A watercraft with outboard stabilizing members on a hull with a bow wrap and port and starboard side sheets with one or more longitudinal channels. The port and starboard stabilizing members comprise buoyant members in a sheath having one or more longitudinal keepers that are configured to be received into the side sheet channels. Tension members extend through the keepers, and are attachable near the aft end of the watercraft, and releasably engage tensioning mechanisms in the bow wrap, for releasably attaching the stabilizing members to the side sheet. Deck access plates through the side walls provide access to the tensioning mechanisms, which may be, for example, crank or electric winch mechanism.

An important advance in the design of smaller, high-performance watercraft in recent years has been the incorporation of buoyant outboard stabilizing members. Such outboard stabilizers help to prevent the watercraft from heeling to far during high-speed maneuvers. Forces experienced by a watercraft during high-speed turns cause the vessel to heel: the sharper the turn and the greater the speed, the greater the angle of heel. In smaller, faster vessels, the heel angle can be extreme, and can even cause the vessel to capsize. Outboard stabilizers, elongate buoyant members fixed to the side sheets or walls of the vessel, are typically positioned high enough on the watercraft to remain out of the water during straight-ahead operation at planing speeds. The foam stabilizers may be disposed at the top of the side sheets or at a location lower on the side sheets. When the vessel heels sufficiently, the heel-side stabilizer engages the water to produce a righting force.
Stabilizing members may rely on polymeric foam for flotation, for example, comprising a solid foam cylinder, a sheathing or flexible container filled with a foam filler material, or a rigid sealed sponson filled with a buoyant material. In other embodiments, the stabilizing member may comprise a gas-filled bladder. Yet other embodiments are formed with both a foam core and gas bladders disposed in an outer sheathing. While air-filled stabilizers are subject to leakage, foam stabilizers have the advantage of being virtually unsinkable, and may be sized to make the associated vessel substantially unsinkable. Outboard stabilizers also provide the watercraft with added buoyancy, thus increasing carrying capacity.
In some embodiments, the outboard stabilizer extends along substantially the entire length of the watercraft, from bow to stern. Alternatively, outboard stabilizers may extend along only a portion of the vessel side sheets. The outboard stabilizer must be securely fixed to the watercraft. Outboard stabilizers on high-performance watercraft are subject to very significant hydrodynamic forces, and it is important that they be fastened securely to the watercraft to withstand these hydrodynamic forces.
Exemplary foam stabilizers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,965, to Hansen, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Outboard stabilizers utilizing both air and foam for buoyancy are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,827, to Hansen, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Outboard stabilizers may also be provided with features to improve watercraft performance, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,172 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,268, also to Hansen, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
One challenge that has limited broader adoption of outboard stabilizers for high-performance watercraft is the additional maximum width, or beam, that results from outboard stabilizers. Watercraft may often be towed or otherwise transported over highways to a desired launch site. Highways generally have limitations on allowable vehicle width. For example, in the United States federal law sets a maximum commercial vehicle width of about 102 inches on the national network of highways (without special overwidth permits) in 23 CFR Part 658.
In order to increase the usable interior space of a towable watercraft having outboard stabilizers, it would be beneficial if the outboard stabilizers could be easily removed during transporting or towing of the vessel, and easily and quickly installed when the vessel arrives at the desired launching location. Prior art attachment mechanisms for outboard stabilizers typically require many hours and trained personnel to remove and reinstall. Such removal and installation may also require special tools and the like. There is a need for improved methods and systems for attaching outboard stabilizers to watercraft.

Boat collar attachment system and method


A combination beach towel, tote bag and beach umbrella system including a towel member, an umbrella member and an umbrella support. The towel member has a towel perimeter edge defining a towel shape, a drawstring sleeve provided adjacent to the towel perimeter, and a draw string having a first and second drawstring end positioned through the drawstring sleeve with the first and second drawstring ends extending out from the drawstring sleeve. The umbrella member has an umbrella perimeter defining an umbrella shape corresponding to the towel shape in a manner such that the umbrella perimeter and the towel perimeter can be placed in registration and four elongated, tubular shaped, fabric, pole attachment sleeves open at both ends thereof, each pole attachment sleeve attached to a first side of the umbrella member and extending from the umbrella perimeter radially toward the center of the umbrella member. The umbrella member and the towel members are securable together along their perimeters. The sectional umbrella support includes a two part vertical support pole including an umbrella spike having a diameter sized to pass through the umbrella spike aperture of the towel member, a central support having a first end adapted for connection with the vertical support pole and for horizontal support pole connecting members.

Many people enjoy going to the beach to enjoy the sun, sand and surf. Although beach activities can be fun, carrying items to increase the enjoyment of the outing such as beach towels, sunscreen, radios, umbrellas, water and sand toys, etc. to and from the beach can be cumbersome. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a beach towel that could be easily converted into a tote bag for carrying these items to and from the beach and which could be used as a beach towel while at the desired beach location. In addition, while many people enjoy the sunshine at the beach, many other people require or would enjoy a shaded area in which to enjoy beach activities. It would be a further benefit, therefore, if the beach towel could be converted into a beach umbrella when desired. It would of course be a further benefit, if the beach towel could be used as an umbrella and as a beach towel at the same time.

Beach towel, tote bag and beach umbrella system


There is provided a pressure-bonding connection structural body and a female connector which can surely prevent the intrusion of moisture from an insulating cover side, and a method of manufacturing the connection structural body. In the connection structural body which is configured by connecting a crimp terminal and an insulated wire to each other, the crimp terminal having a barrel portion which is an integral body formed of; a cover pressure-bonding section which pressure-bonds by caulking the insulating cover; and a core wire pressure-bonding section which pressure-bonds an aluminum core wire by caulking, a water blocking projecting portion which prevents the intrusion of moisture in a longitudinal direction in a pressure-bonding state is formed, at the time of pressure-bonding the barrel portion, on an inner surface of the cover pressure-bonding section of the barrel portion where a cross-sectional shape in a width direction is formed into a closed cross-sectional shape.

There has been proposed an electric apparatus mounted on an automobile or the like where an electric circuit is formed by connecting such an electric apparatus with another electric apparatus or a power source device through a wire harness which is formed by binding insulated wires. In this case, the wire harness, the electric apparatus and the power source device are connected to each other by connecting connectors which are mounted on these components.
With respect to these connecters, a crimp terminal which is connected to the insulated wire by pressure-bonding is incorporated in the inside of the connector. A female connector and a male connector which are connected in concave and convex relationship are configured to be engaged with each other by fitting engagement.
Such connectors are used under various environments and hence, there may be a case where unintended moisture adheres to a surface of the insulated wire due to condensation brought about by a change in ambient temperature or the like. There is a drawback that, when moisture intrudes into the inside of the connector along the surface of the insulated wire, a surface of a wire conductor exposed from a distal end of the insulated wire corrodes.
In view of the drawback, there have been proposed various techniques which prevent the intrusion of moisture into a wire conductor pressure-bonded by a crimp terminal.
For example, the water blocking structure of a wire described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that, in a crimp terminal which includes a core wire barrel which pressure-bonds a core wire of the wire, and an insulating cover barrel which pressure-bonds an insulating cover layer of the wire, the core wire barrel and the insulating cover barrel are covered with a heat shrinkage tube together with the insulating cover layer of the wire pressure-bonded on the crimp terminal thus preventing the intrusion of moisture from the insulating cover layer.
However, the water blocking structure of a wire described in Patent Document 1 requires a step of mounting the heat shrinkage tube and a step of heating the heat shrinkage tube. Further, the water blocking structure requires a time for surely shrinking the heat shrinkage tube. Accordingly, there is a drawback that the water blocking applied to the core wire barrel which pressure-bonds the core wire of the wire requires a large number of man-hours.
Further, the heat shrinkage tube is exposed to the outside air and hence, it is difficult to suppress the deterioration or degradation with time, and there is a possibility that the heat shrinkage tube is deformed or damaged so that moisture intrudes into the wire.

Connection structural body, connector and method of manufacturing connection structural body


Disclosed are various embodiments for sharing applications initialized to a specified state. In one embodiment, a saved state service receives a plurality of state parameters that describe a state of the application, wherein the state parameters are reported by the application during execution of the application. The save state service then generates a unique data string that corresponds to the state parameters by serializing the state parameters using a data interchange standard. The saved state service may then generate a link to install the application, wherein the link includes the unique data string. In one embodiment, the saved state service serves up the link that, upon invocation on a client, installs the application and initializes the application in the specified state.

Users execute applications on client devices for a variety of purposes and generate a variety of types of data during the execution of the application. For instance, a user may play a game on the client device and may set high scores, defeat levels of the game, and unlock new features of the game.

