A microwave sensor is provided that transmits microwaves toward a detection area, performs an object detecting operation based on reflected waves from an object being present in the detection area, and outputs an object detection signal based on a result of the abject detecting operation, the microwave sensor being provided with a detecting operation controller for controlling the object detecting operation to be performed intermittently at a predetermined detection cycle, a time setting changer for changing time setting of the detection cycle, and a filter for preventing a signal outside of a frequency region of a signal obtained when detecting a human figure from being included in the object detection signal and from being output,

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave sensor that is an active sensor using electromagnetic waves whose frequency is lower than that of visible light. In particular, the present invention relates to a microwave sensor and a mutual interference preventing system between microwave sensors in which an influence of mutual interference between their radio waves can be suppressed in the case where a plurality of microwave sensors are arranged close to each other.
2. Conventional Art
Conventionally, as one crime prevention device, microwave sensors are known in which microwaves are emitted toward a detection area, and when a human figure is present in the detection area, the human figure (intruder) is detected by receiving the reflected waves (microwaves modulated due to the Doppler effect) from the human figure.
Such a microwave sensor is provided with an antenna for emitting and receiving microwaves. Microwaves are emitted from the antenna toward a detection area, and when a human figure is present in the detection area, the reflected waves from the human figure with the frequency modulated due to the Doppler effect are received by the antenna. More specifically, in this case, the microwaves received by the antenna are modulated with respect to the frequency of the microwaves emitted from the antenna, so that the waveforms of an output signal from the microwave sensor is changed, and thus a human figure detection signal is emitted from the microwave sensor.
Generally, this type of microwave sensor is used in combination with a passive infrared sensor (PIR sensor) in which an infrared ray from a human figure in a detection area is received, and the intruder is detected based on a temperature difference between the human figure and its surroundings (see JP H11-39574A, for example). More specifically, the detection area of the microwave sensor and the detection area of the passive infrared sensor are overlapped, and the AND of their detection outputs is taken so as to supplement weaknesses of the two sensors, so that the reliability of human figure detection is enhanced.
When a plurality of such microwave sensors are arranged in the same space or one in each adjacent space, radio waves emitted from the microwave sensors may interfere each other. Normally, the antennas of microwave sensors are arranged to extend vertically in the state where sensors are installed. When a pair of the thus configured sensors are arranged, for example, on wall surfaces opposed to each other in the same room, the planes of polarization of the antennas of the microwave sensors overlap each other on the same plane, and thus their radio waves interfere with each other. Consequently, a noise is mixed in the waveforms of output signals from the microwave sensors, and thus a normal operation may be impaired. Furthermore, even when the microwave sensors are arranged one in each adjacent room, if the wall surfaces on which the microwave sensors are arranged are opposed to each other, their radio waves interfere each other in a similar manner to the above because microwaves are transmitted through walls, and thus a normal operation may be impaired.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of such a conventional microwave sensor 100.
As shown in FIG. 4, the microwave sensor 100 is provided with an oscillation power source 26 for oscillating microwaves, a transmitting antenna 22 for transmitting the microwaves oscillated by the oscillation power source 26 toward a detection area, a receiving antenna 21 for receiving the reflected waves of the microwaves reflected by a human figure or the like, a mixer 23 for mixing the microwaves received by the receiving antenna 21 and the voltage waveforms of the oscillation power source 26 and outputting the result, an IF amplifier 25 for amplifying the output of the mixer 23, a microprocessor 110 for controlling the entire microwave sensor 100, and an oscillation circuit 11 for supplying a clock signal CLK to the microprocessor 110. It should be noted that for the oscillation circuit 11, for example, a ceramic oscillator or a crystal oscillator can be used, but the oscillator is not limited to these.
Furthermore, a switch 24a is inserted between the mixer 23 and the IF amplifier 25, and a switch 24b is inserted between the transmitting antenna 22 and the oscillation power source 26. The switches 24a and 24b can switch an electrical connection state in response to an external signal, and are connected so as to be switchable in synchronization.
The microprocessor 110 has a switching control portion 10a for outputting a switching control signal S0 that controls switching of the switches 24a and 24b, a timer 10b for determining the cycle of the switching control signal S0 that is output from the switching control portion 10a, and a time setting portion 10c for setting a detection cycle (for example, 250 μs) for the timer 10b. For the ON time of the switching control signal S0 in each cycle, a necessary time can be ensured by using, for example, another timer (not shown) or a software timer.
The microprocessor 110 generates a system clock by dividing the clock signal CLK supplied from the oscillation circuit 11, and operates each portion of the microprocessor 110 based on the system clock. Since the timer 10b also operates based on the system clock, the accuracy of time of the timer 10b depends on the accuracy of the system clock or the clock signal CLK of, the oscillation circuit 11 from which the system clock is generated.
When the switching control signal S0 that is output from the switching control portion 10a is ON, both of the switches 24a and 24b are switched to be electrically connected, and thus the microwave sensor 100 performs an operation of detecting a human figure or the like. More specifically, microwaves are transmitted from the transmitting antenna 22 toward a detection area, and when a human figure or the like is present in the detection area, the reflected waves from the human figure with the frequency modulated due to the Doppler effect are received by the receiving antenna 21. The received reflected waves are mixed with the voltage waveforms of the oscillation power source 26 by the mixer 23 and amplified by the IF amplifier 25, and then an IF output signal IFout0 from the IF amplifier 25 is obtained as a human figure detection signal output from the microwave sensor 100. When there is no human figure or the like in the detection area, reflected waves whose frequency is modulated are not received by the receiving antenna 21. Therefore, the IF frequency of the IF output signal IFout0 from the IF amplifier 25 is "0," and thus a human Figure detection signal is not output from the microwave sensor 100.
On the other hand, when the switching control signal S0 that is output from the switching control portion 10a is OFF, both of the switches 24a and 24b are switched to be electrically disconnected, and thus the microwave sensor 100 does not perform an operation of detecting a human figure or the like.
FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are examples of a time chart for comparing switching control signals S0 when two conventional microwave sensors 100 are used. FIG. 5(a) shows the switching control signal S0 of a first microwave sensor, and FIG. 5(b) shows the switching control signal S0 of a second microwave sensor.
As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), these microwave sensors 100 perform operations of detecting a human figure or the like intermittently at a predetermined detection cycle. The first microwave sensor 100 has a cycle T01a, and performs a detection operation during a time T02a during which the switching control signal S0 is ON, in each cycle. The second microwave sensor 100 has a cycle T01b, and performs a detection operation during a time T02b during which the switching control signal S0 is ON, in each cycle. The cycle of the switching control signal S0 may be set to, for example, 250 μs, and the ON time may be set to, for example, 50 μs, but the time setting is not limited to this.
When the two microwave sensors 100 are used close to each other, for example, if the timings at which the switching control signals S0 of the first microwave sensor and the second microwave sensor are ON are sufficiently apart from each other on the time axis, it can be said that their radio waves do not interfere with each other and thus a normal operation is not impaired.
Furthermore, when the cycle T01a and the cycle T01b of the switching control signals S0 of the microwave sensors 100 are completely identical to each other, the timings at which the switching control signals S0 are ON are always kept at the same distance on the time axis from each other. Therefore, unless the timings at which the switching control signals S0 are ON overlap each other accidentally from the beginning, their radio waves do not interfere with each other.
FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are examples of a time chart for comparing switching control signals S0 at a different time point from that of FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), when two conventional microwave sensors 100 are used in a similar manner. FIG. 6(a) shows the switching control signal S0 of a first microwave sensor, and FIG. 6(b) shows the switching control signal S0 of a second microwave sensor. FIG. 7 is an example of a waveform of an IF output signal IFout0 from the IF amplifier 25 of one of the microwave sensors 100 in this case.
As described above, the cycles of the switching control signals S0 are determined by the timers 10b of the microprocessors 110, and the accuracy of time of the timers 10b depends on the accuracy of the system clocks or the clock signals CLK of the oscillation circuits 11 from which the system clocks are generated. Although the accuracy of frequency of, for example, a ceramic oscillator or a crystal oscillator used for the oscillation circuits 11 is high, there is a slight error with respect to a reference frequency, and this error is different from oscillator to oscillator. More specifically, the cycles of the switching control signals S0 are slightly different for each microwave sensor 100 in the strict sense, and the cycle T01a and the cycle T01b of the switching control signals S0 in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are slightly different from each other.
Therefore, a distance on the time axis between the timings at which the switching control signals S0 of the first microwave sensor and the second microwave sensor are ON changes in a long period of time, and the timings at which the switching control signals S0 are ON almost overlap each other in the course of time as shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b). In this state, their radio waves interfere each other, and thus a noise is generated. This state continues for a while, and after a further time has passed, the timings at which the switching control signals S0 are ON do not overlap each other again, and then the same process is repeated cyclically. When the noise caused by such interference between radio waves is referred to as "interference noise," the interference noise in the IF output signal IFout0 from the IF amplifier 25 of one of the microwave sensors 100 has a waveform, for example, as shown in FIG. 7. In this example, the frequency of the interference noise is about 14 Hz.
Since the interference noise is generated in a certain cycle based on the cycle T01a and the cycle T01b of the switching control signals S0, it is possible to calculate the cycle of the interference noise or a frequency f0 of the interference noise, which is an inverse number of the cycle. When the ratio of a difference between the frequencies of the clock signals CLK of the oscillation circuits 11 of the two microwave sensors 100 is taken as "A," and the cycle of the switching signals S0 is taken as "T01," the frequency f0 of the interference noise can be expressed by the following equation.f0=A/T01  (1)
When A=3530 [ppm] and T01=250 [μs] are inserted into Equation 1, f0≈14.1 [Hz] results, which is nearly equal to the frequency of the interference noise shown in FIG. 7.
It should be noted that the ratio "A" of a difference between the frequencies of the clock signals CLK actually can take a value in a range up to about several thousands ppm in the case of, for example, a ceramic oscillator, and takes a different value from oscillator to oscillator. Therefore, the frequency of an interference noise differs based on the combination of two microwave sensors 100.
In the case where the frequency of the interference noise is within the frequency band (for example, 5 to 50 Hz) of a signal that is output when the microwave sensor 100 detects a human figure or the like, the interference noise is amplified by the IF amplifier 25, and is output as a human figure detection signal from the microwave sensor 100.
As one of means for preventing such interference between radio waves, the frequencies of microwaves emitted by microwave sensors are differentiated from each other.
Furthermore, there is also a method in which microwave sensors are electrically connected to each other to use a common synchronizing signal, so that timings of detection operations performed by the microwave sensors do not overlap each other.
Alternatively, microwave sensors have been proposed in which the antennas of the microwave sensors are arranged to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction, so that the planes of polarization of the antennas do not overlap each other on the same plane to prevent the interference (see JP 2002-311154A, for example). The microwave sensors provided with an antenna for emitting microwaves toward a detection area and for receiving the microwaves reflected from the detection area, in which a human figure in the detection area is detected based on the microwaves received by the antenna, is characterized in that the antenna is provided to extend in an oblique direction, not in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the state where sensors are installed.
However, when the frequencies of the microwaves emitted by the microwave sensors are differentiated from each other as the above-described conventional technique, there is the problem of the frequency band that can be actually used being often regulated by, for example, national laws and systems. Therefore, a large number of microwave sensors using different frequencies cannot be prepared.
Furthermore, when microwave sensors are electrically connected to each other to use a common synchronizing signal, a wiring work becomes necessary. Thus, not only is the installation work difficult, but also new problems stemming from the wiring may occur (for example, a normal operation of a part of or all microwave sensors is impaired due to contact failure of wires, disconnection of wires or the like).
The method for arranging the antennas of microwave sensors to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction may be difficult to adapt in practice in some installation locations.

