One of the many ailments of mankind is the formation of calculi, that is stones or concrements, within the body. More common places for the development of such concrements are in the renal system and the gallbladder. Some of these stones pass through the renal system without causing any adverse affects noticed by the person having the stones. Other stones lodge within the kidney, the bladders or passageways between kidney, the bladder and the exterior of the body causing pain or impairing the operation of organs; then the removal of the calculi becomes imperative.
Originally the only way of removing these stones was through invasive surgery. With the advent of improved imaging techniques it became possible to utilize percutaneous techniques for the removal of many of the calculi. The percutaneous techniques are also invasive and require the insertion of means such as a nephrotomy catheter to accomplish the stone removal. The catheters are equipped with devices to grasp the calculi or ultrasonic generators for fragmenting the calculi by vibrating while contigious thereto.
More recently, extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy has been applied to fragment and thereby eliminate renal calculi.
A lithotripsy system now being used has a pair of substantially orthogonally positioned X-ray generators designed to exactly locate the stone to be eliminated. The patient is moved three-dimensionally in a bath until cross-hairs on each of two images displayed by the system are juxtaposed to the stone. The cross-hairs are each at a line projection of the focal point of the shock wave generator. The patient is manipulated until the cross-hairs in each of the images are superimposed on the image of the stone; at that time the shock wave generator is triggered and the shock waves focused to shatter the stone down to sizes where the fragments will be washed out of the body through normal body functions.
The imaging systems used presently for the calculi locating function leave room for improvement. Among other things it is desirable to reduce the exposure of the patient to X-rays. The patient presently is exposed to X-rays, originally to ascertain that stones are indeed causing problems and that they can be eliminated by lithotripsy.
X-rays are used to align the stone with the focal point of the shock wave generator and X-rays are used subsequent to the application of the shock waves to assure that the stones have been shattered into fragments which can be disposed of by normal functions of the body. Thus, the procedure requires a relatively large accumulated dose of X-rays. It would be advantageous to lower the amount of X-ray radiation required in the lithotripsy process. To this end ultrasound has been tried in the past. Additionally ultrasound radiation is more capable of imaging gallbladder stones than X-ray radiation. However, the prior art attempts at imaging with ultrasound for locating calculi to be fragmented by shock waves have encountered difficulties.
In the prior attempts at using ultrasound as the medium for locating the calculi, different acoustic windows were used by the ultrasound transducers and by the shock wave generator. The prior systems also failed to make any effective correction for the distortions of the ultrasound signals and the shock waves due to refraction caused by the differences of the transmission velocities of the ultrasound signals and the shock waves in the different media.
In addition in the past no provisions were made for enabling a single ultrasound transducer to image a plurality of planes for assuring accurate location of the calculi.
Similarly, no provisions were made for varying the field of view of the individual transducers to provide for the different views required when searching for calculi and when centering the discovered calculi at the cross-hairs.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art ultrasound imaging systems used in calculi location and to thereby improve on the presently available calculi locating imaging systems used in cooperation with extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy.


In many industries it is necessary or desirable to sequentially expose individual articles to specialized controlled environments. For example, in the food packaging industry several methods and devices exist for sequentially exposing containers of food products to a vacuum or to an inert atmosphere, and for sealing the container to retain the applied vacuum or atmosphere and thereby preserve freshness of the food products.
One technique for supplying a controlled environment utilizes individual "bell jar" enclosures which surround the container. Such a device is disclosed, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 2,292,887 issued to McBean. Although such devices may be adapted for continuous operation, the apparatus necessary for moving the container and/or the "bell jar" relative to one another adds considerable complexity and cost to the device.
Other devices are known which cooperate directly with the opening of the container to apply, for example, a vacuum substantially to the interior of the container only. U.S. Pat. No. 2,457,690 issued to Kronquest discloses an example of such a vacuum-head apparatus. Such devices, however, are complex, and are not readily adaptable to use with containers having differing configurations and sizes.
It is further known to utilize a multi-chambered rotary drum, in which individual chambers may accept a container to be subjected to the controlled environment or vacuum. As the drum rotates, the chambers transporting the containers move past and engage and outer enclosure which seals the opening of the chamber, and a vacuum is applied. The container is then sealed, normal atmosphere is returned to the chamber, and the drum rotates past the enclosure so that the sealed container may be removed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,751,643 issued to Malmquist, 2,521,746 issued to Preis, and 1,774,529 issued to Sharp illustrate various configurations of such known devices.
Unfortunately, previous rotary drum devices have suffered from several shortcomings which limit their usefulness. For example, tolerances between the surface of the rotary drum and the outer enclosure must be very close in order to prevent excess leakage between the outer atmosphere and the enclosed inner chamber and controlled environment. The interface between the moving drum and the stationary enclosure is subject to wear and introduces considerable friction which must be overcome to rotate the drum. These problems are increased when a vacuum is applied to the chambers of the drum, for the pressure of the atmosphere on the outside of the stationary enclosure increases the frictional contact with the rotary drum. Such pressure may also distort the enclosure and interfere with a good vacuum seal.
Various configurations of rotary drums and enclosures have been utilized in attempts to minimize these difficulties, including specialized gaskets, sliding seals, and bearings described in the prior art. However, such attempts have been largely unsuccessful, and have added to expense and complexity which reduces reliability.
Further, prior systems have not been readily adaptable to accommodate numerous configurations and sizes of containers. As a result, it has been difficult or impossible to utilize a single device in conjunction with differing sizes or shapes of containers without extended down-time for reconfiguration of the system.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary drum sealing device and method which provide a secure closure of desired individual chambers during rotation of the drum without significantly interfering with such rotation. A related object is to provide such a method and apparatus which do not introduce significant friction between the sealing enclosure and the rotating drum.
A further object is to provide a rotating drum vacuum sealing apparatus and method which eliminate the need for sliding seals.
An important object of the present invention is to provide a rotary drum vacuum sealing apparatus and method for use in a continuous sealing operation, which is mechanically simple, having few components, and which is therefore economical and highly reliable.
Another object is to provide such a sealing apparatus which is readily adaptable for use with varying sizes and configurations of jars and other containers. A related object is to provide such a device including means for closing the container which is adaptable to differing heights of containers. A further related object is to provide such a system adapted for receiving containers of differing diameters.
These and other objects shall be apparent in light of the present specification.