Distribution of applications with a saved state


A typical use of linear or two dimensional spectrometers is to expose the detector area, and then shift the photo-electric charges out of the device in a serial fashion. If the illuminating signal is spatially narrow relative to the size of the array, this will drive down the percent of the detector that is utilized, as only a relatively small number of pixels are used to detect the beam. The present invention proposes a method which capitalizes on this spatial under-utilization, and alters the clocking scheme to maximize the read-out speed of the pixels containing signal information. This type of clocking scheme raises the optical power saturation level of the spectrometer. Such an improvement in optical power handling is beneficial for spectrometer based detection of resonant waveguide grating biochemical binding, since in such systems the performance is frequently limited by spectrometer saturation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical interrogation system which implements an over-clocking method that increases a read-out speed of a CCD (charge coupled device) detector (in this case part of a spectrometer) which enhances the ability to detect a minute/small biological event on or near a top surface of an optical biosensor.
2. Description of Related Art
Today optical sensor technology is being used in academia and industry to conduct studies associated with detecting a biological event on or near a top surface of an optical biosensor. In such studies, an optical interrogation system is used which has a launch system that couples light into an optical biosensor (e.g., resonant waveguide grating (RWG) biosensor). The light that is resonant with the optical biosensor is then out-coupled (reflected), and is captured by a receive system which analyzes the light to determine whether or not a biological event occurred on top of the RWG biosensor. In particular, the receive system analyzes the light to measure an optical response (resonant wavelength/angle) that indicates whether or not a biological event occurred on the top surface of the RWG biosensor. Unfortunately, such a receive system and in particular its CCD detector, which is used in industry today, may easily be saturated by the received light. Such, CCD detector saturation makes it difficult to detect minute shifts (e.g., sub-picometer wavelength shifts) in the optical response, which means it becomes difficult to detect small biological events on top of the RWG sensor (the reason this happens is discussed in detail below).
One way that was tried to address this saturation problem was to install an optical attenuator (e.g., variable optical attenuator (VOA)) within the launch system to reduce the intensity of the emitted light to a level which is below the saturation limit of the CCD array (e.g., pixels) within the spectrometer. However, the optical interrogation system has a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per unit of integration time which happens to be limited by the intensity of the light received at the CCD array in the spectrometer. Thus, the spectrometer's ability to locate the optical resonance is quantifiably related to the amount of power that the CCD array (pixels) is able to handle without saturating. As a result, if the spectrometer could be enhanced to handle a higher optical power level then it would be possible to detect small shifts in the optical response and hence detect small biological events on top of the RWG sensor. This need is satisfied by the present invention.

Optical interrogation system and method for increasing a read-out speed of a spectrometer


Brim templates, covers and methods of modifying and changing brims on caps and visors. Novel digitally printed on indicia designs, words and/or colors can be placed on fabric brim covers. The brim covers can have an upper cover with overhanging edges that wrap about perimeter edges of existing hat brim, and a lower cover for covering a lower surface of the existing hat brim. The covers can be attached with by peeling off backing layers that reveal sticky surfaces that allow the covers to be easily attached to existing brims and easily removable from the existing brims without damaging the brims.

Hats, such as baseball caps, and the visors are popular headgear apparel. Often the baseball cap is purchased to show the name and/or design logo of a favorite sport, team, celebrity, etc.
FIG. 1A is a front view of a prior art baseball cap 1 with visor/brim 20 attached to head portion 4 of the cap 1. FIG. 1B is a bottom view of the prior art cap 1 of FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C is another view of the bottom of the existing brim 2 of FIG. 1B.
A preferred type of hats with brims that can use the invention includes but is not limited to baseball caps 1 and golf type caps having either flat brims or curved brims, as well as visors having brims.
Additionally, caps and visors are often purchased in solid colors, such as white and black. Currently, the colors and existing designs on caps and visors are not changed. As a result individuals can end up having multiple caps and visors having different colors and designs.
Attempts to modify caps and visors are generally not practical since the modifications become permanent. For example, using a marker to add designs and colors becomes a permanent addition to the hats. Patches are also generally permanent since the sewn on patch cannot be easily removed, and the patch only ends up covering a part of hat, and not a complete portion of the hat.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.

Brim templates, covers and methods of modifying brims on caps and visors


The present invention relates to articles of manfacture, such as films, tubes, and coatings, comprising a multiaxially oriented film having a planar morphology, wherein the article of manfacture comprises at least one thermoplastic flexible polymer, at least one thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer, or a blend thereof. Recyclable articles of manufacture having improved barrier properties are also provided.

There is a growing demand for high temperature and high performance polymers. It is particularly desirable to be able to control the molecular orientation of such polymers and to tailor the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) to optimize properties.
Polymers having improved properties have been obtained by the incorporation of reinforcing fibers, such as, glass, carbon and aramid, to form fiber reinforced polymers. However, disadvantages well known to those of ordinary skill in the art accompany the use of each of these reinforcing fibers.
Performance gains over fiber reinforced polymers have been achieved by blending thermoplastic flexible polymers with thermotropic rigid-rod polymers which are also called thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCPs). These blends are sometimes referred to as polymer microcomposites.
Thermoplastic polymers used in making reinforced polymer composites, such as those described above, include a wide range of thermoplastics, such as polyimides, polyethylene, polystyrene and copolymers thereof, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyetherimide and polyesters such as polybutylene terephthalate. These thermoplastic polymers are either amorphous or semi-crystalline and may be called flexible chain polymers, since individual monomer units in the polymer chain are free to rotate with respect to each other so that the polymer chain may assume a random shape.
Thermotropic LCPs are a relatively new class of polymeric materials which combine the advantages of melt processability and outstanding mechanical properties. Due to their rigid-rod molecular conformation and capability to form highly oriented crystalline structures, i.e., an ordered phase when subjected to shear above their melting point, they form products with properties similar to fiber reinforced composites. However, if the orientation of the polymer is in only one direction, such products are not suitable for applications requiring strength in more than one direction. Because of their rigid backbone structure with flexible spacer groups, commercially available TLCPs have far higher tensile strength and flexural moduli than conventional polymers.
Thermotropic LCPs can be processed in the melt state and they are capable of forming a highly oriented fibrillar structure when subjected to shear above their melting point. Methods for producing such highly oriented fibrillar structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,973,442; 4,939,325; 4,963,428; and 4,966,807 (hereinafter referred to collectively as the "CRD Patents"). The disclosure of each of these patents is incorporated herein by reference. A brief discussion of this methodology follows.
A schematic diagram of the process disclosed in the CRD Patents is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. A combination of shear and elongational flows during the extrusion process orients the TLCP polymers. This controlled orientation can be accomplished with the counter-rotating die shown in FIG. 1A that aligns TLCP molecules along at least two distinct axes within a single ply. The angle that the TLCP fibrils make with the longitudinal axis of the film is .+-.theta, where theta can be varied from near zero to over 50 degrees. By rotating the mandrels, a transverse shear flow is superimposed on the axial shear developed as the polymer melt is extruded through the die. It is possible to obtain films in accordance with the CRD Patents having a thickness ranging from about 0.0001 to 0.060 inches.
In the CRD Patents, the objective was to obtain extruded articles, such as films and tubular components, having optimized tensile strength, tensile modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, and other properties related to in-plane stresses and deflections of the film. As disclosed in the CRD Patents, such properties can be controlled and enhanced by alignment, orientation and organization of the rigid thermotropic LCP molecules. In the technology disclosed in the CPD Patents, reinforcement is achieved by the LCPs in fibrillar form. This morphology was observed directly microscopically and indirectly through effect on mechanical properties.
In such methods, subsequent post-die processing enhances the orientation already present as the material exits the die. For example, post processing such as post-die draw in the transverse and/or machine direction can be performed on the extruded article to further optimize properties or obtain a finished product.
Because TLCPs form an ordered phase in the melt (hence, the name thermotropic), they have shear viscosities far lower than other polymers, This property gives them potential importance as a processing aid.
Thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers have received increasing attention in the scientific and technical literature as in situ reinforcements in polymer blends and microcomposites. The range of high performance thermoplastic flexible polymers blended with TLCPs include polyimides, polyamides, PES, PEI, PEEK, polycarbonate, PET, PPS, and polyarylace. The blending of thermoplastic flexible polymers and LCPs occur at various size scales down to the molecular level to form the systems referred to as polymer microcomposites (PMC).
The microstructure of a polymer microcomposite is similar to fiber-reinforced composites except that the fibers are at a micron to submicron scale. Blends of thermoplastic polymers and TLCPs are disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,386,174; 4,728,698; 4,835,047; and 4,871,817, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The potential advantages of blending thermoplastic matrix polymers with thermotropic LCPs are well recognized. Yet, despite the potential advantages of combining thermoplastics with TLCPs, traditional processing steps have failed to yield the optimal properties desired in blends. To achieve the optimal properties with such blends, processing techniques are used that permit the controlled orientation of the rigid-rod polymer in melt state and subsequent freezing in the desired morphology.
Although fibers and films of LCP blends have shown the most promise in terms of properties, they typically have consisted of a highly uniaxially oriented structure with correspondingly inferior transverse properties. This anisotropy is the bane of thermotropic LCP blends, limiting their use primarily to spun fibers. To extend the applications of thermoplastic flexible polymers/TLCP blends to two and three dimensional articles, the fibrillar orientation of the TLCP reinforcing phase must be controlled. Indeed, the processing of such blends into films, tubes, and other structures has been severely hindered by the difficulties encountered in con-rolling the orientation and CTE of the final product.
Until recently it had not been possible to form articles, such as films and tubes, comprising blends of thermoplastic flexible polymers and TLCPs and to obtain controlled multiaxial orientation of such articles. Such articles and methods of obtaining them are disclosed in application Ser. No. 07/678,080, filed Apr. 1, 1991, now abandoned. One such method involves use of a counter-rotating die (CRD) and the technology disclosed in the CRD Patents, supra.
In general, a multiaxially oriented article is produced which has a tailored CTE and comprises at least one thermotropic LCP and at least one thermoplastic flexible. The method comprises:
(i) extruding a melt of the polymer or polymers, under conditions which impart axial and transverse shear thereto to form a multiaxially oriented article; and PA1 (ii) maintaining the article under conditions to enable solidification of the orientation formed in step (i). PA1 Potentially lower product cost PA1 Wider range of performance (higher temperature, strength) PA1 Ability to form into articles of manufacture not possible with multi-layer films
The method may further comprise the step of subjecting the article to post-die draw in the axial and/or transverse direction between steps (i) and (ii). When it is desirable to increase the bend and fracture toughness of the article, e.g., the film or tube, the film or tube is stretched at above the Tg of the thermoplastic flexible polymer.
Co-pending Ser. No. 07/678,080 filed Apr. 11, 1991, now abandoned teaches that LCP-thermoplastic blends can be processed as disclosed in the CRD Patents to achieve fibrillar morphology and to orient the fibrils during processing to greatly improve mechanical properties with only small amounts of LCP (10% for example) in the blend.
A major problem currently exists in the packaging industry because of the relatively poor barrier properties of plastic materials used in films, bags, bottles, cars and ocher containers. Packaging materials have long since been developed with excellent barrier properties, but they do so with multiple layers, typically three to seven layers, including separate layers for oxygen and moisture barriers. Although special co-extrusion machinery has been developed to make such films, they are still perceived as being environmentally "unfriendly" because they cannot be recycled. Also, co-extrusion requires the use of secondary "tie" layers to bond the other layers together, and the machinery is generally more expensive to build and operate than equipment for extrusion and processing of single polymer materials.
Furthermore, it is not possible to recycle most of such multiple layer packaging materials, because the components of the multi-layers are irreversibly melted together during thermoplastic recycling. Plastic materials which can be recycled (such as polyethylene) are not very good barriers to gases such as oxygen, air and water vapor, and therefore cannot be used for long storage times. Accordingly, materials which combine excellent barrier properties with ability to recycle, creating a new generation of food and beverage packaging materials are being sought.

