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this invention pertains to an iontophoresis device for general topical application of ionic drugs to high impedance low mucous tissue such as epidermis . circuitry and physical configuration have been developed to ensure safe operation and to provide simplified procedures which require minimal training and technical ability . the essential elements of this device include ( 1 ) a pulse - width modulated dc - dc converter with a 9v - 100v output range , having additional circuitry for rapid feedback response , ( 2 ) an impedance checking circuit for monitoring the impedance across the electrodes , ( 3 ) a shut - down circuit operable to de - energize the dc current source and ( 4 ) improved electrode configurations to ensure proper application , retention and marking of the treated tissue . additional convenience circuits are discussed which facilitate simplified procedures of administration . although the principles of iontophoresis could possibly be adapted for alternating current , direct current is customarily utilized for conducting the ionic form of drug into the tissue to be treated . inasmuch as the rate of flow of the ionic drug into the tissue is proportional to the current flow , the current should be regulated at the maximum constant level within the limits of safety and comfort in order to minimize treatment time . in view of variable impedance of the skin for each patient , the current source must have the capability of operating over a wide range of resistances , including the common epidermal range from 10k ohms to 50k ohms . many of the hazards previously experienced by iontophoresis treatments have resulted by reason of this wide range of impedance . effective iontophoresis treatment generally requires a current in the range of 1 to 10 ma / in 2 . the exact current density required will depend upon the thickness of the epidermis and the sensitivity of the patient to the applied voltage . at a given current , applied voltage is a function of resistance . under certain conditions tissue resistance can be as high as 300k , such as where surface contact between the electrode and tissue is poor and where the tissue is dry and clean . by using an ionic gel as the conducting medium , the irregular surface of the epidermis can be fully contacted , thereby increasing the area of exposure and maximizing electrical contact with the tissue . the resultant decrease in impedance to a more favorable range of 10k to 50k reduces the voltage requirement and improves the realization of a safe and painless iontophoresis treatment . a decrease of resistance , for example , from 100k ohms to 20k ohms with 2 ma current results in a corresponding decrease in required voltage from 200v to 40v . generally , any voltage above 100v would be prohibitive due to associated pain . patient sensitivity becomes a factor at even lower voltages of approximately 40v . it will therefore be noted that the use of a conductive gel is imperative for safe and painless iontophoresis of epidermal tissue . this same conductive gel may be utilized as the solvent for a solution of the ionic drug to be administered . the relative percentage of drug determines the rate of iontophoresis and consequently , the duration of treatment time required . economic considerations of administration time versus material costs become the dominant factor in establishing the percent solution desired . for example , solutions as low as 2 % can be successfully utilized , but they require a treatment time in excess of five minutes . any chemically suitable ionic gel such as a salt solution can be effective as the solvent and will maintain the low voltage requirement to effect iontophoresis . previous devices have attempted to supply the voltage requirements in iontophoresis by voltage multiplier circuits , commonly incorporating a bank of capacitors . the present invention has avoided the use of capacitors as a storage source due to the fact that such capacitor banks can discharge their energy after termination of the treatment , causing unexpected shocks or burns . instead of the standard dc source with a voltage multiplier , the present invention utilizes a pulse - width modulated dc - dc converter in combination with a step - up transformer . one embodiment of such a pulsed dc - dc converter is disclosed in fig1 and includes a ramp generator 1 which operates in combination with a comparator a 1 to switch on the conducting circuit through the primary coil of the transformer circuit 2 for an appropriate duration of time , causing a periodic rise and fall of current flow . these current variations are inductively coupled and amplified through the secondary coil , generating periodic surges of direct current across the electrodes 5 . the desired current level is maintained by means of a feedback circuit through r5 to the negative input of comparator a 1 . variations in current across the electrodes due to changes in impedance result in an error voltage which operates to adjust the duration of the pulse and thereby increase or decrease the average amount of current flowing through the transformer circuit . a current meter is shown in fig1 and operates to permit manual adjustment of the current to an appropriate level for effective iontophoresis treatment . in view of the ability of the iontophoresis device herein disclosed to maintain a constant current across the electrodes , an impedance checking circuit 4 has been incorporated to monitor the resistance as seen across the electrodes 5 . this circuit operates as the primary safety check against shocking , burning and other adverse effects of high voltage or excess current . such effects occur where impedance is high in the case of high voltage or where impedance is low in the case of excess current as experienced when tissue has been burned . both contingencies should be checked to avoid serious physical damage . it should be noted that inasmuch as the present iontophoresis device attempts to maintain a constant current , any rapid increase in impedance across the electrodes will generate a corresponding increase in voltage produced by the power supply . as seen by the electrodes 5 the impedance can change for a number of reasons . for example , if the electrodes are removed spacially from the contacted tissue , the resultant air gap is seen as a sudden increase in resistance . in response to such increase , the circuitry operates to increase the voltage in an attempt to develop the constant current previously maintained when the electrodes were in contact with the skin . if the electrodes are then brought in closer spacial relation to the tissue , the rapid decrease in impedance across the electrodes may result in a surge of current jolting or arcing due to the high voltage previously developed upon removal of the electrodes . this result has been previously experienced in iontophoresis treatments and has in the past discouraged the use of iontophoresis in general medical application . additionally , a sudden increase in iontophoresis current should be detected since this may indicate an abnormal drop in tissue impedance . any such decrease in impedance will have the effect of increasing current flow through the tissue . since current flow is the damaging force within the iontophoresis system , such changes should be continuously monitored in order to avoid the possibility of injury . this is particularly important in view of the fact that tissue impedance is lowered upon burning . the function , therefore , of the impedance checking circuit is to provide monitoring within the circuitry to compare the impedance across the electrodes with predetermined limits which mark the bounds of safe operation . such bounds are defined by an upper limit representing a high impedance which could lead to dangerous shocks upon a suddenly increased impedance , and a lower limit for detecting sudden increases in current due to abnormally low tissue impedance . any circuit capable of comparing the voltage or resistance as seen by the electrodes with a set voltage or resistance can operate to trigger a signal for shutting down the current source . from the relationship defined by ohm &# 39 ; s law , it will be noted that a multiplier or divider circuit could be utilized to identify the value of the resistance at any given time . this value could then be compared against predetermined parameters to determine if the impedance was within the safety limits previously indicated . upon a variation outside these predetermined bounds , a shutdown signal would de - energize the current source . since a typical multiplier or divider circuit is quite complex , the present embodiment utilizes a comparator circuit which operates to monitor the combined respective values of voltage and current across the electrodes and compare this result with predetermined limits . the operation of this comparator is illustrated by the following graphic depiction of ohm &# 39 ; s law . ## str1 ## referring to fig1 comparator a 2 monitors the voltage level e at one input ( positive ) and the current level i at the other input ( negative ). since the slope of e / i is equal to the resistance r , the input values can be compared against the appropriate values which should lie on line r . the slope of line r is preset by means of a variable resistor r - 20 . when e exceeds the predetermined value for a given i in accordance with the equation e - ir = 0 , the comparator signals a second circuit to shut down the current source . in the clinical example previously mentioned in which the iontophoresis device was removed from contact with the skin resulting in a sudden surge of voltage to maintain the constant current , the impedance checking circuit would see a voltage substantially above line r . the current source would be de - energized and upon subsequent skin contact with the electrode no shock would be experienced . a second comparator circuit 4a may be included within the impedance checking circuit to monitor excessive current across the electrode . such a comparator combination is useful in view of the apparent decrease of resistance which occurs when tissue is burned . being responsive to abnormal increases in current such as those due to burned tissue , such a circuit could signal the same shutdown circuitry to de - energize the current source and therefore operate as a fail safe device if for some reason the danger was not previously detected . by using a combination of comparators , the upper and lower operating limits for the iontophoresis device may be fixed between the preset impedance levels r 1 and r 2 as follows . ## str2 ## to simplify procedures so that non - technical personnel may apply the iontophoresis treatment , the present invention utilizes a final - state shutdown circuit . such a circuit requires the operator to reset the various switches and begin the process from step one . this eliminates the possibility of placing an operating device in contact with the patient &# 39 ; s skin and thereby experiencing an excessive current flow or arcing due to the sudden drop in resistance as the electrodes come in close proximity to the tissue . the impedance limits set for the impedance checking circuit can be adjusted such that the current source would be inoperative unless the electrodes were in direct communication with the tissue . upon removal of an electrode , either intentionally or inadvertently , the circuit automatically shuts down and requires reapplication of the electrode to the tissue prior to resetting of the controls and recommencement of treatment procedures . although numerous shutdown circuits are available , the present device utilizes scr - comparator combination 6 to de - energize the current source . upon receiving an appropriate signal from the impedance checking circuit , comparator a 3 sets up an appropriate voltage to trigger the scr , thereby turning off the conducting circuit in the transformer circuit . the scr continues to conduct until the device is manually reset , at which point the operator may then commence the treatment procedures from the initial step . with the inclusion of the impedance checking circuit 4 and the shutdown circuit 6 , the possibility of burns , shocks and other dangerous effects of excessive current and voltage are substantially reduced and the device can be safely operated by personnel having minimal technical ability . it is suggested that additional convenience devices be incorporated to assist the operator by simplifying operation techniques . one such device is a timing circuit which is utilized to preset the duration of the treatment and automatically turn off the device upon completion . a second safety circuit is a damping circuit operable to preclude sudden changes in current such as may be experienced when the device is first turned on or later turned off . this circuit is useful since cutaneous sensors seem to be particularly sensitive to sudden variations in current flow . by limiting the incremental increases of current , the discomfort previously experienced is minimized . in an anesthetization treatment , the regulation has the additional benefit of permitting gradual desensitization of the skin as the degree of current flow increases , further eliminating any discomforts associated with current and / or voltage sensing . referring to fig6 the present invention utilizes a compliant , plastic form of electrode pad 23 having an adhesive face for retaining the pad on the tissue to be treated . alternatively , a strap may be used to retain the pad in contact with the tissue where adhesive contact is not suitable . the pad can be positioned over a variety of anatomical contours without tensing of tissue or awkward implacement . the compliant form of pad precludes localization of current flow that occurs at points where tissue has been stretched . such localized current can present an increased risk of burns and should therefore be avoided . the receptacle 16 for containing a suitable quantity of gel is mounted on the electrode pad and aligned with an opening 25 in the pad which permits direct communication of the conducting gel with the tissue . a sponge pad 24 may be enclosed within the gel receptacle which , upon saturation with the conductive gel , operates to maintain good fluid contact within the conduction path . uniform electrical contact across the surface of treated tissue is maintained by utilizing a metal foil 21 in direct communication with the conducting gel to provide the current source for effecting the iontophoresis of the drug . a connecting wire 13 is attached from the current source to the electrode by means of a quick - release clip 22 mounted on the back surface of either the gel receptacle or metal foil . a primary advantage of this configuration , in addition to the safety features provided hereby , is the convenience of disposability after each treatment . for commercial convenience , the electrode may be packaged in ready - to - use form , with the appropriate ionic gel prepackaged within the gel receptacle . the adhesive surface 23 would be exposed upon the removal of a protective covering from the electrode pad which would also operate to contain the ionic gel in a closed and sterile receptacle 16 . otherwise , the electrode pads could be stored in dry form , with the ionic gel being added immediately prior to application from a separate source . when used in the dry form , the receptacle can be modified with a small inlet tube 26 for receiving the conduction - gel / ionic - drug solution for indefinite storage . when the electrode has been affixed to the patient immediately prior to treatment , the dispensing tube is inserted in the inlet tube of the receptacle . the tube contents are discharged into the receptacle , filling the vacancies and saturating the sponge pad 24 . to simplify procedures , the ionic gel may be contained in a closed bad , the mouth of which is sealed to the electrode receptacle . the mouth of the bag has a weak seal which when broken , permits free flow directly into the receptacle . this configuration avoids the current problems associated with the drying out of the prepackaged conductive gel . a variety of electrode configurations can be utilized to meet the requirements of safety and convenience . a safety factor which must be considered with each application is the avoidance of current conduction across the heart with the concurrent risks of fibrillation or muscle spasms . such dangers can be avoided by limiting the lengths of the connecting wires to the electrodes such that restricted spacial separation of electrodes precludes an adverse circuit path . as an illustration of several embodiments of the complete iontophoresis device , the following examples are cited : as illustrated in fig2 the ground electrode can be a contoured casing 7 which also contains the required circuitry suggested in fig1 having a suitable gel receptacle 8 on the contoured tissue contacting surface . this grounding electrode may be useful where treatments are intended for the extremities and may be mounted by elastic bands or straps 9 to the arm or leg of the patient such that the current is conducted away from the torso of the patient . a single wire 10 may be utilized to conduct the current to an applicator electrode 11 which could be of the disposable design . this conducting wire 10 should be sufficiently short to preclude a conduction path across the heart . fig3 depicts how the electrical circuitry may likewise be contained in a separate housing 12 which may be clipped to the belt or otherwise retained on the patient . electrical connection with the electrodes is accomplished by dual connecting wires 13 for separate applicator 14 and ground 15 electrodes respectively . in all cases , the grounding electrode pad should contain a receptacle 16 for a conducting gel to ensure appropriate electrical contact with the skin . a salt water gel is commercially available and would be suitable for iontophoresis treatment . the grounding electrode would be of similar construction of the applicator electrode . to provide adaptability for various contoured portions of the body , the applicator electrode could be constructed in such a manner that the operator could trim the pad to a suitable configuration for implacement around the nose , ears or similar anatomical protrusions . the conduction path could be limited by using a restricting device 17 to preclude an unsafe spacial separation between the electrodes . fig4 discloses a separate casing having dual connecting wires 13 to a single , applicator - grounding electrode pad 18 . as with other electrodes , the connecting wires could be attached at quick - release clips mounted on the back face of the electrodes . a primary advantage of this embodiment is the restricted conducted path which limits current flow to the area generally between the electrode surfaces . as with example ii , the single applicator / electrode pad could be trimmed to fit conveniently around awkward body contours . to facilitate easy identification of the treated area , a non - ionic form of dye may be impregnated in the adhesive substance , such that upon removal of the electrode pad a color marking remains on the treated tissue . without having observed the iontophoresis treatment , a subsequent attending physician or nurse could make the appropriate injection , surgery or other treatment required without guessing as to the actual location of the previously treated area . the dye can be permanent , semi - permanent or temporary depending upon the future needs for treatment area identification . where only temporary marking is required , an impression ridge 19 , fig5 will leave a slighly reddened line circumscribing the treated region . if an impression ridge is used , it is important to ensure that skin in the conduction path is not tensed since this will decrease the local resistance and increase current flow in an non - uniform manner . for this reason the dotted line in fig5 a represents the perimeter of the conduction path , current flow being thereby isolated from tissue tensed by the impression ridge . it will be apparent that other means for marking the area of treatment are possible and may be necessary depending on the color and nature of the tissue to be treated . | 0 |
the present invention is best understood by reference to the detailed figures and description set forth herein . embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to the figures . however , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments . for example , it should be appreciated that those skilled in the art will , in light of the teachings of the present invention , recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches , depending upon the needs of the particular application , to implement the functionality of any given detail described herein , beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown . that is , there are numerous modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention . also , singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa , where appropriate , and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive . it is to be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular methodology , compounds , materials , manufacturing techniques , uses , and applications , described herein , as these may vary . it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only , and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention . it must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims , the singular forms “ a ,” “ an ,” and “ the ” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . thus , for example , a reference to “ an element ” is a reference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art . similarly , for another example , a reference to “ a step ” or “ a means ” is a reference to one or more steps or means and may include sub - steps and subservient means . all conjunctions used are to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible . thus , the word “ or ” should be understood as having the definition of a logical “ or ” rather than that of a logical “ exclusive or ” unless the context clearly necessitates otherwise . structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures . language that may be construed to express approximation should be so understood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . preferred methods , techniques , devices , and materials are described , although any methods , techniques , devices , or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention . structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures . the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings . from reading the present disclosure , other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art . such variations and modifications may involve equivalent and other features which are already known in the art , and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein . although claims have been formulated in this application to particular combinations of features , it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalization thereof , whether or not it relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the present invention . features which are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment . conversely , various features which are , for brevity , described in the context of a single embodiment , may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub combination . the applicants hereby give notice that new claims may be formulated to such features and / or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present application or of any further application derived therefrom . as is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal manufacture of a commercial implementation any system , and in particular , the embodiments of the present invention . a commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may configured according to the needs of the particular application , whereby any aspect ( s ), feature ( s ), function ( s ), result ( s ), component ( s ), approach ( s ), or step ( s ) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted , included , adapted , mixed and matched , or improved and / or optimized by those skilled in the art , using their average skills and known techniques , to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application . detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments are provided herein . it is to be understood , however , that the present invention may be embodied in various forms . therefore , specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system , structure or manner . it is to be understood that any exact measurements / dimensions or particular construction materials indicated herein are solely provided as examples of suitable configurations and are not intended to be limiting in any way . depending on the needs of the particular application , those skilled in the art will readily recognize , in light of the following teachings , a multiplicity of suitable alternative implementation details . a preferred embodiment of the present invention and some variations thereof provide a dental floss holder , which may be used with conventional round floss or dental tape . some preferred embodiments allow for the use of many types of floss including , but not limited to , round floss , dental tape , flosses using modern technologies developed for new applications of synthetic materials with elastic effect , ultra thin floss , wax covered floss , etc . some preferred embodiments may be designed to enable them to be produced from plastic with existing technologies used for manufacturing containers for conventional dental flosses and tapes . however , some alternate embodiments may be produced using different techniques and from different materials including , but not limited to , metals , composites , rubber , or a combination of materials . some preferred embodiments comprise a small number of parts , which allows for quick and easy installation of the floss and generally ensures minimum costs in the production of the device . fig1 a , 1 b and 1 c illustrate an exemplary dental floss holder , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . fig1 a is a diagrammatic side view . fig1 b is a diagrammatic front view , and fig1 c is a diagrammatic rear view . in the present embodiment , the floss holder is preferably made for effective use of dental tape . however , the floss holder also allows for the use of conventional round floss , waxed floss , ultra thin floss , synthetic floss , elastic floss , etc . in the present embodiment , the floss holder comprises a housing 2 , a floss cassette , as shown by way of example in fig2 a through 2c , a locking button 1 , which locks a stretched portion of floss 5 within a locking mechanism in housing 2 , and a rounded blade 3 . the design of floss holder housing 2 and particularly a fork 204 comprising fork - shaped protruding ends enables smooth flossing by holding a piece of floss 5 firmly in the desired position and generally preventing floss 5 from stretching and tangling during flossing or while removing used floss . indent 217 on housing 2 enables the user to rest the floss holder on a finger while operating locking button 1 to prevent the floss holder from slipping . a free end 5 a of floss 5 is pulled out through an opening 207 , which enables a user to pull floss 5 through the floss holder after housing 2 is locked in a closed position . in the present embodiment opening 207 is located at the end of housing 2 opposite fork 204 ; however , this opening may be placed in various different locations in alternate embodiments such as , but not limited to , on the front or side of the housing . in the present embodiment , housing 2 is held in place in the closed position with two housing fixating plates 201 , which are locked firmly in place with the help of a locking mechanism , shown by way of example in fig4 b . to open housing 2 , fixating plates 201 are unlocked and the two portions of housing 2 are spread apart along a seam 213 on the back with a hinge 214 on the front . free end 5 a of floss 5 , which is the used portion of floss 5 , is manually pulled through opening 207 and into a channel 215 , which guides free end 5 a in the direction of cutting blade 3 where the used portion of floss 5 is cut off . alternate embodiments may be implemented without a channel for guiding the free end of the floss and also be implemented without a blade . in the present embodiment , protrusions 208 , which are also located on the inside of housing 2 as shown by way of example in fig4 b , reduce friction on floss 5 in the process of sliding floss 5 through the floss holder when the used portion is replaced with a clean portion . dimples 216 enable a user to firmly grasp housing 2 when floss 5 is manually pulled through opening 207 and into a channel 215 and capture free end 5 a in the process of cutting by the blade 3 . in the present embodiment , the floss holder is designed to allow equally easy operation for left or right - handed users . for example , without limitation , dimples 216 and channels 215 are provided on both sides of housing 2 to enable the used portion of floss 5 to be cut on either side of housing 2 . however , alternate embodiments may be implemented as specifically right - handed or left - handed devices . in the present embodiment , the floss holder provides considerable savings of floss since during the replacement of floss 5 on fork 204 only about one to one and a half inches of floss are used . also , the process of replacing floss 5 is fast and simple , often taking only one to two seconds to complete . the floss holder is designed so that the clean portion of floss 5 does not come into contact with the used portion at any time during flossing or during the replacement of floss 5 on fork 204 . fig2 a , 2 b , 2 c and 2 d illustrate an exemplary floss cassette 4 from a dental floss holder , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . fig2 a is a side perspective view of floss cassette 4 in a closed position . fig2 b is a side perspective view of locking plates 401 and 402 of floss cassette 4 . fig2 c is a diagrammatic top view of floss cassette 4 in an open position , and fig2 d is a diagrammatic side view of floss cassette 4 in an open position . in the present embodiment floss 5 is installed in floss cassette 4 by being coiled around a cylinder 406 then being fed between locking plates 401 and 402 around a plate 404 and a plate portion 404 a . in some embodiments , plate portion 404 a includes a notch 412 , shown in fig4 b , to capture floss 5 . in other alternate embodiments , various other means may be used to capture floss 5 . from here , floss 5 is placed back through locking plates 401 and 402 then into one of notches 409 and out of cassette 4 so that a free end 5 a of floss 5 can exit the floss holder once cassette 4 is installed in the floss holder , as shown by way of example in fig4 a . floss cassette 4 comprises a stretching mechanism 403 , which holds floss 5 in place and stretches floss 5 on the fork of the floss holder and maintains floss 5 in the stretched position for smooth and easy flossing , as described by way of example in accordance with fig4 a . in order for floss 5 to be coiled around cylinder 406 , a user may manually wind a long piece of floss around cylinder 406 or a pre - wound spool of floss may be placed on cylinder 406 . in some embodiments the cassette may be preloaded with floss . in these embodiments , the user may obtain the cassette preloaded with a type of floss of his / her choosing . during the installation in the present embodiment , protruding segments 407 hold floss 5 in place on locking plate 402 . a hole 408 locks the top of cassette 4 upon cylinder 406 . openings 411 enable hole 408 to decrease the diameter of cylinder 406 . during installation of the floss roll , tight contact of the floss roll and the cylinder 406 allows convenient installation of the floss on the cassette and prevents the floss on the roll from twisting in the process of floss installation . this reduces the amount of the friction during the replacement of the used portion of floss 5 . in alternate embodiments cylinder 406 may not have openings 411 . in these embodiments the floss roll does not tightly contact cylinder 406 and during the installation of the floss , the roll is held in place by user &# 39 ; s fingers to prevent twisting . in some embodiments cylinder 406 has a top portion with a smaller outside diameter than the rest of the cylinder . this top portion fits into a raised lip of hole 408 . after floss 5 is installed in cassette 4 , cassette 4 is inserted into the housing of the floss holder . openings 405 on locking plates 401 and 402 are installed upon protrusions inside the housing , shown by way of example in fig4 a and 4b . in the present embodiment , locking plates 401 and 402 comprise zigzagged surfaces with a multiplicity of protrusions . in alternate embodiments the zigzagged surface may only be on locking plate 401 or only on locking plate 402 . the number of protrusions and corresponding hollow segments on locking plates 401 and 402 depends on the size of the floss holder . in alternate embodiments only one of the locking plates may have a zigzagged surface or the surfaces may have different textures such as , but not limited to , a bumpy or rough texture . plates 410 on the top portion of cassette 4 and plate 401 provide unlocking of locking plates 401 and 402 , as described by way of example in accordance with fig4 a . fig3 a , 3 b and 3 c illustrate an exemplary locking button 1 of a dental floss holder , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . fig3 a is a side perspective view . fig3 b is a diagrammatic front view , and fig3 c is a diagrammatic bottom view . in the present embodiment , locking button 1 comprises an irregular bottom surface with protrusions 101 extending from a horizontal element 102 . when locking button 1 is installed in the floss holder , pushing down on locking button 1 causes the floss in the floss holder to be held in place . fig4 a and 4b illustrate an exemplary dental floss holder , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . fig4 a is a diagrammatic side view of the floss holder in an open position , and fig4 b is a side perspective view of the floss holder in the open position with a locking button 1 , a floss cassette 4 and a blade 3 removed . in the present embodiment , a housing 2 opens by pivoting at a hinge 214 . in alternate embodiments , the housing may comprise two halves that are separate from each other that snap together to close . other alternate embodiments may comprise doors that swing open , slide open , or snap on and off of the housing to provide access to the inside of the housing to load the floss . referring to fig4 a , after the installation of floss 5 , cassette 4 is closed and inserted into housing 2 of the floss holder . in the present embodiment , floss cassette 4 is slid into the side of housing 2 ; however , alternate embodiments may be implemented where the floss cassette is installed in different ways for example , without limitation , dropped in from the top or bottom of the housing . referring to fig4 a and 4b , in the present embodiment , a protrusion 212 provides stable positioning for plates 410 on the front of cassette 4 . openings 405 on locking plates 401 and 402 of cassette 4 are installed upon protrusions 211 inside housing 2 and hold and stabilize locking plate 401 over locking plate 402 . once floss cassette 4 is in place , locking button 1 is installed above floss cassette 4 . an opening 207 in housing 2 enables a user to pull a free end 5 a of floss 5 out of housing 2 so that the used portions of floss 5 can be replaced with clean floss when floss locking plates 401 and 402 are unlocked , as shown by way of example in fig4 a . the portion of floss 5 around a plate 404 is installed on a fork 204 of the floss holder once housing 2 is closed . referring to fig4 b , in the closed position , housing 2 is held closed by two fixating plates 201 , which are locked firmly in place by locking mechanisms 202 locking into openings 203 on the opposite end of housing 2 . plate portion 404 a is removed from plate 404 and discarded after floss 5 is installed on fork 204 . in the present embodiment , the floss holder allows for effective and convenient flossing thanks to a mechanism for locking and stretching floss 5 on fork 204 . this mechanism is located on floss cassette 4 and comprises locking plates 401 and 402 with zigzagged surfaces . referring to fig4 a , locking button 1 and locking plates 401 and 402 are shown in an unlocked position . once housing 2 is closed and floss 5 is placed on fork 204 , pushing down locking button 1 causes floss 5 to be locked between locking plates 401 and 402 , and sliding locking button 1 towards fork 204 causes a horizontal element 102 of locking button 1 to push down upon a stretching mechanism 403 of floss cassette 4 , which results in stretching mechanism 403 being pushed down onto and stretching floss 5 on fork 204 of housing 2 . after it is pushed down and slid forward towards fork 204 , locking button 1 holds its position and holds plate 401 in place against plate 402 with the help of protrusions 101 located on locking button 1 , which engage with protruding elements 206 on the inside of housing 2 . this double locking mechanism provides effecting locking of floss 5 between plates 401 and 402 of floss cassette 4 and stretching of floss 5 on fork 204 by virtue of horizontal element 102 pressing upon stretching mechanism 403 . in alternate embodiments , the locking mechanism may be actuated by various different means other than a sliding button such as , but not limited to , a push button , a lever , a dial , etc . in the present embodiment to unlock floss 5 , locking button 1 is slid away from fork 204 and slides off of protruding elements 206 . this releases locking button 1 upward away from plates 401 and 402 and therefore enables plate 401 to move upward , away from plate 402 . plates 410 on the top portion of cassette 4 and plate 401 facilitate the unlocking of locking plates 401 and 402 by initially plate 401 is located above the plate 402 with a space between the plates 401 and 402 which is needed for smooth removal of the used portion of the floss . in the process of locking , elements 410 bend and provide locking of the floss between the plates . after unlocking , elements 410 return plate 401 to its previous position allowing space to be created for removal of the used portion of the floss . referring to fig4 b , the openings located on plate 402 of floss cassette 4 generally prevent wax build - up and allow for smooth sliding of floss 5 even when wax - covered floss and dental tape is used . the openings on the plate 402 are aligned with protruding ends of plate 401 . this enables protruding ends on the plate 401 to block floss inside the openings of the plate 402 . the wax build - up is pushed away under plate 402 thus preventing wax build - up between the plates , which can cause inconvenience to the user in the process of removing used portion of the floss . a multiplicity of protrusions 208 located on housing 2 reduces friction of floss 5 while floss 5 slides through the floss holder in order to replace used floss with clean floss . alternate embodiments may be implemented without these protrusions . in the present embodiment , rounded blade 3 , used for cutting off used floss , is located on the lower portion of housing 2 on a blade plate 205 . as shown in fig1 a , this location of blade 3 enables blade 3 to be recessed from the bottom surface of housing 2 for the user &# 39 ; s safety while leaving a sufficient length of floss outside housing 2 for easy grasping . however , the cutting blade may be located in various different locations in alternate embodiments such as , but not limited to , near the opening from which the floss exits the floss holder , and other alternate embodiments may be implemented without a blade . in the present embodiment , fork 204 , which is formed when housing 2 is closed , comprises extensions 209 that form a hollow shape which allows for the installation of floss 5 on fork 204 and holds floss 5 in place during flossing . the rounded shape of ends 210 of fork 204 facilitates smooth sliding of floss 5 and generally prevents twisting or breaking during use . those skilled in the art will readily recognize , in accordance with the teachings of the present invention that the forks in alternate embodiments may vary in shape . for example , without limitation , the ends of the fork may comprise holes into which the floss is threaded , or the ends may comprise shallow grooves into which the floss is placed . in some embodiments the ends of the fork may be made of rubber or may be covered by rubber tips to protect the mouth of the user and to more securely grip the floss . in typical use of the present embodiment , which is illustrated by way of example in fig1 a through 4b , a user opens housing 2 of the floss holder along seam 213 and inserts a loaded floss cassette 4 into housing 2 , as shown by way of example in fig4 a . then , the user installs locking button 1 above locking plates 401 and 402 and closes housing 2 by locking fixating plates 201 . the user then pulls floss 5 wrapped around plate 404 and plate portion 404 a from the floss holder and inserts floss 5 between extensions 209 on fork 204 . once floss 5 is installed on fork 204 , the user may break off plate portion 404 a . to tighten and lock floss 5 in place , the user then slides locking button 1 toward fork 204 . the user may now hold the floss holder in either hand to use the portion of floss 5 in fork 204 to floss his teeth . in order to replace the used portion of floss 5 with an unused portion , the user slides locking button 1 away from fork 204 to unlock locking plates 401 and 402 and pulls on free end 5 a to slide floss 5 through the floss holder and out opening 207 . once the used portion of floss 5 is pulled out of fork 204 , the user slides locking button 1 back toward fork 204 to lock the clean portion of floss 5 in place . if desired , the user may then take free end 5 a of floss 5 up through channel 215 to cut off the excess floss with blade 3 . those skilled in the art will readily recognize , in accordance with the teachings of the present invention , that any of the foregoing steps may be suitably replaced , reordered , removed and additional steps may be inserted depending upon the needs of the particular application . for example , without limitation , locking button 1 may be installed before floss cassette 4 , and the user may skip the step of cutting the excess floss from free end 5 a . an alternate embodiment of the present invention may provide a floss holder that does not use a floss cassette . in this embodiment , the locking mechanism is built into the housing of the floss holder along with floss holding means . a user installs the floss directly into the housing and feeds the floss through the built in locking mechanism prior to use . fig5 illustrates an exemplary water resistant dental floss holder , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention . the dental floss holder in fig5 includes a water resistant container which helps avoid water penetration to the dental floss held within the water resistant container . fig6 illustrates an exemplary dental floss holder having a wall partition member , in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention . the dental floss holder in fig6 includes a wall partition member which helps provide a better partition between new and used dental floss material . those skilled in the art will readily recognize , in accordance with the teachings of the present invention , that various features of the floss holder illustrated by way of example in the foregoing may vary in alternate embodiments . for example , without limitation , the forks in alternate embodiments may have various different shapes such as , but not limited to , square forks , the housings may have various different shapes including , but not limited to , housings with finger grooves for improved grip or rectangular housings , floss holders in alternate embodiments may come in various different sizes for example , without limitation , adult and children &# 39 ; s sizes , etc . furthermore , there are various protrusions illustrated in the foregoing embodiment for guiding the floss and reducing friction . in alternate embodiments the number and locations of these protrusions may vary greatly , and some embodiments may be implemented without these protrusions . yet other alternate embodiments may comprise additional features such as , but not limited to , a dental pick , a tongue scraper , an electric motor to provide vibration , etc . having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention , other equivalent or alternative methods of providing a floss holder according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art . the invention has been described above by way of illustration , and the specific embodiments disclosed are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed . for example , the particular implementation of the floss cassette may vary depending upon the particular type of floss used . the floss spools described in the foregoing were directed to relatively short implementations ; however , similar techniques are to provide floss cassettes to accommodate floss spools of various different sizes such as , but not limited to , tall spools or wide spools . in some of these implementations , the configuration of the floss within the cassette may vary depending on the size of the spool in order to fit the floss within the floss holder ; for example , without limitation , the spool may be held in the cassette vertically rather than horizontally . implementations of the present invention for use with different sizes of floss spools are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention . the invention is thus to cover all modifications , equivalents , and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims . claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and / or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding . any such numbering and lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken to indicate the ordering of elements and / or steps in the claims . | 0 |
in the exemplary embodiments described below , components that are alike in function and structure are designated as bar as possible by alike reference numerals . therefore , to understand the features of the individual components of a specific embodiment , the descriptions of other embodiments and of the summary of the invention should be referred to . fig1 schematically illustrates , in a simplified representation , an oct system 1 , which is used for examination of an human eye 2 . in particular , the oct system 1 may be used during an eye surgery , in particular during a cataract surgery . in the embodiment , which is schematically illustrated in fig1 , the oct system is a fourier domain oct system ( fd - oct system ), which is also referred to as spectral domain oct system . further embodiments comprise a swept source oct system ( ss - oct system ) or a time domain oct system ( td - oct system ). the fd - oct system 1 comprises a light source 3 , which generates measuring light 5 of a certain spectrum . the light source 3 comprises a super luminescent diode , which is designed such that oct measuring light 5 is generated having a spectrum with a mean wavelength and a spectral width . the mean wavelength is about 1000 nm and has a spectral width of 20 to 30 nm . alternatively , instead of using a super luminescent diode , the light source 3 may comprise a white light source and spectral filters , which are arranged in the path of oct measuring light for approximately providing the above described spectrum . through the optical fiber 4 , the oct measuring light 5 which is generated by the light source 3 is guided to the divider / coupler 7 . the fiber optic divider / coupler 7 is configured such that oct measuring light 5 is divided into two light portions 9 and 15 . light portion 9 is guided to a reflecting reference surface 11 by an optical fiber 4 , at which the light portion 9 is reflected to constitute the light portion 9 ′. the reference surface 11 is disposable in directions which are indicated by double arrow 12 . thereby , a path length , which is traveled by light portions 9 and 9 ′ is variable . the other light portion 15 of the oct measuring light 5 is guided by an optical fiber 4 to a scanner 8 having an illumination optical system . the scanner 8 including the illumination optical system is designed such that a focused beam of oct measuring light 16 is formed having a defined cross - sectional extent in the examination area ( i . e . an object region ) of about 10 to 50 μm . the scanner 8 having the illumination optical system may also be designed such that a beam of measuring light 16 is formed , which consists of parallel light beams , in particular , for investigating a posterior portion of the eye , such as the retina . the scanner 8 including the illumination optical system is further designed such that the bundle of oct measuring light 16 is laterally guided over the examination area of the human eye 2 . for this purpose , the scanner 8 may comprise one or more mirrors , which are pivotable about different axes . the bundle of oct measuring light 16 interacts with structures of the human eye 2 , such as the cornea 13 , the iris 14 , the capsular bag 17 , the intraocular lens 19 , in particular the mark 20 of the intraocular lens 19 , and with the suction tube 21 . the suction inlet 21 ′ of the suction tube 21 is arranged close to the capsular bag 17 . the interaction of the bundle of oct measuring light 16 comprises different physical processes such as scattering , reflection and absorption . a portion of the incident bundle of oct measuring light 16 is reflected into a substantially reverse direction ( i . e . reverse to the direction of the incident light ), captured by the scanner 8 and directed again into the optical fiber 4 as light 16 ′. the light 16 ′ carries structure information of the examination area of the eye into which the bundle of oct measuring light 16 has been penetrated . light 16 ′ is guided to the fiber optic divider / coupler 7 , where it is superposed on the light portion 9 ′, which has been reflected at the reference surface 11 . thereby , superposed light 25 is formed . the superposed light 25 is guided via the optical fiber 4 to the spectrometer 27 . the spectrometer 27 comprises a dispersion device 29 for spectrally dispersing the superposed light into spatially separated light portions 30 . each of the light portions 30 comprises light waves having wavelengths of a certain wavelength range . the wavelength ranges of different light portions may be different . the spatially separated light portions 30 are detected by a position sensitive detector 31 , which comprises a plurality of pixels for separately detecting intensities of different spatially separated light portions 30 and for generating electrical signals . the electrical signals are led via signal line 39 to a control and processing system 33 , which is designed such that the electrical signals are processed and date representing a structure of the examination area of the eye are determined . namely , the intensities of the detected spectral light portions 30 represent a spectrum of the superposed light 25 . from the spectrum of superposed light 25 , structure information along a depth direction 23 is determinable after having applied background subtraction , spectral resampling and determining of a fourier transform . the control and processing system 33 may be designed such that via a signal line 35 , a change in the characteristics of the light source 3 in view of its spectrum is controlled . the control and processing unit may further be designed such that via a signal line 37 , a dispersion strength of a dispersion device 29 is varied . from data which represents the structure of the examination area of the eye 2 , an image of the examination area of the eye 2 may be obtained , which may be displayed on a monitor ( not illustrated ). this representation may comprise for example a volumetric view or a cross - sectional view of the object . embodiments provide articles , which may be applied during an examination or a surgery in which an oct system 1 is used . on the one hand , the articles have a suitable reflectivity for being imaged by the oct system 1 , on the other hand , the bundle of oct measuring light 16 is attenuated by the extinction of the article only such that anatomical structures of the eye 2 which are located downstream of the article are detectable and hence imageable by the oct system 1 . the suction tube 21 , which is illustrated in fig1 , comprises nanoparticles which are disposed on it surface . thereby , the signal of the suction tube 21 is increased which leads to an improved detection by the oct system 1 compared to a suction tube 21 without any disposed nanoparticles . the suction tube 21 is comprised by a suction device 22 , which is provided for suctioning off an emulsified natural lens from the capsular bag 17 during a cataract surgery . the suction device 22 may be designed in the form of a phaco handpiece for phacoemulsification . thereby , a suctioning off of lens fragments may be performed in an integrated way with the phaco handpiece . the surgeon approaches the suction device 22 and in particular the suction inlet 21 ′ of the suction tube 21 to the location where the surgery is performed . thereby , the suction inlet 21 ′ is approached as close as possible to an incision , which is made at the capsular bag 17 for suctioning off an emulsified natural lens . the increase in contrast of the imaged suction tube 21 which is caused by the dispersed nanoparticles provides a facilitated positioning of the suction inlet 21 ′ of the suction tube 21 for the surgeon . fig2 schematically illustrates in more detail a portion of the suction tube 21 during an examination of the eye 2 by using the oct system 1 . the suction tube comprises a cylindrical substrate body having a diameter a of 2 mm and a wall thickness of about ⅕ mm . the diameter a may also have values of between 1 mm and 3 mm , and the wall thickness may also have values of between 1 / 20 mm to ½ mm . the cylindrical substrate body is made of glass or plastics . on the outer surface of the substrate body , there are located nanoparticles 26 which have a substantially constant surface concentration , i . e . the number of nanoparticles per unit area is substantially constant on the outer surface of the cylindrical substrate body . the nanoparticles have been deposited by dipping the substrate body into a solution of nanoparticles having a concentration of about 7 × 10 8 nanoparticles per ml . in other embodiments of the suction tube , the nanoparticles 26 are not only deposited on the surface of the substrate body , but rather are also located in the bulk of the cylindrical substrate body . alternatively or additionally , the nanoparticles 26 may be deposited on the cylindrical inner surface of the suction tube 21 . during examination of the eye 2 , the suction tube 21 is arranged in a beam path of the bundle of measuring light 16 of the oct system 1 , which is illustrated in fig1 . an intensity of the bundle of oct measuring light 16 , which is incident on the suction tube 21 , is denoted as i e . an intensity of the bundle of oct measuring light , which transmits the suction tube 21 is denoted as i t . because of the presence of the nanoparticles on the surface of the cylindrical substrate body of the suction tube 21 , the intensity i t of the transmitted oct measuring light is smaller than the intensity i e of the incident oct measuring light . the extinction , which is defined in equation ( 2 ) above may assume values of up to 10 . notwithstanding this significant attentuation of the intensity of the bundle of oct measuring light 16 after having been transmitted through the suction tube 21 , an anatomical structure of the eye 2 , which is located downstream of the suction tube 21 , ( in this case the capsular bag 17 ) is imageable by the oct system 1 illustrated in fig1 because of the high sensitivity of the oct system 1 . generally , the sensitivity of an oct system is defined as the minimal reflectivity of the probe arm of the interferometer at which the signal to noise ratio is 1 . instead of determining the minimal reflectivity of the probe arm , the maximum attenuation or extinction of the bundle of oct measuring light at which an ideal mirror is detectable by an intensity i t of oct measuring light . this results in the sensitivity which is given in decibel sensitivities of modern oct systems have been investigated in the publication “ performance of fourier domain vs . time domain optical coherence tomography ”, r . leitgeb et al , optics express . vol . 11 , no . 8 , pages 889 to 894 . it is possible to obtain a sensitivity of up to 108 db . using equations ( 2 ) and ( 5 ) and taking into account that the path goes through the article two times , and structures which are located downstream of the article have to be detectable , the maximum extinction is given by : thereby , in case the extinction of the suction tube 21 along a transmission direction , which is given by the direction of the incident handle of oct measuring light 16 , is smaller than the maximum extinction , which is defined in equation ( 6 ), in particular smaller than 5 , a boundary layer or interface of the capsular bag 17 is detectable by the oct system 1 . oct measures light 16 ′, which emanates from the examination area of the eye 2 , which is located downstream of the suction tube 21 , has covered an additional optical path d ·( n − n m ). d denotes a thickness of the transmitted substrate material of the suction tube 21 having an index of refraction n on the way to and fro , and n m represents an index of refraction of the medium , which in this case the aqueous humor within the eye . without a correction of structural data taking into consideration this additional optical path , the capsular bag 17 would be illustrated according to the dashed line 17 ′. the control and processing system 33 , however , is designed such that based on knowledge of the geometry of the suction tube 21 , the refractive index of the suction tube 21 and the orientation and position of the suction tube 21 , a correction is performed . thereby , the capsular bag 17 which is erroneously depicted downstream of the suction tube 21 as contour 17 ′, is displayed as corrected contour 17 . this correction may be performed in a real space of the volume data set , for example by displacing pixel values according to the additional optical path of the oct measuring light 16 , 16 ′ for portions of the object , which are located downstream of the suction tube 21 . embodiments of an article , may have an index of refraction , which is adapted to a medium of the area of examination . in this case a correction as described above is not required . for example , the article may be made of plastics , having an index of refraction of about 1 . 3 to 1 . 4 in the wavelength range of the used oct measuring light . a deviation of the index of refraction of the article from a mean index of retraction of the medium of the area of examination may be chosen to be smaller than the ratio of the resolution of the oct system to the extent of the article of the portion through which the oct light is transmitted . fig3 shows a further article 41 , which may be used in a method by using the oct system 1 . the article is configured as tweezers made of glass or plastics . nanoparticles 26 are dispersed in the volume . different embodiments of the article which are described in this application may comprise different nanoparticles or a mixture of different nanoparticles . the nanoparticles may comprise for example alo 3 , wherein the nanoparticles have an extent of between 100 nm and 100 μm . the nanoparticles may also comprise au , wherein the nanoparticles have an extent of between 2 nm to 250 nm . the nanoparticles may also comprise ag , wherein the nanoparticles have an extent of between 20 nm to 80 nm or of between 20 nm and 300 nm . additionally or alternatively , the nanoparticles may comprise other metals and / or silicon . the nanoparticles may consist completely of metal or may comprise a core made of silicon or silicon oxide around which a shell of metal is formed . for given articles having a given geometry and a given substrate material , the extinction along any transmission direction of the articles may be calculated depending on a material , a shape , a size and a concentration of nanoparticles . in the calculation , the nanoparticles may be approximated by a sphere . since the scattering process of light at a homogenous sphere cannot be expressed analytically , numerical procedures such as mie theory have to be applied for a given configuration of the article . the so - called mie coefficients a n and b n are calculated for a given configuration of the article and given boundary conditions , for example by applying the program “ miecale ” ( bernhard michel ) and / or “ mie scattering calculator ” ( scott prahl ). based on these mie coefficients and based on the radius of the sphere of the nanoparticles , the efficiency of the extinction q ext may be calculated for a given article . the calculation of the mie coefficients is also based on the complex index of refraction n = n r − i · n i of the nanoparticles . by way of example , at a wavelength of 840 nm of the oct measuring light , gold nanoparticles have a real index of refraction n r = 0 . 18 and an imaginary index of refraction n e = 5 . 36 . the linear coefficient of extinction τ is related to the efficiency of extinction q ext by the following equation : herein , r denotes the radius of the nanoparticle , q ext denotes the efficiency of extinction and n d denotes the density of the nanoparticles in the article ; in particular in the portion of the article , which is transmitted by light . after the efficiency of extinction q ext has been calculated based on the infinite series according to the mie theory , the efficiency of extinction τ may be obtained ; and by using equation ( 3 ) the extinction of the article may be obtained in the at least one light transmissive portion , in which nanoparticles are dispersed . the extinction therefore linearly depends on the path d , through which light has been transmitted through the articles . for nanoparticles , which are made of gold , which have a concentration of n d = 7 . 0 · 10 8 / ml and a radius of r = 100 nm and further in case of a given sensitivity of 108 decibel ( db ) of the oct system 1 , and a maximum extent d of the articles in the light transmissive portion in which the nanoparticles are dispersed of d max = 32 cm results . according to equation ( 7 ) above in combination with equation ( 3 ) above , at a density , which is 10 times higher , i . e . n d = 7 . 0 · 10 9 / ml , a value of d max = 3 . 2 cm results . based on this description , the person skilled in the art is able to determine from a given sensitivity of the oct system , a given geometry of the article , some or all of the relevant properties of the nanoparticles , such as material , extent , concentration , etc . such that equation ( 6 ) is fulfilled . thereby , structures of the area of examination , which are located downstream of the article and in the beam path of the bundle of oct measuring light 16 , are detectable by the oct system 1 . furthermore , based on the size , structure and / or concentration of the particles , characteristics of backscattering of the nanoparticles may be determined by using suitable calculations . thereby , by adapting the parameters of the nanoparticles , a higher reflectivity of the nanoparticles may be achieved for an improved detection by the oct system . the tweezers 41 comprise two legs 41 a and 41 b which can be moved towards and away from each other , such that teeth which are located in the jaws 42 a and 42 b may grab and hold tissue by applying a pressing force . the legs 41 a and 41 b comprise glass or plastics as a substrate and nanoparticles 26 which are dispersed in the volume having a concentration of about n d = 7 . 0 · 19 8 / ml . in a method for using the tweezers 41 and by applying the oct system 1 , which is illustrated in fig1 , the tweezers 41 are imaged and the spatial orientation and position relative to the surrounding tissue of the eye 2 is determined . thereafter , a correction of structure information which represent anatomical structures which are located downstream of the tweezers 41 is applied , in analogy to the correction method which has been described referring to fig2 . the tweezers , which are schematically illustrated in fig3 may be used for epiretinal membrane peeling . tissue of the retina , is peeled using the tweezers , wherein an accurate positioning of the tweezers in relation to the epiretinal membrane is possible by imaging with the oct system . in particular , a distance between the tweezers and the epiretinal membrane may be determined by using the oct system . fig4 illustrates a further embodiment of an article 43 , which is used in a method which makes use of the oct system 1 . the article 43 is configured as a surgical scalpel , which comprises a metal plate 44 in a portion 43 a . the substrate body of the scalpel 43 is made of a transparent material like plastics or glass and comprises a section 43 a having a smaller cross - sectional extend d 1 and a section 43 b having a greater cross - sectional extent d 2 . in the substrate body of the scalpel 43 , nanoparticles are distributed , having a higher concentration in the section 43 a than in the section 43 b . the inhomogenous concentration of the nanoparticles 26 in the sections 43 a and 43 b is chosen such that an extinction along a transmission direction defined by the direction of the bundle of oct measuring light 16 in the section 43 a is substantially equal to an extinction in the portion 43 b . thereby , it is ensured , that an intensity i t , a of oct measuring light 16 , which is transmitted through the section 43 a is substantially equal to an intensity i t , b of oct measuring light 16 , which is transmitted through the section 43 b , i . e . i t , b = i t , a . thereby , structures of the eye 2 , which are located downstream of the scalpel 43 may be imaged substantially with the same signal to noise ration , independent of a position along a direction of longitudinal extent , which is in this case approximately perpendicular to the transmission direction of the scalpel 43 . fig5 a schematically shows a further embodiment 45 of the article , which may be used in combination with the oct system 1 , which is illustrated in fig1 . the article 45 is a surgical thread , which may be inserted into the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal 47 of a human eye during an eye surgery . the surgical thread may in particular be used in combination with the method of viscocanaloplasty , wherein a liquid is injected for extending the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal . the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal , which is limited in the cross - sectional view of fig1 by lines 47 a and 47 b , and which is denoted in fig1 by reference sign 47 , contributes to the fluid regulation of the anterior chamber of the eye between the iris and the cornea . during an eye surgery , the tread 45 may be inserted into the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal 47 , 47 a , 47 b . thereby , either the geometry of the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal , which is otherwise only difficult to be imaged , may be determined or the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal may be deformed in a suitable way , for example by stretching . for increasing the contrast of the image generated by the oct system 1 , the surgical thread 45 , which is made of a material such as prolene comprises nanoparticles 26 which are deposited on the surface of the surgical thread by dipping the thread of prolene into a solution of nanoparticles having a concentration of 7 · 10 8 nanoparticles per ml . the thread of prolene 45 has a cross - sectional diameter of about 30 μm . fig5 b illustrates results of two oct measurements , wherein in the upper portion , there is shown a thread of prolene without nanoparticles and in the lower portion , there is shown thread of prolene with nanoparticles as described above , wherein the thread of prolene is imaged by an oct system 1 as shown in fig1 . the upper image 48 of the thread of prolene without nanoparticles shows a lower signal which makes it difficult to obtain an accurate image of the thread for determining its position . in contrast thereto , the lower image of the thread of prolene , in which nanoparticles are dispersed , has a signal which is higher by a factor of four than in the upper image 48 . thereby a more accurate measurement or a more definite manipulation of the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal during an eye surgery is possible by using an oct system . other articles according to embodiments comprise portions of surfaces , which are provided with one or more layers which increase a reflectivity or which are roughened through a process , for increasing the imageability of the surfaces by an oct system . fig6 a and 6 b schematically illustrate in a top view embodiments of an intraocular lens . the intraocular lens 19 a , which is shown in fig6 a comprises an optical element 50 a , which is substantially transparent in the visible wavelength range . the optical element 50 a has a positive refractive power and an optical axis 50 a , which is perpendicular to the drawing layer . the optical element 50 a may be a spherical and / or toric lens . furthermore , the intraocular lens 19 a comprises two holding elements 52 a and 53 a , which extend from inside to outside in a radial direction and which serve to hold the intraocular lens 19 a in the capsular bag 17 of the human eye 2 . at the holding element 52 a , there is provided a mark 54 a and at the holding element 53 a , there is provided a mark 55 a . the mark 54 a or 55 a may for example comprise a reflecting foil and / or information on optical properties of the intraocular lens 19 a , treatment data , patient data and the like . the mark 54 a or 55 a may for example comprise characters or a barcode and information about an alignment of the main axis of the optical elements 50 a in case it is a toric optical element . the optical element 50 a has a radius r 0 which defines a circular area , in which the optical power of the optical element 50 a has a positive refractive power . the marks 54 a and 55 a are located outside of the circular area defined by the radius r 0 , in a portion between the radii r 1 and r 2 . the radii r 1 and r 2 are chosen under consideration of the anatomy of the eye 2 which is to be examined . in particular , it has to be ensured , that the intraocular lens 19 , which is inserted into the capsular bag 17 is held within the capsular bag 17 by the holding elements 52 a and 53 a and bather that the marks 54 a and 55 a are located along an optical axis of the eye behind ( i . e . downstream ) of the iris , without limiting the field of view of the eye . for example , r 1 may be chosen to be greater or equal to 3 mm and r 2 may be chosen to be smaller or equal to 6 mm . the intraocular lens 19 a may be used for an improved cataract surgery by using the oct system 1 , which is illustrated in fig1 . thereby , the high sensitivity of the oct system 1 may be used for imaging marks 54 a , 55 a of the implanted intraocular lens 19 a , which is located in the capsular bag 17 behind the iris 14 , whereby it is possible to determine the exact position of the intraocular lens 19 a within the capsular bag 17 . an inaccurate position or inaccurate orientation of the implanted intraocular lens 19 a may be determined , for example a tilt of the optical axis 51 a of the intraocular lens 19 a in relation to an optical axis of the eye or an inaccurate azimuthal orientation of the intraocular lens 19 a relative to the optical axis 51 a in case the optical element 50 a is a toric optical element , the orientation of which is given by a main axis . an accurate positioning of an intraocular lens has been difficult by using common imaging systems and common intraocular lenses . fig6 b illustrates a further embodiment 19 b of an intraocular lens . such as the intraocular lens 19 a , which is illustrated in fig6 a , the intraocular lens 19 b , which is illustrated in fig6 b comprises an optical element 50 b having an optical axis 51 b and two holding elements , which are located outside of the optical element 50 b in a radial direction for holding the intraocular lens 19 b in the capsular bag of a human eye 2 . contrary to the intraocular lens 19 a , which is illustrated in fig6 a , there are provided no marks on the holding elements 52 b and 53 b . instead , a mark 54 b is provided on an outwardly directed portion 56 , wherein the outwardly directed portion 56 extends in a direction from inside to outside of the optical element 50 b in a radial direction . other embodiments of intraocular lenses comprise further marks on the holding elements or further supporting elements , such as outwardly directed portions . the marks max comprise nanoparticles , which are arranged within a volume or a surface of a corresponding supporting element . in addition to the articles as described above , other commonly used items or items which , are necessary in a surgery may be provided with nanoparticles , such as visco elastic materials , rinsing liquids , catheters or the like . liquids , which contain nanoparticles , may be used to increase the contrast after having been injected into a tissue which is examined during being imaged by an oct system . liquids containing nanoparticles , such as visco - elastic materials may for example be injected into the anterior chamber of the eye or posterior chamber of the eye or into the schlemm &# 39 ; s canal for increasing contrast . fig7 a , 7 b and 7 c illustrate the use of a liquid , which contains nanoparticles for increasing the contrast of the image of the anterior chamber of a trout &# 39 ; s eye by using an oct system . fig7 a shows an image obtained by an oct system , which is illustrated in fig1 , of a trout &# 39 ; s eye , wherein in the image which is inserted in the lower left corner , the eye of the trout is shown in top view . the image in fig7 a of the natural eye of a trout shows the outer limit of the cornea as a line 13 , whereas the anterior chamber of the eye which is located below seems to have no limiting structures below the cornea . fig7 b shows an image of the same eye of the front shortly after an injection of a liquid , which contains nanoparticles below the cornea . portions within the anterior chamber of the eye , which are enriched with the liquid which contains nanoparticles , show an increased oct signal . fig7 c shows an increased oct signal after a short time of waiting in a band 58 below the cornea 13 , which is generated by reflection of the oct measuring light at the nanoparticles . the fact , that the liquid , which contains nanoparticles has only spread out within a limited band , indicates that the anterior chamber of the eye is limited by structures below the cornea 13 , which has not been recognizable in images of the natural eye of the trout . thereby , using liquids containing nanoparticles which are injected into a tissue to be examined , an improved examination of this tissue is made possible . an injected liquid which contains nanoparticles may be used together with articles according to fig2 to 5 a and fig6 a and 6 b during an examination by an oct system . thereby , examinations and surgeries may further be improved . while the invention has been described with respect to certain exemplary embodiments thereof , it is evident that many alternatives , modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth herein are intended to be illustrative and not limiting in any way . various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention , as defined in the following claims . | 0 |
