A binding device includes binding rod portions, coupling portions for coupling a plurality of the binding rod portions, and an axis portion serving as a center upon opening/closing of binding rods. The coupling portions have lower portions to which the axis portion is provided at a position close to base portions of the binding rods so that a leaf bound at the binding rod portions can be flipped along the binding rods and flipped through 360 degrees and leaves can make contact with each other with the axis portion sandwiched therebetween. The axis portion includes a shaft portion and receiving portions for the shaft portion. The receiving portions are provided to the coupling portions the shaft portion is disposed therein.

A binding device includes a plurality of binding rings, a holding member which enables the binding rings to be disposed with a spacing therebetween, an operating member having a surface to which base portions of the binding rings are secured such that the binding rings are disposed with a spacing therebetween, the operating member including a pair of operating pieces movable in the holding member in a longitudinal direction of the holding member, and an opening-closing member which causes the binding rings to be changed in an opening direction. The opening-closing member includes an elastic member. The elastic member is provided in the operating member such that a distance between the operating pieces in an opening-closing direction of the binding rings is maintained at a distance enabling the pair of the operating pieces to be moved and is arranged to move the pair of the operating pieces defining the operating member relative to each other in respective opposite directions and so as to elastically urge the pair of the operating pieces in a direction allowing the binding rings to be held in an opened state.

A scrapbooking page alignment device for temporarily aligning at least two adjacent scrapbook pages having retention receivers extending from their respective spine edges, the device comprising (i) a base; and (ii) two or more spaced retention posts extending from said base; where said retention posts are dimensioned to temporarily receive the retention receivers of the two adjacent scrapbook pages.

A binding device is provided which allows reduction in profile. A binding device 10 includes: a holding member 16 having a length which allows a plurality of openable-closable binding rings 12 and 14 to be disposed with a spacing therebetween; an operating member 18 secured inside the holding member 16; and an opening/closing member 40. The operating member 18 includes a pair of operating pieces 30 and 32 on which the binding rings 12 and 14 are secured. For housing the opening/closing member 40, an opening/closing member housing portion 36 is provided in a manner such as to be recessed from a reverse side, opposite to a surface on which the binding rings 12 and 14 are secured, towards the surface side. The opening/closing member 40 is secured to the opening/closing member housing portion 36 of the operating member 18 on the reverse side opposite to the surface on which the binding rings 12 and 14 are secured, and is formed to, when the binding rings 12 and 14 are opened, cause the binding rings 12 and 14 to be changed in an opening direction so that the operating pieces are moved in a longitudinal direction of the holding member 16 and are held in a direction approaching an inner surface of the holding member 16, within the holding member 16.

The present invention is directed to an item holding assembly that may include a binder and portfolio with one releasably attached to the other enabling quick and easy separation for use of one independent of the other. In a preferred embodiment, binder and portfolio panels can overlie one another, particularly when releasably engaged in a manner that releasably attaches them. A flap, such as part of the panel or the panel of one is received in a pocket formed in the panel of the other to facilitate and preferably provide releasable attachment.

A biochip for the integration of all steps in a complex process from the insertion of a sample to the generation of a result, performed without operator intervention includes microfluidic and macrofluidic features that are acted on by instrument subsystems in a series of scripted processing steps. Methods for fabricating these complex biochips of high feature density by injection molding are also provided.

A ring binder has a standard ring assembly having a ring base and upstanding rings, a ring assembly support having a plurality of indents positioned along its sides, a binder connector having a plurality of upstanding tabs, and a plurality of binder covers each having a center spine with a plurality of slots configured to accept each of the plurality of binder connector tabs. The ring binder is assembled by the insertion of the binder connector tabs into slots of the binder cover and then into the indents of the ring assembly support. The ring binder can be sold assembled or as a kit, which would include a plurality of interchangeable binder covers.

