Author: claimsbot

We claim:

1. A method of fonning a connector on the end of a flexible conduit comprising the steps of:
a) forming a sleeve of the type comprising a section of hollow cylinder having a thread on its interior surface, said thread being of corresponding size and shape to the outer surface of said conduit,
b) threading said sleeve onto one of the ends of said conduit,
c) moulding said connector over said conduit and said sleeve, causing said sleeve to become an integral part of the inner surface of said connector.
2. A method of forming a connector on the end of a flexible conduit according to claim 1 wherein said conduit is a helically wound tube having an outer wall and inner wall, and including at least one electrical conductor wrapped around said inner wall which is covered with a bead.
3. A method of forming a connector on the end of a flexible conduit according to claim 1 wherein said connector is moulded over said conduit and said sleeve, and the edge of said sleeve is not aligned with the edge of said connector, such that the finished connector has part of said sleeve extending there from.
4. A conduit having a connector, formed on at least one end of said conduit in accordance with claim 1.
5. A conduit having a connector according to claim 4 wherein at least a sleeve is embedded in said connector and about said conduit and at least part of said sleeve extends out to form said connector.
6. A method of forming a connector on the end of a flexible conduit comprising the steps of:
a) over moulding a soft, flexible rubber cuff onto said conduit proximal to the end of said conduit, causing said cuff to blend with said conduit.
b) moulding said connector over said conduit and said cuff, causing said cuff to become an integral part of the inner surface of said connector.
7. A method of forming a connector on the end of a flexible conduit according to claim 6 wherein said rubber cuff is formed of a material with a low melting point.
8. A method of forming a connector on the end of a flexible conduit according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said conduit is a helically wound tube and includes at least one electrical conductor wrapped around said conduit, said electrical conductor being covered with a bead.
9. A method of forming a connector on the end of a flexible conduit according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said conduit is a helically wound tube having an outer wall and an inner wall and includes at least one electrical conductor wrapped around said inner wall, said electrical conductor being covered with a bead.

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 method of handling failures in a tree-structured packet network having a plurality of interconnected edge nodes and switching nodes, wherein at least two different virtual local area networks (VLANs) each connect a predefined set of the nodes, said method comprising the steps of:
periodically broadcasting alive messages on the different VLANs, said alive messages being broadcast within a restricted time interval by a first portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as emitter nodes;
listening for the alive messages by a second portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as notifiers;
determining by a given notifier that at least one of the alive messages failed to arrive within first and second periodically repeated detection time intervals;
broadcasting on the VLANs by the given notifier, a failure message for the VLAN associated with the missing alive message within a predefine keep-alive time period after determining that the missing alive message failed to arrive within the second detection time interval;
receiving the failure message in the edge nodes;
stopping transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the failure message;
subsequently receiving by the given notifier, the missing alive message;
broadcasting by the given notifier, a repair message on at least the associated VLAN indicating that the associated VLAN is repaired;
receiving the repair message in the edge nodes; and
restarting transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the repair message.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of broadcasting a failure message includes promptly broadcasting the failure message within a predefined keep-alive time period after determining that the missing alive message failed to arrive within the detection time interval.
3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of broadcasting a failure message includes broadcasting the failure message at the expiration of a predefined keep-alive time period after determining that the missing alive message failed to arrive within the detection time interval.
4. An arrangement in a tree-structured packet network for handling failures, said network having a plurality of interconnected edge nodes and switching nodes, wherein at least two different virtual local area networks (VLANs) each connect a predefined set of the nodes, said arrangement comprising:
a first portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as emitter nodes, each emitter node including a first processor configured to cause the emitter node to periodically broadcast alive messages on the different VLANs within a restricted time interval; and
a second portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as notifiers, each notifier including a second processor configured to cause the notifier to:
listen for the alive messages;