The present invention relates to apparatus, including a cartridge adapted to be removably mounted to the apparatus, for severing a tubular workpiece.
Tube cutting apparatus employed to sever sections of a continuous length of tubing or similar elongated stock fed from a source thereof such as a mill is known. Tube cutting apparatus in which a cut-off die set, driven by a ram assembly and clamped to the continuous length of tubing prior to and during the severing operation is exemplified by U.S. Pat. 4,653,368 issuing Mar. 31, 1987 to Riera et al., the disclosure of which being incorporated by reference herein. Riera discloses a tube cut-off die set including mechanism for providing a horizontal notching cut in a tubing wall followed by a vertical severing cut as the tube is fed through the set. The tub cut-off die set includes a movable upper shoe, a stationary lower shoe, guide posts and associated bearings affixed to the shoes and a ram providing the relative reciprocation between shoes. A tube holding arrangement therein comprises two axially spaced pairs of complementary die jaws being mounted on the lower die show for releasably clamping the tube. Downward reciprocation of a cam driver extending from the upper die shoe engages a pair of cam rollers associated with the lower die shoe to drive the die jaws about the tube and the blades between the jaw members.
The die set is used to cut sections of tubing as the tube is continuously manufactured. While suitable for its intended operation, the above-referenced die set does not allow for rapid adjustment of the die jaws so as to change their grip about the tube, and does not permit rapid replacement of the die jaws to accommodate different tube sizes and shapes. Since each tube diameter and cross section requires different jaw members it would be desirable to have jaw members that can be replaced and preset at a location spaced from the die set so that there would be no downtime of the tube-cutting apparatus. Further, a more compact jaw mounting arrangement would be desirable to reduce the overall size of the die set.
It is an object of this invention to provide a tube cut-off machine that maximizes the ease with which die jaws are replaced, to accommodate different tube diameters, without stopping the machine operation, and provide the user with an adjustment arrangement whereby the clamping force by the die jaws on the tube can be easily adjusted. Advantageously the use of a self-contained cartridge that includes the jaw members, cam followers and adjustment arrangement would allow the user to keep the machine cutting one particular diameter size while other cartridges are retrofitted with the appropriate jaw members, thereby reducing downtime of expensive machinery when it is time to change the jaws.
Part of the setup time of jaw members associated with the Riera machine was removing the cam driver prior to removal of jaw holders and then remounting the jaw holders and cam driver. This arrangement has an element of machine downtime. It would be desirable to provide rapid connecting and disconnecting arrangement for the cam driver. Desirably, such an arrangement would associate the desired jaw member spacing with the cam driver.
A further object of this invention is to provide a replaceable kit for use in a tube cutting machine which is simple, has jaw holders and jaw members preset, and is insertable as a unit. Advantageously, because the costs associated with the downtime of a machine is high and the costs of a cam driver relatively small, teardown and setup costs can be more than justified by such a kit. In this regard the kit advantageously permits only minimal downtime between removing cartridges and associated jaw holders when different tube diameters are to be cut.
One problem sometimes experienced in connection with tube severing machine is that the severed tube end portion is locally deformed and has what are termed "dimples." Tubes that are so formed are waste and thus costly. While the Riera construction including a horizontal notching blade cantilevered at the end of a cross slide in connection with the vertical severing blade has worked well in most situations, tube dimpling with some cross sections and tube thicknesses results. A tube severing arrangement which does not produce deformed cross sections would be desirable.
Another object of this invention is provision of a tube severing arrangement that permits severing of thicker and larger diametered tubes without breaking the blades or increasing the size of the machine into which they are mounted. Further, configuring the notching blade so as to have an offset portion surprisingly allows such tube cross sections to be cut.
The foregoing objects and advantages are accomplished by a tube cut-off machine for severing elongated material moving continuously longitudinally of its length, comprising relatively reciprocable upper and lower die shoes, one shoe mounting a tube cut-off blade and a cam driver, and tube clamping means for releasably clamping the tube during the severing operation. The tube clamping means includes two laterally spaced jaw holders each carrying a jaw member and positioning the tube clamping surfaces of the jaw members in confronting relation and a cam follower operably connected to one jaw holder.
In accordance with this invention, the tube clamping mans is characterized by a compact, self-contained, cartridge that is removably mounted to the die set as a single by replaceable unit. The cartridge comprises a carriage adapted to be mounted on the mounting surface of the lower die shoe so as to be stationary relative thereto, a pair of laterally spaced cam followers each being mounted on a cam holder one and the other follower being a roller and a replaceable wear pad, the two jaw holders and cam follower holders, respectively, being laterally spaced and slidably disposed on the carriage in confronting relation, bias means for laterally biasing the jaw holders apart, and adjustment means including a frame having an adjustment screw and operably associated with the carriage for adjusting the relative lateral separation between the jaw members, the frame maintaining the holders in side-by-side relation and the screw adjusting wear in the wear pad.
Advantageously the holders are separately manufactured and thus the assembly is less expensive because the need for a "beefed up" carriage construction is minimized. Separate parts weigh less, thus reducing forces needed during clamping/unclamping of the tube to overcome friction and inertia. Advantageously, the wear plate absorbs shock loads which might otherwise shear the pivot pin supporting a cam roller for rotation, resulting in costly repair and machine downtime.
A kit adapted to be mounted on the die set comprises the cam driver being operably disposed within the cartridge between the cam followers and their spacing preadjusted so that the jaw members are at their desired separation for clamping about the tube. The kit is mounted separately to the machine and requires minimal assembly time.
In accordance with one mounting arrangement, the cartridge is slid beneath a pair of gibs to secure the cartridge to the lower shoe, a dowel pin in a driver holder is connected to the upper shoe, and a pair of driver clamping plates on the driver holder are tightened behind the cam driver.
The cam driver has compliant load bars adapted to engage both cam followers to reduce uneven loads placed on the cam followers.
Further in accordance with this invention, the die set includes four bushings with their vertical axes disposed in a rectangular array with first, second and third adjacent pairs being secured together, respectively, by a first tie bar, a second tie bar and rail mounting plate, and the horizontal notching blade is vertically adjustable relative to a holding bar adapted to move between vertical planes including the first and third pair of bushings. Advantageously, a stiffening arrangement including three guide bushings including the second tie bar and rail mounting plate, the bashing axes forming a right triangular array, can stiffen the die set to obviate wobble of the notching blade.


Conventionally, a technique has been suggested for allowing an electromagnetic field to exist in an interspace area sandwiched between conductive sheets that face each other and for allowing the electromagnetic field to travel in a desired direction by changing the electromagnetic field by changing the voltage between the two conductive sheets or by changing the voltage between the conductive sheets by changing the electromagnetic field so as to transmit an electromagnetic wave. Non-patent document No. 1 shown in the following introduces an electromagnetic wave interface device that transmits/receives signals and receives electric power by electromagnetic wave transmission.
Also, a signal transmission system combined with a signal transmission device is known that transmits signals by changing an electromagnetic field in an interspace area sandwiched between a mesh-like conductor portion and a sheet-like conductor portion and in a transudation area on the outside of the mesh-like conductor portion.
In an electromagnetic wave transmission sheet used for the signal transmission system, the electromagnetic wave intensity in the transudation area is reduced according to the distance from the sheet. For example, the following non-patent document No. 1 discloses that arranging a resistor or an electromagnetic wave absorber at the end of the mesh-like conductor portion of the electromagnetic wave transmission sheet prevents the leakage or reflection of an electromagnetic wave.
[Patent document No. 1] JP 2007-281678
[Non-patent document No. 1] Hiroyuki Shinoda, et al., Method of Simultaneous Signal-Power Transmission Using Surface Microwave (Fundamental theories for ubiquitous and sensor networks, etc.), The Technical Report of The Proceeding of The Institute of Electronics, Information and communication Engineers, Vol. 107, No. 53(20070517) pp. 115-118


In a conventional large-scale computer system that includes multiple chips, an error that occurs in the hardware that is contained in the computer system is detected and information on the detected error and information on the time at which the error occurred are stored in a register that is a storage device. A system managing apparatus, managing the computer system, accesses a register in which information on the error is stored and analyzes the error.
A configuration of the above-described computer system will be described below with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a diagram of a configuration example of the system according to the conventional technology. The system illustrated in FIG. 9 includes system boards on each of which central processing units (CPUs) are mounted, a crossbar board on which crossbar chips each including a timer are mounted, I/O boards on each of which a large scale integrated (LSI) circuit that controls the I/O device is mounted, and a system management board (MMB) that is a service processors (SVP) and on which firmware that manages the system is mounted. The system management board accesses the register of each chip via an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus.
For example, once a slave address and a channel of an I2C multiplexer that is an upper-level device with respect to a chip that is to be accessed are specified, the system management board is connected to the board on which the chip to be accessed is mounted. The system management board then specifies the slave address of the chip to be accessed and starts communications. The system management board then refers to the error information and the timer value (time information) that are stored in the register of the accessed chip and analyzes, for example, how the error occurred.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 9, in a system in which broadcast communications cannot be performed, it is difficult to analyze an error that has occurred in the hardware. Specifically, in a system configuration in which broadcast communications cannot be performed, because the timers of the chips are not synchronized, it is not possible to analyze how an error occurred according to the timer value that is stored in the register and is referred to on the occurrence of the error.
To synchronize the timers (time information) in the above-described large-scale system, various technologies are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-28119 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 04-182806.
The above-described conventional technologies, however, have a problem in which it takes time to complete a process for synchronizing the timers (time information).


1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electrostatic image developing toner, a method manufacturing for the electrostatic image developing toner, an electrostatic image developer, a toner cartridge, a process cartridge, an image-forming method, and an image-forming process.
2. Related Art
In an electrostatic image developing toner using addition polymerizable resins having a random monomer chain and a polycondensation resin as a binder resin, fixation has been mainly accelerated by heating rather than pressure.
In recent years, in printing and copying techniques by electrophotographic methods, the industry has come to grips with the object of utilizing fixation by pressure (pressure fixing) to shift the course from conventional fixing method primarily by heat energy for the purpose of further energy saving.


Biodegradable softeners have attracted recent attention in the prior art. For instance, in German patent no. 197 43 687, in the name of Henkel KGaA, readily biodegradable detergents are described, which contain oligomeric esterquats obtained by quaternizing oligoesters of mono and di-carboxylic acids in combination with alkylene oxide adducts on fatty acid amines.
The international patent application WO-A-01/47489, in the name of Cognis Deutschland GmbH and Bigorra Llosas et al., discloses fiber brightening and softening agents comprising esterquats obtained by reacting alkanol amines with mixtures of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, optionally alkoxylating the resulting esters, and quaternizing the products; and auxiliary materials selected from (non)quaternized fatty acid amides, betaines, nonionic surfactants, polyols and/or their derivatives, alcohols and/or hydrotropes.
In the European patent application 1 136 471, in the name of KAO Corporation S.A., alkanol amine esters are described which are based on the esterification reaction of alkanolamines, carboxylic acids and fatty alcohols. The alkanolamines and fatty alcohols are optionally alkoxylated. In addition, the cationic surfactants and esterquats obtainable therefrom are disclosed.
The cationic surfactants and the esterquats disclosed in said European patent application have a high degree of biodegradability, but compared to the biodegradable esterquats of the prior art also exhibit a high degree of efficacy in softening and conditioning natural and synthetic fibers, such as hair, or fibers used in textiles and paper.
In a further aspect, said European patent application relates to aqueous fabric-softening compositions which contain the cationic surfactants or esterquats, optionally together with other active softening substances. Particularly, these fabric softening compositions contain, in an aqueous medium optionally containing constituents selected from those normally used in fabric softener composition: (a) cationic surfactants or esterquats obtainable from the alkanolamines described, (b) one or more cationic surfactants which are active as fabric softeners, and (c) one or more non-ionic fabric-conditioning surfactants, wherein the amount of (a)+(b)+(c) is 2-60 wt. % based on the total composition; the amount of (a), based on the total of (a)+(b)+(c), being 2-100 wt. %; the amount of (b), based on the total of (a)+(b)+(c), being 0-98 wt. %; and the amount of (c), based on the total of (a)+(b)+(c), being 0-40 wt. %.


