A wire harness connector in which at least one guide, the upper surface of which is inclined such that the upper surface becomes higher from the front end of the guide to the rear end of the guide, is formed on the side surface of a central portion of a locking member, and at least one sliding wall for gradually pressing the guide as the interconnection between a plug housing and a cap housing progresses is formed on the cap housing at a position corresponding to the position of the guide. Even when the locking member is not completely assembled with the plug housing due to worker carelessness, the cap housing is easily connected to the locking member by the sliding of the guide along the sliding wall, and the locking member is seated in the plug housing at a correct position simultaneously with the connection so that the secondary fixation of terminals by the locking member is completely performed.

Generally, when plural devices are connected to a controller or a relay and fuse box, a wire harness comprising a plurality of electric wires is used so that the electric wires are easily managed. Ends of both wire harnesses are connected to devices using connectors.
Connection pins are connected to electric wires of one wire harness, and are stored in a cap housing, and terminals having shapes for receiving the connection pins inserted thereinto are connected to electric wires of the other wire harness, and are stored in a plug housing. Then, the plug housing and the cap housing are interconnected so that the connection pins are inserted into the terminals, thereby electrically interconnecting both wire harnesses.
FIG. 1 illustrates a plug housing and a locking member of a conventional wire harness connector.
A plurality of terminal insertion holes 110 are formed through the plug housing 100 so that terminals are inserted into the rear portions of corresponding terminal insertion holes 110.
An opening 120 is formed through the lower surface of the plug housing 100 so that the locking member 200 is inserted into the opening 120.
When the locking member 200 is inserted into the opening 120, the locking member 200 is firstly inserted to a proper position such that an upper plate 210 and a lower plate 220 of the locking member 200 do not interfere with the terminals inserted into the terminal insertion holes 110, and then the terminals are inserted into the rear portions of the terminal insertion holes 110.
Latching holes are respectively formed in the upper inner walls of the terminal insertion holes 110 so that latching protrusions formed on the terminals are latched onto the latching holes. Thereby, the first fixation of the terminals is performed by inserting the terminals into the terminal insertion holes 110.
When the locking member 200 is completely inserted into the opening 120 under the above condition that the terminals are first fixed, latching protrusions formed on the upper and lower plates 210 and 220 of the locking member 200 are latched onto latching holes formed in the lower portions of the terminals, thereby performing the second fixation of the terminals. Accordingly, the stable fixed state of the terminals is maintained.
When a cap housing (not shown) is connected to the front surface of the above-assembled plug housing 100 in the direction of the arrow, connection pins installed in the cap housing reach the front portions of the terminal insertion holes 110, and are inserted and connected into the terminals inserted into the terminal insertion holes 110. Thereby, the cap housing is electrically connected to the plug housing 100.
When the locking member 200 is assembled with the plug housing 100, the locking member 200 must be inserted into the opening 120 in a specific direction. That is, since a position determination groove 230 is formed in the locking member 200 and a position determination protrusion 130 is formed on a corresponding corner of the opening 120 of the plus housing 100, the locking member 200 can be assembled with the plug housing 100 only in a correct direction. Further, the fixation of the terminals is undesirably carried out by two steps before and after the insertion of the terminals. Accordingly, even when the fixation of the terminals (i.e., the second fixation step of the terminals) is not completely carried out, the assembly of the wire harness connector may be terminated.
In this case, the fixed state of the terminals is not stable, and, when the plug housing 100 and the cap housing are interconnected, the cap housing is caught by the locking member 200, thereby disturbing the connection of the connector.


An improved computer based surgical video overlay system that allows relevant surgical data from a surgical apparatus to be combined as a graphic image with the video image of a surgical procedure in which the data from the surgical apparatus is sent wireless to the video overlay console. Elimination of the data cable between the surgical apparatus and the video overlay console is advantageous in an operating room environment. The same computer based surgical video overlay system runs computer program that occupies a user interface to allows definition of operation modes, input of relevant data, selection of data overlay graphic screen templates and various methods for customization. A time coded-data file is created and stored including all the relevant parameters of a surgical procedure. This file contains the same time-code included in the graphic image overlaid in the surgical video signal. An precise match can be performed between the recorded data on file and the surgical video recording. An audio pre-amplifier section is provided to include surgical apparatus meaningful sounds produced during surgery. The alternative embodiment considers the use of an embedded computer within the video overlay console making the system capable of standalone operation providing a user interface and data input/output capabilities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices used for superposing computer generated graphic information over portions of another video image and more particularly is related to a device for producing an output video signal of a surgical procedure where portions of the video image are replaced by computer generated graphic information in digital video format derived from a data signal containing meaningful operational parameters from a surgical apparatus.
2. Description of Prior Art
Typically, a surgical procedure such as a cataract surgery may be video-recorded for documentation, research, learning or teaching. As a mode of example, during cataract surgery, a video camera will be located in the surgical microscope receiving an image through a beam splitter that is similar to the surgeons view of the surgical area. Current techniques for cataract removal consider the use of ultrasonic energy in various modalities, vacuum at variable levels, irrigation of fluid and other variables that affect the course of the surgical procedure according to the surgical technique. Ultrasonic energy delivery can be made in a continuous way, or can be pulsed in different modulation schemes according to surgeon preferences. Irrigation pressure is determined by the height of a fluid bottle or gas positive pressure. Fluid aspiration rate can be set in a wide range of values. Vacuum in the aspiration line is situation dependent varying according to preset vacuum limit, occlusion state of the ultrasonic probe, aspiration rate, type of ultrasonic needle being used among others.
There are meaningful parameters that the surgeon can wish to stamp in real time together with the video signal corresponding to the surgical events as viewed through the video-camera. This is specially important when the surgical case is being video-recorded and allows direct correlation between the recorded video image of the surgery and the surgical equipment settings and variables present at each precise moment of the surgery. Some meaningful data desirable to record with the surgery are machine characteristics, aspiration line vacuum, aspiration rate, ultrasonic power, ultrasonic modulation settings, tip occlusion, aspiration line venting, cassette and tubing type among others. Some of these data will remain constant during the whole surgical case such as the equipment model, and others will change because different settings are selected along the case by the operator or because they are situation dependent, such as aspiration line vacuum.
Dedicated "data-over-video" systems for surgical apparatus, from here referred to as "video overlay systems" have been developed to perform the action of superposing an image representing surgical equipment generated parameters to the video signal of the video-captured surgical procedure. As a mode of example, the "Alcon Legacy 20000 Phacoemulsification Console" and the "Allergan Sovereign Phacoemulsification Console" are state-of-the-art ultrasonic based cataract removal surgical apparatus. Video overlay systems can be obtained that are configured for the each surgical apparatus. Operation of these video overlay systems requires a physical connection between the phacoemulsification apparatus and the video overlay system comprised by an electric cable that transmits data in a RS-232 serial protocol to create the graphic representation of the data at the video overlay system level. The video signal from a surgical video-camera mounted on the surgical microscope is input to the overlay system. The processed video output signal that exits the overlay system contains the video image from the video-camera as a background image with overlying portions that display a graphic representation of the data received from the surgical apparatus data output.
It is a main limitation of current video overlay systems for ophthalmic surgical apparatus the need to physically connect an electric data cable between the surgical equipment and the video overlay system to carry the data to create a graphic representation for superposition. It is of common occurrence that this cable runs loose between the surgical apparatus console located near the surgical field and the video overlay console which is usually located near a video recorder to which it is electrically connected through a video connecting cable. The video overlay system is also electrically connected to the video-camera. The surgical video-camera is attached to an operating microscope and is usually stationary. The video recording system and video-monitor used to store and monitor the video images respectively are also usually stationary. On the contrary, surgical apparatus such as a phacoemulsification apparatus are usually mobile and enter and exit different operating rooms according to the scheduled cases. The need to hook up a data cable every time the surgical apparatus is to be used distracts operating room personal from performing other helpful tasks and may discourage the use of the overlay system. More important, the presence of this cable usually flying around in a busy operating room can lead to damage of valuable equipment and even injuries to persons if engaged or pulled by accident.
Another limitation of current video overlay systems for ophthalmic surgical apparatus is the inability to allow a user to customize the set of data he wishes to be included in the video signal to be recorded. Although some limited physician information such as doctor's name can be included in some systems, these data are entered at the surgical apparatus level in a cumbersome fashion. There is no provision in current video overlay systems to include individual surgeon-relevant information such as patient's Id, diagnosis, technique, facility Id and logo at a video overlay system level.
Another limitation of current video overlay systems for ophthalmic surgical apparatus is their inability to produce a time-code that is recorded in a graphic representation over the surgical video in correspondence with a matching time-coded digital file of the meaningful surgical parameters.
Another limitation of current video overlay systems for ophthalmic surgical apparatus is their inability to modify the video overlay system display mode under user commands to change between data graphics overlay mode, video-only mode, or other user configurable overlay templates such as facility Id and logo, according to surgical conditions and user requirements.
Another limitation of current video overlay systems for ophthalmic surgical apparatus is the absence of a feedback signal, preferably visual, at a video overlay console level regarding the proper status of the input data and video signals to help in the installation and debugging of the system prior to operation.
Still another limitation of current video overlay systems for ophthalmic surgical apparatus is that they do not provide a corresponding audio signal carrying surgical apparatus and operating room sounds to be simultaneously recorded with the video signal through a video-recorder audio input.
3. Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
To provide a surgical apparatus video overlay system that receives the data signal from the surgical apparatus used to create the graphic overlay by wireless means eliminating the need of a data cable.
To provide a surgical apparatus video overlay system that allows the user to easily include selected sets of data according to personal preferences such as patient's Id, diagnosis, technique, facility name, logo and comments at a video overlay console level. For this purpose different templates can be selected from a menu including manufacturer and eventually user created graphic templates to produce the overlay graphic image.
To provide a surgical apparatus video overlay system capable of producing a time-coded output video signal as well as a matching time-coded digital file of the meaningful surgical parameters. The digital file can be stored in digital media for later retrieval and analysis eventually in correspondence with the surgical case video recording.
To provide a surgical apparatus video overlay system that allows modification of the video overlay system display mode under user commands making possible to change between data graphics overlay mode, video-only mode, or other user configurable overlay templates such as facility Id and logo, according to surgical conditions and user requirements. The change between the different video overlay system operating modes can be instructed at an overlay system user interface level, at a surgical apparatus user interface level including the foot-pedal, or by pre-programming actions that respond to surgical situations such as entering video-only mode after a time-out period of surgical apparatus inactivity.
To provide a surgical apparatus video overlay system that informs the user with specific feedback signals that reflect the proper status of the video and data input signals required by the unit to operate for expedite setup and debugging.
To provide a surgical apparatus video overlay system that includes an audio processor capable of producing an audio output signal related to the surgical apparatus actions and events and operating room sounds, that can be recorded on the audio track of the video recorder simultaneously with the video signal.
Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

