Method and system for estimating an optimal power level for writing on a compact disk. Measured values m(Pi) of a modulation amplitude are approximated by a continuous function m(P)=1xe2x88x92A/(Pxe2x88x92P0+B)C of power level P, where C=1 and B=A, and the parameter A is to be determined, or where all three parameters A, B and C are to be determined. A selected derivative of modulation amplitude, xcex3=(P/m(P)xc2x7(dm/dP) is computed and analyzed to estimate a value of power level P corresponding to a specified value of xcex3.

This invention relates to an algorithm for estimation of parameters for an optimum power level for a write process in a CD-RW OPC operation.
In a CD-RW OPC procedure for writing information on a CD-RW disk, it is desirable, if not necessary, to determine an optimum power level for the write process. Reference power level and other parameters are provided for by the CD-RW disk manufacturers as part of the ATIP (Absolute Time In Pregroove) information. In order to estimate optimum power, several frames are written in the PCA (Program Calibration Area), using different laser power settings that are selected according to the reference power level value(s) provided. The written frames are then read back, using read power, by measuring reflected power I11 and theoretical maximum power Itop for each frame and estimating the modulation amplitude as
m=I11/Itop.xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
The calculated value m will vary with the power level P, and a smooth curve is fitted to the values of m calculated for each applied power level P. From the fitted curve of m versus P, a normalized slope xcex3, defined as
xcex3(P)=d(ln{m(P)})/d(ln{P}),xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
is computed and used to estimate a power P whose corresponding slope value xcex3(P) is closest to the known slope value for the present target, provided by the disk manufacturer.
Because of the nature of the firmware, complex calculations of the values for xcex3(P) must often be avoided. What is needed is a method of estimating a curve for the modulation amplitude m(P) and for the normalized slope xcex3(P) that determines relevant curve parameters using relatively few measured data values and using only a few computations, but is relatively robust against statistical fluctuations in data measurements.
These needs are met by the invention that, in one embodiment, provides a three-step process for estimating parameters for a modulation amplitude curve m(P), using only simple arithmetic operations. In this embodiment, the modulation amplitude m(P) is estimated using a three-parameter function, namely m(P)=C+A/(B+P), and the values of the parameters A, B and C are estimated using physical arguments and measured data values. The ultimate form of the modulation amplitude m(P) in this embodiment becomes m(P)=1xe2x88x92A{A+(Pxe2x88x92P0)}xe2x88x921, where P0 is a minimum power level value. below which the laser power is insufficient to set down a xe2x80x9cmarkxe2x80x9d on the CD-RW disk and A is an adjustment parameter used to approximate one or more measured data values.

CD-RW OPC algorithm to minimize statistical fluctuations in power level


A system for redistributing interstitial fluid within a mammal is disclosed. The system comprises an implantable accumulation chamber, a confined flow passageway such as a catheter in communication with the accumulation chamber, and a liquid transfer pump for dispensing accumulated interstitial fluid from the accumulation chamber to a predetermined body site via the confined flow passageway.

Interstitial fluid is found in the interstitial spaces of a multicellular animal. It is the main component of extracellular fluid and a source of nutrients for the cells. Interstitial fluid contains glucose, salt, fatty acids, minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, as well as oxygen and other components essential to the survival of cells. Interstitial fluid receives its components via capillaries by means of diffusion.
While significant research effort has been expended regarding the use of interstitial fluid as a biomarker for cancer research and diagnosis, research pertaining to use of interstitial fluid for treatment of disease or damaged tissue appears to be lacking. It has now been found that autologous interstitial fluid can be effectively collected in an implanted accumulation chamber and utilized to provide essential sustenance to preselected target cells at a body site remote from the collection site.
It is well known that fibrous tissue tends to encapsulate implanted devices. This fibrous tissue encapsulation of a foreign body is an attempt to extrude it ("marsupialization"), and occurs primarily with non-porous materials. The body attempts to do the same thing with porous materials, but because the surface area is so large, tissue "in-growth", rather than extrusion, occurs. Not only does the pore size of the implant material have an influence, but it is also dependent upon the implant location. With pore sizes ranging from 50-250 microns, only fibrous tissue ingrowth is observed; pore sizes smaller than 50 microns are seen as "non-porous" by the body, while pore sizes of greater than 250 microns result in both fibrous tissue and bony ingrowth. There is a limit, however, as to how far into an implanted device tissue will grow. Blood vessels need to be present near the implanted device in order to nourish and stabilize the ingrowing cells. The accepted distance a cell can live away from a capillary is approximately 50 microns.
The present invention provides an efficient sump for collection of interstitial fluid and includes an accumulation chamber which receives the interstitial fluid from surrounding tissue while minimizing undesirable tissue invasion into the accumulation chamber.

