Patent application title: INK JET PRINTER
Paul Andrew Edwards (Ypsilanti, MI, US)
John Hennessy (Grosse Pointe Park, MI, US)
Frank Bruck (Ypsilanti, MI, US)
ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
IPC8 Class: AB41J2300FI
Class name: Ink jet ejector mechanism (i.e., print head) with means to scan fluid ejector relative to the receiving medium
Publication date: 2011-02-17
Patent application number: 20110037807
Patent application title: INK JET PRINTER
Paul Andrew EDWARDS
GLENN PATENT GROUP
Origin: MENLO PARK, CA US
IPC8 Class: AB41J2300FI
Publication date: 02/17/2011
Patent application number: 20110037807
An ink jet printer for printing on a substrate comprising a first print
head outputting ink and defining an ink meniscus; a platen operable to
carry the substrate; a support structure; and a print head mechanism
coupled to the support structure and carrying the first print head. The
print head mechanism moving the first print head relative to the platen.
A controller controls the print head mechanism such that at least one of
a predetermined acceleration and predetermined deceleration of the print
head mechanism is achieved such that the ink meniscus is operably
1. An ink jet printer for printing ink on a substrate, the ink jet printer
comprising:a first print head comprising at least one nozzle for defining
a meniscus of the ink and for outputting the ink;a platen operable to
carry the substrate;a support structure;a print head mechanism coupled to
the support structure and carrying the first print head, the print head
mechanism for moving the first print head relative to the platen; anda
controller for controllably maintaining the print head mechanism in a
stationary position to maintain the defined ink meniscus when the platen
is moved for any of head cleaning, alignment, purging, maintenance,
control of head gap, or threading of a new substrate.
2. The ink jet printer of claim 1, wherein the print head mechanism comprises a servo motor operably coupled between the support structure and the first print head, wherein the servo motor drives the first print head in response to the controller.
3. The ink jet printer of claim 1, wherein the print head mechanism comprises a linear bearing operably coupled to the support structure for minimizing jarring movement of the first print head to maintain the ink meniscus.
4. The ink jet printer of claim 1, wherein acceleration of the print head is controllably limited by the controller to be less than 0.5 m/s.sup.2.
5. The ink jet printer of claim 1, wherein deceleration of the print head is controllably limited by the controller to be less than -0.5 m/s.sup.2.
6. The ink jet printer of claim 1, further comprising:a heating system disposed at least partially upstream from the first print head, the heating system for heating the ink before the ink enters the first print head.
7. The ink jet printer of claim 6, wherein the heating system comprises a housing cover for reflecting heat back toward the first print head.
8. The ink jet printer of claim 6, wherein the heating system comprises an inlet line for transmitting a heated fluid therethrough to heat the ink.
9. The ink jet printer of claim 6, wherein the heating system comprises a fluid chamber disposed adjacent the first print head for heating the ink.
10. The ink jet printer of claim 6, wherein the heating system heats by any of convection, conduction, or radiation.
11. The ink jet printer of claim 1, further comprising:a second print head for outputting ink; anda mounting structure coupled to the print head mechanism and supporting the first print head and the second print head, the mounting structure having a first adjustment system for adjusting the first print head relative to the second print head in a first direction and a second adjustment system for adjusting the first print head relative to the second print head in a second direction, the first direction being different than the second direction.
12. The ink jet printer of claim 11, wherein the mounting structure further comprises a third adjustment system for adjusting the first print head relative to the second print head in a third direction, the third direction being different than the first direction and the second direction.
13. The ink jet printer of claim 1, wherein the platen comprises:a first plate;a second plate; anda plurality of support rods extending between the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of support rods being positioned to define a generally arcuate path to support the substrate.
14. The ink jet printer of claim 13, further comprising:a plurality of cross members fixedly coupled between the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of cross members supporting the first plate and the second plate in a predetermined position.
15. The ink jet printer of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of support rods is fixedly coupled against rotation to at least one of the first plate and the second plate.
16. A method, comprising the steps of:providing an ink jet printer comprisinga first print head comprising at least one nozzle for outputting ink;a platen operable to carry a substrate;a support structure;a print head mechanism coupled to the support structure and carrying the first print head, the print head mechanism for moving the first print head relative to the platen, anda controller;defining a meniscus of ink within the nozzle of the first print head; andoperating the controller to maintain the print head mechanism in a stationary position to maintain the defined ink meniscus when the platen is moved for any of head cleaning, alignment, purging, maintenance, control of head gap, or threading of a new substrate.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the print head mechanism comprises a servo motor operably coupled between the support structure and the first print head, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:driving the first print head with the servo motor in response to the controller.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the print head mechanism comprises a linear bearing operably coupled to the support structure for minimizing jarring movement of the first print head to maintain the ink meniscus.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:controllably limiting acceleration of the print head by the controller to be less than 0.5 m/s.sup.2.
20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:controllably limiting deceleration of the print head by the controller to be less than -0.5 m/s.sup.2.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein the ink jet printer further comprises a heating system disposed at least partially upstream from the first print head, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:heating the ink with the heating system before the ink enters the first print head.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the heating system comprises a housing cover for reflecting heat back toward the first print head.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein the heating system comprises an inlet line for transmitting a heated fluid therethrough to heat the ink.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein the heating system comprises a fluid chamber disposed adjacent the first print head for heating the ink.
25. The method of claim 21, wherein the heating system heats by any of convection, conduction, or radiation.
26. The method of claim 16, wherein the ink jet printer further comprises:a second print head for outputting ink; anda mounting structure coupled to the print head mechanism and supporting the first print head and the second print head, the mounting structure having a first adjustment system for adjusting the first print head relative to the second print head in a first direction and a second adjustment system for adjusting the first print head relative to the second print head in a second direction, the first direction being different than the second direction.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the mounting structure further comprises a third adjustment system for adjusting the first print head relative to the second print head in a third direction, the third direction being different than the first direction and the second direction.
28. The method of claim 16, wherein the platen comprises:a first plate;a second plate; anda plurality of support rods extending between the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of support rods being positioned to define a generally arcuate path to support the substrate.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:a plurality of cross members fixedly coupled between the first plate and the second plate, the plurality of cross members supporting the first plate and the second plate in a predetermined position.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of support rods is fixedly coupled against rotation to at least one of the first plate and the second plate.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/851,876, entitled Ink Jet Printer, filed 7 Sep. 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/843,490 filed on 8 Sep. 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/843,494 filed on 8 Sep. 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/843,477 filed on 8 Sep. 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/843,478 filed on 8 Sep. 2006; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/843,495 filed on 8 Sep. 2006, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference thereto.
The present teachings relate to ink jet printers and, more particularly, relate to ink jet printers having a print head and/or platen that is moved using precision controlled servo motors.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present teachings and may not constitute prior art.
Ink jet print heads tend to be sensitive to bumping or jolting. This relates to the fact that there is very sensitive control on the ink meniscus at the nozzle orifice. This bumping and jolting can occur when the head is moved up and down for cleaning or to re-thread the substrate. If a print head is jolted too much, then the meniscus can be lost and air becomes entrapped into the nozzle orifice resulting in missing jets. Loss of jets in a single pass printing activity can cause print quality defects, which are generally not acceptable. This is worse in some print heads, such as the grayscale print heads, which are very sensitive to loss of jets when jolted or vibrated, but occurs to some extent in all ink jet heads.
Little has been done in the past to adequately resolve this problem. Systems tend to be fitted with air driven or manual actuators which move the print heads up and down. This technique does tend to improve the control of head movement over a more manual process, but has proven to be insufficient. Air actuators are especially vulnerable to reduced motion quality with time.
Separate from the above issue, ink jet print systems often rely upon the extremely precise placement of their print heads. If the print heads can be accurately aligned and secured, it is then possible to set two heads in relation to each other such that the nozzle ports are "interleaved". This interleaved configuration results in a doubling of the print dot density, so that two heads, each with 150 dots per inch (DPI) resolution, can print like a single 300 DPI print head.
Aside from achieving the interleaved configuration described above, print heads are commonly placed side by side to gain additional print width. Print heads can be "stitched" together in this manner to create wide format printers made up of a series of narrow heads that have been stitched together. The accuracy with which the heads are stitched together must also be high as it is not generally acceptable to have either a gap or and overlap in the printed image. For these reasons and others around print quality, the ability to secure and align print heads in the system may be important to functionality.
Previous work to interleave and stitch print heads together have centered on a trial and error methodology, whereby prints are generated and visually checked (under a low power microscope) for interleave and stitch accuracy. If the prints show a misalignment condition, the heads are loosened, moved to a new location, and re-tightened. This method is repeated until all heads are interleaved and stitched properly. It should be appreciated that this process is very time consuming, since moving one head necessitates moving all other heads as their locations are interrelated. Other methods that use an optical alignment tool to interleave two heads together use non-reversible adhesives to bond the heads together. This method has the inherent risk such that if the alignment is not accurate after the bond is set, no corrections can be made, and thus, the heads must be scrapped.
Still further, industrial ink jet printing systems often rely on a smooth support surface to support the substrate in the web zone where printing is being done (where the ink jets are jetting). This requirement is to maintain the optimized distance between the substrate and the print heads.
