1. An organic-waste-processing apparatus reducing a moisture of, and conducting a thermal operation process to, an organic waste, comprising:
a moisture-reducing unit reducing the moisture of the organic waste;
a combustion unit combusting and reducing a weight of the organic waste moisture-reduced by the moisture-reducing unit by using a combustion energy;
a combustion-energy-supply unit supplying the combustion energy, which is other than a combustion energy residing in the organic waste, into the combustion unit;
an energy-supply-operation controller controlling an operation of the combustion-energy-supply unit so that an inside the combustion unit is maintained at a predetermined temperature at a supply amount of the combustion energy;
an organic-waste-energy-estimating unit estimating an organic waste energy as the combustion energy residing in the organic waste based on a supply amount of the combustion energy as a result of a control by the energy-supply-operation controller;
a total-energy-consumption measuring unit measuring a total energy consumption amount by measuring energy consumption amounts for a plurality of energy-consuming elements relating to the moisture reduction and the thermal operation process of the organic waste and totaling results of measuring the energy consumption amounts;
a relation-maintaining unit maintaining a first correlation between the organic waste energy calculated in advance and the total energy consumption amount, a second correlation between the organic waste energy and a measured value of the total energy consumption amount obtained by correcting the first correlation continuously based on a third correlation between an estimated value of the organic waste energy estimated by the organic-waste-energy-estimating unit and a measured value of the total energy consumption amount measured by the total-energy-consumption measuring unit, or a fourth correlation between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount obtained by structuring and correcting continuously by the third correlation, as a reference relationship between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount;
a quantitative-relationship-grasping unit grasping a quantitative relationship between an optimum value of the organic waste energy minimizing the total energy consumption amount and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy based on the reference relationship maintained by the relation-maintaining unit between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy estimated by the organic-waste-energy-estimating unit; and
a moisture reduction controller controlling an operation of the moisture-reducing unit so that the estimated value of the organic waste energy to be estimated by the organic-waste-energy-estimating unit is directed in a direction reducing a quantitative difference from the optimum value of the organic waste energy based on the quantitative relationship grasped by the quantitative-relationship-grasping unit between the optimum value of the organic waste energy and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy.
2. The organic-waste-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combustion energy, which is other than the combustion energy residing in the organic waste is based on a flow amount of an auxiliary fuel fed to the combustion unit and a flow amount and a temperature of a combustion air.
3. The organic-waste-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the energy-consuming element includes at least one of an auxiliary fuel consumption amount of the combustion unit, an actual power consumption amount from which a recovered-heat-generated power amount is subtracted, a power source’s energy, and a power of an organic-waste-supplying pump.
4. The organic-waste-processing apparatus according to any one of claim 1, wherein the total energy consumption amount is obtained by totaling values to which conversion weight coefficients are multiplied for predetermined energy-related categories corresponding to the energy-consuming elements respectively
5. The organic-waste-processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conversion weight coefficient converts each energy-consuming element to a running cost.
6. The organic-waste-processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conversion weight coefficient converts each energy-consuming element to a sales price value.
7. The organic-waste-processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conversion weight coefficient converts each energy-consuming element to a CO2 emission amount.
8. An organic-waste-processing method reducing a moisture of, and conducting a thermal operation process to, an organic waste, comprising steps of:
reducing the moisture of the organic waste by a moisture-reducing unit;
combusting and reducing a weight of the moisture-reduced organic waste by a combustion unit by using a combustion energy;
supplying the combustion energy, which is other than a combustion energy residing in the organic waste, into the combustion unit;
controlling a supply of the combustion energy so that an inside the combustion unit is maintained at a predetermined temperature at a supply amount of the combustion energy;
estimating an organic waste energy as the combustion energy residing in the organic waste based on a supply amount of the combustion energy as a result of a control at the step of controlling the supply of the combustion energy;
measuring a total energy consumption amount by measuring energy consumption amounts for a plurality of energy-consuming elements relating to the moisture reduction and the thermal operation process of the organic waste and totaling results of the energy consumption amounts;
maintaining, in the controller, a first correlation between the organic waste energy calculated in advance and the total energy consumption amount, a second correlation between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount obtained by correcting the first correlation continuously based on a third correlation between an estimated value of the organic waste energy estimated at the step of estimating the organic waste energy and a measured value of the total energy consumption amount measured at the step of measuring the total energy consumption amount, or a fourth correlation between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount obtained by structuring and correcting continuously by the third correlation, as a reference relationship between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount;
grasping a quantitative relationship between an optimum value of the organic waste energy minimizing the total energy consumption amount and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy based on the reference relationship maintained at the step of maintaining the relation between an organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy estimated in the organic waste energy estimating step; and
controlling an operation of the moisture-reducing unit so that the estimated value of the organic waste energy to be estimated at the step of estimating the organic waste energy is directed in a direction reducing a quantitative difference from the optimum value of the organic waste energy based on the quantitative relationship grasped at the step of grasping the quantitative relationship between the optimum value of the organic waste energy and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy.
