This invention relates to computer programming, and more particularly to computer aided software development.
The purpose of the invention is to provide a programming environment designed to enhance the speed and productivity of software development, particularly a method for substantially decreasing the time required for recompilation and relinking in the edit-compile-link-run cycle of the software development process. When code is being written, the elapsed time through the edit-compile-link-run cycle after the user makes a small change to the application source code is called the turnaround tune. A primary purpose of the invention is to minimize this turnaround time.
The programming "environment" as the term is used herein means the set of programs or modules (i.e., code) used to implement the edit-compile-link-run cycle for a developer, who is ordinarily seated at a terminal and engaged in the endeavor of writing code. The environment which is the subject of this invention will be called "the environment", whereas any program being developed under the environment will be called "an application". The environment is capable of supporting the development of any application, including the environment itself. The user of the environment is called "the developer", while the user of an application is called "the end user".
Software development is characterized by a process involving the steps of editing the program, compiling and linking the program, and running the program. A compiler translates a source program that has been written in a high-level language such as Pascal or Fortran into a machine executable form known as an object program.
The software development process is further divided into stages, with the earlier stages characterized by rapid and large scale activity (e.g., editing) in all or most of the application source files, and in the later stages characterized by less frequent and smaller changes in fewer than all of the source files. During the earlier stages the objective is removing syntax errors in the source code and logic errors in the application. During the final stages the objective is improving the efficiency of the application and testing the behavior of the application in the form it will be delivered to the end user.
It is generally desirable that the quality of the object code generated by a compiler, as measured in terms of efficiency, be as good as possible. A compiler that generates very efficient object code is known as an optimizing compiler. Optimized object code is characterized by maximized efficiency and minimized execution time. However, the complex methods and techniques employed by optimizing compilers to produce highly efficient object code necessarily result in relatively long compile times.
The removal of logic errors is relatively independent of the efficiency of the implementation of the application; therefore, during the early stages of software development, it is desirable that the environment emphasize turnaround time over optimization. In addition, during the early stages it is advantageous to insert application-run-time checks for certain kinds of detectable faults such as boundary overrun. The concerns with efficiency and testing during the final stages require optimization, and the lower frequency of changes makes the use of traditional software tools effective.
The edit-compile-link-run cycle is typically repeated numerous times during development of a particular piece of software. At any stage of this activity the developer may be required to correct detected errors (as used herein, "error" means "need for a change", since the motivation for making a change may be either repairing a previous oversight or adding new functionality). Errors may be detected by the compiler, the linker, or later by the programmer during test execution. This style of interaction in conventional environments results in frequent context changes and delays for the developer. Context changes occur while the developer separately and sequentially invokes the editor, the compiler, the linker, and the application itself. Delays occur while the developer waits for these separate tools to complete their tasks.
Thus, while long compile times are tolerable in the final stages of developing an application, i.e., when generating production quality object code, these delays are not tolerable in the early stages of the process of developing, testing, and debugging software where long compile and link times will be much more noticeable since these are invoked much more often. Moreover, changes in the application code made during development are usually localized and small in size with respect to the rest of the program. In known software development environments, the turnaround time for compiling an application module is proportional to the size of the module and the turnaround tune for linking an application is proportional to the size and number of modules. In the environment of this invention both compilation and linking turnaround are proportional to the size of the changes to the source code made by the developer since the last compile/link operation. Many applications programs have 100,000 to 1,000,000 or more lines of code; the turnaround time (time for the edit-compile-link-run loop to complete) in developing such programs can become an overnight activity, and thus presents a major burden.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a software development environment that would allow fast turnaround in the edit-compile-link-run cycle.
Examples of commercially available developmental compilers include "Quick C.TM." by Microsoft Corporation, "LightSpeed C" by Symantek Corporation, "Turbo C" by Borland Corporation, and Saber-C by the Saber Company. These prior systems are faster than traditional batch compilers, and may provide some degree of incremental (as distinguished from batch) operation; for example, a module may be treated separately if only that module has been changed since the last edit-compile-link-run cycle. This level of incremental operation is known as coarse-grained incremental operation.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multiple input restrictive logic OR circuit and more particularly to a high speed fully differential logic OR circuit with multiple non-overlapping inputs.
2. Description of the Related Art
When designing systems such as automated test equipment it is desirable to provide a high speed logic circuit which accepts numerous inputs and provides a single output, where only one input at a time is active and the output is active when one of the inputs is active. In such high speed applications, input-to-output propagation delays must be minimized while remaining uniform for each input. It is also desirable to minimize signal noise and interaction between circuit devices that may degrade the signal.
Differential logic OR circuits have been developed using known ECL technology such as the differential two input Motorola MC10EL05. However, these circuits commonly have only 2 or 3 inputs which suffer from different input-to-output propagation delays. In addition, to construct a logic OR circuit with more inputs, for example 8, several 2 or 3 input OR circuits must be coupled together in a tree structure. Such tree structures have different input to output propagation delays for the different inputs depending on the path taken through the logic tree. They also result in undesirable interaction between the multiple logic gates, which can degrade the signals.
A multi-input logic OR circuit could also be implemented with a "Wired-OR" circuit, in which single-ended input lines are combined to produce an "OR" output. An example of this approach is embodied in the Motorola MECL 10K 4 input wired-OR logic gate. This circuit has relatively low propagation delay and is generally symmetric with respect to propagation delay between input and output. However, its single-ended inputs make the circuit susceptible to jitter and makes propagation delay sensitive to environmental changes.
A multi-input logic OR circuit could also be implemented with a multiplexer that selects data from one of the multiple input lines and directs the data to a single output line. An example of this approach is embodied in the Motorola MC10H164 8-line multiplexer. The selected input line is activated by control lines and the number of control lines increases as the number of inputs increase. A four input multiplexer requires two control lines, while an eight input multiplexer requires three control lines. These circuits suffer from undesirable input-to-output propagation delays and experience an additional delay in the settling time of the control lines. The necessity for control lines makes this approach significantly more complex.


Storing and safeguarding electronic content is of paramount importance in modern business. Accordingly, large storage systems may be utilized to protect such electronic content. In order to enhance the delivery of such electronic content to requesting devices, such large storage systems may utilize journaling systems. Unfortunately, the use of multi-core microprocessors may complicate the use of such journaling systems due to their ability to parallel process multiple write requests.


1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates in general to a hydraulically-operated anti-skid brake system for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to improvements in consistency of braking effect of right and left wheel brake cylinders upon anti-skid brake application while right and left wheels are running on road surfaces of different conditions.
2. Related Art Statement
Such an anti-skid brake system uses, for example, an anti-skid device of a so-called closed-circuit type or variable-volume type as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application which was laid open under Publication No. 58-26659, or an anti-skid device of a so-called recirculating type as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application which was laid open under Publication No. 57-80956. In the closed-circuit type, a variable-volume chamber is provided in communication with a part of the fluid passage which communicates with a wheel brake cylinder, but is disconnected from a master cylinder of the brake system upon activation of the anti-skid device. The pressure in the above-indicated part of the fluid passage is regulated by changing the volume of the variable-volume chamber by an actuator. This actuator is operated by a pressure generated by a hydraulic pump, a vacuum pump or other pressure source provided independently of the master cylinder. In the recirculating type, the brake fluid is discharged from a wheel brake cylinder to lower the pressure in the brake cylinder upon an excessive rise in the braking pressure therein, and the discharged fluid is pressurized to a higher level of pressure by a pump. The thus reserved pressurized brake fluid is recirculated into the brake wheel cylinder when it becomes necessary to raise the braking pressure in that brake cylinder. In either one of the above two different types, solenoid-operated control valves are generally provided for the right and left wheel cylinders, and are controlled independently of each other by a main controller whose major part consists of a computer. For example, the main controller is adapted to receive signals from slip sensors which detect slippage of the right and left wheels of the vehicle on the road surfaces. Based on these signals, the main controller controls the solenoid-operated control valves so as to hold the slip ratios of the right and left wheels within an optimum range.
3. Problem solved by the invention
However, the hydraulic brake system equipped with an anti-skid device indicated above suffers from a problem of reduced straight-line running stability of the vehicle in the event that relatively high braking pressures are applied to the brake cylinders while the right and left wheels are running on road surfaces having different coefficients of friction. Described more specifically, the solenoid-operated control valve corresponding to the wheel running on the road surface with a comparatively low coefficient of friction starts an anti-skid control of the braking pressure in the corresponding brake cylinder, at an earlier timing than the other control valve, so as to hold the braking pressure in that brake cylinder at a comparatively low level. On the other hand, the other control valve corresponding to the other wheel running on the road surface with a higher coefficient of friction is left in its non-operated position, allowing the braking pressure in the corresponding brake cylinder to be raised at a higher rate. As a result, the right and left brake cylinders have different braking effects on the corresponding wheels of the vehicle, whereby the straight line stability of the vehicle is reduced.


