This invention is directed generally to harvester reels and specifically to a cam operated rotating reel with improved means thereon for selective lateral adjustment of the tine bars relative to their support bearings.
Certain types of crop harvesters employ a rotating reel at the forward end of the header to feed material into a mower and to rake the severed material rearwardly into conditioning rolls, or other crop manipulating mechanisms. The reel generally includes crop engaging fingers, or tines, affixed to elongate circumferentially spaced tine bars which are journalled in two or more laterally spaced support members fixed to the reel axis. Usually, though not necessarily always, the support members are spiders, with the tine bars journalled in each leg thereof. The attitude of the tines is controlled by a cam means which rocks the tine bars through a predetermined angle as the reel rotates.
The type of reel to which the instant invention is most applicable is well known in the prior art as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,008. Though intermediate supports may be used as required, the drawings of this patent show two laterally spaced spiders fixed to a common axis. Each leg of each spider terminates radially with a horizontally disposed bearing held in position by a bearing housing. Horizontal elongate tine bars extend through the aligned bearings in the spiders and are freely rotatable therein. Each tine bar carries a multiplicity of horizontally spaced tines fixed thereto for engagement with the crop material. An arm and cam follower is fixed to one end of each tine bar to be engaged with a channel-shaped closed loop cam on the interior surface of the reel housing.
As is common in reels of the type under consideration, the cam is constructed such that the tine bars, and thus the tines, rotate less than 360.degree. relative to the support bearings as the reel rotates 360.degree.. This relative rotation is advantageous in that it pulls the crops across the cutter bar in a continuous manner and provides improved feeding characteristics into the auger, or the nip of the conditioning rollers.
The cam structure, as readily seen in above-mentioned patent, comprises horizontal opposing camming surfaces forming a side opening into which the cam follower, or roller, is inserted. It should be readily apparent that integration of the reel structure into the housing is facilitated by some means for lateral adjustment of the tine bars relative to the support bearings. More specifically, during assembly lateral adjustment of the tine bars is necessary to ensure proper alignment between the cam follower and the cam surfaces. The means employed to make this adjustment must not interfere with the rotational characteristics of the tine bar relative to the bearings, but yet must be capable of selectively rigidly fixing its lateral location.
The prior art has employed various devices to accomplish the above-described adjustability. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,750 shows a pair of washer-like collars located on the tine bar and fixed thereto by set screws. Furthermore, each collar has one surface thereof engaged with a support bearing housing, thus maintaining a fixed distance between spiders. Besides the multiplicity of elements and the increased likelihood of misadjustment inherent therewith, such an arrangement adds an undesirable degree of complexity to the assembly operation.
Another prior art method of making the adjustment is to use a clamp which straddles the tine bar support bearing and the end of the spider and grips the bar on both sides thereof. The tine bar is laterally adjusted by loosening the clamp and sliding the bar endwise to its desired position and then retightening the clamp. Though effective, the adjustment clamp is exposed to crop materials and debris, and is thus potentially easily jammed. If the clamp cannot rotate about the end of the spider, the tine bar will also not be able to rotate and function properly.
Other methods employed in the prior art use various combinations of washers and cotter pins to, at best, provide inconvenient and awkward adjustment of the tine bar. The invention to be described in detail below is to a unique adjusting device which exhibits none of the shortcomings of the known prior art.


Conveyors are used in a number of applications to convey articles from a first point to a second point. Some common conveyor types include roller conveyors, which are typically comprised of a plurality of motorized and non-motorized rollers, and belt conveyors, which include belts that are driven by one or more motorized rollers. The conveyor may be controlled by a single centralized controller, or may be divided into multiple sections, or zones that are each controlled by a separate controller. In either case, the one or more controllers generally control the conveyor system by selectively activating motorized rollers or motors that operate the belt of the conveyor to move an article along the conveyor. In conventional conveyor controllers, the controller may also determine whether an article is being conveyed based on signals from presence sensors configured to detect the presence of an article on the conveyor, such as photo-eye sensors.
Motorized Drive Roller (MDR) conveyor systems use conveyor rollers that are driven by electric motors to move articles along the conveyor route. These types of conveyor systems typically include multiple independently controlled zones, with each zone having a single motor and an article presence sensor operatively coupled to a zone controller. The rollers of a zone are typically coupled to the driven roller so that the rollers operate in concert to selectively move an article through the zone in response to activation signals from the zone controller. The zone controller may be operatively coupled to adjacent zone controllers so that activation of the zone can be coordinated with the movement of articles upstream and downstream of the zone. A conveyor system may be implemented by arranging a plurality of these zones sequentially so that articles are transported in the conveying direction. These zones may include straight sections, curved sections, diverting sections, and merging sections so that articles may be received from and discharge to multiple locations. The modular characteristics of MDR conveyor zones facilitate reconfiguring conveyor systems by adding, removing, and reconfiguring zones within an existing conveyor system. An existing MDR conveyor system can thereby be changed and expanded as the needs of the conveyor operator evolve.
To achieve efficient conveyance of articles, a conveyor system should convey articles with short intervals, or gaps, between articles. Short spacing intervals increase article traffic density, and thus conveyor system throughput for a given conveyor operating speed. Short spacing intervals also reduce the overall length required in accumulation conveyor systems for a given article accumulation capacity. However, in order to prevent articles from colliding and/or being delivered to the wrong destination, conventional modular conveyor systems limit the number of articles to one per zone. Achieving short spacing intervals in a modular conveyor system using conventional zone controllers therefore requires short zones. This short zone requirement can significantly drive up costs of conveyor systems that have long spans or that accumulate large numbers of articles due to the large number of zones required to span the length of the conveyor system.
Consequently, there is a continuing need for improved methods and systems for modular conveyor control that reduce the cost of implementing modular conveyor systems, and that maintain or increase efficiency and throughput of modular conveyor systems.


1. Technical Field
The present invention relates broadly to improvements in tactile sensing of acoustic and audio signal for hearing impaired persons. The invention has particular, although not exclusive, utility in enhancing the ability of hearing impaired persons to enjoy the audio portion of television signals.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Tactile devices for the deaf have been studied for approximately sixty years, and within the last eight years have been produced as commercial items. The essential concept embodied in all of these devices is to convert sound signals into vibrations that can be felt on the skin via the tactile sense. Naturally enough, the greatest emphasis has been on the ability to recognize speech sounds, although the practical value of recognizing various background sounds, such as bells, footsteps and so on, are also well appreciated. Since the tactile sensory system is unable to perceive vibrations much above 800 to 1000 Hz, and since significant input from signals to at least 4000 Hz is required to impart important speech data, a significant portion of the research and development work in this field has addressed methods for processing sound signals such that information from the higher frequencies can be transmitted to a user. Virtually all work in the field has focused on wearable devices which can be used on a more or less continuous basis; accordingly, a further constraint has been that the methods chosen result in small, cosmetically acceptable designs. Using these guidelines, the kinds of systems that have evolved all use small skin transducers, worn either on the wrist, chest or around the back of the neck. While it is well known that placing the transducers somewhere on a hand yields very good perceptual results, these locations are avoided for reasons relating to utility. Typically these transducers are resonant at a single frequency, usually 250 Hz as this is the most sensitive frequency for the tactile sense, and processing methods are employed that encode the desired signals at this rate. In the more advanced systems a number of such transducers are used, each being assigned to a different portion of the acoustic frequency band and worn at a respective position on the skin. Thus, in these systems, the incoming sound signal is separated by a processor into spectral segments, each segment being represented at a respective location on the skin as a 250 Hz signal with a varying time envelop and intensity according to the spectral content of the original signal.
The most advanced of these so-called "multiple channel" tactile devices currently available use seven such transducers arranged side by side with channels divided to cover the sound frequency range from 200 Hz to 7000 Hz, divisions being selected according to data on vowel frequencies commonly known in the speech discipline. The processing arrangement permits no more than two transducers to be actuated at the same time. It has been found that this method is desirable both to provide clarity of perception and to conserve battery life.
The reason for using resonant transducers is that they are more efficient than wideband transducers, at least as regards presently available technology. This, in turn, allows compact battery supplies to provide reasonably long operation with attendant cosmetic acceptability, but only at the cost described below.
It has been recognized that wideband transducers allow more easily perceived patterns with richer information content to be applied to the skin. In particular there are certain sound information components, notably voicing data in speech and attack waveform data in music, that are better represented by direct presentation of the unprocessed signals for the lower frequency range of the incident sound signal. This is true for that portion of these signals lying between about 50 Hz to 800 Hz; frequencies above this tend to be so dimly perceived by the tactile sense that there is little if any information communicated without some kind of encoding being used, such as the transducer location encoding described above.
It may be that improved perception could be obtained with a hybrid system using a similar multiple channel scheme wherein the lower frequency channels use no encoding, being excited directly by the lower spectral portion of the original sound signal, and only the upper band spectral components are encoded as described above. However, the technical methods for obtaining such a system in wearable form are not currently available in a configuration that also meets cosmetic requirements.