Video overlay system for surgical apparatus


A fluoroscopy C-arm drape clip for attaching a sterile drape to a C-arm of a fluoroscopy C-arm imaging unit and method of providing a sterile outer surface on a C-arm of a fluoroscopy C-arm imaging unit is provided. The drape clip includes a generally U-shaped band having a pair of legs and an arm. Each of the legs has a first end attached to the arm and a second end spaced from the arm. The legs extend away from the arm in non-parallel, laterally spaced relation with one another and have inner surfaces facing one another and an outer surfaces facing away from one another. Further, an elastic pad is attached to the inner surface of each of the legs adjacent the second ends.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to sterile drapes for fluoroscopy equipment, and more particularly to fastening mechanisms configured to attach sterile drapes to a fluoroscopy C-arm.
2. Related Art
It is common to apply sterilized drapes to medical equipment used in medical procedures to prevent having to sterilize the equipment itself. The drapes present an external sterile surface to facilitate the avoidance of contaminating a patient. Though desirable to apply sterilized drapes to various types of medical equipment, it can prove challenging and costly to apply the drapes to the equipment due to the configurations of the medical equipment and the drapes themselves.
One such type of medical equipment typically requiring sterile drapes to be applied thereto is known as a fluoroscopy C-arm imaging unit. In particular, the fluoroscopy C-arm imaging unit typically requires a bag-shaped drape about an upper imaging head, a bag-shaped drape about a lower imaging head and a drape about an inner surface of a C-shaped arm, referred to as "C-arm", of the unit.
The C-arm is commonly provided having a generally rectangular shape, as viewed in lateral cross-section, with opposite flat inner and outer surfaces (though extending in arced fashion) extending between opposite flat sides. During an imaging procedure, the arced inner surface in exposed toward the patient, and thus, it is most important that the inner surface be covered by the sterile C-arm drape. To facilitate attaching a sterile drape to cover the inner surface, the opposite sides of the C-arm are provided with a groove extending along the length of the C-arm. The groove is configured for receipt of tabs on opposite arms of a clip to which the C-arm drape is fixed. Accordingly, the tabs on the clip must be oriented properly on the arms and sized properly for receipt in the respective grooves. Further, the arms of the clip must be laterally spaced from one another a predetermined distance to extend immediately adjacent the opposite sides of the C-arm for the tabs to be received in the grooves. However, C-arms come in a variety of widths, the distance extending between the opposite sides, and thus, the clips are produced having different widths, the distance extending between the opposite arms, for application specific use. Accordingly, one size clip is generally suitable for use with a specific width C-arm and not a different width C-arm. As such, a supply of the different size clips must be maintained, depending on the type and size of C-arms being used. Having to provide grooves in the sides of the C-arm adds cost to the manufacture process of the C-arm, and further, can provide a location for the buildup of contamination. In addition, having to stock and/or order a specific size drape clip, depending on the size of the C-arm, can increase inventory requirements and costs associated therewith. In addition, the proper size drape clip must be ordered and received, otherwise, if a mistake in ordering or delivery is made, the drape clip may not function with the C-arm.
A drape clip constructed in accordance with the invention at least overcomes those disadvantages of known drape clips discussed above, as well as others disadvantages, as will be apparent to one possessing ordinary skill in the art upon viewing the disclosure herein.

Fluoroscopy C-arm drape clip, drape clip assembly and method of clipping a sterile drape to a fluoroscopy C-arm


A system which derives the attitude of a body as it rotates and travels through the earth""s magnetic field. At least one magnetometer is placed in the body and provides an output signal during flight of the body. The zero crossings of the output signal are used to formulate a time discriminant. This time discriminant is compared with a roll angle discriminant for which a value of attitude has been previously determined. From the comparison, the attitude during flight may be determined. A time discriminant can also be formulated using two magnetometers.

Accurate measurement of the angular motions of spinning bodies with on-board sensors has been recognized as a significant contribution to the research and development of experimental projectiles and rockets and to the diagnosis of existing munitions systems. Sun sensor arrays, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,275 have been developed to measure the attitude of a spinning body utilizing the sun as a parallel light source. These devices are restricted to bright sunshine conditions and require an external modification to the body to physically accommodate the sensors.
Devices responsive to the earth""s magnetic field have long been used for estimating heading. Traditional compasses indicate only the direction of the horizontal component of the earth""s field, whereas it is often desired to have knowledge of the angle of the body with respect to the local magnetic field. The orientation of the field with respect to a three-dimensional, earth-fixed coordinate system changes both with location and with time. It is important to note that determination of orientation with respect to the earth""s magnetic field in three-dimensional space does not uniquely specify orientation with respect to the earth (or other possible navigation frames); another datum is required, e.g., a vertical reference.
Existing magnetic sensing devices require some or all of the following for relative heading measurements: moving parts, three dimensions of sensor measurements, knowledge of the magnetic field components, knowledge of the strength of the magnetic field, gain calibration of the sensor(s), and sensor temperature compensation.
Additionally, all other known systems giving orientations with respect to a magnetic field make those determinations from one or more of four basic measurement types: 1) field strength along a sensor axis, 2) relative field strength along multiple sensor axes, 3) rate of change of field strength along a sensor axis, 4) relative rates of change along multiple sensor axes. In every case, the measurements are premised on some evaluation of a component of the magnetic field along a sensor axis.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,988 discloses a device with three axes of magnetometers in two distinct planes that must be rotated about at least two of these axes to determine orientation within a magnetic field. This requires that the sensor move with respect to the platform on which it is mounted. This also requires that the gain of each of the three sensor axes be known as the sensor processing methodology depends upon accurate measurement of changes in field strength with changes in sensor orientation. The data processing is computationally demanding, requiring many matrix operations and averaging of many computed quantities.
The system of the present invention makes the same measurement of magnetic heading but has no moving parts, has a single plane of sensor measurements, and has no gain calibration requirement of its sensors. Further, the only computations required are two scalar subtractions, a scalar division, and a look-up (and possible interpolation). The simplicity of this methodology makes feasible real-time, on-board processing.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a system and a simple, robust methodology wherein one or more magnetometers sensitive to the strength of a magnetic field can be used to determine the magnetic attitude and magnetic roll position of a rotating body with respect to that field.
The system can be used for the estimation of the in-flight attitude, that is, the angular orientation, to an accuracy of 0.1 degrees of spinning bodies with respect to the earth""s magnetic field. This use relates to a configuration incorporating one or more magnetometers and a method for determining the orientation of the apparatus relative to the earth""s magnetic field. This determination is made on the basis of the magnetometer(s) phase information during a roll cycle and is amplitude independent. Manufacturing tolerances on scale factor and/or gain variations, which are the bane of many inertial measurement units (IMUs), have no effect on system performance of the present invention.
The system provides a unique all-weather, day/night magnetic angular measurement capability for spinning bodies that does not currently exist. In addition, this system may supplement or include other measurement techniques in a hybrid configuration as to provide further IMU-type data and could replace some existing optical measurement techniques wherein an exterior surface needs to be compromised. Potential applications for the system include, but are not limited to, orientation and attitude of any rotating body including navigation aids, rockets, projectiles, satellites, and deep-space exploration vehicles. The measurement capability can be integrated into the guidance and control capabilities of airborne spinning bodies without regard to their exterior geometry.
To obtain an indication of the angular orientation of a rotating body, relative to a magnetic field, such as the earth""s magnetic field, a sensor array having at least one magnetometer is placed within the body prior to launch. During flight, the magnetometer will provide an output signal which varies between positive and negative values and which has periodic zero crossings during flight and as the body rotates.
A look-up table is generated, preferably prior to flight, of a roll angle discriminant, based upon zero crossings, versus angular orientation. A time discriminant is continuously obtained, based upon the zero crossings during actual flight of the spinning body through the earth""s magnetic field. During, or after the flight, the look-up table is accessed to ascertain the closest match between a time discriminant and a roll angle discriminant to obtain a flight history of the values for the angular orientation of the body with respect to the magnetic field.

