A method for preparing a boron fertilizer, including: (1) heating boric acid to a temperature of 180-200° C., maintaining the temperature for 20-30 min for dehydration of the boric acid to yield pyroboric acid; and (2) cooling down the pyroboric acid to a temperature of 40-60° C., crushing, and screening to yield a powdered, weakly acidic, high-content boron fertilizer. The method is energy-saving, environmentally friendly, and low in cost. The resulting boron fertilizer is weakly acidic, fast in dissolution rate, and has excellent in compounding performance

Provided is a high-value added fertilizer using a microorganism or a component of a microorganism and especially a fertilizer capable of promoting the bearing of fruit trees and fruit vegetables. A reducing fertilizer obtained by subjecting a mixture of a microorganism or a component of a microorganism with phosphoric acid component and/or potassium component to a hydrothermal reaction treatment is capable of promoting the growth the roots, especially, the root hairs of fruit trees and also promoting the enlargement of their fruits. In particular, because of the reducing characteristic, the reducing fertilizer of the present invention has an excellent affinity for cells constituting the roots, and enables phosphoric acid component and potassium component, which are useful fertilizer components, to be absorbed effectively.

The present invention relates to a method for removing sulfur from a gaseous or liquid mixture. This method involves contacting the gaseous or liquid mixture with an iron-enriched matrix under conditions effective to remove sulfur from the mixture through adsorption of the sulfur to the matrix. The iron-enriched matrix used in this method is a lignocellulosic material that is enriched with iron. The present invention also relates to a system, composition, and plant fertilizer that contain the iron-enriched matrix. Methods of making the composition and preparing a plant fertilizer are also disclosed.

An esteramide compound of the following formula (I): R1OOC-A-CONR2R3 (I) is described, wherein: A is a covalent bond or a methylene group —CH2—;R1 is an optionally substituted, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon group including from 5 to 36 carbon atoms,R2 and R3, either identical or different, are groups selected from a hydrogen atom, and optionally substituted hydrocarbon groups, preferably including from 1 to 36 carbon atoms, andR2 and R3 not being simultaneously hydrogen atoms. Also described, are applications for using the esteramide compound, notably as a solvent.

The present media is to be used with a particulate base having particles of a first maximum diameter for growing plants. The media includes granules which are of biodegradable recycled material and have a diameter relative to the first maximum diameter to penetrate further into the particulate base with each watering. The granules include plant nutrients and are of a material which coagulates after watering and adheres to the particulates of the base. The diameter of the granules may be in the range of 1/16 to ⅛ of an inch.

The invention relates to a fertilizing compound for application to plants and crops, especially fruits, intended for increasing the amount of calcium and subsequently improving the state of health of the plants and the preservation thereof after harvesting. The compound consists of a combination of components such as calcium nitrate, calcium lignosulfonate, organic acids, menadione sodium bisulphite, amino acids and water. The compound is in the form of a liquid preparation, packed in containers of between 20 and 1000 liters, is water-soluble and is applied by fertigation, spraying or in a localized form by border irrigation.

The invention relates to an aqueous solution of a mixture for treating urea-based fertilizers/fertilizers containing ammonium that contains 1,2,4-triazole and 3-methylpyrazole in the weight ratio 2/1 and at least one polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone and a tenside.

A method for producing biochar particles or pellets which use sulphur and other additives. The method includes producing a mixture with biochar and additives selected from sulphur, lignin, and gluten. The mixture is mixed with water and passed through an extruder to produce an extrudate. The extrudate is then cut into pellets. The pellets are then tumbled/spun with each other and heated to result in mostly spheroidal pellets whose mechanical characteristics allow them to be used with well-known agricultural equipment. The biochar can be produced with sulphur incorporated as an outer coating. To produce this sulphur coated biochar, the method includes feeding a biomass feedstock to a pyrolysis reactor, pyrolyzing the feedstock into biochar particles, size-sorting the biochar particles, and coating the biochar particles with the sulphur coating material.