Extruded thermoplastic, liquid crystalline polymers and blends thereof having a planar morphology


The invention concerns a securing device in the form of a strip (1) in open position, arranged to cover exclusively a shoe (4) lace (3) and comprising means to be fixed to said shoe (4) and a series of holes (2) for passing through the lace (3). The device is adapted to be folded down such that the left side is fixed to the right side. Moreover, the length of said securing device (1) is substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the shoe (4).

It has often been observed on laced shoes, whether they have a high or low tongue, that the knot and/or loop of the lace frequently comes undone, for example when playing sport, when handling children after having tied the lace, when the lace accidentally hooks onto something; or when the lace has a relatively inflexible texture (for example made from leather or nylon).
Such unwanted undoing is not only a nuisance, because of the knots and loops that it is constantly necessary to re-do, but may in particular be a source of incidents and accidents, more particularly with children, who risk walking on their laces and falling.
The same applies with sportspersons, who may fall because of an undone lace during a match or race, with cyclists and with motorcyclists, where this coming undone may even put their life in danger.
Amongst workers on sites who are working with machines and/or at a height the coming undone may give rise to serious accidents (or even death).
Many devices for preventing laces coming undone have been developed during the past few years, for example the device for preventing undoing disclosed in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,936, but the majority of them cover the knot and not the loops of the knot. Consequently they do not resolve the problem of the loops of the knot catching. In addition they fall off as soon as the lace is untied, for example when taking the shoe off.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,119 discloses a device for securing, covering and containing the ends of the laces. It consists of a band of cloth in three parts, the central part of which is fixed, in particular stitched over the whole length of the shoe, to the part corresponding to the instep. In order to completely cover the knotted lace, the invention described in the U.S. patent comprises two foldable parts which are superimposed over the entire length of the instep and which are attached to each other, for example by a zip or other similar means. This therefore procures a kind of case which completely surrounds the knot and the lace loops and which covers the entire top of the shoe.
The drawback of such a device is that it is not simple to manufacture nor to position, the stitching of the central part having to be carried out on a shoe already partly stitched, the device leaving no freedom of movement since it imposes a certain degree of rigidity, and in particular such a device cannot be adapted to all shoes, for various reasons. First of all, this type of bulky device cannot be conceived on a town shoe nor even on a mixed shoe. It can only be conceived for sports shoes related to disciplines in which the foot remains relatively fixed, for example for cycling shoes. In addition, for one and the same shoe, the device is not very flexible with regard to the width and causes additional discomfort for an athlete with large feet. This is because the passage holes for the laces fit on the top of the foot and the separation between the holes is not variable but is limited by the width of the central part.


A method for fabricating a pixel structure is provided. First, a substrate having an active device formed thereon is provided. The active device has a gate, a gate dielectric layer, and a semiconductor layer having a channel, a source, and a drain region. Then, a dielectric layer is formed to cover the active device, and a photo-resist layer having a first photo-resist block and a second photo-resist block thinner than the first photo-resist block is formed on the dielectric layer. The second photo-resist block has openings above the source and the drain region, respectively. The source and the drain regions are exposed by removing part of the dielectric layer with the photo-resist layer as a mask. A second metal layer is formed after removing the second photo-resist block. A source and a drain are formed after removing the first photo-resist block. A pixel electrode connected to the drain is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a pixel structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for fabricating a pixel structure with reduced number of photolithography and etching processes (PEPs).
2. Description of Related Art
Displays are communication interfaces between human and information, while flat panel displays are the current trend. The flat panel displays may be divided into the following categories: organic electroluiminescence displays, plasma display panels (PDPs), and TFT-LCDs, and so on. Low-temperature poly-Si TFT LCDs, advantageous in thin thickness, light weight, preferable resolution, are particularly applicable to portable electronic products requiring lightweight and power saving function.
The method for fabricating pixels having the low-temperature poly-Si TFT is complex. Generally speaking, a poly-Si layer and a first capacitor electrode are first formed on a substrate. Then, a channel region, a source region, and a drain region are defined on the poly-Si layer through an ion doping process. After that, a gate dielectric layer is formed to cover the poly-Si layer and the first capacitor electrode. Next, a gate is formed on the gate dielectric layer above the channel region of the poly-Si layer. Then, a dielectric layer is formed to cover the gate and a gate insulating layer, and a contact hole is formed in dielectric layer to expose the source region and the drain region. Afterwards, a source and a drain respectively electrically connected to the source region and the drain region via the contact holes are formed. Then, a passivation layer is formed to cover the source, the drain, and the dielectric layer, in which the passivation layer has a contact hole exposing the drain. Thereafter, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the drain via the contact hole is formed.
In view of the above, the conventional method for fabricating the pixel structure having the low-temperature poly-Si TFT mainly includes the following steps. A poly-Si layer and a first capacitor electrode are formed by a first photolithography and etching process. A gate is formed by a second photolithography and etching process. A contact hole is formed in the dielectric layer by a third photolithography and etching process. A source and a drain are formed by a fourth photolithography and etching process. A contact hole is formed in a passivation layer by a fifth photolithography and etching process. A pixel electrode is formed by a sixth photolithography and etching process. Moreover, in the method for fabricating the pixel structure of the low-temperature poly-Si TFT, two or three photolithography and etching processes are required when forming the channel region, the source region, and the drain region by the ion doping. Therefore, the conventional method for fabricating the pixels of the low-temperature poly-Si TFT generally needs about eight or nine photolithography and etching processes, and the steps of this fabricating method are complex and quite time consuming. The complex fabricating steps result in higher probability of defects in the pixels of the poly-Si TFT, and the low production yield. Furthermore, the conventional method for fabricating the pixel having the low-temperature poly-Si TFT adopts more fabricating steps and requires longer fabricating time. Therefore, the total cost of production is added due to the increase of the cost for purchasing machines and equipments and the material cost for production.


