A method is provided for decreasing at least one of the proliferation and the migration of a cancer cell comprising contacting a cancer cell with an effective amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising a microRNA (miRNA) having a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% sequence similarity to the nucleotide sequence of miR-3189-3p derived from the miR-3189 mitron of the Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) gene. The methods and compositions are advantageous for inhibiting proliferation and migration of, but not limited to, glioblastoma cells, melanoma cells, and breast cancer cells.

Glioblastomas are deadly cancers characterized by rapid cell proliferation, high invasiveness, and resistance to radio- and chemotherapy (Nakada et al., (2007) Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 64: 458-478). Patients with this aggressive tumor, which accounts for nearly 50% of all adult brain tumors, have a median survival of approximately 15 months (Nagasawa et al., (2012) Neurosurgery Clinics N. Am. 23: 307-322). The standard treatment for glioblastoma involves invasive surgery and radiotherapy, which is often followed by chemotherapy with temolozomide (Hegi et al., (2005) New Eng. J. Med. 352: 997-1003). As the development of novel therapeutic treatments for glioblastoma are desperately needed, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms supporting growth and survival of this highly malignant and practically incurable brain tumor.
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer characterized by the lack of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER-2. Consequently, TNBC cannot be treated by the available hormone therapies and receptor targeted treatments. MYC, a regulatory gene involved in cell growth, metabolism, differentiation, and apoptosis, is disproportionately overexpressed in many TNBCs, making it a valuable therapeutic target.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-translated RNA species typically of 19 to 25 nucleotides in length whose function is to mediate post-transcription regulation of gene expression. miRNAs bind to the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), resulting in translation inhibition or degradation of the mRNA transcript and subsequent reduction in protein production.
Clinically, specific miRNAs may serve as a therapeutic target or therapeutic agent depending on their role in human health and disease, a notion that is particularly relevant for the treatment of various cancers. In this regard, intense research is focused on inhibiting an overexpressed miRNA molecule or reintroducing the depleted miRNA molecule, respectively, for the treatment of various cancers. As a therapeutic agent, miRNAs are particularly promising as they are relatively cheap to synthesize, and because as their intrinsic stability confers a longer in vitro activity. In addition, since they are endogenously produced by the cells their expression can be triggered by different agents and/or molecular tools; therefore suggesting their use in combination with other anti-cancer drugs, such as fenofibrate.

Use of an miRNA to reduce proliferation of a cancer cell

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY


A method and apparatus for automatically and visually monitoring the wear of a continuous conveyor chain without having to stop the conveyor chain. The method and apparatus provides first and second sensors fixedly spaced along the conveyor chain at a predetermined distance and first and second opposing visualization devices oppositely positioned at a point along the conveyor chain. The first and second sensors generate signals corresponding to the presence and absence of successive links provided in the conveyor chain. The generated signals are received and processed, and the necessary time intervals are calculated for providing an output indicative of chain wear of any portion of the chain. Several parameters of chain wear may be calculated, including chain stretch and instantaneous chain speed. The first and second visualization devices capture visual images of each of the links so as to visually inspect and identify any problems associated with the links.

A common method of moving parts or components along a manufacturing assembly line is by means of overhead conveyors. Such conveyors may be formed of a number of wheeled trolleys that ride along a guideway or track in a continuous closed loop. The trolleys are connected by a conveyor chain formed of a number of connected links, and the parts or components are suspended from the trolley.
The conveyor chain is typically driven by a motorized sprocket assembly that provides force for powering the wheeled trolleys along the guideway or track. Although the wheeled trolleys and the parts or components suspended from the trolley have their weight supported by the guideway or track, the conveyor chain is still subjected to wear over an extended period of time. These conveyor chains may be very lengthy, as they may travel and extend throughout a large production facility. Thus, such conveyor chains may be subjected to numerous random forces and stress as well as a variety of environmental conditions such as heat fluctuations, oils, solvents, and other caustic solutions.
In order to reduce the wear on the wheeled trolleys and the conveyor chain, lubrication oil is typically applied to the wheeled trolleys along the guideway or track and to pivot pins that connect successive links of the conveyor chain. The lubrication oil reduces friction and heat created by the stresses that are generated through the forces applied to the wheeled trolleys and the conveyor chain. Automated lubrication oil systems have been created to automatically apply the lubrication oil to the wheeled trolleys and the conveyor chain wherein spray nozzles or other applicators are mounted adjacent the wheeled trolleys and the conveyor chain to apply the lubrication oil. On occasion, such spray nozzles or applicators may become dislodged from their proper position due to vibration from the wheeled trolley and the conveyor chain or from random forces that may occur in a manufacturing environment. When this occurs, the lubrication oil may not be properly applied to the wheeled trolley and conveyor chain, and thus, the wheeled trolley and conveyor chain may wear at a faster rate than usual. There are no known monitoring systems for ensuring that such lubrication is being properly applied to the wheeled trolleys and conveyor chain, and therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a monitoring system to ensure for the proper lubrication by such automated lubrication systems.
Although properly lubricating the conveyor chain will assist in reducing wear, wear of the conveyor will inevitably occur due to the above-noted conditions. The wear of the conveyor chain should be monitored in order to prevent the conveyor chain from breaking or possibly damaging other components of the conveyor system. One of the most closely watched chain wear parameters is chain stretch that is defined as the linear distance in which the chain lengthens over a period of time due to wear. Chain stretch often occurs through the eventual wearing of the conveyor chain's pivot pins which, as previously noted, are utilized to connect successive links of the conveyor chain. The movement of the pivot pins within the apertures of the links eventually wears the pivot pins and creates "slop". This "slop", along with yielding of the links, will essentially make the conveyor chain longer when pulled taught.
Minor wear or chain stretch is allowable and expected within the industry, but when chain stretch becomes excessive, it may cause numerous problems. For one, the sprocket may not be able to properly engage the conveyor chain should the chain stretch become excessive enough that the teeth of the sprocket skip a space between links or apply forces to a link that may bend or damage the conveyor chain. Also, extensive chain stretch may cause the conveyor chain to sag, thus affecting the smooth travel of the wheeled trolleys along the guideway or track. Yet, the greatest concern is that excessive chain stretch may lead to the eventual thinning and breaking of the conveyor chain.
In order to monitor the chain stretch of a conveyor chain, a certain length of the conveyor chain is often measured manually to ensure that the chain stretch does not exceed a predetermined value. It is well known and common in the art to monitor and measure ten foot sections of the conveyor chain. The problem with making such manual measurements is that the conveyor chain must be stopped in order to make a proper measurement. This requires the entire conveyor to be shut down, which prevents and delays the parts or components delivered by the conveyor from being supplied to the assembly or production line. Obviously, this creates inefficiencies that are undesirable in a production environment.
In addition, manual measurements of chain stretch typically have the problem of being inaccurate, as they are conducted with tape measures, which can hardly be considered accurate for repetitive measurements of ten foot chain lengths. Also, the ten foot sections of conveyor chain selected for measurement is typically random, and therefore, no recorded history exists or is maintained as to the wear of that particular section of conveyor chain. This becomes an even greater disadvantage when a portion of the chain has been replaced by either a different manufacturer or different material, and thus, an evaluation as to the performance and wear of the individual sections of the conveyor chain cannot be made. Furthermore, manual chain wear measurements rely on an operator to continually measure the conveyor chain. Should the operator fail to continually monitor the chain, any number of the above-noted results can occur.
More recent designs have utilized sensors spaced along the conveyor chain at predetermined distances to generate signals corresponding to the presence and absence of chain links within the conveyor chain. The signals are processed and compared to predetermined values to determine if any of the chain links have excessive wear or stretching. Although the process can occur without stopping the conveyor chain, the inspection and maintenance of the conveyor chain still requires the conveyor chain be stopped and manually inspected. Since most industrial conveyor chains extend through manufacturing facilities and are relatively long, the actual discovery and maintenance of a worn chain link of the conveyor chain can require an excessive amount of time which is undesirable in an industrial environment. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a conveyor chain monitoring system that accurately and immediately identified the location and nature of the wear of the conveyor chain so as to reduce the time associated with stopping, identifying, and maintaining the conveyor chain.