Method and system for determining magnetic attitude

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


In a computer system provided with a checkpoint facility, an accounting record indicating a charge payable as a result of a normal process and an accounting record indicating a charge payable as a result of a checkpoint process are output separately.. When a file is accessed, a determination is made as to whether the access occurs subsequent to the checkpoint process and whether the accessed file has not been saved. If it is determined that the access occurs subsequent to the checkpoint process and the accessed file has not been saved, the accessed file is appended to the saved information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer systems, and more particularly, to a checkpoint and restart facility of a computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A computer system is composed of a CPU, a memory, an external storage device and terminal equipment, etc.
The CPU executes a program loaded into the memory.
An operating system (OS) is stored in the external storage device and is loaded into the memory when the computer system is started so as to control the computer system subsequently.
Like the OS, a user program is stored in the external storage device and is executed after being loaded into the memory by the OS according to an instruction from terminal equipment or the like.
Loading the entirety of a voluminous program or data into the memory is impossible since the size of the memory is limited. Therefore, a so-called virtual storage scheme is employed such that a process is carried out by exchanging portions of the program or the data between the memory and the external storage device.
The program is usually executed in units of execution which are called a process. One virtual space, composed of a virtual memory space and a virtual register etc., is allocated to one process. A job is composed of at least one process and job information to control the process.
Since a computer system is constructed such that it is used by a plurality of users and a plurality of programs are executed at the same time, the OS offers various functions.
For instance, the computer system offers a checkpoint and restart facility in preparation for a system down occurrence while a program is being executed.
A checkpoint facility provides for preservation of the runtime environment for each unit of execution such as an active job or an active process. A restart facility provides for restoration of the runtime environment preserved by the checkpoint facility and restarting of the execution of the program.
The OS provides system calls including a file input and output process for processes commonly executed by various user programs. The system call is like a subroutine for the process. When a system call is requested, the OS executes an associated process in a process space of the program requesting the system call. The user is charged an amount of money payable for the used CPU time in which the OS and the user program are run.
The following problems have been recognized in the checkpoint and restart facility of the related art.
With some checkpoint implementations, the runtime environment of the process provided with a checkpoint is preserved in some preceding system calls requested by the user program. That is, the checkpoint process is not distinguished from processes executed by the user program. As a result, the user is charged for the checkpoint process.
The checkpoint process may be executed at the system operator's discretion so that it is not desirable to uniformly charge the user for the process provided with a checkpoint. Herein lies a first problem in the checkpoint and restart facility according to the related art.
A second problem with the checkpoint and restart facility according to the related art is that account information is not output to an account file until a job is terminated.
All user programs may not end normally. Some store an intermediate output in a file during a process so as to continue the execution of the process later, using the intermediate output. In such cases, it is desirable for the operation of the system to charge the user for the process even if the program does not end normally.
When the checkpoint and restart process is executed, the user is charged for a job all over again when it is restarted. For example, the user is charged multiple times from a start time of a job to a checkpoint time when a job is provided with a checkpoint in a midpoint for the purpose of debugging etc. and restarted again from the checkpoint a plurality of times with different conditions.
A third problem is that only an active file (opened or accessed file) is preserved in the checkpoint process. More specifically, the restart process cannot restore the runtime environment only by the information preserved at the checkpoint, if a file other than the file preserved at the checkpoint is updated subsequent to the checkpoint process.
The third problem will be explained in detail below.
It is assumed that file A starts being used at time T0 and a checkpoint process is started at time T1. It is then assumed that the content of file B is referred to in process X at time T2 and file B is updated in process Y in time T3. When the runtime environment saved at time T1 is restored so that the process is restarted, the content of file B upon a restart of process X is different from what it was at time T2 because of process Y at time T3 and cannot be restored.

Computer system with checkpoint facility and accounting facility indicating charges payable for processes


Provided are methods and computer programs for managing installation of a set of data processing components. An installation manager program allows users to specify which of a set of predefined functional roles are to be implemented on which of their data processing systems and then the installation program automates installation of the set of data processing components which correspond to the specified roles.

It is becoming increasingly rare for businesses to use application programs in isolation from other programs, and applications and systems integration within and between organizations have become vital. As the number of computing-based business applications increases and their interdependencies become more complex, the complexity of this integration is also increasing rapidly. In the modern computing environment, the construction of e-business solutions (business applications implemented using date processing and communications hardware and software) typically requires that the solution design is followed by installation of a large number of products, or components of those products, across a multi-machine topology. Installation in this context means adding products and components to machines within the topology in such a manner that the products and components can run and intemperate properly with all affected programs in the system. Some components are dependent on others and Therefore sets of components must be installed together. Some groups of components must be installed in a particular sequence for The combination of components to operate correctly.
In a multi-tier solution topology which uses a set of components, the separate machines each require different sets of components to be installed onto them. System administrators must, when determining which sets of components are required for the different machines, take into consideration the dependencies between components. For example, to perform required functions, a message broker program may require specific levels of operating system and database support, directory services, a messaging manager for handling network communications, and a set of Java™ classes implementing the Java Message Service interface, which in turn requires a Java run-time environment. (Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc). While this is merely one example, it demonstrates that the combination of computer programs' fixed pre-requisites and dependencies which are specific to the functional role of a program within a specific solution can result in great complexity when installing a complete solution. The installation requirements can be difficult to determine and to express concisely and consistently. There is a steep learning curve for potential e-business solution customers who must be aware of all the dependencies of every component, which is not only time-consuming and difficult, leading to long delays in the definition of solution topologies and the deployment of solutions, but it also leads to an error-prone installation process with a commensurate increase in costs in problem diagnosis and rectification.
The rapid growth of the World Wide Web internet service in recent years has fuelled the increasing complexity of computing solutions. There has been an evolution of Web sites from servers of static HTML to enterprise portals providing access to information and the ability to conduct business transactions, for both Web-users and other businesses connected to the Internet. The construction of such systems is a difficult task and one which presents an architect or designer with many choices. It is recognized that organizations that are implementing e-business solutions incorporating enterprise application integration (EAI) may take different approaches, depending on what solutions they are already using.
For example, an organization might be an existing Web-centric business that has already implemented a Web site presenting static HTML, moved on to generation and delivery of dynamic content, and might even have implemented the ability for Web users to conduct business transactions that are served by a Web Application Server in conjunction with a Database Server. Next, the organization needs to include access from these same Web business methods to Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) hubs. Alternatively, an organization might be an existing EAI user that uses asynchronous messaging to communicate between a variety of systems to provide an integrated enterprise. Now the organization wants to provide Web-access to its systems. In other cases, organizations need to construct an entirely new e-business solution architecture.
In each of these examples, the tasks of deciding which set of components need to be installed on each data processing system of a network and then managing the installation of all of the interdependent components are very time consuming and error prone.
Assistance with controlled updating of software packages is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,764. This discloses automated management of changes in a distributed computing environment, constructing a 'resource needs list' for individual computers in response to interrogation of their configurations. The update automation involves a calculation of differences between the currently installed resources and 'resource needs lists' for each computer, but it relies heavily on a set of changeable but nevertheless predefined rules for computer configurations (i.e. rules specifying which components should be installed on computers in accordance with configuration policies ('needs lists') for different categories of computer and in accordance with their technical capabilities).
Although useful for update management after the configuration policies have been defined, U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,764 does not disclose any solution to the problem faced by a system administrator or solution architect when constructing a data processing solution of determining which set of components are required to enable each computer to perform specific sets of functions or "roles" within the desired data processing solution. There remains a very significant initial task for architects to define configuration policies ('needs lists') which specify the set of components to install on each computer to implement an overall e-business solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,777 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,187 describe generating a list of software dependencies and determining which installable resources (shared libraries) are needed by the listed software, but this determination of pre-requisites is limited to predefined minimum pre-requisites of individual software components. This does not involve consideration of the functional roles of each component or computer system within a particular data processing solution. U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,207 also discloses checking lists of standard pre-requisites with no consideration of the role of each component or system in an overall solution.

