A straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter is equipped with a straight-tube-type flow tube, a drive device for driving by a tertiary mode vibration, a pair of detection unit for detecting a phase difference proportional to a Coriolis force, a pedestal having rigidity, and elastic connection members having elasticity. Assuming that an axial direction of the flow tube is a Z-axis, that a driving direction of the drive device is an X-axis, and that a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis and the X-axis is a Y-axis, the elastic connection members are of a structure exhibiting lower rigidity in the Z-axis direction than in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and exhibiting lower rigidity in a direction of rotation around the Y-axis than in a direction of rotation around the Z-axis and a direction of rotation around the X-axis.

In a straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter, when a vibration is applied to a straight tube (flow tube), supported at both ends, in a direction perpendicular to the straight-tube center portion axis, there is obtained between the support portions and the central portion of the straight tube a difference in displacement of the straight tube due to a Coriolis force, that is, a phase difference signal, based on which the mass flow rate is detected. The straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter has a simple, compact and solid structure (see, for example, JP 2786829 B).
In FIG. 13, a conventional straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1 has an outer cylinder 2, a flow tube (inner tube) 3, a counter balance (outer tube) 4, connection blocks 5, plate springs 6, a drive device 7, detectors (detecting means), and a weight (not shown). The flow tube 3 has at its both ends divergent opening portions 9 of a trumpet-like configuration. Further, the flow tube 3 has a straight tube portion 10 between the divergent opening portions 9 at both ends.
On the outer side of the straight tube portion 10 of the flow tube 3, there is provided the counter balance 4. The straight tube portion 10 of the flow tube 3 and the counter balance 4 are coaxially joined together at both ends of the counter balance 4 by the connection blocks 5. The connection blocks 5 are provided as rigid members. A double tube structure is formed by the straight tube portion 10 and the counter balance 4. The outer cylinder 2 is formed so as to be capable of accommodating the double tube structure. Both end portions of the outer cylinder 2 are formed so as to be reduced in diameter toward the divergent opening portions 9 of the flow tube 3. Both end portions of the outer cylinder 2 are welded to the divergent opening portions 9. Both end portions of the outer cylinder 2 and the divergent opening portions 9 are fixed to each other in a liquid tight fashion. Connection flanges 11 are welded to the open ends of the divergent opening portions 9. The divergent opening portions 9 are formed so as to exert a spring action.
Each plate spring 6 has a surface orthogonal to the straight tube portion 10; one end of the surface is fixed to the connection block 5, and the other end thereof is fixed to the inner wall of the outer cylinder 2. Further, the plate springs 6 are arranged so as to be orthogonal to the direction of resonance vibration. The drive device 7 is mounted to the position at the center of the flow tube 3 and of the counter balance 4. The drive device 7 drives the straight tube portion 10 of the flow tube 3 and the counter balance 4 at coupled vibration frequencies of opposite phases. The detectors 8 are mounted at positions symmetrical with respect to the drive device 7. The weight (not shown) is mounted at a position on the opposite side of the drive device 7. More specifically, the weight (not shown) is mounted at a position in the driving direction of the drive device 7. The weight (not shown) is provided so as to allow an adjustment to equalize the natural frequency of the flow tube 3 around the connection blocks 5 with the natural frequency of the counter balance 4.
In the above-mentioned construction, the resonance system including the flow tube 3 and the counter balance 4 is supported by the plate springs 6. The divergent opening portions 9 at the ends of the straight tube portion 10 extending from the resonance system are supported at the positions of the connection flanges 11. Thus, the flow tube 3 is supported at a plurality of points. In the straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1, constructed as described above, a fluid to be measured (not shown) is caused to flow through the flow tube 3, and in this state, the drive device is resonance-driven to detect a phase difference signal proportional to a Coriolis force with the detectors 8, whereby the mass flow rate can be measured. In the straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1, a standing wave is formed in the resonance system through resonance driving of the drive device 7 mentioned support points constitute vibration nodes.
In the conventional straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1, in order to achieve an improvement in vibration resistance and to eliminate vibration leakage, there is provided a mass point vibrated in a direction opposite to the vibration of the flow tube 3, i.e., the counter balance 4, thereby counterbalancing the vibration. Further, in the conventional straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1, the drive device 7 and the detectors 8 are installed not on the outer cylinder 2 but on the counter balance 4, and the counter balance 4 with the drive device 7 and the detectors 8 installed thereon is fixed not to the outer cylinder 2 but at two positions of the flow tube 3 through the intermediation of the connection blocks 5.
(It is a structure for preventing direct superimposition of noise on detectors 8 when external disturbance acts on straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1. Further, it is a structure for making a lower bending vibration which is the most liable to occur (the principal mode generated by external disturbance) different from the drive mode.) Further, in the conventional straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1, the plate springs 6 are provided to fix the connection blocks 5 in position, with the result that the directional properties of the vibration are determined. (Due to the provision of plate springs 6, a rotation center exists in each connection block 5 during vibration.)
In the conventional straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1, constructed as described above, the connection blocks 5 connecting the flow tube 3 and the counter balance 4 are rigid as stated above, which leads to the following problem. When an axial force is generated in the flow tube 3, local stress is generated between the pair of connection blocks 5 and between the ends of the flow tube 3 and the connection blocks 5, and in some cases, some stress remains in the flow tube 3, or there is a fear of the flow tube 3 undergoing plastic deformation.
In the following, an axial stress acting on the flow tube 3 will be described with reference to a schematic diagram. In the following description, to clarify the problem caused by the axial stress, the function (spring action) of the divergent opening portions 9 will be ignored. FIGS. 14 (a) through 14 (d) are schematic diagrams each showing the condition of the flow tube 3 and the counter balance 4 when the temperature of the fluid flowing through the flow tube 3 is raised, and FIG. 14(e) is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the flow tube 3, the counter balance 4, the connection block 5, and the plate spring 6.
When the fluid to be measured is passed through the flow tube 3 and the drive device 7 is resonance-driven, the flow tube 3 and the counter balance 4 vibrate in loci as shown in FIG. 14(a). In a state in which the temperature of the fluid to be measured is not raised, the temperature of the whole is uniform (i.e., there is no temperature change). In this state, no axial stress has been generated yet between the pair of connection blocks 5 and between the ends of the flow tube 3 and the connection blocks 5. (During driving, however, stress due to vibration is separately exerted.)
When the fluid to be measured is continuously passed and its temperature is raised, there is generated in the flow tube 3, as a result of a temperature change, a force by which the flow tube 3 is axially expanded. In contrast, in the counter balance 4, to which the heat due to the temperature change has not been conducted to a sufficient degree, no such expansion force as that in the flow tube 3 is generated, with the result that the distance between connection blocks 5 remains substantially the same. Thus, as shown in FIG. 14(b), in the flow tube 3, there is generated, apart from the stress due to vibration, a local axial stress leading to compression.
When, thereafter, the counter balance 4, which has adapted itself to the heat due to the temperature change, expands in the axial direction, the distance between the connection blocks 5 increases in accordance therewith, and the axial stress that has generated between the connection blocks 5 is mitigated as shown in FIG. 14(c). However, in contrast, the axial stress leading to compression between the ends of the flow tube 3 and the connection blocks 5 increases, so a large local axial stress is exerted on the flow tube 3.
When the temperature of the whole becomes uniform, and the distance between the fixed ends of the flow tube 3 is increased, axial stress ceases to exist in the flow tube 3 as a whole as shown in FIG. 14(d), with the result that a stable state is attained.
FIGS. 15 (a) through 15 (d) are schematic diagrams showing the condition of the flow tube 3 and the counter balance 4 when the temperature of the fluid to be measured flowing through the flow tube 3 is lowered. FIG. 15 (a) shows a state in which the temperature of the fluid to be measured is high, and the temperature of the whole is uniform; in this state, no axial stress acts on the flow tube 3 as a whole.
When the temperature of the fluid to be measured is lowered, there is generated in the flow tube 3, as a result of the temperature change, a force by which the flow tube 3 is axially contracted.
In contrast, no change is to be observed in the length of the counter balance 4, that is, the distance between the connection blocks 5 and the distance between the fixed ends of the flow tube 3. As shown in FIG. 15(b), there is exerted on the flow tube 3 a local axial stress leading to tension.
When, thereafter, the counter balance 4, which has adapted itself to the heat due to the temperature change, is axially contracted, the distance between the connection blocks 5 is reduced in accordance therewith. As shown in FIG. 15(c), the axial stress generated between the connection blocks 5 is mitigated. However, in contrast, the axial stress leading to tension between the ends of the flow tube 3 and the connection blocks 5 increases, so a large local axial stress is exerted on the flow tube 3.
When the temperature of the whole becomes uniform, and the distance between the fixed ends of the flow tube 3 is reduced, axial stress ceases to exist in the flow tube 3 as a whole 3 as shown in FIG. 15(d), with the result that a stable state is attained.
As can be understood from the above illustration, in the conventional straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1, the axial stress acting on the flow tube 3 is not easily dispersed in the tube axis direction. Thus, the conventional straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter 1 is vulnerable to temperature change.

Straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter for tertiary mode vibration with elastic connection member and pedestal


A system for minimizing co-channel interference into NTSC receivers from digitally transmitted ATV signals. The NTSC receiver subjective random noise sensitivity characteristic is utilized to shape the ATV transmitter power curve. A complementary filter incorporated in ATV receivers for compensating for the shaped ATV transmitter power curve. The shaped ATV power curve emphasizes signals at the frequencies where the NTSC subjective random noise sensitivity is low and deemphasizes signals at the frequencies where the NTSC subjective sensitivity is high.

This invention relates generally to television systems and particularly to a digital television system that is operated in the same service area as a conventional NTSC type television system. The present terrestrial broadcast television system in the United States is identified as CCIR, system M. The frequency band is 6 MHz with a Nyquist slope in the receiver at the video carrier frequency. The audio carrier and the addition of the color subcarrier in the NTSC alters the frequency and power relationships of the system.
Years ago, the visual acuity, i.e. resolution ability of the human eye was investigated with respect to video images generated in CCIR, system M color systems. Subjectivity relationships were developed at viewing distances of approximately six times image height and were expressed in the form of a curve showing the relationship of visual sensitivity to noise. It is shown that the sensitivity of the human eye to noise decreases as the frequency is increased. For NTSC color, the relationship is altered in the area of the color subcarrier, i.e. around 3 MHz. The subjective characteristics of the eye's visual acuity in combination with the frequency characteristics of an NTSC television receiver are combined herein to generate a random, white, noise subjective weighting baseband curve for a CCIR, system M color receiver. This characteristic is referred to herein as NTSC receiver sensitivity. It should be borne in mind, however, that the concept includes the aspects of visual acuity of the human eye.
Proposals for a new digital high definition television system are being considered for adoption in the United States. One such system is known as a digital, spectrum-compatible, high definition television (DSC-HDTV) which is jointly sponsored by Zenith Electronics Corporation and AT&T. This high definition digital transmission system will be referred to herein as ATV, but it should be understood to encompass any digital television transmission system. Digital transmission systems have power distribution curves that are noise like, i.e. they uniformally extend over the frequency spectrum in the manner of white noise.
A major obstacle to the selection of a new television system for the United States is the existence of a vast number of NTSC receivers and corresponding transmitters which must remain operable for a significant number of years while the new system is introduced. Thus many, if not all, service areas will be subject to both ATV television signals and NTSC television signals. Clearly, measures must be taken to minimize the adverse influences of one type of signal on receivers of the other type. The present invention is directed to tailoring the ATV signal power to complement NTSC receiver sensitivity such that a higher power ATV signal is transmitted in less sensitive areas of the NTSC receiver sensitivity spectrum and a lower power ATV signal is sent in the more sensitive NTSC frequency areas. This promotes not only reduced co-channel interference from the ATV signal into the NTSC receiver, but will also enable a higher power ATV signal without detrimental co-channel interference.

ATV television system with reduced co-channel NTSC interference


A ratchet wrench includes a handle having two spaced pivoting walls, two through holes respectively formed through the pivoting walls, and an inner threaded section provided at one of the through holes with a length shorter than the total length of the through hole. A ratchet head has a pivoting portion disposed between the pivoting walls of the handle and a pivoting hole through two opposite sides of the pivoting portion. A screw runs through the through holes of the handle and the pivoting hole of the ratchet head and is threaded with the inner threaded section of the handle. An urging member is disposed in an accommodation chamber of the ratchet head and sleeved onto the screw with two ends thereof stopped against a periphery wall of the accommodation chamber of the ratchet head and the pivoting wall of the handle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a ratchet wrench and more specifically, to a ratchet wrench that has an improved structure strength.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional ratchet wrench 1, which comprises a handle 2 and a ratchet head 3 pivotally connected with the handle 2. The handle 2 has two spaced pivoting walls 4 defining a receiving space therebetween at one end of the handle 2. One of the pivoting walls 4 has a threaded through hole 5 and the other has a T-shaped through hole 6, i.e. a counterbore through hole. The ratchet head 3 has a pivoting portion 7 pivotally mounted in the receiving space between the two pivoting walls 4 of the handle 2 by means of a screw 9 running through the T-shaped through hole 6 of the handle 2 and a through hole 8 of the pivoting portion 7 of the ratchet head 3 and threaded with the threaded through hole 5 of the handle 2. When the ratchet wrench 1 is in use, the operation force applied from a user on the handle 2 will be transmitted to the ratchet head 3 through the two pivoting walls 4 for enabling the ratchet head 3 to rotate and fix a workpiece.
As shown in FIG. 1, the threaded through hole 5 of the handle 2 is smaller in diameter than the T-shaped through hole 6 of the handle 2 because of the existence of the threads. Thus, when the strength is transmitted from the handle 2 to the ratchet head 3, an uneven distribution of stress will be exerted on a top section of the screw 9, which is located at the T-shaped hole 6 of the handle 2, and a bottom section of screw 9, which is located at the threaded hole 5 of the handle 2, such that the screw 9 may be broken after the ratchet wrench 1 is used for a long time. Further, the stress concentration will be generated between the screw 9 and one end of the threaded hole 5 of the handle 2 close to the pivoting portion 7 of the ratchet head 3, resulting in acceleration of destruction of the screw 9. Thus, it is desirable to provide a ratchet wrench that can eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks.


A conveyor has a rotary encoder for measuring the amount of rotation of a driven sprocket having an intermittently drivable chain reeved therearound, and a processor for processing the measurement obtained by the encoder as operation support operating data corresponding to the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket. The processor determines a reference position of the chain in time series when the chain is moved a distance at a time by intermitting driving, computes the actual position of the chain corresponding to the reference position based on the measurement obtained by the encoder, and computes the deviation of the actual position of the chain from the reference position.

The present invention relates to container conveyors, for example, for use in packaging machines.
Conveyors of the type mentioned are already known which comprise a drive sprocket, a driven sprocket, a chain reeved around the sprockets and drivable intermittently, and a plurality of container holders attached to the chain at a spacing corresponding to the distance the chain is moved at a time by intermittent driving. The chain has a container transport path extending successively via a group of devices including a filling device and a sealing device.
With the conveyor described, the container holders need to be brought to a halt accurately at specified operating positions such as the locations of the filling device and the sealing device. Otherwise, the required packaging operation will not be performed on the containers. However, the chain becomes inevitably stretched with time, and if exceeding a certain limit, the stretch starts to cause trouble in the packaging operation. Although maintenance is provided on the conveyor in the event of trouble arising, the procedure performed is not efficient.
An object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor wherein operation support operating data, for example, as to the halted position and movement of the chain is readily available to ensure facilitated and efficient maintenance of the chain.
The present invention provides a conveyor comprising a drive sprocket, a driven sprocket and an intermittently drivable chain reeved around the sprockets, the conveyor being characterized in that the conveyor comprises an instrument for measuring the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket, and a processor for processing the measurement obtained by the instrument as operation support operating data corresponding to the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket.
With the conveyor of the invention, the amount of rotation of the driven sprocket is measured to obtain operation support operating data based on the measurement. This assures the chain of facilitated and efficient maintenance.
The processor comprises setting means for determining a reference position of the chain in time series when the chain is moved a distance at a time by intermitting driving, means for computing the actual position of the chain corresponding to the reference position based on the measurement obtained by the instrument, and means for computing the deviation of the actual position of the chain from the reference position. This enables the operator to observe the dynamic variations involved in the movement of the chain when it is moved a specified distance at a time by intermittent driving.
The processor may comprise setting means for determining a reference halted position of the chain every time the chain is moved a distance by intermitting driving during one turn of movement, means for computing the actual halted position of the chain corresponding to the reference halted position based on the measurement obtained by the instrument, and means for computing the deviation of the actual halted position of the chain from the reference halted position. This enables the operator to observe the static variations involved in one turn of movement of the chain.
The present invention provides another conveyor comprising a pair of drive sprockets, a pair of driven sprockets and a pair of intermittently drivable chains each reeved around the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket corresponding to the chain, the conveyor being characterized in that the conveyor comprises a first instrument for measuring the amount of rotation of one of the driven sprockets, a second instrument for measuring the amount of rotation of the other driven sprocket, and a processor for processing the measurements obtained by the two instruments as operation support operating data.
The invention is useful also for the maintenance of the pair of chains included in this conveyor.
The processor of the conveyor comprises setting means for determining reference halted positions of the respective chains every time the chains are moved a distance by intermitting driving during one turn of movement, means for computing the actual halted position of each of the chains corresponding to the reference halted position of the chain based on the measurement obtained by the corresponding instrument, and means for computing the deviation of the actual halted position from the reference halted position. This enables the operator to observe the static variations involved in one turn of movement of the pair of chains.
When a plurality of container holders are attached to the chain at a spacing corresponding to the distance the chain is moved at a time by intermittent driving, and further when the chain has a container transport path extending successively via a group of devices including a filling device and a sealing device, each container holder can be brought to a halt at a desired operating position of the group of devices.