Method and apparatus for automatically and visually monitoring wear of a continuous chain


To enhance the performance of a semiconductor device. Gate electrodes extending in a Y direction and applied with a gate potential, and emitter regions and base regions both applied with an emitter potential are formed in an active cell area. The plural emitter regions are formed so as to be separated from each other in the Y direction by the base regions. A plurality of hole discharge cell areas having a ring-shaped gate electrode applied with an emitter potential are formed within an inactive cell area. The hole discharge cell areas are arranged to be separated from each other along the Y direction. Thus, an input capacitance of an IGBT is reduced, and a switching loss at turn on of the IGBT is improved.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method therefor, and is suitably applicable to a semiconductor device equipped with an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), for example.
A trench gate type IGBT has widely been used as an IGBT low in on resistance, i.e., an IGBT low in forward saturation voltage Vce (sat). There has been developed an IE type IGBT which makes an IE (Injection Enhancement) effect available by alternately arranging an active cell area having a gate electrode for a gate potential electrode, and an emitter region for an emitter potential electrode, and an inactive cell area including a p-type floating region. The IE effect is intended to make positive holes harder to be discharged from the emitter potential electrode side when the IGBT is in an on state, to thereby enhance the concentration of an electric charge accumulated in a drift region.
There has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-140885 (Patent Document 1), an IE type IGBT having a structure (GGEE type structure) in which two trench gates adjacent to each other are respectively coupled to an emitter potential in addition to a GG structure in place of an IE type IGBT having a structure (GG type structure) in which two trench gates adjacent to each other are respectively coupled to a gate potential.
There has been disclosed in FIG. 4 of International Publication No. 2015/022989 (Patent Document 2), a technology of narrowing between trench gates coupled to an emitter potential in a GGEE type structure and separating the trench gates coupled to the emitter potential in a direction in which the trench gates extend.
There has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-184622 (Patent Document 3), a problem that a displacement current is generated through a gate due to a potential fluctuation in a floating region in an EGE type structure being a structure similar to the GG type structure and the GGEE type structure.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor


Process control systems for operating process plants are disclosed herein. The process control systems include control modules that are decoupled from the I/O architecture of the process plants using signal objects or generic shadow blocks. This decoupling is effected by using the signal objects or generic shadow blocks to manage at least part of the communication between the control modules and the field devices. Signal objects may convert between protocols used by control modules and field devices, thus decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture. Generic shadow blocks may be automatically configured to mimic the operation of field devices within a controller executing the control modules, thus partially decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture by using the shadow blocks to manage communication between the control modules and the field devices.

Distributed process control systems, like those used in chemical, petroleum, or other process plants, typically include one or more process controllers communicatively coupled to one or more field devices via analog, digital, or combined analog/digital buses, or via a wireless communication link or network. The field devices, which may be, for example, valves, valve positioners, switches, and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure, level and flow rate sensors), are located within the process environment and generally perform physical or process control functions, such as opening or closing valves, or measuring process parameters to control one or more processes executing within the process plant or system. Smart field devices, such as field devices conforming to the well-known Fieldbus protocol may also perform control calculations, alarming functions, and other control functions commonly implemented within a controller. The process controllers, which are also typically located within the plant environment, receive signals indicative of process measurements made by sensors or field devices and/or other information pertaining to the field devices and execute a controller application that runs, for example, different control modules that make process control decisions, generate control signals based on the received information, and coordinate with the control modules or blocks being performed in the field devices, such as HART®, Wireless HART®, and FOUNDATION® Fieldbus field devices. The control modules in the controller send the control signals over the communication lines or links to the field devices to thereby control the operation of at least a portion of the process plant or system.
Information from the field devices and the controller is usually made available over a data highway to one or more other hardware devices, such as operator workstations, personal computers, or computing devices, data historians, report generators, centralized databases, or other centralized administrative computing devices that are typically placed in control rooms or other locations away from the harsher plant environment. Each of these hardware devices typically is centralized across the process plant or across a portion of the process plant. These hardware devices run applications that may, for example, enable an operator to perform functions with respect to controlling a process and/or operating the process plant, such as changing settings of the process control routine, modifying the operation of the control modules within the controllers or the field devices, viewing the current state of the process, viewing alarms generated by field devices and controllers, simulating the operation of the process for the purpose of training personnel or testing the process control software, keeping and updating a configuration database, etc. The data highway utilized by the hardware devices, controllers, and field devices may include a wired communication path, a wireless communication path, or a combination of wired and wireless communication paths.
As an example, the DeltaV™ control system, sold by Emerson Process Management, includes multiple applications stored within and executed by different devices located at diverse places within a process plant. Each of these applications provides a user-interface (UI) to allow a user (e.g., a configuration engineer, a process plant operator, a maintenance technician, etc.) to view and/or modify aspects of the process plant operation and configuration. Throughout this specification, the phrase "user interface" or "UI" is used to refer to an application or screen that allows a user to view or modify the configuration, operation, or status of the process plant. Similarly, the phrase "user-interface device" or "UI device" is used to refer to a device on which a user interface is operating, whether that device is stationary (e.g., a workstation, wall-mounted display, process control device display, etc.) or mobile (e.g., a laptop computer, tablet computer, smartphone, etc.). A configuration application, which resides in one or more operator workstations or computing devices, enables users to create or change process control modules and download these process control modules via a data highway to dedicated distributed controllers. Typically, these control modules are made up of communicatively interconnected function blocks. The configuration application may also allow a configuration designer to create or change operator interfaces which are used by a viewing application to display data to an operator and to enable the operator to change settings, such as set points, within the process control routines. Each dedicated controller and, in some cases, one or more field devices, stores and executes a respective controller application that runs the control modules assigned and downloaded thereto to implement actual process control functionality. The viewing applications, which may be executed on one or more operator workstations (or on one or more remote computing devices in communicative connection with the operator workstations and the data highway), receive data from the controller application via the data highway and display this data to process control system designers, operators, or users using the UIs, and may provide any of a number of different views, such as an operator's view, an engineer's view, a technician's view, etc. A data historian application is typically stored in and executed by a data historian device that collects and stores some or all of the data provided across the data highway while a configuration database application may run in a still further computer attached to the data highway to store the current process control routine configuration and data associated therewith. Alternatively, the configuration database may be located in the same workstation as the configuration application.
In existing process control systems, control of the process plant involves the operation of one or more control modules implementing process control logic that communicate with field devices to send and receive process control data. Because the field devices may use any of various operation and communication protocols, the control modules must be configured to accept and provide the process control data using the appropriate protocols for each device. In addition, communication links between the control modules and the field devices may add further layers of communication protocols or formats for proper transmission and receipt of process control data. Thus, process control systems typically include a large number of control modules that perform the same or similar logic operations, but which differ in the type of data they receive from or provide to the field devices. Moreover, changes in the process control network (including replacement of field devices or changes to the communication infrastructure of the network) frequently require changes to multiple control modules. The invention described herein addresses these issues.