Disclosed are methods of enhancing plant growth, comprising treating seed at least one month prior to planting with an effective amount of a plant signal molecule, wherein upon harvesting the plant exhibits at least one of increased plant yield measured in terms of bushels/acre, increased root number, increased root length, increased root mass, increased root volume and increased leaf area, compared to plants harvested from untreated seed, or compared to plants harvested from seed treated with the signal molecule just prior to or within a week or less of planting.

Methods of inducing bud break of deciduous fruit vines, trees, or shrubs following dormancy by the application of bud breaker compositions that do not contain hydrogen cyanamide.

An electromagnetic radiation activated device comprises a property changing material and at least one functionalized fullerene that upon irradiation of the functionalized fullerenes with electromagnetic radiation of one or more frequencies a thermally activated chemical or physical transformation occurs in the property changing material. The thermal activated transformation of the property changing material is triggered by the heating or combustion of the functionalized fullerenes upon their irradiation. The device can include a chemical agent that is embedded in the property changing material and is released when the material is heated by the functionalized fullerenes upon irradiation.

The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for the treatment of liquid material based on organic waste products, in particular sludge from sewage disposal plants and the like, wherein the sludge material is added and mixed with chemicals, in particular sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and/or ammonia, during the vaporization and degasification of liquid from the material to increase the solids content thereof. The present invention is characterized, inter alia, in that the material is continuously introduced at the upper part of a vertical mixing vessel (1), in which the material is subject to mixing, after which the material is passed on into a reactor tank (8) for sulphuric acid treatment and at the same time, while sinking through the sulphuric acid treatment reactor tank (8), is exposed to an impact action from a number of rotary processing means (9) disposed in the reactor tank (8), after which the material is passed on into a reactor tank (14) for ammonia treatment and at the same time, while sinking through the ammonia treatment reactor tank (14), is exposed to an impact action from a number of rotary processing means (9) disposed in the reactor tank (14), after which the material is finally passed on into a drier (15) in which the material is dried until a desired solids content is achieved.

A granular agrochemical composition is disclosed including a granular core material having a water soluble portion with a first coating layer applied on the surface of the core material and a second coating layer applied on the surface of the first coating layer. The first coating layer includes a wax composition having a biologically active ingredient incorporated therein and the second coating layer includes a polymeric composition. The granular agrochemical composition exhibits a controlled rate of release of the biologically active ingredient therefrom over a period greater than about 30 days from the date of initial exposure of the granular composition to moisture whereby essentially all of the biologically active ingredient incorporated in the wax material of the first coating layer is released from the granular composition before the water soluble portion of the granular core material is released from the granular composition.

The present invention is related to the field of environmental protection, more specifically, to a foliage silicon fertilizer and a method for production of the fertilizer, which is a molybdenum-silica compound sol used for reducing heavy metal and nitrates in vegetables. The fertilizer, which is a molybdenum-silica compound sol, comprises 10-25 wt % silica, 0.05-5.5 wt % molybdenum ions. More preferably, the fertilize, which is a rare earth-molybdenum-silica compound sol, comprises 10-25 wt % silica, 0.05-5.5 wt % molybdenum ions and 0.1-7.5 wt % rare earth ions. By the combination of silica with molybdenum in the present invention, it is effective for preventing the absorption/accumulation of nitrates in vegetables. In addition, by the further combination with rare earth element, the prevention ability of the fertilizer from absorbing heavy metal and nitrates into vegetables is even enhanced. With a preparation method with normal pressure and relatively, low temperature, that is, with mild condition, simple process and high operability, large scale production of the present invention may be readily executed.

An engineered topsoil for use in soil reclamation and a method of producing the same are disclosed that seek to replicate undisturbed native reference topsoil from near the site in need of land reclamation. The engineered topsoil is formed from a base amount of subsoil and amendment comprised of an effective amount of surrogate humin material sufficient to replicate the estimated humin organic carbon content of the native reference topsoil, and an effective amount of plant residue material sufficient to replicate the estimated non-humin organic carbon content of the native reference topsoil.