A ring mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages includes a housing and ring members for holding loose-leaf pages that are moveable relative to the housing between an open and closed position. An actuation system moves the ring members and includes hinge plates pivotally mounted on the housing and an actuator actuating pivoting movement of the hinge plates. A travel bar of the actuation system is moveable by the actuator between a locked position blocking pivoting movement of the hinge plates and an unlocked position allowing pivoting movement of the hinge plates. The actuation system is adapted to deform while moving the travel bar from the locked position toward the unlocked position to delay the pivoting motion of the hinge plates from the movement of the actuator.

A ring mechanism has an elongate body made of a moldable polymeric material and rings for holding loose-leaf pages. Each ring includes a first ring member and a second ring member. The first ring members are movable relative to the housing and the second ring members between a closed position and an open position. At least one ring member for each ring is a separately formed ring member and comprises a ring portion and an anchor connected to the ring portion. The at least one separately formed ring member is formed separately from the body. The anchor of the separately formed ring member is secured to the body for pivoting movement relative to the body. The anchor can be received in a receptacle in the body adapted to receive the anchor.

A ring binder has an elongate body and rings. Each ring includes ring members moveable between open and closed positions. The ring members and body can suitably formed together as one piece from a moldable polymeric material. The binder suitably includes a retaining system operable to selectively and releasably hold the ring members in the closed position. When the ring members are in their open position, loose-leaf pages can be added or removed from the rings. Loose-leaf pages can also be moved from one ring member to another when the ring members are in their open position.

A ring binder has an elongate body and rings. Each ring includes ring members moveable between open and closed positions. The body and rings are made of one or more moldable polymeric materials. The binder suitably includes a retaining system operable to hold the ring members in the closed position. The retaining system has interlocking formations adjacent ends of the ring members that are moveable between a retaining position in which the retaining system holds the first and second ring members in the closed position and a non-retaining position. The ring members and body can suitably be formed together as one piece from a moldable polymeric material.

An actuating lever for a binding mechanism includes a body formed of a first molded material. The body defines oppositely-facing surfaces, with at least one of the surfaces having a recess formed therein. The actuating lever further includes a grip member formed of a second molded material that is different from the first molded material. The grip member is molded at least partially into the recess.

A ring mechanism has an elongate housing and rings for holding loose-leaf pages. Each ring has ring members mounted on pivoting hinge plates for movement between open and closed positions. An actuator has opening and closing arms extending from an actuator body for opening and closing the rings. The mechanism has a travel bar moveable between a locked position in which a locking element blocks pivoting movement of the hinge plates and an unlocked position. The actuator has a flexible arm positioned to push the travel bar toward the locked position when the actuator closes the rings. At least a portion of the flexible arm is adapted to deform during closing in a manner that includes rotation in a first direction relative to the body of the actuator. Movement of the actuator to close the rings includes rotation of the actuator in the first direction relative to the housing.

A switching circuit (400) comprising an inductive component (406) including at least one winding; and a switch (404) is configured to transfer power from a voltage source (402) to the inductive component (406) in accordance with a switch control signal (412). The switching circuit (400) also comprises a controller (408) configured to integrate the voltage across the inductive component (406) in order to generate a signal representative of magnetic flux in the inductive component (406); and use the signal representative of the magnetic flux in the inductive component to account for a peak magnetization current value in order to control the switch (404).

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a compound power converter in which the majority of power passes from input to output through only a single stage of power conversion. At least one embodiment includes a main converter with an auxiliary output. The auxiliary output energizes a reservoir that provides input power for a supplemental converter capable supplying the main output. The supplemental converter improves regulation and can provide holdover power for Power Factor Correction (PFC) or Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) operation.

A power conversion system with adjustable frequency includes an electric transformer, a pulse width modulation driving controller, a switching transistor, a first and second voltage division resistors connected in series, an output diode and an output capacitor. The electric transformer receives the input power and generates the sensing current and induced current. The sensing current flows through the first and second voltage division resistors to generate the feedback signal. The induced current flows through the output diode and output capacitor to generate the output voltage to supply the load. The pulse width modulation driving controller determine whether the loading state of the load based on the feedback signal, and change the switching frequency according to the loading state and the input power, thereby increasing the whole efficiency of the power conversion system and achieving the aim of dynamically adjusting the optimal frequency.