Microwave sensor and mutual interference preventing system between microwave sensors


An electromagnetic device and a high-voltage generating device which are thin with improved characteristics includes a magnetic core of a cylindrical form of a ferrite material having a high intrinsic resistance. A winding is provided by winding a flat rectangular wire conductor in an edge-wise winding directly on substantially the entire length of the magnetic core. As an insulator, such as a coil bobbin, is not needed between the flat rectangular wire conductor and the magnetic core, the winding can be decreased in the overall size or thickness thus contributing to the reduction in dimension of the electromagnetic device. Also, as its flat rectangular wire conductor is wound directly on the magnetic core, the winding can be minimized in the length and thus the overall resistance.

It is necessary for starting a high intensity discharge lamp such as a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp to use a high-voltage generating device called an igniter. The high-voltage generating device is generally provided in the form of an electromagnetic device such as a pulse transformer for converting a low-voltage input to a high-voltage output of pulsed waveform (as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publications 11-16752 and 11-74132).
One of such conventional electromagnetic devices is shown in structure in FIGS. 65 to 68. A coil bobbin 60 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin having substantially a cylindrical shape which comprises two outer flanges 61 at both ends and a partition flange 62 between the two outer flanges 61. A primary winding 63 at the low voltage side is wound between one of the two outer flanges 61 and the partition flange 62 while a secondary winding 64 at the high voltage side is wound between the other outer flange 61 and the partition flange 62. In particular, the secondary winding 64 is fabricated by winding a long, flat rectangular foil conductor with its wider sides facing each other (in the form of, so-called, edge-wise winding) for improving both the edge side insulation and the contact area of windings. Finally, a couple of U-shaped magnetic cores 65 made of Mn—Zn ferrite are inserted and joined to both ends of the coil bobbin 60 with the primary winding 63 and the secondary winding 64, hence forming an electromagnetic device (a pulse transformer).
FIG. 69a is a perspective view of another conventional electromagnetic device and FIG. 69b is a cross sectional view taken along the line A–A′ of FIG. 69a. The another conventional electromagnetic device comprises a bar-like magnetic core 3PA and a coil winding 2 wound as the secondary winding on a coil bobbin 60 thereof mounted on the magnetic core 3PA. For ease of winding the coil winding 2 on the coil bobbin 60 secured to the magnetic core 3PA, a recess 31PA is provided in each end of the magnetic core 3PA to determine its position along the axial direction. A process of fabricating the bar-like magnetic core 3PA having the recess in each end thereof will be explained referring to FIG. 70. The process of fabricating the magnetic core 3PA employs a pair of rods K, each having a projection K1′ for shaping the recess 31PA and a swage die U having a through hole U1 provided therein for insertion of the rods K. As shown in FIG. 70a, the process starts with shaping the magnetic core 3PA using the die U and the rods K. Then, the lower rod K is lifted up to the upper end of the die U as shown in FIG. 70b to remove the magnetic core 3PA from the die U in the direction denoted by the arrow for increasing the efficiency. The magnetic core 3PA may however be injured at the edge R1 of the recess 31PA upon being removed from the die U as shown in FIG. 71.
FIG. 72 is a perspective view of a further conventional electromagnetic device. The electromagnetic device shown is a pulse transformer for converting a low voltage input to a high voltage output as called an igniter to generate a high voltage for energizing a high intensity discharge lamp. The conventional device shown in FIG. 72 comprises a bar-like magnetic core 3PA, a bobbin 4PA, a pair of coil windings 9 and 10 mounted on the bobbin 4PA mounted to the magnetic core 3PA, a casing 5PA made of a resin material for enclosing those components therein, and terminals 6 connected to coil windings 9 and 10 at one end and extending at the other end from the casing 5PA. The coil winding 9 incorporates an insulation coated wire (of round wire) comprising an electrical conductor having a round shape in the cross section and an insulating coating provided over the wire conductor and serving as the primary winding while the coil winding 10 serves as the secondary winding. The coil winding 9 is connected to one (61) of the terminals 6 and the coil winding 10 is connected to another (62).
This conventional electromagnetic device is fabricated by winding the coil windings 9 and 10 on the bobbin 4PA, inserting the magnetic core 3PA into the bobbin 4PA, assembling those in the casing 5PA, connecting the terminals 6 to the corresponding coil windings 9 and 10, and filling the casing 5PA with an amount of epoxy resin (by vacuum filling process).
FIG. 73 is a perspective view of a conventional welding joiner welded to the insulation coated wire. A welding joiner 6PA which can be welded to the insulation coated wire without stripping the insulation coating comprises, as shown in FIG. 73, a flat base portion 61 extending along one direction and a folded portion 62 extending from one side of the base portion 61 at a right angle to the direction and folded along its width at a portion 63 so that the two portions 61 and 62 confront each other. The welding joiner 6PA is preferably utilized as the terminal 6 of the conventional electromagnetic device. One example of this arrangement is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication 11-114674.
It is common that high intensity discharge lamps are widely used as the head lights of vehicles because they are high in the brightness, low in the power consumption, and long in the operating life and thus much favorable in the safety than any halogen lamps. As such high intensity discharge lamps have increasingly been popular, the electromagnetic devices are now desired for minimizing the thickness in view of the dimensional requirements of igniters. However, the conventional devices are hardly reduced in the thickness with the coil bobbin 60 provided between the magnetic core 65 (See FIG. 65) and the coil. Also, there is essentially provided a gap between the coil bobbin 60 and the magnetic core 65 for ease of mounting, thus elongating the distance between the magnetic core 65 and the coil and creating differences in the properties between the electromagnetic devices. Although a modification is proposed where the coil bobbin is replaced by an insulating cover made of a resin material (disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication 2000-36416), it retains the same drawbacks.
When the bobbin is provided between the magnetic core and the coil windings, its terminals are fixedly connected to the coil windings. In case of a bobbin-less device, the terminals connected with the coil windings may be secured with much difficulty.
The process of fabricating an electromagnetic device shown in FIG. 72 requires substantially four or more hours for carrying out the major processing steps including preparation, drying, and curing steps. For implementing a scheme of mass production, extra investments for expanding the existing production facility has to be needed. Also, when the epoxy resin vacuum filling process is employed, it may limit the lead-out of the terminals 6 from the casing 5PA to one single direction. This prevents the terminals 6 from being respectively bent and oriented in a desired pattern of the circuitry planning. Since the coil windings of a metallic material create undesired events of spring back, their ends have to be bound together or supported by any proper means. The epoxy resin vacuum filling process may generally develop an interface between the casing 5PA and the epoxy resin material thus allowing a high voltage to leak from the interface. The edge-wise winding may cause the coating of the coil windings to be peeled off when its curvature radius is too small.
The convention welding joiner 6PA may often cause the insulation coated wire to be dislocated when held between the base portion 61 and the folded portion 62 and pressed with a pair of welding electrodes. If worse, the insulation coated wire may completely be slipped off from between the base portion 61 and the folded portion 62. As the welding of the insulation coated wire to the welding joiner is carried out only with poor consistency, it is much desired to modify the welding joiner for improvement of its stable joining function and operational reliability.
The present invention has been developed in view of the foregoing aspects and its object is to provide an electromagnetic device, a high-voltage generating apparatus, and a method for making the electromagnetic device where the dimensional reduction and the improvement of properties are achieved, and the duration of time required for carrying out the production steps is minimized.

