An episode classification system including a multitude of diagnosis records. Each of the diagnosis records includes diagnoses information, time of diagnoses information, and patient information. A patient grouper generates at least one patient group by grouping patient records having similar patient information. A diagnosis grouper generates at least one diagnosis group from a patient group by grouping patient records from a patient group that have similar diagnosis information. An episode analyzer includes a probability analyzer, an episode grouper, and a severity analyzer. The probability analyzer performs probability calculations capable of generating a probability value using at least two of the diagnosis records as input entries. The probability value represents the probability that the input entries belong to a single episode. The episode grouper groups diagnosis records determined to belong to a single episode. The severity analyzer performs episode severity calculations capable of generating an episode severity value.

The present invention relates to field of health management systems. More specifically, the present invention provides for identifying episodes of care and measuring the severity of an episode.
Measures of episodes of care may be used to set capitation rates or to profile clinicians' performance. Numerous approaches to measuring episodes of care exist. Examples include Prospective Risk Adjustment, Ambulatory Visit Groups, Disease Staging, Products of Ambulatory Care, Ambulatory Diagnosis Groups and Ambulatory Care Groups. In addition to broad approaches to measurement of episodes of illness, many have developed disease specific episodes of care.
Three problems exist with the current approaches to measuring episodes of care. First, no current approach provides a mathematical model for measuring episodes of care. Most existing approaches to measuring episodes of care do not describe the internal procedures used for measuring severity or identifying episodes of care. Some commercial approaches seem to consider such information as business secrets that and do not disclosed internal procedures. Even when they do describe the internal mechanism of their approach, all appear to rely on heuristics that make clinical sense but do not provide a mathematical theory for the relation between the variables used in constructing episodes of care. Thus, researchers face a black box—the content of which they know little about or may be based on heuristics that they cannot easily modify and reapply. In the absence of a theory, it is difficult to learn from one study how better measures can be constructed. Each study and each approach exists on its own merits and fails to contribute to the other. Researchers then tend to compete on claims of accuracy rather than to build on each other's work. As a result, while many approaches exist, there is little cumulative progress in the field. The ability of one investigator to build on another person's approach has been limited. What is needed is a mathematical theory that allows for the accumulation of information to improve our understanding of how severity of episodes of care should be measured. Then, future researchers may change be able to modify or change theories to arrive at predictions that are more accurate. Theories may be modified and knowledge accumulated as new insights are found.
Second, current approaches do not allow for identifying episodes of care without first classifying diagnoses into clusters of diseases. All existing approaches are built on the concept of classifying possible diagnoses into a few clusters and then findings rules for creating episodes for these clusters. Schneeweiss and colleagues in an article entitles "Diagnostic clusters: A new tool for analyzing the content of ambulatory medical records," in Medical Care 1983, XXI (1): 105-122, reported that 92 diagnosis clusters make up 86 percent of all ambulatory visits. Others have expanded this set to 125, with varying levels of severity and different periods of time, during which the diagnoses in the cluster belongs to the same episode. What is needed is an approach that does not attempt to reduce the large set of possible diagnoses into a smaller set of clusters. Reductionist approaches, by definition, give up important nuances in order to have a manageable set of diagnoses. For example, infections often follow wounds and therefore may be considered part of the same episode. But an otitis media, even though an infection of the ear, could not possibly be part of an episode of trauma to the leg. Defining all infections as one cluster of diagnoses forces investigators to ignore important differences that might exist between types of infections. It may be important that operations are defined on individual diagnoses without need to pre-set diagnoses into broad clusters. Sometimes classification of diseases into clusters is based on the etiology of the disease, leading to possible counter intuitive classifications. An episode of trauma may include a fracture to the knee as well as a fracture of the leg, even though the knee fracture and leg fracture are different problems. Similarly, congestive heart failure may be part of an episode of myocardial infarction even though one involves the heart the other the lung. Two very dissimilar diagnoses may be part of the same episode, even though these diagnoses do not describe the same illness.
Third, many current approaches create homogenous resource use episodes. Not all follow-up visits are part of the same episode even though they may all be short visits and therefore have similar resource use. The nature of the diagnosis, not the intensity of visits should be the basis of classifying visits into episodes. For example, follow-up visit for myocardial infarction is part of an MI episode and a follow-up visit for trauma is part of trauma episode. Intensity-based measures may not be used for evaluating whether the numbers of visits are appropriate. In essence, they are fee schedules, except that these fee schedules are based on groups of visits or diagnoses and not single visit diagnosis. What is also needed is a relation-based episode classification system that remedies this important shortcoming. A elation-based episode classification system may be used to judge appropriateness of number of visits.
Efficient healthcare management requires accurately tracking the diagnosis and care of illness beyond what is currently in use. What is needed is a relation-based episode classification system that allows for the accumulation of information to improve the understanding of how severity of episodes of care may be measured without reducing the large set of possible diagnoses into a smaller set of clusters.

George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A tool holder for use in a machine tool spindle comprising a shank portion, a tool mounting portion and a circular flange portion. Disposed in the distal end of the mounting portion is a central aperture while disposed in the distal end of the shank portion is a threaded aperture which communicates with the central aperture. The tool holder further comprises a cylindrical sleeve member which is slidably receivable into the central aperture when a heat source is applied to the mounting portion and rigidly maintained within the central aperture via thermal contraction when the mounting portion is cooled. A tool mounting aperture extends axially through the sleeve member which is in fluid communication with the threaded aperture. The shank portion of a cutting tool is slidably receivable into the mounting aperture when a heat source is applied to the sleeve member and rigidly maintained within the mounting aperture via thermal contraction when the sleeve member is cooled. Disposed in and extending axially along the inner surface of the mounting aperture is at least one channel for forming a coolant fluid passage between the tool holder and the cutting tool.

As is well known, various tool holders have been utilized in the prior art which interface with a rotating spindle of a machine tool such as a milling or boring machine to securely hold a cutting tool upon the machine during cutting of a work piece. Though the prior art tool holders are suitable for interfacing a cutting tool to the rotating spindle of the machine tool, these holders possess certain deficiencies which detract from their overall utility.
In most prior art tool holders, a central aperture is formed therein for receiving the shank portion of the cutting tool which is to be interfaced to the milling machine. Typically, the central aperture is formed approximately one to two ten-thousandths of an inch greater in diameter than the shank portion of the cutting tool to allow the shank portion to be easily and quickly inserted thereinto. Thereafter, a set screw extending perpendicular to the cutting tool within the tool holder is tightened upon the cutting tool and the tool holder is drawn or pulled tightly into the spindle so as to rigidly maintain the cutting tool therewithin. However, the formation of the central aperture with a greater diameter than the shank portion of the cutting tool to enable manual reciprocation of the cutting tool within the tool holder has been known to make the tool holder susceptible to non-concentric mounting of the cutting tool therein which in modern, high tolerance machining applications has proved unacceptable. In this regard, in high-speed cutting applications, such as those performed on a vertical milling machine, minor variations in the concentricity of the cutting tool within the tool holder oftentimes causes catastrophic failure in the cutting operation.
A further deficiency associated with many prior art tool holders is the inability of the tool holder to feed coolant fluid onto the cutting portion of the cutting tool during a machining operation. During machining operations, such as those performed on vertical milling machines, coolant fluid is typically applied to the surfaces of the work piece and the cutting portion of the cutting tool to reduce tool wear and to enhance the out by reducing the temperature of the cutting tool and work piece. Additionally, the coolant fluid is used to wash away chips which build up on the work piece during the cutting operation. Since most prior art tool holders are not adapted to allow the passage of coolant fluid therethrough to the surfaces of the cutting tool and work piece, the coolant fluid must generally be applied to the work piece and cutting tool manually or via a separate spray head which is disposed directly adjacent the cutting portion of the cutting tool and work piece.
In recognition of this deficiency, a number of prior art tool holders have been developed which channel coolant fluid through the spindle and onto the cutting tool and work piece. One such tool holder is manufactured by the X-L Tool Company of Moreno Valley, Calif. under the name "Flush Cut." In this particular device, a plurality of angularly oriented fluid passages are disposed in the tool mounting portion of the tool holder so as to spray coolant fluid onto the cutting tool mounted therein. However, the process of forming the angled passages within the tool holder is both expensive and time-consuming. Additionally, the tool holder is not adapted to eliminate eccentricity in the cutting tool when such is mounted therein. Another prior art device which is adapted to apply coolant fluid to the tip of a cutting insert is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,775 to CLEMMOW. However, in the cutting tool disclosed in the CLEMMOW reference, the cutting insert must be provided with a plurality of cross-grooves to allow the coolant fluid to flow over the tip of the cutting insert. Additionally, as with the previously described "FLUSH CUT" tool holder, the cutting tool disclosed in the CLEMMOW reference is not adapted to eliminate eccentricity of the cutting insert relative the tool holder.
The present invention addresses the deficiencies associated with prior art tool holders by providing a tool holder system which is adapted to direct coolant fluid over the cutting tool and is particularly suited to eliminate eccentricity in the mounting of the cutting tool within the tool holder. As such, the present system is specifically adapted to facilitate the rigid and true mounting of a cutting tool within a tool holder for use in high-speed cutting applications.