An apparatus for feeding a work-sheet holder holding a work sheet on which stitches are formed by a stitch-forming device of a sewing machine, the stitch-forming device including an elongate housing extending in a specific direction and a loop catcher accommodated in the elongate housing, the feeding apparatus including a drive source which produces a drive force, and a drive-force transmitting device which transmits the drive force to the work-sheet holder to feed the holder in the specific direction, the drive-force transmitting device being accommodated together with the loop catcher in the elongate housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a work-sheet holder feeding apparatus which is employed by a sewing machine including an elongate housing in which a loop catcher is accommodated.
2. Related Art Statement
Japanese Patent Application laid open for opposition under Publication No. 1(1989)-45394 discloses a work-sheet holder feeding apparatus which is employed by an industrial sewing machine for forming a sewing pattern or an embroidery pattern. The disclosed feeding apparatus includes right-hand and left-hand Y-direction feeding devices each of which includes a guide rail extending in a Y direction, and a support member which is movable in the Y direction by being guided by the guide rail; a movable frame which extends in an X direction perpendicular to the Y direction and which is supported at opposite end portions thereof by the respective movable support members of the two Y-direction feeding devices; a first drive motor which drives or rotates a drive shaft for moving the two support members in synchronism with each other in the Y direction and thereby feeding the movable frame in the Y direction; a rack which extends in the X direction and is fixed to a carriage which is supported on the movable frame such that the carriage is movable in the X direction; a spline shaft which extends in the Y direction independent of an elongate housing in which a loop catcher is accommodated; a pinion which fits on the spline shaft such that the pinion is movable in the Y direction relative to the shaft and which is engaged with the rack; and a second drive motor which is provided between the two Y-direction feeding devices and which drives or rotates the pinion. Thus, the carriage is movable not only in the X direction but also in the Y direction independent of the movement thereof in the X direction. Accordingly, a work sheet being held by a palette supported on the carriage is moved in the X and Y directions, so that a predetermined sewing pattern is formed on the work sheet.
In the above-described prior feeding apparatus, the left-hand and right-hand end portions of the movable frame, which supports the carriage, are driven or moved in the Y direction by the first drive motor via the left-hand and right-hand Y-direction feeding devices, respectively, and the carriage is moved by the second drive motor via the spline shaft, the rack, and the pinion. This arrangement is adopted for the purpose of reducing the weight of the movable frame.
However, there is a trend in the art toward the widening of a sewing area within which a sewing pattern is formed, and accordingly there is a trend toward the use of such a movable frame which has a greater dimension in the X direction and accordingly has a greater weight. In the case where such movable frame is employed and moved in the Y direction at a high sewing speed, the middle portion of the movable frame, which supports the carriage, may be moved with some delay as compared with the opposite end portions of the frame, that is, the movable frame may be curved in the Y direction.
Meanwhile, there is known a loop-catcher module or unit including a loop catcher, a drive shaft fixed to the loop catcher, and a drive source to drive or rotate the drive shaft of the loop catcher. In the case where the module is employed in the above-indicated prior feeding apparatus, the module may be accommodated in one of opposite end portions of the elongate housing. In this case, the remaining space in the housing remains vacant.
Furthermore, even in the case where a loop catcher is accommodated in an end portion of the elongate housing and is connected via a drive shaft to an external drive source which is not accommodated in the housing, some vacant space remains in the housing.

Work-sheet holder feeding apparatus for sewing machine


A method includes receiving a sheet of material at a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a sensor configured to measure a property of the sheet. The method also includes stabilizing the sheet with respect to the sensor using a guide roller. Stabilizing the sheet includes using the guide roller to remove at least a portion of a first boundary layer of air moving towards the guide roller and to reform at least a portion of a second boundary layer of air moving away from the guide roller. For example, the guide roller could include a plurality of grooves or openings in a surface of the guide roller, or the guide roller could include a plurality of rings spaced apart from one another. Air could move from one side of the guide roller to another side of the guide roller through the grooves, through the openings, or between the rings.

Sheets of material are often used in various industries and in a variety of ways. These materials can include paper, plastic, and other materials manufactured or processed in webs or sheets. As a particular example, long sheets of paper or other materials can be manufactured and collected in reels. These sheets of material are often manufactured or processed at a high rate of speed, such as speeds up to one hundred kilometers per hour or more.
It is often necessary or desirable to measure one or more properties of a sheet of material as the sheet is being manufactured or processed. For example, in a paper sheet-making process, it is often desirable to measure the properties of the sheet (such as its basis weight, moisture, color, or caliper/thickness) to verify whether the sheet is within certain specifications. Adjustments can then be made to the sheet-making process to ensure the sheet properties are within the desired range(s).
Many optical and image-based measurements involving a sheet of material often require the sheet to be confined in a specific position or plane. For example, there is often a narrow range of working distances (from a sensor to the sheet) and/or a narrow range of tilt angles (with respect to illumination or examination of the sheet) that provide proper measurements with these techniques. Deviations from the expected or required working distances, tilt angles, or other geometries may introduce bias, uncertainty, or other errors in the measurements. This problem becomes more pronounced when taking measurements of a moving sheet, which may flutter or otherwise move as it passes by or between sensors.
Existing solutions for constraining sheet position and sheet planarity are often of limited use. For example, existing solutions could stabilize a sheet for one sensor while disturbing the sheet near other sensors. Also, stationary contacting devices (such as caliper buttons) can apply friction to the sheet, which can cause unwanted markings on the sheet, increase the risk of a sheet break, and are difficult to set up (since contact pressure may be grade-dependent). Further, aerodynamic devices (such as a backstep coanda or helical vortex) often do not guarantee good sheet position or sheet planarity since, for example, sheet position may be unstable in time and can vary with sheet tension. In addition, non-stationary contacting devices (such as guide rollers) often cannot guarantee good sheet position or sheet planarity since there is a substantial boundary layer of air moving with the sheet, typically resulting in overpressure where the sheet attaches to a guide roller and underpressure where the sheet detaches from a guide roller. This can cause deflection of the sheet path between guide rollers, affecting the sheet's level and tilt and leading to sheet position instability. Moreover, overpressure, underpressure, and turbulence can vary with speed, sheet tension, and permeability (very low permeability sheets may actually "float" over the guide rollers without coming into non-slip contact with the guide rollers).

Apparatus and method for stabilizing a moving sheet relative to a sensor


Device and method for estimating an event-related main anisotropy axis for a volume in a subsurface. The method includes selecting a velocity migration model for the given volume of the subsurface; receiving seismic data for the given volume; migrating the seismic data based on the velocity migration model; picking locally coherent events from the migrated data; and performing a tomographic process based on invariants to calculate the event-related main anisotropy axis.

1 Technical Field
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally relate to methods and systems and, more particularly, to mechanisms and techniques for determining a main axis of symmetry for an anisotropic velocity model.
2 Discussion of the Background
During the past years, the interest in developing new oil and gas production fields has dramatically increased. However, the drilling is an expensive process. Thus, those undertaking the drilling need to know where to drill in order to avoid a dry well.
Seismic data acquisition and processing generate a profile (image) of the geophysical structure under the seafloor or subsoil. While this profile does not provide an accurate location for the oil and gas, it suggests, to those trained in the field, the presence or absence of oil and/or gas. Thus, providing a high resolution image of the structures under the seafloor/subsoil is an ongoing process.
To construct images of the subsoil (or subsurface), geologists or geophysicists conventionally use wave emitters (sources) placed on the surface, for example. For the case of marine seismic, the wave emitters are towed by a vessel at or under the surface of the water. Such emitters emit waves which propagate through the subsoil (and water for the marine seismic) and which are reflected on the surfaces of the various layers thereof (reflectors). Waves reflected to the surface are recorded as a function of time by receivers (which are towed by the same vessel or another vessel for the marine seismic or lay on ocean bottom). The signals received by the receivers are known as seismic traces.
It is conventional to pick portions of such seismic traces which correspond to reflections of pulses emitted from the surface, and which correspond to reflectors of interest, and also to determine the travel times that correspond to such reflections. Tomography inversion techniques consist in modeling velocity fields within the subsoil as a function of the acquired seismic traces and of selected events.
Tomography is commonly used in depth imaging of seismic data for estimating wave propagation velocity (P-waves, S-waves) and anisotropic parameters (epsilon, delta, sigma, see for example, Thomsen, L. A., 1986, Weak elastic anisotropy, Geophysiscs, Vol. 51, No. 10, October, P. 1954-1966, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference). The tomography can be ray-based or wave equation-based, it can invert surface seismic data or Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) (also called borehole seismics) data, it can estimate one or more velocity parameters.
In conventional imaging processing, the main direction of anisotropy of the subsurface is often assumed to be equal to the structural dip that follows the geology of the subsurface; when referring to transverse isotropy, this case is often referred to as Structural Transverse Isotropy (STI). In this regard, FIG. 1 shows a portion of the subsoil 10 having various layers 12, 14, 16. The tilt axis 18 for a portion 20 of the layer 12 is perpendicular (for most cases) to the surface of the portion 20. The tilt axis is picked from a seismic migrated cube usually obtained by depth migration in an isotropic or Vertical Transverse Isotropy (VTI) or STI or Tilted Transverse Isotropy (TTI) model. The picked tilt axis is usually inserted into the velocity model to describe its main symmetry axis. This will affect wave propagation in this velocity model. The post-stack or pre-stack depth migration of seismic data in the updated model produces a new migrated seismic image, slightly different from the original seismic image. Thus, the tilt axis model does not match any longer a re-migrated structure. Existing techniques are unable to produce a tilt axis model that matches the migrated image, except by re-iterating several times a loop shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows such a loop that starts at step 30 with a migration model. Based on this model, the seismic data is migrated in step 32 and in step 34 a dip is picked. In step 36 a STI tilt is computed and in step 38 the migration model is updated based on this data. This process (loop) illustrated in FIG. 2 is computer intensive as the migration and dip picking are repeatedly calculated. Further, this process may not fully converge.
TTI velocity is commonly considered nowadays in seismic depth imaging. STI is the most popular instantiation of TTI velocity where the tilt axis follows the geological structures. In all that follows, STI-related tilt axis means a tilt axis that can be computed partly from a structural (geological) dip, where the dip is a line perpendicular to a facet of the geological structure. In a typical situation, the geophysicist picks STI-related axis on migrated images created by migrating seismic data in an anisotropic model that contains an initial guess for the STI axis. To obtain a more precise image, the geophysicist then integrates the picked STI-related tilt axis into the anisotropic velocity model and re-migrates the seismic data because the modified anisotropy model impacts the wave propagation and thus, the migration/positioning of the migrated seismic data. This process can be repeated several times to obtain a satisfactory anisotropic velocity model as illustrated in FIG. 2. However, as noted above, this process is computer intensive, as the migration and dip picking have to be performed each time the model is updated.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that avoid the afore-described problems and drawbacks.