An electrode alignment apparatus may be used with a microfluidic device for accurate and repeatable alignment of electrode pins with reservoirs on the microfluidic device. The apparatus includes a base unit and an electrode block assembly that are moveable with respect to each other from an open position to a closed position. The electrode block assembly includes an interface array that is coupled to an interface array platform such that the interface array is moveable with respect to the interface array platform in three dimensions.

Significant advancements in the fields of chemistry and biotechnology have been made due to the use of microfluidic technology. The term "microfluidic" generally refers to a system or device having channels and chambers that are fabricated with a cross-sectional dimension (e.g. depth, width, or diameter) of less than a millimeter. The channels and chambers typically form fluid channel networks that allow the transportation, mixing, separation and detection of very small quantities of materials. Microfluidics are particularly advantageous because they make it possible to perform various chemical and biochemical reactions, macromolecular separations, and the like with small sample sizes, in automatable, high-throughput processes.
The microfluidic channel networks are fabricated in a working part, or substrate, that can be made from a variety of materials, including polymers, quartz, fused silica, or glass. In some commercially available microfluidic devices, the substrate is integrated into the microfluidic device by bonding it with a UV-cured adhesive to a body, or caddy, which may be constructed from materials such as acrylic or thermoplastic. Since substrates may be very small, the integration of the substrate into a relatively larger body of a microfluidic device often makes the substrate much easier to handle and more practical for performing microfluidic analyses.
Reservoirs or wells are typically included on the body and located so that they are in fluid communication with the channel networks of the substrate. The wells provide relatively larger access when compared to the microfluidic channels included in the channel networks of the substrate. The size of the wells makes it easier for a user to load samples or other materials into the channel networks.
One of the significant advantages of using microfluidic devices is that only minute quantities of fluids, or other materials in solution, are required making it possible to perform a very large number of assays with limited sample material. Microfluidic devices are particularly beneficial for DNA testing (e.g., for DNA separations) since DNA samples are typically gathered in relatively small quantities.
Because of the small channel size and fluid volumes used in microfluidic devices, there are factors that influence fluid flow within microfluidic devices that are less important in macro-scale flows. For example, within microfluidic channels physical properties of fluids such as surface tension, viscosity and electrical charges can have a much greater impact on fluid mechanics than those properties have in macro-scale flows. As a result, phenomena such as electrophoresis, which may be insignificant in macro-scale flows, may be used to manipulate fluids in the fluid networks of microfluidic devices.
In order for electrophoresis to take place, an electric field must be applied to the fluid in a microfluidic channel. One way to apply such an electric field is through electrodes contacting the fluid in the microchannel. For example, electric fields could be generated within the channels of a microfluidic device by inserting electrodes with different electric potentials into reservoirs on the body of the microfluidic device.
There is a need for a device that is able to accurately and consistently align electrodes with reservoirs on microfluidic devices. There is a further need that such a device be designed so that it can be integrated into automated, high-throughput processes.

Electrode apparatus for use with a microfluidic device


A suction cart suctions away the gases and dust produced during flame cutting processes and catches the scrap metal produced. The suction cart can travel underneath the flame cutting bench and is outfitted with at least one suction pipe, which emerges into a suction duct, is configured so that it is able to handle the disposal work for materials located underneath the flame cutting bench. A cleaning blade or rake is arranged on the suction cart, the cleaning blade or rake being able to be lifted and lowered onto the floor underneath the flame cutting bench.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suction cart for suctioning away the gases and dust produced during flame cutting processes and for catching the scrap metal produced, wherein the suction cart can travel underneath the flame cutting bench and is outfitted with at least one suction pipe, which emerges into a suction duct.
2. The Prior Art
Suction carts of this type are known, for example, from EP-0 288 598-B of the applicant. In this known suction cart, rails are laid under the flame cutting bench, on which is positioned a traversing gear of such a suction hood, while the suction hood can be synchronized with the movement of the flame burner. Specifically, the suction hood is always automatically located at the spot where the torch is cutting, so as to suction away the gases and dust and possibly catch any material dropping down.
It has been found in practice that burned-off pieces of metal are constantly falling outside the position of the suction cart under the flame cutting bench, so that they have to be removed at certain distances. For this removal, it is sometimes necessary for people to climb underneath the flame cutting bench to collect and remove the metal pieces there.

Suction cart for suctioning off the gases and dust produced during flame cutting processes


A method, system and apparatus for determining a distance of a phase-to-earth fault on a three-phase electric line (30), the apparatus (40) being configured to determine a first estimate value for a distance between the measuring point (40) and a point of fault (F) on the basis of a first equation based on a fault loop model of the electric line, in which model the load of the electric line is located between the measuring point and the point of fault; determine a second estimate value for the distance on the basis of a second equation based on a fault loop model of the electric line, in which model the point of fault is located between the measuring point and load of the electric line; and select, according to predetermined criteria, one of the determined two estimate values as the distance between the measuring point and the point of fault.

Localization of earth faults is a challenging task, especially in high impedance earthed networks. There are many factors which deteriorate the accuracy of a calculated fault location estimate, such as fault resistance and load. Distribution networks are especially challenging as they have specific features, which further complicate and challenge fault localization algorithms. These include e.g. non-homogeneity of lines, presence of laterals and load taps.
Impedance based fault location algorithms have become industry standard in modern microprocessor based protection relays. The reason of their popularity is their easy implementation as they utilize the same signals as the other functions. Their performance has proven to be satisfactory in localizing short-circuit faults, but they are often not capable of localizing low current earth faults, i.e. earth faults in high impedance earthed systems. This is due to the fact that an earth fault in high impedance earthed networks differs fundamentally from a short circuit fault. Document: Earth fault distance computation with fundamental frequency signals based on measurements in substation supply bay; Seppo Hänninen, Matti Lehtonen; VTT Research Notes 2153; Espoo 2002, discloses an example of a prior art method for fault localization of single phase earth faults in unearthed, Petersen coil compensated and low-resistance grounded networks. Document EP1304580 discloses a method for calculating the fault point distance to a single-pole earth fault within an electric power network compensated with a Petersen coil.
One important factor affecting the accuracy of impedance based fault localization algorithms is the combined effect of load current and fault resistance. A majority of prior art fault localization algorithms eliminate the load component from measured currents. Typically delta quantities (fault state value minus healthy state value), symmetrical components or a combination of both are used for this. Delta quantities can also be difference values due to e.g. variation of the Petersen coil compensation degree. This has the additional advantage that any systematic measurement errors are eliminated.
Prior art fault localization algorithms are typically based on an assumption that load is tapped to the end point of the electric line (e.g. feeder), i.e. the fault is always assumed to be located in front of the load point. In real medium voltage feeders this assumption is rarely correct. In fact, due to voltage drop considerations, loads are typically located either at the beginning of the feeder or distributed more or less randomly over the entire feeder length. In such cases, the accuracy of prior art fault localization algorithms is deteriorated.
In reality, the power systems are never perfectly balanced in terms of geometry and loading. If the phase-to-earth capacitances of individual phases are not equal, the system produces steady-state zero-sequence quantities. If the loading between phases is not equal, the system produces steady-state negative-sequence quantities. These steady-state sequence quantities are an additional error source for fault locator algorithms. Typically the effect of system steady-state unbalance is removed with use of delta quantities. Based on results obtained from simulations and field tests, this seems not to be a sufficient remedy at least for some algorithms. It is therefore important that the algorithm be designed and tested to be robust and stabile against system unbalance. Moreover, the application of prior art impedance based fault localization algorithms is usually restricted to effectively or low-impedance earthed systems. Therefore such algorithms cannot be applied in high-impedance earthed networks.

