Author: claimsbot

1. A drip emitter comprising:
a body for mounting to an inner surface of a supply tube;
an inlet defined by the body and capable of receiving pressurized fluid from the supply tube;
a flow path from the inlet to an outlet formed in the emitter;
a pressure reducing flow channel located in the flow path;
a metal structure disposed at the body and including at least copper metal;
wherein the body includes a base and a boundary wall extending from the base, the boundary wall defining an outlet bath between the base and the inside surface of the supply tube when the body is mounted to the inner surface; and
wherein the body includes a partition extending from the base and dividing the outlet bath into a first sub-bath and a second sub-bath.
2. The drip emitter of claim 1 further comprising a post extending from the base, the post defining at least in part a supply tube outlet when the emitter body is mounted to the inner surface of the supply tube.
3. The drip emitter of claim 2 wherein the first sub-bath includes a flow path between the emitter outlet and the supply tube outlet and the second sub-bath does not includes this flow path.
4. The drip emitter of claim 3 wherein the metal structure is attached to the body within the first sub-bath.
5. The drip emitter of claim 4 wherein the boundary wall has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the supply tube.
6. The drip emitter of claim 5 wherein the boundary wall comprises two end walls and two side walls.
7. The drip emitter of claim 6 wherein each of the first and second sub-baths is defined in part by one end wall, the partition, and portions of the two side walls.
8. The drip emitter of claim 7 wherein the height of the partition is the same as or less than the height of the end walls, the height being the distance the partition and the end walls extend from the base.
9. The drip emitter of claim 1 wherein the metal structure is in the form of a plate with a copper outer surface.
10. The drip emitter of claim 9 wherein the metal structure defines a first hole and a second hole therethrough and wherein the body of the emitter has a locator post extending outwardly therefrom, the first hole extending over the emitter outlet when the second hole receives the locator post.
11. The drip emitter of claim 1 further comprising a valve at or near the inlet.
12. An irrigation system comprising:
a supply tube having an interior through which fluid is supplied and having a wall with a plurality of supply tube outlets extending therethrough;
a plurality of drip emitters mounted to the wall within the interior of the supply tube, at least one drip emitter comprising:
a body for mounting to an inner surface of the supply tube;
an inlet defined by the body and capable of receiving pressurized fluid from the supply tube;

a flow path from the inlet to an outlet formed in the emitter;
a pressure reducing flow channel located in the flow path;
a metal structure attached to the body including at least copper metal;
wherein the body includes a base and a boundary wall extending from the base, the wall defining an outlet bath between the base and the inside surface of the supply tube when the body is mounted to the inner surface; and
wherein the body includes a partition extending from the base and dividing the outlet bath into a first sub-bath and a second sub-bath.
13. The irrigation system of claim 12 wherein the at least one drip emitter further comprises a post extending from the base, the post defining at least in part a supply tube outlet when the emitter body is mounted to the inner surface of the supply tube.
14. The irrigation system of claim 13 wherein the first sub-bath includes a flow path between the emitter outlet and the supply tube outlet and the second sub-bath does not includes this flow path.
15. The irrigation system of claim 14 wherein the metal structure is attached to the body within the first sub-bath.
16. The irrigation system of claim 15 wherein the height of the partition is the same as or less than the height of at least a portion of the boundary wall, the height being the distance the partition and boundary wall extend from the base.
17. The irrigation system of claim 12 wherein the metal structure is in the form of a plate with a copper outer surface.
18. The irrigation system of claim 17 wherein the metal structure defines a first hole and a second hole therethrough and wherein the body of the emitter has a locator post extending outwardly therefrom, the first hole extending over the emitter outlet when the second hole receives the locator post.

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 for accelerating the evaluation of rule tables within the compiled rule base for a rule engine; said method comprising the steps of:
identifying groups of repetitive rule conditions within a rule table within the rule base;
determining a first hash function which distinguishes said groups of rule conditions;
calculating respective hash values per said first hash function for each rule of said rule table;
storing said first hash function in said compiled rule base;
storing said respective hash values in said compiled rule base; and
storing said rule tables in said compiled rule base.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the further step of
when said rule engine is invoked to determine at least one action for a set of attributes,
calculating the hash value for said set of attributes; and
skipping evaluation of those rows in said rule tables whose respective hash values are different than said hash value for said set of attributes.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining at least one additional hash function which further distinguishes said groups of rule conditions; and
using said at least one additional hash function in said calculation and said storing steps.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:
when said rule engine is invoked to determine at least one action for a set of attributes,
calculating a first hash value for said set of attributes according to said first hash function;
calculating a second hash value for said set of attributes according to said at least one additional hash function; and
skipping evaluation of those rows in said rule tables whose respective hash values are different than said respective hash values for said set of attributes.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining step further comprises a compile-time optimization for choosing said first hash function.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a criteria presence optimization.
