A memory module contains a plurality of memory devices and receives control signals over a memory bus for accessing the memory devices. An adaptive buffering mechanism includes unregistered logic to electrically isolate the received control signals from one or more control drive signals. Register logic substantially synchronizes the control drive signals to a system clock to produce clocked control drive signals. A mode selection mechanism selectively outputs either the control drive signals or the clocked control drive signals to access the memory devices in accordance with a mode selection signal.

Present-day computers are requiring more and more memory. This is partly because improvements in CPU performance have outpaced the speed improvements of hard disk drives in the past decade. To improve system performance while minimizing the access to the relatively slow hard drive, large amounts of memory are being added to the computer systems to hold computer programs and data. Also, in addition to more memory, higher-speed memory is increasingly important to ensure that memory bandwidth requirements for ever-increasing CPU speeds can be met.
Memory for computers, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), is normally mounted together on a printed circuit board (PCB) to form a memory module. Memory modules come in different sizes and shapes, also referred to as the "form factor." The form factor dictates the number of memory chips that can be assembled on a module, as well as the pin configuration of the module. Examples of memory module configurations include 30- and 72-pin single in-line memory modules (SIMMs), and 168-pin and 184-pin dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs). DIMMs closely resemble SIMMs, with the principal difference being that on a SIMM, pins on opposite sides of the printed circuit board are tied together to form one electrical contact. On a DIMM, in contrast, opposing pins remain electrically isolated to form two separate contacts.
Because they have more contact pins, DIMMs are more popular than SIMMs. DIMMs include such variants as the small-outline DIMM (SO-DIMM) and micro DIMM, which are smaller in PCB area than a regular DIMM and have different pin configurations.
A memory module allows a set of memory chips to be accessed simultaneously (i.e., in parallel) and allows more data bits to be read or written at a time to increase the memory bus bandwidth. For example, a typical 256 MB double data rate (DDR) DIMM contains eight or nine 32 M×8 bit synchronous DRAM chips, utilizes a 184-pin connector, and is capable of transferring 64 or 72 bits of data at a time with a 167 MHz memory bus clock, to achieve a bandwidth of 2700 Megabytes per second. As the number of memory chips in a module increases, the capacitance loading of the memory module on the memory bus also increases, slowing down the memory access.
There are two basic types of memory chips in general—asynchronous and synchronous. Like its name suggests, an asynchronous memory chip does not operate based on any kind of common system clock. The memory controller must manipulate the timings of the data, address, and control signals of asynchronous memory chips to access them. Examples of types of asynchronous memory chips include Fast Page Mode (FPM) DRAM, Extended Data Out (EDO) DRAM, and Flash memory.
In contrast, synchronous memory, like synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), shares the same system clock with the memory controller. This simplifies the timing considerations for memory accesses. All memory transfers are simply referred to the rising and falling edges of the clock. Synchronous memory can also take advantage of the pipelining features enabled by the use of a clock to control memory operations, which make memory retrieval even faster. Synchronous memory modules come in several different speeds synchronized to the system clock they will be used in. For examples, a PC100 SDRAM module runs at 100 MHz on the front-end bus clock in a personal computer, and a PC133 SDRAM module runs at 133 MHz, etc. A double data rate (DDR) SDRAM module, which allows data to be transferred on both the rising and falling edges of the clock cycle, yields an effective data rate of 266 MHz or 333 MHz, at 133 MHz or 167 MHz clocks, respectively.
There are three basic "types" of memory modules: unbuffered, buffered, and registered. These designations refer to how the memory modules process the control and address signals (herein collectively referred to as the "control signals") received over a memory bus from a memory controller.
An unbuffered module is the most common memory module. The memory chips in an unbuffered module can be synchronous or asynchronous. Unbuffered modules are assembled with a set of memory chips on a printed circuit board, but do not have means to re-drive the control singles received from the memory controller. The memory controller must drive the complete set of memory chips on an unbuffered module, which in some cases can be as high as 36 chips per module. When a memory module with 36 chips is inserted into a socket, the memory controller will encounter a 36-times load increase for every address line and control signal it controls. For this reason, a PC motherboard designed to use unbuffered memory modules only supports a very limited number of unbuffered modules—normally, two to four modules.
An example of an unbuffered module 100 is shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the unbuffered module contains a set of memory chips 102-1 . . . 102-n, which are directly connected to the edge connector 112 of the PCB (these connections are not explicitly shown). The edge connector 112 contains a set of contact pads, where data bus 140, address and control bus 120, and power and ground 190 are in electrical connection with the module. The unbuffered module may also contain a number of passive components (not shown), such as serial damping resistors for single-ended signals, termination resistors for differential signals, compensation capacitors to balance loading, and decoupling capacitors between power and ground to reduce noise. The module may also contain a set of pull-up/pull-down resistors or a serial EEPROM chip 130 at serial presence detect (SPD) interface 131 that can be queried by the memory controller to obtain module configuration and timing information.
Because the memory chips 102-1 . . . 102-n are directly connected to the contact pads of the edge connector 112, the address/control signals from the memory controller have to drive all of the memory chips. (Only one representative control signal is shown in the figure). Additionally, if the memory chips 102-1 . . . 102-n are synchronous, the system clock signal 230 received by the module (e.g., from the front-end bus clock of a motherboard) provides the timing signal for all of the memory chips on the module.
Without buffers, registers, or other supporting chips, an unbuffered module is the most cost-effective module and is normally used in desktop PCs, where cost is a major concern. However, unbuffered modules may not be able to meet the requirement of future high-speed and high-capacity memory systems because the heavy load on the control signals can slow down the memory bus. Buffered modules and registered modules, while reducing memory bus loading, are more expensive, and are normally reserved for use in servers and other high-end systems.
Buffered modules are used in asynchronous DRAM applications, such as EDO memory modules. A buffered memory module utilizes driver integrated circuits (ICs) or buffers to improve module performance by "re-driving" the control signals in the memory module. Adding buffers to a memory module electrically isolates the memory chips on the module from the memory bus, effectively reducing the loads seen by the memory controller. The buffers also help the memory controller cope with the capacitance load caused by the memory chips on the module. Using a buffered EDO memory module as an example, system performance is improved by having the input control and address signals buffered (except for the RAS# signal and data). The Samsung M372F3200DJ3-C 32 Mx72 EDO DIMM module, for example, uses thirty-six 16 M×4 bits DRAMs and contains two 16-bit driver ICs. Leaving the data and RAS# signals unbuffered preserves the DRAM timing specifications for the module.
Another type of buffering seen in asynchronous DRAM modules is the adding of bus switch ICs to the data bus of the memory module. The bus switch isolates the data signals from the memory bus under system control. Only the data signals of a selected (enabled) memory module are connected to the system data bus, while the data signals of all unselected memory modules are disconnected (e.g., tri-stated) from the data bus by disabling the bus switch buffers. Since an asynchronous memory module does not require a clock signal, there is no Phase Lock Loop (PLL) or similar clock buffer, such as a Delay Locked Loop (DLL), in such a memory module. In some cases, driver ICs and Programmable Logic Devices (PLD) are also added to asynchronous memory modules. For example, the Dataram DRS1500/512 Mezzanine Memory Board, organized as four banks of 8 M×144 bits, consists of seventy-two 8 M×8 bits EDO DRAMs, five 16-bit buffer/drivers, and one programmable logic device (PLD). The PLD controls the WRITE Enable and Output Enable signals to the DRAM chips.
In synchronous memory modules, the system clock controls the timing of data transfers in the memory. The clock is input to every synchronous memory chip on the module. To reduce the loading to the system clock due to the insertion of a memory module, and to control the clock skew among memory chips with respect to the system clock, a PLL or DLL can be added to this type of memory module to synchronize the clock signals among the memory chips. A PLL or DLL takes the system clock input as a reference clock, and regenerates it into multiple outputs with either no delay or a controlled delay, before distributing the clocks to the memory chips on the memory module.
Generally, unregistered driver ICs have not been utilized to reduce the loads of control signals in a synchronous memory module where a PLL or a clock buffer is used. Normally, only register chips or registered buffers are used to buffer the control signals in a synchronous memory module. A synchronous memory module with a PLL and register buffers to register the control signals is referred to as a "registered" memory module.
An example of a registered memory module 200 is shown in FIG. 2. The components in a registered memory module include a set of synchronous memory chips 202-1 . . . 202-n, an edge connector 112, passive components (not shown), and a Serial Presence Detect (SPD) EEPROM 130. The edge connector 112 contains a set of contact pads (not shown) for electrically connecting data bus 140, system clock bus 230, address and control bus 120, and power and ground 190 to the module. The edge connector 112 also includes an SPD interface 231. The registered memory module 200 contains more active components than the unbuffered memory module shown in FIG. 1—e.g., register 210 and phase locked loop (PLL) 212. For the registered memory module 200, the address and control signals (from bus 120) drive the register 210, which registers the address and control signals from the memory bus. The register 210 then drives the address and control signals to the synchronous memory chips 202-1 . . . 202-n. PLL 212 receives the system clock (i.e., the reference clock, from system clock bus 230), buffers it, and then distributes it to the register 210 and to all of the synchronous memory chips 202-1 . . . 202-n. PLL 212 acts as a clock buffer, and is also used to minimize the clock skew among the memory devices.
Registered modules are particularly advantageous in servers and high-end workstations where greater amounts of memory are needed, and where the timing requirements are more stringent. A system using registered memory modules can support more memory modules. For example, some motherboards using registered memory modules can have 8 or even 16 memory modules installed on it at one time. This is because every control signal from the memory controller only sees one load for every registered memory module installed in the computing system. This is very different from an unbuffered memory module, where every control signal from the memory controller has to drive all of the memory chips on the memory module. With a lighter load on the memory bus, a shorter cycle time and higher operating frequency is possible for the registered memory modules.
The register chips or the registered buffers in a registered memory module introduce a new pipeline stage to the control signals in the memory access and cause the control signals input to the registered memory module to encounter a delay cycle latency. The delay cycle in the control signals causes a registered memory module to function differently than an unbuffered memory module. As a result, the memory module manufacturers are required to maintain two sets of synchronous memory modules—one for registered applications and one for unbuffered applications.
Each type of memory module—unbuffered, buffered, and registered—has different advantages and disadvantages. Yet, significantly, a memory module of one type cannot be used interchangeably in a system designed to use another type. In other words, systems that are designed to use registered memory modules will not function correctly if unbuffered memory modules are inserted, and vice-versa, principally due to the consideration of an extra delay cycle of the registered memory modules. There are different keying notches on the memory modules and on the system memory sockets to help ensure that only the correct type of memory modules are installed into the system.