A method and system for treatment of biological wastes for preparation of fertilizers is provided. The method and system involves mixing a biological waste with a dilute sulfuric acid in a predetermined ratio. The mixture of the biological waste and the dilute sulfuric acid is then filtered to obtain an organic slurry and an acidic liquid. Thereafter, the organic slurry is thermally cracked at an elevated temperature to obtain at least one of an ammonia gas, one or more flue gases, and char and ash. The method and system further involves utilizing the ammonia gas, the char and ash, and the acidic liquid for preparation of the fertilizers.

An improved composition comprising substantial spherical UFP particles and an active agent, such as NBPT, and optionally other components is used as an additive for liquid and solid fertilizers, typically containing urea. Methods of making the compositions and their use are also disclosed.

A device is provided, which makes it possible to perform a failure diagnostics for a filter more accurately even in the case of an internal combustion engine which is constructed to be capable of using both of gaseous fuel and liquid fuel. The device of the invention comprises judging means which judges any failure of the filter by comparing the added-up amount of the particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas as detected by a PM amount detecting sensor during a predetermined period and the added-up amount of the particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas as estimated by PM amount estimating means during the predetermined period, wherein the PM amount estimating means estimates the added-up amount of the particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas on the basis of the predetermined parameter and only a fuel injection amount of the liquid fuel out of a fuel injection amount of the gaseous fuel and the fuel injection amount of the liquid fuel.

A method for detecting and controlling a load weight of a vehicle by means of a tire pressure of the vehicle and a device are provided. The method includes the steps of installation setting, detecting the load weight, and controlling an electric switch. The device includes tire pressure detectors installed on rear wheels of the vehicle and connected with a processor which is input with a preset tire pressure value and able to receive the tire pressure detected by the tire pressure detectors. The processor is connected with an electric switch of the vehicle. The processor compares the tire pressure detected by the tire pressure detectors with the preset tire pressure value, and controls the electric switch to turn on/off a power source of the vehicle. The device is capable of detecting and controlling the load weight of the vehicle by detecting a change of the tire pressure.

An in-vehicle system as a road curvature detection device calculates a curvature of a road in front of a vehicle based on an acquired front scene image. The in-vehicle system receives gradient information from the data map. The gradient information corresponds to a current road section on the road on which the vehicle drives. The in-vehicle system detects a gradient accuracy of the received gradient information. When the current road section has a gradient, i.e. the road is an uphill or downhill road, the in-vehicle system selects an appropriate special detection methods based on the gradient accuracy of the received gradient information, and calculates a road curvature by using the selected special detection method. Each of the special detection methods calculates a road curvature while effectively suppressing influence of a road gradient indicated by the received gradient information.

A navigation system includes at least one inertial sensor configured to detect motion of the system and generate inertial data; at least one aiding device configured to generate aiding device measurement data; at least one processing unit configured to generate an un-smoothed navigation solution inclusive of navigation state variable error resets based on the inertial data and the aiding device measurement data; wherein the at least one processing unit is further configured to sum the state variable error resets into a cumulative sum of the state variable error resets; wherein the at least one processing unit is further configured to high pass filter the cumulative sum of the state variable error resets; and wherein the at least one processing unit is further configured to subtract the high pass filtered cumulative sum of the state variable error resets from the un-smoothed navigation solution to generate a smoothed navigation solution.

A computing system includes: a control circuit configured to: determine environment measurements representing conditions measured about a building structure located at a geographic location; generate a map based on the environment measurements for mapping a tier of the building structure along a vertical direction; and a storage circuit, coupled to the control circuit, configured to store the map for representing the building structure.