Print platens are commonly designed and manufactured to be smooth, flat surfaces, slightly wider than the substrate itself, and long enough to accommodate the print zone length. The substrate is transported to and from the print platen by a series of web rollers incorporated into the printer.
During printing, some substrates tend to curl up along the edges. This is especially true if the substrate is made of multiple layers, e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive label stock with a printable top surface, adhesive layer, and a removable backing paper. Such substrates tend to curl at the edges regardless of increasing speed or tension. It should be readily appreciated that this curling action changes the physical position of that portion of the substrate in relation to the print heads, which results in poor print quality along the edges or significant reduction in printable width for a given substrate width.
Conventional designs of print platens have primarily centered on full surface flat plates or full surface curved surfaces. However, flat platen designs do not address the curled substrate issue. Conversely, full surface curved platens are cost prohibitive because of the challenging machining that is required to manufacture.
Finally, the sustainability, jetting quality, and ultimate print quality of the ink used in digital ink jet printing are affected when the temperature of the ink is not accurately controlled prior to entering the print head. Although methods of thermal conditioning have been used before, the techniques according to the present teachings show significant improvement.
Previous work to control the temperature of the ink was mostly limited to the use of the water jacket or an electric heater attached to a print head. However, such techniques failed to provide effective and reliable results.
According to the principles of the present teachings, an ink jet printer is provided having a print head that is accurately positionable in response to servo control. The present teachings seek to eliminate the problem of lost jets due to the jolting of print heads when they are moved to the non printing or cleaning position during operation of the printing system by accurately and smoothly moving the print head.
The present teachings are superior to those methods previously used because they provide for significantly greater control over the entire range of movement of the print head, especially the key periods of acceleration and deceleration when the head is most susceptible to loosing the nozzle meniscus. The system is also less prone to issues related to variability in air pressure and wear in components leading to rapid changes in acceleration. The system also allows for the accurate and rapid setting of print head-to-substrate gap (or print head-to-platen gap).
In some embodiments, the platen is moved down and out of the way while maintaining the print head in a stationary position, which solves the loss of jets due to head motion by allowing the heads to remain still while the platen is moved. The present teachings are superior to the prior art in that they ensure that there is no unacceptable head motion or vibration which can cause lost jets. In a manufacturing process this translates to considerably improved machine set up times and reduction in lost time for maintenance activities. The ability to be able to precisely locate the position of the platen beneath the print head also allows for ease of optimization of print distance when switching substrates. That is, with DOD ink jet technology, the distance of the print head to the substrate is quite small (around 1 mm) and needs to be accurately controlled.
In some embodiments, an apparatus and method for configuring, securing, and/or aligning multiple ink jet print heads on a printing machine is provided. The present teachings are superior to the methods previously used because they allow for the fine and accurate adjustment of print heads in a digital print system, without the extended trial and error method, or the risk of a bonded poor alignment. The set up time when installing new print heads is greatly reduced, and there is no risk of scrapping expensive heads of the optically aligned heads print with interleave variance.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings in any way.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view illustrating the ink jet printer according to the principles of the present teachings;
FIG. 1B is a schematic view illustrating the ink jet printer according to the principles of the present teachings;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the configuring, securing, and/or aligning system according to the present teachings;
FIG. 3 is a top perspective view illustrating the configuring, securing, and/or aligning system according to the present teachings;
FIG. 4 is a back bottom perspective view illustrating the configuring, securing, and/or aligning system according to the present teachings;
FIG. 5 is a side perspective view illustrating the configuring, securing, and/or aligning system according to the present teachings;
FIG. 6 is another bottom perspective view illustrating the configuring, securing, and/or aligning system according to the present teachings;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged top perspective view illustrating the configuring, securing, and/or aligning system according to the present teachings, with portions shown transparent;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the configuring, securing, and/or aligning system disposed in a puck according to the present teachings;
FIG. 9 is a first bottom perspective view illustrating the puck according to the present teachings;
FIG. 10 is a second bottom perspective view illustrating the puck according to the present teachings;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged top perspective view illustrating the puck according to the present teachings.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the curved platen according to the present teachings; and
FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the ink thermal conditioning system according to the present teachings, including some section designations.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present teachings, application, or uses.
In some embodiments according to the present teachings and illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, electric servo motors or intelligent electric actuators 110 are used to control the movement of a print head or cluster of print heads 112 within an ink jet printing system 114. During the operation of the ink jet printing system 114, there may be instances when one may need to have the prints heads 112 move from a printing position to a second position. This may be due to the requirement of cleaning heads, aligning heads, feeding the substrate, or setting the print head/substrate gap.
Most Drop-On-Demand (DOD) print heads have a meniscus at the end of a nozzle which is precisely controlled in place with pressure. If it is not precisely controlled then it can malfunction or, in the worst case, the meniscus can be lost, air ingested and the nozzle will not be able to print. Some print heads are more sensitive than others to this meniscus control and to the loss of meniscus control. The Grayscale print head technology, now used for high quality ink jet printing in labels and packaging applications are very susceptible to loosing nozzle meniscus when the head is jogged or moved roughly. Indeed what can be seen to be happening is that rapid acceleration can cause rapid vibrations in the meniscus causing it to be broken.
Print head manufacturers have identified this as a problem and are now developing Grayscale print heads and indeed binary print heads with technology to ensure that if a jet is lost it can quickly and automatically recover. This technology will be commercial at some point in the future, however it is believed to be a better option to avoid motion that contributes to loss of jets and provide a system that can be used with any one of a number of print heads available today. To avoid this people have used air driven pistons to move the heads smoothly, but it has been found that these systems are not sufficient to control movement in such a way as not to loose jets. (Issues related to sticky pistons, changes in air pressure and lack of control of acceleration.)
According to the principles of the present teachings, precisely controlled electrical servo motors or intelligent electrical actuators 110 are used to ensure that the movement of the print heads 112 is within a given acceleration and deceleration factor or range. It was found that certain algorithms of acceleration and deceleration were required to create maximum stability of the meniscus and hence lead to the elimination of jet loss due to head movement. The smoothness of the motion was again critical, certain stepper motors were found to be too jerky in their motion to be suitable for this application.
The servo motors 110 have an advantage of being fully programmable such that acceleration and deceleration algorithms or ranges can be precisely controlled. The servo controllers 122 (FIG. 1B) know precisely the position of the head and this can be used as an important function where print head and substrate gap can be carefully controlled. The present teachings further permit the option to program in the heights for new substrates and allow very easy optimization of print height, without the issues related to print height set up, which usually end up with rough movement and lost nozzles.
With particular reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, ink jet printing system 114 comprises one or more print heads 112 being DOD type print heads having one or more ink nozzles. The nozzles each define an ink meniscus that is well known in the prior art. Print heads 112 are spaced relative to a platen 410 (FIG. 15) operable to carry a substrate or web thereon to be printed upon.
Print heads 112 can be mounted to a print head mechanism 117, which in turn is mounted to a support structure 116. In some embodiments, print head mechanism 117 comprises a back plate 130 having a pair of downwardly extending linear slide rods 132. Each of the linear slide rods 132 is operably received within linear bearing members 134 to achieve a smooth and highly accurate linear movement. This smooth movement, which to now has not been achieved in the art, provides a reliable and non-jostling environment that maximizes the ability to maintain an ink meniscus at the end of each print head nozzle. Print head mechanism 117 further includes, in some embodiments, a pair of servo motors 110 having motor rods 136 operably coupled to linear bearings 134 to provide movement of back plate 130 and print heads 112 such that judder is not initiated in an otherwise smooth motion due to uneven lifting across head mechanism.
It was been found that limiting acceleration and deceleration of print heads 112 can also dramatically effect the ability to maintain the meniscus at each nozzle. Therefore, it has been found that limiting acceleration and deceleration to a maximum of about 0.5 m/s2 improves meniscus maintenance and, thus, improves nozzle functionality.
In some embodiments, the motion of an ink jet print head platen is precisely control to permit many of the typically required activities, such as as head cleaning, alignment, purging, maintenance, control of head gap, and threading new substrate, without adversely bumping and/or jolting the print head, thereby minimizing damage and alignment of the print head. To this end, the print head platen, which in some embodiments can include a flat plate, a curved plate, a set of rollers, a set of bars, or the like, is designed such that it can move downwardly and away from the print heads. After the required process is completed, the platen can then move accurately back to the required position beneath the print heads.
The overall travel of the platen can be sufficient to provide enough space for various processes to be completed. The motion accuracy for the platen is such that it can return exactly to its home position (within 0.1 mm) and that it does not cause its own vibrations when moving, such that the print head meniscus is not affected due to vibrations traveling through the machine. In some embodiments, the platen can cooperate with mechanisms, such as slides and bearings, to guide the platen vertically without angling to one side.
The motion of the platen should be smooth and the travel accurately controlled. To do this, accurate programmable actuators or servo motors are used, suitable to the load bearing requirements, to provide smooth motion and controlled acceleration.
A distinct advantage of the present teachings is that the motion of the platen can be accurately set to give very controllable head heights (within 0.1 mm), which provides improved control of print quality. Furthermore, the platen location can be pre-set for different substrate types to ensure that the head-to-substrate gap is accurately maintained.