Implantable chamber for collection and supply of interstitial fluid


A take-up shaft is adapted to taking up photo film from a photo film cassette having the photo film, and particularly used in a lens-fitted photo film unit. The photo film cassette includes a cassette spool on which the photo film is wound in a roll form. A cassette shell contains the cassette spool in rotatable fashion. The take-up shaft has a shaft body (46, 53, 72, 81) having a substantially cylindrical shape. A nip device (47, 52, 73) is disposed inside the shaft body, and nips a leader (26b) in removable fashion. The shaft body is rotated with the leader, to wind the photo film in a roll form (26a). At least one curved face (46c, 53c, 57b, 62b, 64c, 72a, 81a) is formed between the inside of the shaft body and a cylindrical face of the shaft body and at a radius of curvature 0.4-0.85 time as long as a radius of the shaft body, and prevents the leader secured to the shaft body from being sharply bent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photo film take-up spool and shaft. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photo film take-up spool and shaft for winding photo film to be used in a lens-fitted photo film unit.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A lens-fitted photo film unit is pre-loaded with unexposed photo film of a 135 type, and operable for taking exposures in a manner of a camera. The lens-fitted photo film unit includes a cassette containing chamber and a photo film roll chamber between which an exposure aperture is disposed. The cassette containing chamber contains a cassette shell of a photo film cassette. The roll chamber contains a roll of the unexposed photo film drawn from the cassette shell. Two types of lens-fitted photo film units are known: a two-spool type and a one-spool type. The two-spool type includes a cassette spool and also a take-up spool about which the roll is formed by winding the photo film. The one-spool type includes a cassette spool but not a take-up spool. An apparatus for producing products of the one-spool type includes a take-up shaft, about which a roll of photo film is formed by winding the photo film in a factory. The take-up shaft is moved into the roll chamber, places the roll in the roll chamber, and moved away from the roll chamber, to load the lens-fitted photo film unit with the roll of which the center does not have a spool.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,884,087 and 4,954,857 (corresponding to JP-A 64-544) discloses a photo film take-up shaft in which a take-up slot is formed longitudinally and openly at a distal end thereof. A pressing spring plate is disposed inside the take-up slot, to nip a leader of photo film between the spring plate and a confronted wall inside the take-up slot. The take-up shaft is rotated to wind the photo film in a roll form thereabout. JP-A 5-204094 discloses a photo film take-up spool in which a take-up slot is formed longitudinally. Hooks are formed on the inside of the take-up slot. Perforations are formed in a leader of photo film, and engaged with the hooks. The take-up spool is rotated to wind the photo film thereabout.
In a lens-fitted photo film unit, photo film is moved into a cassette as much as one frame each time an exposure is taken. When a final frame is exposed, the photo film is wound to include the entirety of the photo film having the leader into the cassette. If the lens-fitted photo film unit is a two-spool type, the leader is smoothly detached from the take-up spool after the exposure on the final frame. The lens-fitted photo film unit is forwarded to a photo laboratory, where the cassette is removed. The photo film as exposed is removed from the cassette, and is developed and subjected to printing, by techniques known in the field of the photo finishing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,275 discloses a photo film cassette in which a leader of photo film is pre-contained entirely in a cassette shell and rotation of a spool in an unwinding direction causes the leader to advance to an outside. The photo film contained in this includes a support and an emulsion layer formed thereon. The support is formed of annealed polyethylene naphthalate (A-PEN) having great rigidity and advantage of great easiness in advancement of the photo film. The photo film has the leader, an effective exposure area and a trailer. In the effective exposure area, two perforations are associated with each of frames. No perforation is formed in the leader or the trailer.
However the take-up spool or shaft disclosed in JP-A 5-204094, having the hooks for engagement with perforations in the leader of the photo film, cannot be used with the photo film in which no perforation is formed in the leader.
The take-up shaft disclosed U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,884,087 and 4,954,857 (corresponding to JP-A 64-544) is usable in fashion irrespective of existence of perforations. However a shortcoming lies in that an irrecoverable fold is inevitably formed in the photo film leader in an edge position between the take-up slot and a cylindrical face of the spool core. Once folded, the highly rigid photo film cannot recover its original condition without the fold. If the suggestion of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,884,087 and 4,954,857 (corresponding to JP-A 64-544) is combined with a leader-advancing cassette, a problem still remains: the leader of the photo film cannot be advanced to the outside of a cassette shell due to the fold, even when the spool is rotated in an unwinding direction when treating the photo film cassette in a photo laboratory.
JP-A 61-156033 discloses a spool which is used for photo film and in which an edge of an entrance of a take-up slot formed through a spool core is rounded off by way of a curved face with a radius of curvature nearly 1/3 time as long as a radius of the core for the photo film. This curved face can prevent the leader from having a fold. However the inclined face is likely to cause the leader to have at irrecoverable curl. Once curled, the highly rigid photo film cannot recover its original condition without the curl. If the suggestion of JP-A 61-156033 is combined with a leader-advancing cassette, the problem still remains: the leader of the photo film cannot be advanced to the outside of a cassette shell due to the curl, even when the spool is rotated in an unwinding direction.


A buckle belt assembly includes a main body and a buckle belt. The buckle belt includes a first body and a second body sleeved on the first body. The second body includes a supporting portion, a second movable portion, and a band extending from a bottom of the supporting portion. One end of the second movable portion is connected to the supporting portion, and the other end of the second movable portion is movable relative to the supporting portion. The second movable portion includes a pair of side walls and a pair of fixing walls. The band is configured to hang hanging objects, the band is configured with a fixing hole, and the side walls are pressed to abut the fixing wall to the fixing hole or to detach the fixing wall from the fixing hole, thereby opening or closing the band.

The conventional buckle belt assembly may include an outer casing, a restoring device configured within an inner cavity of the outer casing, a flexible cable, and a buckle belt. The conventional buckle belt assembly is configured to hang the portable objects, such as keyrings, working cards, and access cards. The buckle belt may be pulled away from the outer casing when the portable objects are in use, and may automatically be restored by the restoring device when the portable objects are not in use. The conventional buckle belt assembly is convenient for storage and is popular among enterprise employees and home users. However, the conventional buckle belt assembly may have the following problems.
(1) The buckle belt of the buckle belt assembly is directly pulled, which is not an ideal design. As the number of uses increases, the buckle belt may be worn, causing the hanging objects to be unstable and easily to be lost.
(2) The conventional buckle belt assembly has a limited load-carrying capability. The restoring device and the flexible cable may be deformed and failed when the load is too great. When the buckle belt is automatically restored by the restoring device, the buckle belt and the outer casing are not able to be accurately positioned and accommodated, which may cause the buckle belt to be skewed relative to the outer casing, and may affect the use and aesthetics of the buckle belt assembly.


