An upstanding collar is formed around a hole in a sheet metal blank by means of a converter tool which converts an edge region bordering the hole into the collar, while the blank is rotated relative to the converter tool. This method comprises (i) in a first stage, converting a portion of the blank into a first turned-up rim, (ii) after the first stage, converting a further portion of the blank into a second turned-up rim, (iii) in at least one further stage repeating step (ii) successively converting each time a further portion of the blank into another turned-up rim, until the whole of the edge region has been converted, wherein (a) in at least one of the stages the conversion takes place on free air, and (b) in all these stages the conversion takes place in the same direction relative to the blank. A converter tool increasing stepwise in diameter may be used.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of forming an upstanding collar around a hole in a sheet metal blank, which is rotated relative to a converter tool, the converter tool converting an edge region of the blank bordering said hole into the collar. The invention also relates to conversion apparatus for performing such a method comprising a converter tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A method of the kind described above is known in practice in the manufacture of a packing for a coil of rolled steel. This packing has two packing covers, which cover respectively the flat bottom and flat top edges of the coil of rolled steel, and a sleeve which covers the cylindrical side wall of the coil of rolled steel. In order to seal the packing against dripping water and to prevent damage occurring to the rolled steel, the packing cover is provided with a turned-up edge at its outer circumference. A method and apparatus for manufacturing a lid with a turned-up edge at the outer circumference is known from NL-A-8302807.
The packing cover can be provided with a hole corresponding with the coiler hole in the coil of rolled steel. It is desirable to provide this cover hole also with a collar around its circumference which, like the turned-up edge of the outer circumference of the packing cover has the function of sealing the packing against dripping water and preventing damage to the coil of rolled steel.
In the known method, the collar around the hole in the cover is formed by clamping the cover, already provided with its hole, so that it can rotate, with a cylindrical hollow pressure plate on one side, the cylindrical inner wall of the pressure plate having the shape of the collar required, and then, by means of spinning, gradually pushing the edge portion bordering the hole against the inner side of the cylindrical wall of the hollow pressure plate. An inconvenience of this method is that for each dimension of cover hole another size of pressure plate is needed. Not only does this represent high investment in pressure plates, but also carrying out this method is costly in that the tool has to be changed for each new dimension.
Another disadvantage is that the spinning means are costly. It is necessary to have complicated spinning means in order to prevent the consequences of elastic spring-back in the turned-back edge of the collar. Additional measures for the spinning means are required to prevent angular distortion on the transition of the face of the blank towards the collar, which make the spinning means more costly still and place high demands on its use.
Other machines suffering similar disadvantages are described in the literature.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,370,666 shows a sheet working machine for forming a flange around a hole in a sheet by clamping the sheet between rollers adjacent the hole, rotating the sheet by means of the rollers and moving a dome-shaped shaping tool in one direction parallel to the axis of rotation so as to form the flange in one step against one of the rollers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,254,289 shows a similar machine, in which a part spherical axially reciprocating shaping tool forms the flange against clamping and rotating rollers. The sheet is gradually fed past the shaping tool.
Machines in which a flange is formed around a hole by radial movement of an appropriately shaped roller, while the sheet is rotated, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,709,016 and 3,924,432.
The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages associated with this known method.
According to the invention in one aspect there is provided a method of forming an upstanding collar around a hole in a sheet metal blank by means of a converter tool which converts an edge region of the blank bordering said hole into said collar, while the blank is rotated relative to the converter tool which method comprises the steps of
(i) in a first stage, converting a portion of said blank radially outwardly bordering said hole into a first turned-up rim,
(ii) after said first stage, in a second stage, converting a further portion of said blank radially outwardly bordering said first turned-up rim into a second turned-up rim,
(iii) in at least one further stage repeating step (ii) successively converting each time a further portion of the blank radially outwardly bordering the immediately previously turned-up rim into another turned-up rim, until the whole of said edge region has been converted,
wherein the following conditions apply:
(a) in at least one of said stages the conversion takes place on free air as herein defined, and
(b) in all said stages the conversion takes place in the same direction relative to the blank.
In the method according to the invention, a first turned-up rim is formed from a first part of the edge portion around the hole, which rim reinforces the edge portion around the hole. Then, using the reinforcement obtained, it is possible to convert a second part of the edge portion into a second turned-up rim with a larger diameter than the first turned-up rim. The step-wise conversion of the edge portion is continued until the entire edge portion has been converted and the converted edge portion forms a collar on the blank at the position of the coil hole.
This conversion of the edge portion in stages is carried out at least partly preferably entirely on free air. The term "on free air" comes from the technique of spinning. Article 2.8 on page 17 of the brochure "Forceren en Vloeidraaien van Staal", No. 301, Sixth Edition, published by "Stichting Staalcentrum Nederland", states: "One of these operations is `taking in on free air`. This is the local reduction in centreline without the presence there of a pattern form". By analogy in this application "converting on free air" is taken to mean the conversion of material without the presence there of a pressure plate or another kind of pattern form against which the material to be formed is pressed.
Preferably a part of the edge portion is converted into a turned-up rim at 90.degree. to the blank. This results in a very high stiffness of the edge portion, making the forming of a subsequent turned-up rim easier to achieve. A larger part of the edge portion to be formed can be converted at each stage.
Preferably, after a plurality of turned-up rims has been formed, the last turned-up rim already formed is converted on free air into a larger diameter turned-up rim. When this is done on all the turned-up rims formed, a collar is obtained in which the originally formed edges are eliminated and pass into each other forming a collar of the required shape. Using this feature in combination with the effect described earlier produces a collar of a circular cylindrical shape perpendicular to the plane of the blank.
As a result of the elasticity of the material of the blank, the collar springs back elastically. The spring-back is particularly noticeable at the outer end of the collar remote from the plane of the blank. Preferably at least the end part, remote from the plane of the blank, of the first turned-up rim is pushed into the size required. In this way, the consequence of the elastic spring-back is reduced to a desirable degree.
In an especially simple embodiment of the method a portion of the blank bordering on the turned-up rim last formed is pushed out of the plane of the blank within the elastic region of that portion of the blank, and the inwardly directed force generated by this on the end part remote from the blank of the first turned-up rim is opposed at least partly by the converter tool.
In practice, it appears that good results are achieved, especially with steel blanks, if the edge region is converted in stages of about 1 cm radial length.
When the method is applied in the manufacture of steel covers, good results have been achieved when the increase in height of a turned-up rim during conversion lies between 0.5 and 4 mm per rotation of the steel blank and in particular when the increase in height of a turned-up rim during conversion lies between 1 and 2 mm per rotation of the steel blank.
In another aspect, the invention provides conversion apparatus for forming an upstanding collar around a hole in a sheet metal blank by converting an edge region of the blank adjacent said hole into said collar, comprising
(a) a converter tool
(b) clamping means for said blank,
(c) means for rotating said clamping means relative to said converter tool about an axis, and
(d) means for moving said converter tool, parallel to said axis in order to perform the conversion,
(e) said converter tool comprising a mandrel which engages the metal blank during the conversion and which has in the direction of said axis a foremost end and a rearmost end, and the blank engaging surface of the mandrel being a surface of rotation which from said foremost end to said rearmost end increases in diameter non-linearly and at least partly in a plurality of steps.
With such an apparatus, especially with all increases being stepwise, a first part of the edge portion bordering on the hole may be converted while initially a second part of the edge portion bordering directly on it remains untouched. By moving the mandrel further in the direction of the blank parallel to the axis of rotation of the clamping device, the second part of the edge portion is converted.
If so desired, the mandrel can be built up from a number of separately manufactured elements, for example by taking one disc per stepwise increase of the desired diameter and stacking all the discs on top of one another. In this, the discs may be fixed relative to one another or they may be rotatable relate to one another.
In the embodiment in which individual discs are fixed relative to each other, or in which the mandrel is essentially a single solid body, the rotational speed at different positions from the foremost extremity to the rearmost extremity depends on the position. In order to reduce the speed difference between different positions on the mandrel and the parts of the edge portion already converted, preferably the magnitude of the stepwise diameter increase decreases from the foremost end towards the rearmost end. This also achieves the advantage that, the more the mandrel forms more turned-up edges, and the more it comes into contact with more material of the blank, the less quickly will the distorting forces increase with each successive conversion stage.
Preferably the increase in diameter between two successive stages is essentially nil, whereby the portion where the material of the blank is in contact with the mandrel is diminished and relative speed differences and friction have less effect.
In order to prevent heavy local distortion of the blank, the salient angles at the outwardly projecting corners of the steps of the mandrel are rounded off and in particular are rounded off at a radius of between 5 to 10 times the thickness of the blank. Practical trials have shown that with this embodiment there is a good balance between on the one hand the metallurgical reinforcing of the material of the blank as a consequence of the distortion, and on the other hand the conditions of tension occurring in the material of the blank which induce distortion.
Preferably also in a median plane two connecting lines joining the outwardly projecting corners of the steps of the rotation surface closest to the foremost end intersect each other transversely. Using such a mandrel in accordance with this embodiment, and with only a small axial movement of the mandrel, a large part of the edge portion may be converted without any large forces acting on the edge portion.
Preferably the largest diameter of the mandrel is larger than or equal to the height of the collar to be formed.
During conversion any stretching in the material occurs mainly in the circumferential direction of a turned-up rim; only a little residual distortion occurs in the height direction of a turned-up rim. That means that the radial length of the turned-up rim to be converted is approximately equal to the height of the collar formed. It is desirable that at the start of conversion, the mandrel axis should not cut the blank, because otherwise the edge of the hole displays an unstable behaviour during conversion of the first turned-up rim. Therefore, the maximum diameter of the mandrel should be preferably larger than or equal to the radial length of the whole converted edge portion. This also means that the maximum diameter of the mandrel should be preferably larger than or equal to the height of the collar to be formed.
Preferably the increase of the diameter at a base part of the mandrel adjacent the rearmost end is nil and the height of this base part is at least as large as the height of the collar to be formed. By moving the mandrel over the entire base part past the face of the blank in parallel with the axis of rotation of the clamping device, an essentially cylindrical collar is formed in the blank.
Furthermore this base part assists in setting in place the part of the collar which is already formed further from the plane of the blank, whereby that part springs back less elastically and a better shaped collar is formed. For certain uses of blanks with extended collars, it is desirable to have a collar with an even more diminished elastic spring-back, which can be achieved with the apparatus which is the mandrel is provided at its rearmost end with a pressing element for pressing up, out of the plane of the blank, a part of the blank that borders on the last formed turned-up rim. By pressing this pressing element against the transition from the flat part of the blank and the edge portion which was formed last, the transition is pressed locally and elastically out of the plane of the blank. Through this the part of the collar formed first, i.e. the upper end, undergoes an inwards force which presses a part of the upper end of the collar against the cylindrical base part of the mandrel. This distorts the upper side plastically, so that it springs elastically less far back after the mandrel has been withdrawn.
Preferably the mandrel is free to rotate, so that it is brought into rotation on its axis by the friction of the material of the blank and a separate drive for the mandrel is not needed.