Video conferencing is becoming an important way for people and businesses to communicate. However, challenges to mobile video conferencing remain, for example, many devices require the user to hold their phone in front of their face to capture an image of their face. What is needed are devices and systems that allow hands-free mobile video conferencing.


Cameras are used to capture photos. Traditional cameras capture photos on film. The film is developed and the photos are printed. The negative, i.e. the original developed film, provides a source from which new prints can be obtained. The advent of high-quality scanning also allows a print to act as a source of copies, although not with the same quality as from a negative. If either a negative or a print is damaged, the quality of a subsequent copy is compromised.
Digital cameras capture photos as digital images which can be both displayed and printed. A digital image thus acts as a digital “negative”. However, many users find the task of printing and otherwise managing digital images onerous.


Conventionally, the material forming an electric wire conductor used to be routed in an automobile or the like is mostly a copper-based material such as copper or copper alloy which is excellent in electrical conductivity. Various studies have been conducted for improving mechanical properties of the conductor such as tensile strength (see for example PTD 1 and PTD 2).
PTD 1 discloses an electric wire conductor for an automobile. This conductor is made up of a plurality of stranded hard wires made of a copper alloy. The copper alloy contains any one element selected from Mg, Ag, Sn, and Zn at a content in a specific range. The copper alloy is subjected to wiredrawing at a degree of cold working of 99% or more to thereby enhance mechanical properties such as tensile strength, Young's modulus, and electrical conductivity. PTD 2 discloses an electric wire for a wire harness. The electric wire includes a conductor of a copper alloy. The copper alloy contains Ti at a content in a specific range as a precipitation strengthening element and Fe at a content in a specific range as a precipitation promoting element. Thus, additive elements dissolved in a Cu matrix are effectively precipitated, and accordingly mechanical properties such as tensile strength and electrical conductivity are enhanced.


Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks present security and availability issues for many organizations, and in particular, for enterprises engaged in content delivery services. In a DDOS attack, many distributed hosts flood a target system with traffic, such as HTTP requests directed at a web server under attack. The flood of traffic overloads the server so that the system under attack cannot respond to legitimate traffic in an effective manner. Such attacks, and the resultant unavailability, can produce several adverse consequences for the operator of the server, including loss of reputation, potential loss of business or revenue, and substantial bandwidth costs.
A conventional technique for responding to DDoS attacks is to use customer-triggered real-time black holes, otherwise known as remote triggered destination internet protocol (IP) address black hole filtering (RTDBHF). Black hole filtering (BHF) results in packets being forwarded to a router's bit bucket (e.g. Null 0/discard interface/null interface). Traditionally, RTDBHF works solely based on the destination address of the traffic by exploiting the forwarding logic of routers. All traffic to the attacked DNS or IP address is sent to the null interface. RTDBHF allows destination IP address black holes to be triggered remotely, by customers, or an internet service provider. A user can remotely trigger a destination address network-wide black hole filtering response using border gateway protocol (BGP) and static routes pointing to the null interface. Thus, although RTDBHF discards attack traffic directed towards the destination and mitigates collateral damage to other systems and network availability, the targeted system is taken completely offline as both legitimate traffic and attack traffic to the destination address are discarded.
Destination IP address enhanced BGP-triggered black holing techniques, also known as remote triggered destination enhanced black hole filtering (RTDEBHF) have been developed that address this concern. RTDEBHF techniques uniquely identify autonomous system (AS) border routers that could direct attack traffic to the targeted system. BGP community values are also assigned to identify sets of the border routers. By using a customized internal BGP (iBGP) advertisement containing the address of the targeted network and BHP community value, only the next hops of the selected routers are changed to the null interface, and the original next hop addresses to the targeted network on all other routers are preserved. Thus, traffic is filtered only from the routers identified as routers that could direct attack traffic and having specific route map matches for the BGP community value, while all other traffic will get forwarded to the targeted network.
An alternative conventional technique for handling DDoS attacks is to use remote triggered black hole filtering with Unicast Reverse Path Forwarding (uRPF), also known as remote triggered IP address source black hole filtering (RTSBHF). RTSBHF is a technique that allows black hole filtering based on the source address of the network traffic. uRPF techniques are combined with remotely triggered black hole filtering so that BGP can be used to distribute discard routes directed to the null interface, based on the source address of the attack traffic. This results in all traffic to and from a source address to be dropped.
Up until now combining RTDBHF with RTSBHF has not been considered feasible. Thus, there is a need for more robust solutions to provide the combined benefits of RTDBHF and RTSBHF.


Downhole constructions including oil and natural gas wells, CO2 sequestration boreholes, etc. often utilize borehole components or tools that, due to their function, are only required to have limited service lives that are considerably less than the service life of the well. After a component or tool service function is complete, it must be removed or disposed of in order to recover the original size of the fluid pathway for uses such as hydrocarbon production and CO2 sequestration. Disposal of components or tools can be accomplished by milling or drilling the component or by tripping the tool out of the borehole. Each of these is generally time consuming and expensive. The industry would be receptive to new materials, and methods that remove a component or tool from a borehole without such milling and drilling operations.