Non-linear tomography method for main axis of symmetry of anisotropic velocity model and apparatus


An electric ski binding system with magnetic interfaces and a microprocessor achieves releasable engagement of a ski boot to ski bindings. A permanent magnet in the front ski binding and a permanent magnet of opposite polarity in the toe portion of the boot create a front magnetic interface. A permanent magnet in the rear ski binding and a permanent magnet of opposite polarity in the heel portion of the boot create a rear magnetic interface. Electromagnets in the proximity of the front and rear magnetic interfaces are disposed so that their polarity opposes the permanent magnets of the boot. The electromagnets are turned off while the boot is engaged with the ski binding to allow the permanent magnets to couple at the front and rear magnetic interfaces. The electromagnets are operated when disengaging the boot from the ski binding to create a magnetic field substantially greater than that of the permanent magnets in the front and rear magnetic interfaces.. Sensors are placed on the ski bindings to sense pressure and stress. The sensors relay signals indicative of applied pressure and stress to the microprocessor. The microprocessor evaluates the relayed signals to determine if an established threshold value is exceeded which is indicative of a release situation. In a release situation, the microprocessor effects operation of the front and rear electromagnets to repulse the boot from the ski bindings.

1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electromagnetic ski binding system. More specifically, the invention is directed towards an electromagnetic ski binding system with magnetic coupling and computer controlled magnetic release.
2. The Background Art
Ski bindings serve to releasably engage a skier's boot to a ski and provide a secure interface between boot and ski. Ski bindings further serve to release the boot from the ski when a potential injury situation occurs to thereby reduce injury to the skier. Ski bindings typically comprise a front and rear binding to secure the respective front and rear portions of the boot.
Conventional mechanical ski bindings incorporate mechanical components such as a clamping mechanism to secure the boot to the ski. Such mechanical ski bindings are designed to release when sufficient stress is applied to the binding as would be experienced in a potential injury situation. The amount of stress which effects release of the mechanical ski binding is adjustable to accommodate the experience and weight of the skier, terrain, and other conditions.
However, the mechanical ski bindings are limited in that they fail to release in a number of potential injury situations. In order for the mechanical ski bindings to release, the stress must be applied directly to the front ski binding or in the same plane as the ski. Often, stress applied to the rear binding or various torques applied to the boot and ski will fail to cause the bindings to release. Furthermore, when the mechanical ski bindings do release, the mechanical operation of the binding is sometimes not quick enough to avoid injury to the skier. Mechanical ski bindings are also heavy and include several moving parts making them unreliable and susceptible to breaking. Mechanical ski bindings may also fail to release if dirt, ice or snow impedes their performance. In addition, proper adjustment in the stress release of the mechanical ski bindings is sometimes difficult which can result in overly sensitive or overly resistive bindings. Finally, skiing is a cold weather sport and colder temperatures result in reduced performance of mechanical components.
Previous electric ski binding systems have been developed which utilize various electromagnetic, electronic, and electromechanical components. However, these ski binding systems are limited in that they incorporate various mechanical components and thereby include many of the previously described limitations of mechanical components. Thus, they do not always provide a quick enough release, are prone to failure, and can be difficult to adjust.
A further limitation on all previous ski bindings is that they fail to release during certain potential injury situations. As mentioned previously, certain tensions and torques applied to the ski and boot do not effect a release of the binding when a potential injury situation is clearly imminent. Furthermore, certain body positions and certain ski positions signal a potential injury situation, but conventional ski bindings will not be responsive to these positions and will not release.
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved ski binding system which would provide release response to a broader range of potential injury situations.
It would be a further advancement in the art to provide a ski binding system which allows a nearly instantaneous release of the boot from the binding to avoid undue injury.
It would also be an advancement in the art to provide a ski binding system which was more reliable, reduced the number of working parts, and allowed for accurate yet flexible adjustment specific to the skier.
Such a device is disclosed and claimed herein.


The present invention provides a screw compressor for refrigerating apparatus capable of controlling the rotational speed of a motor to be suitable for cooling heat load by simply controlling an inverter, without causing the overload of the motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a screw compressor for refrigerating apparatus that is driven by a motor being controlled by an inverter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a screw compressor for refrigerating apparatus adapted to control the rotational speed of each of motors for driving the compressor body and the liquid injection pump according to the increase and the decrease of load is known in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 57-18484. This screw compressor has a suction pressure detector for detecting the suction pressure in its suction section, which pressure has a monotone increasing relationship with the cooling heat load, wherein a pressure signal outputted from the suction pressure detector is inputted to a variable voltage frequency converter via a pressure regulator, so that rotational speeds of a compressor body driving motor and a liquid injection pump driving motor are controlled simultaneously.
In addition, a screw compressor for refrigerating apparatus which is aimed at the improvement of efficiency in a low partial load region by adding a capacity control system using an inverter to a stepless capacity control mechanism by a slide valve is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 59-211790.
The above-mentioned screw compressor disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 57-18484 is controlled to increase the rotational speed of motor when the pressure detected by the suction pressure detector is higher than the predetermined value of pressure. Therefore, there is a problem in that the motor is apt to be overloaded, so that the endurance of the motor is deteriorated.
Furthermore, the screw compressor disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 59-211790 has a complicated construction because the slide valve is provided. Furthermore, the screw compressor is constructed so that the inverter is not used, i.e., a commercial power source is directly used without intervening the inverter, when the capacity of this screw compressor is in the range of 100 to 75% by the slide valve, whereby there is a problem in that the inverter is not sufficiently used.
In view of above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a screw compressor for refrigerating apparatus capable of controlling the rotational speed of a motor to be suitable for cooling heat load by an online power system using an inverter, without causing overload of the motor.
To solve the above problem, the present invention provides a screw compressor for refrigerating apparatus comprising: a screw rotor; a motor for driving said screw rotor, the rotational speed of said motor being controlled through an inverter; a heat load detecting means for detecting a cooling heat load; a load condition detecting means for detecting the heat load condition of said motor; and a motor rotational speed controlling device for controlling the rotational speed of said motor based on a heat load signal from said heat load detecting means and a load condition signal from said load condition detecting means.
Here, said motor rotational speed controlling device can be configured to control the rotational speed of said motor to be reduced if the compressor capacity is determined as excessive based on said heat load signal or if the load condition of said motor is determined as excessive based on said load condition signal, and to control the rotational speed of said motor to be increased if the compressor capacity is determined as lacking based on said heat load signal and the load condition of said motor is determined as not excessive based on said load condition signal.
As said head load detecting means, either a detector for detecting the suction pressure of said screw compressor or a detector for detecting the temperature of cooled liquid, emanated from an evaporator in said refrigerating apparatus can be used.
As said load condition detecting means, a detector for detecting the coil temperature of said motor, a detector for detecting the electric current that is supplied to said motor, a detector for detecting the temperature of refrigerant gas that is discharged from said screw compressor, a detector for detecting the rotational speed of said motor and the like can be used.
It is possible to provide a plurality of said load condition detecting means to perform the control of rotational speed of said motor based on a plurality of said load condition signals.
According to the present invention, it becomes possible to control the corresponding rotational speed of the motor to be suitable for the cooling heat load without causing the overload of motor. As a result, the improvement of motor endurance and the reduction of consuming power can be realized. Furthermore, above advantages are accomplished by always using the inverter and not using a slide valve.