Method and apparatus for forming a collar around a hole in a sheet metal blank


Systems and methods for website and application monitoring and testing inside from a private network are presented. An agent module resident on an agent device inside the secured network periodically sends an HTTP message to a controller server and receives an HTTP response. The agent module parses out a set of instructions from the content of the HTTP response and executes the instructions. The agent module collects and compiles responsive information resulting from the instructions being executed and sends the compiled information to the controller server for storage and reporting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of website and application performance monitoring and testing and more particularly relates to the field of website and application monitoring and testing from a private network.
2. Related Art
Conventional website or application performance monitoring and testing solutions address the need for web enabled businesses to measure the speed and reliability of their websites and applications as seen by a global audience accessing them over the internet. There are two types of conventional solutions, namely conventional external and conventional internal solutions. Conventional external solutions lack the ability to access websites or applications which are resident on a customer's internal private network due to the fact that these internal private networks are protected by a firewall or other security system. In addition, conventional external solutions can not monitor and test from the point of view of the private network to websites or applications which are hosted outside the internal private network, for example via the Internet.
Conventional internal solutions suffer from the same limitations as traditional delivered solutions and are additionally problematic because they require a large, complex software installation with trained and dedicated staff to maintain them. One cumbersome solution that has been suggested to address these significant drawbacks of the conventional solutions is to provide a server inside the protected network. This requires a considerable amount of time to set up, configure, and maintain. This additionally requires the customer to spend a lot of time learning how to operate the server, including its software and hardware components. This type of solution also requires direct access to the private network. There are no existing solutions that can externally monitor a website or application that is located beyond a firewall or security system in a private network. Therefore, the industry has defined a need for a system and method that overcomes these significant problems found in the conventional systems as described above.

System and method for obtaining and executing instructions from a private network


A storage array in an automated storage and retrieval system includes storage spaces arrayed on racks along picking aisles, multiple level decks, where at least one deck communicates with each aisle, where the decks and aisles are configured to define a rolling surface for an autonomous transport vehicle at each level of the decks, racks along at least one aisle at each level are at multiple rack levels that are accessed from a respective rolling surface that is common to the multiple rack levels, and a vertical pitch between rack levels varies for a portion of a respective aisle, the vertical pitch between at least two rack levels of the portion of the respective aisle is related to another vertical pitch between at least two other rack levels of another aisle portion of the respective aisle so the vehicle effects multiple picks in ordered sequence in a common aisle pass.

1. Field
The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling systems and, more particularly, to transport and storage of items within the material handling system.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Multilevel storage and retrieval systems may be used in warehouses for the storage and retrieval of goods. Generally the transportation of goods into and out of the storage structure is done with lifts for transfer to a vehicle on a storage level, vehicles travelling up ramps to a predetermined storage level, or with vehicles that include lifts traveling along guide ways. Goods stored within the storage and retrieval system are generally stored in storage spaces on each storage level such that a transport vehicle disposed on that level has access to one level of storage spaces. In some instances goods stored in the storage spaces do not occupy the entire storage space allocated to the goods which results in inefficient use of the storage space.
It would be advantageous to increase storage density within a storage and retrieval system.


A method of controlling valve timing and valve duration using a CVVT apparatus and a CVVD apparatus, the CVVT apparatus being configured to adjust an opening time of a valve in a vehicle engine, the CVVD apparatus being configured to adjust a duration of a valve lift, the method may include determining a desired valve opening time and a desired valve closing time; determining a desired valve duration by the desired valve opening time and the desired valve closing time; determining a desired valve timing through the desired valve opening time and an actual valve duration measured in real time; and controlling the CVVD apparatus to accomplish the desired valve duration while controlling the CVVT apparatus to accomplish the desired valve timing.

Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of controlling valve timing and valve duration using a continuously variable valve timing (CVVT) apparatus and a continuously variable valve duration (CVVD) apparatus; and, particularly, to a method of controlling valve timing and valve duration using a CVVT apparatus, which adjusts a valve opening time of a vehicle engine, and a CVVD apparatus which adjusts duration of a valve lift.
Description of Related Art
An internal combustion engine generates power by burning fuel and air that are supplied into a combustion chamber. An intake valve is operated by driving a camshaft for suction of air, and fuel and air are introduced into the combustion chamber while the intake valve is open. An exhaust valve is operated by driving the camshaft, and air is discharged from the combustion chamber after combustion while the exhaust valve is open.
In general, a valve switching timing is fixed such that the engine is able to obtain maximum power in a specific revolution per minute (rpm) range. Accordingly, the valve switching timing must be retarded in a low rpm range for expansion and explosion of a mixture, whereas it must be advanced in a high rpm range for discharge of the mixture after the explosion. However, if the valve timing is adjusted to be retarded, the discharge of the mixture is delayed when the engine rotates at a high speed, and if the valve is adjusted to be advanced, the compression of the mixture is delayed when the engine rotates at a low speed. As a result, the efficiency of the engine is too low.
To resolve such a problem, there has been proposed a continuously variable valve timing (CVVT) technology that changes a valve switching timing to be suitable for an engine rpm in a state in which a valve duration is fixed in order to obtain high fuel efficiency and power at both high and low speeds. Although the CVVT technology may effectively control a valve opening time, it may not change a valve duration.
To change the valve duration, there has been developed a continuously variable valve lift (CVVL) system that allows valves to be operated by different lifts according to the engine rpm. However, since a valve duration is varied but a valve lift is simultaneously changed in the CVVL system, the CVVL system has a low degree of freedom in regard of control.
To resolve such a problem, there has been developed a continuously variable valve duration (CVVD) apparatus as disclosed in Patent Document 1. The CVVD apparatus may effectively vary a valve timing and a valve duration without changing a valve lift by interlocking with a CVVT apparatus. In addition, the CVVD apparatus may set an optimum valve switching timing by independently controlling valve opening and closing times.
However, when the valve timing and the valve duration are adjusted using the CVVD and the CVVT, a desired valve timing may not be obtained due to a change in valve timing when the valve duration is varied. However, the method of controlling valve timing and valve duration using CVVD and CVVT has not been sufficiently studied to the present time.

