Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary-body type throttle valve for a spark ignition internal combustion engine comprising:
a valve casing having an interior;
an upstream intake passage and a downstream intake passage;
an intake passage formed within said interior and having a rotary-body recess portion formed within said intake passage and having an axis line intersecting a central axis of said intake passage;
a valve element having a rotary-body shape rotatably fitted into said rotary-body recess portion of said valve casing;
a communication passage provided between said upstream and downstream intake passages, said upstream intake passage and said downstream intake passage sandwiching said rotary-body recess portion; and
a through hole formed in a first rotary outer surface of said valve element, said through hole directed from said communication passage of said valve element in a direction intersecting the central axis of said communication passage and penetrating said first rotary outer surface of said valve element.
2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein a dimension of said through hole as measured with respect to a circumferential direction of said valve-element is set between – of a diameter of said intake passage.
3. The valve according to claim 2, wherein said valve element includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion disposed in radially opposite positions, respectively, and located along an exterior of said communication passage in a fully-open valve state.
4. A rotary-body type throttle valve for a spark ignition internal combustion engine comprising:
a valve casing having an interior;
an upstream intake passage and a downstream intake passage;
an intake passage formed within said interior and having a rotary-body recess portion formed within said intake passage and having an axis line intersecting a central axis of said intake passage;
a valve element having a rotary-body shape rotatably fitted into said rotary-body recess portion of said valve casing;
a communication passage provided between said upstream and downstream intake passages, said upstream intake passage and said downstream intake passage sandwiching said rotary-body recess portion; and
a groove formed in at least a portion of an inclined wall surface of said upstream intake passage and in parallel with a planar plane including an axis of said upstream intake passage and a rotary axis of said valve element.
5. The valve according to claim 4, wherein said groove has a depth less than or equal to a thickness of a valve wall of said valve element.
6. The valve according to claim 3, wherein said upstream intake passage is formed having a funnel shape, said funnel shape having a cross-sectional area that reduces in cross-sectional area as said upstream intake passage approaches said communication passage.
7. The valve according to claim 6, wherein said valve element includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion disposed in radially opposite positions, respectively, and located along an exterior of said communication passage in a fully-open valve state.
8. A rotary-body type throttle valve for a spark ignition internal combustion engine comprising:
a valve casing having an interior;
an upstream intake passage and a downstream intake passage, wherein said upstream intake passage is formed having a funnel shape, said funnel shape having a cross-sectional area that reduces in cross-sectional area as said upstream intake passage approaches said communication passage;
an intake passage formed within said interior and having a rotary-body recess portion formed within said intake passage and having an axis line intersecting a central axis of said intake passage;
a valve element having a rotary-body shape rotatably fitted into said rotary-body recess portion of said valve casing;
a communication passage provided between said upstream and downstream intake passages, said upstream intake passage and said downstream intake passage sandwiching said rotary-body recess portion; and
a through hole formed in a first rotary outer surface of said valve element, said through hole directed from said communication passage of said valve element in a direction intersecting the central axis of said communication passage and penetrating said first rotary outer surface of said valve element.
9. The valve according to claim 8 further comprising at least one groove formed in at least a portion of an inclined wall surface of said upstream intake passage and in parallel with a planar plane including an axis of said upstream intake passage and a rotary axis of said valve element.
10. The valve according to claim 8, wherein said groove has a depth less than or equal to a thickness of a valve wall of said valve element.
11. The valve according to claim 10, wherein a dimension of said through hole as measured with respect to a circumferential direction of said valve-element is set between – of a diameter of said intake passage.
12. The valve according to claim 8, wherein a dimension of said through hole as measured with respect to a circumferential direction of said valve-element is set between – of a diameter of said intake passage.
13. The valve according to claim 8, wherein said valve element includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion disposed in radially opposite positions, respectively, and located along an exterior of said communication passage in a fully-open valve state.
14. The valve according to claim 13, wherein said valve element includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion disposed in radially opposite positions, respectively, and located along an exterior of said communication passage in a fully-open valve state.
15. The valve according to claim 1, wherein said rotary body shape has a spherical shape.
16. The valve according to claim 1, wherein said rotary body shape has a conical shape.
17. The valve according to claim 1, wherein said rotary body shape has a barrel shape.