A power converter includes an active front end (AFE) that is coupled by a dc link stage to a plurality of H-bridge inverters. One or more multi-phase electro-magnetic energy conversion devices, such as transformers or electric machines, with open windings that are connected to only the AFE or only the H-bridge inverters or to both the AFE and H-bridge inverters, provide a regenerative or partial regenerative power converter.

A system, method, and apparatus for providing three level inverter modulation is disclosed. In one embodiment, control signals can be provided to control a three level inverter in a power converter based on at least one feedback signal.

An additional electric power receiving method replacing conventional grounding with a negative voltage source includes the step of transmitting electromagnetic wave or current from a power supply source to a rectifier, wherein a grounding end of the rectifier is in electrical communication with the negative voltage source, and the negative voltage source is selected from a negative potential intrinsic of an organism. A device applicable to the electric power receiving method includes a rectifier having an input end and two output ends, wherein the input end is in electrical communication with a power supply source, and rectified direct current is transmitted from the output ends. With the method and device, not only an increase in additional electric power obtained is achieved, but conversion efficiency and stability of current and electromagnetic wave is enhanced.

Provided is a configuration in which it is possible to mount an applied voltage suppression circuit configured to prevent voltage breakdown of a semiconductor switching element, and a set voltage thereof can be inspected without damaging an IC or the like of a peripheral circuit. In a power converter having a semiconductor switching element, an applied voltage suppression circuit configured to suppress a voltage applied to the semiconductor switching element and at least one component of constituent components of a driving circuit which causes the semiconductor switching element to be turned off if the component is absent are transferred to and disposed on a slave substrate (separate unit) which is divided from and electrically connected to a master substrate including the semiconductor switching element, the driving circuit, a control circuit, and the like mounted thereon.

A power supply can provide brown-out protection and overheat protection. The power supply includes a rectifier, a transformer, and a power management device. The rectifier is used for receiving an alternating current voltage. The alternating current voltage has a voltage cycle. The transformer coupled to the rectifier has an inductor coupled to a switch for supplying an output voltage. The power management device is used for controlling the switch to make the inductor save power or release power. The power management device has a multi-functional pin coupled to the rectifier for receiving a detection voltage corresponding to a positive half cycle of the alternating current voltage. The multi-functional pin is also coupled to a thermistor for receiving an overheat protection signal.

An alternating-current/direct-current converter includes a rectifier, a reactor, a capacitor, and a switching rectifier. The rectifier is configured to rectify alternating-current voltage output from an alternating-current power source, thereby converting the alternating-current voltage into direct-current voltage, and to output the direct-current voltage. The capacitor includes terminals. The switching rectifier is coupled to the AC power source and switchable to output the direct-current voltage to the capacitor.

A semiconductor device of a three-level inverter circuit with a reduced number of power supplies for driving IGBTs. The semiconductor device includes a series-connected circuit of IGBTs between P and N of a DC power supply and an AC switch element that is connected between a series connection point of the series-connected circuit and a neutral point of the DC power supply. The series-connected circuit and the AC switch element are integrated into one module. The AC switch element is formed by connecting a collector of a first IGBT to which a diode is connected in reverse parallel and a collector of a second IGBT to which a diode is connected in reverse parallel, and an intermediate terminal is provided at a connection point between the collectors.

A system for controlling photovoltaic electricity production equipment having photovoltaic modules each equipped with a DC/DC microconverter connected to a DC bus, a DC bus manager, and an inverter for converting the direct current from the photovoltaic panels into alternative current intended for an electrical distribution network. Power is injected into the DC bus when the voltage of the DC bus is less than a minimum voltage until the minimum voltage is reached. Each of the microconverters injects a maximum power from the photovoltaic modules into the DC bus when the voltage of the DC bus is between a first voltage and a second voltage. The injecting of power from the photovoltaic modules into the DC bus is stopped when the voltage of the DC bus is less than a low threshold voltage or greater than a high threshold voltage.

