Disclosed is a tire surface inspecting technique capable of surely discriminating rubber pieces of a quality different from that of a tire embedded in the surface of the tire by vulcanization from the tire. A first illuminating unit 11 include paired first light projectors 11a and 11b that project light respectively from opposite sides toward an objective line L on a tire T. A second illuminating unit 12 include paired second light projectors 12a and 12b that project light respectively from opposite sides toward the objective line L in a direction different from that in which the first illuminating unit 11 project light. The first illuminating unit 11 and the second illuminating unit 12 operate alternately for illumination. The line camera 3 forms an image of a part of the surface of the tire corresponding to the objective line L in synchronism with the respective illuminating operations of the first and second illuminating unit. Illumination and image formation are repeated for different parts of the surface of the tire that are moved successively to a position corresponding to the objective line L. Images formed by the line camera are analyzed for the inspection of the surface of the tire T.

Tires are inspected for roundness, surface unevenness, discoloration, dirty marks, flaws and the like to determine whether the tires are acceptable or not. A known tire surface inspection system is disclosed in Patent document 1.
Patent Document 1: JP 2001-249012 A
The tire surface inspection system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a linear light-projector having a plurality of LEDs arranged in a line, a line camera capable of forming images of imaging lines illuminated by light projected by the linear light-projector, an area light projector which is a laser light projector, and an area camera capable of forming images of imaging lines illuminated by light projected by the area light projector. The line camera provides appearance data for finding discolored parts and dirty marks. The area camera provides shape data indicating roundness, surface unevenness or flaws.

Method and system for inspecting tire surface


An illumination switch device includes a push button, a plurality of indicator lenses, a holder, a detector, a plurality of light emitters, and a base. The push button has an internal space and an opening. Each indicator lens has a columnar shape. The indicator lenses are juxtaposed in the internal space of the push button. The holder holds the push button such that the push button is movable in a longitudinal direction of each indicator lens. The detector detects a displacement of the push button in the longitudinal direction. The light emitters are respectively disposed opposite one ends of the indicator lenses in the longitudinal direction. The base is made of an opaque resin, and covers side faces of the indicator lenses while being in tight contact with the side faces. The base is integrated with the indicator lenses.

An indicator-equipped, lighted push button switch disclosed in, for example, PTL 1 has been known as a conventional illumination switch device. In this push button switch, an operating knob is accommodated in an opening of a housing. A slider and a partition plate are joined to the operating knob. An indicator lens is disposed in the operating knob to guide light to a lighted indicator part. The indicator lens has a distal end inserted into a hole of the operating knob. The indicator lens also has a proximal end inserted between the slider and the partition plate. A light emitting diode is disposed opposite a rear end face of the indicator lens at a position between the slider and the partition plate. A light blocking wall is also disposed. The slider and the partition plate are interposed between the light blocking wall and a peripheral face of a holder holding the light emitting diode.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A multiple processing system, comprises at least a pair of processor units communicatively connected to a number of peripheral devices through a network that includes routing devices interconnected to route information in the form of message packets sent between the processor units and peripheral devices. Data describing the topographical interconnections of the system elements is maintained with the system. A service processor accesses the data, determines therefrom the topographical interconnections forming the network, assigns addresses/identifications to the system elements, and configures the router devices to establish the most direct routes between system elements for message packets sent on the network.

The present invention relates generally to data processing systems, and particularly to a method, and apparatus for implementing that method, of determining the network configuration of a processing system of the type comprising a number of processing elements communicatively interconnected by a network.
System elements, including one or more processor units, of processing systems often communicate to transfer data and other information by some form of shared medium (e.g., bus). Addresses, or some other means of identification (e.g., dedicated signal lines, etc.) that identify the source and destination of such transfers are provided by variety of techniques such as hard wiring, user manipulated switches, or identification words that are loaded at initialization time when the system is brought on line. Such shared medium topologies usually did not require any type of special configuration process.
Larger processing systems may communicatively interconnect system elements by a local area network (LAN), System Area Network (SAN), or even wide area networks (WANs). These types of communication mediums (hereinafter, generally "interconnective networks") often do need some form of configuration process in order to (1) ensure that information transfers are received by the appropriate destinations, and (2) that the transfer takes, if not the shortest route, then the most expeditious route possible. Such processing systems often employ some form of intermediate device to deliver information from one system element to another. For example, LANs and WANs use routers, bridges, hubs, and like devices to route information--usually in the form of multi-bit packets containing data identifying the destination and usually the source of the packet. Configuration in this context, then, refers to expeditious routing of a packet, based upon the destination identified in the packet, through the intermediate devices; it also refers to appropriate connections (cabling), assignment of identification or addresses to those system elements that send and/or receive information via the interconnecting network, and programming of the intermediate devices.
The topology of such interconnective networks, and its configuration, often is a manual function and, therefore, labor intensive. The topology is determined by the physical connections (cabling) of the individual pieces of the LAN or WAN during assembly. Configuring the LAN/WAN is usually done through network management techniques, utilizing a workstation that operates as a network manager to access certain of the network media devices (routers, bridges, switches, hubs, and the like) to program them to transfer received information onto a path that will reach the destination of that information.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,849, entitled "Synchronized Data Transmission Between Elements of a Processing System," is a multiple processing system in which the multiple processors communicate with one another and a variety of peripheral devices through a system area network (SAN) comprising a number of multi-ported router devices. The system, as disclosed, is designed to include a very large number of system elements with multiple levels of routing. The router devices are constructed to include programmable routing tables that contain routing information used to route information transfers (in the form of message packets containing the identifications of the source and destination of the information) between system elements (e.g., a processor and a peripheral device, or between two processors). In such a system, information sent by one system element for receipt by another can take a number of different routes to reach its destination, and the larger the system, the larger the number of routes. While smaller systems may take little effort to configure (e.g., assign addresses, establish routes by writing the appropriate information to the routing tables of the router devices), larger systems become much more difficult, and even larger systems may tend to pose a difficult task.
Accordingly, there is a need for a technique to configure a system area network of a processing system of this type.

Method and apparatus for configuring routing paths of a network communicatively interconnecting a number of processing elements


A variable tie-rod assembly for a steering wheel structure of a row crop applicator. The tie-rod assembly can be adjusted and secured in any position between a minimum and maximum track setting. Thus, a selectively variable track width is provided. Toe-in settings are maintained by implementing a dual-cam arrangement with a locking pin to maintain the steering structure in a forward direction during track width adjustment procedures. The track width setting can be adjusted without the operator ever having to leave the cab of the row crop applicator, wherein the track width can be visually ascertained by observing indicia on the telescoping wheel structure.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to farming row crop applicators having adjustable track widths, and more specifically to row crop applicators having adjustable length tie-rods adapted to the steerable axle.
II. Background of the Invention
Row crop applicators are widely used in the farming industry for applying fertilizer about a field to maximize crop yield. Since different crops are planted in rows having pre-selected row widths, depending on the crop to be grown, the row crop applicator machinery needs to have adjustable track widths such that the tires of the applicator can be driven in the rows defined between the rows of crop. Typical row crop applicators have a track width adjustable between 120 and 152 inches.
Four wheeled row crop applicators have an axle assembly including a tie-rod extending between a pair of steering structures for maintaining a pre-selected toe-in setting. Consequently, when the track width of the steering assembly is adjusted in the longitudinal direction, the length of the tie-rod needs to be adjusted in the longitudinal direction in step therewith. Prior art steering axle assemblies are typically adjusted hydraulically. However, presently available tie-rods typically comprise of a rod telescopingly received within a tubular member, wherein a set pin can be selectively removed therefrom such that the inner rod member can telescope within the tubular member when the track width is adjusted. One or more set pins are then subsequently reinserted through a pair of holes defined in both the tubular member and the telescoping rod to secure the inner rod to the tubular member. These holes are typically defined in 4 inch increments, wherein the operator has to manually insert and remove the pins during the track width adjustment procedure.
One major problem with prior art equipment is that the toe-in setting defined by the wheel assemblies needs to be re-set whenever the track width is established in between a minimum and maximum setting. Further, since the holes in the tie-rod assembly are defined every 4 inches, the operator needs to repeatedly fine tune the track width adjustment until the holes of the inner rod and the outer tubular member are perfectly aligned so that the set pin can be disposed therein. These processes are time consuming, tedious, and potentially dangerous as the operator needs to be positioned beneath the front of the tractor chassis. Further, the track width of the row crop applicator can only be adjusted in 4 inch increments, and is not selectively adjustable to any position between an inner and outer setting. Some crops are planted in rows as narrow as 24 inches, and since the track widths of tractor wheels can sometimes extend up to 12 inches, a 4 inch track width adjustment increment does not provide adequate fine tuning of a desirable track width.
Typically, independent contractors are hired by the farmer to treat a field. The track width of the contractor's row crop applicator is usually not initially appropriate for the intended field to be treated with fertilizer when the contractor arrives to the field. Thus, the independent contractor finds their self requiring to adjust the track width, and resetting the toe-in. Treating several different fields in a day may require setting several different track widths, which is time consuming and inefficient. When the independent contractor is under severe time limitations to treat many fields with fertilizer in a very narrow time window, which can be dictated by the weather or other uncontrollable circumstances, valuable time is lost during the repeated track width adjustments. Thus, the independent contractor stands to benefit from the present invention. However, even the farm owner can benefit from an improved adjustable tie-rod arrangement since the typical farmer plants more than one type of crop, each having different row widths. Hence, having a row crop applicator with a precision adjustable track width would benefit the average farmer as well.