for simplicity and illustrative purposes , the principles of the present invention are described by referring mainly to exemplary embodiments thereof . however , one of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to , and can be implemented in , all types of secure systems , and that any such variations do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the present invention . moreover , in the following detailed description , references are made to the accompanying figures , which illustrate specific embodiments . electrical , mechanical , logical and structural changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents . embodiments relate generally to systems , apparatus , and methods for managing a token . more particularly , a token applet may be embedded on token , such as a smart card . the token applet may be configured to execute user - specified instructions . for example , if the token was issued by a bank , the token applet may be configured to direct the user to the home account site as an authenticated user . accordingly , the token applet may comprise of instructions to perform a predetermined task . fig1 illustrates an exemplary secure system 100 in accordance with an embodiment . it should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the system 100 depicted in fig1 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other components may be added or existing components may be removed or modified . moreover , the system 100 may be implemented using software components , hardware components , or combinations thereof . as shown in fig1 , the secure system 100 includes a server 105 , clients 110 and a local network 115 . the server 105 may be a computing machine or platform configured to execute a token management system 120 through a multiple user operating system ( not shown ) in conjunction with the clients 110 . the server 105 may be implemented with server platforms as known to those skilled in the art from intel , advanced micro devices , hewlett - packard , etc . the server 105 may interact with the clients over the local network 115 . the local network 115 may be a local area network implementing an established network protocol such as ethernet , token ring , fddi , etc . the local network 15 provides a communication channel for the server 105 and clients 110 to exchange data and commands . the clients 110 may be computing machine or platform configured to execute secure and open applications through the multi - user operating system . the clients 110 may be implemented with personal computers , workstations , thin clients , thick clients , or other similar computing platform . the clients 110 may use operating systems such as linux , windows , macintosh or other available operating system . each client 110 may be configured to interface with a security device 125 . the security device 125 may be configured to act as a gatekeeper to the client 110 . more particularly , a user may use a security token ( not shown ), such as a smart card , to access the respective client 110 . each client 110 may have a security client 130 executing to monitor the security device 125 . the security client 130 may be configured to manage the token . more specifically , the security client 130 may enroll the token , recover keys for the token or reset a personal identification number for the token . the security client 130 may also be configured to interface with the token management system 120 and act as a proxy for application program data units ( apdus ) between the token management system 120 and the token . the security client 130 may be further configured to display user interfaces as the token management system 120 directs , i . e ., prompting the user for credentials and / or pin , displaying token status . the token management system 120 comprises several modules , as depicted in fig2 . fig2 shows an exemplary architecture of the token management system 120 in accordance with another embodiment . it should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the token management system 120 depicted in fig2 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other components may be added or existing components may be removed or modified . moreover , the token management system 120 may be implemented using software components , hardware components , or combinations thereof . as shown in fig2 , the token management system 120 includes a token processing system ( labeled as tps in fig2 ) 205 , a token key service ( tks ) module 210 , a data recovery manager ( drm ) module 215 and a certificate authority ( ca ) module 220 . the tps 205 may be configured to act as a registration authority . the tps 205 may direct the enrollment process . the tps 205 may also be configured to act as a gateway between security clients 130 and tokens and the modules of the token management system 120 . the tks module 210 may be configured to maintain master keys for the tokens . the tks module 210 may also store symmetric keys associated with the token . these keys may be derived from a single master key combined with smart card serial number or identification number , i . e ., the cid . the manufacturer of the smart card may store these symmetric keys onto the token . the manufacturer may also forward the single master key to the administrator of the token management system 120 , who installs the key into the tks module 210 . the drm module 215 may be configured to maintain a database of encrypted subject &# 39 ; s private keys , which can be recovered on demand by an appropriate process . the ca module 220 may be configured to generate x . 509 certificates in response to received subject public key information and certificate enrollment requests . fig3 illustrates an exemplary token 300 in accordance with yet another embodiment . it should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the token 300 depicted in fig3 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other components may be added or existing components may be removed or modified . as shown in fig3 , the token 300 includes an interface 305 , a processor 310 , and memory 315 . the interface 305 , the processor 310 and the memory 315 may be implemented with an application specific integrated circuit , field programmable gate array , or other similar technologies . the interface 305 may be configured as communication conduit for data between the token and the security client 130 . the interface 305 may comply with existing smart card interface standards as known to those skilled in the art . the processor 310 may be configured to provide a computing platform for the functions of the token 300 . for example , the processor 310 can transfer data , execute applets stored in the memory 315 . the memory 315 may be configured to securely store information such as private keys , data , applets ( small applications ). the memory 315 may be partitioned into blocks 320 - 324 . accordingly , the token 300 may be configured to store a token applet 330 in accordance with various embodiments . more specifically , the token applet 330 may be small program of instructions which may direct the security client 130 to perform a predefined task . the token applet 330 may be written in an appropriate computer language such as c , c ++, perl , java , extended markup language (“ xml ”), or other similar language . for example , the token applet 330 may direct the security client 130 to connect with a predetermined website after enrollment or a valid authentication . the predetermined website may be a secure site but since the token 300 had previously been authenticated , the security client 130 may access the predetermined website . refining the previous example , the token 300 may be issued by a stock trading company . after enrolling the token 300 , the token applet 330 may be configure to connect with the user &# 39 ; s web page at the stock trading company web site ( each web site being identified by a universal resource locater (“ url ”)), where the authentication process between the user and the web page has already been accomplished . another example is the token applet 330 may direct the security client 130 to retrieve a data file at a predetermined location as defined by a url . the data file may contain instructions for the security client 130 to execute . again the data file may be implemented in a computer language such as c ++, java , perl or other similar languages . accordingly , a configurable token may be implemented that permits authenticated access for the user . fig4 illustrates a flow diagram 400 implemented by the security client 130 in accordance with yet another embodiment . it should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the flow diagram 400 depicted in fig4 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other steps may be added or existing steps may be removed or modified . moreover , the implementation of flow diagram 400 may be as computer readable program code in a computer language such as c , c ++, pascal , etc . as shown in fig4 , the security client 130 may initially be in an idle state , in step 405 . the security client 130 may have been invoked during the boot - up process of the client 110 . a user may insert a token , e . g ., token 300 , into the security device 125 of the client 110 . in step 410 , the security client 130 may detect the presence of the inserted token 300 . in step 415 , the security client 130 may determine a status of the token 300 . if the token has already been initialized and bound to a user , i . e ., enrolled , in step 420 , the security client 130 may be configured to retrieve and execute the token applet 330 for the client 110 , in step 425 . otherwise , if the security client 130 determines that the inserted token 300 has not been enrolled , in step 420 , the security client 130 may be configured to enroll the token 300 . more specifically , the security client 130 may send a request to the token management 200 to generate keys and certificates for the inserted token 300 that bind the token 300 to the user . additional details of enrolling a token may be found in commonly assigned u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 446 , 957 entitled “ methods and systems for server side key generation ,” filed on jun . 6 , 2006 and concurrently filed u . s . patent application entitled “ methods and system for phone home certification , which are incorporated in their entirety be reference . subsequently , the security client 130 may execute the token applet 330 , in step 425 after receiving the requested keys and / or certificates . fig5 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing platform 500 where an embodiment may be practiced . the functions of the security client and token management system may be implemented in program code and executed by the computing platform 500 . the security client and token management system may be implemented in computer languages such as pascal , c , c ++, java , etc . as shown in fig5 , the computer system 500 includes one or more processors , such as processor 502 that provide an execution platform for embodiments of the security client and token management system . commands and data from the processor 502 are communicated over a communication bus 504 . the computer system 500 also includes a main memory 506 , such as a random access memory ( ram ), where the security client and token management system may be executed during runtime , and a secondary memory 508 . the secondary memory 508 includes , for example , a hard disk drive 510 and / or a removable storage drive 512 , representing a floppy diskette drive , a magnetic tape drive , a compact disk drive , etc ., where a copy of a computer program embodiment for the security client and token management system may be stored . the removable storage drive 512 reads from and / or writes to a removable storage unit 514 in a well - known manner . a user interfaces with the security client and token management system with a keyboard 516 , a mouse 518 , and a display 520 . a display adapter 522 interfaces with the communication bus 504 and the display 520 . the display adapter also receives display data from the processor 502 and converts the display data into display commands for the display 520 . certain embodiments may be performed as a computer program . the computer program may exist in a variety of forms both active and inactive . for example , the computer program can exist as software program ( s ) comprised of program instructions in source code , object code , executable code or other formats ; firmware program ( s ); or hardware description language ( hdl ) files . any of the above can be embodied on a computer readable medium , which include storage devices and signals , in compressed or uncompressed form . exemplary computer readable storage devices include conventional computer system ram ( random access memory ), rom ( read - only memory ), eprom ( erasable , programmable rom ), eeprom ( electrically erasable , programmable rom ), and magnetic or optical disks or tapes . exemplary computer readable signals , whether modulated using a carrier or not , are signals that a computer system hosting or running the present invention can be configured to access , including signals downloaded through the internet or other networks . concrete examples of the foregoing include distribution of executable software program ( s ) of the computer program on a cd - rom or via internet download . in a sense , the internet itself , as an abstract entity , is a computer readable medium . the same is true of computer networks in general . while the invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof , those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments without departing from the true spirit and scope . the terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations . in particular , although the method has been described by examples , the steps of the method may be performed in a different order than illustrated or simultaneously . those skilled in the art will recognize that these and other variations are possible within the spirit and scope as defined in the following claims and their equivalents . | 7 |
the load g — a surgical microscope in the preferred application — is suspended , by means of pivoting supports not specifically illustrated ( for example a pivoting support in accordance with the international patent application wo 97 / 47240 from the applicant ) on a stand . the pivoting support and therefore the load g acts on the outermost lower link 58 of a parallelogram carrier designated overall by 2 b . the upper support arm 59 is of conventional design , while the lower support arm 60 has a novel construction . in the area of its pivot 61 on the stand side on a base 12 , it is of weakened material or interrupted design . a basic part 62 is attached to the base 12 via a brake ( brakeable coupling ) 63 . the basic part 62 can be prevented from pivoting up and down by activating the brake 63 . rigidly connected to the basic part 62 is a measuring unit 64 which is designed as a platform weighing cell and which , at its other end , rigidly accommodates the support arm part 65 of the support arm 60 . the connection between the basic part 62 and the support arm part 65 via the measuring unit 64 is so stable that , when the brake 63 is released , the lower support arm 60 can pivot up and down parallel to the upper support arm 59 . in the engaged state of the brake 63 , however , the following phenomenon occurs : in the balanced state , which is reached when , for example , a balance weight aga indicated symbolically produces the numerically equal but opposed torque to that produced by the load g , the lower support arm 60 is loaded only in compression . the single force component acting on the lower support arm 60 therefore extends from the link 58 as far as the pivot 61 along its longitudinal axis 66 . the sensor 64 is insensitive to tensile / compression loading , that is to say no imbalance values are measured on the basis of these forces . in the event of an imbalance , however , transverse forces , which can be measured , occur at the interrupted or weakened point . transverse forces within the context of this invention are produced by forces or moments which act obliquely or perpendicularly on the longitudinal extent of the support arm 60 — the lower support arm in the present example . if , however , when the brake 63 is engaged , the load g is increased without any simultaneous change in the balance weight aga , then this leads to a bending or shear loading at the sensor 64 : the force vector acting along the longitudinal axis 66 in a balance state then acts obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis 66 . however , since the brake 63 is engaged , a bending or shear force arises at the sensor 64 , and can preferably be detected by this sensor 64 . as is familiar to those skilled in the art , such detected forces can be used electronically to control a balance weight . since an extremely wide range of such control systems are known to those skilled in the art , for example in the leica ohs (™) from the applicant , and also in the case of other stands on the market with automatic or semi - automatic balancing , the electronic part of the invention will not be discussed in more detail here . the critical factor is that at the sensor 64 , forces are measured when the parallelogram 2 b enters an unbalanced state . the basic part 62 may possibly be equipped , beyond the fundamental requirement for its function , with further features , which constitute a development of the invention : an upper support arm 67 and a lower support arm 68 project beyond the sensor 64 and reach as far as the support arm part 65 . with respect to the latter , they have a clearance designated by “ x ”. this clearance provides the sensor 64 with sufficient space to produce its sensor output . however , it is so small that , in the event of a particularly high load or overload , contact between the support parts 67 or 68 and the support arm part 65 occurs , the latter support themselves mutually and , as a result , prevent any damage to the sensor 64 . [ 0037 ] fig2 reveals the perspective view of a sensor 64 used in accordance with the invention . it has measuring zones 69 and / or 70 , a sealed electronic circuit 71 and connecting cables 72 . such a sensor is , for example , a pw4f - 2 platform weighing cell from hbm spectris group / darmstadt ( germany ). provided at both ends of the sensor 64 are threaded holes 73 and 74 , in order firstly to be screwed to the basic part 62 and secondly to be screwed to the support arm part 65 . the centrally arranged double oblong hole cut - out 75 may vary in its shape from sensor to sensor , but in the form shown for the present application corresponds to a standard design . [ 0039 ] fig2 a shows in schematic form the clamping or application of a platform weighing cell selected as a bending or shear force sensor 64 . in the design according to fig3 the outrig of a stan is illustrated in its horizontal rest position . situated on the base 12 is the brakeable pivot 61 on the stand side , with the brake 63 and a pivot point 76 for the upper support arm 59 of the parallelogram carrier 2 b . the latter is of telescopic design , so that in principle one can see the upper support arm 59 , which is designed with a u - shaped cross section and in its interior accommodates the upwardly angled part of the lower support arm 60 . the lower support arm 60 is divided into two , as shown schematically in fig1 and comprises the support arm part 65 and the basic part 62 , in which the sensor 64 according to fig6 is integrated . mounted at the pivoting point 58 is a pivoting carrier 79 , which accommodates the load g or a surgical microscope . the upper support arm 59 is lengthened beyond its pivoting point 76 and forms the balance arm 22 there . displaceably mounted on the latter is a sliding pad 23 , to which a cable pull 24 is fixed . on the lower area ( not shown ) of the cable pull 24 , a balance weight aga is suspended . the sliding pad 23 can preferably be displaced under electronic or electrical control , on the basis of the bending or shear forces determined at the sensor 64 in the basic part 62 . in the present invention , the balancing area ; that is to say the area to the left of the pivoting points 61 and 76 , is preferably designed in the way specified in u . s . application ser . no . ______ ( corresponding to german application de 200 19 105 ) and u . s . application ser . no . ______ ( corresponding to german application de 200 19 109 ). it is further preferred , in that event of cable pull 24 being used as specified in the exemplary embodiment according to fig3 to use a cable safeguard corresponding to that disclosed in u . s . application ser . no . ______ ( corresponding to german application de 200 19 107 ). the detailed design of the pivoting carrier 79 will not be discussed in the present text , since it has no significant importance for the design and the fitting of the sensor 64 or for the design of the parallelogram carrier 2 b . the design of the lower support arm 60 shown in fig4 - 6 shows an optimally integrated basic part 62 and a single , slat - like support arm part 65 , which is accommodated in an optimum manner by the upper support arm 59 cut out in a u shape . the support arm part 65 can also comprise parallel part - supports for molded tubes . at the outer end of the support arm part 65 there is a lengthened arm segment 77 , which is designed like a fork , to accommodate the vertical support arm 78 of the parallelogram carrier 2 b and / or to accommodate the pivoting carrier 79 . at the point 80 , a locking means can be arranged between the upper support arm 59 and the lower support arm 60 . the sensor 64 is protected by a cover 81 in the basic part 62 . the designs according to fig7 and 8 represent variants of the invention , in which , instead of a platform weighing sensor , conventional bending sensors 64 a and 64 b are used . these sensors are situated at points at which the lower support arm 60 a or 60 b is weakened . the bending values measured by the sensors 64 a or 64 b at these points correspond to the shear force values which are measured by the sensor 64 , and therefore likewise permit conclusions to be drawn about the imbalance . in the symbolic design according to fig9 it is possible to see the stand foot 20 , a vertical support column 21 and a balance arm 22 projecting from the latter . this balance arm 22 a can be pivoted about the support column 21 . it carries the base 12 , on which the parallelogram carrier 2 b is pivotably mounted in the manner described . the cable pull 24 is only indicated , since the load balancing device is preferably designed as in u . s . application ser . no . ______ ( corresponding to german application de 200 19 105 ) or , alternatively , as in u . s . application ser . no . ______ ( corresponding to german application de 200 19 109 or u . s . application ser . no . ______ ( corresponding to german application de 200 19 107 ). [ 0049 ] fig1 reveals a schematic stand design , in which the lower support is configured as a continuous support arm 60 c . it reaches from the link 58 as far as the pivot 61 on the stand side , at which not only the support arm 60 c , but also the substantially fork - like basic part 62 a is pivotably mounted . the mobility of the basic part 62 a can be braked by a brake 63 . the mobility of the support arm 60 c at the pivoting point 61 is consequently restricted to the clearance x . fitted to the support arms 67 and 68 are pressure sensors 64 c which , in the balanced state illustrated ( and with the brake 63 engaged ), have the clearance designated by “ x ” with respect to the support arm 60 c . in the event of imbalance , a torque occurs about the link 76 , which leads to the support arm 78 drifting upwards or downwards . the support arm 78 transmits this drift to the support arm 60 c , so that if the brake 63 is engaged , the clearance x at the lower pressure sensor 64 c increases or becomes smaller , while at the upper pressure sensor 64 c the clearance x changes to the same extent in the opposite direction . as soon as one of the two sensors 64 c is touched , and therefore a compressive force occurs , this is measured and forwarded as an imbalance value . [ 0051 ] fig1 shows a variant of the design shown in fig1 , in which a shear force sensor 64 a is used instead of the pressure sensors 64 c . the former is firmly connected at one end to the individual support arm of the basic part 62 a and at the other end to the support arm 60 c , and is capable of accommodating and detecting the shear forces that occur when the brake 63 is engaged . as compared with the design according to fig1 , the clearance x is dispensed with here . this could also be left out in the design according to fig1 , but this would necessary lead to complicated adjustment procedures in the case of the two pressure sensors 64 c . in a manner similar to the design according to fig1 upper and lower support arms 67 a and 68 a are provided , in this design the lower support arm 68 a projecting like a lug from the basic part 62 a . alternatively , these parts could also be arranged parallel to each other and connected by bolts or the like , the supporting faces being formed between the bolts or the like and oblong holes , larger bores or the like . the present invention will preferably be used in the case of a standard design according to u . s . patent applications de 200 19 107 , de 200 19 109 and de 200 19 105 ( respectively corresponding to german application nos . de 200 19 107 , de 200 19 109 and de 200 19 105 ) filed on the same date . however , it is not restricted to such designs . the following list of reference symbols is a constituent part of the description . the designs specified in the patent claims likewise count as disclosed in the same way as in the description . support arms in the sense of the patent claims are to be understood to mean both individual support arms and parallelogram carriers or similar constructions . parts list 2b parallelogram carrier 12 base and / or basic body 20 stand foot 21 support column 22 , 22a balance arm 23 sliding pad 24 cable pull 58 link 59 upper support arm 60 lower support arm 60a , b , c variants of the lower support arm 61 pivot on the stand side ( pivoting axis ) 62a basic part and / or measuring arm 63 brake ( brakeable coupling ) 64 measuring unit and / or sensor and / or platform load cell 64a , b shear force sensor 64c pressure sensor 65 support arm part 66 axis 67 upper support arm 68 lower support arm 69 , 70 measuring zone 71 electronic circuit 72 connecting cable 73 threaded bore 74 threaded bores 75 double oblong hole cutout 76 pivoting point 77 arm segment 78 vertical support arm 79 pivoting carrier 80 adjusting mechanism 81 cover 182a , b interrupted point in the support arm 60 aga balance weight g load and / or weight of the microscope | 5 |
turning to fig1 and 2 , an elongated active beam 10 is shown . the active beam 10 comprises a housing 12 having a top panel 14 , side panels 16 extending downwardly from the top panel 14 on each side of the active beam 10 , outside skirts 18 extending downwardly from the side panels 16 , and end panels 19 . the end panels 19 are oriented perpendicular to the length of the active beam 10 , are fastened to ends 17 of the active beam 10 , and seal the ends 17 of the active beam 10 . an end panel plane oriented parallel with each of the perpendicularly connected end panels 19 provides a plane of reference for the orientation of pattern controllers 40 . an internal plenum panel 21 with air plenum sections 23 is connected to the side panels 16 , and the internal plenum panel 21 together with the top panel 14 form a primary air plenum 22 . the air plenum sections 23 and the outside skirts 18 are coplanar and together comprise outer sides of discharge slots 34 . a discharge plane oriented parallel with air plenum section 23 and the outside skirt 18 provides a plane of reference for the orientation of the pattern controllers 40 . separator panels 20 extend substantially parallel to the outside skirts 18 and the air plenum sections 23 ( the discharge plane ) on either side of the active beam 10 . the separator panels 20 comprise inner sides of discharge slots 34 on either side of the active beam 10 . in addition , the separator panels 20 define a return air intake 30 at the center of the active beam 10 between the separator panels 20 . a decorative grille 32 covers the return air intake 30 . a heating / cooling coil 28 is mounted above the grille 32 and in the path of room air entering the housing 12 from the occupied space through the return air intake 30 and into a mixing chamber 36 adjacent the heating / cooling coil 28 . in operation , primary conditioned air is connected to the plenum 22 through a primary air inlet 24 , which is connected to an hvac system ( not shown ) that produces dry , conditioned air for heating or cooling the occupied space beneath the active beam 10 . the conditioned air in the pressurized plenum 22 is discharged through induction nozzles 26 at high velocity into the mixing chamber 36 . the low pressure created in the mixing chamber 36 by the high velocity air from the nozzles 26 induces the flow of room air into the mixing chamber 36 through the return air intake 30 and through the heating / cooling coil 28 . the mixture of conditioned air and room air is then discharged into the discharge slots 34 in an initial direction parallel to the sides of the discharge slots 34 ( parallel to the discharge plane ) and parallel to the end panels 19 of the active beam 10 ( parallel to the end panel plane ). in order to control the distribution of the mixture of air discharged from the discharge slots 34 , the directional pattern controllers 40 are positioned within the discharge slots 34 . each directional pattern controller 40 comprises a series of hinged , planar paddles 46 installed along the length of the discharge slots 34 . each paddle 46 has a hinge edge 56 , a separator edge 58 , a lower edge 60 , and an outside edge 62 . in order to install the directional pattern controllers 40 in the discharge slots 34 , a mounting base 42 is attached to the air plenum section 23 on each side of the active beam 10 . the mounting base 42 extends along the length of the active beam 10 . a series of triangular hinge plates 44 are mounted on the mounting base 42 and are spaced evenly along the length of the active beam 10 . each hinge plate 44 is a planar plate in the shape of a right triangle with a hypotenuse 45 . the plane of the hinge plate is oriented perpendicular to the air plenum section 23 ( perpendicular to the discharge plane ) and parallel to the plane of the perpendicularly mounted end panels 19 ( parallel to the end panel plane ). the hypotenuse 45 of the mounting base 42 is oriented at approximately a 60 °± 20 ° angle to the air plenum section 23 ( the discharge plane ) and is oriented parallel to the end panels 19 ( the end panel plane ). therefore , the hypotenuse 35 is oriented at approximately a 60 °± 20 ° angle to the initial air flow direction as the discharge air enters the discharge slots 34 . a hinge 50 positioned along the hypotenuse 45 of the hinge plate 44 defines an axis of rotation 51 and rotatably connects the hinge edge 56 of the paddle 46 to the hinge edge 45 of the hinge plate 44 . fig3 - 7 show a ganged group of four paddles 46 a - 46 d . the four paddles are connected by means of a connecting rod 54 attached to the lower corner of each paddle 46 a - 46 d . one of the paddles , paddle 46 c , represents a master paddle that controls the positioning of the other slave paddles 46 a , 46 b , and 46 d by means of the connecting rod 54 . the angular position of the master paddle 46 c is maintained by means of an index keeper 52 comprising a set of notches 53 that engage the outside edge 62 of the master paddle 46 c . particularly , the notches 53 engage the outside edge 62 of the master paddle 46 c to retain the master paddle 46 c in rotational increments of 15 ° between − 45 ° and + 45 ° of rotation about the hinge 50 c ( the axis of rotation 51 ). other rotational increments and range of rotation are well within the scope of the present invention . further , as previously indicated , each individual paddle could be associated with its own index keeper 52 so that each individual paddle 46 could be individually adjusted . because the hinge 50 ( and the axis of rotation 51 ) is set at approximately a 60 °± 20 ° angle to the air plenum sections 23 ( the discharge plane ) and parallel to the end panels 19 ( the end panel plane ), the rotation of the paddle 46 about the hinge 50 causes the plane of the paddle 46 to move along a double compound angle with both vertical and horizontal displacement ( i . e . displacement perpendicular to the end panel plane and displacement perpendicular to the discharge plane ). the double compound angle helps assure that the air passing through the discharge slots 34 is properly directed to ensure the best combination of efficiency , quiet operation , and draft free performance . one performance parameter relates to the coanda effect at low air flows / pressure . the coanda effect refers to the tendency of the discharged air to move along the ceiling of the occupied space . because of the double compound angle rotation of the paddles 46 , the paddles 46 can be positioned to maintain the coanda pattern at lower static pressures . another performance parameter relates to the throw and spread of the discharged air as the air leaves the discharge slots 34 . particularly , throw refers to the distance that air travels perpendicularly away from the active beam along the ceiling of the occupied space , and spread refers to the travel of the air parallel to the active beam along the ceiling of the occupied space . the air should spread as uniformly as possible over a short throw distance to ensure even heating of the occupied space . fig8 depicts the spread pattern of an 8 foot long active beam 10 with the pattern controllers 40 , and fig9 depicts the spread pattern and 8 foot long active beam 10 without the pattern controllers 40 . both charts depict the air flow of the active beam 10 at a velocity of 50 feet per minute ( fpm ). the ceiling of the occupied space is represented by the chart with each division being one square foot . consequently , the area inside the line on the chart charts in fig8 and 9 indicates the spread and throw of the air from the 8 foot active beam 10 . the active beam 10 in fig8 with pattern controllers 40 has a throw of approximately 8 feet and a spread of approximately 12 feet . by comparison , the active beam 10 in fig9 without pattern controllers 40 has a throw of approximately 14 feet and a spread of less than 8 feet , the length of the active beam 10 . because of the double compound angle rotation of the paddles 46 , the paddles 46 can be positioned to produce a spread that is very even ( see fig8 ), and the presence of the paddles 46 can effectively halve the throw distance for a discharge velocity of the 50 feet per minute ( fpm ) as compared to a conventional active beam without the paddles 46 ( fig9 ). capacity is also an important performance parameter . fig1 shows the cooling capacity of an active beam in three configurations : a conventional active beam without pattern controllers 40 ( line 104 ), an active beam 10 with metal paddles 46 ( line 100 ), and an active beam 10 with plastic injection molded paddles 46 ( line 102 ). the x - axis of the graph shows air flow through the active beam 10 measured in cubic feet per minute of air flow per length in feet of the active beam . the y - axis of the graph shows the heat transfer by the active beam 10 measured in btu per hour per length of the active beam 10 . consequently , fig1 demonstrates that the capacity , the heat transferred per hour at various air flows , of the active beam is not degraded by the addition of the pattern controllers 40 . sound is a further operating parameter that should be considered for the active beam 10 . fig1 shows the sound performance of the active beam 10 in three configurations : a conventional active beam without pattern controllers ( line 104 ), the active beam 10 with metal paddles 46 ( line 100 ), and the active beam 10 with plastic injection molded paddles 46 ( line 102 ). the x - axis of the graph shows static pressure of the air in the plenum 22 of the active beam 10 measured in inches of water . the y - axis of the graph shows the noise created by the active beam 10 measured in noise criteria ( nc ) levels . again , the difference in sound performance is not significantly degraded by the use of the pattern controllers 40 . because many configurations for aligning the pattern controllers exist , installers can set up the spread pattern and throw distances on a case by case basis to optimize capacity , sound , and spread and throw . the images in fig1 show some typical spread and throw patterns . while this invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and as described in the appended claims . | 5 |
for your esteemed members of reviewing committee to further understand and recognize the fulfilled functions and structural characteristics of the invention , several preferable embodiments cooperating with detailed description are presented as the follows . please refer to fig2 , which is a schematic view of the rfid system for monitoring food hygiene according to the present invention . as seen in fig2 , the rfid system comprises : a storing space 20 , which can be a container ; a billing space 21 , having a displaying device 7 and a rfid reader 8 disposed therein ; a holder 2 with a rfid tag 3 attached thereto ; a food product 1 , disposed inside the holder 2 ; an environmental sensor 6 , capable of detecting environmental information like temperature and moisture and transmitting the detected information to a micro processor 4 ; the micro processor 4 , for processing the detected information transmitted from the sensor 6 ; and a rfid reader 5 , being activated by the micro processor 4 to write the detected information into the rfid tag 3 along with the time of detection ; wherein the micro processor 4 , the rfid reader 5 and the environmental sensor 6 are disposed in a storing space 20 while electrically connected to each other , and the displaying device 7 is electrically connected to the rfid reader 8 . as the holder 2 with the food product 1 disposed therein is transported to the billing space 21 , such as a convenient store , and is purchased by a consumer , the rfid tag 3 attached to the holder 2 will be read by the rfid reader 8 so that the information relating to a distribution process of the food product 1 like temperature and expiration date is displayed on the displaying device 7 enabling the consumer to confirm the freshness of the food product 1 . thereafter , the food product 1 is removed from the holder 2 so that the holder 2 along with the rfid tag 3 attached thereto can be recycled . please refer to fig3 , which is composed of a production stage 30 shown in fig3 a , a distribution stage 40 shown in fig3 b and a sale stage 50 shown in fig3 c and is a flowchart of the rfid food hygiene control method according to the present invention . fig3 a is a flow chart of production stage 30 showing the process of a food product after being produced by a kitchen . the production stage of fig3 a comprises the steps of : step 31 : attaching a rfid tag onto the food product ; in that the attaching can be performed as putting the food product inside a container with passive rfid tag 3 attached thereto while encoding the basic information of the food product 1 into the rfid tag , wherein the container has a distinct identification code , and the basic information includes manufacture date , expiration date , ingredients , and so on ; step 32 : storing the food product in a fridge of the kitchen ; step 33 : enabling the sensor to detect the information of the fridge , wherein the information includes the temperature and moisture of the fridge ; step 34 : transmitting the detected information to the processor , wherein the transmitting can be performed in a manner of wired transmission or wireless transmission ; step 35 : using a rfid accessing device enabled by the processor to write the detected information into the rfid tag , wherein the connection between the first rfid accessing device and the processor is achieved by a means selected from the group consisting of a wired connection and a wireless connection ; step 36 : moving the food product to the cold storage of a transportation unit , wherein the transportation unit can be a ship , a truck or an airplane , etc . fig3 b is a flow chart of distribution stage 40 . the distribution stage of fig3 b comprises the steps of : step 41 : enabling the sensor to detect the information of the cold storage of the transportation unit , wherein the information includes the temperature and moisture of cold storage of the transportation unit ; step 42 : transmitting the detected information to the processor , wherein the transmitting can be performed in a manner of wired transmission or wireless transmission ; step 43 : using a rfid accessing device enabled by the processor to write the detected information into the rfid tag , wherein the connection between the first rfid accessing device and the processor is achieved by a means selected from the group consisting of a wired connection and a wireless connection ; step 44 : moving the food product to a fridge of a store . fig3 c is a flow chart of sale stage 40 . the sale stage of fig3 c comprises the steps of : step 51 : enabling the sensor to detect the information of the fridge of the store , wherein information includes the temperature and moisture of the fridge of the store ; step 52 : transmitting the detected information to the processor , wherein the transmitting can be performed in a manner of wired transmission or wireless transmission ; step 53 : using a rfid accessing device enabled by the processor to write the detected information into the rfid tag , wherein the connection between the first rfid accessing device and the processor is achieved by a means selected from the group consisting of a wired connection and a wireless connection , and as the detected information indicates a specific limit being exceeded , i . e . the food product is not fresh , the manager of the store is informed so that the manager can remove the stale food product using a handheld rfid reader ; step 54 : using an rfid accessing device to read the information resided in the rfid tag while the food product with the rfid tag attached thereto is fetched by a consumer , wherein the rfid accessing device is disposed outside the fridge of the store or at the billing counter of the store ; step 55 : an evaluation is being made by the consumer to determining whether to purchase the food product according to the freshness of the food product as the detected information is displayed on the displaying device to be review by the consumer ; step 56 : paying the bill of the purchasing while the consumer decide to purchase the food product ; step 57 : separating the container containing the rfid tag from the food product so as to recycle the container along with the rfid tag ; step 58 : deleting the information resided in the rfid tag , where the deleting can be perform in a recycle factory ; step 59 : informing the manager of the store while the consumer decide not to purchase the food product since the information revealed on the displaying device indicates that the food product is not fresh , and thereafter the manager of the store is informed so that the manager can remove the stale food product using a handheld rfid reader . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the rfid tag can be a passive rfid tag , and the connection between the first rfid accessing device and the processor is achieved by a means selected from the group consisting of a wired connection and a wireless connection , moreover , the interrogation time as well as the positioning and coding of the accommodating space , such as the fridge of the kitchen , the cold storage of the truck and the fridge of the store , are written into the rfid tag by the processor simultaneously while the processor is writing the detected information like temperature and moisture into the rfid tag . in another preferred embodiment , the rfid tag is integrally formed with the environmental sensor such that the rfid tag is capable of detecting the environmental conditions like temperature and moisture by itself and thus enables the rfid system of the present invention to have a simpler structure . furthermore , the rfid system of the present invention further comprises an alarm device , which can be set up at the billing counter of a store or just outside the fridge of the store and is electrically connected to the rfid accessing device . the alarm device can be triggered to issue an alerting signal like a beeping sound or a flash to while the rfid accessing device detect a certain information resided in the rfid tag of a food product exceeds a specific standard value as the rfid accessing device is writing data therein or is reading data therein , by that a customer or a manager of the store can be remind that the corresponding food product is not in a desirable condition . from the above description , it is noted that the rfid system of the present invention is capable of informing food hygiene condition to a consumer in real - time , monitoring food hygiene condition during the whole distribution process without external support , and reducing manufacturing cost by recycling the rfid tag . while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure , modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art . accordingly , the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 6 |
referring now to the drawings in detail there is illustrated a preferred form of a tiered space saver or table top constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and which is designated generally in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 and which is comprised of a stand 11 , a base 12 , a plurality of trays 13 , 14 and 15 , and a handle 16 . the tiered space saver table top 10 may be manufactured out of metal , wood , hard rubber , plastic , or any other suitable satisfactory material providing an aesthetically pleasing and refined appearance , with the preferred embodiment being manufactured of a high density plastic material such as polyethylene , polystyrene , and the like which may be provided in a variety of colors appealing to prospective purchasers . the stand 11 is of a hollow open topped closed bottom cylindrical configuration having a bottom 21 and depending surrounding cylindrical side walls 22 extending upwardly therefrom and defining a cylindrical recess 23 interiorly thereof . the base 12 is of a flat circular disc shaped configuration having a top surface 31 , a bottom surface 32 , and an open topped cylindrical shaft 33 disposed concentric therewith and extending upwardly from the top surface thereof and terminating at an open top end 34 defining a passageway 35 interiorly thereof . the base 12 rests in recess 23 on bottom 21 concentric therewith and is rotatable therein in either direction about its central axis . each of the circular trays 13 - 15 are of an identical structure except for the dimensions thereof in that tray 15 is of a lesser diameter than tray 14 which , in turn , is of a lesser diameter than tray 13 , which , in turn , is of a lesser diameter than the base 12 . tray 13 is of a circular configuration having a flat disc shaped bottom surface 41 with depending vertically extending cylindrical side walls 42 extending upwardly from the peripheral edges thereof and defining interiorly thereof an open topped interior compartment 43 . disposed concentric with the bottom 41 and extending downwardly therefrom is a cylindrical boss 44 of a diameter less than the diameter of passageway 35 and is adapted to be received in the top end of the passageway with the top end 34 of the sleeve 33 restingly engaged against the bottom 41 about the boss 44 to rotatably support tray 13 thereon for rotation about its central axis . mounted concentric with bottom 41 in compartment 43 and projecting axially vertically upwardly therefrom is collar member 45 of a cylindrical configuration provided with a cylindrical bore 46 centrally thereof and opening out of the top 47 thereof . tray 14 is of a circular configuration having flat disc shaped bottom 51 with depending vertically upwardly extending cylindrical side walls 52 defining interiorly thereof compartment 53 . a cylindrical supporting shaft 54 is disposed concentric with bottom 51 and extends vertically downwardly therefrom terminating at bottom end 55 , the shaft being of a diameter to be received in recess or socket 46 in a snug but rotative manner . a cylindrical collar member 56 is disposed concentric of bottom 51 in compartment 53 and extends vertically upwardly therefrom and has defined therein a cylindrical socket 57 opening out of the top end 58 thereof . tray 15 is of a circular configuration having flat disc shaped bottom 61 , cylindrical depending upwardly extending side walls 62 , a cylindrical compartment 63 defined therein , a supporting shaft 64 of a cylindrical configuration disposed concentric with the bottom 61 projecting vertically downwardly therefrom and terminating in bottom end 65 and being of a diameter to be received in socket 57 and rotatable relative thereof , and a collar member 66 formed concentric in compartment 63 and projecting vertically upwardly therefrom and having an interiorly threaded socket 67 opening out of the top end 68 thereof . the handle 16 includes an elongated cylindrical shaft 71 threaded at its bottom end to be threadedly received in socket 67 , and terminating in its upper end in a closed loop 72 of a rectangular frame configuration adapted to be readily grasped in an individual &# 39 ; s hand . there is thus provided a tiered space saving device wherein each of the trays are independently rotatable relative to each other , and wherein the base is independently rotatable in the stand to provide each of access to items stored thereon . fig5 shows an alternate embodiment of a tiered table top for a dining table . a conventional table 73 is shown having a pedestal or supporting structure 75 and top 77 , which is circular in the preferred embodiment . the table 73 may be of any shape and size . conventional sizes include 36 , 42 and 48 inch widths . a tiered table top 79 is carried by the table 73 , and the tiered table top 79 will be sized appropriately , allowing eating space peripherally around the tiered table top 79 . the tiered table top 79 has a stand 80 mounted frictionally on the top of the table . the lower surface of the stand 80 may contain a rubber or textured layer ( not shown ) to prevent slippage about the table . stand 80 comprises a flat circular disc 81 having a short cylindrical side wall 83 about its perimeter . a smooth inner step 85 of lesser height than the outer portion of side wall 83 forms the inner portion of the side wall . step 85 is in the shape of a relatively thin annular ring and serves as a smooth bearing surface for a base tray , to be described below . a nylon bushing ( not shown ) may be placed on the step 85 to reduce friction is desired . a center shaft 87 rises vertically from the stand 80 . the shaft 87 is rigidly fastened to the stand so that it is nonrotatable , and may be integrally formed with the stand as indicated in the drawing . the shaft 87 is ascendingly reduced in diameter at several selected points , thereby forming shoulders 89 , 91 , 93 and 95 . the shoulders serve as a smooth bearing surface for respective trays or table tops , to be described hereinafter . nylon bushings or other bushings ( not shown ) may be placed on the shoulders to further reduce friction if desired . a base tray , or base table top , 97 rests upon the step 85 of the side wall and the lowermost shoulder 89 , which are of equal heighth . the smoothness of the bearing surfaces allow the base tray to be freely rotatable about shaft 87 . a center aperture 99 allows the base tray to be inserted over the shaft 87 and is slightly larger than the shaft diameter at that point . the perimeter of the base tray 97 has a curved lip 101 to prevent objects from sliding off , and the upper surface is flat for the placement of food dishes , indicated by numeral 100 . the lip 101 protrudes higher than the side wall 83 so that it may be gripped , for example , to rotate the base tray . the size of the base tray 97 may vary depending on the size of table 73 . there should be sufficient space surrounding base tray 97 for the placement of plates and glasses for the diners . for example , the base tray 97 may be 20 inches in diameter for a 42 inch diameter circular table 73 , thereby allowing 11 inches for the placement of plates . diameter for the base tray 97 may range from 16 to 24 inches . directly above the base tray 97 at selected intervals , shown as three in the embodiment , are a plurality of upper trays , or additional table tops , 103 , 105 , 107 , positioned respectively over shoulders 91 , 93 , 95 . each upper tray is similar to each other and to the base tray 97 , in that each contains a lip at the perimeter and an aperture at the center . as illustrated , the trays have ascendingly monotonically decreasing diameters , peripheral and central . expressed otherwise , each succcessively higher tray is smaller in diameter and has a smaller center aperture size than the adjacent lower tray . each center aperture is of slightly larger diameter than the shoulder upon which the particular tray is designed to be carried to reduce friction during rotation . each tray will fit only upon its respective shoulder . for example , upper tray 103 will fit only upon shoulder 91 , being too small to pass to shoulder 89 , and too large to remain on shoulders 93 or 95 . the upper surfaces of the upper trays are flat for the placement of food dishes . each upper tray or additional table top 103 , 105 , 107 also contains a tubular member or boss 113 rigidly attached or formed to the tray and extending upwardly from center aperture 91 . boss 113 fits closely over shaft 79 and extends upwardly a suffficient distance to prevent tipping of the tray if eccentrically loaded . the heighth of boss 113 may be in the range from 1 to 3 inches . the upper trays 103 , 105 , 107 are spaced apart from each other a distance sufficient for most food dishes to be placed thereon . which may be in the range from 5 to 8 inches , preferably 6 inches . the diameters of the upper trays may vary in diameter ; tray 103 being in the range from 12 to 20 inches . preferably 16 inches . tray 105 may be from 8 to 16 inches , preferably 12 inches , while the tray 107 , the uppermost may be from 6 to 10 inches , preferably 8 inches . a handle 109 is rigidly mounted to the top of shaft 87 , as by threads 111 . the handle 109 is of a configuration , shown as a circular loop , that is comfortable to grip while lifting the stand . the tiered table top 79 is utilized by first placing the stand 80 and trays securely on the table 73 . food dishes may be placed on the trays , with the heavier dishes on the base tray . it may be readily seen that an invention having significant advantages has been provided . each tray is independently rotatable , and in the second embodiment , rotation of one will not affect the others . the base tray in the second embodiment is easily rotatable as well , yet will withstand heavy food dishes without tipping since the step 85 directly bears any tilting forces . construction is simple , yet an effective surface for rotation is provided . while a rubber or textured layer on the bottom of stand 80 has been described for preventing slippage on the table , a plurality of suction cups may be employed , if desired . suitable furniture oil or the like can be employed to prevent marring fine furniture and the suction cups prevent any chance of tipping ; even when the table top is eccentrically loaded and inadvertently hit by a guest taking or replacing a dish or the like . it is to be understood that the two forms of this invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same , and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape , size , and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention , the scope of the novel concepts thereof , or the scope of the sub - joined claims . | 0 |