The present invention is applied to a frequency converter used for a receiver. The frequency converter according to the present invention includes an LO signal generator (11) that generates an LO signal and outputs the LO signal; and a mixer (10) that multiplies a received signal that has been band-limited to a usable bandwidth of said receiver by the LO signal so as to convert the frequency of the received signal and outputs the resultant signal. Said LO signal generator is capable of varying a phase resolution.

Among many embodiments, a power conversion apparatus and a method for converting power are disclosed. The power conversion apparatus may include switching components configured to create an alternating current; a preemptive detector arranged and configured to provide, in advance of the alternating current reaching a zero-crossing, a control signal responsive to the alternating electrical current approaching the zero-crossing; and a controller configured, at least in part, to change a state of the switching components before the zero crossing, in response to the control signal.

A power converter and a method for balancing voltages across input capacitors are disclosed in the present application. The power converter includes: two DC input terminals; a first input capacitor and a second input capacitor; a first bridge arm and a second bridge arm connected in series with one another; and an output circuit configured to generate a signal required by the power converter based on the signals at a midpoint of the first bridge arm and a midpoint of the second bridge arm. The power converter further includes: a first voltage balancing unit and a second balancing unit configured to reduce a voltage difference between the first input capacitor and the second input capacitor. The power converter provided by the present application solves the problem of imbalance in the voltages across the first input voltage and the second input voltage.

A full bridge DC-DC converter to which a current doubler is applicable is provided and includes a transformer and a switching circuit that converts a high direct current voltage into a high alternating current voltage and then outputs the high alternating current voltage to the primary side of the transformer. In addition, an output circuit receives and processes the output of the secondary side of the transformer and supplies the processed output to an electric load. The output circuit includes a first inductor, a first contact resistor, a second inductor, a second contact resistor, a first diode, a third contact resister, a second diode, and a fourth contact resister.

A series resonant power converter includes a power stage comprising a switching circuit operating at least a resonant frequency. To achieve soft switching and provide current at a voltage through an inductive element. The power converter can also include a control circuit for controlling a phase angle of the current, for controlling a duty cycle of the switching circuit.

A switching power converting apparatus includes a coil unit, a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) controlling power transfer through the coil unit, and a current sensing resistor sensing a current flowing through the BJT so as to produce a sensed voltage thereacross. A switching controller includes a current source supplying a first current, a current generating module generating, based on an input voltage associated with the sensed voltage, a second current, which is proportional to the current flowing through the BJT, a multiplexing module selecting one of the first and second currents as an output current, and a driving module outputting, based on the output current, a driving current, which is proportional to the output current, to the BJT to thereby conduct the BJT.

Provided is a power conversion system that includes a first transformer adapted to be connected to an AC network, the first transformer including a first primary winding and two first secondary windings, and two power converters, each being connected to a first respective secondary winding. The system further includes a second transformer and a secondary electrical device, the second transformer including a second primary winding and two second secondary windings, each second secondary winding being connected to a respective first secondary winding, and the secondary device being connected to the second primary winding.

Methods and systems for managing link voltages in a power converter, where single phase, three phase or universal systems can be used. Common mode management refers to shifting of voltages in a particular direction to perform transition between input and output ports, in addition to maintaining soft switching property. Voltages in power converters can be freely increasing and decreasing, and thus damage to the circuit can be caused if these voltages change are not controlled.

Disclosed is a grid-connected inverter and a method for filtering AC output thereof. The grid-connected inverter includes an AC output filter which includes two or more switchable filtering modules, with the power capacity of each filtering module corresponding to a different output power of the grid-connected inverter; a monitoring module which is used to perform realtime monitoring on voltage and current outputted by the grid-connected inverter; and a control circuit which is used to calculate an output power grade of the grid-connected inverter according to the voltage and the current monitored by the monitoring module and control switching to the filtering module having a corresponding power capacity according to the power grade, the power grade being selected from a plurality of power grades which are divided according to power capacities of the filtering modules.