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 light guide plate having an input surface for receiving light from a light source, a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface, made in steps comprising:
extruding a resin into the nip between a first patterned roller and a second patterned roller at a first patterned roller surface temperature T1, a second patterned roller temperature T2, and a nip pressure P1, to form an optical sheet, the optical sheet having a first patterned surface and a second patterned surface, the first patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the first patterned roller and the second patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the second patterned roller, and
cutting and finishing the said optical sheet into a plurality of double-sided light guide plates having the specified length and width dimensions.
2. The light guide plate of claim 1, having a thickness less than or equal to 1.0 mm.
3. The light guide plate of claim 1 having a width and a length that is greater than or equal to 0.15 m.
4. The light guide plate of claim 1, wherein the micro-pattern on the output or bottom surface comprises discrete elements and the micro-pattern on the other principal surface comprises continuous elements.
5. The light guide plate of claim 1, wherein the micro-pattern on both the output surface and the bottom surface comprises continuous elements.
6. The light guide plate of claim 1, wherein the micro-pattern on both the output surface and the bottom surface comprises discrete elements.
7. The light guide plate of claim 4, wherein the discrete elements have a length and a width being greater than or equal to 15 \u03bcm and a height being less than or equal to 12 \u03bcm.
8. The light guide plate of claim 4, wherein the discrete elements have a length \u0394L, a width \u0394W, and a height d and the ratios d\u0394L and d\u0394W are less than or equal to 0.45.
9. The light guide plate of claim 1, wherein T1 and T2 are greater than Tg1\u221250\xb0 C., with Tg1 being the glass transition temperature of the extruded resin.
10. The light guide plate of claim 1, wherein the nip pressure P1 is greater than 8 Newtons per millimeter of roller width.
11. The light guide plate of claim 1, wherein the pattern on one or both the first and second patterned rollers is provided from a patterned belt.
12. The light guide plate of claim 1, wherein the extruded resin is either a polycarbonate, an olefinic polymer or an acrylic polymer.

1. A resonant inverter circuit, comprising:
a resonant circuit, formed by a capacitor and an inductor to operate a lamp;
a current transformer, coupled to said resonant circuit to generate control signals in response to a switching current of said resonant circuit;
control circuits, including a first control circuit and a second control circuit, for generating switching signals in response to said control signals;
a first transistor and a second transistor, coupled to said control circuits to switch said resonant circuit in response to said switching signals;
a capacitor, coupled to said current transformer to produce a supply voltage for said second control circuit;
a start-up resistor, wherein an input voltage charges said capacitor via said start-up resistor; and
a charge-pump circuit, coupled to said capacitor to provide another supply voltage for said first control circuit; wherein said charge-pump circuit is operated in response to the switching operation of said first transistor and said second transistor.
2. The resonant inverter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switching signal is enabled once said control signal is higher than a first threshold; and said switching signal is disabled once said control signal is lower than a second threshold.
3. The resonant inverter circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control circuit, comprises:
a comparator, coupled to said current transformer to generate an enabling signal in response to said control signal, wherein said enabling signal is enabled once said control signal is higher than said first threshold, and said enabling signal is disabled once said control signal is lower than said second threshold;
a start-up circuit, coupled to said supply voltage, for generating a start-up signal when said supply voltage is higher than a start-up threshold; and
a one-shot circuit, coupled to said start-up circuit to generate a one-shot signal in response to said start-up signal, wherein said switching signal is generated in response to said one-shot signal and said enabling signal.
4. A resonant inverter, comprising:
a resonant circuit, formed by a capacitor and an inductor to drive a load;
a transformer, coupled to said resonant circuit to generate control signals in response to the switching operation of said resonant circuit;
control circuits, for generating switching signals in response to said control signals;
a first transistor and a second transistor, coupled to said control circuits to switch said resonant circuit in response to said switching signals; wherein said transformer provides a supply voltage for generating switching signals; and
a start-up resistor, wherein an input voltage charges said capacitor via said start-up resistor.
5. The resonant inverter as claimed in claim 4, wherein said transformer is a current transformer.
6. The resonant inverter as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:
a capacitor, coupled to said transformer to produce said supply voltage for said control circuits; and
a charge-pump circuit, coupled to said capacitor to provide another supply voltage;

wherein said charge-pump circuit is operated in response to the switching operation of said first transistor and said second transistor.
7. The resonant inverter as claimed in claim 4, wherein said switching signal is enabled once said control signal is higher than a first threshold; said switching signal is disabled once said control signal is lower than a second threshold.
8. The resonant inverter as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control circuit, comprises:
a comparator, coupled to said transformer to generate an enabling signal in response to said control signal, wherein said enabling signal is enabled once said control signal is higher than said first threshold, and said enabling signal is disabled once said control signal is lower than said second threshold;
a start-up circuit, coupled to said supply voltage to generate a start-up signal when said supply voltage is higher than a start-up threshold; and
a one-shot circuit, coupled to said start-up circuit to generate a one-shot signal in response to said start-up signal, wherein said switching signal is generated in response to said one-shot signal and said enabling signal.
9. An inverter, comprising:
a resonant circuit, formed by a capacitor and a transformer to operate a lamp;
a current transformer, coupled to said resonant circuit to generate control signals in response to a switching current of said resonant circuit;
control circuits, for generating switching signals in response to said control signals;
a first transistor and a second transistor, coupled to said control circuits to switch said resonant circuit in response to said switching signals; wherein said transformer provides a supply voltage for generating said switching signals; and
a start-up resistor, wherein an input voltage charges said capacitor via said start-up resistor.
10. The inverter as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:
a capacitor, coupled to said transformer to produce said supply voltage for control circuits; and
a charge-pump circuit, coupled to said capacitor to provide another supply voltage;