A position information correcting device includes a reception processing unit receiving position information transmitted from a nearby mobile object, a position correcting unit performing a position correcting process for correcting, based on map data, the position information of the nearby mobile object such that a corrected position of the nearby mobile object is on a running area of a road, a nearby mobile object type acquiring unit acquiring a mobile object type of the nearby mobile object, and a correction performance determining unit determining, based on the mobile object type acquired by the nearby mobile object type acquiring unit, whether the position correcting process needs to be performed to the position information of the nearby mobile object. The position correcting process is performed to the position information of the nearby mobile object only when the correction performance determining unit determines that the position correcting process needs to be performed.

Aspects of the present disclosure include a navigation system and computer-implemented methods for proactively re-routing vehicles to control traffic flow. Consistent with some embodiments, the navigation system seeks to reduce traffic flow along primary navigation routes (e.g., routes with relatively short travel times) by re-routing vehicles to alternative navigation routes (e.g., routes with relatively longer travel times) using incentives. As an example, upon detecting a vehicle traveling along an alternative route instead of a primary route, the navigation system updates a data structure that represents a user account of a vehicle occupant to reflect an increased account balance. Consistent with some embodiments, the amount of value provided to an occupant of a vehicle traveling along an alternative routes may be obtained from user accounts of occupants of other vehicles that are traveling along a primary route.

Aspects of the present disclosure include a navigation system and computer-implemented methods for proactively re-routing vehicles based on an analysis of input component data obtained from the navigation-enabled devices. The navigation system scores the input component data to obtain a measure of frustration (e.g., a feeling of being upset or annoyed) of the user of the navigation-enabled device. The navigation system may provide a detour suggestion for display on the navigation-enabled device to persuade the user of the device to direct their vehicle to depart from its current location or route in an effort to remove the vehicle from traffic, and thereby reduce the frustration level of the user. The detour suggestion may include an alternative route to the original destination, or an alternative destination.

Various aspects provide for “parking” an apparatus in a parking configuration. A parking configuration may be a configuration of an apparatus that minimizes damage (e.g., corrosion, wear, and the like) resulting from extended exposure during periods of inactivity. An apparatus may comprise a propulsion system (e.g., for a ship) and/or a steering system. An apparatus may comprise a linkage or other device positioned by an actuator. Some aspects include a water jet based propulsion system having a scoop and a nozzle operable to redirect the water jet, providing a range of forward/backward and port/starboard thrusts.

A remotely controlled motile device system comprises a remotely controlled motile device, and a mobile smart device that comprises a data processor operatively connected to a display screen, a memory, a user input interface, a camera, and a wireless transceiver. The memory stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the data processor, cause the mobile smart device to capture images of an optical reference background and the remotely controlled motile device, present the images on the display screen, register a target position relative to the optical reference background and entered via the user input interface, determine a pose of the remotely controlled motile device relative to the optical reference background, and transmit commands to the remotely controlled motile device to move to the target position.

Described herein are methods and systems for generating shared collaborative maps for planting or harvesting operations. A method of generating a collaborative shared map between machines includes generating a first map for a first machine based on a first set of data and generating a second map for a second machine based on a second set of data. The method further includes generating at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of the first and second machines based on the first and second maps.

A map screen determining method and apparatus, which includes obtaining profile data in a track dimension of a target digital person, where the target digital person is generated by a digital person generation system and consists of multiple dimensions of target user profiles corresponding to a target user, and the target user profiles are generated by processing multiple dimensions of data from multiple data sources, determining map data of a target area, where the target area is a specific map area that needs to be presented to a user, and determining a tracing map screen according to the profile data in the track dimension of the target digital person and the map data, where the tracing map screen represents a track feature of the target digital person in the target area.

In one embodiment information regarding device activity of first subscriber to a transportation service is received. A backend server determines independent of a pending transportation request from the first passenger and based at least on the information regarding the device activity of the first subscriber, to send a driver towards a location based on the location of the first subscriber.