Installation of a data processing solution

International Business Machines Corporation


An optical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a transparent substrate with a plurality of discrete conductive lines, an dielectric layer disposed on the substrate and the conductive lines, reflective members and edge supporters. The reflective members and conductive lines are orthogonal, defining a plurality of pixel areas. Each reflective member is supported by edge supporters arranged around each pixel area and over the dielectric layer by a predetermined gap. The reflective members cover the connecting end of each edge supporter, providing protection from damage during fabrication.

The invention relates to an optical microelectromechanical device, and in particular to an optical MEMS device with improved suspension.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,574,033, and 6,794,119 disclose optical microelectromechanical systems (optical MEMS) and micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) devices comprising arrayed floating reflective members to modulate required images by interference.
FIG. 1A shows a conventional optical MEMS device, and FIG. 1B is a cross-section of section a-a in FIG. 1A. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, the conventional optical MEMS device 10 comprises a plurality of conductive wires 13 disposed on a glass substrate 12 with a dielectric layer 14 overlaid thereon. A plurality of reflective members 18 is supported by a plurality of edge supporters 16 and inner supporters 17, suspended from the dielectric layer 14 by a predetermined gap g. The conductive lines 13 are perpendicular to the reflective members 18, and the overlapping areas define a plurality of pixel areas. The edge supporters 16 of the conventional optical MEMS device 10 are located between adjacent pixel areas, crossing the boundaries thereof, such as the edge supporters 16 between pixel areas 11a and 11b in FIG. 1A. The shape, size number and profile of the inner supporters 17 within pixel areas may be different as shown in FIG. 1A to provide proper support at the center of each suspended reflective members 18.
The edge supporter 16 and inner supporter 17 are formed by residual macromolecular materials and with horizontal extending top portions 162 and 172 connect the reflective member 18 to improve adhesion therebetween and distribute stress when the reflective member 18 becomes deformed.
As shown in FIG. 1B, a specific wavelength λ1, for example, is constructively enhanced by interference and reflected, with all other wavelengths destructively eliminated by interference when a light beam with multiple wavelengths λ1, λ2, . . . , λn impinges on the reflective member 18 through the glass substrate 12. The wavelength of the constructive interference depends on the gap g between the dielectric layer 14 and reflective member 18. Furthermore, the reflective member 18 becomes deformed and descended, attaching to the surface of the dielectric layer 14 as shown in FIG. 1B, when an external actuating current is supplied to the conductive layer 13. Accordingly, the reflectivity of the optical MEMS device 10 is reduced, acting as a "dark" state. Thus, the conventional optical MEMS device 10 with arrayed display units is capable of displaying required images according to external control currents.
FIG. 2 is a cross-section of section b-b in FIG. 1A before removal of the sacrificial layer 15. As shown in FIG. 2, corresponding to FIG. 1A, a plurality of openings 152 perpendicular to the dielectric layer 14, is first defined on the sacrificial layer 15 and filled with a photoresist or apolymer therein, forming edge supporters 16 and inner supporters 17.
The conventional optical MEMS device 10, however, does not provide protection to the top end connecting the reflective member 18 of each edge supporters 16. The exposed portion of each edge supporter is easily damaged by etchants or solvents during definition of the reflective members or removal of the sacrificial layer, therefore reliability of the device 10 may reduce.


The present invention provides a shift lever apparatus which shifts a shift lever connected to a transmission of a vehicle, and thereby, changes a shift range to a specific shift range from among a plurality of shift ranges preset in the transmission corresponding to the position to which the shift lever has been shifted, comprising: a key device which is provided at a side the shift lever and adjacent to the shift lever, and which holds an ignition key inserted therein so that the ignition key is rotatable, and restricts the removal of the ignition key at a rotation position other than a predetermined removal position; and a lock link which restricts the rotation of the ignition key to the removal position in the key device, and is displaced by a predetermined operation of the shift lever at a specific shift position corresponding to a specific shift range from among the plurality of shift ranges so as to release the restriction of the rotation of the ignition key.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift lever apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle in order to change a shift range of a transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among apparatuses for shifting between a plurality of shift ranges preset in an automatic transmission of a vehicle, there is a shift lever apparatus which rotates a shift lever mechanically connected to the automatic transmission so as to shift the shift lever to a shift range corresponding to the rotation position (shift position).
Moreover, this type of shift lever apparatus is provided with a so-called key interlock mechanism. The key interlock mechanism only enables the removal of an ignition key from a key cylinder into which it has been inserted when the shift lever is shifted to a shift position corresponding to a parking range which is a shift range for locking the wheels of a vehicle (hereinafter, this shift position is referred to as xe2x80x9cP positionxe2x80x9d, for convenience of explanation).
More specifically, the key interlock mechanism is provided in the key cylinder, and includes: a cam which is rotated together with the rotation of the ignition key inserted into the key cylinder; and a lock member which is provided so as to be able to reciprocate between a lock position on the locus of rotation of the cam and a lock release position separated from the lock position. If the ignition key is positioned at a rotation position other than a position enabling the removal of the ignition key from the key cylinder, and if the shift lever is positioned at a shift position other than the xe2x80x9cP positionxe2x80x9d, the aforesaid lock member is positioned on the locus of rotation of the cam so as to restrict the rotation of the cam by a rotation of the ignition key to a position allowing the removal of the ignition key from the key cylinder. Then, when the shift lever is shifted to the xe2x80x9cP positionxe2x80x9d from the aforesaid state, the lock member is separated from the locus of rotation of the cam so that the ignition key can be rotated to a position allowing the removal of the ignition key from the key cylinder.
In general, mechanical type mechanisms and electrical type mechanisms are used for moving the lock member.
Mechanical type mechanisms include a cam follower which is displaced by being directly or indirectly pressed by a shift lever being shifted to the xe2x80x9cP positionxe2x80x9d, and a cable connecting the cam follower and the lock member. When the shift lever moves the cam follower as it is shifted to the xe2x80x9cP positionxe2x80x9d, the cam follower operates and moves the lock member via the cable.
On the other hand, the electrical type mechanism includes a solenoid for moving the lock member by magnetic force, a control device such as a computer for controlling the solenoid, and a switch for detecting that the shift lever has been shifted to the xe2x80x9cP positionxe2x80x9d. When the switch detects that the shift lever has been shifted to the xe2x80x9cP positionxe2x80x9d, the control device energizes the solenoid or terminates the flow of current to the solenoid, thus enabling the lock member to be moved.
Note that, in general, the shift lever apparatus is provided between a driver""s seat and a passenger seat of a vehicle, while the key cylinder is provided in a steering column cover separated from the position of the shift lever apparatus. For this reason, in a mechanical type key interlock mechanism, there is a need to secure space for arranging cables, and the task of arranging the cables is complicated. In addition, adjustment is required when the cables are being arranged so that the mechanism will definitely operate. In contrast, an electrical type key interlock mechanism has none of the problems described above. However, in the electrical type key interlock mechanism the individual constituent members and devices are expensive causing the overall cost to be increased.
In view of the above, the object of the present invention is to provide a low cost shift lever apparatus equipped with a key interlock mechanism.
To achieve the above object, the present invention is a shift lever apparatus for shifting a shift lever connected to a vehicle transmission into a shift range from among a plurality of set shift ranges in the vehicle transmission which corresponds to a position to which the shift lever has been moved by a manual shift operation comprising a key device which is provided adjacent to a side of the shift lever and holds an ignition key which has been inserted inside the key device and can be operated by being rotated, and which key device restricts removal of the ignition key other than at a predetermined removal position, and a lock link which restricts rotation of the ignition key to a removal position inside the key device, as well as releases the restriction on the rotation of the ignition key when displaced by a predetermined operation of the shift lever occurring at a specific shift position corresponding to a specific shift range from among the plurality of shift ranges.
In the shift lever apparatus having the structure as described above, when the shift lever is positioned in a shift position other than a specific shift position corresponding to a specific shift range from among the plurality of shift ranges set in the transmission (e.g., a parking range in which the transmission of driving force to a driving wheel of a vehicle is cut off and the driving wheel is locked), the lock link directly or indirectly prevents the rotation of the ignition key to the extraction position inside the key device. Therefore, in this state, it is impossible to extract the ignition key from the key device (key interlock), and, for example, by extracting the ignition key from the key device, the key device is made unable to lock a steering wheel which forms part of the steering unit (Note that this steering lock mechanism is not an indispensable element in the present invention, and is merely used as an example).
When the shift lever is manually shifted to a specific shift position from the aforesaid state, and a predetermined operation of the shift lever is carried out, the lock link is displaced so as to release the restriction of rotation of the ignition key by the lock link. In this state, by rotating the ignition key to the extraction position, it becomes possible to extract the ignition key from the key device For example, if the aforesaid steering lock mechanism is interlocked with the key device, by extracting the ignition key from the key device, it is possible to lock the steering wheel.
As described above, in the present invention, the lock link restricts the rotation of the ignition key to the extraction position by an engagement of engaging members provided in the shift lever, and releases the restriction of the rotation by releasing the engagement of the engaging members. In addition, because the key cylinder is provided at a side of the shift lever, there is no need to provide cables between the shift lever apparatus and the key cylinder as in a conventional shift lever apparatus. Thus, it is possible to dispense with troublesome tasks such as having to adjust the cables when assembling the conventional shift lever apparatus. Further, basically, the only component constituting the key interlock mechanism is the lock link; therefore, a cost reduction can be achieved.
Moreover, by providing the key cylinder and the shift lever in close proximity to each other, the key cylinder and the shift lever can be constituted as a unit (provided as an assembled part). Therefore, mounting the key cylinder and shift lever on a vehicle is made easier.
Note that, in a conventional shift lever apparatus, a manual operation to rotate the shift lever taking the transverse direction of the vehicle as the axial direction is called a shift operation, and an operation to rotate the shift lever with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as the axial direction is called a select operation. However, in the present invention, the term xe2x80x9cshift operationxe2x80x9d is not limited to an operation to rotate the shift lever using the transverse direction of the vehicle as the axial direction. Namely, the operation of changing the transmission shift range is called a shift operation regardless of the direction and type of movement of the shift lever.
Accordingly, for example, a shift lever shift operation of what is known as a gate-type shift lever apparatus for changing the shift range of a transmission by moving the shift lever in a zigzag direction in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle is also categorized as a xe2x80x9cshift operationxe2x80x9d.
Further, the present invention is preferably the shift lever apparatus further comprising a detent pin connectable to the shift lever so as to protrude therefrom towards the key device side, which detent pin is able to move integrally with the shift lever in the manual shift operation direction, and which detent pin moves in a direction orthogonal to the manual shift operation direction when a predetermined release operation is carried out, and a detent section interposed between the shift lever and the key device, in which is formed a detent hole into which the distal end of the detent pin is inserted, with a restricting section formed inside the detent hole for restricting movement of the detent pin by abutting the detent pin on the locus of the movement of the detent pin which accompanies a manual shift operation of the shift lever to the specific shift position and restricts movement of the detent pin, and which restricting section is able to be avoided by the detent pin via a specific release operation, wherein, when the shift lever is positioned in a specific shift position, the detent pin, having avoided the restricting means, engages with the lock link when the detent pin returns to a state before the release operation was performed, and displaces the lock link to a position at which the restriction on the rotation of the ignition key is released.
In the shift lever apparatus having the structure described above, when the shift lever is manually shifted to a specific shift position, the detent pin provided in the shift lever abuts against the restricting portion formed in the inner peripheral portion of the detent opening of the detent portion so as to restrict movement of the detent pin accompanying the shift operation of the shift lever. Whereby the shift operation of the shift lever to the specific shift position is indirectly restricted by the restricting portion via the detent pin, and thus, it is possible to restrict a careless shift operation to the specific shift position.
In this state, when a predetermined release operation is carried out, the detent pin is moved to a position capable of avoiding the restricting portion toward a direction intersecting-with respect to the shifting direction. Therefore, in this state, the restriction of shift operation by the restricting portion is released, and thus, the shift lever can be shifted to the specific shift position.
Subsequently, in this state, when the aforesaid predetermined release operation is further released so as to return the detent pin to a state before the predetermined release operation is carried out, the detent pin is engaged with the lock link so as to displace the lock link, and then, a restriction of rotation of the ignition key by the lock link is released. In this state, the ignition key is rotated to the removal position, and thereby, it is possible to pull out the ignition key from the key device.
According to the present invention, preferably, the shift lever apparatus includes a base member which is provided with the key device, and supports the shift lever so as to shift the shift lever, and further, is formed with the detent portion.
In the shift lever apparatus having the construction as described above, the base member is provided with the key device, and the shift lever is supported to the base member, and further, the aforesaid detent portion is formed in the base member. Namely, in the present invention, the shift lever, the key device and the detent portion are integrally assembled by the base member. Therefore, it is possible to perform an adjustment for the lock link and the detent pin before mounting these members to a vehicle; as a result, assembly of these members to a vehicle can be readily performed.