referring more particularly to the drawings , fig1 and 1a illustrate a preferred embodiment of a yarn winding apparatus in accordance with the present invention , and which comprises a yarn traversing system 1 with a cross - spiralled roll 2 and a traversing yarn guide 3 . the traversing yarn guide 3 reciprocates in the grooves 4 of the cross - spiralled roll and is guided in a straight line in a guideway 5 . the traversing yarn guide 3 traverses a yarn 6 on a tubular bobbin 7 so as to form a cross - wound package 8 . the bobbin 7 is firmly clamped on a winding spindle 9 . 1 , and the winding spindle 9 . 1 is driven in a rotational direction 10 by a spindle motor 20 . 1 . during the winding operation , a second winding spindle 9 . 2 with a bobbin 7 clamped thereon is on standby . likewise on standby is an auxiliary yarn guide 11 , which is further described below . the winding spindle 9 . 2 can be driven by a motor 20 . 2 . a motor 31 serves to drive the yarn traversing system . the motors 31 ; 20 . 1 ; 20 . 2 can be started , stopped and varied in their speed independently of each other by a programmable control means 30 . during normal operation of the winder , the rotational speed of the spindle decreases , since the yarn speed remains constant , while the diameter of the bobbin increases . the traverse speed , however , is essentially constant ( random winding ) or is altered within a certain narrow range having an upper and a lower limit ( step precision winding ). the packages may also be driven by a guide roll , which is not shown in fig1 and a . in such an event , the guide roll contacts the package surface and is driven at a constant speed . in the embodiment of fig2 - 6 , a turret 18 is provided which is rotatable about an axis 19 , and which accommodates the winding spindles 9 . 1 and 9 . 2 which are freely rotatable and project therefrom in cantilever fashion . the yarn traversing system also includes a guide roll 21 , which is partially looped by the yarn 6 , and which either rests against the package or forms with the package a very small gap , so that the trailing length l1 of the yarn is very short between the guide roll and the package . the yarn traversing system is mounted on a carriage 22 , which is illustrated in fig2 and movable in a vertical direction . further details of the illustrated yarn traversing system may be obtained , for example , from u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 797 , 767 and 3 , 861 , 607 . however , these are examples only and other traverse devices may be used such as , for example , shown in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 505 , 436 . after or shortly before a winding operation is completed , i . e ., when the package 8 . 1 at the winding position is almost full , the axial distance between the guide roll 21 and the fill bobbin is increased , so that the guide roll 21 completely releases the package 8 . 1 . this is accomplished in the example which is shown by the carriage 22 moving first upwardly in a direction 23 and , as sown in fig4 by the turret 18 being rotated in direction 24 , until the winding spindle 9 . 2 with an empty bobbin 7 . 2 placed thereon enters into the yarn path . as a result thereof , the trailing length l2 is considerably increased between the point from which the yarn leaves the grooved roll , and the point at which the yarn contacts the full package 8 . 1 , and the displacement stroke is correspondingly decreased . concurrently therewith , the winding spindle 9 . 2 with empty bobbin 7 . 2 clamped thereon moves in direction of arrow 24 into the plane of the yarn path to the final or winding position shown in fig5 . in this regard , it will be noted that the empty bobbin is being rotated in a direction such that the surface movement on the side thereof adjacent the yarn path of travel opposes the direction of yarn movement . as a result of the increase of the trailing length from l1 to l2 , the displacement stroke h which is defined by the traversing stroke ch of yarn guide 3 , is reduced , i . e ., the winding length is decreased relative to the displacement stroke h2 . this reduced displacement stroke h2 makes it possible to axially shift the winding spindle 9 . 1 in direction 15 by an amount a , without the yarn which is still in the traversing system dropping from the surface of the package . a is smaller than h = h - h2 / 2 . it should be emphasized for completeness sake that the winding spindle 9 . 2 with the empty bobbin 7 . 2 remains in its original position when the yarn is changed , i . e ., it is not axially displaced . now the winding spindle 9 . 1 is axially moved in direction 15 in such a manner that , for example , the left front end surface of the full package 8 . 1 approximately coincides with the left end of the shortened displacement stroke . the axial displacement of the winding spindle 9 . 1 results in a spacing b between the right front end surface of the full package 8 and the right front end surface of the new displacement stroke h2 , with b being greater than h , but smaller than 2h . at this time , the auxiliary yarn guide 11 is moved from its position shown in dashed lines in fig1 into the plane of the yarn path 6 . as a result , the yarn is lifted out of the traversing yarn guide 3 and caught in a yarn guide slot 56 . the auxiliary yarn guide is then moved in the direction of arrow 16 , as is shown in fig1 and the yarn is moved out of the range of the traversing stroke ch , slightly beyond a yarn slot 17 provided in each bobbin 7 . 2 , however , not beyond the normal plane of the right front end surface of the full package 8 in its axially displaced position . the length of movement c of auxiliary yarn guide 11 beyond the right edge of the normal displacement stroke h , which is shown in dashed lines on the chuck 9 . 2 , is accordingly greater than , or at the most equal to , the distance which the yarn slot 17 is from the right edge of the normal displacement stroke h . however , the length of movement c is smaller than the amount a , by which the winding spindle 9 . 1 is axially displaced . thus , as shown in fig1 it is ensured that the yarn can be moved in the normal plane of the yarn slot , and in so doing , however , will not drop from the circumference of the full package 8 , and it will continue to be wound on the full package and be advanced thereby even while it is being caught . the yarn catching means for textile yarns is preferably arranged as a slot on the circumference of the bobbin 7 . 2 and located somewhat outside of the winding range h . in the range of the normal plane , in which this slot is located , the auxiliary yarn guide 11 performs a very slow axial movement in and through said normal plane , so as to ensure that the yarn is caught . then , the auxiliary yarn guide is returned at a high speed to the range of the normal traversing stroke , so that , as results from fig1 only few windings of a yarn transfer tail 26 are wound between the yarn slot 17 and the right end side of the normal winding range h . as soon as the auxiliary yarn guide 11 reaches the traversing range ch , it will be returned to its initial position , so that the yarn is again caught by the traversing devices and displaced so as to form a new cross - wound package . now , the winding spindle 9 . 2 or respectively the empty bobbin placed thereon as well as the carriage 22 are moved back to their initial position in that the turret 18 is further rotated . the operating or winding position of the winding spindle 9 . 2 is shown in fig6 . as also seen in fig6 the carriage 22 has been again lowered . deviating from the foregoing figures , it is here shown that the drive during the winding may also be effected by a drive roll 20 , which is driven at a constant circumferential speed and mounted on the carriage 22 . in this embodiment , the drive motors 20 . 1 , 20 . 2 are inoperative during the normal winding operation . illustrated in fig7 - 9 and 7a - 9a are speed diagrams of the package doff . the operating sequences as suggested by the present invention are described below with reference to these speed diagrams . in the speed diagrams , vu indicates the circumferential speed of the package . during the winding of manmade fibers , for example , circumferential speeds of 5 , 000 m / min are possible . vc is the traversing speed . during the winding of manmade fibers at a circumferential speed of the package of 5 , 000 m / min ., the traversing speed is 700 m / min . for producing a crossing angle of 8 °. for example , it should be noted that for purposes of avoiding or eliminating pattern formations the traversing speed normally does not remain constant during a winding cycle , but is varied according certain programs about an average value or within predetermined ranges . these variations have no consequence within the scope of the present invention and are disregarded in the present description . within the scope of the present invention , the traversing speed is defined as the average traversing speed . vf is the yarn winding speed . the yarn winding speed is the geometric sum of the circumferential and traversing speeds . a circumferential speed of 5 , 000 m / min . and a traversing speed 700 m / min . result in a yarn winding speed of 5 , 050 m / min . from this , it will be seen that the yarn winding speed decreases by almost 1 % when the traversing motion is discontinued . the yarn winding speed vf is the speed by which the yarn is wound onto the package . this speed is related to the speed by which the yarn is delivered to the winder by the preceding delivery system . the delivery system , delivery rolls for example , which deliver the yarn at a constant speed are , for example , conventional godets and are not shown in fig1 to 5 . there is a certain difference between the delivery speed of the delivery system and the yarn winding speed vf . this difference is chosen such that the yarn is wound with a certain yarn tension on the package . the difference is not identical with the value dv as discussed below . dv is the difference of the yarn winding speed between the nominal value of the yarn winding speed vf and the winding speed during the doffing phase . if dv becomes greater than the previously discussed difference between the delivery speed and the actual yarn winding speed , the yarn tension will become zero and the yarn will slacken , and there is the danger of wrappers or laps occurring on the preceding delivery system or on the winder . alpha represents the crossing angle ( i . e . the angle between the yarn wound on the package and a tangent to the package intersecting the yarn ). as to the diagrams it should be noted that the speeds and times plotted therein are not to scale . fig7 - 9 illustrate several embodiments of a method of doffing a package , in which the traversing speed vc is considerably reduced before the traversing motion stops , and in accordance with the present invention . in the operating phase i , in which the package is wound under its nominal conditions , the mean value of the traversing speed is constant . consequently , the circumferential and traversing speeds add to the constant value of the yarn speed vf . also , since the circumferential speed is constant , the rotational speed of the spindle necessarily gradually decreases as the package builds . at the end of the winding cycle of phase i , the traversing speed may be reduced slightly ( about 10 to 20 %) and steadily in a phase ii . this results in a change of the crossing angle . this reduction is known per se and is thus not a part of the present invention . consequently , the phase ii is not a part of the package doff , but a part of a normal winding cycle . it is , furthermore , known by u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 504 , 021 and 4 , 504 , 024 to build up a random winding and to decrease the traverse speed at the end of the build - up in proportion to the decreasing rate of rotation of the spindle . therefore , at the end of the winding , a precision winding is produced . also here , the decrease of the traverse speed is very low and is less than 10 to 20 % depending on the diameter of the package and the denier of the yarn . the relatively slight decrease of the traversing speed in phase ii , as discussed above , does not call for measures to influence the length at which the yarn is deposited on the package . although it is known that a decrease of the traversing speed results in an increase of the displacement length h of the yarn on the package , such an increase is , however , so small that the reduction of the traversing speed in phase ii is inconsequential . in phase iii , the package doff is initiated and the traversing speed is reduced steadily to a fraction of its nominal value , i . e ., the value which the traversing speed has at the end of the winding cycle . as a specific example , the traversing speed may be reduced by more than half of its nominal value . also , the rate of change of the decreasing traverse speed is greater than the rate of change of the decreasing rotational speed of the bobbin during the end portion of phase ii . as is shown in fig3 phase iii is initiated in that the carriage 22 first moves upwardly , thereby creating an adequate spacing between the guide roll 21 and the full package 8 . 1 . the traversing speed then starts to decrease considerably , and the turret 18 rotates at the same time , so that the spacing between the guide roll 21 and the full package 8 . 1 becomes greater and greater ( fig4 ). this also results in an increase of the trailing length between the guide roll 21 and the full package and thus in a tendency to decrease the displacement length of the yarn on the package . this decrease in the displacement length compensates for the increase of the displacement length which occurs by reason of the traversing speed being reduced , and is sufficiently great that the shortening of the stroke 2h occurs as was explained with reference to fig1 . subsequently , in a phase iv , the considerably reduced traversing speed may be maintained for a certain , short period of time . in a following phase v , the traversing speed is entirely discontinued . however , it is also possible to immediately stop the traversing motion without interposing the phase iv , when a considerably reduced value of the traversing speed is reached . as noted above , the traversing motion is discontinued in that after the movement of the auxiliary yarn guide 11 in the portion of the package doff illustrated in fig5 the yarn is lifted out of traversing yarn guide 3 and placed on the empty bobbin 7 . 2 on winding spindle 9 . 2 by an axial movement of the auxiliary yarn guide , as explained above with reference to fig1 . after the yarn is caught , a new package will be formed . to this end , the traversing speed is restored in phase vi to its last value . it should be noted that it is also possible to restore the traversing speed to a different value . when the traversing speed restarts at a reduced value , a phase vii follows , in which a basic layer of preferably no more than 10 % of the entire layer thickness of the package is wound , and in which the traversing speed steadily increases to its nominal value . now , phase i of the winding cycle follows , in which the traversing speed is left at its preselected , maximum value and is , on the average , kept constant . then , the operating phases ii , iii , iv , v and vi follow again . the above sequence of the traversing speed is also selected for the embodiments of fig8 and 9 . in these embodiments , it should be noted that the phases iv and vi , in which the traversing speed is left at its considerably reduced value , may be omitted . in such event , the traversing speed remains until the end of the winding cycle at the value which it has in phase i . further , it is also possible to restore the traversing speed after a package doff , i . e ., phase v , at any value between the value of operating phase i and the lowest value of operating phase iii . illustrated in fig7 and 7a is a method , in which the circumferential speed of the package remains constant during the doffing phase . if the circumferential speed remains constant in the described operating sequence of the traversing speed , the winding speed vf will decrease along with the reduction of the traversing speed vc . when the traversing speed terminates , the winding speed vf drops by an amount dv to the circumferential speed vu of the package . however , since the traversing speed has been already reduced considerably , the jump of the yarn slackening is relatively small and , consequently , in many cases acceptable for the winding method . with reference to fig8 and 8a , a method is described , in which the circumferential speed vu of the package is increased at a rate which is proportional to the decrease of the traversing speed vc , and in such a manner that the winding speed vf remains substantially constant . this variation of the circumferential speed of the package is possible only when the decrease of the traversing speed is time - dependent , i . e ., occurs slowly and steadily , because of the large mass of the package and winding spindle . it is not possible to suddenly increase the circumferential speed of the package when the traversing motion discontinues . however , this is not needed in the method of the present invention , since the difference dv , by which the winding speed vf decreases when the traversing motion terminates after a meanwhile increased circumferential speed , is only very small . for example , when the traversing speed is decreased before the traversing motion stops to an extent that the crossing angle is only 3 °, and when simultaneously the circumferential speed is increased so that the yarn winding speed remains substantially constant , the loss dv of the yarn winding speed is only very small , i . e ., 0 . 14 %, at the moment in which the traversing motion stops . this means that only a very slight slackening of the yarn will occur . in the method of fig9 and 9a , which corresponds in its phases i , ii , vii to that of fig8 and 8a , the circumferential speed is so much increased while the traversing speed is reduced in operating phase iii , that the winding speed increases . in the illustrated embodiment , the circumferential speed is increased up to the value of the nominal winding speed . as a result , the actual value of the winding speed increases above its nominal value . this means , on the other hand , that during the package doffing phase in which the traversing motion discontinues during the operating phase v , the actual value of the winding speed is close to its nominal value , i . e , the same as its nominal value in the illustrated embodiment . however , also in this method a decrease dv of the winding speed is unavoidable when the traversing motion discontinues in operating phase v . yet , this decrease is not greater than in the method of fig8 and 8a , and otherwise moves on a high yarn tension level , so that there is no need to fear a sagging of the yarn , which might lead to an interruption of the winding process . fig7 also illustrates in dashed lines the course of the spacing a between the yarn traversing system and the package during the package doffing phases . it should be noted that the same course may also apply to the methods of fig8 and 9 . the spacing a is here defined to be equal to the trailing length l1 between the guide roll 21 and the package 8 . 1 . the situation is such that with regard to the law under which the yarn is deposited on the package , the guide roll 21 is to be added to the yarn traversing system . the yarn is deposited on the package in the same manner as the traversing yarn guide 3 deposits it on the guide roll 21 . as aforesaid , at the start of phase iii the carriage 22 moves upwardly , and thus the spacing a between the guide roll and the package is increased . this procedure may first be carried out concurrently with the considerable reduction of the traversing speed which occurs in the phase iii . the end of this enlargement of the spacing follows the end of phase iii . thereafter , the spacing a remains constant for a while . after the traversing speed is entirely discontinued in phase v , after the package is doffed and after the new spindle is brought to its operating position , the traversing speed is restored in phase ii . at the same time , however , the carriage is again lowered , and as a result thereof the spacing between the guide roll and the new package is again decreased . preferably , the carriage is again moved to its operating position , and the guide roll is again brought into contact with the package , before the phase vii starts with the increase of the traversing speed . as a result of this decrease of the spacing the traversing stroke , the length at which the yarn is deposited on the package is increased , so that a basic layer is wound on the package , which has a greater length than the remainder of the package . this decrease of the spacing occurs preferably after the traversing speed is restored , i . e . after the completion of phase v . both the decrease of the spacing a and the increase of the traverse speed contribute to building up a conical basic layer . in the drawings and specification , there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention , and although specific terms are employed , they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation . | 1 |
in exemplary embodiments , the systems and methods described herein arrange a lattice of superconducting qubits on a skew symmetric lattice so that a universal quantum computer with the surface code can be implemented . in this way a reduced number of identifiers is realized ( i . e ., about five identifiers ). to realize a surface code with superconducting qubits , a “ skew - square ” ( or pythagorean ) lattice of resonators can be implemented as in fig1 , which illustrates a skew square lattice arrangement 100 . each qubit 105 is coupled to two physical connections ( e . g ., resonators 110 , 115 ). the resonators 110 , 115 can be resonant cavities in the case of superconducting qubit technology . the skew - square lattice arrangement 100 has the benefit in that a single qubit only couples to at most two resonators . for example , as shown in fig1 , one qubit 105 couples to two resonators 110 , 115 . in exemplary embodiments , the systems and methods described herein implement a surface code mapping with fewer “ ancilla ” qubits than previously implemented ( i . e ., one ancilla qubit per data qubit ) and show that with this arrangement fewer different unique labels are implemented ( e . g ., up to about nine different unique labels ). the systems and methods described herein implement arrangements for the surface code and include respective frequencies . in exemplary embodiments , the systems and methods described herein arrange superconducting qubits for the implementation of a universal quantum computer using the surface code on a skew symmetric lattice . for a surface code quantum computer , each data qubit is controllably coupled to its four neighboring ancilla qubits in order to perform a series of four controlled not ( cnot ) gates which implement a step in the error correction procedure . the surface code is a two - dimensional grid with each qubit coupling to its four neighbors and so on . in order to implement the surface code , controllers for surface code systems address two qubits at once and perform a two - qubit entangling gate ( for example the cnot gate ). on this two - dimensional grid , at least at least five different unique labels are required for the cnot gates to be realized without cross - talk . for example , with superconducting qubits , the unique labels can be realized with different frequencies or tunable interactions . in superconducting qubits the interactions between the qubits are generally performed by a quantum bus ( e . g ., a co - planner resonator or 3d waveguide cavity ). by implementing a quantum bus , physical design can be realized in which every qubit is only coupled to at most two quantum buses . it has been shown that the surface code could be implemented on a skew symmetric lattice with many of the qubits acting only as ancilla qubits to simulate the effect of the fourfold connectivity implemented by the surface code . in exemplary embodiments , the systems and methods described herein implement a surface code in which the lattice can be modified to reduce the number of identifiers and labels , while maintaining the advantages of the known surface code . the systems and methods described herein enable an efficient mapping of the surface code onto the “ snub - square ” lattice . as such , half the qubits are implemented as data qubits and half the qubits are implemented as measurement “ ancillas .” one mapping has been shown to achieve only ⅕ of the qubits for data . fig2 illustrates a surface code lattice mapping 200 , which is a simple square lattice of data qubits that has been deformed into a tiling of trapezoids . the example in fig2 is a distorted square lattice representing the lattice for the surface code . in the example , the qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 are spread out on the intersections of lattice points . surface code measurements can be thought of as taking place in a middle point 230 of the resulting trapezoid shapes , measuring the x or z parity of the four surrounding qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 . the ancillas / measurements are done on the interior of each resulting trapezoid shape defined by the qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 . fig3 illustrates an example of a “ snub - square ” lattice arrangement 300 . for illustrative purposes , the same four qubits as in fig2 are illustrated . resulting trapezoid shapes are no longer shown . instead , ancilla qubits 335 , 340 are shown . the ancilla qubit 340 is connected to the four data qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 whose parity the ancilla qubit , 340 measures . similarly , ancilla qubit 335 measures the parities of the qubits on the vertices of next trapezoid to the right , consisting of qubits 205 , 220 and two more not labeled here . each of the ancilla qubits 335 measure x parities , and each of the ancilla qubits e 340 measure z parities , or vice versa . fig4 illustrates an example of a full lattice arrangement 400 . for illustrative purposes , each of the data qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 and each ancilla qubit 335 , 340 are shown . in addition , physical connections 450 , 455 ( e . g ., resonators ) are shown . each qubit 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 , 335 , 340 is coupled to the closest two physical connections 450 , 455 . connectivity though the physical connections 450 , 455 can implement all the required measurement connections of the overlaid snub - square lattice . as such , the layout of the physical connections 450 , 455 and qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 , 335 , 340 in the example in fig4 , includes the connectivity of the snub - square lattice 300 of fig3 . the layout has each qubit connected to only two physical connections . the layout 400 is a lattice with the p4g wallpaper group symmetry . a wallpaper group ( or plane symmetry group or plane crystallographic group ) is a mathematical classification of a two - dimensional repetitive pattern , based on the symmetries in the pattern . fig5 illustrates connection - wise equivalent layout 500 to that of fig4 . the various snub - squares have been stretched into squares , and the resonators have been expanded to fill their squares , representing the fact that they couple to all surrounding qubits . the qubits ( not shown ) are at the corners of each square , data qubits spread out on various alternating squares , and the remaining corners are the ancilla / measurement qubits . the layout 400 can optionally be deformed into the existing skew - square layout without changing its basic connectivity properties . the skew - square layout has the additional advantage that the physical distance between qubits directly across a physical connection can be increased . in exemplary embodiments , there are many possible combinations of layouts of the previous figures ( depending on various constraints explained below ) of the layout such that each qubit has an “ identity label ” that differs from every other qubit to which it may need to be connected by a cnot in carrying out the surface code . additionally , these other qubits also have different labels than one another , which allow addressability of both qubits involved in a cnot , while isolating them from other qubits . this labeling scheme is general enough to support various gate control schemes , as well as gates other than the cnot . because the physical connections in our layout connect some qubits which need not be connected in the surface code ( see fig4 ), the exemplary embodiments described herein have that the qubits connected by physical connections also have distinct labels . fig5 shows how the snub - square lattice can be stretched into a traditional square lattice . the squares are stretched versions of the resonators from fig4 . data qubits are located at the upper - right and lower - left corners of a first set of alternating squares and ancilla qubits are located at the remaining corners ( the qubits are not shown ). the lattice could be physically arranged this way as well , but the example in fig5 illustrates the isomorphism to the simple square arrangement of the surface code . the labels can then be written down as simple tables of numbers , corresponding to the grid points in fig5 . in exemplary embodiments , the systems and methods described herein can arrange the surface code connections to be addressable as above as described in the previous example , having five labels . in this way , each row repeats the pattern 123451234512345 , and each consecutive row shifts the starting number by 2 . in other exemplary embodiments , if the data qubits 205 , 210 , 215 are to have different labels from the ancilla qubits 335 , 340 then eight labels can be implemented . the first row has the pattern 1a2b1a2b1a2b , the next row is c3d4c3d4c3d4 , the next is 2b1a2b1a2b1a ( the first row shifted by two places ), the next row is d4c3d4c3d4c3 ( the second row shifted by two places ) and then the pattern repeats . numbers correspond to data qubits and letters to ancilla qubits . in further exemplary embodiments , if isolation and addressability is implemented , such that every qubit connected through two physical connections has a distinct label , then nine labels can be implemented . in exemplary embodiments , the pattern 123456789123456789 is implemented on the first row , then shifted by three on the next row , and so on , which allows for every qubit to have the addressability to have two - qubit gates performed between it and every qubit to which is connected by a physical connection . in exemplary embodiments , another implementation of nine labels is illustrated in fig6 . fig6 illustrates a physical lattice of qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 , 335 , 340 and physical connections 450 , 455 as in fig4 , but with the snub square overly removed for clarity . in the example of fig6 , there are nine different types of qubits , noting that there are different shapes to the data qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 . the red and green qubits are the ancillas , while the blue qubits are the data . the large shaded square 605 shows the extent of a unit cell of the lattice ( the area after which it repeats ). in the example , the data qubits 205 , 210 , 215 , 220 and the ancilla qubits 335 , 340 have different labels , and enough addressability so that every data qubit can have two - qubit gates applied between it and every data qubit to which it is joined by a physical connection 450 , 455 , as well as the gates required for the surface code connecting data qubits to ancilla qubits . for example , certain labels can be different frequencies in the case of superconducting qubits . additionally , the physical connections 450 , 455 may need to be isolated from one another , being cavities of different frequencies , for example . two cavity labels are sufficient , and have been indicated by the two types of physical connections 450 , 455 throughout the examples herein . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention . as used herein , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ” and “ the ” are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms “ comprises ” and / or “ comprising ,” when used in this specification , specify the presence of stated features , integers , steps , operations , elements , and / or components , but do not preclude the presence or addition of one more other features , integers , steps , operations , element components , and / or groups thereof . the corresponding structures , materials , acts , and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure , material , or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed . the description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description , but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed . many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application , and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . the flow diagrams depicted herein are just one example . there may be many variations to this diagram or the steps ( or operations ) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention . for instance , the steps may be performed in a differing order or steps may be added , deleted or modified . all of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention . while the preferred embodiment to the invention had been described , it will be understood that those skilled in the art , both now and in the future , may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow . these claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described . | 1 |
in order to enable a clearer understanding of the invention , drawings illustrating example embodiments are attached , and in those drawings : fig1 is a schematic representation of a reference wall ( typical of current construction method ) used in testing to give a benchmark for measured results ; fig2 is a schematic representation of a wall constructed in part using components of a preferred embodiment of the present invention ; fig3 is a graph showing results of benchmark transmission loss testing of the reference wall shown in fig1 ( an stc60 curve is superposed on the test results ); fig4 is a graph showing results of transmission loss testing of the wall shown in fig2 ( an stc63 curve is superposed on the test results ); and fig5 is a graph showing graphs in fig3 and 4 superposed on similar axes ; fig6 is a graph showing expected coincidence effects of prior art stiff panels ; fig7 shows transmission loss ( tl ) test results of a reference wall of the prior art displaying coincidence dip effects ; fig8 shows tl test results of a wall treated with preferred embodiments of the present invention , showing the much reduced coincidence dips , if detectable at all ; fig9 shows tl test results of a wall treated with another preferred embodiment of the present invention — ie spaced viscoelastic strips ( an stc curve is superposed on the results , and corrected data is also shown in broken line ); fig1 shows the composition of the reference wall tested in fig9 ; fig1 shows tl test results of a wall treated with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention — ie viscoelastic pads spaced on a matrix ( an stc curve is superposed on the results , and corrected data is also shown in broken line ); fig1 shows the composition of the reference wall tested in fig1 . referring to fig1 there is shown a reference wall generally indicated at 1 . the reference wall is a composite wall consisting of two layers of 13 mm thick fire rated plasterboard directly secured to 64 mm , 0 . 75 mm steel studs on one side . the wall is wholly repeated in mirror image about a centreline extending between the studs , with a 20 mm gap separating the studs . an infill cavity insulation of 50 mm glasswool 11 kg / m 3 is located between one set of the steel studs . a composite wall assembly utilising a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown at fig2 item 20 . the composite wall assembly includes a laminate assembly 12 including a layer of 13 mm high density plasterboard 14 , adhered to one face of a centre lamina of 2 . 5 kg loaded polymeric elastomer shown at 16 , which is itself on its other side adhered to a 13 mm standard density plasterboard 18 . the laminate assembly 12 is affixed to 64 mm , 0 . 6 mm thick steel studs 22 . a cavity 24 is provided , filled on one side with 50 mm thick 48 kg / m 3 polyester insulation batts 26 . on the other side of the cavity 24 , studs 23 are provided , the studs 23 being staggered from studs 22 . affixed to the studs 23 is a laminate assembly 13 , a mirror image of the laminate assembly 12 . a reference wall and a composite wall , each in accordance with the above descriptions and figures were constructed , and their sound transmission performance was tested . a + 1 . odb correction was applied during testing to the reference wall to align its glasswool performance with that of the composite wall . the composite wall utilised 48 kg / m 3 and the reference wall used 1 lkg / m 3 glasswool to infill one side of the cavity . the table above and the graphs show the improvement in acoustic performance that occurs in the nominated frequency regions due to the addition of a lamina of loaded polymeric elastomer 16 , surface density of 2 . 5 kg / m 2 , between a sheet of 13 mm high - density plasterboard 14 and a sheet of 13 mm normal density plasterboard 18 . normal experience teaches that a very small improvement of performance in a so - called coincidence dip frequency region ( 2500 hz in this case ) can occur where plasterboards of differing densities are adhered together . this improvement is normally only of the order of 2 to 3 db . however , the performance gain in this experiment for the composite wall assembly 20 is 9 db , with significant gains in performance occurring above this frequency . the combined graph ( fig5 ) and table shows an improvement in the frequency regions of 100 hz to 400 hz and from 2000 hz to 5000 hz . when the concept of acoustic performance index is applied to the composite wall assembly 20 ( fig2 ), the score is extremely high . acoustic performance index takes into account the cost of the wall compared to its acoustic performance and to the thickness of the wall and the floor space cost . thickness is a very important consideration as floor space in a typical apartment is au $ 6000 per square metre . the composite wall assembly 20 is only 206 mm wide and has an acoustic performance that can only be matched by expensive wall systems which are 280 mm wide or more . the composite wall system has a high acoustic performance index of r w greater than or equal to 55 . the combination of the construction panel and viscoelastic barrier provide an unexpected synergy . it would be expected that adding a very thin layer of dense material would only provide a small benefit according to the mass law . for example , at 1250 hz , increasing the mass by 6 kg / m 2 , ( as we have shown above in the testing ) we are expected to produce a gain in transmission loss of 2 db ( see also fig6 ). however , in the testing above , at that frequency , we see tl gain of 21 db . furthermore , the expected coincidence dip does not eventuate . we would have expected that the change in stiffness would have given us a change in transmission loss of 1 . 6 db at 2500 hz . however , we demonstrated at that frequency , a change of 18 db . by affixing viscoelastic material to construction panel in the form of plasterboard the panel resonance at low frequencies was reduced and stiff panel ‘ coincidence effects ’ were greatly reduced at higher frequencies , especially the frequencies at which the ear is most sensitive . other embodiments have been tested : in one embodiment , strips of viscoelastic material covering 25 - 50 % of the panel surface were affixed to the stiff construction panel . the strips were paced by air gaps which formed small voids of less than 4 mm thickness . the resulting damping is apparently as effective as having a full sheet of viscoelastic barrier material on the construction panel , in the sense that shear strains within the viscous - elastic material are still induced which greatly reduces or eliminates the stiff panel construction ‘ coincidence effect ’ in the band width 1000 - 4000 hz , which is the ear &# 39 ; s most sensitive region . it is believed that the small spaced air gaps ( 2 - 4 mm in thickness ) between the construction panels , spaced also between viscoelastic strips or pads appear to act the same way as the actual viscoelastic material . that is , they do not allow the bending wave generated in the panel to reach the speed of sound in the medium surrounding the panel and thus avoid coincidence dips and phase reinforcement . it should be noted that shear strains in the viscoelastic treatment actually transform bending waves into heat energy which is noiseless . advantageously , preferred embodiments such as for example that shown at fig1 and 12 of this invention function via the following mechanism : most rigid materials will be sympathetic to vibration at one or more frequencies , and damping materials are an efficient and effective means to control vibration and structure - borne radiated noise . ‘ damping ’ is the energy dissipation properties of a material or system under cyclic stress , and damping vibration can significantly reduce the creation of secondary noise problems . with the above two paragraphs in mind , the specially formulated non slip viscoelastic strips or pad matrix situated on the construction panel are in contact with the construction panel effectively increasing the vibrations &# 39 ; decay rate . decay rate is the speed in db / second at which the vibration reduces after panel excitation has ceased — the higher the decay rate , the better the acoustic performance . by applying viscoelastic barrier material in strips and pads to construction board in the form of plasterboard the panel resonance at low frequencies was reduced and ‘ coincidence effects ’ were also substantially eliminated . although not shown in the drawings , a method of adhering the construction panel and viscoelastic barrier together has shown excellent adhering properties , and that is to utilise a pouring head which pours a hot or warm viscoelastic composition directly onto the construction board . the composition cools and then grips the face of the board . this may be used to make sandwiches of the compound , ie a second layer of construction board on to an upper surface of the cooling or curing composition . in one embodiment , a wall was constructed as shown in fig1 , starting on the outside : 13 mm standard plasterboard panel 114 ; viscoelastic barrier 116 in strips 50 mm wide , spaced at 50 mm intervals along the panel 114 ; 13 mm standard plasterboard panel 118 ; 64 mm staggered studs 122 in 90 mm track ; 20 kg / m 3 polyester batt 126 , 13 mm standard plasterboard panel 115 ; viscoelastic barrier in strips 50 mm wide 117 , spaced at 50 mm intervals ; 13 mm standard plasterboard panel 119 . this wall underwent tl testing and the results are shown at fig9 . only a slight coincidence dip occurs at 1000 - 4000 hz . overall , the stc and corrected transmission loss data are unexpectedly high for this type of construction . similarly , a wall constructed as shown in fig1 has a plurality of 50 mm viscoelastic strips 216 spaced with a 150 mm gap between each . the tl results appear at fig1 and they seem very similar to those shown in fig1 , the only difference being the spacing between the viscoelastic strips . these results show the mechanism of the trapped air apparently working as a viscoelastic medium which reduces the buildup of transverse waves in the panel , without the mass or expense of an actual viscoelastic medium . again , the stc and corrected transmission loss data are unexpectedly high for this type of construction . some wall constructions do not include any absorptive batt material , and the results appear to be better than similar walls without absorptive batts . a feature of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will become better understood from the following example of a preferred but non - limiting embodiment thereof . 100 g of water together with 100 g of glycerine and 10 g of starch was mixed and then heated to a temperature of 85 ° c . 80 g of gelatine and 20 g of magnesium chloride was then dissolved into the mixture and a gel was formed . 310 g of barium sulphate was then added to the gel providing a composition with good flexibility , elasticity , tensile strength , and density with good film forming properties . the composition had the following composition by weight : 16 % water ; 16 % glycerine ; 1 . 5 % starch ; 13 % gelatine ; 3 . 5 % magnesium chloride ; and 50 % barium sulphate . the composition was then extruded into a flat sheet and bonded onto an aluminium film and then brought down to room temperature whereby the composition cured to form a sheet of composite material of 4 mm in thickness that showed excellent sound dampening properties . finally , it is to be understood that various alterations , modifications and / or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention . | 8 |
referring now to the drawings , and in particular to fig1 thereof , an automotive vehicle generally indicated at 10 , having an exterior generally indicated at 20 , and an interior generally indicated at 30 . the exterior 20 has exterior lighting associated therewith , for example , headlamps 22 which provide a vehicle driver the ability to see the road during dark or inclement conditions . as is conventional , interior lighting is also provided to permit vehicle occupants the ability to see within the interior 30 of the vehicle . referring now to fig2 a driver &# 39 ; s side instrument panel is shown having an interior selective zonal lighting switch 40 , or courtesy lamp mode switch , for use with the present invention . the switch 40 is preferably located within reach of a driver , preferably on an instrument panel 40 at a location near other vehicle controls , for example , a steering wheel 44 , a blinker lever 46 , or an exterior light switch 48 . as is further described below , the switch 40 has various positions to select various lighting modes and lighting zones within the interior of the vehicle 10 . various lights may be operated by the switch 40 including instrument panel courtesy lamps , for example , lamps which illuminate gauges and other vehicle information provided in an instrument cluster 50 on the instrument panel 42 ( fig2 ), as well as courtesy lamps which illuminate an area beneath the instrument panel in the general vicinity indicated at 52 , of a front seat occupant &# 39 ; s feet . such lamps , indicated at 54 , are typically located out of view of the vehicle occupants , as are the instrument cluster lamps , generally indicated at 56 ( fig2 ). those skilled in the art will understand that the placement of the lamps 54 , 56 are for illustration purposes only , and that the present invention is not limited to the locations identified in fig2 nor to the shapes shown therein . vehicle 10 has a dome lamp 58 in a roof mounted console 60 attached near a centerline of the roof 62 ( fig3 and 4 ). vehicle 10 also includes rear reading lamps 64 on opposed lateral lower sides 66 of the roof 62 . the rear reading lamps may be located along the vehicle roof rail , as is known in the art . additionally , a cargo lamp 68 is mounted in an upper trim piece 70 at a rear end of the roof 62 adjacent the rear opening of the vehicle ( fig4 ). the lights 58 , 64 , 68 collectively comprise an upper group of lights which , as further described below , are selectively illuminated by the zonal lighting system of the present invention . it should be understood that , for purposes of this invention , a light is included within the upper group of lights if it is located above the instrument panel . in addition , those skilled in the art will understand that lights other than those shown in fig3 and 4 may be included in the upper group of lights and that the invention is not limited tc those lights shown in fig3 and 4 . further , an upper group of lights need not contain the lights shown in fig3 and 4 , or may include such lights at different locations throughout the interior of vehicle 10 . for example , the dome lamp 58 may be located on the roof 62 off of the console 60 , the rear reading lamps may be located on the b - pillar or c - pillar , or the cargo lamp may be located on a more forward portion of the roof 62 near the rear vehicle access opening . these examples are meant to be illustrative and not limiting . vehicle 10 also has a lower group of lights which includes a front door courtesy lamp 72 located on an inner trim panel 74 of a door 76 ( fig5 ). the courtesy lamp 72 may light up a lower portion of the interior of the vehicle when the door is in a closed position and may illuminate the area near a door opening ( not shown ) when in an opened position when it is dark . the lower group of lights may also include a stepwell lamp 78 on a rear facing surface 80 of a b - pillar 82 at . a lower portion thereof adjacent a step 84 . those skilled in the art will realize such stepwell lamps may be located on both sides of a vehicle , for example , in a van - type vehicle with sliding doors on both sides thereof . in addition , there may be other lamps located along lower portions of the b - pillar , c - pillar , and / or d - pillar for illumination of a lower area of the vehicle , for example , along the floor of the vehicle . the lower group of lights , sometimes referred to as “ footlights ”, also includes the instrument panel courtesy lamps described above . it should be understood that the lower group of lights , for purposes of this disclosure , includes those lights and / or lamps at or below the level of the instrument panel . those skilled in the art will understand that lights other than those shown in fig2 and 6 may be included in the lower group of lights . in addition , the lights shown in fig2 and 6 may be placed at different locations throughout the vehicle interior . further , it should be understood that the lights shown in fig2 and 6 need not be included in the lower group of lights , the only requirement being that at least one light be included in the lower group of lights . the selective , zonal lighting system of the present invention is operated through switch 40 , which has four positions , as shown in fig7 a - d . in a preferred embodiment , the switch 40 is a thumb dial rotatable between three detent positions and a variable lighting position , as further described below . next to switch 40 on the lighting panel 86 is a graphic , which indicates switch position when aligned with an indicator 88 on the thumb dial 85 . when the indicator 88 is aligned with an upper graphic 90 , the switch 40 is in a . first position ( fig7 a ) in which both the upper and lower group of lights are illuminated . this top detent position for switch 40 is sometimes referred to as the “ dome ” position . all interior lamps are activated in this position regardless of other vehicle conditions , for example , regardless of door position or vehicle speed . when the thumb dial 85 is rotated so that the indicator 88 aligns with the variable lighting graphic 92 ( fig7 b ), both the upper and lower groups of lights are illuminated between a maximum intensity and a minimum intensity when certain vehicle conditions are encountered . preferably , these vehicle conditions include a door position and a vehicle speed . in a preferred embodiment , both the upper and lower groups of lights will illuminate when a door is ajar , and when the vehicle speed is less than 10 mph . if the vehicle speed exceeds 15 mph while any door is ajar , all interior lamps will extinguish . it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the just - described vehicle conditions for operation of the interior lamps when in the variable position , sometimes called the “ dim ” position shown in fig7 b but may include other vehicle conditions or not include the herein described vehicle conditions . it should be understood that the upper and lower groups of lights will vary in intensity and brightness as the thumb dial is rotated between the dome detent , indicated at graphic 90 , and the floor or foot detent , indicated at 94 . when the thumb dial 85 is rotated so that indicator 88 is aligned with graphic 94 ( fig7 c ), only the lower group of lights are illuminated when certain vehicle conditions are encountered as described above . in particular , the lower group of lights will illuminate when the courtesy lamp mode switch 40 is in the “ foot ”, or “ floor ”, position ( fig7 c ) and any door is ajar while the vehicle speed is less than 10 mph . if the vehicle speed exceeds 15 mph while any door is ajar , the interior lamps will extinguish . when the thumb dial 85 is rotated such that it reaches a third detent when the indicator 88 is aligned with an off graphic 96 ( fig7 d ), sometimes referred to as the “ off ” position , no interior lamps will illuminate regardless of any door position or vehicle speed . turning now to fig8 a schematic diagram of the electronic components of a selective interior zonal lighting system of the present invention is shown . the lighting system may include a front electronics module 100 , a rear electronics module 102 , and an instrument cluster module 104 . the front electronics module ( fem ) 100 receives sensor inputs from both a driver door - ajar switch 106 and a passenger door - ajar switch 108 , which can be conventional ajar switches known in the art . the rear electronics module ( rem ) 102 receives signals from a left sliding door - ajar switch 110 , a liftgate - ajar switch 112 , and a right sliding door - ajar switch 14 . the rem 102 has appropriate electronics for combining these signals and sending a rear door - ajar signal 116 to the fem 100 . the vehicle speed may be taken from the antilock brake system ( abs ) 118 , for both the driven and undriven wheels . alternatively , for vehicles not equipped with abs , vehicle speed may be taken from another speed sensing location known to those skilled in the art . in any event , a vehicle speed signal 120 is sent to the fem 100 . the instrument cluster 104 receives a signal 122 representative of the courtesy lamp mode switch position . this switch position is then passed by the instrument cluster 104 to the fem 100 as a signal 124 . logic within the fem 100 takes the courtesy lamp mode switch position 124 , along with the rear door - ajar composite signal 116 , a driver door - ajar signal 126 , and a passenger door - ajar signal 128 , and the vehicle speed signal 120 , and determines which , if any , interior lamps should be illuminated . if the courtesy lamp mode switch 40 is in the dome position , the fem 100 sends a signal 130 to both the rem 102 and the instrument cluster 104 to illuminate the upper group of lights 64 and 68 , and the instrument panel courtesy lights 48 and 54 , respectively . in addition , the fem 100 sends a signal 132 directly to the stepwell courtesy lamps 78 and the driver and passenger puddle lamps 72 ( fig8 ). when the courtesy lamp mode switch 40 is in the dim position , and a door - ajar signal is received , either signal 126 , 128 or 116 , and the vehicle speed signal 120 is less than 10 mph , the fem 100 sends a signal 130 to both the rem 102 and the instrument cluster 104 to illuminate the overhead lighting in the instrument panel courtesy lamps to the desired intensity as indicated on the thumb dial . in addition , the stepwell courtesy lamps and the driver and passenger puddle lamps are illuminated to the desired intensity via a direct signal 132 from the fem 100 . if the courtesy mode switch 40 is in the floor position , the fem 100 sends a signal 130 only to the instrument cluster 104 to illuminate the instrument panel courtesy lamps 48 , 54 and in addition sends a signal 132 to the stepwell courtesy lamps and the driver and passenger puddle lamps 72 . however , no signal is sent to the rem 102 for overhead lighting illumination . these four groups of lights are illuminated only if a door - ajar signal 126 , 128 or 116 is received at the fem 100 , in addition to a vehicle speed 120 of less than 10 mph . finally , if the courtesy mode switch is in the off position , the fem 100 does not send any signals to the rem 102 , the instrument cluster 104 , the stepwell courtesy lamps 78 or the driver or passenger puddle lamps . it should be understood that the invention described herein is not limited to the exact construction and / or method which has been illustrated or described above , but that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 1 |
fig1 shows the outer shape of the guide member 10 . the guide is sized so that it will be of sufficient length and outer diameter to be readily advanced through blood vessels until its distal end 12 reaches a desired location within the vascular system . it is also sized so that the guide 10 can be received within the guide lumen of a catheter such as an angioplasty balloon catheter ( not shown ) with which it is to used . also shown in fig1 is a knurled handle member 14 which is affixed to the proximal end of the assembly and which can be rotated to apply a desired torque to the distal end 12 . fig2 - 4 show the internal construction of the catheter guide 10 . the guide 10 is seen to include an inner tube 16 , an outer tube 18 , and a formable member 20 which is typically a wire having a memory property . it is not essential to the invention that the member 16 be tubular , but instead , may comprise a long , thin flexible solid wire . in the preferred embodiment , the inner member 16 is tubular in form and may be constructed of stainless steel such as used in forming hypodermic needles and the outer tube 18 may be made of teflon plastic or some other suitable polymer to yield a low coefficient of friction between the exterior wall of tube 16 and the interior wall of tube 18 and a smooth , non - thrombogenic exterior surface . making the outer tube 18 of teflon also yields a low coefficient of friction between the guide and any adjoining blood vessel or catheter wall when being used . similar low coefficients of friction can be obtained if a material other than teflon is used for the outer tube 18 by coating the parts with a suitable hydrophilic polymer which becomes slippery when wetted . an important feature of the present invention is the inclusion of a formable member 20 and its interrelationship with the other components of the design . as best shown in fig2 member 20 is attached to and projects outwardly beyond the distal end of inner tube 16 and may be tapered along its length as illustrated . a secure attachment between tube 16 and member 20 can be achieved through the use of an appropriate adhesive or by crimping the tube 16 to the member 20 . where the inner member 16 is a solid wire rather than a tube , it may include an integrally formed formable member on its distal end . the purpose of member 20 is to provide a means by which the distal end 12 of the guide 10 can be formed so that it can be readily steered through blood vessels by manipulation of the handle member 14 at the proximal end of the guide member . thus , it is important that the member 20 be stiff yet sufficiently flexible and able to retain a desired shape . the use of a radiopaque material for the forming member also proves expedient when fluroscopic techniques are used to view the inserting of the guide member . member 20 and the distal end portion of the center tube 16 is also secured to the outer tube 18 . the manner in which this is achieved is best shown in fig2 and 4 . as shown in fig4 in the preferred embodiment , the distal end of the outer tube 18 is irregular in shape , creating a spline . an adhesive or moldable plastic 21 is then inserted into the gap 22 between member 20 and the splined portion of outer tube 18 . adhesives or moldable plastics which bond well to the material of the member 20 are to be selected because , when such materials set up , they will mechanically coact with the splines of the outer tube 18 to create a positive coupling irrespective of the low coefficient of friction of teflon material . with this construction , upon rotation of the hub 14 connected to the inner tube 16 , tube 16 will rotate within the outer tube 18 and torque necessary for steering the distal end of the guide 10 is directly applied to the distal end portion of the guide member 10 only cause the distal tip end occupied by forming member 20 and the splined portion of outer tube 18 to rotate . given the structure described above , use of the guide member is relatively straight - forward and easily understood . when in use , the distal end of guide member 10 is manually bent by the surgeon to a desired angle or curvature and inserted through a working catheter until the distal end of the guide projects a short distance beyond the distal end of the working catheter . such working catheters have a lumen running their entire length . this lumen is designed to receive the guide member 10 . a conventional introducer is used to insert the guide member 10 and catheter into the blood vessel . the guide member and catheter are then advanced through the blood vessel until the distal end 21 of the guide member reaches a desired location , such as a vascular branch . the guide member is then steered as it is further advanced by manipulating the handle 14 while holding the outer tube 18 of the guide member 10 stationary . the catheter travels with the guide member as the two are advanced . once the guide member 10 has been fully advanced into the desired position within the vessel , the working catheter ( such as one designed for coronary angioplasty ) is advanced further over the guide member until the working portion of the catheter reaches the treatment site . the guide member 10 can then be withdrawn , making the catheter &# 39 ; s lumen available for other uses , such as the profusion of blood or other fluids . with no limitation intended , the outer diameter of the inner tube 16 may be in the range from 0 . 008 to 0 . 038 mills and may have a wall thickness of 0 . 005 mills which , when formed from stainless steel , provides sufficient flexure to the overall guide member 10 while effectively transferring torque to the distal end of the assembly when the knob or handle 14 is rotated . where a solid wire core is used instead of tubular stock for the member 16 , it may comprise a stainless strand having a diameter in the range of form 0 . 008 inches to 0 . 038 inches . this invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required . however , it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment and devices , and that various modifications , both as to equipment details and operating procedures , can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself . | 0 |