The invention relates to a single-lip drill with an inner and an outer rake face. Very good hole straightness deviation values and endurance are obtained with the ground face according to the invention.

The invention relates to a single-lip drill, which is characterized in that the boreholes made with it are very straight or, in other words, have a particularly small hole straightness deviation.
The essential terms for the disclosure of the invention are explained inter alia in connection with the description of the figures. In addition, at the end of the description of the figures, individual terms are explained in the manner of a glossary.
DE4413932A1 (Mitsubishi) discloses a single-lip drill having axial structures mounted on the rake face in the direction of the central axis of the single-lip drill. These structures are used to shape the chips and have the goal of allowing a higher feed of the drill by favorable shaping of the chips. The profile of the structure is very complex and special grinding wheels are necessary for production. Since the profile is dependent on the diameter, a separate grinding wheel is required for each drill diameter. This makes the production very complicated and expensive. Despite the structures, the minor cutting edge is on the rake face plane of the tool.
From JP8025120A (Mitsubishi), another single-lip drill is known which has a rake face that slopes upward towards the periphery of the drill. The minor cutting edge is thus above the rake face plane. Thus, a shaping of smaller and more favorable chips which can be better dissipated can also be obtained. Also, this shaping of the rake face extends in the direction of the central axis of the drill and in turn depends on the diameter of the drill, so that a separate grinding wheel is necessary for each diameter. This in turn makes the production very complicated and expensive.
The common advantage of single-lip drills according to DE4413932A1 and JP8025120A is that the structure is retained in the end-side regrinding and the regrinding can be done on a simple machine.
From DE 10316116 A1 (TBT) a single-lip drill is known which has a chip former that extends parallel to the outer cutting edge and thus transversely to the central axis of the single-lip drill. Such a chip former extends over most of the outer cutting edge and may have a width significantly greater than 1 mm, for example 2 mm.
This embodiment of a chip former should also lead to a favorable shaping of chips and thus allow faster processing.
However, the production of such a chip former must be very precise and therefore takes place predominantly on numerically controlled (CNC) machines. Because the chip former is parallel to the outer edge, when such a single-lip drill is reground, the drill head must be ground by an amount at least equal to the width of the chip former so that a new chip former can be ground into the "untouched" rake face. This makes re-sharpening time-consuming and expensive and leads to this single-lip drill being suitable only for very few regrinds.
The known chip formers all aim to attain a favorable shaping of the chips and are thus intended to enable a faster machining (=larger machining volume per unit of time).
The hole straightness deviation of the boreholes produced with a single-lip drill is an important aspect of bore quality. The hole straightness deviation during the drilling process is the deviation of the center axis of the actual borehole from the theoretical position of the borehole. The hole straightness deviation is indicated in millimeters [mm]. An effort is made to obtain the smallest possible hole straightness deviation. Ideally, the actual hole is exactly where it should be, and the hole straightness deviation is zero. Single-lip drills are distinguished from other drills by a comparatively small hole straightness deviation.

Single-lip deep-hole drill with a chamfered rake face


An object is to provide a coating removing apparatus and method in which it is not necessary to adjust the distance between edges of two, upper and lower, blades. An apparatus for removing a coating from a coated linear material, in which the upper blade is arranged so as to be brought into contact with the coating layer of the coated linear material, by its own weight, with a width in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the coated linear material.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for removing a coating at a desired position from a coated linear material having a coating layer on a core material, such as a coated optical fiber having a coating layer on glass optical fiber.
Optical fiber glass for optical communication is a fragile material having a very small outer diameter of about 125 .mu.m, so that it is susceptible to influences of mechanical stress and the environment. To protect the glass optical fiber from these influences, glass optical fiber is provided with a coating of a macromolecular material such as silicone, urethane or the like.
In the case where branching of a coated optical fiber or the like is to be carried out in an optical line constituted by a coated optical fiber having a coating layer on glass optical fiber, the coating layer need be removed from the coated optical fiber at a desired position of the coated optical fiber.
As one conventional coating removing technique, an "optical fiber coating removing apparatus" has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei-2-3502. This is a technique for removing a coating layer from a coated optical fiber by placing the coated optical fiber in a slot formed by a pair of upper and lower coating removing jigs, bringing blades into contact with the coating layer of the coated optical fiber at sharp angles, and moving the blades relative to the coated optical fiber.
FIG. 15 is a view for explaining the condition of use of an example of the optical fiber coating removing apparatus as disclosed in the above Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei-2-3502. The coated optical fiber A is placed in grooves 03a and 04a of a pair of upper and lower coating removing jigs 03 and 04. Upper and lower blades 01 and 02 fixed to the jigs are in contact with the coating layer of the coated optical fiber A at sharp angles from upper and lower directions in symmetric positions on the axis of the coated optical fiber A and in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the coated optical fiber A. In this condition, the coating layer is removed by moving the coated optical fiber A in the direction of the arrow a in the drawing or by moving the coating removing jigs in the reverse direction.
In the aforementioned conventional coating removing apparatus, the contact position between the cutting blades and the coated optical fiber is always constant, so that it is sometimes necessary to replace the cutting blades by new ones or polish the edges of the blades. Whenever the cutting blades are replaced or the edges thereof are polished, the positions of the edges of the blades must be adjusted so as to be symmetric by adjusting the distance between the edges of the blades with respect to the coated linear material. Because the coated optical fiber has a particularly small diameter d of 125 .mu.m, the adjustment is troublesome. Accordingly, much labor is required for the adjustment whenever the blades are replaced or the edges thereof are polished. Consequently, this is inconvenient in use when repeated daily. Furthermore, it is most difficult to adapt the adjustment to the blades through the entire lengths of the edges of the blades, and it is impossible to use the whole edges of the blades effectively.

Apparatus and method for removing a coating from a coated linear material


A computerized teachable pattern scoring method receives a teaching image and region pattern labels. A region segmentation is performed using the teaching image to generate regions of interest output. A feature measurement is performed using the teaching image and the regions of interest to generate region features output. A pattern score learning is performed using the region features and the region pattern labels to generate pattern score recipe output. A computerized region classification method using the region features and the pattern score recipe to generate pattern scores output. A region classification is performed using the pattern scores and region features to generate region class output.