System and method for determining location of phase-to-earth fault


A hot beverage lid construction is used in combination with a hot beverage container for enhancing the safety of the outfitted beverage container and for selectively cooling the beverage prior to consumption and preventing spillage. The lid construction includes an inner container wall-engaging, lid-to-wall locking structure. The lid construction is outfitted upon a beverage container such that the inner container wall-engaging, lid-to-wall locking structure engages and effectively locks the lid construction to inner container wall surfacing of the beverage container. The lid construction, being outfitted upon the beverage container, defines a lower beverage-receiving compartment and at least one upper beverage flow channel. Each beverage flow channel effectively functions to receive heat from channel-received beverage before the channel-received beverage exits the primary beverage outlet. A bypass element is selectively removable from a lower-inner material layer of the lid construction so as to enable the user to bypass flow channel functionality.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a lid construction or assembly for outfitting a hot beverage container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combination lid-insert construction or assembly for outfitting a hot beverage container for enabling the drinker to selectively transfer heat from a hot beverage prior to consumption, preventing inadvertent removal of the lid-insert construction from the outfitted hot beverage container, and preventing spillage of beverage from a beverage container.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The broad field of lids for hot beverage containers and hot beverage container assemblies inclusive of lids is exceedingly well-developed. The art relating to means for cooling hot beverages prior to consumption by way of a lid construction or assembly is a bit more limited. In any case, it is most difficult to pinpoint with precision the most pertinent art relevant to the present invention given the wide swath of art swept by beverage container constructions and developments in the field of art generally. Nevertheless, some of the more pertinent prior is believed to be briefly described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,493 ('493 Patent), which issued to Robinson, for example, discloses an Integrally Molded Measurer Dispenser. The '493 Patent describes a closure providing a side wall having first and second distal ends, an inner surface and an outer perimeter. A cone-shaped divider projects inwardly and upwardly from a lower perimeter of the side wall and includes a drain-back orifice therethrough. The cone-shaped divider further includes an apex having an opening therethrough. The closure further provides a lid pivotally attached at an outer diameter thereof to the outer perimeter of the side wall first distal end by an integral hinge. The lid includes a shaped substantially conforming to the side wall perimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,390 ('390 Patent), which issued to Kemp, discloses a Container Lid with Cooling Reservoir. The '390 Patent describes a container lid with a cooling reservoir for releasably covering a disposable cup containing a hot beverage. The cooling reservoir includes a side wall with a small opening to allow a small volume of the hot beverage to pass into the cooling reservoir in which the beverage sufficiently cools down to enable the consumer to sip the beverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,173 ('173 Patent), issued to Milan, discloses a Beverage container lid having baffle arrangement for liquid cooling. The '173 Patent describes a removable beverage container lid wherein the lid has a substantially enclosed space defined between an exterior cover and an interior cover. At least one inlet opening is formed in the interior cover directing a hot beverage to flow into the substantially enclosed space. Attached to the interior cover at the forward edge of the inlet opening is a partition or wall assembly having a height extending to be located substantially against the exterior cover and a length at least equal to the length of the inlet opening. Between the partition or wall assembly and the peripheral edge of the exterior cover is located a gap area. Connected with the gap area is a dispensing opening formed in the exterior cover. Hot beverage is required to flow around the partition or wall assembly and into the gap area prior to flowing through the dispensing opening exteriorly of a beverage container.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,510 ('510 Patent), which issued to Pavlopoulos, discloses a Cup Assembly having a Cooling Compartment. The '510 Patent describes a cup assembly comprising a cup and a lid to define therebetween a first passage and a second passage to allow a liquid cooling compartment between the lid and the cup to be filled with liquid contained in the cup when the first passage is clear and the second passage is blocked and the liquid in the liquid cooling compartment is able to flow out of an outlet in communication with the liquid cooling compartment when the second passage is clear and the first passage is blocked.
United States Patent Application No. 2007/0062943, which was authored by Bosworth, Sr., describes a container lid for a cup-type beverage which includes within the lid a disc-shaped media in which the lid is adapted to be releasably affixed to the beverage container and where the lid is protected from the beverage within the container and wherein the disc may be removed from the lid and utilized for entertainment purposes.
United States Patent Application No. 2010/0264150, which was authored by Leon et al., describes a disposable beverage cup a disposable beverage cup that comprises a ledge between the cup's rim and the grasping portion of the cup that is commonly held in the user's hand. The ledge, which comprises a curb, a horizontal plane, and one or more indentations, acts as a barrier between the user's hand and other objects, preventing a lid that has been press fit onto the cup's rim from being dislodged. In order to remove the lid, the user must insert a finger and/or thumb into the indentation(s) and press upward on the lid. The cup has a contour between the ledge and the grasping portion with ergonomic features to increase the user's comfort in handling the cup.
United States Patent Application No. 2010/0320220, which was authored by Hussey et al., describes a plastic lid for a drinks container, for example, a coffee cup. The plastic lid is provided with an ancillary access facility in the form of an opening or a part of the lid easily removable to form an opening. The ancillary access facility allows a person to drink from the container without removal of the lid. After the ancillary access facility has been cleaned or de-contaminated it is protected by the application of a protective cover.
The protective cover may have a variety of shapes, for example, it may cover the entire lid or it may cover only a selected part of the lid, for example, only the area of the lid involving the ancillary access facility. The protective cover protects the ancillary access facility from the inadvertent transfer of germs to the drinking area by the person dispensing the drinks as they push the lid down with their hands to seal the lid to the container top. The protective covers are arranged to be easily stripped from the lid by the application of mere finger pressure.
From a consideration of the foregoing, it will be noted that the prior art perceives a need for a low cost lid and/or lid-insert construction or assembly usable in combination with a disposable hot beverage container assembly so as to enable the user to selectively transfer heat from the hot beverage via the lid elements outfitted upon the container so as to avoid scalding prior to beverage consumption, prevent spillage of (hot) beverage from the container, and preventing inadvertent removal of the lid elements as exemplified by the lid-insert construction from the outfitted hot beverage container. More particularly, the prior art further perceives a need for a lid-insert combination that becomes difficult to remove or effectively non-removable from an outfitted hot beverage container once outfitted thereupon so as to prevent scalding or spillage of hot beverage via inadvertent lid assembly removal. In this last regard, the prior art perceives a need for such a combination hot beverage container lid-insert assembly or combination and/or lid methodology supported thereby as summarized in more detail hereinafter.

Hot beverage container lid-insert constructions


A system and method for slowing the data transfer rate in a magnetic tape cartridge drive is presented for a better match in transfer rates between a host computer and the drive. The transfer is slowed after the start of the data transfer operation to selected transfer rates below the nominal transfer rate of the drive. The requirements of density of data on the magnetic tape remains unaffected so that the magnetic tapes are interchangeable with present drives.

The present invention relates to magnetic tape drives useful in storing data in computer systems and, more particularly, to the control of data transfer rates between a magnetic tape cartridge drive and a host computer.
In magnetic tape cartridge drives, such as the quarter-inch cartridge drives, the drives are designed to move a magnetic tape past the magnetic heads at predetermined speeds and to lay down, or write, or to receive, or read, the data signals at a predetermined density on the magnetic tape. For example, in a QIC-525 standard drive the tape is driven at 120 inches per second and data is written onto, or read from, the tape with a density of 20,000 flux changes per inch.
These magnetic tape cartridge drives have a buffer which acts intermediate storage unit between the magnetic tape and the host device, the computer. The buffer is useful because typically the data transfer rates of the computer and the drive do not match.
Present magnetic tape cartridge drives handle the problem of disparate transfer rates between the drive and the host computer by interruptions, i.e., stopping the drive until the slower computer can catch up. During a read operation, for example, the faster drive may quickly fill the buffer as the host computer accepts the data from the buffer. At that point the drive is stopped until the computer can empty the buffer before the drive begins again transferring data from the tape into the buffer. During a write operation, the faster drive may completely empty the buffer as the computer feeds data into the buffer for writing onto the magnetic tape. When the buffer is filled again, the drive is started once more.
This stop-and-start activity is hard upon the mechanical parts of the drive. Errors may occur in the transfer of the data and the drive may even break down.

System and method of controlling data transfer rate in a magnetic tape drive


An integrated refractory management system includes: a cable module, at least a portion of which is inserted into a refractory; a measurement module, disposed outside the refractory, for measuring a current signal flowing through the cable module; an integrated management module for determining the state of the refractory on the basis of the current signal measured by the measurement module, displaying the state of the refractory, and generating management information on the refractory; and a local terminal for receiving the management information from the integrated management module.

Generally, refractories such as refractory bricks and castables may be mounted inside various industrial furnaces, such as heating furnaces, heat treatment furnaces, calcining furnaces, and blast furnaces, which are used for iron manufacturing processes and the like.
Refractory can be exposed to a high temperature environment for a long period of time along with processes in an industrial furnace and can be damaged by thermal impact during the processes.
However, since refractory is disposed inside an industrial furnace, there are a lot of limitations in instantly determining whether the refractory is damaged.
In addition, it is difficult to determine a damaged location of refractory and a degree of damage due to thermal impact.
Thus, when a point in time for appropriate repair and replacement of refractory passes, since damaged refractory affects processes in an industrial furnace, the damaged refractory generates defects in manufactured products and thus has adverse effects on the quality thereof.
In addition, damage to refractory causes detachment of the refractory mounted inside an industrial furnace.
Further, detachment of refractory causes heat loss, damage to external facilities, safety accidents of operators, and the like, due to molten iron flowing out through a region from which the refractory is detached.

Integrated refractory management system and control method therefor


A striking tool having a handle engaged in an eye in a head uses a metal strongback unit engaged in a slot the handle to secure the handle in the eye of the head. The metal strongback unit has openings in a web that fits in the slot in the handle that allow wedges to be driven into the handle in a manner that both the handle end and the web of the strongback unit are spread. Metal of the strongback unit urges against an inside surface of the head in the eye to form a secure fit. In a preferred embodiment the strongback unit has metal sides that may extend below the head and provide metal surfaces for overstrike protection.

