A rotary operation unit capable of reducing operation sounds without lowering operability and operation feeling. A rotary operation member of the rotary operation unit is supported for rotary operation by a dial base and is formed with a receiving recess. In the receiving recess, a click ball is received in a state being in contact with concave-convex portions formed in the dial base at intervals of a predetermined angle in order to provide a click feeling, and a click spring for urging the click ball is also received. A dial cap is attached to the rotary operation member such as to close an opening face of the receiving recess of the rotary operation member, whereby the receiving recess is tightly closed by the dial base and the dial cap.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary operation unit that is capable of reducing operation sounds and relates to an electronic apparatus having the rotary operation unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic image pickup apparatus such as a digital camera is generally configured to receive and photoelectrically convert a photographic light flux by an imaging device such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor, convert an electrical signal output from the imaging device into image data, and store the image data into a recording medium such as a memory card. The image pickup apparatus has rotary operation members for setting photographing conditions and other information.
By operating the rotary operation members, the user can set modes and commands. In a photographing standby state, the user can change setting values of shutter speed and aperture value.
Such a rotary operation member is used in an information setting apparatus for a camera. An information setting apparatus disclosed e.g. in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-87622 has a mechanism where a click ball is pressed by a click spring against concaves and convexes formed at an outer periphery of a rotatable click plate, thereby providing a click feeling to improve operability and operation feeling.
In recent years, there has been increasing the need for a moving-image photographing function in electronic image pickup apparatuses such as digital single-lens reflex cameras. There has also been demanded a reduction of operation sounds of operation member which are produced at the time of moving-image photographing. On this point, the information setting apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-87622 poses a problem that when the click plate is operated, the click spring and the click ball exposed inside the camera collide with each other to produce large operation sounds.

Rotary operation unit capable of reducing operation sounds and electronic apparatus having the same


A sulky for a self propelled, outdoor power equipment unit, such as a wide area mower or WAM, comprises independent left and right foot platforms to support a standing operator. A ground engaging caster wheel is carried on each foot platform to allow the foot platforms to roll over the ground during operation of the mower. The foot platforms are mounted to the mower by an axle with each foot platform being pivotally carried on the axle using a separate pivot hub. Thus, the foot platforms can pitch up and down separately from one another during operation of the mower over uneven terrain. Latches are provided for selectively holding the foot platforms in raised transport positions.

This invention relates to a sulky for a self propelled, outdoor power equipment unit, such as a walk behind lawn mower, to allow the operator to ride behind the unit rather than having to walk behind the unit. More particularly, this invention relates to a sulky that supports the operator in a standing position behind the outdoor power equipment unit.
In the turf care industry, relatively large lawn mowers are known for mowing a wide swath of grass. A mower of this type is often referred to as a Wide Area Mower or by the corresponding acronym WAM. The mower comprises a self propelled traction frame supported for movement over the ground by a pair of rear drive wheels and a pair of front support wheels. A cutting deck housing a plurality of rotary cutting blades is suspended from the traction frame.
This mower also includes a handle assembly that extends upwardly and rearwardly from the traction frame. The handle assembly includes various operational controls that permit an operator to steer the traction frame and control the cutting blades housed on the cutting deck. The operator typically walks behind the mower during the cutting operation while holding the handle assembly to thereby guide and operate the mower. U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,558 shows a WAM of this general type.
Mowers of this type are often used by commercial cutters or by individual owners who cut relatively large tracts of grass. Even though the cutting swath is relatively wide, it still can take considerable time to cut a particular tract of grass. Walking behind the mower can become tiring. Thus, a need was recognized in the art to permit the operator to operate this type of mower without having to walk behind the unit.
To meet this need, various sulkies have been developed and sold for attachment to WAM""s and similar implements. When such sulkies are so attached, they permit the operator to ride behind the mower, either in a sitting or standing position, but most typically in a standing position. Such sulkies are not themselves powered, but utilize the self propelling action of the mower to pull the sulky. As a result, the operator no longer must walk behind the mower, but, in effect, is towed by the mower as the mower propels itself over the tract of grass being cut.
Known prior art sulkies for standing operators typically comprise a wheeled platform on which the operator stands with the platform being hitched or coupled to the WAM. However, the ground being traversed by the mower is often uneven so that one side of the mower and the trailing sulky will rise or fall relative to the other side of the mower and the sulky. For example, one side of the mower and sulky might pass over a bump in the ground while the other side of the mower and sulky remains on level ground. Or, an operator might drive the mower at an angle up over a curb such that the wheels on one side of the mower and sulky rise up over the curb before the corresponding wheels on the other side of the mower and sulky rise up over the curb. Consequently, the mower and sulky will often roll about a longitudinal axis as the mower moves forwardly.
The side-to-side tilting of the sulky platform is something that tends to throw or rock the operator from side-to-side during the operation of the mower. The operator must anticipate the motion of the sulky platform and maintain his or her balance on the sulky platform. This requires some attention physical effort on the part of the operator. Thus, while conventional sulkies are effective in relieving the need for the operator to walk behind the mower, many operators find it very tiring to use sulkies having a sulky platform on which the operator stands.
One aspect of this invention relates to a sulky for a self propelled, outdoor power equipment unit to allow a standing operator to ride behind the outdoor power equipment unit as the outdoor power equipment unit is driven over the ground. The sulky comprises a pair of foot platforms with each foot platform being sized to receive one foot of the operator thereon such that the operator is supported in a standing position with one foot on one foot platform and the other foot on the other foot platform. At least one ground engaging wheel or roller is carried on each foot platform to allow the foot platforms to roll over the ground. A substantially horizontal pivot is provided on each foot platform to pivotally connect the foot platform to the outdoor power equipment unit such that each foot platform is able to pitch up and down relative to the outdoor power equipment unit as the outdoor power equipment unit traverses uneven terrain. The foot platform pivots are independent of one another to permit the foot platforms to pitch up and down independently of one another.
Another aspect of this invention relates to a sulky for a self propelled, outdoor power equipment unit. The sulky comprises independent left and right foot platforms which support a standing operator. At least one ground engaging wheel or roller is provided on each foot platform to allow the foot platforms to roll over the ground. A means is provided for pivotally connecting the foot platforms to the outdoor power equipment unit to provide independent pivoting motion of the foot platforms relative to one another.


A liquid crystal display device includes a red sub-pixel having a first area, a green sub-pixel having a second area, a blue sub-pixel having a third area, a white sub-pixel having a fourth area, and a backlight supplying a light to the red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels. The fourth area is smaller than the third area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and a display device, and more particularly, to an RGBW type liquid crystal display device having red, green, blue, white sub-pixels.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the past, a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a television monitor has been used as a display device. More recently, a flat panel display device, such as a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), a field emission display, and an electro-luminescence display (ELD), has been used as a display device. Of those devices, a liquid crystal device is used because it is thin, lightweight, and consumes low power. A liquid crystal display device displays video information with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix structure. In general, a pixel has red, green, and blue sub-pixels.
FIG. 1 is a view of an RGB stripe type display device according to related art. In FIG. 1, gate and data lines "GL" and "DL" cross each other to define a sub-pixel region. Red, green, blue sub-pixels "R", "G", and "B" are arranged along a row, and constitute a pixel.
In general, the RGB stripe type display device has been used. In addition to an RGB stripe type, an RGB delta type and an RGB mosaic type may be adapted to a liquid crystal display device. Nowadays, an RGBW type liquid crystal display device having R, G, and B sub-pixels and further a white sub-pixel W is being used.
FIG. 2 is a view of an RGBW quad-type display device having red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels according to related art. In FIG. 2, red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels "R", "G", "B", and "W" constitute a pixel "P." A plurality of pixels "P" are arranged in a matrix structure. The RGBW quad-type liquid crystal display device has a higher white brightness than the RGB stripe type liquid crystal display device because of the additional white sub-pixel "W" in the RGBW quad-type liquid crystal display.
FIG. 3 depicts spectrum of the transmittances of the related art RGB type and RGBW type liquid display devices, respectively. In FIG. 3, light of wavelength higher than 500 nm has higher transmittance than light of wavelength lower than 500 nm. Accordingly, when RGB and RGBW type liquid crystal display devices operate at the same backlight color temperature, the RGBW type liquid crystal display device has a yellow-shifted white color coordinate in CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage) chromatic diagram.
TABLE 1 displays variations in color coordinates of the RGB and RGBW types liquid crystal display devices corresponding to various backlight color temperatures according to the related art. In TABLE 1, when RGB and RGBW types liquid crystal display devices operate with same backlight color temperature, the RGBW type liquid crystal display device has higher white color coordinate values than the RGB liquid crystal display device.
TABLE 1Temperature of a backlight6961 K7520 K8293 KColor coordinate ofxyxyxya back light0.3100.2980.3060.2910.2980.286RGB typeWhite0.3160.3280.3100.3210.3030.317Red0.6100.4690.6090.4670.6040.465Green0.3060.4580.3020.4550.3030.455Blue0.1470.1190.1460.1160.1460.115RGBW typeWhite0.3250.3320.3190.3250.3130.321Red0.6050.4660.6040.4640.5980.461Green0.3060.4560.3020.4540.3030.453Blue0.1490.1220.1480.1180.1480.117
The related art RGB and RGBW types liquid crystal display devices suffer from the following problem. For the white color coordinate value of the RGBW liquid crystal display device to match the white color coordinate value of the RGB liquid crystal display device, the backlight of the RGBW liquid crystal display device should have a higher color temperature than the backlight of the RGB liquid crystal display device. For example, referring to TABLE 1, when a backlight of the RGB liquid crystal display device has color temperature of 6919K, and a backlight of the RGBW liquid crystal display device has color temperature of 8293K, the RGBW liquid crystal display device has substantially same white color coordinate value as the RGB liquid crystal display device.