Method of controlling valve timing and valve duration using CVVT apparatus and CVVD apparatus


A method for improving a frequency utilization efficiency for a wireless communication system having a plurality of cells includes the following steps. At least one primary channel is allocated for each cell, the primary channel being different from that of its neighboring cell. One or more secondary channels are allocated for each cell, which have the same frequencies as their corresponding primary channels but differ in configuration, the secondary channels being different in frequency from the primary channel of the same cell. The secondary channel of the cell is activated for carrying communication traffic when the primary channel of the same cell has a capacity of being used exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

The present invention relates generally to a wireless communication system, and more particularly to a method for allocating channel frequencies among cells of the system clusters in order to improve frequency utilization efficiency.
The total capacity of a wireless communication system is proportional to the total frequency spectrum available to the system. The capacity herein refers to the number of users the system can service, or the amount of information the system can transfer to or from its users during a certain time period. The system capacity can be increased if the frequency spectrum can be reused repeatedly throughout the system. Repeatedly reusing a common frequency band, hereafter referred as a frequency channel, in various cells in a wireless communication system is referred to as frequency reuse.
Conventional frequency reuse is achieved by allocating a number of channels for a number of cells to form a frequency reuse pattern. A plurality of such patterns are repetitively used to provide a larger communications service coverage. Each one of the patterns contains all of the channels available to the system.
Obviously, the number of cells contained in the frequency reuse pattern, which is typically referred to as the frequency reuse factor k, determines the frequency utilization efficiency. A lower frequency reuse factor means that a same frequency band is reused more frequently, and vice versa. However, the reuse factor k cannot be reduced arbitrarily, because, when the reuse factor k is reduced, the spatial separation between two cells where the same frequency channels are reused is reduced, thereby resulting in higher co-channel interferences.
The conventional approach of allocating the channels is to first set the minimum requirement for the signal-to-interference ratio, and then decide the minimum size of the frequency reuse pattern based on the signal-to-interference ratio requirement. One drawback of the conventional approach is that it is not optimized for the most efficient use of available channel resources. As such, it is desirable to have a method of allocating the channels for the cells that balances the aforementioned competing factors. Specifically, it is desirable to have the method reduce the frequency reuse factor, thereby improving the frequency utilization efficiency.

Method for allocating channel resources for improving frequency utilization efficiency of wireless communication systems


A computing device has a hardware device employed to provide a hardware service to the computing device and a plurality of virtual machines including a host virtual machine (VM-H) to which the hardware device is assigned, and a client virtual machine (VM-C) that can consume the hardware service by way of the VM-H. The VM-C includes an emulating stack and an enlightened stack. The emulating stack interfaces an application requesting the hardware service with a trap in a virtualization layer of the computing device which re-directs the request to the VM-H. The enlightened stack interfaces the application with the VM-H and bypasses the virtualization layer. The emulating stack includes a shunt driver that shunts to the enlightened stack each request from the application directed to the emulating stack.

As should be appreciated, a virtual machine is a software construct or the like operating on a computing device or the like for the purpose of emulating a hardware system. Typically, although not necessarily, the virtual machine is an application or the like and is employed on the computing device to host a user application or the like while at the same time isolating such user application from such computing device or from other applications on such computing device. A different variation of a virtual machine may for example be written for each of a plurality of different computing devices so that any user application written for the virtual machine can be operated on any of the different computing devices. Thus, a different variation of the user application for each different computing device is not needed.
Among other things, a virtual machine may require access to hardware associated with the computing device. As may be appreciated, such hardware may be any sort of hardware that can be associated with a computing device. For example, the hardware may be a storage device to store and retrieve data, and generally for any purpose that a storage device would be employed. Likewise, the hardware may be a resource such as a network, a printer, a scanner, a network drive, a virtual drive, a server, and the like. Note that whatever the resource may be, the hardware may be considered to be the resource itself, a hardware adapter for accessing the resource, and/or a combination thereof. Accordingly, whatever the resource may be, the virtual machine may in fact be provided with access to services provided by such resource.
New architectures for computing devices and new software now allow a single computing device to instantiate and run a plurality of partitions, each of which can be employed to instantiate a virtual machine to in turn host an instance of an operating system upon which one or more applications may be instantiated. Typically, although not necessarily, the computing device includes a virtualization layer with a virtual machine monitor or the like as an overseer application or 'hypervisor', where the virtualization layer oversees and/or otherwise manages supervisory aspects of each virtual machine, and acts as a link between each virtual machine and the world outside of such virtual machine.
In such a computing device with multiple partitions instantiated, any particular hardware device of the computing device may be dynamically assigned to a particular partition/virtual machine (hereinafter 'virtual machine' or 'VM') so that the particular VM can directly control such hardware device. Such particular VM, then, is in effect a host that provides hardware capabilities as a hardware host VM ('VM-H') that 'owns' the particular hardware device. Similarly, such VM-H provides hardware services to another VM which is in effect a client that consumes such capabilities as a hardware client VM ('VM-C'). Thus, the VM-C and the VM-H in combination accomplish operations that require use of the particular hardware device.
A particular VM-C operating on a computing device typically is constructed to operate as if a real machine. That is, the particular VM-C in accessing resources from a particular hardware device typically acts as if the particular hardware device is accessible by way of direct requests thereto. Accordingly, it may be the case that the VM-C has constructed a path or stack (hereinafter, 'stack') of drivers to which such requests are directed, with the expectation being that the particular hardware device is at the end of the stack. As has been established, however, the VM-C is not in fact a real machine and the particular hardware resource is not in fact at the end of the stack.
Accordingly, it is typically the case that a trap or the like at the virtualization layer is at the end of the stack. Thus, upon a request with regard to a particular hardware device being received at the trap of the virtualization layer, the virtualization layer re-directs the request to the VM-H that owns the particular hardware device. As may be appreciated, then, the VM-H and the virtualization layer in combination act to emulate the particular hardware device for the VM-C by intercepting all requests for the particular hardware device as generated by the VM-C and in effect mimicking the behavior of the particular hardware device for the VM-C. As a result, the VM-C is not aware that the particular hardware device is in fact being emulated and is not at the end of the 'emulating' stack.
Notably, emulating a particular hardware device by way of a trap or the like at the virtualization layer is cumbersome and inefficient. In particular, every request sent to the particular hardware device must follow a circuitous route through the virtualization layer, and is in fact sent from the VM-C and then re-sent as trapped from the virtualization layer to the VM-H. Accordingly, it is known that the VM-C may operate in an 'emulating' mode such as that set forth above, where the VM-C sends requests to the particular hardware device by way of an 'emulating' stack at the end of which is a trap at the virtualization layer, and also that the VM-C may operate in an 'enlightened' mode where the VM-C sends requests to the particular hardware device by way of an 'enlightened' stack at the end of which is a virtual machine bus or other communications path that connects the VM-C with the VM-H.
As may be appreciated, in the enlightened mode, the VM-C although operating as if a real machine is nevertheless aware that the particular hardware device is not accessible by way of direct requests thereto. Thus, the VM-C in the enlightened mode is aware that the particular hardware device can be accessed by way of the VM-H, and accordingly establishes a connection with the VM-H by way of the aforementioned enlightened stack and bus.
Significantly, the awareness of the VM-C in the enlightened mode is created by including within the enlightened stack one or more enlightened drivers that are 'aware' of being in a virtual machine. Specifically, each such enlightened driver does not generate hardware level calls directed to hardware, but instead generates VM-H calls for communicating with the VM-H by way of the bus or the like. In such a manner, every request sent to the particular hardware device by way of the enlightened driver in the enlightened stack follows a direct channel to the particular hardware device by way of the corresponding VM-H, and without being trapped and re-sent by the virtualization layer, as was the case with the emulating stack during emulating mode. As may be appreciated, by avoiding the virtualization layer, greater efficiency and manageability are achieved in the enlightened mode.
Typically, a VM-C that is 'enlightened' includes both the enlightened stack for use during the enlightened mode and also the emulating stack for use during the emulating mode. In particular, although the emulating stack would seem to be removable if the enlightened stack is instantiated, such emulating stack is still necessary for some operations of the VM-C. For one example, an operating system typically initially loads in the VM-C through a relatively simple loader that cannot be operated with the enlightened stack. For another example, if the operating system is crashing, it may be the case that post-crash dumps and other similar operations can only be performed by way of the emulating stack. For still another example, it may be the case that the same operating system image may be run in either the VM-C or inside of a physical machine. Since the physical machine would expose a physical hardware interface, the image would include software that could interact with either physical hardware or with an emulation. At any rate, even if the emulating stack were to be removed from the VM-C, there is likely nothing to prevent a user or application from creating such emulating stack. After all, such an emulating stack is known and the components thereof are readily available, and it is possible that certain already-existing applications include specific instructions that would create the emulating stack if not already present.
Note, though, that if the VM-C is provided with both an emulating stack and an enlightened stack, care must be taken to ensure that such stacks do not interfere with each other. Thus, a need exists for a method and mechanism to ensure that when the VM-C is in enlightened mode, all requests for the particular hardware device employ the enlightened stack. More particularly, a need exists for a method and mechanism by which requests for the particular hardware device directed to the emulating stack are processed through such emulating stack when the VM-C is in the emulating mode, and are diverted or shunted to the enlightened stack for processing when the VM-C is in an enlightened mode.