Temperature-Compensated Xtal (crystal) Oscillator (hereinafter referred as TCXO) is a kind of crystal oscillator which can work in a wide temperature range and keep the output frequency of the crystal oscillator within a certain accuracy range (106˜10−7 orders of magnitude) through a certain compensation. It has a characteristic of low power consumption, working upon power-up, high stability and so on. Therefore it has been widely used in various communications, navigation, radar, satellite positioning system, mobile communication, program-controlled telephone switch and various electronic measuring instruments.
The temperature-compensated crystal oscillator in prior art is essentially a Voltage-Controlled Xtal (crystal) Oscillator (hereinafter referred as VCXO) with a temperature compensated network which produces a temperature-dependent compensation voltage. The key component in the uncompensated voltage-controlled crystal oscillator is a AT-cut quartz crystal, which temperature characteristic curve is approximately a cubic curve, and the cubic curve can be expressed as:f(T)=a3(T−T0)3+a1(T−T0)+a0  (1)
Where a3 is the coefficient of cubic term, a1 is the coefficient of linear term, a0 is the oscillating frequency at a reference temperature T0, T is the temperature of the location the AT-cut quartz crystal is at.
The frequency linear gain characteristics of the VCXO in prior art can be approximately expressed as:f(VC)=−G(VC−VC0)+f0  (2)
where G is the gain of the VCXO, VC is the control voltage of the VCXO, VC0 is the input voltage of the voltage control terminal of the VCXO, f0 is the oscillating frequency when the input voltage is VC0.
Then, the equation of the compensation voltage of the crystal temperature characteristic can be expressed as:VC(T)=A3(T−T0)3+A1(T−T0)+A0  (3)
Where A3=a3/G, A1=a1/G, A0 is a compensation voltage when the temperature T is T0.
In order to implement equation (3), it is necessary to generate a temperature compensation voltage applied to the VCXO for temperature compensation to counteract the frequency temperature characteristic, thereby obtaining a stable frequency output within a wide temperature range, and realizing the purpose of temperature compensation.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a TCXO based on digital circuit in prior art. The TCXO uses digital temperature compensation with an open-loop architecture. As shown in FIG. 1, it comprises a temperature sensor and conditioning circuit 101, a microprocessor 102, a compensation network 103, and a VCXO 104. The temperature T is acquired by the temperature sensor and conditioning circuit 101, and then input into the microprocessor 102 to find the compensation voltage value according to the temperature in the temperature-compensated voltmeter. Then the compensation network 103 converts the compensation voltage value into a compensation voltage, and inputs the compensation voltage to the voltage control terminal of VCXO 104 to make it output a signal with stable frequency. It can be seen that the temperature-dependent compensation voltage is directly applied to the voltage control terminal of the VCXO 104 (to be compensated) to realize temperature compensation.
Where the temperature-compensated voltmeter is constructed in advance by collecting the voltage of the VCXO 104 at different temperatures while maintaining the frequency stabilization. A more detailed description of the construction can be found in following references:    1. Huang X, Liu D, Wang Y, et al. 100-MHz Low-Phase-Noise Microprocessor Temperature-Compensated Crystal Oscillator[J]. Circuits & Systems II Express Briefs IEEE Transactions on, 2015, 62(7):636-640;    2. “Temperature compensation for an oscillator crystal”, Inventor: Markus Hammes etc, US Patent Publication Number: US 20170085271A1, Date of Publication: Mar. 23, 2017;    3. “Digitally compensated phase locked oscillator”, Inventor: Nicholls Charles William tremlett, etc, US Patent Publication Number: US 20160365865A1, Date of publication: Dec. 15, 2016.
In sum, the TCXO in prior art uses an open-loop compensation architecture, a temperature sensor is needed, and the temperature sensor should be as closer as possible to the crystal resonator on a circuit. However, the resonant wafer of the crystal oscillator is individually enclosed in a confined space, which inevitably produces a temperature hysteresis between the temperature sensor and the resonant wafer, leading that there is no significant breakthrough in the TCXO frequency temperature characteristics. Especially for the crystal oscillator with high frequency output, the temperature hysteresis is more obvious.


Typically, in bathrooms, mirrors are either rigidly mounted to the wall surface or contained as part of a vanity such that the mirror is fixed in a generally vertical orientation with respect to the vertical axis of the bathroom wall surface. However, with the advent of federal, state and local regulations regarding rights of the handicapped, such as the American with Disabilities Act, "accessibility" of bathroom fixtures for use by the handicapped is of great importance, especially in public settings. In lieu thereof, it has been found desirable to provide a mechanism which allows the bathroom mirror to be easily tilted at a predetermined angle generally downwardly with respect to the vertical axis of the wall surface such that it is accessible for use by handicapped individuals.
In the past, in order to provide a pivotally tiltable mirror, typically, the mirror assembly has included two knobs extending outwardly from the side edges thereof. These knobs fit into generally U-shaped slots provided at the ends of upwardly extending arms of a support assembly. In order to pivotally tilt these mirrors, either the upper or lower portion of the mirror is pushed forwardly or rearwardly to obtain the desired mirror angle. These mirrors have been found disadvantageous, especially in public places, as the pivotal angular movement of the mirror is not restricted thereby leading to potential breakage of the mirror due to accidental contact of the mirror assembly with another surface as well as inconvenience in terms of the user maintaining the mirror assembly at the desired angle. Moreover, these mirror assemblies are not practical for use in bathroom settings. It has therefore been found desirable to provide a tilting mechanism for bathroom mirrors which allow the bottom portion of the mirror to be pushed inwardly such that pivotal angular movement of the mirror is restricted to thereby minimize the possible attendant chances of mirror breakage while at the same time retaining the mirror in the proper angular position.


Ethanol for industrial use is conventionally produced from petrochemical feed stocks, such as oil, natural gas, or coal, from feed stock intermediates, such as syngas, or from starchy materials or cellulose materials, such as corn or sugar cane. Conventional methods for producing ethanol from petrochemical feed stocks, as well as from cellulose materials, include the acid-catalyzed hydration of ethylene, methanol homologation, direct alcohol synthesis, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Instability in petrochemical feed stock prices contributes to fluctuations in the cost of conventionally produced ethanol, making the need for alternative sources of ethanol production all the greater when feed stock prices rise. Starchy materials, as well as cellulose material, are converted to ethanol by fermentation. However, fermentation is typically used for consumer production of ethanol for fuels or consumption. In addition, fermentation of starchy or cellulose materials competes with food sources and places restraints on the amount of ethanol that can be produced for industrial use.
Ethanol production via the reduction of alkanoic acids and/or other carbonyl group-containing compounds has been widely studied, and a variety of combinations of catalysts, supports, and operating conditions have been mentioned in the literature. During the reduction of alkanoic acid, e.g., acetic acid, other compounds are formed with ethanol or are formed in side reactions. These impurities limit the production and recovery of ethanol from such reaction mixtures. For example, during hydrogenation, esters are produced that together with ethanol and/or water form azeotropes, which are difficult to separate. In addition when conversion is incomplete, unreacted acid remains in the crude ethanol product, which must be removed to recover ethanol.
Therefore, a need remains for improving the recovery of ethanol from a crude product obtained by reducing alkanoic acids, such as acetic acid, and/or other carbonyl group-containing compounds.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to food processing apparatus and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a food processing apparatus for removing leaf fat from the abdominal cavity of a hog carcass.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, various devices have been constructed for removing various parts from various types of animal carcasses and the like.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,681, issued to Van Snellenberg disclosed a device for cutting glands from membranes of fish. The gland was pulled away from the membrane by a suctionhead and a rotating cutter sleeve rotating about the sectionhead was automatically moved into position for cutting the membrane from the gland. The U.S. Pat. No 1,997,843, issued to Warrell, disclosed a device for producing openings in multi-ply flexible materials wherein a tubular cutter was automatically moved into rotating engagement with the material. The British Pat. No. 833,422, issued to Burgess disclosed a device for boring encysted areas from fillets of fish.
Various other devices for processing animal carcasses and the like were disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,849,836, issued to Bernard; U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,196, issued to Penman; U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,095, issued to Metro; U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,131, issued to Ivarsson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,234,591, issued to Vogt et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,520, issued to Vogt et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,945, issued to Vogt et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,456, issued to Renfroe; U.S. Pat. No. 692,824, issued to Burleson; and German Pat. No. 237,892.


This invention relates to an improved transducer for use in a vibratory viscometer; which transducer is particularly useful for, but not limited to, the inline detection under flow conditions of viscous and elastic properties of fluids being processed.
Vibratory viscometers are well known in the art and generally employ a transducer which has an immersible portion which is vibrated with a small amplitude. Fluid viscosity/density/viscoelasticity can be determined from the frequency and/or amplitude changes in the vibration and/or the power required to sustain the vibration when the immersible portion of the transducer is immersed in a fluid.
Such transducers generally comprise (i) an immersible tip, (ii) an electromagnetic drive and (iii) an electromagnetic or piezoelectric pickup. Transducers of this type are described by J. G. Woodward in "Vibrating Plate Viscometers", Electronics, February 1952; and by J. D. Ferry in "Viscoelastic Properties of Polymers", published by John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1970.
Prior Oscillatory Viscometers
The oscillatory viscometers described below exemplify the prior art, and have transducers which interact with the fluid being measured by "surface loading" of an oscillating portion of the transducer; said term having been used J. D. Ferry in his aforementioned publication.
The oscillating surface generates shear waves in the liquid or other fluid. Viscoelasticity is measured in terms of the characteristic impedance of the liquid.
In the vibrating plate viscometer described in the aforementioned publication of J. G. Woodward, the moving end of a vibrating reed supports a plate which detects viscous resistance of the fluid in which it is immersed. The reed is driven electromagnetically and the oscillations are picked up by a barium titanate piezoelectric block. The reed is clamped at one end, exposing the driver and pickup to fluid vapors. The viscometer measurements are confined to viscous loss determined from the decrease in amplitude of oscillation observed when the plate is immersed. The plate vibrates in a direction essentially perpendicular to its major surfaces.
A. Konno, S. Malsino and M. Kameko, in Japan Journal of Applied Physics 189 (1968), reported their measurements of storage modulus and viscous loss by oscillating an immersed very thin microscope slide at 100 Hz. This apparatus, driven by a moving coil, is reported as strictly a research instrument. The internal workings of the transducer were exposed to fluid vapors.
A viscometer known as Le Viscosimetre "Pivert" is sold by the Societe Francis de Service, 8 rue Nobel Zl, 45700 Villemander, France. The sensor tip of this viscometer (also called "Sofraser") is a U-shaped stainless steel needle. One leg of the U-shaped needle is mechanically driven sinusoidally at 125 Hz., which is near the mechanical resonance frequency of the transducer. Both legs of the needle are clamped at nodal points. Frequencies are measured at both legs. The phase difference between the frequencies is transformed into a voltage or current related to the viscosity of the liquid in contact with the needle. The manufacturer states that installation conditions can decrease accuracy and therefore should be carefully checked to be sure of optimum accuracy. The range of viscosity measurement is 0.5 to 15,000 mPa.s (cPs). The environmental limits of utilization are 200.degree. C. and pressure to 100 bars.
The Dynatrol Viscosity Detector is sold by Automation Products, Inc., 3030 Max Roy, Houston, Tex. 77008. Although this instrument does not employ a blade sensor, it does employ welding at the node point of a resonating system in order to isolate the oscillating probe from the driver and pickup. Viscosity-density product is detected by an immersed 5 inch long stainless steel probe. The probe is made from a stainless steel rod and bent very much like a hairpin. Both ends of the rod are welded at nodal points to a supporting plug. One end of the probe penetrates into the housing where it is electromagnetically driven to resonate in flexure at 120 Hz. The other end of the probe also penetrates through the plug into the housing where there is an electromagnetic pickup coil. The decrease in amplitude of vibration of the immersed probe due to interaction with the fluid is electronically converted to viscosity-density product.
The Labor-Viskosimeter QV35 is marketed by Bopp & Reuther GmbH, Car-Reuther-Strasse 1, Postfach 310140, D-6800 Mannheim 31, West Germany. This instrument uses an oscillating transducer to measure viscosities of laboratory samples of liquids by means of a quartz crystal sensor oscillating in torsion at 55 KHz. The damping effect of the fluid being measured on the amplitude of oscillation is converted into viscosity. The temperature range of this instrument is limited to -50.degree. to 150.degree. C.
The Model 1800 Viscometer sold by Combustion Engineering, Inc., P.O. Box 831, Lewisburg, W.Va. 24901 utilizes an oscillating sensor blade. Short pulses of current are applied to the top of the blade, which is composed of a magnetostrictive alloy. The blade protrudes through a metal diaphragm. Each pulse causes the blade to vibrate at its natural frequency of 28 KHz. When the amplitude of vibration of the immersed blade has fallen to a preset value that relates to the viscosity of the liquid, another pulse is automatically applied. The change in pulse rate is proportional to the square root of viscosity-density product. The range of viscosities measured is from 0 to 5,000 centipoise x grams/cm..sup.2 in ranges of 0-50, 0-500, and 0-5000. This viscometer was produced for many years by Bendix Corporation, and was first described as the Ultra-Viscoson by W. Roth and S. R. Rich in Jr. Applied Phy. 24 940-950, July 1953. The Bendix Ultra-Viscoson is described on page 308 of Viscosity and Flow Measurement by S. R. VanWaser, S. W. Lyons, K. Y. Kim and R. E. Cowell, Interscience Publishers, New York, 1963. Shortcomings included very high frequency of measurement, fragility of very thin strip (blade), lack of sensitivity at very low viscosities, need to flick the strap from time to time to relieve strains in the magnetostrictive alloy; and since strips were easily bent, replacement blades needed to be available.
Hermetic sealing between driver and pickup is a feature of the "Vibrating Sphere" and "Viscoliner" oscillating viscometers of Nametre Company, 101 Forrest St., Metuchen, N.J. 08840, the assignee of the present application. However, the spherical and cylindrical sensors are somewhat obstructive to flowing fluids, particularly slurries. In order to reduce the obstruction to flow, the diameter of the pipe in which the fluid flows needs to be increased so as to satisfactorily accept the oscillating sensor. Since the mode of oscillation has two degrees of freedom, care must be taken to chose between in-phase and out-of-phase torsional motion. Further, the oscillating surface generates diverging shear waves that may be so long in wavelength that they are not conveniently reflected for accurate measurement of highly viscoelastic fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,237 describes a tuning fork transducer, each of the two arms of the fork having welded to it a blade that is oscillated in the liquid. It is claimed that one blade on one arm of the tuning fork gave less accurate viscosity measurements than having blades on each arm. This viscometer is a laboratory instrument. The specification describes vertical motion of a sample container to immerse the two blades in the liquid.
Objects of the Present Invention
For a long time there has been great need for small inline blade sensors that do not impede flow and that are intrinsically separated from the fluid being measured. Examples of these needs include transport of mineral slurries such as powdered coal and powdered lime where particle concentration must be controlled. The consistency of food fluids such as ice cream, coffee and bread dough needs to be monitored and controlled by means of reliable rugged viscosity sensors. Better control of viscoelastic properties of polymer fluids can be achieved by employing suitable sensors. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an inline blade sensor for a vibratory viscometer that impedes fluid flow to a substantially lesser extent than prior art sensors. Another object of the invention is to provide such a sensor in a configuration that facilitates isolation of the drive and pickup portions of the transducer from the fluid.
Other objects of the invention are to provide transducer-sensor devices that are relatively small, are rugged, easily inserted into industrial process pipes and equipment; that operate over a broad range of viscosities under hot and cold conditions and at high pressures; that can be speedily installed and quickly operated in remote and dangerous locations; that are dependable over long stretches of time; that can be easily removed, cleaned and reinstalled; that are capable of providing viscous loss and/or transducer sensor frequency signals for conversion into loss modulus and storage modulus values; that are capable of being vibrated over ranges of frequencies as well as at mechanical resonance; and that are adaptable for use in very viscous and very elastic liquids.


Vertical power transistors, such as group IV based trench type field-effect transistors (trench FETS), are used in a variety of applications. For example, silicon based trench metal-oxide-semiconductor FETS (trench MOSFETs) may be used to implement a power converter, such as a synchronous rectifier, or a direct current (DC) to DC power converter.
For many trench MOSFET applications in which high switching speeds are necessary or desirable, it is advantageous to reduce gate charge so as to reduce switching loss. In addition, as the electronic devices and systems utilizing power MOSFETs are continually reduced in size, there is a corresponding need to reduce the size of the MOSFETs themselves. However, the resulting reduction in cell pitch and increased power density tends to undesirably increase gate charge in conventional trench MOSFET structures.


1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to battery housing and, particularly, to a battery cover latching assembly used in a portable electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Battery cover latching assemblies are usually provided to secure and allow required access to batteries to portable electronic devices.
A typical battery cover latching assembly for an electronic device usually includes a pair of hooks on one end of a battery cover of the electronic device and a locking pin on the other end of the battery cover. Correspondingly, a pair of grooves is defined in a housing of the electronic device. A locking hole corresponding to the locking pin is also defined in the housing. By attaching the battery cover onto the housing, the hooks can enter into the grooves, and the locking pin is securely latched into the locking hole. Thus, the battery cover is secured to the housing.
However, to detach the battery cover, considerable force is needed due to the tight latching of the locking pin into the locking hole. Thus, the battery cover may be damaged, and it is difficult to replace the locked battery.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.


Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in artificial neural networks (ANN), and such research has commonly been termed deep learning, computer learning and similar terms. The increase in general-purpose processor computation power has given rise to the renewed interest that waned a couple of decades ago. Recent applications of ANNs have included speech and image recognition, along with others. There appears to be an increasing demand for improved performance and efficiency of computations associated with ANNs.


There are many applications which require limiting voltage levels of alternating or oscillating voltage sources.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified circuit diagram of a limiter according to the prior art. There is a voltage source VS represented by an ideal voltage source VC and an impedance RI. The voltage source VS may be, e.g. an oscillator, and most specifically, an oscillator in an RFID application. The output of the voltage source VS is applied to electronic components. A first transistor P1 is coupled with its channel between the output node OUT and ground. A second transistor N1 is coupled with its channel between the output node OUT and a supply voltage level VDD. The gates of the first transistor and the second transistor N1 are biased by BIAS voltage levels VBP1 and VBN1 respectively. However, any currents drawn from the output node OUT through transistors N1 or P1 are finally dissipated and contribute to the overall power consumption.


The invention relates to an application of mechanics to medicine. It deals with improvements in vacuum dosing devices used in surgical centers and other hospitalization areas including intensive care units of hospitals.
The invention introduces a series of improvements in the operation of the instrument described in U.S. Pat. No. 13,437 (Ser. No. 23,472). Although the instrument disclosed in the above mentioned Patent has a vacuum saving function, it shows some imperfections in its operation as noted below.
(a) The closure produced by flattening the rubber tube is not perfect. As it collapses, said tube leaves in both corners (FIG. 1xe2x80x941), a space along the tube, through which the vacuum unit continues drawing in ambient air during the stand-by state. Due to its flattened shape, the rubber tube frequently does not perfectly fit in the tube cylinder thus leaving a space (2) which continues with the space mentioned in (a), and through which air is permanently lost.
The hole (5) that communicates the ambient air with the inside of the case (3), through the hole (4) in the case, and the latter with the vacuum system, permits a vacuum loss which, though small, is permanent.
As the aspirated material passes in front of the hole (5), a certain amount of said material (6) enters the case (3) contaminating the finger that occludes its hole.
During the production process, both solid pieces need to be connected to a soft rubber tube, and subsequently the resulting set, which is also soft, must be inserted and fixed to the case holes; this assembly operation is therefore complicated and slow.


Exposure apparatuses are commonly used to transfer images from a reticle onto a substrate during the manufacturing and processing of liquid crystal displays (“LCDs”) and semiconductor wafers. There is a never ending desire to manufacture larger LCDs. Typically, larger masks are required to manufacture larger LCDs. Unfortunately, as the size of the masks utilized increases, so does the likelihood that the mask may be subject to a certain amount of sagging due to gravity in the middle region of the mask that is not directly supported. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a system whereby the potential sagging of the mask is minimized while inhibiting unwanted blocking of the pattern on the mask.


In a rotating disk computer mass storage device, data and control information is typically recorded on concentric tracks on the disk. One type of arrangement imbeds the control information in servo fields. The servo fields are spaced periodically along the length of each track. The servo fields include information which describes the track number, the position on the track, synchronization information, and other information. Between each of the servo fields, data is recorded in a data field. Each servo field is utilized to identify the following data field and to position accurately a head or transducer which reads or writes the data field, among other functions. This type of arrangement is referred to as an imbedded servo field and control system because the servo field is imbedded in each of the tracks, rather than other arrangements which record the servo and control information on separate tracks from those which contain data.
Typically, the information contained in the servo fields is recorded by a precise laser/magnetic recording or other suitable device at the time of manufacture of the disk drive. By using the servo field information, the user may then write data into the data fields interspersed between the servo fields, or may access and read data previously recorded between the intervening servo fields.
Proper functionality of a rotating disk computer mass storage device requires that the disk be rotated at a substantially constant speed. Servo system controllers are employed to, among other functions, regulate the rotational speed of the disk. However, due to the practical response limits of a control system, it is sometimes very difficult or impossible to maintain a high degree of precision in controlling the rate of disk rotation. Furthermore, because the frequency at which information is recorded on each track is extremely high compared to the rotational speed of the disk, slight variations in disk rotational speed translate into significant variations in the signalling frequency for writing to or reading from each track. These signalling frequency variations present significant difficulties when attempting to synchronize the logic of the servo system controller to the asynchronous information received from the disk. Thus, despite very effective motor speed regulation control systems, it is virtually impossible to avoid signalling frequency variations.
The problems of controlling the rotational speed and synchronizing the reading of data from or writing data to rotating disk mass storage devices can be particularly difficult in portable computers. Portable computers are frequently used on unstable surfaces, and therefore are subject to being physically disturbed and moved. Each physical movement of the computer applies forces on the rotating disk, and those forces typically cause minor perturbations or variances in the speed of the disk.
Even in circumstances where physical movement of the computer does not translate into variations in disk rotational speed, other factors may intervene. For example, despite the normally reliable and consistent manner in which the servo field information is recorded on the tracks, occasionally there are variations in the frequency or periodicity at which the information is recorded. These variations may cause variations in timing and synchronization even though the computer disk is rotating at precisely the desired rate.
The information recorded on the tracks is in the form of a curvilinear series of dibits, or magnetic field reversals. The strength of the magnetic field reversals is very small, thereby presenting a situation where electrical noise may represent a significant component of the signals induced in a transducer or head of the disk drive. The presence of noise raises the risk that the noise may obscure or corrupt the recorded information. The noise may cause substantial difficulty in correctly detecting and responding to the servo information when controlling the operation of the disk drive. In some situations, noise may be the most or a highly significant detriment to the best operation of the servo system controller and the disk drive device.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of brooms, and in particular push brooms and handheld whisk brooms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Brooms in general are old and well known in the art. Push brooms are known and handheld whisk brooms are known. However, no embodiment known to the present inventor incorporates the concept of a convertible broom where a push broom and a whisk broom are incorporated into the same device.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system manufacturing composite aluminum panels continuously by using metal (aluminum) cores being expanded continuously in manufacture of composite aluminum panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, for manufacture composite aluminum panels inserted honeycomb cores, honeycomb type metal (hereinafter refer to as aluminum) cores are expanded in a certain length by a manual expanding device, hot-melt film layers are put on the upper and the lower sides of the expanded cores and on the film layers aluminum plates are put, the objects are pressed in hot presses, to give composite aluminum panels.
But in this case expanding devices of aluminum cores should be operated manually and thus the cores can not expanded continuously.
Accordingly the standardized panels can not be manufactured continuously.
Now, referring to the accompanying drawings, a method for expanding cores for composite aluminum panel by the conventional device for expanding cores and a conventional process for preparing panels by using the expanded cores will be described as follows.
As shown in FIG. 5, a fixing part Fa fixing a left end of pre-expanded raw material 1001 for honeycomb type cores comprising a supporter 300 fixed on the upper one side of a base 200, a number of air pressure cylinders 400 ascending and descending on the supporter 300, a stair type bracket 600 fixed on the lower ends of rods 500 of the cylinders 400, a holding rod 900 for taking needle rods 700 mounted on the bracket 600 and having a number of holes 800 capable of inserting and drawing needle rods 700 for fixing on a number of holes 1002 of honeycomb type cores; a transferring part R comprising the supporter 300, a number of the air pressure cylinder 400, the stair type bracket 600 and a holding rod 900 for taking needle rods having a number of inserting and drawing holes 800 identical to those of the fixing part Fa, and a pinion gear (not shown) established on the lower end of the supporter 300, engaging with a rack 1003 established on the upper both sides of the base 200 to transfer right and left; and plate 100 for expanding the honeycomb type core formed between the fixing part Fa and transferring part R.
But to manufacture the expanded honeycomb type cores from raw material for core by the conventional device for expanding honeycomb type core, after a number of needle rods 700 are inserted perpendicularly in the inserting and drawing holes 800 for the needle rods of the fixing part Fa manually, by means of ascent and descent of ascending and descending cylinder the bracket 600 fixed on the lower part of the cylinder is gone up and come down to ascend and descend the holding rod 900 for taking needle rods 700 fixed on the bracket 600, and by means of ascent and descent of the holding rod 900 the lower ends of the needle rods 700 inserted in the inserting and drawing holes 800 of the holding rod 900 are fixed, by means of inserting, in the holes 1002 of the honeycomb type core expanded partially in left end of raw material for the honeycomb type core.
At this time, by means of the pinion gear (not shown) fixed on the lower end of the transferring part R engaged with the rack established on the upper both sides of the base 200, the transferring part R is transferring manually to lie adjacent to the fixing part Fa, then the lower ends of the needle rods 700 inserted in the inserting and drawing holes 800 for needle rods of the holding rod 900 fixed on the transferring part R are inserted in the holes 1002 of the honeycomb type core expanded partially or manually of the right end of the raw material (core-raw material) 1001 for the honeycomb type core and the transferring part R is transferred manually in the right direction to give expanded honeycomb type core from the raw material 1001 for the honeycomb type core.
However, in the conventional device, the needle rods 700 for taking the core-raw material 1001 should be inserted manually in the inserting and drawing holes 800 for needle rods, the transferring part R also should be transferred manually in right and left, length and width of the honeycomb type core manufactured by the device also are restricted, that is, in one device cores having restricted length and width only are manufactured.
Accordingly this device has faults that various sorts of cores having different length and width cannot be made.
Furthermore, in manufacturing composite aluminum panels by using honeycomb type cores expanded by this device because all of honeycomb type cores, hot melting films and aluminum plates as raw materials for manufacturing the panel should be layered only manually, the raw materials cannot be layered in the same mode.
Accordingly by means of the above-mentioned conventional device standardized articles cannot be produced and also long and large panels cannot be produced continuously.


This invention relates to a remote control apparatus and, more particularly, to an axial alignment aid and related method for facilitating remote control operations.
Many attempts have been made to remotely align two objects in space. For example, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has done extensive work in the area of docking spacecraft. As discussed in "Communications, Tracking and Docking on the Space Station," by Erwin et al., published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (1982), NASA has proposed the use of a triangular array of reflectors on a passive target to define a plane and facilitate docking of an active vehicle thereto. Sequential tracking of each reflector from the active vehicle in space allows altitude determination between the active vehicle and the passive target. However, this triangular reflector system necessarily employs computers, thus making it extremely complex. In addition, the system is incapable of accurately and remotely aligning an axis of importance of the passive target to an axis of importance of the active vehicle to allow "soft" docking.
Other attempts have been made to accurately align or dock one object relative to another. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,254, issued to COPPER et al., discloses an optical apparatus including: a light source; a beam splitting cube; a lens system and a grated mirror, all on one side of the light source; and a measuring reticle having coordinates thereon located on the opposite side of the light source. Light from the light source is directed by the beam splitting cube through the lens system. The light then reflects off of the mirror to again pass through the lens system and the beam splitting cube. Finally, an image is formed at the measuring reticle to provide information regarding orientation of a body o which the mirror is attached, as defined by azimuth, pitch and roll. Because the mirror described in this patent is flat, if the beam of light directed at the mirror is too far off-axis, the light beam can be reflected too far off, thus preventing the formation of an image at the measuring reticle. As a result, an accurate off-axis measure is not available with this patented device. Further, this patented device is sensitive to distance, i.e., the effectiveness of the device is lessened as the measuring reticle and the mirror are placed farther apart. Finally, this device is not adapted to allow docking of one member relative to another member.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 2,352,179, issued to BOSLEY, uses a set of four photo-electric cells as detectors to provide information as to the orientation of a lens. That is, the set of cells indicates from one perspective how far away one is from a target; but such detectors cannot accurately indicate the axis that is defined by the target. Therefore, such a system using a set of four detectors is also incapable of allowing on-axis docking alignment of one object relative to another.
One application where remote control docking would be particularly important is in nuclear powered steam generators. For example, performing a task within the steam generator with a tool or end effector and a robot for receiving the end effector is currently performed as follows. A first set of cameras positioned in the steam generator allow a conventional robot arm known as ROSA (remote operation service arm) to be remotely viewed and moved to the general vicinity of one or several end effectors positioned in the steam generator. These cameras, however, cannot accurately and automatically align the respective axes of the chosen end effector and ROSA, i.e., cannot reliably effect docking and attachment.
The end effector also has a camera mounted thereon which ultimately is used to remotely view the worksite during performance of the task via a conventional feedback system using a remote viewing station, robotic controls and means for moving ROSA.
As a result, a man must be introduced into the steam generator to manually align and attach the end effector to ROSA. However, due to the potential radiation exposure, tedious alignment and attachment steps necessary, and the relatively heavy members being manipulated, it is desired to make the alignment and attachment of end effectors to ROSA in the steam generator an entirely remotely controlled operation having high reliability A more general need also exists for a means by which accurate alignment can be made between two important axes of respective docking members using single perspective visual guidance.


The present invention is directed to an electronic digital readout diet scale for measuring and displaying weight information.
Present bathroom and other scales generally are a very poor aid to weight control because they do not provide any psychological reinforcement to dieters because the scales do not indicate the progress being made after several days of dieting. In other words, these scales are unable to detect and indicate progress made as a result of a diet program.
A prior art diet scale is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,690 which issued on July 6, 1976 to the inventor of the present invention. The subject matter of that patent is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,690 discloses a digital readout diet scale which accurately measures and displays changes in the weight of a dieter. The present or current weight of a dieter is measured and this weight is then compared to a previous weight in order to determine the change in weight. A circuit arrangement is disclosed for accomplishing these weight measurements.
The present invention is an improvement of the digital readout diet scale of the type disclosed in the above United States patent. In the present invention, all the hardwired circuitry of the above patent has been eliminated. This invention also contemplates several additional functions. In particular, as set forth below, a microcomputer is used to perform the various functions previously performed by the discrete components of the above patent. In addition, the diet scale of the present invention enables a dieter to enter a diet program in the microcomputer having an objective weight and given time interval and the diet scale will indicate the amount of weight to be lost or gained in order to achieve the objective weight as well as the deviation between the current weight and the projected weight according to the diet program.


(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a control method for improving fuel efficiency of a hybrid electric vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a fuel cut operation to be performed in a wider transmission region by a reaction control of a motor, thus improving fuel efficiency of a hybrid electric vehicle.
(b) Background Art
Intensive research has been underway to provide a high efficiency hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) by improving fuel efficiency and emission performance.
One of the various techniques for improving fuel efficiency and emission performance is to provide an HEV with idle stop system, in which the engine of the vehicle is stopped while the engine is idling as the vehicle is stopped.
Another technique for improving fuel efficiency and emission performance is to increase fuel cut operation. A fuel cut mode saves energy by stopping fuel injection when a vehicle running at a high speed is decelerated.
However, it has a problem of the fuel cut range being restricted. More specifically, a sudden change in engine torque can occur when the engine is restarted as the fuel is injected. When a torque is applied at a low speed, for example, at a low gear 1 or 2, the vehicle may be shaken due to the sudden change in engine torque.
For example, when the engine speed is lowered below about 1500 RPM, a fuel in (fuel re-injection) is performed. Although it is desirable to increase the fuel cut period for improvement of fuel efficiency, impact is brought about at the moment when the fuel cut operation is cancelled (i.e., rewetting is started). To improve fuel efficiency, it is necessary to prolong the fuel cut period at a lower speed and RPM.
In the event that a fuel cut operation is performed for an ordinary vehicle, the fuel cut operation is cancelled at about 1500 RPM to revive the engine. Converting the RPM into a vehicle speed, the fuel cut operation is cancelled at about 60 km/h (and 1500 RPM) in case of a vehicle not exceeding 2000 cc, although it may vary according to a gear ratio of the vehicle.
Accordingly, if the vehicle is running at 60 km/h or higher for a predetermined period of time, the fuel cut effecting condition is permitted. The fuel cut operation continues during deceleration period and is cancelled when a preset condition is met.
In detail, the fuel cut cancellation is made when it reaches a predetermined RPM with respect to coolant temperature, and a corrected RPM is considered thereto. Moreover, in the case where an air conditioner is turned on, an additional RPM is considered and, in the case where the air conditioner is turned off, the fuel cut cancellation is made at about 60 km/h and 1500 RPM.
HEVs developed so far reach about 1500 RPM at 60 km/h and the vehicle speed is decreased while maintaining about 1200 RPM up to about 15 km/h. With the current fuel cut logic for gasoline vehicles, it is thus impossible to improve fuel efficiency of HEVs. Moreover, a torque of about 15 to 25 Nm is suddenly applied during the fuel cut cancellation, which results in a serious impact that a driver can feel when the gear ratio is low.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known to a person skilled in the art.


This invention in general relates to the void fraction measurement in gas/liquid two-phase flow system. Particularly, the invention relates to a method and a pressure-differential device to measure the void fraction of a gas/liquid two-phase stratified flow within a horizontal pipeline system. The said method and said device are applicable to flow at steady and transient states, and at high-temperature/pressure conditions.
Void fraction is a crucial parameter in the determination of energy and momentum transfer in a two-phase flow system. In usual practice, the void fraction is defined two-dimensionally, in reference to a chosen cross section of the pipe under measurement, as the area of gas phase passing through that cross section divided by the whole cross-sectional area. At present, the instruments most often used for void fraction measurement are the expensive and complicated xcex3-ray and "khgr"-ray densitometers, in which void fraction is derived from radiation attenuation of one or several xcex3-ray or "khgr"-ray beams traversing through the gas/liquid two-phase flow. FIG. 6 illustrates such a densitometer commonly used in industry, which includes radiation source 60, collimators 61, two-phase flow measurement section 62, radiation shields 63, and a detector and counting system 64. This layout was first reported by Edelman et. al. in International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 28, no. 7, 1985, where xcex3-ray is applied to measure the average cross-sectional void fraction of a steady-state boiling flow within a stainless steel pipe. FIG. 7 is another example, presented by Kagawa et. al. in International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics, NUREG/CP-0014, vol. 2, 1990, where "khgr"-ray scanning method is applied to a high-temperature/pressure flow system to measure the distribution of cross-sectional void fractions in a horizontal pipe and the system is at transient state due to a severe leakage somewhere in the pipeline system. This is an even more complicated instrument than the xcex3-ray densitometer just mentioned, in that, more than those basic component parts shown in FIG. 6 the instrument has, referring to FIG. 7, a radiation scanning location-control mechanism 65 and a radiation scanning beam-control electronic system 66. The measurement accuracy of xcex3-ray or "khgr"-ray densitometer depends on the degree of homogeneity of the gas/liquid two-phase flow: better homogeneity of the fluid obviously promises more reliable measurement result. However, it is well known that, the void fraction of a gas/liquid two-phase flow seldom is, if ever, homogeneously distributed. The measurement accuracy of a radiation densitometer also depends on the incident angle and location of each radiation beam, because each beam, different from the rest, is specifically attenuated by a certain wall thickness of pipe and by a certain portion of gas/liquid two-phase flow. As a rule, the farther away is a radiation beam from pipe axis, the less reliable is the measurement data. Moreover, depending on the material and thickness of pipe wall, the radiation attenuation may be so great as not to leave any useful information for the detector to resolve. For a specific example, one may consider the case of a horizontal natural circulation of a gas/liquid two-phase thermal-hydraulics system, in which the density difference between low flow rate liquid phase (e.g. water) and high flow rate gas phase (e.g. vapor) is usually so large that, under the influence of gravity, the two phases virtually separate and become two quite distinct flows, namely the upper layer gas flow and the lower layer liquid flow, thus the term flow stratification. Neither xcex3-ray nor "khgr"-ray densitometer is at all suitable for such flow condition for the want of fluid homogeneity.
To overcome the aforesaid deficiencies of radiation method for void fraction measurement, the present invention, taking advantage of the fact that flow stratification phenomenon often occurs in natural circulation of gas/liquid two-phase flow within horizontal pipeline system, discloses a method to determine the void fraction of gas/liquid stratified flow; wherein a couple of pressure-signal tubes are vertically flush-mounted to the top and bottom interior surface of the horizontal pipeline to measure the pressure differential across the pipe. A thermocouple-rake temperature probe assembly is used to obtain the average temperature of the liquid phase of a gas/liquid two-phase stratified flow, in which the thermal stratification also occurs. Therefore, the average mass density of the liquid phase of the stratified flow is obtained. Then the liquid-phase level of the stratified flow is calculated from the aforesaid pressure-differential data and liquid-phase mass density data. Finally the void fraction is derived from the known geometric relation between said liquid-phase level and the cross section of the pipe.
Since commercialized instruments for void fraction measurement of gas/liquid two-phase flow, such as xcex3-ray or "khgr"-ray densitometer, are far from satisfactory when flow stratification occurs, owing to the reasons briefly discussed in the foregoing, it is the principal objective of this disclosure to resolve this problem by providing a novel method for void fraction measurement, applicable to vapor/water, or any other kind of gas/liquid two-phase stratified flow within a horizontal pipeline system. According to this disclosure, a couple of pressure-signal tubes are vertically flush-mounted to the top and bottom interior surface of the pipe at a selected location, so as to measure the pressure differential across the cross section at that location; and, through liquid-phase mass density correction, this pressure-drop data is transformed into the liquid-phase level within the pipe; and the said liquid-phase level, by its geometric relation with the cross section of the pipe, is then transformed into void fraction. The device herein disclosed can accurately determine the void fraction of a horizontal gas/liquid two-phase stratified flow, be the flow at steady or transient state, and whether or not the flow is at high-temperature/pressure condition.
When the flow being measured is at high-temperature/pressure condition or is at transient state, physical effects like gravity and heat that may render pressure-differential measurement difficult must be put into consideration. Not only does gravity produce flow stratification, but it may also pull down some pressure-signal transmitting medium from the upper pressure hole, resulting in voids or even void sections present within the upper pressure-signal tube. To obviate the gravitational effect four measures are taken: (1) keep as small as possible the diameter of pressure-signal tube that is near the pressure hole, (2) keep as short as possible the vertical section of the upper pressure-signal tube that is near the pressure hole; (3) keep as small as possible the two locations at top and bottom pressure holes where pressure-signal transmitting medium is present; and (4) have pressure-signal tubes flush-mounted to the top and bottom interior surface of the pipe. As to heat, obviously it can increase the temperature of pressure-signal tubes, especially at the sections near the pressure holes, because of thermal conduction. A density gradient will therefore occur within pressure-signal transmitting medium. This problem will be especially serious at the upper vertical section of the pressure-signal tube, and will greatly affect measurement accuracy of the liquid-phase level of a gas/liquid two-phase stratified flow within a horizontal pipeline system. If accident such as leakage or cleavage occurs in a high-temperature/pressure closed system, resulting in pressure decrease faster than temperature decrease, vaporization of the liquid phase within the system may begin rapidly (this is called flashing phenomenon), and this may sometimes lead to vaporization of pressure-signal transmitting medium near the pressure holes. Flashing of pressure-signal transmitting medium may also result in voids or even void sections within pressure-signal tube. Once voids or void sections are present within the vertical section of pressure-signal tubes, any further measurement is not merely futile but, in some cases, possibly dangerous may result. This is because the measurement device is no longer reliable: it may produce false signals which may accordingly trigger the safety systems of, say, a nuclear reactor to work, or, contrariwise, it may ignore accident evolution and delay the safety systems, and neither case is exactly desirable. To mitigate the effects of thermal conduction and flashing phenomenon, this invention has each one of the pressure holes and its nearby space encased within a cylindrical coolant cladding to keep the temperature of the pressure-signal transmitting medium at safe condition. Experiments done in this laboratory prove that this local cooling strategy can effectively prevent loss of pressure-signal transmitting medium due to density gradient or vaporization. Thus, more than providing a method and a device to measure the void fraction of a gas/liquid two-phase stratified flow within a horizontal pipeline system, this invention provides a preventive method and a device to effectively overcome the problem of loss of measurement accuracy due to loss of pressure-signal transmitting medium encountered in transient flow system by the commonly used pressure-based instruments such as fluid-level meter, flowmeter, pressure-drop meter, pressure meter, etc.


Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of differentiating into a wide range of cell types including those associated with the bone development and maintenance (osteoblasts, osteocytes), cartilage, tendons, muscle, adipose, and more. The pluripotent nature of MSCs makes them a potentially valuable tool in therapeutics, particularly in the fields of disease (e.g. osteogenesis imperfecta), tissue repair and regeneration.
The molecular mechanisms underlying MSC differentiation are poorly understood. Microarray profiling studies have clearly identified genomic profiles that distinguish mother and daughter cell lineages, yet the triggers that orchestrate these processes have not been identified.
RNA interference (RNAi) is a near-ubiquitous pathway involved in post-transcriptional gene modulation. A key effector molecule of RNAi is the microRNA (miRNA or miR). These small, non-coding RNAs are transcribed as primary miRNAs (pri-miRNA) and processed in the nucleus by Drosha (a Type III ribonuclease) to generate short hairpin structures referred to as pre-miRNAs. The resulting molecules are transported to the cytoplasm and processed by a second nuclease (Dicer) before being incorporated into the RNA Induced Silencing Complex (RISC). Interaction between the mature miRNA-RISC complex and messenger RNA (mRNA), particularly between the seed region of the miRNA guide strand (nucleotides 2-7) and regions of the 3′ UTR of the mRNA, leads to gene knockdown by transcript cleavage and/or translation attenuation.


The invention concerns a mass spectrometer for analysis of secondary ions and post-ionized neutral secondary particles with an ion source for creating a primary ion beam to irradiate a sample, and to produce secondary particles. The source possesses a heatable ion emitter that is coated in the area exposed to the field with a liquid-metal layer that contains an ionizable metal that is emitted and ionized as the primary ion beam. The primary ion beam contains metal ions with various stages of ionization and cluster statuses. In particular, the invention concerns a spectrometer unit for mass analysis of the secondary particles as well as the ion source of such a mass spectrometer.
In the description below, the conventional designation will be used for ions in clusters related to their mass and charge status, thus:Binp+wherein n=the quantity of atoms in a cluster, and p+=charge status.
It is known to use liquid metal sources in secondary-ion mass spectroscopy in particular when operated as time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS). Applicants have proposed a liquid metal gold-cluster ion source for a spectrometer (see prospectus: Liquid Metal Gold Cluster Ion Gun for Improved Molecular Spectroscopy and Imaging, published 2002) that represents the state of the art for the overall TOF-SIMS concept.
The efficiency of TOF-SIMS measurements with respect to primary ion beams from mono-atomic Gallium ions could be significantly increased using Gold Primary Clusters, e.g., of type Au3+. The disadvantage of the use of Gold as the material for the primary ion beam is that when Gold ions are created, those of type Au1+ predominate, while cluster formats such as Au2+ or Au3+ provide only low components of the overall ion current.
Bismuth has been used successfully during the intensive search for additional cluster-forming substances, containing only one natural isotope for secondary-ion mass spectroscopy. Bismuth is an an-isotopic element with a melting point of 271.3° C. Additionally, Bismuth alloys such as Bi+Pb, Bi+Sn, and Bi+Zn are known that possess lower melting points (46° C.-140° C.) than pure Bismuth. Pure Bismuth, however, is given preference for a liquid metal ion source.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,128 it is noted that Bismuth is suited for the creation of charged particles. However, neither cluster formation nor the option of a liquid metal ion source with Bismuth is described. Also, the Japanese Patent No. 03-084435 proposes a calibration alloy for a secondary-ion mass spectrometer with which mass spectra with high resolution may be obtained. For this, the elements V, Ge, Cd, Os, and Bi are named as elements with high negative secondary ionization. The isotope patterns for the above-mentioned elements provide characteristic, repeatable spectra. However, this document does not mention cluster formation of a liquid metal ion source. Also, it is not indicated that Bismuth is well suited for cluster formation.