On the other hand, if one relaxes the cosmetic requirements, as would be appropriate for the intended uses of the present invention, then broadband transducers such as loudspeakers or small motors, as described hereinbelow, provide a means for supplying the desired direct tactile representations of lower frequency sounds.
In order to provide a frame of reference, it is desirable to note the specifics of the narrowband transducers currently used in the tactile field. A typical unit is approximately one inch long by 0.5 inch thick by 0.7 inch wide and weighs about seven grams. Its low weight and flat configuration is appropriate for the usual methods of mounting. Since all signals applied to such a transducer are encoded at a single frequency, typically 250 Hz, requirements for bandwidth are only related to the required response time. A well designed unit follows waveform changes at better than a 20 msec rate, adequate for virtually all speech sounds and all environmental sounds of interest. For such a device a typical peak driving energy to obtain maximum perceptual feel is on the order of 350 mw. It has been found over a period of years of actual use that the average duty cycle for these kinds of systems is on the order of 0.2. Accordingly, for a wearable system using one such transducer, the expended energy/hour is on the average about 70 mwatt-hours. A typical rechargeable battery pack used to power these devices, constrained in size according to the usual cosmetic considerations, stores about 1600 mwatt-hours. Hence, as is verified in many thousands of hours of actual use, a system using one such transducer will operate, on the average, for about twenty-three hours between charges. Generally, the decrease in hours of operation between charges does not follow linearly with an increasing number of transducers because, depending on design parameters, it is not true that all transducers in a system have the same duty cycle. For the seven channel device mentioned previously, where only two transducers at most are activated simultaneously, the time of operation between charges is approximately 15 hours.
In contrast, a typical mass-produced small motor requires about 1.5 watts in the application mode described herein to elicit the same perceptual intensity; it weighs about forty grams and has a cylindrical configuration typically on the order of one inch in diameter and one inch in length. It is clear that neither the configuration nor the power requirements lend themselves to application in a wearable form and that the weight also mitigates against this use. However, for a hand-held or hand-contact application in which larger size is allowable and hence a larger space can be allocated for the battery pack, the use of such small motors is not precluded. If loudspeakers are utilized, they require only 350 mw to achieve the same level drive for the applications described herein; however the loudspeakers are typically even larger and heavier than the small motors. Again, for hand-held or hand-contact applications this larger size and weight is not objectionable.
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present invention is intended to teach the use of small mass-produced motors or loudspeakers in tactile transducers for the deaf and hearing impaired in those applications where large size and low efficiencies, as compared to the usual tactile transducers, are not serious detriments. In particular, but not exclusively, this would apply to transducing television audio signals whether or not accompanied by captioning.
The present invention has particular, but not exclusive, utility in conjunction with television programming incorporating closed captioning or similar techniques employed to provide titling on the video screen to represent spoken words in the audio signal. The closed captioning titling technique is described and defined in Report No. E-7709-C, revised May 1980, by the Public Broadcasting Service. The disclosure in that report is expressly incorporated herein. Typically, a closed captioning decoder processes the closed captioning signal that is included in line twenty-one of the NTSC video signal. Decoding results in titling that is overlayed on the television screen, the titling content corresponding to speech in the audio portion of the received television signal. The present invention, by providing a low cost wideband transducer that can be used in conjunction with closed captioning, not only enhances appreciation of television programs for hearing impaired persons; it also permits such persons to be trained in the use of the transducers since the speech signals being tactually transduced are simultaneously viewed as titling on the television screen.


The present disclosure relates generally to digital imaging devices and, more particularly, to systems and method for processing image data obtained using an image sensor of a digital imaging device.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In recent years, digital imaging devices have become increasing popular due, at least in part, to such devices becoming more and more affordable for the average consumer. Further, in addition to a number of stand-alone digital cameras currently available on the market, it is not uncommon for digital imaging devices to be integrated as part of another electronic device, such as a desktop or notebook computer, a cellular phone, or a portable media player.
To acquire image data, most digital imaging devices include an image sensor that provides a number of light-detecting elements (e.g., photodetectors) configured to convert light detected by the image sensor into an electrical signal. An image sensor may also include a color filter array that filters light captured by the image sensor to capture color information. The image data captured by the image sensor may then be processed by an image processing pipeline, which may apply a number of various image processing operations to the image data to generate a full color image that may be displayed for viewing on a display device, such as a monitor.
While conventional image processing techniques generally aim to produce a viewable image that is both objectively and subjectively pleasing to a viewer, such conventional techniques may not adequately address errors and/or distortions in the image data introduced by the imaging device and/or the image sensor. For instance, defective pixels on the image sensor, which may be due to manufacturing defects or operational failure, may fail to sense light levels accurately and, if not corrected, may manifest as artifacts appearing in the resulting processed image. Additionally, light intensity fall-off at the edges of the image sensor, which may be due to imperfections in the manufacture of the lens, may adversely affect characterization measurements and may result in an image in which the overall light intensity is non-uniform. The image processing pipeline may also perform one or more processes to sharpen the image. Conventional sharpening techniques, however, may not adequately account for existing noise in the image signal, or may be unable to distinguish the noise from edges and textured areas in the image. In such instances, conventional sharpening techniques may actually increase the appearance of noise in the image, which is generally undesirable. Further, various additional image processing steps, some of which may rely on image statistics collected by a statistics collection engine, may also be performed.
Another image processing operation that may be applied to the image data captured by the image sensor is a demosaicing operation. Because the color filter array generally provides color data at one wavelength per sensor pixel, a full set of color data is generally interpolated for each color channel in order to reproduce a full color image (e.g., RGB image). Conventional demosaicing techniques generally interpolate values for the missing color data in a horizontal or a vertical direction, generally depending on some type of fixed threshold. However, such conventional demosaicing techniques may not adequately account for the locations and direction of edges within the image, which may result in edge artifacts, such as aliasing, checkerboard artifacts, or rainbow artifacts, being introduced into the full color image, particularly along diagonal edges within the image.
Accordingly, various considerations should be addressed when processing a digital image obtained with a digital camera or other imaging device in order to improve the appearance of the resulting image. In particular, certain aspects of the disclosure below may address one or more of the drawbacks briefly mentioned above.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a TONG BEARING and in particular, to a machinable TONG BEARING that may be reconditioned for multiple uses and an extended useful life.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tong systems are utilized in the oil well industry for attaching to and tightening various types of rods and tubing. Such tongs are utilized with a backup system that holds one element while a second element is gripped by the tong and rotated to connect and disconnect the two elements.
A typical tong includes a housing around a gripping portion of the tong, with a gripping portion being driven and rotating relative to the housing. Conventional tongs utilize a series of bearing elements to facilitate rotational movement with less friction and wear. Such rollers, ball bearings or other conventional bearings are subject to the harsh conditions encountered at a well or drilling site. Therefore, such single use conventional bearings are subject to wear and/or failure, requiring frequent replacement. Moreover, in order to ensure smooth and continuous operation, multiple bearings are required at multiple positions spaced apart on both the top and bottom of the tong housing around the gripping assembly. The maintenance and replacement of the large number of bearings is both time consuming and expensive. Moreover, the maintenance required and high rate of failure can cause extended down time for the tong, affecting reliability, causing additional delays and adding to operational costs.
It can be seen then that a new and improved bearing system is needed for tongs. Such a bearing system should eliminate the large number of bearings and small parts currently needed. Moreover, the bearing system should provide for greater reliability and less down time. Such a bearing should be easily removed and interchanged with other bearings. Moreover, the utility of such a bearing is improved if a bearing element can be reconditioned and used again. The present invention addresses these as well as other problems associated with tong bearings.


In computer graphics, traditionally colors are represented using a combination of primary colors. For example, in the RGB color space, the colors Red, Green and Blue are blended together to get a range of colors. In order to manipulate images in the RGB color space, scripting languages are designed to allow the users to create scripts that describe image-processing operations at a high level. For example, a script can be written to handle transition between two video clips or between one video clip and one still video. The scripts do not necessarily work only with transitions. They may also be written to work with single source clips. For example, a script that takes an existing clip of video and drop colors on it. The scripts may also be “generators” which have no inputs but create an output.
Final Cut Pro (FCP) is a movie editing and creating software produced by Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. (“Apple”). It includes a scripting engine. The FCP scripting engine allows users to write scripts which perform various image manipulations, ranging from basic operations such as “blend” “channelfill” and “multiplyChannels” to more complex operations such as “levelmap” and “colorkey.” Of course, most scripts combine more than one of these operations to build interesting effects or transitions.
These functions operate on one or more images. Consider these examples. “Channelfill” fills in one or more color channels of a destination buffer with the color values passed to it. “Levelmap” applies a lookup-table to one or more channels of “source” and puts the results of the lookup into “destination”. “Blend” blends “source 1” and “source 2” together into “destination”, based on a ratio passed in. These scripting engine commands, or sometimes referred to as image processing calls or functions, were shipped with many other commands in version 1.0 of FCP from Apple. In addition, there are many scripts written by the users of FCP.