A method for managing avionic data between a flight management system FMS and one or more clients, the FMS comprising resources accessible through avionic services Ci (1,n); the execution of the Ci (1,n) determining an avionic functionality Fj (1,m); each of the Fj (1,m) associated with an intrusiveness parameter Ik and a criticality parameter Ck; the method comprises the steps of receiving a request specifying the call to an Fj (1,m); and determining a predefined execution right for a Ci (1,n), dependent on the predefined intrusiveness and/or criticality parameters associated with the Fj (1,m). Developments describe particularly the comparison of the execution rights, notice of a rejection, various avionic services and functionalities, the management of criticality ranges, consideration of the flight context, etc. Software and system aspects are described (e.g. equipment of EFB type).

The present invention provides a flight control method for an aerial vehicle and a related device. The method may comprises receiving flight indication data under a current environment, the flight indication data including flight indication data detected by another aerial vehicle or provided by an external storage device; generating a flight control instruction according to the received flight indication data to control a flight of the aerial vehicle. An embodiment of the present invention may store and manage the flight indication data acquired by various aerial vehicles, so as to provide the support of related flight indication data to some requesting aerial vehicles, to enable the requesting aerial vehicles to perform operations such as obstacle avoidance, safe path planning and finding landing places based on the flight indication data.

The general field of the invention is that of methods of three-dimensional graphical representation of a landing runway on a viewing screen of an onboard viewing system for aircraft, the said graphical representation being displayed in a synthetic view of an exterior landscape. The graphical representation according to the invention comprises a line disposed along the axis of the runway, the said line being a straight stripe inclined by an angle of between one and a few degrees with respect to the horizontal, the said line beginning at the runway threshold.

The present invention provides a manually powered drive assembly for a vehicle. A foot crank winds a helical torsion spring through a system of shafts and sprockets in a first direction. By releasing a brake applied to a wheel, or wheels, of the vehicle, the wound spring transfers a rotational movement from a spring shaft to a freewheel sprocket coaxially aligned with the axle supporting a wheel, so that the rotational movement upon the wheel assists a user in manually moving the vehicle. The drive assembly may be advantageously used with a wheelbarrow to assist in building up momentum for moving heavy loads.

A vehicle passive entry side door latch release system engageable with a release cable connected a door latch includes a moveable linkage assembly engageable with the cable, and a motor including an output shaft engaged with a tensioning gear for driving a ratcheting gearwheel rotatably affixed to a coil spring, with the gearwheel including external teeth engageable with a rack affixed to the linkage to move the cable to unlatch the door latch. A pivotable ratcheting pawl may be engageable with the gearwheel to allow or prevent rotation of the gearwheel. Operation of the motor may drive the gear to drive the gearwheel in a rotary direction to energize the spring, and disengagement of the pawl from the gearwheel may allow stored energy in the spring to drive the gearwheel in an opposite rotary direction to thereby drive the rack to move the cable to unlatch the door latch.

When a rotational shaft of a gear speed reducer is rotated, a small-diameter gear of a first gear is held in mesh with first internal teeth of a fixed gear and a large-diameter gear of the first gear is held in mesh with second internal teeth of a second gear. The first gear and the second gear comprise cycloidal gears, respectively, and transmit rotational drive power to the second gear. The rotational drive power is output from an output shaft of the second gear. The gear speed reducer has a default mechanism for holding the output shaft at a predetermined angular position when an electric signal applied to an actuator is interrupted, and a self-lock function for preventing drive power applied from the output shaft from being transmitted to the actuator.

This application includes a number of embodiments of a spring powered toothbrush for cleaning teeth. A wind-up spring is located in the base of the toothbrush which spring provides power for a gear train including a drive shaft assembly that is designed to bring about rapid movement of the brush portion of the toothbrush to aid in cleaning the teeth. The drive mechanism is controlled by a spring biased push button in the toothbrush housing. In one version the brush portion of the toothbrush includes a rotatable brush section that is gear driven by the drive shaft. In another version the upper portion of the toothbrush is vibrated by an offset weight connected to the drive shaft and in a third version the drive shaft includes an offset weight that acts to oscillate a movable brush section by intermittent engagement between the; weight and brush section.