Hydraulically adjustable tie-rod for an agricultural vehicle with an adjustable axle


The present invention is directed to a portable device for making coffee. The portable device includes a vessel for holding a mixture of solid particles and liquid. The vessel has a bottom end and a side wall extending from the bottom end. The side wall terminates and defines a top opening for receiving the solid particles and liquid. The device includes a plunger assembly that has a filter unit and a rod extending from the unit. The filter unit has a hub for receiving the rod and a plurality of spokes extending substantially normal to the rod and radially from the hub to a peripheral base member. A filter extends between the hub and the peripheral base member. The peripheral base member has a plurality of fingers extending from the perimeter of the peripheral base member. The fingers each have a first phalange and a second phalange. The first phalange extends upwardly and outwardly from the peripheral base member and joins the second phalange at an angular intersection. The second phalange extends from the angular intersection upwardly and inwardly. The angular intersection sufficiently contacts the side wall of the vessel to form intimate contact between the vessel and filter unit.

It is generally recognized that freshly brewed coffee is superior in flavor to the various instant coffees currently available in the market. Instant coffees are popular in spite of their flavor because of their convenience. A cup of hot instant coffee is prepared by dissolving a measure of instant coffee material into a cup of hot water and stirring. On the other hand, freshly brewed coffee typically requires an apparatus for running hot water through ground coffee while keeping the grounds from entering the final product. However, a problem with a number of the apparatuses is that they are often large, heavy and not sufficiently durable to be used under many conditions. For example, a backpacker in the mountains could carry a coffee pot. However, such pots are often heavy and take a large amount of time and effort to use. A filter cone can be inconvenient for the user by requiring one to carry filter papers in addition to the ground coffee and filter cone.
Therefore, there is a need for a light weight, easy to use device for making coffee that reduces or eliminates some of the problems discussed above.


Provided are techniques for introducing a delay in responding to host write requests. A percentage of fullness of a write cache is determined. Based on the determined percentage of fullness of the write cache (f), a low cache threshold (L), alpha (α), and k, an amount of delay to introduce into responding to a host write request is determined. Techniques wait the amount of the delay before responding to the host write request although the host write request processing has completed.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to a proactive technique for reducing occurrence of long write service time for a storage device with a write cache.
2. Description of the Related Art
A host (also known as a "host computer") includes applications that may issue write requests (also known as a type of Input/Output (I/O) commands) to a disk storage system. The disk storage system includes write cache and disk storage (also known as backend disk storage) and is capable of writing data to the disk storage in response to the write requests.
Caching may be described as storing data in a write cache before writing the data to the disk storage. Caching is a common way to achieve electronic speed performance for writes to a disk storage system. The disk storage system with write cache stores data associated with the write requests in the write cache first and later writes the data to the disk storage (typically a slower medium) asynchronously.
This setup works well to improve performance as write caches are substantially faster than other storage devices (such as disk storage). However, since the capacity of the write cache is orders of magnitude smaller than the total capacity of the disk storage, destaging (moving data from the write cache to the disk storage) is important in managing the disk storage system.
Write caching avoids some disk operations altogether by eliminating re-writes and gathering together adjacent blocks of data so that they may be destaged in fewer physical operations. For write caching to be effective, data should be destaged quickly enough so that the write cache does not become full. If the write cache becomes full, it is necessary to hold off write requests from the applications at the host until space in the write cache is made available by completing some amount of destaging of data from the write cache to the disk storage. Delays of this nature may take a long time to resolve (e.g., 100 milliseconds (ms) or longer, which is several orders of magnitude higher than the electronic speeds on the order of one ms that writes normally take). Thus, there may be a long delay on a few write requests, while the other write requests are fast.
Existing techniques employ a simple threshold mechanism with one or more thresholds to prevent the write cache from becoming full. With such a threshold mechanism, once the write cache reaches a certain threshold, the disk storage system destages data from the write cache to the disk storage as quickly as possible. Thus, these thresholds trigger faster and faster destaging activity.
While these thresholds work well in some cases, there are occasions when a burst of host writing activity can quickly fill up the write cache to near its maximum capacity. When this happens, host write requests are held off entirely (i.e., not processed by the disk storage system until enough destaging activity can take place in order to make room for new data to be written to the write cache). Holding off the write requests results in a sudden drop in performance, as host write requests experience long delays.
Many applications are not tolerant of long duration write requests and may time-out.
Thus, with conventional write cache techniques, when there is enough space available in the write cache, the host write requests are serviced quickly (e.g., within a few milliseconds). When the write cache is full, the host write requests are "on hold" for a period of time, until there is enough space available in the write cache to write the data from the host application). When there are bursts of host write requests, the host may experience long write request response times, which may result in applications at the host timing out (i.e., the write requests are failed). Bursts of host requests may be described a large number of write requests issued close together.
Thus, there is a need in the art for avoiding long delays on write requests.

Proactive technique for reducing occurrence of long write service time for a storage device with a write cache

International Business Machines Corporation


A paint spray gun has a spray cap that is disposed in front of a nozzle of a gun body, and that is formed with a central spray hole, a set of mist forming holes, a set of mist controlling holes, a pair of horn projections, and a pair of orifices. Each horn projection is formed with an air passageway, which terminates in first and second outlet openings that are oriented in different directions relative to the central spray hole. Pressurized air that flows through the nozzle exits the spray cap at the mist forming holes, the mist controlling holes, the orifices, and the first and second outlet openings in the horn projections. Paint material is drawn but of a paint canister and flows through a nozzle orifice in the nozzle and the central spray hole in the spray cap for atomization.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a paint spray gun, more particularly to a paint spray gun that can improve efficiency of a paint spraying operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional paint spray gun 1 is shown to include a gun body 11, an operating unit 12, and a spray cap 13.
The gun body 11 has a handle portion 111, a head portion 112 connected to the handle portion 111, and a nozzle 113 mounted on one end of the head portion 112. The nozzle 113 is formed with a nozzle orifice 114. The head portion 112 is formed with a material passageway 115 that is in fluid communication with the nozzle orifice 114 and that provides a path for flow of paint material from a paint canister (not shown) to the nozzle orifice 114. The nozzle 113 is further formed with a first air passageway 116 that is fluidly isolated from the nozzle orifice 114. The gun body 11 is further formed with a second air passageway 117 that extends from the handle portion 111 and along the head portion 112, that is in fluid communication with the first air passageway 116, and that provides a path for flow of pressurized air from a compressed air source (not shown) to the first air passageway 116.
The operating unit 12 is mounted on the gun body 11, and includes a material flow controlling valve 121 for controlling the flow of the paint material through the nozzle orifice 114, an air flow controlling valve 123 for controlling the flow of the pressurized air through the second air passageway 117, a trigger 122 coupled operably to and controlling opening and closing actions of the material flow controlling valve 121 and the air flow controlling valve 123, and an air flow regulator 124 for regulating air flow through the second air passageway 117.
The spray cap 13 includes a cap body 131. The cap body 131 is disposed in front of the nozzle 113, and is formed with a central spray hole 132, two pairs of mist forming holes 133, and a pair of horn projections 134. The central spray hole 132 has a hole axis (z) extending in a longitudinal direction, and is registered and in fluid communication with the nozzle orifice 114. The mist forming holes 133 in each pair are opposite to each other in a diametrical direction (r) relative to the hole axis (z), and are disposed on opposite sides of the central spray hole 132. The horn projections 134 extend from the cap body 131 in the longitudinal direction away from the nozzle 113, and are disposed adjacent to the mist forming holes 133. Each horn projection 134 is formed with a third air passageway 1340. The third air passageway 1340 terminates in an outlet opening 135 that is formed in a lateral side, which faces toward the central spray hole 132, of the corresponding horn projection 134. The mist forming holes 133 and the third air passageways 1340 are in fluid communication with the first air passageway 116. Since the mist forming holes 133 are formed in a convex wall part of the cap body 131, the mist forming holes 133 do not appear to be disposed on a straight line in FIG. 2, but are actually disposed on a curved line and are aligned in the diametrical direction (r).
In use, when the trigger 122 of the operating unit 12 is operated to open the air flow controlling valve 123, pressurized air from the compressed air source (not shown) flows through the second air passageway 117, the first air passageway 116, and exits through the mist forming holes 133 and the outlet openings 135, thus creating a negative air pressure around the central spray hole 132. Since operation of the trigger 122 also results in opening of the material flow controlling valve 121, the paint material is drawn out of the paint canister (not shown) via the material passageway 115, and exits through the central spray hole 132, where it will be atomized by the pressurized air stream that exits through the mist forming holes 133 and the outlet openings 135 such that the paint material can be sprayed on a target surface.
However, due to the high velocity of the pressurized air stream, a portion of the atomized paint material is likely to bounce off the target surface, thereby polluting the work environment and resulting in wasted paint material.
Referring to FIG. 3, based on actual tests using the conventional paint spray gun 1, when the air stream pressure at the vicinity of the central spray hole 132 ranges between 27 to 40 psi, only 35% to 40% of the atomized paint material adheres to the target surface to form an effective painted area (A). The remainder of the atomized paint material is either scattered to the ambient air, or spread on the target surface within a spread distance (D) from the effective painted area (A) to form an ineffective painted area (B).
Referring to FIG. 4, when the air stream pressure at the vicinity of the central spray hole 132 is reduced to below 10 psi, such as by operating the air flow regulator 124 or by using a high volume low pressure (HVLP) paint spray gun, up to 60% of the atomized paint material adheres to the target surface to form the effective painted area (A), and the amount of the atomized paint material that scatters to the ambient air or that forms the ineffective painted area (B) is accordingly reduced. However, due to the reduction in the air stream pressure, the atomizing efficiency is lowered such that the painted area has a coarse surface and lacks luster.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,657 discloses a spray gun air cap provided with a central orifice and a pair of cap orifices respectively disposed on opposite sides of the central orifice. The spray gun air cap further has a pair of lugs on opposite sides of the cap orifices. Each lug is provided with a conduit, a lug orifice for directing air into the stream of fluid emanating from the central orifice, and a set of orifices for spreading air fanwise parallel to the fluid stream to form an air envelope to minimize over-spray. However, since the lugs, the cap orifices and the central orifices are aligned along a first diametrical direction relative to the central orifice, control of over-spray along a second diametrical direction transverse to the first diametrical direction is poor.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,070,696 discloses a spray head formed with a central orifice, a pair of first orifices on opposite sides of and aligned with the central orifice in a first diametrical direction, and a pair of second orifices on opposite sides of and aligned with the central orifice in a second diametrical direction transverse to the first diametrical direction. However, air streams coming out of the first and second orifices are for atomizing a spray stream from the central orifice and do not form an air barrier that could minimize scattering of the spray stream and reduce over-spray.