In some embodiments it might be desirable to keep the substrate held down over the platen during the process of moving the platen downwards. This can be done with tension controls and having a roller disposed on each end directing the substrate over the platen, which is moved along with the platen on the same mechanism. It can also be carried out by moving rollers down with the same mechanism as the platen is moved.
In some embodiments, the present teachings utilize three independent adjusting and clamping subsystems to secure the heads in their exact locations. Specifically, these subsystems include head-to-head alignment, insert-to-insert alignment, and color-to-color alignment.
The head-to-head alignment is done to interleave two print heads 310 to achieve 300 dpi. As illustrated in FIGS. 3-11, the present teachings use a two piece clamp design 312 that is capable of holding the two heads 310 back to back once the alignment is set. The clamp design also has several very fine adjustment screws 314 with which to move the heads side to side relative to each other. The adjustment screws are threaded in or out until perfect alignment is achieved. An optical table is used to determine the individual port locations of each head, and monitor the adjustment movements. Once the ports of the two heads are optically lined up, the two piece clamps are tightened. At this point, the heads are now secure and, in essence, behave as a single 300 dpi head.
The insert-to-insert alignment is done to stitch together multiple print heads, increasing the effective printed width. In some embodiments, fine adjustment screws, mounted on the printing plate, are used to align along two axes to accurately adjust the inserts (aligned print heads in a clamp device) location on the main printing plate. The insert adjustment screws force the inserts against miniature spring plungers that are incorporated into the clamp design, along the same two axes. Once the head stitch separation is achieved by print testing, the insert is securely fixed to the printing plate using two hold down screws.
The color-to-color alignment is done to ensure that the heads in a multiple color system print directly on top of the previous color so that four color process images can be printed. The present teachings use an adjustable "puck" system that accurately places the heads (previously interleaved in an insert, and aligned for stitch) in the exact print location required. The puck is designed to hold multiple sets of heads in the predetermined print array pattern. The puck has adjustability along three axes (x, y, z) such that the group of heads can be adjusted across the printed web, along the printed web, and the appropriate gap between the heads and the substrate being printed. This is accomplished by using fine adjustment screws, spring plungers, and gravity working as opposite forces along the x, y, and z axes.
The adjustment screws are adjusted to position the puck in its required position and provide repeatable positioning in the event that the puck is raised for maintenance. The adjustment screws contact specific surfaces on the printer that are designed to have physical robustness. With this system, each puck can be independently positioned such that the group of heads that it contains is properly positioned, giving the best print quality.
Pairs of Print Heads Mounted & Pre-Adjusted in Holder to Improve Alignment
To increase the printing resolution of a print head system above the native resolution of the individual print heads, pairs of print heads can be paired together to double the native resolution. To achieve this, the heads need to be precisely aligned in 2-directions (X and Y) plus skew. The process direction (X) can be adjusted via head firing timing which is achieved by the system electronics. Y (cross process) and skew must be adjusted mechanically as they can not be electronically adjusted and the requirements for alignment are very precise. Aligning individual print heads in a machine is a very time consuming process as the alignment requires parallel movement heads as they need to be moved together to maintain correct function. One way to achieve the required tolerances is to align pairs of print heads in holders precisely outside of the machines and then install the pre aligned pairs into the machine and subsequently align the pairs to other pairs with in a color and finally between colors. The ability to adjust the pairs of heads outside the machine makes the assembly process quicker and more efficient.
Use of Shims/Pins for Skew Adjustment
To precisely align pairs of heads for differential skew shims can be used to adjust the parallelism of the two heads. Since the differential skew must be adjusted very precisely the use of adjustment screws is limited. To remedy this, the use of shims is possible; however the availability of shims in precise increments is difficult, typically shims are only available in increments of 0.001 of an inch. Use of gauge pins is an efficient alternative as it is possible to get precision ground pins in increments of 0.0001 of an inch. This would provide method for precisely aligning heads by using different diameter pins between the two heads to effectively adjust skew.
In order to maintain proper print quality, it is desirable to position a web or substrate to be printed in a position that is repeatable and consistent, both in location and flatness. However, in some case, this desire is difficult to achieve. When printing on paper based webs, the paper often absorbs moisture through its edges, thereby causing the edges to differentially expand relative to the inside of the web. This results in the edges curling to a greater level than that which is tolerable by conventional printing systems. To overcome this curling tendency, the present teachings cause the web or substrate to be bent in a direction opposite the axis of the curl.
The present teachings are superior to previous designs in that they provide a platen having a curved shape that is engineered to be easier and more cost effective to manufacture. As seen in FIG. 12, the curved platen 410 comprises a series of solid or hollow round rods 412, arranged in a curved pattern to support the web along a "virtual" curve. The substrate is supported by the rods spaced at specific intervals in correspondence to the location of the print heads. The open space between the rods, while unsupported, is short by comparison, so that little to no edge curl occurs. In actuality, the "virtual" curved platen is a series of short straight web sections, with the web bending slightly at the contact point of each bar.
The rods are held in place by means of a front plate 414 and a rear plate 416. Holes 418 are placed in these plates 414, 416 to fit the rods with close tolerances and are arranged in the curved pattern. Commercially available fasteners can be used to fasten the rods 412 to plates 414, 416. The front and back plates are further structured by cross member bars 418 which are welded or bolted into place and made to be very robust to provide proper structural integrity.
As described herein, the curved platen 410 of the present teachings comprises a series of round bars arranged in a curved pattern to create a curved printer platen to support the substrate in a printing system. This design routes the substrate along a "virtual" curved surface to prevent the substrate edges from curling. It is mounted on the printer in the print zone, directly under the print head arrangement. It supports the substrate during its pass through the print zone by means of a series of round bars arranged along a curve.
It is a manufactured device comprising back plate 416 and front plate 414, joined together with bolted or welded cross members 418 into a structurally robust unit. The bars 412 are inserted into close tolerance holes machined into the plates, and held in place with commercially available fasteners 420. The bars themselves are made of oversized round stock and very structurally stable and robust. The design is scalable and, thus, is able to be easily increased in width and length of curve to accommodate larger applications.
The present teachings provide a number of advantages over the prior art, including being a scalable, rugged, support platens that properly support substrates that have a tendency to curl up at the edges. This results in the ability to print top quality images all the way to the edge of the web, taking full advantage of image size relative to substrate width.
As should be appreciated from the discussion herein, the use of fixed bars positioned on an arc of the present teachings solves many, if not all, of the disadvantages of the prior art. This solves several problems; since the bars are fixed there is no issue with run out. The bars are easy to manufacture as they can be precisely ground using standard manufacturing techniques, mounting the bars on a consistent arc is also straight forward by drilling holes in the mounting plates. The use of bars is an excellent solution as the bar provides sharp curvature locally under the print heads providing the best edge control of the web.
To allow for better recovery and sustainability of a print system, the ink can be thermally conditioned to match the operating parameters of the print heads. Thermal conditioning is best achieved through any of the methods of heat exchange such as conduction, convection, or radiation. Current development work has found that the methods according to the present teachings provide advantages over the prior art in that thermal conditioning of the ink occurs prior to reaching the print head, thereby improving system uptime and recovery of the system during the downtime, as well as providing consistent print quality.
As seen in FIG. 13, in some embodiments, the ink used in the print system 114 can be thermally heated by conduction through means of heat exchange from another media or a surrounding material. The use of running tubing 512, 514, 516 filled with a fluid media next to or surrounded by the ink supply tubing has provided a means to thermally condition the ink prior to entering the print head. Another method used is to place a manifold heat exchanger with the fluid media in one channel and the ink in a separate channel which also allows for thermal conditioning to occur. The use of insulating material around these methods also helps to aid in exact thermal control of the ink. Chambers for flowing a fluid media placed in the pucks (object where the print heads and/or print head holders are placed during printing) or any attached place where ink manifolds, header tanks, valves, etc. also allow for a conduction exchange to enhance the thermal conditioning of the ink prior to entry into the print heads. The use of electrically heated or cooled pads attached to or Surrounding the ink lines, pucks, ink manifolds, header tanks, valves, etc. aid in temperature control of the ink prior to entering the print head by conduction. Conduction by means of attaching to or surrounding a degas unit with a thermally controlled object as mentioned above may also increase the effectiveness and enhance the performance of the ink. This is due to the fact that if degassing is carried out, it needs to be at a temperature at least as high as that of the print heads, otherwise there is the possibility of some gas exiting the fluid in the print heads and causing sustainability issues.
A method of convection for thermally controlling the ink prior to it entering the print head is to enclose the lines, pumping equipment, tanks, valves, puck, etc. within a conditioned environment. This environment can be created through the use of either a fluid media being pumped, placed or forced into the enclosure or surrounding the enclosure that is maintained at the desired temperature. Another method of creating the convection environment is to place an electric heater pad or a fluid media chamber within this enclosed area, which can also include the chambers, manifolds, and tubing mentioned above allowing for a dual purposing of these items. By the use of the enclosure, the entire assembly or combination of equipment can be maintained at a specified temperature which helps to prevent temperature variations from occurring in the ink along the flow path.
The use of radiant heat from an electric heater, a lamp heater, fluid media transport system or any other heating device will also help to thermally condition the ink prior to it entering the print head. This radiant method is best used in heating the surfaces of the lines or any other device or object used in ink transport or storage which maintains a certain level of heat conduction into the ink. Ink can also be directly heated by radiation if the surface material will either pass the radiation or the source is directly exposed to the ink.
All of these methods, at least in part, help to maintain ink thermal control to enhance performance and sustainability of the print system.
Patent applications by Frank Bruck, Ypsilanti, MI US
Patent applications by John Hennessy, Grosse Pointe Park, MI US
Patent applications by Paul Andrew Edwards, Ypsilanti, MI US
Patent applications by ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
Patent applications in class With means to scan fluid ejector relative to the receiving medium
Patent applications in all subclasses With means to scan fluid ejector relative to the receiving medium