Computerized biology image recognition, the computer characterization of regions containing biological objects such as colonies in cell cultures of induced pluripotent stem cells or embryonic stem cells, individual cells and cellular and subcellular components, bacteria, viruses of interest, etc. in microscopy digital images, is a fundamental step in quantitative microscopy.
A typical computerized biology image recognition process consists of three major steps (1) a region segmentation step detects the regions of interest from an image; (2) a feature measurement step extracts (measures) features (measurements) from the regions of interest and (3) a classification step uses features to classify the regions of interest into different types. The computerized biology image recognition allows automated or semi-automated biological object recognition and typing. This enables studies of population statistics and image cytometry. It has broad applications in basic research, cancer research, toxicology and drug discoveries.
Currently, most users perform computerized biology image recognition using standard image processing software (such as Zeiss' AxioVision, Nikon's NIS-Elements, Olympus cellSens, ImageJ, Metamorph, ImagePro, Slidebook, Imaris, Volocity etc.), custom scripts/programming, or by hand. However, it is difficult to apply standard image processing software functions to perform biology image recognition. As a result the majority of biology recognition is performed either manually or using a simple intensity threshold followed by simple measurements and gating that has very limited applications. Some software supports plug-ins. Yet plug-ins developed in one lab for image recognition rarely work for the application of a second lab. The users have to modify the algorithm parameters, or even the code itself. Computerized biology image recognition products have been developed for high content screening applications. However, they are coupled to specific instrument platforms, cell types, and reagents. They are not flexible for broad applications.
The current immature microscopy biology recognition tools impose cost barriers on scientists and the image based scientific discovery process. The cost in skilled labor for manual recognition and custom script development is high. A greater cost is that of experiments foregone, or data uncollected, due to problems related to image recognition.
There are a large set of features such as size, shape, intensity and texture measurements that can be extracted from each segmented object for pattern classification. However, many of them are raw measurements. For example the Fourier Descriptors (FD) provide a set of raw coefficients (features) that represent different curvature components of a shape. However, complicated shapes cannot be discriminated by a few dominating features. They are best characterized by certain combinations of multiple features. It is difficult for human to determine the appropriate feature combinations for best characterization. A pattern recognition tool could automatically generate feature combinations by discriminate analysis. However, it is difficult for human to understand or control/adjust the automatically generated feature combinations.


A digital audio data reproducing system includes a digital audio data reproducing apparatus having a record medium, a detection part for the record medium and a processing unit; an analog record player; and a rotation detecting apparatus for sensing the speed and sense of revolution of an analog record. The rotation detecting apparatus is provided for easily controlling audio data in the other electrical appliances by an analog record in which audio data is stored. The scratch operation of the analog record together with the reproduction of the analog record by a player allows the rotation body to be rotated around a shaft in accordance with the rotation of the analog record. A rotary encoder senses the speed of revolution and the direction of rotation for the rotation body to output pulse signals, and the audio data in the data reproduction apparatus are scratch-controlled on the basis of the pulse signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital audio data reproducing system for reproducing digital audio data in accordance with the reproducing speed and reproducing direction which is determined by an operator, that is, for carrying out the so-called "scratch play".
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that a scratch operation is used to generate a special sound by changing the speed of revolution and the direction of rotation for an analog record, in which case, the analog record is compulsively rotated by a manual operation of a turntable in an analog record player. In recent years, several scratch reproducing methods for controlling the reproduction of digital audio data are employed in a digital audio reproducing apparatus, wherein a jog dial and/or the turntable for the analog record player is scratch-operated. In particular, a scratch reproduction method is known, in which a specific analog record in which audio signals representing corresponding time codes are stored is placed on a turntable of an analog record player, and audio data on the specific record are reproduced with a conventional cartridge, so that, for example, the reproduction of digital audio data in a CPU are controlled by the time code. In such a specific analog record, the time code data are modulated/converted into signals in a range of an audio signal frequency with the known modulation method, such as FSK modulation, and the data thus converted are stored. In other words, the analog record player is used as device having a function, which is identical with the jog dial, and the reproduction operation in a digital audio device is controlled by the reproduced time code.
In the above-mentioned conventional scratch reproduction method wherein the reproduction operation in the digital audio devices is controlled by the record player, such a specific analog record, in which the time code signals are stored, is reproduced by an analog record player, instead of a usual analog record. As a result, it is impossible to instantly exchange the scratch reproduction of the usual analog record for the reproduction of the specific analog record and vice versa.
When intending to reproduce a normal analog record, it is necessary to supply to an analog audio amplifier an output of a pick up, which is used as a control signal for a digital audio apparatus, as well as to exchange such a specific analog record for an usual analog record on the turntable. These cause a troublesome work to be provided.


An illumination system and method is disclosed. In one example, the illumination system comprises a lamp assembly for generating color-variable light, a controller for generating control signals for the lamp assembly, source color input means, preferably a color sensor, for inputting to the controller information defining a source color; a memory associated with the controller, containing information defining at least one color harmony rule. On the basis of the input source color, and using the harmony rule from the memory, the controller calculates a target color and generates its output control signals accordingly. Thus, the light output from the lamp assembly harmoniously matches the measured color of surroundings or objects.

Illumination systems for illuminating a space with a variable color are generally known. Generally, such systems comprise a plurality of light sources, each light source emitting light with a specific color, the respective colors of the different light sources being mutually different. The overall light generated by the system as a whole is then a mixture of the light emitted by the several light sources. By changing the relative intensities of the different light sources, the color of the overall light mixture can be changed.
It is noted that the light sources can be of different type, such as for instance TL lamp, halogen lamp, LED, etc. In the following, simply the word "lamp" will be used, but this is not intended to exclude LEDs.
By way of an example, in the case of homes, shops, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, etc., it may be desirable to be able to change or set the color of the lighting in harmony with the color of a background such as drapings or carpets or of nearby interior objects such as furniture. A good match can create an attractive atmosphere. However, for an untrained user it may be difficult to create an attractive atmosphere by setting harmonious colors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Device for generating light with a variable color


A memory circuit incorporating a current-mirror type amplifier which directly amplifies a varied potential of a pair of bit lines. As soon as the word line goes High, the current-mirror type amplifier is simultaneously activated to amplify a minimal difference (100 mV) of potential between these bit lines. Data signal outputted from the current-mirror type amplifier is then transmitted to a read-only signal line. As a result, data is quickly read out before a built-in sense amplifier completes amplification, thus quickly achieving an accessing operation at extremely fast speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory circuit which makes up a semiconductor dynamic RAM, more particularly, it relates to a memory circuit which is capable of executing accessing operations at extremely fast speed.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 schematically designates the block diagram of a conventional memory array. The reference numeral 1 shown in FIG. 1 designates an N-channel MOS transistor and the reference numeral 3 a sense amplifier. Gate of transistor 1 is connected to a work line WL, whereas source and drain of this transistor 1 are respectively connected to a capacitor 2 and a bit line B. The bit line B, the other bit line B, and a sense amplifier activating signal line SO, are respectively connected to the sense amplifier 3. The reference numerals 4 and 5 respectively designate N-channel MOS transistors each functioning as a transfer gate. Data signal "y" outputted from a conventional column decoder shown in FIG. 2 is inputted to gates of those transistors 4 and 5. The conventional column decoder shown in FIG. 2 incorporates a NAND circuit 23 and a NOT circuit 24 which are connected to each other in series. The NAND circuit 23 receives column address Ai. Source and drain of the N-channel MOS transistor 4 are respectively connected to the bit line B and a write/read signal line I/O. On the other hand, source and drain of the other N-channel MOS transistor 5 are respectively connected to the bit line B and the other write/read signal line I/O. A write buffer 21 and a read pre-amplifier 22 are respectively connected to the write/read signal lines I/O and I/O.
Referring now to the waveform chart shown in FIG. 3, functional operation of the conventional memory array incorporating the above structure is described below. The following description specifically refers to the bit-line pre-charging system applying 1/2 Vcc (Vcc: power voltage).
Initially, a pair of bit lines B and B are preliminarly charged with 1/2 Vcc. Next, one word line WL is selected by a low address, and then the selected word line WL goes High. As a result, capacitor 2 delivers a data signal to the bit line B, where the data signal contains "HIGH" information. This causes potential of the bit line B to become slightly higher than that of the other bit line B by about 100 mV. Next, the sense amplifier activating signal line SO goes High. This causes the sense amplifier 3 to amplify the potential of the High-level bit line B up to the Vcc potential and the Low-level bit line B down to the GND potential. This completes a refreshing operation f a dynamic RAM. Next, column address Ai turns the data "y" outputted from one column decoder High so that the output data "y" can be delivered to a pair of write/read signal lines I/O and I/O. The delivered data signal is then amplified by the read pre-amplifier 22 before being outputted from the dynamic RAM. On the other hand, data signal "y" outputted from the column decoder goes High, and then, data is written from the write buffer 21. These are the functional operations of the conventional operations of the conventional dynamic RAM for reading and writing data.
Since the conventional memory circuit incorporates the structure mentioned above, after completing data amplification by the sense amplifier, data signal is delivered to the write/read signal lines I/O and I/O. Because of this, any conventional dynamic RAM has those bit lines each containing substantial capacity. This in turn obliges the conventional system to take much time to execute amplification, thus eventually resulting in the delayed accessing operation. As a result, there is still substantial restriction to contract the cyclic time of the convention dynamic RAM.
To solve this problem, there is an idea to simultaneously activate the column decoder and the word line so that the accessing operation can be accelerated. Nevertheless, if the column decoder and the word line were simultaneously activated, since the bit line B is connected to the write/read signal line I/O containing substantial parasitic capacity, the bit-line capacity easily expands to merely lower the reading voltage. This in turn causes the memory system to easily malfunction itself. In consequence, any of those conventionally available memory systems cannot achieve accelerated accessing operation.