A fountain solution is described which possesses utility for use in printing, and which, in particular, is operable to wet the non-printing areas of a printing plate. The fountain solution of the subject invention includes, a poly alkoxylated polyether; a compatible surfactant; a hydroxypropylene cellulose gum; a polymerized, ethylene wax; and a sufficient amount of water. The fountain solution is thereafter supplied to a conventional printing press and is utilized in a conventional manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fountain solution for use in offset printing, and more particularly, to a fountain solution which is utilized with various conventional dampening systems, and wherein the fountain solution, when properly employed, is operable to wet the non-print areas of a printing plate thereby facilitating the offset printing process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with examples of unpatented fountain solutions which are utilized in offset printing. As should be understood, the most popular of the four major printing processes, lithography, employs a process whereby the image, and non-printing areas of a printing plate are essentially on the same plane of a thin, metal plate. The distinction between the image and the non-printing areas is maintained chemically. In particular, there are two basic differences between offset lithography and other processes, they are, (1) it is based on the principle that grease and water do not mix, and (2) ink is offset first from the metal plate to a rubber blanket, and then from the blanket to the target substrate.
As will be appreciated, when a printing plate is manufactured for use in offset printing, the image area of the plate is rendered ink receptive, and water repellant, and the non-print or non-image areas are rendered water receptive, and ink repellant. On the printing press, the printing plate is mounted on the plate cylinder, which, as it rotates, comes into contact successively with rollers which have been rendered wet by a dampening, or fountain solution, and rollers which have been wet by an ink solution. The fountain, or dampening solution, wets the non-print areas of the plate and prevents the ink from wetting these areas. The ink solution, in contrast, wets the image areas, which is then transferred to the intermediate blanket cylinder. The paper or target substrate then picks up the image as it passes between the blanket cylinder and an adjacent impression cylinder which presses the paper or target substrate against the blanket cylinder.
A conventional dampening system which applies a fountain solution to the printing press normally transfers the dampening solution directly to the printing plate. For example, in the Dahlgren type of direct-feed dampening system, the fountain solution which contains up to 25% alcohol, is metered to the plate through the inking system, or can be applied, alternatively, directly to the plate as in other systems. In general, this type of dampening system uses less water and reduces paper waste at start-up of the press. In view of the cost of isopropyl alcohol, and the potential health hazards attendant its use, a number of new fountain solutions have been developed to reduce or replace alcohol in these types of dampening systems.
While the prior art dampening systems have operated with some degree of success, they have a multiplicity of drawbacks which have detracted from their usefulness. As noted above, various prior art dampening systems have utilized alcohol in combination with water in order to render the water operable to "wet out" the non-printing areas of a plate, thereby causing these areas of the plate to repel the oil-based ink. In view of the health hazards, and other deficiencies, noted above, in utilizing isopropyl alcohol, printers began using glycol ethers. In this regard, the glycol ether of choice was butyl cellosolve, that is, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether. However, and while this glycol ether worked with some degree of success, it was undesirable inasmuch as it was considered to be in a class with other chemicals which were considered to be carcinogenic.
In view of the health hazards, and the harmful environmental effects of employing chemicals which are considered VOC's, and which are now otherwise prohibited or regulated by various state and federal laws, such as California Proposition 65, those skilled in the art have looked for new fountain solutions which do not have the attendant detrimental characteristics of the prior art fountain solutions but which have approximately the same or superior performance parameters.
Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desireable to have an improved fountain solution which has particular utility when utilized to wet the non-print areas of a printing plate for purposes of repelling oil-based inks, and which further can be readily substituted for the prior art fountain solutions utilized heretofore, the fountain solution of the present invention avoiding the shortcomings of the prior art which includes numerous health hazards, and the use of volatile organic compounds (VOC's), which have been otherwise restricted, or prohibited by public law.


A multiparameter lighting apparatus is disclosed that allows an operator of a central controller to remotely choose a first rotation of a selected gobo of the multiparameter lighting apparatus. The first rotation is typically a substantially smooth rotation. A second rotation can also be chosen, wherein the second rotation causes an animation of the selected gobo.

Multiparameter lighting fixtures are lighting fixtures, which illustratively have two or more individually remotely adjustable parameters such as focus, color, gobo images, position, or other light characteristics. Multiparameter lighting fixtures are widely used in the lighting industry because they facilitate significant reductions in overall lighting system size and permit dynamic changes to the final lighting effect. Applications and events in which multiparameter lighting fixtures are used to great advantage include showrooms, television lighting, stage lighting, architectural lighting, live concerts, and theme parks. Illustrative multi-parameter lighting fixtures are described in the product brochure entitled "The High End Systems Product Line 2001" and are available from High End Systems, Inc. of Austin, Tex.
Multiparameter lighting fixtures are commonly constructed with a lamp housing that may pan and tilt in relation to a base housing so that light projected from the lamp housing can be remotely positioned to project on the stage surface. Commonly a plurality of multiparameter lights are controlled by an operator from a central controller. The central controller is connected to communicate with the plurality of multiparameter lights via a communication system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,187 titled "Computer controlled lighting system having automatically variable position, color, intensity and beam divergence" to Bornhorst and incorporated herein by reference disclosed a plurality of multiparameter lights and a central controller. Digital communications between a central controller and a multi-parameter light fixture typically is by wire. In 1986, the United States Institute of Theatre Technology ("USITT") developed a digital communications system protocol for multi-parameter light fixtures known as DMX512.
The lamp housing of the multiparameter light contains the optical components such as a gobo wheel a lens and a lamp. The lamp housing is rotatably mounted to a yoke that provides for a tilting action of the lamp housing in relation to the yoke. The lamp housing is tilted in relation to the yoke by a motor actuator system that provides remote control of the tilting action by the central controller. The yoke is rotatably connected to the base housing that provides for a panning action of the yoke in relation to the base housing. The yoke is panned in relation to the base housing by a motor actuator system that provides remote control of the panning action by the central controller.
Multiparameter lights often use gobos to project patterns upon a stage or other projection surface. A gobo is often comprised of a metal or metal on glass that has been etched into a stencil pattern that provides an image or likeness of the gobo to be projected. The gobo wheel of a prior art multiparameter light is often comprised of a planetary type system and the gobos of the gobo wheel (like the planets) rotate around a sun gear located in the center. Any gobo positioned on the gobo wheel of the multiparameter light may be remotely selected to be brought into position and then projected by the multiparameter light. The gobo wheel often is comprised of two motors. One motor (the gobo select motor) is required to remotely position a selected gobo into the light path for projection and the second motor is required to remotely rotate the selected gobo in a smooth and continuous manner.
The Cyberlight by High End Systems of Austin, Tex. as described in the product brochure entitled "The High End Systems Product Line 2001" incorporates such a gobo wheel to bring selected patterns into the light path for projection and then smoothly rotate the selected gobo in the light path. A further description of a gobo wheel is shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,326 tilted "Gobo Holder for a Lighting System" to Belliveau et al. In the prior art it has been critical for the rotation of the selected gobo to be substantially smooth as to not cause a distraction during a show to the audience when the multiparameter light is in use. Great care has been taken by multiparameter lighting manufacturers to rotate a selected gobo without any jitter or jerking during the rotations. Motors that often are used to rotate the selected gobo are stepping motors and manufacturers often employ microstepping techniques and circuitry to substantially smoothly rotate the selected gobo.
Through recent experimentation by the inventors it has been found that it can also be desirable to not only rotate the selected gobo in a substantially smooth way but additionally rotate the selected gobo as to cause an animation effect. The animation effect of the selected gobo provides a pleasing new way of rotating the selected gobo of a multiparameter light and thus increases the value of the light during show use to the operator or designer.

