An autonomous cleaner has an enhanced structure capable of conducting an efficient cleaning task according to the material quality or the condition of the floor surface of a cleaning space.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to an autonomous cleaner capable of conducting a cleaning according to material quality or condition of a floor surface, and a method of controlling thereof
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an autonomous cleaner is a cleaning apparatus which automatically cleans an area intended to be cleaned without the control of a user while independently driving in the area to be cleaned by taking in foreign substances such as dust. Such an autonomous cleaner, through various sensors, etc., detects the distance to obstacles such as furniture, office equipment, or a wall within a cleaning area, and cleans the area while driving such that, by using the information detected, a collision with the obstacle may be avoided.
The cleaning of the area using the autonomous cleaner refers to a process of the autonomous cleaner repeatedly conducting a cleaning task while driving according to a pre-established driving pattern.
The area which the autonomous cleaner cleans while driving may not have a uniform material quality or condition, etc. on the surface, and in order to efficiently clean the cleaning area, the driving method or the cleaning strength may be varied according to the material quality or the condition of the floor surface. For example, in a case of a soft floor such as a carpet, since driving resistance is large and more dust is contained in the soft floor when compared with a hard floor such as a wooden floor, the intake force and driving speed of the autonomous cleaner must be increased, and in case of a tile, since a groove is formed at regular intervals, the concentrated dust in the groove must be completely eliminated when the autonomous cleaner passes the groove. In a case when the autonomous cleaner passes an intersection between floor surfaces having different material quality or condition to each other, the entry angle and the driving speed must be controlled differently for the autonomous cleaner to drive smoothly, and not to simultaneously drive on the floor surface having different material quality or condition to each other.
In addition, obstacles such as a raised area, an object having an inclined plane, furniture, etc may exist on the area where the autonomous cleaner cleans while operating. Such obstacles may cause the driving wheels of the autonomous cleaner to become elevated (hereafter called "elevation") or the autonomous cleaner to be unable to drive as the body of the autonomous cleaner is caught in a narrow space (hereafter called "caught-in").
A conventional autonomous cleaner is not equipped with a sensor capable of sensing such an elevation or caught-in condition, or a condition when the autonomous cleaner is not able to drive because an elevation or the caught-in condition has already occurred. Instead a conventional autonomous cleaner is at best equipped with a sensor only capable of conducting a very limited function in stopping the operation of the autonomous cleaner by sensing a that the autonomous cleaner is unable to drive, thereby having a problem in driving while avoiding the obstacles before the elevation or the caught-in phenomenon occurs, or in driving by effectively overcoming the obstacles.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Autonomous cleaner and method of controlling the same

Abstract: The autonomous cleaner includes a body, a driving wheel to drive the body, a driving wheel assembly having the driving wheel, and a control unit. The control unit detects a displacement of the driving wheel corresponding to a reference position by sensing a sensor target, determines material quality or condition of a floor surface according to the displacement of the driving wheel, and controls the driving of the autonomous cleaner according to the determined material quality or the condition of the floor surface.


An exhaust guide guides exhaust gases within an exhaust system to an intake portion of a sensor when an input port and an output port of the exhaust guide are positioned within an exhaust gas flow. A high pressure region formed at the input port and a low pressure region formed at the output port facilitate the flow of the gases through a chamber housing that at least houses the intake portion of the sensor. Contamination of the sampled gases by outside air is minimized. In some configurations, the sensor is mounted outside of the exhaust system to increase the thermal isolation between the sensor and the exhaust system improving the performance and increasing the useful life of the sensor.

The invention relates in general to exhaust guides and more specifically to an apparatus, system and method for guiding an exhaust gas to measure an oxygen concentration.
Oxygen sensors are used to measure the concentration of oxygen in a gas. Many conventional combustion engines utilize oxygen sensors for determining the air to fuel mixture of the exhaust of the combustion engine. Conventional internal combustion engines typically incorporate electronic fueling control using computing devices such as Electronic Control Units (ECU) that meter fuel into the engine intake depending on engine intake airflow. The oxygen sensors are typically mounted within the exhaust system along the engine exhaust gas flow. The exhaust gases flow through an intake of the exhaust sensor exposing a measuring cell within the oxygen sensor to the exhaust gases. The oxygen sensor produces an output signal that indicates the air to fuel ratio of the exhaust gas.
Conventional techniques for measuring exhaust gases, however, are limited in several ways. The exhaust flow within the exhaust system oscillates at least in magnitude and, in some circumstances, also in direction. External air is often sucked back into the exhaust system through the tail pipe. When the oxygen sensor is mounted near the exhaust output, the exhaust gases that are measured are often contaminated by external air which results in an inaccurate oxygen concentration measurement. One attempted solution to this problem includes placing the oxygen sensor or an exhaust guide in the exhaust system away from the exhaust output. If the sensor is permanently mounted within the exhaust system, conventional techniques include modifying a portion of the exhaust system to include a mounting apparatus for the sensor. A typical technique includes cutting an opening within a exhaust pipe and welding a bung within the opening. An oxygen sensor is then screwed into the threaded bung. A significant drawback of this technique includes the extra cost and inconvenience resulting from the exhaust system modification. In addition, the exhaust gases near the engine are often much hotter than near the output. Oxygen sensors mounted near the engine experience high temperatures and well as large temperature variations resulting in deterioration and premature failure of the oxygen sensor. Where the measurement is a performed infrequently, and the presence of the oxygen sensor is temporary, a typical measuring technique includes inserting a long exhaust guide such as pipe into the output of the exhaust system. The long pipe provides the oxygen sensor with exhaust gases that are sampled at a distance form the exhaust opening where contamination from external air is less likely. This technique is limited in that significant measurement delays result from the time required for the sampled gases to travel along the pipe. Changes in oxygen concentration resulting from adjustments and changing engine conditions can not be easily correlated due to the measurement delays.
Therefore, there exists a need for an apparatus, system and method for guiding a gas to a sensing portion of a sensor.

System, apparatus, and method for guiding an exhaust gas


The invention relates to a security pigment, comprising core-shell particles having a core based on an organic addition polymer, a shell based on an organic condensation polymer and a feature substance present in the core in finely dispersed or dissolved form, wherein the addition polymer is a three-dimensionally cross-linked duromer.

The invention relates to a security pigment based on core-shell particles, comprising a core based on a porous addition polymer, a shell based on a condensation polymer and a feature substance being present in the core in finely dispersed or dissolved form. The invention furthermore relates to a manufacturing method for the core-shell particle containing the feature substance.
The invention in particular relates to comparatively simple to manufacture core-shell particles which contain an optical feature substance dissolved or finely dispersed in the core, e.g. an organic or inorganic luminescence or absorber dye. By coating the core from addition polymer, specifically a polyurethane core or a polyurea core, with an encasing layer of a condensation polymer, the pigment is protected against migration and bleeding. The advantage of the particles according to the invention consists, among other things, in the fact that the condensation polymer of the outer shell is formed by an acidic condensation reaction and therefore a tight, not very porous shell is formed. This outer shell protects the inner, porous yet simple to manufacture polyurethane core optimally from attacks with solvents, weak acids and bases or redox-active substances.
The print U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,379 A describes the incorporation of luminescing dyes in solid resin. The print contains exclusively the employment of cross-linked polyurea substances and polyurethanes as a duromer matrix as well as methods for manufacturing the same. An additional encasing of ground resinous particles is not mentioned.
The print U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,040 describes a core-shell particle with a slightly cross-linked elastomer polymer as a core material and a thermoplastic polymer as a shell. The objective is an improved compatibility of the core with polyamides which receive a higher impact resistance by incorporating the elastomers. The fraction of the shell on the total material amounts to 10 to 50 percent by weight.
The technical solution according to the invention with two strongly cross-linked duromers offers a distinctly better protection from chemical attacks on the feature substance distributed in the core, because here less diffusion paths occur and no swelling-up is possible.
The print U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,269 B1 describes a diol latex which is introduced into a condensation reaction medium to attain a combination of the diol polymer with the condensation polymer. However, no polyurethane/polyurea is used in the core and the synthesis process is comparatively elaborate (protective gas, handling reactive monomers) and usually requires toxic, metalliferous catalysts for propagating the condensation reaction.
The print WO 2004/104060 A2 describes a burnable core-shell particle as a color pigment for thermally activated direct writing methods, wherein the particle has a nitro resin as a core material and an ethylene-based polymer as a shell. The ratio between shell and core material can reach from 20:1 to 0.2:1. However, the shell not necessarily covers the entire surface of the core and could therefore not guarantee also the protection of an embedded feature substance.
The print US 2014/0275395 A1 describes a core-shell particle with a core of polyurethane and a shell from polyacrylate. Such particles are suitable, among other things, as additives for ink-jet applications, because they can improve certain ink properties (e.g. the capability of jetting, smear fastness). The employed polyacrylate shell (i.e. a thermoplastic latex) protects a porous core from a polyurethane (which is obtainable by a simple-to-carry-out extrusion process) insufficiently against solvents which can make the acrylate polymer swell up. A color pigment so constituted is insufficiently protected against solvent attacks.
The print DE 10 2006 008 245 A1 describes an organic luminescent substance which is equipped with a shell which protects the luminescent substance from chemical influences and which increases light resistance. In contrast to the present invention, the organic luminescent substance is coated directly with an organic or inorganic shell. This procedure has several technical disadvantages. On the one hand, it is not possible to supply a uniform coating method for different illuminants, i.e. the coating method per se is technically distinctly more elaborate. On the other hand, there sinks e.g. the relative luminous efficiency of organic luminescence dyes if these are used directly as a core material.
The present invention is based on the object to supply an improved security pigment compared with the prior art. Furthermore, the present invention is based on the object to supply an improved method compared with the prior art for manufacturing a security pigment.
These objects are achieved by the feature combinations defined in the independent claims. Developments of the invention are the subject matter of the subclaims.