A system includes an acceleration sensor for detecting a centrifugal acceleration, and a processing unit, which is coupled to the acceleration sensor and which is configured to determine numerical values from measured values of the centrifugal acceleration. The determined numerical values are representative of a mileage of a tire and/or wear of the tire and/or an installation radius of the system in the tire.

The systems described in the present application can be based on "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems" (TPM systems) or systems of this type or be contained therein. Nowadays, motor vehicles are being increasingly equipped with systems of this type. The primary function of a TPM system is to measure the individual internal pressure of each tire in order to warn the driver of a vehicle about a sudden or creeping loss of pressure. To do this, a TPMS module, which can contain essentially a plurality of sensors (pressure sensor, acceleration sensor and temperature sensor), an RF transmitter and a power supply unit such as a battery, are located in each wheel in what are referred to as direct TPM systems.

System and method for determining the mileage and wear of a tire


A centrifugal fan includes an impeller, a motor and a case. The impeller includes a hub and multiple blades. The hub has a center. The blades are connected to the hub and have all respective outmost edges collectively define a circle with the center and a radius R. Each blade has at least one concave cutout. Each concave cutout is equipped with a depth of greater than 0.5 millimeters and an obtuse angle of less than 170 degrees, wherein the obtuse angle is an included angle between an inner edge of the concave cutout and an outer edge of the blade. The motor is secured to the huh and drives the impeller to rotate. The case houses the impeller and the motor.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a fan device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a centrifugal fan.
2. Description of Related Art
The centrifugal fans are different from the axial fans in that the centrifugal fans intakes air along an axial direction of the impeller and outputs air along a radial direction of the impeller. Referring to FIG. 1, which illustrates a top view of a conventional impeller of the centrifugal fan. The impeller 100 of the centrifugal fan includes a hub 101 and a plurality of blades 102. The blades 102 are arranged radially around the hub 101.
In order to increase the centrifugal fan's performance, e.g. increasing output air volume, one of the solutions is to add more blades 102. When the blades are increased up to a certain number, the blades are crowded in their ends connected to the hub 101. Referring to FIG. 1, when 23 pieces of blades 102 are connected to the hub 101, the blades 102 are crowded in the area around the hub 101. Due to a high density around the hub 101, less air is intake and less air is thus output from the centrifugal fan.
Referring to FIG. 2, which illustrates a cross-sectional view of a conventional fan. One of the solutions is to reduce an axial height of each blade in which dense blades are located, e.g. the upper inclined edge 102a and lower inclined edge 102b near the hub 101, so as to reduce an intake resistance of the dense blades along the axial direction (as shown in the direction of arrows) and increase air expelled along the axial direction of the blade 102.
However, when the axial height on the blades 102 are reduced, the blades 102 are also reduced in their working areas such that the centrifugal fan's performance can be impacted. Therefore, how to reduce the intake resistance of the dense blades and in increase the working areas of the dense blades so as to improve the centrifugal fan's performance even better is a need in designing the centrifugal fan.


A gear transmission device includes a frame, a sun gear including a first shaft having a first axis, a driven gear, a planet gear movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position and including a second shaft having a second axis, an auxiliary gear including a third shaft, a first guide portion to guide the second shaft, and a second guide portion to guide the third shaft. At least a portion of the third shaft is positioned opposite to the driven gear relative to a first imaginary line passing the first axis and the second axis of the planet gear located at the disengaged position. As the sun gear rotates with the auxiliary gear in mesh with the planet gear, the third shaft moves with contacting a guide surface and the second shaft moves in a direction opposite to a direction in which the third shaft moves.

Examples of known gear transmission devices include pendulum gear mechanisms. In some pendulum gear mechanism, for example, a pendulum gear is configured to move around a circumference of a drive gear with meshing with the drive gear. The drive gear is rotatably supported by an attachment plate. The pendulum gear is also supported by the attachment plate so as to be rotatable about an axis extending parallel to an axis of the drive gear. A coil spring is disposed between the attachment plate and the pendulum gear. The coil spring exerts, on the pendulum gear, an urging force acting in a direction parallel to the direction in which the axis of the pendulum gear extends, thereby pressing the pendulum gear against the attachment plate at all times. A friction force caused between contacting surfaces of the attachment plate and the pendulum gear by such a coil spring enables the pendulum gear to move around the circumference of the drive gear in a direction in which the drive gear rotates.

Gear transmission device and image forming apparatus


A semiconductor memory device, such as a DRAM, includes a word line multi-selection circuit. A row decoder generates a word line selecting signal for selecting a read-out word line for use in the current cycle to read information from a selected memory cell. The word line selecting signal is also used to select a write-back word line which was used in the previous cycle to read cell information and is used in the current cycle to write back cell information. The word line multi-selection circuit includes a register for temporarily storing the cell information read from the selected memory cell and also for providing, in the current cycle, information read in the previous cycle in order to perform the write-back operation.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and particularly to a DRAM for performing high-speed read and write operations.
Electronic apparatus using semiconductor devices, such as workstations and personal computers, have made great strides in increasing their operational speed in recent years. Such electronic apparatus typically includes DRAM type memory devices and attain increased operational speed based on the EDO (Extended Data Out) DRAMs, page mode, etc. However, at present, DRAMs cannot operate as fast as an MPU which is another major component part of such electronic apparatus. Accordingly, the MPU operates slower, thereby decreasing performance of the system as a whole. Therefore, it would be desirable to increase the speed of DRAMs.
An example of the sequence of operation of the conventional DRAM will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. When the control signal /RAS goes low, a row address signal R1 is provided from an external device, and a word line WL1 which is selected by the row address signal R1 is activated. Each word line is raised to a step-up voltage of 5 V which is higher than the power voltage of 3 V, for example, in order to read cell information from the selected memory cell efficiently and quickly or write cell information to the selected memory cell firmly and quickly. Cell information is read from the memory cell connected to the selected word line WL1 onto one of bit line pairs BL and /BL, creating a small voltage difference emerging between the bit line pair BL and /BL.
Subsequently, a sense amplifier activation signal LE is provided to the sense amplifier that is connected to the bit line pairs BL and /BL so that the small voltage difference between the bit line pair BL and /BL is amplified, and the retrieved cell information is written back to the memory cell.
When another external control signal /CAS goes low, a bit line pair BL and /BL are selected by an external column address signal, causing the sense amplifier of the selected bit line pair BL and /BL to place its output signal as cell information on the data bus.
Subsequently, when the control signals /RAS and /CAS go high, the word line selecting operation ends, causing the word line WLl to fall to the low level. In addition, the sense amplifier is inactivated and the bit line pair selecting operation ends, causing the bit line pair BL and /BL, from which cell information has been read, to be reset to an intermediate voltage. Thus, a one cycle read operation is completed.
Subsequently, when the control signal /RAS goes low again, another row address signal R2 is provided, causing another word line WL2 to rise to the high level, and the read operation proceeds as explained above.
The read cycle includes a certain wait time t1 after the control signal /RAS has gone high at the end of the previous read operation until the control signal /RAS goes low at the beginning of the next read operation. This wait time t1 is provided to allow the high-level word line WL1 in the previous cycle to fall enough before the word line WL2 selected in the next cycle is activated, thereby preventing a double selection of the word lines WL1 and WL2. The wait time t1 needs to be as long as a 1/3 cycle time of read operation, and therefore reduction of the wait time t1 contributes significantly to the speed-up of reading. However, it is difficult to reduce the wait time t1 without altering the basic design.
Attempting to increase the output power of the word line drive circuit so as to pull down word lines quickly to the low level invites read errors caused by increased power noise, or even much slower pull-down of word lines due to a lack of output current of the voltage step-up power circuit.
Another attempt of lowering the high-level voltage of word lines to speed up the pull-down of the word lines results in a reduced charge to the memory cells, which necessitates a shorter refresh period for cell information and increased power consumption.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of speeding up the read-out of cell information and having low power consumption.