The present invention is in the area of hand-held striking tools, such as hammers, and pertains more specifically to the interface between head and handle of a striking tool.
Hand-held striking tools have been used for centuries by people in a variety of disciplines as leveraged devices to provide a striking force to accomplish a seemingly endless variety of tasks. For example, a claw hammer allows a user doing carpentry work to deliver sufficient striking force to drive a nail into wood. A claw hammer is also used for removing a nail or ripping apart lumber using its claw. A sledge hammer is another common hand-held striking tool used to deliver sufficient striking force for heavy work such as driving a stake, chisel, or driving a wedge into masonry, stone, wood, or other hard materials. Another common hand-held striking tool is a ball peen hammer used to deliver sufficient striking force for shaping and fitting metal, and for driving machine chisels, rivet sets, machine wedges, and other similar tools.
As previously described, hand-held striking tools are commonly used as third class levers to provide a striking force to accomplish tasks such as driving a nail into a piece of wood, bending or forming metal, breaking a rock, and other similar tasks. Third class levers are levers where a fulcrum, also referred to as a pivot point, is at one end of a bar or rod. A load to be overcome is an object creating resistance at the opposite end of a bar or rod. The effort, or force, to be applied to a third class lever is somewhere in between the fulcrum and load. In the case of a hand-held striking tool such as a claw hammer, the fulcrum is a wrist with the force being provided by the deceleration of the movement of a hammer handle (bar or rod) at the wrist. The load in this case is a resistance presented by a piece of wood into which the nail is being driven.
The head of the hand-held striking device is commonly a significant distance from the fulcrum and moves faster than the movement being applied at a user""s hand, which is near the fulcrum. The increased speed of the head multiplies the applied force with which a striking device head strikes a nail or digs into the dirt. The longer a claw hammer""s handle, for example, the faster the head and the greater the force that strikes a nail and overcomes the resistance of the wood. This principle applies to all other hand held striking devices, and is intensified in long-handled striking devices such as a pickaxe, or an axe.
Hand-held striking tools are also commonly used as first-class levers to provide a lifting or prying force to accomplish a variety of tasks. For example, some hand-held striking devices are used to pull nails out of a piece of wood, tear apart pieces of wood or other building material, pry loose a large rock, lift a log, and the like. First-class levers are levers wherein the load to be overcome is at or near one end of a rod or bar, the effort, or force is applied at or near the other end of the same rod or bar, and the fulcrum, or pivot, is somewhere along the rod or bar in between the applied force and load.
An example of a hand-held striking tool being used as a first-class lever is a claw hammer being used to pull out nails, wherein the load to be overcome is the wood causing friction against an embedded nail. Another example of a hand-held striking tool being used as a first-class lever is a pickaxe being used to pry out a rock or tree root embedded in dirt or rock, where the load to be overcome is the dirt or rock causing friction against an embedded rock or tree root. Whenever a hand-held striking tool is used as a first-class lever, the force is applied at one end of a long handle. The fulcrum is typically near the other end of the handle that holds the head.
The load for a hand-held striking tool being used as a first-class lever, such as in a claw hammer or a pickaxe, is typically very close to the fulcrum. Whereas the force for a hand-held striking tool being used as a third-class lever is typically relatively far away from the fulcrum. During prying or pulling tasks, the load applied is therefore moved less distance than the hand, which is at the opposite end of the lever, and applying the force. This multiplies the force in which the claw hammer head pulls against a nail, or a pickaxe pulls against a rock.
The weakest part of a hand-held striking device is the interface between the handle and the head. The conventional methods of interfacing a striking device head and handle, which are typically made of distinct materials, such as metal and wood, allows striking and pulling stresses to promote head-to-handle loosening, damage, and separation. For example, the impact force at the head of a claw hammer, being used as a third-class lever against a nail, is often as high as 300 pounds. Because of the greater length of its handle and greater weight of its head, the striking force of the head of a pickaxes against the earth is many times greater.
The bending moment applied at the head-to-handle interface of a claw hammer been used as a first-class lever to pull a nail is often as high as 1000 foot-pounds. The bending moment levied against the head-to-handle interface of a pickaxe pulling heavy rocks away from the earth is typically several times more.
The effect of these forces is exacerbated when a user occasionally misses the target for which the strike is intended and strikes a hard object, such as the edge of a piece of wood or a rock, at the head-to-handle interface just below the head, causing further damage and weakening a head-to-handle interface.
Because of the inherent weakness in conventional head-to-handle interfaces, it is this point that most failures in hand-held striking devices occur. Methods have been devised to make head-to-handle interface configurations capable of withstanding impacts and pulling stresses described above without damage. These methods include using a handle made with a material, such as high-impact plastic or heavy-gauge rolled steel that has particularly high strength and resiliency to withstand extremely high impacts and pulling stress. These types of handles are typically encapsulated in a resilient material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, leather, or plastic, to provide some protection from the shock from impact and to give a user a good grip on the handle. Many users of hand-held striking devices, however, still prefer the look and feel of wooden handles.
As stated above, a problem with many conventional methods for increasing handle strength on hand-held striking devices is the inherent weakness in the design of interfaces. Current interfaces for hand-held striking tools typically comprise a handle whose end is shaped to make a tight fit through a shaped opening, or eye, in the head. Such a shaped opening is often tapered to be larger at the end of the opening opposite the side where the handle enters the head. Typically metal or wooden wedges are driven into the end of the handle to expand the handle into the eye of the head to attain a tight fit. A tight fit, however, does little to increase the strength of the conventional head-handle interface.
Another common method for securing conventional head-to-handle interfaces is by placing a bonding material, such as an epoxy adhesive, between the inner surface of the opening in the head and outer surface of the interface and of the handle.
The types of head-to-handle interfaces and methods of securing described above are commonly used on all types of hand-held striking tools, such as axes, sledge hammers, pickaxes, and the like. A problem with these conventional solutions is that the striking and pulling forces are concentrated over a short distance at the interface. The intensified stress at this small area is the cause of most hand-held striking tool failures. Head-to-handle interfaces made according to conventional art, regardless of the material of the handle or method of securing it to the head opening, often fail because of this concentrated stress.
What is clearly needed is an improved method and apparatus for securing the head of a striking tool to its handle, providing both a durable, long-lived head-to-handle interface and an integrated system of overstrike protection to the handle. Such a method and apparatus, in a preferred embodiment, overcomes an inherent weakness in conventional head-to-handle interface methods while preventing damage to the handle caused when a user misses a target and inadvertently strikes the handle against a hard object, damage that causes, further weakness in conventional head-to-handle interface methods.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for a striking tool having a plane of substantial symmetry and a head with an eye for engaging a portion of a handle, a method for securing the handle to the head is provided, comprising the steps of (a) slotting the portion of the handle that extends into the eye of the head in the plane of substantial symmetry, providing a slot with a first width; (b) engaging a metal strongback unit in the slot, the strongback unit having a web with a thickness substantially the width of the slot; (c) engaging the handle and strongback assembly into the eye, and (d) spreading the web of the strongback unit until metal of the strongback unit urges against an inside surface of the head in the eye.
In a preferred embodiment the web has at least one opening at an upper edge for a spreading wedge, and the web is spread in assembly by driving a wedge into the handle and the opening in the web. The strongback unit may also comprise side elements having a second width greater than the web width, such that the side elements lie along opposite sides of the handle with the strongback unit engaged in the handle slot. Spreading the web urges the side elements against the inside surface of the head in the eye. Also in a preferred embodiment the side elements are shaped to fit a curvature of the inside surface of the head in the eye. In some cases the handle is formed on opposite sides of the slotted portion to accommodate the side elements of the strongback unit.
In another preferred embodiment the slot extends further along a length of the handle than the portion of the handle that extends into the eye of the head, and the strongback unit fills the slot, such that the side elements, with the handle and strongback engaged, provide an overstrike surface along a portion of the handle length below the head. In this embodiment as well, the handle may be formed along opposite sides along the slot edges to accommodate the side elements.
In still another preferred embodiment the strongback unit has a first web in an upper portion having a length equal to the handle portion extending into the eye, and a second web in a lower portion, the second web formed at a right angle to the first web, and wherein the handle is slotted with first and second slots at right angles to accommodate both webs. In this embodiment the second web comprises threaded holes, and an overstrike plate is assembled to the handle below the head on the side of the handle toward a striking surface of the head, the overstrike plate secured to the handle by fasteners extending through holes in the plate and the handle, and engaging the threaded holes in the lower web.
In another aspect of the invention a striking tool having a plane of substantial symmetry is provided, comprising a head with an eye for engaging a portion of a handle; a handle with a slot of a first width in the plane of substantial symmetry along a length of the portion of the handle extending into the eye; and a metal strongback unit in the slot, the strongback unit having a web with a thickness substantially the width of the slot. The striking tool is characterized in that the strongback unit is spread in the eye, urging metal of the strongback unit against inside surface of the head in the eye, to secure the head on the handle. In preferred embodiments the web has at least one opening at an upper edge for a spreading wedge, and the web is spread in assembly by driving a wedge into the handle and the opening in the web.
In some embodiments the strongback unit comprises side elements having a second width greater than the web width, such that the side elements lie along opposite sides of the handle with the strongback unit engaged in the handle slot. Spreading the web urges the side elements against the,inside surface of the head in the eye. The side elements may be shaped to fit a curvature of the inside surface of the head in the eye. Also, the handle may be formed on opposite sides of the slotted portion to accommodate the side elements of the strongback unit.
In another embodiment the slot extends further along a length of the handle than the portion of the handle that extends into the eye of the head, and the strongback unit fills the slot, such that the side elements, with the handle and strongback engaged, provide an overstrike surface along a portion of the handle length below the head. The handle may be formed along opposite sides along the slot edges to accommodate the side elements.
In yet another preferred embodiment the strongback unit has a first web in an upper portion having a length equal to the handle portion extending into the eye, and a second web in a lower portion, the second web formed at a right angle to the first web, and wherein the handle is slotted with first and second slots at right angles to accommodate both webs. The second web may comprise threaded holes, and an overstrike plate may be assembled to the handle below the head on the side of the handle toward a striking surface of the head, the overstrike plate secured to the handle by fasteners extending through holes in the plate and the handle, and engaging the threaded holes in the lower web.
In various embodiments of the present invention described in enabling detail below, an improved apparatus and method is provided for securing handles to heads of striking tools.