Selectable GOBO animation for a multiparameter light


A nacelle (55) for a gas turbine engine (10), the engine (10) comprising accessories (34) mounted to a fan casing (28) and a core engine (9), the nacelle (55) substantially surrounds the engine (10) and comprises an intake (12) and a thrust reverser unit (31). The thrust reverser unit (31) is formed by two generally C-shaped portions (31a, 31b). The thrust reverser unit (31) is openable to provide access to the accessories (34) and the core engine (9). The nacelle (55) further comprises a fan containment casing (33) that is integral with the intake (12).

A conventional nacelle for a turbofan gas turbine engine comprises three major components: an intake, fan cowl doors and a thrust reverser unit. These turbofan engines also incorporate a fan containment system attached to an engine fan casing. The fan cowl doors are generally C-shaped that are each opened by a power opening system and hold-open rods for access to fan casing mounted accessories. The thrust reverser unit also comprises two generally C-shaped doors that are each opened by a further power opening system and hold-open rods for access to the core engine and other core mounted engine accessories.
This conventional arrangement is disadvantaged in that there are two independent power opening system and hold-open rods for the fan cowl doors and thrust reverser doors. Furthermore, the prior art nacelle comprises a joint between each section which leads to an undesirable disturbance in airflow over the nacelle inner and outer surfaces with resultant aerodynamic drag losses. This arrangement also requires substantial fire insulation material around the large fan casing chamber inward of the fan cowl doors. Thus the conventional arrangement is heavy and costly to manufacture and is disadvantaged by requiring two sets of doors to be opened for access to the engine.


An illumination system includes a master power supply providing power to several illumination modules. The master power supply is constructed and arranged to generate high-frequency and low-voltage electrical power provided to a primary wire forming a current loop. Each illumination module includes an electromagnetic coupling element and several light sources.

The present invention relates to illumination systems and methods using novel power supplies, controllers, and light modules.
Commercial lighting systems, used on the outside of commercial buildings for advertising purposes, include channel letters. Channel letters generally include a housing with a concave cross-section about 5″ deep, made of aluminum or plastic. The housing cavity, shaped as the letter, is covered by a translucent plastic sheet of a selected color, illuminated by a light source mounted within. Neon and fluorescent lights provide suitable illumination, allowing the letters to shine brightly when turned on. However, fluorescent light sources have a relatively short life of approximately 20,000 hours. They operate at high voltage (for example, 7,000 to 15,000 volts for neon) and can consume a relatively large amount of electrical power.
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are currently used for a wide range of applications, providing a variety of advantages relative to conventional lights, such as neon or fluorescent bulbs, due to their advantageous qualities. LEDs are compact, rugged, and consume less power, being 30 to 70% more energy efficient than conventional lights. LEDs have a relatively long life of up to 100,000 hours and operate at low voltages (4 VDC to 24 VDC).
LED illuminating system generally used in commercial, architectural, home or landscaping applications usually include a DC power supply usually connected to 110 VAC (220 VAC). The output from the power supply provides DC voltage (usually from 4 VDC to 24 VDC) to a supply rail, wire, or connectors providing electrical connection to LED arrays arranged in several illumination modules also including ballast resistors. These modules are usually connected in parallel on a DC supply bus. The LEDs are connected with wires that are soldered permanently at a fixed spacing, or using electrical connectors providing use fixed electrical contact; that is, use fixed electrical wiring. Every single illumination module is connected to the next module using two or four wires (i.e., positive and negative inputs and outputs) by mechanically creating electrical contact. Each LED module uses a ballast resistor (or regulator) to provide a constant current to the LEDs connected in series since LEDs operate with current (and not voltage). The modules are usually located inside a letter channel. This dissipative method normally uses as much energy in the ballast resistor (i.e., dissipated energy) as in the LEDs, resulting in efficiencies sometimes even lower than 50%. This means there is frequently a significant amount of energy wasted in heat.
The brightness of an LED depends upon the amount of electrical current flowing through the diode. However, while an increase in current increases the brightness of the light emitted by the LED, it also increases the connection temperature, which can decrease the LED's efficiency and life. Given that LEDs are often constructed of semiconductor materials that share many comparable properties with silicone and gallium arsenide, this can be highly detrimental.
The conventional light circuits can be prone to problems other than those described above. The LED modules joined physically using fixed electrical contact connectors, which are prone to reliability troubles. For example, connectors can fail due to corrosion, and many devices, as well as commercial lighting systems, are used outdoors. Also, while diodes are generally biased through a series resistor from a regulated voltage supply, the amount of current going through the diode depends also on the forward voltage drop over the diode, which drops with changes in its size, age, and its temperature at the time.
The LEDs have been also used as light sources in applications such as emergency EXIT signs. The EXIT signs contain a reflector in the rear, having a series of curved, concave surfaces shaped as letters and background area. The LEDs are mounted in the center of each surface to provide light that is projected outwardly. The LEDs have been used for illumination and in architectural and gardening designs where the robustness of the illumination system and life of the illumination system is very important since repair or replacement requires significant cost of labor (even sometimes surpassing the cost of the LED system).
There is still a need for an improved illumination system that is simple and quick to install and that operates at relatively high power efficiency.


A red fluorescent material includes a compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sub.1, and R.sub.2 are individually alkyl of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl, carbocyclic and other heterocyclic systems; and. R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are individually alkyl of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and a branched or unbranched 5 or 6 member substituent ring connecting with R.sub.1, R.sub.2 respectively; and PA1 R.sub.5 is alkyl of from 2-20 carbon atoms; sterically hindered aryl and heteroaryl; and PA1 R.sub.6 is alkyl of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and a 5 or 6-member carbocyclic ring connecting with R.sub.5.