Core-shell particle-based security pigment and method for production thereof

GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH


A piezoelectric circuit drives mirror movement along a scan path. The scanner includes a support, a reflective surface and a piezoelectric circuit. The support alternately rotates about an axis of rotation in a first direction and a second direction. The reflective surface moves with the support. The piezoelectric circuit is mechanically coupled to the support, and includes a first piezoelectric volume and a second piezoelectric volume. During a first portion of a drive cycle drive signals of opposite polarity cause the volumes to deform in opposing manner. The deformation causes the support to rotate in the first direction. During a second portion of the drive cycle the polarity of the drive signals switches again causing the volumes to deform, but in opposite manner than during the first portion of the drive cycle. The deformation causes the support to rotate in the second direction.

This invention relates to optical scanner devices, and more particularly to a mechanical resonant scanner having a mirror which moves to deflect light along a scanning path.
Mechanical resonant scanners are used in retinal display devices to scan an image onto the retina of an eye. In an exemplary configuration one scanner is used to provide horizontal deflection of a light beam, while another scanner is used to provide vertical deflection of the light beam. Together the two scanners deflect the light beam at a changing angle to define a raster scanning pattern. By modulating the light beam and implementing multiple colors, a color image is scanned in raster format onto the retina.
Each scanner includes a mirror which receives the light beam. The respective mirrors are moved at a periodic rate over a prescribed angle. Such movement causes deflection of the light beam. The periodic rate is a scanning rate. For scanning a raster pattern there typically is a horizontal scanning rate for the horizontal scanner and a vertical scanning rate for the vertical scanner. The prescribed angle is referred to as a deflection angle. In the context of a retinal display the scanning rate and deflection angles are defined to meet the limits of the human eye. For the eye to continually perceive an ongoing image the light beam rescans the image, or a changing image, in periodic fashion. Analogous to refreshing a pixel on a display screen, the eye's retinal receptors must receive light from the scanning light beam periodically. The minimum refresh rate is a function of the light adaptive ability of the eye, the image luminance, and the length of time the retinal receptors perceive luminance after light impinges. To achieve television quality imaging the refresh rate is to be at least 50 to 60 times per second (i.e., .gtoreq.50 Hz to 60 Hz). Further, to perceive continuous movement within an image the refresh rate is to be at least 30 Hz.
To define a raster pattern in which millions of bits of information (e.g., light pixels) are communicated onto a small area (i.e., eye retina), the position of the mirror is controlled to a high degree of accuracy. In a conventional mechanical resonant scanner, the mirror is controlled by a magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit includes a pair of permanent magnets and a pair of electromagnets. A shortcoming of such a drive mechanism is the added weight of the magnets.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional scanner 10 having a mirror 12 and a spring plate 14. The mirror 12 and spring plate 14 are the only moving parts. The scanner 10 also includes a base plate 16 having a pair of stator posts 18, 20. Stator coils 22, 24 are wound in opposite directions about the respective stator posts 18, 20. The coil windings are connected in series or in parallel to a drive circuit. On opposite ends of the base plate 16, permanent magnets 26, 28 are mounted. The magnets are equidistant from the posts 18, 20. The spring plate 14 has enlarged opposite ends 30 that rest on a pole of a respective permanent magnet. The magnets are oriented to have the same pole in contact with each end of the spring plate 14. Thus, the opposite pole of each magnet 26, 28 is located adjacent to the base plate 16. The spring plate 14, magnets 26, 28 and the base plate 16 are tightly clamped together by respective caps 34, 36.
Magnetic circuits are formed in the scanner 10 so as to oscillate the mirror 12 about an axis of rotation 15. A first magnetic circuit extends from the top pole of the magnet 26 to the spring plate end 30, through an arm of the spring plate and mirror 12 across a gap to the stator pole 18, then through the base plate 16 back to the permanent magnet 26. A second magnetic circuit extends a similar path but through the stator post 20 instead of the stator post 18. A third magnetic circuit extends from the top pole of the magnet 28 to the opposite spring plate end 30, through an arm of the spring plate and mirror 12 across a gap to the stator pole 18, then through the base plate 16 back to the permanent magnet 28. A fourth magnetic circuit extends a similar path but through the stator post 20 instead of the stator post 18. A periodic drive signal is applied to the oppositely wound coils 22, 24 creating magnetic fields which cause the mirror 12 to oscillate back and forth about the axis of rotation 15. The phase angle of the mirror is not detected. A pair of frequency adjustment screws 37, 38 can be adjusted so as to increase or decrease the tension in the spring plate 14. Variation of such tension increases or decreases the resonant frequency of the scanner 10.

Optical scanner having piezoelectric drive


The invention relates to crimson-colored pigment mixtures comprising 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-diarylpyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole and quinacridone pigments in separate crystalline phases, having a high tinctorial strength combined with other excellent application properties. The pigments according to the invention can be used in printing inks, especially in printing inks for polychromatic printed products. A substantial constituent of the pigment mixtures according to the invention is 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole or 2,9-dichloroquinacridone, which are subjected to kneading with a crystalline inorganic salt and a neutral organic liquid. The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of such pigment compositions, the use thereof in the production of printing inks, and such printing inks themselves.