Electromagnetic device and high-voltage generating device and method of producing electromagnetic device


An apparatus for holding flitches for slicing in a vertical slicing process. The apparatus includes a clamp having a centrally located vacuum pocket disposed between two opposed clamping dogs. The clamp provides a vacuum assisted clamp for vertical slicing of thin veneers.

Vertical slicing machines for slicing flitches to produce thin sheets of veneer are well known in the art and examples of these types of machines are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,303,213; 3,905,408; 4,102,372; and 3,441,069. These machines include a flitch table mounted to a support structure. The flitch table reciprocates up and down at an incline to the vertical for reasons understood by those skilled in the art. A stationary knife slices the flitch as it travels downward. Once the flitch clears the knife on the downward stroke, the knife is retracted so that the flitch does not come into contact with the knife on the way back up. Next, the cutting blade is indexed inward a distance equal to the width of the next slice. A different approach in slicing is to have the stationary knife slicing as the flitch travels upward. On the downstroke, the knife is retracted to avoid touching the flitch. Before it starts moving upwards again it is indexed to the predetermined thickness. The flitch is typically held to the flitch table by a set of clamping dogs. In this manner the flitch is securely held while it travels up and down and engages the cutting blade. Accordingly, the flitch can be trimmed down only to a certain residual width. At this point, further slicing would cause contact between the cutting blade and the clamping dogs or other clamping apparatus which would result in damage to the blade. The systems for holding the flitches in place on the vertical machines include mechanical clamps which move to secure the flitch by means of rotating screws driven by electric motors or by means of hydraulic cylinders. Also, there are flitch tables which hold the flitches exclusively by vacuum generated through vacuum ports disposed throughout the entire surface of the table.
The mechanical clamps, motor driven or hydraulic, are capable of holding any type and shape of flitch. A combination of groups of clamps with different heights, ranging from 150 mm to 10 mm, allow the slicing of the flitches to a residual board of 12 mm. As described above, additional slicing would cause damage to the blade from contact with the clamping mechanisms. These mechanical systems can present a problem for the slicing operation. When the flitch becomes thin towards the end of the cutting, it starts to deflect away from the table, especially on wider flitches, which results in variations in the thickness of the veneer. The variations result because if the flitch is deflecting away, then it is extending further across the blade than is intended, and therefore the veneer will be too thick.
The vacuum flitch tables have the disadvantages that certain shapes or sizes of flitches cannot be safely clamped, and dropping the flitch during the cutting process can result in damages to the machine. Accordingly, this limits the use of the vertical slicing machine in some circumstances. Another approach has been to install a number of vacuum pockets in fixed positions along the flitch table in combination with mechanical systems. A drawback with this arrangement is the fact that the flitch has to be loaded exactly at the position where the pockets are located, otherwise, if the pocket is not covered, the vacuum ports will be open to the atmosphere and the vacuum will not operate on the flitch. It is relatively difficult to load the flitches properly with the typical manual loading systems used throughout the industry because the operators have to be very careful not to incline or move the flitches vertically out of the vacuum area. Also, different qualities of woods require a different cutting angle, and when the vacuum pockets are fixed on the table, it is necessary to move the setting in order to accommodate the alternate cutting angle which takes time.
Accordingly, what is needed is an apparatus for clamping flitches to flitch tables teat overcomes the drawbacks discussed above by combining the vacuum pockets with the hydraulic clamps.

Apparatus for clamping flitches on vertical slicers


The present building block has at least one load bearing surface, the load bearing surface of the block having mating interlocking portions comprising cores and protruding interlocks receivable in the cores. The blocks are configured so that each end of a block comprises a half interlock and adjacent ends of a pair of blocks in a course together define an interlock portion that interlocks with a mating full interlock portion carried by a block in an adjacent course of blocks. The basic building block has ends that are oblique such that rows having a preset radius can be formed or such that a linear row can be formed by placing one block front-to-back and an adjacent building block back-to-front. Disclosed are angle blocks with and without splitter wedges, stretcher blocks with and without splitter wedges, blocks for forming corners and posts, cap blocks, and blocks for capping posts.

The present invention relates generally to a building block for building a free-standing mortarless wall, particularly to such a building block having an interlock and flat surfaces extending outwardly from the interlock, and specifically to such an interlocking building block having at least one core and further having a secondary or end core portion formed on each end of the building block for being seated upon an interlock of an adjoining lower building block.
Dragsters have rear wheel mounted slicks, which are wide flat tires with little or no tread. The relatively great amount of surface area better grabs the road for acceleration. Treads decrease the amount of grab and therefore decrease the amount of acceleration.
WWII style jeeps run on relatively skinny tires. The skinnier the tire, the more pressure per square inch on the portion of the tire digging down into the mud or sand, and the better the traction.
The lessons of flatness and pressure, well-known in the automobile arts, have been overlooked by building block manufacturers. A great number of building blocks have recesses or grooves for performing a various number of functions. Likewise, a great number of building blocks have extensions or projections or nubs for performing a various number of functions. Often, if not a majority of the time, these recesses or extensions of the building block necessarily transfer the load bearing function to other portions of the building block. Such a transfer may place an undue amount of stress in such other portions of the building block or may imbalance the block or a wall formed by such blocks.
With appreciation for the lessons of flatness and pressure, a mortarless and free-standing wall according to the present invention may be built having a great amount of stability with or without internal piping.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method and apparatus for measuring wall shear stress in pipe as a result of fluid flow therethrough employs a glass flow tube, magnetic particles of sufficiently small size such that the form drag force on the individual particles is orders of magnitude smaller than the viscous shear forces on the particle, and a magnet of known magnetic field strength. The glass flow tube with a known coefficient of friction allows visual inspection of particle release and further allows for the determination of the frictional forces on the particles. The magnetic particles are placed inside the tube with the magnet held in close proximity to the exterior wall of the tube. With the particles in place, fluid flow is initiated. The magnetic field strength at the surface of the flow tube is then reduced until the magnetic particles are hydrodynamically dislodged from the interior of the glass tube. Magnetic field strength may be reduced either by retracting the magnet away from the glass tube or by using an electromagnet and reducing current thereto. The position of the magnet, or the current to the electromagnet, at which the particles are dislodged is used to qualitatively determine the wall shear stress.