One application for using red fluorescent materials is in organic EL (electroluminescent) devices. Organic EL devices are known to be highly efficient and are capable of producing a wide range of colors. Useful applications such as flat-panel displays have been contemplated. Representative of earlier organic EL devices are Gurnee et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,172,862, issued Mar. 9, 1965; Gurnee U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,050, issued Mar. 9, 1965; Dresner, "Double Injection Electroluminescence in Anthracene," RCA Review, Vol. 30, pp. 322-334, 1969; and Dresner U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,167, issued Jan. 9, 1973. Typical organic emitting materials were formed of a conjugated organic host material and a conjugated organic activating agent having condensed benzene rings. Naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene, benzopyrene, chrysene, picene, carbazole, fluorene, biphenyl, terphenyls, quarterphenyls, triphenylene oxide, dihalobiphenyl, trans-stilbene, and 1,4-diphenylbutadiene were offered as examples of organic host materials. Anthracene, tetracene, and pentacene were named as examples of activating agents. The organic emitting material was present as a single layer medium having a thickness much above 1 micrometer. Thus, this organic EL medium was highly resistive and the EL device required a relatively high voltage (>100 volts) to operate.
The most recent discoveries in the art of organic EL device construction have resulted in devices having the organic EL medium consisting of extremely thin layers (<1.0 micrometer in combined thickness) separating the anode and cathode. Herein, the organic EL medium is defined as the organic composition between the anode and cathode electrodes. In a basic two-layer EL device structure, one organic layer is specifically chosen to inject and transport holes and the other organic layer is specifically chosen to inject and transport electrons. The interface between the two layers provides an efficient site for the recombination of the injected hole-electron pair and resultant electroluminescence. The extremely thin organic EL medium offers reduced resistance, permitting higher current densities for a given level of electrical bias voltage. Since light emission is directly related to current density through the organic EL medium, the thin layers coupled with increased charge injection and transport efficiencies have allowed acceptable light emission levels (e.g. brightness levels capable of being visually detected in ambient light) to be achieved with low applied voltages in ranges compatible with integrated circuit drivers, such as field effect transistors.
Further improvement in organic EL devices such as color, stability, efficiency and fabrication methods have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,356, 429; 4,539,507; 4,720,432; 4,885,211; 5,151,629; 5,150,006; 5,141,671; 5,073,446; 5,061,569; 5,059,862; 5,059,861; 5,047,687; 4,950,950; 4,769,292, 5,104,740; 5,227,252; 5,256,945; 5,069,975, and 5,122,711; 5,366,811; 5,126,214; 5,142,343; 5,389,444; 5,458,977.
For the production of full-color EL display panel, it is necessary to have efficient red, green and blue (RGB) EL materials with proper chromaticity and sufficient luminance efficiency. The guest-host doped system offers a ready avenue for achieving such an objective, mainly because a single host with optimized transport and luminescent properties may be used together with various guest dopants leading to EL of desirable hue.
A doped EL system based on the principle of guest-host energy transfer to effect the spectral shift from tris-(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq) to the dopant molecules has been disclosed by Tang et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,292!. Alq is a suitable host for red EL emitters since its emission at 530 nm is adequate to sensitize guest EL emission in the red spectral region. The preferred dopants chosen to provide the red emission in this prior art were 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM) and the julolidyl derivative DCJ (Structure 1, supra! R.dbd.H). These molecules generally have a high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (>70% in dilute solution) and the position of the emission maxima can be readily shifted by certain modification of the DCM structure. Furthermore, in both PL and EL, a significant red-shift in emissions was observed with increasing dopant concentration in the Alq host. Thus, efficient red EL emitters with suitable hue can be found among molecules in this DCM class.
Other considerations in the fields of fluorescence and electroluminescence applications are the purity of fluorescent materials and the degree of synthetic complexities, including consideration of yield loss due to post-process purification procedures. In the aforementioned patent, the preparation and subsequent purification of both DCM and DCJ are complicated by the inevitable generation of significant amount of an unwanted corresponding bis-condensed dye caused by the further reaction of the "active" methyl group present in the fluorescent dye molecules. The bis-condensed byproduct of DCM has been identified as 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2,6-bis(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran which absorbs the DCM fluorescence band, thus diminishes or extinguishes its fluorescence (Hammond, Optics Comm., 1989, 29, 331). Furthermore, once the bis-condensed dye is formed in the reaction mixture, it is difficult to remove, particularly in a large scale preparation. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a fluorescent compound useful in EL applications which has a relatively high EL efficiency, a desired emission in the red region of the spectrum and is easy to synthesize and to purify.
Chen et. al. in a publication titled, "Design and Synthesis of Red Dopants for Electroluminescence" (Proc. 2.sub.nd Internat. Sym. Chem. Functional Dyes, 1992, 536) describes the synthesis and EL properties of DCJT (Structure 1, R.dbd.CH.sub.3) by introducing steric spacer groups which reduce undesirable concentration quenching, thus providing enhanced EL efficiency in the desired red spectral region. However, the preparation and subsequent purification of DCJT are also complicated by the inevitable generation of significant amount of an unwanted bis-condensed dye (Structure 2 supra!, R.dbd.CH.sub.3), which only has a very weak fluorescence in the near infra-red region of the visible spectrum. The contamination of this unwanted byproduct tends to decrease the fluorescence efficiency of DCJT, counteracting the effect of reduction of concentration quenching. When the above mentioned fluorescent compounds are used as dopants in the EL host matrices, such as for example, Alq, the aforementioned undesirable concentration quenching result in correspondingly reduced EL efficiency. ##STR2## Another application for red fluorescent materials is as a laser dye in a dye laser which produces red light Numerous organic compounds in the DCM class are known to be useful in dye lasers. However, they suffer from a number of disadvantages in that the dye materials are frequently difficult to synthesize and purify. One of the ways to circumvent the difficulties in synthesis and subsequent purification to remove the unwanted bis-condensed byproduct is to substitute the methyl group in Structure 1 with a phenyl group. For example, the intermediate 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-pyran and dyes derived thereof has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,215. However, due to the mobility of the phenyl group which tends to enhance the probability for nonradiative decay (K. H. Drexhage, Dye Lasers Topics in Applied Physics, ed., F. P. Schafer, Springer, Berlin, Vol. 1, 1973, p.144), dyes synthesized from this unsymmetrical 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-pyran are not very fluorescent and thus, are not considered as good candidates for DCM replacement. Furthermore, due to the conjugation of the phenyl group with the dye DCM-chromophore, the phenyl substituted DCM type of fluorescent dyes are considerably broadened and shifted too deep to the red. As a result, the dyes derived from 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-pyran do not retain the similar spectral properties of the corresponding DCM dyes.

Red organic electroluminescent materials


In the case where a multiplier factor is a constant, if the number of the bits having the value of 1 in the multiplier factor is 3 or more and if it is larger than the number of the bits having the value of 0, a circuit for performing multiplication by using the logic NOT number of the multiplier factor, which is obtained by inverting all the bits in the multiplier factor by the logic NOT operation is generated. If the number of the bits having the value of 1 in the multiplier factor is 3 or more and if it is smaller than the number of the bits having the value of 0, the multiplier factor is divided so that an adder for adding partial products forms a well-balanced binary tree. Conversely, if the number of the bits having the value of 1 in the multiplier factor is 2 or less, an add shift multiplier for calculating partial products only with respect to the bits having the value of 1 is generated.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically designing a logic circuit, particularly a multiplier or a logic circuit including a multiplier, and to a multiplier.
Conventional multipliers for performing multiplication with digital information are often used not only as single, independent LSIs but also as elements to be mounted in such LSIs as DSP (digital signal processor). However, as the bit width is increased in multiplication and their applications are more diversified, multipliers of this type are required to have reduced circuit size and chip area as well as to operate at higher speed. To meet the requirements, circuit systems using various multiplication methods have been proposed.
For example, a multiplication method using the Booth's 2-bit recode system, which is one of the highest-speed multiplication methods, is disclosed in "Nikkei Electronics" (May 29, pp.76-89(1978)). The multiplication method uses the following algorithm in order to increase the speed of multiplication.
If an n-bit multiplicand X is to be multiplied by an m-bit multiplier factor Y, e.g., the multiplier factor Y is represented by two's complements as follows: ##EQU1## where ym=ys, q=m/2 if m is an even number or q=(m-1)/2 if m is an odd number, and y0=0 (y is a value given for convenience).
Hence, the product P of X and Y becomes ##EQU2##
Here, since the values of y.sub.2i, y.sub.2i+1, and y.sub.2i+2 are 0 or 1, (y.sub.2i +y.sub.2i+1 -2y.sub.2i+2) becomes 0, .+-.1, or .+-.2, so that each of their partial products becomes a value obtained by multiplying 0, .+-.X, or .+-.2X by 2.sup.2i.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ y.sub.2i+2 y.sub.2i+1 y.sub.2i (y.sub.2i +y.sub.2i+1 -2y.sub.2i+2) ______________________________________ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 +1 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1 +2 1 0 0 -2 1 0 1 -1 1 1 0 -1 1 1 1 0 ______________________________________
Here, a circuit for generating the partial products can be composed of a shifter primarily for shifting the multiplicand.+-.X by one bit till it is doubled and a shifter for shifting a mantissa (0, .+-.X or .+-.2X) by two bits till it is raised to the power of 2.sup.2i (weighing).
As for the number of logic stages in a circuit for calculating the total sum of the partial products, since the number of the partial products becomes q=m/2 (m is an even number) or q=(m-1)/2 (m is an odd number), it becomes approximately log.sub.2 m-1 (m is an even number) or log.sub.2 (m-1)-1 (m is an odd number) when a 2-input adder is connected so as to form a binary tree.
As an example of high-speed multipliers not using the Booth's 2-bit recode system, Japanese Patent Publication no. 03-017737 discloses a multiplier using redundant binary code.
With the multiplier mentioned above, when the multiplier factor is composed of 24 bits, the number of its partial products becomes 12 and the number of its logic stages becomes 4.
On the other hand, the increase in multiplication speed and the decrease in circuit size have been pursued not only by improving the performance of such a multiplication algorithm as mentioned above, but also by optimizing the circuit on the level of logic elements.
In recent years, multipliers and logic circuits containing multipliers are mostly designed by using automatic designing systems. Such a system is intended to eliminate a redundant portion of the circuit or to perform other operations by replacing a part of the circuit with an equivalent circuit having a smaller number of logic elements and logic stages in the case of, e.g., expanding circuit information on the level of logic elements to circuit information on the level of mounted elements, which are actually mounted in a chip.
If functional description information, which represents a function requested on the circuit in a hardware description language or the like, is inputted to such an automatic designing system, the system converts it to functional circuit information in an internal representation form, which represents a circuit composed of virtual functional elements whose functions are primarily and solely defined. Then, the resulting functional circuit information is further converted to logic circuit information which represents a circuit composed of real logic circuits, followed by the generation of mounted circuit information which represents a circuit to which real elements, mounted by specified technology, are allotted.
With the conventional automatic designing systems, however, the optimization of the circuit on the level of logic elements is localized, for the replacement by an equivalent circuit having a smaller number of logic elements and logic stages is limited to portions of the circuit that coincide with specific patterns which were preliminarily set. If such optimization is performed in the case where the multiplier factor or multiplicand is a constant, a circuit having the minimum number of logic elements and the like cannot necessarily be obtained. In particular, when a two-input adder for adding partial products is connected so as to form a binary tree, the balance between two branches is normally destroyed if the portion associated with the add circuit for the partial products, in which the values of all the bits are 0, is omitted. Therefore, it is difficult to minimize the number of logic elements and the number of logic stages by partially replacing the circuit.