In the past, it was assumed that the scripts were written to operate in the RGB color space, 8 bits per color component, and the scripting engine only performed the image processing in the RGB color space.


There are different solutions for the production of energy from sea waves, for example, solutions based on wave height, wave movement, etc. The present invention utilizes both the wave length and the wave width by the forward wave motion, the backward wave motion and the force of gravity in the most efficient way, something that other proposed solutions do not.
The following are examples of the innovation inherent in the present invention as compared with the patents enumerated below, both from the point of view of the operating principle and structure, and from the point of view of energy considerations—allowing greater energy to be attained and produced.    1. (i) U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,630 utilizes only the width of the wave and not the length thereof.            In this patent there is disclosed a system consisting of number of units provided with paddles for each section of wave width. At the bottom of each paddle there are plates. The plates are spaced laterally one from another relative to the direction of wave movement (FIG. 1, the patent top view, shows it). Each paddle activates a pump. In this way, the wave power is not sufficiently utilized because after the wave strikes the paddle and leaves it, it continues to advance and is not longer in contact with the paddle, In FIG. 1, part of the 30 hits the plate 44, leaves the paddle and the wave's part continues to move without utilized its power any more. Other parts of the wave 30 hit the plates 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56, each one wave's part hits only one plate and continue to move without utilizing its power any more. Hence, the wave's power is not fully utilized. The system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,630 utilizes variations in sea level. For this purpose it is provided with a dedicated subsystem, including a set of separates pumps. Due to this provision the whole system is complicated, as it requires additional control means for coordination of the paddle disposition with the variation in sea level. Furthermore, as the disposition of the paddle is continuously changed and the paddle is not submerged deeply enough to maximally utilize available energy, it is not possible to utilize the energy of those wave's components that move under the wave.
The present invention utilizes:                most efficiently both the length and the width of the wave in the following way:        The lower extremities of the paddles are parallel to the wave width. They are arranged one after other in such a way that from a top view, they are arranged in series. Then, when the wave's part strikes the lower extremity of the first paddle it continues to move, and also strikes the other paddles, until the wave's part is flattened. In this way, the power of the wave is consumed more efficiently so as to get maximum energy from the wave. The energy of the next wave coming after the first wave will be utilized in a similar way.
(ii) U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,630 utilizes:                Only the energy in one direction of each paddle. When a paddle, 66+68+70+82+84 as it is shown in FIGS. 3-7, moves pivotal forward, the piston 124+128 as it is shown in FIG. 8, pushes oil within hydraulic cylinder 130 to give the energy to the generator 196, through 188, 146 and accumulartor 140. The oil comes from hydraulic tank 208 through pipe 210. When the paddle returns backward after the wave leaves the paddle, the piston 124+128 returns back and presses some air and/or oil, if desired back to the tank 208 through inlet pipe 212. The accumulator 140 does not get oil and the generator 196 does not get energy. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,630 has a one direction piston. The patent uses the paddle energy in one direction, the patent does not utilize the paddle's energy.
The present invention utilizes:                The whole paddle energy. The invention has for each paddle, a bi-directional piston. When a paddle move forward with the wave, the piston inside the hydraulic cylinder, pushes oil to the first accumulator, after the wave leave the paddle, it returns backward and the same piston pushes oil to the second accumulator. The two accumulators send the oil throgh pipes to an hydraulic engine that rotates a generator. The present invention receive energy from both paddle pivotal forward motion and paddle pivotal backward motion.            2. (i) PCT/IL99/00258 or AU PP8932 or GB9800394.0 patent requests (they are the same requests), (hereinafter: “PCT/IL99/00258 patent requests”) show in the application—page 5 paragraphs 4,6, and 7, that the invention has one rod with two pistons with two hydraulic cylinders, both of them send the oil to one accumulator. It is theoretical, in reality the only way that an accumulator can be filled by hydraulic cylinders is, one by one. The hydraulic cylinders above the paddle rod operate one by one and the hydraulic cylinders below the paddle rod operate one by one also, but all the hydraulic cylinders, above and below paddle rod, don't operate one by one. In this way the accumulator can't be filled and work properly. The PCT/IL99/00258 patent requests can be used only to produce energy up to the accumulator. The accumulator should send oil to hydraulic engine that operates the generator. The PCT/IL99/00258 patent requests can't make progress from the accumulator to the generator, because the accumulator does not work. The PCT/IL99/00258 patent requests not can work and produce energy because it uses one accumulator.
In the present invention, there are two accumulators (it is shown below in FIG. 4). All pistons oil exit in the first direction, fill the first accumulator with oil one by one, when the paddles move forward, and all pistons oil exit in the second direction, fill the second accumulator with oil one by one when the paddles move backward. This invention can be used to produce electric energy with two accumulators that send the oil to hydraulic engine that rotates the generator.
(ii) PCT/IL99/00258 patent request claims don't say that in backward paddle unit motion the energy is utilized, i.e. after a wave leave the paddle's plate and the paddle falls pivoting with its gravitation and the backward wave's power, this paddle energy is not utilized. The only energy that is utilized is the energy of a wave that hits the paddle's plates. The gravitation energy of each paddle and the backward wave's energy aren't utilized.
The present invention shows in claim 1, that either, in forward paddle unit motion, the paddle's energy is accepted and consumed and, in backward paddle unit motion, the paddle's energy is accepted and consumed.
The present invention utilizes:                The whole paddle energy. The invention has a bi-directional piston for each paddle. When a paddle move forward with the wave, the piston inside the hydraulic cylinder, pushes oil to the first accumulator, after the wave leaves the paddle, it returns backward and the same piston pushes oil to the second accumulator. The two accumulators send the oil through pipes to an hydraulic engine that rotates a generator. The present invention receives energy from both motions: paddle pivotal forward motion and paddle pivotal backward motion.
The present invention produces energy in the most efficient way, and the invention's technology is better than PCT/IL99/00258.    3 (i) PCT/IL01/00271 patent request shows in their application different method and different drawings than the present invention, as explained in the PCT/IL01/00271 International Preliminary Examination Report patent request, Item I, in which the FIG. 1-FIG. 6 are the present invention.
The following is Item I in the above PCT/IL01/00271 report:                “The present examination authority considers that the amendments files with the letter dated Jun. 17, 2002 (received on Oct. 21, 2002) introduce subject-matter which extends beyond the content of the application as originally filed, contrary to Article 34(2)(b) PCT. The amendments concerned are the following:
With the above-mentioned letter the application has amended the drawing FIGS. 1 and 2 on drawings page 1/6, and has introduced the drawings FIG. 5 on drawings page 4/6 and drawing FIG. 6 on drawing page 5/6. The amended “connections” in FIGS. 1 and 2, as well the two additional drawings FIGS. 5 and 6 where not contained in the drawings pages 1/5-5/5 as originally filed.
It is not apparent how the amended “connections” in FIGS. 1 and 2, or the additional FIGS. 5 and 6 are directly and unambiguously derivable from the content of the application as originally filed. Although the respective structural arrangement shown in said FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6 may indeed not be excluded from the original subject-matter, it remains that it is not explicitly indicated in the application as originally filed that said respective structural arrangement of FIGS. 5 and 6 necessarily has to be realized in order to perform the claimed invention, or how/why the original “side-to-side connection” of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be superseded by a “bottom-to-bottom connection”.
Hence, the amendments in FIGS. 1 and 2, as well as the additional FIGS. 5 and 6 implicitly introduce subject-matter which extends beyond the content of the application as originally filed, contrary to the requirements of Article 34(2)(b) PCT.
As foreseen by rule 70.2(c) PCT, this international preliminary examination report is being established as if the above mentioned amendments and additional had not been made. Hence, it is theoretically assumed for the rest of this report that the drawings figures on files are those shown on drawing page 1/5-5/5 as originally filed. Similarly, the description parts related to the amendments and additions in the drawings are considers not to have made.
Form PCT/Separate Sheet/409 (Sheet 1) (EPO-April 1997)”
While the connection of the rod 3 is to the side of 14 as in PCT/IL01/00271 patent request and a wave arrives and hits there is an energy loss that comes from the momentum of the 14 side distance multiply by the paddle's weight. When the plant is large each of the paddles have a big weight, which bring to a high momentum with high energy loss.
Following the PCT/IL01/00271 International Preliminary Examination Report, I was forces to ask the PCT patent request for the present invention with the new FIGS. 1 and 2 that I sent to the PCT/IL01/00271. The figures were not published because the PCT/IL01/00271 International Preliminary Examination Report was not published. In addition: please note to the 3rd paragraph above this paragraph, from the words: “As foreseen by rule 70.2(c) PCT” till the words: “the drawings are considers not to have made.”
This invention bottom-to-bottom connection brings an essential change with high advantage, that the plant energy production is higher than PCT/IL01/00271 patent request.
(ii) The PCT/IL01/00271 patent request uses, in each one of the paddle unit, as it is written in its claim 1, only one crankshaft mechanism and it can be applied only to very small waves. It can be applied for high waves. When a high wave, (e.g. 5 meters wave height, etc. ) arrives, it hits the paddle plates with high force and one crankshaft mechanism, which is the piston 1 in the present invention drawings, should be very large and the piston size is not realistic piston to be operated.