A variety of measurement techniques have been employed to measure the wall shear stress generated by fluid flow through pipe. One such method is the pressure gradient technique which relies on the measurement of pressure drop resulting from the flow of a fluid of known rheological properties through a piece of process equipment with known geometry and surface finish. The wall shear stress within the process equipment is related to the process geometry and solution properties through the Navier-Stokes equation. This method is typically used for tubular geometries where the governing relationships are well understood.
Other indirect methods of measurement of wall shear stress include the Preston Tube and Stanton Tube techniques. These techniques utilize specially designed probes with tiny openings facing into the flow, adjacent to the wall. The impact pressure measured in these probes is characteristic of the velocity profile adjacent to the wall and, therefore, also of the shear stress.
Another indirect method for measuring wall shear stress is the Hot Film Anemometer technique which measures fluid shear stress by measuring the changes in heat transfer from a small, electrically heated sensor exposed to the fluid motion. Heat transfer from the probe is governed by the thermal boundary layer which depends on the solution properties and velocity profile in the tube.
Still another method of indirectly measuring wall shear stress is the Diffusion Controlled Electrolysis technique. This technique measures the local wall shear stress from a mass transfer coefficient measured on a small surface element. The mass transfer is determined electrolytically. The small surface element forms one electrode and a much larger (non-controlling) electrode is placed elsewhere in the system. As the voltage between the electrodes is increased, the ion concentration at the cathode surface falls to zero. The current is then governed by the diffusion of the ions through the boundary layer adjacent to the cathode. The mass transfer is then correlated to the wall shear stress.
There is a method of direct measurement of wall shear stress known as the Floating Element technique. This technique utilizes a "floating" tubular section which is exposed to the fluid flow at the interior surface thereof with the floating tubular section being attached to an outer shell with strain measurement devices. The floating section is moved by the wall shear stress exerted by the fluid and the deflection of the floating element is measured. Multiple techniques have been identified for the measurement of the floating element deflection, including piezoelectric crystals and proximity sensitive detectors.
Another method of direct measurement of wall shear stress is the Micromachined Floating Element technique. This technique uses the same measurement concept as that of the Floating Element technique. However, the "floating" section being moved by the fluid flow in the micromachined floating element technique is small as compared to that of the floating element technique.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,928 to Dealy discloses an apparatus for measuring wall shear stress where the force that a fluid exerts on a plate, the surface of which is coplanar with the wall of the apparatus, is measured. Several techniques are discussed as possible methods for measuring of the deflection of the plate and, therefore, the force on the plate, including piezoelectric crystals and proximity sensitive detectors. This method is similar to the Micromachined Floating Element technique discussed above.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,187 to Tsinober et al discloses a method for measuring wall shear stress where several electrodes are extended into the fluid flow. A magnetic field is established between the electrodes and the shear stress is determined by measuring the relative movement of the electrodes which result in changes in the magnetic field.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,298 to Ng et al discloses a method for measuring wall shear stress where a sensor employs a silicon plate suspended about 1.4 microns above the surface of a silicon substrate by means of piezoresistive arms. Deflection of the piezoresistive arms results in a signal which can be converted into a shear stress measurement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,174 to Keith discloses a method for measuring wall shear stress where a hot film shear stress gauge and a piezoelectric pressure transducer are coaxially located along the longitudinal centerline of a cylindrical metal shell. The hot shear stress gauge is exposed to the moving fluid while the pressure transducer is positioned directly below. The conductors attached to the hot film element provide power thereto while the conductors attached to the piezoelectric transducer transmit pressure produced electrical signals therefrom. This method is similar to the Hot Film Anemometer technique discussed above.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,899 to Leehey teaches a method for measuring walls shear stress where an elongate body having a longitudinal axis oriented transverse to fluid flow is disposed within the viscous sublayer of the turbulent boundary layer flow across a wall. The body has a plane of symmetry passing through the longitudinal axis of the body and normal to the wall. Torsional springs support the body for deflections about the longitudinal axis and deflections are measured. The angular deflections about the longitudinal axis are substantially linearly related to shear stress on the wall
U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,228 to Haritonidis teaches a method which utilizes a micromachined diaphragm positioned across a gap from an end of an optic fiber. The optic fiber and the diaphragm are integrally mounted. The end of the optic fiber provides a local reference plane which splits light carried through the fiber toward the diaphragm. The light is split into a transmitted part which is subsequently reflected from the diaphragm, and a locally reflected part which interferes with the subsequently diaphragm reflected part. The interference pattern provides an indication of the magnitude and direction of diaphragm deflection. A second fiber optic provides an interference pattern that is out of phase with the first fiber. An interferometer sensor is used as a shear stress measuring device.
In an article entitled "The Effect of Reynolds Number and Mean Velocity of a Flow on Cleaning-In in Place of Pipelines" by D. Timperley, Timperley examined the relationship between microorganism removal and two cleaning solution flow parameters. Those parameters are Reynolds number and mean flow velocity. Timperley examined several flow rates for two different pipe diameters and concluded that microorganism removal correlated with mean flow velocity of the cleaning flow. Timperley then performed a theoretical analysis examining the correlation between the three parameters known to influence the cleaning action of turbulent flow, those being wall shear stress, thickness of the laminar boundary layer, and velocity at the edge of the laminar sublayer, and the measured cleaning solution flow parameters (Reynolds number and mean flow velocity). Timperley's theoretical evaluation showed that the shear stress, as calculated by a turbulent wall shear stress model, the thickness of the laminar boundary layer, and the velocity at the edge of the laminar sublayer all correlated to the mean flow velocity of the cleaning solution and not to the Reynolds number of the cleaning solution.
The prior art fails to teach a method for measuring wall shear stress within a pipe which uses particles adhered to the interior wall of the pipe by a known force such that shear stress can be determined through observation of the removal of such particles with hydrodynamic flow.

Method for measuring wall shear stress due to fluid flow in piping systems


Disclosed is a connection system for releasably coupling a first body (5) with a flange (25) to a fluid-conducting system in a force-fitting manner, and the invention also relates to a connection system for releasably coupling the interior of a first fluid-conducting body (5) to the interior of a second fluid-conducting body (3) in a force-fitting manner. The second body (3) has a second end with a circumferential wall (22), a membrane contact portion (9) which can be found on the wall, and an opening (43). A retaining element (2) has a passage (35) and a peripheral outer edge (24). One side and/or the passage (35) of the retaining element (2) is coupled to the membrane (1), and an annular wall (26) is arranged on the same side, said annular wall being connected to the circumferential wall (22) of the second body (3). The other side is designed to contact the surface of the flange (25) of the first body (5). The retaining element (2) can also be integrated into the second body (3) when the first body (5) is fluid-conductive. The releasable connection element (4) is designed to at least partly surround the peripheral outer edge (24) of the retaining element (2) and the flange (25) of the first body (5).

The following discussion of the background of the disclosure is merely provided to aid the reader in understanding the same, and is not admitted to describe or constitute prior art.
For biotechnological production processes, sterile and aseptic connections between reaction vessels and gadgets, analyzers etc. are of high importance. Since processes need to be carried out under aseptic conditions, sterile connections and lines have to be provided in such a way that no contamination by environmental factors can occur both during operation and during the preceding connection. As an example, single-use plastic bags with flexible thermoplastic lines require connections which ensure that both the bags and the lines remain sterile.
Pressure sensors are used in a variety of technical flow processes for monitoring and control purposes. With the spread of single-use devices in the biopharmaceutical industry, the use of single-use sensors for pressure measurement is also gaining increasing importance. Important application areas include inter alia cross-flow or filtration applications. European Patent EP 2 252 202 discloses a connection member suitable for a single-use pressure transducer. The corresponding system element serves as a releasable, sealed connection of a measuring element to a fluid system. The pressure transducer, being a sealed flow-through part of the fluid system, transmits the pressure forces via a membrane to a measuring element that includes e.g. a piezo force gauge.
Single-use pressure sensors are typically made of plastic, while the respective measuring head usually contains metal such as e.g. stainless steel. The connection of a single-use pressure sensor with a fixed metal measuring head of metal must both be easy to carry out and ensure a firm and defined compression to each other.
For this purpose, auxiliary devices or aids such as e.g. a hood and locking pins are usually provided to achieve the required measuring accuracy and reproducibility. However, these auxiliary devices are generally complex to handle and bear the risk of errors by the user. This can lead to inaccurate measurements. Furthermore, the time required for installation and deinstallation is high.


An article of manufacture, a system, and a method for at least partially deionizing water, including but not limited to converting tap water into essentially deionized water that can be used for numerous purposes including, but not limited to cleaning and/or treating surfaces, including surfaces such as ceramic, steel, plastic, glass and/or painted surfaces such as the exterior surface of a vehicle, is disclosed.

Products for cleaning hard surfaces are widely available on the market. These products are used for two purposes, the first being to clean soil from the surface and the second being to leave the surface with an aesthetically pleasing finish e.g. spot-free or shiny. However, products available on the market often require rinsing with water after use. Typically when the water dries from the surface water-marks, smears or spots are left behind. These water-marks, it is believed may be due to the evaporation of water from the surface leaving behind deposits of minerals which were present as dissolved solids in the water, for example calcium, magnesium and sodium ions and salts thereof or may be deposits of water-carried soils, or even remnants from a cleaning product, for example soap scum. This problem is often exacerbated by some cleaning compositions which modify the surface during the cleaning process in such a way that after rinsing, water forms discrete droplets or beads on the surface instead of draining off. These droplets or beads dry to leave consumer noticeable spots or marks known as water-marks. This problem is particularly apparent when cleaning ceramic, steel, plastic, glass or painted surfaces. A means of solving this problem, known in the art is to dry the water from the surface using a cloth or chamois before the water-marks form. However, this drying process is time consuming and requires considerable physical effort.
PCT Publication WO 97/48927 is directed to a cleaning composition, method, and apparatus for cleaning exterior windows. This publication states that it discloses a no scrub/no wipe method for cleaning exterior windows without filming or spotting. A spray gun comprising separate chambers for a cleaning composition and an ion exchange resin is disclosed. The method involves spraying a cleaning composition on the window surface, preparing purified rinse water by passing the rinse water through the ion exchange resin and rinsing the window surface with the purified rinse water.
PCT Publication WO 98/01223 is directed to a lightweight portable device for converting tap water into a spray of demineralized water. This publication states that it discloses a device for producing a controlled spray of deionized water, useful for rinsing cars and windows. This publication further states that the prior art has failed to provide teachings of a lightweight and readily portable, economical device and method for "real time" conversion of tap water into demineralized water which can be used to, among other things, rinse surfaces after cleaning without leaving water spots if the surface is not wiped dry.
A web site for All Water.com discloses wall mounted ion exchange cartridge systems comprising "high capacity" mixed bed ion exchange cartridge systems.
The devices disclosed in these publications and on this web site, however, are believed to suffer from a number of deficiencies, including but not limited to: that they are still not light weight and compact enough for some uses; that the water discharged from the same may still leave undesirable residues when it is sprayed or otherwise applied to a surface; and, that the flow rate through such devices is not as high as may be desirable, or the water quality and volume of desirable water is adversely affected at the desirable high flow rates.