The invention relates to crimson-coloured pigment mixtures comprising 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-diaryl-pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole and quinacridone pigments in separate crystalline phases, having high tinctorial strength combined with other excellent application properties. The pigments according to the invention can be used in printing inks, especially in printing inks for polychromatic printed products.
Shade, tinctorial strength, transparency and viscosity are the most important parameters in printing inks. The shade must correspond to very specific values in order to be able to obtain together with other shades as broad a colour range as possible, there generally being used in addition to crimson (magenta) also blue-green (cyan), yellow and black. For that purpose the tinctorial strength and transparency should be high, but combined with acceptably low viscosity.
EP 337 435 discloses a process for the preparation of opacifying diketopyrrolopyrrole pigments by wet milling in an alcohol/base system, by means of which it is also possible to treat pigment red 254.
It is known from EP 277 914 that quinacridones with diketopyrrolo[3,4c]pyrroles in a ratio of from 5:95 to 95:5 yield solid solutions the colour properties of which differ from those of the components.
Those solid solutions are obtained by a variety of processes, including salt kneading in the presence of an organic solvent. The same result is also obtained by dry milling followed by heat treatment in the presence of a polar solvent (EP 524 904), by simultaneous decarboxylation of soluble derivatives (EP 654 506) and by dissolution and reprecipitation from basic dimethyl sulfoxide (EP 707 049), the ratio by weight of 2,9-dichloroquinacridone to 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole in one Example of EP 707 049 being 3:2.
Finally, EP 737 723 discloses physical mixtures of 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-bi-phenylyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole and 2,9-dichloroquinacridone that have a red shade and high opacity.
Those known products, however, have proved still to be insufficiently suitable for printing inks, especially for inks for polychromatic printing. The printing inks obtainable from the known pigments either are of an undesired shade or they are disappointing in terms of the tinctorial strength, transparency, viscosity or even several of those properties simultaneously.
It has now been found that pigment compositions can be obtained that are surprisingly more suitable for printing inks when certain 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-diaryl-pyrrolo[3,4c]-pyrrole and quinacridone pigments are blended under conditions such that the crystal modifications of the components are substantially retained, that is to say without the formation of solid solutions or mixed crystals.
It has also been found that 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]-pyrrole and 2,9-dichloroquinacridone can, surprisingly, be surface-passivated by salt kneading so that particles conditioned in that manner no longer have a tendency to form solid solutions or mixed crystals, even when they are dispersed using high forces either together or with other quinacridones or pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrroles, respectively, as is customary in the preparation of printing inks.
The invention accordingly relates to a pigment composition comprising pigments of formulae
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently of the others hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, cyano, trifluoromethyl, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy or C1-C8alkylthio, wherein the pigments of formulae (I) and (II) have their own separate crystalline phases and at least one pigment of formula (I) or (II) is 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo-[3,4c]pyrrole or 2,9-dichloroquinacridone kneaded with a crystalline inorganic salt and a neutral organic liquid.
Separate crystalline phases are recognised by the fact that the X-ray diffraction pattern of the pigment composition corresponds to the weighted sum of the X-ray diffraction patterns of the pure components. It is probable, although unconfirmed, that the particles of different crystal modifications occur loosely adjacent to one another; however, aggregates of different crystal modifications likewise fully correspond to the definition according to the invention, provided they do not contain mixed phases or solid solution regions.
The pigment of formula (I) may be a chemically uniform compound, or may be a mixture, a solid solution or a mixed crystal of from 2 to 4 compounds of formula (I). The pigment of formula (II) may be a chemically uniform compound, or may be a mixture, a solid solution or a mixed crystal of from 2 to 4 compounds of formula (II), which may also contain from 0 to 20 mol % each of the compounds of formula
and/or
Instead of pure 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole as component to be kneaded, there may also be used a monophase solid solution or a mixed crystal in which 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole constitutes the host phase.
Instead of pure 2,9-dichloroquinacridone as component to be kneaded, there may also be used a monophase solid solution or a mixed crystal in which 2,9-dichloroquinacridone constitutes the host phase.
It is not advantageous, on the other hand, to use solid solutions or mixed crystals that comprise compounds of formulae (I) and (II) simultaneously.
When the pigments of formulae (I) and (II) are mixtures, solid solutions or mixed crystals, preference is given to as few components of formulae (I) and/or (II) as possible, for example 2 or 3 of each, preferably 2 of each, which each on their own or together form a stable crystal modification, especially physical mixtures and mixed crystals. Special preference is given, however, to a single compound of formula (I) or a single compound of formula (II), and very special preference is given to only one compound of each of formulae (I) and (II).
C1-C8Alkyl is, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n-amyl, tert-amyl, n-hexyl, n-heptyl, n-octyl, 2-ethylhexyl or 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentyl, preferably C1-C4alkyl, especially methyl or ethyl. C1-C8Alkoxy is, for example, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94C1-C8alkyl, preferably xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94C1-C4alkyl, especially methoxy or ethoxy. C1-C8Alkylthio is, for example, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94C1-C8alkyl, preferably xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94C1-C4alkyl, especially methylthio or ethylthio.
R1, R2, R3 and R4 are preferably chlorine, bromine, cyano, C1-C4alkyl or trifluoromethyl, especially chlorine, methyl or cyano, more especially chlorine.
The pigment of formula (I) is preferably 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)-pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole and the pigment of formula (II) is quinacridone or 2,9-dichloro-quinacridone, especially 2,9-dichloroquinacridone. The preferred pigments of formulae (I) and (II) are especially preferably combined with one another.
The pigments of formulae (I) and (II) are known and some of them are commercially obtainable. The ratio by weight of pigment of formula (I) to pigment of formula (II) is preferably from 1.5:1 to 1:1.2, especially about 1:1.
For the kneading of the pigments of formula (I) or (II), preferably the ratio by weight of crystalline inorganic salt to pigment of formula (I) or (II) is from 4:1 to 12:1, the ratio of organic liquid to crystalline inorganic salt is from 1 ml:6 g to 3 ml:7 g, and the temperature is from xe2x88x9220 to 100xc2x0 C. The pigment particles are advantageously reduced in size during kneading, with preferably a pigment of a specific surface area of xe2x89xa640 m2/g, especially from 5 to 30 m2/g, being converted to a pigment of a specific surface area of xe2x89xa740 m2/g, especially from 50 to 80 m2/g. The specific surface area can be determined, for example, by the nitrogen method.
Advantageously the crystalline inorganic salt is soluble in the neutral organic liquid at xe2x89xa6100 mg/l at 20xc2x0 C., especially xe2x89xa610 mg/l at 20xc2x0 C., and is especially virtually insoluble at 20xc2x0 C.
The inorganic salt and the neutral organic liquid are preferably each soluble in water at a concentration of at least 10 g/100 ml. As inorganic salt preference is given to the use of aluminium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium chloride, potassium chloride or sodium chloride, which may optionally contain water of crystallisation. As neutral organic liquid preference is given to the use of a mono-, bis- or tris-hydroxy-C2-C12alkane compound or a polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol having from 1 to 120 ether groups, which may be unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 oxo groups or at one or more hydroxy groups may be etherified by C1-C8alkyl or esterified by C1-C8alkylcarbonyl, or a mixture thereof. Examples of neutral organic liquids include C2-C5alcohols, such as tert-butanol, C2-C12alkylenediols, such as ethylene glycol, C3-C12alkanetriols, such as glycerol, and diethylene glycol, or ethers thereof, such as monoglyme or diglyme, esters thereof, such as triacetin, or oxo-substituted derivatives thereof, such as diacetone alcohol.
The temperature during kneading is preferably from 25 to 60xc2x0 C. The speed of rotation, if appropriate taking into account cooling, should be such that sufficient shearing occurs without the temperature exceeding the temperature range according to the invention. Excellent results are obtained, for example, in a 5 litre kneader at speeds of 50 to 150 rev/min and a kneading time of from 6 to 24 hours, but those figures are not limiting in any way, it being possible, for example, for the speeds to be lower in larger apparatuses.
The invention relates also to a process for the preparation of a pigment composition comprising pigments of formulae
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently of the others hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, cyano, trifluoromethyl, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy or C1-C8alkylthio, wherein the pigments of formulae (I) and (II) have their own separate crystalline phases, by kneading 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole as pigment of formula (I) or 2,9-dichloroquinacridone as pigment of formula (II) with a crystalline inorganic salt and a neutral organic liquid, washing out the crystalline inorganic salt and the neutral organic liquid, drying and mixing with the other component of formula (II) or (I) as the case may be. The preferred kneading conditions are given above. Washing out is preferably carried out with water, especially demineralised water. Drying is preferably carried out at from xe2x88x9220 to 250xc2x0 C./from 10xe2x88x921 to 105 Pa, especially at from 25 to 100xc2x0 C./from 102 to 105 Pa or from to 200xc2x0 C./from 104 to 105 Pa, more especially at 80xc2x0 C./104 Pa. Mixing can be carried out in a commercial mixer, for example a rotary drum having mixing blades, it being advantageous to use an apparatus in which the particles are substantially not physically altered. For that reason it is preferred not to use dry mills for that purpose or, if they are used, only under very gentle conditions.
The second component can be mixed in at any time, for example after drying the first component or even before washing out, in which case the kneader itself can be used as mixer.
Preferably both components of formulae (I) and (II) are kneaded, especially preferably both are kneaded according to the preferred conditions given above.
The pigment compositions obtained according to the invention are distinguished especially by an astonishingly high tinctorial strength. They have very attractive crimson shades with excellent fastness properties, good transparency and good gloss. Moreover, a specific shade can be obtained using a lower ratio of quinacridone to diketopyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole than in solid solutions, which is very advantageous in view of the known very good general application properties of diketopyrrolo[3,4c]pyrroles, especially in view of their extraordinarily high chroma.