A method for a fabricating a ceramic material includes providing a mixture of a reactive metallic filler material with a preceramic polysilazane material. The preceramic polysilazane material is then polymerized to form a green body. The green body is then thermally treated in an environment that is substantially free of oxygen to convert the polymerized preceramic polysilazane material into a ceramic material that includes at least one nitride phase that is a reaction product of the reactive metallic filler material and a preceramic polysilazane material.

This disclosure relates to ceramic processing and, more particularly, to ceramic processing using preceramic polymers. Ceramic materials are known and used for components such as coatings, ceramic bodies, and ceramic matrices. Many ceramic components are produced by powder processing and sintering. However, powder processing can limit the chemistry or microstructure of the ceramic component and it can be difficult to form complex geometry components in near net shape using powder processing.


A wood preservative composition resulting from admixing components comprising: at least one preservative metal; a quaternary ammonium compound; at least 2 amine compounds; a pH reducing agent, and water, wherein the pH of the composition is from about 7.1 to less than 8.5. Surprisingly, this combination of materials results in a stable solution that can contain a moldicide yet have a commercially acceptable shelf life.

The present invention relates to a method of preserving wood and a composition useful in that method.
The use of various compositions for the treatment and preservation of wood is well-known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,248 describes the use of various metal compounds, acids, petroleum byproducts, fungicides and insecticides in wood preservative compositions. Wood preservative compositions containing complexes of copper and amines, and optional additives, are well known. For example, EP 0 864 406 A2 describes such a composition which comprises a moldicide. A popular class of wood preservative compositions are referred to as alkaline copper quat, or ACQ, solutions. The industrial standard for ACQ solutions is published by the American Wood Preservers' Association under standard P5-04 (Standard for Waterborne Preservatives).
Wood that is treated with copper-amine preservatives is susceptible to discoloration caused by fungus and mold. Retailers will not accept such discolored wood. Thus, wood treaters need to ensure that mold and fungus formation is prevented. That is why moldicides, such as 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, are popular additives to copper-amine preservative solutions.
Unfortunately, popular isothiazolinone-based moldicides are unstable in ACQ solutions due to their alkalinity. Lowering the pH of the solution to improve the stability of isothiazolinone moldicides causes copper salts to precipitate, rendering the solution unsuitable for use. It would be desirable to have a copper-amine preservative for wood that would support such moldicides yet not suffer from copper salt precipitation.


In a radial fan wheel for supplying cooling air for an electrical machine, with a number of fan blades (16) attached along the circumference of the fan wheel (10) that have arc-shaped blade ends (18), which, at their radially inner edge, enclose a first angle (β1) with a tangent (20) to the inner circumference (20) of the fan wheel (10) and at their radially outer edge, enclose a second angle (β2) with a tangent (22) to the outer circumference (24) of the fan wheel (10), the invention proposes that the second angle (β2) be selected to be 75% or more greater than the first angle (β1) in order to minimize the turbulence noise in the vicinity of the fan blades (16) during operation of the fan wheel (10).

The current invention relates to a radial fan wheel for supplying cooling air for an electrical machine, with a number of fan blades attached along the circumference of the fan wheel that have arc-shaped blade ends, which, at their radially inner edge, enclose a first angle with a tangent to the inner circumference of the fan wheel and at their radially outer edge, enclose a second angle with a tangent to the outer circumference of the fan wheel.
In sheet metal fans, which are usually embodied as radial fans and are for supplying cooling air for electrical machines, reducing noise during operation is a continuous concern. When supplying the cooling air, among other things the turbulence noise in the vicinity of the fan blades plays a large role in the overall noise production of the fan.
In a generator, the flow of cooling air is intensely disturbed in the vicinity of the fan. The most important components that produce the turbulence are the struts and ribs of the end plate, the surface of the end plate on the side oriented toward the fan, heat sinks, and interconnection plates on the B-side of the end windings.
Important geometric parameters for the fan blades are the entry angle β1 and the exit angle β2 of the blade ends. FIG. 4 illustrates the definition of the entry angle β1 and exit angle β2 for arc-shaped blade ends 18. The entry angle β1 is defined as the angle between the radially inner edge of the blade end 18 and a tangent 22 to the inner circumference 20 of the fan wheel. The exit angle β2 is defined as the angle between the radially outer edge of the blade end 18 and a tangent 26 to the outer circumference 24 of the fan wheel. Knowing these two angles provides an unambiguous definition of an arc-shaped blade end 18 of a fan blade 16.

Radial fan wheel for transporting cooling air for an electric machine


Provided is a method and system for tracking an object that may track a point into which an object is to move by combining the object in an image and position coordinates of the object acquired through a position tracking apparatus provided to the object and thereby displaying the position coordinates.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for tracking an object that may track a point into which an object is to move by combining the object in an image and position coordinates of the object acquired through a position tracking apparatus provided to the object and thereby displaying the position coordinates.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional object tracking model using a camera may track a position of an object through image processing by comparing and analyzing previous frame data and current frame data collected from the camera, in real time, and by measuring a level of change.
However, the conventional object tracking model has some constraints in processing information in real time since a significantly large amount of calculations is required. Further, the conventional object tracking model may not separate and thereby track an object when an overlapping object is present in an image or a size of the object is small.
Accordingly, there is a need for technology capable of accurately tracking a position of an object from image information with respect to a plurality of objects moving in real time.

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


An electronic device includes a main body, a circuit board, a receiving space defined in one side of the main body, a plurality of USB ports and a driving module. The receiving space includes a plurality of sets of fixed contacts on a bottom thereof, and the fixed contacts are electrically connected to the circuit board in the main body. The plurality of USB ports are slidably received in the receiving space, and each USB port comprises a set of external contacts. The driving module is configured to push one of the USB ports to a first position, wherein the USB port is able to slide from the first position to a second position where the set of external contacts of the USB port engages one of the plurality of sets of fixed contacts, which electrically connects the one of the USB ports with the circuit board.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection and, particularly, to an electronic device with multiple sliding USB ports.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic device, such as a notebook computer, often includes a number of USB ports in fixed positions. A large connector may interfere with neighboring plug connectors or ports due to the fixed spacing between the USB ports.

Electronic device with multiple USB ports

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


A remotely controlled pulley transport system may comprise a support line and a transport apparatus configured to be supported on the support line. The transport apparatus may comprise a platform including a housing, a first wheel rotatably mounted on the housing and configured to rest upon the support line, a propulsion device configured to rotate the first wheel to move the transport apparatus along the support line, a connection device mounted on the housing of the platform and configured to removably connect to an object to be transported by the transport apparatus with the connection device including a hook. The system may also include a control assembly configured to control operation of the transport apparatus remotely.