A detector unit for detecting X rays passed through a collimator having a plurality of collimator single plates, includes a substrate attached to a collimator support for supporting the collimator, a photodetecting device array including photodetecting devices mounted on the substrate, a scintillator block arranged corresponding to the photodetecting device array and provided on the photodetecting device array to convert the X rays into light, and an engaging component having an engaging portion provided on the collimator single plate side of the substrate, and engaged with the collimator single plate to regulate a position of the photodetecting device array or the scintillator block in a channel direction with respect to the collimator single plate.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-360062, filed Nov. 27, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detector unit incorporated in an X-ray computer tomographic photographing device (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cX-ray CT devicexe2x80x9d), an X-ray CT device, an X-ray detector and an X-ray detector manufacturing method. More particularly, it relates to a device capable of positioning the detector unit at a desired place with respect to a collimator for removing scattered X rays.
2. Description of the Related Art
With request for higher resolution and definition of an X-ray CT image, the use of a multislicing type X-ray CT device has become frequent, and it has been put to practical use. In this X-ray CT device, the scintillator block of a solid-state detector has a two-dimensional sequence structure similar to the pattern of a photodiode. As a result, it is necessary to increase positioning accuracy concerning the arrangement of individual scintillator segments, thereby to render X rays visible in each of a plurality of detector units arrayed in a circular-arc collimator.
The adjustment of such a detector in a channel direction (i.e. the circumferential direction of the collimator) necessitates positioning such that pitches can match one another for a collimator single plate. In addition, in the above-described multislicing type X-ray CT device, highly accurate adjustments may be required not only in a channel direction but also in a slicing direction (i.e., the height direction of the collimator).
On the other hand, as a technology for obtaining an image in real time, the use of a large-area detector has been studied. However, in a currently mainstream solid-state detector, it is practically difficult to achieve a large area for a photodiode chip because of constraints imposed on a wafer size, material yield, workability, and a manufacturing device. In addition, with regard to a scintillator material, it is difficult to directly manufacture a large-area detector because of constraints imposed on an ingot size, material yield, workability, and so on.
The following problem has been discovered in the foregoing conventional multislicing type X-ray CT device. Specifically, when the detector unit is positioned with respect to the collimator, an adjustment device must be provided to perform highly accurate positioning. Thus, even when an abnormality occurs in the detector unit of a shipped X-ray CT device, and the necessity of replacing the detector unit is determined, a special device must be provided to perform highly accurate positioning, making it impossible to replace the detector unit on the spot. Consequently, the entire X-ray detector was removed from the X-ray CT device, and replaced by another.
On the other hand, in the X-ray CT device using the foregoing large-area detector, since the collimator was similarly enlarged, the warping of the collimator single plate was difficult.
Therefore, objects of the present invention are to provide a detector unit capable of easily positioning a detector with respect to a collimator without needing any special devices, and only by mechanical assembling without being conscious of any adjustments, an X-ray CT device, and a device and a method for positioning the detector unit.
In order to achieve the foregoing object, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a detector unit for detecting X rays passed through a collimator having a plurality of collimator single plates. This detector unit comprises: a substrate attached to a collimator support for supporting the collimator; a photodetecting device array including photodetecting devices mounted on the substrate; a scintillator block arranged corresponding to the photodetecting device array, and provided on the photodetecting device array to convert the X rays into light; and an engaging component having an engaging portion provided on the collimator single plate side of the substrate, and engaged with the collimator single plate to regulate a position of the photodetecting device array or the scintillator block in a channel direction with respect to the collimator single plate.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Detector unit, X-ray computer tomographic photographing device, X-ray detector, and X-ray detector manufacturing method


Disclosed are a work machine and a communication monitoring method that allow recording of work information even in the event of interruption of communication in a communication path between the work machine, a mobile communication terminal and a server. There is provided a control section (71) configured to transmit work information to a server (Z) via a communication section (68) and a smartphone (Y) if a monitoring section (69) detects that communication is possible between the communication section (68) and the smartphone (Y) and also to cause a storage section (70) to store the work information if the monitoring section (69) detects that communication is not possible between the communication section (68) and the smartphone (Y).

A conventional work machine is disclosed in e.g. Patent Document 1. The work machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that work information of work executed by a work section is transmitted from the work machine via a mobile communication terminal ("mobile communication terminal" in Patent Document 1) to an external server of a management center or the like. With such configuration, it is possible for the work machine and the server to share work information of the work machine and to implement management or the like of the work machine by the external server.

Work machine and communication monitoring method


Systems and methods for synchronizing a device and for ensuring that updates to the device occurring during synchronization are not re-synchronized to the synchronization partner. Generation identifiers (GIDs), which are updated each time a synchronization occurs, are assigned to objects in a store. When synchronization occurs, a sync client uses state information, which is used to indicate which generations have been synchronized, to determine which objects have changed since the last synchronization. The state information includes reserved write GIDs that are only used by a particular sync client that performs writes during a synchronization. Objects having a GID that matches a write GID are not synchronized because they were written by the sync client during the previous synchronization.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for synchronizing a device. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for synchronizing objects stored on a device such that corresponding objects that are retrieved from a synchronization partner during synchronization and updated on the device are not synchronized back to the synchronization partner in future synchronizations.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Wireless and portable devices, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), pagers, and hand held computers, are being used by consumers at an increasing rate. Consumers use these devices to store and access information such as email, contact data, calendar data, and other documents. Much of this information is from synchronization partners such as home computers, office computers or the Internet and is received over various communication channels such as docking stations and wireless channels. The utility provided by wireless devices has made them an integral part of the daily activities of many consumers.
Typically, the ability of these devices to store information is significantly less than the ability of the device's synchronization partners and much of the information that is stored on a wireless or portable device is actually a copy of information that already exists on the stores of the synchronization partners. Because the storage capacity of the synchronization partners is usually larger than the storage capacity of the device, the device can only store a portion of the information that can be stored on the partners.
As a result, portable and wireless devices are often synchronized with various synchronization partners. Synchronizing a device with one or more synchronization partners is a significant issue because the information stored by wireless devices must be updated in order for the information to retain its value. Various methods have been employed to synchronize a wireless device. The crudest method is for the wireless device and the synchronization partner to determine what data they have, compare their data and perform those actions that are necessary to make both the synchronization partner and the wireless device have the same data. This type of synchronization is not efficient because of the high processing cost involved. In addition, the air time usage may be substantial, which may increase the monetary cost of using the wireless device.
Another method that has been employed to synchronize data is to create a property value for each and every object in the store. This property value will be incremented each time that an object changes in the store. The problem with this approach is that the memory required to store the property value of each object will have to be relatively large in order to accommodate all of the potential changes that the store may experience without exceeding the storage capacity of the change or property value. Another issue with this approach is that because the relatively large property value is stored with each object, the amount of memory consumed by these property values in the aggregate can be significant.
Even though many synchronization methods exist, data is often synchronized unnecessarily. This problem is evident when an update to an object in the store of the device occurs during synchronization and is particularly troublesome when the update or write to the object in the store of the device originates with the synchronization partner that is currently synchronizing with the device. Typically, the origin of this update is not remembered and during the next synchronization, the update will by synchronized back to the synchronization partner. This can needlessly consume air time, bandwidth, processing power, or device memory and can even generate needless conflicts or loss of data.