9. A, control apparatus comprising:
an energy-supply-operation controller controlling an operation of a combustion-energy-supply unit supplying a fuel energy, which is other than a combustion energy residing in the organic waste, to a combustion unit so that an inside the combustion unit combusting the organic waste is maintained at a predetermined temperature at a supply amount of the combustion energy;
an organic-waste-energy-estimating unit estimating an organic waste energy as the combustion energy residing in the organic waste based on a supply amount of the combustion energy as a result of a control by the energy-supply-operation controller;
a total-energy-consumption measuring unit measuring a total energy consumption amount by measuring energy consumption amounts for a plurality of energy-consuming elements relating to the moisture reduction and the thermal operation process of the organic waste and totaling results of measuring the energy consumption amounts;
a relation-maintaining unit maintaining a first correlation between the organic waste energy calculated in advance and the total energy consumption amount, a second correlation between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount obtained by correcting the first correlation continuously based on a third correlation between an estimated value of the organic waste energy estimated by the organic-waste-energy-estimating unit and a measured value of the total energy consumption amount measured by the total-energy-consumption measuring unit, or a fourth correlation between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount obtained by structuring and correcting continuously by the third correlation, as a reference relationship between the organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount;
a quantitative-relationship-grasping unit grasping a quantitative relationship between an optimum value of the organic waste energy minimizing the total energy consumption amount and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy based on the reference relationship maintained by the relation-maintaining unit between an organic waste energy and the total energy consumption amount and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy estimated by the organic-waste-energy-estimating unit; and
a moisture reduction controller controlling an operation of the moisture-reducing unit so that the estimated value of the organic waste energy to be estimated by the organic-waste-energy-estimating unit is directed in a direction reducing a quantitative difference based on the quantitative relationship grasped by the quantitative-relationship-grasping unit between the optimum value of the organic waste energy and the latest estimated value of the organic waste energy.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A watch band comprising:
a first end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the first end portion defining a free end thereof;
a second end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the second end portion defining a free end thereof, the second end portion having a buckle secured thereto at the free end thereof; and
a retention assembly comprising a male portion and a female portion which are configured to interlock with one another, the male portion being provided by a portion of the top surface of one of the first and second end portions, the female portion being provided by a portion of the top surface of the other one of the first and second end portions.
2. The watch band as defined in claim 1, wherein the male portion is provided by a portion of the top surface of the second end portion, and wherein the female portion is provided by a portion of the top surface of the first end portion.
3. The watch band as defined in claim 2, wherein the second end portion has a keeper secured thereto distal from the free end thereof, wherein the securement of the keeper to the second end portion provides a bump on the top surface of the second end portion, wherein the bump defines the male portion of the retention assembly.
4. The watch band as defined in claim 3, wherein the first end portion has first and second raised portions on the top surface thereof, the first and second raised portions being separated from one another to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap defines the female portion of the retention assembly.
5. The watch band as defined in claim 2, wherein the first end portion has first and second raised portions on the top surface thereof, the first and second raised portions being separated from one another to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap defines the female portion of the retention assembly.
6. The watch band as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second end portions are connected to one another, thereby defining that the free ends of the first and second end portions are opposite ends of the watch band.
7. The watch band as defined in claim 1, wherein the first end portion has an end opposite the free end thereof which is configured to be secured to a first bar of a watch casing, and wherein the second end portion has an end opposite the free end thereof which is configured to be secured to a second bar of the watch casing.
8. A watch band comprising:
a first end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the first end portion defining a free end thereof, wherein the first end portion has first and second raised portions on the top surface thereof, the first and second raised portions being separated from one another to define a gap therebetween; and
a second end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the second end portion defining a free end thereof, the second end portion being formed of first and second layers of material that are folded over upon one another to define the free end of the second end portion, the top surface of the second end portion being defined by the first layer of material, the bottom surface of the second end portion being defined by the second layer of material, the second end portion having a buckle secured thereto between the first and second layers of material at the free end thereof, the second end portion having a keeper secured thereto between the first and second layers of material distal from the free end thereof, wherein the securement of the keeper to the second end portion provides a bump on the top surface of the second end portion,
wherein the bump of the first end portion is configured to interlock with the gap defined by the second end portion.
9. The watch band as defined in claim 8, wherein the first and second end portions are connected to one another, thereby defining that the free ends of the first and second end portions are opposite ends of the watch band.
10. The watch band as defined in claim 8, wherein the first end portion has an end opposite the free end thereof which is configured to be secured to a first bar of a watch casing, and wherein the second end portion has an end opposite the free end thereof which is configured to he secured to a second bar of the watch casing.
11. The watch band as defined in claim 8, wherein an aperture is provided through the free end of the second end portion, and wherein the buckle is provided with a prong which extends through the aperture in the free end of the second end portion.