Embodiments provide a magnetic flux conversion device (MFCD) that may produce a regulated output signal with a target value (e.g., target voltage and/or target current) from a source signal on a power line. The MFCD may include a secondary stage configured to be inductively coupled with the power line. The source signal may cause a secondary electrical signal to flow in the secondary stage. A regulator module may be coupled to the secondary stage and configured to produce the output signal with the target value across output nodes by sensing the output signal and shunting the secondary stage if a value of the output signal is above the target value.

There is provided an even-level inverter, including: a voltage-dividing circuit dividing input DC power into an even number of voltage levels; a plurality of switching devices connected to individual nodes of the voltage-dividing circuit having the even number of voltage levels; and a bidirectional switching device connected to the individual nodes of the voltage-dividing circuit through at least one of the plurality of switching devices and including at least two transistors. According to the present invention, the bidirectional switching device is implemented without a diode to thereby reduce conduction loss caused due to an anti-parallel diode included in the related art bidirectional switching device, and a neutral point of the voltage-dividing circuit is electrically separated from the switching devices to thereby control reactive power.

A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. The voltage regulator also includes a filter coupled to the slaves, the filter including one or more inductor banks each of which having a predetermined number of inductors.

The invention discloses a voltage source converter and a voltage source converter system. The voltage source converter comprises: a multi-level voltage source converter, being adapted to output a multiple levels of a first voltage at one of two first output terminals through a multiple of first conducting paths; a first energy store; and a first switching element, being arranged to directly connected with the first output terminal, and being adapted to switch the first energy store in or out of the first conducting path so as to combine a level of the voltage of the first energy store with the level of the first voltage as a second voltage output at a second output terminal. By having the topology as above, the voltage class of each of the power semiconductors can be kept lower with the number of the power semiconductors unchanged. Besides, VDRM is lowed as compared to conventional topology. This renders the reduction of the cost and the increase of the liability.

A Low Forward Voltage Rectifier (LFVR) circuit includes a bipolar transistor, a parallel diode, and a capacitive current splitting network. The LFVR circuit, when it is performing a rectifying function, conducts the forward current from a first node to a second node provided that the voltage from the first node to the second node is adequately positive. The capacitive current splitting network causes a portion of the forward current to be a base current of the bipolar transistor, thereby biasing the transistor so that the forward current experiences a low forward voltage drop across the transistor. The LFVR circuit sees use in as a rectifier in many different types of switching power converters, including in flyback, Cuk, SEPIC, boost, buck-boost, PFC, half-bridge resonant, and full-bridge resonant converters. Due to the low forward voltage drop across the LFVR, converter efficiency is improved.

A high voltage full wave rectifier and doubler circuit having complementary serially connected low voltage MOSFET stacks to provide high voltage capability. The state of the MOSFETs in the MOSFET stacks is controlled by means of resistors coupled between the circuit's outputs and a time varying input signal. The resistance values of the resistors are selected to maintain operation of the stacked MOSFETs below their breakdown voltages.

System and method for regulating a power converter. A system for regulating a power converter includes a controller, a first switch, and a second switch. The controller is configured to generate a first switching signal and a second switching signal. The first switch is configured to receive the first switching signal, the first switch being coupled to an auxiliary winding of the power converter further including a primary winding and a secondary winding. The second switch is configured to receive the second switching signal and coupled to the primary winding of the power converter. The controller is further configured to, change, at a first time, the second switching signal to open the second switch, maintain, from the first time to a second time, the first switching signal to keep the first switch open, and change, at the second time, the first switching signal to close the first switch.

An apparatus for energy assisted magnetic recording of a storage disk include a plurality of dielectric waveguide cores configured to direct received incident light energy to a target, and a near field transducer (NFT) configured to focus light energy received from the plurality of waveguide cores and to transmit the focused light energy onto the storage disk surface to generate a heating spot on the storage disk. The NFT includes a plurality of propagating surface plasmon polariton (PSPP) elements that are energized by the light energy from the waveguide cores. Each of the PSPP elements has a plasmonic metal bar disposed above a single waveguide core in a longitudinal alignment. Each metal bar has a width at least twice the width of the heating spot generated on the storage disk.