Word line multi-selection circuit for a memory device


Systems and methods are provided for dynamic list views and detail pages. A database system can update a subscribed field in a data record when the field is updated and when a user interface is displaying the field in a list view. The system can provide a notification of an update for a subscribed field in a data record when the field is updated and when a user interface is displaying the field in a list view.

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
Conventional database systems provide lists of consumers for consumer service providers, such as call centers. System users can use the consumer lists to make outbound calls for telesales, send emails, or post comments to self-service portals. Users may work from personalized lists of consumers or from a common list of consumers that is accessible to other users. A user interface may display a list view, which is a partial view of a common list that can include thousands of consumers. A user may select to view a detail page that provides details about a consumer listed in a common list. Telesales providers may employ thousands of users who work simultaneously in a highly competitive environment. A first user may have just completed a telesales call with a first consumer listed on a common list, and not realize that a second user is calling a second consumer who is listed on the common list, such that the first user wastes time in preparation for calling the second consumer. A support agent who is working from a common list does not realize that a third consumer on the common list has requested that the third consumer's case be escalated to the highest priority, so the support agent decides to spend time providing email support to a fourth consumer with a lower priority case. A first user viewing a detail page may waste time with conflict resolution or duplication of effort because the first user was unaware of a second user providing updated information for the detail page. The database system could address such challenges by automatically providing instantaneous updates to common lists. However, thousands of immediate updates adding, deleting, and modifying information for consumers on a common list could disorient and confuse a user, who could easily lose their place on the common list. The confused user may not recall the consumers that the user was planning on contacting next, for whom the user may have already spent time preparing to contact these consumers.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide techniques enabling dynamic list views and detail pages implemented by a database system to improve the performance, efficiency, and the ease of system use for consumer service providers.

Systems and methods for dynamic list views and detail pages


A system and method for detecting exposure of an OCSP responder's session private key in a D-OCSP-KIS to verify the status of a user's certificate online are provided. The system includes: a client for requesting certificate status information from the OCSP responder; the OCSP responder for receiving the certificate status information request from the client, sending a response, producing a hash value, and delivering the hash value to a certificate authority (CA) to get a certificate issued; and the CA for receiving the hash value from the OCSP responder and issuing the certificate to the OCSP responder in response to a certificate issue request; wherein the client verifies a digital signature using a hash value contained in the OCSP responder's certificate and the hash value contained in the response, and each client stores a counter value for a hash operation in each verification and recognizes the response as valid when a current counter value is greater than a previous counter value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an online certificate status protocol (OCSP) for verifying a certificate of a user online in a public key infrastructure (PKI), and more particularly, to a system and method for detecting exposure of an OCSP responder's session private key in a distributed OCSP based on key-insulted signature (D-OCSP-KIS) where multiple OCSP responders exist.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various cryptographic algorithms have been developed for security on the Internet. A cryptographic algorithm requires a confidentiality function for keeping information secret, a function for performing authentication to identify a person who sends information, a function for checking the integrity of information, and a non-repudiation function for preventing denial of the fact that an information provider provides information.
As a cryptographic algorithm having such functions, a cryptographic algorithm using a key has been widely used. The key-based cryptographic algorithm includes a symmetric encryption algorithm or a secret key algorithm which uses a single secret key, and an asymmetric encryption algorithm or a public key algorithm which uses a combination of a public key and a private key. A message digest (MD), which is not a cryptographic algorithm, is used to check integrity of received information and to perform authentication for an information sender.
The symmetric encryption algorithm is an algorithm in which a decryption key is derived from an encryption key and vice versa, and performs both encryption and decryption using a single secret key. A person who sends information or a message encrypts the information or message using a secret key and then sends the encrypted information, and a person who receives the encrypted information decrypts the encrypted information using the same secret key. The symmetric encryption algorithm has an advantage in that it can perform encryption and decryption rapidly, and can employ various encryption techniques and thus has many applications. On the other hand, it has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to produce and manage a secret key when there are many users and safe transmission of the secret should be guaranteed. Symmetric encryption algorithms include Data Encryption Standard (DES), International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA), RC2, RC5, SEED, and so on.
The public key encryption algorithm uses an encryption key and a decryption key which are different from each other. That is, an encryption key cannot be derived from a decryption key, and vice versa. The public key encryption algorithm uses a public key which is a combination of an encryption key and a private key. Since the public key is open to the public, a sender encrypts desired information using a receiver's public key and then sends the encrypted information, and a receiver decrypts the encrypted information using his/her private key. Ciphertext can be decrypted using a private key corresponding to a public key used for encryption, it does not require transmission of a secret key. However, the public key encryption algorithm is slow to encrypt and decrypt and thus is inconvenient when encrypting and decrypting large volumes of information. Public key infrastructure (PKI) encryption algorithms include Rivest-Shamir-Adelman (RSA), LUC, Diffie-Hellman, Elliptic Curve, and so on.
Meanwhile, the message digest algorithm is used to secure the integrity of information as described above. The message digest algorithm converts given information or a message into a hash value having a predetermined length using a one-way hash function. The ciphertext is transmitted together with the message digest, and a receiver decrypts it into plaintext and obtains a hash value of the plaintext, and then compares the obtained hash value to the received hash value. When the two hash values are identical, it means that there is no change in information during transmission. Message digest algorithms include Snefru, CRC-32, CRC-16, MD2, MD4, MD5, SHA, Haval, and so on.
The type of cryptographic algorithm most widely used in electronic commercial transactions is a hybrid type which is a mix of both asymmetric and symmetric encryption. In the hybrid type cryptographic algorithm, a message is encrypted by the secret key algorithm using a secret key, and the secret key is encrypted by the public key algorithm using a receiver's public key, and then the two ciphertexts are transmitted. The receiver decrypts the secret key using his/her private key and then decrypts the message using the decrypted secret key. For authentication, integrity and non-repudiation, something encrypted by a private key of a sender who sends the message digest (which is referred to as a "digital signature") is generally transmitted together. The receiver decrypts the message digest using the sender's public key and then compares it with a message digest of the decrypted plaintext, thereby authenticating the sender and achieving content integrity and non-repudiation.
The above-described cryptographic algorithm is disclosed in Korean Publication No. 2000-72218, entitled: "METHOD FOR MANAGING AND SYNCHRONIZING SECURITY DATA IN INTERNET USING ENCRYPTION AND DIGITAL SIGNITURE" and Korean Publication No. 2004-37051, entitled: "DOCUMENT SECURITY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE SAME AND RECORDING MEDIUM FOR EXECUTING THE PROGRAM CAPABLE OF READING COMPUTER".
The PKI encryption algorithm described above provides extensive security such as authentication, integrity, and non-repudiation by using the public key algorithm. A main feature of the PKI encryption algorithm is the digital certificate in which identify information of an entity such as a user or an organization is linked to its public key and then digitally signed by a certificate authority (CA). When a private key of an entity or entity information is exposed, the entity requests the CA to revoke its certificate. Information indicating whether a certificate is revoked or not is referred to as certificate status information (CSI), and a certificate revocation list (CRL) is one well-known method for obtaining and managing CSI.
The CRL is simple, but the cost of communications between a user and a CA's directory or repository is high. For this reason, several methods have been suggested to reduce the size and cost of communicating CSI, such as a delta-CRL, CRL Distributed Points (CRL DPs), Over-issued CRLs, Indirect CRLs, Dynamic CRL DPs, Freshest CRLs, Certificate Revocation Trees (CRTs), NOVOMODO, and Authenticated Directory.
When a client or a user wants the CSI in a timely manner, an online certificate status detecting method such as OCSP is more convenient than an offline method such as the CRL.
Using the OCSP, the client does not need to download the CRL from the directory of the CA, so that the communication cost is low and the client does not need a memory for storing the CRL. However, if the CSI requests are centralized to one OCSP responder, the OCSP responder may be attacked by a denial of service (DoS). To reduce the risk of a DoS attack, the OCSP responder may compute a signature value for responses in a short time. However, this may also result in replay attacks.
In order to reduce overload of one OCSP responder in the traditional OCSP, a distributed-OCSP (D-OCSP) in which multiple OCSP responders coexist has been introduced. If distributed OCSP responders have the same private key in the D-OCSP, an risk of exposure of the private key becomes very high. Thus, each OCSP responder has a different private key, and a client should obtain certificates of all OCSP responders to detect the CSI of the OCSP responders. However, this may also result in a high communication cost and increased memory consumption. In order to solve these problems, a single public key method in D-OCSP-KIS was proposed by Koga and Sakurai.
In D-OCSP-KIS, each OCSP responder has a different private key, but they all have the same certificate. Thus, the number of certificates is reduced, a communication cost is low, a computation time is short, and memory consumption is low.
However, the D-OCSP-KIS has several problems. If an attacker obtains a session private key of an OCSP responder within a certain time period (e.g., one day), the private key of a different OCSP responder cannot be computed without a master private key. Since a hash value is impossible to compute reversely, a hash value of a previous time period cannot be computed. However, the attacker may pretend to be an OCSP responder while the real OCSP responder does not recognize, and may send a wrong response to a client using a snatched hash value. As a result, both a user and an electronic commerce server are vulnerable to serious damage. In addition, computation, storage and distribution of a hash chain may be a load on the CA.
That is, the D-OCSP-KIS verifies a certificate status such that the CA issues an OCSP responder's certificate having a hash value which indicates whether the OCSP responder's certificate is valid or not each time period (e.g., one day). However, when the session private key is secretly exposed to the attacker during a certain time period, the attacker can disguise himself or herself as the OCSP responder to snatch the hash value and send a wrong response to the client using the snatched has value, thereby causing bad damage to the electronic commerce server and its users.