A radio frequency module includes: a module substrate including a first principal surface and a second principal surface opposite to each other; a plurality of external-connection terminals (e.g., a plurality of post electrodes) disposed on the second principal surface; a semiconductor component disposed on the second principal surface and including a first low-noise amplifier and/or a second low-noise amplifier; and a metal member set at a ground potential and covering at least part of a surface of the semiconductor component, the surface being opposite to a surface that faces the module substrate.

In mobile communication devices such as mobile phones, the number of circuit elements included in radio frequency front-end circuits increases with the progress particularly in multiband communications. Against this backdrop, it is increasingly difficult to reduce the size of radio frequency modules.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-040602 discloses a semiconductor module including a double-sided mounting substrate which enables the downsizing of the module.

Radio frequency module and communication device


A light emitting device is provided in which reduction of recombinations in a light emitting element is prevented by using a low-resistant electrode structure. A light emitting device of the present invention has a light emitting element composed of first and second electrodes and an organic compound layer that is sandwiched between the first and second electrodes, and the device is characterized in that one of the first and second electrodes has a transparent conductive film, a transparent conductive resin formed on the transparent conductive film, and a plurality of conductors formed on the transparent conductive resin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting device with a light emitting element that has a film containing an organic compound that emits fluorescent light or phosphorescent light upon application of electric field (the film is hereinafter referred to as organic compound layer), and to a method of manufacturing the light emitting device.
In the present invention, a light emitting element is an element that has an organic compound layer between a pair of electrodes and the term light emitting device includes an image display device which uses this organic light emitting element. Also, the following modules are all included in the definition of the light emitting device: a module obtained by attaching to a light emitting element a connector such as an anisotropic conductive film (FPC: flexible printed circuit), a TAB (tape automated bonding) tape, or a TCP (tape carrier package); a module in which a printed wiring board is provided at an end of the TAB tape or the TCP; and a module in which an IC (integrated circuit) is directly mounted to a light emitting element by the COG (chip on glass) method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light emitting devices, which are characterized by their thinness and light-weight, fast response, and direct current low voltage driving, are expected to develop into next-generation flat panel displays. Among light emitting devices, ones having light emitting elements arranged to form a matrix are considered to be particularly superior to conventional liquid crystal display devices for their wide viewing angle and excellent visibility.
It is said that light emitting elements emit light through the following mechanism: a voltage is applied between a pair of electrodes that sandwich an organic compound layer, electrons injected from the cathode and holes injected from the anode are re-combined at the luminescent center of the organic compound layer to form molecular excitons, and the molecular excitons return to the base state while releasing energy to cause the light emitting element to emit light. Excitation state includes a singlet exiton and a triplet exiton, and it is considered that luminescence can be made through either excitation state.
Light emitting devices having light emitting elements arranged to form a matrix can employ passive matrix driving (simple matrix light emitting devices), active matrix driving (active matrix light emitting devices), or other driving methods. If the pixel density is large, active matrix light emitting devices in which each pixel has a switch are considered to be advantageous because they can be driven with low voltage.
In an active matrix light emitting device, a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as TFT) is formed on an insulating surface, an interlayer insulating film is formed over the TFT, and an anode of the light emitting element is formed to be electrically connected to the TFT through the interlayer insulating film. The material suitable for the anode is a transparent conductive material having a large work function, typically, ITO (indium tin oxide).
An organic compound layer is formed on the anode. The organic compound layer includes a hole injection layer, a hole transporting layer, a light emitting layer, a blocking layer, an electron transporting layer, an electron injection layer, etc. The organic compound layer may be a single layer that emits light, or may have a combination of the above-mentioned layers.
After forming the organic compound layer, a cathode is formed to complete the light emitting element. The laminate of the anode, cathode, and organic compound layer corresponds to the light emitting element. The material used to form the cathode is a metal having a small work function (typically a metal belonging to Group 1 or 2 in the periodic table) or an alloy containing the metal.
A first insulating layer is formed from an organic resin material to cover an end of the anode. The first insulating layer is provided to prevent short circuit between the anode and the cathode that is formed after the anode is formed.
The transparent conductive film used as the anode transmits visible light and therefore allows light emitted from the organic compound layer to pass therethrough. However, the transparent conductive film has a drawback of high resistivity compared to the resistivity of a metal. High film resistance of the anode formed of the transparent conductive film brings difficulty to injection of carriers and lowers the number of carriers that are re-combined in the light emitting element. Less recombinations in the light emitting element correspond to the light emission mechanism of the light emitting element ceasing to function. As a result, the light emitting element cannot emit light at a desired luminance.

Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A computing system comprises a processor, a data storage unit, and a block size table (BST). The processor includes at least one cache configured to store data. The data storage unit is configured to store data in a compressed format in fixed size units. The BST is configured to store block size entries corresponding to data blocks stored in the data storage unit. In response to a miss in the cache corresponding to a target data block, the processor is configured to identify an entry in the BST corresponding to the target data block, utilize information stored in the entry to determine the location of the target data block in the data storage unit, and cause the target data block to be retrieved from the data storage unit, decompressed, and stored in the cache.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to computing systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for compression in a memory system.
2. Description of Related Art
Over the years, processor speeds have increased at a faster rate than that of memory. Consequently, the gap between the speed of the processor and memory has widened and memory access latencies are of increasing concern. While cache hierarchy research is ongoing, computer architects have generally addressed this speed gap problem by simply adding more memory resources. As a result this approach, the size of caches and the amount of main memory, particularly in server systems, has increased steadily over the last decades. Therefore, techniques that utilize memory resources more effectively are of increasing importance as they may reduce the cost and the space consumed by memory resources.
One approach to more effective use of memory resources involves utilizing compression. For example, lossless data compression techniques have been used to utilize main memory resources more effectively. To be effective, however, these methods operate on relatively large data chunks, typically in the range of page sizes. Consequently, such techniques may be less effective for compressing data at the granularity of typical cache block sizes. Another technique uses significance-based compression (SBC) algorithms for compression of data chunks in the range of typical cache block sizes. However, none of the above techniques is directed to the use of simple compression techniques on memory-level data

System and method for memory compression


A physical environment is equipped with a plurality of sensors (e.g., motion sensors). As individuals perform various activities within the physical environment, sensor readings are received from one or more of the sensors. Based on the sensor readings, activities being performed by the individuals are recognized and the sensor data is labeled based on the recognized activities. Future activity occurrences are predicted based on the labeled sensor data. Activity prompts may be generated and/or facility automation may be performed for one or more future activity occurrences.

Smart environments (e.g., homes or other environments fitted with a plurality of sensors) are currently being used for a variety of uses including, for example, medical monitoring, energy efficiency, and ubiquitous computing applications. Using smart environments, sensor data can be gathered and analyzed to recognize activities (e.g., activities of daily living), and this activity data can be used in various applications including, for example, security systems and computer games. Activity recognition focuses on identifying and labeling activities that have occurred in the past or may be occurring in the present.
Activity recognition data can be used to consider activity prediction and activity prompting. Existing activity prediction techniques are typically implemented to predict the next activity that will occur within a smart environment. Existing activity prompting applications typically require manual input of a user's daily schedule or predefined activity steps.


A device for converting a fuel including solid components, known as a solid fuel, into a gaseous fuel, includes a pyrolysis zone (2) for pyrolyzing solid fuel, having pyrolysis elements that are capable of decomposing the solid fuel into a pyrolysis gas and into a solid pyrolysis residue, known as coke, and a combustion zone (3), which is distinct from the pyrolysis zone (2), for burning the pyrolysis gas and having combustion elements (31, 32, 33). The device also includes elements for circulating pyrolysis gas from the pyrolysis zone (2) to the combustion zone (3), which is surrounded by the pyrolysis zone (2).