The piston's area is calculated according to the following formula:                The piston area=(The wave's force)/(The pressure in the hydraulic system). Since the piston size is so large and not realistic, the plant must have at least two piston to that each one of the two (for example two) pistons' area is half size of the original one piston and only by splitting the one piston to at least two pistons, the plant can work. The present invention using at least two crankshaft mechanisms, as it is written in the present invention claim 1, which can be applied for high waves that bring high power for high plant electric energy production.
Each one of the above two alterations in respect of PCT/IL01/00271 patent request is an essential alteration. According the above 1st alteration the, the present invention plant energy production is much more than in PCT/IL01/00271 patent request, and according to the 2nd alteration, the present invention can work and produce energy with high and low waves, while PCT/IL01/00271 patent request can work only with low waves.
The present invention produces energy in the most efficient way, and the invention's technology is better than PCT/IL011/00271 patent request.    4. (i) Patent GB 384603A and Patent JP 57081168 have one crankshaft mechanism for the whole paddles.
The energy consideration is:                The power of each wave is known on the basis of the wave's height and width. The wave strikes the first paddle, the second paddle, the third paddle and so forth, until the wave completely flattens, and then the next wave comes along. Just like an accumulator that is depleted, so the system takes all the power minus losses.
In General:
  Power  =            Energy      Time        =                  The                                                            plant          '                        s                                                  power            =                                                                  The                                                                                total                                                                                energies                                                                                of                                                                                all                                                                                paddles                                                                                situated                                                                                in                                                                                series                                                                                between                                                                                two                                                                                waves                                                              Time                                                              between                                                              two                                                              waves
The mathematical principle of calculating the wattage:
P—The power as calculated according to its height and breadth.
μ—Paddle efficiency.
Number ofWave power before the NthPaddles - NPaddlePaddle Power1PP * μ2P − P * μ(P − P * μ) * μ3(P − P * μ) − (P − P * μ) * μ =P(1 − μ)2 * μP(1 − μ)2.........P - The power as calculated according to its height and breadth.μ - Paddle efficiency.
Thus, the series continues, so that the greater the number of paddles, the greater the system power, up to the maximum P.
The rod that links the last paddle to the crankshaft mechanism in Patent GB 384603A and Patent JP 57081168 is extremely big and long because of the long distance between two waves.
In order to obtain maximum power, it is necessary to provide at least 15 paddles. When the waves are 2 meters to 5 meters height, the distance between two waves is 50-100 meters, so that said rod must also be 50-100 meters!
Because such a great rod length is required, the profile of the rod proposed in GB 384603A or in Patent JP 57081168 is extremely thick and large, so that it should not bend under the force of the waves, and quite impractical.
Because of the weight of the rod proposed in GB 384603A or in Patent JP 57081168, and the slow wave speed prevailing under said conditions, it is not possible to attain the minimum speed of 500 rpm required to rotate the flywheel of the oil pump (linked to the accumulator that drives an oil engine, which in turn drives a generator and produces the electric energy).
Thus, it should be emphasized, that the arrangements proposed in GB 384603A or in Patent JP 57081168 are completely impractical where waves higher than 2 meters are concerned.
Thus, Patent GB 384603A and Patent JP 57081168 are only applicable when Waves are small and the distance between two waves is short. Where higher waves are concerned, the entire plant proposed by GB 384603 A or by Patent JP 57081168 become dysfunctional and cannot be used.
The present invention has a crankshaft mechanism for each paddle unit, without used a rod to link among the paddles. Each paddle unit is operated independently.
The present invention is equally practicable for both small and large waves and can be used to obtain high power capacities under both sea conditions, and this is the technological innovation of my patent application over the patents: GB 384603A and JP 57081168.
The present invention shows below in claim 1 (the main claim ), that it incorporates the features referring to crankshaft mechanism and a piston and also to providing each of the paddle units with a dedicated crankshaft mechanism to show the difference in patents GB 384603A and JP 57081168 in which the whole plate has one crankshaft mechanism.
(ii) Patent GB 384603A and Patent JP 57081168 don't utilize the energy of backward paddle unit motion, after a wave leaves the paddle's plate and the paddle falls pivoting with its gravitation and the backward wave's power, this paddle energy is not utilized. The only energy that is utilized is the energy of a wave that hits the paddle's plates. The gravitation energy of each paddle and the backward wave's power, aren't utilized.
The present invention utilizes the whole paddle energy.                The invention has a Two-Direction piston for each paddle. When a paddle moves forward with the wave, the piston inside the hydraulic cylinder pushes oil to the first accumulator, after the wave leaves the paddle, it returns backward and the same piston pushes oil to the second accumulator. The two accumulators send the oil through pipes to an hydraulic engine that rotates a generator. The present invention receives energy from both motions: paddle pivotal forward motion and paddle pivotal backward motion.
The present invention shows in claim 1 that either, in forward paddle unit motion, the paddle's energy is accepted and consumed and, in backward paddle unit motion, the paddle's energy is accepted and consumed. This is the second technological innovation of my patent application over patents: GB 384603A and JP 57081168.    5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,359 describes a marine energy converter system based on utilization of differences in sea level which it converts into linear movement only of piston 21 which moves within its casing 17. The casing 17 is rigidly connected with pole 3 which is anchored at the bottom of the sea. The above converter can only exploit linear monement, and does not make it possible to exploit the dynamic energy of the sea waves. The above converter is equipped with a floating system piston. The piston is connected to a float 41 and this enables the linear movement of the piston within the piston casing. As a result the piston, within its casing, by virtue of the rising level of water, requires very little force to rise. However, since energy is always a product of force multiplied by distance, the resultant energy is very small as a consequence of the small amount of force exerted.
The present invention, however, is based on a different principle, i.e., the exploitation of the dynamic energy of sea waves, which give rise to pivotal movement of the paddles rather than their elevation. The pivotal movement is subsequently converted into linear movement of the piston by means of a crankshaft mechanism 32,40. The piston rises within the casing with relatively great force and the energy produced is thus greater.
Thanks to the structure of the system according to the present invention, it is possible to utilize waves regardless of the height of the wave itself.
Both from the point of view of the present invention's operating principle and from the point of view of its particular structure, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,359 energy converter is not similar to the present invention.    6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,249 describes a hydroelectric system, which utilizes the movement of the waves and converts them into circular movement. Said system includes a turbine 22 whose vanes are moved by the moving wave. The turbine wheel is connected to equipment for the generation of electrical energy.
The present invention, by comparison, does not convey circular energy, but rather utilizes the axial movement of the paddles to move the piston in a linear motion.
As in the previous case, the above U.S. patent does not void the innovation or the innovation of the present invention, neither in principle nor from the point of view of the structure of the above-described patent.
It may also be noted, that the utilization of wave energy in order to create circular energy along, is inferior to the creation of linear motion, on the following counts:
In order to achieve better that 90% utilization, for example, a pump activated through circular energy must rotate as speeds of 500-5000 rpm. Below 500 rpm, the efficiency rate is abruptly reduced to about 40%. In order to attain such high speeds, when the wave movement is relatively low, it is necessary to provide additional transmission by means of a few pairs of cog-wheels, thus creating losses in the system. Moreover, if we introduce a number of pairs of cog-wheels, then the total efficiency of the system is reduced, and the energy produced is thus far lower. The cost of the system too, is increased through the provision of may pairs of additional cogwheels.
However, when the piston moves in a linear motion, the immediate efficiency of the system is at least 90% and a linear pump is not limited by any constraints.    7. U.S. Pat. No. 53,311,064 describes a system for generating energy from the movement of sea waves, based on a similar principle to that of the above described hydro-electric system, i.e., the use of a turbine which is rotated by the flow of water. The circular movement is conveyed to the energy generating mechanism by means of a transmission mechanism.
All the above given explanations regarding the hydro-electric system according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,249, are also valid in this case, both as regards circular motion versus linear motion and the differing structure.    8. Fr Patent 501795 described a system for generating energy from the movement of sea waves.
(i) The system has one paddle. The low extremity of the paddle's plate is a buoy that moves vertically up and down when the wave reaches the plate. The paddle receives only the height energy from the wave.
When a wave hits a paddle, the paddle goes up in pivotal movement. In this way, each paddle receives energies from: a. the wave height energy which is, potential energy plus b. the wave movement energy, which is kinetic energy. The present invention receives from each paddle much more energy in comparison to the above Fr Patent 501795.
(ii) The present invention has at least two paddles. The Fr Patent 501795 has one paddle. The advantage of the present invention from this reason is the same as explained in 2(i) above as regards towards U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,630.    9. JP patent 006750 converters can only exploit linear movement, and does not make it possible to exploit the dynamic energy of the sea waves. The hydraulic cylinders 2 and 2a, are pistons connected to a float 1 and this enables the linear movement of the pistons within the piston casing. As a result the pistons within the casing, by virtue of the rising level of water, require very little force to rice. However, since energy is always a product of force multiplied by distance, the resultant energy is very small as a consequence of the small amount of force exerted.