A mechanical fitting for connecting structures may include a base structure and a plate member. The mechanical fitting may also include a support structure for supporting the plate member at a predetermined spacing from the base structure. The support structure may include a truss structure.

Structures, such as aircraft, civil structures and other large structures, may be built from assemblies, which in turn may be built from subassemblies. In such structures transmitting large loads between one assembly and an adjacent assembly or subassembly is often necessary. For example, one semi-span of an aircraft wing may be attached to a structure on the fuselage. As the wing bends upward due to upward air loads acting upon the wing, compression stress is caused in the upper wing surface and tension loads are created in the lower wing surface. At the root of the wing where the wing attaches to the aircraft fuselage or another semi-span depending on the wing design, transferring the large compression or tension loads from one structure to another may be necessary. Transferring tension loads are more challenging than compression loads for reasons described herein. Structural details or mechanical devices that are often used to transmit these loads are typically referred to as tension clips or tension fittings. Examples of different types of such fittings are illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. The dimensions of the various components of such fittings may vary widely. The different types of fittings may include similar components as described herein. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a prior art angle clip 100 useable in connecting structures. The angle clip 100 may include an end pad 102. The end pad 102 may include an opening 104 formed therein for receiving a fastener 106, such as a bolt or other type fastener. The fastener 106 may include a shank 109 and a head 110. Opening 104 is sized to prevent the head 110 of the fastener 106 from passing through the opening 104. The end pad 102 may be a plate that carries the fastener load to any adjoining walls by shear and bending forces or loads similar to those illustrated in FIG. 2B. Typically, the end pad 102 is substantially quadrilateral in shape, for example substantially rectangular.
The fastener 106 or bolt may connect the angle clip 100 or other fitting to a mating fitting on an adjacent structure. The angle clip 100 or other fitting may abut a mating fitting on the adjacent structure. An example of a fitting abutting a mating fitting that is attached to an adjacent structure is illustrated in FIG. 14.
All tension clips and fittings described herein have certain features in common related to how they transmit tension loads between two structures: Tension loads are transmitted to a fitting from one structure through the fitting's walls attached (or integral) to that structure and these loads are transmitted to another structure via a tension fastener (or fastners). FIG. 2B illustrates tension forces acting on the side walls and tension fastener shank 109 of a channel tension clip. Thus, for a pair of mating fittings, highly loaded such that the end pads bend and the side walls between the two adjoining fittings separate from each other, the load path can be described as follows: tension load travels from a structure into the side walls of one fitting to the end pad of that fitting, through the tension bolt into the end pad of the adjoining fitting, and then to the side walls of the that adjoining fitting, and then to the adjoining structure.
The angle clip 100 may include an adjoining wall or side wall 108 that may project substantially perpendicular to the end pad 102 and substantially parallel to an axis of the fastener 106 or bolt. A fitting including three of the four sides of a quadrilateral end pad 102 having adjoining side walls is referred to as a channel fitting. An example of a channel fitting 400 including three adjoining side walls 402, 404 and 406 is illustrated in FIG. 4. The side wall 406 of a channel fitting is also referred to as a back plane. If only two sides that meet in a common corner are joined to the end pad 102, the fitting is termed an angle fitting. An example of an angle fitting 300 including two adjacent joining side walls 302 and 304 is illustrated in FIG. 3. If only one of the sides of the quadrilateral is joined to a side wall, the fitting is termed an angle clip 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1. If two opposite sides of the quadrilateral end pad 102 are each joined to a side wall 202 and 204, the fitting is termed a channel tension clip. An example of a channel tension clip 200 is illustrated in FIG. 2A with the two opposite side walls 202 and 204.
On a weight efficiency basis, channel tension fittings are more efficient than channel fittings, which in turn are more efficient than angle fittings, which in turn, are more efficient than channel or angle clips. While machining cost does influence the design of channel fittings and channel tension clips, minimizing weight of any structural components of an aircraft or structure to be used in outer space is highly desirable. This is because, over the life of the structure, each unit of weight for each part of the vehicle represents a very large amount of fuel with an associated cost. Since the weight savings allows the total vehicle weight to be reduced, there may also be other benefits or advantages, such as for example manufacturing and maintenance costs. The design of the fittings described with reference to FIGS. 1-4 results in a part with a certain weight, depending on such parameters as the axial load, the location of the fastener or bolt with respect to the adjoining walls, and the material properties of the fitting. Accordingly, there is a need for fittings and other components which can reduce weight of a part or assembly without sacrificing structural integrity or incurring a prohibitive manufacturing or maintenance cost.
Additionally, the axial load, as illustrated by arrow 206 in FIG. 2B, from the fastener 106 or bolt is also transferred into the end pad 102 as illustrated in FIG. 2B primarily by the mechanism of the fastener head 110 clamping the end pad 102. From there, the load is transmitted to the side walls 202 and 204 by combined shear and bending forces. In other words, the end pad 102 behaves similar to a beam. Since transferring loads from one point to another point by bending is not as efficient as transferring loads by axial force, there is an inherent inefficiency in using plates in bending to transfer the load.
The use of a bolt forces a certain amount of eccentricity into the connection. Because the bolt has a head which is typically 1.6 times the diameter of the bolt shank, the side walls cannot be any closer than 0.8 times the diameter of the bolt from the axis of the bolt. However, the fittings also need to be constructed with generous fillet radii at the junction of the end pad 102 and side walls 108, 202, 204, 302, 304, 402, 404 and 406 to preclude cracking, further increasing the eccentricity. In addition, unless an internal socket head is used, it is necessary for a socket wrench to fit over the head of the bolt. This minimum eccentricity forces the end pad to be a certain minimum size. For beams, increased length results in increased stresses, which result in inefficiency.
Tension bolts in traditional tension fittings and clips are often sized to have large diameters, in order to increase fitting end pad bending strength. Larger bolt heads increase fitting strength by reducing moments induced in the end pad (specifically by reducing the effective end pad "lever arm" length, the span between the edge of the bolt and the fitting walls). However, this approach to increasing fitting strength results in a weight penalty. The large heavy bolts used frequently end up having greater tension capacity than the fitting itself, which results in structural inefficiency.
The geometry of the fittings and the path of the load through the end pad 102 into the sidewalls require that the locations of high stress due to bending pass through the corners where the side walls 202 and 204 are joined to the end pad 102. This area of the structure has a high stress concentration coefficient for loading as illustrated in FIG. 2B. Thus, even though a generous fillet radius is provided, fittings are susceptible to fatigue cracking at these locations.
Since fittings are often made out of plate or extrusion, there is always a fillet 210, such as fillet 210 in FIG. 2B for which the direction of maximum stress is oriented in the short transverse material direction of the plate 212 as illustrated in FIG. 2B. This material direction is usually the weakest and most brittle direction. Since it is unavoidable to load at least one fillet in this direction, it is necessary to select metallic alloys that are not as brittle. However, the price for this additional ductility is a reduction in ultimate strength. This reduction in allowable stresses results in increased inefficiency of the fitting.
A bolt is comprised of a shank and a head. The shank portion has a threaded portion which accepts the nut that is screwed onto the bolt, and an unthreaded portion. Under axial tension load, the location of maximum stress occurs at the net area under the first thread. Thus, the material of the bolt in the unthreaded area is not loaded to the ultimate capacity of the material because it is limited by the net area under the threads. In addition, the threads introduce a stress concentration due to the notch created by the thread. Thus, a threaded bolt itself has an inherent inefficiency. This inefficiency forces the diameter of the bolt to be larger than it would have been if these effects were not present, which in turn, forces the end pad to be wider than it otherwise would need to be. Thus the inefficiencies in the bolt have a compounding effect on the rest of the fitting. This compounding effect works in the reverse direction also. Increased eccentricities in the joint result in bending forces being applied to the bolt. For the bolt to carry these bending moments, the bolt diameter needs to be increased to sustain them. The increased bolt size therefore results in even greater eccentricity, which compounds itself.
A fitting is machined, forged, or extruded from a single material. Certain parts of the fitting are loaded in tension, while others are loaded in compression or shear. The materials used for current fittings are selected to handle these different loads in different parts of the fitting. This can result in inefficiencies, such as extra weight of the fitting and costs. Accordingly, fittings are needed that take into consideration the different loads carried by different portions of the fittings to be able to more efficiently carry the tension and compression loads and at the same time provide reduced weight and cost.