Field
The present invention relates to suspended remote controlled transport systems, including but not limited to systems used for transporting materials.
Description of Related Art
Remotely controlled stationary animal feed dispensers are known in the art. US Published Patent Application 20090020074 by Harmon, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,101 to Marshall, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,503 to Hibbard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,956 to Thigpen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,732 to Fry, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,080 to Koepp exemplify such stationary remotely controlled feed dispensers. Mobile animal feed dispensers are also known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,316,463 to Skulina is typical of this class of feed dispenser.
One potential advantage of the present disclosure is the provision of a mobile and remotely controlled material transport.

Remotely controlled pulley transport system


A recording tape cartridge with a reel in a case, a hollow cylinder shaped hub and a recording tape wound around the hub has a braking member provided so as to be unrotatable within the case. The braking member can be set at a locking position, at which the braking member engages with an engaging portion formed at a top surface of a floor of the hub and impedes rotation of the reel, and a rotation permitting position, at which engagement with the engaging portion is cancelled due to the braking member moving away from the top surface of the floor of the hub due to pushing-up of an operation portion which is inserted through a pass-through hole of the hub. A guide wall, which extends toward the braking member and always opposes a side surface of the operation portion, is formed at a peripheral edge of the hole.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording tape cartridge which accommodates, within a case, a single reel on which is wound a recording tape such as a magnetic tape or the like used as a recording/playback medium mainly for computers or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, recording tape cartridges (magnetic tape cartridges) have been known in which a magnetic tape, which is used as a data recording/playback medium for computers or the like, is wound on a single reel, and the reel is accommodated within a case formed of a synthetic resin. Such a recording tape cartridge is equipped with a braking means so that the reel does not rotate within the case when the recording tape cartridge is not being used (is not loaded in a drive device).
As the braking means, there are structures which, for example, cause a braking member, which cannot rotate with respect to the case, to engage with the reel, or the like. Namely, as shown in FIG. 7, a braking member 130 is formed in the shape of a disc which is accommodated so as to be movable upward and downward within a reel hub 112 of a reel 110. The reel hub 112 is formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder having a floor. A pair of engaging projections 134, which are substantially U-shaped as seen in plan view, stand erect from the top surface of the braking member 130. A pair of rotation restricting ribs 126, which are provided vertically from the inner surface of an upper case 122, are inserted in the engaging projections 134, such that the braking member 130 cannot rotate with respect to a case 120. Moreover, by an urging means such as a compression coil spring 116 or the like, the braking member 130 is always urged toward a floor wall 114 of the reel hub 112, and an annular braking gear 132, which is formed at the bottom surface of the braking member 130, is made to mesh together with an annular engaging gear 118 which is formed at the top surface of the floor wall 114 of the reel hub 112. Inadvertent rotation of the reel 110 is thereby impeded.
A substantially solid cylindrical operation projection 136 projects at the axially central portion of the bottom surface of the braking member 130. The operation projection 136 is inserted in a pass-through hole 114A formed in the axially central portion of the floor wall 114 of the reel hub 112, and faces a gear opening 128 formed in the substantially central portion of a lower case 124. Accordingly, when the reel 110 is to be made to be rotatable, the operation projection 136 (the braking member 130) is pushed upward, such that the meshing-together of the braking gear 132 with the engaging gear 118 is cancelled (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,747).
However, with such a structure in which the meshing-together of the braking gear 132 with the engaging gear 118 is cancelled by the operation projection 136 (the braking member 130) being pushed upward in this way, if a user carelessly pushes the operation projection 136 upward in fun or the like, as shown in the figure, there are cases in which the braking member 130, in a tilted state, anchors on the peripheral edge portion of the pass-through hole 114A (i.e., tilts). If the recording tape cartridge is loaded into a drive device in this state, not only will recording and playback not be possible, but also, breakage of the recording tape cartridge or malfunctioning of the drive device may be caused. Moreover, there is also the problem that it is easy for dust and the like to enter in from the pass-through hole 114A.


A dual buffer memory system capable of improving system performance by reducing a data transmission time and a control method thereof are provided. The dual buffer memory system includes a flash memory block and a plurality of buffers. The dual buffer memory system uses a dual buffering scheme in which one buffer among the plurality of buffers interacts with the flash memory block and simultaneously a different buffer among the plurality of buffers interacts with a host. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a data transmission time between the flash memory and the host, thereby improving system performance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory system, and more particularly, to a dual buffer memory system and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with development of mobile systems and various application systems, demands for a flash memory, which is a nonvolatile memory, and a memory system for controlling the flash memory are increasing. A memory system for controlling a flash memory includes a flash memory, a control circuit, and a buffer for temporarily storing data. Parameters which affect system performance in the memory system are specific write and read times of a flash memory, a data transmission time between the flash memory and a buffer, a data transmission time between the buffer and a host, etc.
However, since the specific write and read times of the flash memory are limited, the data transmission time between the flash memory and buffer and the data transmission time between the buffer and host must be reduced in order to improve the performance of a memory system. To reduce such data transmission times, a method which increases the widths of data buses or a method which increases operating frequencies of the flash memory and buffers can be used. However, these methods significantly increase chip areas of the flash memory and buffers, or there is a difficulty in applying these methods to a practical device due to a limitation of the manufacturing process.
When data is written to a flash memory in a memory system including one buffer, a host loads data in the buffer, the buffer loads the loaded data into the flash memory, the flash memory records the received data therein, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the host again loads data in the buffer. Due to such operations, the data transmission time is long when data corresponding to a multiple of the capacity of the buffer is written to the flash memory, which deteriorates the system performance.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other limitations of the prior art.

Dual buffer memory system for reducing data transmission time and control method thereof


The invention relates to a method for manufacture of a product or in completion of a product. A flexible mat (20) is manufactured from an incompletely cured thermo-setting plastic, wherein the mat comprises an article (10) of electrically conductive material. The incompletely cured mat (20) including the article (10) is then formed as a function of a forming tool or to lie against or for contact with a product, whereafter final curing of the mat (20) is executed by supplying electric power to the article (10) or by external heat application or ultraviolet light. The invention also relates to an arrangement and uses.

It is problematic to prevent the icing up of different objects when the need arises, such as objects, for example, which are exposed to a weather environment in which the risk of covering with ice occurs. As a non-limiting example, it can be said that the icing up of rotor wings on a wind turbine is a problem to which the present invention offers an extraordinarily effective solution. There are many different examples where a heating requirement is present and where the present invention offers a very advantageous solution to supplying heat.
Another problem is to achieve a reliable temperature measurement and temperature regulation although the actual temperature is a function among other things of the wind speed and air humidity. According to the invention, parameters of this kind can be established so that incipient ice formation or ice coating, for example, can be prevented. etc.
Yet another problem is to establish or indicate operational disturbances in mobile products, for example, so that repair measures can be applied at an early stage with the aim of preventing damage. The invention also offers attractive solutions to a large number of safety problems and alarm problems, such as shell penetrations, crack formation etc.
The present invention also facilitates the regulation of curing and final curing in an optimal manner.

Method and arrangement for manufacture of a product or completion of a product


Titanium oxide (usually titanium dioxide) catalyst support particles are doped for electronic conductivity and formed with surface area-enhancing pores for use, for example, in electro-catalyzed electrodes on proton exchange membrane electrodes in hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. Suitable compounds of titanium and a dopant are dispersed with pore-forming particles in a liquid medium. The compounds are deposited as a precipitate or sol on the pore-forming particles and heated to transform the deposit into crystals of dopant-containing titanium dioxide. If the heating has not decomposed the pore-forming particles, they are chemically removed from the, now pore-enhanced, the titanium dioxide particles.

