Author: claimsbot

1. A vaporization apparatus for multi-component working fluids comprising:
a heat transfer apparatus including:
a liquid shell having:
a liquid stream input;
a heat source stream input; and
a heat source stream output,

a vapor shell having
a vapor stream output; and

a plurality of pipes interconnecting the liquid shell and the vapor shell;

where the heat transfer apparatus is designed to receive an input liquid stream comprising a multi-component working fluid through its liquid input so that liquid fills an entire volume of the liquid shell, the connecting tubes and a lower portion of the vapor shell, which maintains nucleate boiling in the liquid shell and equilibrates the vapor and the liquid in the heat transfer apparatus.
2. The vaporization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid shell further includes:
a non-vaporized liquid stream output.
3. The vaporization apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vapor shell further includes:
a vapor stream input.
4. A methods for vaporizing a multi-component working fluid comprising the steps:
feeding an input liquid multi-component working fluid stream having a given composition into an nth heat transfer apparatus comprising an nth heat exchange unit and an nth vapor removal unit;
transferring heat from a heat source in the nth heat exchange unit to the input liquid multi-component working fluid stream, where the heat causes a portion of the input liquid multi-component working fluid stream to boil;
removing vapor formed during the boiling via the nth vapor removal unit to form an nth vapor stream having a richer composition than the input liquid stream and an nth liquid stream having a higher temperature and a leaner composition than the input liquid stream;
forwarding the nth liquid stream to an n\u22121th heat transfer apparatus comprising an n\u22121th heat exchange unit and an n\u22121th vapor removal unit;
transferring heat from the heat source in the n\u22121th heat exchange unit to the nth liquid stream, where the heat causes a portion of the nth liquid stream to boil;
removing vapor formed during the boiling via the n\u22121th vapor removal unit to form an nth vapor stream having a richer composition than the nth liquid stream and an n\u22121th liquid stream having a higher temperature and a leaner composition than the nth liquid stream;
repeating the forwarding, transferring and removing step, while decrementing the counter by 1 until the counter has a numeric value of 1;
forwarding the 1st liquid stream formed in the 1st removing step and all of the vapor streams to a scrubber;
equilibrating the 1st liquid stream and the vapor streams in the scrubber to produce a vapor multi-component working fluid stream having a composition substantially identical to the composition of input liquid multi-component working fluid stream and a remaining liquid stream; and
combining the remaining liquid stream from the scrubber with one of the liquid stream prior to forwarding that liquid stream to the next heat transfer apparatus, where that liquid stream has a temperature and composition that most closely matches a temperature and composition of the remaining liquid stream,
where vapor removal units associated with each heat transfer apparatus insure that substantially nucleate boiling occurs throughout each heat exchange unit.
5. A system for extracting heat from a heat source and converting a portion of the heat into a useable form of energy comprising:
a vaporization apparatus comprising:
a heat transfer apparatus including:
a liquid shell having:
a liquid stream input;
a heat source stream input; and
a heat source stream output,
a vapor shell having
a vapor stream output; and

a plurality of pipes interconnecting the liquid shell and the vapor shell;
a heat extraction apparatus,
where heat from a heat source stream is transferred to a liquid multi-component working fluid stream having a given composition in the vaporization apparatus to produce a vapor multi-component working fluid stream having a substantially identical composition and where thermal energy transferred from the heat source stream to the vapor multi-component working fluid stream is converted into a more useable form of energy in the heat extraction apparatus.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the liquid shell further includes:
a non-vaporized liquid stream output.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the vapor shell further includes:
a vapor stream input.
8. A method for vaporizing a liquid multi-component working fluid comprising the steps of:
feeding a liquid multi-component working fluid stream from a energy production facility into a multi-component working fluid vaporization apparatus comprising:
a heat transfer apparatus including:
a liquid shell having:
a liquid stream input;
a heat source stream input; and
a heat source stream output,
a vapor shell having
a vapor stream output; and

a plurality of pipes interconnecting the liquid shell and the vapor shell;
inputting heat from a heat source into the multi-component working fluid vaporization apparatus,
transferring the heat from the heat source to the liquid multi-component working fluid stream to produce a vapor multi-component working fluid stream; and
sending the vapor multi-component working fluid stream back to the energy production facility,
where the liquid multi-component working fluid and the vapor multi-component working fluid have substantially the same composition and the vaporization apparatus maintains substantially nucleate boiling throughout all heat exchanger units.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the liquid shell further includes:
a non-vaporized liquid stream output.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the vapor shell further includes:
a vapor stream input.