A wave energy converter deep sea mounting system consists of a floatable platform, an enclosure, a wave energy converter mechanism, a generator, a float arm, and a float. The enclosure is mounted atop the floatable platform by an enclosure support axle, about which the enclosure can rotate. The wave energy converter mechanism and the electrical generator are mounted within the enclosure. The float arm is connected between the enclosure and a stationary float, and as the floatable platform rises and falls due to wave action, the enclosure is thus rotated. The wave energy converter mechanism has a stationary input pulley connected through at least one pulley system to a generator output pulley, multiplying input rotations from the float arm action to the electrical generator in order to generate electricity. As the enclosure rotates about the stationary input pulley, the remaining pulleys are forced to spin through rotation about the stationary input pulley.

Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy, such as through electromechanical generators driven by heat engines fueled by combustion or nuclear fission, and/or through other means such as harnessing the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind. Other energy sources include solar photovoltaics and geothermal power. In most modern developed areas, electrical power is typically generated at a power plant and delivered to individual homes, businesses or other recipients through an electrical distribution grid. However, people who live on islands in oceans or lakes large enough to have reasonably constant wind, or shorelines, or similar areas may not have consistent or reliable access to an electrical grid, and it may be desirable to seek alternative methods to provide electrical power for their households. One such alternative is to install a device in a nearby body of water with wave action in order to convert the kinetic wave energy into electrical power.
The present invention seeks to provide a wave energy converter (WEC) system that meets the following criteria: 1) is not expensive, 2) can operate as well in deep as shallow water, 3) can be fully water and wind proofed so it can be sustained untended in water for long periods of time, 4) can operate well in all wind conditions, and 5) can use leverage to reduce the force necessary to generate electricity. No previous art seems to meet all these conditions. Features 2, 3 and 4 are absolutely necessary for any WEC system that is actually useable; conditions 1 and 5 are highly desirable. Unless a WEC design contains solutions to these problems, it is not likely to be of practical use.
The present invention seeks to address these problems by presenting a moveable raft with a long lever arm and a float at its opposite end. The float is stationary, connected by anchor line to the sea bed, which may be far below sea level. As the raft bobs up and down, it moves the lever at the raft end, though the float end stays stationary. This movement turns gears or pulleys which operate a generator, generating electricity. The WEC machinery on the raft is hermetically enclosed in a capsule, making it weather proof. No opening is required to allow the lever to move up and down, as is typical in prior lever-based art. The raft is designed to look like a weather vane, so it always faces into the wind. Wind or no wind, the float at the end of the lever remains stationary at trough water level, but rising waves raise the raft and WEC generating electricity. Construction of the raft and WEC can be low tech. Materials for the raft suitable for generating electric for 5 families are estimated to be relatively low-cost and suitable for application with individual households.
Prior art in which the platform and/or WEC is anchored using a post-based system (the "oil rig" anchoring system) does not allow WEC usage in deep water, except at exorbitant cost, affordable only by large communities already most likely to have electricity. The other alternative, anchor line-based prior art, simply does not work in windy conditions. These anchor line designs depend on gears or pulleys moving back and forth along the anchor line due to rising and falling waves. With wind, the gear driven WEC mechanism can be blown to the far end of the anchor line and held there by the wind as waves rise and fall; hence, there is no movement by the mechanism along the anchor line, and therefore no electricity generated. This is a flaw in its design which renders it unsuitable for practical applications. Both types of prior art seem to provide exposure to weather and salt water which could impede the WEC's functioning.
The current invention uses an anchor line to provide a cost-effective way of connecting the moving platform supporting the WEC device to the stationary sea bed, no matter how deep the water is, without the limitations found in prior art using anchor lines. The relative motion is then harvested to produce electricity. The WEC is hermetically sealed, providing full weather protection to the WEC machinery, located inside the sealed capsule. The new invention is furthermore unaffected by wind.

Wave energy converter deep sea mounting system


A fastener-driving tool includes an integrated function member that performs at least two of the following three functions: a check pawl function, a last fastener-retaining function, and a dry fire lock-out function. In the disclosed embodiment, the integrated function member is provided as a lever-type structure that constitutes part of the access door assembly by means of which access is gained to the fastener drive track along which fasteners (e.g., roofing nails) are fed to the driving portion of the tool. Also disclosed is an improved method of retaining the last nail in the drive track by a lateral head gripping action and a tool for performing the method.

Roofing tools (e.g., pneumatic roofing tools) are used to drive roofing nails into workpieces such as shingles to secure the shingles to the underlying wood substructure. Such roofing tools typically have a magazine that holds a supply of nails. The nails are typically collated by being spot-welded or otherwise affixed at their shanks to a pair of flexible metal wires or by being embedded in or adhered to a plastic or paper collating strip. Existing nail magazines typically are configured to receive a supply of nails arranged in either a stick or a coil arrangement.
Because the nails in a stick-type magazine are arranged in a linear fashion, a spring-biased or otherwise tensioned feed mechanism can be used to urge the stick-shaped collation of nails into the fastener drive track located in the nose portion of the tool by pushing the stick of nails from the rear thereof. In a coil magazine arrangement, on the other hand, the nails are arranged in a spiral, with the nails being fed into the fastener-drive track from the leading succession of fasteners in the coil. Because the nails are arranged in a spiral or coil configuration, a spring-biased or otherwise tensioned pusher apparatus by means of which the supply of nails is urged toward the fastener-driving track from the tail end of the supply would not be suitable. Therefore, roofing tools with coil-type magazines typically have a reciprocating feed mechanism that is operatively disposed along the feed track between the magazine and the fastener-driving track. Upon actuation of the fastener-driving tool, the feed pawl of the reciprocating feed mechanism retracts and "catches" a following nail in the strip or collation of nails; upon its return stroke, the feed pawl pulls the succession of nails forward, toward the nose portion of the roofing tool to advance the nails and feed the leading nail successively into the drive track.
As the feed pawl reciprocates, there is a tendency for it to "carry" the nails away from the fastener-driving track as it retracts to grab a nail. Therefore, a check pawl typically is provided in the reciprocating feed mechanism to prevent the strip of nails from being pushed backward as the feed pawl retracts. The check pawl may, for example, be provided within the fastener feed track access door—the door by means of which access is gained into the nose portion of the tool, e.g., to load the nails into the nose portion of the tool at the beginning of a given supply—in generally opposing relationship to the feed pawl.
As the nails within a given strip of nails are used up and the supply diminishes, less nails remain within the fastener feed track to properly position and hold the nail that is about to be driven within the drive track. Therefore, various configurations have been developed to hold the last nail to be driven within the tool. For example, certain tools have used a small magnet on the side of the drive track to hold the last nail in position. However, such a device has not proven to be very effective and reliable during extensive field usage. In particular, it has been found that about half of the time, the last nail will not be held within the drive track and will simply drop on the roof. That is undesirable because the operator will have to clean up after the job, he may injure himself by stepping on the dropped nails, and/or it is wasteful of nails.
In addition to these drawbacks or disadvantages, some fastener-driving tools are known in which there is no effective mechanism to indicate to the operator that no fasteners (e.g., nails) remain in the tool. In that case, the operator can keep operating the tool without fasteners, which causes the tool driver tip to strike and dent the roofing shingle or other workpiece.

Integrated check pawl, last nail-retaining, and dry fire lock-out mechanism for fastener-driving tool


A 3-dimensional matting insert that is fitted inside a transparent box cover, including a source of lighting for the artwork to be displayed. The matting insert is created from a cardboard blank that is folded in such a way as to provide a rectangular box with an open area in its center which serves as a display area for a picture or drawing or other object to be displayed. The device also includes holes to facilitate hanging the finished work. The matting insert can be used with a picture in either the recessed area for display, or reversed so that a flat area is in contact with the picture. If the second option is chosen, the device functions as a standard box frame.