In an image reading apparatus, an image reading unit performs a reading operation to generate image data defined by the reading region. The reading region includes a first region and a second region. The image data includes first data and second data. The first data corresponds to the first region. The second data corresponds to by the second region. The original document passes through the first region and not passes through the second region. A displacing unit displaces the opposing member farther away from the image reading unit when the original document is present in the reading region than a position of the opposing member when the original document is not present in the reading region. A controller determines that an edge reaches the reading position when the second data satisfies a prescribed condition.

One type of image-reading device known in the art reads an image from an original sheet moving relative to an image reading unit in the device as the original sheet passes through a read position of the image reading unit. This type of image-reading device determines whether the leading edge or the trailing edge of the original sheet has arrived at the read position, and uses the determination results to set a read timing for the image reading unit, the size of the original image included in the read image, and the like.
One such image-reading device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication. This image-reading device includes an original-pressing plate disposed opposite the image reading unit. On the original-pressing plate is depicted an identification image, such as a pattern with colors changing in a main scanning direction, a barcode, or a special design. The image-reading device determines that the leading or the trailing edge of the original sheet is at the read position by determining whether the image data read by the image reading unit is data for the identification image or other image data.

Image reading apparatus determining edge of original document


An apparatus for making nonwoven from continuous filaments has a spinner for spinning the filaments, a cooler for cooling the spun filaments, and a mesh belt that moves in a generally horizontal travel direction and that passes through a deposition location where the spun and cooled filaments are deposited on the mesh belt to form thereon a nonwoven web. A nose roller defines a deflection zone over which the mesh belt is deflected from its travel direction downstream of the deposition location. At least one lift roller above the mesh belt downstream of the deposition location separates the nonwoven web from the mesh belt at a separation location at a first spacing upstream from the deflection zone of the nose roller. A treatment device for the nonwoven web is provided downstream of the mesh belt in the travel direction and receiving the nonwoven web from the lift roller.

An apparatus for making from continuous filaments typically comprises a spinner for spinning the filaments and a cooler for cooling of the filaments, furthermore a mesh belt is provided on a deposition location of which the filaments can be deposited to form a nonwoven web, a nose roller deflects the mesh belt at a deflection zone from its travel direction and at least one downstream treatment device for the nonwoven web is available downstream of the mesh belt of the nonwoven web in the travel direction. The invention further relates to a method of transporting and treating a nonwoven web made of continuous filaments. Continuous filaments differ due to their practically endless length from staple fibers that are significantly shorter in length, for example 10 mm to 60 mm.
Systems of the above-mentioned type are known in different designs from practice. In the apparatus, the filaments are spun by a spinner, then cooled in a cooler and finally deposited on a screen-type conveyor belt to form the nonwoven web. The prior-art mesh belt is usually an endless revolving foraminous belt that is deflected by a nose roller in a deflection zone from its travel direction. The nonwoven web is transferred from the mesh belt at a deflection zone at the end of the mesh belt from the mesh belt at this nose roller to a downstream treatment device and is thus separated in the deflection zone from the mesh belt. The known apparatuses and methods however have shown that separation of the nonwoven web from the mesh belt requires a relatively high force, and in this respect is not always simple and functionally reliable. In addition, a usually sufficiently good adhesion of the nonwoven web to the mesh belt is desirable at least in the deposition location, so that there, as it were, there is a tradeoff between easy separation from the belt and good adherence to it. In addition, the strong deflection of the mesh belt in the deflection zone leads to jamming or pinching of the endless filaments in the mesh belt. The result is that high force is used for the separation of the nonwoven web from the mesh belt that can damage the nonwoven web by tearing out filaments. Filament scraps can remain on the mesh belt in an undesired manner during the separation step from the nonwoven web be torn out. In this respect there is a need for improvement.

Method and apparatus for making a nonwoven from continuous filaments

REIFENHAEUSER GMBH & CO. KG MASCHINENFABRIK


A miniature decorative electric lamp assembly includes an electric bulb having dual bare wires inserted into a lampbase, with the lampbase lower end being received in the upper end of a lampholder socket which contains dual contact or blades each connected to an insulated wire. The lampbase lower end has a lower projection portion which is preferably triangular-shaped and extends downwardly to a position between the dual contact or blades of the lampholder socket, so as to preclude any inadvertent electrical short between the blades and bare upper ends of the insulated wires. This configuration also permits any moisture which may enter the lamp assembly to be reliably drained away through openings in the lampbase lower end and the socket member lower end adjacent the electrical insulated wires.

This invention pertains to miniature electric lamp assemblies utilizing an improved lampbase member shaped for improved electrical safety. It pertains particularly to such a lamp assembly for which the lampbase member has a lower projection portion which extends downward to between dual electrical contacts in the socket member of the lamp assembly.
Miniature electric lamp assemblies having various configurations have been produced and used for many years. Examples of such known decorative miniature lamp assemblies include U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,396 to Kelner which discloses a light bulb assembly having a bulb inserted into a conventional lampbase but without having any lower projection arranged to extend downwardly in a socket member to between dual electrical connectors to preclude electrical shorts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,615 to Stefanelli discloses a lamp assembly having an external positive interlock structure, but the lamp base does not have a lower extension portion extending downwardly between the electrical connectors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,922 to Chang and U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,159 to Liu disclose similar conventional lamp assemblies but without a lower projection portion for providing electrical short protection in the lampholder. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,415 to Huang discloses a decorative moisture-proof lamp assembly including an electrical bulb enclosed within a transparent casing and inserted into a bulb holder which is inserted into a casing socket to provide for a moisture proof configuration, but it does not provide the advantageous feature of a lower extension portion for the lampbase member. Because of these deficiencies in known miniature electric lamp assemblies, further improvements for providing safer and more reliable miniature lamp assemblies are needed.

Miniature lamp assembly utilizing lampbase having lower projection


A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a tapered contact structure over a contact pad. The tapered contact structure may be used to securely anchor an overlying solder bump or solder ball. Additionally, the tapered contact structure allows the use of either larger contact pads or, alternately, allows a greater density of contact pads to be achieved on an integrated circuit substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates generally to the field of integrated circuit connectivity and, more specifically, to the field of plating contact structures upon bond pads.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In today's complex computer systems, speed, flexibility, and reliability in timing and control are issues typically considered by design engineers tasked with meeting customer requirements while implementing innovations which are constantly being developed for computer systems and their components. Computer systems typically include a variety of electrically interconnected integrated circuit (I/C) packages which perform a variety of functions, including memory and processing functions. Electrical interconnection of these I/C packages typically include numerous bond pads, which are structures that interface with the external connectors that join the assorted circuits. Typically, the external connectors that interface with the bond pads are either wires or solder balls depending on the mounting technique employed.
Whatever technique is employed, a conductive layer is typically disposed upon the recessed bond pads of the I/C package to provide an electrical contact surface for the solder or the wire. In the event solder balls or bumps are employed, the deposition of such a conductive layer is referred to as underbump metalization. Electroless deposition of nickel is typically used to form the conductive layer during the underbump metalization process and also for depositing a conductive layer in preparation for wire bonding.
Electroless nickel deposition is performed using a chemical bath containing nickel and stabilizers. The stabilizers control the manner in which nickel is deposited, often by enhancing the plating of large surfaces in preference to smaller surfaces. Controlling the amount and type of stabilizer therefore allows one to select which features are plated.
Due to the manner in which electroless nickel deposition is performed, the conductive layers formed on the bond pads tend to be shaped like mushrooms, spilling over the recessed bond pad and extending outwards. Since deposition typically occurs isotropically, the periphery of the conductive layer tends to continue expanding both upward and outward until deposition is halted. This "spillover" deposition necessitates that bond pads be spaced apart by a minimum safe distance to prevent inadvertent electrical contact between bond pads. The additional space necessitated by these spillover depositions adds unnecessary size to the I/C package or, alternately, prevents the attainment of more dense configurations of bond pads upon the I/C package. These effects prevent the optimum scaling of the I/C package from being achieved.
Additionally, the mushroom cap shape associated with the conductive layer is not optimal either for wire bonding or for solder ball techniques. The mushroom cap shape, while producing an acceptable wire bond, consumes an unnecessarily large surface area. Additionally, even with increased inter-pad spacing, the overflow increases the likelihood of incidental electrical interconnection between adjacent bond pads. For wire bonding, it would be preferable for the surface area presented by the conductive layer to correspond to the area actually needed for a successful wire bond and no more.
In the case of the solder ball or solder bump based techniques, the balls or bumps are disposed upon the conductive cap layer. The rounded surface of the conductive layer is not optimal for maximizing the shear strength of such connections. Instead, the surface area between the conductive layer and the solder structure is relatively minimal, producing less interface area to withstand shearing events. It would be preferable to construct conductive layers that minimize or eliminate such spillovers and increase the interface area available for solder ball contacts.
The present invention may address one or more of the concerns set forth above.