National Australia Bank (NAB) has launched a mobile app allowing its customers to make peer to peer payments (P2P) using a mobile number, email or Facebook message.
Flik has a daily transaction limit of AU$1,000 and can handle 10 transactions at a time. Customers can also exchange payments using NFC or QR codes.
Antony Cahill, NAB executive general manager of digital and direct Banking, said: "We were able to learn a lot from the people who participated in our internal trial, and we want to repeat that process with our customers,"
"We welcome feedback on the app, and will use it to shape how we update NAB Flik in the future."
The app has been released after a six month internal NAB test of 1,000 participants.
Three of the big four banks in Australia now possess a peer-to-peer payments app.
NAB’s Flik follows ANZ’s goMoney app, which was launched three years ago, and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s (CBA) Kaching that hit the app store in October 2011.


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You know what goes well with beer? Food! No, really. Trust me on this one. It’s pretty much the perfect pairing. You should try it! Here are the independent traders who shall plying you throughout IMBC 17. Eat the following…
South Indian cuisine from Marple (via India). Chaat Cart have previously pedalled such hits as bhel puri, gunpowder fries, lentil dahl and masala dosa and we can’t wait to see what they bring to your table come IMBC 17. Chaat Cart are veterans on the scene and they’re nominated in the finals of the British Street Food Awards 2017. Yowww!
Altrincham Market kingpins, Honest Crust, they of the PERFECT sourdough pizza, are coming to IMBC once more with their artfully blistered edible plates of joy. Best. Pizza. Ever. If you don’t fold in an Honest Crust in at some point, are you even at IMBC?
Pie? AFFIRMATIVE. Perhaps beer’s best, most traditional, pairing? I’m scrambling thinking of another. Last year at IMBC, Great North Pie’s mashed potato tasted insane. Their pies were a delight too but that mash…I wanted to grout my village in it. Let’s see if they bring it back again this year. Expect world class pies, gravy, and mash. SOLD.
Mexican street food lovingly recreated in Chorlton. Super tasty soft taco based delights fuelled by an obsession with that taco life. The star of the show is their Al Pastor Pork ~ traditional rotisserie pork marinated for two days in chillies and spices, layered by hand and cooked on a vertical rotating spit.
Leeds independent burger heroes, Patty Smith’s, will be making their IMBC debut this year. Cash them ousside for all things burger shaped. Patty Smith’s have a permanent pitch at Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds and they knock out finesse burgers (and outstanding “session fries”) for fun. Really excited to welcome them to the city!
Malaysian street cuisine from Manchester. Nasi Lemak are perfectly seasoned professionals dealing in the white hot art of fresh and spiced Malaysian food with a nod to other cultures. Expect a fine line in vegan offerings as well as some of the best fried chicken you’re likely to pick up this side of anywhere.
Ye Olde Oak these ain’t. Diamond Dogs (Leeds/Manchester) offer up ONLY the finest of handmade premium pork sausage smoked over English fruit woods to lay in their freshly baked soft and airy rolls. Rich slow braised chilli topper? Old Amsterdam Nacho Sauce? House made BBQ mustard? Probs non! Diamond Dogs cover all your handheld needs, hot dog fans!
This is a revolution! A popular rising! A freedom cry for Cantonese and Chinese bite-size food that takes delicious Dim Sum food out of the restaurant and lets it loose on the street! Hold me! I’m hungry! Bao you like me now? Salt and Pepper fries? Lord, I hope so! Dim Sum Su!
Sustainable seafood and veggie snack lords of the realm, HOLY CRAB, come to IMBC 17 with oysters ahoy, crayfish rolls, let us hope crab balls and things of this insatiable nature. If you haven’t then you definitely should. And if you already have then what are you waiting for? Have some again!
BLAWD x IDLE HANDS
A scintillating collaboration between Blawd Bakehouse and Idle Hands. Only the best doughnut shapers and coffee makers in the city, respectively. Following their weighty collaboration at last year’s festival, this promises once more to be the heavenly knock out punch of coffee, cake and doughnuts that we always dreamed of. The perfect session breakfast, pick me up, or one-for-the-road.
IN TRUFFLE WE TRUST
Ganache whisperers, In Truffle We Trust, return to IMBC after bossing it last year with all things choc. Serious handmade artisan chocolates from Manchester. In Truffle We Trust at IMBC 17 will be touting some special beer collaborations that are gonna make you wanna indulge that sweet tooth. Think crisps are the only snack that go with beer? Think again!
All-conquering IMBC hero, Karkli, is back in the beer zone with the most picante and tongue tingling of booze snacks. The lentil derived king is here to stay, in all its immaculate unique form. BIG NEWS: We’ve done an IMBC 17 collaboration with Karkli so look out for a ltd edition Karkli at the festival! Clue: you might love it or you might hate it.
Lords of the crumb, Pollen Bakery, join us for the very first time at IMBC 17. Legit bakers of the best croissant I’ve ever had, Pollen are changing the face of bread stuffs (and sweet treats) from their bakery in Manchester. If your sourdough isn’t Pollen, do you even exist? Seriously excited for this appearance. Pollen’s cruffins are things of local legend.