System and method for detecting exposure of OCSP responder's session private key

Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration


An improved wiring system for vehicle doors allows the trim panel to be simply snapped to the metal door frame. Electrical connections are made by floating electrical connectors at the time the two are snapped together. Alignment pins on the floating connector are received within corresponding openings in the second connector to facilitate alignment. In other features, a water barrier may include electric wire holding structure such that the wires may be merely mounted to the water barrier, without the necessity of any complex wire harness. In other aspects of this invention, a plurality of electrical components may be connected through a single electrical connector.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle door wiring systems.
Vehicle doors typically include a metal door frame and an interior trim panel attached to the door frame. A water and/or sound barrier is typically attached to either the door or trim panel, and sandwiched between the two. A wire harness is attached to either the door frame or the trim panel, and communicates electrical connections between components on the door, the trim panel, and also to controls and accessories remote from the door. In the prior art, an assembler has typically been required to complete the electrical connections between the door and its wire harness, or alternatively, between the wire harness and the trim panel, as the trim panel is moved to be mounted to the door frame. The door frame and trim panel must be relatively closely spaced to complete the electrical connections, and the worker must reach into the narrow space between the door frame and trim panel to make the connections. This is cumbersome, and inconvenient. Examples of the types of door structure and electrical connections that are utilized are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,842.
As more electrical components are mounted into the door, the assembly becomes even more inconvenient. In addition, the wire harnesses have become correspondingly complex and difficult to manufacture and assemble.
Systems have been proposed wherein plug-in electrical connections are completed as the trim panel is moved towards the door. While this would be beneficial in theory, the proposed systems have required exact alignment between the two electrical connectors, which is difficult to achieve. Thus, these systems have not proven practically successful.


A gripper assembly grips a double layered end portion of a tape with a tacky side of the tape facing downwardly and a backing side of the tape facing upwardly. A tape feed assembly feeds the tape, with the tacky side down, from a tape storage reel to the gripper assembly at the speed at which the gripper assembly moves along a tape support to tend to minimize tension in the portion of the tape disposed between the tape feed assembly and the gripper assembly. When the desired length of tape has been fed, the tacky side of the tape is moved into engagement with the upper side of the tape support. Suction is applied to the tacky side of the tape to hold the tape in position on the tape support. While the tape is disposed on the tape support, opposite ends of the tape are cut. A tape transfer manifold applies suction to the upwardly facing backing side of the cut tape to grip the tape. Air pressure is applied against the tacky downwardly facing side of the tape to positively release the tape from the tape support. The tape transfer manifold is then moved to a use location where an article receives the tape.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in handling tape having a backing side and a tacky side.
A known tape handling apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,280. This known tape handling apparatus includes a tape feeder having detents which engage an upwardly facing tacky side of a tape. The detents are reciprocated to slide the downwardly facing backing side of the tape along a support surface and onto a tape applying pad. A lubricated cutter is then actuated to cut the tape. Once the tape has been cut, the pad is rotated to press the tape against a workpiece.
Another known tape handling apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,494. The tape handling apparatus disclosed in this patent is used to form a tear tab in the tape. Other known devices which have been used in the handling of tape or similar material are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,492,593; 2,966,085; and 3,353,432.


Refrigerator including a body forming an outer appearance of the refrigerator, a terminal detachably mounted on the body for controlling the refrigerator, a power supply device at one side of the body, for receiving power from an outside of the refrigerator, converting to a predetermined charge power, and supplying to the terminal, and an electric connection part connected between the power supply device and the terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having a detachable terminal.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, the refrigerator is used for long time fresh storage of food, and providing cold drinks, such as cold water, or ice to a user. The refrigerator is provided with a compressor as a part of a refrigerating cycle, for maintaining an inside of the refrigerator below a predetermined temperature.
In the meantime, recent refrigerator is controlled, not only manually by the user, but also electronically as the refrigerator is provided with devices that enable networking to receive information through the Internet, or a computer that enables the refrigerator to be operated by a main controller of a home network system.
Moreover, a display screen of the terminal having a computer built therein is provided to an exterior of the refrigerator, so that the user can provide an order required for operation of the refrigerator in a touch screen like fashion.
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a related art refrigerator.
Referring to FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 is provided with a refrigerator terminal 2 attached to a front of a door. The terminal 2 is connected to an external power source, for receiving power.
The terminal 2 has a display part 3 for displaying operation information of the refrigerator, so that the user can check an operation state of the refrigerator, or provide an operational order thereto in a touch screen fashion.
In the meantime, the terminal has a power supply device built therein, provided with an AC adapter, a charge regulator for receiving power from the AC adapter and supplying a preset magnitude of power, and a microcomputer for controlling the charge regulator.
However, the refrigerator having the refrigerator terminal attached thereto has the following problems.
First, as described, the related art power supply device, in general, built-in the refrigerator terminal 2 attached to one side of the front of the refrigerator 1 door, increases a volume and weight of the refrigerator terminal, to impedes fabrication of a small sized and light weighted refrigerator terminal.
Second, the direct supply of the external power to the related art power supply device is liable to cause damage thereto by a high voltage.
Third, the mounting of the related art refrigerator terminal to face only one direction without protection leaves the display screen 3 susceptible to damage from external foreign matters, or children who do not know operation.


Methods and devices are provided for controlling movement of a working end of a surgical device, and in particular for performing various surgical procedures using an instrument having an end effector that can be articulated relative to an elongate shaft of the device. In certain embodiments, the end effector can also optionally rotate relative to the elongate shaft of the device, and/or the shaft can rotate relative to a handle of the device.

In laparoscopic surgical procedures, a small incision is made in the body and an elongate shaft of a surgical device is inserted through the incision to position a distal end of the shaft at a surgical site. In endoscopic procedures, the elongate shaft of a surgical device is inserted through a natural orifice, such as the mouth or anus, and is advanced along a pathway to position a distal end of the device at a surgical site. Endoscopic procedures typically require the use of a flexible shaft to accommodate the tortuous pathway of the body lumen, whereas rigid shafts can be used in laparoscopic procedures. These tools can be used to engage and/or treat tissue in a number of ways to achieve a diagnostic or therapeutic effect.
Many current laparoscopic and endoscopic devices utilize articulating effectors to provide the user with more control over the orientation of the working end of the instrument. Integration of the controls for articulating, as well as actuating, a working end of a laparoscopic or endoscopic device tend to be complicated by the size constraints of the relatively small pathway through which it is inserted. The controls for an endoscopic device are further complicated by the flexibility of the shaft. Generally, the control motions are all transferred through the shaft as longitudinal translations, which can interfere with the flexibility of the shaft. There is also a desire to lower the force necessary to articulate and/or actuate the working end to a level that all or a great majority of surgeons can handle. One known solution to lower the force-to-fire is to use electrical motors. However, surgeons typically prefer to experience feedback from the working end to assure proper operation of the end effector. The user-feedback effects are not suitably realizable in present motor-driven devices.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved methods and devices for controlling movement of a working end of a surgical device.


An implantable pump with a plurality of protrusions and grooves is described.