Picture frames are of many varieties, from very simple to fairly complex. In addition to mounting pictures in a frame, a user may add many extra effects with the use of one or more mattings to highlight the picture.
One type of frame that is sometimes used, although not typically used with mattings, is the box frame. In one of its embodiments, the box frame comprises a transparent box with a means for securing a picture against its surface.
The use of box frames and the use of mattings is well known in the prior art. However to date, no one has provided a simple way to utilize a box frame and mattings together, or to provide a means of recessing the picture in a box frame to achieve "depth" in the presentation.
A further enhancement of the effect of the frame can be achieved if an interior lighting system is provided in the frame.

Lighted box frame with 3-dimensional matting


A thermoelectric cooler (TEC) with attached heat sinks centrally positioned at the discharge of a blower and in turn mounted in an enclosure to provide a supply of cooled air to the driver or passenger of a vehicle. A blower/motor assembly produces a steady flow of air, a fraction of which is directed over the hot side of the TEC where it removes heat with the aid of a high efficiency heat sink disposed within the air stream. This air is exhausted to the ambient, away from the person. The remaining fraction of air discharged from the blower is directed to the cold side of the TEC where it is cooled with the aid of a high efficiency heat sink. The cooled air exits the enclosure and is blown on the head and face of the person for the purpose of cooling and personal comfort. Power is provided by a jack that is to be inserted in a cigarette lighter socket. A clip is operable to mount said enclosure to the sun shade of a vehicle in close proximity to the persons head and face where greatest efficiency and cooling effect is achieved.

The closed environment of a vehicle interior, whether it be a car, plane, train, etc., poses a great challenge in temperature control and personal comfort of the occupants. In hot climates the interior ambient of an unconditioned vehicle can reach temperatures well over 100 Fahrenheit. Even on mildly warm days, when the car is exposed to direct sunlight, the temperature of a vehicle cab can rise to very uncomfortable levels. Under these conditions there is a great need for an air conditioning system to cool the air and improve the personal comfort of the driver or passenger in the vehicle.
The conventional method used today to cool the interior compartment of a transportation vehicle is a mechanical air conditioning system. By this means, a refrigerant is compressed, condensed, expanded and evaporated to produce a cooling effect. It is widely used and it is a well established system. It requires large, heavy mechanical components and can produce a large amount of cooling with a likewise large amount of energy consumption. The system is designed to cool the entire cab of the vehicle.
Common in aircraft is a compressed air system. In this system air is compressed and expanded to create a cooling effect. Components are large and heavy and create a large amount of cooling at the cost of high energy consumption.
These large systems drain the engine of performance and reduces the gas mileage by as much as 20%. They are inefficient in the sense that they cool the entire interior space, resulting in cool areas where no occupant is present.
There are a number of reasons why a vehicle may be manufactured without an air conditioning system. Weight limitation, as with electric cars, small airplanes or helicopters, will restrict the use of heavy components of a mechanical system. Another reason may be the high cost of installation and components of a mechanical air conditioning system. Still another reason may be space restrictions. Mechanical air conditioning systems have many moving parts that are susceptible to failure. Refrigerant leakage through the hoses and broken belts are likely. They must be properly adjusted to run efficiently and break down is common if not inevitable. In addition, the mechanical air conditioning system that runs on yesterdays CFC type refrigerants faces obsolescence. The 1987 Montreal protocol adopted by the United States and many other countries bans the production of the most common refrigerants.
The invention deals with the problem of how to relieve a person of the uncomfortable environment that a vehicle without air conditioning can create. Presently, a broken down mechanical air conditioning system would require one of two alternatives: repair the CFC system or retrofit for non-CFC refrigerant. Both alternatives can be costly. In addition, repairing a CFC system means dealing with tightening supplies and rising prices of reclaimed CFC's. Retrofitting a systems tends to reduce the performance and cooling capacity. Another approach, if available and feasible, is to install an aftermarket system in the vehicle. This would be a full mechanical non-CFC system designed specifically for that vehicle and would certainly provide the cooling requirements. However, with automobiles for example, one typically cannot justify the exorbitant cost associated with installation of an air conditioning system, especially when the cost is compared to the depreciated value of the vehicle. Furthermore, the typical short time period of vehicle ownership deters one from taking on this expense. Another available option to lessen the effect of the heat is to purchase any number of available fans that are available on the market today. These are small, axial type fans that are either battery operated or run off the vehicle power. Albeit this is a cheap solution, these fans do not produce any active cooling and they fall far short of an acceptable cooling method. Consequently, many vehicles on the road are running absent an air conditioning system.
Driving in a car without air conditioning on a hot summer day is a miserable situation experienced at least once by most people. This is were the idea for the invention originated. Desperate to find some relief from the heat, it became apparent that no device existed that would adequately solve the problem of overheated vehicle occupants. Some sort of cooling means that was small portable, lightweight, inexpensive and actually produced a real cooling effect was needed. However, nothing was available that completely satisfied this need.
The cooling effect of a small stream of cool air directed on the face and head of an occupant can significantly improve the comfort of the individual. This phenomenon is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,347. The cooling air need only be approximately 8 degrees Fahrenheit below ambient, and a flow rate of approximately 6 cfm. Taking advantage of this phenomenon and applying it to a vehicle, it becomes unnecessary to cool the entire cab and no net cooling is required; adequate heat relief relies on the efficiency of cooling only the space around the occupant. The invention described herein provides such a cooling capacity and satisfies the requirement for the device to be in dose proximity to the head and face of the occupant.


A process is disclosed for non-toxic transfer-printing of images onto a surface of a workpiece. The patterns or characters to be printed are first formed on a transferring medium using a non-toxic ink, and then the non-toxic ink patterns or characters are separated form the transferring medium with water and placed on the workpiece, which is then fixed so that the patterns or characters are transferred onto the workpiece surface firmly.

