Author: claimsbot

1. In a method for placing at least one Plasma-shell on a substrate having at least two electrodes to be electrically connected to each Plasma-shell, each Plasma-shell being located within a cavity on the substrate, the improvement wherein an electrically conductive bonding substance is applied to each Plasma-shell so as to form an electrical connection to each electrode.
2. The invention of claim 1 wherein each electrical connection on each Plasma-shell is separated from each other electrical connection on the Plasma-shell by a clearance space so as to prevent the conductive substance forming one electrical connection from flowing and electrically shorting out another electrical connection.
3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-sphere.
4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-disc.
5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-dome.
6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the cavity is a hole extending through the substrate.
7. In a method for placing at least one Plasma-shell on a substrate having at least two electrodes to be electrically connected to each Plasma-shell, the improvement wherein each said electrode is electrically connected to a Plasma-shell by a pad composed of an electrically conductive bonding substance, each connecting pad to each Plasma-shell being separated from each other pad to each Plasma-shell by a clearance space so as to prevent the flow of electrically conductive bonding substance from one pad to another.
8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-sphere.
9. The invention of claim 7 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-disc.
10. The invention of claim 7 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-dome.
11. The invention of claim 7 wherein each Plasma-shell is located within a cavity on the substrate.
12. In a display device comprising at least one Plasma-shell positioned on a substrate with at least two electrodes electrically connected to each Plasma-shell, the improvement wherein each said electrode is electrically connected to a Plasma-shell by an electrical connection composed of an electrically conductive bonding substance, each said electrical connection being separated from each other electrical connection to the Plasma-shell by a clearance space to prevent the flow and wicking of the electrically conductive bonding substance from one connection to another.
13. The invention of claim 12 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-sphere.
14. The invention of claim 12 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-disc.
15. The invention of claim 12 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-dome.
16. The invention of claim 12 wherein each Plasma-shell is located within a cavity on the substrate.
17. As an article of manufacture, a substrate having at least one Plasma-shell positioned on the substrate with at least two conductors electrically connected to each Plasma-shell, each conductor being electrically connected to a Plasma-shell by an electrical connection comprising an electrically conductive bonding substance, each said electrical connection being separated from each other electrical connection to the Plasma-shell by a clearance space to prevent the flow and wicking of the electrically conductive bonding substance from one connection to another.
18. The invention of claim 17 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-sphere.
19. The invention of claim 17 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-disc.
20. The invention of claim 17 wherein the Plasma-shell is a Plasma-dome.
21. The invention of claim 17 wherein each clearance space is an opening in the substrate.
22. The invention of claim 21 wherein the opening is a slot or channel.
23. The invention of claim 17 wherein the electrically conductive bonding substance is an organic substance with a conductive filler material.
24. The invention of claim 17 wherein the bonding substance is an epoxy resin with a filler material of noble metal.
25. The invention of claim 24 wherein the epoxy resin contains 60 to 80% by weight silver.
26. The invention of claim 17 wherein the electrically conductive bonding substance comprises a polymeric material.

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 hunting weapon modified to facilitate the attachment of a slave transmitter or a slave transmitter holder, the slave transmitter adapted for transmitting slave control signals to a master transmitter, the master transmitter adapted for receiving the slave control signals and for transmitting the corresponding master control signals to a remote animal collar attached to an animal, the animal collar comprising one or more stimulation devices for providing a stimulation to the animal and receiver circuits for receiving master control signals for controlling the stimulation devices, the modified hunting weapon comprising:
an attachment means for conveniently attaching the slave transmitter or slave transmitter holder to the hunting weapon in a location that facilitates easy and quick access to the slave transmitter by the hunter permitting the hunter to activate the remote animal collar within a selected time frame following a selected event, the selected time frame being sufficiently short so as to provide an effective correction to the animal following the selected event.
2. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the selected time frame is less than one second.
3. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a flange, adapted to engage with a corresponding groove on the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
4. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a groove, adapted to engage with a corresponding flange on the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
5. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is magnetic.
6. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a cutout area in the stock or forearm area of the weapon, the cutout sized and adapted to receive and hold the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
7. The modified hunting weapon of claim 6, including a cutout cover piece for covering the cutout area when the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder is not engaged with the cutout.
8. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a spring clip receiver, for receiving attachment of a spring clip attached to the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
9. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the attachment means includes VELCRO.
10. The modified hunting weapon of claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a threaded screw-type attachment incorporated into the weapon for screw-type attachment of the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder thereto.
11. A modified stock for a hunting weapon, the stock modified to facilitate the attachment of a slave transmitter or a slave transmitter holder, the slave transmitter adapted for transmitting slave control signals to a master transmitter, the master transmitter adapted for receiving the slave control signals and for transmitting the corresponding master control signals to a remote animal collar attached to an animal, the animal collar comprising one or more stimulation devices for providing a stimulation to the animal and receiver circuits for receiving master control signals for controlling the stimulation devices, the modified stock comprising:
an attachment means for conveniently attaching the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder to the stock in a location that facilitates easy and quick access to the slave transmitter by the hunter permitting the hunter to activate the remote animal collar within a selected time frame following a selected event, the selected time frame being sufficiently short so as to provide an effective correction to the animal following the selected event.
12. The modified hunting weapon of claim 11, wherein the selected time frame is less than one second.
13. The modified stock of claim 11, wherein the attachment means comprises a flange, adapted to engage with a corresponding groove on the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
14. The modified stock of claim 11, wherein the attachment means comprises a groove, adapted to engage with a corresponding flange on the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
15. The modified stock of claim 11, wherein the attachment means is magnetic.
16. The modified stock of claim 11, wherein the attachment means comprises a cutout area in the stock, the cutout sized and adapted to receive and hold the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
17. The modified stock of claim 16, including a cutout cover piece for covering the cutout area when the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder is not engaged with the cutout.
18. The modified hunting weapon of claim 11, wherein the attachment means is a spring clip receiver, for receiving attachment of a spring clip attached to the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder.
19. The modified hunting weapon of claim 11, wherein the attachment means includes VELCRO.
20. The modified hunting weapon of claim 11, wherein the attachment means is a threaded screw-type attachment incorporated into the weapon for screw-type attachment of the slave transmitter or the slave transmitter holder thereto.
21. A modified transmitter for transmitting master control signals to a remote animal collar attached to an animal, the animal collar comprising one or more stimulation devices for providing a stimulation to the animal and receiver circuits for receiving master control signals for controlling the stimulation, the modified transmitter comprising:
a basic transmitter component for transmitting the master control signals to the animal collar; and
an adapter component, the adapter component comprising an adapter unit plug and adapter circuits for permitting the attachment of a transmitter adapter unit to the basic transmitter, the transmitter adapter unit including receiver circuits and software for receiving electronic slave control signals from a slave transmitter and for using the save control signals to control the output of the master control signals by the basic transmitter component to the animal collar.

1. A connecting rod comprising:
a rod portion;
a connecting rod eye;
a connecting rod cover;
a screw element connecting the connecting rod cover to the rod portion at a region of the connecting rod eye;
a securing element disposed in an area between the screw element and one of the rod portion and the connecting rod cover, the area having no thread, the securing element bracing the screw element with respect to the one of the rod portion and the connecting rod cover.
2. The connecting rod as recited in claim 1, further comprising a borehole receiving the screw element, and wherein the securing element is disposed in the borehole so as to radially brace the installed screw element with respect to a wall of the borehole.
3. The connecting rod as recited in claim 1, wherein the securing element includes a grooved sleeve.
4. The connecting rod as recited in claim 3, wherein grooved sleeve includes at least one groove and wherein the screw element has one of protrusions and guide grooves corresponding to the at least one groove.
5. The connecting rod as recited in claim 1, wherein the securing element includes a polymer material surrounded at least partially by a sleeve.
6. The connecting rod as recited in claim 5, wherein the polymer material is configured to incorporate molecules and increase in volume during the intended use of the connecting rod.
7. The connecting rod as recited in claim 6, wherein the polymer material is configured to incorporate oil-based substances.