This invention generally relates to an implantable pump assembly for inflating a prosthesis. More particularly, the invention relates to a pump assembly for an inflatable penile prosthesis.
One common treatment for male erectile dysfunction is the implantation of a penile prosthesis. Such a prosthesis typically includes a pair of inflatable cylinders which are fluidly connected to a fluid (typically liquid) reservoir via a pump and valve assembly. The two cylinders are normally implanted into the corpus cavernosae of the patient and, in some embodiments, a reservoir may be implanted in the patient's abdomen. The pump assembly is implanted in the scrotum. During use, the patient actuates the pump and fluid is transferred from the reservoir through the pump and into the cylinders. This results in the inflation of the cylinders and thereby produces the desired penis rigidity for a normal erection. Then, when the patient desires to deflate the cylinders, a valve assembly within the pump is actuated in a manner such that the fluid in the cylinders is released back into the reservoir. This deflation then returns the penis to a flaccid state.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,466 discloses an implantable penile prosthesis comprising a fluid reservoir, a pump and elongate cylindrical prosthetic members. The pump includes an exterior surface with a plurality of circular ridges. The ridges are separated by grooves and extend around the exterior surface of the pump in a continuous, uninterrupted fashion. The device is operated by grasping the scrotal sac and squeezing the pumping section of the pump through the scrotal sac wall. The ridges of the pumping section are said to prevent the pumping section from slipping off the user's grasp during pumping. However, there is no structure blocking movement of tissue relative to the pump along a longitudinal axis of a groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,509 discloses an inflatable penile prosthesis. The prosthesis has an inflatable cylinder, a fluid reservoir, pump means and valves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,457 discloses an improved pressure control valve for a medical device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,583 discloses an artificial sphincter. The sphincter includes a pump, a housing and a node.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,537,183, 5,851,176 and 5,167,611 disclose penile prostheses with a pump and a plurality of circular ridges.
The Alpha I® Inflatable Penile Prosthesis was sold in the United States more than a year prior to the filing date of the present application by Mentor of Santa Barbara, Calif. The Alpha I Prosthesis included a pump assembly with a pump housing with release bars and a pump with a plurality of ridges that were separated by grooves that extended around the exterior surface of the pump in a continuous, uninterrupted fashion. To return the prosthesis to a flaccid state, the user was instructed to feel the protruding release bars and then squeeze them.
The continuous nature of the grooves and ridges is believed to present a problem. There is no structure to block movement of tissue along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of a groove.
The ridges of the Alpha prosthesis are relatively thin and are spaced close together. Grooves between the ridges provide very little room for tissue to extrude into. This is undesirable as squeezing tissue into the grooves is believed to help anchor the pump to the tissue during the act of squeezing. FIG. 1A depicts ribs of a prior art Alpha device. One ridge was measured with an average width of about 0.024 inches and a depth of about 0.029 inches. The grooves tend to be somewhat small. One groove was measured with an average width of about 0.034 inches. FIG. 1A shows an area 1′ between ribs 2′ of a prior art Alpha prosthesis pump. This area was measured as 0.0012 square inches. There is very little area between the ribs 2′. This small area is not optimal for affording tissue to extrude between the ribs when the patients squeezes tissue to compress the pump bulb
The outer surfaces of the ridges of the Alpha I prosthesis tend to be rounded, with a large radius at the top. One radius was measured at 0.012 inches. This is also believed to be a problem as the rounded tips do not afford optimal tissue purchase and can result in tissue sliding off the tip of the ridge.
The Mark II® Inflatable Penile Prosthesis was sold in the United States more than a year prior to the filing date of the present application by Mentor of Santa Barbara, Calif. This device included a pump assembly including a resipump and a release ring.
The Mark II prosthesis has a single squeeze pump. The size of the pump limits the pressure that can be transmitted to the cylinders and therefore limits the stiffness of the cylinder. The Mark II cylinder is believed to afford a much less stiff cylinder than the Alpha I cylinder.
The release ring of the Mark II includes a plurality of ribs. Again, these ribs are rounded and slippery.


A compact, easy to store, portable work surface and apparatus for fish, fowl, wild game and the like that is capable of temporary mounting to a tree or other vertical support is provided that includes a work surface/cutting board attached to a support frame having an upright stanchion to extend above the work surface and provided with a lower engagement member, preferably provided as a tined or forked member to engage a surface at multiple distinct points, for engaging and preferably partly straddling a tree or other vertical support. A lanyard is operatively coupled to upright stanchion above the work surface and is adapted to be draped and secured about the tree to suspend the frame from the tree.

One aspect of fishing or hunting which is not considered enjoyable, however, is cleaning the fish or game that are caught by kneeling on the ground. Recreational sportsmen generally find it necessary or desirable to clean and cool their catch soon after fishing or hunting is completed in order to prevent spoilage and to maintain the freshness of the catch. In some circumstances, fish cleaning facilities are provided at the landing where the fishermen unload and load their boat off and onto a trailer used to transport the boat to the lake or river. But in many circumstances, there are no such facilities and the sportsman is faced with either waiting until he returns home to clean the catch (which is not a viable option if the time between when the fish or game is caught and the time the sportsman returns home is too long) or providing his own means of cleaning the fish or game before returning home. Moreover, even where a cleaning station is provided, often such stations are unclean from being exposed in the outdoors and from prior uses in cleaning fish and game. A number of specialized tools are available to assist in the work of cleaning fish, for example. Fish scalers and filleting knives have long been known. Cutting boards themselves are also well known, but the use of kitchen cutting boards is normally not desirable for the purpose of cleaning fish or game as they are otherwise to be used in the kitchen without stains, smells or residue that may be present from cleaning fish and game.
A number of devices have been developed which permit the sportsman to clean their catch when cleaning facilities are not provided. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,473 discloses a portable fish cleaning apparatus useful by recreational fishermen to clean their catch at the boat landing or other convenient location, where a fish cleaning board can be supported for use at a position upon placement in supportive engagement with a boat and trailer when in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,765 discloses a fish cleaning device which comprises a cleaning board with holding means for gripping a fish while it is cleaned.
U.S. Pat. No. 55,649,734 discloses a tailgate box, table and sink which is mounted on the tailgate of a pickup truck during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 55,542,359 discloses a collapsible fish cleaning table which has a tabletop member with an upwardly facing work surface which is supported by collapsible legs attached to the bottom of the tabletop member.
U.S. Pat. No. 55,860,367 discloses a portable filleting table that is supported by foldable legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 55,474,494 discloses a fish cleaning apparatus, which is adapted to be supported upon a container having an upwardly opening mouth (i.e., a garbage can). The cleaning platform has an opening which overlays the opening in the container, and the platform is releasably latched to the container when in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 55,706,740 discloses a portable tree shelf that can be used on a vertical support like a tree. However, the support structure is provided beneath the work table so that the table in not particularly usable when detached from a tree and placed on the ground or other horizontal surface.
Published Patent Application No. US2004/0094071 discloses a strap-on multi functional apparatus that can be attached to vertical support member such as a tree or pier. Again, the support structure is provided beneath the work table. Although the support structure is collapsible, the structure still gets in the way so that the table in not particularly usable when detached from a tree and placed on the ground or other horizontal surface. Moreover, with the many components and folded components, such device is cumbersome to assemble and to carry to a use site, such as by back pack.
These prior art devices are unsatisfactory because they either require other devices that are not naturally provided for support while in use (i.e., a pickup tailgate, boat and trailer or a container) or, if they provide their own means of support (i.e., legs or lower brackets), they are cumbersome to assemble, bulky, difficult to transport and are limited to uses as they are specifically supported (to a vertical support, but not on a horizontal surface like the ground).
Other references of note include U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,423 to Messer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,008 to Parker; U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,858 to Baxter et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,338 to Jensen; U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,279 to Perry; U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,494 to Sims; U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,765 to Dotson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,521 to Alfred et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,473 to Shore; and France patent no. 1486784.

Portable fish, fowl and wild game work surface and cleaning apparatus


An exhaust device of an image display is provided. The exhaust device includes a supporter and an exhaust cover. The supporter is connected to and supported by a back cover of the image display, and is protruded toward an inside of the image display, and has openings formed thereat forming an exhaust channel. The exhaust cover is connected to and supported by the supporter, and is formed on the exhaust channel so that the exhaust channel is diverged into plural directions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust device of an image display, and more particularly, to an exhaust device of an image display, which exhausts heat generated in the image display from the image display.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a projection TV (television) is a sort of an image display, which projects an image generated by an optical engine equipped with a projection lens on a wide screen through a reflection mirror to thereby display a screen image larger than an original image.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art projection TV.
Referring to FIG. 1, a projection TV 1 is constructed to include an optical engine 2 for forming an image, a projection lens 3 for enlarging and projecting the formed image, a reflection mirror 4 for reflecting the enlarged and projected image at a given angle, and a screen 5 for displaying the reflected image.
The screen 5 is fixed to a front cabinet 7, and the reflection mirror 4 is fixed to a back cover 6 with it being inclined at a given angle with respective to the back cover 6.
The back cover 6 and the front cabinet 7 form a housing structure of the projection TV 1.
When an image signal and a power source are applied to the above-constructed projection TV 1, it forms an image through the optical engine 2 and projects the formed image light through the projection lens 3 onto the reflection mirror 4.
Thereafter, the projected image light is reflected by the reflection mirror 4, and the reflected image light is projected onto the screen whereby a screen image is displayed.
In the meantime, FIG. 2 illustrates a lamp of the optical engine 2 and a heat-exhausting structure thereof in the prior art projection TV, and FIG. 3 illustrates an exhaust cover in the prior art projection TV.
A lamp 21 of the optical engine 2 is installed at a lamp housing 23, and a cooling fan 8 for exhausting heat generated by the lamp 21 from the projection TV is installed at one side of the lamp housing 23.
Also, an exhaust cover 9 is formed in an opening 61 of the back cover 6 facing the cooling fan 8.
A plurality of cover plates 91 inclined at a given angle and spaced apart from one another by a given space are installed in the exhaust cover 9. Here, the inclined angle of the cover plates 91 is for preventing interior light from being emitted outside.
Also, the space between the cover plates 91 forms an exhaust channel for emitting interior heat outward.
However, the exhaust cover 9 has a drawback in that the plurality of the cover plates 91 constituting the exhaust cover 9 increase resistance against air flow generated by the cooling fan 8 to thereby decrease a cooling efficiency of the cooling fan 8 and induce noises.
Moreover, the exhaust cover 9 has another drawback in that light generated at the lamp 21 leaks through the space between the cover plates 91, which causes users' dissatisfaction.