determine that at least one of the alive messages failed to arrive within first and second periodically repeated detection time intervals;
broadcast on the VLANs, a failure message for the VLAN associated with the missing alive message within a predefined keep-alive time period after determining that the missing alive message failed to arrive within the second detection time interval;
wherein the plurality of edge nodes are configured to note consecutive keep-alive time periods, wherein each keep-alive time period includes one of the detection time intervals;
wherein each of the plurality of edge nodes is further configured to receive the failure message, and stop transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the failure message;
wherein when a given notifier subsequently receives the missing alive message, the given notifier is configured to broadcast a repair message on at least the associated VLAN indicating that the associated VLAN is repaired; and
wherein each of the plurality of edge nodes is further configured to receive the repair message, and to restart transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the repair message.
5. A method in a tree-structured packet network for handling failures, said network having a plurality of interconnected edge nodes and switching nodes, wherein at least two different virtual local area networks (VLANs) each connect a predefined set of the nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
periodically broadcasting, by a first portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as emitter nodes, alive messages to all of the nodes on the different VLANs within a restricted time interval;
listening for the alive messages by a second portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as notifiers;
determining by the notifiers that at least one of the alive messages associated with one of the VLANs failed to arrive within first and second periodically repeated detection time intervals;
broadcasting by the notifiers, a failure message on the VLANs for the VLAN associated with the missing alive message;
receiving the failure message in the plurality of edge nodes;
stopping transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the failure message; and
noting consecutive keep-alive time periods by the plurality of edge nodes, wherein each keep-alive time period includes one of the detection time intervals;
wherein the periodically broadcasting step includes periodically broadcasting the alive messages by the emitter nodes at the beginning of the keep-alive time periods;
wherein the step of broadcasting the failure message by the notifiers includes broadcasting the failure message within the same keep-alive time period in which it is determined that at least one of the alive messages failed to arrive within the second periodically repeated detection time interval; and
wherein if a given notifier subsequently receives the missing alive message, the given notifier broadcasts a repair message on at least the associated VLAN indicating that the associated VLAN is repaired, and the edge nodes restart transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the repair message.
6. A method in a tree-structured packet network for handling failures, said network having a plurality of interconnected edge nodes and switching nodes, wherein at least two different virtual local area networks (VLANs) each connect a predefined set of the nodes, the method comprising the steps of:
periodically broadcasting, by a first portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as emitter nodes, alive messages to all of the nodes on the different VLANs within a restricted time interval;
listening for the alive messages by a second portion of the edge nodes of the VLANs configured as notifiers;
determining by the notifiers that at least one of the alive messages failed to arrive within first and second periodically repeated detection time intervals;
broadcasting by the notifiers, a failure message for the VLAN associated with the missing alive message; and
stopping transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the failure message;
wherein the step of broadcasting the failure message by the notifiers includes broadcasting on the VLANs, a failure message for the VLAN associated with the missing alive message within a predefined keep-alive time period after determining that the missing alive message failed to arrive within the second detection time interval; and
wherein if a given notifier subsequently receives the missing alive message, the given notifier broadcasts are air message on at least the associated VLAN indicating that the associated VLAN is repaired, and the edge nodes restart transmission of traffic messages on the associated VLAN in response to the repair message.

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a printing mechanism having a media path;
a print media source for supplying a sheet of print media to said printing mechanism;
a drive unit;
a drive shaft coupled to said drive unit; and
a media sensor device mounted to said drive shaft, wherein as said drive shaft is rotated in a first direction said media sensor device is moved from a first position that is out of the media path to a second position that is in said media path for sensing said sheet of print media, and as said drive shaft is rotated in a second direction opposite to said first direction said media sensor device is moved from said second position that is in said media path for sensing said sheet of print media to said first position that is out of the media path.
2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said media sensor device pivots around an axis of said drive shaft.
3. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said media sensor device comprises:
an arm having an opening for receiving said drive shaft;
a friction device for providing a frictional coupling of said arm to said drive shaft; and
a sensor attached to said arm.
4. The imaging apparatus of claim 3, wherein said friction device is a friction-slip clutch configured to produce an axial load along an axis of said drive shaft to generate friction between said arm and said drive shaft.
5. The imaging apparatus of claim 3, wherein said friction device comprises:
a bushing interposed between said arm and said drive shaft, said bushing being mounted to said drive shaft for rotation therewith; and
a spring interposed between said bushing and said arm.
6. The imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein said bushing has a non-circular opening for receiving said drive shaft, and drive shaft has a profile in cross-section corresponding to said non-circular opening.
7. The imaging apparatus of claim 6, wherein said non-circular opening is a D-shaped opening.
8. The imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein said spring is a coil spring that is positioned around said drive shaft.
9. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein said bushing includes a retainer, said spring being interposed between said retainer and said arm.
10. The imaging apparatus of claim 9, wherein said retainer is a shoulder that extends radially from a body of said bushing.
11. The imaging apparatus of claim 10, wherein said shoulder is a snap ring that engages said body of said bushing.
12. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, said media sensor device comprising:
an arm having a proximal end and a distal end, said arm being pivotably mounted to said drive shaft;
a sheet picking roller mounted to said arm near said distal end of said arm, said sheet picking roller being driven by said drive shaft; and
a media sensor mounted to said arm.
13. An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a printing mechanism having a media path;
a print media source for supplying a sheet of print media to said printing mechanism;
a drive system; and
a media sensor device mounted to said drive system, said drive system effecting a movement of said media sensor device toward a surface of said sheet of print media from a first position that is out of the media path to a second position that is in said media path for sensing said sheet of print media, and said drive system effecting a movement of said media sensor device away from said surface of said sheet of print media from said second position that is in said media path for sensing said sheet of print media to said first position that is out of the media path.
14. The imaging apparatus of claim 13, wherein said drive system comprises:
a drive unit; and
a drive shaft coupled to said drive unit.
15. The imaging apparatus of claim 14, wherein said media sensor device is mounted to said drive shaft.
16. The imaging apparatus of claim 15, wherein as said drive shaft is rotated in a first direction said media sensor device is moved from said first position that is out of the media path to said second position that is in said media path for sensing said sheet of print media, and as said drive shaft is rotated in a second direction opposite to said first direction said media sensor device is moved from said second position that is in said media path for sensing said sheet of print media to said first position that is out of the media path.