dcid 6 / 9 a directive from the director of the central intelligence ( dci ) titled : physical security standards for sensitive compartmented information facilities psa pressure sensitive adhesive . rf radio frequency waves . scif sensitive compartmented information facility : an accredited area , room , group of rooms , buildings , or installation where sensitive compartmented information (“ sci ”) may be stored , used , discussed , and / or processed . scif performance requirements and design details are given in dcid 6 / 9 . wifi “ wireless fidelity ”: popular term for a high - frequency wireless local area network ( wlan ). panel a laminated structure constructed in accordance with the present invention . the panel may be further attached to a structure defining a room or a wall . the structure of fig1 is an example of the laminated structure of one embodiment of the present invention . the layers in the structure will be described from the top to the bottom with the structure oriented horizontally as shown . it should be understood , however , that the laminated structure of this invention will be oriented vertically when placed on vertical walls and doors , as well as horizontally or even at an angle when placed on ceilings and floors . therefore , the reference to top and bottom layers is to be understood to refer only to these layers as oriented in fig1 and not to the actual use of this structure wherein this structure may be placed vertically , horizontally , or at an angle between vertical and horizontal . a detailed discussion of the method of construction and the materials of the laminated structure of fig1 and various alternative embodiments is given in the aforementioned u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 658 , 814 and is not repeated here . in fig1 , a portion of two adjacent panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 is shown . note that the spaces shown between the layers and the edges of the panels are for illustrative purposes only . references to the “ center material ” or “ center layer ”, as in layer 110 of fig1 , are understood to mean the “ electrically conductive layer ” of the laminated layers of a panel , whether or not this layer is physically in the center . for example , in some embodiments the conductive layer is last in the stack of layers . as described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 658 , 814 , top layer 102 is glued to a center layer 110 using a thin viscoelastic adhesive 106 . the material of layer 110 is selected for its electrical conduction properties . in one embodiment , the conductive material of center layer 110 is a sheet of metal , such as silicon steel plus copper . in other embodiments center layer 110 can be a copper alloy or aluminum , or a steel sheet with an adjacent copper wire mesh , mu metal or the like . the thickness of the conductive layer 110 may be as thin as foil or up to about a half - inch thick , selected for a certain purpose depending upon the degree of rigidity , acoustic damping , rf signal transmission reduction or physical security desired . in one embodiment the conductive center layer 110 is conductive paint or conductive adhesive . a conductive tape 122 , such as 3m - 1345 obtained from 3m manufacturing , is attached to the center layer . the tape that is preferred for use with this invention to seal the cracks between abutting panels is 3m - 1345 tape which is described by 3m as “ embossed tin - plated copper foil shielding tape ”. as described in the 3m data sheet , this tape “ consists of an embossed 1 - ounce deadsoft tin - plated copper foil backing and an aggressive pressure - sensitive acrylic adhesive . the edges of the embossed pattern pressed into the foil cut through the adhesive layer to establish reliable metal - to - metal contact between the backing and the application substrate .” this tape is available in standard and custom widths and lengths . widths vary from 1 / 4 inch to 23 inches . this tape is intended for use in “ applications requiring excellent electrical conductivity from the application substrate through the adhesive to the foil backing . common uses include grounding and emi shielding in equipment , components , shielded rooms . . . [ and similar structures ]. the tin plating on the copper coil backing facilitates soldering and improves resistance to oxidation and discoloration .” the 3m data sheet reports that “ typical shielding effectiveness ( far field ) is in the range of 75 db to 95 db ( 30 mhz to 1 ghz ).” in accordance with this invention , the tape applied to the edges of the panels is long enough to extend completely along ( i . e . to “ span ”) each edge of a panel ( such as the edge which extends perpendicular to the plane of the paper in fig1 ) and is sufficiently wide such that a portion ( 122 - 2 and 122 - 3 ) of the tape 122 extends out from the edge far enough to be pulled around to the top surface of layer 102 as shown in fig1 . the conductive tape 122 may have on one surface thereof a psa for convenience of construction . the psa provides for the electrically conductive material of the tape to make electrical contact with a portion of a surface of electrically conductive layer 110 by rolling or otherwise applying pressure to the tape . the conductive tape is applied to and extended along at least the major ( longer ) edges of a panel . in some embodiments the conductive tape is applied to all edges . in another embodiment conductive tape 122 is replaced by a metal channel or strip . the channel or strip is sized to extend along an edge of a panel in electrically conductive contact with the center conductor 110 with a portion of the channel strip extending out from the edge and being bent to contact the front surface , as described above and in fig1 in conjunction with tape . the formed metal channel or strip is fastened to the layers of the structure using rivets , screws , psa , or other electrically conductive attachment means . if desired , a slight indentation can be provided in the portion of the surface of electrically conductive layer 110 to which the tape 122 or metal channel / strip is attached to make the outer surface of the tape 122 or metal channel / strip flush with the adjacent surface of layer 110 . a thin layer of viscoelastic glue 114 is applied to the lower surface of center layer 110 so as to attach the center layer 110 to the bottom laminated layer 118 . in one embodiment layers 114 and 118 are omitted so that layer 110 is visible and is one external side of the panel 100 . upon installation , for example attaching 4 × 8 foot panels side by side to a wall , another layer 126 of conductive tape is affixed over the seam between the panels as shown in fig1 . tape 126 electrically connects the tapes 122 of adjoining panels . of course , in an actual structure , the tapes 122 of abutting panels will ideally be in physical contact . the dimensions of a room utilizing panels constructed according to the invention may not be the same as the dimensions of one or more panels . panels may be cut to any arbitrary size . however , such cutting exposes an edge of the laminated structure without conductive tape 122 . referring to fig2 , conductive tape 122 is applied to extend over and along the edge exposed by cutting the panel so as to cover completely this edge . the edges 122 - 3 and 122 - 4 of the tape 122 are bent ninety degrees ( 90 °) back over the panel 100 so as to electrically connect these edges to the edge - adjacent portions of the front and back surfaces of the panel 100 . an electrically conductive metal screw 204 is inserted through the top portion 122 - 3 of tape 122 , conductive layer 110 , and metal stud 206 , as shown in fig2 . a portion 122 - 4 of tape 122 may extend far enough across the bottom of layer 118 ( 110 in some embodiments ) for screw 204 to penetrate this portion of tape 122 . the center portion 122 - 2 of tape 122 electrically contacts the edge of center layer 110 exposed by cutting . in one embodiment , stud 206 may be of a nonconductive material and screws 204 may be grounded by other means , such as an electrically conductive strip of material 402 ( fig4 ) extending along the face of the nonconductive stud 206 but in electrical contact with screw 204 and electrically grounded or held at a fixed potential . fig3 illustrates one installation of two panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 shown mounted with adjacent edges of the two panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 abutting and attached to a single metal stud 304 . a metal screw 204 - 1 attaches the laminated panel 100 - 1 to stud 304 . screw 204 - 1 penetrates center layer 110 - 1 , thus completing an electrical connection between the center layer 110 - 1 and the grounded stud 304 . the space shown between the edges of panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 is for ease of explanation and , of course , does not exist in the actual structure . panel 100 - 2 is similarly attached to stud 304 by means by metal screw 204 - 2 . metal screw 204 - 2 again penetrates through electrically conductive tape 126 and through panel center layer 110 - 2 of panel 100 - 2 extending into metal stud 304 . thus the center layer 110 - 1 of panel 100 - 1 is electrically connected via electrically conductive metal screw 204 - 1 , electrically conductive metal stud 304 and electrically conductive metal screw 204 - 2 to center layer 110 - 2 of panel 100 - 2 and the two panels will be at the same electrical potential . in addition , electrically conductive tape 126 is placed over the two edges 103 - 1 and 103 - 2 of panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 . while screws 204 - 1 and 204 - 2 are shown as having their heads external to tape 126 , in an alternative embodiment these screws will have their heads covered by tape 126 and in some embodiments the heads will be countersunk into the panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 so that the tops of the heads are flush with the surfaces of these panels . tape 126 will then lie flat over these countersunk heads . electrically conductive tapes 122 - 1 and 122 - 2 of the panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 will be in electrically conducting contact with each other when the panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 are mounted on stud 304 such that edges 103 - 1 and 103 - 2 are in physical contact with each other ( i . e . directly abut ). the structure of fig3 thus ensures that panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 are electrically grounded and at the same electrical potential thereby to effectively reduce if not eliminate rf transmissions through these panels from one side to the other . referring to fig4 , in one embodiment wood studs 404 shown in side view are substituted for metal studs . a grounded conductive shorting bar 402 is arranged behind panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 and at least one metal screw 204 per panel 100 connects the center layer 110 ( not shown ) to shorting bar 402 . in another embodiment at least one metal screw 204 per panel 100 is wired to ground . in an alternative embodiment to that shown in fig4 , the grounded conductive shorting bar 402 can be replaced by a vertical electrically conductive shorting bar ( not shown ) placed along each wooden stud such that screws 204 - 1 a through 204 - 1 g through panel 100 - 1 go through the electrically conductive shorting bar running parallel to and attached to the stud 404 - 2 . in this case , a separate electrical connection connecting each of the individual electric shorting bars can be provided although in one embodiment such electrical connection is inherently provided by center layer 110 of each panel 100 . furthermore , as shown in fig4 , a plurality of metal screws 204 - 1 a through 204 - 1 g are used to attach panel 100 - 1 to center stud 404 - 2 . likewise , a similar plurality of electrically conductive metal screws 204 - 2 a through 204 - 2 g are used to attach panel 100 - 2 to the same stud 404 - 2 . as shown in fig4 , panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 are attached to stud 404 - 2 such that the directly adjacent edges of these panels covered respectively by tapes 202 - 1 and 202 - 2 mounted along the edges of the panels as described above , directly abut and therefore are in electrically conductive contact with each other . to ensure , however , that these tapes 202 - 1 and 202 - 2 are at the same potential , the electrically conductive screws 204 - 1 a through 204 - 1 g and 204 - 2 a through 204 - 2 g connect the tapes 202 - 1 and 202 - 2 to the center layers 110 - 1 and 110 - 2 within panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 respectively via grounding bars . grounding bars 402 mounted horizontally across the studs 404 - 1 , 404 - 2 and 404 - 3 as shown in fig4 are perpendicular to each of the studs 404 - 1 through 404 - 3 and ensure that the panels such as 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 are at essentially the same electrical potential at all points within the panels . although not shown in fig4 , electrically conductive tape 126 can be placed over the seam between panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 shown in fig4 to extend along the edge portions of tapes 202 - 1 and 202 - 2 which are visible in fig4 so as to cover these edge portions and the electrically conductive screws 204 - 1 a through 204 - 1 g and 204 - 2 a through 204 - 2 g . referring to fig5 , an alternative construction is shown . to further attenuate any rf which might escape through the seams between two panels assembled , for example , in accordance with fig3 , two courses 502 and 503 of panels are utilized . a first course 502 of panels is secured to a stud assembly ( per fig1 or fig3 ) using screws 204 . tape 126 ( shown over a seam between screws 204 - 3 and 204 - 4 ) is applied over each seam and also over the heads of countersunk screws in the middles of the second , outer , course of panels as shown in fig5 . in one embodiment tape 126 is omitted from the first course 502 of panels . the second , outer course 503 of panels is secured over the first course 502 . the screws 204 of the second course 503 are at least long enough to penetrate the center layer 110 of the panels of the first , inner , course 502 , thereby providing an electrical connection between the two courses . the first course 502 , having previously been physically and electrically connected to the studs , provides a grounding connection for the second course 503 . in one embodiment , the screws 204 of the second course are long enough to also make a direct electrical connection with the studs 205 - 1 , 205 - 2 and 205 - 2 and to assist in holding both courses on the studs . conductive tape 126 is applied over the seams of adjacent panels in the second course 503 . in one embodiment tape 126 is omitted . alternatively , tape 126 can be applied over all seams of both the first course 502 and the second course 503 if desired . the tape 126 when so applied will be pressed by the compressive forces generated by screws 126 being extended into the underlying studs such that the resulting structure is sufficiently rigid to provide structural integrity and to attenuate if not eliminate all rf transmissions through the wall . in some embodiments other construction is used instead of studs . for example , the invention may be practiced by placing panels which have wood or other appropriate material for their outer layers upon foam , the foam being over a concrete floor . a foam thickness of ¼ to ½ inch is recommended . the panels are electrically connected to each other using in one embodiment electrically conductive strips of material placed on or in the foam as well as to the walls , all of which are held at a fixed potential , typically ground , thus providing the rf shielding effect . the foam improves the attenuation of sound . other structures for electrically grounding the floor panels will be obvious to those skilled in the electrical arts . the center material 110 of each panel may be selected not only for electrical properties but for physical strength as well . for example , a center material made of a certain thickness of sheet steel provides resistance to a blast , bullets , or other projectiles . such a material also resists secretive drilling of a hole for the insertion of a sensing device , or at least makes such a penetration obvious upon inspection . the laminated structure described provides a panel which may be handled by two people . depending upon the material selected for center layer 110 , the panel may be cut with a conventional circular saw using blades intended for cutting wood . an rf attenuating room constructed using panels produced by practicing the invention is easier to construct and enjoys a lower total cost than equivalent solutions available today . the laminated structure of the invention is consistent with some embodiments of the invention disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 658 , 814 . accordingly , panels constructed according to the present invention will attenuate sound as described in application ser . 10 / 658 , 814 . table 1 shows the estimated rf and acoustic attenuation provided by enclosures constructed using panels constructed in accordance with the present invention . panels constructed in accordance with the present invention , using a minimum 0 . 011 inch thick steel plate for center material 110 , are believed to be compliant with dcid6 / 9 . while the invention has been described in conjunction with complete panels as manufactured at the plant , in practice , panels will have to be cut on site to fit the particular sizes intended to be covered . when this is done , tape will not exist on the edge on the panel which is exposed by the cut . while fig2 , described above , shows one solution to this problem , another solution is shown in fig7 . as shown in fig7 , a conductive cord 127 fabricated of a mixture of butyl and nickel - coated carbon slivers or nickel filings inserted into the butyl up to about 80 % by weight , is placed on the exposed metal edge of the internal electrically - conductive metal layer 110 in the panel . once the butyl cord containing adequate conductive filings has been placed over the edge , a conductive tape 122 can then be placed over both the butyl cord and the remainder of the edge exposed by the cut . each conductive tape 122 has one or two edge portions such as portions 122 - 1 and 122 - 3 which extend beyond the panel edge and thus can be folded over onto the adjacent portions of the surfaces of the panel . when two panels so cut are then abutted against each other as shown in fig7 ( the space between the panels and the conductive tapes 122 on the edges of the panels is exaggerated for illustrative purposes ) then a third conductive tape 126 can be placed over the seam between the panels 100 - 1 and 100 - 2 to electrically contact the bent edges 122 - 3 and 122 - 4 of the conductive tape on the edges thereby to ensure that the entire structure is at a fixed potential such as electrical ground . such a structure then is highly effective in preventing the transmission of rf signals . the conductive cord has been found by experiment to require approximately 80 % by weight of the conductive metal filings such as conductive nickel filings or nickel - coated carbon slivers in order to be electrically conductive and thereby ensure that the internal electrically conductive metal layer 110 is at approximately the same potential ( preferably ground ) as the electrically conductive tape 122 . other electrically - conductive metals can also be used , if desired , in cord 127 . as a result , the invention is capable of being used with cut panels as well as with prefabricated panels having the conductive tape already in contact with the internal electrically conductive layer 110 . as described above , a portion of the edge - connected conductive tape will extend beyond the panel for ease of electrical contact . the effectiveness of this invention in reducing the transmission of rf signals through walls is shown in fig6 a through 6h . fig6 a through 6h show the attenuation as a function of frequency of the rf signal varying from 19 mhz to 10 ghz for different structures identified at the top of each figure . thus , fig6 a shows the attenuation for a laminated panel with no seams and horizontal antenna polarity to range from 80 db at approximately 20 mhz to 100 db just below 200 mhz and then dropping to between 60 to 70 db at 1 ghz . beyond 1 ghz the attenuation is shown to be relatively flat with negative and positive spikes as a function of frequency . fig6 b shows the attenuation for a laminated panel with no seams and vertical antenna polarity . the attenuation varies from approximately 76 db at 20 mhz to as high as over 100 db in the range of 100 mhz to about 180 mhz dropping in a spike back to 80 db at 200 mhz and then remaining between 90 and 110 db until approximately 800 mhz thereafter dropping to approximately 70 db between 1 ghz and 10 ghz . fig6 c shows the rf signal attenuation for a laminated panel with a seam along the manufactured panel edges and horizontal antenna polarity . this structure shows attenuation varying from a little better than 80 db at 20 mhz down to about 40 db in the range of about 4½ ghz to 7 ghz . fig6 d shows the rf signal attenuation for a laminated panel with a seam along the manufactured panel edges with a vertical antenna polarity which has the attenuation varying from a little over 70 db at 20 mhz to approximately 80 to 90 db in the range of 100 - 200 mhz and then dropping to approximately between 50 db and 60 db in the 1 ghz to 10 ghz range . fig6 e shows the rf signal attenuation for a laminated panel with the seam along field modified panel edges and horizontal antenna polarity . the attenuation varies from between 50 db and 60 db for a frequency of 20 mhz to as high as 90 db for a frequency of 200 mhz and then drops to a value of approximately 35 db attenuation for 2 ghz climbing to approximately 70 db attenuation for between 9 ghz and 10 ghz . fig6 f shows the rf signal attenuation associated with a laminated panel with a seam along field modified panel edges and vertical antenna polarity . the attenuation varies from 70 db at 20 mhz to as high as 100 db at approximately 200 mhz and then drops with certain spikes to as low as approximately 43 db between 3 and 4 ghz . fig6 g shows the rf signal attenuation associated with a two - layer system of laminated panels , one continuous and one with a seam along field modified panel edges and with horizontal antenna polarity . the attenuation is shown to be much better using this structure than in some of the previous structures , varying from approximately 89 db attenuation at 20 mhz to as high as 120 db at 300 mhz and dropping to between 50 db and 60 db in the range of 2 ghz to 3 ghz and then rising again to approximately 82 db or 83 db at 10 ghz . fig6 h shows the rf signal attenuation associated with a two - layer system of laminated panels structured in accordance with this invention , one a continuous panel covering a seam in an underlying layer of panels created by abutting two field modified panel edges ( such as shown in fig2 and 7 ) using vertical antenna polarity . the attenuation varies from about 77 db at 20 mhz up to a peak of between 105 to 120 + db at approximately 150 mhz to 170 mhz with some gradual drop to within the range of 52 db to 70 db for signals with a frequency of 1 ghz to 10 ghz . as can be seen from fig6 a to 6 h , the structure of this invention significantly attenuates rf signals in frequency ranges commonly used with many types of communication systems . the present disclosure is to be taken as illustrative rather than as limiting the scope , nature , or spirit of the subject matter claimed below . numerous modifications and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art after studying the disclosure , including use of equivalent functional and / or structural substitutes for elements described herein , and / or use of equivalent functional steps for steps described herein . such variations are to be considered within the scope of what is contemplated here . for example , while the described structures are shown as rectangular in shape , structures with other shapes , such as circular , hexagonal or other polygonal shapes can also be used , if required or appropriate . this invention is not limited to any particular shape . the following claims are not to be taken as limiting applicant &# 39 ; s right to claim disclosed , but not yet literally claimed subject matter by way of one or more further applications including those filed pursuant to 35 u . s . c . § 120 and / or 35 u . s . c . § 251 . | 7 |
a ground - based inflatable antenna that may be used as part of a portable satellite communications system has been developed . the antenna may also be used for other applications such as radar or line - of - sight communications . fig2 a shows a cross - section view of an example of an antenna 16 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . the antenna includes an inflatable lenticular or “ dish ” 18 that is oriented towards a target such as a satellite . the dish 18 is surrounded by an inflatable radome 20 . the radome 20 is a spherical - shaped cover that provides protection for the dish 18 from environmental elements such as wind , etc . this allows the dish 18 to maintain proper alignment towards its target . the radome 20 is constructed of a flexible material or a membrane that is stable in ultraviolet light . a membrane is a thin , pliable sheet of natural or synthetic material that is supported by either mechanical tension or a pressure differential . the material should not interfere with the signals being generated or received by the antenna . observation windows ( not shown ) made of clear material such as vinyl may be included on the surface of the radome 20 to allow visual inspection of the internal area of the antenna . the radome 20 is supported by a cradle 22 that holds the antenna in position . the cradle 22 may attached to additional base structures such as a vehicle top or trailer . fig3 a and 3 b show respectively an overhead view and a side view of an example of a cradle 22 . the inter - connections from the antenna 16 to the other components of the system are made through an opening 30 in the bottom of cradle 22 . returning to fig2 a , access to the interior of the radome 20 is available through a port 26 . in this embodiment , the port is sealed with a zipper . the inflation and deflation of the antenna is controlled with an inflation tube 24 and an egress valve 25 respectively . a feed horn 28 for the dish 18 is located on the exterior of the radome 20 . it is supported entirely by the surface of the inflated radome without any additional structure . the dimensions of the radome are configured such that the feed horn is located at the focal point of the dish 18 . this configuration of the feed horn 28 with the dish 18 is called an “ on - axis ” or “ prime focus ” alignment . in alternative embodiments , other configurations of the feed and dish may be used such as : an offset alignment ; a folded alignment ( including both gregorian and cassegrain arrangements ); and a hybrid of the offset and folded alignments . the dish 18 may be constructed of two complementary , doubly - curved membranes . in fig2 b , the dish 18 is shown with a parabolic curved reflector membrane 21 and an rf - transparent parabolic canopy 23 . the concave sides of the membranes are joined at a bond band 27 to form a convex - shaped structure that is called the lenticular dish 18 . as shown in fig2 c , the lenticular dish 18 is held in place when the radome 20 is inflated by a series of catenaries 29 that are connected to the bond band 27 with grommets 31 . [ 0040 ] fig4 a and 4 b show two examples of types of feeds that may be used with the present invention . fig4 a shows a radio frequency ( rf ) feed horn with a 90 ° bend 32 . other embodiments may use different configurations and angles for a feed horn . the feed horn is mounted on the radome so that the opening 34 in the pyramid - shaped base faces down towards the dish of the antenna . fig4 b shows an array feed 36 that also may be mounted on the radome . the array feed 36 contains a series of identical elements 37 which can be used to form multiple signal beams or to electrically steer the antenna . [ 0041 ] fig5 shows an example of an inflatable antenna mounted on the top of a vehicle 38 . a cradle 42 is used to connect the radome 40 to the top of the vehicle . the antenna is inflated through a connection 44 in the side of the cradle 42 . a blower ( not shown ) is attached to the connection to provide a continuous flow of air to the antenna . in this example , the air flow from the blower should be continuous to the antenna in order to compensate for leakage of air from the radome through the material , zipper , observation panels , etc . the remaining components of the communication system are located in the vehicle and are connected to the antenna through the cradle 42 . [ 0042 ] fig6 a , 6 b , and 6 c show an example of how the antenna is carried and inflated . fig6 a shows a deflated antenna that is stowed away for easy transportation . the cradle 42 is attached to the top of a vehicle as previously shown in fig5 . the cradle 42 and its cover 46 contain the collapsed deflated antenna . as shown fig6 b , once the vehicle arrives at its destination , a blower ( not shown ) is attached to the connection 44 on the side of the cradle 42 and the cover 46 is opened . as shown in fig6 c , once the blower is turned on , the antenna 48 begins to inflate . the inflation continues until the antenna is fully deployed . once inflated , the air pressure inside the radome should be maintained to ensure mechanical stability of the antenna over vibration , wind gusts , gravity , etc . the internal air pressure is typically maintained by a continuous air flow from the attached blower to compensate for leakage . however , if the radome is less prone to leakage , intermittent use of the blower could be used to periodically re - pressurize the antenna . the amount of internal air pressure is dependent on the expected amount of force to be exerted on the antenna . such forces primarily include wind but also may include the weight of the horn that is supported by the radome . for example , an internal air pressure of about 0 . 1 pounds per square inch , gauge ( psig ) is sufficient to withstand the load of winds of 30 miles per hour ( mph ) on a 5 - meter diameter radome . higher internal pressures may be used to withstand loads from higher winds . additionally , the antenna may be secured by supplemental guy lines called “ tethers ” that attach to the exterior of the radome and are tied to a stable structure such as the vehicle or an in - ground stake . in an alternative embodiment , the exterior of the radome could be coated with a resin that would harden and cure when exposed to sunlight . this embodiment would typically not be re - stowed once it had been initially deployed and consequently would become a semi - permanent antenna . [ 0044 ] fig7 a and 7 b show a perspective and frontal view respectively of an example of an inflatable torus 50 and lenticular or “ dish ” 52 used with the antenna . the torus 50 is an inflatable ring that fits within and is attached to the interior of the radome of the antenna . in alternative embodiments , the antenna could be used without the radome by securing it with separate support struts such as ground tethers , etc . when it is fully inflated and expanded , the torus 50 holds the dish 52 in place with a series of catenaries 54 . these catenaries are attached to both the torus 50 and the dish 52 with grommets . the size and parabolic arc of the dish is designed so that its focal point should be on the surface of the radome . the focal point will be where the feed is located . it is important to note that the dimensions of antennas will vary widely in different embodiments . however in the present example , the antenna has a diameter of 196 inches . the internal dish has a diameter of 189 inches ( 4 . 8 meters ) with a focal length of about 120 inches and is supported from the spherical radome by a series of elastic retainers . the lenticular dish may be formed by seaming two parabolic membranes together . one membrane is microwave - reflective and the other is non - reflective . the membranes may be made of light weight , thin polymers . the microwave - reflective composition of the dish of the antenna may be either a heterogeneous material or a homogenous material . the reflective membrane may be rendered reflective by coating it with metallizing paint . in one embodiment , metallizing paint is a heterogeneous material that includes silver metallic flake in an epoxy binder . in other embodiments , other conductive materials such as a homogeneous thin layer of aluminum or other microwave reflective materials could be used as a reflective coating . the non - reflective membrane is uncoated and transparent to rf signals . the membranes that make up the dish are about 1 . 00 - 1 . 25 mils thick . the heterogeneous reflective metallic coating for one of the membranes is about 100 , 000 angstroms thick . homogenous reflective coatings for the reflective membrane may be between 1 , 000 - 2 , 000 angstroms thick . [ 0046 ] fig8 shows cross - section view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention that uses a phased array antenna 56 . a phased array antenna uses an array of identical radiators with the capability of altering the phase of the power fed to each of them . this allows the shape and direction of the radiation pattern to be altered without mechanical adjustment of the antenna . in fig8 the phased array antenna 56 has sixteen separate antenna panels 62 . each panel 62 contains an array of smaller antennas or radiators . the antenna panels 62 are surrounded by a radome 58 in a similar manner as described in previous examples . the antenna is supported by a cradle 60 that may be attached to a supporting structure ( not shown ). each panel 62 has a connection 64 with the other components of the system ( not shown ) through the interior of the cradle 60 . the panels 62 are made of a light weight , rigid material and they are connected with each other with a series of off - set , self - aligning hinges . this configuration allows for the panels to fold up when being stowed away . fig9 shows a cut - away view of the antenna panels 66 being folded up inside the deflated radome 68 . as shown in fig1 , the antenna panels are arranged in four separate columns 70 , 72 , 74 , and 76 and four rows in each column 78 , 80 , 82 and 84 . when the antenna is stowed , the columns and rows all fold simultaneously with each other . the twelve panels on the exterior edge of the antenna are connected to the interior of the radome by flexible cords . as the radome inflates , these cords pull the panels apart from their folded configuration . once the radome is fully deployed , the panels are fully extended into a single panel . the off - set , self - aligning hinges are used to compensate for the thickness of the individual panels . [ 0049 ] fig1 shows two panels 71 of a deployed phased - array antenna with an off - set , self - aligning hinge 73 . the hinge allows the panels of the antenna to fold in an “ origami - style ” technique . this means that the panels 71 fold and unfold simultaneously when force is applied instead of being able to fold or unfold one column or row at a time . the origami folding technique ensures that all of the panels of the antenna will fully deploy when the antenna is unfolded . likewise , all of the panels of the antenna will fully fold up when the antenna is packed up . [ 0050 ] fig1 a and 12 b show two partially folded panels of a phased - array antenna with off - set , self - aligning hinges . an electrical connector ( not shown ) is located on the edges of the body of the panels 71 . it is used to make an electrical connection between the panels 71 . the connector may be a spring contact connector for direct current ( dc ) connections or a capacitive coupled co - axial connector for radio frequency ( rf ) connections . other types of connectors that are known in the art could be used in alternative embodiments . the self - aligning hinge 73 is shown with a cross member 79 that spans across the seam 75 of the two panels 71 . the cross member 79 connects to each panel by cantilever struts 81 with a pivoting or flexing - membrane hinge . each folding connector 81 is attached to its respective panel 71 . when the panels are fully deployed , the cantilever struts 81 fold underneath the cross member 79 and the entire hinge 73 seats flush across the seam 75 of the panels 71 in a recessed slot . when the panels are unfolded , the cantilever struts 81 fold out from under the cross member 79 and allow the panels 71 to move . [ 0051 ] fig1 a and 13 b show cut away views of alternative embodiments of deployed phased array antennas . fig1 a shows a fully deployed single plane phased array antenna 86 that is mounted on the top of a vehicle . fig1 b shows a fully deployed triple plane phased array antenna 88 that is also mounted on top of a vehicle . in this embodiment , three identical phased array antennas are configured at an angle of 120 ° with respect to each other . this arrangement provides full 360 ° coverage without having to re - orient the antenna &# 39 ; s direction . alternative embodiments could use varying numbers of panels that are equidistantly angled for 360 ° coverage . for example , four panels could be used that are arranged at a 90 ° angle with respect to each other . [ 0052 ] fig1 a and 14 b show cross sectional views of another embodiment of a deployed phased array antenna . in this embodiment , the antenna 89 is cylindrically shaped . the radome 93 is an inflatable elongated cylinder with dome - shaped cap on each end . the antenna panels 91 are suspended in the radome 93 with multiple flexible centenaries 95 . this embodiment of an inflatable antenna may be deployed on the back of a trailer or fixed on the ground with guy lines to hold it in position . [ 0053 ] fig1 a , 15 b and 15 c show an alternative embodiment of a phased array antenna being deployed . in this embodiment , the phased array antenna panels are not surrounded by a radome , but instead they are held in place with a support frame . the antenna may use the off - set , self - aligning hinges described previously . fig1 a shows the phased array antenna in a stowed configuration 90 on top of a vehicle . as shown in fig1 b , once the vehicle arrives on station , the panels of the antenna 96 are deployed by extending the support frame 98 . fig1 b shows the antenna 94 fully extended and braced by the support frame 98 . the antenna may also be retracted and stowed in a similar manner . in alternative embodiments , the antenna could be mounted on a rotating base so that the orientation may be changed without moving the vehicle . in other embodiments , the antenna could have multiple phased array panels to provide 360 ° coverage as previous shown and described in fig1 b . in alternative embodiments , the present invention could be deployed in a man - portable configuration . fig1 shows a man - portable antenna 99 that is carried in a backpack 100 and tethered to the ground 101 when deployed . in this embodiment , the antenna is supported on an inflatable torus 102 and uses an array feed 103 with the inflatable lenticular 104 inside a spherical radome 105 . alternatively , the radome of the antenna could be filled with helium , etc . and lifted in the air . ground tethers would be used to secure the antenna to the ground . in other embodiments , the present invention could be used on aeronautical vehicles such as blimps or other types of aircraft as well as orbital satellites . [ 0055 ] fig1 a - 17 c show an alternative embodiment of the present invention that uses a log - periodic antenna . fig1 a and 17 b show a top view and a front view of the antenna respectively . fig1 c shows a perspective view of the embodiment . this antenna contains a cross - polarized , log periodic array ( lpa ) antenna 110 that is inside an inflatable radome 112 . the lpa 110 could be printed elements on membranes 114 as shown . in alternative embodiments , the lpa 110 could be wire antennas that are held in place and supported by non - conducting catenaries . in other embodiments , multiple lpa 110 could be mounted inside one radome 112 . the present invention has the advantages of being a light weight , transportable antenna for ground based use . both the inflatable reflector and foldable phased array antennas offer significant improvements in weight and stowage space used over conventional antennas . while the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments , those skilled in the art , having benefit of this disclosure , will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed here . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims . | 7 |
before the subject devices , systems and methods are described , it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular embodiments described , as such may , of course , vary . it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only , and is not intended to be limiting , since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . it must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ”, and “ the ” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . thus , for example , reference to “ a spinal segment ” may include a plurality of such spinal segments and reference to “ the screw ” includes reference to one or more screws and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art , and so forth . all publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and / or materials in connection with which the publications are cited . the publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application . nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention . further , the dates of publication provided may be different from the actual publication dates which may need to be independently confirmed . the present invention is described in the accompanying figures and text as understood by a person having ordinary skill in the field of surgical retractors . in use , the whole retractor assembly shown in the figures is introduced into the surgical field . upon introduction , the initial configuration of the retractor is in a closed position such that the retractor blades extend downwardly and all of the distal ends of each blade are in close proximity to one another to allow ease of introduction . once inserted at the desired location , the retractor forms a small field of visibility . the surgeon then causes the blades to be expanded outwardly by operating the various constructs shown in the figures to customize the degree and directions of retraction . one or more of the blades rotate outwardly and / or translate along multi - axial directions . once in position , the blades are then locked to achieve a custom retraction according to surgeon preference and patient anatomy . the expanded blades act to spread the muscle and tissue further to provide retraction beyond the ring of view formed when the retractor is first inserted . the retractor of the present invention is customized for the demands of spinal surgery and reduces the “ creep ” of muscle or other tissue into the surgical field leaving a larger and more secure surgical area to be exposed for surgical access , increased visibility and stability . the entire device may be constructed of surgical steel , or alternatively , various components of the device may be constructed of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of stainless steel , titanium and plastics . with reference to the figures , the retractor will now be described in detail . various views of a retractor 10 according to the present invention are shown in fig1 - 4 . the retractor 10 includes at least one main or first rail 12 . a first slider 14 and a second slider 16 are connected to the at least one main rail 12 . a second rail 18 is connected to the first slider 14 and a third rail 20 is connected to the second slider 16 . a third slider 22 is connected to the second rail 18 and a fourth slider 24 is connected to the third rail 24 . the main or first rail 12 , the second rail 18 and third rail 20 together with first , second , third and fourth sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 are all coplanar or parallel to the x - y plane . the three rails 12 , 18 , 20 form three coplanar sides of a polygon in the x - y plane and the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 each carry at least one blade 26 . each of the blades 26 extends downwardly from the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the x - y plane and in a direction substantially parallel to the z - axis . in the variation shown , the second rail 18 is connected to the first slider 14 such that the second rail 18 is substantially perpendicular to the first rail 12 and the third rail 20 is connected to the second slider 16 such that the third rail 20 is substantially perpendicular to the first rail 12 . therefore , the polygon formed in the x - y plane is a three - sided rectangle or three - sided square with the side opposite and parallel to the main or first rail 12 being absent or open . the interior of the retractor polygon defines the retractor zone . turning now to fig5 - 7 , there is shown a first or main rail 12 according to the present invention . the main rail 12 is an elongate , straight bar that is made of metal such as surgical steel or titanium . the main rail 12 includes a first distal end 28 and a second distal end 30 and has a top surface 32 and a bottom surface 34 interconnected by an inner surface 36 and an outer surface 38 to define a substantially square or rectangular cross - section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main rail 12 . a curved first end surface 40 is formed at the first distal end 28 and a curved second end surface 42 is formed at the second distal end 30 . a handle 44 is optionally included with the first rail 12 . the handle 44 includes a leg 46 that is inserted into a leg opening ( not shown ) formed in the outer surface 38 of the main rail 12 . a pin 52 is passed through an aperture 54 in the top surface 32 , through a pin aperture 50 formed in the leg 46 and into an aperture 56 formed in the bottom surface 34 and the pin 52 is laser welded to connect the handle 44 to the main rail 12 . the main rail 12 further includes at least one track 58 . fig5 - 7 show a variation having a first track 58 a and a second track 58 b connected to the main rail 12 . although two tracks 58 a , 58 b are shown the invention is not so limited and multiple tracks or a single track that is longer is within the scope of the present invention . the first track 58 a is disposed in a first track - receiving portion 60 and the second track 62 is disposed in a second track - receiving portion 64 . each of the first and second tracks 58 , 62 is an elongate bar having a square or rectangular cross - section taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axis or has a cross - section that has the same shape as , although smaller in size than , the cross - section of the first rail 12 within which it is disposed . in the variation shown in fig5 - 7 , the first track 58 is identical to the second track 62 having the same length , shape and configuration that can be seen in greater detail in fig8 - 10 . turning now to fig8 - 10 , the track 58 includes a flat top surface 66 and a flat bottom surface 68 interconnected by a toothed inner surface 70 and a flat outer surface 72 . pin apertures 74 extend from the top surface 66 to the bottom surface 68 and are sized and configured for receiving pins 52 for connecting the at least one tracks 58 to a rail . the inner surface 70 of the track 58 is toothed providing a gearing surface or rack for engagement with respective sliders to lock or permit motion of the respective sliders relative to the rail . the inner surface 70 is provided with a plurality of teeth 76 , the detail of which is shown in fig1 . with particular reference to fig1 , two adjacent teeth 76 are shown . each tooth 76 includes a right flank 78 interconnected to a left flank 80 at a top land 82 or point . at least one of the right or left flanks 78 , 80 is substantially perpendicular to a baseline 84 and at least one of the right or left flanks 78 , 80 is angled with respect to the baseline 84 . in fig1 , the left flank 80 is shown angled with respect to the baseline 84 to permit unidirectional movement of a slider , gear tooth or locking tooth in a direction from the left flank 80 toward the right flank 78 . turning back to fig5 - 7 , the first track - receiving portion 60 is sized and configured to receive the first track 58 a and the second track - receiving portion 64 is sized and configured to receive the second track 58 b . the first and second track - receiving portions 60 , 64 are recesses or channels sized and configured to receive their respect tracks 58 a , 58 b . pins 52 are passed through apertures 54 in the top surface 32 and bottom surface 34 of the first rail 12 and through pin apertures 74 in the tracks 58 , 62 . the pins 52 are laser welded to connect the tracks 58 , 62 to the first rail 12 . as mentioned above , a variation having a single track is within the scope of the invention ; wherein the single track is longer and extends across most of the first rail to permit engagement with both sliders 14 , 16 . still referencing fig5 - 10 , the two tracks 58 a , 58 b provide the first rail 12 with two toothed surfaces 70 such that the teeth 76 are recessed from the inner surface 36 of the first rail 12 as can be seen in fig6 . the teeth 76 do not protrude or extend beyond the outer surface 36 of the first rail 12 . in one variation , the top land 82 of each tooth 76 is even with the outer surface 36 of the rail 36 . in another variation , the top land 82 is slightly recessed or setback from the outer surface 36 of the top rail 12 . in general , the right or left flanks 78 , 80 do not protrude beyond the outer surface 36 of the first rail 12 . thereby , the tracks 58 a , 58 b are set within the respective receiving portions 60 , 64 . in another variation , the first rail 12 does not include first and second tracks 58 a , 58 b located within first and second track - receiving portions 60 , 64 , respectively ; instead , the first rail 12 itself is provided with at least one toothed surface as described integrally formed with the rail 12 instead of being formed as insertable tracks separate from the rail . furthermore , the at least one toothed surface can be located along one or more surfaces of the first rail 12 such as the top surface 32 , bottom surface 34 , inner surface 36 and / or outer surface 38 . the tracks 58 a , 58 b are configured to engage a locking tooth of the first and second sliders 14 , 16 to lock the first and second sliders 14 , 16 from movement relative to the first rail 12 . disengagement of a locking tooth from the one of the sliders 14 , 16 permits the disengaged slider to move relative to the first rail 12 . in another variation , engagement of the locking tooth with a track 58 locks the slider only in one direction along the y - axis and the slider is free to move in the opposite direction . this unidirectional locking of a slider advantageously facilitates the opening or increasing of the retractor zone without requiring the release of the locking tooth . preferably , the track and locking tooth are configured such that the locking tooth and track 58 locks movement of the slider in a direction that closes reduces the retraction zone . in other words , the sliders 14 , 16 are permitted to move outwardly away from the handle 44 along the first rail 12 by the locking tooth ramping over one of the right or left flanks . for example , in the first track 58 a , the right flanks 78 are angled to permit movement of the first slider 14 along the first rail 12 in an outwardly direction with the locking tooth engaged . in the second track 58 b , the left flanks 80 are angled to permit movement of the second slider 16 in an outwardly direction with the locking tooth engaged . still referencing fig5 - 10 , the first track 58 a is placed proximally to the first distal end 28 of the first rail 12 such that the left flanks 80 of all of the teeth 76 on the first track 58 are configured to permit unidirectional travel of the first slider 14 in a direction parallel to the x - axis and away from the handle 44 and toward the first distal end 28 . hence , the left flanks 80 of all of the teeth 76 on the first track 58 are perpendicular to the base 84 or top land 82 and the right flanks 78 are angled to permit the first slider 14 to move outwardly toward the first distal end 28 but prevent or restrict movement of the first slider 14 toward the handle 44 or the second distal end 30 while the locking tooth is engaged . the second track 60 is placed proximally to the second distal end 30 of the first rail 12 such that the left flanks 80 of all of the teeth 76 on the second track 60 are configured to permit unidirectional travel of the second slider 16 in a direction parallel to the x - axis and away from the handle 44 and toward the second distal end 30 . hence , the right flanks 78 of all of the teeth 76 on the second track 60 are perpendicular to the base 84 or top land 82 when viewed from the top and the left flanks 78 are angled to permit the second slider 16 to move outwardly toward the second distal end 30 but prevent or restrict movement of the second slider 16 toward the handle 44 or the first distal end 28 while the locking tooth of the slider is engaged . still referencing fig1 - 7 and fig1 , the first rail 12 includes an aperture 54 near the first distal end 28 extending from the top surface 32 to the bottom surface 34 of the first rail 12 configured to receive a stop pin 86 having an enlarged head 88 as shown in fig1 . the enlarged head 88 is positioned above the top surface 32 when the stop pin 86 is in place and serves to stop the sliding motion of the first slider 14 preventing it from moving off the first rail 12 . a similar aperture 54 is located near the second distal end 30 extending from the top surface 32 to the bottom surface 34 of the first rail 12 configured to receive a stop pin 86 having an enlarged head 88 . the enlarged head 88 extends above the top surface 32 when the stop pin 86 is in place and serves to stop the sliding motion of the second slider 16 preventing it from falling off the first rail 12 . of course , the stop pins 86 are placed after the sliders 14 , 16 are connected to the first rail 12 . the sliders 14 , 16 are arrested when traveling toward the handle 44 by abutting the handle 44 itself . turning now to fig1 - 13 , the first slider 14 will now be described . the slider 14 includes a housing 90 , a blade mount 92 , a plurality of antifriction bearings 94 and a lock 96 shown in fig1 a - 18 b . the housing 90 of the first slider 14 is made of any suitable material including any metal such as steel , surgical steel or titanium and defines a first rail receiving portion 100 and a second rail receiving portion 102 . the housing is polygonal forming a substantially l - shaped structure having a top surface 104 and a bottom surface 106 interconnected by a plurality of side walls having side surfaces 108 to the outside to define the housing 90 . the first rail receiving portion 100 is formed as a channel or passageway sized and configured to receive the first rail 12 in sliding engagement therein . the passageway of first rail receiving portion 100 includes a first opening formed in a side surface 108 at one end of the housing 90 and extends to a second opening formed in a side surface 108 at a second end of the housing directly opposite from the first opening to define the passageway . the passageway has a cross - sectional area that is slightly larger than the cross - sectional area of the first rail 12 and a cross - sectional shape that is the same as the cross - sectional shape of the first rail 12 . the housing 90 includes a second rail receiving portion 102 . the second rail receiving portion 102 is formed as a channel or passageway that is sized and configured to receive the second rail 18 therein . the passageway of second rail receiving portion 102 includes a first opening formed in a side surface 108 at one end of the housing 90 . a second opening formed in a side surface 108 at a second end opposite the first opening is optional as an alternative variation . the passageway extends from the first opening into the housing 90 and does not necessarily have to extend or open to the second surface 108 opposite the first opening . the passageway has a cross - sectional area that is slightly larger than the cross - sectional area of the second rail 18 and a cross - sectional shape that is the same as the cross - sectional shape defined by the second rail 18 . the first rail receiving portion 100 and the second rail receiving portion 102 are shown to be perpendicular to each other with the first rail receiving portion 100 substantially parallel to the y - axis and the second rail receiving portion substantially parallel to the x - axis . although the first and second rail receiving portions 100 , 102 are shown to be configured at 90 degrees to each other , the invention is not so limited and the first and second rail receiving portions 100 , 102 can be angled with respect to each other . for example , the angle between the first and second rail - receiving portions 100 , 102 can be acute at approximately 30 degrees as angled as far apart as approximately 150 degrees . the housing 90 further includes a lock receiving portion 110 . the lock receiving portion 110 is sized and configured to receive a lock 96 therein . the lock receiving portion 110 intersects with the first rail receiving portion 100 , preferably , at approximately 90 degrees . the lock receiving portion 110 includes an opening 112 in a side surface 108 of the housing 90 and defines a channel or passageway extending inwardly from the opening 112 and into the housing 90 . the lock receiving portion 110 traverses or crosses the first rail receiving portion 100 . the lock receiving portion 110 includes a back wall or stop 114 formed at the inside end of the lock receiving portion 110 . in the variation shown in fig1 a - 13 d , the lock receiving portion 110 is aligned with the second rail receiving portion 102 , both being perpendicular to the first rail receiving portion 100 . still referencing fig1 a - 13 d , the housing 90 further includes one or more bearing receiving portions 116 along at least two sides of the first rail receiving portion 100 and interconnecting with the first rail receiving portion 100 . the bearing receiving portions 116 are shown to be square or rectangular in shape , although they can have any cross - sectional shape and be curved or rounded . one side of each of the square or rectangular shaped bearing receiving portion 116 is open to the first rail receiving portion 100 such that when an antifriction bearing 94 is inserted in the bearing receiving portion 100 , it provides a point or line contact with the first rail 12 . in the variation shown in fig1 a - 13 d , there are a total of eight bearing receiving portions 116 adjacent to the first rail receiving portion 100 . two bearing receiving portions 116 a , 116 b ( see fig1 a ) are located above the first rail receiving portion 100 and generally adjacent to the top surface 32 of the first rail 12 when it is inserted . two bearing receiving portions 116 c , 116 d ( see fig1 b ) are located below the first rail receiving portion 100 and generally adjacent to the bottom surface 34 of the first rail 12 when it is inserted into the housing 90 . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 116 a , 116 b , 116 c , 116 d each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the x - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the first rail 12 when inserted . the housing 90 further includes pin apertures 118 opening to the side surfaces 108 on either side of the first rail receiving portion 100 . the pin apertures 118 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 116 and hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the pin apertures 118 have a cross - sectional area that is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the bearing receiving portions 116 taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bearing receiving portions or y - axis . furthermore , two bearing receiving portions 116 e , 116 f ( see fig1 d ) are located along one side of first rail receiving portion 100 and generally adjacent to the one side of the first rail 12 when it is inserted into the housing 90 . two bearing receiving portions 116 g , 116 h ( see fig1 ) are located along the opposite or other side of the first rail receiving portion 100 and generally adjacent to the opposite or other side of the first rail 12 when it is inserted into the housing 90 . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 116 e , 116 f , 116 g , 116 h each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the z - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the first rail 12 when inserted . the housing 90 further includes pin apertures 118 opening to the top and bottom surfaces 104 , 106 on either side of the first rail receiving portion 100 . the pin apertures 118 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 116 and are configured to receive bearing pins to hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the pin apertures 118 have a cross - sectional area that is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the bearing receiving portions 116 taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bearing receiving portions 116 . the housing 90 further includes a blade mount portion 120 . the blade mount portion 120 is configured to connect to a blade mount 92 . the blade mount portion 120 of the housing 90 is configured as a flange that extends outwardly from the housing 90 and toward the retractor zone . in the variation shown in fig1 a - 13 d , the blade mount portion 120 is located in the seat of an l - shaped housing 90 such that the flange extends between and at an angle to the first rail receiving portion 100 and the second rail receiving portion 102 . the blade mount portion 120 includes a threaded aperture 122 configured to receive a threaded tow angle post 124 . the tow angle post 124 is shown in fig1 . the tow angle post 124 is an elongated fastener having a driving head 126 at the proximal end for engagement with an instrument for driving the post 124 inside the threaded aperture 122 . the tow angle post 124 also includes a middle threaded portion 128 and a distal threaded portion 130 . a middle non - threaded portion 132 is provided on the tow angle post 124 between the middle threaded portion 128 and a distal threaded portion 130 . the distal threaded portion 130 and the non - threaded portion 132 are smaller in diameter relative to the middle threaded portion 128 . the tow angle post 124 is configured to be threadingly inserted into the threaded aperture 122 of the blade mount portion 120 of the housing 90 . with the tow angle post 124 inserted , the non - threaded portion 132 and the distal threaded portion 130 extend to receive a blade mount 92 . a blade mount 92 according to the present invention is shown in fig1 . the blade mount 92 is configured to connect to the blade mount portion 120 of the housing 90 and , in particular , pivotably attach to underneath the flange . the blade mount 92 includes an aperture 134 for receiving the distal end of the tow angle post 124 . the blade mount 92 includes a blade receiving portion 136 configured to connect to a blade 26 according to the present invention . the blade receiving portion 136 includes an elongated or elliptical aperture 138 having a sidewall 139 that is configured to connect with therein a retractor blade 26 according to the present invention . two outwardly extending flanges 140 serve to stabilize a blade 26 that is connected to the blade mount 92 . the blade mount 92 includes an aperture 142 configured for receiving a pin 144 ( see fig1 ) there through . a corresponding pin aperture is formed in the housing 90 and configured to receive the pin to connect the blade mount 92 in a pivotable manner to the housing 90 . an additional opening 146 of the slider 14 is formed as a window extending into the blade mount 92 and intersecting with the tow angle post aperture 122 for the attachment of tow angle return . with a tow angle post 124 inserted into the threaded aperture 122 of the housing 90 and its distal non - threaded 132 and threaded portion 130 extending beyond the housing 90 , the blade mount 92 is pivotably connected to the housing 90 by passing a pin 144 through the pin aperture 142 and by passing the aperture 134 of the blade mount 92 onto the distal portion of the tow angle post 124 such that the blade mount 92 is positioned on the non - threaded portion 132 . the blade mount 92 is captured between the housing 90 and a tow angle return 148 . turning now to fig1 , a tow angle return 148 will now be described . the tow angle return 148 is a spherically shaped element with a threaded aperture 150 configured to thread onto the distal threaded portion 130 of the tow angle post 124 . when threaded onto the distal end of the tow angle post 124 , the tow angle return 148 serves to capture the blade mount 92 between the tow angle return 148 and the housing 90 . when the tow angle post 124 is threaded into the housing 90 , the tow angle post 124 moves downwardly allowing the blade mount 92 to angulate about the pin 144 in a downward direction . when the tow angle post 124 is threaded up and outwardly from the housing 90 , the tow angle post 124 moves upwardly with the tow angle return 148 contacting the blade mount 92 and pulling or angulating the blade mount 92 upwardly . removal of the tow angle post 124 is prevented by the tow angle return 148 threaded onto the distal threaded portion 130 of the tow angle post 124 . turning now to fig1 a - 17 b , there is shown an antifriction bearing 94 according to the present invention . the bearing 94 is an elongated cylinder made of appropriate material such as surgical steel or titanium . the elongate cylinder has a circular cross - section and defines an outer surface 152 and an inner surface 154 . the inner surface 154 forms a lumen extending between an open proximal end and an open distal end . fig1 b shows a pin 156 sized and configured for insertion into the lumen of the bearing 94 . the length of the pin 156 is longer than the bearing 94 such that the proximal end and distal end of the pin 156 extend beyond the proximal and distal openings of the bearing 94 , respectively . the bearings 94 are sized and configured to fit inside the bearing receiving portions 116 and the pin apertures 118 of the housing 90 to connect the bearing 94 to the housing 90 by welding the pins 156 to the housing 90 capturing the bearings 94 within the bearing receiving portions 116 such that the bearings 94 are free to rotate relative to the housing 90 . alternatively , a cage or other retainer can be employed to secure the antifriction bearings 94 to the housing 90 . the antifriction bearing 94 is a cylindrical roller having straight sides that provide a line contact with the first rail 12 . the cylindrical rollers are small and may be considered to be needle rollers . other antifriction elements such as spherical or ball bearings can be used in combination or instead of the cylindrical roller bearings shown in the figures . the roller bearings 94 are disposed in the bearing receiving portions 116 and retained therein by bearing pins 156 welded to the housing 90 . the cylindrical bearings 94 are connected to the housing 90 such that they can rotate about their respective pins 156 relative to the housing 90 . when connected to the housing 90 , the antifriction bearings 94 extend or protrude slightly into first rail receiving portion 100 to contact the first rail 12 disposed therein . turning now to fig1 a - 18 b , there is shown a lock 96 according to the present invention . the lock 96 is sized and configured to be disposed inside the lock receiving portion 110 of the housing 90 . the lock 96 is an elongate shape having a square or rectangular cross section having a first end 158 and a second end 160 . the first end 158 includes an outer surface that extends beyond a side surface 108 of the housing 90 and is configured to be depressible by a finger of a user and as such may include a concave depression 162 for receiving a finger of a user . the lock 96 includes a throughway 164 extending through the lock 96 from one side surface to another side surface and is configured to receive the first rail 12 . the throughway 164 includes an inner surface that includes a locking tooth 166 . the locking tooth 166 extends from the inner surface and into the throughway 164 . the protruding locking tooth 166 includes a locking surface or flank 168 that is substantially perpendicular with respect to the inner surface and an angled or ramped surface or flank 170 that is angled with respect to the inner surface of the lock 96 . the throughway 164 is sized and configured to receive the first rail 12 inside the throughway 164 . also , the locking tooth 166 is sized and configured to engage with the teeth 76 of the first track 58 a of the first rail 12 such that the locking flank 168 of the locking tooth 166 engages the perpendicular flanks of the first track 58 a . the angled flank 170 of the locking tooth 166 permits sliding engagement with the angled flanks of the first track 58 a such that the locking tooth 166 serves as a unidirectional stop . the lock 96 includes a spring 172 depicted in fig1 that is disposed between the lock 96 and the housing 90 . in particular , the spring 172 is disposed in a spring receiving portion 174 formed at the second end 160 of the lock 96 with the opposite end of the spring 172 abutting the back wall or stop 114 formed at the inside end of the lock receiving portion 110 . the lock receiving portion 110 may also include a spring receiving portion to receive the other end of the spring 172 . the spring 172 is positioned to bias the lock 96 outwardly relative to the housing 90 such that the locking tooth 166 of the lock 96 is engaged with the teeth 76 of the rail 12 . the first slider 14 is assembled with respect to the first rail 12 by inserting the first rail 12 into the first rail receiving portion 100 of the housing 90 . before the first rail 12 crosses the lock receiving portion 110 of the housing , the lock spring 172 is disposed inside the lock receiving portion 110 followed by the lock 96 which is oriented such that the through - way 164 of the lock 96 is aligned with the first rail receiving portion 110 . the lock 96 may have to be depressed slightly to pass the first rail 12 through the lock throughway 164 . hence , the lock 96 is captured by the first rail 12 inside the housing 90 . the distal end 28 of the first rail 12 is passed through the housing 90 until the aperture 50 at first distal end 28 extends out from the housing 90 . a stop pin 86 is then inserted into the aperture 50 to prevent the slider 14 from sliding off the first distal end 28 . the first rail 12 is inserted into the first rail receiving portion 110 such that the teeth 76 of the first track 58 a face inwardly towards the locking tooth 166 of the lock 96 for engagement therewith . the lock 96 is biased by the spring 172 such that the locking tooth 166 engages the teeth 76 of the track 58 a . since the lock 96 is movable by depressing the first end relative 158 to the housing 90 to thereby release the locking tooth 166 from the teeth 76 of the track 58 a , the track 58 a can then be moved along the rail 12 in any direction along the y - axis . in the variation shown , the slider 12 is free to move outwardly toward the first distal end 28 of the first rail 12 with the locking tooth 166 engaged with the teeth 76 on the rail 12 by nature of the ramped locking tooth 166 engaging the angled flacks of the track 58 a . this configuration permits the slider 12 to move outwardly toward the first distal end 28 while the locking tooth 166 is engaged with the track 58 a but the lock prevents movement of the slider 12 inwardly away from the first distal end 28 as the perpendicular flank 168 of the locking tooth 166 and the perpendicular flank of the track 58 a would engage each other to arrest movement of the first slider 14 relative to the first rail 12 . this configuration allows the slider 14 to move outwardly to expand the tissue opening or wound area preventing the collapse of the tissue opening allowing users to take surgical action in the retracted zone . to close or move the slider 14 to close or reduce the retraction or tissue opening , the user would depress the first end 158 of the lock 96 to release the locking tooth 166 from engagement with the first track 58 a . the first rail 12 does not contact the housing 90 . instead , the first rail 12 is configured to contact one or more antifriction bearings 94 . turning now to fig2 - 22 , there is shown a second rail 18 according to the present invention . the second rail 18 is an elongate , straight bar that is made of metal such as surgical steel or titanium . the second rail 18 includes a proximal end 176 and a distal end 178 and has a top surface 180 and a bottom surface 182 interconnected by an inner surface 184 and an outer surface 186 to define a substantially square or rectangular cross - section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second rail 18 . a curved end surface is formed at the distal end 178 . the proximal end 176 of the second rail 18 is sized and configured to be received inside the second rail receiving portion 102 of the first slider 14 . the second rail 14 is inserted into the second rail receiving portion 102 of the first slider 14 and pins 52 are passed through apertures in the first slider 14 and second rail 18 and welded to connect the second rail 18 to the first slider 14 . because the second rail receiving portion 102 is perpendicular to the first rail receiving portion 100 , the second rail 18 will be perpendicular to the first rail 12 when connected to the first slider 14 . movement of the first slider 14 will result in movement of the second rail 18 along with the first slider 14 . the second rail 18 includes at least one track 58 . the track 58 is the same as described above with respect to fig8 - 10 . the track 58 is disposed in a track - receiving portion 188 of the second rail 18 . the track - receiving portion 188 is sized and configured to receive the track 58 . pins 52 are passed through apertures 190 in the top surface 180 and bottom surface 182 of the second rail 18 and through pin apertures 74 in the track 58 . the pins 52 are laser welded to connect the track 58 to the second rail 18 . teeth 76 on the track 58 are configured to engage a locking tooth on the third slider 22 such that movement of the third slider 22 with respect to the second rail 18 is prevented or locked . in the variation shown in the figures , the third slider 22 is permitted to travel in one direction and locked in the opposite direction while the locking tooth of the third slider 22 is engaged with the teeth 76 of the track 58 . in such a variation , the flanks are of the locking tooth and track are configured to permit ramped travel over the teeth in one direction and configured to lock against perpendicular flanks in the opposite direction . preferably the teeth 76 on the track 58 and the locking tooth on the third slider 22 are configured to lock or prevent the third slider 22 from moving toward the first slider 14 while the locking tooth of the third slider 22 is engaged with the teeth 76 on the track 58 . this configuration advantageously permits the retraction zone to be easily opened increased in size by moving the third slider 22 outwardly away from the first slider 14 without requiring release or disengagement of the locking tooth . this configuration also advantageously prevents the third slider 22 from creeping toward the first slider 14 and reducing the size of the retracted opening . still referencing fig2 - 22 , the track 58 provides the second rail 18 with a toothed surface that is recessed from the inner surface 184 of the second rail 18 . the teeth 76 do not protrude or extend beyond the outer surface of the second rail 18 . in one variation , the top land of each tooth is even with the inner surface 184 of the second rail 18 . in another variation , the top land is slightly recessed or setback from the inner surface 184 of the second rail 18 . in general , the right or left flanks do not protrude beyond the inner surface 184 of the second rail 18 . thereby , the track 58 is set within the track receiving portion 188 . in another variation , the second rail 18 does not include a track 58 located within track receiving portion 188 ; instead , the second rail 18 itself is provided with at least one toothed surface recessed as described above and integrally formed with the second rail 18 instead of as separate insertable track 58 . furthermore , the at least one toothed surface can be located along one or more surfaces of the second rail 18 such as the top surface 180 , bottom surface 182 , inner surface 184 and / or outer surface 186 . the track 58 is located proximally to the distal end 178 of the second rail 18 such that the flanks of all of the teeth on the track 58 are configured to permit unidirectional travel of the third slider 22 in a direction parallel to the x - axis and away from the first slider 14 and toward the distal end 178 while the locking tooth of the third slider 22 is engaged . hence , the left flanks of all of the teeth on the track 58 are perpendicular to the baseline 84 or top land 82 and the right flanks are angled to permit the third slider 22 to move outwardly toward the distal end 178 but prevent or restrict movement of the third slider 22 toward the first slider 14 or the proximal end 176 of the second rail 18 . still referencing fig2 - 22 , the second rail 18 includes an aperture 190 near the distal end 178 extending from the top surface 180 to the bottom surface 182 of the second rail 18 and configured to receive a stop pin 86 having an enlarged head 88 as shown and described in fig1 . the enlarged head 88 is not flush but is positioned above the top surface 180 when the stop pin 86 is in place and serves to stop the sliding motion of the third slider 22 preventing it from moving off the second rail 18 . the stop pin 86 is placed after the third slider 22 is connected to the second rail 18 . the third slider 22 is arrested when traveling toward the first slider 14 by abutting the first slider 14 itself . turning now to fig2 - 24 , the third slider 22 will now be described . the third slider 22 includes a housing 192 , a blade mount 92 , a plurality of antifriction bearings 94 and a lock 96 ( see fig1 ). the housing 192 of the third slider 22 will now be described with reference to fig2 a - 24 d . the housing 192 is made of any suitable material including any metal such as steel , surgical steel or titanium and defines a second rail receiving portion 200 . the housing 192 has a top surface 202 and a bottom surface 204 interconnected by a plurality of side walls having side surfaces 206 to the outside to define the housing 192 . the second rail receiving portion 200 is formed as a passageway sized and configured to receive the second rail 18 in sliding engagement with the housing 192 . the second rail receiving portion 200 includes a first opening formed in a side surface 206 at one end of the housing 192 and a second opening formed in a side surface at a second end of the housing 192 directly opposite from the first opening to define a passageway extending therebetween . the passageway has a cross - sectional area that is slightly larger than the cross - sectional area of the second rail and a cross - sectional shape that is the same as the cross - sectional shape of the second rail 18 . the housing 192 of the third slider 22 further includes a lock receiving portion 208 . the lock receiving portion 208 is sized and configured to receive a lock 96 therein . the lock receiving portion 208 intersects with the second rail receiving portion 200 , preferably , at approximately 90 degrees . the lock receiving portion 208 includes an opening in a side surface 206 of the housing 192 and defines a passageway extending inwardly from the opening into the housing 192 . the lock receiving portion 208 traverses or crosses the second rail receiving portion 200 . the lock receiving portion 208 includes a back wall or stop 210 formed at the inside end of the lock receiving portion 208 . still referencing fig2 a - 24 d , the housing 192 of the third slider 22 further includes one or more bearing receiving portions 212 along at least two sides of the second rail receiving portion 200 and interconnecting with the second rail receiving portion 200 . the bearing receiving portions 212 are shown to be square or rectangular in shape , although they can have any cross - sectional shape and be curved or rounded so long as they are configured to receive antifriction bearings 94 . one side of each of the square or rectangular shaped bearing receiving portion 212 is open to the second rail receiving portion 200 such that when an antifriction bearing 94 is inserted in the bearing receiving portion 212 it provides a point or line contact with the second rail 18 . in the variation shown in fig2 a - 24 d , there are a total of eight bearing receiving portions adjacent to the second rail receiving portion 200 configured to support the second rail 18 . two bearing receiving portions 212 a , 212 b are located above the second rail receiving portion 200 and generally adjacent to the top 180 of the second rail 18 when it is inserted and two bearing receiving portions 212 c , 212 d are located below the second rail receiving portion 200 and generally adjacent to the bottom surface 182 of the second rail 18 when it is inserted . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 212 a , 212 b , 212 c , 212 d each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the y - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the second rail 18 when the second rail 18 is inserted inside the housing 192 . the housing 192 further includes pin apertures 214 opening to the side surfaces 206 on either side of the second rail receiving portion 200 . the pin apertures 214 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 212 and are configured to hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the pin apertures 214 have a cross - sectional area that is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the bearing receiving portions 212 taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bearing receiving portions or y - axis . furthermore , two bearing receiving portions 212 e , 212 f are located along one side of second rail receiving portion 200 and generally adjacent to the outer surface 186 of the second rail 18 when it is inserted and two bearing receiving portions 212 g , 212 h are located along and generally adjacent to the inner surface 184 of the second rail 18 when it is inserted . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 212 e , 212 f , 212 g , 212 h each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the z - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the second rail 18 when the second rail 18 is inserted into the housing 192 . pin apertures 214 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 212 and are configured to hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the housing 192 of the third slider 22 further includes a blade mount portion 216 . the blade mount portion 216 is configured to connect to a blade mount 92 . the blade mount portion 216 of the housing 192 is configured as a flange that extends outwardly from the housing 192 . in the variation shown in fig2 a - 24 d , the blade mount portion 216 is located inwardly toward the center of the retractor such that the flange extends between and at an angle to the second rail receiving portion 200 . the blade mount portion 216 includes a threaded aperture 218 configured to receive a threaded tow angle post 124 of the same or similar kind described with reference to fig1 . the tow angle post 124 is configured to be threadingly inserted into the threaded aperture 218 of the blade mount portion 216 of the housing 192 . with the tow angle post 124 inserted , a blade mount 92 of the same kind as described in fig1 is connected in the same manner . a blade mount 92 is the same as that described with reference to fig1 . the blade mount 92 is captured between the housing 192 and a tow angle return 148 as described above . the tow angle return 148 is threaded onto the distal end of the tow angle post 124 . antifriction bearings 94 and bearing pins 156 of the same kind described in reference to fig1 a - 17 b are disposed inside the bearing receiving portions 212 and retained therein by bearing pins 156 welded to the housing 192 . the cylindrical bearings 94 are connected to the housing 192 such that they can rotate about their respective pins 156 relative to the housing 192 . a lock 96 of the same kind as described in reference to fig1 - 19 is disposed inside the lock receiving portion 208 of the third housing 192 . the locking tooth 166 extends from the inner surface and into the through - way 164 of the lock 96 . the protruding locking tooth 166 includes a locking surface that is substantially perpendicular with respect to the inner surface and an angled or ramped surface that is angled with respect to the inner surface of the lock . the through - way is sized and configured to receive the second rail 18 inside the through - way 164 . also , the locking tooth 166 is sized and configured to engage with the teeth 76 of the track 58 of the second rail 18 such that the locking surface of the locking tooth 166 engages the perpendicular flanks of the track 58 . the angled surface of the locking tooth 166 permits sliding engagement with the angled flanks of the track 76 such that the locking tooth 166 serves as a unidirectional stop . the lock 96 includes a spring 172 that is disposed between the lock 96 and the third housing 192 to bias the locking tooth 166 into the teeth 76 of the track 58 in the second rail 18 . the third slider 192 is assembled with respect to the second rail 18 by inserting the second rail 18 into the second rail receiving portion 200 of the third housing 192 . before the second rail crosses the lock receiving portion 208 of the housing , the lock spring 172 is disposed inside the lock receiving portion 208 followed by the lock 96 which is oriented such that the through - way 164 of the lock 96 is aligned with the second rail receiving portion 200 . the lock 96 may have to be depressed slightly to pass the second rail 18 through the lock throughway 164 . the lock 96 is captured by the second rail 18 residing inside the third housing 192 . the distal end 178 of the second rail 18 is passed through the third housing 192 until the aperture 190 at first distal end 178 extends out from the third housing 192 . a stop pin 86 is then inserted into the aperture to prevent the third slider 22 from sliding off the second rail 18 . the second rail 18 is inserted into the second rail receiving portion 200 such that the teeth 76 of the track 58 face inwardly towards the locking tooth 166 of the lock 96 for engagement therewith . the lock 96 is biased by the spring 172 such that the locking tooth 166 engages the teeth 76 of the track 58 . since the lock 96 is movable by depressing the first end 158 relative to the housing 192 to thereby release the locking tooth 166 from the teeth 76 of the track 58 , the third slider 22 can then be moved relative to the second rail 18 in any direction along the x - axis . in the variation shown , the third slider 22 is free to move outwardly toward the distal end 178 of the second rail 18 by nature of the ramped locking tooth 166 engaging the angled flanks of the track 58 as described above . this configuration permits the third slider 22 to move outwardly toward the first distal end 178 but the lock 96 prevents movement of the third slider 22 inwardly away from the first distal end 178 as the perpendicular surface of the locking tooth 166 and the perpendicular flank of the track 58 would engage each other to arrest movement of the third slider 22 relative to the second rail 18 . this configuration allows the third slider 22 to move outwardly to expand the tissue opening or wound area preventing the collapse of the tissue opening allowing users to take surgical action in the retracted zone . to close or move the third slider 22 to close or reduce the retraction or tissue opening , the user would depress the first end 158 of the lock 96 to release the locking tooth 166 from engagement with the recessed track 58 . with the lock 96 depressed to disengage the locking tooth 166 , the second rail 18 does not contact the third slider 22 . instead , the second rail 18 contacts one or more of the antifriction bearings 94 . turning now to fig2 - 26 , the second slider 16 will now be described . the second slider 16 is a mirror image of the first slider 14 . the second slider 16 is mounted on the second distal end 30 of the first rail 12 and includes a housing 220 , a blade mount 92 , a plurality of antifriction bearings 94 and a lock 96 ( see fig1 a - 18 b ). the housing 220 is made of any suitable material including any metal such as steel , surgical steel , or titanium and defines a first rail receiving portion 222 and a third rail receiving portion 224 . the housing is polygonal in shape forming a l - shaped structure having a top surface 226 and a bottom surface 228 interconnected by a plurality of side walls having side surfaces 230 to the outside to define the housing 220 . the first rail receiving portion 222 is formed as a passageway sized and configured to receive the first rail 12 in sliding engagement therein . the passageway of first rail receiving portion 222 includes a first opening formed in a side surface 230 at one end of the housing 220 and extends to a second opening formed in a side surface 230 at a second end of the housing 220 directly opposite from the first opening to define the passageway . the passageway has a cross - sectional area that is slightly larger than the cross - sectional area of the first rail 12 and a cross - sectional shape that is the same as the cross - sectional shape of the first rail 12 . the housing 220 includes a third rail receiving portion 224 . the third rail receiving portion 224 is formed as a passageway that is sized and configured to receive the third rail 20 therein . the passageway of third rail receiving portion 224 includes a first opening formed in a side surface 230 at one end of the housing 220 . a second opening formed in a side surface 230 at a second end opposite the first opening is optional as an alternative variation . the passageway extends from the first opening into the housing 220 and does not necessarily have to extend or open to the second surface opposite the first opening . the passageway has a cross - sectional area that is slightly larger than the cross - sectional area of the third rail 20 and a cross - sectional shape that is the same as the cross - sectional shape defined by the third rail 20 . the first rail receiving portion 222 and the third rail receiving portion 224 are shown to be perpendicular to each other with the first rail receiving portion 222 substantially parallel to the y - axis and the third rail receiving portion 224 substantially parallel to the x - axis . although the first and third rail receiving portions 222 , 224 are shown to be configured at 90 degrees to each other the invention is not so limited and the first and third rail receiving portions 222 , 224 can be angle with respect to each other . for example , the angle between the first and third rail - receiving portions 222 , 224 can be acute at approximately 30 degrees as angled as far apart as approximately 150 degrees . the housing 220 further includes a lock receiving portion 232 . the lock receiving portion 232 is sized and configured to receive a lock 96 therein . the lock receiving portion 232 intersects with the first rail receiving portion 222 , preferably , at approximately 90 degrees . the lock receiving portion 232 includes an opening in a side surface 230 of the housing 220 and defines a passageway extending inwardly from the opening and into the housing 220 . the lock receiving portion 232 traverses or crosses the first rail receiving portion 222 . the lock receiving portion 222 includes a back wall or stop 234 formed at the inside end of the lock receiving portion 232 . in the variation shown in fig2 a - 26 d , the lock receiving portion 232 is aligned with the third rail receiving portion 224 , both being perpendicular to the first rail receiving portion 222 . still referencing fig2 a - 26 d , the housing 220 further includes one or more bearing receiving portions 236 along at least two sides of the first rail receiving portion 222 and interconnecting with the first rail receiving portion 222 such that antifriction bearings inserted into the bearing receiving portion 236 contact the first rail 12 . the bearing receiving portions 236 are shown to be square or rectangular in shape , although they can have any cross - sectional shape and be curved or rounded . one side of each of the square or rectangular shaped bearing receiving portion 236 is open to the first rail receiving portion 222 such that when an antifriction bearing 94 is inserted in the bearing receiving portion 236 it provides a point or line contact with the first rail 12 . in the variation shown in fig2 - 26 , there are a total of eight bearing receiving portions 236 adjacent to the first rail receiving portion 222 . two bearing receiving portions 236 a , 236 b are located above the first rail receiving portion 222 and generally adjacent to the top surface 32 of the first rail 12 when it is inserted . two bearing receiving portions 236 c , 236 d are located below the first rail receiving portion 222 and generally adjacent to the bottom surface 34 of the first rail 12 when it is inserted . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 236 a , 236 b , 236 c , 236 d each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the x - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the first rail 12 when it is inserted . the housing 220 further includes pin apertures 238 opening to the side surfaces 230 on either side of the first rail receiving portion 222 . the pin apertures 238 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 236 and hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the pin apertures 238 have a cross - sectional area that is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the bearing receiving portions 236 taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bearing receiving portions 236 . furthermore , two bearing receiving portions 236 e , 236 f are located along one side of first rail receiving portion 222 and generally adjacent to the outer surface 38 of the first rail 12 when it is inserted and two bearing receiving portions 236 g , 236 h are located along the opposite or other side of the first rail receiving portion 222 and generally adjacent to the inner surface 36 of the first rail 12 when it is inserted . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 236 e , 236 f , 236 g , 236 h each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the z - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the first rail 12 when it is inserted . the housing 220 further includes pin apertures 238 opening to the top and bottom surfaces 226 , 228 on either side of the first rail receiving portion 222 . the pin apertures 238 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 236 and hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the pin apertures 238 have a cross - sectional area that is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the bearing receiving portions 222 taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bearing receiving portions 222 or z - axis . the housing 220 further includes a blade mount portion 240 . the blade mount portion 240 is configured to connect to a blade mount 92 . the blade mount portion 240 of the housing 220 is configured as a flange that extends outwardly from the housing 220 and toward the retractor zone . the blade mount portion 240 is located in the seat of an l - shaped housing 220 such that the flange extends between and at an angle to the first rail receiving portion 222 and the third rail receiving portion 224 . the blade mount portion 240 includes a threaded aperture 242 configured to receive a threaded tow angle post 124 . the tow angle post 124 is the same as described with reference to fig1 . the tow angle post 124 is configured to be threadingly inserted into the threaded aperture 242 of the blade mount portion 240 of the housing 220 . a blade mount 92 shown and described in reference to fig1 is configured to connect to the blade mount portion 240 of the housing 220 and in particular pivotably attach to underneath the flange as described above . the blade mount 92 is captured between the housing 220 and a tow angle return 148 as described with respect to fig1 . antifriction bearings 94 such as the roller bearings 94 as described above with reference to fig1 are disposed in the bearing receiving portions 236 and retained therein by bearing pins 156 welded to the housing 220 . the cylindrical bearings 94 are connected to the second slider 16 such that they can rotate about their respective pins relative to the housing 220 . when connected to the housing 220 of the second slider 16 , the antifriction bearings 94 extending slightly into first rail receiving portion 222 . a lock 96 as described with reference to fig1 is disposed inside the lock receiving portion 232 of the housing 220 and configured such that the locking tooth 166 is spring biased to engage the teeth 76 of the third rail 20 . in one variation , the lock 96 is configured to prevent movement of the second slider 16 relative to the first rail 12 unless the lock 96 is depressed against the spring 19 to disengage the locking tooth 166 from the teeth 76 on the first rail 12 . in another variation , the teeth 76 on the first rail 12 are configured or angled with respect to the locking tooth 166 such that unidirectional travel of the second slider 16 is permitted while the without disengaging the lock 96 from being in contact with the first rail 12 . preferably , unidirectional travel of the second slider 16 in a direction away from the handle 44 is permitted and movement toward the handle is prevented or locked . the angled surface of the locking tooth 166 permits sliding engagement with the angled flanks of the second track 58 b such that the locking tooth 166 serves as a unidirectional stop . the second slider 16 is assembled with respect to the first rail 12 in the same manner as the first slider 14 is assembled with respect to the first rail 12 with the lock 96 being captured by the first rail 12 inside the housing 220 . a stop pin 86 prevents the second 16 slider from sliding off the second distal end 30 of the first rail 12 . the first rail 12 is inserted into the first rail receiving portion 222 such that the teeth 76 of the second track 58 b face inwardly towards the locking tooth 166 of the lock 96 for engagement therewith . the lock 96 is biased by the spring 172 disposed between the lock 96 and the housing 220 such that the locking tooth 166 engages the teeth 76 of the second track 58 b . since the lock 96 is movable by depressing the first end 158 relative to the housing 220 to thereby release the locking tooth 166 from the teeth 76 of the track 58 , the second slider 16 can then be moved along the first rail 12 in any direction along the y - axis . in the variation shown , the second 16 slider is free to move outwardly toward the second distal end 30 of the first rail 12 with the locking tooth 166 engaged with the teeth 76 on the first rail 12 by nature of the ramped locking tooth arrangement relative to the angled flank arrangement of the second track 58 b . this configuration permits the second slider 16 to move outwardly toward the second distal end 30 but the lock 96 prevents movement of the second slider 16 inwardly away from the second distal end 30 as the perpendicular surface of the locking tooth 166 and the perpendicular flank of the track 58 b would engage each other to arrest movement of the second slider 16 relative to the first rail 12 with the locking tooth 166 engaged . this configuration allows the second slider 16 to move outwardly to expand the tissue opening or wound area preventing the collapse of the tissue opening allowing users to take surgical action in the retracted zone . to close or move the second slider 16 to close or reduce the retraction or tissue opening , the user would depress the first end 158 of the lock 96 to release the locking tooth 176 from engagement with the second track 58 b . the first rail 12 does not contact the housing 220 . instead , the first rail 12 contacts one or more antifriction bearings 94 in sliding engagement therewith . the third rail 20 is the same as the second rail 18 shown and described in reference to fig2 - 22 . the proximal end of the third rail 20 is sized and configured to be received inside the third rail receiving portion 224 of the second slider 16 . the third rail 20 is inserted into the third rail receiving portion 224 of the second slider 16 and pins are passed through apertures in the second slider 16 and third rail 20 and welded to connect the third rail 20 to the second slider 16 . because the third rail receiving portion 224 is perpendicular to the first rail receiving portion 222 , the third rail 20 will be perpendicular to the first rail 12 when connected to the second slider 16 . movement of the second slider 16 will result in movement of the second rail 20 along with the second slider 16 . the third rail 20 includes at least one track 58 . the track 58 is the same as described above with respect to fig8 - 10 and disposed in a track - receiving portion of the third rail 20 . the track 58 provides the third rail 20 with a toothed surface that is recessed from the inner surface of the third rail 20 . the teeth 76 do not protrude or extend beyond the outer surface of the third rail 20 . thereby , the track 58 is set within the third rail 20 and located proximally to the distal end of the third rail 20 . the third rail 20 is also provided with a stop pin 86 as described above with respect to fig1 which serves to stop the sliding motion of the fourth slider 24 from moving off the third rail 20 . the fourth slider 24 is arrested when traveling toward the second slider 16 by abutting the second slider 16 itself . turning now to fig2 - 28 , the fourth slider 24 will now be described . the fourth slider 24 includes a housing 244 , and a blade mount 92 , a plurality of antifriction bearings 94 and a lock 96 connected to the housing 244 . the housing 244 of the fourth slider 24 will now be described with reference to fig2 a - 28 d . the housing 244 is made of any suitable material including any metal such as steel , surgical steel , or titanium . the housing 244 is the same as but a mirror image of the housing 192 of the third slider 22 shown and described with respect to fig2 - 24 . the housing 244 has a top surface 246 and a bottom surface 248 interconnected by a plurality of side walls having side surfaces 250 to the outside to define the housing 244 . the housing 244 includes a third rail receiving portion 252 that is formed as a passageway sized and configured to receive the third rail 20 in sliding engagement with the housing 244 . the third rail receiving portion 252 includes a first opening formed in a side surface 250 at one end of the housing 244 and a second opening formed in a side surface 250 at a second end of the housing 244 directly opposite from the first opening to define a passageway extending therebetween . the passageway has a cross - sectional area that is slightly larger than the cross - sectional area of the third rail 20 and a cross - sectional shape that is the same as the cross - sectional shape of the third rail 20 . the housing 244 of the fourth slider 24 further includes a lock receiving portion 254 . the lock receiving portion 254 is sized and configured to receive a lock 96 therein of the type described in reference to fig1 . the lock receiving portion 254 intersects with the third rail receiving portion 252 , preferably , at approximately 90 degrees . the lock receiving portion 254 includes an opening in a side surface of the housing 244 and defines a passageway extending inwardly from the opening into the housing 244 . the lock receiving portion 254 traverses or crosses the third rail receiving portion 254 . the lock receiving portion 254 includes a back wall or stop 256 formed at the inside end of the lock receiving portion 254 . still referencing fig2 - 28 , the housing 244 of the fourth slider 24 further includes one or more bearing receiving portions 258 along at least two sides of the third rail receiving portion 252 and interconnecting with the third rail receiving portion 252 . the bearing receiving portions 258 are shown to be square or rectangular in shape , although they can have any cross - sectional shape and be curved or rounded . one side of each of the square or rectangular shaped bearing receiving portion 258 is open to the third rail receiving portion 252 such that when an antifriction bearing 94 is inserted in the bearing receiving portion 258 it provides a point or line contact with the third rail 20 . in the variation shown in fig2 a - 28 d , there are a total of eight bearing receiving portions 258 adjacent to the third rail receiving portion 252 . two bearing receiving portions 258 a , 258 b are located above the third rail receiving portion 252 and generally adjacent to the top surface of the third rail 20 when it is inserted . two bearing receiving portions 258 c , 258 d are located below the third rail receiving portion 252 and generally adjacent to the bottom of the third rail 20 when it is inserted . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 258 a , 258 b , 258 c , 258 d each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the y - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the third rail 20 when it is inserted . the housing 244 further includes pin apertures 260 opening to the side surfaces 250 on either side of the third rail receiving portion 252 . the pin apertures 260 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 258 and are configured to hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the pin apertures 260 have a cross - sectional area that is smaller than the cross - sectional area of the bearing receiving portions 258 taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the bearing receiving portions 258 . furthermore , two bearing receiving portions 258 e , 258 f are located along one side of third rail receiving portion 252 and generally adjacent to the outer surface of the third rail 20 when it is inserted . two additional bearing receiving portions 258 g , 258 h are located along the opposite or other side of the third rail receiving portion 252 and generally adjacent to the inner surface of the third rail 20 when it is inserted . hence , there are four bearing receiving portions 258 e , 258 f , 258 g , 258 h each having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the z - axis or otherwise perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the third rail 20 when inserted . the housing 244 further includes pin apertures 260 opening to the top and bottom surfaces 246 , 248 on either side of the third rail receiving portion 252 . the pin apertures 260 extend inwardly to interconnect with the bearing receiving portions 258 and are configured to hold the antifriction bearings 94 in position . the housing 244 of the fourth slider 24 further includes a blade mount portion 262 . the blade mount portion 262 is configured to connect to a blade mount 92 . the blade mount portion 262 of the housing 244 is configured as a flange that extends outwardly from the housing 244 . in the variation shown in fig2 a - 28 d , the blade mount portion 162 is located inwardly toward the center of the retractor 10 such that the flange extends between and at an angle to the third rail receiving portion 252 . the blade mount portion 262 includes a threaded aperture 264 configured to receive a threaded tow angle post 124 of the same or similar kind described with reference to fig1 . the tow angle post 124 is configured to be threadingly inserted into the threaded aperture 264 of the blade mount portion 262 of the housing 244 to attach a blade mount 92 of the type described with reference to fig1 to the housing 244 capturing the blade mount 92 with a tow angle return 148 shown and described with reference to fig1 . antifriction bearings 94 and bearing pins 156 of the kind described in reference to fig1 a - 17 b are disposed inside the bearing receiving portions 258 and retained therein by bearing pins 156 welded to the housing 244 . the cylindrical roller bearings 94 are connected to the housing 244 such that they can rotate about their respective pins 156 relative to the housing 244 . a lock 96 of the same kind described in reference to fig1 is disposed inside the lock receiving portion 254 of the housing 244 . the throughway 164 of the lock 96 is sized and configured to receive the third rail 20 inside the throughway 164 . also , the locking tooth 166 is sized and configured to engage with the teeth 76 of the track 58 of the third rail 20 . the angled surface of the locking tooth 166 permits sliding engagement with the angled flanks of the track 58 such that the locking tooth serves as a unidirectional stop while the lock 96 is engaged with the track 58 . the lock 96 includes a spring 172 that is disposed between the lock 96 and the housing 244 . in particular , the spring 172 is disposed in a spring receiving portion 174 formed at the second end 160 of the lock 96 with the opposite end of the spring abutting the back wall or stop 256 formed at the inside end of the lock receiving portion 254 . the lock receiving portion 254 may also include a spring receiving portion to receive the other end of the spring 172 . the spring is positioned to bias the lock 96 outwardly relative to the housing 244 to engage the locking tooth 166 to the track 58 of the third rail 20 . the fourth slider 24 is assembled with respect to the third rail 20 by inserting the third rail 20 into the third rail receiving portion 252 of the housing 244 . before the third rail 20 crosses the lock receiving portion 254 of the housing 244 , the lock spring 172 is disposed inside the lock receiving portion 254 followed by the lock 96 which is oriented such that the through - way 164 of the lock 96 is aligned with the third rail receiving portion 252 . the lock 96 is captured by the third rail 20 residing inside the housing 244 . the distal end of the third rail 20 is passed through the housing 244 until the aperture at distal end extends out from the housing 244 and a stop pin 86 is then inserted into the aperture to prevent the fourth slider 24 from sliding off the third rail 20 . the third rail 20 is inserted into the third rail receiving portion 252 such that the teeth 76 of the track 58 face inwardly towards the locking tooth 166 of the lock 96 for engagement therewith . the lock 96 is biased by the spring 172 such that the locking tooth 166 engages the teeth 76 of the track 58 of the third rail 20 . since the lock 20 is movable by depressing the first end relative to the housing 244 to thereby release the locking tooth 166 from the teeth 76 of the track 58 , the fourth slider then can be moved relative to the third rail in any direction along the x - axis . in the variation shown , the fourth slider 24 is configured to move outwardly toward the distal end 178 of the third rail 20 while the locking tooth 166 is engaged by nature of the ramped locking tooth surface engaging the angled flanks of the track 58 . this configuration permits the fourth slider 24 to move outwardly toward the distal end 178 while the lock is engaged but the lock 96 is configured to prevent movement of the fourth slider 24 inwardly toward the second slider 16 . this configuration allows the fourth slider 24 to move outwardly to expand the tissue opening or wound area preventing the collapse of the tissue opening allowing users to take surgical action in the retracted zone . to close or move the fourth slider 24 to close or reduce the retraction or tissue opening , the user would depress the lock 96 to release the locking tooth 166 from engagement with the track 58 of the third rail 20 . with the lock 96 depressed to disengage the locking tooth 166 , the third rail 20 does not contact the fourth slider 24 . instead , the third rail 20 contacts one or more antifriction bearings 94 disposed inside the housing 244 . turning now to fig2 , there is shown a retractor blade 266 according to the present invention . the retractor blade 266 is configured to removably attach to the blade mount 92 of each slider . the blades 266 are interchangeable with other blades 266 of different lengths and / or widths . each blade 266 is an elongated piece of metal or plastic having a length and a width and a generally concave inner surface 268 and a convex outer surface 270 . the concave inner surface 268 is configured to face the open retractor zone . the blade 266 includes a cantilevered flange 272 integrally formed down the middle of the blade 266 . the proximal end 274 of the flange 272 is free to flex inwardly and outwardly with respect to the rest of the blade 266 whereas the distal end 276 of the flange 272 is integrally connected to the blade 266 . the proximal end 274 of the flange 272 includes a first ledge 278 that extends out from the outer surface 270 of the blade 266 . the proximal end 280 of the blade 266 includes a second ledge 282 extending from the outer surface 270 of the blade 266 . a gap 284 is defined proximal to the proximal end 274 of the flange 272 and configured to receive a hook 300 of a blade instrument 288 . the proximal end 280 of the blade 266 includes two guides 286 that extend from the outer surface 270 and are configured to receive the two outwardly extending flanges 140 on the blade mount 92 of a slider . the blade 266 is connected to the blade mount 92 by first aligning the two guides 286 with the two flanges 140 of the blade mount 92 . the first ledge 272 will contact the top of the sidewall 139 of the blade mount aperture 138 . further distal movement of the blade 266 will result in the first ledge 278 deflecting inwardly towards the inner surface 268 of the blade 266 . the lower surface of the first ledge 278 is ramped to permit ease of deflection of the first ledge 278 . after the sidewall of the blade mount aperture passes the first ledge 278 , the first ledge 278 will snap back to its normal undeflected state and into residence underneath the sidewall 139 which will be also captured underneath the second ledge 282 retaining the blade 266 to the blade mount 92 . the first ledge 282 is capable of deflection to capture and release the blade 266 . turning now to fig3 a - 30 b , there is shown a blade instrument 288 . the blade instrument 288 is configured for inserting and removing a blade 266 . the blade instrument 288 includes an inner elongated rod 290 having handle 292 attached to the proximal end and a pronged distal end 294 . the pronged distal end 294 includes a first prong 296 adjacent to and spaced apart from a second prong 298 . the first prong 296 includes a hook 300 at the distal end and the second prong 298 includes two outwardly protruding knobs 302 . the blade instrument 288 further includes an outer shaft 304 having a lumen that is sized and configured to receive the elongated rod 290 inside the lumen of the shaft 304 . the shaft 304 is connected such that it is movable along the longitudinal axis relative to the elongated rod 290 . turning now to fig3 a - 31 b , the blade 266 is connected to the blade instrument 288 by capturing the hook 300 of the first prong 296 into the gap 284 of the blade 266 . both prongs 296 , 298 are flexible and the second prong 298 is oriented towards the outer surface 270 of the blade 266 and the first prong 296 is oriented towards the inner surface 268 of the blade 266 with the hook 300 of the first prong 296 disposed inside the gap 284 to retain the blade 266 connected to the blade instrument 288 . the outer shaft 304 is moved distally over the pronged distal end 294 to cover at least in part the pronged distal end 294 and prevent the prongs 296 , 298 from splaying apart and disconnecting from the blade 266 . when connected to the blade instrument 288 , the blade 266 can be carried with or without the outer shaft 304 covering the pronged distal end 294 . the pronged distal end 294 is uncovered by moving the outer shaft 304 proximally as shown in fig3 a such that the blade 266 is free to be released from the blade instrument 288 and connected to the blade mount 92 of the retractor 10 . the second prong 298 is positioned inside the aperture 138 of the blade mount 92 and together with the blade 266 , moved distally to snap the first ledge 278 underneath the blade mount 92 beneath the sidewall 139 and position the second ledge 282 above the blade mount sidewall 139 as shown in fig3 . to remove the blade 266 from the retractor 10 , the blade instrument 288 is positioned by inserting the second prong 298 into the blade receiving aperture of the blade mount until the knobs 302 contact the proximal end 280 of the blade 266 . insertion of the blade instrument 288 will result in the first ledge 278 being deflected toward the inner surface 268 of the blade 266 and out from underneath the blade mount sidewall 139 freeing it for removal in the proximal direction . the first prong 296 is positioned such that the hook 300 is inside the gap 284 of the blade 266 . to assist the deflection of the first ledge 278 , the outer shaft 304 is movable from a first position in which the prongs 296 , 298 are not inside the lumen of the outer shaft 304 to a second position in which the outer shaft 304 covers at least a portion of the prongs 296 , 298 such that the prongs are not outwardly deflectable and maintained in a closed positioned for capturing and removal of the blade 266 as shown in fig3 b . the use of the retractor 10 will now be discussed . the entry point for the retractor 10 into the patient is determined with anterior , posterior and lateral fluoroscopy . an incision is made in the patient that is slightly larger than the width dimension of the closed retractor base . the closed retractor base dimension is approximately 2 . 0 to 5 . 0 centimeters in one variation and in another variation approximately 2 . 6 centimeters , which is the distance between the distal ends of the blades in the closed non - angled orientation . a first dilator is inserted into the incision and advanced through the fascia and muscle tissue . placement of a dilator is confirmed with fluoroscopy and by palpating the bony anatomy . additional dilators are placed sequentially by passing the next largest dilator over the previously inserted dilator . if resistance is met , a scalpel is used to further incise the skin and fascia . retractor blade length is selected by measuring the tissue depth from the etch markings provided on the last dilator . the tissue depth read from the etch markings directly corresponds to the suggested retractor blade length for use with the retractor 10 . the selected blades are inserted onto the blade mounts . when a blade 166 is fully seated within a blade mount there is an audible and tactile “ click ”. various retractor blades 266 of different lengths are interchangeable with the retraction and range from approximately 30 mm to 120 mm in length . each length being coded to a different retractor blade color for ease of selection and installation into the retractor 10 . with the blades 266 attached to the retractor 10 , the retractor 10 is inserted into a patient wound for distracting tissue of the surgical site . turning now to fig3 , a slider instrument 306 according to the present invention will now be described . the slider instrument 306 is used for distracting the retractor 10 to increase the retractor zone for obtaining surgical access to the target tissue site . the slider instrument 306 includes a handle 308 at the proximal end and a pair of movable prongs 310 at the distal end . the prongs 310 are sized and configured for insertion into distraction apertures 312 formed in the top surface each of the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 . fig3 a illustrates the slider instrument 306 positioned above a retractor 10 such that prongs 310 are above and aligned with distraction apertures 312 in the first and second sliders 14 , 16 with the handle 308 in a first position . the prongs 310 are inserted into the distraction apertures 312 as shown in fig3 b and the handle 308 squeezed to spread apart the prongs 310 and sliders 14 , 16 from the orientation shown in fig3 to the orientation shown in fig3 for a medial - lateral distraction . the medial - lateral translation distance is approximately 1 . 0 mm and up to a maximum span in the range of between approximately 2 . 0 centimeters and approximately 10 . 0 centimeters in one variation . the slider instrument 306 is removed and positionable inside distraction apertures 312 in the first and third sliders 14 , 22 to move them apart from each other and also into the second and fourth sliders 16 , 24 to move them apart from each other from the orientation shown in fig3 to the orientation shown in fig3 for a cephalad - caudal expansion of the retractor . of course , although distraction is referred to in the medial - lateral and cephalad - caudal direction with respect to the patient , the invention is not limited to the orientation of the instrument with respect to the patient anatomy . fig3 illustrates a fully distracted retractor 10 with all of the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 spread apart from each as much as possible with the blades 266 in substantially vertical orientation . a hex socket instrument ( not shown ) can be used to turn the tow angle posts of each of the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 , respectively , to angulate the blades 266 outwardly from the orientation shown in fig3 to the orientation shown in fig3 a - 37 d or to any position therebetween . the blades 266 angle up to a maximum of approximately 30 degrees in one variation . maximum angulation of the blades 266 with respect to the z - axis is between approximately 5 and 80 degrees . the size of the opening at the distal end of the blades depends upon blade length . if blades of a first length are employed , the maximum distal span for a 30 - millimeter long blade is approximately 11 centimeters as shown . if blades of a second length are employed , the maximum distal span for a 90 - millimeter long blade is approximately 17 centimeters for example . the retractor 10 is shown in fig3 a - 38 d with the third slider 22 distracted relative to the first slider 14 and the fourth slider 24 distracted relative to the second slider 16 and the blades 266 angled from a vertical orientation relative to the z - axis . any combination or degree of slider distraction and degree of angulation makes the retractor 10 suitable for customized distraction of the operative space . turning now to fig3 , there is shown a medial blade 314 configured for placement on at least one of the rails 12 , 18 , 20 between the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 for additional tissue retraction capability . the medial blade 314 includes a channel 316 for hooking onto one of the rails 12 , 18 , 20 and movable into a desired position along the rails 12 , 18 , 20 . a locking knob 318 is provided for tightening the channel 316 onto the rail for connecting therewith . the distal end of the medial blade 314 is shown to include teeth 320 . fig4 illustrates a single medial blade 314 hooked on the first rail 12 . fig4 illustrates a medial blade 314 connected to the first rail in addition to a second and third medial blades 314 connected to the second and third rails 18 , 20 . the medial blades 314 can be connected to the rails for retaining tissue between the blades 266 from creeping into the retractor zone and may be angled for tissue retraction . removal of the retractor 10 will now be described . to remove the retractor 10 from the patient , any of the blades that are angled are reset to zero degrees with respect to the z - axis by using a hex socket instrument to turn the one or more of the tow angle posts 124 . to close the retractor 10 to thereby minimize or reduce the size of the retractor zone , any one of the locks 96 on the any of the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 are depressed to disengage the locking tooth 166 from the track 58 . with the locking tooth 166 disengaged , the sliders will easily slide in any direction along the rail and into a closed orientation relative to the other sliders to close the retractor 10 for its subsequent removal . for example , the lock 96 of the first slider 14 is depressed to move the first slider 14 toward the second slider 16 along rail 12 . similarly , the lock 96 of the third slider 22 is depressed to free it for movement along the second rail 18 and in a direction toward the first slider 14 to reduce the retractor size . also , the lock 96 of the fourth slider 24 is depressed to slide it toward the second slider 16 . the fully closed orientation of the sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 on the retractor 10 resembles the device depicted in fig1 . from this orientation , the retractor 10 is easily removed from the surgical site . turning now to fig4 a - 42 b , there is shown another variation of a retractor 400 according to the present invention . the retractor 400 includes a rail housing 401 connected to a first rail 402 and second rail 404 . a first slider 406 is movably connected to the first rail 402 and a second slider 408 is connected to the second rail 404 . the rail housing 401 includes a first rail receiving portion and a second rail receiving portion . the first and second rail receiving portions are configured to receive and connect the first and second rails 402 , 404 . in the variation shown , the first and second rail receiving portions are angled such that connected first and second rails 402 , 404 are angled with respect to each other and parallel to the x - y plane . the angle between the first and second rails 402 , 404 is shown to be greater than 90 degrees . the rail housing 401 includes a blade mount 92 of the same kind as described above with reference to fig1 and connected in the same pivotable manner and provided with removable and interchangeable blades 266 . the first slider 406 includes a first rail receiving portion sized and configured to receive the first rail 40 in sliding engagement . the first slider 406 also includes bearing receiving portions configured to receive antifriction bearings 94 such that two bearings 94 are resident above and configured for contact with the top surface of the first rail 402 and two bearings 94 are resident below and configured for contact with the bottom surface of the first rail 402 . also , two bearings 94 are resident on one side and two bearings 94 are resident on the other side of the first rail 402 in the same manner as described above with the first , second , third , and fourth sliders 14 , 16 , 22 , 24 . the first slider 406 is also provided with a lock having a locking tooth configured for engagement with at least one recessed track 58 of the first rail 402 . the first slider 406 is substantially u - shaped and the second slider 408 is also u - shaped and configured to be a mirror image of the first slider 406 . hence , the second slider 408 includes a second rail receiving portion configured to receive the second rail 404 therewith and with the same configuration of bearings 94 surrounding the second rail 404 including a lock and locking tooth as described above . of course , the second rail 404 includes at least one recessed track 58 for engagement with the locking tooth . the first and second sliders 406 , 408 each include a pivotably connected blade mount 92 of the like described above . the retractor 400 includes only three blades 266 such that each are configured to form a third of the circumference of the retractor zone defined by the closed orientation of the retractor 400 . the u - shaped sliders 406 , 408 are connect to their respective rails 402 , 404 and extend away and return toward the rail housing 401 to provide blade mounts 92 for a close circular configuration of the blades 266 . a slider instrument 306 is inserted into distraction apertures 312 to move the first slider 406 relative to the rail housing 401 and a second time to move the second slider 408 relative to the rail housing 401 to space apart the first and second sliders 406 , 408 along the first and second rails 402 , 404 , respectively , from the orientation shown in fig4 a - 42 b to the orientation shown in fig4 a - 43 b . the retractor zone clearly visible in fig4 b is elongated in shape . turning now to fig4 , there is shown a top perspective view of a section of the retractor 10 illustrating the configuration of the antifriction bearings 94 in a slider relative to a rail . fig4 shows two antifriction bearings 94 a , 94 b along the top surface of a rail . these two bearings 94 a , 94 b are located as far apart as possible inside the slider 410 to provide as much lateral stability and support to the rail as possible given the restraints provided by the lock 96 . two bearings 94 c , 94 d are positioned facing the bottom surface of the rail and are located directly beneath or aligned with the top two bearings 94 a , 94 b . in order to provide maximum stability , two vertical bearings 94 e , 94 f positioned alongside the rail are configured to be as close as possible to the horizontal bearings 94 a , 94 c and two vertical bearings 95 g , 94 h are positioned alongside the rail to be as close as possible to the horizontal bearings 94 b , 94 d . each cylinder bearing of the plurality of bearings in the slider 410 have the same diameter and define a longitudinal axis about which each cylinder bearing is rotatable . the plurality of cylinder bearings in the slider 410 are arranged such that at least one cylinder bearing of the pair of cylinder bearings 94 a , 94 b that are adjacent to a first side of the rail are spaced from at least one cylinder bearing of the pair of cylinder bearings 94 f , 94 h that are adjacent to a second side of the first rail by a distance of not less than approximately one diameter as measured between their axes with the first side of the rail being adjacent to and intersecting with the second side of the rail . for example , the axis of bearing 94 a is approximately one diameter away from the axis of bearings 94 f and 94 e . since bearing 94 a is directly inline with bearing 94 c , bearing 94 c is spaced apart from bearings 94 e and 94 f by a distance of approximately one diameter as measured from their axes . the retractor 10 defines a retractor body that lies in a retractor plane with the retractor blades depending from the retractor plane . the blades are initially perpendicular to the retractor plane to provide the smallest size for insertion into a small incision . the blades can then be angled with respect to the plane to increase the tissue retraction . generally , when a blade is moved relative to the rail or angled relative to the slider , it is moved against tissue and as such encounters opposing forces that torque the slider relative to the rail on which it is mounted . because tissue , in particular , muscle can be very tough and offer much resistance to retraction forces exerted by the retractor , the torque on the slider relative to the rail can be very great . in prior art retractors , this torque resulted in sticktion or otherwise extreme pressure between the blade carrier and the rail and metal to metal contact of a typical rack and pinion construction . this invention successfully alleviates this undersirable trait of the prior art devices . the preceding merely illustrates the principles of the invention . it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which , although not explicitly described or shown herein , embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope . furthermore , all examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventors to furthering the art , and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions . moreover , all statements herein reciting principles , aspects , and embodiments of the invention as well as specific examples thereof , are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof . additionally , it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future , i . e ., any elements developed that perform the same function , regardless of structure . the scope of the present invention , therefore , is not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein . rather , the scope and spirit of present invention is embodied by the appended claims . although this application discloses certain embodiments and examples , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present inventions extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and / or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof . further , the various features of these inventions can be used alone , or in combination with other features of these inventions other than as expressly described above . thus , it is intended that the scope of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above . | 0 |
the process according to the invention aims at securing an electronic system , and for instance a system on - board such as a chip card using a cryptographic calculation procedure with a secret key . the electronic system includes a processor and a memory . the cryptographic calculation procedure is incorporated in the memory , for instance of the rom type for the said system . the processor for the said system carries out the calculation procedure using a secret key , stored in a secret area of a memory , for instance of the e2prom type . the process according to the invention consists of masking intermediate results making up critical information obtained in the calculation procedure as input or output of a function , hereafter called critical function . this process replaces a critical function with a replacement function doing the “ same ” calculation but with modified input or output data . as shown on fig1 a and 1 b , any f function with n bits to m bits making a calculation ( calculation through a series of basic operations , consulting a table . . . ) is replaced by a new function p consisting of f with another function g ( from n ′ bits to n bits ) ( fig1 a ) or h ( from m bits to m ′ bits ) ( fig1 b ), with g being carried out before f and h being carried out after f ; thus this process replaces in the calculation f with ( g → f ) or with ( f → h ). according to an illustrating example , g and h are data masking operations of the “ or - exclusive ” form . the p function seizes in input g - masked data or exits h - masked data . the word ‘ mask ’ in this description means to convert using a non public function ( internal , unknown by the card user ) for instance a function using a hazard . masking a first critical function in a calculation procedure occurs in output with an h function ; masking a last critical function in a calculation procedure occurs in input with g function . in this way , the calculation procedure receives in input and gives in output non - masked data : masking is clear for the outside . a person wishing to make an aggression of the dpa type to the system does not know that the intermediate results making detectable information are masked and it will not be possible for him to draw any conclusion from its results without understanding the reason . it should be noted that the size of input data of g ( and output data of h ) is not necessarily the same size as that of f . this invention has two aspects : converting the calculation procedure itself ( how to include a modified function ) as well as the calculation mode of the modified function ( for instance the method to build the new table if it is basically an access to a table ) the following description describes an application of this invention to algorithm des . first , a first example simplified but easy to understand is shown to enable next to study various developments directly issued from this first example . the arrangement of the des using modified s - boxes in a first simplified example is described below with reference to fig2 , 3 a to 3 e and 4 . first is considered the i th round of des ( fig2 ). the s - boxes of the classical des are modified in order to manipulate masked data . then is considered α with any value of 32 bits . two new functions are defined , s ′ 1 and s ′ 2 of 48 bits to 32 bits as : s ′ 1 ( x )= s ( x xor e ( α )) for any x over 32 bits s ′ 2 ( x )= s ( x ) xor p − 1 ( α ) for any x over 32 bits then are defined two functions f ′ 1 , ki and f ′ 2 , ki analogous to function f ki but using s ′ 1 and s ′ 2 box instead of s . the two new functions allow f ′ 1 , ki to obtain a masked value by α starting from a non - masked value and inversely for f ′ 2 , ki . fig3 a to 3 e show the whole of the diagrams per round of des ( a to e ) obtained by using values masked or not by α and the various boxes ( s ki , s ′ 1 , ki or s ′ 2 , ki ). to make it clear , the masked data is shown in dotted lines whereas the non - masked data ( normal ) is shown in full lines . fig4 shows the whole of round sequences likely to be obtained , symbolized as an automaton . as said previously , in order to leave and arrive with non - masked data , the starting status is a or b , whereas the end ones are a or e . thus it is possible to carry out a complete des ( 16 rounds ) with the sequence : ip - bcdcdcebcdcdcdce - ip − 1 . starting with a message m , the process enables to obtain a usual cipher ( the one that would have been obtained with the sequence ip - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa - ip − 1 ), that is without unmasking in and out . there are many valid combinations ; some even enable the sole first and last rounds to be masked using normal rounds ( type a ) between these masked rounds ; such as , for instance : ip - bceaaaaaaaaaabce - ip − 1 . according to a development of this invention , the data are masked with different masks depending on the rounds . taking the round notations used above ( a , b , c , d and e ), an index is added ( α , β , γ . . . ) that symbolises the 32 bits mask used in masking . it is thus seen that the b round in the simplified example above is written b α . it should be also noted that the a round does not need to be indexed with a mask value as the mask is not involved . in such generalisation example , a des is made according to the following sequence : in this way , the rounds , and in particular the first and last sensitive to attacks , are protected by separate masks . in order to carry out the above mentioned calculations , it is necessary to build s - boxes of the type s , s ′ 1 , α , s ′ 2 , α , s ′ 1 , β and s ′ 2 , β . the various modified s - boxes used in this process according to this invention are built in a secure manner based on the following formulae : s ′ 2 , α ( x )= s ( x ) xor p − 1 ( α ) s ′ 2 , β ( x )= s ( x ) xor p − 1 ( β ) the said formulae are split according to the basic operations given hereafter : permutation of the bits of a secret value ( such as e ( α ), p − 1 ( β ) . . . ); carry out the xor of a value ( such as p − 1 ( α ) for instance ) with a value table that corresponds to the usual values of the s - box ( in or out ). the draw of a random value of n bits ( for des , n = 32 ) is made on the basis of the following algorithm . the system in which the process is used comprises a table ‘ t ’ of n octets and a hazard source over an octet called ‘ rand ’. the algorithm is run as follows : for i from 0 to m − 1 : permute t [ rand % n ] and t [ rand % n ] where m is a number that is basically higher than or equal to n . the result wanted is the chain of the n bits contained in table t . according to a first version , this system comprises a table t of n / 4 octets . for i between 0 and m : permute t [ rand % ( n / 4 )] against t [ rand % ( n / 4 )] the result is the concatenation of the first four bits for each of the n / 4 octets of t . according to a second version , the algorithm is taken again according to the first version using n / 2 , n / 3 , n / 8 or any divider for n . according to a third version , instead of exchanging cases in a random manner , a case is chosen randomly and is added with the xor operation to a random value . the permutation of n bits from a secret value to m bits ( in the case of des : in the permutation p − 3 ( β ): n = 48 and m = 32 , in the permutation e ( α ): n = m = 32 ) is based on the following algorithm . in the example described , it is wished to permute a table marked ‘ in ’ of n bits to a table marked ‘ m ’ of m bits ; the system includes a ‘ temp ’ table of m values ( each case may contain the value n − 1 ). one builds in the temp table a permutation of the numbers 0 , 1 , 2 , . . . , m − 2 , m − 1 actually , it is a question of making a permutation in a random manner bit by bit . according to a first version , the permutation is made , not bit by bit but k bits by k bits , everything in a random manner . according to a second version , it is also possible to add dummy values in table v , and / or in the input and / or output table . thus , if octets are used to store a bit , it is possible to complete the other ‘ vacant ’ bits with hazards . the embodiment of the xor operation consists of adding a value ( such as p − 1 ( α )) of n bits in at table of m values . the operation may be carried out in a random manner on the octets of the output table as well as on the bits of these octets . according to a version , it is also possible to add dummy values in the bits of α as well as in table t . the process according to this invention uses a non public function for masking when the s - boxes are built without the key being used . when the calculation procedure is running , no mask is used . thus , the process according to this invention enables to secure the electronic system against any attack using the mask even without knowing it . it should be underlined that any other type of drawing and permutation may be used for building the modified s - boxes . further , building the s - boxes based on the three operations described may be carried out with any other type of shape , and in particular in another shape than an s - box special for the des used as an example in this description . although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated , the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so descried and illustrated . the invention is limited only by the claims . | 7 |