Process for the recovery of pure hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon mixture, more particularly, a high aromatics content hydrocarbon mixture, by extractive distillation in an extractive distillation column. A first solvent feed for a first sub-flow of a selective solvent is provided between the top part of the column and the bottom part thereof. The selective solvent used is an N-substituted morpholine. Substantially non-aromatics are withdrawn as the raffinate from the head of the extractive distillation column and substantially aromatics and selective solvent are withdrawn as the extract from the sump of the extractive distillation column. A second sub-flow of the selective solvent is introduced via a second solvent feed in the top part of the column above the first solvent feed. The quantity of solvent supplied with the second sub-flow constitutes less than 50% of the total quantity of solvent.

The extractive distillation of different aromatics and non-aromatics contained in hydrocarbon mixtures with an N-substituted morpholine as a selective solvent is used to a significant extent in large-scale plants for the recovery of very pure aromatics.
Reformate gasoline, pyrolysis gasoline or crude coke-oven benzene are particularly used as hydrocarbon mixtures. In addition to various aromatics, these hydrocarbon mixtures also contain nonaromatics, which can include paraffins, cycloparaffins, olefins, diolefins and organic sulphur compounds.
By means of extractive distillation the hydrocarbon mixtures are separated into aromatics, on the one hand, and non-aromatics, on the other hand. To this extent this extractive distillation is suitable both for the recovery of pure aromatics and for the recovery of pure non-aromatics, e.g. olefins and diolefins.
In extractive distillation, the aromatics from the hydrocarbon mixture used are concentrated as the extract with the main quantity of the selective solvent in the sump of the extractive distillation column. The non-aromatics from the hydrocarbon mixture used, on the other hand, are concentrated as the raffinate in the head of the extractive distillation column. However, the result of this is that the raffinate occurring at the head of the extractive distillation column still contains significant solvent residues. This solvent component in the raffinate is largely recovered in these extractive distillation processes in a complex and expensive manner.
In the process described in (DE 40 40 145 A1) by contrast with the other known process, both the extractive distillation and the removal of the solvent residues from the raffinate are performed in a single column. For this purpose, the extractive distillation column comprises an additional top column part and the selective solvent is fed to the extractive distillation column via a solvent feed below this upper part of the column. This solvent introduced flows down over the column trays, and in so doing it entrains the aromatics to the sump of the extractive distillation column. The non-aromatic hydrocarbons from the mixture used, on the other hand, rise in vapor form in the extractive distillation column. The top part of the column above the solvent feed serves to enable the solvent residues to be removed from these non-aromatic hydrocarbons. The process known from DE 40 40 145 A1 has proved to be substantially satisfactory, but is open to improvement.
For example, this known process has disadvantages particularly when the hydrocarbon mixture used has a higher aromatics content, e.g. crude coke-oven benzene having an aromatics content of about 85% of pre-purified benzene having an aromatics content of more than 95%. With hydrocarbon mixtures of this kind, the proportion of non-aromatics is very small in relation to the quantity of selective solvent.
In extractive distillation, the aromatics are entrained to the sump of the extractive distillation column by the selective solvent added from above. The non-aromatics rise, as has already been stated, in vapor form to the head of the extractive distillation column. Individual equilibria occur on the individual trays of the extractive distillation column and are dependent particularly on the temperature and on the concentrations of the substances.
These equilibria are disturbed, in the extractive distillation of the known process by irregularities in the column heating or variations in the predetermined solvent temperature or upon changes in the quantity of solvent supplied. These disturbed equilibria have a significant effect on the extractive distillation of a hydrocarbon mixture which has a very high aromatics content, e.g. prepurified benzene having an aromatics content of more than 95%.
Because of the high aromatics content and the low non-aromatics content, particularly in relation to the quantity of selective solvent used, these fluctuations or disturbances cause the aromatics present in high concentration to be no longer completely entrained into the sump by the selective solvent as a result of disturbed equilibria. In particular, low-boiling benzene, which by comparison with the non-aromatics has a lower boiling temperature, can pass to the top part of the column above the solvent feed. As a result, benzene and other low boiling aromatics can reach the head of the extractive distillation column so that a mixture of aromatics and non-aromatics tends to form at the head of the column. Even a small quantity of aromatics reaching the upper part of the column (above the first solvent feed) because of the above fluctuations results in relatively higher aromatics contents in the raffinate when relatively small quantities of non-aromatics are involved. In addition, the aromatics reaching the column head also have an adverse effect on the aromatics yield.