An irrigation gate system installed in a channel (such as a ditch or canal) for controlling the flow of water through the channel maintaining a desired level of water upstream from the irrigation gate system or for controlling water flow downstream from the irrigation gate system. The irrigation gate system includes a gate which is maintained in a closed position for preventing water flow past the gate or alternatively, in one of a plurality of open positions for allowing desired amounts of water in the channel to flow past the gate. The gate is vertically hingedly connected to a pipe shaft supported by a frame installed in the channel. A gate actuator moves the gate between its various positions upon receiving signals from an electronic programmable controller which in turn may receive signals from a variety of sources.

Prior art devices have been developed to control water in irrigation supply canals and in similar water channels. Such devices are required to manage water resources effectively.
An example of such a prior art device used to maintain a constant or predetermined water level in an irrigation ditch gate as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,296 (referred to as the LOPAC patent). The gate system taught in the LOPAC patent consists of two opposing, vertically hinged biased gate leaves which automatically open and close in response to a change in water pressure against the upstream surface of the gate leaves, thereby maintaining a constant upstream water level in the irrigation ditch.
One disadvantage of the system presented in the LOPAC patent is that it is difficult and time consuming to-fine-tune and place the springs necessary to bias the gate leaves to a desired position. This disadvantage is especially pronounced when the gate leaves need to be larger than one square meter to span an irrigation ditch.
A further disadvantage of the system disclosed in the LOPAC patent is that since the gate leaves are spring-actuated, the system is limited to controlling the upstream water level and does not, for example, respond to downstream conditions.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an irrigation gate system which does not require a great detail of fine tuning to achieve the desired flow through the irrigation gate system and is capable of responding to and being used to control more than upstream water levels.


There is provided an operating instrument insertion apparatus capable of easily inserting an operating instrument into the tissue. The operating instrument insertion apparatus includes a hollow tubular member for receiving an operating instrument therein, and a plurality of scoop-like members provided at a distal end of the hollow tubular member. The plurality of scoop-like members can be opened in such a manner that distal ends of the scoop-like members are moved away from each other in a direction transverse to a direction of insertion of the scoop-like members into the tissue, and the plurality of scoop-like members can be closed in such a manner that the distal ends of the scoop-like members are moved toward each other in this transverse direction.

This invention relates to an operating instrument insertion apparatus for inserting an operating instrument to the affected part while incising the tissue.
JP-A-9-140659 discloses an endoscope comprising an operation body portion, an insertion portion connected to the operation body portion for insertion into a body cavity, an illumination window provided at a distal end portion of the insertion portion, an observation window provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion, a treatment instrument insertion channel provided in the distal end portion of the insertion portion, a nozzle provided at the distal end portion of the insertion portion for feeding air and water, and an operating knob mounted on the operation body portion for directing the distal end portion of the endoscope in a desired direction. The distal end surface of the distal end portion of the endoscope, at which the illumination window, the observation window, the treatment instrument insertion channel and the nozzle are provided, need to be flat, and therefore the distal end portion of the endoscope has a substantially cylindrical outer shape. In this endoscope, consideration is given to the insertion of the insertion portion through the oral cavity and the pharynx into the esophagus and further into the stomach and further into the duodenum, and in order to enable the insertion portion to be easily passed through narrow portions of the insertion path, a cap, having a streamline-shaped distal end, is fitted on the distal end of the endoscope. This cap can be removed from the insertion portion by projecting a forceps or the like from the distal end of the treatment instrument insertion channel.
The above conventional endoscope is designed to be inserted into a cavity in the human body having the insertion spaces (though narrow) such as the oral cavity, the pharynx, the esophagus, the stomach and the duodenum. Therefore, any consideration is not given to the insertion of the operating instrument into the tissue for the purpose of treating the affected part in the tissue.
It is an object of this invention to provide an operating instrument insertion apparatus capable of easily inserting an operating instrument into the tissue.
According to the present invention, there is provided an operating instrument insertion apparatus comprising a hollow tubular member for receiving an operating instrument therein, and a plurality of scoop-like members provided at a distal end of the hollow tubular member;
wherein the plurality of scoop-like members can be opened in such a manner that distal ends of the scoop-like members are moved away from each other in a direction transverse to a direction of insertion of the scoop-like members into the tissue, and the plurality of scoop-like members can be closed in such a manner that the distal ends of the scoop-like members are moved toward each other in the transverse direction.
In this construction, the plurality of scoop-like members, when opened, can spread the tissue, and by repeating this operation and the incision, the distal end of the tubular member can be inserted into a position near to the affected part. When the plurality of scoop-like members are opened, a treatment space, enabling the operation of the operating instrument, is formed between the distal end of the tubular member and the distal ends of the scoop-like members, and therefore the operating instrument can be projected into this space from the distal end of the tubular member so as to effect the treatment.
In the open condition of the plurality of scoop-like members, the operating instrument for incision purposes may be projected from the distal end of the tubular member so as to effect the incision. Alternatively, incision means such as a cautery knife may be provided at the distal end of the scoop-like member, and the incision can be effected in the closed condition of the plurality of scoop-like members.

Operating instrument insertion apparatus and operation supporting apparatus


The present invention provides an apparatus for white-matter-enhancement processing, and a method and a program for white-matter-enhancement processing that makes it possible to analyze distinguishing characteristics of the brain of a living body, such as degree of growth and development, left/right brain dominance, areas of strength and weakness, and personality traits. The apparatus for white-matter-enhancement processing of the present invention has a memory part for inputting and storing contrast images of a brain of a living body; a white-matter-enhanced image-creating part for creating white-matter-enhanced images, based on stored contrast images; a display processing part for displaying the white-matter-enhanced images thus created; and a branching analysis part for analyzing distinguishing characteristics of the brain of a living body, based on any one of or a combination of the characteristics of branches in the white-matter-enhanced images that are created: their number, thickness, length, location, intensity, shape and/or size.

CT (computed tomography scanning) apparatus, MRI apparatus and the like are generally known as apparatus for imaging the shape of the brain.
A CT apparatus is an apparatus that uses the method of computed tomographic imaging: a device for outputting x-ray radiation rotates around a living body and irradiates it from multiple directions, and a computer performs calculations on the detected data to create images.
An MRI apparatus is an apparatus that uses the method of magnetic resonance imaging: the spin of atomic nuclei of the body tissue of a subject placed in a static magnetic field is excited by high wavelength signals for the particular Larmor frequency for those nuclei, and images are created from magnetic resonance signals that are given off accompanying this excitation.
Each of these apparatus—CT and MRI—has been developed with the goal of detecting brain structure, brain lesions, and the like.
Because the CT apparatus can clearly distinguish between the skull and the brain matter, it is used for preoperative examination before brain surgery. It is also capable of rendering blood vessels as small as 1 mm.
However, because of the exposure to radiation accompanying the CT apparatus use, with rare exceptions, CT is not performed on healthy persons as a rule, and it is only selected as a last option and used when there is a suspicion of illness. For example, a CT scan of the lungs might be performed in a regularly scheduled physical examination, but this would be to find a small tumor in the lungs, or the like. In this way, the use of CT apparatus is restricted in brain structural imaging because of radiation exposure. In addition, although images can be obtained distinguishing the cortex and the white matter of the brain, they have not been as clear as could be desired.
With the MRI apparatus, on the other hand, there are no constraints on its use in brain structural imaging because there is no fear of radiation exposure, and images can be obtained as easily and freely as photographs of the brain. Currently, because it can even detect brain lesions of around 1 mm, it is used even in regularly scheduled physical examinations. Three-dimensional (3D) MRI is also commonly used, and it has become possible to investigate the structure of the brain in detail by reconstructing it from any angle.
In addition, the MRI apparatus does an excellent job of visualizing the brain structure at the corticomedullary junction, which divides the cortex and the white matter.
Five types of imaging methods are normally used in brain MRI: T1-weighted imaging, proton-weighted imaging, T2-weighted imaging, FLAIR imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging.
In T1-weighted images, the white matter is rendered in white, and the cortex, in gray. Lesions are mainly rendered in shades of black.
In proton-weighted images, T2-weighted images and FLAIR (Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery) images, the white matter is, conversely, rendered in black, and the cortex, in gray. Lesions are mainly rendered in white.
In diffusion-weighted images, the cortex and white matter are rendered uniformly in gray, and lesions are rendered in white. As an example of technology concerning conventional MRI apparatus, Patent Reference 1 proposes a magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus in which, in a magnetic resonance imaging method wherein a subject body placed in a static magnetic field is subjected first to an inversion sequence including inversion pulses, and after the inversion sequence, to an imaging sequence for collecting magnetic resonance signals from the subject body, the frequency band width of the inversion pulses is set wider than previously used bandwidths.
This magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus makes it possible, in magnetic resonance imaging using an IR series sequence including inversion pulses, to perform imaging that actively utilizes the phenomena of chemical exchange and/or cross relaxation among a pool of a plurality of kinds of atomic nuclei; and it is stated, for example, that contrast is improved between white matter and gray matter and the like, and that the S/N ratio is improved, thus improving, for example, its ability to render brain neural tissue, and making it possible to obtain MRI images of previously unobtainable high quality. (This technology will be referred to below as Previous Example 1.)
In addition, Patent Reference 2 proposes a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus in which, in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus provided with an acquisition means, whereby a nuclear magnetic resonance signal is generated at the subject body under specified conditions of image acquisition and then detected, a reconstruction means for reconstructing tomographic images of the subject body based on nuclear magnetic resonance signals, a display means for displaying tomographic images of the subject body, and a control means for controlling the image acquisition means, the reconstruction means and the display means; the control means continuously displays at least 2 types of contrast images on the same screen or on a plurality of screens. For the plurality of types of contrast images, 2 types of contrast images, such as a proton density-weighted image and a T2-weighted image, a T1-weighted image and a T2-weighted image, or a fat-water synthetic image and a fat-suppressed image can be selected according to the lesion being targeted.
This magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is said to make it possible to advance a puncture needle, biopsy needle or the like to a lesion site in a subject body with an image corresponding to the lesion and rendered with higher contrast as a guide. (This technology will be referred to below as Previous Example 2.)    Patent Reference 1: Tokkai [Japan unexamined patent application publication] no. H9-253067    Patent Reference 2: Tokkai no. 2001-70285