in fig1 , an exemplary scan test architecture , generally indicated by the number 10 , for an integrated circuit chip is shown . the scan test architecture 10 shows four scan chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , each with six scan cells , 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 . no scan chain partitioning is pursued in this example . all scan chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 receive an identical shift clock 32 . a captured response 34 and a subsequent stimulus 36 to be inserted are shown . a weight 38 is assigned to each of the cells 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 and is displayed in the upper right corner of each of the cell . on the bottom of fig1 , a cycle - by - cycle transition count chart , generally indicated by the number 40 , for each of the scan chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 is also shown . for instance , in the topmost scan chain , denoted as chain 12 , all the scan cells 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 except for the third one , scan cell 24 , toggle in the first shift cycle , resulting in 20 + 24 + 20 + 15 + 17 = 96 transitions in this cycle . for every shift cycle , the total number of transitions in all four scan chains is provided . peak power , considering only this pattern , is the maximum value among these six cycles , which happens to be 254 , occurring during cycle 2 . in fig2 , a static partitioning is considered of the scan chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 into two groups , wherein the top two chains 12 , 14 constitute one group , and the bottom two chains 16 , 18 constitute the other group for the same example in fig1 . the top two chains 12 , 14 receive the shift clock 32 , while the bottom two chains 16 , 18 receive another shift clock 42 , which is delayed by one - half a clock period compared to the former clock 32 . as a result , peak power is distributed within the shift cycles . only two chains have the potential to toggle at any instant of time during shift cycles . in this case , shifting occurs twice within every shift cycle , once at the rising edge of the first shift clock 32 , and once at the rising edge of the second shift clock 42 . thus , scan chain transitions are reported for twelve time instants throughout these six cycles . the peak power is reduced from 254 down to 216 ( during cycle 6 ) as a result of the static partitioning . the partitioning illustrated in fig2 is actually the worst possible partitioning among all possible partitioning scenarios of the four chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 into two groups . the best possible partitioning for any pattern is one that distributes the scan chain transitions as evenly as possible , as illustrated in fig3 . in this particular partitioning , the first and the third chains 12 , 16 constitute one group while the second and the fourth chains 14 , 18 form the other group . it can be seen that such a partitioning reduces peak power down to 138 ( in cycle 2 ). such a significant level of reduction is reaped due to the even distribution of scan chain transitions between the two partitions . the theoretical best that can be attained is one - half of the original peak power , when the chains are partitioned into two groups only . in general , a peak power reduction factor of up to p can be expected when the chains are partitioned into p groups . as the best possible partitioning may vary from one pattern to another , and as any one of the patterns may be the problematic one that dictates the peak power , a dynamic partitioning solution is desirable . in such a solution , the best possible partitioning is selected for every pattern , limiting the peak power . for the example test pattern illustrated in fig1 , the dynamic partitioning technique would implement the particular partitioning in fig3 for this pattern , while it is able to effect another partitioning for another test pattern . in order to implement dynamic scan chain partitioning , a partitioning block 44 is inserted into the scan chain architecture 50 , as shown in fig4 . the only parameters required to design this block 44 are the number of scan chains and the number of partitions . as fig4 illustrates , the partitioning block 44 manipulates the clocks that feed scan chains . the application of the technique using the partitioning block 44 is illustrated on a single clock domain design in order to simplify the discussion . however , in the presence of a plurality of clock domains , the scan chains of each domain should be handled individually , and the same hardware is utilized at no additional cost . as every test pattern may potentially necessitate a distinct scan chain partitioning , the partitioning block should be reconfigured on a per test pattern basis . also , depending on the particular distribution of scan chain transitions , the best possible partitioning of scan chains into groups should be effected in order to minimize peak power . thus , the partitioning block 44 is reconfigurable on a per test pattern per scan chain basis . the implementation of the partitioning block 44 is shown in fig5 . the block 44 includes a partition register , generally indicated with the number 52 , that contains [ log 2 ( p )] flip - flops for each scan chain , where p denotes the number of scan chain groups . a clock signal that feeds the partition register 52 is generated out of the original clock signal “ clk ” 56 by a clock generator block 58 . all the flip - flop outputs 60 are anded 62 with a scan enable signal 64 , and the and gates 62 outputs control the select signals of multiplexers 66 . the multiplexers 66 take p inputs , which are the original “ clk ” signal 56 and its delayed versions , and select one of the p signals as a clock signal for the corresponding scan chain . the delay magnitude for each delayed clock signal is properly adjusted in order to stagger the p active clock edges as widely as possible within a shift cycle . in conventional scan testing , the scan - in channels are unused during the capture window . in the capture window , the scan cells capture the response of the circuit under test . even if the same functional pins are re - used as scan - in channels , a boundary scan is employed , which enables control of the combinational logic via scan registers rather than the primary inputs directly , and thus eliminating the need to control primary inputs during capture cycle . as these channels are idle and are thus available during the capture window , the channels are used to perform [ log 2 ( p )] load operations in order to set the partition register 52 . the load operations may not fit within the capture window , depending upon its width , in which case the capture window is expanded . it should be noted , however , that the partition register 52 load operation within the capture window can be applied at a much faster frequency than regular shift operations . the frequency of shift operations is typically limited due to power dissipation issues . however , load operations of the partition register 52 consume negligible power , as toggling is constrained within the partition block only . hence , the load operation of the partition register 52 within the capture window can be applied at a much faster frequency , as power dissipation is not a limitation any longer . as a result , the capture window expansion can be alleviated or even eliminated , rendering test time penalty quite negligible . the particular case of partitioning into two groups can be effected with no increase in test time , as [ log 2 ( p )] equals to one and , thus , the single cycle load operation of the partition register 52 can be effected concurrently with the functional register capture operation . the content of the partition register 52 is preserved throughout the shift cycles until the next capture window . this is insured by disabling the clock signal feeding the partition register 52 throughout the shift cycles . the and gates 62 that control the multiplexers 66 select lines serve the following purpose . when the scan enable is 0 , namely , during the functional mode or the capture window , all of the multiplexers 66 are forced to select the original clock 56 . thus , all the functional flip - flops receive an identical clock signal during the functional mode and during the capture window . during the shift cycles , on the other hand , the partition register 52 content dictates whether the original clock or one of its delayed versions is to be selected . for each scan chain , [ log 2 ( p )] bits are reserved in the partition register 52 . by loading the partition register 52 with a proper sequence of bits , any possible partitioning of the scan chains into p groups can be effected . furthermore , partitioning can be effected on a per pattern basis . an example chain clock generation is also provided in fig5 , wherein the clocks of seven scan chains 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 are partitioned into four groups . in this example , the first and the third chains 68 , 72 , the second and the fifth chains 70 , 76 , the fourth and the sixth chains 74 , 78 , and the seventh chain 80 alone form the four groups . in this example , the delay of each partition shift clock is adjusted so that the phases of the four partition shift clocks are 90 ° apart . in at - speed launch - off - shift testing , the early update of some of the scan chains 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 necessitates that at - speed transitions be launched from the chains 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 that are updated in the latest time instant of the last shift cycle , potentially resulting in test pattern count increase and / or at - speed coverage loss . launch - off - capture scheme , on the other hand , can be applied intact with the scan architecture 50 , as capture clocks remain intact . the area cost of the proposed technique roughly consists of [ log 2 ( p )] flip - flops , [ log 2 ( p )] and gates , and one p - by - 1 multiplexer per scan chain , in addition to the area cost of the partition register clock generator block 58 , which is negligible for industrial - size designs . the partitioning block hardware 44 is fixed for a given number of scan chains and groups . thus , the partitioning block hardware 44 can be instantiated in the netlist whenever these factors are known or decided . once the partitioning block 44 is inserted into the netlist , and the connections to this block 44 are made during the positional scan stitching phase , the subsequent clock tree synthesis step handles the balancing of the clocks in functional and in shift modes . however , additional effort may be necessary to balance the outputs of the clock multiplexers with respect to the clock , potentially requiring additional clock buffers , and the multiplexer outputs are treated as the clock sources for the corresponding functional registers in the design . thus , this technique can be incorporated into conventional design flow with minimal effort . the information to be loaded into the partition register 44 described above should be computed based on an analysis of the input stimulus 36 and the response 34 bits . thus , the input to the analysis is an input stimulus 36 and response 34 bits . the target of this analysis is the derivation of which scan chains 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 to include in each partition to minimize peak power . the analysis is repeated for each input stimulus 36 and response 34 in order to dynamically partition the scan chains 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 for the entire test set . at this point , the partitioning problem can be modeled into an integer linear programming ( ilp ) formulation . subsequently , a computationally - efficient greedy heuristic is provided . the purpose of both techniques is to identify the set of chains 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 to be included in the same partition in order to minimize the peak power incurred for a particular input stimulus 36 and response 34 bits . the ilp formulation defines the sequence of input stimulus 36 and response 34 bits for each chain 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 , as follows : sequence [ c ]=( s 0 c , s 1 c , . . . , s 2n − 1 c ) where 0 ≦ c ≦ num_chains , the depth of the longest chain is n , and s i j is the i th stimulus / response bit value in the j th chain . sequence [ i ] is a 1 - dimensional binary array representing the next input stimulus and current response bits for chain i . the elements of this array follow the same ordering within the response and the stimulus patterns , wherein s 0 j and s n − 1 j denote the rightmost and the leftmost response bits , respectively , and s n j and s 2n − 1 j denote the leading and the trailing stimulus bits , respectively , of chain j . since the objective of ilp formulation is to minimize the maximum number of transitions for a given shift cycle , the transitions are also defined in a given shift cycle as follows : transition [ c ]=( t 0 c , t 1 c , . . . , t 2n − 2 c ) where t i c = s i c ⊕ s i + 1 c . transition [ i ] is a 1 - dimensional binary array that represents the transitions that will ripple through chain i for a test pattern . in order to account for the number of signals that may switch their logic value inside the logic cone for a transition in a particular scan cell , a weight 38 is assigned for the cell that corresponds to the total number of gates driven by that cell . more formally : weight [ c ]=( w 0 c , w 1 c , . . . , w n − 1 c ) where w i c is the total number of gates driven by scan cell i in chain c . next , the total number of transitions are defined for each chain 68 , 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 78 , 80 during every shift cycle as follows : cycle [ c ] = ( ∑ i = 0 n - 1 w i c t i c , ∑ i = 1 n w i - 1 c t i c , … , ∑ i = n - 1 2 n - 2 w i - ( n - 1 ) c t i c ) where cycle [ i ] is a 1 - dimensional array representing the number of transitions occurring in chain i for every shift cycle , similar to the cycle - by - cycle transition distribution illustrated in fig1 . the next step is the definition of the solution variables . every chain is assigned to one and only one of the p groups , where p is the number of time instances during the shift cycle . this is ensured by the first set of constraints : p c , j ≤ 1 ; and ∑ j = 0 p - 1 p c , j = 1 where p c , j is a binary variable that holds a value of 1 if chain c is included in partition j , j & lt ; p . next , we define variables a α , j which represent the number of transitions in all chains during time instant j of shift cycle , α , as follows : a α , j = ∑ c = 0 num _ chains - 1 p c , j × cycle [ c ] [ α ] where 0 ≦ α & lt ; n . the last set of constrains defines variable peak , which represents the maximum number of transitions in the p groups during all time instants for all shift cycles : wherein the minimization of peak power over all time instants in all shift cycles is targeted . the generation of the ilp constrains and objective using the scan architecture and test stimulus 36 and response 34 from fig1 , with two time instances ( i . e ., groups ) per shift cycle , is explained . in this example , the scan architecture contains the four scan chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , i . e . num_chains = 4 , and six cells per chain , i . e ., n = 6 . furthermore , the input stimulus 36 and response 34 bits in fig1 are used to define the sequence arrays as follows : assuming that the weights , generally indicated with the number 38 , for each of the scan cells 20 , 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 , are as shown in each of the scan chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 in fig1 : scan chain 12 , weight [ 0 ]=( 20 , 24 , 18 , 20 , 15 , 17 ) scan chain 14 , weight [ 1 ]=( 14 , 22 , 26 , 18 , 20 , 20 ) the above arrays indicate that the peak power is equal to 254 , which is the case for the second shift cycle . next , the constraints are computed to ensure that each chain 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 is assigned to only one of the two groups . the first set of constraints is : p 0 , 0 ≤ 1 , p 1 , 0 ≤ 1 , p 2 , 0 ≤ 1 , p 3 , 0 ≤ 1 p 0 , 1 ≤ 1 , p 1 , 1 ≤ 1 , p 2 , 1 ≤ 1 , p 3 , 1 ≤ 1 ∑ j = 0 1 p 0 , j = 1 , ∑ j = 0 1 p 1 , j = 1 ∑ j = 0 1 p 2 , j = 1 , ∑ j = 0 1 p 3 , j = 1 a 0 , 0 = 96 p 0 , 0 + 100 p 1 , 0 + 20 p 2 , 0 + 14 p 3 , 0 a 0 , 1 = 96 p 0 , 1 + 100 p 1 , 1 + 20 p 2 , 1 + 14 p 3 , 1 a 1 , 0 = 94 p 0 , 0 + 120 p 1 , 0 + 22 p 2 , 0 + 18 p 3 , 0 a 1 , 1 = 94 p 0 , 1 + 120 p 1 , 1 + 22 p 2 , 1 + 18 p 3 , 1 a 2 , 0 = 99 p 0 , 0 + 106 p 1 , 0 + 21 p 2 , 0 + 15 p 3 , 0 a 0 , 1 = 99 p 0 , 0 + 106 p 1 , 1 + 28 p 2 , 0 + 15 p 3 , 0 a 3 , 0 = 97 p 0 , 0 + 98 p 1 , 0 + 18 p 2 , 0 + 15 p 3 , 0 a 3 , 1 = 97 p 0 , 1 + 98 p 1 , 1 + 18 p 2 , 1 + 15 p 3 , 1 a 4 , 0 = 114 p 0 , 0 + 94 p 1 , 0 + 20 p 2 , 0 + 17 p 3 , 0 a 4 , 1 = 114 p 0 , 1 + 98 p 1 , 1 + 18 p 2 , 1 + 15 p 3 , 1 a 5 , 0 = 114 p 0 , 0 + 102 p 1 , 0 + 19 p 2 , 0 + 16 p 3 , 0 a 5 , 1 = 114 p 0 , 1 + 102 p 1 , 1 + 19 p 2 , 1 + 16 p 3 , 1 the last set of constraints introduces variable peak , which represents the maximum number of transitions over the two time instants of all shift cycles , as follows : one solution for this instance , wherein peak is minimized to 138 , is the following assignment : which indicates that the peak power is reduced from 254 to 138 , as dictated by a 1 , 1 . the resulting assignment of chains 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 to groups and the corresponding peak power during each time instant have been previously illustrated in fig3 . while the ilp formulation presented enables dft / cad engineers to utilize efficient ilp - solvers and well - known approximation methods to obtain aggressive power reduction results , the computational run - time may be prohibitive for large size instances . for industrial - size designs , a computationally efficient greedy heuristic that is capable of partitioning scan chains to p different groups is presented hereinafter . for each test pattern , the heuristic initially identifies the shift cycle that consumes the peak power . the computational complexity of this step is o ( num_chain × depth 2 ). once these cycles are identified , the scan chains are sorted in a descending order in terms of the number of transitions in each chain in this cycle , resulting in a computational complexity of o ( num_chain × log 2 ( num_chain )). next , each chain , starting from the top of the sorted list , is assigned to one of the p groups so that the maximum number of transitions in all groups is minimized . the computational complexity of the above step is o ( p × num_chain ). finally , and once the partitioning phase is complete , the swapping of chains in different groups is performed in order to further reduce peak power . in this case , a chain is randomly selected from the partition that consumes the highest power ( i . e . peak partition ) and is replaced with a randomly - selected chain from the partition that consumes the least power ( i . e ., least partition ). the swapping is repeated while peak power is being reduced , or a fixed number , m , of swapping attempts have been made without further reduction , to peak power , at which point the heuristic terminates . since the depth of a scan architecture is usually larger than the number of chains , the complexity of the greedy heuristic , which is provided in table 1 , is o ( num_chain × depth 2 ). the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic partitioning technique in reducing peak power observed during scan based testing can be evaluated . first , the peak power and run time of the ilp - based peak power minimization algorithm to that of the greedy heuristic is compared . then , the peak power of the original scan architecture , the static partitioning method and the dynamic partitioning method using randomly generated stimulus and response data is analyzed and compared . throughout this analysis , static partitioning refers to the assignment of the i th chain to the ( i % p ) th partition statically for all test patterns . finally , the effectiveness of the method is evaluated using complete test sets for the largest iscas89 benchmark circuits . in the first set of experiments ( in terms of peak power and run time using two groups ), the two dynamic partitioning methods , namely , the ilp - solver and the greedy technique , are compared . a single pattern of scan stimulus and response bits is randomly generated with a certain probability that bits are set to a value of 1 . the underlying scan architecture in this set of experiments consists of 20 scan chains ( each with 50 scan cells ), 50 scan chains ( each with 100 scan cells ), and 50 scan chains ( each with 500 scan cells ). the ilp solver and greedy heuristic are applied on this pattern to minimize its peak power . the results are provided in fig6 . super columns in this fig6 correspond to different probabilities that the scan stimulus and response bits are set to a value of 1 . each super column contains the minimized peak power that the proposed method delivers and the associated run time in seconds . this data is provided for both the ilp solver and the greedy heuristic . in fig6 , it can be seen from the results that the peak power delivered by the greedy heuristic is always higher than the one delivered using the ilp solver , while the results are typically close . however , there is a significant gap between the run times . the greedy heuristic is considerably faster compared to the ilp solver . the run - time gap widens up as 1 - bit probability and / or the scan architecture size is increased . in either case , the ilp solver has to deal with more variables . actually , for the largest scan architecture , the ilp solver fails to halt within a reasonable amount of time , while the greedy heuristic delivers a solution within one second . next , as shown in fig7 , the reduction in peak power of the proposed dynamic partitioning method ( d ) and that of the static partitioning method ( s ) over the original scan architecture , for two , four , and eight groups is provided . these results are provided for different probabilities of the scan stimulus and response bits being set to 1 ( from 10 % to 50 %), and for three different scan architectures : 20 chains with 50 scan cells ( a 1 ), 50 chains with 100 scan cells ( a 2 ), and 50 chains with 500 scan cells ( a 3 ). for a particular scan architecture and probability , the peak power is computed for 5000 randomly generated input patterns . in order to account for the existence of don &# 39 ; t cares in test stimulus , a random set of scan chains that does not exceed half of the number of scan chains were repeat - filled with zeros . the results in fig7 illustrate that the proposed dynamic partitioning method delivers significant reduction in peak power over the original scan design and the static partitioning method . on average , the peak power of the original scan architecture is reduced by 48 %, 74 %, and 86 %, which corresponds to an additional 20 %, 28 %, and 60 % reduction over those of the static partitioning method for the three architectures . furthermore , the following observations can be drawn . first , the peak power reduction factor delivered by the proposed methodology is almost p , which is the number of groups , supporting the efficiency of the greedy heuristic in finding the scan chain groups that minimize peak power for a given number of groups . second , although the proposed dynamic partitioning consistently outperforms static partitioning , the gap between the two techniques narrows down as the scan depth and / or the number of scan chains increases . such a result is attributed to the uniformity of the distribution of transitions , wherein the test data is generated randomly . as the scan depth and / or the number of scan chains increases , the decision on how to partition the randomly filled scan chains results in a smaller reduction in peak power . third , peak power results of the static partitioning method deteriorate , despite increasing the number of groups from four to eight . thus , the gap between the proposed dynamic method and the static partitioning method further widens up from a difference of 28 % to a difference of 60 % on the average . this clearly illustrates the limitations of the static partitioning method , which are accentuated by the assignment of few chains per partition in the lack of an accompanying judicious transition distribution analysis . with reference now to fig8 , for iscas89 benchmark circuits , deterministic test sets with non - uniform transition distribution accentuate the effect of the decision on how to partition scan chains . in order to analyze the dynamic partitioning technique using deterministically generated test patterns , the method is applied on the largest iscas89 circuits with an underlying scan architecture of sixteen and thirty - two scan chains . fig8 illustrates the peak power reduction of the static partitioning method and the proposed dynamic partitioning method over the original scan architecture . the test sets were produced using the test generation tool atalanta , where “ don &# 39 ; t cares ” in the input stimuli were replaced by zeros . the results that are summarized show that dynamic partitioning using two groups achieves a near - perfect 50 % peak power reduction across all the benchmark circuits . furthermore , for three of the five benchmark circuits , dynamic partitioning using four groups achieves a near - perfect 75 % peak power reduction . this illustrates the efficiency of the greedy partitioning method in yielding groups with equal power consumption levels . additionally , on average , the dynamic partitioning method provides an additional peak power reduction over the static partitioning method by 36 % using two groups , 27 % using four groups , and a 23 % using eight groups . as observed , the benefit of using dynamic over static partitioning reduces as the number of groups increases . this is attributed to the imbalance of the power consumption of different scan chains , as further explained in the next point . for most benchmark circuits , using eight groups instead of four groups fails to deliver further significant peak power reductions , except for the static partitioning method . this is attributed to the imbalance between the weights of cells in different chains . for example , the peak power reduction for circuits s13207 and s35932 is less than 60 % using eight groups , as opposed to the theoretically attainable factor of 8 × reduction ( i . e ., 87 . 5 %). upon further investigation of these circuits , it can be observed that a few scan cells in a single scan chain fan out to many gates in the circuit , which increases the dominance of that scan chain in the power consumption in the circuit . thus , the clock instance where this chain is allocated will dominate the power consumption . finally , with an increase of the number of groups from four to eight , a single scan chain dominates power consumption , which limits the ability of the dynamic partitioning method from reaping further peak power reductions . on the other hand , static partitioning with an initial set of four groups reduces peak power , as these sets are further divided into eight , which naturally reduces peak power incurred by randomly - generated groups . the proposed dynamic partitioning method with two groups and the static partitioning approach with four groups provide similar peak power reduction levels . in such cases , using the dynamic partitioning method with fewer groups presents a more cost - effective yet equal - quality alternative , compared to static partitioning with more groups . the percentile peak power reduction of the proposed method is only marginally enhanced as the number of chains is increased ( i . e ., sixteen chains versus thirty - two chains ). finally , incorporating the dynamic partitioning technique requires the utilization of the reconfigurable partitioning hardware , as illustrated in fig9 . the cost of the original circuit with sixteen scan chains is the base case . area cost of the base case includes the scan overhead . the area overhead results , which are measured by the gate count , namely , gate count multiplied by the average fan - in , are computed as a percentage with respect to the base case . the area overhead for incorporating the dynamic partitioning method in the iscas circuits in fig9 can be seen to depend upon the number of groups and the size of the original circuit . for smaller circuits , the area cost is more significant , while in larger circuits the cost becomes easily tolerable . even with eight groups , the area cost is around 4 % for the larger circuits , boding well for the practicality of the approach for industrial designs . in conclusion , a peak power reduction technique has been shown that is based on the dynamic partitioning of the scan chains into multiple groups . the partitioning ensures that the toggling of each of the scan chain groups , and thus the corresponding clock network and combinational logic , is evenly distributed over multiple time instants within every shift cycle . all the contributors of peak power are thus reduced . furthermore , scan chain partitioning is effected on a per pattern basis in order to evenly distribute scan chain transitions into multiple groups for every test pattern . the reconfigurable on - chip hardware is capable of realizing any possible partitioning of the scan chains into multiple groups . such a capability reflects into maximal adaptiveness to the transition distribution of any test pattern , which static partitioning techniques fail to deliver . the fact that the method and apparatus are test set independent and yet capable of handling any given test set delivers a practical and effective solution . the noted results also justify that the technique is capable of reaching close to the theoretical best reductions and of outperforming the other static partitioning techniques , while it has a small area cost . furthermore , the technique incurs no test time penalty for the cases where scan chains are partitioned into two groups , and only slight prolongation in test time for scan chain partitioning beyond two groups . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims . | 6 |
referring initially to fig1 , there is illustrated a front perspective view of a heavy duty rotary disc wood chipper , generally referenced 10 , that embodies the teachings of the present invention . the chipper is of a well known heavy duty design that includes a vertically disposed disc 12 that is mounted for rotation upon a horizontal drive shaft 13 . the shaft is supported in bearing blocks that are mounted upon a stationary frame 14 along with a drive motor ( not shown ). the disc 12 is enclosed within a protective housing , generally referenced 17 , made up of a number of separtable sections . one of the sections 18 is shown moved back along a rail system 19 to permit clear access to the disc . a number of triangular shaped knife holders 20 , sometimes referred to as segments , are secured to the front face of the disc . as will be described in greater detail below , each knife holder supports one or more chipper knives which are drawn through a stationary chipping station 25 as the disc rotates about the drive shaft 13 . in the chipping station , the knives co - act with a stationary bedknife to remove chips from wooden work pieces , typically logs , that are brought into contact with the front face of the disc . in this particular embodiment , the work pieces are brought by a conveyor ( not shown ) into contact with the disc through a horizontal delivery spout 27 that is integral with the support frame 14 . although a horizontal feed station is intended for use in the illustrated machine , a vertical gravity feed system may be similarly utilized without departing from the teachings of the present invention . turning now more specifically to fig2 - 7 , the common structural arrangement of the individual knife holders 20 will be described in greater detail . the number of knife holders that are spaced about the disc may vary depending upon the size of the disc and production required from the disc chipper . each holder is mounted upon the disc face adjacent to a chip slot 30 that extends more or less radially along the disc and passes through the disc between its front face 22 and its back face 32 ( fig2 ). as best illustrated in fig4 and 5 each knife holder has a triangular shaped solid one piece body 20 that includes a top wall surface 34 that can be planar or flat and a nominally parallely aligned bottom wall surface 35 . the top and bottom wall surfaces are co joined by a pair of linear side wall surfaces 36 and 37 and an arcuate shaped base wall surface 38 that compliments the outer edge of the disc . in assembly the bottom wall surface of the holder body is seated upon the flat front face 22 of the disc and is secured to the disc by a plurality of studs that are passed through the disc by means of suitable clearance holes . in assembly , side wall surface 36 of the knife holder runs more or less radially along the edge 39 of the adjacent chip slot 30 . the studs securing each knife holder body to the disc include a row of smaller diameter studs 40 ( fig6 ) that are mounted within clearance holes 41 that run adjacent to the chip slot . both ends of the studs 40 contain a male thread with one end being threaded into threaded holes 42 located in the bottom of the knife holder body . a nut 43 is threaded upon the opposite end of each stud that acts against a washer 44 . larger diameter studs 45 ( fig2 ) are similarly contained within clearance holes 46 located in the disc . one end of each large diameter studs is threaded into a threaded hole 47 formed in the knife holder while the opposite end of each stud is mated with a nut 48 . torquing down nuts 43 and 48 tightly secures the bottom wall surface of the knife holder against the front face of the disc . when the knife holder is secured in place its side wall surface 36 runs radially along one edge of the adjacent chip slot 30 and protrudes slightly into the slot . a cutout 50 is provided in the protrusion and one end of a wear plate 51 is supported in the cutout . the wear plate passes out of the cutout along the wall 39 of the slot and turns at a right angle along the rear face 32 of the disc . the angled section 49 of the wear plate is provided with a series of clearance holes that allow this section of the wear plate to be placed over the studs 40 into contact against the rear face 32 . torquing down the stud nuts 43 secures the wear plate in place within the chip slot and helps to secure the knife holder in place with the bottom wall surface in parallel alignment with the front face of the disc . turning now more specifically to fig4 and 5 , each knife holder 20 contains a v - shaped knife seat generally references 53 ( fig7 ) that runs along the side wall surface 36 of the holder . the seat includes an inclined wall surface 54 that passes upwardly and opens through the side wall surface 36 of the holder and a back wall 55 that is perpendicularly aligned with the inclined wall 54 . a rectangular shaped compartment 57 for housing a knife clamping mechanism is recessed in the top wall surface 34 of the knife holder body . the compartment includes a flat floor 58 that runs parallel with the bottom wall surface 34 of the holder and which opens into the knife seat through the rear wall 55 of the seat . the compartment further includes an upwardly extended back wall 59 that is substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom wall surfaces of the knife holder . a raised pedestal 60 ( fig2 ) extends along the back wall of the compartment and has a flat top surface 61 and flat front surface 62 ( fig7 ). the top surface of the pedestal is parallel with the top and bottom wall surfaces of the knife holder while the front surface of the pedestal is substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces of the knife holder . a knife assembly 65 is shown mounted within the knife seat 53 in fig2 and 3 . the assembly includes an upper chipper knife 66 and a lower counter knife 67 that is mounted between the chipper knife and the inclined wall 54 of the knife seat 53 . although a dual knife assembly is included in the description of the present invention , it should be clear from the description below that the counter knife can be eliminated from the knife assembly without departing from the teachings of the present invention . the chipper knife is of a conventional design having a rectangular body with a cutting blade 68 running laterally along a top corner edge of the knife body . the lower edge of the knife is provided with an adjusting spacer 70 which in this case is a series of babbit ( cast metal ) inserts that are spaced apart along the radial length of the knife body . a series of adjustable screws or wedges can be similarly employed . the spacer acts between the lower edge of the knife and the back wall 55 of the knife seat to position the tip of the blade slightly above the top wall surface 34 of the knife holder on about the axial centerline 71 of the chip slot . the back surface of the counter knife rests directly upon the rear wall of the knife seat to position the blade of the counter knife inside the chip slot in a position to act upon the chips leaving the chipper blade . as best shown in fig3 , the counter knife is secured to the knife holder body by a series of set screws 73 that are housed within countersunk bores 74 ( fig3 ) within the body of the counter knife . the screws may be mated with threaded inserts 75 that are embedded within the body of holder . a keyway 80 ( fig7 ) is formed in the bottom wall surface 35 of the knife holder that runs parallel with the side wall surface 36 of the holder . a key 81 having a rectangular cross section area is mounted in the keyway and secured therein by a pair of set screws 82 that are threaded into holes 83 ( fig5 ) formed in the base of the keyway . in assembly , the lower portion of the key is received within an expanded recess 85 contained within the disc with the sidewall 86 of the key in contact with the sidewall 87 of the expanded recess . the key can also be made as an integral part of the knife holder body . as best illustrated in fig3 , an elongated clamp 90 is enclosed within the clamp compartment 57 of the knife holder body . the clamp extends along the radial length of the compartment and contains a first contact area 91 that rests in abutting contact with the upper surface of the chipper knife or knives mounted in the knife seat . the opposite side of the clamp contains a right angle contact area 93 that compliments the top wall 61 ( fig7 ) and front wall 62 of the raised pedestal 60 which runs along the rear wall of the compartment . the bottom wall of the contact area 93 which is parallel with the bottom wall surface 35 of the knife holder abuts against the top surface 61 of the pedestal while the side wall of the cutout which is perpendicular to the bottom wall surface of the knife holder abuts the front wall 62 of the pedestal . accordingly a tight right angle joint is established between the clamp and the knife holder body which resists input loads acting either parallel to or perpendicular with the knife holder body . a number of recessed openings 95 are provided in the top surface of the clamp that are spaced apart along its radial length . each opening contains a clearance hole 96 that allows a clamping bolt 104 to pass through the clamp . the bolt is mated with a threaded insert 98 contained within a receiving bore 99 formed within the knife holder body . each insert contains an anti - rotation key 100 that prevents the insert from turning in the bore as the bolt is torqued down in assembly . this insert can also be made an integral component of the knife holder . the bottom surface of each bolt receiving opening is provided with a concave spherical seat 101 that is centered upon the axial centerline 102 of the clearance hole 96 . a spherical washer 103 is placed under the head of each bolt that has a convex spherical lower surface that compliments the shape of the seat 101 and which establishes a spherical joint between the bolt head 104 and the clamp when the bolts are torqued down . the spherical joint that is established between the bolt and the knife holder body serves to concentrate off - axis impact loads generating during the chipping process along the axis of the clamping bolts thereby considerably reducing the otherwise deleterious effects of unwanted off axis loads or couples . the spherical seat in the holder body can be replaced with a flat seat perpendicular to the axes of the bolt holes and separate washers with complimentary arcuate shaped mating surfaces to provide a spherical joint without departing from the teaching of the present invention . due to the present system ability to direct all impact loads acting upon the system along two primary axes , the overall loading upon the system is more effectively resisted and the size of the knives used in the chipper can be considerably reduced . this , in turn , allows for greater ease in handling of the knives when loading , refurbishing and reloading the knives . tasks that normally had to be carried out by more than one person can now be carried out rapidly and safely by a single worker . in addition , test have shown that multiple smaller than normal chipping knives can be safely mounted in a side by side relationship within each knife holder seat thereby further reducing handling problems typically associated with larger more massive knives . fig8 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention . here again , the knife holder body 20 contains a bottom wall surface 35 that is parallel with the front face 22 of the rotary disc 12 of the chipping machine . as explained in detail above the holder body is generally triangular shaped and has one side wall 36 running radially along one side wall 39 of an adjacent chip slot 30 . in this embodiment , one or more chipper knives 66 are mounted within a knife seat 111 with a suitable adjustable spacer 112 for positioning the cutting edge of the knife or knives on about the central axis of the chip slot . here again the knife holder body contains a recessed clamp compartment 113 that opens into the knife seat through the back wall of the seat . a radially extended clamp 115 is mounted inside the compartment and includes a contact area 116 that rests in abutting contact with the top surface of the knife or knives located within the knife seat . a convex spherical shaped raised key 118 extends radially along the floor of the compartment and is arranged to mate with a complimentary concave keyway that is formed in the bottom wall of the clamp to support the clamp above the floor of the compartment . a series of cylindrical headed screws 120 are passed through clearance holes formed in the clamp between the contact area 116 and the key 118 and are threaded into the body of the knife holder to support the clamp within the body of the knife holder . a rectangular shaped key 81 is mounted within a keyway that runs radially along the length of the holder body . the side walls of the key are perpendicular aligned with the bottom wall of knife holder while the top and bottom walls of the key are parallely aligned with the top and bottom walls of the holder . the key extends beyond the bottom wall of the knife holder and the extended portion of the key is received within an expanded keyway 85 formed in the front face of the disc . at least one side wall of the key is in abutting contact with one side wall of the expanded keyway 85 so as to resist loads that are generated on the system that act along the two primary load axes which , as explained above , run parallel with or perpendicular to the face of the disc . the spherical joint between the clamp and the knife holder body established by the spherical key serves to concentrate off - axis input loads generated during the chipping process along one of the primary load axes thereby reducing the otherwise deleterious effects of these otherwise harmful loads . the knife body is tightly secured against the front face of the disc by a series of studs such as stud 40 . while the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof to adapt to particular situations without departing from the scope of the invention . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope and spirit of the appended claims . | 1 |
the present invention provides a barricade sign 100 as shown in fig1 . the barricade sign distinguishes two parts 110 , 120 . the first part 110 is a base with a compartment 130 . the second part 120 is a lid . dependent on the manufacturing procedure of choice , parts 110 , 120 could either be separate parts that are connected by a joint 140 or could be an integral construction that is created by , for instance , but not limited to , injection molding or blow molding . in either case , part 120 is pivotally connected to part 110 in such a manner that it could close and store items inside compartment 130 . lid 120 could be held closed with a closing means 150 such as , but not limited to , a latch , strap , hook , clip , click - mechanism , pin , lock , or the like . the barricade sign is preferably made out of a rubber material . it would also be preferred to avoid any type of metal to manufacture or assemble the barricade sign . the outside shape of the base could be layered as shown in fig1 . however , the base is not limited to such a shape since it could also have a curved shaped as shown by base 210 of barricade sign 200 in fig2 ( barricade sign 220 is shown in closed position ). the shape of the base is configured to : ( 1 ) support the lid that is used as a sign ; ( 2 ) provide a compartment to store road safety items ; and ( 3 ) provide a safer construction so that a vehicle could potentially drive over ( any part or all of ) the base without causing damages , or at least minimizing any damages , to the vehicle . in other words , the layered or curved shape would enable the barricade sign to act more or less like a speed bump . compartment 130 preferably stores one or more items related to safety cones , warning / traffic signs such as roll up signs , and the likes that can be reduced to a small volume , or any other items related to road safety . dimensions of compartment 130 can be designed or scaled to fit items intended to be stored inside the compartment and therefore are not limiting . in one aspect , one or more non - rigid safety cones 160 could be stored in compartment 130 . preferably , compartment 130 stores one , two , or three safety cone ( s ). fig3 shows two flexible safety cones 160 stored in compartment 130 in compact , small volume position . the number of safety cones depends on application and use . a preferred flexible safety cone has a flexible cone or conical part 164 that can be compressed into a small volume in a spring - loaded position . an example of such a flexible safety cone is disclosed in the above - referenced u . s . pat . no . 6 , 766 , 760 . a positioning element 170 could be included at the inside of lid 120 . positioning element 170 preferably has a conical shape but is not limited to such a conical shape since it could also be cylindrical or square , as long as positioning element 170 removably fits inside top 162 of safety cone 160 . the positioning element 170 holds top 162 of safety cone 160 in place inside of compartment 130 and prevents top 162 from slipping or sliding away relative to lid 120 . positioning element 170 could be assembled to the inside of lid 120 or integrally formed with lid 120 . positioning element 170 could also be a hollow element to fit around top 162 . in some embodiments , a user places positioning element 170 inside top 162 of safety cone 160 . once in place , the user then pushes down lid 120 and therewith the flexible cone part 162 of safety cone 160 inside compartment 130 . flexible cone part 164 of safety cone 160 then gets into a spring - loaded position , as shown in fig2 . in case more than one safety cone is to be stored inside compartment 130 , a user stacks the safety cones first , spring loads the stacked cones at the same time , and then stores them in a similar fashion as described above . in case where one or more safety cones are stored in compartment 130 in a spring - loaded condition , once closing means 150 is released / opened , lid 120 will pop - up or at least be easily guided to an open position . subsequently , a user can take out one or more of the stored item and hold lid 120 in a more or less upright position . a bracket , pin , hinged arm , or any type of means that will hold up the lid could be implemented to enable the lid holding position . an example of a such a support means , a bracket 400 , is shown in fig4 . the holding position could also be enabled through a click mechanism integrated with the joint as common in the art . such a means should be strong enough to keep the lid in the more or less up - right position , especially when other road safety signs or devices , e . g ., a roll - up sign shown in fig5 , are integrated with the barricade sign . another consideration for the connection between the lid and the base , including the support means that holds up the lid , is to enable the lid and / or the support mean to collapse , fold , or possibly break upon impact , e . g ., when a car hits or overrides the barricade sign . this feature would add to road safety and minimizes , possibly prevents , any damages to the vehicle . the strength of the material for parts 110 , 120 is important in cases where flexible safety cones are to be stored in the compartment in a spring - loaded position . bending of parts 110 , 120 due to the extension force of the spring - loaded cone part , should preferably be avoided or minimized . it might be necessary for parts 110 , 120 to be reinforced , for instance , a change in thickness , in certain places or structural points . compartment 130 could also store a roll - up sign 300 as shown in fig3 . a de - assembled roll - up sign , for instance , in folded form , could be stored in compartment 130 . the poles that are typically used to span the roll - up sign could also be stored in compartment 130 . the poles could be telescopic poles , folded poles , interconnecting poles , or the like , as they are common in the art . lid 120 could include an opening 180 that could be used to insert and hold in place the vertical pole of a roll - up sign 500 , as shown in fig5 . the barricade sign would then serve as a base for the roll - up sign . the type of roll - up sign to be used in combination with the barricade sign could be any type of conventional roll - up sign as they are known in the art . in another embodiment , the roll - up sign could be improved by having a mesh - like material with or without reflective material . the mesh - like material would be advantageous to allow wind , rain or potentially sand or dirt from a wind gusts or a storm to pass through . the roll - up sign would then less likely act like a sail since such a sail action would jeopardize the stability of the barricade sign . in another aspect , the lid of the barricade sign 600 could include one or more lights 610 to alert or warn traffic as shown in fig6 . the lights could be battery operated or solar powered . the lights could be removably placed in a recess in the lid or removably placed on the outside of the lid . the lid could also include a fog light . the lights could automatically turn on when the lid opens , could be manually operated , or could be operated through a sensor that sense changes in visibility . the lights could also be stored inside the lid and pop up , pop out or slide out when the lid is opened to a more or less vertical position . the weight of the base should be sufficient enough to sustain 40 mph wind without moving away from the intended location and / or without falling over . in one aspect , the base of the barricade sign 700 could include stabilizers 710 in case where additional stability is necessary , as shown in fig7 . stabilizers could be extended by pushing them from the inside of compartment 130 where they could be stored outward relative to the base though openings in the sides of the base . stabilizers could be single elements or elements that could be extended through telescopic means . in another aspect , a user could add weight to the compartment to provide more friction and potentially more stability . in yet another aspect , the bottom surface of the base could provide enough friction to avoid sliding away from its desired position and placement on the road or support surface . friction could be established by a roughness or a pattern created to the bottom surface of the base . the barricade sign with or without a roll - up sign could be placed on the road , shoulder or even on a vehicle that is in a stand still or driving . the base of the barricade sign could include a handle 190 so that it can be carried by a person . handle 190 could be fixed to base 110 . in one embodiment , handle 190 could be manufactured as an integral part of base 110 . in another embodiment , handle 190 could be manufactured as a separate element and preferably pivotally connected to base 110 . the present invention has now been described in accordance with several exemplary embodiments , which are intended to be illustrative in all aspects , rather than restrictive . thus , the present invention is capable of many variations in detailed implementation , which may be derived from the description contained herein by a person of ordinary skill in the art . for instance , a new type of roll - up sign could be used which could be folded up to a small package 810 that can be stored at the inside of the lid of the barricade sign 800 as shown in fig8 . when lid is in closed position 820 , the folded roll - up sign is stored , but when lid opens up , either by hand or by means of a spring - loaded safety cone ( s ), the folded roll - up sign pops - open like some of the tents that are known in the art of tents and develops like a spread out roll - up sign 830 . another variation is that the shape of the lid is not limited to an octagon 910 , but could be any type of shape that is related to common traffic signs , such as a circle 920 , a triangle ( up 930 or down 940 ), square 950 or a diamond 960 . examples of other signs could be obtained from e . g . the federal highway administration ( fha , see e . g . their www site at www . fhwa . dot . gov ). yet another variation is to use different types of recyclable materials for the barricade signs . still another variation is to have a light placed near the end of a bar element . the light and bar element could be stored in a recess in the lid . fig1 a - b show an example , in closed and open positions , respectively , of a halogen lamp 1010 integrated on a bar 1020 storable in a recess in the outer surface of lid 1030 . fig1 shows the barricade sign of fig1 a - b with its lid 1030 in an upright holding position and the bar 1020 in an upwardly tilted position 1100 such that the light source 1010 could be directed in a manner that alerts traffic . the barricade sign can be used in combination with a roll - up sign to provide additional signage and warning to traffic . the barricade sign would improve road safety through its design ( i . e . shape and material ). many other variations may be derived from the description contained herein by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention . accordingly , the scope of the present invention should be determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents . | 4 |
it has now been surprisingly found that , significantly improved leakage stability at 200 ° c . and above can be obtained by replacing the polymeric silver coating layer with a plated metal layer or a metal deposited layer . the present invention mitigates the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a capacitor with improved leakage current , particularly at high temperature , achieved by plated metal , and particularly plated nickel layers , and other optional layers . the present invention will be described with reference to the various figures which illustrate , without limiting , the invention . throughout the description similar elements will be numbered accordingly . fig1 illustrates a cross - sectional schematic view of a capacitor generally represented at 10 . the capacitor comprises an anode , 11 , preferably comprising a valve metal as described further herein with an anode wire , 18 , extending there from . a dielectric layer , 12 , is provided on the surface of the anode , 11 . coated on the surface of the dielectric layer , 12 , is a cathode layer , 13 . a carbon layer , 14 , and plated metal layer , 16 , provide electrical conductivity and provide a surface which is more readily adhered to the cathode terminal , 17 , than is the cathode layer , 13 . the layers between the cathode , 13 , and plated layer , 16 , are referred to collectively herein as the transition layer which typically includes multiple layers designed to allow adhesion on one face to a polymeric cathode and on the other face to the plated layer , 16 . an adhesive layer , 21 , secures the cathode lead to the plated metal layer . the anode wire , 18 , is electrically connected to the anode terminal , 19 , by a connector , 23 . the anode terminal and connector may be integral to a lead frame . the entire element , except for the terminus of the terminals , is then preferably encased in a non - conducting material , 20 , such as an epoxy resin to form a hermetic seal . in one embodiment the cathode comprises an improved transition layer . included in the transition layer is a blocking layer , preferably selected from a hydrophobic layer and an insulative layer , which inhibits migration of metals and metal ions towards the dielectric . in a particularly preferred embodiment the blocking layer is between first and second carbon layers . a capacitor is illustrated schematically in fig2 at 50 . in fig2 the anode , 11 ; dielectric , 12 ; cathode , 13 ; cathode termination , 17 ; anode wire , 18 ; anode termination , 19 ; and connector , 23 , are as illustrated relative to fig1 . layer 16 ′ is a plated layer as will be more fully described herein . the transition layer , 30 , comprises a blocking layer as will be more fully described herein . the transition layer preferably encases the entire underlying structure . a second optional transition layer , 30 ′, which preferably comprises a second blocking layer , is preferably disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the underlying monolith from which the anode wire , 18 , extends . the second blocking layer may be the same as the blocking layer of the transition layer but extended beyond the area of the transition layer . alternatively , the second blocking layer may be a layer which is different from the blocking layer of the transition layer . the non - conducting material , 20 , can be a non - conducting polymer which is capable of withstanding the operating conditions of intended use or it may be an inert material such as a ceramic material , a plastic material or a metal as exemplified in us 2012 / 0106031 or combinations thereof . the function of blocking layer of the transition layer is to electrically connect the cathode , 13 , to the plated metal layer , 16 ′, while inhibiting metal and metal ions from migrating there through . one surface of the transition layer must be compatible with the cathode layer and the opposing surface must be compatible with the cathode termination or an adhesion layer attaching the transition layer to the cathode termination . to accomplish these tasks the transition layer is typically a multiplicity of layers preferably starting with a carbon based layer , for adhesion directly to the cathode and subsequent adhesion to metal layers , followed by metal layers for adhesion to the carbon and cathode termination or adhesive layer with the blocking layer included therein . an embodiment of the transition layer is illustrated in fig3 wherein a cross - sectional portion of the transition layer , 30 , and plated metal layer , 34 , is shown in isolation . a preferred transition layer comprises a first carbon layer , 31 , which is formulated to adhere adequately to the cathode while still having adequate conductivity through the layer . a blocking layer , 32 , is provided which inhibits the metal ion in the electroplating electrolyte from migrating into or through the blocking layer . it is preferred that no metal migrates through the blocking layer . in practice , minute amounts may migrate which is undesirable but acceptable . the blocking layer will be described more thoroughly herein . a second carbon layer , 33 , is formulated to provide adhesion to the blocking layer and to the plated metal layer , 34 . the plated metal layer , 34 , is the eventual contact point within a circuit and is electrically connected to a cathode lead or to a circuit trace preferably by a conductive adhesive . the blocking layer is preferably between two carbon layers since this provides maximum adhesion . the blocking layer could be between a carbon layer and a metal layer or between the cathode and a carbon layer . in an alternative embodiment the carbon layer may be a blocking layer . the blocking layer is preferably a hydrophobic layer or an electrically insulative layer . an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically in fig4 at 50 . in fig4 the anode , 11 ; dielectric , 12 ; cathode , 13 ; cathode termination , 17 ; anode wire , 18 ; anode termination , 19 ; non - conducting material , 20 ; and connector , 23 , are as illustrated relative to fig1 . a metal filled layer , 36 , preferably a silver filled layer , is on the transition layer , 30 , and a plated metal layer , 34 , is on the metal filled layer . an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig5 wherein a cross - sectional portion with the cathode , 13 , plated metal layer , 34 , and layers there between shown in isolation . in the embodiment of fig5 a first carbon layer , 35 , is in contact with the cathode and the layer is formulated to adhere adequately to the cathode while still having adequate conductivity through the layer . a blocking layer , 32 , inhibits the metal ion in the electroplating electrolyte from migrating into or through the blocking layer . a second carbon layer , 33 , is formulated to provide adhesion to the blocking layer and to the optional metal filled layer , 36 . a plated metal layer , 34 , is on the metal filled layer or in the absence thereof the second carbon layer . the plated metal layer , 34 , is the eventual contact point within a circuit and is electrically connected to a cathode lead or to a circuit trace preferably by a conductive adhesive . in one embodiment there is no metal filled layer . another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig6 wherein a cross - sectional portion with the cathode , 13 , plated metal layer , 34 , and layers there between shown in isolation . in fig6 the blocking layer , 32 , is between the cathode , 13 , and the carbon layer , 35 . this embodiment has the advantage of requiring one less layer . a related embodiment is illustrated in fig7 wherein the blocking layer , 32 , is between the carbon layer , 35 , and an optional metal filled layer , 36 . another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in fig8 . in fig8 , a carbon layer , 35 , is on the cathode , 13 . optional metal filled layers , 31 , sandwich a blocking layer , 32 , and a plated metal layer , 34 , is on the outermost metal filled layer . the cathode layer is a conductive layer preferably comprising conductive polymer , such as polythiophene , polyaniline , polypyrrole or their derivatives ; manganese dioxide , lead oxide or combinations thereof . r 1 and r 2 of formula 1 are chosen to prohibit polymerization at the n - site of the ring . it is most preferred that only a - site polymerization be allowed to proceed . therefore , it is preferred that r 1 and r 2 are not hydrogen . more preferably , r 1 and r 2 are α - directors . therefore , ether linkages are preferable over alkyl linkages . it is most preferred that the groups are small to avoid steric interferences . for these reasons r 1 and r 2 taken together as — o —( ch 2 ) 2 — o — is most preferred . in formula 1 , x is s or n and most preferable x is s . r 1 and r 2 independently represent linear or branched c 1 - c 16 alkyl or c 2 - c 18 alkoxyalkyl ; or are c 3 - c 8 cycloalkyl , phenyl or benzyl which are unsubstituted or substituted by c 1 - c 6 alkyl , c 1 - c 6 alkoxy , halogen or or 3 ; or r 1 and r 2 , taken together , are linear c 1 - c 6 alkylene which is unsubstituted or substituted by c 1 - c 6 alkyl , c 1 - c 6 alkoxy , halogen , c 3 - c 8 cycloalkyl , phenyl , benzyl , c 1 - c 4 alkylphenyl , c 1 - c 4 alkoxyphenyl , halophenyl , c 1 - c 4 alkylbenzyl , c 1 - c 4 alkoxybenzyl or halobenzyl , 5 -, 6 -, or 7 - membered heterocyclic structure containing two oxygen elements . r 3 preferably represents hydrogen , linear or branched c 1 - c 16 alkyl or c 2 - c 18 alkoxyalkyl ; or are c 3 - c 8 cycloalkyl , phenyl or benzyl which are unsubstituted or substituted by c 1 - c 6 alkyl . the conducting polymer is preferably chosen from polypyrroles , polyanilines , polythiophenes and polymers comprising repeating units of formula i , particularly in combination with organic sulfonates : a particularly preferred polymer is 3 , 4 - polyethylene dioxythiophene ( pedt ). the polymer can be applied by any technique commonly employed in forming layers on a capacitor including dipping , spraying oxidizer dopant and monomer onto the pellet or foil , allowing the polymerization to occur for a set time , and ending the polymerization with a wash . the polymer can also be applied by electrolytic deposition as well known in the art . the manganese dioxide layer is preferably obtained by immersing an anode element in an aqueous manganese nitrate solution . the manganese oxide is then formed by thermally decomposing the nitrate at a temperature of from 200 to 350 ° c . in a dry or steam atmosphere . the anode may be treated multiple times to insure optimum coverage . as typically employed in the art , various dopants can be incorporated into the polymer during the polymerization process . dopants can be derived from various acids or salts , including aromatic sulfonic acids , aromatic polysulfonic acids , organic sulfonic acids with hydroxy group , organic sulfonic acids with carboxylhydroxyl group , alicyclic sulfonic acids and benzoquinone sulfonic acids , benzene disulfonic acid , sulfosalicylic acid , sulfoisophthalic acid , camphorsulfonic acid , benzoquinone sulfonic acid , dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid , toluenesulfonic acid . other suitable dopants include sulfoquinone , anthracenemonosulfonic acid , substituted naphthalenemonosulfonic acid , substituted benzenesulfonic acid or heterocyclic sulfonic acids as exemplified in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 381 , 121 which is included herein by reference thereto . binders and cross - linkers can be also incorporated into the conductive polymer layer if desired . suitable materials include poly ( vinyl acetate ), polycarbonate , poly ( vinyl butyrate ), polyacrylates , polymethacrylates , polystyrene , polyacrylonitrile , poly ( vinyl chloride ), polybutadiene , polyisoprene , polyethers , polyesters , silicones , and pyrrole / acrylate , vinylacetate / acrylate and ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymers . the first carbon layer and second carbon layer , which may be the same or different , each comprises a conductive composition comprising resin and conductive carbon particles . each carbon layer may individually also comprise adjuvants such as crosslinking additives , surfactants and dispersing agents . the resin , conductive carbon particles and adjuvants are preferably dispersed in an organic solvent or water to form a coating solution . the solvent and resin for the first conductive carbon layer needs to have good wettability to the semi - conductive cathode surface . the blocking layer is most preferably less than two microns thick . above about two microns the resistivity of the layer exceeds acceptable limits thereby defeating one of the purposes of the transition layers . the lower limit of thickness is set by the coating technique with a monolayer on the entire surface being the theoretical limit . this theoretical limit is difficult to reach with most coating techniques due to the presence of surface vacancies wherein the blocking properties are compromised . since the blocking layer is a poorly conducting layer its presence necessarily increases resistance between the cathode and cathode lead which is undesirable . surprisingly , the increased adhesion provides sufficient interlayer stability to mitigate the detrimental impact of the increased resistance . the hydrophobic coating preferably comprises hydrophobic polymers . silicone and their copolymers , fluorinated polymers and their copolymers are mentioned as being particularly preferred . the hydrophobic layer may include fillers such as silica . nanoclay and related materials modified with a hydrophobic coating is particularly suitable for demonstration of the invention . the hydrophobic coating is preferably a thermoset coating with high cross link density . the hydrophobic coating is chosen such that the plating electrolyte has very low wettability to the coated surface . in addition to providing low wettability the high cross link density prevents diffusion of plating electrolyte through this coating layer . a second carbon layer is preferably applied over the blocking layer . since the blocking layer is designed to have low wettability to aqueous based systems , a water based carbon coating has very low adhesion to this surface . a solvent based carbon coating is preferred for this application . the solvent and resin of the carbon coating is chosen such that the coating can adequately wet the blocking layer which is typically a hydrophobic surface . in addition to wetting , the binder of the second carbon coating needs to have strong adhesion to the binder in the blocking layer as well as to the metal layer . the second carbon coating is preferably highly conductive to enable a faster rate of plating of the metal layer . in addition to the carbon particles such as graphite , carbon black , carbon nanotubes , graphene , metal particles can also be added to improve conductivity . preferred resins for the carbon layers are polymers of materials selected from the group phenolic , phenoxy , epoxy , acrylic , cellulose derivatives , aromatic cyanate esters , diallyl isophthalate , bismaleimide , polyimides , polyamide imides , polysulfones , polyphylenes , polyether sulfones , polyaryl ethers , polyphenylene sulfides , polyarylene ether ketones , polyether imides , polyquinoxalines , polyquinolines , polybenzimidazoles , polybenzoxazoles , polybenzothiazoles , and silicones such as silicone polyester and silicone epoxy . more preferably the resin is selected from cellulose derivatives , acrylic , polyester , aromatic cyanate ester , epoxy , phenolic , diallyl isophthalate , phenoxy , polyimide and bismaleimide . the components of the cathode layer , including the transition layer , preferable has a high thermal decomposition temperature and preferably at least 350 ° c . more preferably the cathode layer , including the transition layer , preferable has a high thermal decomposition temperature and preferably at least 500 ° c . the plated metal layer may be applied to the second carbon coating . plating can be done with various metallic systems . nickel is a preferred metal system . plating can be done either by electroplating or electroless plating . electroplating is preferred due to the lower production cycle time . conductive adhesive is typically used to adhesively attach the metal layer to the lead frame which acts as the cathode lead or to a circuit trace . a preferred process for forming the capacitor is illustrated in fig9 . in fig9 , the anode is formed , 100 , preferably from a valve metal as described further herein . the anode is a conductor preferably selected from a valve metal or a conductive metal oxide . more preferably the anode comprises a valve metal , a mixture , alloy or conductive oxide of a valve metal preferably selected from al , w , ta , nb , ti , zr and hf . most preferably the anode comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of al , ta , nb and nbo . conductive polymeric materials may be employed as an anode material . particularly preferred conductive polymers include polypyrrole , polyaniline and polythiophene . aluminum is typically employed as a foil while tantalum is typically prepared by pressing tantalum powder and sintering to form a compact . for convenience in handling , the valve metal is typically attached to a carrier thereby allowing large numbers of elements to be processed at the same time . the anode is preferably etched to increase the surface area particularly if the anode is a valve metal foil such as aluminum foil . etching is preferably done by immersing the anode into at least one etching bath . various etching baths are taught in the art and the method used for etching the anode is not limited herein . the anode wire is preferably attached to the anode , particularly when a compact is employed . the anode wire can be attached by welding or by embedding into the powder prior to pressing . a valve metal is a particularly suitable anode wire and in a preferred embodiment the anode and anode wire are the same material . a dielectric is formed , 101 , on the surface of the anode . the dielectric is a non - conductive layer which is not particularly limited herein . the dielectric may be a metal oxide or a ceramic material . a particularly preferred dielectric is the oxide of a metal anode due to the simplicity of formation and ease of use . the dielectric layer is preferably an oxide of the valve metal as further described herein . it is most desirable that the dielectric layer be an oxide of the anode . the dielectric is preferably formed by dipping the anode into an electrolyte solution and applying a positive voltage to the anode . electrolytes for the oxide formation are not particularly limiting herein but exemplary materials can include ethylene glycol ; polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 716 , 511 ; alkanolamines and phosphoric acid , as described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 480 , 371 ; polar aprotic solvent solutions of phosphoric acid as described in u . k . pat . no . gb 2 , 168 , 383 and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 185 , 075 ; complexes of polar aprotic solvents with protonated amines as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 812 , 951 or the like . electrolytes for formation of the dielectric on the anode including aqueous solutions of dicarboxylic acids , such as ammonium adipate are also known . other materials may be incorporated into the dielectric such as phosphates , citrates , etc . to impart thermal stability or chemical or hydration resistance to the dielectric layer . a conductive layer is formed , 102 , on the surface of the dielectric . the conductive layer acts as the cathode of the capacitor . the cathode is a conductor preferably comprising at least one conductive material selected from manganese dioxide and a conductive polymeric material . particularly preferred conductive polymers include polypyrrole , polyaniline and polythiophene . metals can be employed as a cathode material with valve metals being less preferred . after conductive cathode layer formation , 102 , a transition layer may be applied , 103 , by spraying or dipping . in one embodiment a first carbon layer is applied , 104 . a blocking layer is applied , 105 , by spraying or dipping . after blocking layer formation a second carbon layer can be applied , 106 , by spraying or dipping . a metal plated layer is formed , 107 , preferably by electroplating or electroless plating . a particularly preferred metal plated layer is nickel . the capacitor may be a discrete capacitor or an embedded capacitor . if a discrete capacitor is to be formed , at 108 , a conductive adhesive is added , 109 , and the metal layer is adhered to a cathode lead , 110 . the capacitor is finished , 111 , which may include incorporating anode and cathode terminals , external insulation , testing , packing and the like as known in the art . if the capacitors are to be employed in an embedded application or attached directly to a circuit trace the capacitors are finished , 112 , which may include testing , packing and the like . the capacitor is illustrated herein as a discrete capacitor for convenience and this is a preferred embodiment . in another preferred embodiment the anode wire and metal layer , of the transition layer , may be in direct electrical contact with a circuit trace wherein elements of the circuit may constitute the cathode lead , anode lead or both . in another preferred embodiment the capacitor may be embedded in a substrate or incorporated into an electrical component with additional functionality . a metal plated layer comprising nickel is particularly advantageous , with or without a blocking layer . the metal plated layer provides a capacitor with a particularly high reliability , particularly at temperatures above 200 ° c . a particularly preferred metal plating layer consists essentially of nickel . it is particularly preferred that the metal plated layer does not contain either sulfur or silver . a metal filled layer is defined herein as a layer comprising metal in an organic matrix . the present invention provides a solid electrolytic capacitor with a leakage current of no more than 0 . 10 cv after treatment for 500 hrs at a temperature of at least 200 ° c . more preferably the solid electrolytic capacitor with a leakage current of no more than 0 . 05 cv after treatment for 500 hrs at a temperature of at least 200 ° c . even more preferably , the solid electrolytic capacitor with a leakage current of no more than 0 . 10 cv after treatment for 500 hrs at a temperature of at least 200 ° c . the present invention also provides a solid electrolytic capacitor with a leakage current of no more than 0 . 10 cv after treatment for 500 hrs at a temperature of at least 220 ° c . more preferably the solid electrolytic capacitor with a leakage current of no more than 0 . 05 cv after treatment for 500 hrs at a temperature of at least 220 ° c . even more preferably , the solid electrolytic capacitor with a leakage current of no more than 0 . 01 cv after treatment for 500 hrs at a temperature of at least 220 ° c . a series of identical tantalum anodes were prepared . the tantalum was anodized to form a dielectric on the tantalum anode in identical fashion . in one set of samples a manganese dioxide cathode was formed on the dielectric with first carbon layer comprising graphite dispersion in acrylic solution was applied . the capacitors with manganese dioxide cathodes were split into three groups . in a first control group a nickel plated layer was formed on the first carbon . in the second control group a silver layer was formed on the first carbon . in the inventive group a hydrophobic coating comprising silicone polymer solution was applied on the first carbon layer . a second carbon layer comprising a mixture of carbon black and graphite dispersion in a polyester binder was applied on the hydrophobic layer . a nickel plated layer was formed on the second carbon by electroplating . both control and inventive samples were dried and electrical properties were measured at room temperature . the results are presented in table 1 . on an identical set of samples a polymeric cathode was formed utilizing polyethylenedioxythiophene ( pedt ) with carbon layers applied thereto respectively . the capacitors with pedt cathodes were split into three groups . in a control group a nickel plated layer was formed on a first carbon layer comprising a carbon black and graphite dispersion in a polyester binder solution was applied . in the second control group , a carbon and silver layer was applied on a pedt cathode . in the inventive group a hydrophobic coating comprising a silicone polymer solution was applied on the first carbon layer . a second carbon layer similar to the second carbon layer of example 1 was applied on the hydrophobic layer . a nickel plated layer was formed on the second carbon by electroplating . both control and inventive samples were dried and electrical properties were measured at room temperature . the results are provided in table 2 . on an identical set of samples a polymeric cathode was formed utilizing polyethylenedioxythiophene ( pedt ) polymers . the capacitors with pedt cathodes were split into three groups . in the first control group a carbon layer was applied on pedt followed with nickel plating . in a second control group a carbon and silver layer was applied on the pedt cathode . in the inventive group , a hydrophobic layer comprising silicone polymer solution was applied on the pedt cathode . no carbon layer was applied in the inventive group . a nickel plated layer was formed on the hydrophobic layer by electroplating . both control and inventive samples were dried and electrical properties were measured at room temperature . the results are provided in table 3 . the invention has been described with particular emphasis on the preferred embodiments . one of skill in the art would realize additional embodiments , alterations , and advances which , though not enumerated , are within the invention as set forth more specifically in the claims appended hereto . a series of tantalum anodes ( 100 microfarad , 16v ) using two different sets of anodes was prepared . the tantalum was anodized to form a dielectric on the tantalum anode . a cathode layer was applied followed by a silver layer . parts thus prepared were exposed to 200 ° c . for several hours to determine the leakage stability at 200 ° c . after 500 hours at 200 ° c . the comparative examples exhibited a leakage over about 4 cv with average leakage of about 16 cv with leakage of about 100 cv observed . a series of tantalum anodes ( 100 microfarad , 16v ) using two different sets of anodes was prepared . the tantalum was anodized to form a dielectric on the tantalum anode . a mno 2 cathode layer was applied . these parts were plated with nickel . parts thus prepared were exposed to 200 ° c . for several hours to determine the leakage stability at 200 ° c . the leakage was essentially unchanged with treatment for up to 1000 hours . a series of tantalum anodes ( 220 microfarad , 10v ) using two different sets of anodes was prepared . the tantalum was anodized to form a dielectric on the tantalum anode . a mno 2 cathode layer was applied . these parts were plated with nickel , assembled and encapsulated . case dimensions were 7 . 3 mm ( length ), 4 . 3 mm ( width ), and 4 . 0 mm ( height ). parts thus prepared were exposed to 220 ° c . for 1000 hrs hours to determine the leakage stability at 220 ° c . as illustrated in fig8 . the leakage was unchanged after 1000 hours of treatment which is a leakage shift of less then 50 % and less than 20 % whereas a control sample exhibited leakages in excess of 500 microamps for a significant portion of the samples tested which is a shift of in excess of 50 %. test methods : cv is defined as the multiplicative product of capacitance and voltage , where capacitance is measured at 120 hz at rated voltage ( v ). | 8 |
referring now to fig5 - 16 , slide - out information displays corresponding to concepts of the present application , and distinct from those discussed in connection with fig1 - 4 , are more particularly described . with reference now to fig5 , a first configuration 500 for a slide - out information display is shown . the first configuration 500 is shown in a closed position . the slide - out information display includes a set of stacked display panels 502 , 504 wherein the first display panel 502 is visible in the figure and the second display panel 504 is stacked beneath a first display panel and is not visible in the figure . the slide - out information display includes interconnected frame members or bezel segments 506 , 508 for supporting the first and second display panels . the frame members in this embodiment are interconnected by an upper support member 510 and a lower support member 512 which reside in respective frame channels 514 , 516 for maintaining the first and second frame members in proper relationship with respect to each other . it is to be understood that the connecting members 510 , 512 residing in the respective channels 514 , 516 are exemplary representations , and any suitable interconnecting arrangement as known in the art is included within the scope of the present disclosure . it is to be further understood that the display panels 502 , 504 can be any rigid or semi - rigid type of display panel known in the art . available components for the display panels will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art with reference now to fig6 , the slide - out information display 500 is shown in an operable , expanded configuration . in this configuration , the second display panel 504 is positioned to the right of first display panel 502 as viewed when observing the display panels as shown in the figure . however , because the second display panel 504 is housed directly below display panel 502 , there remains a slight offset between the planes of the two panels at the position designated by the boundary line indicated by the numeral 518 , although the effect of the small offset is preferably negligible . with reference now to fig7 , a second exemplary configuration is shown similar to the previously described configuration shown in fig6 which , however , eliminates the need for supporting elements 510 , 512 . in this second configuration , a first bezel segment 520 is configured such that a second bezel segment 522 rides in a hollow channel region 524 of the first bezel segment . as shown now in fig8 , when the second configuration of the slide - out information display is expanded , a region of overlap designated by numeral 526 provides support for the second bezel segment 522 . in this second arrangement , as in the first arrangement , a slight offset remains at the boundary line designated by numeral 528 . with reference now to fig9 , a third available configuration of a slide - out information display is shown . this third configuration is like the configuration shown with reference to fig8 , however , guide rollers 530 have been added to each side of the second bezel segment 522 for supporting the second bezel segment . a first bezel segment 520 has , consequently , been provided with guide channels 532 for supporting the guide rollers 530 . with reference to fig1 , a side view of the third available configuration is shown in an expanded operable position . in the expanded configuration , the guide rollers 530 continue to provide support for the second bezel segment 522 . it is to be noted that , as in the previous configurations , a slight offset 534 remains . with reference now to fig1 , and continuing reference to fig1 , a fourth available configuration of the slide - out information display is shown which eliminates the undesirable offset 534 of the previous configuration . this fourth configuration is identical in all respects to the third configuration except that the guide channels 532 are provided with a curved portion 536 which causes the second bezel segment 522 to be elevated with respect to the first bezel segment 520 when expanded , thereby eliminating the undesirable offset 534 , aligning the display panel segments on the same plane . it is to be appreciated that other interconnecting arrangements for eliminating the undesirable offset are known in the art and are included within the scope of the present disclosure . with reference now to fig1 , a fifth available configuration of a slide - out information display is shown . it is an object of this configuration to provide the user with a slightly convex viewing arrangement of the first and second display panels 502 , 504 . this arrangement is similar to the previously shown arrangements except that the guide channel 532 is configured at an angle 544 with respect to the first display panel 502 thereby providing a convex viewing arrangement when expanded to the operable position as shown in the figure . it is to be appreciated that this configuration may also be provided with a curved region 536 as shown in the previous arrangement to eliminate the undesirable offset between the first and second display channels 502 , 504 when expanded to the operable position . with reference now to fig1 , a first available configuration of a slide - out information display 600 utilizing flexible display membranes is shown . the information display 600 includes a first flexible display membrane 602 and a second flexible display membrane 604 having the first display membrane positioned slightly in front of the second display membrane as shown or viewed in the figure . the first flexible display membrane 602 is stored in respective left and right scrolling assemblies 606 , 608 . it is to be appreciated that , although two scrolling assemblies are shown in the figure , alternate embodiments may incorporate only one scrolling assembly , i . e ., on other words , one end of the display membrane is fixed and scrolling occurs by the one scrolling assembly . the second flexible display membrane is similarly stored in left and right scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 and alternate embodiments may also be configured utilizing only one scrolling assembly for the second flexible display membrane 604 . in order for the flexible display membranes 602 , 604 to be operable , they must be sufficiently rigid so as to provide a constant display area , yet sufficiently flexible so as to allow individual sections of the display to be deformed by rolling onto the scrolling assembly mechanisms , where required . the membranes 602 , 604 will generally be built upon a layer of material that constitutes a structural substrate for the other components of the display membrane . the material must have thermal characteristics ( such as melting point ) and chemical characteristics such that it will withstand the fabrication processes of the various components of the display membrane that are built on top of it . the structural substrate material must also have mechanical properties that are suitable to the kind of deformation required by the specific display embodiment . the membranes 602 , 604 may accordingly include one or more structural substrate layers made of any of the following : a low elasticity material , such as a metal foil ; and a high elasticity material , such as a plastic or polymer . in certain embodiments , the membranes 602 , 604 may include control layer components and addressing circuitry for addressing the display pixels that form a visual display area along the display membranes 602 , 604 . in conventional display systems , individual circuit elements used in the addressing circuitry are often not fabricated in a manner that is suited for building collapsible displays . for example , construction of active - matrix liquid - crystal displays ( lcds ), such as those commonly used as personal computer monitors , typically involves a fabrication process for building thin - film transistor ( tfts ) in which silicon is deposited on thin glass sheets . the glass has thermal and chemical characteristics that are desirable for that fabrication process , but the glass sheets are at best semi - rigid . as another example , commercial displays have been built using bi - stable dielectric twisting - ball ( gyricon ) display elements . many of these displays have been direct - addressed using large - area copper pads on conventional printed circuit boards ( pcbs ); the copper pads are driven using off - board control logic . pcbs are inexpensive but are entirely rigid . however , several alternative display control technologies are available such that the individual circuit elements ( 1 ) are themselves reasonably flexible and ( 2 ) can be fabricated using processes suitable for use with flexible structural substrates . there are a variety of such technologies , such as : amorphous silicon transistors fabricated at low - temperature ; polysilicon transistors fabricated at low - temperature ; organic transistors ; and hybrid organic / inorganic transistors . the ability to include transistor elements within a flexible control layer enables the use of active - matrix techniques , which are important if the display layer technology is not bi - stable ( see below ). other available components for the control layer will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art . in further embodiments , the membranes 602 , 604 may include display layer components for activating or deactivating an addressed pixel . the display layer elements must be built from materials that are flexible and can be fabricated on flexible substrates . if a control layer is present in the display , the display layer must be controlled by addressing circuit elements that are themselves flexible and can be fabricated on flexible substrates . however , the cholesteric liquid crystal display has attracted attention in recent years as an electronic paper ( e - paper ) type of display device . the cholesteric liquid crystal display is capable - of utilizing reflection from surrounding lights as a light source and has a storage property which can hold display contents after the supply voltage is turned off . further , because an active matrix is not needed for driving the display , cholesteric liquid crystal display devices are capable of providing cost effective large - capacity displays , and may use a flexible substrate which is particularly suitable for e - paper . an example of such a display is described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 004 , 752 titled black / white cholesteric bistable display with increased white reflectivity . such display technologies are often colloquially described using names such as “ electric paper ,” “ electronic paper ,” or “ electronic ink ” as well as others . of these technologies , those in which the display elements are bi - stable ( hold their image without the application of additional power ) are often advantageous in that ( 1 ) they facilitate the construction of electronic devices with lower power consumption and therefore longer battery life , and ( 2 ) they do not need active - matrix elements to maintain their image . other available components for the display layer will be readily apparent to one of skill in the art . in any of the embodiments described below , each of the display membranes 602 , 604 may be provided as a single continuous sheet , however , in use , the membranes are aligned to provide the appearance of a continuous display membrane . various technologies may be provided to conceal , mask or hide otherwise visible edges of the sections within the display area where the membranes are adjacent . u . s . pat . no . 5 , 734 , 513 describes one such technique that may be adapted . in addition to hardware - based edge concealment techniques , software - based techniques can be used to reduce the effect ( as perceived by the end user ) of having multiple display sections with visible edges between them . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 835 , 090 describes how the position of application windows in a graphic user interface ( gui ) can be constrained to always be displayed entirely within one of several display sections if desired . although various useful display membranes have been developed and continue to be improved , there have not been many attempts to provide such display membranes in configurations that allow the display to be expanded to larger areas and collapsed to smaller areas . in particular , there have not been proposed various display device geometries that would be useful for providing larger display areas in more than one dimension to portable electronic devices . most flexible display membranes instead are proposed in the form of single panel displays , simple roll - up displays , aligned - axis fold - up panel displays , or multiple - axis fold - up panel displays , as discussed previously . the pair of scrolling assemblies 606 , 608 associated with the first flexible display membrane 602 are fixedly mounted in respective housing members 614 , 616 . in this configuration , however , the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 associated with the second flexible display membranes 604 are movably housed in respective channels 618 , 620 formed within the housing members 614 , 616 . while fig1 shows an approximate perspective view from the front of the information display 600 as viewed by a user , fig1 shows a top view of the information display including scrolling assembly mechanisms 622 - 628 and an expanding support 632 . it is to be appreciated that the first configuration of the information display utilizing flexible display membranes in fig1 is shown with the housing members 614 , 616 extended in a horizontal direction as shown in the figures . when the information display is not in use , the housing members 614 , 616 may be closed horizontally while the flexible display membrane 602 , 604 are stored in the respective scrolling assemblies 606 - 612 . the scrolling assembly mechanism operation can be facilitated in some embodiments by a spring and cam mechanism such as , e . g ., those used in window shades and projection screens as known in the art . the expanding support 632 is provided for supporting the display membranes when the housing members 614 , 616 are extended , and is described in more detail below . with reference now to fig1 , the information display 600 is shown manually extended in the vertical direction with scrolling assemblies for the second flexible display membrane 604 extended in their respective channels 618 , 620 in a vertical direction ( more details on connection for vertical movement are set out in fig1 - 20 and the associated discussion ). in this embodiment , the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 are slidably mounted in the channels 618 , 620 so that they can be manually extended or pulled in a direction essentially parallel to the plane of the display membranes . the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 may be mounted so that there is sufficient friction to support the scrolling assemblies in their extended and / or collapsed positions . other suitable means for supporting the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 such as , e . g ., by the use of catches or cams and detents may also be used in some embodiments . this configuration advantageously increases the viewing area in both the horizontal and vertical directions . it is generally desirable to also include a rigid or semi - rigid support assembly for the flexible display membranes of some kind . the previously mentioned expanding support assembly 632 can be support rods 510 as shown in fig6 , telescoping rods like those used , e . g ., for antennas or any other mechanism that serves the function of guiding and supporting the expanding information display device and flexible display membranes . for example , an accordion style expanding support 632 is shown in fig1 . with reference now to fig1 , and continuing reference to fig1 , a second available configuration of a slide - out information display using flexible display membranes is shown . the slide - out display 630 , as before , includes first and second flexible display membranes 602 , 604 . also included is an expanding support assembly 632 and the scrolling assemblies 606 - 612 . while the previous embodiment shown in fig1 required manual extension of the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 in the vertical direction , the slide - out display 630 of fig1 provides for automatic extension of the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 in the following manner . in this embodiment , as the housing members 614 , 616 are separated , a driver mechanism coupled with the expanding support 632 extends the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 as previously described . in this exemplary embodiment , a rotating head 634 of the scrolling assembly 610 coupled with a second rotating head 636 which is coupled to the expanding support assembly 632 . a second set of rotating heads 638 , 640 is provided for extending the second scrolling assembly 612 . the rotating head 636 may be coupled to the expanding support assembly 632 by a variety of means . for example , the rotating head can be a gear which engages a rack gear mounted on , or formed into , the support assembly . when the rotating head 636 is a gear , the rotating head 634 coupled to the scrolling assembly 610 may also be a gear which couples to the scrolling assembly by means of a worm gear arrangement . in embodiments where the rotating head 636 coupled to the expanding support 632 is sufficiently proximate to the scrolling assembly 610 , the second rotating head 634 may be eliminated , and the first rotating head 636 may be formed with an additional worm gear for extending the scrolling assembly 610 . other arrangements as known in the art may also be used . with reference now to fig1 , a third available configuration of a slide - out information display utilizing flexible display membranes is shown . like the previous embodiment , this embodiment of the slide - out display 650 automatically extends the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 as the housing assemblies 614 , 616 are separated . in this embodiment , however , driver mechanisms 652 , 654 are coupled to operation of a roller unit of the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 . for example , as the flexible display membranes play out , roller units in the scrolling assembly 610 , 612 cause heads 656 , 658 to rotate in turn and extend the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 . alternately , a rotating head 660 , 662 in the scrolling assembly can be coupled by a mechanism such as drive belts 664 , 666 to the rotating heads 656 , 658 which extend the scrolling assemblies 614 , 616 . the coupling mechanisms can be implemented in a variety of ways known in the art . various combinations of known methods in the art of transmitting mechanical force between objects moving in different directions , such as , e . g ., threaded screw heads , drive belts , hydraulic mechanisms , and so on , can be used . with reference now to fig1 , a fourth available configuration 668 of a slide - out information display utilizing flexible display membranes is shown . this configuration is a manual configuration similar to the embodiments shown with reference to fig1 - 15 , however , without housing members . in this embodiment , the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 are also slidably mounted so that they can be manually extended or pulled in a direction essentially parallel to the plane of the display membranes . however , in this fourth configuration , each of the extendable scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 is formed with a tab 670 , 672 which extends from the face of the respective scrolling assembly . each tab 670 , 672 slides in a channel 674 , 676 formed in the respective remaining scrolling assembly 606 , 608 . this configuration is further shown with separate telescoping support members 678 , 680 so that each pair of scrolling assemblies is supported . with reference now to fig1 - 20 , and continuing reference to fig1 , a side view of the fourth available configuration 668 is shown in order to clarify the manual extension of the scrolling assemblies 610 , 612 . in order to not complicate the drawing , only the left side scrolling assemblies 606 , 610 are shown in the figure . fig1 shows the display 668 in a collapsed configuration with the tab 670 in a lower portion of the channel 674 . after manually extending the scrolling assemblies , as shown in fig2 , the tab 670 is in the upper portion of the scrolling assembly 606 , and the second display membrane 604 is now extended above the first display membrane 603 , with a slight offset to the left as shown . it will be appreciated that various of the above - disclosed and other features and functions , or alternatives thereof , may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications . also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives , modifications , variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims . | 6 |
preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a circuit constitution diagram of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to a first embodiment . as shown , a power terminal 12 , a ground terminal ( ground pad ) 14 , and a negative power terminal 16 are disposed in a semiconductor integrated circuit device 10 . the power terminal 12 is connected to an external power supply , and a power voltage ( vdd ) is supplied to the power terminal . the ground terminal 14 is connected to a ground ( 0 v ). an external negative power supply is connected to the negative power terminal 16 , and a negative power voltage (− vdd ) is supplied to the terminal . in this case , in the present embodiment , the negative power supply is disposed so that a voltage having the same magnitude as that of the voltage between the power supply and the ground is generated between the negative power supply and the ground . moreover , the power terminal 12 is connected to a power wiring 18 , and the ground terminal 14 is connected to a ground wiring 20 . a plurality of circuits including a first circuit 301 to an f - th circuit 30 f are connected in parallel in order from the circuit closest to the power supply and ground between the power wiring 18 and the ground wiring 20 . furthermore , a current source 22 which is a current generating section is disposed between a node gf and the negative power terminal 16 on the side of the ground wiring 20 in the f - th circuit 30 f disposed in a region most distant from the ground among the plurality of circuits . that is , the current source 22 is disposed in a wiring portion most distant from the ground terminal ( ground pad ) 14 for supplying a ground potential ( 0 v ) to the ground wiring 20 , and generates a current so that a direction of the current flowing through the ground wiring 20 extends toward the negative power supply ( current source 22 ) from the ground . an operation of the semiconductor integrated circuit device 10 will hereinafter be described . when a current is supplied from the power wiring 18 , the current flows into the ground wiring 20 through the respective circuits 301 to 30 f . at this time , when the current flows through each resistance ( hereinafter referred to as the power wiring resistance ) disposed in the power wiring 18 , a voltage drop is generated . concretely , assuming that the current flowing through a power wiring resistance rv 1 is iv 1 , the voltage drop to a node v 1 of the first circuit 301 on the power wiring 18 from the power supply is rv 1 × iv 1 . assuming that the current flowing through a power wiring resistance rv 2 is iv 2 , the voltage drop to a node v 2 of the second circuit 302 from the node v 1 is rv 2 × iv 2 . therefore , the voltage drop to the node v 2 from the power supply is rv 1 × iv 1 + rv 2 × iv 2 which is obtained by integrating the respective voltage drops . similarly , the voltage drop to the node vf on the power wiring 18 side of the f - th circuit 30 f from the power supply indicates a value obtained by integrating all the voltage drops in the respective power wiring resistances . therefore , as the respective nodes v 1 , v 2 , . . . vf on the power wiring 18 are distant from the power supply , the potentials in the nodes drop . on the other hand , when the current source 22 connected to the negative power supply is not disposed in the ground wiring 20 , the direction of the current flowing through each resistance ( hereinafter referred to as the ground wiring resistance ) disposed in the ground wiring 20 extends toward the ground from the node vf of the f - th circuit 30 f on the ground wiring 20 . however , since the current source 22 connected to the negative power supply is connected to the ground wiring 20 here , the direction of the current flowing through each ground wiring resistance extends to the current source 22 from the ground . accordingly , the voltage drop is also generated on the ground wiring 20 side . concretely , assuming that the current flowing through a ground wiring resistance rg 1 is ig 1 , and the current flowing through a ground wiring resistance rg 2 is ig 2 , the voltage drop of a node g 1 of the first circuit on the ground wiring 20 from the ground is rg 1 × ig 1 , and the voltage drop to a node g 2 of the second circuit from the node g 1 is rg 2 × ig 2 . therefore , the voltage drop to the node g 2 from the ground is rg 1 × ig 1 + rg 2 × ig 2 which is obtained by integrating the respective voltage drops . similarly , the voltage drop to the node gf from the ground indicates a value obtained by integrating all the voltage drops in the respective ground wiring resistances . therefore , all the potentials of the respective nodes g 1 , g 2 , . . . gf on the ground wiring 20 are lower than a ground potential of 0 v , and drop , as the nodes are distant from the ground . as described above , when the current source 22 connected to the negative power supply is not disposed , the direction of the current flowing through the ground wiring 20 extends to the ground from the node gf . therefore , as the node on the ground wiring 20 is distant from the ground ( in order of g 1 , g 2 , . . . gf ), the potential of the node increases , and becomes highest in the node gf . as the node on the ground wiring 18 is distant from the power supply ( in order of v 1 , v 2 , . . . vf ), the potential of the node decreases . as the disposed position of the circuit is distant from the power supply ( ground ), the potential difference between the node on the power supply side and the node on the ground side in the respective circuits 301 to 30 f decreases . especially , the voltage level in the f - th circuit 30 f disposed farthest from the power supply largely drops as compared with the first circuit 301 disposed in the vicinity of the power supply ( ground ). on the other hand , in the present embodiment , since the current source 22 connected to the negative power supply is disposed , the direction of the current flowing through the ground wiring 20 extends to the node gf from the ground . as the node on the ground wiring 20 is distant from the ground ( in order of g 1 , g 2 , . . . gf ), the potential of the node lowers , and becomes lowest in the node gf . as the node on the ground wiring 18 is distant from the ground ( in order of v 1 , v 2 , . . . vf ), the potential of the node lowers . therefore , a sufficient potential difference can be secured between the node on the power supply side and the node on the ground side in the respective circuits 301 to 30 f , and the voltage level does not drop even in the circuit disposed in a position distant from the power supply ( ground ). the circuit is stabilized to such an extent that the circuit is not influenced by the power voltage drop or the ground voltage rise . it is to be noted that an example in which the negative power supply is disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit device has been described in the present embodiment , but the negative power supply may also be built in the semiconductor integrated circuit device . moreover , in the present embodiment , the semiconductor integrated circuit device in which the current source is built has been described as an example , but the current source may also be disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit device . in the first embodiment , the example in which the current source 22 is disposed as the current generating section in the semiconductor integrated circuit device 10 has been described . in a second embodiment , an example in which an operating circuit actually consuming the current to operate is disposed instead of the current source 22 will be described . it is to be noted that a constitution similar to that of the first embodiment is denoted with the same reference numerals , and the description thereof is omitted . fig2 is a circuit constitution diagram of a semiconductor integrated circuit device 10 a according to the present embodiment . as shown , an operating circuit is disposed as the current generating section between the node gf on the ground wiring 20 side and the negative power terminal 16 of the f - th circuit 30 f disposed in the region most distant from the ground among a plurality of circuits . it is to be noted that the operating circuit disposed as the current generating section is preferably constituted of a circuit which consumes much current , and a clock generator 24 is used here . after a signal level of an output signal generated by the clock generator 24 is adjusted by a level shifter 26 , the signal is outputted to the respective circuits 301 to 30 f disposed between the power supply and the ground , and is used as a synchronous signal or the like in the circuits 301 to 30 f . in the present embodiment , since the clock generator 24 connected to the negative power supply is connected to the ground wiring 20 , the direction of the current flowing through each ground wiring resistance extends toward the clock generator 24 from the ground . therefore , in the same manner as in the first embodiment , as the node on the ground wiring 20 is distant from the ground ( in order of g 1 , g 2 , . . . gf ), the potential of the node lowers . as the node on the ground wiring 18 is distant from the power source ( in order of v 1 , v 2 , . . . vf ), the potential of the node lowers . therefore , the sufficient potential difference can be secured between the node on the power supply side and the node on the ground side in the respective circuits 301 to 30 f , and the voltage level does not drop even in the circuit disposed in the position distant from the power supply ( ground ). the circuit is stabilized to such an extent that the circuit is not influenced by the power voltage drop or the ground voltage rise . moreover , in the present embodiment , since the current flowing toward the negative power supply from the ground is also used for the circuit operation of the clock generator 24 , a current supply amount in the whole circuit may be reduced . furthermore , since the clock generator 24 is disposed as the current generating section , a layout area can be reduced as compared with a case where the current source 22 is disposed . it is to be noted that an example in which the negative power supply is disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit device has been described in the present embodiment , but the negative power supply may also be built in the semiconductor integrated circuit device . moreover , in the present embodiment , the semiconductor integrated circuit device in which the operating circuit ( clock generator ) is built has been described as the example , but the operating circuit may also be disposed outside the semiconductor integrated circuit device . it is to be noted that the present invention is not limited to the semiconductor integrated circuit device described as the example in the first and second embodiments , and can be applied to various semiconductor integrated circuit devices . | 6 |
phas of the present invention are isotactic polymers generally composed of only the r - form . & lt ; organic acids associated with saccharides and the tca cycle : difference from conventional arts & gt ; one of the methods for producing phas according to the present invention is characterized in that the contents of the objective monomer units are extremely increased or only the objective monomer units are obtained in the phas produced and accumulated by the microorganisms by adding only saccharides or organic acids associated with the tca cycle as carbon sources other than the alkanoates , in addition to alkanoates for introduction of the desired monomer units , into the medium when culturing microorganisms . this accelerating effect of prioritizing the specified monomer units is obtained by adding only saccharides or organic acids associated with the tca cycle as carbon sources other than the alkanoates into the medium . in other words , the inventors have completed the present invention by obtaining the findings that the objective phas are obtained in much superior yields and purity , compared with the conventional methods using mcl - alkanoates such as nonanoic acid and octanoic acid as coexisting substrates , when culturing saccharides or organic acids associated with the tca cycle as coexisting substrates together with alkanoates for introduction of the desired monomer units , and that such effect is obtained by the culturing method capable of generating acetyl - coa , which is a carbon source and an energy source of microorganisms , by the method not depending on the β - oxidation . according to the present invention , saccharide compounds , for example , glucose , fructose , mannose and the like are used as substrates for growth of microorganisms so that phas produced are composed of alkanoates for introduction of the desired monomer units coexisting with saccharides and the monomer units derived from the saccharides such as glucose are not contained at all or contained extremely little in them . from such a viewpoint , the present methods differ fundamentally in both the constitution and effect from the conventional methods for producing microbial phas using saccharides themselves such as glucose as starting substrates for introducing monomer units into phas . the phas , production method and microorganisms of the present invention will be described in details below . first , the “ fatty acid synthesis pathway ”, which is one of systems supplying mcl - 3ha monomer units being mixed into the objective phas will be described in details . in the case where saccharides such as glucose are substrates , alkanoates necessary for cellular components are biosynthesized through the “ fatty acid synthesis pathway ” in which acetyl - coa produced from saccharides through the “ glycolytic pathway ” is a starting substance . the fatty acid synthesis includes the de novo synthetic pathway and the carbon - chain elongation pathway , which will be described below . this pathway is catalyzed by two enzymes which are acetyl - coa carboxylase ( ec 6 . 4 . 1 . 2 ) and fatty acid synthase ( ec 2 . 3 . 1 . 85 ). the acetyl - coa carboxylase is an enzyme interposing biotin , ultimately catalyzing the following reaction to produce malonyl - coa from acetyl - coa . the reaction is represented by the following scheme [ 17 ]. the fatty acid synthase is an enzyme catalyzing the reaction cycle of transfer - condensation - reduction - dehydration - reduction . the entire reactions are represented by the following reaction scheme [ 18 ]. acetyl - coa + n malonyl - coa + 2n nadph + 2n h + ch 3 ( ch 2 ) 2n cooh + n co 2 + 2n nadp + +( n − 1 ) coa [ 18 ] herein , the reaction products may be free acids , coa - derivatives or acp - derivatives , depending on the type of enzymes . herein , the acetyl - coa and malonyl - coa are represented by the following chemical formulas [ 19 ] and [ 20 ]. in addition , coa is abbreviation of co - enzyme a represented by the following chemical formula [ 21 ]. in this reaction pathway , “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - acp ” which is to be the monomer substrate for the pha biosynthesis is supplied as an intermediate through the route described below . additionally , routes as shown in the following reaction schemes are extended finally to palmitic acid with repeated addition of two carbons . therefore , as the monomer substrate for the pha biosynthesis are provided seven “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - acps ” having even numbers of carbons , from “ d - 3 - hydroxybutyryl - acp ” to “ d - 3 - hydroxypalmityl - acp ”. this pathway is broadly divided into two pathways : in one of which , malonyl - acp is added to acyl - acp to ultimately convert them into acyl - acp having the carbon chain extended with two carbons ( and co 2 ) ( referred to as “ pathway a ”), and in another , acetyl - coa is added to acyl - coa to ultimately convert them into acyl - coa having the carbon chain extended with two carbons ( referred to as “ pathway b ”). each pathway will be described below . in both pathways a and b , it is thought that “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - coa ” or “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - acp ” is yielded as an intermediate , and “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - coa ” is utilized as the monomer substrate for the pha synthesis as it is , while “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - acp ” is utilized as the monomer substrate for the pha synthesis after being converted to “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - coa ” by acp - coa transferase . in the case where saccharides such as glucose and the like are used as a substrate , it is thought that an mcl - 3ha monomer unit is formed via the “ glycolytic pathway ” and the “ fatty acid synthesis pathway ” within the microbial cells , as described above . in the case where organic acids involved in the tca cycle are used as a substrate , acetyl - coa is yielded directly from pyruvic acid by pyruvate dehydrogenase . organic acids on the tca cycle , for example , malic acid yields pyruvic acid by malate dehydrogenase , further , acetyl - coa is yielded from the above - described reaction . oxaloacetic acid yields phosphoenolpyruvic acid by phosphoenolpyruvate kinase , phosphoenolpyruvic acid yields pyruvic acid catalyzed by pyruvate kinase , further acetyl - coa is generated from the above - described reaction . it is considered that acetyl - coa generated by these reactions yields the mcl - 3ha monomer unit via the “ fatty acid synthesis pathway ”. it is considered that mcl - alkanoates , e . g . octanoic acid or nonanoic acid , or alkanoates which are added with a functional group other than the straight - chained aliphatic alkyl group at the terminal , e . g ., 5 - phenylvaleric acid , 5 -( 4 - fluorophenyl ) valeric acid , 6 - phenylhaxanoic acid , 4 - phenoxybutyric acid or 4 - cyclohexylbutyric acid are converted to coa derivatives by coa ligase ( ec 6 . 2 . 1 . 3 , etc . ), and converted to “ d - 3 - hydroxyacyl - coa ” which becomes directly a monomer substrate of the pha biosynthesis by the enzyme group functioning in the β - oxidation system . in other words , it means that the mcl - 3ha monomer unit formed from saccharides or organic acids associated with the tca cycle is formed through extremely multistage - enzymatic reaction ( i . e . indirectly ), while the mcl - 3ha monomer units are formed very directly from the mcl - alkanoates . herein , generation of acetyl - coa carrying out growth of microorganisms will be described . in a method of coexisting with the mcl - alkanoates in addition to alkanoates for introduction of the objective monomer units , acetyl - coa is generated through the β - oxidation system of these alkanoates . comparing with alkanoates having a bulky substituent ( alkanoates having substituents such as a phenyl group , phenoxy group or cyclohexyl group ), generally the mcl - alkanoates is presumably excellent in the substrate affinity with the enzyme group of the β - oxidation system , so that acetyl - coa is effectively generated by coexistence with the mcl - alkanoates . therefore , it is advantageous for growth of microorganisms to use acetyl - coa as both an energy source and a carbon source . however , since the mcl - alkanoates via the β - oxidation system are converted directly into monomer units of phas , it is a significant problem that a large amount of the mcl - 3ha monomer units are mixed in addition to the objective monomer units . in order to solve this problem , it is desirable to select the substrates other than the mcl - alkanoates capable of effectively supplying acetyl - coa or an energy source and a carbon source , and to use the method of coexisting with the objective alkanoates . as described previously , although acetyl - coa can be converted into monomer units of phas through the fatty acid synthesis pathway , it is necessary to pass through more multistage reactions as compared to the mcl - alkanoates , and it is indirectly yielded . by suitably selecting culture conditions such as concentration of substrates capable of generating acetyl - coa , it is possible to carry out the production method in which the mcl - 3has are not substantially mixed or mixed little . the production method to be widely used comprises the first step of culturing only growth of microorganisms , and the second step of adding only the objective alkanoate as a carbon source into the medium . herein , since acyl - coa ligase which is a starting enzyme for converting the present alkanoate into acyl - coa needs atp , according to the inventors &# 39 ; study , the results that the production method of coexisting with substrates usable for microorganisms as an energy source also at the second step was more effective were obtained , thereby leading to complete the present invention . microorganisms , culture steps and the like utilized in the present invention will be described below . for microorganisms used in the present invention , if bzba , bzva , bzhxa , bzhpa or bzoa can be used as a starting material to produce the corresponding phas comprising the above - described 3hbzb , 3hbzv , 3hbzhx , 3hbzhp or 3hbzo as a monomer unit , respectively , any microorganisms may be used . further , within the scope attainable for the purposes of the present invention , plural microorganisms may be mixed and used if necessary . the present inventors performed screening of microorganisms capable of producing the corresponding pha comprising the above - described 3hbzb , 3hbzv , 3hbzhx , 3hbzhp or 3hbzo as a monomer unit by using bzba , bzva , bzhxa , bzhpa or bzoa as a substrate , respectively , and accumulating them in the cells . as a result , the present inventors have found that microorganisms isolated from soil which have producibility of phas and the desired ability are pseudomonas cichorii strain h45 , pseudomonas cichorii strain yn2 , pseudomonas jessenii strain p161 and the like . herein , strain h45 as deposition no . “ ferm bp - 7374 ”, strain yn2 as deposition no . “ ferm bp - 7375 ” and strain p161 as deposition no . “ ferm bp - 7376 ” have been deposited each in deposition center of patent microorganisms , research institute of biotechnology and industry , the agency of industrial science of technology , the ministry of economy and industry , and are the microorganisms described in japanese patent application no . 11 - 371863 . in addition , the international deposition for these microorganisms has been carried out according to the budapest treaty . the international requisition and deposition nos . for these microorganisms are as follows , strain h45 : “ ferm bp - 7374 ”, strain yn2 : “ ferm bp - 7375 ” and strain p161 : “ ferm bp - 7376 ”. the bacteriological properties of the above - described strains h45 , yn2 and p161 will be enumerated as follows . for strain p161 , the basic sequence of 16srrna will be shown in sequence no . 1 . shape and size of cells : rod , 0 . 8 μm × 1 . 0 to 1 . 2 μm colony shape : circular ; entire , smooth margin ; low convex , smooth surface ; glossy ; cream - colored shape and size of cells : rod , 0 . 8 μm × 1 . 5 to 2 . 0 μm colony shape : circular ; entire , smooth margin ; low convex , smooth surface ; glossy ; translucent shape and size of cells : sphere , φ0 . 6 μm rod , 0 . 8 μm × 1 . 5 to 2 . 0 μm colony shape : circular ; entire , smooth margin ; low convex , smooth surface ; glossy ; pale yellow the objective phas can be produced by culturing these microorganisms in the medium containing alkanoates for introduction of the desired monomer units and substrates for growth according to the present invention . such phas are generally composed of only the r - form and are isotactic polymers . in usual culture of microorganisms used for the production methods of phas according to the present invention , for example , preparation of stock cell strains , the cell count necessary for production of phas and growth for holding the active state and the like , the media containing requisite components for growth of microorganisms to be used are suitably selected and used . for example , any kinds of media such as general natural media ( nutrient broth , yeast extract , etc .) and synthetic media added with nutrients may be used as long as they do not have a bad influence on growth and survival of microorganisms . any of culture methods using the culture such as the liquid culture , solid culture and the like can be used as long as the microorganisms can grow and produce the phas . further , it may use any types : batch culture , fed batch culture , semicontinuous culture , continuous culture and the like . as forms of the liquid batch culture , methods for supplying oxygen include the shaking one using a shaking flask and the spinner aeration one using a jar fermenter . the multistage method in which these processes are connected to plural steps may be also adopted . in the case where phas comprising 3hbzb , 3hbzv , 3hbzhx , 3hbzhp or 3hbzo as a monomer unit are produced using the above - described microorganisms , the inorganic media and the like may be used which contain at least the corresponding bzba , bzva , bzhxa , bzhpa or bzoa as a starting material for the pha production , respectively , and carbon sources for growth of microorganisms . for the carbon sources for growth , nutrients such as yeast extract , polypeptone and meat extract can be used , further , they includes : saccharides , for example , aldoses such as glyceraldehyde , erythrulose , arabinose , xylose , glucose , galactose , mannose and fluctose , alditols such as glycerol , erythritol and xylitol , aldonic acids such as gluconic acid , uronic acids such as glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid , disaccharides such as maltose , sucrose and lactose , further organic acids or their salts such as pyruvic acid , malic acid , citric acid and succinic acid which are formed as intermediates in the tca cycle , amino acids or their salts such as glutamic acid and the like , and if the compounds can yield acetyl - coa without passing through the β - oxidation cycle , any of them can be used and suitably selected as substrates useful for cell strains to be used . also , if the combination has little mixture of mcl - 3ha , it is possible to select and use plural compounds . among them , it is preferable to use particularly saccharides , more preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of glucose , fluctose and mannose . as a method of producing and accumulating phas by microorganisms , there is a method in which once they are grown sufficiently , then the cells are transferred to the medium in which a nitrogen source such as ammonium chloride is limited , the compounds to become substrates of the desired units are added to the medium and the cells are further cultured in this condition , whereby the producibility is improved in some cases . specifically , it includes adoption of the multistage method in which the above - described processes are connected to plural steps . for example , there is a culture method in which after being cultured up to the point of steady state from the latter term of logarithmic growth in the inorganic media and the like containing about 0 . 05 % to 5 . 0 % of d - glucose and about 0 . 01 % to 1 . 0 % of bzba , bzva , bzhxa , bzhpa or bzoa , the cells are recovered with centrifugal separation and the like , and they are , further , cultured in the inorganic media containing about 0 . 01 % to 1 . 0 % of bzba , bzva , bzhxa , bzhpa or bzoa where nitrogen sources are limited to or substantially not present . as the inorganic media to be used for the above - described culture method , any of them may be used provided that they contains the components such as phosphorus sources ( e . g ., phosphate , etc .) and nitrogen sources ( e . g ., ammonium salts , nitrate , etc .) by which microorganisms can grow , the inorganic salt media can include , for example , the msb medium , e medium ( j . biol . chem ., 218 , 97 - 106 ( 1956 )), m9 medium or the like . herein , composition of the m9 medium used in examples of the present invention is as follows . for the better growth and production of phas , about 0 . 3 % ( v / v ) solution of minor components , as shown below , preferably is added to the above - described inorganic salt medium . nitrilotriacetic acid : 1 . 5 ; mgso 4 : 3 . 0 ; mnso 4 : 0 . 5 ; nacl : 1 . 0 ; feso 4 : 0 . 1 ; cacl 2 : 0 . 1 ; cocl 2 ; znso 4 : 0 . 1 ; cuso 4 : 0 . 1 ; alk ( so 4 ) 2 : 0 . 1 ; h 3 bo 3 : 0 . 1 ; na 2 moo 4 : 0 . 1 ; nicl 2 : 0 . 1 ( in 1 liter ) for the culture temperature , it may be a temperature enabling good growth of the above - described cell strains , for example , 14 to 40 ° c ., preferably about 20 to 35 ° c . are appropriate . as a specific example , after being cultured in the inorganic media and the like containing about 0 . 05 % to 5 . 0 % of d - glucose and about 0 . 01 % to 1 . 0 % of bzba , bzva , bzhxa , bzhpa or bzoa followed by recovering the cells at the point from the latter term of logarithmic growth to the steady state , the desired phas can be extracted in which the unobjective monomer units are less mixed or are not present at all . such phas are generally composed of only the r - form and are isotactic polymers . the same amount of yeast extract in place of d - glucose may be given . in addition , it may use polypeptone , organic acids ( e . g . lactic acid , pyruvic acid , citric acid , succinic acid , fumaric acid , malic acid , etc . and their salts ) associated with the tca cycle and their combination . for obtaining phas from the culture solutions according to the present invention , the methods to be usually conducted can be applied . in the case where the phas are discharged in the culture solution , the methods for extraction from the culture solution and for their purification are used , and in the case where they are accumulated in the cells , the methods for extraction from the cells and their purification are used . for example , the most simple method for recovery of phas from the cultured cells of microorganisms is carried out by extraction with organic solvents such as chloroform which is usually conducted , while acetone other than chloroform is used sometimes . also in the circumstance unlikely to use organic solvents , a method can be used in which phas are recovered after removing the cell components other than phas by treating with surfactants such as sds , enzymes such as lysozyme and chemical agents such as edta , sodium hypochlorite , ammonia and the like . culturing the microorganisms of the present invention , producing phas by the microorganisms of the present invention and accumulating them in the cells and recovering phas from the cells according to the present invention are not limited to the above described methods . examples will be shown below . herein , the following “%” is based on the weight unless otherwise marked . [ 0263 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain yn2 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzba followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 48 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzba without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 42 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 3 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzb as monomer units . [ 0275 ] pseudomonas jessenii strain p161 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzba followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 48 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzba without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 42 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and the pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 4 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzb as monomer units . [ 0278 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain yn2 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzva followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 48 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzva without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 42 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 5 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzv as monomer units . from the 1 h - and 13 c - nmr spectra shown in fig2 and 3 , it was found that the pha having monomer units represented by the above - described chemical formula [ 3 ] was obtained . the assignment results ( see chemical formula [ 22 ]) are shown in table 6 . [ 0290 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain h45 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzva followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 48 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzva without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 42 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform , stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr and the pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 7 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzv as monomer units . [ 0293 ] pseudomonas jessenii strain p161 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzva followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 46 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzva without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 41 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrate was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 8 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzv as monomer units . [ 0296 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain yn2 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhxa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 46 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhxa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and vacuum - dried . this vacuum - dried pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . the obtained pha was analyzed in the following measurement conditions using the nmr spectrometer ( ft - nmr : bruker dpx400 ). ( tms / cdcl 3 sealed with a capillary was used as a reference ) from the 1 h - nmr spectra shown in fig4 it was found that the pha having monomer units represented by the above - described chemical formula [ 4 ] was obtained . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . the results are shown in table 9 . [ 0309 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain h45 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhxa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 46 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhxa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and vacuum - dried . this vacuum - dried pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and the phas were extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 10 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzhx as monomer units . [ 0312 ] pseudomonas jessenii strain p161 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhxa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 46 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhxa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 11 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzhx as monomer units . [ 0315 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain yn2 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhpa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhpa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 43 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and vacuum - dried . this vacuum - dried pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . the obtained pha was analyzed in the following measurement conditions using the nmr spectrometer ( ft - nmr : bruker dpx400 ). ( tms / cdcl 3 sealed with a capillary was used as a reference ) from the 1 h - nmr spectra shown in fig5 it was found that the pha having monomer units represented by the above described chemical formula [ 5 ] was obtained . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . the results are shown in table 12 . [ 0328 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain h45 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhpa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhpa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 43 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and vacuum - dried . this vacuum - dried pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 13 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzhp as monomer units . [ 0331 ] pseudomonas jessenii strain p161 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhpa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzhpa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 43 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 14 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzhp as monomer units . [ 0334 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain yn2 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzoa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzoa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 43 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and vacuum - dried . this vacuum - dried pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extract solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . the obtained pha was analyzed in the following measurement conditions using the nmr spectrometer ( ft - nmr : bruker dpx400 ). ( tms / cdcl 3 sealed with a capillary was used as a reference ) from the 1 h - nmr spectra shown in fig6 it was found that the pha having monomer units represented by the above - described chemical formula [ 6 ] was obtained . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . the results are shown in table 15 . [ 0347 ] pseudomonas cichorii strain h45 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzoa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzoa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 43 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and vacuum - dried . this vacuum - dried pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extracted solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 16 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzo as monomer units . [ 0350 ] pseudomonas jessenii strain p161 was inoculated into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzoa followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 47 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , then resuspended into 200 ml of the m 9 medium containing 0 . 5 % d - glucose and 0 . 1 % bzoa without containing a nitrogen source ( nh 4 cl ), followed by being cultured with shaking at 30 ° c . at 125 strokes / min . after 43 hr , the cells were recovered by centrifugal separation , cleaned once with cold methanol and lyophilized . this lyophilized pellet was suspended into 20 ml chloroform and stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hr , and pha was extracted . after filtrating the extract solution through a membrane filter with the pore size of 0 . 45 μm , it was concentrated with a rotary evaporator , and the concentrated solution was reprecipitated in cold methanol , further only the precipitate was recovered followed by vacuum drying to obtain pha . after performing methanolysis of the obtained pha according to the conventional method , it was analyzed using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometer ( gc - ms , shimadzu qp - 5050 , ei method ) to identify the methyl ester compound of pha monomer units . as a result , as shown in table 17 , it was confirmed that the present pha is pha containing 3hbzo as monomer units . | 2 |