domain: food


The first new knife range developed by Global in 30 years had to be special. SAI knives feature a 3 ply stainless steel blade, with a core of ultra-hard Cromova18 stainless steel with two outer layers of 18/10 steel for added strength and corrosion resistance. Each blade has an individually hammered pattern design on the blades.
The handles as with all Global Knives are hollow and weighted; the handle has an ergonomic thumb rest for a smooth, efficient cutting motion and comfortable grip. The seven dots on the handles are designed to represent the seven noble virtues of the Samurai’s code of honour; Integrity, Courage, Compassion, Respect, Honesty, Honour and Loyalty.
Global SAI sits as Global's premium knife range with superior cutting performance and edge retention.


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For Long, Big Sur was an obscure region in California where roads were few and people fewer! Anyways the picture is different today and the accessibility to Big Sur is now easy and ideal. However, it has still not lost its charm and beauty to the modern day madness. Gorgeous seaside with a backdrop of dense vegetation on rugged hilly terrain make Big Sur a great hiking trail. Oh one more thing it makes for is a one hell of a picture perfect spot!! Enjoy our first ever photo feature on Bohotraveller and we are covering Big Sur. Our Photographer is instagram with the account name traveltheworldphotography who is a full-time school teacher and part time Freelance Photographer from Oregon. Check out his instagram account and you will be mesmerised by his pics.
Hope you loved this photo feature and if you did do leave some love in the comments below. If you have some pictures that you would like us to feature, give us a loud shout on email@example.com. And stay tuned for our many-more-to-come photo features starting with this one as we show you the stunning world around us!!

domain: geography


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I made it to Brixton on Saturday for the an afternoon of OddBox bands, catching Fever Dream, Pale Man Made, The Chasms, Drop Out Venus and Pocketbooks.
I 've put together a podcast of the five bands who I did see. The recording sounds a little boomy on my PC speakers, but you get the gist of what its all about.
Feel free to download it, also I discovered that its possible to subscribe to these Thick Creamy Podcasts on iTunes so they download automagically every time I put up a new one.
Simply go into the 'Advanced' menu in iTunes, click 'Subscribe to Podcast' and then paste in this rss feed
and that should give you all the podcast, forever.
|Drop Out Venus|
|The Mighty Mighty Pocketbooktones|

domain: entertainment


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A human rights organization called Safeguard Defenders published a report on Tuesday charging the Chinese Communist Party with using psychiatric hospitals to imprison political dissidents.
The report, entitled Drugged and Detained: China’s Psychiatric Prisons, said Chinese officials are “sending petitioners and activists to psychiatric wards for medically unnecessary compulsory treatment.” Some of the victims are left in these facilities for years on end.
Safeguard Defenders researched 99 cases of people imprisoned in psychiatric wards for political reasons, spread across 21 different regions of China. The group said its research was only “the tip of the iceberg” because dictator Xi Jinping has created a “climate of fear” that makes it difficult to interview victims and their families.
The Chinese Communist Party was busted for politically abusing psychiatric facilities a decade ago. Under intense pressure from around the world, Beijing passed a “mental health law” that would supposedly make it more difficult to order compulsory treatment, with courts exercising more oversight of “police-enforced psychiatric commitment.”
Tuesday’s report made it clear “these legal reforms have absolutely not worked,” as arbitrary psychiatric commitment continued unabated. One of the victims studied by Safeguard Defenders had been subjected to compulsory mental treatment twenty times. Almost a third of the 99 subjects in the report had been committed at least twice. Nine of them were imprisoned for over ten years.
The abuse suffered by these dissidents, as described, was horrendous:
Locked up, many patients were physically and mentally abused. They were subjected to painful electroconvulsive therapy, often without anesthesia; tied to their beds where they were left for hours to lie humiliated in their own waste; and beaten and isolated (contact with their family or lawyers through visits or phone calls was blocked).
Even after release, victims suffer from serious physical and psychological trauma including dramatic weight loss, scars from being left for hours tied up in soiled clothes, and marked loss of muscle strength.
The forced medication has also left enduring mental scars including signs of dementia in even young victims, night terrors, tremors and suicidal thoughts.
The report said Chinese officials are fond of using these terror tactics against dissidents because it discredits and stigmatizes them, muzzles them while they are in the hospitals, and terrorizes them into silence after they leave. Institutionalizing activists and “petitioners” – people with a grievance the government does not feel like addressing – also “offers longer-term detention without the trouble of going through formal arrest and trial.”
The families of several victims told researchers they thought the police were prone to ordering compulsory mental treatment for older people — and those with health problems — because regular detention centers might refuse to “take on the extra burden of taking care of their health needs” or suffering “bad press” if they died in detention.
The practice is so widespread that Chinese citizens have a name for it: bei jing shen bing, which means “getting mentally-illed.” Chinese state media once used the term to describe scandalous abuse of psychiatric facilities, but that ended when the paranoid Xi Jinping came to power and decided to start mentally-illing dissidents on an industrial scale.
One of the cases studied by Safeguard Defenders was a Shanghai woman in her early 30s named Dong Yaoqiong, who became known as “Ink Girl” because she posted a video of herself splashing ink on a picture of Xi Jinping to protest his “tyranny.” She was quickly arrested and shipped off to a mental hospital for 16 months.
Another victim was Andy Li, one of twelve Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters who attempted to flee to Taiwan in a speedboat in 2020, only to be intercepted by Chinese officials. Li disappeared into thin air after he was hauled back to Hong Kong. It was later discovered that he had been tossed into a psychiatric facility in Hong Kong, without notifying his family.
“Li’s case appears to be a worrying sign that the political abuse of psychiatry practiced on the mainland is now being exported into Hong Kong following the introduction of the draconian National Security Law in 2020,” Safeguard Defenders observed.
Some of the dissidents who get “mentally-illed” do not survive the experience. The report noted that Chinese psychiatric hospitals have a poor record of treating other medical issues and sometimes refuse to release involuntarily-committed prisoners to undergo treatment at medical facilities.
One example was a petitioner named Zeng Jiping, who spent two years in a mental hospital and then died from the cancer it refused to treat, even though his family pleaded with the psychiatrists to let him visit a cancer ward. Safeguard Defenders suspected Zeng was only allowed to leave the mental hospital to die at home so the hospital would be spared the embarrassment of him dying in their care. His son said he was never given any medication except painkillers.
The report concluded with a plea for the Chinese government to “take immediate steps to put a stop to the political abuse of psychiatry in the country,” release all political prisoners, and provide them with “compensation for their ordeal.”

domain: sociology


By replacing your current Forester XT radiator with a Mishimoto performance aluminum radiator, you will notice a cooler more efficient running engine. The Mishimoto radiator for the Subaru Forester XT Turbo is made with a lightweight two row core made of 100% brazed aluminum and polished aluminum tank end tanks. Installing a direct OEM fit Mishimoto radiator is effortless with no cutting or additional modifications required.
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Browsing School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation by Subject "Adaptability"
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ItemChange is Coming: Pre-adaptability for a Resilient City(2020) Omidvar, Ava Toosi; Williams, Joseph C; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Since its inception, the Earth has been a living and evolving planet. Phenomena such as tectonic plates shifting and changes in the atmosphere have caused our ecosystems to change and evolve by natural events. Humans have been part of this ecosystem for the past 2.1 million years but have only stopped their nomadic way of life and built village settlements 10,000 years ago. Civilizations have faced many natural and human-made disasters forcing them to renovate, rebuild, or relocate. However, the frequency of these disasters through climate change will exacerbate these transformations. For many cities around the world where landscapes are being permanently affected by climate-induced landscape change, the built environment has the responsibility to adapt. How can architecture allow for change over time? When we know that intermittent floods are becoming more detrimental, how must we build our cities to prepare for living with water? ItemSymbiosis: Recalibrating Design Thinking for the Urban Environment(2023) Ripley, Benjamin Allan; Tilghman, James W; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Architecture is stiff, rigid, and tough to change, but in an ever-changing world, our built environment needs to be able to respond in kind. Without planning and designing for adaptability, the built environment lags behind the numerous societal and environmental dynamics that challenge our present time. Impending issues of climate change and rapid urbanization are now forcing architecture to reexamine itself and ask, how will it respond to these complex demands? In the face of this challenge, this thesis will explore a conceptually different approach to the design process that demands an inherently different product. Through an emphasis on systems thinking and development, architecture can be designed to exist within a symbiotic relationship with the natural environment, where our buildings could react and interact with the shifting nature of our culture and natural environments over time. Thus, through this strategy inspired by organic organisms, the architecture is then able to better embrace the context over time and become a truly sustainable model for urban development.