A routing machine comprises a base unit including an inner surface and a motor unit. The motor unit is releasably positioned in the base unit. The motor unit includes an outer surface engaging the inner surface of the base unit and a clamp mechanism moveable between a clamping position and a release position. The clamp mechanism is configured to apply a clamping force to the outer surface of the motor unit when in the clamping position. A moveable clamp adjustment member is positioned on the base unit. Movement of the clamp adjustment member, when the clamp mechanism is in the clamping position, adjusts the clamping force applied to the outer surface of the motor unit by the clamp mechanism.

Routers are used to remove material from a workpiece for decorative or functional purposes. In particular, routers may be useful in performing cabinetwork, cutting grooves in the surface or edges of a material, and applying a decorative border to a material through fluting or beading. In general, there are two types of routers: standard base routers and plunge base routers. Both types of routers include an electric motor having a rotating output shaft mounted vertically within a housing. The motor shaft terminates with a chuck, clamp, or collet for interchangeably securing a cutting tool, referred to as a router bit, to the shaft. Rotation of the shaft results in rotation of the router bit. Standard base routers and plunge base routers exhibit structural differences that affect the method by which the routers are operated.
Standard base routers include a motor unit coupled to a base having a carriage, two opposing handles, and a substantially planar work engaging surface. The carriage is connected to the top of the work engaging surface. The handles are connected to the carriage and/or the top surface of the work engaging surface. A router bit, coupled to the motor unit, is configured to extend through an opening in the work engaging surface. The distance the router bit extends from the work engaging surface is adjustable depending on the position of the motor unit relative to the carriage. In particular, the carriage may include a plurality of different positions in which the motor unit may be locked. The plurality of positions enables a user to make grooves or cuts of a particular depth, depending on which position is selected. In general, a user operates a standard base router by precisely guiding the rotating router bit around the edges or surface of a workpiece, thereby causing the rotating bit to cut and remove portions of the workpiece at a fixed and predetermined depth.
Plunge base routers include a carriage, two opposing handles, a substantially planar work engaging surface provided on a base plate, and two plunge posts. The plunge posts extend perpendicularly from the base plate and extend into channels formed in the carriage. The carriage is configured to house an electric motor. The rotating shaft of the electric motor extends downward from the carriage toward the base plate. The opposing handles are connected to opposite sides of the carriage. Biasing members are configured to bias the carriage in an upward direction away from the base plate so that the motor shaft and the router bit, if one is attached, are positioned above the base plate, out of contact with a workpiece. A user may apply downward pressure upon the opposing handles, to slide the carriage down the plunge posts toward the workpiece until the router bit extends below the base plate by a predetermined distance. Thus, the term "plunge" refers to the ability of a plunge base router to direct a router bit into contact with a workpiece from the upper position in which the router maintains the rotating router bit above the workpiece, to the lower position in which the router bit is forced into contact with the workpiece. Upon releasing the downward pressure on the handles, the biasing system forces the carriage to slide up the plunge posts to the upper position, thereby removing the router bit from contact with the workpiece.
Some routers, referred to as modular or combination routers, are configured to have a motor unit that may be removably connected to the carriage of a plunge base or the carriage of a standard base. A user may select the plunge base or the standard base depending upon the task to be performed with the router. In particular, a standard base router may be most useful in making cuts or grooves along the outer edges of a workpiece, while a plunge base router may be most useful in making cuts or grooves in the interior surface of a workpiece.
After selecting a base unit, a user should secure the motor unit to the carriage of the desired base unit. Accordingly, base unit carriages include a fastener to secure the motor unit to the carriage. For instance, the base unit may include a fastener having an adjustment mechanism that increases or decreases the amount of force with which the fastener grips the motor unit. However, some users may find the process of adjusting the fastening force inconvenient. For example, with past fasteners there was no way to set the fastening force accurately without employing a trial and error approach. Specifically, a user had to open the fastener, choose a fastener force setting, insert a motor unit, and test the fit. If the fit was too tight or too loose the user had to open the fastener, remove the motor unit from the base unit, and readjust the fastening force until an acceptable fastening force was achieved. Thus, the fastening force adjustment process was laborious, time consuming, and reliant upon the skill and judgment of the user adjusting the fastener. Accordingly, some users may incorrectly adjust the fastening force of past fasteners. For instance, some users may adjust the fastener to apply a larger than necessary fastening force to the motor unit, which could damage the fastening unit and/or the motor unit. While other users may adjust the fastener to apply too loose a fastening force to the motor unit, which might permit the motor unit to rattle or vibrate within the base, resulting in an imprecise cut or groove.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a combination router having a base with a clamp for securing the motor unit to the base unit. It would be further advantageous if the clamp delivered an adjustable force upon the motor unit. It would be still further advantageous to provide a clamp that could apply a predetermined fastening force to the motor unit. Thus, an improved combination router and motor clamp are possible.


A compressor assembly includes a compressor coupled to a motor via a belt drive. The belt drive provides a speed reduction between the motor and compressor and causes the compressor shaft to rotate in the direction opposite that of the motor shaft. The relative values of the mass moments of inertia about the axes of rotation of the rotating motor and compressor shafts are engineered to be inversely proportional to the relative shaft speeds, allowing the mass moments of inertia to be balanced to at least substantially eliminate torsional vibration.

Traditional positive displacement (reciprocating piston) compressor assemblies include a compressor coupled to a motor using belt drive or direct drive mechanisms which transfer power from the motor to the compressor for reciprocating the piston (or pistons) of the compressor. Conventionally, in such belt drive and direct drive configurations, the drive shaft of the motor (herein after referred to as the motor shaft) and the crank shaft of the compressor (hereinafter referred to as the compressor shaft) turn in the same direction to simplify the drive train of the compressor assembly.
A significant problem with reciprocating piston compressors is that the torque of the compressor shaft varies significantly during rotation of the shaft (i.e., reciprocation of the piston) causing excessive torsional vibration of the compressor assembly. In the past, three common methods have been used for reducing such torsional vibration. The first of these methods was to divide the compressor displacement into several smaller piston/cylinder assemblies. The second method was to increase the size and moment of inertia of the compressor flywheel. These solutions add cost and size to the compressor and have practical upper limits. The third method involved increasing compressor speed. However, this solution also generates excessive noise and increases reciprocating imbalance. Moreover, the effectiveness of all three solutions is limited to reduction rather than elimination of torsional vibration and requires compromise between the types of imbalance and noise reduction.
Consequently, it is desirable to provide a compressor assembly having a reciprocating piston compressor driven by a motor, wherein torsional vibration in the compressor assembly is greatly reduced or eliminated.

Compressor assembly having counter rotating motor and compressor shafts


A method for transmitting a push message includes determining at least one mode in PTM bearer modes for a received push message; adapting respectively, for the push message, a transmission bearer type corresponding to the at least one mode; and transmitting the adapted push message to a terminal through a PTM bearer network corresponding to the transmission bearer type.

The Point To Multipoint (PTM) bearer mode may refer to a broadcast or multicast mode. The application in push technologies is that, when target receiving ends of a push message transmitted by a push initiator (PI) at a network side are multiple terminals, a push server at the network side may transmit the push message in the PTM bearer mode, that is, the broadcast or multicast mode, so as to reduce the burden on the network side.
According to different broadcast and/or multicast technologies involved in the PTM bearer mode, the industry specifically defines the PTM bearer mode as the following modes: a Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) bearer mode corresponding to a CBS, a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) bearer mode corresponding to an MBMS, a Broadcast/Multicast Services (BCMCS) bearer mode corresponding to a BCMCS, and a mobile broadband digital broadcast/multicast service (Mobile Broadcast Service, BCAST) bearer mode corresponding to a mobile broadband digital broadcast/multicast service.
The push message of which the target receiving ends are multiple terminals may be transmitted to the multiple terminals in the PTM bearer mode, that is, one or more of the CBS bearer mode, the MBMS bearer mode, the BCMCS bearer mode and the BCAST bearer mode.
In the process of transmitting the push message through PTM bearer, the inventors find that the prior art at least has the following problems. Although the industry defines the modes applicable for PTM bearer such as the CBS bearer mode, the MBMS bearer mode, the BCMCS bearer mode and the BCAST bearer mode, the industry does not define the process of transmitting push messages for different uses by adopting an appropriate PTM bearer mode. Because each PTM bearer mode involves different technologies, and many technologies may provide the broadcast and multicast service, each PTM bearer mode must have a respective scenario or an application range for service implementation. However, the prior art fails to provide a process of transmitting a push message by adopting an appropriate PTM bearer mode when multiple PTM bearer modes coexist.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method, device and system for transmitting a push message


A vehicle air-conditioning device includes a compressor 2, a radiator 4, an outdoor heat exchanger 7, a first heat medium circulating device 61 to let a first heat medium circulate in a heat medium heating heater 66, and a second heat medium circulating device 62 to let a second heat medium circulate in a battery 55. The first heat medium circulating device has a first heat medium heat exchanging unit 65A which exchanges heat between a refrigerant and the first heat medium. The second heat medium circulating device has a second heat medium heat exchanging unit 65B which exchanges heat between the first heat medium and the second heat medium.