1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the gasification of fuels comprising solid components.
More particularly, the invention relates to a device for converting a fuel comprising solid components, known as a solid fuel, into a gaseous fuel, said device comprising:                a pyrolysis zone for the pyrolyzing solid fuel, comprising pyrolysis means that are capable of decomposing said solid fuel into a pyrolysis gas and into a solid pyrolysis residue, known as coke; and
2. Description of the Related Art                a combustion zone, which is distinct from the pyrolysis zone, for burning said pyrolysis gas and comprising combustion means.
Said gaseous fuel obtained with the aid of such a device is an energetic gas, generally termed syngas, which can be used to drive appropriate equipment such as engines, turbines, or even fuel cells. However, syngas often contains tars, and equipment suitable for being supplied with syngas has a low threshold of tolerance to tar. Beyond a corresponding tolerance threshold, condensation of tar in such equipment causes rapid deterioration of said equipment.
Specific gas treatment units exist that can be used to reduce the quantity of tar remaining in the syngas. However, such treatment units are bulky and expensive.
Devices known as staged gasification devices are known in the art; they comprise a pyrolysis zone and a distinct combustion zone. The gasifier from the Danish manufacturer TK Energi AS is an example. A device of that type can be used to reduce the tar content in the syngas obtained because the pyrolysis and combustion steps are partially separated out.
However, in such a known prior art device, a portion of the solid fuel is burned in order to provide the heat necessary for pyrolysis. Direct combustion of a solid of that type results in a loss of the energy efficiency of the device, as well as in the emission of polluting gases, for example dioxins.
Further, said pyrolysis and combustion zones are arranged for positioning end-to-end, and so the coke obtained from pyrolysis of the fuel passes through the combustion zone in order to form a reduction bed in the reduction zone, which means that the device becomes very bulky and the risk of polluting emissions is increased. Finally, the arrangement of the pyrolysis and combustion zones in such devices causes large energy losses in the combustion zone, which is not beneficial to the pyrolysis zone.
US2009/282738 discloses a device for converting a solid fuel into a gaseous fuel, which device comprises a pyrolysis zone and a combustion zone provided with combustion means.
However, in the device of document US2009/282738, the solid fuel is burned in the combustion zone and the combustion gases then circulate in the pyrolysis zone.
Thus, the device of that document US2009/282738 generates the same problem as that proposed by the Danish manufacturer TK Energi AS, which burns solid fuel to add energy. Such combustion of solid fuel generates polluting emissions and leads to a loss of energy efficiency.
Further, the solution in that document US2009/282738 is not aimed at obtaining an energetic gas, but rather a pyrolysis oil. It is then necessary to burn solid fuel in the combustion zone throughout the operation of the device in order to provide the additional heat required to carry out the pyrolysis reaction.
Document WO02/40618 A1 describes a device comprising a central pyrolysis zone surrounded by a combustion zone. Such a configuration can be used to transmit part of the heat obtained from combustion to the pyrolysis zone, but large losses of heat have been observed from the combustion zone to the outside of the device. Thus, heat recovery by the pyrolysis zone is not optimized.
The aim of the present invention is to propose a device for converting a solid fuel into a gaseous fuel that can be used to limit heat losses from the combustion zone out of the device and to improve heat recovery by the pyrolysis zone.


A talking, soft football for young children, which when caught by a player then emits an audible voice message or crowd roar sounds appropriate to the game of football. The football is formed by an elliptical casing of flexible plastic enclosing a core of compressible material. Nested in a cavity in the core is an electronic module, access to which is had by way of a longitudinal slit in the casing that is closable by a lacing so that the soft football looks like a regulation football. Housed in the module at one side thereof adjacent the inner surface of the casing are a miniature loudspeaker from which the voice messages and crowd roar sounds are emitted, and a piezoelectric sensor which generates a command signal only when the football is caught by a player and impacts on his hands. Also housed in the module are batteries and an integrated circuit chip powered thereby, the chip being normally quiescent and being activated by the command signal. Included in the chip is a solid-state data memory having digitally stored therein several different voice messages and crowd roar sounds, and readout means, which when the chip is activated then selects at random one of the messages or crowd roar sounds, and decodes and amplifies the selection to yield an audio signal which is applied to the loudspeaker and reproduced thereby.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to soft and safe footballs for young children, and more particularly to a talking football of this type, which when caught by a player then emits a selected voice message or crowd roar sounds so that children who play with this ball experience a sense of participating in a professional game being played in a stadium.
2. Status of Prior Art
The game of football is played on a field by two opposing teams, each having eleven men, play being directed toward advancing a football or pigskin, as it is often called, across the opponent's goal line to score a touchdown. The football is formed by a tough, leather outer casing having an elliptical shape enclosing an inflated bladder which is introduced through a long slit in the casing that is closable by lacing.
In the course of play, the players seek to catch the ball and run with it toward the goal line. But if the ball carrier fumbles and loses possession of the ball, an opposing player may recover the ball and run with it in the opposite direction. Blocking and tackling techniques are used to intercept a player carrying the ball. As a consequence, football is one of the most rugged sports and dictates that the players wear protective gear such as helmets, kidney guards, and hip and shoulder braces.
Regulation football is therefore not a game suitable for young children. Yet many of these children are enthusiastic spectators at professional and collegiate football games played in stadiums and take delight in the roar of the crowd when a touchdown is scored and in other exciting incidents which take place in the course of play.
In order to make it possible for young children to play a simplified version of football which requires no protective gear, yet is safe to play, now available for this purpose are soft footballs. These have the same appearance as a regulation football, but in a somewhat smaller scale. In a soft football, instead of a leather outer casing, use is made of a casing formed of soft, flexible plastic material that is easy for a child to grip, and instead of an inflatable bladder, the casing encloses a compressible core of cotton batting or sponge-like, flexible foam plastic material. While a soft football of this type can be manipulated, thrown and kicked like a regulation football, it is altogether innocuous and will inflict no injury when striking a child.
Though children enjoy playing with a soft football in a manner imitating a real game, they do not then experience the excitement of a real game; for what is lacking is the roar of the crowd and the verbal exclamations from those participating in the game, such as "Touchdown," "Great Catch," "Fumble," and "Penalty." The sounds which accompany a real game of football are inseparable from the overall game experience; hence, the absence of these sounds is like watching a football game on TV with the sound turned off.
With a view to enlivening ball play for children, it is known in the prior art to provide balls which emit sounds or produce light effects when the ball is caught by a player. Thus, the 1989 U.K. patent publication GB 2,213,069 discloses a rubber play ball that incorporates a battery-operated sound board and a loudspeaker coupled thereto, as well as an impact sensor that activates the sound board, so that when the ball is caught, the speaker then emits a "bang" sound.
The 1989 Rumsey U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,141, discloses a play ball that produces a tone whose pitch depends on the orientation of the ball. Also disclosing balls which produce different tones are the 1988 Rumsey U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,134, and the 1987 Rumsey U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,260. The 1971 Speeth U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,575, shows a ball that incorporates colored lamps which are turned on upon impact, the lamp activated depending on the point of impact.
Of greatest prior art interest is the 1986 Shishido U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,200. This discloses a sound-emitting ball having an inflated bladder and provided with an impact sensor and an LSI speech system which includes a ROM for digitally storing the voice messages, ONCE, TWICE and so on. These sounds are produced in sequence, depending on how many times the ball is caught.
In practical terms, the drawback of the Shishido arrangement is that the voice message to be generated when the ball is caught is always predictable, for a player knows in advance that having heard ONCE in his previous catch, he will inevitably hear TWICE on his next catch. Hence, the ball quickly loses its novelty and the player's interest wanes, for the ball lacks the element of surprise.
Another drawback of prior art balls which emit sounds is that the impact sensor and the components of the sound storage and playback system are discrete elements which are distributed within the ball, as a consequence of which the ball is relatively difficult to assemble.


The stimulable phosphor panel includes a rigid substrate, a stimulable phosphor layer formed on the rigid substrate and a transparent moisture-resistant protective layer formed on the stimulable phosphor layer. The stimulable phosphor layer is housed and sealed in an airtight area formed between the rigid substrate and the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer. The panel further includes a buffer space communicating with the airtight area capable of expansion/contraction. The buffer space is defined by a recess formed in the substrate, a ventilation hole connecting the recess with the airtight area and being formed in the substrate, and a flexible sheet covering an opening of the recess. Or, the buffer space has a volume variable within a range from 1/10 to twice of a sum of a spatial volume of the airtight area and a volume of the buffer space at 1 atm.