The present invention, however, is based on a different principle, i.e., the exploitation of the dynamic energy of sea waves, which give rise to pivotal movement of the paddles rather than their elevation. The pivotal movement is subsequently converted into linear movement of the bi-directional piston by means of a crankshaft mechanism 32, 40. The piston rises within the casing with relatively great force and while the energy produced is a product of force multiplied by distance, the resultant energy is higher as a consequence of the high amount of force exerted. Thus the energy produced according to this system is greater then JP patent 006750.    10. U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,621 described a system for generating energy with two hydraulic motors, one hydraulic motor 121a, for low waves and one hydraulic motor 121b for high waves with very complicated system. When the oil pressure PLa>PLb then first hydraulic motor 121a works and when the oil pressure PLa<PLb, the second hydraulic motor works. The present invention works with all kinds of oil pressure with the same hydraulic motor. If for example, the present invention works with a system of three hydraulic motors, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,621 requires 6 hydraulic motors: three for law waves plus three for high waves, which is very expensive and with very complicated system. The present invention is more economical and much simpler than U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,621.    11. U.S. Pat. No. 1,960,622 generate energy does not establish optimum distance of the paddle heights, to make plan maximum energy production, since the rod 20 and the plate 25 move upwards or downwards synchronously, automatically, but not supervised as described in the present invention, with the movement of the sea level at tide time.            The paddles' system according to the present invention stays in the optimum fixed position even when the sea water continues to move upwards and downwards with the tide to create the plant maximum energy production, while in the U.S. Pat. No. 1,960,622, the rod 20 and the plate 25, move upwards or downwards all the time with the sea water at the tide time.


The present invention relates to a magnetic disc device used in computers, information storage devices and so on, a magnetic storage device used in such information home appliances as digital VTRs, and a magnetic recording, and and, more particularly, to a magnetic recording and reading device suitable for realizing high-speed recording and reading, and for high-density recording.
Semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, etc., are used in the storage or recording devices of information equipment. Semiconductor memories are used in internal primary storage in the light of high-speed accessibility and magnetic memories are used in external secondary storages in the light of a high capacity, low cost and nonvolatile property. Magnetic disk devices, magnetic tapes and magnetic cards are the main current in the magnetic memories. A magnetic recording portion which produces a strong magnetic field is used in order for writing magnetic disks, magnetic tapes or magnetic cards. Further, reading portions based on the magnetoresistance effect or the electromagnetic induction effect are used in reading magnetic information recorded at a high density. In recent years, for reading, the giant magnetoresistance effect and the tunneling magnetoresistive effect have also begun to be examined. These functional portions for recording and reading are both installed in an input-output part which is called a magnetic head.
The basic configuration of a magnetic disk device is shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. FIG. 10A shows a plan view of the device and FIG. 10B shows a vertical-sectional view of the device. Recording media 101-1 to 101-4 are fixed to a hub 104 to be rotated by a motor 100. In FIG. 10B shows one example which comprises four magnetic disks 101-1 to 101-4 and eight magnetic heads 102-1 to 102-8. However, the magnetic disk device may comprise at least one magnetic disk and at least one magnetic head. The magnetic heads 102-1 to 102-8 move on the rotating recording media. The magnetic heads 102-1 to 102-8 are supported by a rotary actuator 103 via arms 105-1 to 105-8. Suspensions 106-1 to 106-8 have function of the pressing the magnetic heads 102 against the recording media 101-1 to 101-4 under a determined load, respectively. A given electric circuit is needed for processing of reproduction signals and for inputting and outputting of information. Recently, a signal processing circuit in which waveform interference at high-density is positively utilized, such as PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood) or EPRML (Extended PRML) which is an enhanced. PRML, has been adopted, contributing greatly to a high-density design. The signal processing circuit is installed in a circuit board on a cover 108, etc.
The functional portion for writing and reading information on a magnetic head assembly is comprises components shown in FIG. 11A, for example. A writing portion 111 is comprised of a spiral coil 116 between magnetic poles 117, 118 which are magnetically connected with each other. The magnetic poles 117, 118 are both composed of a magnetic film pattern, which are made of an NiFe alloy, etc., respectively. The reading portion 112 comprises a magnetoresistance element 113 made of an NiFe alloy, etc. and an electrode 119 for applying a constant current or a constant voltage to the element 113 and for detecting changes in resistance. The magnetic pole 118, which is made of an NiFe alloy, etc. and serves also as a magnetic shielding layer, is provided between the writing and reading portions. There is further a shielding layer 115 underneath the magnetoresistance element 113. A reading resolution is determined by the clearance distance between the shielding layer 115 and the magnetic pole 118 (serving also as another shielding layer). The functional portion is formed on a magnetic head slider 1110 (FIG. 11B) via an underlayer 114 made of Al2O3, etc. Incidentally, the magnetic head slider, which is provided with a protection layer made of hard-carbon, etc. on the surface opposed to the magnetic recording medium, is supported by a gimbal 1111 and a suspension 1113, as shown in FIG. 11B. The magnetic head slider moves relatively to the magnetic recording medium while floating from the medium surface and, after positioning in an arbitrary position by an arm 1114 connected to a motor, realizes the function of writing or reading magnetic information via lead lines 1116 and 1115. With respect to the above function, there is also provided an electric control circuit together with the aforementioned signal processing unit or on the head carriage.
A detailed structure of a recording medium is schematically shown in FIG. 12. As described in JP-A-3-16013, most of the conventionally used recording media are produced by forming a magnetic layer 123 made of a Co—Cr—Ta alloy, or a Co—Cr—Pt alloy, etc. on a non-magnetic substrate made of Al plated with an NiP alloy, a glass, a high-hardness ceramics, a polished Si or the like, or a plastic substrate 121 by the sputtering method, or the evaporation method, or the plating method, etc. Usually, an under layer 122 made of Cr, or a Cr alloy, etc. for orientation control of the magnetic layer is often formed on the substrate. Furthermore, a protection film 124 made of diamond-like carbon containing nitrogen and/or hydrogen, or SiO2 or SiN or ZrO2, etc. is provided to ensure durability of sliding resistance, and a lubricating film 125 made of perfluoro alkyl polyether having an adsorptive or a reactive end group, or organic fatty acids, etc. is provided.
In addition to the magnetic recording device, magneto-optic recording devices that perform recording and reading on a magnetic recording medium through the use of light have also been put to practical use. The magneto-optic recording devices are classified into one type in which recording is performed only by light modulation and another type in which recording and reproduction are performed by light with a modulated magnetic field. However, the both types greatly rely on heat when recording and reading. Therefore, according to such type of devices, it is impossible to perform recording and reading in high data transfer rate and thus they have been adopted mainly in backup systems, etc.
The importance of a storage device is determined by its storage capacity and the speed during inputting-outputting operations. In order to increase competitiveness of products, it is necessary for the storage device to increase capacity by higher recording density, higher rotational speed and higher data transfer rate than those of the prior art. Thus, an important problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a device capable of recording and reading at a high data transfer rate of not less than 50 MB/s and, more preferably, that at a high density of not less than 5 Gb/in2. A magnetic recording medium capable of recording and reading at a high frequency and capable of obtaining a high S/N ratio at a high density and a magnetic head capable of generating a sufficient magnetic recording field at a high frequency are necessary for meeting the requirement.
In conventional magnetic recording media, there have been proposed and actually carried out to reduce noise by refining crystal grains in order to obtain a high S/N ratio at a high density of about 1 to 3 Gb/in2, and by promoting segregation of non-magnetic components at grain boundaries to reduce exchange coupling among crystal grains as being taught in JP-A-63-148411, JP-A-3-16013 and JP-A-63-234407 so as to make the coercive squareness S* to not more than 0.85 and the rotational hysteresis loss RH to the range of 0.4 to 1.3. Noise can be considerably reduced by recording and reading at a data transfer rate of not more than about 20 MB/s. However, when the magnetic recording was carried out on that film media of the prior art at a high frequency of not less than 50 MB/s, thermal fluctuation effects in fine magnetic crystallines is remarkable due to weak exchange coupling among crystal grains and the apparent coercive force is high resulting in that it was impossible to record on it accurately. Furthermore, even when recording is performed under a large current with utilization of a modified recording circuit, etc., the magnetic recording transition region is widened due to a broad magnetic recording field resulting in that noise increases and/or recorded information is lost when it was alowed to stand for a long time.


The combination of solid-state light sources like light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers, with microdisplays like liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS) devices is leading to the development of electronic projectors small enough to be embedded in, for example, the handset of a mobile phone. In such “pico projectors,” small optical engine size and high optical efficiency are especially important. Achieving size and efficiency goals requires new ways of managing polarized light to illuminate and image microdisplay panels. It would increase the efficiency of such optical systems if they could efficiently use unpolarized light to illuminate a display that ordinarily requires polarized light, particularly if this could be accomplished without doubling the étendue of the light source.