Synchronizing a store with write generations


A transmission testing device that performs tests to verify transmission functionality has: an output shaft directly or indirectly coupled to a differential gear section of the transmission; a rotary driving unit for rotating the output shaft; and a cylindrical meshing unit comprising a meshing portion to mesh with a side gear of the differential gear section, and a chuck portion in which a fluid circuit is formed. The meshing unit is fixed to a differential case of the differential gear section by way of expanding the chuck portion in the radial direction of the chuck portion by applying pressure to the fluid in the fluid circuit.

Patent Document 1 discloses a testing device for a transmission of a vehicle used in a production line and others. In the transmission testing device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the transmission is connected to an input shaft for applying input rotation to the transmission and connected to two output shafts corresponding to left and right driving wheels. In the transmission testing device of Patent Document 1, the input rotation is applied to the transmission by a direct current motor via the input shaft to thereby carry out various tests on the transmission.

Transmission testing device and transmission testing method


A method and apparatus for operating a laundry treating appliance comprising a treating chamber for receiving a load of laundry for treatment according to at least one cycle of operation wherein a dye containing liquid is generated in the treating chamber during the operation, the method comprising backwashing the pre-filter to remove the non-dye material from the pre-filter.

Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, typically include a tub in which is mounted a rotatable wash basket for treating laundry articles according to a treating cycle of operation. The laundry articles may include dyed fabric articles. Depending on a variety of factors, the dye may loosen from a dyed article and become mixed with the wash liquid, along with non-dye materials such as lint. It is known to use a dye filter to capture the dye from the wash liquid to minimize contamination of laundry articles by the dye in the liquid. However, non-dye materials inhibit the efficacy of dye filters.

Laundry treating appliance with pre-filter backwashing


A method of producing a wear or corrosion resistant coating by forming a coating of grains of hard metallic alloys bonded with an organic binder. The coating is applied to a substrate, heated so that the binder decomposes and then isostatically hot pressed. No liquid phase is formed in the coating during the process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for applying a wear and/or corrosion resistant coating to at least a portion of a metal and/or ceramic object. Thus the resistance may be resistance to mechanical abrasion but it may be resistance to corrosion, or any combination thereof.
The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to the application of a coating of hard alloys, metallic alloys, inter-metallic compounds, cermets, or ceramic materials or combinations thereof (hereinafter referred to as a special coating material) to a metal object.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
Various proposals have been made and processes developed for applying a wear-resistant coating to tools, drill bits for example.
Specification no. GB 867,455 is concerned with a development of a spray-welding process in which a metal is sprayed onto a surface to be coated and the coating is then fused in place. The material to be sprayed is fed into a heating zone where it is melted or heat-softened, and from which it is then propelled in finely divided form, in a molten or heat-plastic condition onto the surface to be coated. The material being fed to the heating zone can be in the form of a powder or as a powder bonded together by a plastic material to form a wire. The fusing operation is performed in a furnace, or by means of heating torches applied directly to the coated surfaces. The development described was to employ a self-fluxing alloy in conjunction with a carbide in the form of a `fused aggregate`.
It was found that flame- or plasma-sprayed coatings were often of a porous nature and were not always bonded well to the substrate. Various attempts have been made to overcome these problems over a period of many years.
Specification no. EP 0,005,285A disclosed a process for applying a dense, hard and wear-resistant layer of cermets or ceramic material to a metal object by spraying-on of a matrix material and hard particles of cermets or ceramic material, followed by consolidation of the sprayed-on layer at high temperature and pressure, in which the sprayed-on layer is consolidated by isostatic compacting at a temperature of at least 1,000.degree. C., and a pressure of at least 1,000 bars, for at least half-an-hour. The consolidation step leads to a significant reduction in the porosity of the sprayed-on layer and, for many compositions of coatings, this and new compounds formed can lead to a more durable coating.
The process of EP 0,005,285A employs a binder metal of cobalt and/or nickel.

Hot isostatic pressing process for applying wear and corrosion resistant coatings


Techniques for transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback by narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) devices are provided. NB-IoT user equipment (UE) can transmit HARQ feedback in response to a narrowband physical downlink shared channel (NPDSCH) received over a downlink (DL). NB-IoT UEs can transmit the responsive HARQ feedback over a narrowband physical uplink shared channel (NPUSCH) or a narrowband physical uplink control channel (NPUCCH). Options for defining the physical structures of the NPUCCH and NPUSCH and user multiplexing on the uplink (UL) are provided. Determination of an UL resource allocation by determining resources in time, frequency, and the code domain for the HARQ feedback transmissions are also provided. Higher level signaling and/or indications provided in downlink control information (DCI) can be used to determine the time, frequency, or code domain resources.

The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) introduced a narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) design into its Release 13 specifications of the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless mobile communications standard. For NB-IoT, due to bandwidth limitations of 180 kHz, legacy LTE techniques for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback may not be suitable. Accordingly, new techniques for implementing HARQ feedback for NB-IoT may be needed.

Downlink hybrid automatic repeat request feedback for narrowband Internet of Things devices


An extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting bracket, a mirror subassembly, and a support which is supported by the mounting bracket. The mirror subassembly is supported by the support and is mounted for selective movement along the support arm to one of a plurality of viewing positions. The mirror subassembly includes a housing, a reflective element, and an actuator which supports the reflective element on a forward facing wall of the housing. The rearview mirror assembly further includes a clamping assembly which provides a force to urge frictional engagement between the housing and the support to limit movement of the mirror subassembly along the support. In preferred form, the support extends into the housing and frictionally engages an exterior surface of the forward facing wall.