Apparatus and method for white-matter-enhancement processing


A data transformation system receives data from one or more external source systems and stores and transforms the data for providing to reporting systems. The data transformation system maintains multiple versions of data received from an external source system. The data transformation system can combine data from different versions of data and provide to the reporting system. As a result, external source systems that do not maintain data in a format appropriate for reporting systems and/or do not maintain sufficient historical data to generate different types of reports are able to generate these reports. The data transformation system can also enhance older versions of data stored in the system or exclude portions of data from reports. The data transformation system can purge older versions of data so that older data that is less frequently requested is maintained at a lower frequency than recent data.

Businesses store information describing various entities associated with the business and actions related to these entities, for example, various products and services, inventory of the business, transactions, employee information, and so on. Personnel associated with a business often like to view reports representing the business data. For example, a sales executive could like to view reports describing sales information for different products for different regions. A human resources person could like to see reports describing employee information, payroll information, and so on.
Various vendors provide reporting systems for generating reports based on the business data. Reporting systems often require data to be represented in a particular format for purposes of generating reports. However, businesses represent and store information to support their business processes and transactions. The representation of information available from a business may not be suitable for purposes of reporting. Furthermore, a business may not store all the information needed for purposes of reporting. For example, a reporting system may need historical information for generating reports, for example, quarterly or annual reports. However, a business information system may only be able to provide the current information available in the system and not historical information.
As a result, business systems may have to be modified to be able to support reporting systems. This requires businesses to use experts to process their information and enhance their systems to be able to utilize reporting system capabilities. As a result, businesses end up spending significant time, money, and resources in processing their information for purposes of reporting.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Data abstraction layer for interfacing with reporting systems


A fishing-rod holder for trolling which is formed of an anchor plate forming a dovetail joint with a plate supporting a cylindrical fishing-rod holder. The position of the cylindrical fishing-rod holder being adjustable and quickly lockable according to one or more planes.

Trolling, as known, has been developing very much in recent years involving even more people. In such a development, trolling spread also to circles which had been always considered out of such a sport. Particularly, it is more and more frequent to see pleasure crafts provided with trolling equipment and accessories and often destined for users very demanding as far as fitting out more than sport and touring is concerned.
A particularly interesting example regarding the present invention is the so-called fishing-rod holder which is used for correctly supporting the fishing-rod during fishing and is generally secured to the boat's side.
Fishing-rod holders of the known type are currently formed of a plate secured to the boat's side by screws and provided at the upper side with a cylindrical sleeve which is the real holder and supports the handle of the fishing-rod keeping it in the right fishing position. Among the fishing-rod holders, those fixed, i.e. not removable from the installation site, and those fixed or removable but provided with fishing-rod position adjustment means may be mentioned. In any case, all of the known fishing-rod holders have several problems firstly due to their cumbersome size, which is an useless hindrance and an obstacle on the surface of the boat especially when the fishing is out. Another problem still due to the impossibility of completely removing the fishing-rod holder is the easy deterioration and corrosion of the components, above all on the sea, with negative aesthetic, functional results.
Also the removable fishing-rod holders available on the market suffer from such problems. In fact, in order to connect the plate to a removable fishing-rod holder couplings usually formed of two members, the first one integral with a plate secured to the boat's side and projecting from the latter, the second one integral with the cylindrical sleeve receiving the fishing-rod, have been hitherto used. The couplings used in the already existing fishing-rod holders have either one or more operating positions in the case of swivelling fishing-rod holders. In the latter case, however, there is another sequence of problems due to the difficulty of setting the position of the fishing-rod. Actually, in order to set the position of the fishing-rod holding sleeve with respect to the fixed plate it is necessary: disassembling the coupling, reaching a different position defined, for example, by corresponding indentations or recesses formed in both coupled members, and coupling again such members by tightening them by screw means.
It is self-evident from the foregoing that the fishing-rod holders currently on the market both of the fixed and removable types having one or more fishing positions do not solve a series of problems, i.e. that of easily and quickly allowing the fishing-rod to swivel and that of riding the boat's deck or side of any useless hindrance when the equipment is not used.
Accordingly, in the field of application of the present invention there is still a demand of fishing-rod holders for trolling which can satisfy "professional" users and are at the same time aesthetically agreeable and compatible with a tourist use of the boat.
In the light of the preceding considerations the present invention seeks to get around the described drawbacks and to provide quick-locking fishing-rod holders which can be snap-adjusted in one or more planes and wholly removed from the surface of installation.

Swivelling, quick-locking fishing-rod holder


Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for developing a timeline chronicling events pertaining to an industrial asset. Data is received from a plurality of assets, processed (e.g., to reduce duplicative and/or redundant data), and organized chronologically for presentation in a timeline. The data is further grouped and/or prioritized to display some portions of the data more prominently relative to other portions of the data in the timeline (e.g., which may be hidden). Grouping rules and/or prioritization rules for grouping and/or prioritizing the data may be a function of user interaction with the timeline and/or a function of a machine learning algorithm which may be configured to identify patterns in how users interact with the timeline based upon, among other things, a role the user plays relative to the industrial asset and/or an operating state of the industrial asset.

The present application relates to industrial assets and more particularly to systems and/or techniques for chronicling events pertaining to an industrial asset, which may be displayed graphically in a timeline. The systems and/or techniques find particular application to industrial assets of a power system but may also find applicability in non-power related industries where it may be useful to acquire data pertaining to an industrial asset from a plurality of data sources and to present at least some of the data to a user chronologically in an interactive timeline which integrates the data from the plurality of data sources.
A power system comprises a network of electrical components or power system equipment configured to supply, transmit, and/or use electrical power. For example, a power grid (e.g., also referred to as an electrical distribution grid) comprises generators, transmission systems, and/or distribution systems. Generators are configured to produce electricity from combustible fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas, etc.) and/or non-combustible fuels (e.g., such as wind, solar, nuclear, etc.). Transmission systems are configured to carry or transmit the electricity from the generators to loads. Distribution systems are configured to feed the supplied electricity to nearby homes, commercial businesses, and/or other establishments.
Electrical components of such a system include, among other things, turbines, transformers, circuit breakers, capacitors, voltage regulators, and power lines, for example. Often, such equipment is designed to lasts decades and is routinely (or continuously) monitored and/or inspected to assess the health of the equipment and develop maintenance schedules for the equipment to mitigate risk of a failure (e.g., which may result in power loss). By way of example, a sensor onboard a transformer may be configured to intermittently or continuously provide readouts indicative of a temperature of oil within the transformer and/or indicative of chemical concentrations in the oil. Such information is typically stored in a database and is used to assess the present health of the transformer (e.g., where a temperature above a temperature threshold or a carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration above a CO2 threshold may indicate the transformer is in need of maintenance).


A cable support assembly for routing electrical, communication, or data cables throughout a building. The cable support assembly includes cable trays and brackets for securing the cable trays to an overhead structure. Tray couplers are provided for coupling tray sections together. The brackets include a base portion and an integral downward-depending band. The brackets are first secured to the overhead structure to establish a desired path for the cables. A cable tray is then slid end-wise through the secured brackets and is cradled by the downward-depending bands. Adjacent cable trays are joined with couplers to create a cable support assembly in which the cable tray provides support for any electrical, communication, or data cables installed therein. The base portion of the brackets includes a cuttable portion that can be cut to split the base portion and thereby enable the brackets to be used for supporting cables in a retrofit situation.

The installation of electrical cables in buildings is typically accomplished by drilling holes in wooden support elements such as joists or studs or using existing holes in metal support elements and routing the cables through the holes. Routing electrical cables in this manner causes each cable to be supported by the narrow thickness of the support element and will lead to sagging of cables in the open spaces between the support elements. Unfortunately, for the installation of low voltage cables such as communication or database cables, sagging can disturb the conductors within the cables. Bending and twisting of conductors can adversely affect the data transmission rate, which becomes very critical in cables having higher transmission rates, such as Category 5 telecommunications cables.
Various methods proposed for the support of low voltage electrical cables include the use of hangers for supporting the cables and cable pans or raceways.
What is needed is a simple cable support assembly in which the cable tray provides the support for the installed cables. The cable support assembly should also allow easy lowering of the cable tray, when desired, to facilitate inspection, repair, or installation of additional cables. The cable support assembly should be capable of supporting cables or cable bundles in a new installation or in a retrofit situation to support cables that have been previously installed.