Due to actualization of environmental problems in recent years, hybrid cars and electric vehicles each of which drives a motor for running by power supplied from a battery have spread. Further, as an air conditioning device which is applicable to such a vehicle, there has been developed an air conditioning device which includes a refrigerant circuit to which a compressor to compress and discharge a refrigerant, a radiator disposed on a vehicle interior side to let the refrigerant radiate heat, a heat absorber disposed on the vehicle interior side to let the refrigerant absorb heat, and an outdoor heat exchanger disposed outside the vehicle interior to let outdoor air flow and let the refrigerant absorb or radiate heat are connected, and which changes and executes a heating mode (a heating operation) to let the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiate heat in the radiator and let the refrigerant from which the heat has been radiated in the radiator absorb heat in the outdoor heat exchanger, and a cooling mode (a cooling operation) to let the refrigerant discharged from the compressor radiate heat in the outdoor heat exchanger and let the refrigerant absorb heat in the heat absorber (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1).
On the other hand, the charge/discharge performance of the battery mounted on the vehicle is lowered under a low temperature environment. In addition, there is a risk that when the charging/discharging of the battery is performed under an environment where the temperature is high due to self-heat generation or the like, its deterioration progresses and soon the battery causes an operation failure to lead to breakage. Therefore, there has also been developed a battery in which a low water temperature loop (heat medium circulating device) that circulates cooling water (heat medium) through the battery is provided to exchange heat between a refrigerant and cooling water (heat medium) circulated in the refrigerant circuit by a chiller (refrigerant-heat medium heat exchanger), and in which the cooling water (heat medium) is heated with a hot water heater (heating device) to adjust the temperature of the battery and further heating assistance can be performed with waste heat from the battery or heating with the hot water heater (heating device) (refer to, for example, Patent Document 2).


Projection lenses for use with pixelized panels, e.g., LCD panels, are provided. The lenses have a large focus range, e.g., a focus range of greater than 0.05 and in many cases greater than 0.1, and a limited (mini) zoom range, e.g., a zoom range of less than 15% (.+-.7.5% from the center of the range). By limiting the zoom range, complex lens structures involving large numbers of lens elements are avoided. In particular, the lenses employ at most one additional lens element and in many cases no additional lens elements compared to non-zooming lenses having a similar focus range.

Projection lens systems (also referred to herein as "projection systems") are used to form an image of an object on a viewing screen. Such systems can be of the front projection or rear projection type, depending on whether the viewer and the object are on the same side of the screen (front projection) or on opposite sides of the screen (rear projection)
The basic structure of a projection lens system for use with a pixelized panel is shown in FIG. 6, where 10 is a light source (e.g., a tungsten-halogen lamp), 12 is illumination optics which forms an image of the light source (hereinafter referred to as the "output" of the illumination system), 14 is the object (pixelized panel) which is to be projected (e.g., a LCD matrix of on and off pixels), and 13 is a projection lens, composed of multiple lens elements, which forms an enlarged image of object 14 on viewing screen 16, e.g., an image which is between 3 and 35 times larger. The system can also include a field lens, e.g., a Fresnel lens, in the vicinity of the pixelized panel to appropriately locate the exit pupil of the illumination system.
For front projection systems, the viewer will be on the left side of screen 16 in FIG. 6, while for rear projection systems, the viewer will be on the right side of the screen. For rear projection systems which are to be housed in a single cabinet, a mirror is often used to fold the optical path and thus reduce the system's overall size.
Projection lens systems in which the object is a pixelized panel are used in a variety of applications, including data display systems. Such projection lens systems preferably employ a single projection lens which forms an image of, for example, a single panel having red, green, and blue pixels. In some cases, e.g., large image rear projection systems, multiple panels and multiple projection lenses are use, with each panel/projection lens combination producing a portion of the overall image.
There exists a need in the art for projection lenses for use with pixelized panels which simultaneously have at least the following properties:
(1) the ability to operate (focus) over a wide range of magnifications (conjugates) while maintaining an efficient coupling to the output of the illumination system and a high level of aberration correction (hereinafter referred to as the "lens' focus range"); PA1 (2) the ability to provide a range of magnifications for any set of conjugates in the lens' focus range while again maintaining an efficient coupling to the output of the illumination system and a high level of aberration correction (hereinafter referred to as the "lens' zoom range"); PA1 (3) a relatively simple construction, i.e., a relatively small number of lens elements; PA1 (4) a high level of color correction; PA1 (5) low distortion; and PA1 (6) low sensitivity to temperature changes. PA1 (A) a first lens unit at the image end of the projection lens, the image end of the unit being separated from the pixelized panel by an axial distance D; and PA1 (B) a second lens unit for zooming located between the first lens unit and the pixelized panel, the image end of this unit being separated from the object end of the first unit by an axial distance D.sub.12 ; PA1 wherein: PA1 (a) an illumination system comprising a light source and illumination optics which forms an image of the light source, said image being the output of the illumination system; PA1 (b) a pixelized panel which comprises the object; and PA1 (c) a projection lens of the type described above, said projection lens having an entrance pupil whose location substantially corresponds to the location of the output of the illumination system.
A projection lens which can efficiently operate over a wide range of magnifications, i.e., a lens which has a large focus range, is desirable since it allows the projection system to be used with screens of different sizes and halls of different dimensions without the need to change any of the components of the system. Only the object and image conjugates need to be changed which can be readily accomplished by moving the lens relative to the pixelized panel. The challenge, of course, is to provide efficient coupling to the output of the illumination system and a high level of aberration correction throughout the operative range of magnifications.
The ability to change the magnification of the image for a given set of image and object conjugates, i.e., the ability to zoom, has similar benefits. In this case, the changes in magnification are used for fine tuning of the image to, for example, fully fill a viewing screen. Also, in the case of rear projection systems employing multiple panels and multiple projection lenses, zooming can be used to minimize magnification variations between different portions of the overall image.
It should be noted that while properties (1) and (2) above, i.e., focusing and zooming, both involve magnification changes, the magnification changes are achieved in fundamentally different ways. Thus, during focusing, the focal length of the lens remains constant as the image and object conjugates change, and the magnification change is a result of the change in the ratio of those conjugates. During zooming, on the other hand, the focal length changes while the image and object conjugates remain constant, and the magnification change is a result of the change in the focal length. (Note that in Tables 1-2 below, the focal lengths shown include the Fresnel lens which remains fixed during focusing (and zooming). As a result, the focal length of the lens appears to change during focusing, when in fact it is remaining constant for the lens elements which move during focusing. Also, the lenses of the tables include means for accommodating for changes in the focus of the lens resulting from zooming. In particular, the tables show some changes in conjugates during zooming which achieve these focus corrections.)
Property (3) above, i.e., a relatively simple construction, is desirable from a cost, weight, and size point of view. Large numbers of lens elements consume more raw materials, weigh more, and are more expensive to build and mount. Accordingly, a lens with a minimum number of lens elements is desired.
As is well known in the art, lenses which are capable of zooming generally employ numerous elements in a complex structure to simultaneously provide focal length changes and aberration correction. Accordingly, properties (2) and (3) above work against one another in arriving at a suitable lens design.
In accordance with the invention, it has been found that a mini-zoom range, e.g., a zoom range in terms of image height at the viewing screen (object height in the tables) of 15% or less (.+-.7.5% or less from the center point of the zoom range), is sufficient to meet the great majority of the zooming needs of users of LCD projection lens systems. Moreover, it has been further found that such mini-zoom ranges can be achieved using simple lens designs which employ at most one additional lens element and, in many cases, no additional lens elements than a fixed focal length design which can achieve a similar image quality over a similar focus range. By means of these aspects of the invention, the incompatibility of properties (2) and (3) has been overcome.
Property (4), i.e., a high level of color correction, is important because color aberrations can be easily seen in the image of a pixelized panel as a smudging of a pixel or, in extreme cases, the complete dropping of a pixel from the image. These problems are typically most severe at the edges of the field.
All of the chromatic aberrations of the system need to be addressed, with lateral color, chromatic variation of coma, and chromatic aberration of astigmatism typically being most challenging. Lateral color, i.e., the variation of magnification with color, is particularly troublesome since it manifests itself as a decrease in contrast, especially at the edges of the field. In extreme cases, a rainbow effect in the region of the full field can be seen.
In projection systems employing cathode ray tubes (CRTs) a small amount of (residual) lateral color can be compensated for electronically by, or example, reducing the size of the image produced on the face of the red CRT relative to that produced on the blue CRT. With a pixelized panel, however, such an accommodation cannot be performed because the image is digitized and thus a smooth adjustment in size across the full field of view is not possible. A higher level of lateral color correction is thus needed from the projection lens.
The use of a pixelized panel to display data leads to stringent requirements regarding the correction of distortion. This is so because good image quality is required even at the extreme points of the field of view of the lens when viewing data. As will be evident, an undistorted image of a displayed number or letter is just as important at the edge of the field as it is at the center. Moreover, projection lenses are often used with offset panels, the lenses of the examples being designed for such use. In such a case, the distortion at the viewing screen does not vary symmetrically about a horizontal line through the center of the screen but can increase monotonically from, for example, the bottom to the top of the screen. This effect makes even a small amount of distortion readily visible to the viewer.
Low distortion and a high level of color correction are particularly important when an enlarged image of a WINDOWS type computer interface is projected onto a viewing screen. Such interfaces with their parallel lines, bordered command and dialog boxes, and complex coloration, are in essence test patterns for distortion and color. Users readily perceive and object to even minor levels of distortion or color aberration in the images of such interfaces.
In order to produce an image of sufficient brightness, a substantial amount of light must pass through the projection lens. As a result, a significant temperature difference normally exists between room temperature and the lens' operating temperature. In addition, the lens needs to be able to operate under a variety of environmental conditions. For example, projection lens systems are often mounted to the ceiling of a room, which may comprise the roof of a building where the ambient temperature can be substantially above 40.degree. C. To address these effects, a projection lens whose optical properties are relatively insensitivity to temperature changes is needed.
One way to address the temperature sensitivity problem is to use lens elements composed of glass. Compared to plastic, the radii of curvature and the index of refraction of a glass element generally change less than those of a plastic element. However, glass elements are generally more expensive than plastic elements, especially if aspherical surfaces are needed for aberration control. They are also heavier. As described below, plastic elements can be used and temperature insensitivity still achieved provided the powers and locations of the plastic elements are properly chosen.
The projection lenses described below achieve all of the above requirements and can be successfully used in producing relatively low cost projection lens systems capable of forming a high quality color image of a pixelized panel on a viewing screen.