The present invention relates to a process for printing patterns or characters on a surface of a workpiece, and particularly to a process for printing patterns or characters on a surface using non-toxic ink.
Conventionally, silk screen printing or transfer-printing is used to print patterns or characters on a surface of a workpiece, such as a metallic or plastic surface.
However, both of these methods have some disadvantages. Silk screen printing can only be practiced on a flat surface. Transfer printing has the disadvantages of having a small printing area, having a great printing distortion, particularly in the form of dots (bites) when used for large area printing. Also, the operation of transfer printing is complicated, and the equipment cost is high.
In addition to the aforementioned processes, patterns or characters can be put onto a surface using a self adhesive or heat transferable decal.
However, these two methods also have some disadvantages. A self adhesive decal may not meet the relevant international test standards, such as the EN71 standard in Europe, or the ASTM standard in the U.S. Heat transferable decals have a number of disadvantages, namely that the transfer temperature is unacceptably high, the decal is not easily handled and so locating it on a complicated surface before the transfer process is difficult, and that the available heat transferable decals have as carriers a film which must be peeled off after transfer, resulting in scarps (wrinkles) and defects caused by the print adhering to the film.
Therefore, there is still need in the art for an improved process for transferring images or patterns onto a surface.
The present invention is aimed at solving the above drawbacks present in the conventional processes. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a new process for printing patters or characters on a surface of a workpiece using non-toxic ink, comprising forming the patterns or characters to be printed on a transferring medium using non-toxic ink; separating the printed patterns or characters from the transferring medium with, e.g., water; placing the patterns or characters onto the surface of a workpiece; and fixing the patterns or characters to the surface of the workpiece.
The process according to the present invention can be used to print patterns or characters on a large area and/or on an irregular or even grooved surface. Additionally, its operation is simple, the equipment cost is low and flexibility is high.
The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention, and the manner in which the same are accomplished, will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying examples, which illustrate preferred and exemplary embodiments.
The object of the present invention is achieved by the following process: the patterns or characters to be printed using a known non-toxic ink are first formed on a transferring medium, which is generally flat, e.g. through spraying, painting, printing, brushing or typing.
The transferring medium is preferably water transferring paper. Any conventional water transferring paper known in the art can be used for purpose of this invention. The non-toxic ink comprises resin, solvent and additive components. Examples of suitable resins are nitrolacquer and polyester resin. Examples of suitable solvents are acetic ether, butyl acetate, N-butyl alcohol, isophorone, toluene and xylene. Examples of suitable additives are conventional pigments and plasticizers.
It is preferred that the non-toxic ink has a composition of about from about 10 to about 20 percent, preferably about 14 to about 18 percent, more preferably about 15 to about 17 percent by weight resin, from about 42 to about 65 percent preferably from about 47 to about 60 percent, more preferably about 50 to about 56 percent by weight solvent, and from about 24 percent to about 40 percent, preferably 27 percent to about 37 percent by weight of additives.
Preferably, the non-toxic ink composition comprises from about 4% to about 6% of nitrolacquer; from about 8% to about 12% of polyester resin; from about 49% to about 58% of solvent comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of acetic ether, butyl acetate, N-butyl alcohol, isophorone, toluene, and xylene; from about 20% to about 34% of pigment such as titanium white; and from about 1% to about 3% of plasticizer. From about 2% to about 4% by weight of a conventional dispersing agent can also be added. Dispersing agents are well known in the art. Examples include, e.g., sodium silicate, polyphosphates, lignin derivatives, etc. Other agents such as thinner for printing, e.g., methyl isobutyl ketone can also be added. As will be apparent to skilled artisans, the above mentioned chemicals are typically commercially available, e.g., from Union Carbide Company, Lu Zhou Chemical Factory, PRC, BYK-Chemie GmbH, SCM Company, U.S.A., and many other chemical companies.
The non-toxic ink composition can be formed by any conventional manners. For example, when nitrolacquer and polyester resin are used as the resin component, the composition may be prepared by dissolving nitrolacquer in a portion of the solvent, and tempering this with the plasticizer and a dispersion of the polyester resin and pigment in the remaining solvent. The tempered composition can then be purified to produce the finished non-toxic ink composition.
The patterns or characters formed by the non-toxic ink on the transferring medium become stable after about 3 hours and are then peeled off from the transferring medium with water to form a decal, i.e., a stabilized pattern or character ready to be transferred onto a workpiece.
The decal is then placed on the surface of a workpiece, optionally using a template to accurately place the patterns or characters on the workpiece. The workpiece surface to be printed can be any surface, including an untreated or treated metal or non-metal surface or an irregular or flat surface.
The decal on the workpiece may optionally be dried by cloth or soft paper to ensure that no gas or water is trapped between the decal and the workpiece. At this stage the decal is temporarily adhered to the workpiece. The patterns or characters are then firmly adhered to the workpiece by fixing.
The fixing step is conducted to firmly adhere the decal, i.e., the character, pattern, or image, to the surface of the workpiece. That is to say, after fixing, the decal should adhere to the workpiece surface for a sufficient time such that the purposes of ordinary use of the printed pattern on the workpiece can be achieved. Preferably, the pattern or character should adhere to the workpiece surface for at least the ordinary useful life of the workpiece. The fixing may be carried out at a temperature in the range of from room temperature to about 150xc2x0 C. for a sufficient time such that the pattern or character firmly adheres to the workpiece surface.
The choice of fixing temperature and duration is dependent upon the thermal stability of the workpiece surface. If the fixing step is carried out at room temperature, firm adherence of the pattern or character is achieved in about 24 to 48 hours. The transfer of the decal to the workpiece can be accelerated by subjecting the workpiece with the attached decal to a higher temperature above room temperature. Workpiece surfaces such as glass, ceramic or china can be treated at less than about 110xc2x0 C. (e.g. with boiled water) for about 1 to about 120 minutes and firm adherence of the decal is produced upon cooling to room temperature. Metallic workpiece surfaces can be heated at from, e.g., about 60xc2x0 C. to about 100xc2x0 C., preferably at about 90xc2x0 C. for about 1 to about 60 minutes, preferably about 5 to about 30 minutes to provide firm adherence of the pattern or character to the workpiece. Workpiece surfaces such as plastic e.g. ABS plastic, wood and fiberglass can be heated at about 40xc2x0 C. to about 90xc2x0 C., preferably about 80xc2x0 C. for about 30 minutes to provide firm adherence. Generally, notwithstanding the above, temperature and heating time outside the above ranges may also be effective so long as the workpiece surface is not adversely affected.
For workpiece surfaces that cannot be heated directly, hot air e.g. from a hair drier, can be blown onto the decal attached to the workpiece to accelerate adherence. Sunlight may be used to shine on the decal and the workpiece surfaces which may be damaged by the other drying methods mentioned above to provide firm adherence in from about 2 to about 15 hours, preferably from about 5 to about 12 hours.
The temperature and the length of time are correlated with each other. Generally, if the temperature the decal and work piece surface are subjected to is higher, the time required to achieve firm adherence should be shorter. Conversely, if the temperature the decal and work piece surface are subjected to is lower, the time required to achieve firm adherence should be longer. Some minor degree of experimentation may be required to determine the optimal temperature and time, this being well within the capability of one skilled in the art once apprised of the present disclosure.
Compared with conventional silk screen printing, the inventive process can be effectively used on an irregular surface as well as a flat surface, and the drawbacks present in the conventional transfer-printing process, such as image distortion, bites when used for large area printing, complicated operation and high equipment cost, can be overcome.

Process for transferring an image onto a surface

Unit 101-106, 1/F, Block 3, Nan Fung Industrial City, 18 Tin Hua Rd.