The present invention relates to an exterior rearview mirror for mounting on a vehicle and, more particularly, to an extendable exterior rearview mirror for mounting on a vehicle which can be extended when the vehicle is being used for towing, for example towing a trailer, camper, or the like.
Until recently, towing mirrors included a fixed support or frame, which was rigidly mounted to the vehicle body, and a reflective element supported on and spaced from the vehicle body by the support or frame to provide rearview viewing of the towed object. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,591 to A. J. Malecki illustrates a typical rigidly mounted towing mirror assembly. However, these fixed extended rearview mirror assemblies increase the width of the vehicle often hampering normal maneuvering through passages including garage door openings, drive-through services, and the like. Furthermore, they are more vulnerable to being damaged or causing damage than conventional exterior rearview mirrors especially when used by an inexperienced driver. In some cases, the width of the vehicles was increased beyond the maximum width allowed by conventional vehicle transport trucks which deliver the vehicles to the dealership. Therefore, these mirror assemblies often required installation at the dealership which ultimately increased the cost of the vehicle.
More recently, several extendable exterior rearview mirrors have been developed. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,048 to Chen and U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,080 to Allen, extendable rearview mirrors are disclosed which include telescoping members. The position of the mirror subassembly, which includes a reflective element and reflective element housing, is fixed in position by threaded fasteners, which require tools for adjustment. However, these assemblies tend to increase the vibration of the mirror assembly especially when the mirror subassembly is in the outboard position. This increased vibration is particularly problematic in mirror assemblies that incorporate mechanical or electrical actuators since they increase the weight of the mirror casing. Other solutions have included providing nesting mirror reflectors with one of the mirror reflectors supported in a housing that is extendable from the mirror casing, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,812 and 4,907,871 to Hou. While these assemblies incorporate a single arm mounting arrangement, the assembly is complicated and requires a dual reflection system that ultimately increases the cost of the assembly, as well as the weight of the mirror casing. Heretofore, commercially available exterior mirrors have used a twin arm arrangement in order to increase the stiffness of the mounting attachment, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,385 to Boddy. Such twin arms provide support to the mirror casino in a manner that minimizes mirror reflector vibrations when the vehicle travels on roads. However, use of such twin arm arrangements dictates a relatively large assembly with multiple mounting components, which increases material cost and assembly time. Hitherto, use of a single arm extendible mirror assembly has not met with commercial success because of the reduced stiffness associated with prior art designs which result in increased vibration.
Consequently, there is a need for an extendable rearview mirror assembly that can provide for an extended field of view when towing and yet can be retracted to a normal operating position where it does not hamper maneuverability of the vehicle. In addition, the extendable rearview mirror assembly should have minimal impact on the vibration characteristics of the mirror assembly and be relatively easy to adjust between non-towing and towing positions without the need for tools.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved vehicular extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly which is especially suitable for use on vehicles when towing. The exterior rearview mirror assembly is adjustable to a plurality of viewing positions between a normal non-towing use position and a fully extended position, allowing an adjustable field of view to the rear of the vehicle. Additionally, the mirror assembly may include a break-away assembly to permit the mirror assembly to be folded to a break-away position in the event the mirror assembly strikes an object. Furthermore, the mirror assembly may include a power fold mechanism which allows the mirror subassembly to be folded or retracted to a folded position when the vehicle is driven into tight spaces, for example parking garages and the like.
According to one aspect of the invention, the extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting bracket, a mirror subassembly, a clamp, and a support which is mounted for pivotal movement on the mounting bracket between a normal operating position and a folded, break-away position. The support extends laterally outward from the mounting bracket when the mirror subassembly is mounted to the vehicle and the support is in its normal operating position. The support extends into the housing of the mirror subassembly, where the clamp is positioned to mount the mirror subassembly onto the support. The clamp applies a force to urge frictional engagement between the support and the housing to limit movement of the mirror subassembly along the support but permits selective movement of the mirror subassembly along the support to one of at least two viewing positions when a force of sufficient magnitude is applied to the subassembly to overcome the friction between the support and the housing.
In one aspect, the support comprises a single support arm. In other aspects, the mirror assembly further includes a load distributing member, which together with the clamp urges frictional engagement between the support and the housing. In another aspect, the support moves relative to the load distributing member when the mirror subassembly moves along the support.
In yet other aspects, the clamp includes a passage, such as a longitudinal passage, in which the load distributing member is positioned. At least a portion of the support extends into the passage to be urged by the clamp into frictional engagement with the housing. In further aspects, the load distributing member comprises an elongate member having a longitudinal extent extending along at least a portion of the support. Preferably the load distributing member comprises an arcuate-shaped elongate member. The support arm has an arcuate bearing surface and a planar side with a plurality of line bearing surfaces, with the load distributing member contacting the arcuate bearing surface and urging the line bearing surfaces to frictionally engage the housing.
In further aspects, the support arm comprises a composite elongate body which includes an elongate webbed member having the arcuate bearing surface and a plate bearing member which provides the line bearing surfaces.
In other aspects, the housing includes a mirror casing, with the clamp urging the support into frictional engagement with the mirror casing. For example, the mirror casing may include a casing wall which defines a cavity, with the reflective element supported in the cavity by the casing wall. The clamp urges the support arm into frictional engagement with the casing wall.
In yet further aspects, the mirror assembly includes a positioning device, which supports the reflective element on the casing wall. For example, the positioning device may comprise an electrical actuator.
In another aspect, the extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly further includes a driver assembly which selectively moves the mirror subassembly along the support arm.
According to another form of the invention, an extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting bracket, a mirror subassembly, and a support. The mirror subassembly includes a housing, a reflective element, and an actuator. The housing includes a mirror casing. The support is mounted to the mounting bracket and extends from the vehicle in a laterally outward direction and into a housing of the mirror subassembly when the mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle. The mirror assembly further includes a clamp which mounts the mirror subassembly on the support. The clamp applies a force to the support to urge frictional engagement between the support and the mirror casing to limit movement of the mirror subassembly along the support. The mirror slides along support to one or more extended viewing positions when a force is applied to the mirror subassembly in the laterally extending direction sufficient to overcome the friction between the support and the mirror casing.
In further aspects, the mirror casing includes a back wall. The actuator preferably supports the reflective element on the back wall. The clamp applies a force which urges the support into frictional engagement with the back wall. Preferably, the clamp includes a load distributing member which urges the support into frictional engagement with the back wall and, further, distributes the force from the clamp along the length of the support positioned in the clamp. For example, the support preferably includes an arcuate bearing surface and a planar bearing surface. The load distribution member preferably comprises an arcuate elongate member which engages the arcuate bearing surface of the support arm and urges the planar bearing surface of the support into frictional engagement with the exterior portion of the back wall of the mirror casing.
In yet further aspects, the arcuate elongate member forming the load distributing member may include a plurality of inwardly projecting elongate ribs, which contact the arcuate bearing surface of the support. In addition, the arcuate member may include a plurality of exteriorly positioned elongate ribs, which are contacted by the clamp to mount the mirror subassembly on the support. Preferably, the exteriorly positioned elongate ribs are offset from the inwardly projecting elongate ribs which thereby form discrete spring members in the load distributing member.
In other aspects, the housing further includes a cover which is coupled to the mirror casing and defines a cavity into which the support extends for frictionally engaging the mirror casing.
As will be understood, the exterior rearview mirror assembly of the present invention provides numerous advantages over prior known extendable rearview mirror assemblies. The exterior rearview mirror assembly incorporates a single support arm for mounting the mirror subassembly to a vehicle on which the mirror subassembly can be moved to a plurality of extended positions to provide an adjustable extended field of view and which can be quickly retracted to a normal operating position where it does not hamper the maneuverability of the vehicle or increase the width of the vehicle. In addition, the exterior rearview mirror assembly can be adjusted either manually or by the use of a driver, which can be operated by a remote control within the vehicle cabin. Thus, the single arm extendable mirror assembly of the present invention provides a compact assembly with excellent vibrational performance when mounted and used on a vehicle. Hitherto, such excellent vibrational performance is achieved and has been achieved commercially such as by using twin arm extendable mirror assemblies such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,385 to Boddy. Achieving an acceptable and user appreciable or enjoyable exterior mirror assembly performance when the assembly is mounted to the vehicle while using a single arm is a significant advantage as this allows a more compact design and thus, a more consumer appreciable or appealing design.
These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the invention will become more apparent from the study of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly for vehicles