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 motorized vending machine lock for a vending machine providing a cabinet housing a vending apparatus and a door attached to the cabinet to open and close the cabinet, the lock comprising:
a strike plate attached to one of a door and cabinet of the vending machine;
at least two bolts attached to an other of the door and cabinet;
a single electric motor driving an actuator mechanism to:
(i) in a first operating mode, engage the bolts and the strike at spatially separated points, and then draw the door against the cabinet, and
(ii) in a second operating mode, release the door from the cabinet, and then disengage the bolts from the strike plate
wherein the bolts are pivoting hooks having hook ends movable within a plane to engage and disengage with corresponding hook engagement points on the strike plate and movable within the plane to extend and retract along a direction of separation of the door and cabinet.
wherein the actuator mechanism includes:
a frame supporting the motor;
a first and second swing arm pivotally attached to the frame at a first end and at a second end pivotally attached to a first pivot point on a corresponding first and second hooks at a location removed from a hook portion engaging the strike plate, to allow the swing arms and hooks to pivot with respect to each other through a range of acute angles;
a crank attached to the motor provides a first and second crank end moving with actuation of the motor; and
a first and second drive linkage pivotally attached to corresponding crank ends and pivotally attached to second pivot points on corresponding first and second hooks between the first pivot point and the hook portion.
2. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 wherein one of the door and cabinet includes a gasket extending along an edge of an interface between the door and the cabinet, and wherein the spatially separated points are separated along the gasket.
3. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 wherein the actuator mechanism operates in the first mode when the motor turns in a first direction and in the second mode when the motor turns in a second direction.
4. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 wherein the hook end and hook engagement point provide interengaging portions that when engaged surround portions of each other by substantially 180 degrees.
5. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 wherein the swing arms are substantially aligned with a direction of separation of the door and cabinet when the hooks are engaged with the strike plate and the door is closed.
6. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 wherein the hooks engage and disengage from the hook engagement points by motion about pivot points substantially aligned with corresponding hook engagement points along the direction of separation of the door and the cabinet.
7. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 6 wherein the crank ends are substantially at 180 degree spacing about an axis of rotation of the crank, and wherein the first and second drive linkages extend symmetrically in opposite directions.
8. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 further including a radio link providing a signal to the motor to operate the motor in a first operating mode.
9. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 further including an alignment guide positioning the strike plate and bolts in alignment before engagement of the bolts with the strike plate.
10. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 further including a secondary lock holding the door closed for shipping.
11. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 1 further including an electric switch providing a signal indicating that the door is close enough to the cabinet for the bolts to engage the strike plate.
12. A motorized vending machine lock for a vending machine providing a cabinet housing a vending apparatus and a door attached to the cabinet to hingeably open and close the cabinet along a separation axis, the lock comprising:
a strike plate attached to one of a door and cabinet of a vending machine, the strike plate providing hook engagement points;
at least one motorized bolt attached to the other of the door and cabinet and providing:
(i) a bolt having a hook end movable within a plane to engage and disengage with the hook engagement point and movable within the plane to extend and retract along a direction of separation of the door and cabinet; and
(ii) an actuator mechanism providing a motor and operating in a first mode when the door is open to move the hook toward the strike plate with translative motion of the hook along the separation axis, engage the strike plate with translative motion of the hook across the separation axis, and pull the strike plate to close the door with translative motion of the hook along the separation axis, and in a second mode when the door is closed to move the hook with translative motion of the hook along the separation axis to open the door, disengage the strike plate with translative motion of the hook across the separation axis, and pull the hook away from the strike plate with translative motion of the hook along the separation axis.
13. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 12 wherein the actuator operates in the first mode when the motor turns in a first direction, and in the second mode when the motor turns in a second direction.
14. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 12 wherein the actuator mechanism is a set of motor actuated levers exclusively pivoting about axes perpendicular to the plane.
15. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 12 wherein the actuator mechanism includes:
a frame supporting the motor;
a swing arm pivotally attached to the frame at a first end, and at a second end, pivotally attached to a first pivot point on the hook removed from a hook portion engaging the strike plate, to allow the swing arm and hook to pivot with respect to each other through a range of acute angles;
a crank attached to the motor provides a crank end moving with actuation of the motor; and
a drive linkage pivotally attached to the crank end and pivotally attached to a second pivot point on the hook between the first pivot point and the hook portion.
16. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 15 wherein the swing arm is substantially aligned with the direction of separation of the door and cabinet when the hook is engaged with the strike plate and the door is closed.
17. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 15 wherein the hook engages and disengages from the hook engagement point by motion about a pivot point substantially aligned with the hook engagement point along the direction of separation of the door and the cabinet.
18. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 15 wherein the strike has a second hook engagement point, and further including a second bolt having a hook end movable within the plane to engage and disengage with the second hook engagement point and movable within the plane to extend and retract along the direction of separation of the door and cabinet; and
wherein the actuator mechanism operates in a first mode when the door is open to move the second hook toward the strike plate, engage the strike plate, and pull the strike plate to close the door, and in a second mode when the door is closed to move the hook to open the door, disengage the strike plate, and pull the hook away from the strike plate.
19. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 18 wherein the crank provides a second crank end, and wherein the actuator mechanism further includes:
a second swing arm pivotally attached to the frame at a first end and at a second end pivotally attached to a first pivot point on the second hook removed from a hook portion engaging the strike plate to allow the second swing arm and second hook to pivot with respect to each other through a range of acute angles; and
a second drive linkage pivotally attached to the second crank end, and pivotally attached to a second pivot point on the second hook between the first pivot point and the hook portion.
20. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 19 wherein the first crank end and second crank end are substantially at 180 degree spacing about an axis of rotation of the crank, and wherein the drive linkage and second drive linkage end symmetrically in opposite directions.
21. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 12 wherein the hook end and hook engagement point provide interengaging portions that, when engaged, surround portions of each other by substantially 180 degrees.
22. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 12 further including a dynamic braking circuit attached to motor to dynamically brake the motor when the motor is not being energized.
23. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 12 wherein the actuator mechanism includes:
a frame supporting the motor;
a crank attached to the motor providing a crank end moving about a shaft with actuation of the motor; and
a drive linkage pivotally attached to the crank to provide a force along a force axis to activate the bolt;
wherein a line between the pivotal attachment of the crank to the drive linkage and the shaft is substantially aligned with the force axis when the strike plate is pulled against the door.
24. The motorized vending machine lock of claim 12 wherein the actuator mechanism further includes at least one second electrical actuator to move the hook to engage and disengage the strike plate.