Fuel cells are electrochemical cells that are being developed for mobile and stationary electric power generation. One fuel cell design uses a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) membrane or proton exchange membrane (PEM), to provide ion transport between the anode and cathode. Gaseous and liquid fuels capable of providing protons are used. Examples include hydrogen and methanol, with hydrogen being favored. Hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell anode. Oxygen (as air) is the cell oxidant and is supplied to the cell's cathode. The fuel cell electrodes are formed of porous conductive materials, such as woven graphite, graphitized sheets, or carbon paper to enable the fuel to disperse over the surface of the membrane facing the fuel supply electrode. Each electrode comprises finely divided catalyst particles (for example, platinum particles), supported on carbon particles, to promote ionization of hydrogen at the anode and reduction of oxygen at the cathode. Protons flow from the anode through the ionically conductive polymer membrane to the cathode where they combine with oxygen to form water, which is discharged from the cell. Conductor plates carry away the electrons formed at the anode.
Currently, state of the art PEM fuel cells utilize a membrane made of perfluorinated ionomers such as Dupont NAFION®. The ionomer carries pendant ionizable groups (e.g. sulfonate groups) for transport of protons through the membrane from the anode to the cathode.
Currently, platinum (Pt) supported on a high surface area carbon is the most effective electrocatalyst for PEM fuel cell systems. However, a significant problem hindering large-scale implementation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology is the loss of performance during extended operation and automotive cycling. Recent investigations of the deterioration of cell performance have revealed that a considerable part of the performance loss is due to the degradation of the electrocatalyst. Although carbon has been considered as the most favorable catalyst support because of its low cost, good electron conductivity, high surface area, and chemical stability, corrosion of carbon supports on the cathode side of PEM fuel cells is emerging as a challenging issue for long-term stability of PEM fuel cells.
It is an object of this invention to provide a porous titanium oxide electrocatalyst support having suitable properties for a PEM fuel cell environment including suitable surface area, electrical conductivity and chemical stability.

Making electrocatalyst supports for fuel cells

Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund


An illuminated sign having an LED as a light source as claimed. A housing has a plurality of internal surfaces wherein at least one of the internal surfaces is a translucent surface. A reflective layer covers each of said internal surfaces except the translucent surface. At least one LED is positioned between the internal surfaces such that the illumination field of the LED is in a direction substantially opposite that of the translucent surface.

This invention relates to illuminated displays. More particularly, the invention relates to an illuminated sign using light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources.
Typically, illuminated signs use gas discharge lighting, such as neon. Also, it is common for illuminated signs to be illuminated by incandescent or fluorescent lamps. Both gas discharge and incandescent lamps have disadvantages. Incandescent lamps operate at a very high temperature, and gas discharge lamps require high voltage.
Further, incandescent lamps have a short life and run relatively inefficiently. Driving an incandescent lamp expends a great deal of energy for the level of brightness achieved. Gas discharge lamps are typically fragile and require an expensive ballast or power supply for operation.
Some have attempted to overcome the deficiencies of gas discharge or incandescent lamps in signs by using LEDs. In such signs, the LEDs typically face outward toward the observer. Because LEDs are a highly intense point light source, such signs tend to result in an uneven illumination of the sign, where areas of brightness or xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d are surrounded by darker areas. Some have tried placing a diffuser in front of the sign to diffuse the inner light. Nevertheless, the sign still has uneven illumination. Thus, it is desirable to have an efficient and safe light source that results in even illumination of a sign.
Accordingly, the present invention is an energy-efficient, safely designed, evenly illuminated sign. The sign includes a housing having a plurality of internal surfaces, one of the internal surfaces being translucent. All of the internal surfaces except the translucent surface are diffusely reflective. At least one LED is positioned between the internal surfaces, where the LED is positioned such that the direction of the illumination field of the LED is substantially opposite to the translucent surface.
Accordingly, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide a highly efficient illumination source for a sign.
It is another feature and advantage of the invention to provide a safe illuminated sign.
It is another feature and advantage of the invention to provide an illuminated sign that provides even illumination over all portions of the sign.
It is another feature and advantage of the invention to provide an illuminated sign having a light source with a long light life.
It is another feature and advantage of the invention to provide an illuminated sign that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings.


An application store system and an application development method using the application store system are provided in the disclosure. The system includes: a resource management functional entity, a developer community functional entity and an application online-store functional entity, wherein the resource management functional entity is configured to accept an operation of registering resources to the resource management functional entity and display information of the registered resources, wherein the resources include at least one of the followings: telecommunication capability resources and network resources; the developer community functional entity is configured to accept uploading of an application and review the uploaded application, wherein the application invokes the registered resources according to an invoking manner indicated by the information; and the application online-store functional entity is configured to provide an application, which is approved by the developer community functional entity, for a terminal user to download. The disclosure enhances technical supports for developers, and reduces difficulty and complexity of development.

With the development of the 3rd Generation (3G) mobile communications and smart phones, the mobile phone Internet is applied more and more widely. In such an environment, Apple Inc. has been providing iPhone applications through an application providing system (called a mobile phone application store) since 2008, and has achieved nearly 1 billion downloads in a short period of time.
The use of this mobile phone application store has brought about a large number of independent developers who develop applications independently. Major operators, mobile phone manufacturers and Internet companies will also put the launch of their respective online application stores on the agenda or have launched online application stores.
As shown in FIG. 1, major functional entities in a common application store system include an application online store and a developer community. Of course, these two functional entities may be integrated.
Major functional modules of an existing application online store include: a portal, an authentication module, an application distributing module, a supply and sales module, a service support module and an operation support module. The portal mainly provides a World Wide Web (commonly abbreviated as WEB) portal, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) portal and an access entry for a mobile phone client or a Personal Computer (PC) client. Through the access entry, a mobile phone terminal user may search and download applications conveniently. The authentication module provides authentication to users and applications. The application distributing module provides a function for distributing applications through various application distributing ways, such as application distribution-related functions including downloading to computers, WAP PUSH to mobile phones, transmission of addresses by text messages, and direct downloading and installation by clients etc. The supply and sales module provides management for applications sold in the application store, including: management of stores and shelves, online and offline management of applications and recommendation and ranking management.
Major functions of an existing developer community include: application uploading, application management function, forum function and developer wiki.
Thus, development of common applications can be better supported in the current system. However, in the current system, developers who expect to develop some applications that need to invoke telecommunication capability resources and/or network resources often have to search for an invoke manner by themselves or develop the resources by themselves. It is inconvenient for developers to search for the invoke manner by themselves to develop applications. It is relatively difficult and expensive for developers of small groups to develop the resources by themselves.

Application store system and application development method using the application store system


A mass and heat recovery system for a fuel cell power plant includes at least one fuel cell for producing electrical energy, hydrocarbon fuel processing components for producing a hydrogen rich reducing fluid for the fuel cell, and a direct mass and heat transfer device for recovering mass and heat such as water vapor leaving the plant. The fuel processing components include an auxiliary burner that provides heat to generate steam and a reformer that receives the steam mixed with a hydrocarbon fuel along with a small amount of air and converts the mixture to a hydrogen rich stream appropriate for supplying hydrogen to the anode electrode. The direct mass and heat transfer device passes a process oxidant stream upstream of the plant in mass transfer relationship with a plant exhaust stream that includes both a cathode exhaust stream and an anode exhaust stream wherein the anode exhaust stream has first been burned in the auxiliary burner so that mass and heat such as water vapor in the plant exhaust stream transfer directly through a mass transfer medium of the device to the process oxidant stream entering the plant. The device includes a separator housing for supporting the transfer medium and for preventing bulk mixing of the streams. An exemplary transfer medium such as a liquid water portion of a water saturated polyflourosulfonic ionomer selectively sorbs a fluid substance consisting of polar molecules such as water molecules from a fluid stream containing polar and non-polar molecules.