The present invention relates to a washing composition comprising a powder of which surface is hydrophobic, and more specifically, relates to a washing composition comprising a powder in which an alkyl group of a surfactant attached to the surface thereof is oriented towards an outermost shell, thereby the surface of the powder being hydrophobically modified.

The biggest purpose of a hair cleanser is to maintain the cleanliness of scalp and hair by removing a waste, for example, sebum and to control the condition of scalp. The waste adsorbed on the scalp is acidified to proliferate bacteria, thereby causing unpleasant smell and itch. In order to remove the waste, a hair cleanser of which main ingredient is an anionic surfactant is generally used. The anionic surfactant is penetrated between the waste and the hair on the scalp, whereby the adsorptive power of waste is weakened and may be easily washed.
The surfactant which is the main ingredient of hair cleanser is generally anionic. The anionic surfactant plays a role as a primary surfactant and imparts a shampoo with such basic functions as detergency and foaming ability. The secondary surfactant is a co-surfactant and used for the purpose of improving durability and stability of bubbles and maintaining viscosity.
However, the anionic surfactant may cause irritation to the scalp. Also, the continuous and repeated washing by the anionic surfactant may interfere the normal metabolism of the scalp to cause various scalp disorders. Eco-friendly sugars and amino acid compounds have been developed to complement these problems. The amino acids occurring naturally in large quantities are studied in various fields according to the well-being trend in these days as a new alternative resource. Also, the raw material industry has continued effort to develop a surfactant that gives less irritation to the skin as possible or is skin-friendly.
On the other hand, as the ingredient of a hair cleanser, the case of using a powder is extremely rare. Only, the Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2011-0102415 discloses a hair detergent composition containing a sebum-absorbent, and describes the possibility of use of a powder as a sebum-absorbent. However, this is used for the effects of sebum-adsorption from the hair, removal of dead skin cell, etc., which are resulted from the oil-absorption capacity of the powder itself. Also, the effect of improving the foaming ability depending on the particle size or surface characteristics of a certain powder has been neither realized in a product nor found in any prior literature.
Typical detergents contain the anionic surfactant in the amount of about 14-20% by weight for detergency and foaming ability. However, the anionic surfactant is one of the skin irritants, and thus it tends to increase the skin irritation when it remains on, or is exposed to, the skin for a prolonged period of time. Accordingly, recently, there are attempts to reduce the amount of anionic surfactant, but the reduction of foaming ability becomes the greatest limitation in such attempts.


A text placement program is disclosed. The text placement program provides for placement of text, such as names of geographic features, on a map image. A plurality of candidate locations for text placement are identified and provided to the text placement program. The text placement program evaluates each candidate location for text placement using an expression that includes a weighted clause of a first type indicative of whether the represented geographic feature is named at least once on the map image. If a candidate location being evaluated for text placement overlaps another candidate location, the expression for the candidate location being evaluated includes a weighted clause of a second type. One additional weighted clause of the second type is included for each occurrence of the candidate location overlapping another candidate location. For each candidate location, the text placement program evaluates the expression for two conditions: placement of text and no placement. The results of the two evaluations of the expression are compared and the condition that provides the greater result is selected. Optionally, the expression may include an additional weighted clause including a rank assigned to the represented geographic feature. The text placement program can be configured by adjusting the weightings assigned to the clause(s) of which it is formed.