Screw compressor for refrigerating apparatus

Abstract: The screw compressor 1A for refrigerating apparatus 10A, which uses a motor 22 controlled by an inverter, as a driving portion, is provided with a suction pressure detector D3 as a heat load detecting means for detecting the cooling heat load; a motor coil temperature detector D1 as a means for detecting the load condition of the motor 22; and a controller 26 that decreases the rotational speed of the motor 22 if the capacity of the compressor is determined as excessive based on a pressure signal from the detector D3, maintains the rotational speed if the capacity is determined neither excessive nor lacking. In case that the capacity is determined as lacking, the controller 26 reduces the rotational speed if the load condition is determined as excessive based on a temperature signal from the detector D1 and increases the rotational speed in the other case.


A flexible and reconfigurable sport and ski watercraft power control system that not only distributes power but also wirelessly distributes power management to multiple nodes on the watercraft, typically via CAN network and typically to nodes in the helm, bow and stern areas, for driving and controlling ballast and trim motors as well as other powered subsystems that affect the operation, motion and attitude of the watercraft.

1. Field of the Invention
Many aspects of the present invention relate generally to the field of sport and ski watercraft and, more particularly, to power configurations for controlling sport and ski watercraft subsystems including attitude control modules for a watercraft.
2. General Background
"Sport and ski" watercraft refers to various classes of both outboard and inboard power boats used for recreation, sporting and exhibition activities. Various popular makers and distributors in the United States include Mercury, MasterCraft, Supra, Moomba, Centurion, SkiersChoice, and many others. The design of any particular sport and ski watercraft is very complicated, and there has long been a need to provide flexibly-reconfigurable subsystems to more readily accommodate umpteen different combinations of finish-line design choices to suit a particular group of customer demands. It may start with more basic design choices such as deciding what type of hull to use with what type/size of propulsion system and what type of capacity for passengers, towing, speed, versatility etc., but that's only the tip of the iceberg.
Once the more general choices are made, more detailed levels of design involve everything from things like whether it needs sonar and live-well capability for fishermen, or wake plates or trim tabs for skiers, or the types of stereo systems to accommodate, or how many ballast tanks might be desired for better control of the boat's attitude in the water, and where lights should be placed around the boat, . . . and how bright, and what color, and should they be mounted by chrome or matted finish brackets, and . . . on and on.
As a result, as one can imagine, there has been a long felt need to have wiring systems and power distribution arrangements that are flexibly-reconfigurable enough to accommodate the wide range of possible needs. Indeed, such long-felt needs have induced an entire industry of supply manufacturers that are constantly redesigning their systems to accommodate the wide variety of feature selections that sport and ski boat customers (and, hence, the boat manufacturers, customizers and distributors) might desire.
Many other advantages, disadvantages, objectives, problems and challenges of sport and ski boat design, and of the known power distribution, wiring and control systems therefor, will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art, particularly after reading this specification and thinking about its implications.

Multinodal ballast and trim control system and method


A convertible exerciser includes a post extended from a base, a pair of cranks rotatably attached to the base, a pair of handles rotatably attached to the post of the base, a pair of levers slidably engaged on the free end portions of the cranks and each having a front portion pivotally coupled to the handles to allow the levers to be movably coupled to the handles, and a pair of foot supports slidably engaged on the levers. The front portions of the foot supports may be selectively coupled to the handles to conduct an elliptical exercise, or selectively coupled to the post of the base, to conduct a stepping exercise, to allow the users to conduct different kinds of exercises with a single convertible exerciser.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exerciser, and more particularly to an exerciser convertible between an elliptical exerciser and a stepping exerciser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical exercisers, such as stepping exercisers have been widely developed and used today, and comprise a pair of foot pedals including one end pivotally or rotatably attached to a base, to allowing the foot pedals to be stepped downwardly and moved upwardly relative to the base by the users.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,569 to Lin discloses one of the typical stepping exercisers also comprising a pair of foot pedals including a front end pivotally or rotatably attached to a base, to allowing the users to conduct stepping exercises. The foot pedals of the typical stepping exercisers should include one end pivotally or rotatably attached to the base, such that the typical stepping exercisers may not be changed or converted to the other exercisers, such as the elliptical exercisers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,599 to Chen, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,086 to Maresh et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,925 to Kuo disclose three of typical elliptical exercisers, each comprising a pair of foot pedals movably supported on a base, and movable along elliptical moving paths or strokes. For allowing the foot pedals to be moved along the elliptical moving paths or strokes, the foot pedals may not be solidly secured or attached to the base, such that the foot pedals of the typical elliptical exercisers may not be changed or converted to the other exercisers, such as the stepping exercisers, and such that the users have to purchase a typical stepping exerciser to conduct the typical stepping exercises, and have to purchase another typical elliptical exerciser to conduct the typical elliptical exercises.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional convertible exercisers.


A force-sensing device has a yoke having a location of force introduction for a force to be measured acting in a predetermined direction. A measuring spring has a first end rigidly connected to the yoke and is elastically deformable by the force to be measured. The measuring spring has a second end arranged on a support rigidly connectable to a machine frame. First predetermined measuring locations are provided that detect and evaluate a deformation of the measuring spring caused by the force to be measured. Parallel and spaced apart bending springs are connected to the yoke in such a way that the yoke is always guided in parallel in a transverse direction that is transverse to the predetermined direction of the force to be measured. Second predetermined measuring locations are provided on the bending springs and detect a transverse deformation caused by a force in the transverse direction.

The present invention relates to a force-sensing device for measuring a force that acts in a predetermined direction on a location of force introduction of the force-sensing device, wherein the location of force introduction is rigidly connected by a yoke with at least one measuring spring that is elastically deformable by the force introduction, while the measuring spring(s) with the other end is/are arranged on the support that is designed to be rigidly connectable to the machine frame and wherein the force-caused deformation of the measuring spring(s) is detected at predetermined measuring locations and evaluated.
Such force-sensing device is disclosed in EP 0 621 469 B1. This force-sensing device has a special feature in that, for measuring a force expected to act in a predetermined direction, a pair of measuring springs are provided that are parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another. This arrangement is referred to as a "double bending beam"; however, in connection with the present invention this is not to be understood as a limitation to such arrangements of measuring springs. Therefore, for measuring such forces, all conceivable measuring spring arrangements are taken into consideration, i.e., also single bending beams, shearing force sensors, torsion sensors etc.
An important feature of this known force-sensing device—without being limited to it—is the arrangement of two parallel measuring springs that are connected with one end to a support that is to be connected rigidly to the machine frame. The other ends of the measuring springs are connected to one another by means of a yoke. By means of the yoke, the force to be measured is introduced into the system.
With this arrangement of support, measuring springs, and yoke, the yoke is displaced always parallel to itself when loaded. Such force-sensing devices have significant advantages with regard to stiffness and reproducible signal generation. In particular, they are able to detect high nominal loads even for minimal deflections.
Of course, this does not apply in the case of other possible measuring arrangements (single bending arrangement, shearing force sensor, torsion sensor etc.); however, they are suitable for the present invention as well.
When the yoke is moreover provided with a rolling bearing seat, it is possible to very well manufacture with such a force-sensing device also so-called measuring rollers that are characterized in particular in that also the rolling bearing is always displaced parallel to itself under load.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to configure the known force-sensing device in such a way that, while maintaining the aforementioned known advantages of measuring springs of different designs, a high stiffness can be achieved even for load directions that are outside of the predetermined direction in which the force to be measured acts.