Fuel cell power plants are well-known and are commonly used to produce electrical energy from reducing and oxidizing fluids to power electrical apparatus such as apparatus on-board space vehicles. In such power plants, a plurality of planar fuel cells are typically arranged in a stack surrounded by an electrically insulating frame structure that defines manifolds for directing flow of reducing, oxidant, coolant and product fluids. Each individual cell generally includes an anode electrode and a cathode electrode separated by an electrolyte. A reactant or reducing fluid such as hydrogen is supplied to the anode electrode, and an oxidant such as oxygen or air is supplied to the cathode electrode. In a cell utilizing a proton exchange membrane as the electrolyte, the hydrogen electrochemically reacts at a surface of the anode electrode to produce hydrogen ions and electrons. The electrons are conducted to an external load circuit and then returned to the cathode electrode, while the hydrogen ions transfer through the electrolyte to the cathode electrode, where they react with the oxidant and electrons to produce water and release thermal energy.
The anode and cathode electrodes of such fuel cells are separated by different types of electrolytes depending on operating requirements and limitations of the working environment of the fuel cell. One such electrolyte is a proton exchange membrane ("PEM") electrolyte, which consists of a solid polymer well-known in the art. Other common electrolytes used in fuel cells include phosphoric acid or potassium hydroxide held within a porous, non-conductive matrix between the anode and cathode electrodes. It has been found that PEM cells have substantial advantages over cells with liquid acid or alkaline electrolytes in satisfying specific operating parameters because the membrane of the PEM provides a barrier between the reducing fluid and oxidant that is more tolerant to pressure differentials than a liquid electrolyte held by capillary forces within a porous matrix. Additionally, the PEM electrolyte is fixed, and cannot be leached from the cell, and the membrane has a relatively stable capacity for water retention. As is well-known however, PEM cells have significant limitations especially related to liquid water transport to, through and away from the PEM, and related to simultaneous transport of gaseous reducing and oxidant fluids to and from the electrodes adjacent opposed surfaces of the PEM. The prior art includes many efforts to minimize the effect of those limitations.
In operation of a fuel cell employing a PEM, the membrane is saturated with water, and the anode electrode adjacent the membrane must remain wet. As hydrogen ions produced at the anode electrode transfer through the electrolyte, they drag water molecules in the form of hydronium ions with them from the anode to the cathode. Water also transfers back to the anode from the cathode by osmosis. Product water formed at the cathode electrode is removed by evaporation or entrainment into a circulating gaseous stream of oxidant, or by capillary action into and through a porous fluid transport layer adjacent the cathode. Porous water transport plates supply liquid water from a supply of coolant water to the anode electrode and remove water from the cathode electrode returning it back to the coolant water supply, and the plates thereby also serve to remove heat from the electrolyte and electrodes.
In operation of PEM fuel cells, it is critical that a proper water balance be maintained between a rate at which water is produced at the cathode electrode and rates at which water is removed from the cathode and at which water is supplied to the anode electrode. An operational limit on performance of a fuel cell is defined by an ability of the cell to maintain the water balance as electrical current drawn from the cell into the external load circuit varies and as an operating environment of the cell varies. For PEM fuel cells, if insufficient water is returned to the anode electrode, adjacent portions of the PEM electrolyte dry out thereby decreasing the rate at which hydrogen ions may be transferred through the PEM and also resulting in cross-over of the reducing fluid leading to local over heating. Similarly, if insufficient water is removed from the cathode, the cathode electrode may become flooded effectively limiting oxidant supply to the cathode and hence decreasing current flow. Additionally, if too much water is removed from the cathode by the gaseous stream of oxidant, the cathode may dry out limiting ability of hydrogen ions to pass through the PEM, thus decreasing cell performance.
As fuel cells have been integrated into power plants developed to power transportation vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, buses, etc., maintaining an efficient water balance within the power plant has become a greater challenge because of a variety of factors. For example, with a stationary fuel cell power plant, water lost from the plant may be replaced by water supplied to the plant from off-plant sources. With a transportation vehicle, however, to minimize weight and space requirements of a fuel cell power plant the plant must be self-sufficient in water to be viable. Self-sufficiency in water means that, for efficient operation of the plant, enough water must be retained within the plant to offset water losses from gaseous streams of reactant and oxidant fluids passing through the plant. For example, any water exiting the plant through a cathode exhaust stream of gaseous oxidant or through an anode exhaust stream of gaseous reducing fluid must be balanced by water produced electrochemically at the cathode and retained within the plant.
A common approach to enhancing water balance is use of condensing heat exchangers downstream of power plant exhaust streams wherein the exhaust streams are cooled to a temperature at or below their dew points to precipitate liquid out of the exhaust streams so that the liquid may be returned to the power plant. An example of a PEM fuel cell power plant using a condensing heat exchanger is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,866 that issued on Nov. 12, 1996 to Van Dine et al., and is assigned to the assigneee of the present invention, and which patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Many other fuel cell power plants that use one or more condensing heat exchangers are well-known in the art, and they typically use ambient air streams as a cooling fluid passing through the exchanger to cool the plant exhaust streams. In Van Dine et al., the heat exchanger is used to cool an exhaust stream exiting a cathode chamber housing the cathode electrode. Prior to entering the cathode housing, the same stream provides air as the oxidant for the cathode electrode, and upon leaving the chamber the stream includes evaporated product water and some portion of methanol, the reducing fluid, that has passed through the PEM. The condensing heat exchanger passes the cathode exhaust stream in heat exchange relationship with a stream of cooling ambient air, and then directs condensed methanol and water indirectly through a piping system back to an anode side of the cell.
While condensing heat exchangers have enhanced water balance and energy efficiency of fuel cell power plants, the heat exchangers encounter decreasing water recover efficiency as ambient temperatures increase. Where the power plant is to power a transportation vehicle such as an automobile, the plant will be exposed to an extremely wide range of ambient temperatures. For example where an ambient air coolant stream passes through a heat exchanger, performance of the exchanger will vary as a direct function of the temperature of the ambient air because decreasing amounts of liquid precipitate out of power plant exhaust streams as the ambient air temperature increases.
An additional complication of known fuel cell power plants designed for use in transportation vehicles is also related to fluctuations in ambient air conditions. Fuel cells of such plants typically utilize ambient air as the oxidant directed to the cathode electrode. Hot and dry ambient air increases a risk that the cathode electrode will dry out. Consequently, many efforts have been undertaken to prevent drying out of the cathode electrode and adjacent electrolyte especially in PEM fuel cells, including: directing liquid condensate from heat exchangers to humidify gaseous reactant and oxidant streams entering the cell; adding porous support layers and water transport plates in fluid communication with the electrodes for movement of coolant water through adjacent cells; and, generating a pressure differential on the anode side of the cell wherein gaseous reducing fluids are maintained at a slightly higher pressure than coolant water and anode supply water passing through the porous support layers adjacent reducing gas distribution channels so that the pressure differential assists water transport through the porous support layers and cell. Such efforts at maintaining efficient water balance involve additional cost, weight and volume, and often require complicated control apparatus.
Further problems of maintaining water balance in known fuel cell power plants are associated with components necessary to process hydrocarbon fuels, such as methane, natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel, etc., into an appropriate reducing fluid that provides a hydrogen rich fluid to the anode electrode. Such fuel processing components of a fuel cell power plant typically include an auxiliary burner that generates steam; a steam duct into which the hydrocarbon fuel is injected; and a reformer that receives the steam and fuel mixture along with a small amount of a process oxidant such as air and transforms the mixture into a hydrogen-enriched reducing fluid appropriate for delivery to the anode electrode of the fuel cell. These fuel processing components also include water and energy requirements that are part of an overall water balance and energy requirement of the fuel cell power plant. Water made into steam in a steam generator of the auxiliary burner must be replaced by water recovered from the plant such as by condensing heat exchangers in the cathode exhaust stream and associated piping. Additionally, process oxidant streams that also support the auxiliary burner and reformer must be maintained within a stable humidity range to prevent variations in performance of those components. When the process oxidant streams for the fuel processing components are supplied by ambient air, humidifying the streams to stabilize performance of those fuel processing components further complicates maintenance of a self-sufficient water balance of such a fuel cell power plant.
Accordingly, known fuel cell power plants and plants that employ ambient air as the cathode oxidant or that employ ambient air for condensing heat exchangers and/or fuel processing components are incapable of maximizing an efficient water balance and minimizing operating energy requirements because of their above described characteristics. It is therefore highly desirable to produce a fuel cell power plant that achieves an efficient water balance for the entire plant and minimizes plant operating energy requirements.