Included with and forming part of this specification is an a micofiche appendix including one sheet of 30 frames.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates to forming maps and more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved process and system for placement of text on a map image to denote names of displayed features, such as roads.
Computer-generated map images have various uses. Some navigation systems, such as in-vehicle navigation systems, include display screens upon which map images can be shown to end users. Computer-generated map images are also generated and shown on other types of computing systems and platforms, including personal computers (including desktop and notebook computers), dedicated electronic devices (such as hand-held portable navigation systems), pagers, PalmPilot(copyright)-type devices, telephones, and networks (including the Internet).
Some map images are generated by software programs using geographic databases. A geographic database stores information about features located in a geographic region. The information included in a geographic database may include the geographic coordinates of the represented features such as roads and intersections, the names and highway numbers of the represented roads, the geographic coordinates of represented points of interests, the names of points of interests, and so on. Using the information in the geographic database and suitable software programming, a map image can be generated and rendered on a display screen. Alternately, using the information in the geographic database and appropriate software, a map can be printed or saved to a disk file for later use.
Persons who use maps are accustomed to the presentation of information in certain conventional ways. For example, it is expected that a line rendered on a map image represents a road and that the name of a road represented by a line be placed immediately adjacent to the line on the map image. It is preferable that maps generated from geographic databases conform to users"" expectations.
Using a geographic database and appropriate software to generate a map image provides important, useful advantages for end users. When using a geographic database to generate a map on a display, the software program may allow the end user to select the area to be displayed, the scale, the level of detail, the kinds of points of interest to be displayed, and so on. Because these factors are selectable by the end user, the placement of the names of roads or other geographic features is not necessarily determined beforehand. Instead, the placement of the names of roads or other geographic features may not be determined until the boundaries of the map to be displayed are selected, the level of detail selected, and other configurable factors set. Accordingly, a means is required in the software programming to determine suitable locations for the placement of the names of the represented geographic features as part of the process of rendering the map image for display.
Programs that determine where to place names of geographic features on maps are known. However, prior programs are relatively slow and therefore require relatively long times to determine where to place the names of displayed geographic features on a map image. Because these prior programs for placement of names on a map image are relatively slow, they may be unsuitable for use on computing platforms that have relatively limited resources, such as some kinds of navigation systems, hand-held devices, and so on.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved and faster means to determine the locations for placement of text, such as names of geographic features, on a map image.
To address these and other objectives, the present invention comprises a text placement program. The text placement program provides for placement of text, such as the names of geographic features, on a map image. A plurality of candidate locations for text placement are identified and provided to the text placement program. The text placement program evaluates each candidate location for text placement using an expression that includes a weighted clause of a first type indicative of whether the represented geographic feature is named at least once on the map image. If a candidate location being evaluated for text placement overlaps another candidate location, the expression for the candidate location being evaluated includes a weighted clause of a second type. For each candidate location, the text placement program evaluates the expression for two conditions: placement of text and no placement of text. The results of the two evaluations of the expression are compared and the condition that provides the greater result is selected. Optionally, the expression for each candidate location may include a third weighted clause that indicates a rank assigned to the represented geographic feature. The text placement program can be configured by adjusting the weightings assigned to the clause(s) of which it is formed. Each candidate location is evaluated in this manner until all the candidate locations are evaluated. Text is then placed in the selected candidate locations.

Method and system for text placement when forming maps


A power roller of a power roller bearing in a half-toroidal type continuously variable transmission is manufactured as follows. In step S1, a work used as material is heated up to a temperature suitable for forging. In step S2, the work is pressed by using a first die set, with its end face being held. In step S3, the work is forged by using a second die set. The work is formed into a work having a curved face corresponding to a traction surface, a hole corresponding to a center hole, and a recess corresponding to a raceway groove. In step S4, the work is punched by using a third die set. In step S5, the work is subjected to a cutting process and a heating process, thereby obtaining the power roller.

The present invention relates to a power roller bearing of a toroidal type continuously variable transmission and a method of manufacturing the power roller bearing of the toroidal type continuously variable transmission.
Speed change gears have mainly been used as conventional transmissions for vehicles such as automobiles. The speed change gears comprises a plurality of gears, and the engagement mode of the gears is varied to transmit torque from an input shaft to an output shaft. However, in the conventional speed change gears, torque is varied step-wise and discontinuously at the time of changing the speed. Thus, the speed change gears have drawbacks such as a loss in power transmission and vibration at the time of changing the speed.
Under the circumstances, a continuously variable transmission, in which torque is not varied stepwise or discontinuously at the time of changing the speed, has recently been put to practical use. In the continuously variable transmission, no vibration occurs at the time of changing the speed, and the loss in power transmission is less than that in the speed change gears. In addition, the continuously variable transmission is fuel-efficient when it is mounted in the vehicle. As an example of the continuously variable transmission, a belt type continuously variable transmission is mounted in some type of passenger cars.
On the other hand, as an another example of the continuously variable transmission, a toroidal type continuously variable transmission has been proposed. The toroidal type continuously variable transmission comprises an input shaft rotated by a drive source such as an engine, an input disk, an output disk, and a power roller bearing. The input disk is supported on the input shaft and rotated in interlock with the input shaft. The output disk is supported on the input shaft so as to be opposed to the input disk and is rotated in interlock with the output shaft.
A trunnion is provided between the input disk and the output disk so as to be rotatable about a rotational shaft. A displacement shaft is provided at a central portion of the trunnion. The power roller bearing is supported on the displacement shaft.
The power roller bearing comprises an outer race 62, as shown in FIG. 13B, which is supported on the displacement shaft of the trunnion, a power roller 61, as shown in FIG. 12B, which is rotatably supported on the displacement shaft, and balls serving as rolling elements rolling between the outer race and the power roller.
Both power roller 61 and outer race 62 have annular shapes. The power roller 61 and outer race 62 have raceway grooves 63 and 64 formed in their mutually opposed end faces. The raceway grooves 63 and 64 have annular shapes and arcuated cross sections. The balls roll along the raceway grooves.
The outer race 62 swings along with the trunnion. The power roller 61 has, as part of its peripheral surface, a traction face 65 put in rotational contact with the input disk and the output disk. In the power roller bearing, the outer race 62 swings along with the trunnion and the traction face 65 of power roller 61 is put in rotational contact with the input disk and output disk, so that a torque of the input shaft is transmitted to the output shaft with a desired acceleration ratio or deceleration ratio. The surface of raceway groove 63 and the traction face 63 of power roller 61 and the surface of raceway groove 64 of outer race 62 constitute raceway surfaces.
Compared to the aforementioned belt type continuously variable transmission, the toroidal type continuously variable transmission can transmit a higher torque. Thus, the toroidal type continuously variable transmission is regarded as efficient as continuously variable transmission for middle-sized and large-sized vehicles.
The toroidal type continuously variable transmission, however, is required to transmit a still higher torque. Accordingly, compared to general mechanical components such as gears and bearings, which receive repeated stress, the power roller 61 and outer race 62 of the power roller bearing suffer much greater repeated bending stress and repeated shearing stress.
The outer race 62 of the power roller bearing supports a thrust-directional load applied to the power roller 61 from the input disk and output disk. Consequently, the outer race 62 receives a very high stress at its raceway groove 64. Since the outer race 62 is supported on the displacement shaft, it receives a bending load due to the aforementioned thrust-directional load. A tensile stress due to the bending load acts on the outer race 62. In the state in which these stresses act on the outer race 62, the outer race 62 swings between the input disk and the output disk.
On the other hand, the power roller 61 transmits power from the input disk to the output disk in the state in which the traction face 65 is in rotational contact with the input disk and output disk and receives a great load from these disks. The power roller 61 thus swings repeatedly in the state in which a very high stress acts on the traction face 65 and raceway groove 63. In addition, a repeated tensile stress due to the above-mentioned high load acts on the raceway groove 63.
The power roller 61 and outer race 62 of the power roller bearing are required to have a long life, while a very high stress acts on the raceway surfaces such as the surfaces of raceway grooves 63 and 64 and the traction face 65.
In an example of a conventional method of manufacturing the power roller 61 and outer race 62 of the power roller bearing of the toroidal type continuously variable transmission, a rolled cylindrical solid material is cut and processed. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-126290 describes a method of manufacturing the power roller 61, wherein an annular material is cemented or carbonitrided and then forged.
If a metallic cylindrical material is cut and processed to obtain the power roller 61 and outer race 62, the yield of products decreases due to the cutting process and the time needed for processing increases. As a result, the manufacturing cost increases.
Besides, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 13A, a flow of metallic structure, so-called metal flow J, occurs along axis Ma and Mb at the time of rolling, etc. in cylindrical solid materials 60a and 60b which are formed as materials of the power roller 61 and outer race 62 through melting, forging and rolling steps.
If the power roller 61 and outer race 62 are formed by cutting and processing the materials 60a and 60b, the metal flow J occurs along axis Ma and Mb, as shown in FIGS. 12B and 13B.
Consequently, ends of metal flow, E1, E2 and E3, at which the metal flow ends, occur at the raceway surfaces, i.e. the surfaces of raceway grooves 63 and 64 and traction face 65.
If a stress, which is much higher than that on general mechanical components, acts on the raceway surfaces 63, 64 and 65, the power roller 61 and outer race 62 formed by the cutting process may easily be broken along the metal flow J. Accordingly, the life of the power roller 61 and outer race 62 formed by the cutting process is generally short. Thus the life of the toroidal type continuously variable transmission including these power roller 61 and outer race 62 is also short.
In the aforementioned method described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-126290, the annular material with a metal flow extending along its axis is used. This material is cemented or carbonitrided and then forged along its axis. The material is then expanded toward its periphery into a shape corresponding to the power roller. At last, the material is cut and processed to obtain the power roller.
The power roller formed by this method, like the power roller 61 and outer race 62 formed by the above-described cutting process, has ends of metal flow at the raceway surfaces such as the raceway groove and traction face. Accordingly, the power roller manufactured by the method described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-126290 has a short life in general. Thus the toroidal type continuously variably transmission including this power roller has a short life, too.

