secure the structural member to the vertical surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to removable steps which are attached to a vertical surface such as a tree or a utility pole. The steps may be used both as manual climbing aids and as safety equipment attachment points.
2. Description of Related Art
In hunting, it is desirable to have means to facilitate climbing a tree. Various devices have been known in the prior art, and generally consist of some small step arrangement which is screwed to or otherwise attached to the tree. However, this type of device is difficult to use and sometimes dangerous.
The problem with the prior art devices is that the steps available do not provide a secure, safe step for hunters to use to climb the tree. Often times, a hunter's boots are damp and covered with mud and/or snow which makes the bottom of their boots slippery. Under such circumstances, it is difficult and dangerous to climb a tree using the tree step described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,030 to Wright. The small, narrow, round surface does not provide a stable place to step; especially, when the bottom of a hunter's boot is covered in mud. Also, the curved outer end of the step disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,524 to Sprague presents a hazard if a user falls.
Furthermore, the steps disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,459 to Bergsten, U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,343 to Jorges et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,807 to Kubiak all require the steps to be vertically staggered at obtuse angles from each other. This type of configuration limits the size of tree on which the steps can be comfortably and safely used.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a more secure structure for one to put a shoe or hand on to safely climb a vertical surface.