Mass and heat recovery system for a fuel cell power plant


A lighting apparatus can dissipate heat by conduction and convection. A heat sink is provided with an active cooling device for the lighting apparatus.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus, more particularly, to a lighting apparatus having an active cooling system.
2. Background
There have been gradually increasing interests in a light emitting diode (LED) having advantages of light-emitting efficiency, color variety and design autonomy. Further, LEDs use less power resulting in less power usage for a greener environment. The light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device which emits light when a voltage is applied thereto. The light emitting diode (LED) has a long usage life, low power consumption, with electrical, optical and physical properties for mass production. However, heat generated by the LED may deteriorate the luminescence efficiency and lifespan. A heat sink including a radiation fin is used in a lighting apparatus having the light emitting diode to alleviate such problems, but heat sinks may be insufficient.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.


An improved mounting assembly for mounting a foot-operated pedal to a bracket in an automobile has a retaining shaft having a portion with external threads. The foot-operated pedal preferably has an aperture therethrough with internal threads sized to engage the external threads of the retaining shaft. The retaining shaft is placed through the bracket and the aperture in the foot-operated pedal so that the foot-operated pedal is rotatably positioned on the external threads of the retaining shaft. The retaining shaft may be comprised of a first stud and a second stud. The bracket used in the vehicle may have a first flange and a second flange spaced apart a predetermined distance. Each flange has an aperture therethrough. The first stud extends only partially between the first and second flanges of the bracket. The second stud couples to the first stud through the opposite flange of the bracket than that which the first stud is mounted.

The present invention relates generally to a pedal mounting structure for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly, to a pedal mounting structure having minimal parts to allow serviceability and adjustability after assembly.
Foot operated control pedals in automotive vehicles are used for throttle control, brake control and clutch control. The control pedals are typically rotatably mounted to a bracket in the vehicle located under the instrument panel. Typically, a bolt or other axis defining axle is passed through the bracket and control pedal. The control pedal rotates about the axis.
Several mounting methods use a single axle to mount the control pedal. One disadvantage of using a single axle to mount a control pedal is that a large space is required for inserting the axle into the bracket. Enough space must be left for inserting the axle, for any tools for inserting and tightening the axle and the operator of the tools to have access to the axle. In smaller vehicles, space is increasingly at a premium. Therefore, providing an assembly requiring a small amount of space is desirable.
Typically in these single axle type mounting systems, an axle is used in conjunction with spacers, bushings and an outer axle which rotates around the inner axle. Another disadvantage of single axle mounting systems is that a significant number of parts must be assembled for such configurations. Yet, another disadvantage of single axle type mounting is that once assembled no means is provided for adjusting the position of the pedal.
Another type of pedal mounting uses a snap-in connection to mount the pedal to the bracket. The pedal mount is spring loaded. The preassembled pedal is compressed axially and inserted into the bracket. Once the holes in the bracket are aligned with the compressed axle, the axle is released and expands into the holes of the bracket. One disadvantage to such a system is that the pedal is not adjustable axially with respect to the snap-in connecting means. Another disadvantage is that it is believed that such a system due to its many components would provide a source of noise due to the vibration of its many components rattling together.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a pedal mounting system that is easy to assemble, service, adjust after assembly and is devoid of vibrations during operation of the vehicle.

Pedal mounting structure and method of installing a pedal in an automotive vehicle


A control apparatus for an adjusting device in a motor vehicle is provided. The apparatus has a sensor, particularly a current sensor (S1), for generating a signal (U1 to U10, I1 to I3, Δt1 to Δt8) which is dependent on a motor movement by a motor in the adjusting device. The apparatus also has a power driver for controlling a motor current, and a processor (RE). The processor is designed and set up (i) to find a position (xm) from the sensor signal (U1 to U10, I1 to I3, Δt1 to Δt8), particularly from the ripple in the motor current, (ii) to associate a reference characteristic (Chref) of orderly signals (U1 to U10, I1 to I3, Δt1 to Δt8) from the sensor, particularly for the ripple, with a reference position (xref), (iii) to correct the position found (xm) on the basis of the reference characteristic (Chref) and the reference position (xref), and (iv) to control the motor current on the basis of the corrected position.

Indirect-recognizing antitrapping systems for adjusting devices in motor vehicles are known from DE 30 43 118 A1, EP 0 359 853 B1, DE 43 15 637 A1 and DE 197 11 979 A1, for example. These systems are called indirect-recognizing because an object being trapped is not recognized directly at the location at which it happens (such as when using an electric terminal board laid along the closing contour), but rather as a result of the reaction of this occurrence via the adjusting system's power chain on the drive, which is operatively connected to a sensor. In some types of embodiment, the motor's drive shaft has an annular magnet mounted on it which generates signals in an associated Hall sensor which are in turn assessed in an electronic control apparatus. Should an instance of trapping arise then it can be expected that the adjusting movement of the adjustable part (e.g. a window pane) will be characteristically slowed down, which also slows down the drive via the mechanical coupling. This extends the time periods between two successive (Hall) signals. If a stipulated limit value is exceeded, the drive is stopped by the control device and if appropriate the direction of rotation is reversed in order to resolve the trapped condition again.
Such antitrapping or injury prevention systems are in use for adjustment kinematics for window lifters, in which the gear ratio between the drive and the adjustable part (window pane) remains constant. One example of this is single-strand or double-strand cord window lifters with an essentially linear track, as disclosed by way of example in DE 198 02 478 A1 and WO 98/50658. In principle, any alteration in the dynamics of the adjusting process or with respect to the forces occurring which is recognized by the electronic injury prevention system needs to be associated with an external action in this case, and therefore—when prescribable limit values are exceeded—an instance of trapping must be inferred.

Control apparatus and method for controlling an adjusting device in a motor vehicle

Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft


A versatile mobile utility cart or vehicle using either tracks, wheels or both for suspension and steering with propulsion coming from but not limited to an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. The vehicle is meant to be a utility workhorse with the ability to load and unload itself as well as drag or carry materials. The vehicle can be configured in many ways to do many tasks with the main feature being labor savings. One of the unique features of the vehicle is a loading system called a fork and foot system. For transport the forks and feet system can be raised or detached individually or as a system, this is beneficial when unloading. The foot may remain attached and used for stability. Detaching the fork and foot system as a system allows the vehicle to be used for other tasks including but not limited to: a dump vehicle; a skidder; a reel carrier; a fork lift/carrier; and a prime mover or base for brush chippers, stump cutters, tree spades and more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile utility vehicle for loading, transporting and unloading materials. In addition, the utility vehicle also includes a unique loading apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Utility vehicles such as handcarts, hand trucks, wheelbarrows and other devices have been used for many years as labor saving devices. These devices assist an individual or laborer in performing manual labor such as moving and transporting objects and workpieces. Further, they provide assistance when working in and around areas that cannot be easily reached by larger motor operated vehicles, particularly in areas too small or confined to allow the operation of such vehicles.
For instance, many landscape operations or landscapers cannot use large motor operated vehicles when working around homes or other structures, especially in developed areas where such vehicles will not fit or cannot be maneuvered due to the confines created by home density, fences and landscapes. Further, use of such large, motor operated vehicles may be prohibited due to the damage such vehicles would cause to the landscape. Accordingly, in these instances, much of the work requires manual labor to accomplish a variety of tasks including: landscape operations, planting trees, removing trees, laying sod, or other work that requires a significant amount of materials or objects to be moved physically or with the assistance of small non-powered or manually operated implements such as those set forth above.
Accordingly, there is a need for a powered utility vehicle of a size small enough to operate in confined spaces and in urban areas that minimizes damage to the property or landscape while providing sufficient lifting, loading, transporting and unloading properties. Specifically, it is advantageous that such a vehicle be operated by a single operator thereby reducing the amount of physical or manual labor needed to perform the job or task.