12. The watch band as defined in claim 11, wherein the first end portion has a plurality of apertures provided therethrough, wherein the prong of the buckle is configured to extend through any one of the plurality of apertures in order to secure the first end portion to the second end portion.
13. The watch band as defined in claim 12, wherein the first end portion has first and second side edges, and wherein the plurality of apertures are provided generally equidistantly between the first and second side edges of the first end portion.
14. The watch band as defined in claim 12, wherein the first and second raised portions are positioned between the free end of the first end portion and the plurality of apertures.
15. The watch band as defined in claim 8, wherein the first end portion has first and second side edges, and wherein the first and second raised portions generally extend from proximate the first side edge to proximate the second side edge.
16. The watch band as defined in claim 8, wherein the first and second raised portions are generally parallel to one another.
17. The watch band as defined in claim 8, wherein the first and second raised portions are formed by stitching.
18. A watch band comprising:
a first end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the first end portion defining a free end thereof, the first end portion having a plurality of apertures provided therethrough;
a second end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the second end portion defining a free end thereof, the second end portion having a buckle secured thereto at the free end thereof, the buckle having a prong, the second end portion having a keeper secured in place thereto distal from the free end thereof; and
a retention assembly comprising first and second portions which are configured to interlock with one another, the first portion of the retention assembly being associated with the second end portion proximate the keeper, the second portion of the retention assembly being associated with the first end portion between the plurality of apertures and the free end of the first end portion.
19. The watch band as defined in claim 18, wherein the first portion of the retention assembly is a male portion which is associated with the second end portion, and wherein the second portion of the retention assembly is a female portion that is associated with the first end portion.
20. The watch band as defined in claim 19, wherein the male portion is provided by a portion of the top surface of the second end portion, and wherein the female portion is provided by a portion of the top surface of the first end portion.
21. The watch band as defined in claim 20, wherein the securement of the keeper to the second end portion provides a bump on the top surface of the second end portion, wherein the bump defines the male portion of the retention assembly.
22. The watch band as defined in claim 21, wherein the first end portion has first and second raised portions on the top surface thereof, the first and second raised portions being separated from one another to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap defines the female portion of the retention assembly.
23. The watch band as defined in claim 20, wherein the first end portion has first and second raised portions on the top surface thereof, the first and second raised portions being separated from one another to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap defines the female portion of the retention assembly.
24. The watch band as defined in claim 18, wherein the first and second end portions are connected to one another, thereby defining that the free ends of the first and second end portions are opposite ends of the watch band.
25. The watch band as defined in claim 18, wherein the first end portion has an end opposite the free end thereof which is configured to be secured to a first bar of a watch casing, and wherein the second end portion has an end opposite the free end thereof which is configured to be secured to a second bar of the watch casing.
26. A method of securing a watch band comprising the steps of:
a) providing a watch band comprising a first end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the first end portion defining a free end thereof, the first end portion having a plurality of apertures provided therethrough, a second end portion having top and bottom surfaces, the second end portion defining a free end thereof, the second end portion having a buckle secured thereto at the free end thereof, the buckle having a prong, the second end portion having a keeper secured thereto distal from the free end thereof, and a retention assembly comprising first and second portions which are configured to interlock with one another, the first portion of the retention assembly being associated with the second end portion proximate the keeper, the second portion of the retention assembly being associated with the first end portion between the plurality of apertures and the free end of the first end portion;
b) inserting the free end of the first end portion into and through the buckle until a desired position is achieved;
c) inserting the prong of the buckle into and through one of the plurality of apertures provided through the first end portion;
d) inserting the free end of the first end portion into and through the keeper and thereby past the first portion of the retention assembly, thereby providing that an excess portion of the first end portion extends beyond the keeper, wherein the excess portion of the first end portion includes the second portion of the retention assembly;
e) folding a portion of the excess portion of the first end portion over on itself, wherein the portion of the excess portion of the first end portion includes the second portion of the retention assembly; and
f) interlocking the first portion of the retention assembly with the second portion of the retention assembly.
27. The method as defined in claim 26, wherein the first portion of the retention assembly is a male portion which is associated with the second end portion, and wherein the second portion of the retention assembly is a female portion that is associated with the first end portion.
28. The method as defined in claim 27, wherein the male portion is provided by a portion of the top surface of the second end portion, and wherein the female portion is provided by a portion of the top surface of the first end portion.
29. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein the securement of the keeper to the second end portion provides a bump on the top surface of the second end portion, wherein the bump defines the male portion of the retention assembly.
30. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein the first end portion has first and second raised portions on the top surface thereof, the first and second raised portions being separated from one another to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap defines the female portion of the retention assembly.
31. The method as defined in claim 28, wherein the first end portion has first and second raised portions on the top surface thereof, the first and second raised portions being separated from one another to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap defines the female portion of the retention assembly.