Strongback system for joining a handle to a hammer head


A method and apparatus for performing network file system (NFS) operations across a plurality of servers is provided. At a first server, a filehandle for a particular file is generated based, at least in part, on an identifier that uniquely identifies the particular file relative to all other files within a file system repository. The file system repository may be implemented in a database. The identifier may also be stored in the database. The first server sends a client the filehandle. The client may thereafter send another request for the performance of a file operation, containing the filehandle, to a different server. The second server may read the filehandle and use the identifier to locate the file within the repository against which to perform the file operation without receiving, from the first server, information that associates the filehandle with the file.

Data may be stored in many types of storage mechanisms, such as databases and file servers. Each storage mechanism typically has its own means of access. For example, the SQL protocol is typically used to perform operations on a database, and the NFS protocol is typically used to perform operations on a file system. The SQL protocol is an ANSI standard for accessing and manipulating data stored in a database. The NFS protocol is a distributed file system protocol that supports the performance of file operations on files across a network. NFS is a well-known standard for sharing files between UNIX hosts.
In the NFS protocol, file operations are performed on files using a filehandle, which is an identifier that identifies a particular resource. The current version of NFS, version 4, which is specified in RFC 3010, supports additional functionality over version 3, such as enhancements to security and to the performance of stateful operations.
It is desirable to access as many kinds of data as possible from a single storage mechanism. For example, minimizing of the number of different types of storage mechanisms that are used to store and access data tends to reduce the amount of resources required to maintain the storage mechanisms. Also, accessing as many kinds of data as possible from a central location, such as a database, promotes ease of use and security, as data need not be accessed from a plurality of mechanisms that each enforce different security policies. Consequently, performing file operations upon as many files as possible through a database management system is desirable.
Approaches for accessing data items using the NFS protocol in a database management system are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/014,354. According to these approaches, files may be stored in a repository maintained by a database server. Clients may perform file operations on files, stored in a repository implemented by a database, by communicating with a database server using the NFS protocol.
It is desirable to provide an access mechanism capable of responding to a request for the performance of a file operation, issued by a client, in a manner that is both scalable and highly available to a large number of clients.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Supporting replication among a plurality of file operation servers


A receiver for CDMA signals, in which data intended for transmission to multiple intended receivers is spread by respective orthogonal spreading codes and scrambled by an aperiodic random scrambling code, includes a processing branch for each of a number of base stations from which the receiver may pick up CDMA signals. Each processing branch performs both channel equalisation based on a set of weights for that branch, and a decoding operation. The outputs of the branches are combined to produce a combined signal which is used both for determining the data intended for the receiver, and in a feedback loop to improve the sets of weights. The receiver is reliable even in the presence of mutipath fading and during soft handover.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to code-division-multiple-access (CDMA) wireless communication systems, in which multiple base stations each transmit a respective CDMA signal. In particular, the present invention relates to a methods and receivers for recovering data from the CDMA signals transmitted by the multiple base stations.
(2) Description of the Related Art
CDMA is a crucial technology for third-generation (3G) wireless communication systems. A known CDMA system, which is illustrated in FIG. 1, includes base stations 1, 2 each defining a "cell", that is an area surrounding the base station in which transmissions from the base station may be received. Users are provided with mobile communications devices 3, 4 (e.g. mobile phones), which communicate with the base station associated with the cell in which they are located, and in particular receive from that base station a "forward link" wireless CDMA signal.
FIG. 2 shows communication from base station 1 transmitting a CDMA signal to a certain mobile device 3. Labelling the K mobile devices 3 in the cell of base station 1 by integer index k=1, . . . K, the CDMA signal is generated using a spread code for each user, denoted by Ck1, and a scrambling code for base station 1, denoted spm1. Each Ck1 signal varies at time increments called "chips" and has a period N chips (a "symbol"), and the spreading codes are orthogonal in the sense that the sum over the chips of one symbol of the product of the spreading signals for two different receivers is zero.
A conventional receiver provided in device 3 can receive data intended for that device 3 very well over ideal channels for which all signals generated by users are orthogonal to each other. However, as shown schematically in FIG. 2, in a real environment the signal from base station 1 received by the receiver of a mobile device 3 is distorted seriously.
In other known systems, a RAKE receiver is used to handle the multipath problem [1,2]. The RAKE receiver combines several path components for one user to increase the signal to noise ratio (SNR). Its performance is optimal when there is a single-user. However, when the received signals include signals from other users, inter-path interference will destroy the orthogonality between users, and cause multiple-access interference (MAI). Moreover, if a receiver is near the edge of a cell in the cellular CDMA systems, its signal is subject to interference not only from intra-cell MAI, but also from MAI due to other cells. The MAI will degrade the performance of the receiver seriously.
Some MAI suppression methods have been published in the literature [3,4,5,6]. These methods are complex, or cannot handle a long scrambling code. Hence, they are not suitable for use in a CDMA forward link of a mobile phone system.
Since the signals of users in the forward link of a cell pass through the same channel before they reach the receiver, it is possible for us to adopt channel equalisation to recover the orthogonality between signals so as to suppress MAI and improve the performance of the receiver. In recent papers [7,8,9,10,11], methods for MAI suppression in a CDMA forward link using channel equalisation have been presented. They can handle an aperiodic scrambling code, and the complexity is low. However, these methods consider only single cell multipath channel equalization, and hence cannot suppress MAI due to other cells. Their performance will degrade when a mobile device is near the edge of one cell and subject to MAI from one or more other cells simultaneously. Besides, all of the methods in [7,8,9,10,11] adopt three independent steps to complete the total function, namely channel equalization, descrambling/despreading and decision. Since the adaptive loop includes only a channel equalizer, a channel estimation process must be completed before the channel equalization. In addition, many existing channel estimation approaches require a knowledge the order of the multipath channel, which is unknown in a real environment, and can be only estimated approximately. The estimation errors in channel order and weights will be brought into the equalizer and influence the performance of the equalizer. Furthermore, as the channel parameters change, these methods need to adjust the channel estimation and channel equalization repeatedly to match these changes. Such approaches waste time and lack robustness.

