All The Claims

We claim:

1. An apparatus for massaging a specified area of a person, said apparatus comprising:
a pair of inflatable, massage bladders configured so as to receive said specified area to be massaged,
a means for supplying fluid to said bladders,
a fluidic having an inlet that is connected to said fluid supply means and two exhaust ports,
a means for providing fluid flow passages that connect each of said fluidic exhaust ports to one of said pair of bladders,
wherein said fluidic configured so as to yield alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cyclically inflates and deflates each of said bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to said specified area.
2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein:
each of said bladders having a front surface, with a portion of said front surfaces being overlayed so as to provide a rolling massage sensation when said bladders are inflated and deflated.
3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2 and wherein each of said bladders having a back surface, said apparatus further comprising:
an inflatable support bladder positioned beneath a portion of the overlayed rear surfaces of said massage bladders,
a means for supplying fluid to said support bladder so as to position said massage bladders in proximity to said specified area.
4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, further comprising:
a carrier plate on which said fluid supply means are mounted, said plate configured so as to aid in attaching said apparatus to an existing means designed to support a portion of one’s weight.
5. An apparatus as recited in claim 4, further comprising:
a backer plate on which said massage and support bladders are mounted, said backer plate configured so as to aid in holding said bladders in close proximity to said area to be massaged.
6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, further comprising:
a means for reducing the sound emanating from said fluid supply means, said sound reducing means being at least partially in close proximity to said fluid supply means.
7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein:
said specified area to be massaged is a person’s lower back, and
said carrier plate configured to be mountable in a means for allowing a person to sit.
8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, further comprising:
a pair of inflatable, upper back, massage bladders configured so as to be received in close proximity to a person’s upper back,
a means for supplying fluid to said upper back, massage bladders,
a fluidic having an inlet that is connected to said upper back, fluid supply means and two exhaust ports,
a means for providing fluid flow passages that connect each of said fluidic exhaust ports to one of said pair of upper back, massage bladders,
wherein said fluidic configured so as to yield alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cyclically inflates and deflates each of said upper back, massage bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to said upper back.
9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein:
said fluidics configured so as to provide alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cycles in the frequency range of 0.001 to 2 cycles per second.
10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein:
said means for supplying fluid to said bladders having a pump that supplies pressurized fluid to said fluidic inlet,
said fluidic configured so as to allow greater than 40% of the pressure of the fluid supplied to said fluidic inlet to be realized in said inflatable bladders.
11. A method for massaging a specified area of a person, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a pair of inflatable, massage bladders configured so as to receive said specified area to be massaged,
utilizing a fluid supply means to supply fluid through a conduit to said bladders,
inserting a fluidic in said conduit, said fluidic having an inlet and two exhaust ports, and
configuring said fluidic so as to yield alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cyclically inflates and deflates each of said bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to said specified area.
12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein:
each of said bladders having a front surface, with a portion of said front surfaces being overlayed so as to provide a rolling massage sensation when said bladders are inflated and deflated.
13. A method as recited in claim 12 and wherein each of said bladders having a back surface, said method further comprising the step of:
positioning an inflatable support bladder beneath a portion of the overlayed rear surfaces of said massage bladders, and
supplying fluid to said support bladder so as to position said massage bladders in proximity to said specified area.
14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of:
mounting said fluid supply means on a carrier plate, said plate configured so as to aid in attaching said plate to an existing means designed to support a portion of one’s weight.
15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of:
mounting said massage and support bladders on a backer plate, said backer plate configured so as to aid in holding said bladders in close proximity to said area to be massaged.
16. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of:
reducing the sound emanating from said fluid supply means by at least partially wrapping said fluid supply means in a sound absorbing means.
17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein:
said specified area to be massaged is a person’s lower back, and
said carrier plate configured to be mountable in a means for allowing a person to sit.
18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of:
providing a pair of inflatable, upper back, massage bladders configured so as to be received in close proximity to a person’s upper back,
utilizing a fluid supply means to supply fluid though a conduit to said upper back, massage bladders,
inserting a fluid in said conduit, said fluidic having an inlet that is connected to said upper back, fluid supply means and two exhaust ports, and
configuring said fluidic so as to yield alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cyclically inflates and deflates each of said upper back, massage bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to said upper back.
19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein:
said fluidics configured so as to provide alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cycles in the frequency range of 0.001 to 2 cycles per second.