A low voltage bandgap reference circuit includes a positive temperature coefficient circuit unit, a negative temperature coefficient circuit unit and a load unit, wherein the positive temperature coefficient circuit unit comprises a first differential operational amplifier, a first, second and third transistor, a first resistor, a first and second diode, and the negative temperature coefficient circuit unit includes a second differential operational amplifier, a fourth, fifth and sixth transistor, a second resistor and a third diode. The low voltage bandgap reference circuit provides a current having a positive temperature coefficient characteristics and a current having a negative temperature coefficient characteristics to flow through the load in order to generate a stable reference voltage less affected by the temperature. Therefore, it avoids the problems of the low voltage bandgap reference circuit that can not be activated at low voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a bandgap reference circuit, which can successfully operate with a low supply-voltage below 1.25V, and more specifically to a bandgap reference circuit having a single stable operating point to avoid startup failure.
2. The Prior Arts
General high performance electronic circuits greatly need a stable reference voltage without suffering from different variations caused by the power source, loading level or operating temperature. For example, the reference voltage can be used as an input signal of a comparator to compare with another internal or external signal. The reference voltage is often generated by a reference circuit with complicated structure so as to block all the inevitable variations due to the power source, loading or temperature.
In the prior arts, electronic manufacturers have successfully developed many reference circuits which can prevent the influence caused by the power source and loading level. Additionally, the variation of the temperature is blocked by using a differential operational amplifier as well as resistors and diodes to assemble a specific circuit having both the positive and negative temperature coefficients, and in particular, the positive and negative temperature coefficients are signed to almost the same in the magnitude such that the temperature effect is greatly reduced. Specifically, the first and second orders of the temperature coefficient for the reference circuit are almost zero.
Please refer to FIG. 1. The bandgap reference circuit in the prior arts comprises a differential operational amplifier OP, a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) P, a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, a third resistor R3, a first diode D1 and a second diode D2. The reference voltage Vref is generated at the drain terminal of the MOS P, and the second diode D2 is implemented by several diodes connected in parallel and each identical to the first diode D1 in electrical property.
More specifically, the bandgap reference circuit is configured such that the output end of the differential operational amplifier OP is connected to the gate terminal of the MOS P, the source terminal of the MOS P is connected to the power source Vcc, the first resistor R1 is connected between the drain terminal of the MOS P and the positive end of the first diode D1, and the second resistor R2 and the third resistor R3 are connected in series between the drain terminal of the MOS P and the positive end of the second diode D2. Particularly, the positive end of the first diode D1 is further connected to the inverting input end of the differential operational amplifier OP, and the connection point of the second resistor R2 and the third resistor R3 is further connected to the non-inverting input end of the differential operational amplifier OP, thereby providing a feedback control loop.
The detailed operation of the bandgap reference circuit in FIG. 1 will be described as follows.
First, the current of the diode in accordance with the current-voltage characteristic is illustrated by equation (1):
                                                        I              =                                                          Is                ·                                  (                                                            ⅇ                                                                        q                          ·                          Vf                                                                          k                          ·                          T                                                                                -                    1                                    )                                                                                ≅                                                                                Is                      ·                                              ⅇ                                                                              q                            ·                            Vf                                                                                k                            ·                            T                                                                                VF                                                  >>                                                      k                    ·                    T                                    q                                            ,                                                          (        1        )            where q is the electrical charge per electron (1.6×10−19 C), K is the Boltzmann constant (1.38×10−23 J/K), T is the absolute temperature, Is is the reverse saturation current, and Vf is the thermal voltage (26 mV at 25° C.). The thermal voltage Vf can be expressed by equation (2):
                    Vf        =                              V            T                    ·                                    In                                            (                                  I                  Is                                )                                      .                                              (        2        )
Therefore, when the differential operational amplifier OP is operated at a steady-state, the inverting input voltage Va is equal to the non-inverting input voltage Vb, that is I1·R1=I2·R2, and the first current I1 and the second current I2 flow through the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2, respectively. Thus, the following equations are obtained from equation (2):
            Vf                                      1        =                  V        T            ·              In                          (                                    I                                                                                1                                      I                                                                                s                                )                                Vf                                      2        =                  V        T            ·              In                          (                                    I                                                                                2                                      N              ·              Is                                )                    and equation (3) results:
                                                                        d                                                                                Vf                            =                                                                            Vf                                                                                1                                -                                  Vf                                                                                2                                                                                =                                                                            V                  T                                ·                                  In                                                        (                                                                                N                          ·                          I                                                                                1                                                                    I                                                                                2                                                              )                                                                                =                                                                            V                  T                                ·                                                      In                                                              (                                                                                N                            ·                            R                                                                                2                                                                          R                                                                                1                                                                    )                                                        .                                                                                (        3        )
The reference voltage Vref shown in FIG. 1 can be expressed by equation (4):
                                                        Vref              =                                                                            Vf                                                                                1                                +                                                                            I                      1                                        ·                    R                                                                                1                                                                                =                                                                            Vf                                                                                1                                +                                                                            I                      2                                        ·                    R                                                                                2                                                                                =                                                                            Vf                                                                                1                                +                                                                            (                                                                        d                                                                                Vf                                                                          R                                                                                3                                                                    )                                        ·                    R                                                                                2                                                                                =                                                                            Vf                                                                                1                                +                                                      (                                                                  R                                                                                2                                                                    R                                                                                3                                                              )                                    ·                                      dVf                    .                                                                                (        4        )
Subsequently, equation (5) is resulted in by combining equations (3) and (4):
                              V          ref                =                              V                          f                                                                                1                                +                                    V              T                        ·                          (                                                R                                                                                2                                                  R                                                                                3                                            )                        ·                                          ln                                                  (                                                                                N                        ·                        R                                                                                2                                                              R                                                                                1                                                        )                                            .                                                          (        5        )            Vf1 in equation (5) is the built-in voltage, which has a negative temperature coefficient (−2.2 mV/° C.) and VT has a positive temperature coefficient (+0.085 mV/° C.). Further, equation (6) is derived by putting these parameters into equation (5):
                              V                                                                          ref                                      (              T              )                                      =                              (                                          V                                  f                                                                                10                                            -                              2.2                ×                                                      10                                          -                      3                                                        ·                  Δ                                                                                T                                      )                    +                                    (                                                V                                      T                                                                                0                                                  +                                  0.085                  ×                                                            10                                              -                        3                                                              ·                    Δ                                                                                T                                            )                        ·                          (                                                R                                                                                2                                                  R                                                                                3                                            )                        ·                                          In                                                  (                                                                                N                        ·                        R                                                                                2                                                              R                                                                                1                                                        )                                            .                                                          (        6        )
Therefore, if the temperature coefficient of Vref(T) is zero, then
                    ∂        Vref                    ∂        T              =    0    ,
and equation (7) is thus obtained:
                                          (                                          R                                                                                2                                            R                                                                                3                                      )                    ·                      In                                      (                                                                    N                    ·                    R                                                                                2                                                  R                                                                                1                                            )                                      =                  25.88          .                                    (        7        )
At this time, Vf10 is about 0.6V, and VT0 is about 0.026V for the temperature 25° C., and equation (8) is derived from equations (6) and (7):Vref=0.6+0.026·25.88=1.27  (8).
From the above-mentioned, the bandgap reference circuit shown in FIG. 1 generates the reference voltage, 1.27V, regardless of the first, second and third resistors. That is, the reference voltage may suffer some variation due to different semiconductor processes, but not much. For example, the reference voltage Vref possibly varies between 1.17V˜1.37V when Vf10 is 0.5V˜0.7V.
However, one of the shortcomings of the bandgap reference circuit in the prior arts is that the bandgap reference circuit can not normally operate if the power source Vcc is less than the reference Vref, such as 1.27V, because the differential operational amplifier OP and the MOS P do not properly work.
For further illustration, please refer to another example in the prior arts as shown in FIG. 2. Similar to the structure in FIG. 1, the bandgap reference circuit in FIG. 2 generally comprises a differential operational amplifier OP, a first transistor P1, a second transistor P2, a third transistor P3, a first resistor R1, a second resistor R2, a third resistor R3, a fourth resistor R4, a first diode D1 and a second diode D2. The second diode D2 is implemented by several diodes connected in parallel and each identical to the first diode D1 in electrical property.
Specifically, the output end of the differential operational amplifier OP is connected to the gate terminals of the first transistor P1, the second transistor P2 and the third transistor P3, the source terminals of the a first transistor P1, the second transistor P2 and the third transistor P3 are connected to the power source Vcc. The positive end of the first diode D1 and one end of the first resistor R1 are connected to the drain terminal of the first transistor P1. One end of the second resistor R2 and one end of the third resistor R3 are connected to the drain terminal of the second transistor P2, the other end of the third resistor R3 is connected to the positive end of the second diode D2, and one end of the fourth resistor R4 is connected to the drain terminal of the third transistor P3. Furthermore, the other end of the first resistor R1, the negative end of the first diode D1, the negative end of the second diode D2, the other end of the second resistor R2 and the other end of the fourth resistor R4 are grounded.
Particularly, the drain terminal of the first transistor P1 is further connected to the inverting input end of the differential operational amplifier OP, and the drain terminal of the second transistor P2 is further connected to the non-inverting input end of the differential operational amplifier OP, thereby providing feedback control loop and the reference voltage Vref at the drain terminal of the third transistor P3.
Hereafter, the operation of the bandgap reference circuit in FIG. 2 will be described in detail.
Each of the transistors P1, P2 and P3 has identical electrical property such that the inverting input voltage Va is equal to the non-inverting input voltage Vb when the differential operational amplifier OP is operated at the steady state, that is, I1a=I2a and I1b=I2b, where the current I1a flows through the first diode D1, the current I2a flows through the third resistor R3, the current I1b flows through the first resistor R1, and the current I2b flows through the second resistor R2. Therefore, the following equation (9) is obtained:
                                                                        d                                                                                Vf                            =                                                                            Vf                                                                                1                                -                                  Vf                                                                                2                                                                                =                                                                            V                  T                                ·                                  In                                                        (                                                                                N                          ·                          I                                                                                1                                                a                                                                    I                                                                                2                                                a                                                              )                                                                                =                                                                            V                  T                                ·                                                      In                                                              (                      N                      )                                                        .                                                                                (        9        )
And, the reference voltage Vref can be expressed as equation (10):
                                                        Vref              =                                                          R                                                                                4                  ·                  I                                                                                3                                                                                =                                                          R                                                                                4                  ·                                      (                                                                  I                                                                                2                                                b                                            +                                              I                                                                                2                                                a                                                              )                                                                                =                                                          R                                                                                4                  ·                                      (                                                                                Vf                                                                                1                                                                          R                                                                                2                                                                    +                                                                        d                                                                                Vf                                                                          R                                                                                3                                                                                )                                                                                =                                                                                R                                                                                4                                                                    R                                                                                2                                                              ·                                          [                                                                        Vf                                                                                1                                                +                                                                              (                                                                                R                                                                                2                                                                                R                                                                                3                                                                                )                                                    ·                          dVf                                                                    )                                                                      ]                            .                                                          (        10        )
Moreover, equation (11) is thus derived from equations (4) and (8):
                                          [                                          Vf                                                                                1                            +                                                (                                                            R                                                                                2                                                              R                                                                                3                                                        )                                ·                dVf                                      )                    ]                =                  1.27          .                                    (        11        )
At this time, equation (11) is put into equation (10) to acquire the reference voltage Vref as shown by equation (12):
                    Vref        =                                            R                                                                                4                                      R                                                                                2                                ×                      1.27            .                                              (        12        )
Therefore, the reference voltage Vref is changed by adjusting the ratio of R4/R2 such that the bandgap reference circuit can still properly function at the power source Vcc less than 1.27V.
However, the shortcoming of the above bandgap reference circuit is that if R1=R2 and Va and Vb do not attain the corresponding cut-in voltage Vth of the diodes D1 and D2, respectively, at the beginning of starting, I1b>>I1a and I2b>>I1a such that Va is almost equal to Vb, and the differential operational amplifier OP does not normally work. Thus, start failure results. Another problem is that the bandgap reference circuit has more than one stable operating point, that is, several intersection points of the inverting input voltage Va and the non-inverting input voltage Vb, as shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, the bandgap reference circuit can normally perform at the stable operating point A. But, the bandgap reference circuit fails at the multiple stable operating points B, that is, the points when the inverting input voltage Va and the non-inverting input voltage Vb are the same. This is because the bandgap reference circuit may perform at the stable operating points B before the inverting input voltage Va and the non-inverting input voltage Vb attain the corresponding cut-in voltage Vth of the diodes D1 and D2, respectively. Consequently, the whole electrical function of the bandgap reference circuit fails.
Therefore, it is greatly needed for a low voltage bandgap reference circuit, which is able to adjust the reference voltage generated and has a single stable operating point less than the power source so as to avoid the start failure at low voltage, thereby solving the above problems of the bandgap reference circuit in the prior arts.