(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system for charging an electric vehicle using an in-cable control box (ICCB).
(b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, a system for slowly charging an electric vehicle has been used, in particular, electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE), and an electric charging system using an in-cable control box (ICCB).
An electric charging system using the EVSE is used by installing the EVSE, which is connected to an electricity distribution board, at a necessary position for performing work for supplying electric power. According to the electric charging system using the EVSE, the time required to charge the electric vehicle is comparatively short, and the time required to charge the electric vehicle may be reduced because of a capacity of the EVSE. In particular, an electricity rate applied for charging the electric vehicle, which is set by an electric power company, is the same for all users, such that a progressive tax is not imposed, and thus the electricity rate is low.
Referring to FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART), the electric charging system using the ICCB is used to charge the electric vehicle by connecting the ICCB 2 to a general power socket 1, which is used in the related art, and has an advantage in that the electric vehicle may be charged at any place where the power socket is installed, and separate installation costs are not required.
However, in the case of the electric charging system using the EVSE, there are problems in that high installation costs are incurred due to costs required to purchase the EVSE and costs required for work for supplying electric power, and there is a limitation on the type of place for charging the electric vehicle.
There are problems in that in the case of the electric charging system using the ICCB, because the electric vehicle is charged using a general domestic power socket, it is impossible to distinguish whether to charge the electric vehicle or a general electric device, and therefore, as electric consumption increases, a progressive tax is imposed, such that excessive costs are required for maintenance of the vehicle, and time required to charge the electric vehicle is increased in accordance with the rating of the power socket connected with the ICCB.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to read and write commands to nonvolatile memory devices within a data processing system and in particular to read and write commands from a controller to a Redundant Array of Independent Disks within a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to reducing the number of parity read and write commands between a controller and a Redundant Array of Independent Disks, Level 6.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Redundant Array of Independent Disks ("RAID") is an array, or group, of hard disk drives controlled by a single array controller and combined to achieve higher transfer rates than a single, large drive. Even though multiple drives are controlled by one adapter, the RAID device appears as one drive to the data processing system. Depending on the configuration, the RAID device will increase the level of protection and storage capacity for a data processing system over a single, hard disk drive. The primary functions of the RAID system are to increase the availability, protection and storage capacity of data for a data processing system.
RAID technology generally distributes data across the drives according to the format of the particular RAID classification (RAID 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6). Copies or portions of data for a particular file may be written in segments on more than one disk drive, a process referred to as "striping." By storing the data and instructions on multiple drives, higher data transfer rates are enhanced by the ability of the controller to schedule read and write commands to multiple drives in parallel.
RAID 5 reads and writes data segments across multiple data drives and writes parity to the same data disks. The parity data is never stored on the same drive as the data it protects, allowing for concurrent read and write operations. Within any stripe of a five drive RAID 5 configuration, all drives contain data information and parity information. If one of the data drives were to fail, the remaining four data drives and the parity on each remaining may be used to regenerate user data which improves improving data protection.
RAID 6 improves the data protection of RAID 5 by providing two parity drives. The original technique for data protection in RAID 6 was to copy the parity drive onto a parallel parity drive, or "mirror" the parity drive. This protects the RAID 6 device from a parity drive failure, but does not protect the group from failure of two data drives. In order to protect against multiple data drive failures, RAID 6 changes the configuration so that the second parity drive will protect across different drive groups. For instance, parity drives are arranged so that each data drive has parity stored on two parity drives. A RAID 6 device with this configuration would be depicted as having multiple rows and multiple columns of data drives with each row and column ending with a parity drive. Parity of each data drive would then be stored on two drives.
In large arrays the increase in the number of additional drives is substantial, but not prohibitive. If the array is a ten by ten array, of 120 drives only 20 are parity drives. However, in small arrays the percentage increase is large. For example, if the RAID subsystem contained a four by four array of data drives, a parity drive would be added for each row of data drives. In addition, parity drives would be added for each column. Therefore, for an array containing sixteen data drives, there would be eight parity drives--a fifty percent increase in the number of drives.
A RAID 6 device provides extra data protection but, at a somewhat prohibitive cost. The two group version of RAID 6 requires that a single data disk belong to two parity groups. If a data drive stripe were to be updated, the parity information of all parity drives affected would also need to be updated resulting in many more reads and writes.
In FIG. 5, a RAID 6 configuration is depicted, showing the first several data stripes on the individual drives. The letter "D" in the diagram indicates that DATA is stored in that location and "P" indicates that PARITY is stored in that location. The number indicates the data segment stored in that location. For example, to calculate the parity information stored in P05, a RAID 6 device would need to read D01, D02, D03, and D04. It would then calculate the parity and write the results to P05.
In the two group version of RAID 6, a single disk belongs to two parity groups. In this instance, D01 belongs to a horizontal parity stripe and a vertical parity stripe. In order to update D01, parity information stored at P05 and P21 also needs to be updated.
Using the two parity group version, a RAID 6 device could handle up to three drive failures without losing any information. For example, if D01 failed, its information could be retrieved using either the horizontal rank or vertical rank parity drives. If P21 also failed, the vertical rank would not contain enough information to regenerate D01. However, the horizontal rank would be available to regenerate D01. On the other hand, if on the horizontal rank, P05, were to fail then the vertical rank parity drive could be used to regenerate D01. If both the vertical rank, P21, and the horizontal rank, P05, were to fail before D01 were regenerated, then D01 could not be regenerated from either the horizontal or vertical ranks.
A significant problem with RAID 6 devices is the number of parity updates that must be generated. When a data drive is updated, parity needs to be calculated for two drives. This procedure, referring again to FIG. 5, requires a read to the data drive D01 and the parity drives P05 and P21. In addition, a write is required to the data drive D01 and both parity drives, P05 and P21. This is for a single drive stripe write.
An example of a full stripe write, in a RAID 6 configuration, is depicted in FIG. 6 (assuming the four by four disk array in FIG. 5). The process begins with step 600, which depicts the host sending a write command to the RAID 6 controller. The process passes to step 602, which illustrates the controller sending a read command to D01, D02, D03, D04 and Parity drives P21, P22, P23, and P24. The process proceeds to step 604, which depicts the controller XORing the old data, the new data and the old parity. This new parity is then written to the parity drives, P21, P22, P23, and P24, in segments across the vertical parity drive stripe. The process then continues to step 606, which illustrates the controller sending a write command to the data drives DO, D02, D03, and D04 and the parity drives P05, P21, P22, P23, and P24. The process then passes to step 608, which depicts the controller sending a completion signal to the host.
In summary, the write command requires a read to segments on each of four data drives, e.g., R(1,2,3,4), where R(1,2,3,4) are reads to segments DO, D02, D03 and D04. In addition, reads to the Parity drives R(21,22,23,24) are required for vertical parity calculations, writes W(1,2,3,4,5,21,22,23,24) are needed to write out the user data and all of the parity data (referring to FIG. 5). A read to each of four parity drives and a write to each of the parity drives and data drives are required. A minimum full stripe write to a four by four disk array requires eight Read operations and 9 Write operations, even where the RAID 6 subsystem leverages its horizontal parity by eliminating the need to write to the horizontal parity drive.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a method for reducing the number of parity writes for RAID 6 devices.
It would also be desirable, to reduce the Input/Output load on the controller which will provide room for additional drives in the RAID 6 device controller.


In the field of graphic arts, a printing plate is produced using a set of color separations of a color original prepared using lithographic films. In general, colorproofs are prepared from color separations in order to inspect for errors in color separation and to check the need for color correction and the like before printing. Color proofs are required to realize high resolution enabling accurate half tone reproduction and high processing stability. To obtain color proofs close to actual prints, it is desirable for the materials of color proofs to be the same as those used on press, i.e., the same paper and the same pigments. There is a higher demand for a dry process involving no processing solutions for the preparation of color proofs.
With the recent spread of computerized systems in prepress work, recording systems for preparing color proofs directly from digital signals have been developed. Such computerized systems, particularly contemplated for preparing high quality color proofs, are generally capable of reproducing dot images at 150 lines or more per inch. In order to obtain high quality proofs from digital signals, a laser beam is used as a recording head, which is capable of modulation according to digital signals and focusing into a small spot diameter. Hence it is demanded to develop image forming elements that exhibit high sensitivity to laser light and high resolution enabling reproduction of highly precise dot images.
Image forming elements known useful in laser transfer methods include a thermal melt transfer sheet, which comprises a substrate, a light-heat conversion layer capable of absorbing laser light to generate heat, and an image forming layer having a pigment dispersed in a heat fusible matrix (e.g., a wax or a binder) in the order described, as disclosed in JP-A-5-58045. A thermal transfer sheet of this type is brought into contact with an image receiving sheet and imagewise irradiated with a laser beam. The irradiated area of the light-heat conversion layer generates heat to melt the image forming layer, and the molten part of the image forming layer is transferred to the image receiving sheet.
JP-A-6-219052 teaches a thermal transfer sheet comprising a substrate, a light-heat conversion layer containing a light-heat converting substance, a release layer as thin as 0.03 to 0.3 μm, and an image forming layer containing a colorant. According to this technique, the release layer reduces its bonding strength between the image forming layer and the light-heat conversion layer upon being irradiated with laser light. As a result, the image forming layer is allowed to be transferred to an image receiving sheet that has been brought into contact with the thermal transfer sheet to form a high precision transfer image. This image formation method utilizes laser ablation. That is, a laser-irradiated part of the release layer decomposes and vaporizes, resulting in reduction of the strength bonding the image forming layer and the light-heat conversion layer in that area. As a result, the image forming layer of that area is transferred to the image receiving sheet.
These imaging methods are advantageous in that images can be formed on printing paper having an image receiving layer (adhesive layer) and that a multicolor image can easily be obtained by successively transferring images of different colors onto the same image receiving sheet. The method utilizing ablation is particularly advantageous for ease of forming a highly precise image and is useful to prepare color proofs (DDCP) or precise mask images.
With the spread of desk-top publishing (DPT) work, printing companies adopting a computer-to-plate (CTP) system have a strong demand for a DDCP system, which eliminates the need of intermediate film or plate output as has been involved in traditional analog proofing. In recent years, DDCPs with higher quality, higher stability, and larger sizes have been demanded as good approximations to the final prints.
Laser thermal transfer systems are capable of printing at high resolution. Options include laser sublimation, laser ablation, and laser melt, each of which has the problem that the recorded dot shape is not sharp enough. The laser sublimation system is insufficient in approximation in color to the final print result because of use of dyes as coloring matter. Besides, this system involving dye sublimation results in blurred dot outlines, failing to achieve sufficiently high resolution. The laser ablation system, which uses pigments as coloring matter, provides a satisfactory approximation in color to the final printed products, but the dots are blurred, resulting in insufficient resolution similarly to the dye sublimation system because of the involvement of coloring matter scattering. The laser melt system also fails to create clear dot outlines because the molten colorant flows.
The colors that can be reproduced by conventional heat transfer sheets are limited to process colors (i.e., yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) and their combinations. There are needs for metallic spot colors that are difficult to reproduce with the four process colors, such as metallic gold and metallic silver. While it is known that these metallic colors can be reproduced by using tabular inorganic particles, there is still room for improvement in sensitivity and resolution.