20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein:
said means for supplying fluid to said bladders having a pump that supplies pressurized fluid to said fluidic inlet,
said fluidic configured so as to allow greater than 40% of the pressure of the fluid supplied to said fluidic inlet to be realized in said inflatable bladders.
21. A seat massager for massaging a user’s back, said seat massager comprising:
a pair of inflatable, massage bladders configured so as to be received in close proximity to a person’s back, each of said bladders having a front surface, with a portion of said front surfaces being overlayed so as to provide a rolling massage sensation when said bladders are inflated and deflated,
a means for supplying fluid to said bladders,
a fluidic having an inlet that is connected to said fluid supply means and two exhaust ports,
a conduit that connects each of said fluidic exhaust ports to one of said pair of bladders,
wherein said fluidic configured so as to yield alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cyclically inflates and deflates each of said bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to a person’s back,
an inflatable support bladder positioned beneath a portion of the overlayed rear surfaces of said massage bladders,
a means for supplying fluid to said support bladder so as to position said massage bladders in proximity to a person’s back,
a carrier plate on which said fluid supply means are mounted, said plate configured so as to aid in attaching said seat massager to the frame of a seat into which said seat massager is to be installed, and
a backer plate on which said massage and support bladders are mounted, said backer plate configured so as to aid in holding said bladders in close proximity to a person’s back.
22. A seat massager as recited in claim 21, wherein:
said fluidic configured so as to provide alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cycles in the frequency range of 0.001 to 2 cycles per second.
23. A seat massager as recited in claim 22, wherein:
said means for supplying fluid to said bladders having a pump that supplies pressurized fluid to said fluidic inlet,
said fluidic configured so as to allow greater than 40% of the pressure of the fluid supplied to said fluidic inlet to be realized in said inflatable bladders.
24. A seat massager as recited in claim 21, further comprising:
a pair of inflatable, upper back, massage bladders configured so as to be received in close proximity to a person’s upper back,
a means for supplying fluid to said upper back, massage bladders,
a fluidic having an inlet that is connected to said upper back, fluid supply means and two exhaust ports,
a conduit that connects each of said fluidic exhaust ports to one of said pair of upper back, massage bladders,
wherein said fluidic configured so as to yield alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cyclically inflates and deflates each of said upper back, massage bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to said upper back.
25. A seat massager as recited in claim 24, wherein:
said fluidics configured so as to provide alternating flow from said exhaust ports that cycles in the frequency range of 0.001 to 2 cycles per second.
26. A seat massager as recited in claim 25, wherein:
said means for supplying fluid to said massage bladders having a pump that supplies pressurized fluid to said fluidic inlet,
said fluidic configured so as to allow greater than 40% of the pressure of the fluid supplied to said fluidic inlet to be realized in said inflatable bladders.
27. An apparatus for massaging a specified area of a person, said apparatus comprising:
a pair of inflatable, massage bladders configured so as to receive said specified area to be massaged,
a means for supplying fluid to said bladders,
a means for regulating the inflation and deflation cycles of said massage bladders, said means being connected to said fluid supply means,
a means for providing fluid flow passages that connect said regulation means to each of said pair of bladders,
wherein said regulation means operates so as to inflate and deflate each of said bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to said specified area.
28 An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein:
each of said bladders having a front surface, with a portion of said front surfaces being overlayed so as to provide a rolling massage sensation when said bladders are inflated and deflated.
29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28 and wherein each of said bladders having a back surface, said apparatus further comprising:
an inflatable support bladder positioned beneath a portion of the overlayed rear surfaces of said massage bladders,
a means for supplying fluid to said support bladder so as to position said massage bladders in proximity to said specified area.
30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising:
a carrier plate on which said fluid supply means are mounted, said plate configured so as to aid in attaching said apparatus to an existing means designed to support a portion of one’s weight.
31. An apparatus as recited in claim 30, further comprising:
a backer plate on which said massage and support bladders are mounted, said backer plate configured so as to aid in holding said bladders in close proximity to said area to be massaged.
32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising:
a means for reducing the sound emanating from said fluid supply means, said sound reducing means being at least partially in close proximity to said fluid supply means.
33. An apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein:
said specified area to be massaged is a person’s lower back, and
said carrier plate configured to be mountable in a means for allowing a person to sit.
34. An apparatus as recited in claim 33, further comprising:
a pair of inflatable, upper back, massage bladders configured so as to be received in close proximity to a person’s upper back,
a means for supplying fluid to said upper back, massage bladders,
a means for regulating the inflation and deflation cycles of said upper back, massage bladders, said means being connected to said fluid supply means,
a means for providing fluid flow passages that connect said regulation means to each of said pair of bladders,
wherein said regulation means operates so as to cyclically inflate and deflate each of said upper back, massage bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to said upper back.
35. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein:
said regulation means being operated so as to provide alternating flow to said upper back, massage bladders so as to cycle their motion in the frequency range of 0.001 to 2 cycles per second.

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 process for filtering a stream of symbols prior to transmission, each symbol having, in sequence, a symbol value followed by a guard interval having a first Tg value followed by a second Tg value, the process comprising the steps:
remapping said symbol value, said first Tg value, and said second Tg value into, in sequence, said first Tg value, said second Tg value, and said symbol value;
upsampling, by an upsampler, said first Tg value, said second Tg value, and said symbol value by inserting one or more zero values between sampled values of said first Tg value, said second Tg value, and said symbol value;
applying said upsampled values to an IIR filter which has a reset signal for initializing at least one of a plurality of registers of said IIR filter, said IIR filter thereby generating, in sequence, a filtered first Tg value, a filtered second Tg value, and a filtered symbol value, asserting the reset signal of said IIR filter during said first Tg value input to said IIR filter; and
outputting said filtered second Tg value, said filtered symbol value, and a copy of said filtered second Tg value.
2. The process of claim 1 where said outputting includes saving said filtered second Tg value which is first output and subsequently outputting said saved filtered second Tg value after said filtered symbol value as the copy of said filtered second Tg value.
3. The process of claim 1 where said upsampling includes inserting a zero between the sample values of said first Tg value, said second Tg value, and said symbol value, and outputting resultant data at a rate twice the incoming data rate of the upsampler.
4. The process of claim 1 where said filtered second Tg value, said filtered symbol value, and the copy of said filtered second Tg value are transmitted to the antenna of a wireless LAN.
5. The process of claim 1 where said reset signal is asserted at the start of or during said guard interval of a symbol.
6. The process of claim 1 where said IIR filter is a BIQUAD filter.
7. The process of claim 1 where said stream of symbols is OFDM symbols.
8. A process for outputting values from an IIR filter having a stream of symbols, each symbol including a filtered first gap value, a filtered second gap value, and a filtered symbol value, the process comprising the steps:
resetting said IIR filter upon application of said filtered first gap value;
outputting said filtered second gap value and saving said filtered second gap value in a memory;
outputting said filtered symbol value; and
outputting said saved second gap value from said memory.
9. The process of claim 8 where said filtered second gap value, said filtered symbol value and said saved second gap value are transmitted to the antenna of a wireless LAN.
10. The process of claim 9 where said wireless LAN is compatible with one of the IEEE standards IEEE 802.11a or IEEE 802.11g.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination weighing apparatus for weighing articles supplied to a plurality of hoppers, arranged in a rectilinear row, from a supply unit, combining some of the hoppers and grouping together the articles within selected ones of the hoppers, wherein the supply unit comprises:
a plurality of supply buckets each capable of accommodating an article therein and discharging it onto the hoppers;
transport means including an endless support member for drivingly supporting the supply buckets and operable to circulate the supply buckets along a predetermined path together with the support member past a discharge position above the row of the hoppers;
determining means for determining, in reference to a weight of the article within each of the hoppers, whether or not the respective hopper is ready to receive the article; and
discharge control means for, when the supply buckets are successively brought to a position corresponding to some of the hoppers ready to receive the articles therefrom, causing the supply buckets to discharge the corresponding articles onto such some of the hoppers.
2. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining means is operable to determine that, when some of the hoppers are empty, such some of the hoppers are ready to receive the articles therein, but when some of the hoppers are not empty, such some of the hoppers are incapable of receiving the articles therein.
3. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the discharge control means is operable to cause the supply buckets to undergo a discharge operation when the supply buckets, regardless of whether or not they contain articles therein, are successively brought to the position corresponding to some of the hoppers not containing the articles therein, but to cause the supply buckets to undergo no discharge operation when the supply buckets are successively brought to a position corresponding to some of the hoppers containing the articles therein.
4. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a weight detector for detecting a weight of each of the hoppers onto which the article is to be discharged from the supply unit.
5. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the determining means when receiving an output from the weight detector determines whether or not the weight of the article within the respective hopper is not greater than a predetermined threshold value, and wherein the discharge control means operates, when the supply buckets are successively brought to a position corresponding to some of the hoppers containing the respective articles of the weight not greater than the predetermined threshold value, to cause the supply buckets to discharge the corresponding articles onto such some of the hoppers.
6. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the predetermined threshold value is a value equal to a combination target value less a standard weight for a predetermined discharge unit.
7. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the discharge control means causes the supply buckets, regardless of whether or not they contain the articles therein, to undergo the discharge operation when the supply buckets are successively transported to a position corresponding to empty hoppers, and also causes some of the supply buckets, when the latter contain the article of the weight not greater than the predetermined threshold value, to undergo the discharge operation to discharge the articles therefrom onto such hoppers.
8. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the discharge control means is employed for each of the hoppers.
9. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply buckets are spaced from each other at intervals of a predetermined first pitch and the hoppers are also spaced from each other at intervals of a predetermined second pitch, said first and second pitches being equal to each other.
10. The combination weighing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the supply buckets is formed so as to elongate in a direction perpendicular to a direction of circulation thereof.
11. A combination weighing system which comprises:
a combination weighing apparatus as defined in claim 1;
a front stage supply device positioned upstream of the combination weighing apparatus with respect to a direction of delivery of articles for delivering the articles successively onto the supply unit;
article detecting means for detecting presence or absence of the article in the supply buckets before each of the supply buckets receives the articles from the front stage supply device; and
a front stage control means operable on a basis of article detection information from the article detecting means to control supply of the articles from the front stage supply device towards the supply unit.
12. A combination weighing system which comprises:
a combination weighing apparatus as defined in claim 1;
a front stage supply device positioned upstream of the combination weighing apparatus with respect to a direction of delivery of articles for delivering the articles successively onto the supply unit; and
discharge means for causing the supply buckets to undergo the discharge operation when the supply buckets are brought to a discharge position defined at a location downstream of one of the hoppers that is positioned most downstream of the path of circulation of the supply buckets;
said front stage supply device delivering the articles onto the supply buckets which have undergone the discharge operation.

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 apparatus for removing, installing andor servicing a vehicular component of a vehicle, including:
a carrier device, to move said apparatus over a substrate surface; and,
a component handling device, attached to said carrier device, to receive and support said vehicular component.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier device includes:
a substantially U-shaped chassis, having a pair of outwardly extending arms extending from an intermediate spine; and
a wheel provided substantially at the extremity of each arm, and, an intermediate wheel positioned below said spine.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said carrier device further includes:
an actuator associated with one or more of said wheels, to rotate said respective wheel and thereby effect movement of said carrier device.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein operation of said actuator(s) is controlled remotely.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said carrier device further includes:
a coupling element associated with said spine of said carrier device, to couple with a coupling member associated with said component handling device, to thereby releasably couple said component handling device to said carrier device.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said coupling element is embodied as a hook, recess or the like, and said coupling member is embodied as a lug or the like, or vice versa.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component handling device includes:
a frame, of complementary shape to engage with said chassis and which is adapted to provide support to a lower portion of said vehicular component; and
a support element extending upwards from said frame, having at least one retaining arm extending outwardly therefrom which is adapted to provide support to an upper portion of said vehicular component;
wherein, said frame, said support element and said at least one retaining arm define a cavity which is able to accommodate said vehicular component.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said frame includes a pair of outwardly extending support members each of which are adapted to provide support to either side of a lower portion of said vehicular component.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein each support member is connected to said frame via an arm, to permit at least upward movement of said support member.
10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said movement is effected by a hydraulic, electrical or other actuator.
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said support member includes a pair of retaining arm(s), each of which is adapted to provide support to either side of an upper portion of said vehicular component.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein each retaining arms includes an upper and outer arm portion, at least the outer arm portion being operably movable to be capable of grasping said vehicular component.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicular component is a wheeltyre.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support elements including rollers thereon, such that when said wheeltyre is held in said apparatus, said wheeltyre may be rotated on said rollers within said component handling apparatus.
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component handling device includes:
a frame of complementary shape to engage with said chassis; and,
a positionable station, having a platform adapted to support a work tool, and,
a positioning mechanism to position said platform to thereby enable operation of said work tool with said vehicular component.
16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said positioning mechanism includes at least one hydraulic ram, electric motor or like device.
17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further including a cradle provided on said platform, said cradle adapted to receive a motor or other vehicular component.
18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component handling device is embodied as a jig assembly which includes:
a frame of complementary shape to engage with said chassis; and,
a jig head, operable by at least one actuator.
19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said platform is provided with handrails and adapted to support an operator.