Is N Korea on brink of third nuke test: Report
London: A British daily has reported that North Korea is capable of conducting its third nuclear test after repairing flood-related damage at a nuclear test facility.
The paper based its assessment on an analysis of recent satellite photos of the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility. The revelation by the Daily Mail follows the secretive state`s December 12 rocket launch that proved it has the technology to fire a warhead more than 6,200 miles.
Washington and its allies fear a third atomic test would take North Korea one step closer to perfecting the technology required to make a nuclear warhead small enough to attach to one of its missiles and fire at mainland America.
This satellite image taken on December 2 shows the traffic flow pattern at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility in North Korea. A report on the GeoEye and Digital Globe satellite photos from Dec 13 and earlier, provided by 38 North, the website for the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said scientists are ``determined to maintain a state of readiness" at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility after repairing flood damage.
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Yia’sou! I’m back from an amazing week sailing around the Greek Saronic Islands with Medsailors. It was honestly one of the best trips I’ve ever been on….ever! It was so relaxing and I was so chilled out throughout the trip, it really did wonders for my mental health.
There were a few things I was worried about prior to the trip, but most of those worries were covered by booking the trip through Medsailors. They really did make the trip “worry free” and put me at ease before even booking the trip.
I’ve been wanting for book a trip to Greece for a while but I didn’t know how to do it and see everything I wanted to see within such a short space of time.
“For me this wasn’t a standard trip, it really felt like a real holiday. I left my stress back home for a week”
Greece has been a long time bucket list travel destination for me because I want to see it’s scenic islands, dip my feet in the blue waters, sample it’s delicious cuisine and take in those famous pink sunsets.
However, there’s been a lot of barriers for me booking this trip for so many years. Apparently, I’m not the only one with some of these fears and apprehensions about booking a trip to Greece.
READ MORE: AN ANXIOUS TRAVELLER’S GUIDE TO…
The official language of Greece is Greek (duh!) which is spoken by 99% of the country. I do worry before travelling that my only fluent language is English and won’t be able to speak the countries language. Therefore will make things difficult for myself to travel and get around.
Luckily for me, I didn’t have a lot of problems while I was there. Most Greeks speak English too so ordering food, asking for directions etc wasn’t really a problem.
However, I do always feel bad that I can’t speak the language and whatever country I visit they always know some or fluent in English too. We are lucky that English is a universal language but this shouldn’t be taken advantage of.
I always try to learn some words when I’m travelling to new countries. It’s just polite and something you can take home with you.
Trying Greek Food
I’m a fussy eater and I’m terrified of trying new foods. Weird fear to have but I really do have a horrendous diet and normally I eat the same things all the time.
My skipper Alistair was excited to take on this challenge, and wanted to see how many new things he could get me to try during my time in Greece. He loves Greek food and getting people to try new experiences it seemed.
It might be hard to believe but before I went to Greece, I’ve never tried Olives, Mussels, Aubergine and Feta! For a cheese lover like myself, Feta was probably the biggest disappointment in myself.
I came away loving everything except the Aubergine, just not a fan but at least I tried it which was a big achievement in itself.
My advice is just to try it. A little piece isn’t going to mess up your stomach which was my biggest fear. No one wants to be running for the loo all holiday.
Greek Island Hopping
One of the reasons why I booked a Medsailors holiday was because I had no idea how to get from one Greek Island to the next.
With Medsailors you share a yacht with other travellers and you have a skipper who sails the yacht to take you to each island. Easy peasy. If you wanted to do this on your own, in my mind before the trip that would have been a bit harder.
However, while I was in Greece I noticed a lot of water taxis/ferries. There is actually quite good transport to each island, so it’s a lot easier than I initially thought. Do I regret going on a Medsailors trip? No! Absolutely not. If I did want to go back though, I would know now what to do.
Some islands you can even fly to. The following islands have airports you can fly to, including Mykonos, Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Crete, Rhodes, Lesvos, Corfu, Skiathos, Chios, Samos, Kos, Kefalonia and Zakynthos.
Personally, I would love to go back to visit some of the other islands like Corfu, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini. Some are great party islands too!
I initially wanted to rent a scooter and drive around the island when I booked the trip but I had a change of heart when I got there.
Firstly, you need a full driving licence to hire a scooter. It also had to have a scooter symbol on the back of the card too. I had both these and the money so why did I change my mind.
For one, not everyone on our boat had a licence. Secondly, I’ve never driven a scooter before so I didn’t feel confident and especially not with another person on the back. Lastly, I just wanted to drink to be honest.
Looking back, I wish I rented a quad bike. I’ve ridden quad bike in the past and dated a quad bike instructor so I would have been a lot more confident on one of those. I don’t regret not doing it, I do feel like the next time this opportunity comes up I will rise to the challenge.
When you’re out in the middle of nowhere, you really are cut off from the world. I was worried I wouldn’t have any signal to contact home (not just to get my best pics up on Instagram) or in case of an emergency and been stranded on an island.
Firstly, the signal out in Greece is amazing!! I always had 4G and was able to use my phone even out on the water.
There is regular transport for the islands so as long as you have somewhere to stay, you shouldn’t be worried. The Greek islands aren’t a bad place to be stranded on.
The locals are also really lovely friendly people. They are always willing to help and answer questions, or even in my case help you charge your camera batteries. Bless them.
My biggest fear is open water but I wanted to do this trip to help me overcome my fear. I was terrified of getting in the water, swimming in the water and not knowing what lurked beneath.
I know not a lot of people will have this fear but will have concerns about the sea, how calm the waters are and the types of wildlife you’ll find the water.
Sharks are very rare in the Mediterranean but you will find dolphins and turtles in the Greece waters. I didn’t see either but some of the other passengers did. Just another reason to go back.
We also had relatively calm seas throughout the majority of the trip. We only really had 2 stormy periods where it was rough seas.
I’ve had friends who’ve been to Greece and due to high winds had to reroute or stay on islands for days. You can’t sail in really bad weather and who would want to? Stay on an island, stay dry, stay warm and enjoy great food or drink till the weather clears up.
Drinking the Water
With some countries you can’t drink the water or you’ll spend most of your time on the toilet. I was worried that Greece was one of these countries with a bad water system but apparently it’s not.
“You can drink the water in Greece”
I highly recommend on any trip you take to bring a water bottle to save on buying plastic water bottles and to cut down on plastic. There is free drinkable water on every island. Take advantage of it.
The only island which doesn’t have tap water is ironically “Hydra“, but they do have a good supply of bottled drinking water.
Pin this post for later:
WHAT ARE YOUR WORRIES ABOUT BOOKING A TRIP TO GREECE? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS.


text:
Research Fellows Directory
Dr Jacqueline Rosette
Forests have multiple important roles as a timber resource, as habitat for many species, and for recreation. They are a fundamental part of Earth's climate system because they take up CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and store the absorbed carbon in leaves, stems, roots and soils. Many questions remain about the amount of carbon stored by forests and how this is affected by climate change; disturbance from wind or fire damage, pests or diseases; and due to management decisions or deforestation.
For these reasons countries are required to produce reliable data on carbon storage through National Forest Inventories (NFI), but these data are often neither timely nor accurate. Collection of forest data is wrought with difficulties. NFIs rely on sample plot surveys, methods may differ between countries, and surveys are often infrequent due to time and cost. There is therefore a real need to develop consistent and accurate methods for forest assessments.
Satellites observe the entire planet and collect data from forests globally. Using data from satellites or aircraft for forest inventories has a major advantage since data are collected by one instrument and inventories for different places are therefore similar. Moreover, data are collected at frequent intervals and this allows timely updates of forest inventories.
The project uses techniques which assess the structure of forests in order to estimate important forest parameters, as well as observations over many years to identify trends in our forests’ histories e.g. change due to forest health or harvesting. In partnership with Forest Research, the GB Forestry Commission Research Agency, new methods have been developed to estimate, update and improve the accuracy of inventory information held about our forests. These in turn have been used to drive models which provide forecasts of timber production, identify wind risk, and predict fire susceptibility to inform management decisions.