In the past, various condition responsive mechanisms utilized a sensing device for ascertaining temperature changes and effecting operation of such condition responsive mechanisms in response to such temperature changes. These sensing devices may comprise an expansible bellows communicated with a generally elongate metallic capillary tube, and such bellows and tube are charged with a temperature sensitive pressure fluid, such as a liquid or a gas for instance. One of the aforementioned condition responsive mechanisms is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,214 issued Mar. 7, 1972 to John L. Slonneger which is incorporated by reference herein.
Numerous arrangements were known in the past for crimping, i.e. closing and sealing, one or both ends of the aforementioned capillary tube to confine the pressure fluid therein. One typical arrangement was to flatten the tube in a limited region thereof and thereafter effect a welding operation on such flattened region. For example, two or more welds were made across the flattened region of the capillary tube, i.e. transverse to the lengthwise direction of the tube, and the tube was then severed between a pair of those cross-wise welds so as to provide adequate sealed ends of the tube. In another past crimping arrangement, a tube end was crimped into a semi-circular congifuration and thereafter such crimped tube end was sealed by welding or soldering. It is believed that, at least with capillary tube metals, the heating effected during a welding or soldering operation might have a deleterious affect on the physical properties of such metals. In another past crimping arrangement, a metallic capillary tube had its opposite sides collapsed inwardly between a pair of crimping jaws, and while confining these collapsed opposite sides, another pair of crimping jaws were operated to collapse a portion of the tube with sufficient force to sever the tube forming a tapering cold welded end thereon.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an infrared gas analyzer for detecting gases contained in air, exhaust gas, and the like. More specifically, it relates to an improved infrared gas analyzer that prevents influenced results by interfering gases.
2. Description of Related Art
As to an infrared gas analyzer for detecting gases contained in air, exhaust gas, and the like, in the case where interfering component gases having an absorption wavelength range partially overlapping a wavelength range of a gas to be measured are contained in a sample gas, an infrared gas analyzer capable of preventing an influence by the interfering component gases comprising an interference filter as shown in FIG. 2 has been known.
This gas analyzer comprises a reference cell 1, in which a reference gas is enclosed. A sample cell 2, in which a sample gas is to be supplied, is disposed in parallel. The sample cell 2 is provided with a supply port 3a for supplying the sample gas and an exhaust port 3b for exhausting the sample gas. Reference numerals 4a, 4b designates a light source disposed on one side of the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2, respectively. Reference numeral 5 designates a detector, such as condenser microphone, disposed on the other side of the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2.
Reference numeral 6 designates a chopper disposed between the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2 and the light sources 4a, 4b. Reference numerals 7a, 7b designates interference filters disposed between the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2 and the detector 5. The filters 7a, 7b pass radiation including a wavelength range in any absorption bands of the gas to be measured but reflect radiation that is in a non-absorbing wavelength range. Reference numeral 9 designates a preamplifier.
With this infrared gas analyzer, a radiation emitted from the light sources 4a, 4b is intermittently incident upon the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2 by rotating the chopper 6. Thereupon, a part of the radiation is absorbed by a gas enclosed in the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2, respectively, so that the energy of radiation incident upon the detector 5 from the reference cell 1 is different from that from the sample cell 2. The sample gas is analyzed on the basis of this difference in energy of radiation.
And, radiation including any wavelengths within the absorption bands of the interfering gases contained in the sample gas supplied in the sample cell 2 and incident upon the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2 are reflected by the interference filter 7 to prevent them from being incident upon the detector 5, whereby the influences of the interfering component gases are reduced.
Also an infrared gas analyzer shown in FIG. 3 has been known. In this infrared gas analyzer, the interference filter 7 in the gas analyzer shown in FIG. 2 is replaced with gas filter cells 8a, 8b for absorbing the interfering component gases. Other constructions of FIG. 3 are the same as in the gas analyzer shown in FIG. 2, so that they are marked with the same reference numerals and marks.
In the gas analysis by this gas analyzer (FIG. 3), radiation having wavelengths of the absorption bands of the interfering components contained in the sample gas and incident upon the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2 are absorbed by the gas filter cell 8 to reduce the influences of the interfering components.
Also, an infrared gas analyzer of an interference compensation type as shown in FIG. 4 has been known. In this gas analyzer, a detector 5a is adapted to be able to pass radiation therethrough. An interference-compensating detector 5b, upon which the radiation passing through the detector 5a is incident, is provided. A subtracter 10 for subtracting an output of the interference-compensating detector 5b from an output of the detector 5a is provided in the gas analyzer as shown in FIG. 4.
Other constructions are the same as in the gas analyzer shown in FIG. 2, so that they are marked with the same reference numerals and marks.
With the conventional infrared gas analyzer as shown in FIG. 2, a reflection factor of the interfering component of radiation by the interference filter 7 is high, so that the influences of the interfering component radiation can be reduced.
Here, the transmission and reflection of the radiation by the inteference filter in the case where the window on the side of the detector of the gas cell S is replaced with the interference filter f, as shown in FIG. 5, is investigated.
Radiation which shall be illustrated by a light beam I.sub.o emitted from a light source L passes through the window W of the gas cell S to enter the gas cell S. After a part of the light I.sub.o is absorbed by the component to be measured contained in the gas cell S, the remaining light I.sub.o passes through the interference filter F to enter the detector (not shown).
The total transmission quantity T.sub.1 of radiation having a wavelength range capable of passing through the interference filter F at this time is expressed by the following equation (1): ##EQU1## Even though tf is replaced with tw and rf is replaced with rw, it is one and the same thing, so that the transmission quantity of radiation capable of passing through the interference filter has nothing to do with their incident direction. That is to say, it is one and the same thing even though the radiation is are incident from the side of the interference filter F.
On the other side, the total reflection quantity R of radiation having a reflection wavelength range of the interference filter is expressed by the following equation (2): ##EQU2## The quantity of the reflected radiation is changed by replacing tf with tw and rf with rw. That is to say, the case where the radiation is incident from the side of the interference filter F is different from the case where the radiation is incident from the side of the window of the gas cell S.
It is found from the above described matters that since both the window W of the gas cell S and the interference filter F have a high transmittance and a low reflectance for the radiation of a component to be measured, the quantity of the reflected radiation can be deemed as constant regardless of the direction of the surface upon which the radiation is incident. However, the filter has a low transmittance and a high reflectance for the interfering component radiation, so that the quantity of the radiation reflected toward the side of the radiation source in the case where the radiation is incident from the side of the filter is larger than that in the case where the radiation is incident from the side of the window W of the gas cell S.
If the radiation reflected toward the side of the radiation source is not return by reflecting again by means of a radiation source mirror and the like, there is no difference in quantity of the transmitted radiation regardless of the direction of the surface upon the light is incident.
However, in order to increase the quantity of radiation in fact, a mirror is frequently used with the light source, so that the difference in incident direction always leads to a difference in quantity of transmitted radiation.
I.sub.o designates a quantity of an incident radiation; tw designates a quantity of a transmitted radiation; rw designates a quantity of a reflected radiation by the window W; tf designates a quantity of lights passing through the interference filter F; rf designates a quantity of a reflected radiation by the interference filter F; c designates a concentration of a gas contained in the cell S; l designates a length of the cell S; and .epsilon. designates a constant determined by the gas.
Accordingly, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, a comparatively large quantity of interfering component radiation reflected by the interference filters 7a, 7b is reflected by the inside surface of the reference cell 1 or the sample cell 2, the windows of the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2, reflecting mirrors of the light sources 4a, 4b and the like to arrive at the interference filters 7a, 7b again. This is repeated.
Moreover, since the interference filters 7a, 7b are disposed between the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2 and the detector 5, a large quantity of the interfering component radiation is reflected by the inside surface of the reference cell 1 and the sample cell 2 to increase an oblique component incident upon the interference filters 7a, 7b. In general, a transmission spectrum of the interference filter has physical characteristics of shifting toward shorter wavelengths in the case of an oblique incidence. Accordingly, as a result, a problem occurs in that the quantity of the interfering component radiation passing through the interference filters 7a, 7b to enter the detector 5 is increased which lowers the accuracy of analysis.
Next, an infrared gas analyzer shown in FIG. 3 has no problem in the reflection of the interfering component radiation in the interference filter since the radiation having wavelength within the absorption bands of the interfering component gases are absorbed by the gas filter 8.
However, in the case where the degree of absorption of the interfering component radiation is slightly lower and a plurality of kinds of interfering component gases are contained in the sample gas, it is difficult to absorb all interfering component radiation, so that the quantity of the interfering component radiation incident upon the detector 5 is comparatively increased which lowers the accuracy of analysis.
An interference-compensation type gas analyzer shown in FIG. 4 can improve an accuracy of analysis since the influences of the interfering component radiation are compensated by the subtractor 10.
However, an interference-compensation detector 5b and a compensation-signal treatment circuit are excessively required, so that a problem occurs in an increase of cost.