Using a nitrocellulose-based printing ink, printed by intaglio printing on standard HIFI paper (Sihl-Eica), at a total application rate after drying of 0.80 g/m2, of which 0.06 g/m2 is coloured pigment, there is preferably obtained a hue angle h of from 350 to 360 or from 0 to 10 with a chroma value C* of at least 30, especially a hue angle h of from 0 to 5 with a chroma value C* of at least 33 (CIE standard 1976).
Furthermore, the surface passivation according to the invention withstands high compressing and shearing forces. It is accordingly surprisingly possible to disperse the pigment compositions obtainable according to the invention in a ball mill or bead mill whilst retaining their colouristic advantages, it being especially advantageous that the viscosity of highly concentrated dispersions is also very satisfactory.
As a result of the extremely surprising advantage of much more efficient kneading, it is even possible to knead both components of formulae (I) and (II) together. As a consequence, in particular it is possible for the kneading time required to obtain specific particle sizes and specific surface areas to be shorter. For example, the kneading time in a 5 litre kneader at speeds of from 50 to 120 rev/min can be reduced to from 4 to 12 hours.
The variant of combined kneading is accordingly preferred, especially in the case of the preferred combinations of pigments of formulae (I) and (II).
The invention accordingly relates also to a process for the preparation of a pigment composition comprising pigments of formulae
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently of the others hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, cyano, trifluoromethyl, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy or C1-C8alkylthio, the pigments of formulae (I) and (II) having their own separate crystalline phases, by
combined kneading of 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole and a pigment of formula (II) or combined kneading of 2,9-dichloroquinacridone and a pigment of formula (I), with a crystalline inorganic salt and a neutral organic liquid,
washing out of the crystalline inorganic salt and the neutral organic liquid, and
drying.
The invention relates also to a process for the preparation of a pigment dispersion in a ball mill or bead mill wherein pigments of formulae
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently of the others hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, cyano, trifluoromethyl, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy or C1-C8alkylthio, are used, the pigments of formulae (I) and (II) having their own separate crystalline phases and at least one pigment of formula (I) or (II) being 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)pyrrolo-[3,4c]pyrrole or 2,9-dichloroquinacridone kneaded with a crystalline inorganic salt and a neutral organic liquid.
As liquid phase for the dispersion there can be used any customary dispersion medium, for example a solution of ethyl cellulose and/or nitrocellulose and/or a different known synthetic varnish in one or more solvents, for example organic solvents, such as ethoxypropanol, ethanol, dioctyl phthalate or toluene, or water. It is also possible to use further additives customary for the intended application.
The preparation of pigment dispersions in a ball mill or bead mill and the liquid phases that can be used for that purpose are very well known to the person skilled in the art and therefore require no further explanation.
The dispersions prepared according to the invention are excellently suitable especially as concentrates in the preparation of printing inks that have excellent application properties, especially an attractive crimson colour having high tinctorial strength.
The invention accordingly relates also to a printing ink or to a printing ink concentrate comprising a pigment composition according to the invention.
A printing ink is understood to mean a liquid or paste dispersion comprising colourant, binder and optionally solvents and additives. In a liquid printing ink customarily the binder and optionally the additives are dissolved in a solvent. Customary viscosities in a Brookfield viscosimeter are from 0.1 to 20 Pa.s (spindle No. 4, 10 rev/min). Printing ink concentrates are understood to mean compositions from which printing inks can be obtained by dilution. Additional ingredients and mixtures of printing inks and printing ink concentrates are known to the person skilled in the art.
The invention relates also to a printing ink comprising pigments of formulae
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently of the others hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, cyano, trifluoromethyl, C1-C8alkyl, C1-C8alkoxy or C1-C8alkylthio, wherein the pigments of formulae (I) and (II) have their own separate crystalline phases, the ratio by weight of pigment of formula (I) to pigment of formula (II) is from 1.5:1 to 1:1.2 and the printing ink, at a coloured pigment application rate of 0.06 g/m2 on a white background yields, after drying, a hue angle h of from 350 to 360 or from 0 to 10 with a chroma value C* of at least 30.
The printing ink preferably comprises 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-di(4xe2x80x2-chlorophenyl)-pyrrolo[3,4c]pyrrole as pigment of formula (I) or 2,9-dichloroquinacridone as pigment of formula (II), and especially both.
In addition to the pigments of formulae (I) and (II), and optionally (IIa) and/or (IIb), it is possible for the pigment compositions or pigment dispersions according to the invention to comprise further pigments, or for further pigments to be used concomitantly in the processes according to the invention, provided that the crystalline properties of the pigments of formulae (I) and (II) are not thereby substantially altered, which can be determined easily by X-ray crystallography. Additional pigments are to be understood as being any inorganic or organic white, black or coloured pigments, with the exception of 1,4-diketo-2,5-dihydro-3,6-diarylpyrrolo[3,4c]pyrroles and quinacridones.
Additional coloured pigments in the pigment compositions or pigment dispersions according to the invention are preferably used in small amounts of from 0 to 20% by weight, especially from 0 to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of all the compounds of formulae (I), (II), (IIa) and (IIb). Especially preferably, however, no additional coloured pigments are used.
The printing inks according to the invention contain the compounds of formulae (I), (II), (IIa) and (IIb) advantageously in a concentration of from 0.01 to 75% by weight, preferably from 1 to 50% by weight, especially from 5 to 40% by weight, more especially from 10 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the printing ink, and can be used, for example, for intaglio printing, flexographic printing, screen printing, offset printing or continuous or dropwise inkjet printing on paper, card, metal, wood, leather, plastics or textiles, or also in special applications according to generally known formulations, for example in publishing, packaging or shipping, in logistics, advertising, in security printing or for office purposes in ballpoint pens, felt-tip pens, fibre-tip pens, stamp pads, ink ribbons or inkjet printer cartridges.
For intaglio or flexographic printing, it is customary to prepare a printing ink from a printing ink concentrate by dilution, which printing ink can then be used according to methods known per se. Concentrates comprising the pigment compositions according to the invention are especially suitable.
The pigment compositions according to the invention are suitable also for preparing solid toners and wax transfer ribbons, as pigments in colour filters or for mass-colouring high molecular weight organic materials.
The high molecular weight organic material to be coloured according to the invention may be of natural or synthetic origin and customarily has a molecular weight in the range of from 103 to 108 g/mol. It may be, for example, a natural resin or drying oil, rubber or casein or a modified natural substance, such as chlorinated rubber, an oil-modified alkyd resin, viscose, a cellulose ether or ester, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose aceto-butyrate or nitrocellulose, but is especially a completely synthetic organic polymer (thermosets and thermoplastics), as are obtained by polymerisation, polycondensation or polyaddition, for example polyolefins, such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polyisobutylene, substituted polyolefins, such as polymerisation products from vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, styrene, acrylonitrile of acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid esters or butadiene, and copolymerisation products of the mentioned monomers, especially ABS or EVA.
From the series of the polyaddition resins and polycondensation resins there may be mentioned the condensation products of formaldehyde with phenols, so-called phenoplasts, and the condensation products of formaldehyde with urea, thiourea and melamine, so-called aminoplasts, the polyesters used as surface-coating resins, either saturated, such as alkyd resins, or unsaturated, such as maleic resins, and also linear polyesters and polyamides or silicones.
The mentioned high molecular weight compounds may be present in the form of single compounds or mixtures, as plastic masses or melts, which can optionally be spun to form fibres.
They may also be in the form of their monomers or in the polymerised state in dissolved form as film formers or binders for surface-coatings or for printing inks, such as linseed oil varnish, nitrocellulose, alkyd resins, melamine resins, urea-formaldehyde resins or acrylic resins.
The pigmenting of high molecular weight organic substances using the pigment compositions according to the invention is effected, for example, by admixing such a pigment, optionally in the form of a masterbatch, with such substrates using roll mills, or mixing or grinding apparatuses. The pigmented material is then generally brought to its desired final form according to methods known per se, such as calendering, compression moulding, extrusion, coating, casting or injection-moulding. In order to produce non-rigid mouldings or to reduce their brittleness, it is often desirable to incorporate so-called plasticisers into the high molecular weight compounds prior to shaping. There may be used as plasticisers, for example, esters of phosphoric acid, phthalic acid or sebacic acid. In the process according to the invention, the plasticisers can be incorporated before or after the incorporation of the pigment dye into the polymers. It is also possible, in order to obtain different hues, to add to the high molecular weight organic materials, in addition to the pigment compositions, also fillers and/or other colour-providing constituents, such as white, coloured or black pigments, or effect pigments, in the desired amount in each case.
For the pigmenting of surface-coatings and printing inks, the high molecular weight organic materials and the pigment compositions according to the invention are finely dispersed or dissolved, optionally together with additives, such as fillers, other pigments, siccatives or plasticisers, generally in an organic and/or aqueous solvent or solvent mixture. It is also possible to use a procedure in which the individual components are dispersed or dissolved separately or in which a plurality thereof are dispersed or dissolved together, and only then all of the components combined.
A further embodiment accordingly relates also to mass-coloured high molecular weight organic material containing
(a) from 0.05 to 70% by weight, based on the sum of (a) and (b), of a pigment composition according to the invention, and
(b) from 99.95 to 30% by weight, based on the sum of (a) and (b), of a high molecular weight organic material.
The high molecular weight organic material may be a ready-for-use composition or an article moulded therefrom, or a masterbatch, for example in the form of granules. Where appropriate, the high molecular weight organic material coloured according to the invention may also comprise customary additives, for example stabilisers.
A further embodiment accordingly relates also to a method of mass-colouring high molecular weight organic material wherein a pigment composition according to the invention is used, for example by mixing and processing the high molecular weight organic material together with the pigment composition according to the invention, optionally in the form of a masterbatch, in a manner known per se. This can be carried out, for example, in a bead mill, an extruder or a roll mill of any desired type of construction.