It is against this background that the teachings disclosed herein have been developed.


FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art HDD drive amplification writer circuit 100. Generally, the circuit 100 sources large switching currents (from “Iw/X”, 110, 112, 150, 152, wherein “X” is ratio of an input resistor 120, 122 to a sum of output resistors 130, 132) through a resistive load 120, 122 to create the Iw reference voltage into a corresponding impedance match buffer amplifier 115, 117. In the circuit 100, current is sourced or disabled through the various current sources Iw/X, 110, 112, 150, and 152, depending upon whether it is desired to write a “1” or a “0” to a hard drive. In other words, a current can be driven through input resistors 120, 122, in opposite directions, and a voltage associated with the input resistor 120 at DC_P, and the input resistor 122 at DC_N drives inputs of the amplifiers 115, 117.
In the circuit 100, current sources 112, 150, are labeled PHI1 and current sources 110, 152 are labeled PHI2. In the circuit 100, PHI1 switching current 112 and PHI1 switching current 150 would be enabled and PHI2 switching current 110 and PHI2 switching current 152 would be disabled, or alternatively, PHI1 switching current 112 and PHI1 switching current 150 would be disabled and PHI2 switching current 110 and PHI2 switching current 152 would be enabled, whichever was preferred to write a “1” or a “0” between the write nodes 135 and 137.
However, there is a fundamental tradeoff between characteristics of a switching current, provided by current sources Iw/X 110, 112, 150, 152 and a switching speed (i.e. how quickly a transition can occur between a “1” or a “0”) of the preamplifier HDD write circuit 100. In order to achieve a desired switching speed, the resistance of the input resistors 120, 122 was kept small, such as a ratio of four times the sum of the output resistors 130, 132 and the load resistance to drive the output write nodes 135, 137. Consequently, with a gain of only four times to an output write nodes 135, 137 the switching current Iw/X of the current sources 110, 112, 150, 152, then was consequently disadvantageously large to achieve the needed write current magnitude at the output write nodes 135, 137. This is a high power consumption approach. For example, for a 60 milliamp write current, a constant 15 milliwatts is being variously sourced by sources 110, 112, 150, 152. Moreover, these current sources would be switched on or off, depending upon the value desired to be written to the hard drive, which further consumed power and created transients.
Furthermore, even with employing a smaller value of a current Iw/X so as to decrease power consumption, this introduces yet other disadvantages. The resistors 120, 122 need to be larger with smaller currents Iw/X to achieve the same needed write current magnitude at the write output nodes 135, 137. The input resistors 120, 122 create an additional RC pole, along with the parasitic capacitance at a node of DC_P and DC_N, and the capacitance can be large due to large devices and large metal capacitance to support the large switching current. As the input resistors 120, 122, become larger, this RC pole becomes more dominant within the circuit 100 and slows the switching speed.
Yet still further, the switching current is “X” dependent, as the switching current is employed to be gained up/amplified by a ratio of output resistor 130 divided by input resistor 120 and output resistor 132 divided by input resistor 122 to create the output write current. These ratios not only force the switching currents to be large in order to generate a large output write current as discussed above, but also does not allow for slew rate control at the write nodes DC_P, DC_N and hence at write nodes 135, 137. It would be desirable to be able to vary the slew rate at the write nodes 135, 137. However, doing so in this architecture would also vary the output write current, which needs to remain at the same value for all slew rates.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to address at least some of the issues associated with conventional HDD controllers.


Known porous bodies employed for filter materials or catalytic carriers include those consisting of various materials such as resin, metals or ceramics. Among these, a filter or a catalytic carrier consisting of a ceramics material is generally employed in high temperature or strongly corrosive environments which other materials cannot withstand. A filter or a catalytic carrier consisting of oxide ceramics such as alumina (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) has already been put into practice.
As to a porous body consisting of nonoxide ceramics, on the other hand, only small examples have been put into practice while Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 63-291882 discloses a silicon nitride based or silicon carbide based porous body prepared by a heat treatment. Further, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 1-188479 discloses a method of compacting mixed powder of silicon powder and silicon nitride powder of relatively coarse particles and thereafter nitriding the same thereby preparing a porous body as a solid target.
As hereinabove described, it is difficult to use a porous body consisting of resin or a metal in a high temperature or corrosive atmosphere. It is inevitably necessary to employ a porous body made of ceramics for a filter for removing foreign matter from a high-temperature exhaust gas or for a carrier serving as a catalyst for decomposing a harmful matter.
As an example of such porous bodies made of ceramics, porous bodies made of alumina have been put into practice. While the porous bodies of alumina are varied in pore size, porosity and bending strength, a porous body having a porosity of 35 to 40% and a mean pore size of 25 to 130 .mu.m has a bending strength of 20 to 35 MPa, whereby the strength of the porous body is insufficient depending on its use.
In the silicon nitride based porous body disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 63-291882, the porosity is less than 30% and fluid permeability is insufficient. In general, the strength of ceramics tends to be reduced following an increase in the porosity, and it has been extremely difficult to attain compatibility between the porosity and the strength.


The present invention relates to methods for detecting and measuring plasmacytoma cells in a sample.
Plasmacytoma, represented by multiple myeloma, is generally termed a myeloma, and is pathologically divided into multiple myeloma, plasma cell leukemia, solitary plasmacytoma, extramedullary plasmacytoma, smoldering multiple myeloma, or asymptomatic myeloma. All of them are B cell tumors and are characterized by abnormal growth of monoclonal plasma cells (antibody-producing cells). Many of these tumors accumulate in the bone marrow and are diseases of poor prognosis accompanied by systemic bone lesions.
In multiple myeloma, terminally differentiated B cells or plasma cells that produce and secrete immunoglobulins monoclonally increase predominantly in the bone marrow, and thereby monoclonal immunoglobulins (M proteins) or their constituent light chains and/or H chains are detected in the blood and urine. With the aging of the population in recent years, patients with multiple myeloma are growing in number, and the mortality rate has reached 2.1 in 100,000 people in Japan.
The diagnosis of multiple myeloma has been made based on the detection of M proteins and/or bone lesions. These methods, however, required that the number of myeloma cells to be detected amounted to 0.2 to 1.2xc3x971012, systemically, and even for the detection of M proteins, growth of myeloma cells to about 1.2xc3x971010 was required. This rendered the early detection thereof difficult.
Furthermore, since these methods of diagnosis do not always reflect the amount of tumor cells, it was inconveniently impossible to decide effective regimens for treatment. In addition, it was also difficult to differentiate from benign monoclonal immunoglobulinemia in which M proteins are similarly detected, or to diagnose the non-secretory type myeloma in which no M proteins are present.
On the other hand, there have been attempts to diagnose myeloma using antibodies that recognize antigen on the cell membrane of plasma cells. These antibodies include such monoclonal antibodies as anti-PCA-1 (Anderson, K. C. et al., J. Immunol. (1983) 130, 1132), anti-PC-1 (Anderson, K. C. et al., J. Immunol. (1983) 132, 3172), anti-MM4 (Tong, A. W. et al., Blood (1987) 69, 238), anti-CD38 (Epstein, J. et al., N. Eng. J. Med. (1990) 322, 664, Terstappen, L. W. M. M. et al., Blood (1990) 76, 1739, Leo, R. et al., Ann. Hematol. (1992) 64, 132, Shimazaki, C. et al., Am. J. Hematol. (1992) 39, 159, Hata, H. et al., Blood (1993) 81, 3357, Harada, H. et al., Blood (1993) 81, 2658, Billadedeau, D. et al., J. Exp. Med. (1993) 178, 1023) and the like. Since such detection using antibody required a sample that contained a large amount of myeloma cells, it was particularly unsuitable for early detection in which myeloma cells were not always present.
On the other hand, Goto, T. et al. reported that they immunized mice with human plasma cells and obtained a mouse monoclonal anti-HM1.24 antibody that recognizes an antigen having a molecular weight of 29-33 kDa specifically expressed on B cell lines (Blood (1994) 84, 1922). It was further reported that the antigen (HM1.24) recognized by monoclonal anti-HM1.24 antibody is considered to be an antigen associated with the terminal differentiation of B cells (Goto, T. et al., Jpn. J. Clin. Immun. (1992) 16, 688), and that monoclonal anti-HM1.24 antibody reacts to plasmacytoma in a specific manner (Shuji Ozaki et al., the program of The 19th General Meeting of Japan Myeloma Study Group, General presentation 3). It was not known, however, that the diagnosis of plasmacytoma could be effected using the gene of HM1.24.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method that permits a simple and sensitive detection or measurement even with a small amount of tumor cells, and that permits the diagnosis of plasmacytoma.