1. An optical element for focusing a plurality of optical beams deflected by an optical deflector on a scanned surface in a multi-beam optical scanner as a plurality of optical spots wherein said optical beams are emitted by a multi-beam illuminant having a plurality of beam emitting points, comprising:
a lens having a refractive index distribution,
wherein said lens, which serves as one component of an optical system in said multi-beam optical scanner, is designed to correct an optical spot pitch deviation on the scanned surface, which is defined as 1\u2212\u03b2min\u03b2max where \u03b2max (\u03bcm) and \u03b2min (\u03bcm) are a maximal value and a minimal value of pitches of the optical spots on the scanned surface, respectively, due to said refractive index distribution with respect to image heights.
2. The optical element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical spot pitch deviation with respect to the image heights is less than or equal to 0.1.
3. The optical element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lens is formed of plastics.
4. The optical element as claimed in claim 3, wherein said refractive index distribution of the lens is more than or equal to 0.5\xd710\u22126 in an effective range of said lens corresponding to an effective write width W (mm) scanned by each of the optical spots on the scanned surface.
5. The optical element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical system has at least one second optical element, and said lens has a maximal value of a lens thickness deviation, which is defined as 1\u2212DminDmax where Dmax (mm) and Dmin (mm) are a maximal lens thickness and a minimal lens thickness, respectively, with respect to an optical axis direction for each position of a main scanning direction among lenses included in said optical system.
6. The optical element as claimed in claim 5, wherein said lens is shaped such that the lens thickness deviation is more than or equal to 0.65 in an effective range of said lens corresponding to an effective write width W (mm) scanned by each of the optical spots on the scanned surface.
7. The optical element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical system has at least one second optical element, and said lens has greater power with respect to a sub-scanning direction than any other optical elements included in said optical system.
8. A multi-beam optical scanner for optically scanning a scanned surface, comprising:
a multi-beam illuminant emitting a plurality of optical beams, said multi-beam illuminant having a plurality of beam emitting points;
an optical deflector deflecting said optical beams; and
an optical system focusing said deflected optical beams on the scanned surface as a plurality of optical spots,
wherein said optical system has an optical element comprising: a lens having a refractive index distribution, wherein said lens is designed to correct an optical spot pitch deviation on the scanned surface, which is defined as 1\u2212\u03b2min\u03b2max where \u03b2max (\u03bcm) and \u03b2min (\u03bcm) are a maximal value and a minimal value of pitches of the optical spots on the scanned surface, respectively, due to said refractive index distribution with respect to image heights.
9. An image forming apparatus for forming an image, comprising:
a photosensitive image carrier;
an optical scanning part scanning a scanned surface of said photosensitive image carrier so as to form a latent image; and
a developing part developing said latent image so as to obtain the image,
wherein said optical scanning part is a multi-beam optical scanner, comprising: a multi-beam illuminant emitting a plurality of optical beams, said multi-beam illuminant having a plurality of beam emitting points; an optical deflector deflecting said optical beams; and an optical system focusing said deflected optical beams on the scanned surface as a plurality of optical spots, wherein said optical system has an optical element comprising: a lens having a refractive index distribution, wherein said lens is designed to correct an optical spot pitch deviation on the scanned surface, which is defined as 1\u2212\u03b2min\u03b2max where \u03b2max (\u03bcm) and \u03b2min (\u03bcm) are a maximal value and a minimal value of pitches of the optical spots on the scanned surface, respectively, due to said refractive index distribution with respect to image heights.