According to one embodiment, an image display device having a display portion and a deflection element array. The display portion displays a display image including element images arranged in a first direction. The first deflection element array opposes to the element images. Each element image has element pixels having a width W in the first direction. The element pixels are arranged in the first direction and composing N rows. Each N row includes a plurality of the element pixels and arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The element pixels of an i-th (1≦i≦N−1) row and the element pixels of an (i+1)th row are arranged such that a distance in the first direction between a first reference line along the second direction and a second reference line along the second direction is shifted by at least W/N.

In an image display device which can provide a stereoscopic view to an observer, a display image which is composed of pixels of images formed in a strip shape and arranged side by side in a horizontal plane, for example, is used. The pixels of images produce disparities. The image display device enables a stereoscopic view based on a binocular disparity by deflecting the pixels using a deflection element array such as lenticular lenses. In this case, as the widths of the pixels in a display image are narrower than pitches of the lenticular lenses, it is possible to increase the number of disparity images i.e. the number of disparities.
The width of a pixel depends on a minimum line width which can be printed by a printing machine for printing a display image. In a case of a general printing machine, resolution on a specification and a printable minimum line width do not necessarily match. Even when the resolution is high and fine control of pixel intervals or positions can be performed, the widths of the pixels cannot be narrowed compared with the resolution so that increase of the number of disparities is restricted to a limited extent.

Image display device and printing method


A Blushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor may include a motor housing; a stator including a stator core installed within the motor housing and a coil wound in the stator core and that generates a magnetic field by applied power; and a rotor disposed within the stator and in which a magnet that interacts with the magnetic field is installed and that rotates within the stator by an interaction with the magnetic field. The stator core may include a back yoke in which straight portions and curved portions are alternately formed; and teeth protruded from the back yoke toward the magnet. The tooth include a neck protruded from the back yoke, and a shoe protruded from the neck and separated from the magnet and that encloses at least a portion of the magnet. A ratio A/B of a width A of the neck to a width B of a shoe end portion is 2.5 to 3.5. By optimizing a ratio A/B of a width A of the neck to a width B of the shoe end portion constituting the stator core, efficiency of a BLDC motor may be maximized.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a BLDC motor and a cleaner having the same.
2. Background
A Blushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor is a type of a DC motor and is a motor not requiring a brush, as a rotor includes a magnet. The BLDC motor generates less noise and appropriate for a high speed rotation. When the BLDC motor is applied to a cleaner, the cleaner can rotate an impeller that sucks air to a dust collection unit in a high speed.


A stool having an elongated post with a top and a bottom along a generally longitudinal axis. A first threaded member is disposed at the top of the post and a second threaded member is disposed intermediate the top and bottom. The second threaded member is disposed about an axis substantially transverse to the axis of the first threaded member. A seat member having a third threaded member in or on the bottom thereof is adapted to selectively mate with the first and second threaded members so that the seat member has an operative position when the third threaded is engaged with the first threaded member and a storage position when the third threaded member is engaged with the second threaded member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to stools, and more particularly to a portable stool which can be used outside.
2. Description of the Related Art
People who want to sit on a chair or stool during recreational activities outside typically have an array of chairs and stools to select from. Folding lawn chairs are useful when the outdoor activity is close to home and where compactness is not a problem. When there is a concern for compactness or portability, folding stools, e.g., folding chairs with no back thereon have been used. Also, plastic buckets of the type used to package paint or the like have been used by those in the outdoors because they are cheap and light to carry. These buckets are simply turned upside down and placed on the ground to sit on and can be moved from place to place. Neither of these solutions is particularly compact and those having activities outside sometimes have other things to carry, so the need for compactness is viewed as very important, for example for activities such as hunting, fishing and gardening where other articles also need to be carried to participate in the activity as well as the stool to be used.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved stool for use outdoors which overcomes the aforementioned problems.


An expandable intrusion detection screen for use with an audible electronic alarm has first and second screen panels slidably movable in parallel relation to each other to be expandable to fit within different sized window openings. The alarm is mechanically mounted and retained within an internal peripheral channel in the frame of one of the screen panels and has an intrusion detector extending outward through the frame of the screen panel for detecting the separation of the screen panel from any part of the window against which the detector is placed when positioned in a window opening.