A pumping unit system having vertical sampson post, a walking beam pivotally supported at the upper end of the sampson post and a horsehead affixed at a forward end thereof that supports a reciprocated sucker rod string, including a gear reducer mounted at selectable positions on the walking beam and having a horizontally extending drive shaft, a crank arm affixed to the drive shaft the spacing between a selectable length pitman rod having a first end secured to said crank arm and a second end having a pitman bearing that is selectably mountable to a plurality of pitman bearing locations and a prime mover connected to the gear reducer and wherein the characteristics of the pumping unit are determined by the selectable position of the gear reducer, the selectable length of the crank arm, the selectable length of the pitman rod, and the selectable pitman bearing location.

A vehicle passive entry side door latch release system engageable with a release cable connected a door latch includes a moveable linkage assembly engageable with the cable, and a motor including an output shaft engaged with a tensioning gear for driving a ratcheting gearwheel rotatably affixed to a coil spring, with the gearwheel including external teeth engageable with a rack affixed to the linkage to move the cable to unlatch the door latch. A pivotable ratcheting pawl may be engageable with the gearwheel to allow or prevent rotation of the gearwheel. Operation of the motor may drive the gear to drive the gearwheel in a rotary direction to energize the spring, and disengagement of the pawl from the gearwheel may allow stored energy in the spring to drive the gearwheel in an opposite rotary direction to thereby drive the rack to move the cable to unlatch the door latch.

A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat having a seat back pivotally engaged relative to a seat bottom. A housing exhibits a communicating interior between a first and second ends. A drive rod is supported in linearly displaceable fashion from the first end and is secured to the seat bottom. The second end pivotally engages the seatback spaced from its pivot point. A rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within the housing receives the drive rod in threadably inter-engaged fashion. A trigger mechanism pivotally secured to the housing exhibits a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in the housing to seat between succeeding teeth of the gear. A spring supported within the housing contacts the drive rod. Upon release of the detent, a reclining force applied to the seatback results in displacement of the housing against the drive rod to bias the spring. The spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent when the seatback is in the reclined position, the spring influences the seatback to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.

A drive mechanism for a device with two operating parts, which are connected so as to be pivotally displaceable relative to each other between a first position and a second position about a common axis of rotation. The drive mechanism has a driving mechanism such that a movement from the first position to the second position can be initiated initially by a slight movement and the additional movement is then effected automatically through spring force (F) until the second position has been reached. The movement out of the first position into the second position is possible in either a clockwise and counterclockwise movement. The driving mechanism comprises a driven part, one operating part and two drives that are in the form of a force storing device The force storing devices interact with the driven part in opposing directions in such a manner that only the one for storing device is in driving connection with the driven part while the other force storing device is retained in its starting position.

A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat having a seat back pivotally engaged relative to a seat bottom. A housing exhibits a communicating interior between a first and second ends. A drive rod is supported in linearly displaceable fashion from the first end and is secured to the seat bottom. The second end pivotally engages the seatback spaced from its pivot point. A rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within the housing receives the drive rod in threadably inter-engaged fashion. A trigger mechanism pivotally secured to the housing exhibits a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in the housing to seat between succeeding teeth of the gear. A spring supported within the housing contacts the drive rod. Upon release of the detent, a reclining force applied to the seatback results in displacement of the housing against the drive rod to bias the spring. The spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent when the seatback is in the reclined position, the spring influences the seatback to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.

The technology is directed to an energy storage and release system that stores energy and enables a repeatable and accurately timed release of energy. A shaft member supports a drive assembly, a locking assembly and a lever member there between. The lever member and locking assembly are attached to the shaft. The drive assembly rotates freely about the shaft and loads energy into a torsion spring in communication with the lever member. The torsion spring connects at one end to the drive assembly and at the other end to the lever member without contacting the shaft member. The locking assembly provides a triggered release mechanism for selective release of stored energy from the torsion spring that accordingly rotates the lever member. The system can automatically reload the torsion spring once a signal is received from any number of events including, when the rotating lever member contacts a stop member or limit sensor that signals the end of travel for the lever member in either rotational directions.