10. An optical element for focusing a plurality of optical beams deflected by an optical deflector on a scanned surface in a multi-beam optical scanner as a plurality of optical spots wherein said optical beams are emitted by a multi-beam illuminant having a plurality of beam emitting points, comprising:
means, which serve as one component of an optical system in said multi-beam optical scanner, for correcting an optical spot pitch deviation on the scanned surface, which is defined as 1\u2212\u03b2min\u03b2max where \u03b2max (\u03bcm) and \u03b2min (\u03bcm) are a maximal value and a minimal value of pitches of the optical spots on the scanned surface, respectively, due to a refractive index distribution therein with respect to image heights.
11. The optical element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said optical spot pitch deviation with respect to the image heights is less than or equal to 0.1.
12. The optical element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said means are formed of plastics.
13. The optical element as claimed in claim 12, wherein said refractive index distribution thereof is more than or equal to 0.5\xd710\u22126 in an effective range thereof corresponding to an effective write width W (mm) scanned by each of the optical spots on the scanned surface.
14. The optical element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said optical system has at least one second optical element, and said means achieve a larger lens thickness deviation, which is defined as 1\u2212DminDmax where Dmax (mm) and Dmin (mm) are a maximal lens thickness and a minimal lens thickness, respectively, with respect to an optical axis direction for each position of a main scanning direction than any other optical elements included in said optical system.
15. The optical element as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means have the lens thickness deviation of more than or equal to 0.65 in an effective range thereof corresponding to an effective write width W (mm) scanned by each of the optical spots on the scanned surface.
16. The optical element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said optical system has at least one second optical element, and said means have greater power with respect to a sub-scanning direction than any other optical elements included in said optical system.
17. A multi-beam optical scanner for optically scanning a scanned surface, comprising:
means for emitting a plurality of optical beams, said means for emitting the optical beams having a plurality of beam emitting points;
means for deflecting said optical beams;
means for focusing said deflected optical beams on the scanned surface as a plurality of optical spots,
wherein said means for focusing the deflected optical beams have an optical element, comprising: means for correcting an optical spot pitch deviation on the scanned surface, which is defined as 1\u2212\u03b2min\u03b2max where \u03b2max (\u03bcm) and \u03b2min (\u03bcm) are a maximal value and a minimal value of pitches of the optical spots on the scanned surface, respectively, due to a refractive index distribution therein with respect to image heights.
18. An image forming apparatus for forming an image, comprising:
means for carrying the image photosensitively;
means for scanning a scanned surface of said means for carrying the image photosensitively so as to form a latent image; and
means for developing said latent image so as to form the image,
wherein said means for scanning the scanned surface are a multi-beam optical scanner, comprising: means for emitting a plurality of optical beams, said means for emitting the optical beams having a plurality of beam emitting points; means for deflecting said optical beams; means for focusing said deflected optical beams on the scanned surface as a plurality of optical spots, wherein said means for focusing the deflected optical beams have an optical element, comprising: means for correcting an optical spot pitch deviation on the scanned surface, which is defined as 1\u2212\u03b2min\u03b2max where \u03b2max (\u03bcm) and \u03b2min (\u03bcm) are a maximal value and a minimal value of pitches of the optical spots on the scanned surface, respectively, due to a refractive index distribution therein with respect to image heights.