The present invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the production of energy and a process and an apparatus for the production of methanol.
Numerous processes and apparatus are already known for the production of energy and/or methanol from organic raw materials.
Some of these processes and apparatus are based on the principle that an organic material is subjected to controlled oxidation wherein the energy carrier hydrogen is produced. The obtained hydrogen is supplied to a fuel cell and converted into current, according to the actual current requirements. Since storage of excess gaseous hydrogen is labourious and must especially satisfy stringent safety requirements when used in private households, hydrogen is normally catalytically converted together with carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide into the fluid energy carrier methanol in order to store its energy content, wherein the hydrogen can be re-extracted from the methanol and converted into current according to requirements by means of a reforming reaction.
A process for the storage of energy present in the form of hydrogen is disclosed in DE 196 44 684 A1, wherein carbon dioxide, especially resulting from exhaust emissions, is converted after mixing with the hydrogen in a reactor into the energy carriers methane, methanol or ethanol.
A process and an apparatus for the production of electrical energy from bio-raw materials is disclosed in DE 44 30 750 C2, wherein a hydrogen and carbon monoxide-containing crude fuel gas is produced from the bio-raw materials by means of partial oxidation with an oxygen-containing gasification medium in an oxidation reactor. From the fuel gas, the hydrogen proportion is placed into intermediate storage by reaction with a storage material, especially a so-called hydride store or with metal oxides, so that rapid removal of the hydrogen from the storage can be carried out according to requirements, and the hydrogen can be transported into a fuel cell module for conversion into current.
A process and an apparatus for the production of hydrogen by means of the gasification of bio-raw materials is disclosed in DE 197 34 259 A1, wherein the bio-raw material is gasified into a hydrogen-containing crude gas in the presence of supplied water vapour in a vaporization reactor. The hydrogen proportion of the crude gas is separated from the residual gas at especially-high purity and can either be converted into current in a fuel cell, stored as methanol by synthesis with carbon dioxide or used for other purposes. In order to increase the degree of effectiveness in this process, the energy content of the low-hydrogen residual gas is also used in that it is combusted either in a closed cycle for the production of heat energy for the creation of water vapour or outside the cycle.
A process is known from EP 0 257 018 A2 for thermal utilisation of waste and/or waste fuels, wherein the waste and/or waste fuels are supplied to a gasifying reactor which is directly heated with gas and/or oil and the gases extracted from the gasifying reactor are supplied to a combustion chamber for the production of energy, especially for the production of steam. A portion of the flue gases from the combustion chamber is fed back to the gasifying reactor under pressure.
A process is known from DE 32 28 532 A1 for the carbonisation and gasification of solids which contain carbon wherein hot gases, amongst others, are used to heat the reactors, these gases being produced in a combustion chamber by combustion of a portion of the carbonisation gas produced in the carbonisation zone.
In xe2x80x9cEnergy Recovery From Waste: The Application of Gasification Technologiesxe2x80x9d, La Chimica e l""Industria, 1996, No. 5, pp. 603-607, P. Pollesel gives an overview of the use of gasification processes to extract energy from waste, especially from bio-mass. Amongst other things, Pollesel mentions that the gases produced during gasification can be combusted in a gas turbine or a diesel engine to produce mechanical energy which can then be converted into electrical energy.
Consequently, the object of the present invention is to provide a process and an apparatus for the production of energy and methanol respectively wherein optimised exploitation of the energy content of the organic starting material occurs in order to attain especially economical operation, and simultaneously allowing control of the proportions of released and stored energy respectively, according to requirements.
A process according to claim 1 and an apparatus according to claim 9 or 11 is suggested as a solution for this object. The process for the production of energy, according to the invention, comprises the following steps:
1. Combustion of fuel in an internal combustion engine to create mechanical energy and hot exhaust gas which contains carbon dioxide and water vapour,
2. Reduction of the hot exhaust gas components carbon dioxide and water into a synthesis gas which contains carbon monoxide and hydrogen in an environment containing a supplied organic material,
3. Supply of the synthesis gas produced in step 2 to the internal combustion engine.
According to claim 7, methanol synthesis is inserted between steps 2 and 3 of the process according to the invention in order to produce methanol.
The steps of the process, according to the invention are set out for a recirculating operation, from which at different points energy in the form of electrical energy (current), heat energy and stored chemical energy (methanol) can be removed and/or added at various points, wherein the removal and supply can be regulated according to requirements, allowing optimised utilisation of the energy content of the organic starting material.
Therefore in accordance with the invention, a fuel which is preferably fluid or gaseous and contains hydrocarbon is combusted on supply of air or oxygen in an internal combustion engine, creating mechanical energy, exhaust gas and heat energy. The exhaust gas released by the internal combustion engine, which contains carbon dioxide and water vapour, is supplied to a thermochemical reactor in which organic material such as biomass, coal, organic waste and such like is present. In the thermo-chemical reactor, carbon dioxide and water are reduced into carbon monoxide and hydrogen from the exhaust gas stream from the internal combustion engine, whilst the organic material is oxidised. The temperature required for the reaction is produced by the heat energy of the exhaust gas stream. Insofar as the temperature attainable by the inflowing exhaust gas is not sufficient to start or to maintain the reaction, a part of the hot exhaust gas stream from the internal combustion engine can be separated from the rest of the stream and used as an external heat supply for heating the thermochemical reactor and/or the temperature level required for the reaction can be increased by the supply of oxygen or air. Advantageously, the temperature of the hot exhaust gas is between approximately 900xc2x0 C. and approximately 1000xc2x0 C. In this way, the hot exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine is directly used as a valuable energy carrier whilst the mechanical energy produced by the internal combustion engine is available for other purposes.
A synthesis gas which contains carbon monoxide and hydrogen is produced in the thermo-chemical reactor under suitable pressure and temperature conditions. The synthesis gas may contain other non-troublesome components such as, for example, carbon dioxide or methane, and undesired or troublesome solid, fluid and/or gaseous components such as, for example, suspended particles or sulphurous gases. The troublesome or undesired components can have a disadvantageous effect on further steps of the process, according to the invention, e.g. they can cause deactivation of a catalyst. Hence a filtration step is provided downstream for removal of the undesired or troublesome components.
The synthesis gas from the thermo-chemical reactor which contains carbon monoxide and hydrogen and which has been purified in the filtration step is mixed in a gas mixing unit with air oxygen or oxygen from an oxygen tank and is supplied to the internal combustion engine as a fuel. In this way, the supply of the thermo-chemical redox process with hot exhaust gas is ensured.
Insofar as more synthesis gas is produced than is required for the operation of the internal combustion engine, as an alternative the synthesis gas, which contains carbon monoxide and hydrogen and which has been purified in the filtration process can be synthesised into the energy carrier methanol from carbon monoxide and hydrogen or carbon dioxide and hydrogen in an exothermic reaction according to a conventional process in a reactor which contains a suitable catalyst. Apart from heat energy, resultant reaction products are methanol and optionally water as well as non-converted synthesis gas. The reaction products are cooled in a downstream cooling unit. The precipitating methanol can be fed into a tank and stored. According to requirements, the stored methanol can be supplied to the internal combustion engine as a fuel, or used for other purposes e.g. as a fuel for motor vehicles.
Excess, non-converted residual synthesis gas from the methanol synthesis is supplied to the internal combustion engine as described above.
In an embodiment of the Invention, the mechanical energy produced by the internal combustion engine is transformed into current by means of a generator. The current can either be available for the supply of a private household, stored in batteries or fed into the supply mains.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a fuel cell in a fuel cell unit is supplied via a gas mixer with oxygen and hydrogen in order to produce current, wherein the oxygen can be supplied from an oxygen tank or can be air oxygen and the hydrogen either originates from the synthesis gas purified by the filtration process or by reformation from the stored methanol. An especially-high degree of effectiveness for conversion of stored chemical energy into electrical energy can be attained with this type of current production. Furthermore, it is possible to adapt the production of current to an existing load by using the chemical energy of the stored methanol.
In an especially advantageous embodiment of the invention, heat resulting from the individual process steps, especially the radiated heat of the internal combustion engine, the generator, the methanol reactor and the cooling unit, can be supplied to a heat store where it is available, for example, for heating the thermo-chemical reactor or for heating rooms.
In a further especially advantageous embodiment of the invention, the material and energy streams can be controlled by means of a controller, e.g. a microprocessor control. This especially relates to the control of exhaust gas supply from the internal combustion engine into the thermo-chemical reactor, the control of the gas streams in the gas mixing unit, the monitoring and control of the parameters of the methanol synthesis, temperature regulation in various process steps, regulation of the energy streams of the heat storage and monitoring the level or regulation of the supply of organic material into the thermo-chemical reactor. In this way, optimum supply of the elements of the individual process steps with substrates and energy is attained at all times. Simultaneously, the energy content of the fuel is optimally used and adaptation of energy extraction and energy storage to the respective requirements is made possible.
In order to further solve the object which forms the basis of the invention, an apparatus is suggested for the production of energy and/or methanol, especially for implementation of the hereinbefore-described process. The apparatus, according to the invention, comprises an internal combustion engine, a thermo-chemical reactor disposed downstream of the internal combustion engine for reduction of the exhaust gas, which is produced in the internal combustion engine and which contains carbon dioxide and water steam, into a synthesis gas which contains carbon monoxide and hydrogen. An inlet is provided for the synthesis gas into the internal combustion engine so that energy may be produced. For the production of methanol, a methanol reactor is disposed downstream of the thermo-chemical reactor for Synthesis of methanol from the synthesis gas of the thermo-chemical reactor, wherein the synthesised residual gas and/or methanol from the methanol synthesis are fed into the internal combustion engine.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a generator which can be driven by the internal combustion engine is provided for the production of current. Furthermore, a fuel cell apparatus disposed downstream of the thermo-chemical reactor can be provided for the production of current from methanol and/or at least part of the hydrogen produced in the thermo-chemical reactor.
In a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, in order to store energy a heat storage is provided for storage of the heat generated with the apparatus. The heat storage serves especially for storage of the radiated heat from the exothermic process steps, for example from the internal combustion engine, the generator, the methanol synthesis and/or the cooling unit. The stored radiated heat is used in the exothermic process steps in the thermo-chemical reactor or for other purposes. Furthermore, a methanol tank is provided for storage of the synthesised methanol, wherein the stored methanol can be supplied to the internal combustion engine and/or the fuel cell apparatus if required.
Other advantages and embodiments of the invention can be seen in the description and the accompanying drawing.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an injection apparatus for melted metals used for injection molding nonferrous metals having a low melting point, such as zinc, magnesium, or alloy thereof, completely melted in liquid phase.
2. Detailed Description of the Prior Art
Attempts have been made to completely melt nonferrous metals having a low melting point so as to allow injection molding in liquid phase. Like in the case of injection molding of plastics, the molding method adopts a heating cylinder having inside an injecting screw, which is allowed to rotate and move along the axial direction. Granular metals supplied from the rear portion of the heating cylinder are heated and melted completely by shear heat and external heat while being transferred toward the fore end of the heating cylinder by means of rotation of the screw. After a quantity of the melted metals in liquid phase is metered in the fore portion of the heating cylinder, the metals are injected into a mold through the nozzle attached to the tip end of the heating cylinder by the forward movement of the screw.
Problems occurring in case of adopting the foregoing injection molding for the metals are, for example, difficulty on the transfer of the material by means of rotation of the screw, the maintenance of the temperature of the melted metals in liquid phase, unstable metering, or the like.
A melted plastic material has a high viscosity, and transfer of the melted plastic material by means of rotation of the screw is allowed mainly because a friction coefficient at the interface of the melted plastic material and the screw is smaller than a friction coefficient at the interface of the melted plastic material and the inner wall of the heating cylinder, and therefore, a difference in friction coefficient is produced between the two interfaces.
In contrast, the metal completely melted in liquid phase has such a low viscosity compared with the plastic material that a difference in friction coefficient is hardly produced between the above two interfaces. Hence, a transfer force such as the one produced with the melted plastic material by means of rotation of the screw is not readily produced.
However, a transfer force is produced with the metals in solid state and in a high viscous region where the metals are in a semi-molten (liquid-solid) state during the melting process. Thus, the metals can be transferred by means of rotation of the screw up to that region. Nevertheless, as the metals are further melted, the viscosity thereof drops with an increasing ratio of the liquid phase, and the transfer force produced by the screw grooves between the adjacent screw flights decreases, thereby making it difficult to supply the melted metals in a stable manner to the fore end portion of the heating cylinder by means of rotation of the screw.
Because the melted plastic material has a high viscosity, it is stored in the fore end of the heating cylinder by means of rotation of the screw, while at the same time, a material pressure pushing the screw backward is produced as a reaction. By controlling the screw retraction caused by the material pressure, a constant quantity of the melted material can be metered each time.
However, the metals in the low-viscous liquid phase cannot produce a pressure high enough to push the screw backward. Thus, the screw retraction by the material pressure hardly occurs, and if the metals are reserved in the fore end portion by means of rotation of the screw alone, a quantity thereof undesirably varies, thereby making it impossible to meter a constant quantity each time.
In addition, the metals have a far larger specific gravity compared with the plastics, and have a low viscosity and fluidity in liquid phase. For this reason, when allowed to stand by stopping rotation of the screw, the metals in liquid phase in the heating cylinder placed in a horizontal position leak into the semi-molten (liquid-solid) region in the rear portion through a clearance formed between the screw flights and the heating cylinder. Consequently, the metal material metered in the fore end portion causes a back flow onto the periphery of the fore portion of the screw through the opened ring valve, and the quantity thereof is undesirably reduced.
The liquid level in the fore end portion is lowered with the decreasing reserved quantity. For this reason, a gaseous phase (space) that makes the metering unstable is generated at the upper portion of the fore end portion. In addition, the leaked liquid phase material increases its viscosity in the semi-molten (liquid-solid) region as its temperature drops, or turns into solid depending on the heating condition in the semi-molten (liquid-solid) region, thereby forming weirs in the screw grooves. This poses a problem that the granular material supplied from the feeding opening provided behind the weir cannot be transferred readily by means of rotation of the screw.
The present invention is designed to solve the problems stated above in the injection molding of the metals in liquid phase. An object of the present invention is to provide a new injection apparatus which can easily and smoothly transfer the metals, melt them by the external heat, meter and degas by employing a reservoir to reserve metals in liquid phase for the injection screw, and a method for injection molding.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention according to the first aspect provides an injection apparatus for melted metals, comprising a heating cylinder having a fore end portion which communicates with a nozzle member and of which internal diameter is made smaller to serve as a metering chamber having a required length, and an injection screw installed within the heating cylinder to be movable and rotational, a tip end of the injection screw being formed in a plunger having a diameter which is almost the same as that of the metering chamber and can insert into the metering chamber while keeping a clearance for sliding, wherein a reservoir consisting of a portion is provided between the plunger and a feeding portion containing screw flight around the portion.
Moreover, the present invention provides the injection apparatus for melted metals according to the foregoing aspect, wherein a projected portion for limiting the feeding of granular metals flowing from the feeding portion to the reservoir with metals in liquid phase and for preventing the metals in liquid phase reserved in the reservoir from flowing backward when the injection screw moves forward is provided on a boundary between said feeding portion and the reservoir.
The present invention further provides the injection apparatus for melted metals according to either of the foregoing aspects, wherein the screw flight of the feeding portion is provided in such a manner that screw groove of screw end is placed immediately below the feeding opening at the rearmost position of the screw in the heating cylinder, and that the screw end is placed in front of the feeding opening at the foremost position of the screw to close the feeding opening with the rear portion of the screw portion without screw flights, and to be capable of achieving transferring of the granular metals by the screw rotation at the rearmost position of the screw.
The present invention further provides the injection apparatus for melted metals according to the foregoing aspects, wherein the screw flight of the feeding portion is provided in such a manner that a screw groove of a screw end is placed immediately below the feeding opening at the foremost position of the screw in the heating cylinder, and that the screw end is placed behind the feeding opening at the rearmost position of the screw to be capable of achieving transferring of the granular metals by the screw rotation at the foremost position of the screw.
Moreover, the present invention provides the injection apparatus for melted metals according to the first aspect, wherein the plunger is provided with a heat-resistant seal ring therearound, and a flow-through hole is formed therein from a ring groove for fitting the seal ring to a conical end of the plunger.
The present invention further provides the injection apparatus for melted metals according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the heating cylinder is installed with an inclination and positioning the feeding opening higher than the nozzle to allow the metals in liquid phase to flow down into the reservoir by its own weight.
In the construction stated above, a reservoir for the metals in liquid phase is provided between the plunger as a fore end portion and a feeding portion. By means of retracting the injection screw, the metal temporarily reserved in the reservoir is allowed to be reserved in the above-mentioned metering chamber. Thereby, the next feed of metals is completely melted and the temperature thereof is maintained while they are maintained in the reservoir even if the metals are melted by the external heat. As a result, the temperature of metals can be kept constant.
Since a compressing portion to generate shear heat is unnecessary, the depth of the screw grooves between the screw flights can be made constant so as to feed the metals smoothly. Thereby the metals evenly contact the inner surface of the heating cylinder so that a fluctuation of temperature rarely happens. Since the most part of the metals melt into liquid phase while they reach to the projected portion on the boundary to the reservoir, and large granules which are incompletely melted are prevented from flowing into the reservoir by means of the projected portion, the metals in the reservoir are melted completely into the liquid phase and always ensured that they will be reserved into the metering chamber.
Furthermore, in the construction stated above, while the screw moves forward and the feeding opening is being closed with the axis, the feeding of the metals will be automatically limited upon the start of injection. It prevents congestion of the metals in the screw grooves in the rear of the screw.
Thereby, a friction by rotation and sliding to the screw is decreased, which stabilizes melting and injecting of the metals to improve the quality of molded products.
The heating cylinder is inclined downward so as to reserve the melted metals in the reserving space surrounding the portion in the front portion of the heating cylinder. Therefore, even if the metals are in the liquid phase of a low viscosity, they will not flow backward so that the reserved amount will not fluctuate. In addition to it, since the rotation of the screw supplies the metals in liquid phase, in spite of injection molding the metals in liquid phase, a stable quality of molded metal products can be produced.
The nature, principle, and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals or characters.