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 display device, comprising an image projection unit configured to project a light flux toward one eye of a human viewer by using a projection plate to reflect the light flux, the light flux including an image including a display object having a vanishing point, the projection plate being reflective and transmissive,
the image projection unit being configured to dispose the vanishing point of the display object at a position different from a position of a vanishing point of a background image viewed by the human viewer through the projection plate.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the image projection unit disposes the display object at a position lower than a position of a center of a reflective surface of the projection plate as viewed by the human viewer and disposes the vanishing point of the display object at a position higher than a position of the vanishing point of the background image as viewed by the human viewer.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the image projection unit disposes the display object at a position higher than a position of a center of a reflective surface of the projection plate as viewed by the human viewer and disposes the vanishing point of the display object at a position lower than a position of the vanishing point of the background image as viewed by the human viewer.
4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the image projection unit includes a first lens, a second lens, and a divergence angle control element provided between the first lens and the second, lens, the divergence angle control element being configured to control a divergence angle of the light flux.
5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the divergence angle control element is an aperture having an opening having a variable size.
6. The device according to claim 4, wherein
the first lens has a first focal distance;
the second lens has a second focal distance;
a distance between the divergence angle control element and the first lens is the first focal distance; and
a distance between the divergence angle control element and the second lens is the second focal distance.
7. The device according to claim 2, wherein
the display object has a configuration including a first side and a second side; and
an extension line of the first side intersects an extension line of the second side at the vanishing point of the display object.
8. The device according to claim 2, wherein a projection area of the light flux at a position of the human viewer has a lateral-direction width not more than 70 millimeters as viewed by the human viewer.
9. The device according to claim 2, wherein the image projection unit changes a difference between the vanishing point of the display object and the vanishing point of the background image based on a target position of the display object.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein
the image projection unit causes the position of the vanishing point of the display object to match the position of the vanishing point of the background image when a depthward set distance between the target position and a position of the one eye is not more than 30 meters, and
the image projection unit causes the position of the vanishing point of the display object to be different from the position of the vanishing point of the background image when the depthward set distance is greater than 30 meters.
11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the image projection unit causes the position of the vanishing point of the display object to be different from the position of the vanishing point of the background image when the depthward set distance is not less than 45 meters.
12. The device according to claim 1, wherein
the display device is mounted in a vehicle; and
the projection plate is a windshield unit of the vehicle.
13. A display method, comprising:
projecting a light flux including an image including a display object toward one eye of a human viewer by using a projection plate to reflect the light flux, the projection plate being reflective and transmissive; and
disposing a vanishing point of the display object at a position different from a position of a vanishing point of a background image viewed by the human viewer through the projection plate during the projecting toward the one eye.
14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
disposing the display object at a position lower than a position of a center of a reflective surface of the projection plate as viewed by the human viewer; and
disposing the vanishing point of the display object at a position higher than a position of the vanishing point of the background image as viewed by the human viewer.
15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
disposing the display object at a position higher than a position of a center of a reflective surface of the reflection plate as viewed by the human viewer; and
disposing the vanishing point of the display object at a position lower than a position of the vanishing point of the background image as viewed by the human viewer.
16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the projecting toward the one eye includes projecting the light flux toward the one eye by using the projection plate to reflect the light flux by using a first lens, a second lens, and a divergence angle control element provided between the first lens and the second lens, the divergence angle control element being configured to control a divergence angle of the light flux.
17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:
changing a difference between the vanishing point of the display object and the vanishing point of the background image based on a target position of the display object.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein
the image projection unit causes the position of the vanishing point of the display object to match the position of the vanishing point of the background image when a depthward set distance between the target position and a position of the one eye is not more than 30 meters; and
the image projection unit causes the position of the vanishing point of the display object to be different from the position of the vanishing point of the background image when the depthward set distance is greater than 30 meters.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the image projection unit causes the position of the vanishing point of the display object to be different from the position of the vanishing point of the background image when the depthward set distance is not less than 45 meters.
20. The method according to claim 13, wherein
the projection plate is a windshield unit of the vehicle.