8. The connecting rod as recited in claim 6, wherein the polymer material is configured to incorporate water.
9. The connecting rod as recited in claim 3, wherein the sleeve is divided into at least two partial shells.
10. The connecting rod as recited in claim 9, wherein each of the at least two partial shells are adhesively joined to the screw element.
11. The connecting rod as recited in claim 9, wherein the sleeve includes at least one locking ring disposed around the screw element and connected to the at least two partial shells.
12. The connecting rod as recited in claims 3, wherein the sleeve is made of spring steel.
13. The connecting rod as recited in claim 3, wherein the sleeve is made of a soft metal.
14. The connecting rod as recited in claim 2, wherein a first diameter of the borehole in the area of the securing element is larger than a second diameter of the remaining portion of the borehole.
15. The connecting rod as recited in claim 1, wherein the screw element includes a one-piece screw.
16. The connecting rod as recited in claim 15, wherein the securing element is disposed on a side of the screw facing a head of the screw.
17. The connecting rod as recited in claim 16, wherein an area of the screw head facing the securing element includes a groove corresponding to a diameter of the securing element.
18. The connecting rod as recited in claim 16, wherein the area of the screw head facing the securing element has a profiled surface.
19. The connecting rod as recited in claim 18, wherein the profiled surface includes a sawtooth profile.

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. An analog-to-digital conversion circuit which converts an analog input signal into a digital output signal, the analog-to-digital conversion circuit comprising:
a clock generating circuit which generates a clock signal including a first initial period and plural normal periods following the first initial period, the first initial period being one of a high period and a low period and being a first period immediately after a reset release, each of the normal periods being one of a high period and a low period and shorter than the first initial period; and
an analog-to-digital converter which is an incremental analog-to-digital converter that operates using the clock signal,
wherein the analog-to-digital converter includes:
an integrator which generates an integrated value according to a voltage of the analog input signal;
a comparator which generates the digital output signal by comparing the integrated value and a predetermined reference voltage; and
a digital-to-analog converter which generates an analog signal according to the digital output signal and provides the generated analog signal to the integrator.
2. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1,
wherein the first initial period has a length that is n times longer than a length of each of the normal periods, where n is an integer of two or more.
3. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1,
wherein the analog-to-digital converter is a \u0394\u03a3 modulator analog-to-digital converter.
4. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1,
wherein the normal periods include a second period after the reset release in the clock signal and periods following the second period in the clock signal.
5. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1,
wherein the clock signal further includes a second initial period which is the second period after the reset release and longer than each of the normal periods.
6. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1,
wherein the analog-to-digital converter further includes
a buffer circuit positioned between an output terminal of the integrator and an input terminal of the comparator.
7. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1,
wherein the analog-to-digital converter further includes
a capacitance adder which generates a sum of the analog input signal and the integrated value, and
the comparator generates the digital output signal by comparing the sum and the reference voltage.
8. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 7,
wherein the analog-to-digital converter further includes
a capacitance element for holding the sum which is connected to an output terminal of the capacitance adder.
9. An image-capturing element comprising
the analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1.
10. A digital camera comprising
the image-capturing element according to claim 9.
11. A mobile information terminal comprising
the image-capturing element according to claim 9.
12. A battery monitoring system comprising
the analog-to-digital conversion circuit according to claim 1.
13. A medical image diagnosis system comprising
the image-capturing element according to claim 9.
14. A method for driving an analog-to-digital converter which converts an analog input signal into a digital output signal,
the analog-to-digital converter
being an incremental analog-to-digital converter which operates using a clock signal and
including:
an integrator which generates an integrated value according to a voltage of the analog input signal;
a comparator which generates the digital output signal by comparing the integrated value and a predetermined reference voltage; and
a digital-to-analog converter which generates an analog signal according to the digital output signal and provides the generated analog signal to the integrator,
the method comprising
providing, to the analog-to-digital converter, a clock signal including a first initial period and plural normal periods following the first initial period, the first initial period being one of a high period and a low period and being a first period immediately after a reset release, each of the normal periods being one of a high period and a low period and shorter than the first initial period.
15. The method for driving the analog-to-digital converter according to claim 14,
wherein the first initial period has a length that is n times longer than a length of each of the normal periods, where n is an integer of two or more.