This invention relates to a device for harvesting long agricultural products and an agricultural self-propelled unit for harvesting agricultural products comprising the device.
This invention is thus applied in particular in the agricultural sector, in particular in the harvesting of products performed after the cutting (or mowing).
Harvesting devices, otherwise known as windrowers, are normally used for picking up from the ground grass, straw, hay (also cut by other machines) or for picking up pulses, as well as for picking up seed products, and, in any case, for picking up similar agricultural products, with a long shape.
Typically, these devices are equipped with a suitable movement carriage and are connected to a tractor or the like which pulls them, like a trailer, along a direction of forward movement.
These devices are equipped with an arm, generally extending in a curved fashion from the rear portion to the front portion, to allow the connection with the rear hook of the tractor keeping the device oriented correctly, that is to say, with the pick-up means facing the tractor.
Only in some cases, for the small-sized devices (that is, equipped with a single pick-up unit), there is the possibility of connecting them to the front portion of the tractor, which, however, must be set up for this application, with considerable costs to be borne by the user.
Moreover, it should be noted that this optional feature not may be acceptable for larger devices (that is, equipped with several pick-up units) since the visibility and driving problems would make it difficult to use the device.
In any case, from the above description it is evident that the prior art windrowers need a tractor for moving them, which represents a considerable cost for the user, especially if it is necessary to purchase a new pulling vehicle.