Virtual machine transitioning from emulating mode to enlightened mode


A ferritic-austenitic stainless steel having a microstructure containing 35-65 vol-% ferrite and 35-65 vol-% austenite has a chemical composition which contains in weight-%: 0.005-0.07 C, 0.1-2.0 Si, 3-8 Mn, 19-23 Cr, 0.5-1.7 Ni, optionally Mo and/or W in a total amount of max 1.0 (Mo+W/2), optionally Cu up to max 1.0 Cu, 0.15-0.30 N, balance iron and impurities. The following conditions apply for the chromium and nickel equivalents: 20<Creq<24.5, 10<Nieq, where Creq=Cr+1.5 Si+Mo+2 Ti+0.5 Nb, and Nieq=Ni+0.5 Mn+30 (C+N)+0.5 (Cu+Co).

The ferritic-austenitic stainless steels—the duplex steels—combine a high mechanical strength and toughness with good corrosion resistance, particularly as far as stress corrosion is concerned. For the corrosion resistance as well as for mechanical features such as weldability, it is important that the essential constituents of the steel, austenite and ferrite, are well balanced. In modern development of duplex steels, efforts are made to obtain a microstructure which contains 35-65% ferrite and 35-65% austenite. The duplex steels to an increased extent compete with traditional austenitic stainless steels within offshore, paper and pulp industry, chemical industry, and other fields where high strength and corrosion resistance are required. The duplex steels which so far are commercially available are, however, too expensive to find wider use, in spite of the fact that the duplex steels generally contain lower contents of the expensive alloy element nickel than comparable austenitic stainless steels.


One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for regulating an amount of power on a power grid using a datacenter. This allows demand to be more closely brought into alignment with supply. For example, when supply exceeds demand by a predetermined level, the datacenter may increase consumption, causing demand to increase, and when demand exceeds supply and/or comes within a predetermined threshold of supply, the datacenter may decrease consumption, causing demand to decrease. In this way, the datacenter can be utilized as a regulatory tool on the grid. It may be appreciated that given the technology used by and/or operations performed by datacenters, datacenters are uniquely situated to achieve these ends as compared to other (large) energy consumers, such as manufacturing facilities that cannot shift around and/or shut-down operations swiftly.

Today, power is generated from a number of different sources, including renewable and non-renewable resources. Generally speaking, power output by renewable resources varies greatly depending upon weather conditions. For example, power output from solar cells is dependent upon the amount of sunlight, and power output from wind turbines is dependent upon the amount/strength of wind. Therefore, power utility entities often rely on other forms of power generators to supplement the renewable resource generators. For example, the power utility entities may utilize natural gas generators or other generators that can rapidly increase production to generate power when the power output from solar cells and/or wind turbines is insufficient to meet demand.
Moreover, power generators that utilize non-renewable resources, such as coal and/or nuclear power plants, are typically not able to adjust output rapidly in response to changes in demand (e.g., it may take a day or more to ramp up or ramp down production). Therefore, power utility entities forecast the amount of energy that will be demanded and adjust production to meet that forecast. At times when the forecast does not align with actual demand, power utility entities may be forced to take other actions. For example, when demand is greater than supply, power utility entities may utilize power generators (e.g., less efficient peaker type of generators) that can more rapidly increase production (e.g., often at a much higher cost per kWh), and when supply is greater than demand, power utility entities may decrease the cost of power to consumers (e.g., and sometimes even pay consumers) to encourage consumers to utilize more power (e.g., reducing the load on the power grid).
Thus, because electricity demands fluctuate (e.g., hourly and/or daily), it is difficult for power utility entities to match supply with demand. When supply is insufficient to meet demand, power utility entities may utilize plants that are able to ramp up production rapidly to increase supply (e.g., which are often more expensive to operate and/or are inefficient). When supply is greater than depend, power utility entities provide incentives to consumers to increase power consumption until supply is substantially aligned with demand.

Power regulation of power grid via datacenter


Liquid is cooled in a columnar vessel having an inlet and an outlet for the liquid. The cooling is effected by introducing liquid cryogen into the vessel through a pipe. The liquid cryogen vaporizes and crates turbulence in the liquid in the vessel. Perforated plates dampen the turbulence and disengage the vaporized cryogen from the liquid being cooled. Pressurized gas is introduced from an inlet into the liquid beneath the liquid cryogen. This pressurized gas crates turbulence in the region where the cryogen enters the liquid and thus is able to prevent local freezing of the liquid in the mouth of the pipe. The liquid is typically water and the liquid cryogen typically liquid nitrogen.

It is known that a liquid such as water can be rapidly cooled by injecting a cryogenic liquid, generally liquid nitrogen into it. The liquid nitrogen extracts heat from the water and vaporises. The cold nitrogen vapour extracts further heat from the water during the period of time in which the two fluids are in contact with one another. The water is thereby further cooled. There are two well known problems that need to be overcome before this method of cooling can be performed to a reasonable level of efficiency. The first problem is to prevent local freezing of the water (or other liquid) from obstructing a nozzle or other device used to introduce the liquid nitrogen into the water. The second problem is to find a means whereby a reasonable proportion of the refrigerative capacity of the liquid nitrogen is extracted therefrom by the time the resulting vaporised nitrogen disengages itself from the water being cooled. This problem is not an easy one to solve since upon injection into the water the liquid nitrogen will tend to vaporise instantaneously with a concomitant large increase in volume. (One volume of liquid nitrogen yields on vaporisation more that 600 volumes of gas.) The so-formed nitrogen vapour thus tends to pass rapidly out of contact with the water with the result that very little time is available to effect heat exchange between the nitrogen vapour and the water. These problems become particularly significant if it is desired to operate the process continuously.
It has been proposed to overcome the first problem, that is blocking of a liquid nitrogen injection nozzle with ice, by either heating the nozzle or passing warm gas through it. This solution, however, provides no help in improving the heat transfer between the water and the liquid nitrogen and makes continuous operation difficult.
It is accordingly an aim of the present to provide a process and apparatus for cooling a liquid by the direct introduction into the liquid of the cryogen (by which is meant a cryogenic liquid) which ameliorates the difficulties discussed above.


An endoscope reprocessor includes a medicinal solution tank configured to store a medicinal solution; a first detachable portion provided in the medicinal solution tank and configured to detachably hold the concentration meter such that a measuring surface of the concentration meter is placed in the medicinal solution tank; a preserving fluid tank configured to store a preserving fluid of the concentration meter; and a second detachable portion provided in the preserving fluid tank and configured to detachably hold the concentration meter such that the measuring surface of the concentration meter is placed in the preserving fluid tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope reprocessor configured to apply a reprocessing process using a medicinal solution to an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
A reprocessing process including a cleaning process and a disinfecting process is applied after use to an endoscope used in a medical field. Also, an endoscope reprocessor configured to automatically perform a reprocessing process for the endoscope is known. An endoscope reprocessor is equipped with a medicinal solution tank configured to store a medicinal solution used in the reprocessing process. Also, a concentration meter, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-126046, configured to measure concentration of the medicinal solution is sometimes used to judge whether a medicinal solution for use in a reprocessing process is usable.
The concentration meter takes a longer waiting time from when a measuring surface contacts a medicinal solution to when correct measurement results become available if the measuring surface contacting the medicinal solution during concentration measurement is in a dry state than when the measuring surface is in a wet state. To reduce the waiting time, a concentration meter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-126046 moisturizes the measuring surface by pressing the measuring surface against a spongy porous material moistened by a preserving fluid.