Multiple-user CDMA wireless communication system


A downhole tool for formation logging includes a tool body configured to move in a borehole; and at least one sensor module mounted in at least one mounting location on the tool body, wherein the at least one sensor module is interchangeable with other sensor modules that make different measurements. A downhole tool may further comprise a measurement system disposed in the tool body, wherein the measurement system is operatively coupled to the at least one sensor module.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to downhole tools for well logging. More particularly, the invention relates to improved designs of downhole tools to facilitate a logging system to adapt to different situations.
2. Background Art
Oil and gas industry uses various tools to probe the formation penetrated by a borehole in order to locate hydrocarbon reservoirs and to determine the types and quantities of the hydrocarbons. These tools may be used to probe the formations after the well is drilled, i.e., wireline tools. Alternatively, these tools may be included in a drilling system and make measurements while drilling, i.e., measurement-while-drilling (MWD) tools or logging-while-drilling (LWD) tools. In addition, measurements may also be made while the drill string is being tripped out of the well, i.e., logging-while-tripping (LWT) tools. The difference between the MWD and LWD tools is not germane to the present invention. Thus, in the following description, LWD will be used to generally include these two different types of operations.
FIG. 1 shows a general illustration of a drilling rig and an LWD tool in a borehole. The rotary drilling rig shown comprises a mast 1 rising above ground 2 and is fitted with a lifting gear 3. A drill string 4 formed of drill pipes screwed one to another is suspended from the lifting gear 3. The drill string 4 has at its lower end a drill bit 5 for the drilling well 6. Lifting gear 3 consists of crown block 7, the axis of which is fixed to the top of mast 1, vertically traveling block 8, to which is attached hook 9, cable 10 passing round blocks 7 and 8 and forming, from crown block 7, on one hand dead line 10a anchored to fixed point 11 and on the other active line 10b which winds round the drum of winch 12.
Drill string 4 is suspended from hook 9 by means of swivel 13, which is linked by hose 14 to mud pump 15. Pump 15 permits the injection of drilling mud into well 6, via the hollow pipes of drill string 4. The drilling mud may be drawn from mud pit 16, which may be fed with surplus mud from well 6. The drill string 4 may be elevated by turning lifting gear 3 with winch 12. Drill pipe raising and lowering operations require drill string 4 to be temporarily unhooked from lifting gear 3; the former is then supported by blocking it with wedges 17 in conical recess 18 in rotating table 19 that is mounted on platform 20, through which the drill string passes. The lower portion of the drill string 4 may include one or more tools, as shown at 30, for investigating downhole drilling conditions or for investigating the properties of the geological formations. Tools 30 shown may be any type of tools known in the art.
Variations in height h of traveling block 8 during drill string raising operations are measured by means of sensor 23 which may be an angle of rotation sensor coupled to the faster pulley of crown block 7. Weight F applied to hook 9 of traveling block 8 may also be measured by means of strain gauge 24 inserted into dead line 10a of cable 10 to measure its tension. Sensors 23 and 24 are connected by lines 25 and 26 to processing unit 27 which processes the measurement signals. Recorder 28 is connected to processing unit 27, which is preferably a computer.
Different tools (shown as 30 in FIG. 1) used in formation logging are often based on different sensor technologies for probing different formation properties. For example, resistivity tools may be used to measure formation conductivity or its inverse, resistivity. Such tools include, for example, Formation MicroScanner/MicroImager sold under the trade name of FMS/MI™ and Oil-Based Mud Imager sold under the trade name of OBMI™ from Schlumberger Technology Corp. (Houston, Tex.). FMS/MI™ is a wireline tool for use in water based mud (WBM), while OBMI™ is a wireline tool for use in an oil-based mud (OBM). For description of a tool like OBMI™, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,588 B1 issued to Chen and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Other types of resistivity tools may include Resistivity-at-bit (RAB™ from Schlumberger Technology Corp.) and GeoVision Resistivity (GVR™ from Schlumberger Technology Corp.). These tools (RAB™ and GVR™) are LWD tools for use in a water-based mud (WBM); they use current injection to probe the resistivity of formations. For description of the working principles of the RAB™ and GVR™ tools, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,285 issued to Clark et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
In addition to resistivity, other formation properties commonly logged for oil and gas exploration include formation density, formation porosity, formation sedimentation structures, etc. These other formation properties may be logged with ultrasonic energy, gamma radiation, neutron radiation, or nuclear magnetic resonance, to name a few. Ultrasonic Borehole Imager (UBI™ from Schlumberger Technology Corp.) is a wireline tool that uses ultrasonic echo pulses for the measurements. Azimuthal density neutron tool (ADN™ from Schlumberger Technology Corp.) and vision density neutron tool (VDN™ from Schlumberger Technology Corp.) are LWD tools that use neutron radiation to probe formation density.
Complexity of formation logging arises not only from diverse tools based on different working principles, but also from different requirements that may depend on, for example, geology, drilling practices, and client priorities. Furthermore, the different requirements may also be dictated by different muds, different formation properties of interest, different ranges of values of the formation properties, and different requirements for accuracy and resolution.
To minimize the time and cost of a logging operation, an assortment of tools, if they are compatible, may be attached to a single logging system. Otherwise, a logging operation may require multiple runs. In order to increase the efficiency and to reduce the cost of a logging operation, it is desirable that various tools, sensors, and their components be readily interchangeable and similar components can be readily shared with different tools.


The arrangement for charging an accumulator of a transporting device having its own electric drive at an external charging station having a machining station includes an external control unit for controlling the machining station and the charging, a charge regulating device located in the transporting device and containing a processor with a storage unit, a device for determining an actual charge in the accumulator, and a charging current changing device connected to the processor. The processor is structured to compare the actual charge with at least one charge reference value stored in the storage unit and to act on the charging current changing device so that it changes the charging current so that the accumulator receives at least one of the at least one charge reference values stored in the storage unit; and a signal processing arrangement located in the external charging station and having a device for detecting an action of the charging current changing device on the charging and a device for sending a status signal to the external control unit for each of the at least one charge reference values. In a preferred embodiment two charge reference values are provided, a minimum charge for moving the transporting device to the next charging station and a maximum allowed charge.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for charging an accumulator of a transporting device More particularly, it relates to such an arrangement in which the transporting device is moved from one station to the other in a controlled manner and the power coupling to an external charging station is provided for the accumulator. The invention further relates to a method in which the transporting device is moved from one station to the other in a controlled manner, and the accumulator is charged via a power coupling by an external charging station.
A transfer line is known, according to EP-A 285 527, in which workpiece transport cars move from one machining station to the other on a guide path. The machining stations comprise a stopping device in each instance for stopping the workpiece transport car. The workpiece transport car is moved by means of an electric motor which draws its power from an accumulator carried along in the workpiece transport car. When the workpiece transport car is stopped in the machining station, charging contacts which are arranged at the underside of the workpiece transport car and electrically connected with the accumulator are connected with corresponding charging contacts of the charging station arranged in the machining station. The recharging of the accumulator is then effected during the machining in the machining station. No special means are indicated in the aforementioned prior publication for recharging the accumulator as a function of capacity.
It has turned out that a problem in transfer lines supplied by an accumulator consists in that the machining times in the machining stations are not always sufficient for achieving the required charging. For this reason, the dwell time of the workpiece transport car in the machining stations is often determined by the charging time required for achieving the necessary charge of the accumulator. The charging time accordingly unnecessarily prolongs the machining passage of the workpiece transport cars.
In connection with other areas of application, a plurality of arrangements and methods for implementing a recharging of accumulators as a function of the charge state are already known. In all of the known arrangements and methods of this kind the fully charged state of the accumulator is provided as a limiting value for the charging process under the criteria of a rapid charging and prevention of an overcharging of the accumulator.
These arrangements and methods for charging accumulators can accordingly not be applied to the aforementioned problems in accumulators in self-propelled workpiece transport cars in transfer lines.

Arrangement and method for charging an accumulator of a transporting device comprising an individual electric drive


In at least some implementations, a gear shift actuator assembly to cause gear changes in a vehicle transmission includes a drivetrain having a plurality of gears, a body that defines an output of the assembly, and a rotation sensor element coupled to the body. The body is driven by the drivetrain for rotation about an axis. The output has a coupling feature adapted to be connected to a transmission shift mechanism so that rotation of the output causes a transmission gear shift, and the coupling feature is located at an axial end of the body. The rotation sensor element is coupled to the body for rotation with the body, and the rotation sensor element is coupled to the body axially spaced from the coupling feature. In at least some implementations, the rotation sensor element includes a magnet.

In some vehicles, a gear shift lever in a passenger compartment of the vehicle can be moved by an operator of the vehicle to shift the vehicle transmission between its park gear and other gears, such as reverse, neutral and forward drive gears. The shift lever is mechanically coupled to the transmission through a cable that transmits the shift lever movement to a transmission shift mechanism. Other vehicles use a so-called "shift-by-wire" system wherein an operator shift lever or shift control unit is not physically coupled to the transmission shift mechanism by a cable. Instead, the shift control unit is electrically coupled to a shift actuator that is arranged to shift the transmission upon receipt of a signal from the shift control unit that a transmission gear shift is desired by the operator. If electrical power is lost to the vehicle, or to the electrical circuit of the vehicle from which electricity is supplied to the shift-by-wire system, then the ability of the operator to control shifting of the transmission via the shift control unit is also lost.
Further, the space in which the shift control unit is located is often adjacent to the transmission and in a confined space such that larger units cannot be located where desired and links, cables or other connecting members are needed between the shift control unit and the transmission shift lever.

Actuator assembly for a transmission shifter


A method and apparatus for reproducing a first part of music data having a plurality of repeated parts includes a method and an apparatus allowing a user to listen to more songs including the repeated parts by searching for a boundary between the first and second parts of the music data having the repeated parts via simple frequency analysis, marking information indicating the found boundary, and reproducing the music data until a part indicated by the marked information is reached. Accordingly, music reproduction satisfaction increases since an inconvenience of manipulating the apparatus for each song is lessened and more songs having different patterns are played.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reproducing music data having a plurality of repeated parts, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for reproducing only a portion of music data, such as, a first part of the music data having a plurality of repeated parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Almost all music or song has similar repeated parts or patterns. For example, music or song with lyrics includes a plurality of verses, but in most cases, only the lyrics are different while notes are the same. Many people listen to a plurality of such songs by using an MP3 player or a CD player in their free time. Of such people, some tend not to listen to a song until it ends, but only listen to a portion of the song, such as, a first part of repeated parts, and then proceed to listen to a next song. Specifically, when a song has the same repeated patterns, they often wish to listen to the pattern only once and then listen to a song with a different pattern. In this manner, more songs can be played in a given period since each song is played within a short time period when compared to a case when each song is played until the end. Accordingly, listener satisfaction increases.
However in a typical apparatus for reproducing music, a technology for automatically skipping a song that includes the repeated parts once the first part of the repeated parts is reproduced does not exist. Accordingly, a user has to manipulate the apparatus in order to skip to a next song, which is inconvenient.