The present invention relates to connection members for components of a close-coupled pressurized system and, more particularly, a connector spool assembly provided with adjustment components to allow movement of the connector spool to facilitate separation and removal of system components.
One type of compression system is a compressor close-coupled to an electric motor driver, which provides for a compact design with significant benefits over traditional base-plate mounted compressor trains. A motor casing and a compressor casing comprise separate bodies requiring removal for service. One problem with component removal service activity is the cost and time required to disconnect process piping and instrumentation connected to each casing. Individual case removal is especially problematic for applications where the unit has compressor casings at each end of a double ended motor drive.


The present invention relates generally to imaging devices, and more particularly to a light guide for an array of detectors in an imaging device.
In certain types of imaging devices, such as positron emission tomography (PET) scanners, arrays of detector elements serve the function of detecting radiation emanating from the patient. In a PET scanner, for example, arrays of scintillator crystals detect gamma rays which are generated inside the patient. The gamma rays are produced when a positron emitted from a radiopharmaceutical injected into the patient collides with an electron causing an annihilation event. The scintillator crystals receive the gamma rays and generate photons in response to the gamma rays.
One of the challenges in designing a high resolution PET scanner relates to the space requirements of the electronics associated with the detector crystals, in particular the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) which are situated behind the detector crystals. The function of the photomultiplier tubes is to receive photons produced by the scintillator crystals and to generate an analog signal with a magnitude representative of the number of photons received. The photomultiplier tubes typically cannot be diminished in size beyond a certain point, so that generally each photomultiplier tube is situated behind a number of smaller detector crystals. For example, a detector module in a PET scanner may comprise a 2×2 array of photomultiplier tubes situated behind a 6×6 array of scintillator crystals. In response to a scintillation event, each PMT produces an analog signal which is representative of the number of photons it has received. The relative magnitudes of the four PMT signals are then used to determine where the scintillation event took place and which crystal detected the event.
In determining the location of the scintillation event, it is generally advantageous to have a high degree of separation of the relative signal levels arising from each of the individual scintillation crystals in the detector array. Various arrangements have been proposed for increasing the spatial resolution of the detector crystals by controlling the light distribution within the detector array. For example the light distribution within the array of detector crystals can be controlled by applying various surface finishes having known light scattering and reflective properties to each crystal. These arrangements generally attempt to control the light distribution such that the proportion of light reaching each photomultiplier tube is relatively consistent and well defined for each event occurring at a particular detector crystal. In this way, the analog signals from the photomultiplier tubes may consistently determine which detector crystal produced the scintillation event.
As the demands for higher resolution in PET scanners continue to increase, one approach to achieving higher resolution is to increase the number of crystals in each detector array without increasing the size of the array. For example, a 6×6 array of detector crystals might be replaced with an 8×8 array. However, an increase in the number of crystals may introduce additional complexities and costs to the surface finishes and optical coupling which may be necessary for acceptable spatial resolution of the scintillation events. An increased number of smaller crystals may also introduce additional challenges with respect to light loss in the corner crystals and the tolerances for mechanical alignment of the array with respect to the photomultiplier tubes. The present invention provides an apparatus and method which can overcome these problems.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bistatic rotor tip synthetic aperture radars and more particularly to a relay link for transferring wide band information to or from a moving rotor tip and a second location wherein the relative motion provides a doppler shift to the wide band information requiring compensation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rotor tip synthetic aperture radar (SAR) relates to radar mapping and surveillance systems in which transmit and/or receive apertures on a rotating radial arm utilize their motion to trace out long synthetic apertures in space from which radar signals can be sequentially transmitted and/or received so as to produce very fine angular resolution normal to the axis of rotation. Applications may be to helicopter rotors for navigation, obstacle avoidance, target detection, and other mapping functions and to fixed rotating radial arm towers for radar surveillance and ground testing and demonstration of synthetic aperture radar functions. Radar configurations may be monostatic with both transmission and reception from the rotating aperture or bistatic with only transmission or reception from the rotating aperture with the corresponding transmission or reception function performed by a fixed or non-rotating aperture.
One embodiment of a rotor tip SAR configuration may involve a radiating and/or receiving aperture at the tip of the radial arm, wave guide or coaxial transmission line down the arm, and microwave rotating joints through the arm rotation mechanism to the radar transmitter/receiver equipment at a fixed or non-rotating location. In applications to helicopters, especially, incorporation of rotating microwave joints in the transmission line down the blade or radial arm, may be constrained by considerations of flight performance and safety, and impose difficult and costly mechanical design problems. In addition, the long transmission line down the radial arm may impose a substantial loss in the signal level.
In communication systems where the transmitter is moving relative to the receiver, a doppler frequency shift according to equation 1 is observed. EQU f.sub.D =V f.sub.c /C (1)
where f.sub.D =the doppler frequency shift, V represents the relative frequency between the transmitter and receiving stations, f.sub.c represents the frequency of the signal coupling the stations and C represents the velocity of light. Methods to compensate for the doppler frequency shift in communication systems have been described such as, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,131, which issued on May 4, 1965 to R. R. Barnes. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,131, a pilot signal source having a predetermined frequency such as 62 kilohertz is superimposed on a carrier signal of 6 gigahertz along with information in the range from 562 kilohertz to 1298 kilohertz and transmitted to a receiving station. The receiving station has a local oscillator which is used to remove the carrier signal of 6 gigahertz. The pilot signal and information signals pass through respective filters. The pilot signal as received with the doppler frequency shift is multiplied by a predetermined amount to provide the doppler frequency shift of the information signals in the band. The doppler frequency shift is combined with a predetermined frequency from an oscillator in a mixer, which is presented to a second mixer, where the doppler frequency shift for the center of the predetermined channel is subtracted from the signals in the predetermined band, and thereby provides the information with a reduced frequency shift which is centered about the midpoint of the predetermined frequency band. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,131, the pilot signal travels with the information signal superimposed on a carrier signal.
A doppler cancellation scheme is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,736 wherein a signal is transmitted from a first station and received by a second station wherein it is processed to provide a signal with the frequency shift subtracted therefrom. The signal is then retransmitted from the second station to the first station wherein the doppler frequency shift added upon reception provides a signal where the first order of doppler frequency shift cancels. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,736, the transmitted and retransmitted frequencies may be sufficiently separated to permit continuous operation without feedback from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna of the same station. As shown in the drawing, each communication station must generate a predetermined frequency with respect to each other for proper operation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,842, a doppler frequency spread correction device is described which adds a doppler frequency to the base frequency.
It is therefore desirable to provide a relay link having one station in the rotor tip, and a second station mounted in a convenient structure, such as on the cab of a helicopter or on the supporting structure of the rotor for relaying radar related information from the rotor tip which may, for example, contain a receiver, to the cab of a helicopter which may, for example, contain a transmitter and signal processing equipment for processing a received signal.
It is further desirable to provide compensation for doppler frequency shifts arising from the relative motion of the first and second stations.
It is further desirable to transmit an auxiliary reference signal or pilot signal from the cab to the rotor tip and back to the cab where it may be used to cancel the one-way doppler frequency shift imposed on the radar data transferred from the rotor tip to the cab.
It is further desirable to phase lock the pilot signal with the radar signal being transmitted.
It is further desirable to offset in frequency the pilot signal being retransmitted at the rotor tip to the cab to facilitate simultaneous transmission and reception at both the cab and the rotor tip.