Method and apparatus for automatically designing logic circuit, and multiplier

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A polymer optical waveguide includes a lower cladding layer of a polymer resin which has a recess and projection transferred from a mold provided with a recess and projection for forming a core portion of the optical waveguide by applying a polymer in molten state or in solution on the mold, and curing the polymer by ultraviolet rays or by heat, and stripping the cured polymer from the mold in a liquid. The cured polymer can be easily stripped from the mold, which allows the mass manufacturing of polymer optical waveguides having various film thicknesses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a polymer optical waveguide and particularly to a method for manufacturing an optical component such as an optical integrated circuit, optical interconnection, optical coupler or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Inorganic materials such as quartz glass, multi-component glass or the like, which are characterized by a low optical transmission loss and a wide transmission band, have been widely used as a base material for optical components or optical fibers. Recently, polymer materials have also been developed and are made attractive as materials for optical waveguides because they are superior in workability and cost to the inorganic materials. For example, proposed is a flat plate type optical waveguide having a core-clad structure where a core is formed of a polymer with an excellent transparency, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polystyrene, and a cladding layer is formed of a polymer having a refractive index lower than that of the core material (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 3-188402 (1991)).
On the other hand, a flat plate type optical waveguide with lower loss has been realized by Matsuura et al. using a polyimide which is a transparent polymer of high thermal resistance Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-9807 (1992)).
These methods, however, need core pattern formation with a photoresist and subsequent recess and projection formation by reactive ion etching or the like for every plate in order to form a core structure on the surface of a cladding layer, and accordingly present problems in mass productivity and price-lowering. Therefore, attempts have been conducted for enhancing the mass-productivity of optical waveguides by performing the injection molding with a mold having a surface processed to have a recess and projection corresponding to a core pattern of the wave guide. In this injection molding, only materials of low glass transition temperature can be used.
An object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an optical waveguide using a mold for reproducing a core profile to attain costless and simple mass-production of a polymer optical waveguide with low loss and high reliability. In order to achieve such object, it is important that polymer films of various thicknesses are completely stripped from the mold without remaining foreign matters.
The invention provides method for manufacturing a polymer optical waveguide comprising at least a cladding layer of a first polymer, and a core portion of a second polymer formed in a recessed portion provided on a surface of the cladding layer of the first polymer, the method comprising the steps of:
coating the first polymer in molten state or in solution to a molding plate having a projected shape in cross section for forming the core portion, curing the first polymer by ultraviolet rays or by heat, and then stripping the cured first polymer from the molding plate, thereby obtaining the cladding layer having the recessed portion transferred to the surface thereof from the molding plate.
According to the invention, (1) since material of high thermal resistance, use of which is difficult in the injection molding, can be used, a thermal resistance required in soldering for mounting electronic components or the like on an obtained optical waveguide substrate can be achieved. (2) Since the first polymer of lower viscosity can be used for transfer, a high fidelity transfer having a transfer rate of approximately 100% can be achieved. (3)An optical waveguide substrate can be molded in the form of a film. (4) A multi-mode optical waveguide such as one having a core height of 50 xcexcm and capable of being molded with high aspect ratio can easily be realized.
In addition, while some consideration has been required in conventional injection molding for controlling temperature in the mold to be unified, it is easy in the invention to unify the heating or light irradiation for curing the resin.
The invention also provides a method for manufacturing a polymer optical waveguide comprising at least a cladding layer of a first polymer, and a core portion of a second polymer formed in a recessed portion provided on a surface of the cladding layer of the first polymer, the method comprising the steps of:
coating the second polymer in molten state or in solution to a molding plate having a recessed shape in cross section for forming the core portion, curing the second polymer by ultraviolet rays or by heat, thereto applying the first polymer in molten state or in solution, and after curing, stripping the cured first and second polymers from the molding plate.
According to the invention, (1) since material of high thermal resistance, use of which is difficult in the injection molding, can be used, a thermal resistance squired in soldering for mounting electronic components or the like on an obtained optical waveguide substrate can be achieved. (2) Since the first polymer of lower viscosity can be used for transfer, a high fidelity transfer having a transfer rate of approximately 100% can be achieved. (3) An optical waveguide substrate can be molded in the form of a film. (4) A multi-mode optical waveguide such as one having a core height of 50 xcexcm and capable of being molded with high aspect ratio can easily be realized.
In addition, while some consideration has been required in conventional injection molding for controlling temperature in the mold to be unified, it is easy in the invention to unify the heating or light irradiation for curing the resin.
In the invention it is preferable that the first or second polymer is coated on the surface of the molding plate after forming a sacrifice layer for facilitating stripping-off of the polymer from the molding plate.
According to the invention, by adjusting the film thickness of the sacrifice layer, the core diameter of the mold can be changed.
While a mold release agent has conventionally been mixed in the polymer resin in order to facilitate the stripping of the polymer resin after molding, according to the invention the mixing of a release agent is not required. Therefore, the polymer resin can be easily stripped without lowering the optical performance of the resin.
In the invention it is preferable that the molding plate and the polymer are exposed to an atmosphere of liquid or vapor when the first polymer or the second polymer is stripped from the molding plate.
While a mold release agent has conventionally been mixed in the polymer resin in order to facilitate the stripping of the polymer resin after molding, according to the invention the mixing of a release agent is rot required. Therefore, the polymer resin can be easily stripped without lowering the optical performance of the resin.
In the invention it is preferable that the sacrifice layer is of a silicon oxide and is removed by etching.
In the invention it is preferable that the molding plate is a silicon wafer and the sacrifice layer is of a silicon oxide obtained by thermally oxidizing the silicon wafer.
In the invention it is preferable that the molding plate is of a polymer resin and the cured polymer is stripped from the molding plate by soaking both in a liquid.
In the invention it is preferable that a second cladding layer of a third polymer is formed on the cladding layer and the core portion.
The methods mentioned above enable easy stripping of a cured polymer from a molding plate and mass-production of polymer optical waveguides of various film thicknesses.
Incidentally, the polymer for forming upper and lower cladding layers and a core preferably has a Tg (glass transition temperature) of 150xc2x0 C., more preferably of 200xc2x0 C., as measured by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) in an atmosphere of nitrogen at a temperature-raising rate of 10xc2x0 C./min.