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 glass filler for a polycarbonate resin, which comprises, as inorganic components in the entire glass filler, from 50 to 60 mass % of silicon dioxide (SiO2), from 7 to 15 mass % of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), from 10 to 20 mass % of calcium oxide (CaO), from 0 to 5 mass % of magnesium oxide (MgO), from 2 to 8 mass % of zirconium oxide (ZrO2), from 0 to 10 mass % of zinc oxide (ZnO), from 0 to 10 mass % of strontium oxide (SrO), from 0 to 18 mass % of barium oxide (BaO), from 0 to 2 mass % of lithium oxide (Li2O), from 0 to 2 mass % of sodium oxide (Na2O), and from 0 to 2 mass % of potassium oxide (K20), provided that the total content of the lithium oxide (Li2O), the sodium oxide (Na2O) and the potassium oxide (K2O) is from 0 to 2 mass % based on the entire glass filler.
2. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, which has a refractive index of from 1.581 to 1.587 to a light with a wavelength of 589 nm.
3. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, which contains substantially no boron oxide (B2O3).
4. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, which contains substantially no titanium oxide (TiO2).
5. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, wherein the content of the zirconium oxide (ZrO2) is from 3 to 6 mass %.
6. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, wherein the total content of the silicon oxide (SiO2) and the aluminum oxide (Al2O3) is from 57 to 70 mass % based on the entire glass filler.
7. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, wherein the total content of the lithium oxide (Li2O), the sodium oxide (Na2O) and the potassium oxide (K2O) is from 0 to 1.5 mass % based on the entire glass filler.
8. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, wherein the total content of the zinc oxide (ZnO), the strontium oxide (SrO) and the barium oxide (BaO) is from 5 to 20 mass % based on the entire glass filler.
9. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, wherein the total content of the calcium oxide (CaO), the zinc oxide (ZnO), the strontium oxide (SrO) and barium oxide (BaO) is from 25 to 35 mass % based on the entire glass filler.
10. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, wherein the content of the barium oxide (BaO) is from 7 to 14 mass % based on the entire glass filler.
11. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 1, which is in the form of fiber, milled fiber, powder or flakes.
12. The glass filler for a polycarbonate resin according to claim 11, which is in the form of fiber.
13. A polycarbonate resin composition comprising the glass filler as defined in claim 1 and a polycarbonate resin.
14. The polycarbonate resin composition according to claim 13, wherein the content of the glass filler is from 5 to 60 mass %.
15. The polycarbonate resin composition according to claim 13, wherein the difference between the refractive index of the polycarbonate resin and the refractive index of the glass filler is not more than 0.001 to a light with a wavelength of 589 nm.
16. The polycarbonate resin composition according to claim 13, which, when formed into a flat plate having a thickness of from 0.1 to 5 mm, has a parallel light transmittance of at least 65%.