The dual panel window screen alarm of the present invention generally resides in the field of audible alarms for detecting intrusion into a premises. More particularly, the invention pertains to removable window screens to which alarms have been attached.
There have not been any window screen alarms which are removable at will and are totally self-contained. Neither are any such apparatus available for sale at the present time. In researching previously described apparatus useful for providing an alarm at a window opening of a structure where the components of the alarm are mountable to a screen or mesh overlying the window opening, none were found that were removable from one opening and replaceable in another.
One recent attempt in providing a window screen alarm is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,750 (Abramson). This patent describes an alarm system in which the screen is illustrated in two segments which appear to slide vertically relative to each other. The alarm system includes a self-contained, battery powered alarm circuit with an audible alarm means with both the circuit and audible/visual alarm elements mounted separate from the various wires covering the screen. From the written description, it appears that a magnetically responsive switch detects the removal of the screen from the window frame, or a "plug" connection may be broken by the same action of removing the screen from the frame, either causing the alarm circuit to trigger the audible/visual alarm mechanism.
An expandable entry detection apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,208 (Riordan). The description is exemplary of an expandable alarm screen comprised of two frames which slide relative to each other in a horizontal motion. As in the case of the Abramson patent, the Riordan patent describes a screen which has alarm wires woven onto or through the mesh and connected through a common conductor to a "plug" means for connection to a separate alarm circuit mounted in the structure.
The disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,935 (Willson) is similar to both of the patent descriptions discussed above in that a single screen has woven onto or in the mesh a series of alarm wires which are connected to an external alarm circuit set apart from the screen. The Willson patent is slightly different in that it describes a pair of contacts which complete the electrical circuit mounted on the window frame which contact the screen. Thus, removal of the screen, or cutting of any of the wires in the mesh, will trigger the alarm.
Another related apparatus is the intrusion alarm screen described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,632 (Zahn, Jr., et al.) which describes a window screen incorporating magnetic reed switches attached to interwoven alarm circuit wires on the mesh to detect removal of the screen from a framework, such as a window frame. The Zahn patent also discloses an alternate use of plug and socket connections for making the screen part of an entire house burglar alarm circuit.
None of these prior patents provide for a screen to which an audible alarm is attached which is entirely free standing (not attached to any structure alarm system) and does not have some form of interwoven alarm wires on or through the screen mesh.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a self-contained screen alarm which is expandable to fit different sized window openings with the alarm detection means, control circuit, and audible alarm carried on-board the screen.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a battery-powered screen alarm which is easily removed from one window opening and transferred to another.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an alarm detection means which is responsive to either the removal of the screen alarm from the window opening or the raising of the window without removal of the screen alarm.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Self-contained dual panel window screen alarm


An elevator rope guide system comprises a plurality of rope guides for restricting the swaying of at least one main rope and a plurality of stop mechanisms each configured to stop a corresponding rope guide. The rope guides are located above an elevator car and/or counterweight and are vertically movable along a hoistway. The stop mechanisms are positioned at different intermediate heights along the hoistway. The elevator rope guides are collected by the elevator car or counterweight as the elevator car or counterweight moves up and are stopped by a corresponding stop mechanism as the elevator car or counterweight moves down.

This invention generally relates to elevator systems. More particularly, this invention relates to an elevator rope guide system for restricting the swaying of main ropes in a high rise building.
Elevator systems are useful for carrying passengers between various levels in a building, for example. There are various known types of elevator systems. Different design considerations dictate what type of components are included in an elevator system. For example, elevator systems in high rise buildings have different requirements than those for buildings that include only a few floors.
One issue that is present in many high rise buildings is a tendency to experience rope sway under various conditions. Rope sway may occur, for example, during earthquakes or very high wind conditions because the building will move responsive to the earthquake or high winds. As the building moves, long ropes associated with the elevator car and counterweight will tend to sway from side to side. Excessive rope sway conditions are undesirable for two main reasons; they can cause damage to the ropes or other equipment in the hoistway and their motion can produce objectionable vibration levels in the elevator car.
One elevator rope guide system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,051 issued on May 30, 1972. This patent discloses a cable stabilizer for an open shaft elevator which comprises a guide member through which the cables of the elevator pass and a pair of stops carried on the guide rails so as to prevent the guide member from dropping below an intermediate location. This cable stabilizer may work for an outdoor elevator or an elevator in a low rise building but is not adequate for a high rise building with longer ropes.
In view of the above and other considerations, there is a need for an elevator rope guide system for use with an elevator system in a high rise building.


An injection molding heater system for heating molding resins or plastics includes a plurality of heaters for heating resin wherein each of the heaters is positioned adjacent a nozzle or manifold. The system also includes an electrical circuit which is connected with the heaters and carries electricity from a power source to each of the heaters in order to energize the heaters. A plurality of circuit breaking devices are incorporated in the circuit for discontinuing the flow of electricity through each of the electrical circuits for preventing circuit damage in case of overcurrent, surges or the like. At least one circuit breaker is positioned in each of the electrical circuits between the power source and each of the heaters.

This invention relates to injection molding, and more particularly to an improved electrical heater designed for use with injection molders.
Electrical heaters are well known in the injection molding industry for the purpose of directly or indirectly heating plastic resins to the point of melting. A heater of this type, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,240 to Rees et al. This heater exemplifies a typical electrical nozzle heater which has an inside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the nozzle. The heater is adapted to be slipped over the nozzle and then tightened into place using any effective fastening means. If the heater should become defective or if it should short circuit, the task of removing and replacing the heater can be a laborious task because of the associated wiring. If there are many heaters in the system, all having wires extending in the same pathway through an electrical junction box or the like, the task of removing and replacing the wires becomes even more complex.
Another problem relating to the use of heaters in injection molding systems, arises when a single power source is used to power all the heaters. Typically, the single power source will be fused but the fuse will be capable of permitting full power to all of the heaters comprising the system, simultaneously. If one heater should short out, the electrical trip circuit of the power source may not be sufficient to immediately blow the fuse, especially if the other heaters are operating at a low current draw. This can result in overheating of the electrically weakest portion of the electrical circuit. As a result, in some cases, an electrical connection pin may burn up or the wiring itself may melt. Both of these situations may result in damage to other wiring or components of the system, causing increased cost based on component repairs, part replacement and production stoppage.
Other problems exist with using currently available electrical heater systems for injection molders. For example, if incorrect wiring is accidentally installed with the electrical heaters, an excessive supply of power may destroy the heaters before a fault is detected and rectified by a power source having one main fuse. In addition, it may be found that the electrical power circuit is operating in an environment within a mold, that is much higher in temperature than anticipated in the original design of the electrical circuit. Accordingly, such higher temperatures can lead to failure of the circuit and damage thereto. As an added problem, electrical safety hazards can occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,084 to Gellert et al. addresses wiring assembly problems in injection molders by providing a pre-wired conduit system which eases integration of the heater conduit electrical systems into the hot runner. This approach does permit initial benefits, for example, often cumbersome and complicated wiring can be performed at the manufacturers location by experienced personnel prior to shipment to the customer rather than at the molder's site. However, because of the design, repairing a subsequent electrical problem such as replacing a heater and associated wires may still require significant disassembly of the hot runner system. As a result, labor may be intensified rather than reduced. Also, the system discloses no additional means for protecting against overcurrent damage to the electrical circuits or heaters, should a short or surge be encountered.
There is, therefore, a need in the injection molding art for an electrical heater system having means associated with each heater comprising the system for protecting the heaters against overcurrent damage and which allows easy repair.

Injection molding heater including circuit breaking means