Method for manufacturing polymer optical waveguide


In order to properly press-fit or thrust a cylindrical coiled body into a cylindrical case, a fitting device is provided. The fitting device comprises a guide member formed with a conical bore of which cross section gradually reduces with increase of a distance from a top of the bore toward a bottom of the same. The cross section of the bottom of the bore is slightly smaller than that of the coiled body. The guide member is coaxially put on the cylindrical case. The fitting device further comprises a pressing member which, when actuated, presses down the cylindrical coiled body raised in the bore thereby to thrust the raised coiled body into the cylindrical case through the bottom of the bore. The pressing member includes a center base plate, two side plates positioned on both sides of the center base plate, a guide structure by which the side plates are radially movable in opposite directions with respect to the center base plate, and biasing members for biasing the side plates radially outward.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to devices for assembling catalytic converters, and more particularly to devices for press-fitting a cylindrical catalyzer core bed (or coiled body) into a cylindrical metal case.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, a known technique for press-fitting a cylindrical catalyzer core bed into a cylindrical outer case will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15 of the accompanying drawings. This technique is described in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication 8-164487.
FIG. 13 shows a method for producing a cylindrical catalyzer core bed (or coiled body) 5 that is a bed for catalyzer. As shown, a flat metal plate 3 and a corrugated metal plate 1 are put on one another and these overlapped plates 3 and 1 are coiled together to form a coiled body 5 which has a circular cross section as shown. After having a brazing foil of Ni (nickel) put around an axially rear end, the coiled body 5 is press-fitted into a cylindrical metal case 7 (see FIGS. 14A and 14B), and then this unit consisting of the coiled body 5 and the metal 7 is led into a vacuum furnace to be subjected to a heat treatment. With this, the flat and corrugated metal plates 3 and 1 are diffusion-bonded and at the same time the coiled body 5 and the cylindrical metal case 7 are brazed.
FIGS. 14A and 14B show a fitting device 13 for press-fitting the coiled body 5 into the cylindrical metal case 7. As shown, the fitting device 13 generally comprises a guide member 9 and a circular pressing member 11. The guide member 9 is formed with a conical bore 9a, and the pressing member 11 is powered by a hydraulic actuator (not shown). The diameter xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d of the largest upper end of the conical bore 9a is larger than the outer diameter xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d of the coiled body 5, and the diameter xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d of the smallest lower end of the conical bore 9a is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d of the metal case 7. Of course, the diameter xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d is larger than the diameter xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d. The pressing member 11 is sized somewhat smaller than the smallest lower end xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d of the conical bore 9a and has a flat lower surface.
For carrying out the press-fitting, at first, as is shown in FIG. 14A, the guide member 9 is correctly set on one open end of the metal case 7, and the coiled body 5 is raised and coaxially put into the conical bore 9a of the guide member 9 from the largest upper end of the bore 9a. Then, the pressing member 11 is put on a flat end face 5a of the coiled body 5 and pushed downward by a length of xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d by the force of the hydraulic actuator. With this pushing action, the coiled body 5 is thrust into the metal case 7, as is seen from FIG. 14B. Under passing through the smallest lower end of the conical bore 9a, the coiled body 5 is subjected to a certain shrinkage in diameter, which smoothes the insertion of the coiled body 5 into the metal case 7. After reaching a proper position in the metal case 7, the coiled body 5 is somewhat expanded resiliently due to a restoring force thereof, and thus the cylindrical outer surface of the coiled body 5 entirely contacts the cylindrical inner surface of the metal case 7. The unit thus assembled, namely, the assembled unit consisting of the coiled body 5 and the metal case 7, is then put into a vacuum furnace for the heat treatment.
However, the above-mentioned known technique has failed to provide the users with satisfied results for the following reasons. That is, as is understood from FIG. 15, when the coiled body 5 is pressed down in the conical bore 9a by the pressing member 11, a circumferential portion of the flat end face 5a of the body 5 is unsightly slid off from the major part of the flat end face 5a due to appearance of an annular dead zone xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d between the periphery 11a of the pressing member 11 and the sloped inner wall 9b of the conical bore 9a, which has no pressure applied thereto from the pressing member 11. In fact, during thrusting of the coiled body 5 in the conical bore 9a, the slid-off portion of the end face 5a is severely pressed between the pressing member 11 and the sloped inner wall 9b and thus squashed unsightly, which lowers not only performance of the product but also external appearance of the same.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for press-fitting a coiled body into a cylindrical metal case, which is free of the above-mentioned shortcomings.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for press-fitting a generally cylindrical body into a cylindrical case, the generally cylindrical body being subjected to reduction in diameter when applied with a certain external force from a radial direction. The device comprises a guide member formed with a vertically extending bore of which cross section gradually reduces in size with increase of a distance from a top of the bore toward a bottom of the same, the cross section of the bottom of the bore being slightly smaller than that of the generally cylindrical body, the guide member being adapted to be put on the cylindrical case having the bore of the guide member coaxially aligned with the interior of the cylindrical case; a pressing member which, when actuated, presses down the generally cylindrical body raised in the bore of the guide member thereby to thrust the raised generally cylindrical body into the cylindrical case through the bottom of the bore; and an actuator for actuating the pressing member, wherein the member includes a center base plate, at least two side plates positioned on both sides of the center base plate, a guide structure by which the side plates are radially movable in opposite directions with respect to the center base plate, and biasing members for biasing the side plates radially outward.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for press-fitting a cylindrical coiled body into a cylindrical case, which comprises a guide member formed with a conical bore of which cross section gradually reduces in size with increase of a distance from a top of the bore toward a bottom of the same, the cross section of the bottom of the bore being slightly smaller than that of the coiled body, the guide member being adapted to be put on the cylindrical case having the bore of the guide member coaxially aligned with the interior of the cylindrical case; a pressing member which, when actuated, presses down the cylindrical coiled body raised in the bore of the guide member thereby to thrust the raised coiled body into the cylindrical case through the bottom of the bore; and an actuator for actuating the pressing member, wherein the pressing member includes a circular center base plate; two arcuate side plates positioned at both sides of the center base plate having concave sides thereof directed toward the base plate; a stay bolt held by the center base plate and having axially opposed end portions projected from the center base plate in opposite directions, the axially opposed end portions movably carrying the arcuate side plates; and two spring members each being compressed between the center base plate and corresponding one of the arcuate side plates to bias the arcuate side plate outward.

Device for press-fitting catalyzer core bed into outer case


The present teachings provide for an active steering system for controlling a vehicle. The system can include at least one sensor and a control module. The at least one sensor can be configured to detect a leading obstacle. The control module can be configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor, to determine a steering profile, and to execute a lane change maneuver based on the steering profile. The steering profile can include a plurality of steering angles and corresponding vehicle positions for maneuvering the vehicle from a current lane to an adjacent lane. The steering angles can be calculated to not increase the acceleration of the vehicle above an occupant comfort threshold value and to not cause the vehicle to cross an outer boundary of the adjacent lane.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In automating the control of vehicle functions, an active steering system may allow the vehicle to have autonomy and authority independent of the driver. One area where this can create a safety benefit is by allowing the vehicle to override the driver's steering actions during critical situations where the probability of an accident with a leading vehicle is high, perhaps due to the lead vehicle suddenly stopping. In these situations, and with today's technology, today's vehicles can identify which vehicle is in front and its probable path and speed in the near term.
Some current technologies relate to actively steering a vehicle to avoid collisions. These technologies notably detect and account for a leading vehicle in front of the controlled vehicle. These technologies assume that the leading vehicle is the only obstacle and assume that there are adjacent lanes available to steer into without accounting for adjacent obstacles. These technologies do not account for whether an adjacent lane is actually available or the type or condition of an adjacent lane, such as the material or weather that can affect the coefficient of friction between the vehicle's wheels and the lane. These technologies also do not adequately account for the width of the adjacent lane and the possibility that abrupt steering can cause the vehicle to cross through the adjacent lane without remaining safely within the adjacent lane's boundaries.


Disclosed herein are rubber compositions comprising shea butter and a rubber, and tires (and tire components) made from the rubber compositions. Also disclosed are methods of improving the wear resistance of a rubber composition by utilizing shea butter.

In certain applications, it is desirable for rubber compounds, such as the tread portion of a tire, to exhibit improved abrasion or wear resistance to extend the life of the tire. It is also advantageous to improve wear resistance without significantly impacting other useful properties of the rubber compounds, such as cure, functionality of the matrix polymer, and the elastic modulus of the compound.
It is also generally advantageous to reduce the amount of process oil utilized in a rubber formulation without negatively impacting useful properties of the rubber compound, such as processability.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Shea butter-containing rubber compositions and related methods

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC


An irrigation sprinkler nozzle for use in a rotary sprinkler for projecting the entire fluid stream between about 15 and about 35 feet from the rotary sprinkler regardless of the upstream pressure. The irrigation sprinkler nozzle comprises a nozzle body having a longitudinal axis, a side wall, and an exit wall. Coupled to the nozzle body is a restrictor plate that is spaced from the exit wall. Defined by the side wall, the exit wall, and the restrictor plate is a fluid chamber. The nozzle includes an inlet to the chamber defined by the restrictor plate. Preferably, the inlet has a cross-sectional area so that a pressure inside the chamber is less than a pressure upstream of the inlet. The nozzle also has an outlet from the chamber defined by the exit wall for projecting a fluid stream outwardly from the irrigation sprinkler nozzle. The chamber may be configured to form a turbulent flow within the chamber.