An optical head device (11) provided with: an optical element (36) for transmissively diffracting a light beam emitted from a semiconductor laser (34), generating a zero-order diffracted light beam and ±1-order diffracted light beams; and a photodetector (40) for receiving the zero-order diffracted light beam and the +1-order diffracted light beam after reflection from an optical disc (2). The photodetector (40) includes a primary light receiving section (400) for receiving the zero-order diffracted light beam, and a first secondary light receiving section (401) disposed outward from the primary light receiving section (400). The first secondary light receiving section (401) is positioned to detect an outer portion of the received light spot of the +1-order diffracted light beam, performs photoelectric conversion of this portion, and outputs a secondary detected signal.

A return path section includes first and second yoke portions and first, second and third columnar portions. The first and second yoke portions and the first columnar portion are located on the same side in the direction of travel of the recording medium relative to a wave guide core. The second and third columnar portions are located on opposite sides of a plasmon generator and connected to a shield. The first yoke portion connects a main pole to the first columnar portion. The second yoke portion connects the first columnar portion to the second and third columnar portions. A coil is wound around the first columnar portion.

Provided are an optical pickup device and an optical disk drive including the same. The optical pickup device includes a quarter-wave plate (QWP) that is disposed parallel to an objective lens and a reflection mirror that reflects a beam back onto the QWP after the beam passed through the QWP. The optical pickup device also includes a polarization mirror that is disposed between the objective lens and the QWP, and which reflects the beam which is generated from a light source onto the QWP, and allows the beam reflected by the reflection mirror to pass through to the objective lens.

A recording head for recording information on a rotating recording medium of a storage device includes a main magnetic pole which generates a recording magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to a recording medium facing surface of the magnetic recording head, and a light generating element which is provided on a leading side of the main magnetic pole, and generates light for heating the recording layer of the recording medium. The main magnetic pole includes an end surface facing the light generating element that is inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the recording medium facing surface toward the light generating element.

A digital jukebox (14) allows for playback of a first offering and a second offering. The contents of each offering are individually licensed for public performance at a particular location where the jukebox is found. The jukebox (14) displays advertisements that are selected in response to user interaction with the jukebox or a number of other factors. The jukebox (14) features a screen (18 and 20) that allows user to interact with the jukebox to select offerings, but also to respond to advertising. Jukebox can function in cooperation with a server (12), but in the alternate, can function as an independent and stand-alone device when connection (16) to server (12) is not available.

An optical disk device includes an optical pickup that directs light beams onto a recording surface of an optical disk and receives reflected light, a signal generating unit that generates playback signals based on reflected light received by the optical pickup, an equalizer adjustment unit that performs equalizer adjustment of the playback signals, and an adjustment control unit. The adjustment control unit controls the equalizer adjustment unit so as to perform equalizer adjustment of the playback signals according to the playback signals based on reflected light from a management information area on a recording surface of the optical disk, the management information area including predetermined management information recorded thereon.

Disclosed is an optical information recording and reproducing device capable of recording an interference fringe pattern as a hologram in an optical information recording medium, the interference fringe pattern being formed by a signal beam superimposed with signal information and a reference beam, and also capable of reproducing the signal information from the optical information recording medium, the device having a light source unit to emit light, a light splitting unit to split the light into the reference beam and the signal beam, a spatial light modulation unit to superimpose the signal information on the signal light, and a light detection unit to detect an image reproduced by the reference beam, wherein information about defects on the spatial light modulation unit is recorded in the optical information recording medium.

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player.

An apparatus includes a write element configured to apply a magnetic field to write data on a portion of a heat-assisted magnetic recording media in response to an energizing current. An energy source is configured to heat the portion of the media being magnetized by the write element. A preheat energizing current is applied to the write element during an interval before writing the data to the portion of the media. The preheat energizing current does not cause data to be written to the media and brings at least one of the write element and driver circuitry into thermal equilibrium prior to writing the data on the portion.