A dust seal for a tool device, including a bit receiving end, which comprises typically, an elastomeric material such as neoprene and includes a bit clamping or first end portion having a first axially extending opening of predetermined dimension and having a shape and contour which complements and cooperates with the aligned surface of the tool bit. The predetermined dimension is selected so as to create a first interference fit with the tool bit. The seal includes a tool connection or second end portion axially disposed from the first and connected thereto. The latter includes a second axially extending opening, again of predetermined dimension which has a shape and contour which complements and cooperates with the aligned surface of the bit receiving end. The dimension of this second opening is selected to provide a second interference fit with the aligned surface of the bit receiving end, the second interference fit being lighter than the interference fit formed between the first end portion of the seal and the bit shank. The difference in interference fits allows the seal to move substantially in unison with the bit while slipping upon the contacted surface of the bit receiving end. Cooperative action between a surface of the second end portion and a flange on the bit receiving end ensures retention of the seal upon the tool device when the bit is removed from the tool.

Dust sealing mechanisms for power tools such as hammers or drills protect the particular tool device from the incursion of fine dust, chips, debris and the like which can cause premature failure of the tools.
Typically, in the prior art, it has been the practice to provide such dust seals as units mounted with a particular tool bit which is thereafter inserted into the tool and likewise removed when the bit is removed from the unit. Since the seal is placed on the bit shaft before insertion, obviously, when a tool bit must be replaced, the seal must be removed from the older bit and placed on the new one.
Often times, in purchasing power tools of the nature employing the seals which are the subject of the present invention, the operator will have to likewise buy several such dust seal units to replace the ones which are inadvertently lost or discarded with the used bits.
Further, it is often desirable to not only perform a hammering function on the surface being worked, but, in addition, a drilling function for removing previously loosened material. In such applications, it is necessary to provide a dust seal which will rotate with the bit but still not be destroyed so as to have to be discarded prematurely.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention, to provide a dust seal which remains on the tool when the bit is removed so that the problem of loosing or inadvertently discarding the seal is eliminated.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a seal which not only has application to power hammers, but also to hammer-drilling tools.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a dust seal mechanism which can be easily snapped off for replacement when required, but, under typical operating conditions, remains with the tool.
Various types of dust seals have been patented and occur in the prior art. These generally are designed around particular tools and have limited application. Such dust seals or protectors have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,944,523 and 3,934,661 assigned to the assignee hereof and Great Britain Pat. No. 1,030,137.


A drive system, in particular for a vehicle, includes an electric machine, by means of which a shaft can be driven to rotate and/or electrical energy can be obtained when the shaft rotates. The electric machine includes a stator arrangement with a stator interaction region and a rotor arrangement with a rotor interaction region. The rotor interaction region is coupled or can be coupled to the shaft for common rotation by means of a carrier arrangement. A torsional-vibration damper arrangement includes which is formed at least in part by said carrier arrangement, a primary side and a secondary side which can rotate, counter to the action of a damper element arrangement, about an axis of rotation (A) with respect to the primary side.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive system, in particular for a vehicle, including an electric machine, by means of which a shaft can be driven to rotate and/or electrical energy can be obtained when the shaft rotates. The electric machine has a stator arrangement with a stator interaction region and a rotor arrangement with a rotor interaction region, the rotor interaction region being coupled or capable of being coupled to the shaft for common rotation by means of a carrier arrangement. The drive system further includes a torsional-vibration damper arrangement with a primary side and a secondary side which can rotate, counter to the action of a damper element arrangement, about an axis of rotation with respect to the primary side.
2. Description of the Related Art
A drive system of this type is known, for example, from DE 199 14 376 A1. In this drive system, the torsional-vibration damper arrangement is designed so that it is either bolted onto a drive shaft together with the carrier arrangement for the rotor interaction region, or so that one of the primary side and the secondary side is linked to the carrier arrangement for common rotation or, via this arrangement, is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the drive shaft. The result is a structure which takes up a relatively large amount of space, but this causes difficulties in particular when drive systems of this type are integrated in a drive train of small motor vehicles.
The object of the present invention is to refine a drive system of the generic type in such a manner that the space which it takes up can be reduced.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a drive system, in particular for a vehicle, comprising an electric machine, by means of which a shaft can be driven to rotate and/or electrical energy can be obtained when the shaft rotates. The electric machine includes a stator arrangement with a stator interaction region and a rotor arrangement with a rotor interaction region, the rotor interaction region being coupled or capable of being coupled to the shaft for common rotation by means of a carrier arrangement. The drive system further includes a torsional-vibration damper arrangement with a primary side and a secondary side which can rotate, counter to the action of a damper element arrangement, about an axis of rotation with respect to the primary side.
In this system, it is furthermore provided that the carrier arrangement forms at least a part of the primary side.
The integration of functions, i.e. the incorporation of the carrier arrangement or a section thereof into the torsional-vibration damper arrangement, makes it possible to save on the number of components, and the electric machine and torsional-vibration damper arrangement assemblies can be positioned closer together, with the advantage that the overall size or length of a system of this type can be reduced compared to systems which are known from the prior art.
To further minimize the space which has to be made available, the carrier arrangement has its region which forms at least a part of the primary side located substantially radially inside the stator arrangement and preferably axially overlaps this arrangement at least in regions.
By way of example, the carrier arrangement may form a part of the primary side which serves to support the forces of the damper element arrangement.
To ensure symmetrical transmission of forces without the risk of primary side and secondary side becoming misaligned with respect to one another, the primary side has two force-supporting regions which, at least in regions, lie at an axial distance from one another, and the carrier arrangement forms one of the force-supporting regions. This can be achieved in a manner which is simple to produce by the fact that the primary side has two cover disk regions which form the force-supporting regions, and that the carrier arrangement forms one of the cover disk regions. In this case, it is furthermore advantageously provided that the secondary side has a central disk element which engages axially between the two force-supporting regions of the primary side.
In an alternative embodiment, the carrier arrangement, in a region which extends substantially axially and radially outside the damper element arrangement, has at least one first force-supporting region for the damper element arrangement. The secondary side has a second force-supporting region, which extends substantially axially, associated with at least one first force-supporting region of the primary side. In an embodiment of this type, the at least one first force-supporting region and the associated second force-supporting region preferably lie between the end regions of two damper elements which follow one another in the circumferential direction.
In design terms, this embodiment can be made particularly simple by the carrier arrangement having a carrier element which forms the part of the primary side, that the secondary side having a driver element which has the at least one second force-supporting region, and the carrier element and the driver element together forming a rotation-angle limitation for the torsional-vibration damper arrangement. In addition to its function of being able to transmit torque in damping mode, a further integration of function is provided in this case, namely that of preventing excessive compression of the damper element arrangement as a result of the rotation-angle limitation arrangement becoming active.
To achieve further integration of functions into assemblies or components which are already present, the secondary side can be supported in the radial direction and/or in the axial direction on the carrier arrangement. In this case, the central disk element is preferably supported on the carrier arrangement, preferably via a radial bearing arrangement.
With regard to the support of the primary side with respect to the secondary side, a bearing region for axially and radially supporting the secondary side with respect to the primary side may be formed on the carrier arrangement.
To connect the two cover disk regions in a simple manner and without the insertion of additional components, one of the cover disks has a connecting section for connection, preferably by welding, to the other cover disk region. This extends axially toward the other cover disk region and preferably radially outward.
If the connecting section lies substantially radially inside the stator arrangement and axially overlaps the stator arrangement, this part of the carrier arrangement can simultaneously serve to axially bridge the stator arrangement. The torsional-vibration damper arrangement can therefore be positioned even closer to the electric machine or is arranged substantially radially inside the stator arrangement thereof or axially overlaps this arrangement.
To produce a simple connection between the two cover disk regions, the other cover disk region, by means of a connecting section thereof, preferably extends axially toward the carrier arrangement and preferably radially outward.
To obtain a stable axial support between primary side and secondary side, the secondary side can be axially supported on the carrier arrangement via the second cover disk region. In this case, the secondary side is preferably axially supported on the secondary cover disk region in or close to a transition between a section which extends substantially radially and a connecting section which extends axially and preferably radially outward toward the carrier arrangement. The axial support in this connecting region produces an axially highly stable, i.e. relatively unyielding support, since in particular even when produced from sheet-metal material, the second cover disk region is very deformation-resistant in this transition region.
For axial support, the secondary side can be supported on a second cover disk element, with an axial bearing arrangement, preferably a slide bearing arrangement, arranged between them.
In the drive system according to the invention, in particular its torsional-vibration damper arrangement, the two cover disk regions preferably form a space between them which contains the damper element arrangement. This space is at the maximum radial distance from the axis of rotation, preferably in the region of the connection between the two cover disk regions.
The force-transmitting support of the damper elements, for example damper springs, on the primary side or the secondary side often takes place with so-called spring plates or spring saddles arranged in between, allowing better distribution of pressure or load. These spring plates are then generally supported radially on the outside on a slideway which is formed in the region of one or both of the cover disk regions.
In open systems, i.e. those which do not use lubricant in this region, there is a fundamental risk of considerable and undefined friction being introduced by abraded particles which are generated in operation and accumulate between the spring plates and the slideway, and this friction may also entail considerable abrasion in the region of the spring plates. To counteract this problem, at least one particle-removal opening is provided in at least one of the cover disk regions, preferably a connecting section thereof. This particle-removal opening passes through this region or section and opens out into the space in or close to the region which is at the greatest radial distance from the axis of rotation. Providing a particle-removal opening of this nature ensures that the abraded particles which collect radially on the outside due to centrifugal force can be conveyed out of the region in which the spring plates or the spring saddles are to slide along the associated slideway.
To provide a stable support combined with a simple structure, the secondary side is axially and/or radially supported on the carrier arrangement, radially outside the connection of the second cover disk region to the carrier arrangement.
In the drive system according to the invention, the carrier arrangement preferably has a first carrier element, which forms at least a part of the torsional-vibration damper arrangement and carries the rotor interaction region, and a second carrier element, which couples the first carrier element to the shaft. Naturally, it is also possible for the first carrier element to be directly linked to the shaft.
In rotary operation, tumbling movements frequently occur, being introduced by nonuniform rotary movements in the region of the shaft, for example a crankshaft. To damp these tumbling movements in the torque-transmission path and thus also ensure that the air gap between the rotor interaction region and the stator interaction region remains approximately constant in rotary operation, the second carrier element contacts the first carrier element by means of a contact region which is convex with respect to the first carrier element and extends around the axis of rotation. The curved contour allows a minimum rolling movement of the second carrier element on the first carrier element, so that the second carrier element together with the shaft can be at least slightly inclined with respect to the axis of rotation, without this incline inevitably also being transmitted to the first carrier element.
To facilitate integrating a system according to the invention in a drive train, the secondary side is supported in the radial direction on a radially inner region of the primary side, preferably of the first carrier element, and the second carrier element is or can be coupled to the shaft radially inside the radial support of the secondary side with respect to the primary side. In this way, threaded bolts which are used for this coupling can easily be introduced in the axial direction, without any components being impeded, and can be screwed into associated threaded openings in the shaft.
In another embodiment which is preferred on account of its very simple design, the carrier arrangement has a carrier element which, in its radially outer region, carries the rotor interaction region, in its radially inner region is or can be coupled to the shaft and between its radially outer region and its radially inner region forms the part of the primary side.
To ensure that the electric machine does not overheat when operating, particularly in the region of the stator arrangement, the carrier arrangement, in the radial region of the stator arrangement, has at least one air-passage opening region and/or at least one fan blade region.
If, in the system according to the invention, contaminating particles are produced or collect therein, there is a fundamental risk of these particles passing into the air gap between the rotor interaction region and the stator interaction region. This could impair the performance of the electric machine. To counteract this, the carrier arrangement has a hollow-like particle-receiving region which is open toward the radially inner side, surrounds the axis of rotation and into which preferably at least one particle-removal opening opens. Particles can then be trapped in the particle-receiving region of the carrier arrangement, which preferably lies close to the region of the air gap or slightly radially inside it, and can be removed from this region, for example through a particle-removal opening, without there being any risk of a further movement toward the air gap.
In rotary operation, the damper elements of the damper element arrangement are forced radially outward by the centrifugal forces which are active, so that they are supported radially on the outside, for example on the primary side, with frictional forces being generated.
To reduce these frictional forces, which may lead to an undesirable effect on the damping performance, at least some of the damper elements of the damper element arrangement are radially and/or axially supported on the primary side, with a bearing arrangement in between. For this purpose, the bearing arrangement may include at least one sliding bearing element which is carried on the primary side. A coating of sliding bearing material may also be provided on the primary side. Furthermore, a very low-friction bearing can be obtained if the bearing arrangement comprises a rolling bearing arrangement which is supported with respect to the primary side and the damper element arrangement.
To be able to ensure that the system according to the invention is held together in a defined way even when it has not yet been integrated in a drive shaft or the like, it is possible to provide an axial securing arrangement which acts between the primary side and the secondary side.
As has already been mentioned, in order for particles to be removed from the region of the damper element arrangement, the damper element arrangement may be arranged in a space which is substantially surrounded by two cover disk regions, and at least one particle-removal opening, which preferably opens out into a radially outer region of the space, may be provided in at least one of the cover disk regions.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.