Typical irrigation systems use a variety of sprinkling devices depending on the size of the ground surface area that needs to be irrigated. A gear-driven rotor is commonly used to project a columnated fluid stream in excess of about 35 feet, but such rotor does not effectively or consistently project a similar stream at ranges under about 35 feet. A fixed spray head is commonly used to project a spray under about 15 feet, but such spray head does not perform effectively beyond about 15 feet. As a result, there is a gap at such mid-range distances between about 15 feet and about 35 feet from the sprinkling device where spray heads and gear-driven rotors do not effectively irrigate.
Modifying a gear-driven rotor to consistently provide a columnated fluid stream at these mid-range distances has been difficult to achieve. At such mid-range distances, the gear-drive rotor and nozzle assembly usually suffer from one of several shortcomings. For instance, modified gear driven rotors that irrigate from about 15 to about 35 feet may have insufficient fluid flows to effectively operate both the gear-drive mechanism and the valve-in-head mechanism, unacceptable nozzle performance, or unpredictable throw distances when the inlet pressures varies.
One attempt to modify a gear-driven rotor to irrigate the mid-range distances uses pressure-reducing equipment to decrease the input flow rate or fluid pressure to the rotor device itself. Such low-flow rotors achieve shorter throw distances because the fluid in the rotor has a low velocity and, therefore, does not have enough energy to travel large distances. However, because rotors often use the fluid flow to operate both a gear-drive mechanism to rotate the nozzle head and a valve-in-head mechanism as a check-valve to prevent back flow, a minimum threshold fluid flow and pressure is required to reliably operate both mechanisms in the rotor at the same time. Current low-flow rotors are not designed to function with fluid pressures and flow rates sufficient to operate the gear drive and open the valve in the rotary head in a reliable and consistent manner. In addition, decreasing the flow rate to the rotor forms a fluid stream with less energy. However, such lower-energy fluid streams are more susceptible to wind effects, which results in poor distribution and uniformity.
While reducing the fluid flow to the rotor may help achieve shorter throw distances, such low flow rates also introduce variability into the performance of the nozzle. The quality of the projected stream, as a result, is often susceptible to changes in input fluid pressure, which results in unpredictable nozzle performance. Such low-flow rotors generally have a very small range of operating pressures in which they efficiently irrigate. For example, with pressure fluctuations, the low-flow rotor will result in higher or lower fluid velocities at the nozzle exit and, therefore, longer or shorter throw distances. With large pressure increases, the low-flow rotor may experience a substantial increase in the pressure drop across the nozzle exit, which may also result in a fluid stream having much smaller fluid droplets than desired. Such a stream results in misting, which generates poor distribution and uniformity, as well as a fluid stream that is susceptible to wind effects.
The narrow pressure range of current low-flow rotors limits its practical application. Many commercial irrigation systems, such as systems installed at golf courses, usually operate at very high pressures due to the need to irrigate large areas; therefore, the low-flow rotors cannot be installed in such systems without additional pressure reducing equipment. As a result, installation becomes more difficult because the irrigation system requires pressure optimization for the low-flow rotor and expensive due to additional equipment. In many cases, the fluid pressure would need to be tailored to the specific location of each low-flow rotor with a variety of different pressure reducing equipment. Moreover, even with such pressure reducing equipment, the pressure in the system may still vary, which would also result in the unpredictable performance, such as varying throw distances or misting and poor spray distribution.
Another attempt at modifying gear-driven rotors to irrigate the mid-range distances uses more typical fluid pressures, but modifies the configuration of the nozzle exit such that the stream trajectories are altered. For example, some rotor nozzle outlet configurations have been designed to distribute a fluid having an extremely wide, wedge shaped stream or a vertically elongated stream. Such nozzle configurations attempt to effectively spread the energy of the high pressure stream over a wide surface area or spread the fluid stream vertically to layer the fluid over a smaller surface area. However, such nozzle designs often result in poor scheduling coefficients and poor distribution uniformity, which inefficiently irrigates the desired surface area. The scheduling coefficient measures how much extra watering a predetermined area must receive for every section of that area to receive sufficient water. The wide distribution often irrigates unwanted areas and the vertical distribution often irrigates too heavily. Moreover, such wide or vertical streams are also more susceptible to wind, which results in a stream that is difficult to predict and control. Similar to the low-flow rotors described above, these modified nozzle outlets are still susceptible to pressure variations that cause deviations in the throw distance and droplet size.
Rotary sprinklers have also been modified to irrigate mid-range distances utilizing multiple nozzle outlets to partition the fluid into separate fluid streams. Partitioning of the fluid divides the fluid energy between several nozzle outlets for achieving a range of throw distances and distribution patterns from a single irrigation device. For instance, a nozzle may direct a majority of the fluid through a range nozzle and then bleed a portion of the fluid through a separate spreader nozzle. Often the flow path to the spreader nozzle directs the portion of the fluid flow through an inlet opening to drop the fluid pressure and velocity prior to the spreader nozzle outlet so that such nozzle can project a fan-shaped spray of relatively narrow horizontal width short distances. While the spreader nozzle projects a spray shorter distances, it is designed only to project a small portion of the fluid in a spray distribution rather than the entire high-pressure fluid in a columnated stream similar to a range nozzle. If the entire fluid stream was directed to a spreader nozzle, the high flow rates and pressure drops that would be experienced at the nozzle outlet would result in small water droplets, nozzle misting, and unpredictable sprays that would not reliably irrigate the mid-range distances.
Modifying spray heads to project a spray pattern beyond 15 feet has also been difficult. The spray head is generally limited in size by the spray head housing; therefore, the nozzle configuration, the deflector plate size, and the typical supply pressures are restricted. Therefore, the spray pattern generally has limits to the distribution and throw distances that can be reliably achieved. For instance, at existing fluid pressures, modifying the nozzle and deflector plate configuration to project a spray further distances would result in misting, small fluid droplets, and unpredictable sprays. On the other hand, increasing fluid pressures to the spray head, even if practical, would also not reliably increase spray distances. With the limitations in the size of the nozzle housing, increasing the fluid pressure to achieve a longer throw distance will generally not result in longer throws, but large pressure drops across the nozzle outlets resulting in small fluid droplets, misting of the spray, and unpredictable distributions.
Accordingly, there is a desire for a rotary nozzle that can accommodate varying input fluid pressures to achieve precipitation rates and distribution patterns of traditional long distance range nozzles, but have a predictable throw distance and uniformity between about 15 and about 35 feet from the nozzle with sufficient flow to operate both the valve-in-head mechanism and the gear-drive mechanism.


In an embodiment, a processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to separate image data into dark color data and light color data, and correlate the dark color data with a first printing direction and the light color data with a second printing direction, where the first and second printing directions are opposite one another. The instructions further cause the processor to print the dark color data in the first printing direction and the light color data in the second printing direction.

Differences in printmodes typically involve a tradeoff between image quality (IQ) and print speed. While printmodes that improve both image quality and speed are desirable, most printmode designs merely attempt to find the appropriate balance between image quality and print speed that is best suited to a particular printing application. For example, image quality is typically more important for photo printing applications, while printing speed may be more important for simple text printing applications. In a scanning-type inkjet printer where a printhead scans back and forth across the media on a carriage), a unidirectional printmode is often used when printing photos, since this printmode provides high image quality. However, the higher image quality of the unidirectional printmode comes at the expense of print speed, because lines of the image are printed in only one direction (usually from left to right across the media). In bidirectional printmodes, one line is typically printed from left to right, followed by a line being printed from right to left, and so on. Bidirectional printing is faster than printing in one direction only, because there is no need to wait for the printhead carriage or other imaging mechanism to return to the left margin before starting a new line.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


A monopod body is constructed such that inside pipes having smaller diameters sequentially are extensibly inserted into an outside pipe in a telescopic fashion and a bracket to which a panhead is attached is fitted into the upper end of the outside pipe. Two auxiliary legs whose lengths are substantially equal to the shortest length of the monopod body when the monopod body is contracted most are pivotally attached to the bracket so that the two auxiliary legs can be rotated with an inclination of a predetermined angle. Therefore, the monopod for supporting a camera or the like can be served also as a tripod.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for supporting a camera or the like and, more particularly, is directed to a monopod which can support a still camera, a video camera, a telescope or the like at a desired height.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional supporting monopod is extensible in a telescopic fashion. When this type of monopod is used to support a variety of cameras, a telescope or the like, the monopod is extended to adjust the height of the camera so that a height of a viewfinder or the like coincides with the height of the user's eyes, and supports the camera or the like in a one-point supporting fashion. When the monopod is not in use, the monopod can be contracted and become compact.
According to the monopod thus arranged to support the camera or the like, the camera or the like is supported in a one-point supporting fashion so that the direction of the camera can be smoothly changed when a cameraman takes a picture. On the other hand, if the cameraman gets his hands off the camera or the like after the shooting is finished, then the monopod is fallen. For this reason, the monopod must be usually leaned against other object or the camera must be detached from the monopod each time the shooting is finished.
However, when the monopod is leaned against other object, there is then the risk that the monopod is fallen to damage the camera. Further, in the latter case, it is cumbersome for the cameraman to remove the camera from the monopod. Also, the cameraman cannot take a picture immediately when he wishes. In addition, the monopod cannot be placed independently unlike a tripod and hence a picture cannot be taken automatically.