domain: biology


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TORBAL Shimanos new TORBAL (Torsional Balance) Technology better connects the rider and pedal with what the bicycle is doing underfoot while maintaining comfort and flexibility through all ranges of rider motion. TORBAL allows the outsole to twist, allowing for lateral movement of the rider, while keeping the forefoot aligned with the pedal. This encourages a natural rider flow motion, improving
Shimano XC70 MTB SPD ShoesPower to the pedal with Shimano engineered stability, rigidity in a light weight off-road design Features: UPPER Heat moldable Custom-fit Technology Tough synthetic leathers provide great protection, excellent durability Anti-slip heel material to prevent heel lift Low-profile micro-adjust buckle securely holds foot with reduction impact Cross X Strap is optimized for
Multi season all condition adventure shoe Ruggedly built for any adventure on or off the bike Breathable waterproof Gore-Tex Performance Comfort liner keeps your feet dry Natural nubuck leather with reinforced rubber toe box for protection and durability Strategic ankle padding prevents debris from entering the shoe without interfering with pedaling movement Vibram outsole provides
Shimano M530 SPD Mountain Bike Pedals Designed to offer the same high performance as XT trail pedals in a more affordable package the Shimano M530 SPD Mountain Bike Pedals combine a large platform with a secure dual sided SPD mechanism for improved control on technical descents and maximum power on rolling singletrack. Features Value for money dual-sided SPD pedal- perfect for cross country
A comfortable, efficient shoe for recereational rides Pro level features, perfect for the club and recreational cyclist Secure closure system- two hook & loop straps plus a buckle for a firm fit Off-set Strap relieves tension at highest point of the foot Supple padded tongue feels great on the foot and adds to the all day comfort Light weight glass fibre reinforced nylon sole Indoor cycling
The Shimano WR83 is a full-featured SPD-SL lightweight performance shoe. Made of supple, stretch-resistant synthetic leather and open mesh for optimal breathability, the shoes also feature a low-profile micro-adjust buckle and dual off-set straps. Enhanced profile and dual density insoles provide biomechanical support. Shimano Dynalast technology secures the foot in the optimum ergonomic position
These boys shoes offer comfort along with a double touch-and-close fastening. These shoes also have an easy to care for textile upper, making them ideal for outdoor activities or more formal occasions.
From Snowdonia. Waterproof Lace-up walking shoe. Featuring a grip sole for enhanced traction. Complete with a padded tongue for heightened comfort. These walking shoes are easy to wear, waterproof and great value, perfect for all adventures.
shimano xc70 spd custom fit mountain bike shoes offroad shoes on USA sites
The R078 is a classic design, with the Shimano trademarks: innovation, quality and style. The low profile, lightweight glass fiber reinforced-polyamide sole incorporates adjustable cleat mounts. New Shimano Dynalast secures the foot in the optimum ergonomic position to yield more power in the upstroke. Comfort is provided by open mesh panels which provide excellent breathability and dual-density
Get down and dirty with this sporty sandal that keeps you looking fly even when off-roading! ; Soft nubuck leather uppers in a sporty silhouette. ; Adjustable hook-and-loop straps at toe and instep provide a secure and optimal fit. ; Soft and breathable mesh lining for added comfort. ; Features a lightweight, microfiber-lined molded EVA footbed for all-day comfort. ; RECEPTOR Technology for
Ride the roughest trails, and climb the steepest hills with this mountain bike. Featuring a high-tensile steel frame and front suspension and a 21-speed Shimano drivetrain, this durable bike lets you tackle the toughest terrains. Gears: 21 Speed: 20 Saddle: Traditional Seat Type: Mountain Gender: Unisex Forks: Shocks Bike Size: 24-inch Exact Color: Silver Color: Grey
DC Bridge shoes. With classic styling, the DC Bridge shoe is super comfortable and flexible with its suede upper and canvas underlays. Durable metal eyelets. Vulcanized construction offers better board feel, sidewall grip and more flex. Outsole uses a sticky rubber providing great grip thats also resistant to abrasion. Imported.
The PetEgo Pod iLove Bike Connection lets you attach your PetEgo Pod iLove to the front of your bicycle. nbsp;The PetEgo Pod iLove Bike Connector attaches to the handlebars of your bicycle to securely fasten your Pod iLove and bring your dog with you on your Sunday morning bike rides. Thanks to the Pod iLoves detachable top, it also doubles a basket for your bike to carry school supplies or food
Manchester United Crib Pack Shoes - Infants - Black The youngest fan can kick around like their favourite team in this infant set. Showing off authentic Manchester United details, it comes with stretchy slip-on shoes and a plush little football.Benefits: Two-way stretchy synthetic upper: 70% nylon / 30% elastaneManchester United Football Club crest on front Slip-on sock construction for
Discover the inner wolf inside your dog with BLUE Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Biscuits w/ Bison 8oz. Its a protein-rich formula made with more of the meat dogs love, and features the finest natural ingredients including antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Contains no chicken (or poultry) by-product meals and no corn, wheat, soy or any of the grains that contain gluten.
In bold stripes that will stand out from the crowd this polo has a boyish charm that will help your wardrobe raise its game. Crafted in soft yet sturdy cotton pique and finished with a contrast colour under the collar.
Thank you for visiting shimano xc70 spd custom fit mountain bike shoes offroad shoes on oakleysbikes.co.uk
We bring the products from many websites to one website for you to search, save and compare.

domain: sports


text:
UNADILLA, Ga. (AP) -- A somber procession of military vehicles delivered the remains of 21 guardsmen to a central-Georgia air base as Army investigators scrambled over the site where their plane crashed, mapping and videotaping the charred wreckage.
Lt. Col. Deborah Bertrand, a Robins Air Force Base spokeswoman, said the bodies were transported Monday to the base south of Macon. Local law enforcement officers escorted the convoy.
The remains of the three Florida Army National Guard crew members and 18 passengers from the Virginia Air National Guard were to be flown Tuesday, weather permitting, to an Air Force casualty center in Dover, Del.
Investigators from the Army Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala., were expected to finish their onsite probe by week's end, but it could be months before they announce a cause of the crash.
About a dozen Air Force and Army investigators were mapping the location of each piece of the plane's wreckage with global positioning devices.
The plane, a C-23 Sherpa was flying from Florida to Virginia when it crashed Saturday in a field. The recovery team had been slowed by 3 feet of mud caused by a 4-inch deluge of rain. Wind and sunshine helped dry the field Monday.
The plane's in-flight data and voice recorders were recovered Sunday, but military officials declined to say whether they contained any clues.
The crew from the Florida Guard's 171st Aviation Battalion was flying the plane, taking members of Virginia's 203rd Red Horse Flight Squadron home after a two-week training mission in Florida.
On the Net:
Air National Guard: http://www.ang.af.mil
Brainerd Dispatch ©2013. All Rights Reserved.

domain: news


Mini DC-DC Step Down Power Converter Board
5V-15V Input – 1.25V/1.5V/1.8V/2.5V/3.3V/5V Output Option
Do you need a quick way to convert a 5-15V DC voltage down to a regulated 1.25V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V, or 5V fixed voltage output? Our Mini Step Down Power Converter Board offers this in a small 31mm x 21mm (1.2″ x 0.8″) easy to connect package.
The outputs are set by installing a solder jumper across the pads for the various voltage output options. With no solder jumper installed, the output voltage defaults to 1.25V output.
The module is built around the MP1495 buck chip with a power conversion efficiency of up to 90%. The fixed outputs offer more stable output accuracy and performance than a potentiometer-based voltage converter module.
Unlike Linear regulators, the modules operate in a high-efficiency operation mode delivering up to 90% efficiency. For example, setting up the board to deliver 5V at 2A output from a 12V power source will only require approximately 0.9A input. An excellent solution for battery-operated devices or where lower regulated output voltages are needed.
- Input Voltage: DC 5-15V DC
- Output Voltage: 1.25V/1.5V/1.8V/2.5V/3.3V/5V (default with no jumper 1.25V)
- Maximum Output Current: 3A with heatsink, 2A without
- Maximum Conversion Efficiency: 90%
- Chip: MP1495
Connection and Voltage Setting
The output voltage is set by soldering a jumper across the desired voltage option. Not jumpering any set of solder pads will default to an output voltage of 1.25V.
DC power from 5-15V DC is applied to the IN+ and IN- terminals and regulated voltage as set by the jumpers appears to the OUT- and OUT+ terminals.
The Mini Step Down Power Converter Board is available for ordering from our online store.