Advanced signal processing techniques are now being employed in the development of new television receivers. Such developments, termed ATV or advanced television techniques, include the concept of improved definition television, or IDTV, wherein the definition of the displayed image is enhanced by increasing the number of displayed lines over those present in the transmitted video signal. IDTV techniques become especially prominent in large screen sets where horizontal TV lines are discernable at normal viewing distances with present standards.
High definition television techniques, on the other hand, involve methods that require changes in the transmitted signal, such as doubling the number of transmitted lines, and a complete redesign of the receiver. As such, HDTV standards impose an increase in the bandwidth of each channel beyond the limit set by the FCC (6 Mhz for the US NTSC standard). The stringent requirement by the FCC to remain within the bounds of the specified channel Bandwidth has caused delays and partial solutions to the evolution of a world HDTV standard. One of the recommendations for HDTV requested by many European countries, for example, is to move away from interlaced scanning to progressive scanning. Since IDTV works with the existing standards to provide an enhanced definition image, it represents an interim solution until an HDTV standard is agreed upon, and may also be used with HDTV to further enhance large displays. Even in the case of IDTV, however, very large intermediate storage arrays and very high-speed processing may be required to achieve the requisite level of signal processing, particularly if the goal is a system that operates in real time. An outstanding need, therefore, is a method and specialized hardware for achieving the requirements of IDTV.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to steering wheel sensors that are mounted to rotating shafts that are joined by a torsion bar. In particular, there is an eccentricity compensator that prevents hysteresis between the two rotating shafts when their axes of rotation are co-axial or not co-axial.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices and methods of dealing with the joining of two shafts that are rotating in a non-coaxial manner are known. These are called eccentricity compensators. One such device is a universal joint or U-joint. The U-joint is a well known device that typically is used to link between a transmission shaft and an axle shaft to allow the shafts angle to bend.
Unfortunately, the prior art devices as they wear out, create what is called hysteresis. Hysteresis is a backlash or slop between the two rotating shafts. While, some hysteresis may be acceptable in a drive shaft application, in an application such as a steering wheel torque sensor this is unacceptable. A steering wheel torque sensor needs to have very precise position information of the relative rotational positions of the two shafts in order to correctly sense the amount of torque applied to the steering wheel. As the sensor wears, there cannot be excessive rotational movement between the two shafts leading to incorrect torque readings. Referring to FIG. 1, part of a prior art eccentricity compensator 10 is shown. Eccentricity compensator 10 is part of a steering wheel torque sensor that is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/837,075, filed Apr. 18, 2001 and titled, xe2x80x9cSteering Wheel Torque and Position Sensorxe2x80x9d.
The compensator 10 is shown in an assembled partial end view. The compensator 10 has a shaft 11 that is connected to a carrier or ring 14 by splines (not shown). Ring 14 has four pins 16 that extend upwardly. Another ring 12 is mounted adjacent to ring 14. Ring 12 has four slots 18. Pins 16 are located in slots 18. The rings 12, 14 and pins 16 are formed from injection molded plastic. Over a period of time during use, the eccentricity compensator parts will wear. The result is a gap 19 between pin 16 and a side wall 21. When the gaps 19 form in slots 18, the sensor components can rotate or have hysteresis when there is no actual torque in the steering wheel column. The compensator rotates about an axis or rotation 20. When the compensator is new rings 12 and 14 will rotate together in an original position as indicated by line 22. In compensator 10, there may be initial hysteresis due to a gap 19 due to manufacturing tolerances of the pin and slot. After the compensator 10 has had some wear, the positions of ring 12 and 14 will rotate relative to each other. This is indicated by dashed line 24. The rotational difference or error or hysteresis caused by the wear is indicated as a hysteresis angle 26. Angle 26 is very undesirable as it leads to incorrect torque readings.
The automotive industry has been focusing on electrical assist power steering for vehicles. The electrical assist power steering unit is an electrical motor attached to the steering linkage that operates when assist is required. A large amount of torque on the steering wheel occurs at low speed operation or during parking. The electrical assist power steering is generally not needed during high speed operation such as during highway driving. The major advantages of electrical assist power steering are first, that it only operates during the short time of turning and is inoperative the rest of the time and second that it is simpler to manufacture. In a hydraulic power steering system, the power steering pump is always being turned by the engine and represents an energy drain on the motor all the time even though steering is only performed during a small percentage of the total time a car is operated. An electrical assist power steering system requires sensing of torque applied to the steering wheel. The torque indicates how much force the operator is exerting to move the wheel. The output signal from a torque sensor is fed into a control unit which controls the electrical motor of the assist unit. When the torque sensed is high, the assist applied to the steering linkage will be high. When the torque sensed is low, the assist applied to the steering linkage will be low.
In general, a sensor that measures the relative displacement between two rotating shafts has useful applications in the areas of industrial machinery, aerospace, electrical power generation and transportation.
There is a current unmet need for a device that prevents hysteresis between two non-coaxial rotating shafts. Additionally, there is a current unmet need for a eccentricity compensator to prevent hysteresis in a steering wheel column torque sensor.
It is a feature of the invention to provide a eccentricity compensator that prevents wear induced rotational displacement that is mounted between two rotating shafts that have non-coaxial axes of rotation.
Yet, another feature of the invention is to provide a eccentricity compensator for preventing hysteresis between a first and a second rotating shaft that are joined by a torsion bar. The eccentricity compensator includes a first ring attached to the first shaft and a second ring located adjacent the first ring. A third ring is attached to the second shaft and the third ring is located adjacent the second ring. At least one pin-slot pair is located between any two of the first, second or third rings. A spring is mounted adjacent the pin-slot pair. The spring biases the pin-slot pair such that hysteresis is prevented. The springs and slots are arranged in such a way that wear of the pins in the slots does not result in drift.
The invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention.