42nd week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 34 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110255838 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STORING A PLURALITY OF VIDEO STREAMS ON RE-WRITABLE RANDOM-ACCESS MEDIA AND TIME- AND CHANNEL-BASED RETRIEVAL THEREOF - A digital video recorder (DVR) and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the DVR includes: (1) a mass data storage unit that concurrently and continuously receives and digitally stores a plurality of channels and (2) a channel viewer, coupled to the mass data storage unit, that retrieves a portion of one of the plurality of channels from the mass data storage unit based on a received command and presents the portion on a video display device. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255839 | IMPORTING BLU-RAY DISC CONTENT - A system is described, which includes an optical drive and a media server. The media server includes a storage device, and is coupled to the optical drive. The media server is configured to determine whether the optical drive contains an optical disc associated with digital content, and is further configured to receive a request for access to the digital content. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255840 | ADVERTISEMENTS THROUGH A DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER (DVR) - System and methods are disclosed for displaying advertisements through a digital video recorder (DVR). In one embodiment, the DVR includes an advertisement storage system that stores advertisements from at least one third party advertiser. The DVR further includes an advertisement control system that detects activation of a fast forward feature during playing of a television program. In response to detecting the activation of the fast forward feature, the advertisement control system selects an advertisement from the advertisement storage system, and initiates the display of the selected advertisement in association with a progress bar that is displayed during activation of the fast forward feature. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255841 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRESENTING INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA USING STORAGE DEVICE INTERFACE - A media-rendering apparatus for real-time streaming of audio/video (AV) data to a media-player having one or more input direct-access-storage-device (DASD) interfaces, the apparatus including a real-time AV data source unit, an input frame buffer operatively coupled with the real-time AV data unit, an AV real-time encoder, an encoded-frames buffer, a power source, a storage-device content emulator and a DASD interface device for communicating with the media-player. Preferably, power is provided through the DASD interface device. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255842 | PROVIDING A UNIFORM USER EXPERIENCE - A method of providing a uniform user experience is described. The method entails receiving general preference information, and mapping the general preference information to format-specific preference information. This format-specific preference information can then be applied when accessing content. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255843 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TESTING SIGNAL CHANNELS OF DVR - An apparatus and method can test multiple signal channels of a digital video recorder (DVR). Image data are obtained from a storage device and converted the image data to a video signal. The DVR sends the video signal to an image distributor, and generates a selection command to a controller for controlling the image distributor to select a signal channel to be tested. After the video signal is received from the DVR, the image distributor sends the video signal to the selected signal channel. An ID number of the selected signal channel is displayed on a display device when the DVR does not receive the video signal from the selected video channel. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255844 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PARSING A VIDEO SEQUENCE - A system and method are provided for parsing a digital video sequence, having a series of frames, into at least one segment including frames having a same camera motion quality category, selected from a predetermined list of possible camera motion quality categories. The method includes obtaining, for each of the frames, at least three pieces of information representative of the motion in the frame. The information includes: translational motion information, representative of translational motion in the frame; rotational motion information, representative of rotational motion in the frame; and scale motion information, representative of scale motion in the frame. The method further includes processing the at least three pieces of information representative of the motion in the frame, to attribute one of the camera motion quality categories to each of the frames. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255845 | VIDEO EDITING APPARATUS AND VIDEO EDITING METHOD - A video editing apparatus comprises an input unit that inputs first video data and second video data; a subject size detection unit that detects a representative size of the subject in both the first video data and the second video data as a subject size; a subject size change amount calculation unit that calculates a subject size change amount; a playback speed correction amount setting unit that sets a correction amount for correcting a playback speed of the second video data in accordance with the subject size change amount; a playback speed correction unit that generates third video data by correcting the playback speed of the second video data in accordance with the correction amount; and a video data concatenation unit that concatenates the first video data and the third video data. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255846 | RECORDING MEDIUM, REPRODUCING APPARATUS, AND REPRODUCING METHOD - In a recording medium on which is recorded a multiplexed stream ( | 2011-10-20 |
20110255847 | RAPID HEAT TREATMENT APPARATUS THAT ENABLES EXTENDED PYROMETER LIFE - In the rapid heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the pyrometer comprises a light receiving rod that is used to receive radiated light emitted from a wafer; a light source that is installed to radiate light onto a wafer through the light receiving load; and a light sensing part that receives radiated light reflected after being radiated from the light source to the wafer and light emitted from the wafer to measure the temperature of the wafer, wherein a transparent protective cap is installed on the light receiving load so that the light receiving load is not contaminated by by-products formed after the wafer is heated. According to the present invention, contamination is prevented by the transparent protective cap so that any difficulty experienced from replacing an expensive light receiving rod is eliminated, and the need for initial setting of the pyrometer is also eliminated, so that process downtime is reduced and process efficiency is enhanced. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255848 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HEATING LAMP OF RAPID HEAT TREATMENT EQUIPMENT - The method of the present invention for controlling a heating lamp of rapid heat treatment equipment comprises: a step wherein a heating lamp group is divided into a plurality of subgroups to determine graphical data regarding input voltage versus the reference input current that is applied to the subgroups uniformly; a step wherein actual input current respectively applied to each group is measured to obtain graphical data regarding input voltage versus actual input current; a step wherein a difference value for calibration of each subgroup is obtained from the difference between the reference input current and the actual input current; and a step wherein the difference value for calibration is reflected to apply a voltage to said subgroup individually. According to the present invention, substrate heating takes place uniformly because differences of calibration are reflected in actual input current to apply a voltage to a subgroup. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255849 | Camera - To provide a camera that can perform a removal operation for particles adherent to a surface upon which light is incident, of a pickup device and a transmitting member disposed on an optical path of the pickup device in such a condition that the particles are properly removed. According to the present invention, a camera comprises a driving mechanism section to drop and remove particles on a cleaning target that is a surface of an image pickup device and/or a surface of a low-pass filter provided closer to a side of a subject in an optical path than the image pickup device, the subject light passing through the low-pass filter, which is provided with: a tilt sensor to detect an orientation of the camera; and a control section to judge whether a removal operation for the particles by the driving mechanism section should be carried out or not in accordance with the detected value from the tilt sensor. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255850 | ELECTRONIC SUBASSEMBLIES FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES - Electronic devices may be provided that include mechanical and electronic components. Connectors may be used to interconnect printed circuits and devices mounted to printed circuits. Printed circuits may include rigid printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuit boards. Heat sinks and other thermally conductive structures may be used to remove excess component heat. Structures may also be provided in an electronic device to detect moisture. Integrated circuits and other circuitry may be mounted on a printed circuit board under a radio-frequency shielding can. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255851 | COLLAPSIBLE SOFTBOX FOR PHOTOGRAPHY LIGHTING - A collapsible softbox for use with a photographic flash. The softbox includes a collapsible body made of connected, moveable first and second side panels. The body includes a distal opening and a proximal opening. The softbox also includes a front panel which is detachably engageable to the distal end of the body. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255852 | Aperture control device and camera - An aperture control device includes: an aperture first driving member that controls an aperture of a diaphragm through which light flux passes; an aperture second driving member that drives the aperture first driving member; a motor that drives the aperture second driving member; a detection device that detects start of movement of the aperture first driving member caused by the aperture second driving member driven by the motor; and a motor control device that controls an aperture value of the diaphragm by controlling a rotational amount of the motor after the detection device detects the start of movement of the aperture first driving member. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255853 | Stereopicture shooting bracket - A stereopicture shooting bracket, includes: a bracket ( | 2011-10-20 |
20110255854 | TELESCOPING CAMERA CRANE - A camera crane includes an arm having a back section, a middle section telescopically extendible into and out of the back section, and a front section telescopically extendible into and out of the middle section. A camera platform is pivotally attached at or near the front end of the front section. A counterweight is movable along the back section. An arm support can support the back section at two or more positions. Consequently the pivot axis of the arm can be shifted to the front or rear, to change rear clearance requirements, counterweight requirements, and the reach of the arm. An electronic controller is linked to a motor and a sensor on a camera head, with the motor acting to keep the head level. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255855 | CAMERA HOLDER - A camera holder includes a supporting frame, a sliding block, and an adjustable assembly. The supporting frame includes a receiving cavity. The sliding block is received in the receiving cavity and slidably attached to the supporting frame. The sliding block and the supporting frame cooperatively support a camera. The adjustable assembly includes a shaft, a gear, a gear rack, a base, and a revolving head. The shaft is attached to the supporting frame. The gear is mechanically coupled to the shaft. The gear rack is meshed with the gear rack. The base is arranged on a horizontal plane and attached to an end of the gear rack to support the supporting frame. The revolving head is attached to the gear, and the revolving head is configured for rotating the gear such that the gear and the gear rack cooperatively raise or lower the camera relative to the horizontal plane. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255856 | WAFER LEVEL OPTICS - Providing for a wafer level optical system employing composite lenses is disclosed herein. Conventional focus lens assemblies require three or more lenses. By way of example, two composite lenses can be used to reduce the cost of a wafer-level camera. In some aspects, the composite lenses can be aspheric and can employ a broader variety of wafer materials than earlier designs that only operated in narrow ranges of refractive indices and Abbe numbers. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255857 | Camera - In a camera, the first cam is rotated to assume a rotational phase at which drive of the first shutter blade set with the first drive force is not hindered and the second drive force charge cam face in contact with the second charge member charges the second drive force as the rotating shaft is caused to rotate to a first rotational phase. The second drive force charge cam in contact with the second charge member sustains a second drive force charging state during a transition period in which the rotating shaft in the first rotational phase rotates to a second rotational phase. The first drive force charge cam face in contact with the first charge member charges the first drive force and the second drive force charge cam face in contact with the second charge member charges the second drive force as the rotating shaft is caused to rotate from the first rotational phase to the second rotational phase. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255858 | Polarization Demultiplexing Using Independent Component Analysis - Systems and methods of polarizaton demultiplexing are disclosed. One such method receives a transmitted polarization-multiplexed optical signal The polarization-multiplexed has multiple polarizations, each of which represents an independent data stream. The method converts the polarization-multiplexed optical signal to a corresponding polarization-multiplexed electrical signal. The method determines an inverse transformation matrix that meets an independent component analysis (ICA) criterion. The method applies the inverse transformation matrix to the polarization-multiplexed electrical signal, which produces a polarization-demultiplexed electrical signal. The method phase estimates the polarization-demultiplexed electrical signal to recover the data stream. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255859 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING FAULT RECOVERY USING COMPOSITE TRANSPORT GROUPS - An approach is provided for performing fault recovery using composite transport groups (CTGs). A first logical channel is established within a composite transport group, wherein the first logical channel is established over a first link associated with a first service provider to a customer premise equipment (CPE) node configured to transport packets. A second logical channel is established within the composite transport group, wherein the second logical channel is established over a second link associated with a second service provider to an optical node. Packets are received over the first logical channel. Packets are received over the second logical channel if the first logical channel experiences a fault condition, wherein switching to the second logical channel is transparent to the CPE node. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255860 | FAULT LOCALIZATION METHOD AND A FAULT LOCALIZATION APPARATUS IN A PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK AND A PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK HAVING THE SAME - The present invention discloses a fault localization method and a fault localization apparatus in a Passive Optical Network (PON) and a passive optical network having the same. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255861 | Method and Apparatus for Determining a Signal Transfer Characteristic Along a Light Path in an Optical Network - There is provided a method for determining a signal transfer characteristic along a light path between a first point and a second point in an optical network. The optical network comprises at least one optical element situated in the light path. The method comprises transmitting a plurality of optical test signals of different bandwidths from the first point along the light path. Each signal has a known bandwidth and a known power. The method further comprises receiving the optical test signals at the second point after they have travelled along the light path and measuring the power of each received optical test signal. The method also comprises determining the signal transfer characteristic along the light path from the power measurements. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255862 | OPTICAL NETWORK UNIT (ONU) HAVING CONTROLLABLE OPTICAL OUTPUT AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE OPTICAL OUTPUT OF AN ONU - An optical network unit (ONU) includes an optical interface, a detector producing an output signal based on a characteristic of an optical input received via the optical interface, a radio-frequency (RF) interface, an opto-electrical (O/E) converter in a first path from the optical interface to the RF interface, an electro-optical (E/O) converter in a second path from RF interface to the optical interface and a controller operatively connected to the detector, the controller being configured to adjust an optical output of the ONU based on the characteristic, where the characteristic may be a level of the received signal. Also a method of adjusting an optical output of an ONU based on a characteristic of a received signal. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255863 | INTEGRAL TRANSFORMED OPTICAL MEASUREMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS - An optical measurement method for high-speed acquisition of integral transformed time domain optical signals is presented. A circuit network is used to generate a modulation signal and a reference signal from a broadband signal such as a pseudo random bit sequence. The integral transformed measurements are obtained by cross correlating the time dependent response to the modulated illumination with the reference signal. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255864 | CARRIER FREQUENCY OFFSET (CFO) ESTIMATOR WITH LOW COMPLEXITY AND HIGH ACCURACY FOR ORTHOGONAL-FREQUENCY-DIVISION-MULTIPLEXING (CO-OFDM) SYSTEMS - A system and method are provided for carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation for coherent optical orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexing (CO-OFDM) broadband systems. The method includes obtaining an initial estimate of a normalized CFO with an estimation range equal to ±L/2 subcarrier subspacing using a single training symbol with L identical portions. The method further includes obtaining a maximum likelihood (ML) estimate of the CFO by performing a local grid search based on the initial estimate. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255865 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASCERTAINING THE MAPPING BETWEEN VIRTUAL LANES AND PHYSICAL LANES IN A MULTI-LANE TRANSCEIVER - For an apparatus which communicates data of a number of virtual lanes over a number of physical lanes, where the number of virtual lanes is different than the number of physical lanes and where a mapping between the virtual lanes and the physical lanes is not fixed, a method is provided for ascertaining the mapping between the virtual lanes and the physical lanes. The method includes: applying an impairment to a communication capability of one of the physical lanes so as to increase bit errors for data communicated via said one physical lane; determining a test bit error rate for each of the plurality of virtual lanes while the impairment is applied to the communication capability of the one physical lane; and ascertaining from the test bit error rates which of the virtual lanes is/are mapped to the one physical lane whose communication capability was impaired. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255866 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SCHEDULING TIMESLOTS FOR TRANSMISSION BY OPTICAL NODES IN AN OPTICAL NETWORK - A signal strength corresponding to an incoming optical burst from each of a plurality of optical nodes is measured. The measurements can be performed at system start-up, configuration/installation of the optical nodes and/or at certain intervals of operation of the optical nodes. Signal strength information for the optical nodes based on the measurements is stored in memory. When scheduling the optical nodes for transmission, a preferred transmission order is determined in response to the stored signal strength information. In an embodiment, the preferred order is determined to reduce differences in signal strength levels between consecutive optical bursts. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255867 | PHASE SELECTOR - A phase selector including a plurality of buffers, a multiplexer, a first inverter, and a selecting circuit is provided. Each of the buffers provides a clock signal, and the clock signals have different phases. The multiplexer selectively outputs one of the clock signals as a switch signal according to a first control signal, wherein the first control signal is first portion of bits of a selecting signal. The input terminal of the first inverter receives a second control signal, wherein the second control signal is second portion of bits of the selecting signal, and the output terminal of the first inverter outputs an inverted signal. The selecting circuit transmits the second control signal of the selecting signal or the inverted signal to the output terminal of the phase selector according to the logic state of the switch signal. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255868 | METHOD AND A DEVICE OF SERVICE MIGRATION IN AN AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHED OPTICAL NETWORK - A method and a device of service migration in an automatically switched optical network are disclosed in the present invention, and the method includes: when receiving a migration indication message, a migration node sending an cross information checking request to a transmission plane (S | 2011-10-20 |
20110255869 | OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE MULTIPLEXER - Triplexer formed by disposing upon a substrate a highly confined silicon waveguide including one or more polarization-diverse lattice filters that are monolithically integrated with photodetectors, such as PIN or APD. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255870 | OPTICAL TRANSCEIVERS FOR USE IN FIBER OPTIC COMMUNICATION NETWORKS - The present disclosure provides a polarization multiplexed transceiver, including: a transmitter; a receiver; circuitry within the transmitter configured to insert pilot tones as a reference state of polarization for a polarization multiplexed signal; and circuitry within the receiver configured to de-multiplex the polarization multiplexed signal using the pilot tones. The transmitted signal is constructed in such a manner as to facilitate the division of the receiver processing between the analog and digital domains such that the implementation may be simultaneously both highly spectrally efficient and power efficient. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255871 | Mode-Locked Optical Amplifier as a Source for a wdm-WDM Hierarchy Architecture - The present invention relates to advances in the field of reconfigurable optical networks. In particular, the present invention provides improvements in the technology of light sources for use in optical networks. The optical network according to the present invention includes a single light source that can be used to emit all of the bands and channels needed for transmission. In particular, the single light source in the optical network of the present invention is a mode-locked laser. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255872 | INFRARED CONTROL SYSTEM - An exemplary infrared control system includes an infrared control unit and a computer. The infrared control unit is capable of transmitting an infrared signal. The computer includes an infrared response unit, and the infrared response unit includes an infrared receiving circuit and a control circuit electrically connected to the infrared receiving circuit. The infrared receiving circuit is capable of receiving the infrared signal from the infrared control unit. Accordingly the control circuit is capable of processing the infrared signal from the infrared receiving circuit to generate a corresponding command signal to control the computer to power on/off or reset. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255873 | Optical Transceiver Modules and Systems and Optical Transceiving Methods - An optical transceiver module includes a receiving unit, a transmission driving unit, and a terminal control unit. The receiving unit outputs a receiver lost signal. The transmission driving unit includes a positive receiving signal terminal and a negative receiving signal terminal. The terminal control unit is coupled between the positive receiving signal terminal and the negative receiving signal terminal. The terminal control unit controls whether a differential terminator impedance is coupled between the positive receiving signal terminal and the negative receiving signal terminal according to the receiver lost signal. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255874 | OPTICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS, OPTICAL RECEIVING APPARATUS, AND OPTICAL RELAY APPARATUS - An optical signal processing apparatus includes an input unit to which signal light is input; a wave coupling unit that couples the signal light from the input unit and pump light having a waveform different from that of the signal light; a first nonlinear optical medium that transmits light coupled by the wave coupling unit, the light being the signal light and the pump light; a dispersion medium that transmits the light that has been transmitted through the first nonlinear optical medium; and a second nonlinear optical medium that transmits the light that has been transmitted through the dispersion medium. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255875 | DUAL RATE QPSK/TCM-QPSK OPTICAL MODULATION - The present disclosure allows for optical link capacity to be optimized based on transmission parameters, such as amplifier gain, link loss, optical signal-to-noise ratio. For example, optical signals at wavelengths that are susceptible to impairments, such as non-linear effects, or that are not adequately amplified by an optical amplifier, may be modulated in accordance with lower rate/less spectrally efficient modulation formats (“low rate formats”) that are more noise tolerant. On the other hand, those optical signals at wavelengths that are less susceptible to or do not incur such impairments may be modulated in accordance with highly spectrally efficient /higher rate modulation formats (“high rate formats”) that are more noise sensitive. Accordingly, a maximum or optimized capacity may be realized through appropriately choosing, for each channel, a particular modulation format and channel spacing. Such optimized capacity can be readily obtained with adaptive driver circuits. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255876 | OPTICAL TRANSMITTER - An optical transmitter for converting an input data series into an optical multi-level signal and for outputting the same, includes an LUT in which data for executing optical multi-level modulation is stored and from which first modulation data and second modulation data are output based on the input data series. A DAC converts the first modulation data by D/A conversion to generate a first multi-level signal. A DAC converts the second modulation data by D/A conversion to generate a second multi-level signal. A dual-electrode MZ modulator includes a first phase modulator for modulating light from a light source in accordance with the first multi-level signal and a second phase modulator for modulating light from the light source in accordance with the second multi-level signal, and combines an optical signal from the first phase modulator and an optical signal from the second phase modulator to output the optical multi-level signal. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255877 | DIGITAL COHERENT RECEIVER AND RECEIVING METHOD - A digital coherent receiver includes a front end, an A/D convertor, and a processor. The front end converts a light signal into an electric signal by using a signal light and a local oscillator light. The A/D convertor converts the electric signal of the front end into a digital signal. The processor calculates a spectrum gravity center of the digital signal converted by the A/D convertor, estimates a frequency offset of the digital signal based on the calculated spectrum gravity center, and reduces the frequency offset of the digital signal based on the estimated frequency offset. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255878 | BANDPASS COMPONENT DECIMATION AND TRANSMISSION OF DATA IN CABLE TELEVISION DIGITAL RETURN PATH - A device for and a method of decreasing the data rate of a digital return path link in a Cable Television Hybrid Fiber-Coax system (CATV system) is disclosed. At the node of the CATV system, the bandwidth of the a digital data stream representative of an analog return signal is limited to a desired frequency band. The ba | 2011-10-20 |
20110255879 | Electronic Nonlinearity Compensation For Optical Transmission Systems - Embodiments for optical communication are provided in which a receiver includes a digital signal processor configured to process a digital form of an input signal. In one embodiment, the digital signal processor includes a first electronic chromatic dispersion compensation module for compensating the digital form of the input signal, at least one nonlinearity compensation stage for serially compensating an output of the electronic chromatic dispersion compensation module; and a second electronic chromatic dispersion compensation module for compensating an output of the at least one nonlinearity compensation stage. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255880 | IR RECEIVING UNIT - An IR receiver having a decision logic circuit for activating or deactivating a squelch. Activation or deactivation of the squelch is effected in dependence on a mean value of the frequency, a variance of the receiver intermediate frequency, a mean value of the audio amplitude, a variance of the audio amplitude and/or a signal strength of the receiver intermediate circuit frequency. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255881 | Image forming apparatus and structure for installing consumables thereof - A structure for installing consumables of an image forming apparatus, the structure comprising: a frame; a plurality of consumables which comprises irregular installation preventing units in different locations; a plurality of irregular installation preventing keys which prevents an irregular installation of the plurality of consumables by an interaction with the irregular installation preventing units; and an installation guide member which is installed in the frame, comprising a key installation unit to guide the plurality of irregular installation preventing keys to be installed differently for each of the consumables and having the plurality of consumables installed therein. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255882 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus has a sheet feeding portion which feeds a topmost sheet of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking portion and an image forming portion which forms an image to the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion. The image forming apparatus also has a moisture-proof member set to a covering position so as to contact with and cover a topmost sheet of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion, a moisture-proof member detection portion which determines whether the moisture-proof member is available at the covering position, and a notification portion which notifies the presence or absence of the moisture-proof member at the covering position based on a detection result from the moisture-proof member detection portion. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255883 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developer bearing member for bearing and conveying a developer and configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member using the developer, a bias application unit configured to apply at least an AC bias to the developer bearing member, an integration unit configured to integrate an application time of the AC bias applied by the bias application unit, and a determination unit configured to determine a replacement timing of the developing device based on an integrated value by the integration unit. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255884 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image, a toner carrier configured to carry a toner and develop the electrostatic latent image, a switching member configured to perform a switching operation between a contact state where the toner carrier contacts the image carrier and a separation state where the toner carrier is separated from the image carrier, a first electrode member, a second electrode member arranged such that the electrostatic capacity between the first and second electrode members in the contact state is different from the electrostatic capacity therebetween in the separation state, a detection device configured to detect the electrostatic capacity between the first and second electrode members, and a measurement unit configured to measure the time during which the image carrier contacts the toner carrier, wherein the measurement unit starts the measurement when the electrostatic capacity changes exceeding a predetermined value along with the switching operation from the separation state to the contact state, thereafter, the measurement unit stops the measurement when the electrostatic capacity changes exceeding a predetermined value along with the switching operation from the contact state to the separation state. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255885 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A first image forming unit includes a first developing unit that develops a latent image, and a second image forming unit includes a second developing unit that develops a latent image. A transfer unit transfers an image formed by at least one of the first and second image forming units onto a recording medium. A controller performs control to form a transfer image on the recording medium through at least one of a first operation and a second operation. In the first operation, images formed by the first and second image forming units are transferred onto the recording medium as transfer images. In the second operation, the image formed by the first image forming unit is transferred onto the recording medium as a transfer image. A stopping unit stops operation of the second developing unit when the number of transfer images formed through the second operation reaches a preset value. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255886 | Image forming apparatus and control method thereof - A control method of an image forming apparatus which includes a developer supply unit supplying a toner and a developing unit accommodating therein a two-component developer having the toner supplied by the developer supply unit and a carrier mixed, the control method including: performing a print operation according to a print command; calculating an average toner consumption volume of the image at a preset first interval; determining a value of a first parameter according to the calculated average toner consumption volume by using a table storing therein in advance the value of the first parameter for a timing of starting mixing of the developer corresponding to the average toner consumption volume; determining whether to start the mixing by using the determined value of the first parameter; and suspending the print operation according to the determination result and mixing the two-component developer accommodated in the developing unit. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255887 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a latent image holder that holds a latent image; a developing unit that contains developer including toner particles and carrier particles, develops a latent image with the toner particles, and forms a toner image; a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage to the developing unit; a toner concentration detection unit that detects a toner concentration that is a proportion of the toner particles to the developer contained in the developing unit; and a setting unit that sets a setting value of the voltage on the basis of the toner concentration detected by the toner concentration detection unit, the voltage being applied by the voltage applying unit to the developing unit, wherein a difference between an upper limit and a lower limit of the set value increases as the toner concentration increases, the set value being set by the setting unit. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255888 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device having a developing vessel, a developing roller and a toner supply port; a toner supply device; a toner supply detecting sensor for detecting the toner concentration inside the developing vessel; a toner concentration controller for directing toner supply; a toner empty detector; and a sheet conveyance detecting sensor. The toner concentration controller has a toner supply device control function; and a toner supply stopping function of stopping toner supply when the last sheet of image printout being executed has passed by the predetermined position in the sheet conveyance path. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255889 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: photosensitive members; an endless belt facing the photosensitive members; developing rollers respectively supplying, to the photosensitive members, developer of different colors which is charged to a first polarity; cleaning rollers adjacent to the photosensitive members; a separating mechanism separating the developing roller from the photosensitive member in a single color printing. If in a multi color printing, a control unit applies a cleaning bias whose polarity is a second polarity opposite to the first polarity and which holds a first electric potential to each cleaning roller. If in the single color printing, the control unit executes a bias reduction control in which a cleaning bias applied to the cleaning roller not used in the single color printing is given the second polarity and is made to hold a second electric potential whose absolute value is smaller than that of the first electric potential. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255890 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - There is provided an image forming apparatus and method capable of reducing a measurement error in a measurement result of the surface potential of an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of an image bearing member. The measurement error occurs under the influence of an electric field generated from a pre-exposed area. Consequently, miniaturization of an image forming apparatus and consistent print quality can be achieved. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming control section for determining an error correction value corresponding to the charge state of a latent image on the basis of relationships between charge states of the latent image and error correction values which have been prepared in advance, computing an error corrected potential measurement value using the error correction value and a potential measurement value, and controlling the image forming apparatus on the basis of the error corrected potential measurement value. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255891 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A first mark and a second mark are provided on a photosensitive drum and a rotation reference position sensor detects these marks. A counter is reset according to a detection signal corresponding to the first mark, and is incremented its count value according to a detection signal corresponding to the second mark. A CPU controls an exposure intensity based on light amount correction data read from a memory according to the counted value. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255892 | Image forming apparatus capable of minimizing reverse toner transfer - In an image forming apparatus, a determiner determines a target amount of transfer current based on first and second algorithms each representing a relation between an image area rate of a latent image bearer in the vicinity of an exit of a transfer nip and a target amount of transfer current to be provided to a nip creating member. The first algorithm is utilized in a second transfer step when the image area rate falls within a typical range from the lower limit (a %) to the upper limit (b %). The first algorithm decreases the target amount as the image area rate increases within that range. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255893 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO OPTIMIZE THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPER FLUID IN AN ELECTROPHORETIC PRINTING APPARATUS - In a method or apparatus to optimize transfer of a developer fluid having toner embedded in a carrier fluid in an electrophoretic printing apparatus, charge images of print images are generated on an intermediate image carrier. The print images are inked into toner images by means of a developer station with the developer fluid. The toner images are transfer printed onto a printing substrate in a transfer printing zone by a transfer unit. The toner embedded in the carrier fluid is thus transported from the developer station to the intermediate image carrier in a first transport path segment and from the transfer unit to the printing substrate in a second transport path segment. A temperature acting on the carrier fluid in the first transport path segment is above a melting point of the carrier fluid, and a temperature acting on the carrier fluid in the second transport path segment is below the melting point of the carrier fluid. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255894 | FIXING DEVICE USABLE WITH AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing roller to fix a toner on a recording medium; a heater to heat the fixing roller; an alternating current (AC) power source to generate an AC electric power such that the heater heats the fixing roller according to the AC electric power; a unit interposed between the heater and the AC power source to selectively supply the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater so as to control the heater to heat the fixing roller; a relay including a first relay contact point disposed on a first AC power supply line between the AC power source and the unit and a relay coil to open and close the first relay contact point; the relay selectively supplying the AC electric power from AC power source to the heater and the power control switch; a direct current (DC) power supplier to supply a DC power to the relay coil; and a thermoswitch interposed on a DC power supply line between the DC power supplier and the relay coil to control the supply of the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater and the unit according to an temperature of the fixing roller. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255895 | Image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus including: a body housing; a paper feeding unit accommodated in the body housing and providing a recording medium; an image forming unit accommodated in the body housing and forming an image on the recording medium; a fixing unit accommodated in the body housing and fixing the image formed by the image forming unit; and a cooling unit including a channel including an inhalation part and a discharging part which are formed in the body housing for air to flow, extending between the inhalation part and the discharging part and formed adjacently to the fixing unit, and an air purification module installed in the channel and generating ions reacting to foreign substances in air traveling through the channel to purify the air, and discharging heat generated in the fixing unit to the outside. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255896 | Image forming apparatus and method of controlling the same - An image forming apparatus including: an image carrying member supported in a body housing and forming a visible image by a developing agent; a transfer unit including a driving roller supported in the body housing and an intermediate transfer belt rotated by the driving roller in a first direction on which the visible image on the image carrying member is intermediately transferred to when a printing process is conducted on a recording medium; a cleaning blade in contact with the intermediate transfer belt to clean a remaining developing agent on the intermediate transfer belt rotating in the first direction; the intermediate transfer belt being rotated in an opposite direction to the first direction, for a preset period of time before the visible image is intermediately transferred and rotating the intermediate transfer belt in the first direction so that the visible image is intermediately transferred when the printing process starts. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255897 | DEVELOPING DEVICE - A developing device includes a developer carrying member for carrying a magnetic developer to form a developer image on an image bearing member; a developing device frame including a first accommodating chamber for accommodating the magnetic developer and including a second accommodating chamber, in which the developer carrying member is provided, for accommodating the magnetic developer supplied from the first accommodating chamber through a first opening; a removable sealing member for sealing the first opening; and a magnetic seal, provided between a longitudinal end portion of the developer carrying member and the developing device frame. The sealing member is removable through a second opening which is defined at least partly by the magnetic seal. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255898 | REGULATING DEVICE, IMAGE BEARING MEMBER CLEANING DEVICE, DEVELOPING DEVICE, CLEANING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer layer thickness regulating device includes a blade member for regulating a thickness of a layer of a developer on a surface of a developing roller rotatably supported by a developing container for accommodating the developer and includes a supporting member for supporting the blade member. The supporting member is capable of being fastened to a part of the developing container by a fastening member, and a position of the supporting member relative to a part of the developer container is adjustable with respect to a widthwise direction of the blade member, when the supporting member is fastened to the developing container by the fastening member, so as to fasten the blade member at a predetermined position relative to the developing container. The supporting member has a biting portion which is capable of biting into the part of the developing container when the supporting member is fastened by the fastening member. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255899 | TONER, DEVELOPER, TONER CONTAINER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner, including a binder; a colorant; and a wax including a molecular chain constituted of only a C—H bond and a C—C bond, and having a melting point of from 50 to 78° C. and a melt viscosity of from 5 to 15 mPa·S at 140° C., wherein the toner has a weight reduction rate of from 0.001 to 0.1% by weight/min when measured by TGA (Thermogarvimetric Analysis) method in an atmosphere at 165° C. for 10 min. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255900 | DRIVING COMPONENT, PHOTOSENSITIVE DRUM AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE HAVING THE DRIVING COMPONENT - The present invention provides a driving component, and a photosensitive drum and a process cartridge comprising the driving component. The driving component comprises a gear fixed at one end of the photosensitive drum and a longitudinal regulating component. The longitudinal regulating component comprises a first motion subassembly, a groove part and a central shaft part. The groove part has an upper chute and a lower chute which are orthogonal in space. The first motion subassembly forms relative slide coordination with the upper chute along a first direction. The central shaft part has a common axis with the gear which forms relative slide coordination with the lower chute along a second direction. The first direction and the second direction are all perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255901 | Developing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A developing device comprising: a developing roller; a casing that includes a developer storage unit; a roller supporting unit and an opening; and a seal member that is mounted on the casing outside the opening in the central axis direction and faces an end portion of the developing roller, the seal member configured to rub against the end portion of the developing roller when the seal member is elastically deformed, wherein the casing includes: an outer projection that is provided along a moving direction of the developing roller to abut on an outer end portion of the seal member, the outer projection protruding in a position which is inside the roller supporting unit; and an inner projection provided along the outer projection so as to abut on an inner end portion of the seal member, the inner projection protruding in a position which is outside the opening. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255902 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; an intermediate transfer belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to receive developer images formed on the photoconductor drums and to transfer the developer images onto a recording sheet; a cleaning unit comprising a cleaning member positioned in contact with the intermediate transfer belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the intermediate transfer belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the intermediate transfer belt; and a support member configured to support the image forming unit and the cleaning unit and to be pulled out from a main body. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255903 | PROOF PRINTING USING RECYCLED MARKING MATERIAL - Methods and systems supply used marking material to a printing device marking material supply container. The used marking material was previously used in a printing process and was previously removed from one or more photoreceptors. The methods/systems feed the used marking material from the material supply container to a photoreceptor within the printing device and transfer the used marking material to a sheet of media in a printing process performed by the printing device that produces “proof prints.” These proof prints are printed sheets that are used to verify content and/or layout of printed material. The proof prints are not required to comply with any print quality or print durability standard. The methods/systems also fuse (using a heating element within the printing device) the used marking material to the sheet of media at a reduced temperature that is insufficient to comply with any print quality or print durability standard. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255904 | LOW FRICTION ELECTROSTATOGRAPHIC IMAGING MEMBER - Present embodiments pertain to an improved electrostatographic imaging member having low contact friction surfaces to ease sliding mechanical interaction and suppressing abrasion/wear failure and methods of preparing thereof. The improved imaging member has layers comprising one or two low surface energy polymeric materials that enhance the physical and mechanical functions and reduce the layers surface contact friction of the imaging member to extend service life. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255905 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING EXPOSING UNIT POSITIONING MEMBER - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: plural photosensitive members; plural exposing units opposed to the photosensitive members, respectively, each of the exposing units including a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a first direction; and a body frame which is provided at both sides of the exposing units in the first direction. Each of the exposing units includes: a gap maintaining member which abuts a respective one of the photosensitive members to define a distance between the exposing unit and the photosensitive member; a first-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in the first direction to position the exposing unit in the first direction; and a second-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and an exposing direction of the light emitting elements, to position the exposing unit in the second direction. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255906 | Developer storage body, developing device and image forming apparatus - A developer storage body includes a developer storage portion storing a developer and having an elongated shape, an outlet opening provided at a substantially center portion of the developer storage portion in a longitudinal direction of the developer storage portion, inclined portions provided on both end portions of the developer storage portion in the longitudinal direction, a rotation member rotatably provided in the developer storage portion, and a film member provided on the rotation member. The film member is brought into contact with the inclined portions when the rotation member rotates. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255907 | TONER DISCHARGING DEVICE, TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner discharging device, a toner cartridge and an image forming apparatus in which occurrence of a locking phenomenon can be suppressed are provided. A toner discharging device includes a discharge container having a wall portion which defines an internal space thereof and has a reception port and a discharge port, and a discharge member including a rotation shaft and a discharge blade as a decay spiral blade. At least a part of the wall portion of the discharge container surrounds the discharge blade along an axial line direction of the rotation shaft, and the discharge port is formed on the part of the wall portion. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255908 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a pattern forming unit which forms a light amount adjustment pattern on an image carrier belt, a light amount control unit which controls the amount of light irradiating the image carrier belt and pattern, a detection sensor which detects reflected light amounts from the image carrier belt and pattern with respect to the irradiating light amount and stores the detection results in a storage unit, a calculation unit which calculates the correspondence between the irradiating light amount and the reflected light amounts from the image carrier belt and pattern on the basis of the detection results and stores the calculation results in the storage unit, and a light amount decision unit which decides, on the basis of the calculation results, a light amount at which the difference between the reflected light amounts from the image carrier belt and pattern exhibits a value set in advance. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255909 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes an endless and movable transfer material bearing belt, a transfer member, an opposing member and a belt guide member, wherein a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a first area is substantially the same as a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a second area, the first area corresponding to a nip area formed by the opposing member and the transfer member and the second area corresponding to an area in which the belt guide member bringing the transfer material bearing belt and the image bearing belt come into contact with each other. By the virtue of the present invention, a transfer material is restrained from scraping off the leading end of a toner image before the leading end of the toner image enters a transfer nip portion, while suppressing spattering of the toner image on the upstream of the transfer nip portion. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255910 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a belt member bearing a toner image, a contact member disposed inside loop formed by the belt member, a rotary pressing member to contact the contact member through the belt member and form a nip between the contact member and the rotary pressing member via the belt member through which a recording medium is conveyed, and a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto the recording medium. An amount of winding of the belt member around the rotary pressing member is changeable between a first state in which the belt member is wound around the rotary pressing member upstream from the nip in the direction of move to the nip and a second state in which the amount of winding of the belt member around the rotary pressing member is reduced from the first state while contacting the belt member. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255911 | System And Method For Switching Registration Control Modes In A Continuous Feed Printer - A method enables a printing system to be operated in one of two registration control modes. The method includes operating at least one marking station with reference to a first velocity measurement of a web moving along a web path in response to a first registration control mode being active, the first velocity measurement corresponding to an angular velocity signal obtained from only a first roller in a web path, and operating the at least one marking station with reference to a second velocity measurement of the web moving along the web path in response to a second registration control mode being active, the second velocity measurement corresponding to at least two angular velocity signals obtained from at least the first roller and a second roller in the web path. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255912 | DUAL WIPER COSMETIC APPLICATOR - An applicator for a cosmetic product is provided, the applicator comprising a container for storing the cosmetic product, the container defining an opening, a first wiper element coupled to the container, proximate the opening of the container, and an applicator arrangement removably coupled to the container. The applicator arrangement includes a stem having an applicator element at a distal end and a first handle at a proximal end, the applicator element extending into the container for receiving cosmetic product. The applicator arrangement farther includes an elongate hollow tube that is slidable through the first wiper element, the hollow tube haying an opening defined by a rim at a distal end and a second handle at a proximal end, the rim defining a second wiper element, wherein the stem can be slidably accommodated within the hollow tube so that the applicator element of the stem can extend beyond the opening defined by the rim of the hollow tube. The first handle is releasably fitted to the second handle so that When the applicator arrangement is removed from the container the first wiper element scrapes excess cosmetic product from the applicator element and when the first handle is separated from the second handle the second wiper element scrapes excess cosmetic product from the applicator element. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255913 | TELEMETRY SYSTEM ADAPTATION FOR NON-TELEMETRY EQUIPPED SENSORS - A coupling adaptor. The coupling adaptor includes a body which extends from a first end to a second end. The body also has a hollow interior extending between the first end and the second end. The first end has a first port with screw threads. The first threaded port mates with and receives an electronic sensor. The second end has a second threaded port with screw threads. The second threaded port mates with and receives a telemetry system. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255914 | COMPACT, HIGHLY-REUSABLE, LOCKING DEVICE - A compact, highly-reusable, locking device includes a carrier, roller elements, a body, and a band spring. The carrier includes a plurality of apertures for receiving each a corresponding roller element. The body includes a plurality of detents separated by ridges. The number of detents is different than the number of roller elements. The body is at least partially received in the carrier such that the detents are in radial alignment with the apertures. The band spring is disposed about the roller elements. The roller elements travel across the detents and ridges to cause elastic deformation of the band spring when the body is rotated about a central axis. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255915 | Furniture bracket - A type of furniture bracket, having two components, which allows easy assembly and disassembly of furniture, such as a vanity, without the need for tools. The components being attached to a planar and end side of furniture panels, respectively; one component having a recess with a flared lower portion and the other component having a flared raised portion such that the flared raised portion is inserted into the recess and slid down into the flared portion of the recess, thus wedging the components together and forming a tight contact between the two panels. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255916 | ENERGY ABSORBING VEHICLE BARRIER - An energy absorbing vehicle barrier includes a frame defining a compartment. In one embodiment, the frame includes a nose. An energy absorbing cartridge is disposed within the compartment. A retaining device is coupled to the frame, with the retaining device disposed above and extending over at least a portion of an upper surface of the cartridge. The retaining device may contact and engage the upper surface of the cartridge when the barrier is impacted by a vehicle. In this way, the retaining device substantially prevents movement of the cartridge in at least a vertical direction during the impact. Methods of using and assembling the barrier are also provided. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255917 | METHODS FOR DEICING ROADS - Roadways are deiced or ice formation on roadways is prevented by applying salt compositions derived from waste water streams from water softening operations. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255918 | PAVING MACHINE CONTROL AND METHOD - A control and a method of control for a machine that applies a material to a subgrade at a work site and pulls a floating screed, having a screed plate, over the top surface of the material behind the machine is useful in paving with asphalt material. The floating screed is attached to the machine by a tow arm at a tow point on said tow arm. The vertical height of the tow point is controlled by an hydraulic cylinder on said machine in response to a valve control signal applied to an hydraulic valve by a valve control drive. The screed determines the thickness of the material on the subgrade and is manipulated by adjusting the height of the tow point. A first sensor is mounted on the floating screed for sensing three-dimensional position. A second sensor for senses the pitch of said screed. A processor circuit is responsive to the first and second sensors for determining the height of the trailing edge of the screed plate and the movement of the screed over the top surface of the material. An adjusted height error value is combined with a tow point correction value produced by a three dimensional positioning system to provide for adjustment of the tow point by no more than a predetermined amount as the screed plate travels a predetermined minimum distance. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255919 | Self-Propelled Surface Cutter Having Fixed Support of the Rotary Cutter Drive - The present invention relates to a self-propelled surface cutter, preferably in the form of an asphalt cutter, a snow cutter or a surface miner, having working equipment including a rotatingly drivable roller body, and having at least one roller drive unit which is received in the interior of the roller body and forms at least one part of a rotatable support of the roller body at a roller carrier frame, wherein the rotatable support of the roller body includes at least two roller bearing arrangements which support the roller body at two roller carrier frame parts engaging around the roller body at the end face, wherein each of the named two roller bearing arrangements on its own forms a statically determined or overdetermined radial and axial support which includes at least two mutually spaced apart bearing points and supports the roller body at the respective roller carrier frame part in an axially and radially fixed manner and/or at a fixed angle to one another so that the roller body overall is supported with static overdetermination at the roller carrier frame. In accordance with the invention, an axial compensation apparatus for compensating deviations of the axial spacing of the two roller bearing arrangements from the axial spacing of the bearing fastening points of the roller carrier frame parts is provided at the roller carrier frame and/or between the roller carrier frame and one of the roller bearing arrangements. An axial restriction and axial overloads of the roller bearing arrangements are, hereby avoided which are themselves tilt-resistant as well as radially fixed and axially fixed and thus axially non-resilient, which in turn suppresses or avoids overload and offset impairing the leak-tightness of the sealing elements for sealing the at least one drive unit. Sealing apparatus such as floating ring seals which are more sensitive to offset, but which seal better, can hereby be used. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255920 | Dowel sleeves - A dowel sleeve has a tubular body with a mounting assembly at one end for releasable connection to a construction plate, and a leg support engagable at the other end for adjustable support. The construction plate has spaced non-circular holes. A first flange of the mounting assembly has a complementary profile, of smaller dimensions, to the non-circular holes, while a second flange has a similar profile, of larger dimensions, with its major-axis non-aligned with the major-axis of the first flange. The first flange is inserted through one of the non-circular holes, and the tubular body is rotated so the first and second flanges engage opposed faces of the construction plate. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255921 | Water retention cell structures - An assembly of hollow frustum-shaped bodies arranged and supported on a horizontal support structure is used to form a core structure for water retention cells. The assemblies are arranged in alternately inverted layers with the ends of the frustum-shaped bodies interconnected to form vertical support columns which are horizontally stabilized by horizontal support structure. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255922 | BOX CULVERT - A box culvert assembly and method of forming a box culvert assembly is provided. The boxes forming the assembly comprise portions configured to allow pivoted assembly of one box into another, while reducing the likelihood of high stress or fracture. The box assembly further allows for a generally tight seal between the boxes. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255923 | METHOD FOR STIMULATING BIODEGRADATION AND THE DEGASSING OF WASTE DISPOSAL SITES - The present invention relates to a method for stimulating biodegradation and the degassing of waste disposal sites by installing degassing pipes therein. The present invention further relates to a special waste disposal site. It is therefore an object of the present invention to increase the extent of biodegradation as well as the extent of degassing of a waste disposal site. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255924 | Exchangeable Cutting Insert - A cutting insert having a plurality of corner cutting edges has an upper face, a lower face, two longitudinal side faces and two transversal side faces connecting the upper face and the lower face. A through hole passes through central parts of the upper face and the lower face. The longitudinal side faces are opposite to each other and normal to both upper and lower faces, as are the transversal side faces. The upper face and the lower face are each provided with two chip discharge grooves, each chip discharge groove extending along a corresponding one of the transversal side faces, the two chip discharge grooves being inclined oppositely in the transverse direction so that the upper face and the lower face are each provided with two corner cutting edges at diagonally opposite corners. The longitudinal length of the insert is longer than the transversal length of the insert. The cutting insert can be mounted stably to a small-diametered cutter with a sufficient mounting surface. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255925 | Cutting Insert and Indexable Tooth Cutting Tool Using the Same - A cutting insert is removably mountable on an insert seat formed in a peripheral of a tool body rotated around an axis O and of substantial disc shape. The cutting insert includes a substantially planar insert body of a substantially square shape in plan view, a flank at an upper face of the body, a rake face at a side of the body intersecting with the flank, and a cutting edge at an intersection ridge between the rake face and the flank. The cutting edge is a substantial involute in side view of the body, the rake face is inclined to an inside of the body from an upper toward a lower face, and at least a front end arranged in a peripheral of the tool body is concave constituting a part of a substantially conical side face. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255926 | Cutting Tool and Cutting Insert Therefor - A cutting tool used for grooving and turning operations, where a cutting insert is removably securable in a blade-shaped insert holder. The insert holder includes an insert receiving slot having a longitudinally extending upper receiving slot surface with longitudinally separated single pairs of ridge type V-shaped lateral stopping and upper clamping surfaces, the planar surface components of which form different internal angles. The cutting insert includes an upper surface with a single pair of groove type V-shaped upper abutment surfaces longitudinally separated from two pairs of groove type V-shaped lateral abutment surfaces. Clamping contact occurs between the pairs of upper abutment and upper clamping surfaces, and lateral contact only occurs between one surface component of one of the two pairs of lateral abutment surfaces and one surface component of the pair of lateral stopping surfaces for cases of a sufficiently large side load on the cutting insert. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255927 | Drill saw and cutting tool - A drill saw includes a motor, a drive shaft rotationally driven by the motor for rotation of the drive shaft about a corresponding drive axis, a transmission cooperating with the drive shaft to convert the rotation of the drive shaft to a driven output. The transmission includes a shuttle member having first and second gears. The shuttle member is slidably mounted for translation between first and second positions. A rotary motion-to-linearly reciprocating, motion converter operatively cooperates with the first gear when the shuttle member is in the first position so that a first driven output drives an output shaft reciprocatingly and linearly along an output axis. A rotary motion-to-rotary motion coupler operatively cooperates with the second gear when the shuttle member is in the second position so that a second driven output drives the output shaft rotationally about the output axis. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255928 | DRILL ALIGNMENT TOOL - A tool for guiding a drill from both sides of a post having a top and at least one circumscribing side so that a single longitudinal axial bore is formed, the tool comprising: a first part adapted to clamp over the top of the post and position first and second guide plates on opposing sides of the post, the first and second guide plates having openings formed therein; and a second part adapted to position two opposing drill bushings in the openings in the first and second guide plates. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255929 | Universal Drill Stand - A universal drill stand for supporting a hand-held drill in an elevated and inverted position for drilling holes or inserting fasteners into a concrete ceiling or other overhead surface. The universal drill stand is extendable for use with varying ceiling heights. It eliminates the need for a worker to construct scaffolding or ascend a ladder or other elevating device to drill each hole, allowing the worker to remain safely on the floor and away from dust and debris associated with the drilling. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255930 | DRILL SPINDLE UNIT - A drill spindle unit includes a housing, and a rotatable and longitudinally displaceable drill spindle provided with axial keyways for cooperation with internal projections of a drill spindle surrounding rotation drive sleeve, and a screw thread for cooperation with an internal thread of a drill spindle surrounding feed drive sleeve. Bearings for radial as well as axial support of the drill spindle relative to the housing are provided. The radial support bearings are arranged to transfer radial forces only, and a thrust bearing is arranged to transfer axial forces between the housing and the drill spindle. The thrust bearing is associated with an axial load sensing device by which signals are generated in response to the axial load applied on the drill spindle. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255931 | Hole Saw Arbor System - A hole saw arbor system includes a tool-bit holder comprising a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end configured to be coupled to and driven by a driving device. A substantially longitudinal tool-bit holder bore may extend from the proximal end to the distal end of the body, the bore configured to receive a drill bit. The system further includes an arbor configured to be releasably coupled to a portion of the drill bit. The arbor may include a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end configured to matingly engage the distal end of the tool-bit holder when the arbor is coupled to the drill bit. The distal end may be configured to be coupled to a hole saw. A substantially longitudinal arbor bore may extend from the proximal end to the distal end of the body, the arbor bore being configured to receive the drill bit. The arbor may further include a locking mechanism positioned within a portion of the body, the locking mechanism configured to releasably couple the arbor to at least a portion of the drill bit when the drill bit is within the arbor bore. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255932 | DAMPING INSERT FOR TOOL HOLDER - A tool holder for a cutting and/or milling machine includes a shank portion configured to be attached to a spindle of the cutting and/or milling machine for mounting the tool holder, and a tool mounting portion for mounting a tool to the tool holder. The tool holder includes a cavity through the shank portion and/or the mounting portion, the cavity being aligned to the rotation axis of the tool holder. The tool holder includes a damping material disposed within the cavity for mitigating harmonic resonance during operation of the cutting and/or milling machine. The damping member may be used in all types and configurations of tool holders. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255933 | SYSTEM FOR COMPENSATING FOR THE RAM DROP IN A MACHINE-TOOL - The present invention relates to a compensation system for compensating for the drop of the ram in a machine tool, comprising a vertical translation carriage ( | 2011-10-20 |
20110255934 | TOOL FOR TRANSPORTING TOWERS - Tool for tower transport, of the type that are used for transporting large-sized parts, such as sections ( | 2011-10-20 |
20110255935 | SECURING STRUCTURE WITH URGED FASTENER - An exemplary securing structure includes a base, a fastener, and a spring mounted around the fastener. The base defines a securing hole, and two slots located aside the securing hole and communicating with the securing hole. The fastener includes a head, a bolt extending downwardly from the head, and two blocks extending outwardly from an outer periphery of the bolt corresponding to the slots. The bolt is extendable through the securing hole together with the blocks extending through the slots, respectively. The fastener is then rotatable to a position such that the blocks abuts a bottom side of the base. The spring is resiliently compressed between the head of the fastener and a top side of the base. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255936 | Threaded Fastener - A fastener includes an elongated body having a first end and a second end, a helical thread having a crest, a root, and flank portions formed on at least a portion of the elongated body, and at least one protrusion extending from the crest and flank portion. The at least one protrusion is an axially extending V-shape of the crest, flank portions, and root of the helical thread with a peak of the at least one protrusion having a ridge that extends radially outward from the root of the thread. | 2011-10-20 |
20110255937 | BRACKET AND METHOD OF MAKING IT - There is disclosed a bracket for joining together a pair of pieces of wood at right angles, and a method of making the bracket from a single blank. The bracket includes a pair of upstanding flanges being integrally connected to one another, and having horizontal flanges connected at right angles to the upstanding flanges. A pair of retainers are integrally connected at right angles to the horizontal flanges. A pair of retainers are integrally connected at right angles to the horizontal flanges and are generally parallel to and spaced from the upstanding flanges. | 2011-10-20 |