At least one example embodiment discloses a seed monitoring system including a light source configured to emit light in an interior of a seed tube, a plurality of light receivers, each of the plurality of light receivers configured to receive light in at least two sectors of a plurality of sectors of a plane in the interior of the seed tube and generate a sensing signal corresponding to the received light, a processing system including a plurality of conditioning channels, the processing system configured to process the sensing signals to generate conditioned signals and a controller configured to generate a seed count value based on the generated conditioned signals.

Advances in agricultural seeding machinery have made it possible to seed large swaths of farmland with each pass of a seeding machine. Air seeders typically include a dry holding tank for maintaining seeding material and a hose with applicator for applying the seeding material into furrows or blowing seeding material onto the surface of a prepared field. Modern air seeders may further include controls that allow the operator to configure the machine. Further, air seeders may allow simultaneous application of seed, fertilizers, and any other material useful in ensuring rapid germination and healthy growth cycle.
Optical monitoring systems can detect and count the number of seeds dispensed or planted by the seeder, or the planting density of the seeds, for each row of the planter or the entire planter.

Systems for monitoring seeds and methods thereof


A camera having a detection assembly and method are capable of detecting a top edge or a bottom edge of film. The camera includes a film detection assembly positioned within a camera body to detect one of the top edge and the bottom edge of the film. The film detector assembly includes a force detection assembly that detects a force exerted by one of the top edge and the bottom edge of the film. The film detection assembly also includes a film indication assembly to indicate the presence of film within the camera. The film indication assembly is connected to the force detection assembly. The film indicator assembly includes a switch assembly that opens and closes in response to the absence or presence of film within the camera.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera capable of detecting the absence or presence of film within the camera and a method for detecting the presence or absence of film within the camera.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A conventional camera equipped with a film detection function is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Sho 60-98424. The camera includes a detection pin positioned within the front of the camera opposite a film surface. A normally closed detection switch opens when the detection pin is moved in a direction of the camera optical axis by the film. This arrangement increases the thickness of the camera in the direction of the camera optical axis because it is necessary to provide space in the front of the camera ahead of the film plane for the detection device. Space must be provided for both the detection pin and the detection switch that opens and closes in response to the detection pin.