Crimson-colored pigment composition and the utilization thereof


According to this invention, there is provided an improved method of manufacturing a shadow mask obtained by independently etching both the surfaces of a metal substrate. After one surface is etched to form a first opening, an etching resistive agent composition containing an acrylic resin, casein, and a leveling agent is applied to the obtained opening to form an etching resistive layer. Subsequently, the other surface is etched to form a second opening in the other surface, and then the etching resistive layer is removed to cause the first and second openings to communicate with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a shadow mask used in a color picture tube and, more particularly, a method of manufacturing a shadow mask in which apertures for transmitting electron beams are formed by two-step etching.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shadow masks commonly used for color cathode ray tubes have a large number of apertures. These shadow masks are used to allow three electron beams each corresponding to red, green and blue emitted from the electron gun to impinge on each corresponding phosphor through the apertures.
A shadow mask according to the present invention is conventionally arranged in the following color picture tube.
The shadow-mask type color picture tube, as shown in FIG. 1, has an envelope constituted by a panel 1 and a funnel 2 integrally connected to the panel 1. A phosphor screen 3 constituted by tricolor phosphor layers is formed on the inner surface of the panel 1. A shadow mask 4 is arranged to be opposite to the phosphor screen 3 inside the panel 1.
The shadow mask 4 is formed by pressing in a predetermined various of curvature and a mask frame 10 welded to the peripheral portion of the shadow mask 4. The shadow mask 4 has a structure which selects three electron beams 7B, 7G, and 7R radiated from an electron gun 6 arranged in a neck 5 of the funnel 2 and allows these beams to be impinge on the tricolor phosphor layers. For this reason, a large number of apertures for transmitting electron beams are formed in the shadow mask 4 to have a predetermined arrangement. In addition, each of apertures 11 of the shadow mask 4 is formed such that a large opening 12 formed in one surface opposite to the phosphor screen communicates with a small opening 13 formed in the other surface as shown in FIG. 2 to decrease the amount of electron beams which collide with the inner walls of the apertures and are reflect in the undesired direction of the phosphor screen.
The shadow mask 4 is manufactured as follows. For example, apertures are perforated by photoetching in a shadow mask substrate such as a thin low-carbon steel plate having a thickness of, e.g., about 0.13 mm, a flat mask is made and this flat mask is formed by pressing after annealing.
Apertures are perforated in the shadow mask 4 as follows. First photoresist films are formed on both the surfaces of the shadow mask substrate. A pair of negative printing plates on which patterns of apertures each having predetermined shape and size are brought into contact with the photoresist films on both the surfaces of the shadow mask substrate, respectively, and the photoresist films are exposed. Thereafter, the patterns of the negative printing plates are printed and developed, thereby forming resist films having patterns corresponding to the patterns of the negative printing plates. The aperture patterns correspond to the large opening 12 and the small opening 13 which have the sections shown in FIG. 2, respectively. Thereafter, both the surfaces of the shadow mask substrate on which the large opening resist pattern layer and the small opening resist pattern layer are formed are simultaneously etched, thereby perforating apertures.
In recent years, a high-definition color picture tube has been developed. In accordance with this, a shadow mask having a small aperture diameter has been demanded. In contrast to a method of manufacturing a conventional shadow mask, a method called two-step etching disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 58-176378 is known as a method used for manufacturing a shadow mask having a small aperture diameter and used in the high-definition color picture tube. According to this method, as in the conventional method of manufacturing a shadow mask, photoresist films are formed on both the surfaces of a shadow mask substrate, negative printing plates are brought into contact with the photoresist films, respectively, and the photoresist photosensitive films are exposed and developed, thereby forming etching masks having patterns corresponding to the patterns of the negative printing plates. Thereafter, as the first etching, a protection film is adhered to one surface of the shadow mask substrate on which a large-opening resist pattern is formed. The other surface on which a small-opening resist pattern layer is formed is etched to form recesses of small openings. Thereafter, the small-opening resist pattern layer is removed, and an etching resistive agent containing an epoxy resin, casein, and a leveling agent as main components is coated on the small opening-side, thereby forming an etching resistive layer. In addition, the protection film adhered to the large-opening resist pattern layer is peeled. Thereafter, as the second etching, the large-opening side is etched to cause the large openings to communicate with the small openings, thereby forming apertures.
In a conventional single-step etching, an etching solution flows into an aperture rapidly as soon as the aperture is dug through by etching and passes through an aperture freely after communicating the large opening with the small openings, thereby undesired large aperture may be formed.
On the other hand, when the above two-step etching is used, since the etching resistive layer also prevents an etching solution to pass through an aperture, highly precise apertures can be obtained even when each of the apertures is designed to have a diameter smaller than that of the aperture obtained by conventional etching.
As described above, in the two-step etching, when the large-opening side is etched, the small openings side must be protected from etching. More specifically, as an etching resistive layer for protecting the small opening side during the second etching, an etching resistive agent containing an epoxy resin, casein, and a leveling agent as main components is often used. However, this etching resistive agent is not easily removed after the apertures are formed, and the formed apertures clog with the etching resistive agent.
A caustic solution is generally used to remove the etching resistive layer. However, since the etching resistive layer does not dissolve in the caustic solution, it is not easily removed. The removed etching resistive layer is suspended in the solution and attached to the shadow mask substrate, thereby easily clogging the formed apertures in the substrate.


A drive device for an ink jet type printing head which makes it possible to jet ink droplets having different sizes from the same nozzle, and with which the resultant image is high in picture quality and in gradation, and the printing operation is achieved at high speed. The drive device includes a drive signal generating circuit (23) which outputs within one printing period a first drive signal which is used to jet a relatively large ink droplet from the nozzle opening, and a second drive signal in succession to the first drive signal which is used to jet a relatively small ink droplet from the same nozzle opening. In response to a printing signal, one of the first and second drive signals is selected and applied to the piezo-electric elements (6) of the printing head. Thus, ink droplets having different sizes are selectively from the same ink nozzle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drive device for a printing head of an ink jet printer in which different size ink droplets are jetted from the same nozzle onto a recording medium such as a recording sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink jet printer is one type of dot matrix printer. In an ink jet printer, ink droplets are jetted onto the recording sheet according to binary-coded image signals, so that a character or image is formed with recording dots having the same size. In order to form an ink jet image which is variable in gradation, such as a picture, it is essential to reduce the weight of each ink droplet, and therefore the size of the resultant recording dot. If the size of the resultant recording dot is not reduced, the low density region of the printed image will have significant granularity.
A method of decreasing the weight of ink droplets has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 17589/1980. In the method disclosed in this reference, the volume of the pressure chamber is changed, i.e., the chamber is expanded and contracted. In other words, the weight of the ink droplets is reduced by decreasing the force of expanding and contracting the pressure chamber. On the other hand, the high density region of the formed image must be filled completely with ink dots with no spaces between the ink dots. Hence, if the size of each recording dot is decreased, then the printing speed is decreased as much (when compared with the case where the recording dots are large).
Let us consider the cases where print resolving powers are 360 dpi and 720 dpi. In those cases, in order to completely fill the recording sheets with the recording dots, i.e., to form solid prints, the recording dots must be at least 100 .mu.m and 50 .mu.m, respectively. In the case where the print resolving power is 720 dpi, the printing speed is decreased to about a quarter (1/4) of that in the case where the print resolving power is 360 dpi. In order to overcome this difficulty, it is necessary to increase the ink droplet jetting frequency by a factor of "4" (four-fold), or to increase the number of ink jetting nozzles by a factor of "4". However, to do so is rather difficult.
In order to solve the above-described problems, a technique has been proposed in which ink droplets having different weights are jetted from the same nozzle, to form an image that is variable in gradation (cf. Japanese Patent Publication No. 15735/1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,215). In this technique, a plurality of pulse signals are employed to form a plurality of minute ink droplets, and the number of minute ink droplets thus formed is adjusted to form a larger diameter ink droplet which is dropped onto the recording sheet.
In the technique described above, a plurality of minute ink droplets are combined to form one ink droplet larger in diameter. However, this process decreases the printing speed. Furthermore, since minute ink droplets must be combined before being dropped onto the recording sheet, the recorded dots are unavoidably small in the range of variations in diameter.