A system for controlling prepaid delivery of utilities includes a utility meter with a cutoff device for enabling or disabling delivery of a utility; and a server connected to the utility meter via a network. The utility meter receives a usage limit from the server, measures usage of the utility by the load, and when the usage limit is exceeded, activates the cutoff device. The utility meter transmits the measured usage to the server at configurable intervals. The server maintains an account balance associated with the load, receives the measured usage from the utility meter, and decrements the account balance based on the measured usage. When the account balance is exhausted, the server sends a command to activate the cutoff device to the utility meter. Otherwise, the server generates a further usage limit based on the account balance, and sends the further usage limit to the utility meter.

Utilities (such as water, electrical supply and the like) are generally metered at the location of their use. Payment for utility usage may be postpaid, in which consumers pay at regular intervals (e.g. monthly) for the previous period's usage. Payment may also be prepaid, where funds must be provided to the utility supplier before usage begins.
In prepaid utility delivery systems, delivery of the utility may be interrupted upon exhaustion of the prepaid balance. In some implementations, the balance is tracked by the meter itself. However, this requires that the meter be capable of financial transactions, and also significantly increases the cost and time required to alter billing rates and tariffs, as each meter must be updated individually.
Some prepaid delivery systems rely on a network-based component instead of the meter itself to implement charging and delivery control. However, such network-based solutions are vulnerable to network congestion or failure.

Method, system and apparatus for controlling prepaid delivery of utilities


A combined robot and a cruise path generating method thereof includes providing or generating a working map of a self-moving robot and marking a target point on the working map. A planned path is generated according to the location of the target point in the working map. The combined robot begins to walk according to the planned path and it is determined whether an obstacle is encountered during walking. If an obstacle is encountered, a different path adjustment mode is selected according to a relative location when the obstacle is encountered and the planned path is updated according to a walking path to form an actual path. Otherwise, the robot walks directly to form the actual path. The actual path is saved as a cruise path of the combined robot.

A self-moving robot can be used for its convenient control and flexible action. However, the functionality of some other self-moving robots is simple, which can be problematic or insufficient for user needs that may include high intelligence, multiple functions, and high efficiency of the self-moving robot.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.

Combined robot and cruise path generating method thereof


An information display control apparatus includes an example sentence storage unit that stores a plurality of example sentences, an input unit that accepts a user's operation of inputting a string of characters, an example sentence search unit that, when a compound word consisting of a plurality of constituting words which are combinable and splittable is input via the input unit, searches the example sentences in the example sentence storage unit for an example sentence containing the compound word in a combined state where the plurality of constituting words are combined and an example sentence containing the compound word in a split state where the plurality of constituting words are split, and a display control unit that displays the example sentences searched by the example sentence search unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information display control apparatus having an example sentence search capability and a recording medium recording an information display control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an information display control apparatus called an electronic dictionary in which several kinds of dictionary databases, such as various dictionaries like a Japanese dictionary, a Japanese-English dictionary, and an English-Japanese dictionary, various glossaries, and an encyclopedia, are installed. This information display control apparatus searches the dictionary databases for entry words corresponding to an input search word and displays meanings or the like of the entry words, and searches the dictionary databases for an example sentence using the input search word and displays a list of the searched example sentences.
There is a technique which relates to such an information display control apparatus and properly displays explanation information of a plurality of words forming a compound word when the compound word is designated as a search word (see, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2004-206538). According to the technique, when a compound word (split verb) ┌abgehen┘ which is the combination of, for example, German words ┌ab┘ and ┌gehen┘ is designated as a search word, explanation information on each constituting word ┌ab┘, ┌gehen┘ is displayed.
However, such a compound word may be used in a sentence with the constituting words combined (hereinafter referred to as "combined state") or may be used in a sentence with the constituting words separated or split (hereinafter referred to as "split state"). Therefore, the information display control apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2004-206538 does not search for an example sentence containing a compound word in a split state (e.g., ┌Bei Barzahlung gehen 5 prozent ab.┘) when a search for an example sentence is performed with a compound word in a combined state (e.g., ┌abgehen┘) being designated as a search word, and does not search for an example sentence containing a compound word in a combined state (e.g., ┌in die Ewigkeit abgehen┘) when a search for an example sentence is performed with a compound word in a split state (e.g., ┌ab & gehen┘) being designated as a search word.

Information display control apparatus and recording medium recording information display control program


A subtractive measurement technique in which a CRT display light intensity output is biased above a noise range of a low cost sensor by turning on one or more electron beam guns to produce light levels above the noise range. A bias value is measured. Electron beam guns for colors other than the color being measured are turned on. The gun for the color to be measured is then incremented through its operating range and measured light intensity values at each step are obtained using the sensor. The bias value is subtracted from the measured values to obtain the actual light intensity values for the color primary control value to luminance transfer curve being characterized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a technique for measuring color cathode ray tube (CRT) luminance or output for each primary gun of or color produced by the CRT and, more particularly, to a technique that biases the measured signal into a measurement range of a sensor by turning on, partially or fully, one or more electron beam guns for colors other than the color being measured, thereby allowing measurements above a noise level to be made for the remaining colors.
2. Description of the Related Art
To successfully calibrate a color cathode ray tube (CRT) or monitor, it is necessary to measure the light intensity output of the individual red, green, and blue (RGB) primary guns at varying voltage level or digital luminance control values. This can be done by displaying varying intensity primary color patches on the CRT and using an optical power meter or some other light measuring device to measure the light intensity in foot lamberts (fL.) or some other light intensity measurement unit. Typically, the photopically measured light intensity emitted by the blue gun alone at 100% intensity is 1.9 fL. which is very low compared to the green gun which at 100% intensity produces 15.51 fL. Inexpensive light intensity measurement sensors, such as the Kodak part number 237092 available from Eastman Kodak Co. and used in Kodak cameras, such as the model S500, exhibit noise at low light levels and are therefore not suitable for blue gun measurement. For example, the typical blue gun outputs 0.09 fL at 25% full intensity and in most of the operating range of the blue gun, the light intensity produced is less than the 1.5 fL. noise level mentioned above. To accurately measure the light output of the blue gun, an expensive, more accurate measuring device must be used. Further, at such low light levels, the measurements are less accurate due to ambient light infiltration into the glass of the CRT.
What is needed is a measurement method and apparatus which allows accurate intensity measurements with a low cost sensor such as that mentioned above.

Subtractive measurement method and apparatus for CRT output intensity measurement


A module probe template comprises a substrate of electrically insulative material which possesses contact pads or lands which at least partially surround substrate apertures which match the pin pattern on a module to be tested. Pin shoulders make contact with the land portions in the vicinity of the apertures and a second portion of the conductive land pattern extends to the edge of the template so as to provide connections to wires which supply signals to test and/or control instrumentation. A layer of thin electrically insulative tape or other material is also preferably laid over the conductive paths with small apertures present in the insulative tape so as to provide (in one embodiment) access to the contact land near the pin holes. This test template apparatus thus makes it possible to control and/or monitor pins which are otherwise inaccessible except with much greater difficulty.

The present invention is generally directed to a test device for monitoring the electrical characteristics of electronic circuits via the circuit connection pins present on a multi-pin chip circuit package. More particularly, the present invention provides a mechanism for accessing both external and internally positioned pins under actual circuit operating conditions. Even more particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for monitoring and testing circuit packages employed in large main frame computer systems. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.
In order to fully appreciate the present invention, it is desirable to possess a complete understanding of the context and systems in which such an invention is typically employed. In particular, in the manufacture of large main-frame computer systems, there is a need for the utilization of circuit packages referred to as thermal conduction modules (TCMs). These modules contain a multiplicity of closely packed integrated circuit chips. Because of the power requirements for these chips, which are designed to operate as quickly as possible, water cooling is provided. These modules, some having thousands of pins, are inserted into circuit boards. Clearly because of the number of pins and the pin spacing, pin alignment is an important aspect of the operation. However, once these modules are inserted into their corresponding circuit boards, typically referred to as TCM or Clark boards, access to the voltages present on the pins is very difficult. However, once all of the TCMs are arranged and configured in a machine, it is nonetheless often desirable to be able to test and determine voltages that appear on certain ones of the pins. Additionally, it may also be desirable to inject signals into various pins.
To facilitate probing of the TCM pins, in one design the TCMs are mounted on a swingable and supportable gate frame for access to the pins from the backside of the Clark board. However, design considerations for power requirements and the length of signal lines can limit the utility of frame rotating mechanisms. Additionally, it should be noted that frame rotation procedures for gaining access to the rear pin configurations of Clark boards and alike make access very difficult. It is noted though that this `frame rotation` is not representative of customer shipped machine layout. Furthermore, it can be difficult to determine exactly which one of hundreds or thousands of pins one wishes to probe from the back of the board. Lastly, it should also be appreciated that the rotation of the frame mechanisms on which the TCMs are disposed is a time consuming operation requiring up to approximately seven hours to achieve because of the signal, power and cooling connections to the TCM and Clark board assembly.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the TCMs themselves possess many hundreds of pins which are relatively closely spaced and which must be carefully aligned. Accordingly, the TCMs themselves typically possess alignment structures and are typically disposed in recessed areas, all of which makes access to the pins themselves that much more difficult. Nevertheless during system test procedures, it is very desirable to be able to determine signal levels that appear on various pins. Oftentimes the signal which is desired to be monitored exists on a pin which lies within relatively inaccessible interior portions of the pin array which protrudes from the bottom of the TCM. Thus it becomes very desirable to be able to monitor pins for which it is very difficult to gain physical access.