In current digital wireless systems, the traditional up-conversion chain (or significant portion thereof) is primarily analog and includes types such as super-heterodyne, low intermediate frequency (IF) and zero IF up-conversion technology. These technologies start with the conversion of inherently digital signals to analog signals through high performance digital-to-analog (D/A) converters, generally due to the higher frequencies involved. Once converted to the analog domain, various combinations of analog filters, amplifiers, mixers and modulators (and perhaps other analog elements) are cascaded to achieve the up-conversion from the output of the A/D converter(s) to the radio frequency (RF) band of interest (transmit RF signal).
Likewise, on the receiver side, the traditional down-conversion chain (or significant portion thereof) is primarily analog including such types as super-heterodyne, low IF and zero IF down-conversion technology. To achieve the down-conversion, various combinations of analog filters, amplifiers, mixers and demodulators (and perhaps other analog elements) are utilized to achieve the conversion from the RF band of interest (receive RF signal) to the input to A/D converter(s).
Component variation, tolerances, and aging all affect the design requirements, costs, and manufacturability of the analog up-conversion (transmitter) and down-conversion (receiver) chains. Accordingly, there is needed a digital transmitter and digital receiver that utilizes digital technology for the up-conversion and down-conversion chains.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elliptical trainer, especially to an elliptical trainer that has two crank assemblies and allows a user to perform smooth movements.
2. Description of the Prior Art(s)
An elliptical trainer is a stationary exercise machine that simulates walking or running without causing excessive pressure to the knee joints and decreases the risk of impact injuries. The elliptical trainer offers a non-impact cardiovascular workout, capable of varying from low to high intensity based on a resistance preference set by users.
A conventional elliptical trainer has a base, a flywheel, a handle assembly, two linkage assemblies and a resistance assembly. The flywheel and the handle assembly are separately mounted'rotatably on the base. The linkage assemblies are respectively mounted on two'opposite sides of the base and connect pivotally to the handle assembly and eccentrically to the flywheel. Each linkage assembly has multiple links pivotally connecting to each other in series. The resistance assembly applies resistance to the flywheel. When the conventional elliptical trainer is operated, the linkage assemblies rotate the flywheel. However, as the links of the linkage assemblies swing or rotate, one or more toggle positions exist so that the linkage assemblies and the flywheel do not operate smoothly. Consequently, the conventional elliptical trainer is not able to smoothly simulate the walking or running movements.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an elliptical trainer having two crank assemblies to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


This invention seeks to satisfy a need for a device which can monitor and indicate the state of the charge of a lead acid battery with increased accuracy and sensitivity. The monitor and indicator according to this invention is of the type which responds constantly and promptly to extremely minute changes in specific gravity of the battery liquid electrolyte during charging and discharging of the battery.
Heretofore, specific gravity monitors and indicators for batteries have been hydrostatic systems which tend to be slow in their response to changes in specific gravity of the electrolyte. Furthermore, fluid movement in these hydrostatic indicating systems tends to be extremely slow because of reliance on slow diffusion for operation.
Another serious drawback in the prior art is the lack of any provision for excluding bubbles constantly generated in the electrolyte during charging from entering and clogging the indicator liquid column, thereby retarding, and, in some cases, completely disabling a movable indicator element in the column, such as a float.
In substantially completely eliminating the above and other known deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a battery condition indicator which can be readily built into a commercial lead acid storage battery to continuously monitor and indicate the state of the charge on the battery in response to changes in specific gravity of the battery electrolyte over an extremely narrow range.
The improved accuracy and sensitivity of the indicating system for batteries is achieved by the utilization of a simple continuous flow arrangement for the liquid electrolyte, which includes an effective barrier to the induction of bubbles contained in the electrolyte into the electrolyte column or passage of the indicator, whereby such bubbles are prevented from clogging the indicator in whole or in part. In essence, the present invention makes use of a hydrodynamic indicator system as distinguished from the much more sluggish hydrostatic systems in the prior art.
In a preferred form, the invention utilizes an indicator vertical column for liquid electrolyte having at least a bottom bubble-excluding entrance. At least one buoyant or sunk float is contained in the electrolyte column between submerged spaced stops which are positioned relative to electro-optical emitterdetectors to enable a digital indicating response to the movement of the float to or from the buoyant and sunk positions following changes in specific gravity of the electrolyte over a very narrow range. The interruption of the optical path between emitter and detector elements of the indicator caused by the rise or fall of the float can produce a digital response through a state-of-the-art binary counting circuit connected with the emitter and detector elements and having a suitable display.
Variations in the construction of the indicator and additional features and advantages thereof over the prior art will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.


The present invention relates to detonators, and more particularly, to non-energetics-based detonators, detonator systems using non-energetics based detonators and methods of detonating explosives.
In various industries, such as mining, construction and other earth moving operations, it is common practice to utilize detonators to initiate explosives loaded into drilled blast holes for the purpose of breaking rock. For instance, commercial electric and electronic detonators are conventionally implemented as hot wire igniters that include a fuse head as the initiating mechanism to initiate a corresponding explosive. Such hot wire igniters operate by delivering a low voltage electrical pulse to the fuse head, causing the fuse head to heat up. Heat from the fuse head, generated in response to the low voltage electrical pulse, initiates a primary explosive, e.g., lead azide, which, in turn, initiates a secondary explosive output pellet, such as pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) at an output end of the detonator. However, conventional hot wire igniters must rely on an extremely sensitive primary explosive to transition the detonation process from the fuse head to the corresponding explosive output pellet. Moreover, it is possible that the voltage and power requirements to function this type of conventional hot wire igniter may be encountered from inadvertent sources like static, stray currents and radio frequency (RF) energy.
Another exemplary detonator type is referred to as an exploding bridgewire detonator (EBW). The EBW includes a short length of small diameter wire that functions as a bridge. In use, explosive material beginning at a contact interface with the bridge wire transitions from a low density secondary explosive pellet to a high density secondary explosive pellet at the output end of the detonator. To initiate a detonation event, a high voltage pulse is applied in an extremely short duration across the bridge wire causing the small diameter wire to explode. The shockwave created from the bridge wire's fast vaporization initiates the low density secondary explosive pellet, such as PETN, which in turn initiates the high density secondary explosive pellet such as cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX), at the output end of the EBW.
Yet another exemplary detonator type is referred to as an exploding foil initiator (EFI). A conventional EFI includes a thin metal foil having a defined narrow section. A polymer film layer is provided over the metal foil. To initiate a detonation event, a high voltage, very short pulse of energy is applied across the metal foil to cause the narrow section of the metal foil to vaporize. As the narrow section of the metal foil vaporizes, plasma is formed as the vaporized metal cannot expand beyond the polymer film layer. The pressure created as a result of this vaporization action builds until the polymer film layer is compromised, thus triggering a shock wave that initiates the detonation a connected explosive device.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to expandable endoprosthesis devices, in particular expandable intraluminal vascular grafts, generally called stents, which are adapted to be implanted into a patient's lumen, such as a blood vessel, to maintain the patency of the vessel. These devices are frequently used in the treatment of atherosclerotic stenosis in blood vessels, especially after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures, to prevent restenosis of a blood vessel. The present invention also relates to an expandable intraluminal vascular graft that can be used in any body lumen, and be used for drug delivery.
2. Description of Related Art
In expandable stents that are delivered with expandable catheters, such as balloon catheters, the stents are positioned over the balloon portion of the catheter and expanded from a reduced diameter to an enlarged diameter greater than or equal to the artery wall, by inflating the balloon. Stents of this type can be expanded and held in an enlarged diameter by deformation of the stent (e.g., Palmaz U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665), by engagement of the stent walls with respect to one another (e.g., Kreamer U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,207; Beck et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,030; and Derbyshire U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,926), and by one-way engagement of the stent walls together with endothelial growth into the stent (e.g., Stack et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,211).


EP 0853515 B (CROWN CORK & SEAL TECHNOLOGY CORP.) is a blow forming apparatus in which a whole can body is held in a three part movable mould: base, centre and top part while compressed air is introduced to force the can body to conform to the interior profile of the moving mould parts. Whilst this is suitable for forming complex shapes, such shaping requires complex blow forming machinery and is not always be needed for holding a can when carrying out more simple rotational operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,822 (REYNOLDS METALS COMPANY) describes an apparatus for trimming cylindrical can bodies. The can bodies are successively mounted with vacuum onto a support mandrel so that the open end portion of the can body projects between an outside circular cutting knife and an inside trimming edge. The invention of this patent is said to be less complex than traditional trimmers in which the closed end of the can body is held by vacuum onto a base pad. The base pad of the traditional trimmer comprises a holder which has a flat face and a circular centralising feature. The holder has holes or channels through which negative air pressure or “suction” is applied. This generally allows the can body to be held concentrically and permits rotational operations to be performed accurately in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the article.
Although considered by Reynolds to be over-complex, this method of holding can bodies or shallower cup-shaped articles is well suited to high-speed manufacturing equipment. In such equipment, containers are loaded onto and unloaded from holders at high speed. The application of suction is sometimes complemented by the application of small amounts of compressed air when releasing the container.
The base of a container such as a beverage can often has a bead or rim portion known as a stand (bead), which stiffens the container and allows it to rest on a flat surface without rocking. The container is thus be conveniently held rigidly by a holder using suction onto a flat surface and a seal is formed between the surface and the stand.
It is also known to provide a raised feature on the face of the holder, which fits within a recess in the base of the container and provides a circular centralising feature. If there is no suitable recess in the base of the container or cup-shaped article, the centralising feature comprises a raised feature, which fits outside the base of the article. However, machine motion often limits the ability to provide a holder of a larger diameter than the container, which constrains the design of the centralising feature.
Due to the variability in manufacturing processes, it is often necessary to allow a radial clearance between the container or cup-shaped article and the centralising feature. Without this clearance, the container can fail to seat properly on the flat face, and this may impair the seal or cause it to rock on the holder. Unfortunately, this clearance can lead to non-concentrical holding of the container or article and allows sideways/radial movement of the article.
If seal or grip is lost due to improper seating of the container or cup-shaped article, then manufacturing defects can occur. For example, a cutting operation may not cut through the full circumference due to rotation of the container/article on the holder. Sometimes, the cut becomes spiral if the article is lifted away from the holder. If grip is lost in a cap or can flanging or curling operation, an incomplete or uneven flange or curl results. Similarly, if grip is lost in a lining operation, a defective lining is created.
This invention seeks to provide a holder, which addresses these problems. In the following text, which relates to the present patent application, expressions such as “container” or “cup-shaped article” are used interchangeably and are intended to cover a wide variety of items, including lids, closures and metal can bodies. Use of either expression is not intended to be limiting or to exclude equivalents or standard alternatives in the packaging trade.