An apparatus and method for retrieving a downhole pump consisting of using a cylindrical carrier member with a pivoted grasping and severing arm which is on the cylindrical carrier, to grasp and sever the cable connected to the downhole pump to permit retrieval.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for use in the down-hole retrieval of pumping equipment from oil wells. Particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cutting connecting cables which connect down-hole pumps in oil wells or other fluid producing wells, to the surface of such wells to thereby facilitate retrieval of said down-hole pump from the bore hole.
Today, particularly with respect to fluid producing wells which pump large quantities of fluid such as large quantities of salt water along with oil, it is common practice to utilize pumps positioned down-hole adjacent the bottom of the well bore or in proximity to the fluid producing strata. Such pumps are disposed down-hole at the end of a tubing string to which they are connected, in order to effect transport of the fluids passing through the pump to the ground surface from which the well bore originates.
These down-hole pumps generally require one or more cables connecting the pump to the surface of the ground. These cables supply power to the pumps and are sometimes supplied for other reasons. Most often, at least one or more of these connecting cables are required for each down-hole pump. These connecting cables extend from the down-hole pump up along the sides of the tubing string from the pump to the surface. The connecting cable is exterior of the tubing and generally is clamped to the tubing in such manner as to keep the cable in a permanent generally taut, position with respect to the tubing. The distance between the clamping devices may vary but usually the clamping devices holding the cable to the tubing will be spaced 10 to 15 feet apart.
On occasion, it becomes necessary to move the down-hole pump from the bottom of the well bore for repair or the cleaning. In many instances, due to sanding up of the lower portion of the well bore or by virtue of corrosion or other occurrence, the down-hole pump becomes rather firmly lodged down-hole and requires extreme pulling forces from the surface in order to dislodge. Also, in other instances, the down-hole pump may actually become disconnected from the tubing, thereby necessitating removal of the tubing and "fishing" for the pump which must then be brought to the surface and reconnected to the end of the tubing. In the course of pulling on the tubing to dislodge the 'stuck" down-hole pump or in pulling disconnected tubing from the well bore in preparation for "fishing" for the pump, it is relatively common that the cable referred to above which run from the pump to the surface, is accidentally broken. Very frequently, the cable is severed at a significant distance above the down-hole pump. In such instance, when the cables are severed, the lower portions of the cable fall in an irregularly coiled heap to the lower part of the well bore and onto the top of the down-hole pump. This coiled cable substantially impedes further removal of the down-hole pump, either by pulling with the tubing or in "fishing" for the down-hole pump. In fact, it usually is necessary to painstakingly remove the coiled cable, sometimes small piece by piece, in order to removal the down-hole pump or even get to it. This, of course, is relatively expensive and results in considerable down-time for the well, which in turn results in the loss of much needed production.
In addition to the cable severing and coiling down-hole on top of the pump, quite frequently, the clamping devices themselves are broken in the course of trying to pull the tubing string. The clamping devices which are usually Monel bands, also when broken, fall down upon the top of the pump. Removal of these broken clamping devices is also necessary before the pump can be removed. This removal is also slow and painstaking and thus, costly.
It is now an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method whereby the removal of down-hole pumps in well bores of fluid producing wells may be facilitated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus and method for preventing cables connecting down-hole pumps in well bores of fluid producing wells, to the surface of said fluid producing wells, and clamping devices holding said cables, from becoming coiled and piled upon the top of said down-hole pump in operations whereby it is necessary and desirable to remove said down-hole pump to the surface.
More particularly, the present invention is an apparatus and method for cutting cables attached to down-hole pumps in fluid producing wells which cables connect such pumps to the ground surface of the fluid producing well, such cutting being adjacent to the top of said down-hole pumps to thereby prevent the problem of such cables being severed at a point further distant from the top of said down-hole pump and falling in a coiled position on top of said down-hole pump, and the further problem of clamping devices holding said cables to the tubing string from becoming severed and falling on top of said down-hole pumps.
Additional objects will become apparent from the following description of the invention herein disclosed.
The present invention which fulfills the above and other objects, is, in one of its embodiments, an apparatus for severing cables connecting down-hole pumps in fluid producing wells to the surface of said fluid producing wells, said apparatus comprising (1) a cylindrical carrier member of a size to be accommodated within a tubing string in slidable and rotatable contact with the interior walls of said tubing string, (2) at least one cable grasping and severing member extending downward from a central section of the interior of said cylindrical carrier and rotatably affixed to said central section of said cylindrical carrier such as to permit rotation of said grasping and severing member through a vertical plane; (3) a vertical slotted opening in said cylindrical carrier for each of said grasping and severing members, such slotted opening being positioned such that the lower portion of said grasping and severing member may rotate in a vertical direction through said slotted opening and with the upper edge of said slotted opening being located below the rotational connection of said grasping and severing member of said cylindrical carrier to thereby limit said grasping and severing member from rotating in said vertical direction through more than 90 degrees from the vertical axis of said carrier member, (4) a tension producing means positioned within an internal portion of said carrier such as to exert force on said grasping and severing member such as to cause the lower portion thereof to rotate in a vertical direction, and (5) means for connecting said cylindrical carrier to a connecting means connecting said cylindrical carrier to the ground surface of said fluid producing well.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a method for severing connecting cables connecting down-hole pumps in fluid producing wells to the ground surface of said fluid producing wells, said severing taking place adjacent the top of said down-hole pump, said method comprising, (1) introducing a means of cutting the walls of the tubing string of said fluid producing well, into the tubing string under conditions such that the walls of said tubing string is cut adjacent the top of said down-hole pump, (2) pulling said tubing string vertically to separate the cut apart edges of said tubing a distance such as to accommodate the outward extension of the severing means of an apparatus for severing connecting cables connecting down-hole pumps in fluid producing wells to the ground surface of said fluid producing wells, but not pulling said tubing string vertically to such extent as to cause said connecting cables to sever, (3) introducing into said tubing string an apparatus for severing said connecting cables, said apparatus comprising that hereinabove described, (4) lowering said apparatus down through said tubing string until said apparatus reaches the opening between said upper and lower portions of said cut apart tubing string, whereupon said severing member is extended out through said opening to an open extension of no greater than 90 degrees from the vertical axis of said apparatus, (5) rotating said severing apparatus such that said severing member is brought into contact with a said connecting cable with sufficient force to cause said severing member to firmly engage said connecting cable, and (6) pulling said severing apparatus upward such that said cable is brought against the lower edge of said cut tubing string by said severing member with sufficient force to cause said cable to be cut.
By means of the present invention in its various embodiments, the connecting cable between down-hole pumps in fluid producing wells and the surface of said fluid producing wells is severed just above the down-hole pump, thereby alleviating the costly and time consuming problem of removing said cable when such are broken further above said down-hole pumps as above discussed and the problem of broken clamping devices piling on top of said down-hole pumps. While the description of the present invention as herein presented is directed primarily to use in oil wells, it is clearly within the scope of the present invention that it may be used with respect to any well bore holes having down-hole pumps which require cables connecting said pumps to the surface and further, require tubing strings to bring the fluid being pumped to the surface.

Apparatus and method for down-hole retrieval of pumping equipment


A system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to transition from a terminal homing mode to a target search mode, responsive to an uplink signal and/or an autonomous determination of scene change.

The effectiveness of munitions, such as guided bombs, and strike missiles having forward-directed explosives, and/or configured to impart kinetic energy of the vehicle to a target, may be characterized as a shrinking conic effectiveness volume that defines the limits to its ability to maneuvering, and desirably contains the target during closed-loop terminal homing about the target. Such munitions and missiles satisfy the traditional battlefield where the target could be more readily defined, at least to some degrees, relative to non-targets, such as elements of the civilians population. Reconnaissance aircraft, including reconnaissance UAVs, typically coordinate via communication channels to facilitate a strike mission, such as an artillery strike, on an identified target. A UAV carrying missiles or munitions, may have the ability for a quicker response via launching or releasing a missile or munitions from the UAV. However, the release of a missile or munitions from a UAV will also suffer from the aforementioned shrinking effectiveness cone. Non-traditional engagements exacerbate the need for minimal collateral damage, however, with the use of missiles, or munitions with defined effectiveness (i.e., maneuverability) cones, makes it increasingly impossible, due to shrinking maneuver time and limited maneuverability of the homing vehicle, to change the target or move off-target as the missile or guided bomb closes on the target. FIG. 1A is a planar depiction of the maneuver cone of a maneuverable guided device that may be launched from a carrier such as by an aircraft 5. The depicted guided device has a ground speed to the right in the illustration and experiences the effects of both drag and gravity. The nominal expected trajectory of the guided device 10 may bring it close to a nominal target 20 disposed on the ground 30. Depending on the adjustments of its aerodynamic effectors and/or shift in either its center of pressure or center of mass, the guided device 10 may cause its actual trajectory to fall within volume of the maneuver cone, depicted in the planar illustration of FIG. 1A as a maneuver region 40. With maximal turning downward, the guided device will follow the trajectory illustrated as the most uprange of trajectories from the nominal target, i.e., the uprange maneuver-limited boundary 42 of the maneuver cone 40. With maximal turning upward—exploiting optima glide slope characteristics of the guided device, the guided device will follow illustrated as the most downrange of trajectories from the nominal target, i.e., the downrange maneuver-limited boundary 41 of the maneuver cone 40. The downrange footprint 45 of the base of the maneuver cone 40 may be defined as the distance along the ground 30 from the uprange maneuver-limited boundary 42 intersection 43 with ground 30 to the downrange maneuver-limited boundary 41 intersection 44 with the ground 30. FIG. 1B is a planar depiction of a maneuver cone 50 of the guided device 10 of FIG. 1A, but later in the time of flight. The downrange footprint 55 of the base of the maneuver cone 50 may be defined as the distance along the ground 30 from the uprange maneuver-limited boundary 52 intersection 53 with ground 30 to the downrange maneuver-limited boundary 51 intersection 54 with the ground 30. One may note that the downrange footprint 55 of FIG. 1B is smaller than the downrange footprint 45 of FIG. 1A. That is, in comparing FIG. 1A with FIG. 1B, the region of ground available to the guided device for target intercept shrinks as the maneuvering strike vehicle nears the nominal target.


A transducer intraconnection bus connects a limited number of transducer components chosen from a larger number of types of transducer components. The transducer components include functional variations in plant communication protocol, fluid variable, operator control, embedded control and display functional variations. One transducer component is a sensor module that exchanges type data over the transducer intraconnection bus during an adaptation interval. At the end of the adaptation interval, a method of communication is selected that is adaptable to the types connected. During an operational interval following the adaptation interval, the selected method of communication is used on the transducer intraconnection bus.