7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a mutually exclusivity optimization.
8. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a quantity of criteria used by said first hash function optimization.
9. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a type of criteria used by said first hash function optimization.
10. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a rule table length optimization.
11. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a multi rule table optimization.
12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determining step further comprises a post run-time optimization for choosing said first hash function.
13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said post run-time optimization comprises an optimization which contrasts a compiled rule base without said first hash function to a compiled rule base with said first hash function.
14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said post run-time optimization comprises an optimization which contrasts a plurality of said first hash functions.
15. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said determining steps further comprises a compile-time optimization for choosing said first hash function and said at least one additional hash function.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a criteria presence optimization.
17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a mutually exclusivity optimization.
18. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a quantity of criteria used by said first hash function optimization.
19. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a type of criteria used by said first hash function optimization.
20. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a rule table length optimization.
21. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said compile-time optimization comprises a multi rule table optimization.
22. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said determining step further comprises a post run-time optimization for choosing said first hash function and said at least one additional hash function.
23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said post run-time optimization comprises an optimization which contrasts a compiled rule base without said first hash function to a compiled rule base with said first hash function.
24. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said post run-time optimization comprises an optimization which contrasts a plurality of said first hash functions.

1. A method of flushing oil from an oil inject circuit of a refrigerant recovery unit, comprising the steps of:
opening a vacuum solenoid, a high side inlet solenoid, and an oil inject solenoid with a controller;
removing a first type of refrigerant oil from the oil inject circuit by applying a vacuum from a vacuum pump to an oil inject hose line, the vacuum solenoid, the high side inlet solenoid, and the oil inject solenoid, wherein the controller controls the vacuum pump;
closing the vacuum solenoid, the high side inlet solenoid, and the oil inject solenoid with the controller; and
turning the vacuum pump off with the controller.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
opening the oil inject solenoid for a predetermined period of time to inject a portion of a second type of refrigerant oil into the oil injection circuit; and
performing a hose flush routine to remove any remaining first type of refrigerant oil from the oil injection circuit.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps:
injecting a refrigerant into the oil injection circuit when the oil inject hose line is coupled to a high side service hose to complete a charging circuit; and
flushing the oil injection circuit with the refrigerant.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the oil inject solenoid is closed before the vacuum solenoid and the high side inlet solenoid are closed.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of continuing to apply the vacuum after the oil inject solenoid is closed, but while the vacuum solenoid and the high side inlet solenoid are still open.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of requesting from a user whether to perform an oil type change in the refrigerant recovery unit on a display of the refrigerant recovery unit.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vacuum is applied for about 2 seconds to about 30 seconds.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of injecting a second type of refrigerant oil into the oil inject hose line to purge the oil inject hose line of the first type of refrigerant oil.
9. A refrigerant recovery unit, comprising:
an oil injection circuit that is configured to receive a first refrigerant oil from a first refrigerant oil bottle and to inject the first refrigerant oil into a vehicle refrigerant system, wherein the oil injection circuit comprises an oil inject solenoid and an oil hose line;
a high side inlet solenoid in communication with the oil inject solenoid;
a vacuum pump configured to apply a vacuum;
a vacuum solenoid in communication with the vacuum pump; and
a controller configured to control the opening and closing of the oil inject solenoid, the vacuum solenoid, and the high side inlet solenoid, wherein the controller opens the oil inject solenoid, the vacuum solenoid, and the high side inlet solenoid and applies the vacuum to flush the first refrigerant oil from the oil injection circuit.
10. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 9, wherein after the controller opens the oil inject solenoid, the vacuum solenoid, and the high side inlet solenoid, then the oil inject solenoid is closed before the vacuum solenoid and the high side inlet solenoid are closed.
11. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 9, wherein the vacuum is applied for about 2 seconds to about 30 seconds.
12. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 9, wherein the oil injection circuit is further configured to inject a second refrigerant oil from a second refrigerant oil bottle and to inject the second refrigerant oil into the vehicle refrigerant system.
13. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 9, wherein the first refrigerant oil bottle is coupled to the oil hose line but is uncoupled from the oil hose line before the vacuum is used to flush the oil injection circuit.
14. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 9, wherein when a second refrigerant oil bottle is coupled to the oil injection circuit, the oil injection solenoid is opened for a predetermined period of time to flush out the first refrigerant oil.
15. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 10, wherein the vacuum pump continues to apply the vacuum after the oil inject solenoid is closed but while the vacuum solenoid and the high side inlet solenoid are still open.
16. A refrigerant recovery unit, comprising:
means for injecting configured to receive a first refrigerant oil from a first refrigerant oil bottle and to inject the first refrigerant oil into a vehicle refrigerant system, wherein the means for injecting comprises an oil inject solenoid and an oil hose line;
a high side inlet solenoid in communication with the oil inject solenoid;
a vacuum pump configured to apply a vacuum;
a vacuum solenoid in communication with the vacuum pump; and
means for controlling configured to control the opening and closing of the oil inject solenoid, the vacuum solenoid, and the high side inlet solenoid, wherein the means for controlling opens the oil inject solenoid, the vacuum solenoid, and the high side inlet solenoid and applies the vacuum to flush the first refrigerant oil from the means for injecting.
17. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 16, wherein after the means for controlling opens the oil inject solenoid, the vacuum solenoid, and the high side inlet solenoid, then the oil inject solenoid is closed before the vacuum solenoid, and the high side solenoid are closed.
18. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 16, wherein the vacuum is applied for about 2 seconds to about 30 seconds.
19. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 16, wherein the means for injecting is further configured to inject a second refrigerant oil from a second refrigerant oil bottle and to inject the second refrigerant oil into the vehicle refrigerant system.
20. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 19, wherein when second refrigerant oil bottle is coupled to the means for injecting, the oil injection solenoid is opened for a predetermined period of time to flush out the first refrigerant oil.
21. The refrigerant recovery unit of claim 17, wherein the vacuum pump continues to apply the vacuum after the oil inject solenoid is closed but while the vacuum solenoid and the high side solenoid are still open.

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 toner kit comprising:
a pale cyan toner comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant; and
a deep cyan toner comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant,
the pale cyan toner and the deep cyan toner being separated from each other, wherein:
when a toner image fixed on plain paper is expressed by an L*a*b* color coordinate system where a* represents a hue in the red-green direction, b* represents a hue in the yellow-blue direction, and L* represents a lightness,
in a fixed image of the pale cyan toner, the pale cyan toner has a value of a* (a*C1) in a range of \u221230 to \u221219 when b* is \u221220 and a value of a* (a*C2) in a range of \u221245 to \u221229 when b* is \u221230;
in a fixed image of the deep cyan toner, the deep cyan toner has a value of a* (a*C3) in a range of \u221229 to \u221219 when b* is \u221220 and a value of a* (a*C4) in a range of \u221243 to \u221229 when b* is \u221230; and
the relationships of a*C1\u2266a*C3 and a*C2\u2266a*C4 are satisfied.
2. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
a difference between a*C1 and a*C3 (a*C1\u2212a*C3) is in a range of \u22128 to \u22121; and
a difference between a*C2 and a*C4 (a*C2\u2212a*C4) is in a range of \u221212 to \u22121.
3. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
the difference between a*C1 and a*C3 (a*C1\u2212a*C3) is in a range of \u22127 to \u22121; and
the difference between a*C2 and a*C4 (a*C2\u2212a*C4) is in a range of \u221210 to \u22121.
4. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
the a*C1 is in a range of \u221226 to \u221219;
the a*C2 is in a range of \u221239 to \u221229;
the a*C3 is in a range of \u221223 to \u221219; and
the a*C4 is in a range of \u221235 to \u221229.
5. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
the pale cyan toner has a value of L* in a range of 85 to 90 when c* represented by the following equation is 30; and
the deep cyan toner has the value of L* in a range of 74 to 84 when c* is 30.
c*=\u221a{square root over (a*2+b*2)}
6. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
a hue angle (H*C1) of the pale cyan toner is in a range of 214 to 229\xb0; and a hue angle(H*C2) of the deep cyan toner is in a range of 216 to 237\xb0.
7. The toner kit according to claim 6, wherein:
a difference between H*C1 and H*C2 (H*C2\u2212H*C1) is in a range of 0.1 to 22\xb0.
8. The toner kit according to claim 6, wherein:
a difference between H*C1 and H*C2 (H*C2\u2212H*C1) is in a range of 1 to 17\xb0.
9. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
the colorant of each of the pale cyan toner and the deep cyan toner contains a pigment.
10. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
the pale cyan toner comprises 0.4 to 1.5% by mass of the colorant with respect to a total amount of the toner; and
the deep cyan toner comprises 2.5 to 8.5% by mass of the colorant with respect to the total amount of the toner.
11. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
the deep cyan toner provides an optical density in a range of 1.5 to 2.5 for a solid image having a toner amount of 1 mgcm2 on paper; and
the pale toner provides an optical density in a range of 0.82 to 1.35 for the solid image having the toner amount of 1 mgcm2 on paper.
12. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
the pale cyan toner and the deep cyan toner each have a charge control agent; and
a ratio of a content of the charge control agent in the pale cyan toner to a content of the charge control agent in the deep cyan toner is in a range of 0.60 to 0.95.
13. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
a weight average particle diameter of the pale cyan toner is in a range of 3 to 9 \u03bcm; and
a weight average particle diameter of the deep cyan toner is in the range of 3 to 9 \u03bcm.
14. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a weight average particle diameter of the pale cyan particle to a weight average particle diameter of the deep cyan particle is in a range of 1.05 to 1.40.
15. The toner kit according to claim 1, wherein:
each of the pale cyan toner and the deep cyan toner comprises inorganic fine powders selected from a group consisting of titania, alumina, silica, and double oxides thereof; and
a ratio of a specific surface area of the pale cyan toner to a specific surface area of the deep cyan toner is in a range of 0.60 to 0.95.
16. The toner kit according to claim 1, further comprising:
a pale color two-component developer comprising at least the pale cyan toner and a carrier; and
a deep color two-component developer comprising at least the deep cyan toner and a carrier.
17. The toner kit according to claim 1, further comprising:
a pale color one-component developer comprising the pale cyan toner; and
a deep color one-component developer comprising the deep cyan toner.
18.-45. (canceled)
46. A toner kit comprising:
a pale cyan toner comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant; and
a deep cyan toner comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant,
a pale magenta toner comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant; and
a deep magenta toner comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant,
the pale cyan toner, the deep cyan toner, the pale magenta toner, and the deep magenta toner being separated from each other, wherein:
when a toner image fixed on plain paper is expressed by an L*a*b* color coordinate system where a* represents a hue in the red-green direction, b* represents a hue in the yellow-blue direction, and L* represents a lightness,
in a fixed image of the pale cyan toner, the pale cyan toner has a value of a* (a*C1) in a range of \u221230 to \u221219 when b* is \u221220 and a value of a* (a*C2) in a range of \u221245 to \u221229 when b* is \u221230;
in a fixed image of the deep cyan toner, the deep cyan toner has a value of a* (a*C3) in a range of \u221229 to \u221219 when b* is \u221220 and a value of a* (a*C4) in a range of \u221243 to \u221229 when b* is \u221230;
the relationships of a*C1\u2266a*C3 and a*C2\u2266a*C4 are satisfied;
in a fixed image of the pale magenta toner, the pale magenta toner has a value of b* (b*M1) in a range of \u221218 to 0 when a* is 20 and value of b* (b*M2) in a range of \u221226 to 0 when a* is 30; and
in a fixed image of the deep magenta toner, the deep magenta toner has a value of b* (b*M3) in a range of \u221216 to 2 when a* is 20 a value of b* (b*M4) in a range of \u221224 to 3 when a* is 30, a difference between b*M1 and b*M3 (b*M1\u2212b*M3) in a range of \u22128 to \u22121, and a difference between b*M2 and b*M4 (b*M2\u2212b*M4) in a range of \u221212 to \u22121.
47. (canceled)