Ink jet printing head embodiment with drive signal circuit outputting different drive signals each printing period and with selecting circuit applying one of the signals to piezoelectric elements that expand and contract pressure generating chambers


A power tool includes a motor, a switch, a housing, a switching member and a holding member. The housing is a hollow body formed by a first housing part and a second housing part connected with the first housing part. The first housing part has a through hole. The switching member is connected to the switch and includes an operation part exposed outside through the through hole so as to be movable in a specified direction in response to a user's manual operation. The switching member is configured to turn the switch on and off by linearly moving in the specified direction. The holding member is supported by at least one of the first housing part and the second housing part within the housing and configured to hold the switching member between the holding member and the first housing part so as to be linearly movable in the specified direction.

A power tool which is configured to drive a tool accessory has an operation part which can be operated to switch on and off a switch for driving and stopping a motor. For example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2017-80827 discloses a power tool which is configured to oscillatory drive a tool accessory mounted to a spindle, using a motor as a driving source. In this power tool, a switch for driving and stopping the motor is turned on and off by a sliding movement of an operation part disposed on an upper surface of a body housing in a front-rear direction.


An input stage for an integrated circuit device provides constant gain in selectable modes of either differential or single-ended operation. In one embodiment, transconductance devices are arranged so that the input impedance of the input stage matches the signal source impedance, regardless whether the input stage is selected to operate in a differential mode or in a single-ended mode. In accordance with an alternative embodiment, constant-gain and constant-impedance conditions are maintained in a configuration that comprises and input signal attenuator. In one application, the input stage may serve as a low-noise amplifier (LNA) for an integrated transceiver.

Remarkable growth in the demand for communications products and services, and especially in the requirements for portable communications devices, has driven consumer requirements for low-cost, small-form-factor, low-power RF (radio frequency) transceivers. In addition, the development of state-of-the-art wireless applications has encouraged consumers to expect both the convenience of extended connectivity and the benefit of enhanced services. RF transceivers that operate in compliance with multiple prevailing standards are instrumental, if not required, in the satisfaction of these objectives. In this regard, the capabilities of CMOS (complementary metal/oxide/semiconductor) and BiCMOS (bipolar/CMOS) VLSI (very large scale integration) technology are particularly well suited to the accommodation of very aggressive levels of mixed-signal integration, as well as to the provision of increasing functionality in a single-chip RF integrated circuit (IC) device.
In general, the signal received by an RF transceiver IC from an antenna is typically a single-ended signal. However, the input IC (RF transceiver, for example) designed to process the signal from the antenna may be either single-ended or differential. Providing a differential input to the IC is desirable because any interfering signal that affects both of the differential inputs equally is cancelled. Unfortunately, converting a single-ended signal from the antenna into a differential signal for the IC requires a balanced-to-unbalanced converter (balun). Baluns tend to be expensive, introduce loss, and do not provide an ideally flat passband. Therefore, in many cases it is desirable to avoid the use of a balun and simply arrange the IC to receive the single-ended signal.
Typically an RF transceiver IC will be designed to accept either a single-ended input or differential input, but not both. It is difficult to handle both single-ended and differential inputs, in large part due to the disparate input impedance requirements for the single-ended and differential inputs.
For RF signals, the input impedance to the IC needs to match the source impedance of the signal source that provides the input. If the antenna drives the single-ended input to the IC directly, the input impedance of the IC must be equal to the source impedance (Rs) of the antenna. In situations where a balun is used to effect single-ended to differential conversion, the impedance present at each of the differential input pins of the IC must be equal to one-half the antenna source impedance, i.e., Rs/2.


A mobile wireless device, such as a mobile wireless phone, is adapted based on a user's current abstracted contextual situation, where the context of a user is determined using devices enabled with near-field communication technology. Dynamic information of a user of a mobile device, such as the identity of his or her current environment, is determined using near-field communication, such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. Static information regarding the user is also determined, where such static information can include the user's preferences regarding how the mobile device should adapt to certain environments. An abstracted contextual situation of the user is synthesized based on this dynamic and static information. One or more adaptation directives for the mobile device of the user are determined based on the user's abstracted contextual situation. The adaptation directives are implemented for the mobile device, without user interaction, or by instructing the user to appropriately configure the mobile device.

Mobile wireless devices, such as mobile wireless phones, have become an important part of modern-day living, because of their ability to provide access to people and information, anytime and anywhere. Among the different types of mobile wireless devices that are currently available, mobile wireless phones in particular have permeated the daily lives of people, regardless of their age and occupation, in developed and developing countries alike. As of 2005, there are nearly two billion mobile wireless phone users, and this number is only like to increase in the future.
The flexibility and accessibility provided by mobile wireless phones has changed the way people expect to be connected to one another. No longer does a person have to worry about missing calls, or be confined to a single location in order to carry on a conversation. On the other hand, callers expect that calling the mobile wireless phone of another person will help in connecting to that person immediately, and tend to prefer if not expect this option.
The flexibility and accessibility provided by mobile wireless devices, such as mobile wireless phones, has been a boon to society to a large extent. However, in the case of person-to-person communications, this accessibility has resulted in an increase in the number of interrupts within people's lives. For instance, it has been found that most people find the use of mobile wireless phones in public places to be annoying. Mobile phone conversations in public have been found to be more distracting than face-to-face conversations, because people pay more attention to mobile wireless phone conversations.
These interruptions have become such an integral part of people's lives that people tend to either overlook them or react by turning off the phone or placing it in vibration mode, but only after the interruption has occurred and the damage has been done. In some situations, the abrupt ringing of a mobile wireless phone is not simply a distraction, however, but could also lead to potentially disastrous consequences. This is especially the case when a mobile wireless phone rings during a time-critical and safety-critical situation, such as when a surgeon is performing an operation within an operation theater in a hospital.
The social disturbance caused by mobile wireless phones has been addressed in several ways. One approach has been to introduce legislation regarding the use of mobile wireless phones, or cellular phones, in public places. Another approach has been to constantly educate people regarding such phone usage, by placing signs that serve as polite reminders. However, these approaches ignore the personal preferences of the mobile wireless phone users themselves, and require the users to change the preference settings on their phones manually.
A more aggressive approach is to use jamming, so that mobile wireless phones will not be able to receive incoming calls within certain environments. However, the problem with this approach is that phone jamming can affect wider areas and frequencies, in addition to those for which they are intended. Phone jamming can thus be disruptive to critical services, such as the communication operations of emergency and rescue workers. Therefore, a "one size fits all" approach may not be useful within all environments. Furthermore, adaptation of the mobile wireless device should consider the environment setting as well as user preferences. For these and other reasons, therefore, there is a need for the present invention.