wherein said charge-pump circuit is operated in response to the switching operation of said first transistor and said second transistor.
11. The inverter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said switching signal is enabled once said control signal is higher than a first threshold, and said switching signal is disabled once said control signal is lower than a second threshold.
12. The inverter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said control circuit comprises:
a comparator, coupled to said current transformer to generate an enabling signal in response to said control signal, in which said enabling signal is enabled once said control signal is higher than said first threshold, and said enabling signal is disabled once said control signal is lower than said second threshold;
a start-up circuit, coupled to said supply voltage to generate a start-up signal when said supply voltage is higher than a start-up threshold; and
a one-shot circuit, coupled to said start-up circuit to generate a one-shot signal in response to said start-up signal, wherein said switching signal is generated in response to said one-shot signal and said enabling signal.

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 disposable transporter having a top surface for carrying a person, comprising:
a backing substrate having a first side and a second side, the second side of the backing substrate being positioned opposite the first side of the backing substrate, wherein the second side of the backing substrate forms a back surface of the transporter;
an absorbent body secured to the first side of the backing substrate, the absorbent body being sized less than the backing substrate so that a portion of the backing substrate forms an edge about the absorbent body, wherein the absorbent body is co-planar with the backing substrate and the transporter, and wherein when the person is positioned on the top surface of the transporter, the absorbent body is located directly beneath the person, and contacts a back portion of the person, to absorb exuded body fluids and thereby acts to dry the person,
wherein the backing substrate extends beyond the absorbent body, and is folded over to form a portion of the top surface of the transporter; and
a gripping device in the edge.
2. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device is unencumbered by the absorbent body.
3. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the transporter has a strength sufficient to carry a person weighing at least 250 pounds.
4. The transporter according to claim 3, wherein the transporter is at least eighteen (18) inches in width, at least sixty-five (65) inches in length, and has a total weight of less than four (4) pounds.
5. The transporter according to claim 4, wherein the transporter is about thirty-three (33) inches in width, about seventy-eight (78) inches in length, and has a total weight of less than three (3) pounds.
6. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the backing substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: nylon, nylon composite material, strong cloth material, canvas, hemp, flax, cotton fiber materials, polyethylene, polypropylene, polymer films, and any combinations thereof.
7. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the backing substrate further comprises a liquid-impermeable material that forms a moisture barrier to protect the person on the transporter.
8. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the backing substrate is a puncture-resistant material.
9. The transporter according to claim 1, further comprising an active agent selected from the group consisting of: antimicrobial, bactericide, fungicide, virucide, disinfectant, sanitizer, sterilizer, mildewstat, surfactant, deodorizer, and any combinations thereof.
10. The transporter according to claim 9, wherein the active agent is selected from the group consisting of: metal, metal compound, surface active agent, quaternary ammonium compound, organic acid, inorganic acid, salt, sulfite, biopolymer, synthetic polymer, chitin, chitosan, nisin, enzyme, arginate, diacetate, antioxidant, and any combinations thereof.
11. The transporter according to claim 9, wherein the active agent is on or in the absorbent body.
12. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent body further comprises a top layer of a vapor-permeable material that permits moisture to be wicked away from a skin surface of the person on the transporter.
13. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent body further comprises one or more strengthening layers.
14. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent body further comprises an absorbent material that absorbs a large amount of body fluids.
15. The transporter according to claim 1, further comprising one or more straps that extend widthwise on the underside of the backing substrate.
16. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the gripping device is two or more gripping devices, and further comprising:
a rigid body that can be passed through the two or more gripping devices,
wherein the rigid body is a pole made of a material selected from the group consisting of: metal, wood, polymer, and any combinations thereof.
17. A kit, comprising:
a transporter according to claim 1; and
a case for enclosing the transporter,
wherein the transporter is foldable to a reduced overall size to fit within the case.
18. A method of using a transporter for carrying a person, comprising:
opening the transporter, wherein the transporter comprises:
a backing substrate having a first side and a second side, the second side of the backing substrate being positioned opposite the first side of the backing substrate, wherein the second side of the backing substrate forms a back surface of the transporter;
an absorbent body secured to the first side of the backing substrate, the absorbent body being sized less than the backing substrate so that a portion of the backing substrate forms an edge about the absorbent body, wherein the absorbent body is co-planar with the backing substrate and the transporter,
wherein the backing substrate extends beyond the absorbent body, and is folded over to form a portion of a top surface of the transporter; and
a gripping device in the edge, wherein the gripping device is unencumbered by the absorbent body;

positioning the person on the absorbent body so that the absorbent body is located directly beneath the person, and contacts a back portion of the person, to absorb exuded body fluids and thereby acts to dry the person; and
transporting the person via the transporter,
wherein the transporter has a strength sufficient to carry a person weighing at least 250 pounds, whether the transporter is wet or dry.