The present invention relates to industrial processing plants. More particularly, the present invention relates to transmitters and other transducers used to measure process variables in such plants.
Transducers of many types, for example, pressure transmitters, are manufactured in an increasing number of variations to meet the differing needs of many different kinds of plant control systems. There are variations in the amount of control function embedded in the transducer, variations in plant communication protocol, and also variations in the amount of data displayed and operator controls in the transducer.
Increasingly, transducers are manufactured in variations that transduce multiple variables of different types. Model 3095MV Multivariable Flow Transmitter manufactured by Rosemount Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, for example, senses both a volumetric flow and a temperature and provides a transmitter output representing mass flow rate. Transducers are also manufactured that sense multiple variables of the same type, such as a differential pressure transmitter that senses two pressures and provides a transmitter output representative of flow or liquid level. With some of these multiple variable transducers, circuits in multiple transducer housing spaced a short distance apart are electrically connected to complete the transducer.
There is a desire to provide each such multiple variable transducer with many optional features so that it can be adjusted in the field to fit a wide variety of plant installation requirements. Electrical power limitations, size and cost constraints, and ease-of-installation needs, however, severely limit the number of variations that can be provided in a single transducer.
An improved modular transducer assembly is disclosed. Modules in the transducer assembly are connected by an improved transducer intraconnection bus.
The intraconnection bus senses which transducer components have been intraconnected in a particular installation and then specially adapts the method of communication used on the intraconnection bus to operate with the particular transducer components in that particular installation.
The transducer assembly includes only a limited number of transducer components, or modules, chosen from a larger number of interchangeable types of transducer components. The intraconnected transducer components include at least one transducer component of a type having a functional variation selected from the group of plant communication protocol, fluid variable, operator control, embedded control and display functional variations.
One intraconnected transducer component is a sensor module having a fluid variable sensor and an adaptation circuit that, during an adaptation interval, exchanges type data over the transducer intraconnection bus. At the end of the adaptation interval, the adaptation circuit stores data representing a selected method of communication that is adaptable to the types connected.
The sensor module has a communication circuit that, during an operational interval following the adaptation interval, uses the selected method of communication.

Component type adaptation in a transducer assembly


A trolling device for a fishing lure includes a frame to be towed through water. A spool on the frame has a length of fishing line for connection to a fishing lure. A drive means driven by the force of water as the frame is towed through water causes the line to wind upon the spool. The drive means is periodically disengaged to allow the spool to freewheel and the line to unwind. Thus, the lure will alternately accelerate toward the frame and drop back from the frame as the frame is towed through water. A selectively operable pause means is provided to delay retrieval of a lure toward the frame for a predetermined period of time, and further means are provided to disengage the drive means from the spool upon application of excessive force to the towing line.

Much effort has been expended to develop an action to a trolled lure for salmon that will increase the catch volume. It has been observed that, on a vessel where salmon are fished for by trolling lures behind the boat, the frequency of hook-ups on the lures increases when the boat makes sharp turns in the water. Usually several lures are trolled behind a boat from outriggers, some from each side of the vessel. The speed of the lures on the outside of the turn is accelerated, while those lures on the inside of the turn are decelerated to the point of stopping almost entirely in the water. Because of the loss of forward motion, the inside lures flutter or drop through the water simulating wounded bait fish. Thus, it is believed that the speed the lure is trolled through the water is critical in enticing a salmon to bite. However, because of weather conditions and the proximity of adjacent fishing boats it is difficult to maneuver a boat to make such turns.
It is not known exactly why salmon will strike lures as they go through their various actions. It is known that salmon appear to strike and attack bait or lures that simulate a wounded herring or similar bait fish. Consequently, sport fisherman have had success by alternately accelerating a lure and allowing it to fall back from a boat. Typically, a commercial salmon fisherman will troll several lures from a downrigger. As a result, it is not feasible for a troller to attempt to accelerate a bait and let a bait drop back by pulling in and releasing lines.
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,287 related to a device that would cause a lure's speed alternately to increase and to decrease as the lure was trolled through the water. The subject invention seeks to provide certain improvements thereto.
Other devices have been devised heretofore to impart the action to a bait or lure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 798,344, to Holz, et al., motion is imparted to a lure by a spring motor-driven propeller.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,643,478 to Paulsen, an ice-fishing device is shown in which an arm is elevated and lowered by a motor to lift and drop a bait.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,790, to Derea, shows a somewhat similar bait-jigging device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,030 to Melburn shows a bobber with a motor-driven device to jig a bait suspended below the bobber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,356, to Swift, shows a trolling device having a reciprocating arm mounted on a wheel that is rotated by the motion of the boat through the water. The reciprocation of the arm causes a bait attached to the arm to be moved forwardly and dropped back relative to the motion of the trolling device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,147, to Christensen, also shows an arrangement for jigging squid bait in which the line is retrieved into a rotating drum.


The present invention is an improvement in a multi-beam electron gun for use in a cathode-ray tube. Such gun includes a plurality of cathode assemblies and at least two spaced successive electrodes having aligned apertures therein. The improvement comprises the cathode assemblies and the two electrodes being individually attached to a single ceramic member. The ceramic member is the sole supporting interconnection within the gun between the cathode assemblies and the two electrodes.

The present invention relates to an improved multibeam electron gun for a cathode-ray tube and particularly to an electron gun having improved stability between a plurality of cathode assemblies and two adjacent grid electrodes.
Electron guns, such as used in shadow mask type color picture tubes, are designed to generate and direct preferably three electron beams along convergent paths to a small area of convergence near a screen of a tube. Two general types of guns in most common use are the inline electron gun, wherein three beams are initiated at three points in a line and the delta electron gun, wherein three beams are initiated at the points of a triangle. Each of these types has three separate cathode assemblies and a series of electrodes spaced therefrom. The cathode assemblies and electrodes are held in place relative to each other by separate attachment to a plurality of glass rods. The electrode closest to the cathode assemblies is called the G1 and is usually a control grid. The next electrode is called the G2 and is usually a screen grid. The spacings between the cathodes and these two grids, as well as between the grids themselves, are very critical. For example, a change as small as 0.001 inch (0.025 mm) in the spacing between a cathode and the G1 may change the cutoff voltage of the electron gun by about 60 volts. Unfortunately, during warmup of a tube having a gun construction as previously described, the spacings between the cathodes, G1 and G2, vary to some extent. This variation in spacings causes unstable and nonuniform cutoff voltages for each of the beams in a gun thereby changing the colors which appear in the tube screen. This nonuniformity between beams requires additional circuitry for correction. It is desirable to develop a tube wherein any changes in the spacings between the cathode assemblies and the G1 and G2 electrodes during tube warmup are uniform.


A driving support apparatus includes an imaging member taking an image corresponding to a vehicle peripheral area; a steering angle detecting member detecting a steering-wheel steering angle; a display member disposed in a vehicle interior to display the image; and a control member predicting a driving course of the vehicle according to the detected steering-wheel angle. The control member synthesizes a predicted driving course image relating to the predicted driving course. The control member superposes the predicted driving course image at a corresponding position of the image. The control member displays on the display member the image where at least one image, on which an index is marked at least at one height position, is superposed at least on the predicted driving course image and onto a side of the predicted driving course image while the control member displays the superposed image on the display member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving support apparatus adapted to support a driver's driving by using images.
2. Description of the Related Art
A driving support apparatus of such a kind is, for example, an apparatus adapted to support a driver's driving of a vehicle by taking images of blind spot zones around the vehicle through the use of a camera and by displaying the taken images in a vehicle interior.


For testing an optical network, a transmission module transmits a first optical power level on a first optical port of an optical assembly. The optical assembly includes the first optical port, one or more of an optical cable and an optical waveguide, and a second optical port. The optical assembly is installed in an assembled computer in a state suitable for an end user. A measurement module measures a second optical power level on the second optical port, and a determination module determines a quality level by determining if the second optical power level is below a quality threshold value. The transmission module, the measurement module, and the determination module function within an assembled computer in a state suitable for an end user.

1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to testing an optical network and more particularly relates to verifying continuity and determining the connection quality of optical assemblies.
2. Description of the Related Art
High performance computers, or supercomputers, often contain optical networks to communicate between processor nodes in the computer assembly. It is desirous to quickly manufacture such computers with high reliability. Optical networks need to be efficiently tested and verified before such a computer assembly may be delivered to an end user. Optical networks may be very complicated and may require a concise and automated testing procedure. Testing an optical network is typically done by transmitting and receiving a variety of digital patterns on the optical network, or otherwise exercising the optical network digitally. Failures are typically identified when received patterns differ from transmitted patterns, or transmitted patterns are not received at all.

Apparatus for testing an optical network

International Business Machines Corporation