In order to attain the above object, the present inventors have devised a combination of primers and a probe based on the already-known sequence of the HM1.24 gene (Japanese Patent Application No. 9-271536), attempted to detect and measure the amount expressed of HM1.24 mRNA in a simple and sensitive manner and to quantitate the amount expressed. As a result of intensive research, the present inventors have found that plasmacytoma cells can be specifically detected or measured by PCR-amplifying HM1.24 mRNA from a small amount of tumor cells and using a probe labeled with fluorescence, and that plasmacytoma can be diagnosed by amplifying similarly normal cells or tumor cells other than plasmacytoma cells as a control sample and then comparing the amount of the amplified product, and thereby have completed the present invention.
Thus, the present invention provides a method of detecting or determining plasmacytoma cells in a sample, said method comprising amplifying a polynucleotide that is specifically or strongly expressed in plasmacytoma cells and then detecting or measuring the amplified product.
As said plasmacytoma, there can be mentioned multiple myeloma, plasma cell leukemia, solitary plasmacytoma, extramedullary plasmacytoma, smoldering multiple myeloma, asymptomatic myeloma and the like.
Preferably, said polynucleotide is DNA or mRNA, in particular mRNA, that encodes the HM1.24 antigen.
Preferably, said amplification method is the PCR method.
Preferably, said measurement method is a method that employs a labeled probe.
Preferably, said label is a fluorophore, a radioisotope, an enzyme or a combination thereof.
The present invention also provides a method of diagnosing plasmacytoma by detecting or measuring plasmacytoma cells in a sample, said method comprising amplifying a polynucleotide that is specifically or strongly expressed in said plasmacytoma cells, detecting or measuring the amplified product, and then comparing the amount of the amplified product to that in a control sample.
Plasmacytoma that is the subject of the detection or measurement method of the present invention is a tumor that expresses the HM1.24 antigen having the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or the amino acid sequence substantially identical to said amino acid sequence, and includes multiple myeloma, plasma cell leukemia, solitary plasmacytoma, extramedullary plasmacytoma, smoldering multiple myeloma, asymptomatic myeloma and the like.
Samples containing plasmacytoma cells may be prepared by isolating leukocytes from the peripheral blood or the bone marrow of patients with plasmacytoma and collecting RNA therefrom. Since many of the myelomas tend to form a tumor mass in the bone marrow, it is desirable to collect leukocytes containing plasmacytoma cells by the bone marrow puncture to said tumor mass. In cases where there is a marked appearance of tumor cells in the peripheral blood as in plasma cell leukemia etc., the use of peripheral blood is preferred because of simplicity in handling.
In order to isolate leukocytes containing plasmacytoma cells from the peripheral blood or the bone marrow collected from patients with plasmacytoma, a commercially available reagent may be used for separation by gradient centrifugation. As the commercially available reagent, there can be used Ficoll-Paque (manufactured by PHARMACIA BIOTECH), a Mono-Poly Resolving Medium (manufactured by Dainippon Pharmaceuticals), and the like. It is also possible to prepare leukocytes by lysing red blood cells in a hypotonic buffer and then washing by centrifugation. As a solution used in washing, there can be used isotonic solutions such as PBS and MEM.
In order to prepare RNA from the thus obtained leukocytes, a method well known to those skilled in the art may be used (see, for example, Idensi Sousa Jikkenhou (Experiments on Genetic Manipulation), Yasutaka Takagi, Kodansha Scientific, pp. 24-39, 1980). RNA may be total RNA or mRNA. Total RNA or mRNA can be extracted using a commercially available kit, for example TRIZOL (manufactured by GIBCO BRL), ISOGEN (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemicals Industries, Ltd.), and mRNA Purification Kit (manufactured by PHARMACIA BIOTECH).
Any target polynucleotide can be used as long as it is specifically or strongly expressed in plasmacytoma cells. However, due to ease of detection, it is preferably DNA or mRNA, in particular mRNA, encoding the HM1.24 antigen that is specifically expressed in plasmacytoma cells.
In accordance with the present invention, a specific example of a strongly expressed polynucleotide includes a polynucleotide that is expressed five-fold or more, preferably 10-fold or more, and most preferably 20-fold or more than normal cells or tumor cells other than plasmauytoma cells.
A relative amount of the polynucleotide expressed in a sample may be determined by subjecting RNA or mRNA extracted from said cells to agarose gel electrophoresis, allowing the product to be adsorbed to a membrane, performing Northern blot hybridization using a radio-labeled probe, and then determining and comparing the radioactivity. Alternatively, the competitive RT-PCR method (Competitive RNA Transcription Kit, Takara) may be used to amplify, at the same time, the RNA competitor and the mRNA of interest in the same reaction mixture with the same primer. Then, based on the ratio of the amplified products, the original amount of mRNA can be estimated. Furthermore, it can be simply determined using ABI PRISM7700 according to the method described in Examples.
As the method of amplification, the PCR method (polymerase chain reaction method) can be used. When the polynucleotide of interest is mRNA, the use of RT-PCR is preferred. For the PCR method or the RT-PCR method, a commercially available reagent may be used including the TaKaRa RNA LA PCR(trademark) Kit (AMV) Ver 1.1 (manufactured by Takara Shuzo), the RT-PCR high-Plus-(manufactured by Toyoboseki), or the TaqMan EZ RT-PCR Kit (manufactured by Perkin-Elmer) and the like.
As a method of amplification, in addition to the PCR method, the TMA method (Transcription Mediated Amplification method: Japanese PCT Publication No. 4-500759) that amplifies RNA may be used.
The primer is a pair of oligonucleotides that can amplify a segment of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, specifically a pair of oligonucleotides that can hybridize, at a certain interval, to a nucleic acid having the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a nucleic acid complementary thereto. The distance on the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 to which the pair of oligonucleotides hybridize is, but is not limited to, a range of 30 to 400 nucleotides, preferably 50 to 200 nucleotides.
The primer is preferably selected from the region in which the amino acid sequence is well conserved among the species and mainly in the extracellular region from positions 48 to 124 in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
Based on the above conditions, the primer can be selected using, for example, a commercially available analytic al software such as Primer Express (manufactured by Perkin-Elmer).
The length of the primer to be used for amplification is, but is not limited to, 10 to 100 nucleotides, preferably 10 to 50 nucleotides, more preferably 15 to 30 nucleotides, and more preferably 20 to 25 nucleotides, for example about 20 nucleotides.
Specific examples of such a primer pair include the forward primer (SEQ ID NO: 3) (corresponding to positions 153 to 172 in the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1) and the reverse primer (SEQ ID NO: 4) (corresponding to positions 304 to 323 in the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1).
The probe is an oligonucleotide that specifically hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence defined by said one pair of primers. Thus, such a probe is selected from the region between the forward primer and the reverse primer. Though the positions on SEQ ID NO: 1 corresponding to the probe depend on the sites to which the primer pair hybridizes, those that hybridize to the region of nucleotide number 173 to 303 in SEQ ID NO: 1, preferably the region of nucleotide number 224 to 249 are preferred. The length of the probe to be used is, but is not limited to, 10 to 200 nucleotides, preferably 20 to 100 nucleotides, for example 25 to 50 nucleotides, for example about 30 nucleotides.
The amplified polynucleotide can be detected or measured by subjecting the PCR reaction mixture to agarose gel electrophoresis in the presence of a luminescent substance such as ethidium bromide and then measuring the light emitted by said band. When a probe is used, the polynucleotide is detected by allowing it to be adsorbed to a nitrocellulose membrane followed by hybridization to the labeled probe. The sequence or the length of the probe is not limited as long as it can specifically detect the target polynucleotide to be detected.
For labeling, a fluorogenic substance, a radioisotope, an enzyme or a combination thereof may be used. As the fluorogenic substance, FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein), JOE (6-carboxy-4,5-dichloro-2,7-dimethoxyfluorescein), TET (6-carboxy-4,7,2xe2x80x2,7xe2x80x2-tetrachlorofluorescein), and HEX (6-carboxy-4,7,2xe2x80x2,4xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2,7xe2x80x2-hexachlorofluorescein) may be used. As the radioisotope, 32P may be used.
As the enzyme, alkaline phosphatase may be used, and as the substrate for the enzyme, CDP-Star(trademark) (manufactured by BOEHRINGER MANNHEIM), for example, may be used. By using ABI PRISM7700 developed by Perkin-Elmer that permits the determination of the product with time while performing the PCR reaction, simple determination can be attained. As the reagent for RT-PCR in this case, TaqMan EZ RT-PCR Kit (manufactured by Perkin-Elmer) is preferably used.


The present invention relates to retail store checkout stands, and more specifically, to checkout stands having an auxiliary structure that allows face to face contact between the cashier and the customer and that also allows vertical adjustment of the structure.
Anyone who has been in a retail store is familiar with the checkout stand; the checkout stand is where one pays for the selected items. Checkout stands, also commonly referred to as checkstands, can be arranged in a broad variety of configurations. The checkout stand may include one belt, two belts, three belts, or merely have a stationary surface, generally supported by a counter or cabinet. A bar code scanner is typically recessed into the counter or cabinet. Also included at the checkout stand are the register, cash drawer, a keyboard, a credit card machine (often referred to as a credit card swipe and pin pad machine), a receipt printer, monitor or display, telephone, and other such accessory equipment. The register, cash drawer, and other equipment is typically positioned on a cabinet often referred to as a cashstand, which is positioned to the left or right of the cashier, at a right angle, as the cashier is looking at the customer.