A circuit interrupter including an operating mechanism and separable main contacts interconnected with load and line terminals has an interface region between the top and bottom portions of the completed housing thereof, which may be of reduced cross section relative to the remainder of the side walls of the circuit interrupter for being moved or pushed outwardly under the pressure of expanding gas during a circuit interruption operation. To more easily clear or separate abutment surfaces by near lateral movement thereof to provide a small opening for pressurized gas to escape the elasticity of the side wall is utilized for this purpose. Provided that the elasticity limit is not exceeded, the wall will return to its original position sealing the internal portions of the circuit interrupter from the exterior once the gas pressure has dropped below a predetermined level.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of this invention is related to molded case circuit breakers in general and in particular to mechanisms for relieving gas pressure built up within molded case circuit breakers during the contact opening operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Molded case circuit breakers are well known. A sample of a molded case circuit breaker may be found in U.S. Pat. 4,503,408 issued Mar. 5, 1985 to Mrenna et al., and assigned to the present assignee. In particular, a molded case circuit breaker generally comprises a two-piece molded casing. There is a top and a bottom part, inside of which is disposed an operating mechanism and separable main contacts.
Generally, the top and bottom portion of the case are either securely butt joined or joined with a locking mechanism, so as to secure the case and to prevent interference with or contact with operating mechanisms, live portions and separable main contacts disposed within the closed casing. A disadvantage, however, is associated with this construction feature, in that gas is generated within the confines of the circuit breaker case during a circuit breaker interruption operation. This gas is usually the result of the electrical arc which is drawn during the contact separation interval which interacts with the molded case material or other material within the circuit breaker. The gas generated must be vented to an external environment. Usually vent apparatus are provided at the rear or load terminal region of the circuit interrupter to achieve this purpose. Such an arrangement can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,564, entitled "Circuit Breaker with Arc Chamber Vent": issued Jan. 27, 1987 to Grunert et al., and assigned to the present assignee. As can be understood, the maximum current interrupting capability of the circuit breaker is limited by its ability to exhaust undesirable gaseous products. The amount of current which can be safely interrupted is directly related to the heat and size of the electrical arc, which in turned is related to the amount of gas generated. If the gas generation is so high as to exceed the capability of exhausting it, the case itself could be impaired, such as, by destruction, etc. However, in most prior art applications the case is made stronger and larger than it is otherwise necessary to interrupt the expected current in an overload condition to compensate for this.
However, if a way could be found to increase the interrupting capability of the circuit interrupter by providing a alternate or emergency gas exit function, such function would be desirable as the size and/or strength of the case could be reduced.

Molded case circuit breaker with pressure release mechanism


A hand tool which includes a cushion member of a construction which is capable of preventing the separation of a cushion member due to frictional heat and force generated during the grinding operation. The abrasive hand tool includes a tool body having a generally flat bearing surface and a thin sheet-like cushion member fixedly secured to the bearing surface of the tool body. The cushion member includes an inner layer fixedly bonded to the bearing surface of the tool body via an adhesive and an outer layer layered and bonded with the inner layer. The outer layer defines on the outer surface thereof a generally flat attachment surface for detachably holding an attachment means-backed abrasive sheet. The inner layer is made of a soft resinous foam, such as polyvinyl chloride resin, polyurethane resin or others. The outer layer is made of a sheet of material which is preferably the same as and harder than the inner layer, and bonded to the inner layer without using an adhesive by a fusion-bonding process such as a high frequency bonding process.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand tool for grinding the surface of an object with an abrasive sheet carried by the tool body, and particularly to a hand tool comprising a tool body including a generally flat surface and a cushion member having a first surface secured to the flat surface of the tool body and an opposite generally flat attachment surface on which an attachment means-backed (e.g., pressure-sensitive adhesive-backed) abrasive sheet may be detachably attached.
2. Description of the Related Art
Abrasive hand tools used for the grinding or surface-finishing of wooden or metallic objects are well-known in the art. Certain types of such tools generally have a small size and are of a light weight sufficient for use by a single hand of the operator, while detachably mounting thereon an abrasive sheet of a desired abrasive particle size. The abrasive sheet typically has abrasive particles on the front surface of a backing and a coating of attachment material such as pressure-sensitive adhesive capable of repeated attachment to and detachment from the tool on the back surface. An adhesive-coated abrasive sheet is preferred in view of its excellent performance with such a tool.
In general, the tool body of the abrasive hand tool of this type is formed of a relatively rigid material for the purpose of transmitting the pressure from the operator's hand to the abrasive sheet. In such a case, a structure is advantageously employed, wherein a thin sheet-like cushion member of a resinous material is permanently secured to a generally flat bearing surface of the tool body and the abrasive sheet with the pressure sensitive adhesive is detachably attached to a generally flat attachment surface of the cushion member. Such a cushion member provides a smooth surface for the abrasive sheet during grinding and reduces user fatigue.
The cushion member used in prior commercial abrasive hand tools generally consists of an inner or first layer of a foam typically permanently bonded by adhesive to the bearing surface of the tool body and a sheet-like outer or second layer bonded to the inner layer also with adhesive. The inner layer has a cushioning function for improving the surface smoothness and reducing user fatigue, and is generally made of polyurethane foam. The outer layer has an attachment surface for holding the abrasive sheet and has sufficient structural integrity to permit detachment (replacement) of the abrasive sheet without structural failure. The outer layer is generally made of a polyvinyl chloride sheet.
Since the inner and outer layers of the cushion member are typically made of different polymeric materials, they have different thermal expansion properties in use as heat is transmitted from the abrasive sheet to the cushion member during the grinding operation. As a result, the outer layer is relatively easily separated from the inner layer particularly in the peripheral area thereof, because of the frictional force encountered during the grinding operation. Such a separation is particularly noticeable when the adhesive provided between the inner and outer layers is insufficiently cured or if the adhesive tends to be softened by heat. If the abrasive sheet is attached to the cushion member in which such a separation has occurred, it becomes difficult to hold the abrasive sheet flat to provide the needed smooth grinding surface.
In addition, with the conventional abrasive hand tool, there is a risk that the frictional force and heat generated during the grinding operation may cause failure of the adhesive bond between the foam cushion member surface and the surface of the tool to which it is adhered whereby the cushion member may detach from the tool body.
Moreover, in a conventional abrasive hand tool, the pressure sensitive adhesive of the abrasive sheet coated on the attachment surface of the cushion member may be transferred to the attachment surface because of softening caused by the frictional heat during the grinding operation. If this happens, the transferred adhesive must be removed from the attachment surface when the exhausted abrasive sheet is replaced by a fresh one, in order to maintain the flatness of the attachment surface.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a hand tool capable of reducing or preventing the separation of the outer layer from the inner layer of the cushion member which may result from the frictional heat and force generated during the grinding operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand tool capable of reducing or preventing the detaching of the cushion member from the bearing surface of the tool body which may result from the frictional heat and force generated during the grinding operation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hand tool capable of reducing or preventing the transfer of the pressure sensitive adhesive coated on a abrasive sheet to an attachment surface of a cushion member which may result from the frictional heat and force generated during the grinding operation.

Hand tool having a cushioned laminate attachment surface


A sheet perforating apparatus includes a punch unit configured to punch holes in a sheet from an image processing apparatus. A dust box is below the punch unit and detachably attached to a case. A lid member is attached to the dust box and is displaceable between a closed state, in which the lid member closes an opening of the dust box, and an open state, in which the lid member does not close the opening of the dust box. When in the open state, the lid member is electrically grounded to weaken static electricity of punch chips dropped from the punch unit to the lid member and directs the punch chips towards the opening.

A sheet perforating apparatus is used to punch holes in a sheet processed by an image processing apparatus or the like. Punch chips generated by the punching of holes are collected in a dust box or the like. If the punch chips are charged with static electricity, the collected volume of the punch chips increases because punch chips may repel one another. Therefore, the amount of punch chips that can be collected in the dust box is lower than compared with the amount that can be collected if the punch chips are not charged with static electricity.


A load-balancing device includes a control module, and a converter for generating a voltage supplying a single-phase electrical load connected to a polyphase electrical network. The converter selectively modifies a phase shift between its output and phases of the polyphase electrical network. The control module controls synchronization of the output with a first phase of the network and its progressive phase shifting when it is synchronized with a second phase of the polyphase electrical network. It also controls connection of the load to the network and to the converter when the converter and first phase are synchronized. The control module maintains disconnection of the load from the network during the progressive phase shifting of the converter output voltage, and controls its connection the second phase of the network when its output is synchronized with the second phase.

Document WO98/26489 describes an apparatus for evenly apportioning the electrical loads on a polyphase power distribution network. Current probes perform a measurement of current for each incoming phase and in each branch of the supplied network. A processor analyses the measurements of the current probes. Each branch comprises a multipole switch and an isolator. The processor is connected to each breaker so as to selectively connect each branch to a single appropriate phase after having interrupted its power supply by means of its isolator. Thus, the electrical loads are apportioned by the processor over the various phases.
In electrical networks, the transport of electricity is generally performed by three-phase networks up to the distribution site. For reasons of structural simplicity and voltage level, most loads connected to the electrical network are single-phase loads. A single-phase load is connected between a phase and the neutral of the three-phase network. A large number of single-phase loads is generally connected to the three-phase network. On account of the power differences of the loads connected to these three phases, the three-phase network experiences imbalances between the phases. The currents drawn by the various phases are then different, and this may lead to voltage drops, energy losses, limitation of the number of connectable loads, degradation of the quality of the current, and/or overload of the electricity generator. When a photovoltaic installation supplies the three-phase network, it may even turn out to be necessary to inject current from an external network based on other energy sources in order to balance the currents on the various phases.
When the utility operating the three-phase electrical network notes recurring phase imbalances, it undertakes rebalancings. Within the framework of electrical networks, the loads are usually single-phase transformers which provide energy to a small group of dwellings. When a recurring phase imbalance is noted, a new distribution of the loads is designed. A technician then intervenes directly on one or more transformers to connect them to other phases.
To avoid having to design the new distribution of the loads empirically, the document entitled "phase swapping for distribution system using tabu search" proposes an algorithm for optimizing the distribution of these loads.
Even when optimizing the distribution of the loads on the three-phase network, manual technical intervention remains necessary, thereby greatly limiting the frequency of the achievable modifications of distribution. Such intervention furthermore requires a shutdown of one or more loads, thereby limiting the possible frequency at which it can be carried out. A shutdown of a load may also turn out to be incompatible with its operation, certain loads having to remain in continuous service, for example computer servers or medical equipment. Such a redefinition of the load distributions is therefore performed only when truly necessary, to the detriment of the balance between the phases over long periods.