Water heaters are described that are user-powered, such that external sources of power are unnecessary. The water heaters include a heating device and a generator coupled to a crank such that power is generated as the crank is rotated, which can be used to power the heating device.

An energy storing device is disclosed. In the energy storing device of the present invention, energy from an energy generating unit is stored in the form of spring torsion and then is output steadily. The energy storing device of the present invention includes a plurality of cog-wheels, a plurality of torsion magnitude limiting units, a plurality of single-directional input bearings, a plurality of energy storing units and a plurality of speed enhancing cog-wheels. Each of the energy storing units includes at least two end rotational disc portions, which are connected with each other co-axially. A leaf spring unit is provided between each pair of rotational disc portions and one end of the leaf spring unit is bent in an opposite direction. In addition, the energy storing units may be connected in series or in parallel to increase the efficiencies in energy storage and energy output.

Gravity powered electrical energy generators, particularly for producing lighting is disclosed. The apparatus has a support frame (1, 30) in which a series of gears and a gear-driven generator (20) are mounted. The power to drive the most upstream gear (2) is provided by a weight suspended from a point to one side of the axis of rotation of gear (2). The drive gear of the furthest downstream gear has no teeth so that the final contact between the drive gear and the shaft of the generator (20) is frictional. The gear ratio of the final downstream gear is at least 25. When used for lighting, the apparatus may include one or more high brightness LEDs (40) mounted on the housing (30). By suitable choice of gear ratios, the device may produce thirty minutes of illumination while allowing a 10 kilogram weight to fall through a distance of 1.8 meters.

A printing device includes: a main body having an attachment surface; first and second mounting sections formed in the attachment surface respectively for detachably receiving first and second cassettes; first and second print parts; a body cover having an opposing surface; first and second pressing parts protruding from the opposing surface respectively toward the first and second mounting sections; first and second engaging parts provided at the main body; and third and fourth engaging parts provided at the body cover and engageable with the first and second engaging parts. A first center of gravity of load that the mounted first cassette applies to the first pressing part and a second center of gravity of load that the mounted second cassette applies to the second pressing part are located within a specific area on the opposing surface defined by virtual lines passing through locations on the third and fourth engaging parts.

A printer includes a controller configured to execute a printed matter producing process including printing page images on a medium in a first position on a conveyance path while conveying the medium along the conveyance path, storing a cut target position for each page image and cutting the medium in a second position downstream of the first position in a conveyance direction when the cut target position reaches the second position, an interrupting process including interrupting the printed matter producing process and storing an uncut position as a cut target position located between the first and second positions when the printed matter producing process is interrupted, when an error occurs during the printed matter producing process, and a resuming process including resuming the printed matter producing process when the error is settled during the interruption of the printed matter producing process, and cutting the medium based on the uncut position.

A printer includes a controller configured to execute a printing process including sequentially printing a plurality of page images on a print medium based on print data while conveying the print medium in a conveyance direction, execute a first interruption process including, when a next cut distance is equal to or less than a printable distance, interrupting the printing process and stopping the print medium such that the next cut position coincides with a cutter position, and cutting the print medium, and execute a second interruption process including, when the next cut distance is more than the printable distance, interrupting the printing process and stopping the print medium such that the next cut position coincides with a position that is located an offset upstream of the cutter position in the conveyance direction.

A recording paper cutting device enables cutting of a boundary between a first area of a recording paper and a second area of the recording paper placed at an upstream side of the first area, so that the first area is separately discharged from the second area after the first area is printed. The recording paper cutting device includes first and second cutting parts. The first cutting part of the second cutting parts moves in an approaching or departing direction so that the boundary is cut. The first cutting part includes a first cutting surface inclined by a first angle in the departing direction from the second cutting part and a second cutting surface that extends from the first cutting surface and is inclined by a second angle, which is smaller than the first angle, in the departing direction from the second cutting part.