Test template for monitoring the pins of a multi-pin chip cirucit package

International Business Machines Corporation


Drill bit cutters and drill bits equipped with the cutters. The cutter is mounted on a bit to present the formation with a radiused, curving, side wall cutting face that is concave in one dimension and convex in another dimension. In a preferred form, the cutting face is in the form of a portion of a surface of revolution generated by an arc segment that is concave relative to the axis of revolution. The cutting face is formed on a layer of polycrystalline diamond disposed on a substrate of tungsten carbide. In another side wall cutter arrangement, a standard cylindrical cutter with a diamond cap is mounted to present the curved cylindrical side of the cap to the formation. Curved side wall cutting faces cut more efficiently than the usual flat end face of conventionally mounted cutters. A major portion of the diamond volume in a side mounted cutter trails the point of cutting face engagement with the formation to provide impact resistance and an increased diamond wear area. The radiused face cutter may be mounted in any orientation on the bit. When mounted conventionally, such that the axis of the cutter is inclined away from the bit and into the direction of bit rotation, the cutter end surface rather than the side wall cuts the formation. In this orientation, the rake of the cutter may be increased to place a second cutting surface into engagement with the formation to provide two cutting surfaces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to equipment used in boring into terrestrial formations. More specifically, the present invention relates to bits and cutters for bits used to drill well bores into the earth for use in the recovery of hydrocarbons and other minerals.
2. Description of the Related Art
The equipment used to drill well bores in the earth for the extraction of hydrocarbons has included a variety of bits and bit cutter configurations intended to penetrate specific formations. The bits are generally either of a fixed cutter design or a roller cone design, with each design having its own benefits and advantages as applied to a particular drilling operation. The cutting action of the bit requires it to be rotated into the formation or, in the case of percussion bits, to be repeatedly impacted against the formation.
In typical bit designs, but particularly in the fixed cutter bit designs, the cutters are provided with a layer of super-hard material, such as a polycrystalline diamond carried on a softer substrate, such as tungsten carbide. As used herein, the term "super-hard material" is intended to include material that is harder than the supporting substrate, but specifically material such as a polycrystalline diamond. Other super-hard materials are also commonly employed for cutters. The substrate material is generally a cemented tungsten carbide but may be comprised of other materials. Examples of materials suitable for use as super-hard materials and substrate materials may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,679,639; 5,096,465; 5,111,895; and 4,766,040.
The diamond layer of the cutter is provided to enhance the cutting characteristics and longevity of the cutter. The methods of applying these super-hard layers to the cutter substrate and the mounting of the composite cutter body to a bit, as well as the materials employed for the cutters and bits, are the subject of a large number of patents and an extensive body of complex technology. Generally, the various super-hard materials and substrates used in the manufacture of cutters for bits are well known and, per se, form no part of the present invention. The methods for bonding the substrate and super-hard materials to each other for mounting the cutter to the bit body are also well known and are not, per se, a part of the present invention.
The history of the development of cutter fabrication and bit design is replete with examples of significant benefit deriving from only a small change in an existing cutter face design or composition of material, or even a method of fabricating the components of the bit. In some cases, the technical basis for the improved results stemming from these small changes is not well understood. The evidence of the improvement is seen in such objective criteria as an increased rate of penetration, a reduction in bit wear, a longer bit life, a reduction in the cost of manufacture, or other similar result deriving from the improvement.
The cutting face on the cutter element itself is also the subject of intensive design and engineering effort. Cutting faces on the cutters of fixed cutter bits, as well as roller cone bits, have assumed a variety of different configurations, each with one or more special features intended to improve the quality of the bit's drilling action. A large number of the prior art cutter faces employ a planar diamond surface or table carried at the end of a cylindrical tungsten carbide mounting body. The cross-sectional profile of the planar surface is often circular or may be oblong, the latter form generally being referred to as a "tombstone" cutter. Generally, the cutting face, which is intended to engage the uncut formation, is mounted on the bit such that the plane of the cutting face is angled relative to the direction of the cutter rotation. If the face plane is angled away from the direction of rotation, the cutter is said to have a negative rake. A cutter face normal to the direction of bit rotation has a zero rake, and a face angled into the direction of bit rotation has a positive rake. Cutter faces that are inclined laterally relative to the direction of cutter rotation are said to have a side rake.
It is also common to provide a curving, rather than a planar, cutting face on the cutter. Concave curving faces on fixed cutter bits are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,690; 4,558,753; 4,593,777; 4,679,639; 5,025,874; 5,078,219; 5,101,691; 5,377,773; and 5,460,233. A recognized feature of the curving cutting face is that a single curved surface can provide a variable rake angle along the cutting surface of the face.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,906 (the '906 patent) illustrates a variety of cutting faces that are curving, planar, concave, or convex, and various combinations thereof. The cutter faces described in the '906 patent are generally oriented on the bit to direct cutting forces toward the center of the cutter in the area of the longitudinal axis of the cutter that extends generally transversely to the plane of the cutting face. The wear pattern of the '906 cutters generally extends from the leading cutting face to the cylindrical side of the cutter. The cutting faces of the cutters of the '906 Patent are described for use in a conventional mounting orientation on the bit with the central axis of the cutter being positively inclined so that the cutter mount pushes the cutting face into the formation. In general, a major portion of the diamond in the '906 cutters is positioned ahead of the point of engagement of the cutter with the formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,726 (the '726 patent) illustrates a cutter having a cutting face with a negative rake angle formed primarily along the side of a cylindrical support or shank. The wear pattern of the cutter extends from the leading cutting face along the cutter side toward the axial cutter end. One form of the cutting face is a partial cylindrical wall that extends generally parallel to the axis of the cutter. Other forms show a relatively complex working or cutting surface that is non-parallel to the axis. The shank is secured to the cutter such that the cutter face has a negative rake angle and a curved contact area for engaging the formation. An abrasive substance is deposited over the contact area but is not deposited on the free axial end surface of the cutter. The cutter face of the '726 patent is described as being either symmetrical or nonsymmetrical, as desired, for a particular application. The formation contact portion of one embodiment of the '726 patent is described as having a leading part that has a convex cross-section in one plane with side parts having cross-sections that are partially convex and partially concave. The cutter is described as having improved material flow and strain features.
The '726 patent describes a cutter in which the interface between the abrasive material and the supporting substrate forms an edge of the cutting surface that acts as a self-sharpening edge. This design, while effective in maintaining a sharp cutting edge as the bit wears, sacrifices bit life and design flexibility for cutting efficiency. The edge exposed to the uncut formation is also more prone to chipping or spauling of the super-hard abrasive layer as the underlying substrate wears away. Impact resistance of a self-sharpening cutter face is generally also not as good as that expected from a cutter face that is comprised exclusively of super-hard material. The requirement for a substrate-to-abrasive material interface in the cutting face also reduces the design flexibility for providing relatively large volumes of diamond in the wear area of the cutter.
Cost is an important consideration in the fabrication of bit cutter elements. Generally, the more complex the cutter surface, the more difficult and expensive it is to fabricate the cutter. It is also generally true that a nonsymmetrical cutter face is more complex and thus more expensive to produce than a symmetrical face. Diamond cutters are usually formed in a press to shape and bond the diamond and substrate materials. Complex diamond cutting surfaces, however, are not easily formed in the pressing process. Where a complex shape is required, it is usually necessary to cut the shape with an electrical discharge machining process or to machine the desired shape from a pressed symmetrical diamond cutting surface. The machining step adds cost to the fabrication of the final cutter. Any cutting face design that may be pressed into the diamond rather than being machined is generally less expensive to fabricate. Complex designs, such as the geometric shapes described in the '726 patent, are difficult to form in a press and, to the extent that they are not capable of being turned on a lathe or centerless grinder, are equally difficult to machine.