text:
According to an analysis by UBS, chip inventories for consumer devices are at their highest level in more than a decade.
Inventory levels, typically measured in days, are at their highest levels in more than a decade, or about 40 days above the median for the chip industry and its supply chain, according to a UBS analysis.
Chip inventory levels are “well above our target level,” said Sanjay Mehrotra, chief executive of memory maker Micron Technology Inc.
What is happening in chips amounts to good news for consumers who can get their hands on products from washing machines to laptops faster, and sometimes more cheaply, than a year ago.
Some chipmakers, however, are not concerned about rising inventories. Lattice Semiconductor’s inventory increased by about 29% in the year ended October 1, but the company’s CEO Jim Anderson is not worried about this, saying that the company’s products can be used for 15 to 20 years, and the risk of being eliminated is very low.
Despite the short-term oversupply, there are still many chip companies preparing for a long-term increase in chip demand. Samsung Electronics still plans to increase chip production capacity at its largest semiconductor plant next year. In addition, Micron plans to build a facility in upstate New York that could cost as much as $100 billion.
To avoid electronics supply-chain disruptions, you may also wish to consult an expert in electronics component supply. With more than three decades of supply-chain expertise, Astute Electronics is ideally placed to work with you on your daily component requirements.
For more help with looking at supply chain options, contact Astute Electronics

domain: economics


text:
CALLA 18 Pcs Set by STRIULLI A. VETRI D'ARTE
This exquisitely elegant set of glassware is composed of n. 18 pieces of three sizes:
- n. 6 Wide flute, 14cm tall by 7.5cm (5"1/2 by 3")
- n. 6 Water glasses, 11cm tall by 9cm wide (4"1/3 by 3"1/2)
- n. 6 Wine glasses, 9cm tall by 8cm wide (3"1/2 by 3"1/4).
These glasses are extraordinarily light to the touch, a unique and exclusive quality that distinguishes the production of Alberto Striulli, and are created by a combination of blown glass and gold leaf.
The special calla-lily shape makes them a unique, light and elegant addition to any table setting.
Glass-blowing, which most likely originated in Syria between the first century BC and the first century AD, is a glass manufacturing technique that revolutionized glass production times by significantly speeding them up. This may be defined as the "classic" technique for creation of hollow objects.
Glass can be mouth-blown or mould-blown. In the first instance the master, aided by his assistants, shapes the object by blowing through a long hollow metal tube, the so-called "blow-pipe".
The glass is picked up from the center of the oven, blown and shaped by use of a "borsella", a pair of flexible tongs that can accomplish different tasks depending on their shape. Indeed, the borsella can be used to pinch the object, narrow it, remove imperfections, open it up or give it a precise shape.
During this work, the pipe is countinuously spun to avoid warping the glass, as it is still soft at this stage and can be warped by gravity.
Mould-blowing, on the other hand, involves blowing the glass into a mould which, in Murano, is built out of pear wood. It can be made out of two or three hinged pieces, used to shape the object, or by a single truncated conical piece, sometimes made of bronze or brass, used to imprint a decorative pattern onto the object.

domain: design


text:
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island foreclosure rate declined 0.8 percentage points in July compared with the same period last year, CoreLogic said Thursday.
There were 1,618 Rhode Island homes in some part of the foreclosure process last month, according to the California-based real estate data firm, 2.2 percent of all residential mortgages in the state. The state’s foreclosure rate was 2.3 percent in June.
The Ocean State’s serious delinquency rate – defined as loans that are 90 days or more past due – was 6.8 percent in July, up from 6.6 percent in June.
The national foreclosure rate in July was 2.4 percent and declined 1 percentage point from last July. The national serious delinquency rate was 5.4 percent.
“As the housing market continues to recover, the foreclosure inventory is declining quickly, down by 32 percent from a year ago,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. “Continued strength in the housing market will contribute to our outlook for ongoing improvement in the stock of distressed assets through the end of this year.”


Food bank supplies in the Okanagan are getting a much needed boost just in time for the holidays, thanks to Coast Capital Savings.
The Central Okanagan Community Food Bank is receiving $1,500 out of a $75,000 donation from Coast Capital Savings to food banks across British Columbia.
The contribution to Food Banks BC is being distributed across the communities where the B.C.-based credit union operates in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan.
Maureen Young, Acting Director, Community Leadership at Coast Capital Savings said the credit union is making the donation to support those who need a little help over the holidays, including vulnerable young people.
“Community leadership is a pillar of Coast Capital’s corporate strategy,” Young explained. “Helping is part of our DNA and at this time of year, giving back is so important. Coast Capital’s donation to our local food banks helps ensure that these families can focus on enjoying time together over the holiday season instead of worrying about where their next meal is coming from.”
Laura Lansink, executive director of Food Banks BC, said support from corporate donors like Coast Capital is vital to the successful operation of food banks, especially when the food bank’s bulk buying power is considered.
“For every dollar donated, food banks are able to provide the equivalent of three nutritious meals to an individual at risk of hunger,” Lansink said.
“This means that because of Coast Capital’s generous donation of $75,000, 150,000 individuals will not be facing an empty shelf.
“That gives us an exceptional boost in our ability to meet the needs of our members as demand grows over the holiday season.”
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text:
As planned we have been touring the island on a scooter. We managed a complete lap yesterday including phuket town, the big Budha, Patong, Surin, Kata, Karon and Kamala beaches. It was dark by the time we got back and we were both fairly saddle sore! Today we didn't go as far but I did have a Top Gun moment riding alongside the runway of Phuket airport, well I was on a scooter and there weren't any fighter jets.
New set of wheels, the helmet almost matches my top as well!
Very calming inside
Not so much in the market outside!
Says it all
45m high, it is a big Budha
Our bungalow on the beach
Helmet hair, but a nice view
A little better than Bradwell on Sea
The island is quite hilly but not as bad as some may make you believe but the roads are quite busy so cycling would not be as much fun as the rest of the ride so far. I am sure you can stay off the main roads to a certain extent but you will also be missing some of the main attractions.
Phuket is one beach after another, at this time of year many are packed and Patong was just mayhem. This is not my cup of tea and much prefer the relatively quiet beach at Mai Khao where we are staying. The place is a little remote with 4 or 5 resorts scattered over 2.5km and not much in between, you need to be a beach lover or get some transport if you stay here. Seaside cottages are the cheapest in the area but were full when we arrived but Mai Khao Beach Bungalows are nice and our air con room cost 1300baht.
If I wanted just a bit more life my first choice would be Nai Thon Beach.
We have a couple of days left to plan where next, getting a bus is turning out to be a pain as the operators will not agree to take the bikes until they Can see how busy the bus is that day. We might cycle back up to Surat Thani or Chumphon to get the train, we haven't decided yet. I think we are going to forget going to Krabi though.

domain: travel


text:
A pleasant fragrance on the hair; With the addition of softness and shine to the hair. A specialized formula with a lightweight texture that contains oils and softening agents that leave hair shiny and silky smooth. La Vie Belle Silk Hair Mist Spray can be layered with La Vie Belle Eau de Parfum to make the fragrance last longer.
● The main aromatic ingredients: pear and blackberry
● Middle notes: pallida iris concentrate, neroli and jasmine sambac
● Main Aromatic Ingredients: Heart of Patchouli Extract

domain: chemistry


text:
Resurrection walk / Michael Connelly.
- ISBN: 9780316570367
- ISBN: 0316570362
- Physical Description: pages (large print) ; cm.
- Edition: Large print edition.
- Publisher: New York, NY : Little, Brown and Company, 2023.
Defense attorney Mickey Haller is back, taking the long shot cases, where the chances of winning are one in a million. He agrees to represent a woman in prison for killing her husband, a sheriff's deputy. Despite her conviction four years earlier, she still maintains her innocence. Haller enlists his half brother, retired LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, as investigator. Reviewing the case, Bosch sees something that doesn't add up, and a sheriff's department intent on bringing a quick search for justice in the killing of one of its own. The path to justice for both the lawyer and his investigator is fraught with danger from those who don't want the case reopened. And they will stop at nothing to keep the Haller-Bosch dream team from uncovering what the deputy s killing was really about.
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|Subject:||Large type books.
Haller, Mickey (Fictitious character) > Fiction.
Bosch, Harry (Fictitious character) > Fiction.
Lawyers > Fiction.
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- 0 of 16 copies available at Bibliomation. (Show)
- 0 of 1 copy available at Gunn Memorial Library - Washington.
- 23 current holds with 16 total copies.
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|Location||Call Number / Copy Notes||Barcode||Shelving Location||Status||Due Date|
|Gunn Memorial Library - Washington||LARGE PR FIC CON (Text)||34055155541224||Adult New Large Print||Checked out||01/08/2024|

domain: library