The goal within the industry has been to arrange the checkout stand in a manner that is convenient for both the customer and the cashier. The layout of the checkout stand and the configuration of the equipment impact both the customer and cashier. Because the checkout stand is a highly visible feature of the retail shopping experience for the customer, providing a well arranged and configured checkout stand is important. The layout of the checkout stand can enhance or deter from the customer""s experience, which can affect whether or not that customer shops at that store again. For example, a cluttered checkout stand, with cables and electrical cords exposed, is messy and uninviting. A checkout stand not well organized is also viewed as messy and as inefficient.
For the cashier, standing at the checkout stand is a daily occurrence, with repetitive motions. When the cash drawer and register are located at a cashstand, the cashier has to twist or rotate 90 degrees from the scanner to the register and back to the customer, losing both eye contact with the customer as well as their view of the cash drawer, which may be inadvertently left open as they again turn to face the customer.
With more and more equipment being added to checkout stands, the space available for positioning the equipment is at a premium. One solution has been to include a podium, console, or other auxiliary structure positioned away from the cashstand, typically positioned between the cashier and the customer in the vicinity of the bar code scanner. In some designs, these consoles are built onto a counter surface; in other designs, the consoles are bolted or otherwise attached to the counter. This console generally supports some of the equipment integral to the checkout process, for example, such as the keyboard, a credit card swipe and pin pad machine, and/or a display monitor. A separately mounted horizontal pad, often called a checkwrite, can be used by the customer for writing checks or for signing credit card receipts. The cash drawer and receipt printer have, to date, remained to the left or right of the cashier at the cashstand.
The arrangement of having the console above the scanning area and above the scanner is generally a superior arrangement. To maximize the ease of the checkout transaction, it is desired to keep the height of the console as low as possible, preferably with near zero clearance between the tip of the scanner and the bottom of the console. However, lowering the height of the console to improve customer-cashier view can hinder the minimum clearance needed above the scanner, for example, for removal of the scanner for maintenance and service.
What is desired is a compact console arrangement that allows access to available equipment, such as the scanner, and provides a configuration that is friendly and convenient to both the customer and cashier. What is also desired is a console arrangement that minimizes cashier fatigue and injury potential due to twisting stresses, that provides cash drawer security, and that speeds the checkout transaction.
The present invention is directed to a console for use with a store checkout stand. The console of the present invention reduces twisting and turning of the cashier by providing the cash drawer in a location between the cashier and the customer. The console also incorporates an elevation system to facilitate raising and lowering the console top, on demand, for example, to gain access to equipment, such as the bar code scanner, positioned below the console top.
The console can be incorporated into any type of checkout stands, such as with conveyor belt systems or with a checkout stand that simply uses a counter. The console can be mounted onto a counter or cabinet, such as on a siderail or sidewall, on a vertical or a horizontal surface.
In one particular aspect, the console comprises a stand support structure and a top support structure, the stand support structure having a leg, a mounting portion fixed to and movable in respect to the leg, and a biasing element connected to the leg and to the mounting portion. The top support structure is attached to the stand support structure and has a first portion, and a second portion, the second portion movably attached to the first portion. The mounting portion of the stand support structure can be a bracket, configured for mounting to a vertical surface such as a counter sidewall. Alternately, the bracket can be configured for mounting to a horizontal surface, such as a floor. The biasing element can be a spring, such as a coil or coiled spring. The first portion can have a top fixedly attached thereto, and the second portion, which is movable in respect to the first portion, is fixedly attached to a surface, such as a vertical counter sidewall. The first portion of the top support structure can have at least one slot therein, and the second portion has an element for engaging the slot. In most embodiments, the first portion will have a slot at each end. In an alternate embodiment, the second portion can have at least one slot therein, and the first portion has an element for engaging the slot.
In another particular aspect, the leg, which, by means of a saddle, attaches to the first portion of the top support structure. It has been found that the weight of the console plus the cash drawer, its contents, and any other equipment, create considerable torque among the top support structure and the stand support structure. The saddle is constructed to transfer force from the console top to the leg and mounting portion.
Preferably, the console is mounted between the cashier and the customer, above or in close proximity to the bar code scanner. In a preferred embodiment, the console includes a volume for receiving a cash drawer. By positioning the cash drawer in a location in front of the cashier when the cashier is facing the customer, twisting and turning of the cashier is minimized, and the drawer is placed in front of the cashier, rather than at a side location where security can be an issue. Further, by positioning the cash drawer in front of the cashier, the efficiency of the checkout transaction is increased.
Other console constructions, checkout stands incorporating the console, and methods of raising and lowering the top of a console, are disclosed.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to current limiting contact systems which are typically used in circuit breakers. In particular, the present invention relates to a contact system, which contact system is composed of several parallel contact fingers for each pole to be switched and each pole to be protected, and, when there is a short circuit, limits the short circuit current by means of electrodynamic opening, until the breaker mechanism is tripped.
2. Background Information
A three-phase circuit breaker with a contact system of the type described above is disclosed in European Patent Application No. 353 948 A2. Three contact systems are arranged next to one another in a molded housing. Each contact system is composed of a stationary contact with a stationary contact piece, and a moveable contact with moveable contact pieces. Each stationary contact leads into a first phase connector. The moveable contact is composed of several contact fingers arranged parallel to one another, each with a moveable contact piece. The contact fingers are mounted on an axle, and each contact finger is connected by means of a V-shaped, flexible connection lead to the connection lead. The connection leads are connected to a second phase connector.
Each contact finger is acted upon by a helical compression spring, which compression spring is braced against a contact carrier. The contact carrier grips longitudinally in a U-shape around the contact fingers, and the axle of the contact fingers is mounted in the contact carrier. The contact fingers are mounted on a transverse selector shaft by means of a swivel pin. Each contact carrier is acted upon by a cam-operated toggle mechanism. In addition, two helical tension springs serve as energy stores or energy storage mechanisms, and engage between the swivel pin and the axles of cam follower rollers, which cam follower rollers are mounted in a linked manner in the switch axle. The central moveable contact is additionally connected to the toggle system of a breaker mechanism via the selector shaft by means of lateral supports. The necessary contact pressure force between the moveable contact pieces and the stationary contact piece is produced by the helical compression springs. During tripping or manual shutting off by means of the breaker mechanism, essentially all moveable contacts are swivelled by their spring-activated coupling with the toggle spring mechanism over the selector shaft, in order to open the contact pieces.
In case of extreme short circuiting, the electrodynamic repulsive forces caused by the short circuit current flowing in the V-shaped connecting leads, as well as the high current density on the contact pieces, exceed the contact compression force which leads to spinning off of the moveable contact concerned. The toggle spring mechanism then falls into its second stable tilted position. This tilted position is maintained until the circuit breaker is opened by the subsequent tripping breaker mechanism in all phases. The arc occurring between the separated contact pieces is extinguished with additional arcing contacts and an arcing chamber. Elastic stops are housed in the molded housing, which on the one hand collect the high kinetic energy of the electrodynamically spun-off contact concerned, and on the other hand tilt this contact back into the first stable position after tripping of the breaker mechanism.
The disadvantages of the contact system described above are, on the one hand, the complex means for the conductive connection between the contact fingers and the second phase connector the complex means; for the production of the necessary contact compression force the complex means; and for the collection of the kinetic energy of the spun-off contact; and, on the other hand, the considerable number of elements which are necessary for transferring movement from the breaker mechanism to the moveable contact. A further, crucial disadvantage is that with increased wear of the contacts, in particular by burning, the contact compression forces diminish, leading to an increasing degradation of the switching properties.
In German Patent Application No. 31 33 285 C2 an automatic circuit breaker is disclosed. This automatic circuit breaker includes a moveable contact carrier mounted in a fixed pivot, which moveable contact carrier can be operated by means of a breaker mechanism and is latched separately from the breaker mechanism by a locking lever. Thus, during rapid opening by means of a striker on the moveable contact carrier, a tension lever is moveable with respect to the contact compression force and thus the latch on the contact carrier is released. As such, the free ends of the locking lever and of the tension lever, which are mounted in the fixed pivot and which guide a compression spring, are joined together in an articulated manner, and support a sliding roller in the region of the articulated joint. The moveable contact carrier is provided with an essentially kidney-shaped slide plate in the direction of the switching operation, which slide plate forms a slip-in guide for the spring-tensioned sliding roller. A projection provided on the sliding plate in the proximity of the lock forms, together with the sliding part, a latching point. The angle of rotation of the tension lever is approximately the same as that of an angle of opening of the moveable contact carrier limited by a stop.
Apart from the fact that, in German Patent Application No. 31 33 285 C2, only a single finger contact system is described, this contact piece has disadvantages in that separate means are required to limit the opening movement caused by the short circuit as well as for collecting the kinetic energy occurring therewith, and that, with increasing wear of the contacts, the contact compression forces diminish.