The present invention relates to a technical field of stimulable phosphor panels and, more specifically, a stimulable phosphor panel with a transparent moisture-resistant protective layer for sealing a stimulable phosphor layer therewith.
There are known a class of phosphors which accumulate a portion of applied radiations (e.g. x-rays, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, and uv (ultraviolet) radiation) and which, upon stimulation by exciting light such as visible light, give off a burst of light emission in proportion to the accumulated energy. Such phosphors called stimulable phosphors are employed in medical and various other applications.
An exemplary application is a radiographic image information recording and reproducing system which employs a stimulable phosphor panel having a film formed of the stimulable phosphor (stimulable phosphor layer, hereinafter referred to simply as phosphor layer). The stimulable phosphor panel is hereinafter referred to as the phosphor panel and also called the radiographic image conversion sheet. This radiographic image information recording and reproducing system has already been commercialized as FCR (Fuji Computed Radiography) from Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
In that system, a subject such as a human body is irradiated with x-rays or the like to record radiographic image information about the subject on the phosphor panel (more specifically, the phosphor layer). After the radiographic image information is thus recorded, the phosphor panel is scanned two-dimensionally with exciting light such as laser light to produce stimulated emission which, in turn, is read photoelectrically to yield an image signal. Then, an image reproduced on the basis of the read image signal is output as the radiographic image of the subject, typically to a display device such as CRT or on a recording material such as a photographic material.
The phosphor panel is typically produced by the steps of first preparing a coating solution having the particles of a stimulable phosphor dispersed in a solvent containing a binder, etc., applying the coating solution to a support in panel form that is made of glass or resin, and drying the applied coating.
Phosphor panels are also known that are made by forming a phosphor layer on a support through methods of vacuum film deposition (vapor-phase film formation) such as vacuum evaporation or sputtering (see JP 2789194 B and JP 5-249299 A). The phosphor layer prepared by the vacuum film deposition has excellent characteristics. First, it contains less impurities since it is formed under vacuum; further, it is substantially free of any substances other than the stimulable phosphor, as exemplified by the binder, so it has high uniformity in performance and still assures very high luminous efficiency.
One factor for deterioration of characteristics of the phosphor panel is moisture absorption by the stimulable phosphor layer. The stimulable phosphor layer, in particular, the alkali halide-based stimulable phosphor layer having favorable characteristics, has high moisture absorption and easily absorbs moisture even in a normal environment (normal temperature/normal humidity). As a result, deterioration of sharpness of a reproduced image or the like occurs due to deterioration of photostimulated luminescence characteristics, that is, sensitivity, or deterioration of crystallinity of the stimulable phosphor (destruction of columnar crystals in the case of the alkali halide-based stimulable phosphor having a columnar structure, for example).
Some of known stimulable phosphor panels avoid such inconveniences by using a transparent moisture-resistant sheet as a protective layer and sealing a stimulable phosphor layer in an airtight area between the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer and a substrate.
However, when used in a high-altitude place where the atmospheric pressure is low or in a high-temperature environment, a stimulable phosphor panel with its stimulable phosphor layer hermetically sealed between a transparent moisture-resistant protective layer and a substrate causes gas in the airtight area between the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer and the substrate to expand to enlarge the distance between the respective layers, which may warp the stimulable phosphor layer.
For instance, when there is a gap between a transparent moisture-resistant protective layer and a stimulable phosphor layer in a stimulable phosphor panel, excitation light with which the stimulable phosphor layer is irradiated through the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer in order to read a radiographic image recorded on the stimulable phosphor layer is repeatedly reflected between the stimulable phosphor layer and the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer. Therefore, the area of the stimulable phosphor layer which is irradiated with excitation light varies with the length of the gap between the stimulable phosphor layer and the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer which is changed by the expansion of gas or the like.
FIG. 3 shows how excitation light Le is reflected when a gap 120 between a transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 and a stimulable phosphor layer 114 is wide. In order to read a radiographic image recorded on the stimulable phosphor layer 114, the excitation light Le reflected between the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 and the stimulable phosphor layer 114 spreads-over an area R1.
On the other hand, FIG. 4 shows how the excitation light Le is reflected when the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 and the stimulable phosphor layer 114 are close to each other. In this case, the distance the excitation light travels each time it is reflected is short. Accordingly, the excitation light Le is reflected between the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 and the stimulable phosphor layer 114 within an area R2, which is smaller than the area R1.
Thus, even if excitation light is reflected the same number of times between the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 and the stimulable phosphor layer 114, the area irradiated with the excitation light varies with the distance between the two layers. More specifically, the area irradiated with excitation light changes with the distance between the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 and the stimulable phosphor layer 114.
For example, when the gap between the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 and the stimulable phosphor layer 114 increases, the stimulable phosphor layer 114 generates as much photostimulated luminescence as when irradiated with a flux of excitation light thick enough to cover the wide area R1, which is larger than a photostimulated luminescence detection area where photostimulated luminescence is detected to obtain image signals and form a radiographic image from the image signals. The photostimulated luminescence outside of the detection area is also detected and lowers the sharpness of the resultant radiographic image.
The stimulable phosphor layer 114 may often be warped (lifted) due to expansion of gas in the airtight area if the stimulable phosphor layer 114 is bonded to the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118. This state is conceptually shown in FIG. 5. The stimulable phosphor layer 114 is irradiated with excitation light at a given point H1 and, once warped, at a point H2 which is different from the point H1.
Once warped, the stimulable phosphor layer 114 that is to be irradiated with the excitation light Le at the given point H1 (a point H1′ on the warped stimulable phosphor layer 114) is irradiated at a different point from the point H1, that is, the point H2, and photostimulated luminescence from the point H2 is detected by a detection means 122 which is set so as to detect photostimulated luminescence from the point H1.
As a result, the detection means 122 has lowered efficiency in collecting photostimulated luminescence. Furthermore, image signals obtained at the point H2 from which the photostimulated luminescence is emitted and which is offset from the given point H1′ on the warped stimulable phosphor layer 114 (H1 prior to the warping), form a distorted radiographic image, making it difficult to read a radiographic image recorded on the stimulable phosphor layer 114 accurately.
In order to solve this problem, the inventor of the present invention has provided a stimulable phosphor panel capable of avoiding moisture absorption in a stimulable phosphor layer and stopping changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure from lowering the quality of image signals read from the stimulable phosphor layer (see US 2003/0160188 A). This stimulable phosphor panel has a buffer space that can freely expand or contract and that communicates with an airtight area where the stimulable phosphor layer is formed between a substrate and a transparent moisture-resistant protective layer.
A specific example of this panel is shown in FIG. 6. A stimulable phosphor panel 140 of FIG. 6 has a substrate 112 with a ventilation hole 126 formed so as to communicate with an airtight area where a stimulable phosphor layer 114 is formed. A moisture-resistant cylinder 144 is connected to the ventilation hole 126 and fixed to the rear side of the substrate 112. Inserted in the cylinder 144 is a piston 142 which seals the cylinder 144 and can move freely along the length of the cylinder 144. A closed space formed inside the cylinder 144 by the piston 142 and the cylinder 144 is a buffer space 148.
Another example is shown in FIG. 7. A stimulable phosphor panel 150 of FIG. 7 uses a transformable sheet material for a a stimulable phosphor layer 114. The transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 has plural pockets 152 that serve as buffer spaces.
According to the stimulable phosphor panel in US 2003/016188 A, changes in volume of the airtight area where the stimulable phosphor layer is formed due to changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure can be absorbed by, in the stimulable phosphor panel 140 of FIG. 6, moving the piston 142 and changing the volume of the buffer space 148 or, in the stimulable phosphor panel 150 of FIG. 7 making the pockets 152 expand or contract. Thus, the stimulable phosphor panels in US 2003/0160188 A can advantageously prevent a change in volume of the airtight space from causing the aforementioned problems including a change in distance from the transparent moisture-resistant protective layer 118 to the stimulable phosphor layer 114 and warping of the stimulable phosphor layer 114.
However, every stimulable phosphor panel disclosed in US 2003/0160188 A has a buffer space located outside the panel. Depending on the size and use of the stimulable phosphor panel, and environment in which the stimulable phosphor panel is used, enough buffer space may not be secured, or the stimulable phosphor panel has to be often uspsized to secure enough buffer space.


Elevators (104) in a group elevator system (100) are controlled to facilitate transport of a large item (LI). A destination entry input device receives an input from a passenger (102) indicating that the passenger (102) has a large item (LI) to be transported in the group elevator system (100). The passenger (102) with the large item (LI) is assigned to an elevator (104) having capacity to accommodate the passenger (102) and the large item (LI).

The present invention relates to the field of elevator control, and in particular to control of a group elevator system to facilitate transporting of a large item.
Conventional group elevator systems include hall call modules near the elevators on each floor. Typically, the hall call modules include up and down buttons that are pressed by passengers when elevator service is desired. Each hall call module is assigned a network address that an elevator controller uses to associate the hall call module with its floor location. When one of the buttons on the hall call module is pressed, the elevator controller assigns an elevator that will most efficiently deliver the passengers in the desired direction. The elevator controller determines which floor to send an elevator to based on the network address of the hall call module on which a button was pressed.
Recently, elevator systems with destination entry have been introduced. In a destination entry system, passengers register their destination floors on a destination entry input device before a car is assigned. The group elevator system assigns each passenger to an elevator that most efficiently transports him or her to the desired destination floor. Passengers register their destination floors on destination entry devices, which may take the form of a numeric keypad or a touch screen display.
Large items to be transported between floors in an elevator can consume much of the volume or use a substantial portion of the maximum rated load for the elevator car. This may disrupt efficient transport of passengers and other loads in a group elevator system, since the elevator controller may be unable to determine that a passenger making a dispatch request is accompanied by a large item. For example, in a destination entry type system, when a passenger with a large item enters his or her destination floor, the controller may assign the passenger to an elevator that already includes a large number of people. Similarly, when a passenger with the large load is assigned to an empty or nearly empty elevator, the controller may subsequently assign additional passengers to the elevator. These circumstances may result in overcrowding or overloading of the elevator car, or passengers may be required to re-enter their destination and wait for a different elevator.

Destination entry group elevator system for facilitating transport of large items


An apparatus for manufacturing a pneumatic tire including a rigid core for forming a green tire on an outer face and a vulcanizing mold which can transport the green tire together with the rigid core such that the vulcanizing mold is closed to form a vulcanization space for sealing and storing the green tire between the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core so that the green tire is vulcanized in the vulcanization space, an annular movable seal supported by either one of the vulcanizing mold or the rigid core, and an urging means for urging the movable seal from the one of the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core that supports the annular movable seal toward a surface of the other of the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core, the movable seal being urged by the urging means toward the surface of the other of the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core so as to prevent generation of a gap between the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core when the vulcanizing mold is closed, and to absorb a change in shape of the rigid core upon vulcanization of the green tire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a pneumatic tire using a rigid core in the toroidal shape.
2. Prior Art
There is known a method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire by forming a green tire through sequential application of tire constituting members such as unvulcanized rubber ribbon, wire, cord, etc. on a rigid core having an outer surface corresponding to an inner surface of a product tire, as disclosed, for example, in the JP 11-115420 A2. In this case, by transporting the green tire with the rigid core into a vulcanizing mold and closing the vulcanizing mold so as to form a vulcanization space where the green tire is sealed and stored between it and the rigid core, and then by supplying a vulcanizing medium into the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core so as to vulcanize the green tire so that a pneumatic tire is produced.
When a pneumatic tire is to be produced using such a rigid core, there are cases where the rigid core is subjected to an excessive gripping force from the vulcanizing mold and broken upon vulcanization. That is, when the green tire is transported into the vulcanizing mold together with the rigid core, the temperature of the rigid core is a normal temperature, about 20° C., for example, or if it has been pre-heated, the temperature is about 100°, while the temperature of the vulcanizing mold is held at a temperature somewhat lower than 170° C., which is the vulcanization temperature, because its heat capacity is large. After the vulcanizing mold is brought into contact with the inner end of the rigid core by closing the vulcanizing mold in this state, if the vulcanizing medium is supplied into the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core, the rigid core has its temperature rise from the temperature at transportation to a vulcanizing temperature by about 150° C. or 70° C. and is subjected to large thermal expansion. But the vulcanizing mold has its temperature hardly rise and is not substantially expanded thermally, and moreover, its movement is strongly regulated by a large clamping force, which exerts an excessive gripping force to a contact portion of rigid core with the vulcanizing mold and might break the rigid core.
In order to avoid occurrence of the above mentioned excessive gripping force, a gap somewhat narrower than the thermal expansion of the rigid core may be provided between the inner end of the rigid core and the vulcanizing mold when the vulcanizing mold is closed. However, in this case, during the period till the gap is lost due to thermal expansion of the rigid core, the green rubber might protrude out of the gap and generate a burr.
And such problem is more remarkable when the thermal expansion rate (linear expansion rate) of the rigid core is larger than that of the vulcanizing mold, for example, when the vulcanizing mold is made of steel, while the rigid core is formed by an aluminum alloy or the like.

Apparatus for manufacturing pneumatic tires


Circuitry for controlling the oscillation frequency of an oscillator by using a digitally tunable on-chip capacitor bank. The capacitor bank includes a plurality of on-chip capacitors, each of which is independently selectable by a control signal for providing a selectable amount of capacitance to the oscillator to control the oscillator's oscillation frequency.

Oscillator circuits can be used to provide timing signals. For example, a personal computer motherboard typically has a Real Time Clock (RTC) circuit that provides an accurate 32.768 KHz oscillating signal that is further processed to obtain the second, minute, and hour values used by the computer system to keep time.
The RTC circuit is typically part of an I/O controller hub chip (sometimes referred to as the south-bridge chipset), and is connected to an external crystal resonator that resonates within a narrow range of operating frequencies. Depending on the crystal oscillator topology, one or more discrete external load capacitors may be connected to the RTC circuit to tune the oscillating frequency. The values of the load capacitors are selected according to an initial circuit layout design so that the RTC circuit in conjunction with the external components will oscillate at a predetermined frequency.
However, variation between different motherboard designs may result in placement of the load capacitors at slightly different locations on the motherboard, resulting in the addition of a certain amount of parasitic capacitance associated with the wiring connections. Other factors, such as tolerances in circuit components and minute routing differences, will also affect the oscillating frequency. Because a small variance in the oscillating frequency may significantly affect the accuracy of the system time signal over time, individual tuning of the capacitance value tailored to a specific motherboard design is required to obtain accurate system timing signals.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.


A sterile sheath and methods for enclosing a confocal endomicroscopy (CEM) scanner probe with the sterile sheath are provided. The scanner probe includes a probe shaft, a probe tip, a probe body, and a probe umbilical. The sterile sheath for enclosing the CEM scanner probe includes a sheath tube configured to receive the probe shaft and has a distal tube end, a proximal tube end, a sheath tip mounted at the distal tube end of the sheath tube, and a sheath socket configured to receive the probe body. The sheath socket has a distal socket end and a proximal socket end. The proximal tube end of the sheath tube is fixed to the sheath socket at the distal socket end. The sterile sheath further includes a sheath lock ring and a sheath drape mounted on the sheath socket at the proximal socket end with the sheath lock ring.

Optical surgical instruments with direct contact to open wounds in patients are utilized in sterile environments and are handled by sterile medical professionals. In particular endoscopes intended to be inserted into the human body through or into surgically created openings need to be free from biological contaminants. Most optical surgical instruments, however, are too delicate to be sterilized. Therefore, many surgical instruments are covered by drapes or sheaths, some of which have specific sections designed to allow signals to pass through.
Existing drapes for surgical microscopes include a drape part, e.g., a plastic foil, covering loosely the microscope's arm and head, and a window part is provided that has optical properties to allow to send illumination light to the surgical field and to see the situs without aberrations, intensity changes, or color changes.
A windowed self-centering drape for attaching a sterile endoscope to a non-sterile surgical camera is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,221. The self-centering drape is made of a substantially non-elastic body portion. A paper strip is used to attach the proximal end of the drape to an object such as a camera cable or a viewing monitor. The camera is inserted together with a camera coupler within the drape. A window in the drape is pressed inside a recess of the camera coupler by the sterile endoscope from outside the drape thereby placing the window in alignment along the optical path.
While existing drapes and sheaths provide sterile barriers, these drapes and sheaths do not allow a precise placement of the drape window, which hinders, reduces, or falsifies the signals passing through the drape window. In particular, these existing drapes or sheaths are not applicable to CEM scanner probes with very thin scanner shafts that are employed in the field of cellular imaging, e.g., by neurosurgeons performing a digital biopsy without the need for tissue extraction.
CEM scanners could generally be designed to be robust, e.g., the CEM scanners could be "hardened" so that they could be sterilized using a plasma or a gas. In addition, existing sheaths could be provided with steel pipes and glass windows or other materials that can be reprocessed. However, approaches such as hardening CEM scanners to be sterilized or sheath that can be reprocessed pose significant design challenges, including high development costs, and they also create reliability issues.
In addition, installing existing drapes and sheaths is time consuming and imprecise which negatively impacts the quality of optical signals passing through the drapes and sheaths. Therefore, a fastening arrangement that allows to precisely and securely affix a sterile sheath on an optical surgical instrument in a time-efficient manner prior to imaging is highly desirable.

Sterile sheath for confocal endomicroscopy scanner probe


A washing machine capable of preventing damages of a clutch, a motor, etc., by sensing whether the clutch is normally operated. The clutch transmits a rotational force of the rotor to a dehydration shaft. The washing machine includes a washing shaft configured to rotate a pulsator, a dehydration shaft configured to rotate a drum disposed in a reservoir, a rotor coupled with the washing shaft and configured to transmit a rotational force to the washing shaft, a clutch configured to selectively transmit a rotational force of the rotor to the dehydration shaft a shielding member mounted to the clutch, a magnet provided at the rotor, and a magnetic sensor disposed to face the magnet. The magnetic sensor senses a position of the clutch as the shielding member shields a space between the magnet and the magnetic sensor by a motion of the clutch.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a washing machine, and particularly to a washing machine capable of preventing damage to at least one of a clutch, a motor, etc. by sensing whether the clutch, which transmits a rotational force of a is rotor to a dehydration shaft, is normally operated.
2. Background of the Disclosure
Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus to perform a washing process on laundry. The washing process includes accelerating a chemical operation of a detergent by forcibly forming a stream of washing water inside a drum using a mechanical force, and enhancing a washing effect by applying a physical force such as friction or impact to the laundry.
In this washing machine, a stream of washing water is formed by rotating a pulsator installed below the drum in forward and backward directions. Therefore, the washing machine requires a dehydration shaft for rotating the drum, and a washing shaft for driving the pulsator. The washing machine is provided with a clutch for selectively driving the two driving shafts (the washing shaft and the dehydration shaft). The clutch transmits a rotational force generated from a driving motor to the pulsator at the time of a washing process, and selectively transmits the rotational force to the pulsator and the drum at the time of a dehydrating process.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a configuration of a washing machine in accordance with the conventional art.
Referring to FIG. 1, the washing machine 10 is provided with a body 8 which forms the appearance, and the body 8 is provided with a reservoir 1 therein. A drum 2 rotated by a driving motor 7 is provided in the reservoir 1. A pulsator 3 for a washing process is provided below the drum, and is rotatable by the driving motor 7.
The driving motor 7 configured to form a rotational force for rotating the drum 2 and the pulsator 3 is provided below the reservoir 1. The drum 2 receives a rotational force of the driving motor 7 by a dehydration shaft 5, and the pulsator 3 receives the rotational force of the driving motor 7 by a washing shaft 6. The washing shaft 6 and the dehydration shaft 5 are concentrically installed, and the washing shaft 6 is disposed in the dehydration shaft 5. The dehydration shaft 5 and the washing shaft 6 are rotatably supported by a bearing housing 4.
The driving motor 7 includes a stator and a rotor. The stator is provided with a coil and a magnet, and the rotor which covers an outer circumferential surface of the stator is selectively coupled with the washing shaft 6 or the dehydration shaft 5. The rotor rotates by an electromagnetic reciprocal operation with the stator, and transmits a rotational force to the washing shaft 6 and the dehydration shaft 5.
The rotor of the driving motor 7 is selectively coupled with the dehydration shaft 5 or the washing shaft 6 by a clutch. The clutch is moveable up and down by being engaged with the washing shaft 6, and is provided with teeth to be engaged with the rotor. In an up position, the clutch releases a coupled state between the washing shaft 6 and the rotor. In a down position, the clutch couples the washing shaft 6 to the rotor by being engaged with the rotor, thereby transmitting a rotational force of the rotor to the washing shaft 6. Up-down motions of the clutch are performed by an additional clutch motor.
An engaged state between the clutch and the rotor, and an operation of the clutch have to be precisely performed. If a rotational force of the rotor is transmitted to the washing shaft in a state that the clutch has not been completely engaged with the rotor, the teeth of the clutch may be damaged. Furthermore, if the rotor rotates in a state that a coupled state between the clutch and the rotor has not been completely released, the clutch motor or the washing shaft and the dehydration shaft may be damaged due to an impact applied thereto. This may cause operational failures and/or damage to the washing machine.


An ophthalmic filter material having a photopic transmittance (Y.sub.P) higher than the scotopic transmittance (Y.sub.S), the ratio of Y.sub.P :Y.sub.S being in the range of 2.0-4.0, a dominant wavelength within the ranges of 580-605 nm and a color purity of 60-75% whereby colors perceived through the material approximate those of the scene being viewed. A method of producing such a filter material which comprises heating a photochromic glass lens in a reducing atmosphere for a time and at a temperature that is sufficient to impart the recited characteristics to the glass surface and that is equivalent to a flowing hydrogen atmosphere, or immersing a tintable plastic solution in a dye solution for a time sufficient to impart the recited characteristics.

The present invention relates to ophthalmic filter materials. These materials selectively transmit radiation in the visual and near-visual regions of the spectrum. The present materials are primarily concerned with controlled transmission of sunlight through ophthalmic lenses.
The invention was developed employing photochromic glass lenses. However, for some purposes, photochromic glass is not suitable because of safety and/or weight. Fortunately, the invention is also applicable to tintable plastic materials as well. The invention may also find application in products other than glass and plastic, ophthalmic lenses, such as visors and shields.
The invention was developed using photochromic glass lenses, and is largely so described. However, as indicated, the invention is not so limited, and may also be practiced employing tintable plastic materials. Accordingly, that practice is also described.
All of the commercially important photochromic glasses contain a precipitated, microcrystalline, silver halide phase. It is this phase which is considered to cause the reversible darkening of the glass under exposure to light. U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,860 (Armistead et al.) provides the basic description of this family of glasses.
The patent is drawn generally to silicate-based glasses. The preferred compositions are encompassed within the alkali metal oxide-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --B.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 system. Thus, the preferred base compositions consist essentially, expressed in weight percent on the oxide basis, of about 4-26% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 4-26% B.sub.2 O.sub.3, and 40-76% SiO.sub.2, wherein R.sub.2 O is selected from the group of 2-8% Li.sub.2 O, 4-15% Na.sub.2 O, 6-20% K.sub.2 O, 8-25% Rb.sub.2 O, and 10-30% Cs.sub.2 O, the sum of the base glass ingredients constituting at least 85% of the total composition. The patent further observes the advantage of including small quantities of low temperature reducing agents, such as SnO, FeO, CuO, As.sub.2 O.sub.3, and Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3, to improve the photochromic characteristics of the glass. In order to impart preferred photochromic behavior to the glass, a silver halide is present in the glass.
Subsequent work has resulted in the development of a number of specific families of photochromic glasses exhibiting faster darkening and/or fading response. U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,451 (Hares et al.), for example, provides a description of more recently developed photochromic glasses of this type. The glasses described in that patent consist essentially, in weight percent, of about 0-2.5% Li.sub.2 O, 0-9% Na.sub.2 O, 0-17% K.sub.2 O, 0-6% Cs.sub.2 O, 8-20% Li.sub.2 O+Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O+Cs.sub.2 O, 14-23% B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 5-25% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-25% P.sub.2 O.sub.5, 20-65% SiO.sub.2, 0.004-0.02% CuO, 0.15-0.3% Ag, 0.1-0.25% Cl, and 0.1-0.2% Br, wherein the molar ratio of alkali metal oxides:B.sub.2 O.sub.3 ranges about 0.55-0.85, and the weight ratio Ag:(Cl+Br) ranges about 0.65-0.95. The glasses may also contain up to about 10% total of optional constituents, expressly referring to 0-6% ZrO.sub.2, 0-3% TiO.sub.2, 0-0.5% PbO, 0-7% BaO, 0-4% CaO, 0-3% MgO, 0-6% Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5, 0-4% La.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 0-2% F. Also, up to 1% total of transition metal oxide colorants and/or up to 5% total of rare earth metal oxide colorants can be included without adversely affecting the photochromic behavior of the glass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,686 (Wedding) explains in some detail that certain diseases of the eye and/or visual deficiencies may be caused by, or may be aggravated by, strong sunlight. The patent notes that radiation at the short end of the visible spectrum, that is, at wavelengths on the order of 400-550 nanometers (nm), seems to create the greatest problems for some patients.
The patent observes that the eye contains two different kinds of photoreceptors, viz., cones and rods. The cones comprise the principal receptors in daylight vision (photopic vision); the rods constitute the principal receptors in night vision (scotopic vision).
The cones are located generally in the central portion of the retina, and are much greater in number/unit area. They permit the recognition of fine detail, presumably because they function largely independently of one another. The cones also permit color vision, i.e., they allow hues and saturation to be distinguished. In the presence of bright light, the eye is most sensitive to radiation at about 555 nm.
In general, the rods are located in the peripheral portions of the retina, there being few, if any, rods found in the central retina. The rods do not permit the recognition of colors, only shades of gray. Their peak wavelength sensitivity is near 510 nm.
As a corrective measure, the Wedding patent provides photochromic glasses that are treated to produce a colored surface layer. The colored surface layer exhibits near-zero transmittance of radiations having wavelengths shorter than a selected cutoff wavelength in the range 440-550 nm. The photochromic feature permits the same spectacles to be used both indoors and outside. To develop the colored layer, the photochromic glass is heated in a strongly reducing atmosphere, such as hydrogen. The exposure is at temperatures in the range of 350-520.degree. C. for at least 12 hours.
Commercial glass lenses, developed on the basis of the patent teaching, have proven very useful for patients having relatively strong sensitivity to sunlight. However, the lenses generally have a yellow to orange color. From a cosmetic standpoint, this is regarded by many potential users to be quite unattractive.
Dye-impregnated plastic lenses have been developed as alternatives. The latter are sometimes referred to as "blockers", since they are stated to absorb all of the light below a certain wavelength. A major problem with the "blocker" lens is that total absorption of part of the spectrum greatly distorts color perception. This may also occur in the surface colored glass lens to some extent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,193 (Wedding) describes an ophthalmic, protective filter lens having a scotopic transmittance (Y.sub.S) lower than the photopic transmittance (Y.sub.P) by more than a factor of two. The filter lens has a dominant wavelength within the range of 580-605 nm and a color purity in the range of 75-85%. Thereby, colors perceived through the lens are somewhat distorted from those of the scene being viewed. In an embodiment, a lens is composed of a photochromic glass having a coloration developed in at least one surface.
Ophthalmic lenses were developed on the basis of the patent teaching to cope with nocturnal vision problems. The lenses were designed to facilitate recovery of nocturnal vision after prolonged exposure to intense sunlight such as encountered in a desert.
Subsequently, the lenses were tested for use by persons beginning to experience a high sensitivity to bright sunlight under normal conditions. Criticism was encountered because the preferred embodiment for nocturnal vision exhibited an olive-green cast in the faded state. While the lenses of the -193 patent were designed to provide improved natural color perception relative to the lenses of the -686 patent, a desire for even less color distortion was expressed.
It is a basic purpose of the instant invention to provide an ophthalmic filter lens that meets these criticisms. A particular purpose is to provide a photochromic filter lens designed for outdoor use. Another purpose is to provide such a filter lens having an improved cosmetic aesthetic appeal. A further purpose is to provide a filter lens that combines specific features of protective lenses developed in accordance with the teachings of the Wedding -686 patent. Another purpose is to provide the filter benefits of the invention in a progressive lens.