Load-balancing device on a polyphase network

Commissariat à l'énergie Atomique et aux énergies alternatives


A recursive Radon video transform processor, for detecting signal responses from objects to be recognized, generates a special manifold of the response data for Radon transformation of the stored data before operation thereon by a subsequent enhancement process, prior to display or other utilization. Each Cartesian data point contributes to multiple Radon transforms, so that the recursive Radon transform video implementation only processes the newest and oldest lines of data to update the transform for a given sliding window in the data manifold. For a data line of fixed length .rho., and with each of a set of N separate angular subprocessors operating, the pixel X value of the first and the last data rows are offset by a window size (w=x* tan .theta..sub.i), where .theta..sub.i is the transform angle for a particular subprocessor, as determined by a desired resolution, so that window size variations are implemented by a programmable change in time delay.

Many modern forms of information sensing systems (particularly those in the "internal-imaging" sciences, such as computer-aided tomography (CAT) scanning and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR or MRI) imaging, or the more "external-imaging" sciences, such as radar, sonar and the like) utilize beams of various energies to interrogate a sample and provide response information which is to be processed to form a user-viewable image in which specific objects are to be recognized. All of the response signals are obtained with an undesired noise contribution; there have been many and varied signal processing methods provided over the years for operating on the sensed data, so as to provide a display with the highest attainable signal-to-noise ratio. One method to realize this, as well as other, signal processing goals utilizes the Radon transform R(.rho.,.theta.), which is a projection of all line integrals (each at a different distance .rho. from an origin) orthogonal to the .rho. line and at an angle .theta. with respect to one of the axes of the signal data space; thus, as is known to the art EQU R(.rho.,.theta.)=.intg..intg.I(x,y).delta.(.rho.-x* cos .theta.-y* sin .theta.)dx dy,
where the inner integral lower and upper bounds are respectively x.sub.l and x.sub.u (the lower and upper sides of the data space) and the outer integral lower and upper bounds are respectively y.sub.l and y.sub.u (the bottom and top sides of the data space) and I(x,y) is the amplitude, or intensity, of the signal at pixel (x,y). A particularly useful Systolic Radon Transform Processor was described and claimed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,076, issued May 29, 1990, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
In many systems, the response data is presented as a series of "snapshots" in a continuously-incremented data manifold, i.e. with each snapshot being one of a multiplicity of sequential line sets of data each taken at one of a series of sequential time intervals and arranged as a two-dimensional (data vs. time) space. The data can be placed in the manifold in either its original form or can be transformed first in accordance with some selected transformational process (e.g. by taking the frequency transform of the amplitudes, and the like). The transformed data set at any one time is set forth as a line parallel to one axis (say, the +D axis) and the various data/transform sets are sequentially provided perpendicular to the time (say, +T) axis, orthogonal to the data D axis, with a time interval .DELTA.T therebetween. I have found it advantageous to window the manifold and provide the Radon transform of the set of the data lines contained in that window for further processing for detection of coherent features. It is therefore highly desirable to provide a Radon video transform processor which will recursively process each entire window of data, as the window advances in time, in a manner which will properly account for the newest data line, provided at the latest time interval, while removing the oldest line of data from the present data window.

Signal processing system using recursive radon video transform processor


An agent for stimulating growth of animal cells in vitro comprises ginseng or an active ingredient extracted from ginseng Serum-free culture media containing the agent are disclosed. The present serum-free media contain less impure protein than serum-containing media, so that isolation and purification of substances produced by animal cells cultured therein is facilitated. The present serum-free media enhance the growth of lymphocytes in vitro, and can be used for vital cell transplant therapy, particularly for adoptive immunotherapy.

The present invention relates to an agent for stimulating the growth of animal cells and a serum-free medium containing said agent. The agent is useful for stimulating the growth of animal cells, such as lymphocytes or hybridomas, which are difficult or unlikely to grow in a serum-free medium. The serum-free medium according to the present invention is employed as a medium for growing cells which produce physiologically active substances or for culturing cells for transplantation into a mammalian body.
Serum is the liquid portion that remains when blood clots spontaneously and the formed and clotting elements are removed, e.g., by centrifugation. Culture media for culturing animal cells typically contain about 5% to 20% serum in addition to amino acids, vitamins, sugars and inorganic salts. Animal cells stop growing and die in the absence of serum.
Serum is generally the most costly ingredient in culture media, accounting for about 75% to 95% of the cost. There are several drawbacks to the use of sera in culture media. For example, the quality of the sera can vary greatly between lots; sera are likely to be contaminated with Mycoplasma or viruses, and they cannot be sterilized with high-pressure steam due to the presence of serum proteins which would be denatured; and it is difficult to isolate and purify physiologically active substances produced by the animal cells cultured in serum-containing culture media due to the presence of the serum proteins. In order to overcome the disadvantages and drawbacks associated with serum-containing culture media, serum-free culture media have been employed.
A number of serum-free culture media are known, including, for example, a medium in which Eagle's MEM (Minimal Essential Medium) is used as a base medium to which albumin, insulin and/or transferrin are added; or a medium in which modified Eagle's MEM is used as a base medium, to which a factor for stimulating cells, which is obtainable by fractioning bovine serum with ammonium sulfate, is added. These serum-free media can be used in lieu of serum-containing media for culturing animal cells, however, they are less effective for growing these cells than serum-containing media. These media also are costly, and still contain residual serum elements even if fractioned. Serum-free media which are cost effective and which can be used to efficiently culture mammalian cells are needed.

Agent for stimulating growth of animal cells and serum-free medium containing same


A planting pot and tray system comprises a plurality of pots and a tray having multiple receptacles configured to receive the pots. Each pot includes at least one rounded side, and at least one generally flat side, with each receptacle including at least one curved wall and at least one generally straight wall. The receptacles are configured to receive the pots with the rounded and flat sides of the pot engaging with respective walls of the receptacle to whereby the respective shapes of the receptacles and pots orient the pots within the receptacles. A front wall of the receptacle is shorter than the pot whereby a portion of side of the pot is exposed and directed outwardly from the tray.

The present invention is directed to a planting pot and tray system, and in particular a system with pots that have a selected surface that is exposed for visibility when retained within a tray, such as a particular side surface, including curved or rounded or flat surfaces.
Plant trays having multiple locations in which pots may be retained are used in the horticultural industry for simultaneously holding and transporting multiple plant pots, including pots for flowering and non-flowering plants. All manner of different types of plants are distributed in such pots and trays by growers, wholesalers and/or retailers in the growing and distribution of such plants. Identification of the plants, including based on the type and/or size, as well as information regarding planting instructions, and/or information regarding the supplier are provided in order to inform individuals along the supply chain, including purchasers, regarding the plants contained within the pots.


An engine system for ensuring a sufficient boost pressure during engine braking and improving a braking force of a compression release brake. The system includes: a compression release brake device that operates a compression release brake to obtain a braking force during engine braking by forcibly opening an exhaust valve and releasing a compressive pressure near a compression top dead center of an engine; a power-assisted turbocharger including a turbine disposed on an exhaust passage of the engine and driven by exhaust, a compressor disposed on an intake passage and driven by a rotational torque of the turbine, and an electric motor that assists a drive force of the compressor; and an electric motor control unit that drives the electric motor when the compressor release brake is operated.

Generally, when putting on the brake with a great frequency, such as on a downhill road, an engine brake is used in combination. However, in a large vehicle, such as a truck or a bus, the weight is originally heavy and the loading weight is applied. Hence, when the loading weight is heavy or the downhill road is steep, the effect of the engine brake may be inefficient.
Therefore, a compression release brake capable of obtaining a strong braking force during engine braking is supplementarily used. The compression release brake inhibits the generation of a force to push down a piston during an expansion stroke by forcibly opening an exhaust valve and releasing a compressive pressure near a compression top dead center of an engine, so that a braking force obtained during a compression process effectively acts.
Further, as citation list information related to the invention of this application, there are Patent Documents 1 to 4 and Non Patent Document 1.