Power roller bearing of toroidal type continuously variable transmission and method of manufacturing power roller bearing of toroidal type continuously variable transmission


A keyboard illumination structure. The structure includes a base board, a circuit board, an elastic member, a bridge mechanism, a key cap and a centralized lighting element located in the keyboard. The lighting element may generate light to pass through the keyboard for indicating the positions of the button keys, vital keys or function keys so that users may locate the required keys rapidly.

The present invention relates to an improved keyboard illumination structure and particularly a keyboard having a centralized lighting element for illuminating the button key positions or the positions of vital keys or function keys to enable users locating the required keys rapidly.
User-friendliness has long been an important factor in the design and construction of keyboards. These days, many keyboards have evolved from wired and limited range operations to wireless and remote operations. In addition, with increasing enhancements of the computer technology, besides the basic processing logic, the main trend is to combine with household appliances. This is especially true in the innovation of coupling the basic illumination switches. Whereas the keyboards now available on the market mostly do not have illumination design. When users want to use a keyboard to control the lighting switches in the houses, they often have difficulty to know the exact location of the keyboard or where are the right button keys to press. Users often have to fumble in darkness to turn on one of the lighting switches in the house before proceeding the wireless keyboard operation. It is a not a logical way, and indicates the deficiency of the function and design of the wireless keyboards. It hinders the promotion of the wireless keyboards.
Some producers in the industry have made some improvements to overcome this problem. For instance, there are button keys made of transparent material and have light emitting diodes directly mounted to the circuit boards. When the button keys are activated, the light emitting diodes will be energized and generate light to project the button keys to help users to locate the whereabouts of the button keys. However to mount the light emitting diodes to the circuit boards has the following disadvantages:
1. The light emitting diodes and the wireless keyboard use same power supply and are controlled by the same switch. When the light emitting diodes are activated, the wireless keyboard is also at a power on state. Moreover, when users try to use the wireless keyboards in day time or when the rooms are well lit, turning on of the light emitting diodes will greatly reduce power supply duration for the wireless keyboard. As a result, the batteries of the wireless keyboards tend to drain off rapidly and have to replace and replenish frequently. It incurs a lot of inconvenience to users.
2. Directly mounting the light emitting diodes to the circuit boards disrupts the already complex circuitry of the button keys commands. It will increase production costs and result in dropping of production yields. The high loading of the circuit boards makes light emitting diodes damaging easily or tends to cause malfunction of the button key commands. Once damaged or breaking down, they are not replaceable and will incur extra costs to users and cause a lot of troubles.
3. It is difficult for the producers to provide the required numbers of the light emitting diodes or change the configurations thereof to meet the ever changing market requirements. The adaptable keyboards are also limited.
The primary object of the present invention is to resolve the foregoing disadvantages. In the present invention, a centralized lighting element is provided in the keyboard layer for emitting light to pass through the keyboard. The locations of the button keys, or vital keys or function keys thus will be illuminated and clearly shown. Users may rapidly locate the required button keys.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the lighting element made of a cold light board or cold cathode board with same or different colors.
A further object of the present invention is to have the key caps formed with a light passing aperture, or be made transparent or translucent so that light emitted from the lighting element will pass through the key caps to indicate the vital keys or function keys, and to enable users to locate the required button keys easily and rapidly.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.