A unitary pick for plucking a stringed musical instrument includes a flat blade having a longitudinal axis. The blade has a pointed end for engaging strings of a musical instrument. The blade also includes wide, substantially flat surfaces formed on opposite sides of the blade. The pick further includes fins projecting outward from the flat surfaces across the width of the blade, and a rib that projects outward from the flat surfaces along the length of the blade. An alternative embodiment of the pick also includes a stabilizer that extends outward from the blade and the fins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of stringed musical instruments and, more particularly, to picks or plectrums that musicians frequently use in playing plucked string musical instruments of the lute family such as guitars, banjos, mandolins, lyres, and zithers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One class of picks commonly used by musicians in playing plucked string musical instruments, that frequently is molded from a plastic material in any one of a variety of different shapes, consists of a substantially planar, pointed blade for plucking the strings. To use this particular type of pick, a musician grips it firmly between a thumb and a finger of one hand. A well recognized difficulty with this type of pick is its tendency to slip from the musician's grasp. However, firmly gripping such a pick to prevent dropping it creates tension in the muscles of the forearm of the hand holding the pick, and concurrent stiffness and rigidity in a musician's wrist and hand. Conversely, speed and mobility of hand movement, that is essential for smoothly and clearly executing musical passages while playing such an instrument, requires this same forearm to be relaxed and free from tension.
Somewhat elaborate attempts have been made to provide picks that are easier to hold and retain while playing a stringed musical instrument. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 655,959, entitled "Mandolin Pick Holder" that issued Aug. 14, 1900 on an application filed in the name of Carolyn M. Cochrane, discloses a hollow cylinder having closed ends and a roughened surface that is pierced by a slot for receiving a pick. U.S. Pat. No. 998,440, entitled "Mandolin Pick" that issued Jul. 18, 1911 on an application filed in the name of Arnold F. Willat, discloses a pick in which the flat body is flexibly joined to a cylindrically-shaped cross-bar. U.S. Pat. No. 1,009,403, entitled "Pick for Mandolins, Zithers, and Similar stringed Musical Instruments" that issued on Nov. 21, 1911 on an application filed in the name of Joseph Gaynor ("the Gaynor Patent"), discloses a pick composed of a resilient pointed blade and of a rigid saucer shaped finger piece secured to one side of the blade by an eyelet. In using this pick, the musician establishes a suction that increases the firmness of the grip by pressing the thumb into the bowl of the finger piece and then closing the eyelet with one of the hand's other fingers. U.S. Pat. No. 1,117,056, entitled "Musical Instrument Pick" that issued on Nov. 10, 1914 on an application filed in the name of Louis C. Knackestedt, discloses a pick pierced by a plurality of openings that receive rubber plugs that project out from both sides of the pick. The projecting rubber plugs provide spurs that permit more easily gripping the pick. U.S. Pat. No. 1,263,740, entitled "Pick for Stringed Instruments" that issued Apr. 23, 1918 on an application filed in the name of Aaron Burdwise, discloses a pick having two loops of wire respectively secured to and juxtaposed with both sides of the pick. U.S. Pat. No. 1,461,070, entitled "Pick for Stringed Instruments" that issued Jul. 10, 1923 on an application filed in the name of Peter M. Rudesyle, discloses a pick having a circle of alternating, pie-shaped depressed troughs and raised ridges formed on both sides of the pick. U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,668, entitled "Instrument for Playing Guitars, Banjos and the Like" that issued Dec. 3, 1963 on an application filed in the name of Joseph S. Moshay, discloses a pick that, similar to the Gaynor Patent, is pierced by a hole that, in use, is closed by the musician's thumb and one finger.


In a starter, a power supply terminal connected to a solenoid coil of a magnet switch and connectable to a starter external circuit is provided on an end cover. The power supply terminal includes a terminal metal member, a bimetal which interrupts electric conduction between the solenoid coil and the terminal metal member at the time of temperature rise above a predetermined temperature, and a casing contacting a foot part of the terminal metal member and encasing the bimetal therein. The bimetal responds to each of the excessive heating of the terminal metal member and excessive energization current to interrupt the conduction. In case of a single axis-type starter, the power supply terminal is provided on a recess so that the terminal metal member does not extend axially beyond the rear end face of the end cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply terminal which is connected to a solenoid coil of a magnet switch mounted in a starter and connectable to an external circuit of the starter. More particularly, the present invention relates to a power supply terminal which has an overheating suppressing mechanism or which is adapted for use in a single axis-type starter.
2. Description of Related Art
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (JP-B2) No. 6-74778 to detect, by a temperature sensor provided adjacently to a solenoid coil of a magnet switch, the excessive temperature rise of the solenoid coil and to interrupt electric power supply to a motor. In this magnet switch, a normally-closed bimetal and a temperature fusible link are shown exemplarily as the temperature sensor. As the temperature sensor is provided in contact with the solenoid coil of the magnet switch, an energization circuit can be interrupted in response to the excessive temperature rise of the solenoid coil but not in response to the temperature of a solenoid coil terminal itself.
Because large electric current flows to the power supply terminal of the magnet switch for a starter so that the solenoid coil is energized sufficiently to attract a plunger, conduction failure of the terminal leads to the temperature rise. The conduction failure occurs when the connection of the terminal with an external plug is loosened by vibrations, when the contact surface of the terminal is stained by water or dust or when the electric resistance of the contact surface or a connecting portion with an electrical lead wire is increased by rusting. Further, it often occurs that the terminal is connected too loosely or the external plug is improperly inserted for engagement with the terminal.
When the conduction failure occurs due to some of those reasons and the electric resistance increases, abnormal temperature rise occurs at the time of energization of the solenoid coil. Despite this fact, because the temperature sensor is provided apart from the terminal in the conventional magnet switch, the excessive temperature rise of the terminal itself cannot be detected and the above-described drawback cannot be obviated.
A single axis-type starter is proposed by Japanese Utility Model Publication Laid-open (JP-U) No. 1-179176. This single axis type starter has a speed reduction mechanism, a motor and a magnet switch which are all disposed axially in line. The reduction mechanism has a pinion disposed engageably with an engine ring gear through an output shaft. The motor is adjacently disposed at the axially rear side of the reduction mechanism to drive the reduction mechanism by a motor rotary shaft extended in the same direction as the output shaft. The magnet switch is adjacently disposed at the axially rear side of the motor to control electric power supply to the motor. The magnet switch is surrounded by an end cover having an opening facing an outer rear casing end of the motor.
As the starter radial length can be shortened by a distance the magnet switch is disposed at the rear side of the motor in the single axis-type starter, it is advantageous that it may be easily mounted, for instance, at the side of an engine block. The starter axial length is likely to be necessarily lengthened by the shortening of the radial length. This will cause some difficulty in assuring a required space for the starter and other equipment at the axially rear side of the starter in an engine compartment.
In the single axis-type starter, in particular, a power supply terminal for a solenoid coil of the magnet switch protrudes from the rear end surface of the end cover. Therefore, in the case that the rear side space of the magnet switch is reduced by the lengthening of the starter axial length, it becomes difficult to connect and disconnect an electric cable to and from the power supply terminal of the solenoid coil.
Further, the power supply terminal of the solenoid coil is usually narrow and soft. Therefore, the terminal may be damaged or bent in the case of dropping or hitting other equipment at the time of starter mounting work or cable connecting/disconnecting work. This makes it difficult to connect it with an external cable.

Power supply terminal structure for starter magnet switch


The present invention provides a photothermographic material having, on one side of a support, an image forming layer including at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, and at least one non-photosensitive layer which is disposed on the same side of the support as the image forming layer and farther from the support than the image forming layer, wherein the non-photosensitive layer includes at least a copolymer latex of an acrylate or methacrylate having a fluorine atom and a monomer component having a hydrophobic group, and the surface of the side having the image forming layer includes convex portions having a height of 1.5 μm or higher in an amount of from 20 to 2000 per 1 mm2. A photothermographic material which exhibits excellent film physical properties and high image quality is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photothermographic material. More specifically, the invention relates to a photothermographic material which exhibits improved film surface strength.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in the field of films for medical imaging, there has been a strong desire for decreasing the amount of processing liquid waste from the viewpoints of protecting the environment and economy of space. Technology is therefore required for light-sensitive photothermographic materials which can be exposed effectively by laser image setters or laser imagers and thermally developed to obtain clear black-toned images of high resolution and sharpness, for use in medical diagnostic applications and for use in photographic technical applications. The light-sensitive photothermographic materials do not require liquid processing chemicals and can therefore be supplied to customers as a simpler and environmentally friendly thermal processing system.
While similar requirements also exist in the field of general image forming materials, images for medical imaging in particular require high image quality excellent in sharpness and granularity because fine depiction is required, and further require blue-black image tone from the viewpoint of easy diagnosis. Various kinds of hard copy systems utilizing dyes or pigments, such as ink jet printers and electrophotographic systems, have been marketed as general image forming systems, but they are not satisfactory as output systems for medical images.
Thermal image forming systems utilizing organic silver salts are described in many documents. In particular, photothermographic materials generally have an image forming layer in which a catalytically active amount of a photocatalyst (for example, silver halide), a reducing agent, a reducible silver salt (for example, an organic silver salt), and if necessary, a toner for controlling the color tone of developed silver images are dispersed in a binder. Photothermographic materials form black silver images by being heated to a high temperature (for example, 80° C. or higher) after imagewise exposure to cause an oxidation-reduction reaction between a silver halide or a reducible silver salt (functioning as an oxidizing agent) and a reducing agent. The oxidation-reduction reaction is accelerated by the catalytic action of a latent image on the silver halide generated by exposure. As a result, a black silver image is formed in the exposed region. Further, the Fuji Medical Dry Imager FM-DPL is an example of a medical image forming system using photothermographic materials that has been made commercially available.
Thermal developing processing does not require the processing solutions used in wet developing processing, and has an advantage in that processing can be carried out easily and rapidly. However, on the other hand, there are particular problems to be solved because the photothermographic materials contain all components necessary for image formation in coated layers in advance and contain unreacted components or reaction products after image formation in the film. One is a problem concerning storage stability of the photothermographic material such as storage stability prior to use for image forming processing after production and storage stability of an image after image formation. Another is a problem concerning physical strength of the coated film such as being brittle or susceptible to defects.
As a means for improving image storage stability, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 11-352624 discloses the use of a non-photosensitive silver salt in a non-photosensitive layer on a side having an image forming layer. All patents, patent publications, and non-patent literature cited in this specification are hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein. However, there are problems concerning further deterioration of film physical properties caused by an increase in total layer thickness accompanying the increase in an amount of binder for including the non-photosensitive silver salt in the non-photosensitive layer or an additional layer.
As a means for improving film physical properties, for example, JP-A Nos. 9-146220, 11-228698, and 2003-262934 disclose the use of a non-bleaching dye technique instead of using a bleaching dye method as an antihalation dye technique. Various components such as base generating agents or radical generating agents used for the bleaching dye method are unnecessary and therefore result in decreasing the burden on the film, which is favorable for the film physical properties. However, there are problems such as occurrence of color unevenness due to color transfer of water-soluble dyes when they are contacted therewith.
Moreover, in order to provide resistance to defects on the film surface and prevent adhesion or color transfer during stacking, it is well known in the art to provide surface roughness by adding a matting agent in a surface layer of silver halide photographic materials.