Mini-zoom projection lenses for use with pixelized panels


A new cultivar of Cannabis plant named ‘MOC20P01’ that is characterized by about 1% THC and about 16% CBD by dry weight.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) cultivar designated as 'MOC20P01'.
'MOC20P01' is a selection resulting from a controlled cross of female Cannabis sativa cultivar 'Nollia' (Buddha's Sister Seed #35, 'MOB19P01'; not patented) and male Cannabis sativa cultivar of uncertain background referred to as Med #1 Seed #1 (no agricultural ID; not patented). Crosses were made in June and September 2017, and the cultivar was first coned for flowering in March, 2018. The plants were grown in an indoor Cannabis facility in Markham, Ontario, Canada. The plants were flowered under standard indoor environment conditions with High Pressure Sodium (HPS) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps with automatic ebb and flow irrigation.
Seeds from the cross were sown in the same facility in Markham, Ontario, Canada, and plants were screened for a number of traits including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) levels, yield, flowering time, disease resistance, flower morphology, consistency, terpene content, and aroma. An individual plant was selected and named 'MOC20P01'.
In March 2018, 'MOC20P01' was first asexually propagated by apical stem cuttings approximately 10 cm long and having multiple auxiliary meristems, in Markham, Ontario, Canada. 'MOC20P01' is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction. This cultivar produces high CBD levels, an increased CBD to THC ratio, which permits a relatively high production and extraction efficiency for CBD from a given growing environment.


A robust polyurethane liner is disclosed for solid propellant rocket motors which is insensitive to large variations in stoichiometry, exhibits increased cohesive strength and, when used in combination with a unique two coat (wet coat) liner process described below, modifies the ballistic properties of the adjacent interfacial propellant layer. The liner compositions include a polymeric binder having a plurality of reactive hydroxyl functional groups and a curing agent having a plurality of reactive isocyanate functional groups. The quantity of binder and curing agent is selected such that the NCO/OH ratio is in the range from 1.5 to 4.5. Diisocyanate curing agents are particularly useful. A bonding agent, such as a polyfunctional aziridine compound, is typically present in the liner composition in an amount ranging from about 3% to about 5%, by weight. An oligomer catalyst is included in the liner composition in an amount ranging from about 15% to about 50%, by weight. Diammonium phosphate ((NH.sub.4).sub.2 HPO.sub.4) functions as an oligomer catalyst and as a ballistic modifier to inhibit propellant burn rate when the liner is cured concurrently with the propellant. A colorant, such as rhodamine B, may optionally be included to assist in determining coverage or thickness of the liner coating.

Rocket motors employing solid propellants typically include a rigid outer casing or shell; a heat insulating layer (insulation) bonded to the inner surface of the casing; a liner layer (liner) bonded to the insulating layer; and a solid propellant grain bonded to the liner, the insulation is generally fabricated from a composition capable of withstanding the high temperature gases produced when the propellant grain burns, thus, protecting the case. The liner is an elastomeric composition which must bond the propellant grain to the insulation and to any uninsulated portions of the case, as well as inhibit interfacial burning.
Polyurethane liners, used in a large number of rocket motors, are very sensitive to variations in stoichiometry, i.e., the isocyanate/hydroxy equivalents ratio (NCO/OH). They are typically formulated at an NCO/OH ratio between 1.0 and 1.5. A slight excess of isocyanate (NCO) is required to compensate for curative diffusion into the insulation, the presence of moisture which is reactive with isocyanates, and other process variables which may reduce the isocyanate presence, the liner becomes very soft and/or does not cure at NCO/OH ratios of less than 1.0 or greater than 1.5. Process variables such as moisture contamination, relative humidity, ingredient migration (diffusion), weighing errors, misformulation and other parameters which may directly or indirectly affect the NCO/OH ratio can greatly alter liner properties. NCO/OH ratio variations as small as 0.10 from nominal can result in a soft, degraded propellant to liner to insulation bondline, bond failure and potential motor malfunction. Very rigorous process controls must therefore be imposed with polyurethane liners in order to maintain critical bondline integrity.
A second function of the liner is to inhibit the burning surface of the propellant grain when the interface is exposed to the flame front. There are several basic propellant grain configurations. The two most commonly used configurations are the center perforated grain and the end burning grain. In the center perforated grain configuration, the flame front advances radially from the center perforation to the outer casing. The insulating layer and liner are not exposed to the flame front or hot gases until near the end of motor firing in this configuration. In the end burning grain configuration, the flame front advances axially from the nozzle end of the motor to the forward dome. The insulation and liner are directly exposed to the hot combustion gases as the flame front advances in this configuration. The insulation in the aft section of the motor has the longest exposure time and the insulation in the forward section has the least exposure time.
End burning propellant grains are particularly sensitive to interfacial burn rate gradients since the flame front advancement is perpendicular to the interface. These interfacial burn rate gradients cause the propellant to burn at a different rate near the liner bondline. Interfacial ballistics are complex in nature but are believed to be a function of several factors including propellant ingredient diffusion, particle alignment and/or particle size stratification during propellant casting, and localized radiant/convective heat transfer conditions at the liner interface.
Propellant ingredient diffusion into the liner changes the propellant composition and therefore the burn rate at the liner interface. Curative and plasticizer diffusion, for example, results in a higher solids and therefore a higher burn rate propellant at the interface. Conversely, burn rate catalyst diffusion results in a catalyst deficient and, therefore, a slower burning propellant at the interface. Particle size distribution changes at the interface and preferential alignment of solid particulate ingredients with a length to diameter ratio greater than one during propellant casting typically result in a propellant burn rate gradient near the liner interface. Localized heat transfer conditions can also affect propellant temperature and burn rate at the interface.
It is undesirable to have large and uncontrolled propellant burn rate gradients in a rocket motor design. Burn rate gradients result in progressive changes in propellant burning surface area, chamber pressure, motor thrust and, in the case of end burning grains, unpredictable insulation exposure times. Motor design and performance are therefore somewhat unpredictable and exhibit a high degree of variability. In extreme cases, severe burn rate gradients have resulted in motor malfunction.
From the foregoing, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide a solid rocket motor propellant liner which is insensitive to large variations in stoichiometry, which is insensitive to adverse process conditions including high relative humidity, residual moisture in liner ingredients and residual moisture in the insulation substrate, and which is able to modify and/or control the ballistic properties of the adjacent interfacial propellant layer. It would also be a significant advancement in the art to provide an in situ labeling technique for liner application monitoring and control.
Such solid rocket motor propellant liner compositions are disclosed and claimed herein.

Robust propellant liner and interfacial propellant burn rate control