Mobile wireless device adaptation based on abstracted contectual situation of user using near-field communications and information collectors

International Business Machines Corporation


A repair kit for fishing rods that has a replacement tip and a coupler to repair the shafts of the broken rods. The kit can be carried in the field as part of regular tackle box. The replacement tip is a formed body that has a threaded end. The ferrule is formed as part of the body so that is not susceptible to breakage. The ferrule can be also lined with a ceramic eyelet that reduces friction on the line passing through it as well as adding strength. The coupler is a two ended-part that has two formed tapered threads or two formed metal inserts inside the coupler. The coupler is twisted onto the end of the broken rod until it is secure. The other end of the broken rod is then twisted into the open end of the coupler. Once the second end of the rod is secure, the rod is again ready to use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to repair kits for fishing rods and particularly to repair kits for fishing rods that use threaded connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fishing is a sport enjoyed by a large number of people. Millions of fishing rods and assorted tackle are sold every year. Many of the fishing poles break because of mishandling, catching too large a fish, or many other reasons. Once the pole is broken (either at the tip or along the length of the body, it is useless. Typically, pole breaks occur in the field, where repair facilities are rare. As a result, many of these broken plies are discarded in the field, cluttering up the outdoors. Even if the poles are discarded properly, they constitute more trash in already limited landfills.
One U.S. patent has been issued coving a fishing rod rip. Design Pat. D368,295 shows a small tip that has a cylindrical end that fits on the pole. The end then necks down to a conical shape. An angled member extends upward and a simple ring to which a ferrule is attached. While this tip can be used for repairs, it has some problems, the biggest if which is that the ferrule is simply a ring attached to a thin member. This is a point of weakness that can fail, resulting in a second broken tip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,485 teaches a tip for a fishing rod that s about four to 10 inches long. Although the tip can be used for repairs, it is primarily designed to be used with the base section of the pole to convert it into an ice-fishing pole. The device is designed to fit into a female ferrule on a rod. It uses a set of O-rings to hold the tip in place. As noted above, the device can be used as a "repair". However, since most breaks occur either at the tip of the end portion or in the body of the end portion, if this device was used as a repair kit, it would still result in many parts of the poles being dumped or abandoned in the field. Moreover, the device's length does not lend it to be carried as part of a repair kit.


A rotary brush turf sweeper includes a frame with a first and second brush carriage supporting a first and second rotary brush. The brush carriages include a first and second carriage bar extending lengthwise along the first and second rotary brush. The brush carriages pivotably attach to the frame by a mounting point on opposing ends of the first brush carriage, allowing the brush carriages to rotate about the attachment point. A brush height adjustment mechanism joins the carriage bars with an electronic actuator. The electronic actuator may be remotely operated to adjust the height of the rotary brushes from a work surface and elevate them so as not to touch the work surface. A first and second drive mechanism transfers rotational force from a pair of drive wheels, so that the rotary brushes always rotate as the device is towed by a vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of turf maintenance. In particular, the invention is related to grooming and maintaining the turf and putting greens in golf courses.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The below-referenced U.S. patent in which the issue fees have been paid, disclose embodiments that were at least, in part, satisfactory for the purposes for which they were intended. The disclosures of the below-referenced prior U.S. patent, in its entirety, is hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application for purposes including, but not limited to, indicating the background of the present invention and illustrating the state of the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,540,053 discloses a sweeping apparatus which includes a pair of brushes attached to a frame. An additional pair of transport wheels is also attached to the frame and they are manually deployable to elevate the drive wheels and frame. When the transport wheels are deployed, drive wheels do not transfer any rotational force to the brushes.
In embodiments disclosed in the above-referenced patent, the sweeping apparatus may be towed by a vehicle with the transport wheels deployed. The operator may retract the transport wheels allowing the rotary brushes to contact the turf while the sweeping apparatus is moving. Doing so abruptly introduces the brushes, in a static position, to the turf and may potentially cause damage to the turf. During such an occasion, the drive mechanism that transfers rotational force from the drive wheels to the brushes experiences a sudden shock which can cause the chain or belt transferring rotational force to disengage, which requires maintenance of the device. Also, in order to adjust the height of the brushes from the turf, a complex adjusting apparatus must be set at all tour corners of the device. Because the adjusting apparatus consists of an infinitely adjustable member at each corner, it is oftentimes difficult to get a precise setting that is the same at all four corners. Any variation between the height settings at each end of a brush causes the brush to not be parallel to the surface of the turf, which also may cause damage to the turf.
What is therefore needed is a turf sweeping device that keeps the brushes in a constant rotational motion whenever the sweeping device is moving. What is also needed is a way to easily set the brush height in a consistent manner to remove any guesswork or measuring. Additionally, a way to remotely adjust the brushes to an elevated position off of the turf, while on the go, is needed.


A removable child car seat cover that enables removal of the cover without requiring that the car seat be removed from the car.

The present invention relates to child car seats that can be removed and secured within an automobile, and more particularly, to a removeable cover for such car seats.
Children's car seats typically comprise a car seat and a padded cover. The car seat is also called a shell or frame or base. Because children are messy, it is generally known that car seat covers will require cleaning, and thus there have been car seat covers that can be removed. Prior car seat covers are removable, but to remove the prior car seat covers, the car seat must be removed from the car, and the restraints or seat belts must be released from the car seat. Car seats are often difficult to properly install into a vehicle, so it is not desirable to have to remove the car seat every time the car seat cover needs to be cleaned. Accordingly, there is a need for a car seat cover that can be removed from the seat while the seat is positioned in the car and while the safety belts and other restraints are attached.


A mounting structure of an electronic component includes an electronic component, a housing member, a counterpart terminal, and at least one locking mechanism. The electronic component includes: an electronic component main body; a housing formed by assembling a casing member in which a chamber for the electronic component main body is formed and a base member to which the electronic component main body is attached; and a terminal exposed from the chamber to outside of the housing. The housing member includes a housing space including: a first chamber that accommodates the housing; and a second chamber that accommodates a terminal. The counterpart terminal is fitted into the second chamber and electrically coupled to the terminal. The locking mechanism maintains the accommodation state of the electronic component to the housing member by engaging a first engaging part and a second engaging part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting structure of an electronic component.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional electronic components, a portion or the whole of an electronic component is accommodated in a chamber of a housing member as a mounting destination, and a terminal electrically coupled to its electronic component main body is inserted into a terminal metal fitting of the housing member, whereby the electronic component is mounted onto the housing member. For example, in the following technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-261119, a relay terminal is inserted into a terminal metal fitting of a terminal insertion hole of a relay block (a housing member) while a portion of the relay (a cover of a main body of the relay) as an electronic component is fitted into a fitting part of the relay block, whereby the relay is mounted on the relay block.
Electronic components are not always used on a static object being stationary and may be used on a dynamic object that is moving such as a vehicle. To such an electronic component used on a dynamic object, vibrations generated by the dynamic object itself or resulting from an input to the object are transmitted. The transmitted vibrations may vibrate the electronic component, which may lead to a contact failure between a terminal and a terminal metal fitting.