A system for obtaining signals related to electrical activity of the heart of a subject includes a sensing device including an elongate member having a distal end configured for placement within a body lumen of a subject, and a proximal end configured to extend from the subject, an actuation portion carried by the elongate member and configured for placement within the body lumen, the actuation portion having a low-profile state for delivery within the body lumen and an expanded state, and one or more sensors disposed on the actuation portion, each including a contact surface configured to contact an interior wall of the body lumen, wherein the actuation portion is configured to cause the contact surface of each of the one or more sensors to contact a location on the interior wall of the body lumen to provide a signal component for producing one or more electrocardiogram signals.

Currently human electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are acquired by placing three to ten electrode pads on the external body surface using adhesive pads that can be connected to electrical wires. For example 3, 5, 7, 9, or 10 electrode pads may be placed. The "12 lead" ECG actually uses 10 electrodes (one generally serves as a ground), with some of the leads being bipolar and some monopolar, thus producing twelve different ECG vectors. The method involves a driven ground and a program/electronic circuit designed to acquire the electrical signals associated with the functioning of the heart. This signal is comprised of the PQRST waveform for each heartbeat. The PQRST waveform generally includes a QRS complex, which can be associated with the depolarization of the ventricles of the heart. Clinicians can look at the signals and diagnose cardiac functionality and timing important for patient management. The multiple electrode pads, which are commonly located on the arms, legs, feet, shoulders, chest, and other areas, can interfere with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The electrode pads may also be damaged by diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In some patients, including, but not limited to burn or other trauma patients, sufficient skin areas may not be available for placement of the electrode pads. In coupling to the skin the electrode pads include a coupling gel, whose properties can change with time, sometimes causing the electrode pads to malfunction or fall off. The difficulties with placement of the electrode pads may delay the obtainment of the ECG. This can be a critical occurrence in patients having urgent needs.

Method and apparatus for applying a tracing to an expandable device


A widely-tunable laser apparatus comprises a plurality of tunable lasers having different ranges that overlap to encompass a desired operating range of wavelengths (for example from 1250 nm to 1650 nm) of the widely-tunable laser apparatus. The tunable lasers are tunable synchronously and selectively with their respective outputs connected in common to sweep the output of the widely-tunable laser apparatus substantially continuously over said operating range. The tunable lasers share the same tuning means which has a plurality of independent channels, each for light from a respective one of the tunable lasers.

In order to test components for Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM) and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) passive optical networks, including the characterization of wide-band couplers, and the measurement of single-mode-fiber attenuation, there is a need for a wideband tunable laser that can be "continuously swept" over the bands of wavelengths used in such networks, typically encompassing 1250 nm to 1650 nm, and exhibit stable (especially repeatable) laser output over the entire wavelength range. Such a widely-tunable laser apparatus having a single gain medium is not commercially viable at this time, since not only is there not yet a readily available gain chip capable of covering this full spectral range, but it is also very difficult to build a tunable filter (necessary in a laser cavity to enforce oscillation at a desired wavelength) that has a low, approximately uniform insertion loss and spectral passband for any selected central wavelength falling within such a large (˜400 nm) range.
It is known, therefore, to use three or four conventional tunable external-cavity lasers, each tunable over a segment of the desired wavelength range (e.g. 1250 to 1650 nm) and select their respective outputs by means of a 1×N optical switch, switching from one to the next so as to cover the required wavelength range. An example of such a device is marketed by Santec Corporation as the Full-Band Tunable Laser TSL-210VF.
A disadvantage of such devices is that the output is not really continuous as the device is wavelength-swept throughout the entire range, because glitches or discontinuities occur at the transitions when the optical switch switches between the outputs of the different lasers.
There are two approaches for performing a swept wavelength measurement with this device. One is to stop the scan of a first one of the conventional external-cavity tunable lasers when its lasing wavelength attains a value where a second one of the conventional tunable external-cavity lasers is able to lase with at least as much power and signal-to-noise ratio. An optical switch is then used so that the light from the first tunable laser is blocked from being launched into the output fiber of the widely-tunable device and the light from the second tunable external-cavity laser is then launched into the same output fiber.
In order to avoid glitches or discontinuities in the wavelength when switching between respective outputs of two such lasers, their wavelengths must be synchronized to be substantially identical, within the limits of the desired wavelength resolution of the swept measurement, ultimately limited to approximately the linewidth of the laser emission. However, tunable external-cavity lasers typically exhibit a very narrow spectral output, which, even when artificially broadened using the "coherence control" feature offered with most commercial versions of these lasers, rarely can exceed an effective linewidth of more than 4 pm. The attainment of such a high degree of synchronization using two independent lasers can be difficult and prohibitively expensive. Moreover, this approach normally involves stopping the scan briefly during the measurement process, and leads to an abrupt change in the laser light intensity being output from the widely-tunable device as switching occurs. This prevents such a widely-tunable device from being used to perform rapid continuous scans across the full, say, 1250-1650 nm spectral range.
The second approach involves optically combining, via a coupler or splitter, the outputs from the constituent external-cavity lasers of the widely-tunable device. In this way, there can be, in principle, a smooth transition between the emission of one of the external-cavity lasers to the other as the widely-tunable device is scanned. However, the synchronization of the wavelength is even more difficult than in the "switched-output" case above, as the synchronization must be nearly perfect (i.e. to within the limits of the desired wavelength resolution of the swept measurement) not just at one wavelength in the region where the optical outputs of the adjacent tunable external-cavity lasers overlap, but at all wavelengths in a range of wavelengths (typically 5-20 nm) corresponding to the overlap between the lasing ranges of the two lasers. Again, such synchronization is not commercially available or would be prohibitively expensive.
It has been proposed to combine two cavity lasers with a single, shared tuning device to form a tunable laser apparatus with a tunable range that is approximately equal to the sum of the tuning ranges of the two cavity lasers. Three of the present inventors, and a colleague, disclosed such a widely-tunable laser apparatus in the paper "S-, C- and L-Band Continuously Tunable Fiber Laser Using Thulium- and Erbium-Doped Fibers", by H. Chen, F. Babin, G. He and G. W. Schinn, Optical Society of America, Conference of Lasers and Electro-optics 2005, Baltimore, May 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The laser illustrated in FIG. 1 of that paper comprises a TDF laser and an EDF laser whose rings are conjoined by two circulators so that a tunable bandpass filter between the two circulators is shared by both rings. Light from the EDF laser propagates through the tunable bandpass filter in one direction and the light from the TDF laser passes through the tunable bandpass filter in the opposite direction.
A somewhat similar approach is disclosed by B. Bouma et al. in United States published patent application No. 2005/0035295 and their paper Wide Tuning Range Wavelength-Swept Laser With Two Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 17 No. 3, March 2005, the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Their widely-tunable laser apparatus also uses optical circulators to couple a single tunable filter, specifically a diffraction grating and rotatable polygonal mirror, in a common portion of the rings of two cavity lasers.
A disadvantage of both such widely-tunable laser apparatus, however, is that the insertion loss attributable to the circulators limits the useful tuning range of each of the tunable lasers comprising the widely-tunable laser apparatus. This limitation is a consequence of the fact that, in a cavity, the condition that loss is not greater than gain must hold at each wavelength for which lasing action is to occur. Since the gain as a function of wavelength of a given gain medium necessarily falls off as the difference between the desired lasing wavelength and the wavelength corresponding to the gain peak is increased, the ultimate tuning range of the tunable laser may be significantly reduced as the cavity loss is increased. Moreover, it is frequently the case that the insertion loss of a circulator also increases at wavelengths near the extremes of its operating window, thereby further reducing the attainable tuning range of the tunable laser. As a consequence, a widely-tunable laser apparatus based on constituent tunable lasers using circulators in their cavities would need to be comprised of a greater number of tunable lasers to cover a wide spectral range, e.g. 1250-1650 nm, thereby increasing the overall cost and design complexity. There is a need, therefore, for a widely-tunable laser apparatus design, based on tunable lasers, that does not require the use of circulators and minimizes the cavity loss.