Method and apparatus for reproducing first part of music data having plurality of repeated parts


Consecutive frames of image data are processed for display by, for example, a liquid crystal display. The image data are compressed, delayed, and decompressed to generate primary reconstructed data representing the preceding frame, and the amount of change from the preceding frame to the current frame is determined. Secondary reconstructed data are generated from the current frame image data according to the amount of change. Compensated image data are generated from the current frame image data and the primary and secondary reconstructed data; in this process, either the primary or the secondary reconstructed data may be selected according to the amount of change, or the primary and secondary reconstructed data may be combined according to the amount of change. The amount of memory needed to delay the image data can thereby be reduced without introducing compression artifacts when the amount of change is small.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in the driving of a liquid crystal display device, to a processing method and a processing circuit for compensating image data in order to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal; more particularly, the invention relates to a processing method and a processing circuit for compensating the voltage level of a signal for displaying an image in accordance with the response speed characteristic of the liquid crystal display device and the amount of change in the image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal panels are thin and lightweight, and their molecular orientation can be altered, thus changing their optical transmittance to enable gray-scale display of images, by the application of a driving voltage, so they are extensively used in television receivers, computer monitors, display units for portable information terminals, and so on. However, the liquid crystals used in liquid crystal panels have the disadvantage of being unable to handle rapidly changing images, because the transmittance varies according to a cumulative response effect. One known solution to this problem is to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal by applying a driving voltage higher than the normal liquid crystal driving voltage when the gray level of the image data changes.
For example, a video signal input to a liquid crystal display device may be sampled by an analog-to-digital converter, using a clock having a certain frequency, and converted to image data in a digital format, the image data being input to a comparator as image data of the current frame, and also being delayed in an image memory by an interval corresponding to one frame, then input to the comparator as image data of the previous frame. The comparator compares the image data of the current frame with the image data of the previous frame, and outputs a brightness change signal representing the difference in brightness between the image data of the two frames, together with the image data of the current frame, to a driving circuit. If the brightness value of a pixel has increased in the brightness change signal, the driving circuit drives the picture element on the liquid crystal panel by supplying a driving voltage higher than the normal liquid crystal driving voltage; if the brightness value has decreased, the driving circuit supplies a driving voltage lower than the normal liquid crystal driving voltage. When there is a change in brightness between the image data of the current frame and the image data of the previous frame, the response speed of the liquid crystal display element can be improved by varying the liquid crystal driving voltage by more than the normal amount in this way (see, for example, document 1 below).
Because the improvement of liquid crystal response speed described above involves delaying the image data in order to detect brightness changes by comparing the image data of the current frame with the image data of the previous frame, the image memory needs to be large enough to store one frame of image data. The number of pixels displayed on liquid crystal panels is increasing, due especially to increased screen size and higher definition in recent years, and the amount of image data per frame is increasing accordingly, so a need has arisen to increase the size of the image memory used for the delay; this increase in the size of the image memory raises the cost of the display device.
One known method of restraining the increase in the size of the image memory is to reduce the image memory size by allocating one address in the image memory to a plurality of pixels. For example, the size of the image memory can be reduced by decimating the image data, excluding every other pixel horizontally and vertically, so that one address in the image memory is allocated to four pixels; when pixel data are read from the image memory, the same image data as for the stored pixel are read repeatedly for the data of the excluded pixels, (see, for example, document 2 below).
Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2616652 (pages 3-5, FIG. 1)
Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 3041951 (pages 2-4, FIG. 2)
A problem is that when the image data stored in the frame memory are reduced by a simple rule such as removing every other pixel vertically and horizontally, as in document 2 above, amounts of temporal change in the image data reconstructed by replacing the eliminated pixel data with adjacent pixel data may not be calculated correctly, in which case, since the amount of change used in compensation of the image data is erroneous, the compensation of the image data is not performed correctly, and the effectiveness with which the response speed of the liquid crystal display device is improved is reduced.
The present invention addresses this problem, with the object of enabling amounts of change in the image data to be detected accurately while requiring only a small amount of image memory to delay the image data, thereby enabling image data compensation to be performed accurately.

Image data processing method, and image data processing circuit


Computer modeling of charge transfers, i.e, chemical reactions is accomplished by modeling the reaction of electron donor and acceptor moieties of reactive chemicals one reaction step at a time. In the modeling process the moiety (donor/accepter atoms) position and their desired quantum values per reactant moiety are input into the computer using literature or other predetermined data. The spherical coordinate of the moieties are calculated from time zero to reaction completion constrained by the formula EQU G=.lambda./4[1+ G(0)/.lambda.] (2). Where the parameters are defined above.. The spatial position of the initial product and any additional reactant, e.g., in polymeric, etc., reactions is similarly calculated until the reaction is terminated.

There typically are several methods for developing biological reaction systems for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A large industry has developed which is involved in the isolation, identification, purification development and production of naturally occurring compounds.
For many years efforts have been directed to the development of therapeutic or diagnostic reagents which are based purely on trial and error experimentation. On the other end of the research spectrum from this approach is to model or "design" therapeutic or diagnostic agents. This is possible due to the abundance of biological information that is now available on the molecular level. Since the advent of AIDS the search for better approaches has increased.
A series of U.S. patents have been issued that describe a modeling method for utilization in bimolecular reaction. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,666 of Hardman, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,946,778; 4,908,773; 4,881,175; 4,8532,871; and 4,704,692. The '666 patent of Hardman describes what is known as the CHARMM model.
The differences between the present invention and CHARMM rest on how the dynamics of molecules are generated. CHARMM and analogous systems, apply Langevin Dynamis and Stochastic Boundary Dynamis or similar methods to predict the motions of molecules. These principles, and the equation used to simulate these principles, apparently assume the environment of a molecule randomly haphazardly disturbs that molecule.
In the present invention the premise for biological systems is that the environment of a molecule precisely and very specifically may interact with the given molecule. The bit transfer mapping scheme is based on empirical experimental data to characterize the motions of molecule. The specific set of biochemical events are identified and it is assumed that the relevant stable elementary particle that transfers during a given chemical reaction, such as the redox event, induces the dynamic of a molecules reaction.


A tool cabinet drawer and latching mechanism for operating a drawer of a cabinet. The latch pivots within a channel disposed in a handle assembly, which itself pivotally mounts to supports, which are themselves mounted to the drawer. The latch engages with a catch in the cabinet itself to secure the drawer. In some embodiments the latch incorporates a tapered leading edge to allow the catch edges to exert downward force on the latch, which is free to move to an unlatched position, and thereby will automatically latch upon normal closing of the drawer.

Existing drawers, particularly those used in tool cabinets, commonly employ latching mechanisms. Although some latching mechanisms are designed to protect against theft, most are designed simply to prevent inadvertent opening of the drawers, especially while relocating the cabinet. Typical latching mechanisms include small components unsuitable for use with gloved hands, require the use of two hands, or are overly complicated and prone to breakage.
What is needed, therefore, is a simple and durable drawer and latch mechanism that can be easily operated by a single gloved hand.

Tool cabinet drawer and latching mechanism


A stacked chip semiconductor device whose size is substantially reduced by high density packaging of two or more semiconductor chips. In the semiconductor device, four semiconductor chips are stacked over a printed wiring board. The bottom semiconductor chip has an interface circuit which includes a buffer and an electrostatic discharge protection circuit. All signals that these semiconductor chips receive and send are inputted or outputted through the interface circuit of the bottom semiconductor chip. Since the other semiconductor chips require no interface circuit, the semiconductor device is compact.

The present invention relates to technology for miniaturization of semiconductor integrated circuit devices and more particularly to technology, which is effective for stacked chip semiconductor devices in which two or more semiconductor chips are stacked.
With the recent trend toward smaller and higher-performance electronic systems, demand for smaller and higher-density semiconductor integrated circuit devices is growing. One widely-known technique for increasing the density of a package almost equal in size to a semiconductor chip is a semiconductor device with two or more semiconductor chips stacked which is called a stacked CSP (Chip Size Package).
In this stacked chip semiconductor device, two or more semiconductor chips are stacked in the center of a printed wiring board and a lower semiconductor chip is larger than or equal to an upper one.
When a lower semiconductor chip and an upper one are bonded, an adhesive agent in the form of paste or film is coated over the surface of the lower one, over which the upper one is laid.
Bonding pads are made around peripheral areas of the upper and lower semiconductor chips and electrodes made on the printed wiring board are connected with the bonding pads through bonding wires.
In a stacked CSP memory module in which semiconductor chips including semiconductor memories such as flash memories, DRAMs and SRAMs are stacked, external connection terminals such as address terminals and data input/output terminals (I/O terminals) are shared in order to decrease the number of external connection terminals.
One example of technology for miniaturization of stacked chip semiconductor devices is that a package includes an ESD protection circuit and other buffer circuits such as decoupling capacitors, drivers and receivers which are provided on support chips other than a core integrated circuit chip (for example, see Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10 (1998)-41458).