Mounting structure of electronic component


An ink-droplet ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle; an ink pressure chamber; an actuator which produces a pressure wave in the ink; and a control device which, when a first print command corresponding to a first print period for ejecting the ink and a second print command corresponding to a second print period next to the first print period for ejecting the ink, outputs, within the first print period, a first drive waveform for driving the actuator, and which, when the first print command is to eject the ink and the second print command is not to eject the ink, outputs a second drive waveform extending over the first and second print periods. The control device outputs, as the second drive waveform, a first ejecting pulse signal, then a first canceling pulse signal, then a second ejecting pulse signal and then a second canceling pulse signal driving the actuator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-droplet ejecting apparatus of an inkjet type that drives an actuator to produce a pressure wave or vibration in a pressure chamber and thereby eject a droplet of ink from a nozzle.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There has been known an ink-droplet ejecting device including an ink ejection nozzle, a pressure chamber (i.e., an ink chamber) that is provided in rear of the nozzle and is filled with ink, an actuator that changes a volume of the pressure chamber, and a control device that drives the actuator to produce a pressure wave or vibration in the pressure chamber and thereby eject a droplet of the ink from the nozzle.
For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. P2003-231263A or its corresponding U.S. Patent Application Publications Nos. 2003/0146956A1 and 2004/0246315A1 or Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. P2003-145750A or its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,923) discloses a piezoelectric actuator that utilizes a piezoelectric effect that when a drive voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element, an elastic deformation of the element occurs. In the disclosed piezoelectric actuator, first piezoelectric sheets (i.e., piezoelectric-ceramics sheets) on each of which an individual-electrode layer including a plurality of individual electrodes is formed, and second piezoelectric sheets on each of which a common-electrode layer constituting a common electrode is formed are stacked alternately on each other. A high electric voltage is applied to all pairs of individual electrode and common electrode so as to polarize, in advance, respective portions of the piezoelectric sheets that are sandwiched by the respective pairs of individual electrode and common electrode and thereby form the sandwiched portions into active portions. When a drive pulse having a low electric voltage is applied to an arbitrary pair of individual electrode and common electrode, according to a print command, a corresponding one of the active portions is elastically deformed in the direction of stacking of the piezoelectric sheets, and accordingly a volume of a corresponding one of pressure chambers is changed.
Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. P2000-052561A or its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,923) discloses another piezoelectric actuator in which actuator walls provided on either side of a pressure chamber (an ink chamber) are deformed in a piezoelectric shear mode and accordingly a volume of the pressure chamber is changed.
In each of the above-described piezoelectric actuators, if a pressure wave is applied to, and canceled from, the pressure chamber at a timing corresponding to a period at which each pressure wave propagates one way in the pressure chamber in a longitudinal direction thereof that is, if a pressure wave is applied at a timing when the pressure of the ink in the pressure chamber increases and a pressure wave is canceled at a timing when the pressure of the ink in the pressure chamber decreases, the pressure wave is amplified so that the second ink droplet next to the first ink droplet is ejected more strongly than the first ink droplet, and so on. Thus, the ink can be ejected with improved pressure efficiency.
In particular, in the piezoelectric actuator disclosed by Patent Document 2, a plurality of drive pulse signals are applied according to one print command, so that a plurality of ink droplets are ejected from one nozzle and one dot is formed with a large amount of ink on a recording sheet as a sort of recording medium. Thus, an image having a high density can be printed on the recording sheet.
Meanwhile, in the piezoelectric actuator disclosed by Patent Document 3, two ink ejecting actions occur to eject two ink droplets and thereby form one dot, in such a manner that a first ejection pulse signal is applied to eject a first ink droplet, and then a first non-ejection pulse signal is applied to cancel a pressure wave produced by the first ink ejecting action Subsequently, in a state in which the pressure in a pressure chamber has been sufficiently stabilized, a second ejection pulse signal is applied to eject a second ink droplet, and then a second non-ejection pulse signal is applied to cancel a pressure wave produced by the second ink ejecting action. Thus, it is said that even if a frequency at which the actuator is driven may be more or less changed, an image can be printed with good quality.
However, recently, inkjet image recording devices have been required to record images at higher speeds. That is, an actuator that can be driven at higher frequencies to eject ink droplets is demanded.
In addition, inkjet image recording devices have been required to record images with a printing quality comparable to that of photographic images, in such a manner that the recorded images have many colors and many halftones, that is, an amount of an ink droplet corresponding to one pressure wave is small and a total number of dots formed in unit area on a recording sheet is great. That is, an actuator that can be used with a nozzle having a small diameter is demanded.
In particular, in the case where ink ejection commands are discontinued from each other by a non-ejection command, that is, a print period corresponding to an ink ejection command is followed by another print period corresponding to a non ejection command, if an ink droplet is erroneously ejected toward a position on a recording sheet where no ink should be ejected, a quality of an image formed on the recording sheet is significantly lowered. Hence, Patent Document 3 teaches applying, after applying an ejection pulse signal, a cancel pulse signal so as not to eject an ink droplet toward a position where no ink should be ejected.
Moreover, when an environmental temperature around an ink-droplet ejecting device, that is, a temperature of ink increases, a viscosity of the ink decreases. In other words, when the environmental temperature decreases, the viscosity of the ink increases. Thus, in order to prevent ejection of an excessively large, or small, amount of ink (i.e., an excessively large or small volume of each ink droplet), it is needed to control accurately a timing when a cancel pulse signal is applied after application of an ejection pulse signal and/or a pulse length of the cancel pulse signal.


A multilayer, multi-component thermoplastic adhesive film particularly useful for bonding automotive interior trim foam-backed fabric to headliner shell materials with shorter headliner fabrication times and excellent deep draw performance.

This invention relates to thermoplastic composite films. More particularly, this invention relates to a multilayer thermoplastic composite adhesive film which is particularly useful in automotive interior trim applications, for example, in headliner applications.
The construction of most automotive interior headliners requires an adhesive material to bond headliner components together, e.g., a facing material, such as a polyurethane foam-backed fabric, to a molded headliner insulation shell material such as fiberglass. A typical headliner composite includes a molded, structural shell, an adhesive, a polyurethane foam and a cover material/fabric.
The shell materials include fiberglass, fiberglass reinforced urethane foam, resinated nonwoven materials, polyester fiber composites, paperboard and combinations of paperboard and polyethylene foam or styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) foam. With most structures, the base substrate is formed in matched metal tool molding operations and trimmed to the specific dimensions. The cover materials typically are constructed of either polyether or polyester urethane foam flame laminated to nylon fabric. Some structures include woven fabrics, needle-punched textiles or thermoplastic elastomer covers without foam backings.
Heretofore, a variety of adhesive systems have been used to carry out the process of permanently bonding the facing material to the molded headliner shell including wet adhesives, both solvent and water-borne, dry powdered adhesives, hot melt adhesives, mechanical fasteners and solid adhesive polymer films.
Wet adhesive systems are typically applied directly on the molded shell by manual or automated spray equipment. The adhesive coated shells are then processed through drying ovens to volatilize the carrier solvent. The cover material is bonded to the shell in a secondary molding operation.
Adhesive films are commonly applied by two processes. First, the adhesive film may be applied by an in-mold technique where the film is placed on a base substrate in the molding process with the cover material. The process may be simplified by mounting a film roll on an unwind stand at the rear of the molding process and unwinding the adhesive film and the cover material in unison.
Second, the adhesive film can be pre-applied to a foam backed fabric via a hot roll or flame lamination process. Adhesive films which are heat activated, thermoplastic adhesive polymers can be bonded to the cover material and reactivated to bond to the base substrate during the molding operation. As a result, the adhesive laminated facing can be placed directly on a base shell in the molding process, eliminating the process of handling the free film. Adhesion values in the range of 0.75 to 1.00 lbs./inch width (3.3 to 4.4N/2.54 centimeters width) are typically achieved during the flame lamination process with polyether and polyester urethane foams and result in a cohesive failure of the foam cells.
A thin gauge (1 to 6 mils (25.4 to 152 microns)) ethylene acrylic acid blown monolayer adhesive film such as Dow Adhesive Film (DAF) 899A commercially available from The Dow Chemical Company, have heretofore been commercially used as a headliner adhesive film for bonding rigid fiberglass shells to polyurethane foam backed fabric. Adhesive selection has typically been based on performance, system economics, and the ability to be processed on existing equipment. The introduction of new base shell materials, designs, regulatory issues, processes and application requirements have placed new demands on the adhesive system. Ideally, the adhesive system must bond to a variety of substrates and cover materials, conform and adhere to molded contours and perform consistently on various processes with improved productivity and quality without creating additional waste disposal or environmental concerns.
Recent development efforts have been focused on designing new adhesive polymer film systems to satisfy the emerging application needs of the interior headliners.
It is therefore desired to provide a new adhesive film for interior headliners fabrication which meets both process and performance requirements while complying with all current headliner specifications.
It is also desired to provide an adhesive film that has the advantages of a non-tack surface for easier handling and the ability to reactivate the adhesive nature of the film by a subsequent heating process.
Some key adhesive film properties desired based on Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specifications for bonded interior trim, adhesives and adhesive films are initial bond strength (substrate failure) and bond strength after climate simulation testing such as humidity and heat exposure (no loss of properties). A critical application test is the softening point test which measures bond strength under load at elevated temperatures. Another key adhesive need identified in the headliner fabrication process from a manufacturing perspective, includes the ease of handling. To address this need requires designing an adhesive which can be pre-laminated to the cover material to eliminate adhesive handling. Also, the adhesive film must not cause wrinkles in the facing during molding by significantly increasing the stiffness of the cover material. In addition, an adhesive film is required with closed mold cycles of less than 20 seconds to ensure fabrication efficiency. Furthermore, the adhesive film must not create additional waste disposal or environmental concerns. Thus, the film design is limited to materials which do not contain any regulated components.
The industry tends toward new materials and additional contoured shapes require the adhesive to perform on a variety of substrates and molded designs. As a result, there is a need for an adhesive film designed to bond to polyether and polyester urethane foam, unbacked fabrics, and various base headliner substrates. Also, there is a need for a product substrate which is formulated to stretch, conform and adhere on deeply contoured headliners.