Cable support assembly for minimizing bend radius of cables


An electric power steering unit includes a rack-shaft(2) to be coupled to the guiding wheels of a vehicle, a housing A for slidably containing the rack-shaft(2)and holding therein a coupling section(6)for causing the teeth of the rack-shaft(2)to engage those of a pinion arranged on the steering column(5)linked to the steering handle of the vehicle and an electric motor(1) coaxially arranged around the rack-shaft(2), which the rotary force is transmitted to the rack-shaft(2)by way of a ball screw mechanism 3 as the steering assisting power. A nut section(19)of the ball-screw mechanism(3)is rotatably supported by a housing(B) separately formed from the housing(A), in a state of supporting the armature shaft(11)of the electric motor(1). The rack-shaft(2) is axially movable and supported by two points of support, one at the coupling section and the other at the nut section supported by the housing(B). Thus, the rack-shaft is not supported by three points such as the conventional power steering unit but supported by two points, the precision requirements for the components are eased and hence the manufacturing cost thereof is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric power steering unit to be used for a vehicle and, more particularly, it relates to a field of technology effectively applicable to electric power steering gears to be used for rack and pinion type steering systems.
2. Related Art Statement
In recent years, most vehicles are equipped with a so-called power steering gear, and various type power steering unit, such as a hydraulically or electrically operated type power steering unit has been designed to assist the steering power of the vehicle. In these electric power steering units, as one for applicable to rack and pinion type steering systems, a unit which the steering assisting power is obtained by an electric motor arranged coaxially with a rack-shaft, as Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-98451, is known.
Such an electric power steering unit shown in FIG. 11, comprises an electric motor 52 arranged coaxially with a rack-shaft 51 so that the steering assisting power generated by the electric motor 52 is transmitted to the rack-shaft 51 by way of a ball screw mechanism 53. Then, the guiding wheels of the vehicle can be turned by utilizing both the manual steering power of the driver and the steering assisting power.
The rack-shaft 51 is linked to the guiding wheels (which hereinafter may simply be referred to as "the wheels") typically by way of tie rods or knuckle arms arranged at the respective opposite ends thereof and also linked to the steering column 54 that is coupled to the steering wheel (which hereinafter may be referred to as "the handle") by way of a rack and pinion gear so that it may be reciprocatively moved in the horizontal directions of FIG. 11 as the steering operation by the driver. The electric motor 52 has a cylindrical yoke 55 containing coaxially therein a cylindrical armature shaft 56 and a field device 57 and is fed with power from a power supply section 58. The field device 57 comprises magnets 59 arranged on the inner peripheral portion of the yoke 55 and an armature core 60 arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the armature shaft 56. The rotary power generated by the electric motor 52 is transmitted to the rack-shaft 51 and the power is converted into the reciprocatively movement by way of a ball screw mechanism 53 arranged at the left end of the armature shaft 56 in FIG. 11, so that steering power is assisted. Note that the armature shaft 56 is supported at a right side portion thereof by an angular bearing 65 held within housing 61.
With a power steering unit having the above described configuration, the rack-shaft 51 is supported at two points including the coupling section connecting itself to the steering wheel 54 and the ball-screw mechanism 53. Firstly, since the rack-shaft 51 is coupled at an end thereof to the steering wheel 54 by means of a gear engagement by a rack and pinion gear system, rigidity of this point is high and it provides a point of support for the rack-shaft 51. Additionally, a housing 61 holding the coupling section is rigidly secured to the vehicle main body so that the rack-shaft 51 is in effect supported by the vehicle main body. Secondly, rack-shaft 51 is supported at the opposite end thereof by a ball-screw mechanism 53 arranged at an end of the armature shaft 56. The ball-screw mechanism 53 comprises a nut section 62 and a screw section 63 that are tightly combined together with balls 64 interposed therebetween. The nut section 62 is press-fit into and caulked against the armature shaft 56 to provide another point of support for the rack-shaft 51.
The armature shaft 56 is rotatably held by the ball-screw mechanism 53 and a angular bearing 65. Thus, the ball-screw mechanism 53 provides a point of support for the armature shaft 56, while the housing 61 provides another point of support for the armature shaft 56 as the angular bearing 65 is tightly fitted to the housing 61.
The performance of a power steering unit of the type under consideration is typically measured in a manner as described below. If the electric motor 52 is installed after fitting the nut section 62 of the ball-screw mechanism 53 to the armature shaft 56 and subsequently the yoke 55 is placed in position, the entire unit is covered by outer shell elements so that the performance of the electric motor 52 can be determined only by way of the thrust of the rack-shaft 51 because it is no longer possible to directly measure the performance of the electric motor 52 itself. Therefore, for the purpose of the present invention, the electric motor 52 is measured for its performance before fitting the nut section 62 to the armature shaft 56. In other words, the unit is assembled and covered by the yoke 55 without the nut section 62. Next, the revolutions per minute and the torque of the electric motor 52 are measured by using the space where the nut section 62 is to be installed. After the operation of measuring the performance of the electric motor 52 is over, the yoke 55 is removed temporarily and the nut section 62 is placed in position, then the yoke 55 is put back again to complete the assembling operation.
The ball screw mechanism 53 has a well known constitution, which comprises a large number of balls 64 arranged between a nut section 62 and a screw section 63 thereof, the nut section 62 being press-fit into and caulked against the armature shaft 56. With this arrangement, the rotary power of the electric motor 53 is transmitted to the rack-shaft 51 by way of the nut section 62, the balls 64 and the screw section 63 to produce axial reciprocative power there, which is then used to assist the steering power.
When the guiding wheels of the motor vehicle is turned to an extreme, one of the tie rod stoppers (not shown) arranged at the both opposite ends of the rack-shaft 51 comes to abut the housing 61 and the yoke 55 at the end portion thereof to limit the turning motion of the wheels. As the stopper abuts these corresponding components, the rotary members of the armature shaft 56 revolving with the rack-shaft 51 are also stopped and the rack-shaft 51 is subjected to an impact due to the force of inertia of the rotary members. Then, the armature shaft 56 receives the reaction force from the ball-screw mechanism 53.
If, for example, one of the stoppers abuts the left end of the yoke 55 shown in FIG. 11, the rack-shaft 51 is subjected to force trying to move it further right in FIG. 11 due to the inertia of the armature shaft 56 and other related components. Then, the armature shaft 56 receives the reaction force of the rack-shaft 51 in the form of tensile force. If, on the other hand, the other stopper abuts the housing 61 at the right end in FIG. 11, the rack-shaft 51 is subjected to force trying to move it further left in FIG. 11 due to the inertia of the electric motor 52 and then the armature shaft 56 receives the reaction force of the rack-shaft 51 in the form of compressive force. Thus, with the power steering unit of FIG. 11, the armature shaft 56 is subjected not only to rotary force but also to tensile force and compressive force and hence the armature shaft 56 is solidly coupled to the nut section 62 in such a way that it seems as if the nut section 62 were wrapped by the armature shaft 56.
However, with such a conventional power steering unit, while the rack-shaft 51 apparently has two points of support, it in effect has three points of support because the armature shaft 56 linked to the rack-shaft 51 by way of the ball-screw mechanism 53 is also supported by the angular bearing 65 that is fitted to the housing 61, so that consequently the rack-shaft 51 can be more often than not subjected to friction due to jarring, twisting and misaligning of related components and that can give rise to problems, such as jarring, an unpleasant steering feeling and reluctant movement of the steering wheel in recovering. While, since very severe precision is required for each component and assembling to avoid these problems, there is such a problem that the manufacturing cost becomes high in terms of machining precision and product management.
Additionally, with a conventional power steering unit, the yoke 55 installed in position has to be temporarily removed to measure the performance of the electric motor 52 and then put back in position once again. In addition to the fact that this is a cumbersome procedure, there arises a problem that the performance of the electric motor 52 may behave differently when it is measured for performance and when it is completely assembled. In this case, the because the performance of the electric motor 52 is not tested at the complete assembling state and its performance is only estimated on the basis of the data obtained before re-assembling.
Still additionally, the yoke is already provided with unmagnetized magnets, which are magnetized after it is combined with an armature because a yoke having magnetized magnets can hardly assemble to armature. However, since the yoke 55 is removed to measure the performance of the electric motor 52 after magnetizing the magnets, the yoke 55 is still accompanied by the problem of removing. In the first place, it is not easy to pull out the magnetized yoke 55 from its position. Secondly, the yoke 55 attracts the armature vigorously and abut it due to its magnetic force to damage the surrounding elements.
With such a power steering unit, the armature shaft 56 has a complicated profile as shown in FIG. 11 and can be machined only with difficulties. Additionally, the nut section 62 is press-fit into and caulked against the armature shaft 56 in such a way that it seems as if the nut section 62 were wrapped by the armature shaft 56. This arrangement is entailed by an assembling problem.
Finally, since the armature shaft 56 is subjected not only to rotary force but also to tensile force and compressive force, it has to meet rigorous strength-related requirements particularly in terms of material, manufacturing process and machining accuracy despite that it has such a complicated profile to consequently give rise to a problem of high manufacturing cost.