fig5 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention for terminating unwanted signal propagation . in fig5 , as is known , each physical stripe is configured with a virtual stripe by , for example , writing a configuration word to the physical stripe . a detailed explanation of configuration management and data management is provided in schmit , et al , “ managing pipeline - reconfigurable fpgas ” published in acm 6 th international symposium on fpgas , february 1998 , the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference . the reader desiring more details on the task of writing a configuration word to a physical stripe is referred to the above - identified article . additional details regarding the construction and operation of reconfigurable fabrics may be found in schmit , et al , “ piperench : a virtualized programmable data path in 0 . 18 micron technology ”, in proceedings of the ieee custom integrated circuits conference ( cicc ), 2002 , the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference , schmit , “ piperench : a reconfigurable , architectural and compiler ”, ieee computer , pages 70 - 76 ( april 2000 ), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference , schmit , “ incremental reconfiguration for pipelined applications ”, proceedings of the ieee symposium on fpgas for custom computing machines , pp . 47 - 55 , 1997 , the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference and schmit et al , “ piperench : a coprocessor for streaming multimedia acceleration ”, international symposium on computer architecture , pp . 38 - 49 , 1999 , the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference . one aspect of the present invention is to include some additional information in the encoding of a stripe ( e . g . in the configuration word ) that indicates whether a read from the register file is the last read of that data value in the application . the “ last read ” information can be generated by the compiler or physical design tool that generates the virtual stripe information , or it can be done by a separate program that analyzes a set of virtual stripes to determine when is the last read . the first and last stripes in an application present special cases . in the last stripe in a virtual application , there are no subsequent stripes . therefore , there are no further reads of values in the register file . in the first virtual stripe , none of the values currently in the register files in physical stripes that are located before the first virtual stripe are going to be used . for stripes other than the first and last stripes in an application , the information about the last time a value in a register needs to be read ( sometimes referred to as the last read information ) can be used in a number of ways to reduce power consumption . fig5 illustrates one embodiment for using the last read information to reduce power consumption by masking the value after a final read . in fig5 , there are four register files 42 , 44 , 46 , 48 each having one register 42 ′, 44 ′, 46 , 48 ′, respectively , for purposes of simplicity . the reader will understand that in practice each register file will have a plurality of registers as shown , for example , in fig3 . in addition , the reader will understand that each register could store more than one bit . in the actual piperench implementation described in the previous publications , each register in each register file stores eight bits . in the embodiment of fig5 , the last read information is used to fix the value in subsequent stripes in the fabric to a constant value . in the embodiment of fig5 that is accomplished with an and 52 gate located prior to ( or in ) register file 42 , and 54 gate located prior to ( or in ) register file 44 , and 56 gate located prior to ( or in ) register file 46 , and and 58 gate located prior to ( or in ) register file 48 . assuming that the value read from register 44 ′ is the last time that value needs to be read , inputting a zero on one of the input terminals of the and gate 56 forces the value at the output terminal of the and gate 56 , and in the subsequent pass register files , to zero . the value input to the input terminals of the other and gates 52 , 54 , and 58 is not of significance in terminating the propagation of the signal produced by the register 44 ′. other gates that can be used in place of the and gates include or gates , a nand gate . any type of gate that exhibits a monotonic function , i . e . a gate that “ forces ” the output based on a controlling value at one of the inputs , can be used . it will be noticed that the value output by register 44 ′ is terminated , i . e . prevented from propagating , by and gate 56 by forcing that value to zero . in a register , clocking in a constant value consumes less power than clocking in a changing value . thus , forcing the value to zero results in power savings . a similar result can be achieved by masking of the multiplexor read bit for the appropriate multiplexor responsive to the last read register so that the value output by the register is no longer read when no longer needed . in fig6 another method of using the last read information to stop a signal from propagating and for saving power is illustrated . the circuit of fig6 is similar to the circuit of fig5 except that the and gates 52 , 54 , 56 , 58 are positioned to receive a clock signal 60 . the clock signal output by and gates 52 , 54 , 56 , 58 is input to registers 42 ′, 44 ′, 46 ′ and 48 ′, respectively . another way the last read information can be used to reduce power in a register is to stop the register from clocking . in fig6 , that is performed by masking ( blocking ) the clock signal 60 to those registers 42 ′, 46 ′, 48 ′ that are unused by inputting a zero to one of the input terminals of and gates 52 , 56 , 58 , respectively . only the one register 44 ′ in use is actually clocked by inputting a one to one of the input terminals of the and gate 54 , which saves significant clock distribution power , as well the power dissipated in the register itself . the set of values input to and gates 52 , 54 , 56 , 58 ( e . g . 0100 ) may be referred to as a clocking mask . fig7 illustrates a somewhat more complex embodiment of the circuit shown in fig6 in that instead of the providing a plurality of gates and a clocking mask to the gates , information is provided to a plurality of mask units 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 which locally determine if registers within register files 42 , 44 , 46 , 48 , respectively , should be clocked . the design of fig7 requires the additional circuitry of the mask units 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 and two and gates per mask unit to compute the value of the clock mask variable for each stripe ( register file ). the clock mask bit is determined based on what happened “ most recently ” in each register within each register file . what happened most recently is determined from the inputs “ readadd 0 ”, “ readadd 1 ”, “ writeadd ”, “ lastread 0 ”, “ lastread 1 ”, and “ lastvirtual ”, as well information on the state of the previous mask unit . if that register has been “ read for the last time ”, then the clock is masked off . if the register has been written more recently than it has been “ read for the last time ”, the clock is enabled . that can be implemented with a small finite state machine receiving the inputs identified above . in this state machine , shown in fig8 , a register in the register file would be clocked if that register is not in the last virtual stripe and was either written in this stripe ( as indicated by the write address ) or was clocked in the previous stripe and was not the last read ( as indicated by the read address and the last read bit corresponding to that port ). fig9 illustrates the circuit of fig6 modified to provide local mask units . the previous embodiments use exactly the same information , whether a value in a register is being read for the last time , to determine that the value should not be allowed to propagate , either by forcing the value to a constant ( e . g . zero ) or not clocking the registers , to reduce power . when the pass register file includes more than one register , the combination of the read port address ( which specifies which register is being accessed ), and the bit indicated “ last read ” can be combined to determine which value is being read for the last time in the application . there are other ways to encode this information which , at present , seem less efficient . for example , it is possible to have an explicit “ in - use ” bit for each register in each register file such that it would not be necessary to combine the information with the read port address . thus , the present invention is directed to using any “ register use ” information for power savings . furthermore the information that a stripe is either the first or last virtual stripe can also be used by the mask unit to save power . at the first virtual stripe , the application knows that any data coming from previous stripes is not meaningful for this application . this bogus data could be the results from a prior computation that was executed on the stripes in the fabric . as a result , a mask unit that is informed that a stripe is the first virtual stripe could mask the clock or gate the data for any data arriving from a physical stripe prior to the physical stripe containing the first virtual stripe . fig1 shows a complex register file with four registers , two read ports , one write port , and a set of four gates that can make the output values from a register that has been read for the last time constant . fig1 shows a register file with the same parameters as fig1 , but with separate clocks that would be generated by a mask unit . the register file in fig1 , if it were reduced to containing two registers , could be used in fig7 to replace 44 . finally , to address the special cases of the first and last virtual stripe , a register file should have unused register file entries masked ( e . g . see fig1 ) or have their clocks gated by , for example , providing separate clock signals for each register ( see fig1 ). while the present invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof , those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many modifications and variations are possible . the present invention is intended to be limited only by the following claims and not by the foregoing description . | 8 |
the present invention comprises a flare illuminant pyrotechnic composition , useful in hhs formulations , in which 5 - aminotetrazole is substituted for the conventional strong potassium perchlorate ( kclo 4 ) oxidizer . because kclo 4 decomposes in an exothermic manner , removing it from the m126a1 formulation results in a significant loss of energy of the pyrotechnic mixture and associated intensity of the formulations illumination . the 5 - aminotetrazole substitute releases environmentally benign nitrogen gas ( n 2 ) upon combustion . due to the release of n 2 , the pyrotechnic system is able to maintain the lost energy due to the removal of kclo 4 . further , the use of 5 - aminotetrazole as the kclo 4 replacement does not degrade the desired spectral purity of the pyrotechnic formulation or the burn time thereof . in fact , surprisingly , due to the presence of 5 - aminotetrazole and the nominal increased quantity of magnesium used ( i . e . from 29 . 4 % to 41 . 4 %), a significant enhancement of the luminous intensity is observed , as the kclo 4 - containing m126a1 formulation has a luminous intensity of about 17 , 195 candela , while the 5 - aminotetrazole - containing formulation has a luminous intensity approximately 39 % higher with a value of about 23 , 859 candela . a conventional kclo 4 baseline hhs formulation composition ( an - 1158 ), for a red flare hhs illuminant is shown in table 1 , left column , next to a 5 - aminotetrazole formulation of the present invention , right column — the burn times were substantively equal . the formulations were generally the same , except the inventive formulation had a nominal additional quantity of magnesium , about 12 weight %, 6 weight % less sr ( no 3 ) 2 , and substituted the 5 - aminotetrazole for the potassium perchlorate ( kclo 4 )— the use of one binder system vs . another has no significant effect on the resulting luminous intensity , dominant wavelength or the spectral purity . and , as shown , surprisingly , the illumination intensity of the kclo 4 baseline hhs formulation ( an - 1158 ) was only about 17 , 195 candela — while the luminous intensity of the 5 - aminotetrazole formulation of the present invention was almost 24 , 000 ( specifically , 23 , 859 candela )— an increase of about 39 %. the dominant wavelength of the an - 1158 formulation was 613 . 1 nanometers , with an 88 . 6 % purity — while that of the 5 - aminotetrazole formulation was 614 . 7 nanometers , with a 91 . 5 % purity ( not meaningful differences ). note a : either 95 % laminac 4116 / 5 % lupersol or 80 % epon 813 / 20 % versamid 140 ; wherein laminac 4116 is a thermoset polyester styrene available from ashland chemical ; lupersol is a trademark of arkema , inc ., philadelphia , pa ., for liquid compounds containing organic peroxides in combination with organic or inorganic fillers ; and epon is a low viscosity bisphenol - a based epoxy resin diluted with cresyl glycidyl ether , available from momentive specialty chemicals , inc ., columbus , ohio . versamid 140 , a cross - linking polyamine is available from cognis ( now part of basf ), florham park , n . j . note b : all values given in table 1 , are “ about ” the percentages shown . the values for the relative quantities of the chemical ingredients given in table 1 are the most preferred values , the subject invention can be formulated with the relative quantities presented in table 2 , below . red flare compositions according to the present invention , that are useful as hhs illuminants , can be prepared by first , drying in an oven all of the chemical constituents of the subject illuminant — overnight at 60 ° c ., and then weighed out according to their weight percentages in the formulation given above ( see table 1 , with most preferred percentages — parts per hundred — and table 2 , with broadest percentage ranges and preferred percentage ranges ). a binder system , i . e . either the conventional 95 % laminac 4116 / 5 % lupersol , or the 80 % epon 813 / 20 % versamid 140 disclosed in the sabatini et al , propellants , explosives , pyrotechnics , applications of high - nitrogen energetics in pyrotechnics : development of perchlorate - free red star m126a1 hand - held signal formulations with superior luminous intensities and burn times article discussed above , was introduced into a hobart air mixing bowl , hobart , troy , n . y ., and was vigorously mixed by hand with a wooden tongue depressor for 2 min . all fuels , the magnesium and 5 - aminotetrazole , were simultaneously added into the bowl , and the mixture was blended with the aid of a b - blade at 207 kpa for 10 - 20 min . the air was turned off and the oxidizer ( strontium nitrate ) was added into the bowl , and the pyrotechnic mixture was blended , with air , for 10 - 20 min . at 207 kpa . the air was turned off , the inside of the mixing bowl was scraped with the b - blade to remove the pyrotechnic material sticking to the sides of the bowl , and the mixture was again blended , with air , for 10 - 20 min . at 207 kpa . the pyrotechnic mixture was poured from the air mixer bowl to a large ceramic bowl . laminac 4116 / lupersol - based formulations were dried in the oven overnight to ensure full curing , and epon 813 / versamid 140 - based formulations were dried in air for 2 - 3 h at ambient temperature to ensure partial curing before consolidation . there was no difference in the reported results between the laminac 4116 / lupersol - based formulations and the epon813 / versamid 140 - based formulations . the subject mg 30 / 50 was purchased from reade , providence , r . i ., and the mg 50 / 100 was purchased from magnesium elektron , flemington , n . j . kclo 4 , sr ( no 3 ) 2 , and pvc was purchased from hummel croton inc ., south plainfield , n . j . 5 - aminotetrazole was purchased from sigma - aldrich , st . louis , mo . laminac 4116 was purchased from ashland chemical , inc ., covington , ky . lupersol was purchased from norac , azusa , calif . epon 813 was purchased from hexion specialty chemicals , now momentive specialty chemicals , columbus , ohio . versamid 140 was purchased from cognis , a part of basf , florham park , n . j . all tested formulations were encased in non - coated kraft fiberboard tubes , obtained from security signals , inc ., cordova , tenn . burn times and optical emissive property , i . e . the luminous intensity , of the prior art , conventional kclo 4 hhs formulation and the inventive 5 - aminotetrazole formulation were characterized using both a single element photopic light detector and a 2048 element optical spectrometer . the light detector we used was manufactured by international light and is composed of a sed033 silicon detector ( 33 mm 2 area silicon detector with quartz window ) coupled to a photopic filter ( y - filter ) and a field of view limited hood ( h - hood ). the current output of the detector was converted to voltage using a dl instruments 1211 transimpediance amplifier . voltage output was collected and analyzed from the amplifier using a ni - 6115 national instruments datacard and in - house developed labview ™ based data acquisition and analysis software . the optical emissive spectrum of each composition sample discussed herein was measured using a 2048 element ocean optics hr2000 spectrometer , ocean optics , dunedin , fla ., coupled to a 400 micron core optical fiber . the dominant wavelength and spectral purity was measured based on the 1931 cie method using illuminant c as the white reference point . the spectrometer was calibrated using both an hg — ar light source ( ocean optics hg - 1 wavelength standard ) and a calibrated tungsten light source ( ocean optics ls - 1 - cal ). the dominant wavelength and spectral purity based on the full burn time of the sample was calculated . each composition formulation discussed herein was weighed out in three 30 g increments , and was pressed into noncoated kraft fiberboard tubes ( length of 8 . 13 cm . ; inner diameter of 4 . 93 cm ) with a manual hand press at a consolidation dead load of 3 , 409 kg . between 89 . 9 - 90 . 1 g of energetic material was used per candle , three candles were prepared for each formulation , and the candles were dried overnight in the oven at 60 ° c . after being conditioned in the oven , a thin layer of thermite - based igniter slurry in acetone was applied to the top of each candle . after the candles were dried in the oven at 60 ° c . for 2 h to evaporate the acetone , they were ignited with an electric match in the light tunnel with an energy source of 2 amperes . a red flare illuminant composition , according to the present invention , and useful as a hhs illuminant formulation , js - 1457 , was prepared using the chemical ingredients detailed in table 3 , below : the js - 1457 was tested , per the methodology described above and found to have a burn time of 57 . 7 seconds ; a luminous intensity of 17 , 684 . 3 candela ; a dominant wavelength of 615 . 4 nanometers ; and a spectral purity of 91 . 5 %. a second flare illuminant composition , according to the present invention , and useful as a hhs illuminant formulation , js - 1459 , was prepared using the same chemical ingredients detailed in table 3 above , with the quantity of strontium nitrate lowered 6 % and the quantity of magnesium 30 / 50 raised 6 %— no other change . the result was a surprising increase in luminous intensity to 23 , 858 candela . the burn time was 54 . 8 seconds , still acceptable ; the dominant wavelength was 614 . 7 ; and the spectral purity was 91 . 5 %— acceptable values . based upon these examples and the discussion above , it is clear that the subject inventive kclo 4 - free , flare illuminant composition , useful in a hhs illuminant formulation — using the environmentally friendly , commercially available , economical 5 - aminotetrazole formulation — with a quantity of magnesium powder higher than previously known for such an application — provides α , desirable , very significant increase in luminous intensity . this increase is about 39 % greater ( i . e . 23 , 859 candela ) than the current , conventional kclo 4 hhs formulation of 17 , 194 . 9 candela . the disclosed 5 - aminotetrazole formulations also had acceptable burn times , dominant wavelength and spectral purity values . | 2 |
fig3 through 6 illustrate a boom and cutter head assembly 100 for a continuous miner . the boom and cutter head assembly replace the means , generally designated by reference numeral 16 , for cutting an opening in and winning aggregate material from the mineral seam , shown in fig1 and 2 . fig3 is a perspective view of a mining apparatus including a boom 124 and a cutter head 120 according to this disclosure , with the center and left cutting drum &# 39 ; s removed . only some cutting bits 188 are visible . more particularly , the boom and cutter head assembly 100 includes cutting motors 104 and a gearbox 108 entirely within a cutting drum 112 . the assembly 100 further includes two spaced apart webs 116 that connect the cutter head 120 to the boom 124 . the webs 116 are made from steel plates , and are each attached by bolts 128 to a respective side of the boom 124 . the webs 116 include openings ( not shown ) to allow for electric and wire lines to power and cool the motors as well as provide a supply of water for water sprays to control dust wall mining . these openings are smaller than in a conventional web , where the openings provide space for gearing to connect the cutter head gearing for rotation to a remote drive . electric power is transmitted through the webs 116 and into the electric motors 104 where it is transformed into mechanical rotating power , which needs to go through a speed reduction and torque amplification process before it can effectively be used for mining purposes . as illustrated in fig4 , 5 and 6 , this rotational power exits the motor 104 via a shaft 130 that connects to a sun or central gear 134 of a primary planetary gear set . this sun gear 134 then transmits the power to planet gears 140 . these planet gears 140 mesh with an internal annulus gear 148 that provides the output of the primary gear set . power is then transmitted from the annulus gear 148 to a sun gear 152 ( see fig5 ) of a secondary compound planetary set via another shaft 160 . it is important to note that the secondary sun gear 152 is the output for the primary planetary set , as well as the input for the secondary planetary set . the rotational power is transmitted from this sun gear 152 to a set of large , non - orbiting planet gears 164 . these planet gears 164 are not meshing with an annulus at their full diameter , as would be the case in a normal planetary set . instead , there is a spur gear 168 attached to each side of every planetary gear 164 . these spur gears 168 share the same axis of rotation as the large planet gears 164 . these spur gears 168 protrude through openings 172 in a main gear case housing 176 , permitting them to transfer power outside of the main housing 176 . two such spur gear and planetary gear combinations are shown in each of fig5 and 6 . on the outside of the housing 176 , the spur gears 168 mesh with large ring gears 180 . these ring gears 180 are then attached either directly to the cutting drum 112 , or through an intermediate inner drum ( not shown ) that is then attached to the cutting drum 112 . the cutting drum rotate relative to ribs 198 on the main gear case housing 176 . appropriate bearings ( not shown ) are between the ribs 198 and the cutting drum 112 , and between the various gears and their supports . power is transmitted from the cutting drum 112 into actual cutting forces to mine material through the use of the cutting bits 188 . the axes of all of the above gears are fixed relative to the main gear case housing 176 . each gear can spin , but it does not otherwise rotate around another gear . for example , none of the planetary gears revolve around a sun gear . in fig6 , one of the supports 192 for fixing of the primary planetary gears to the main gear case housing is shown . further , the supports 196 for the secondary sun gear , as well as the supports 197 for the spur gears 168 , are also shown in fig5 and 6 . in the illustrated embodiment , a gear reduction is provided between the motor shaft and the secondary sun gear . in other embodiments ( not shown ), if no reduction were needed , the motor shaft could directly drive the sun gear 152 . various other features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following claims . | 4 |
configurations described herein include certain signals described as being “ active low ” or “ active high .” although a choice has to be made for each configuration as to whether these signals are considered “ active low ” or “ active high ,” that selection is a design choice that can be left to a technician having ordinary skill in the art of digital circuit design . once the inventive concepts and configurations described herein are understood , the circuit modifications necessary to effectuate the selection of a signal as being “ active low ” or “ active high ” can be made by such a technician . the term “ keyboard ” is used in the most generic sense herein and includes within its scope any type of switch matrix ( of any size ) for data entry by fingertip operation , including a “ keypad ” and a “ touch screen .” unless explicitly stated , the terms “ keypad ” and “ keyboard ” are used synonymously and interchangeably herein . the term “ matrix keyboard ” as used herein also includes within its scope matrix keypads and matrix touch screens . the term “ keypress ,” “ depress ” and / or “ press ” are used herein to refer to the activation of a key with a fingertip , whether or not the key physically moves . for example , a key on a touch screen might be “ depressed ” without moving perceptibly or at all , yet the activation of a key of a touch screen is included within the scope of the phrase “ depressing a key on a keyboard ” as used herein . also , the terms “ first ,” “ second ,” and “ third ” are used in many instances herein to distinguish different instances of things or occurrences of a signal , rather than to denote an order of importance , priority , etc . the terms “ first interrupt ,” “ second interrupt ,” and “ third interrupt ” are used to distinguish three different interrupt assertions without implying whether the three different interrupt assertions occur on the same interrupt line or on a combination of different interrupt lines . some configurations of the present invention provide a highly versatile keyboard controller that can be used with a variety manufactures of matrix keyboards and touch screens along with enhancements to improve the performance of an operator interface . the controller is “ universal ,” in that it is programmable to work with different keyboards and touchscreens from different manufacturers . some configurations of the present invention provide a software - programmable register that controls a programmable debounce period . once a key has been properly debounced by the hardware , an interrupt is generated . in this manner , a single controller can be used with a variety of keyboards . technical effects of the present invention include the ability to use a keyboard controller with any of a variety of keyboards having different debounce requirements , and the prevention of suprious operation of industrial systems controlled by the keyboard . in some configurations , the controller is implemented as hardware in a complex programmable logic device ( cpld ) along with other glue logic that is used for the operator interface . one example of a cpld suitable for some configurations of the present invention is a xilinx 95288x1 - 10q144 cpld . this cpld provides address decoded chip selects , pcmcia power logic , and miscellaneous glue logic . some configurations also include additional gpio support and keyboard matrix support . some configurations utilize this programmable logic device with an arm processor on a cpu motherboard . a software - programmable register in the cpld is programmed with a value representing a debounce period of keys on the keyboard . this programmable debounce period allows configurations of the present invention to be easily programmed to accommodate different keyboards from various manufacturers . these keyboards may , for example , have different impedances , necessitating different debounce periods . selection of a different keyboard thus requires only that the correct debounce period be programmed into a register on start - up of the controller . various configurations of the present invention also provide support for a jog function . in some configurations of the present invention , software interprets presses of a jog key to activate a jog function to move a motor . to provide the jog function , interrupts are generated at a fixed interval when the jog key is held down . in some configurations of the present invention , a register is provided that is software - programmable with a value representing an interval between the generation of successive interrupts while the jog key is held down . this feature provides versatility to optimize system performance and control of the jog feature . for industrial applications , safety is a top concern . to assure the highest level of safety , some configurations of the present invention provide keyboard logic that responds to a first key being pressed and that ignores other keys being pressed until the first key is no longer being pressed . known keyboards respond to each key that has been pressed in the order in which they have been pressed , making spurious operation of an industrial apparatus more difficult to prevent . in some configurations , software is used to program a plurality of registers to operate the keyboard logic . a key clock register is set for the proper debounce clock period , which may vary depending upon the keyboard or touch controller being controlled . also in some configurations , the key clock register is set for the desired jog period . a gpio / keypad source register is then set for each special key that is used along with a matrix keyboard ( gp_key_s [ 0 ]= 1 for integrated matrix keypad controller , for example ). the gpio direction control register is set as inputs for all keys identified in the gpio / keypad source register . also , an interrupt mask register is set to enable an interrupt for all keys identified in the gpio / keypad source register . next , key_en ( bit 0 ) of the led / key control register is set to a 1 to enable the keyboard to start scanning . ( more generally , an enable bit of a key control register is activated to enable keyboard scanning . in some configurations , the enable bit is the key_en [ bit 0 ] of the led / key control register , and this bit is set to 1 to enable scanning .) after software sets the registers appropriately , the keyboard begins to scan for keys being pressed . the keyboard column scan rate is controlled in some configurations by a 3 . 6 mhz clock , a 4 - bit counter , and a 4 - to - 16 - bit decoder . ( the clock speed is not critical to the practice of the present invention , and the number of bits in the counter and decoder can vary dependent upon the intended application . for example , if fewer keys are needed , a keyboard with fewer columns may be provided , which may allow a 2 - to - 4 bit decoder to be used .) when a key is pressed , nothing happens until the column corresponding to the key being pressed is scanned . when the pressed key is detected , the key is checked to determine whether it is still active after the debounce period . if the pressed key becomes inactive ( i . e ., is no longer pressed ) before the debounce period ends , the keyboard is then scanned for the next key . if the pressed key is still present after the debounce period ends , the 4 - bit counter is halted to prevent other keys from being recognized . the key_state is recorded in the keypad status register . an interrupt is generated once the keycode is recorded in the register . the pressed key will be monitored to see if it comes up before the interrupt is processed . the current status of the key ( up or down ) is updated in the register . after the software reads the key , the interrupt is cleared and the key continues to be monitored . if the key is still pressed down after the programmed jog period , another interrupt will be generated indicating the key is still pressed down . if the key comes up for the debounce period before the programmed jog period has expired , an interrupt is generated to indicate that the key is up . once the software reads the key , the interrupt is cleared and the counter is started again to enable the keyboard to scan for the next key . in some configurations , the debounce period is half a period of the programmable keyclock . in some configurations and referring to table 1 , all cpld pins are 3 . 3 v logic level compatible . pin names that have an underscore (“ _ ”) as a final character are considered active low in the example configuration described below . table 1 provides a further description of signals that are used in some configurations of the present invention . some configurations of the present invention provide the registers described below . in an example configuration , bit numbers are shown above the register field and the bit values loaded into the register upon reset are shown below . also , fields marked undefined will return random values when read . the example configuration described below requires all registers must be accessed using 16 - bit transfers , assuming the cpld is connected to a 16 - bit chip select . however , not all configurations need impose this requirement . this register controls the software bi - color ( tri - color if both turned on ) this register controls the display back light , driving voltage , and contrast in some configurations , this write only register must be set at initial power - up by the boot software to identify whether the gpio will be used is setup as an output , the value set in this register will this register reports the keyboard status of any keys pressed . in various configurations , this is a read only register and all writes to this register are this register indicates the interrupt request . in some configurations , this is this register controls the clock period for the debounce of the key and the clock period for the jog function of a key to generate multiple interrupt in some configurations of the present invention and referring to fig1 , data buffer enable logic 50 comprises an anding { demorgan logic equivalent to a negative or } of all six chip selects cs 0 _ , cs 1 _ , cs 2 _ , cs 3 _ , cs 4 _ , cs 5 — and the 2 pc card enables pcc_ce 1 — and pcc_ce 2 — to produce the buffer enable signal bdata_en_ . ( note : to enhance visibility , the symbol “ _ ” is represented by “#” in the figures .) each byte enable is logically ored { demorgan logic equivalent to a negative and } with pwe — to create we 0 _ , we 1 _ , we 2 _ , & amp ; we 3 _ . fig2 is a schematic diagram representative of logic 52 used for creating we 0 — using inputs pwe — and byte enable 0 signal be 0 _ . other write enables we 1 _ , we 2 _ , and we 3 _ are produced using pwe_ and one of signals be 1 _ , be 2 _ , and be 3 . to provide flexibility for future expansion , in some configurations , the cpld includes 8 general purpose i / o lines and a cpu interrupt line . the debounced general purpose i / o has the capability of generating an interrupt to the cpu . thus , the debounced general purpose i / o provides additional keyboard expansion to allow multiple key presses ( a . k . a . shift & amp ; alt keys ). in some configurations , an interrupt source register ( isr ) indicates whether the gpio pin is used for a keyboard . if the isr for keyboard is set for that i / o line , debounce logic for the corresponding gpio pin is enabled . the debounce logic asserts gpio_key to halt the keyboard scan logic until the firmware reads the isr . software is provided in some configurations to process all interrupts identified in the interrupt request register ( irr ). in some configurations and referring to fig3 , the logic of one of the gpio bit and interrupt logic is represented by block diagram 56 . some configurations of the present invention utilize a fujitsu video controller to control a display . this video controller requires an address strobe . the 100 mhz clock glue is provided externally , but the input logic to the dff is provided in the cpld to reduce parts on the pwa . in some configurations of the present invention and referring to fig4 , logic used to generate the video address strobe is represented by block diagram 58 . the column scan rate is controlled by a clock having a suitable rate ( suitable rates include , but are not limited to , rates between 3 . 4 mhz or 3 . 6864 mhz , inclusive ), a 4 - bit counter , and a 4 - to - 16 - bit decoder . for example , schematic diagram 60 in fig5 is representative of keyboard scan logic some configurations of the present invention . referring to schematic diagram 60 , when a key ( such as key 62 ) is pressed , nothing happens until the appropriate column ( in this example , column 64 ) is scanned by decoder 66 . once key 62 is detected by encoder 80 , it is checked by keyboard debounce logic circuit 68 to determine whether it is still active after a debounce period . if key 62 becomes inactive before the debounce period has ended , keyboard 70 is scanned for the next key . if key 62 is still active after being debounced , counter 72 is halted and key_state asserted . the key scan code is latched in the keypad status register , which is included in register 74 in the illustrated configuration . in addition , the current status of key_state is read in register 74 . once the key scan code is recorded in register 74 , an interrupt is generated . key 62 is then monitored to determine whether it is released before the interrupt is processed . the current status of key 62 pressed or released is updated in the keypad status register . after the software reads key 62 , the interrupt is cleared and key 62 continues to be monitored . if key 62 is still pressed after the programmed jog period , another interrupt is generated to indicate that key 62 is still pressed . if key 62 is released for the debounce period before the programmed jog period has expired , an interrupt is generated to indicate that key 62 is no longer active . once the software reads key 62 , the interrupt is cleared and counter 72 is started again for keyboard 70 to scan for the next pressed key . the debounce period is half a period of the programmable keyclock in the key clock control register 82 . fig6 is a block diagram of a configuration of keyboard debounce logic 68 used in some configurations of the present invention . fig7 is a state diagram 100 representing state transitions performed by some configurations of the present invention . a technical effect of the present invention is achieved by first , prior to entering state 102 , setting the key clock register for the proper debounce period for the keyboard to which the circuit is connected and electrically responsive . the key clock register is also set for the proper jog period . the gpio / keypad source register is also set for each individual special key that is used along with the matrix keyboard . the software also sets the gpio direction control register for all keys identified in the gpio / keypad source register . also , the software sets the interrupt mask register to enable the interrupt for all keys identified in the gpio / keypad source register . lastly , the software also enables keyboard scanning by setting the key_en bit of the led / key control register . after the software sets the registers appropriately , the keyboard begins at state 102 to scan the keyboard for any keys that are being pressed . if no keys are being pressed , the keyboard continues to scan the keyboard at 102 . in some configurations , the scan rate for this scanning is controlled by an approximately 3 . 6 mhz clock , a four - bit counter , and a four - to - sixteen bit decoder . when a key is pressed , nothing happens until the appropriate column is scanned . when a key is detected ( i . e ., when the key is pressed down and present immediately before the falling edge of the key clock ), the state changes to 104 . at 104 , the key is checked for the duration of the programmed debounce period to determine whether the key is still pressed . ( the debounce period in some configurations of the present invention is half a period of the programmable keyclock .) if , either immediately after the expiration of the debounce period ( or in some configurations , at any time during the debounce period ), the key is or becomes inactive ( i . e ., no longer pressed ), the state returns to 102 , where the software program waits for another key press . otherwise , if the key is active at the end of the debounce period ( or , in some configurations , throughout the entirety of the debounce period ), the counter is halted at 106 to prevent other keys from being recognized . key_state is also recorded into the keypad status register . the key scan code for the pressed key is clocked into the keypad status register at 108 . once the keycode is recorded in the register , an interrupt is generated at 110 . the hardware remains in state 110 as long as the key is down and the key status has not been read by a software program . if the key comes up before the software reads the key status , the pressed key is then monitored at 126 to determine whether the key comes up before the interrupt is processed and the current status of the key up or down is updated . if the pressed key comes up and the software has not read the key status , key_state is deasserted at 122 and recorded in the keypad status register . when the key status is read , the interrupt is cleared at 122 , the counter restarted at 124 , and the hardware returns to state 102 , waiting for another key to be pressed . if , at state 126 , the key returns down , the hardware returns to state 110 . if , in either state 110 or 126 , the software reads the key status , the hardware transitions to state 112 . after the software reads the key , the interrupt is cleared at 112 and monitoring of the key continues at 114 . if the key is still down at 114 when the programmed jog period expires , another interrupt is generated at 110 indicating that the key is still down . if the key comes up before the jog period expires , the key is checked at 116 to determine whether the key remains up for the debounce period . if not , monitoring of the pressed key continues at 114 . otherwise , key_state is deasserted at 118 and an interrupt is generated at 120 indicating that the key that was pressed is now no longer pressed . once the software reads the key , the interrupt is cleared at 122 and the counter is started again at 124 for the keyboard to scan for the next key at 102 . if the key comes up for the debounce period before the programmed jog period has expired at 114 , an interrupt is generated at 116 indicating that the key is up . once the software reads the key , the interrupt is cleared at 118 and the key continues to be monitored . in some configurations of the present invention , not all of the keys in the matrix keyboard jog . a single key , or more than one key , can be selected for jogging by the controller . in configurations in which not all keys jog , the controller is modified to condition entry into a jog state upon recognition that the key pressed is either a preselected jog key , or one of a group of preselected jog keys . also , in some configurations of the present invention , one ore more gpio keys are provided that can be separate from the matrix keyboard . these gpio keys receive the same programmable debounce and jog as keys of the matrix keyboard , but , when pressed , do not halt the scanning of keys within the matrix . such gpio keys can be provided to perform special functions . for example , “ function ,” “ alternate ,” “ control ,” and / or “ shift ” keys can be provided in this manner . it will thus be appreciated that configurations of the present invention provide a highly versatile keyboard controller that can be used with a variety manufactures of matrix keyboards and touch screens along with enhancements to improve the performance of an operator interface . many configurations of the present can be easily programmed to accommodate different keyboards from various manufacturers . furthermore , spurious operation of an industrial apparatus controlled by a keyboard is made easier to prevent using some configurations of the present invention . while the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims . | 7 |
the present invention will now be described in detail with the aid of several specific embodiments utilizing fig1 through 8 . fig1 and 2 serve to explain the problem to be solved by the present invention . fig1 is a cross - sectional view of the zenith of a green tire 1 to be vulcanized which is inserted into an open vulcanization mold which is about to be closed . the vulcanization mold comprises nine radial mold segments moving toward the green tire 1 and which are indicated by the common reference numeral 2 . where a differentiation between the nine radial segments is desirable the reference numeral 2 has a further number 1 - 9 added after a point , i . e ., 2 . 1 to 2 . 9 . while during the manufacture of tires with small tread depth and great tread blocks the mold is first completely closed before the radial segments are pressed into the green tire , i . e ., the tread molding takes place only when the remaining tread portion e is filled in , the radial segments for the production of tires for utility vehicles such as truck tires already press into the tire tread portion before the mold is completely closed , i . e ., the form segments abut one another to close the mold and form a continuous periphery . the radial segments 2 are guided such that the respective segment center is moved along a path that is exactly radially oriented . this is indicated by the arrows s 2 . 1 to s 2 . 9 for each individual radial segment . any given point of each individual radial segment 2 moves along a path which is parallel to the path of any other given point during closing of the mold due to the quasi - rigid arrangement of the radial segments 2 . this is indicated with a plurality of small arrows 3 in the right half of the radial segment 2 . 1 and in the left half of the radial segment 2 . 2 . the limitation of the arrows 3 to the designated radial segment halves simplifies the graphical representation of the figure . the aforedescribed movement of the segments , of course , takes place for each one of the individual radial segments 2 . each local movement 3 can be divided into a radial component and a circumferential component . while the radial component is substantially independent of the distance between the location in question and the segment center , the circumferential component pointing away from the segment center increases approximately as a square function of the distance between the segment location in question and the respective segment center . this results especially within the area of the borders 10 or end sections in a flowing movement of the unvulcanized rubber material toward the borders 10 ( end faces of the radial segments 2 ) as soon as the radial segments 2 with their bars 4 that form the tread grooves press onto the green tire . the distance between the end faces of the various radial segments 2 is exaggerated in fig1 in order to facilitate the representation . in fact , the gap 20 between the radial segments 2 conventionally is so small at the beginning of the forming process of the tread that almost no rubber material can exit through it . instead , the rubber material which is displaced toward the segment borders ( end faces ) 10 remains essentially within the tire itself . the amount of excess rubber material at the segment end faces ( borders ) 10 , as is shown in fig1 depends on the timing of the beginning of the tread molding relative to the displacement of the radial segments 2 as well as on the tire size and substantially on the angle α between the direction of movement s 2 of neighboring radial segments . in the following this angle will be called the closing angle α . between radial segments 2 . 1 and 2 . 2 the closing angle α 12 is shown . fig2 a shows a detailed section of the border area between the segments 2 . 1 and 2 . 2 in a position directly before the segments 2 begin to mold the green tire 1 . as soon as the closing of the mold proceeds , the bars 4 , the height t of which corresponds to the depth of the tire tread groove to be formed , begin to penetrate the green tire 1 . reference numerals s 2 . 1 and s 2 . 2 indicate the movement of the respective segment edges 5 . 1 and 5 . 2 . fig2 b corresponds to the same view as fig2 a , however , the mold is completely closed . the neighboring , radially inwardly oriented segment edges 5 are now adjacent to one another . a small circle indicates the starting position of the edges 5 ( fig2 ), while in fig2 a the small circle indicates the end position of the edges . the triangle extending between these three positions , after integration over the axial extension of the bar 4 penetrating into the green tire , corresponds to the excess rubber material to be displaced . after closing the mold the residual carcass lift e is completed after which the complete tread depth t is achieved . in the drawings , a conventional ratio for truck tires between the residual carcass lift e and the tread depth t of approximately 0 . 4 is shown . the remaining figures show the most important variants of the invention . as in the previously described figures , fig3 and 4 show the bars 4 which form the tread grooves arranged outside of the zenith of the tire . this feature does not limit the invention , but merely allows for a simpler representation . fig3 a shows a detail of the border area between radial segments 2 . 1 , 2 . 2 of an inventive vulcanization mold in a cross - section in the circumferential direction . the section plane extends as in the previously described drawings and in the drawings fig3 b , 3c to be described infra through the zenith of the tire to be vulcanized . the radial segments 2 have bars 4 with a cross - section that is constant over its circumferential extension and does not taper off within the border area of the segments . fig3 a shows the vulcanization mold in a still open position with an exaggerated gap 20 . the essentially planar end faces 6 have cavernous recesses 7 . fig3 b shows the same segments 2 . 1 , 2 . 2 in the closed position . rubber material may penetrate into the recesses 7 via the openings 8 and the corresponding air volume is forced out through the venting holes 9 . fig3 c shows in a corresponding view the produced vulcanized rubber product , i . e ., the vulcanized tire 21 . the rubber projections 17 are removed from the periphery 12 of the tire by a cutting tool 13 . the arrow in the representation represents the direction of movement of the knife 13 . fig4 shows an end view of the left half of a segment in a circumferential direction . the hatching in this representation does not represent sectioned areas , but enhances areas which after closure of the mold come in contact with corresponding areas of the neighboring segment . in order to differentiate the hatching employed in fig4 from conventional hatching , the hatching angle is chosen to be different from the commonly used 45 ° angle . areas that are not hatched indicate areas that are below the plane of the paper . these are the limiting areas of the recess 7 , the opening 8 , and the venting hole 9 . openings 8 via which the recess 7 communicates with the interior of the mold are arranged exclusively within the axial areas 14 of the vulcanization mold which form the tread blocks of the tread . within the area of the bars 4 no openings are provided because it is more difficult to remove rubber projections within the tread grooves than at the surface of the tread blocks , i . e ., the periphery of the tire . the recess 7 extends preferably , as can be seen in fig4 into the vicinity of the axial sides without penetrating them . the remaining side portion 16 extending over the entire radial height at the axial sides limits the recess 7 in its axial direction and thus prevents substantially the flow of rubber material from the recess 7 in the axial direction . in the radially outward direction the recesses 7 communicate with the outer atmosphere via one or a small number of venting holes 9 . the cross - sectional area a e is substantially smaller than the cross - sectional area a of the radially inwardly located openings 8 . the ratio between the two cross - sectional areas should be at least 5 to 1 and preferably should be between 10 to 1 and 50 to 1 . while the narrow restriction of the flow of rubber material from the recess 7 to the venting bores 9 limits the volume of the displaceable rubber material to the volume of the recess 7 and thus results in a tolerance insensitiveness , the less restrictive restriction of the rubber flow from the interior of the mold into the openings 8 only limits the size of the areas to be cut after completion of the vulcanization step . when efficient cutting machines are used , a restriction at the opening 8 may be eliminated entirely . it is then possible to employ a very short vulcanization time , be it by increasing the accelerator dosage or by increasing the vulcanization temperature . the elimination of a restriction of the rubber flow between the interior of the mold and the recess 7 influences the easy removal of the rubber projections only to a small extent when the cross - sectional area provided for the rubber flow is divided into a plurality of individual cross - sections . this basic principle results in the embodiments represented in fig5 . fig5 shows a view of the inner surface area of one half of the segment 2 for forming a pneumatic vehicle tire with three circumferential grooves . the rubber material to be displaced in this embodiment is received by a plurality of holes 15 . 2 which are embodied as &# 34 ; blind bores &# 34 ; open to the interior of the mold and which in this embodiment encompass the inventive openings as well as the inventive recess without intermediate restrictions . the term &# 34 ; blind bore &# 34 ; corresponds well to the optical impression of especially the holes 15 . 2 within the end sections 11 ; however , the term is not entirely correct since these blind bores open into small venting holes 9 so that a narrow passage from the interior to the exterior in a radial direction is provided . fig5 represents the aligned ( single file ) arrangement of such blind holes 15 . 2 at both sides of a bar 4 . the diameter of the blind holes continuously decreases from the segment border 10 to the segment center . outside of the segment end sections , which in this case correspond to 20 % of the circumferential length of the segment , the radially inwardly oriented ends of the holes are no longer wider than the radially outwardly oriented ends . the centrally located holes 15 . 1 therefore act only as venting holes 9 . fig6 shows in a section in the circumferential direction as indicated at vi -- vi in fig5 the same embodiment . the cross - sectional area a e of the venting bores 9 are preferably identical to the cross - sectional area a m of the holes 15 . 1 in the center portion of the radial segment . fig7 shows a further embodiment of the present invention in a representation corresponding to the view of fig5 . this embodiment can be derived from the embodiment of fig5 by removing the stays between the individual holes . due to the reduced detail required for this embodiment the production of such a vulcanization mold is less expensive and for one recess 7 only one venting hole 9 is required . fig8 shows a section in the circumferential direction of the embodiment according the view of fig6 . the recesses 7 taper off with increasing distance from the segment borders and have a transition into venting extensions 18 . even though outside of the segment borders further venting bores may be provided , in this embodiment they are not necessary . the air to be displaced in this embodiment is vented via two venting holes 9 per bar 4 , whereby one venting hole is provided at each segment border . the invention is not limited to the embodiments represented . the gist of the invention is : a space is provided outside of the finished tire contour for the rubber material flow directed toward the segment border to which the rubber material flows , and the rubber material forms rubber projections which are removed after the vulcanization of the tire . the present invention is , of course , in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings , but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims . | 1 |
fig1 shows a prior art security service 10 with an input iv ( input vector ) 20 , key ( k ) 30 , block cipher 40 and output 50 . the operation of such a prior art security service is that the input vector 20 is encrypted using the key 30 to provide an encrypted cipher text or output 50 . the block cipher 40 provides instructions of how to encrypt the input using the key . an attack method is to examine the internal code , e . g . the s - box , of the block cipher . one method for doing this is using side - channel attacks . for example , by analysing the electromagnetic power consumption and utilising statistics , it is possible to determine the structure of the s - box . such attacks are often called differential power analysis attacks . security services such as the one shown in fig1 may be employed on servers or hosts , for example a computer or a proximity coupling device , that is used to read and communicate with passive devices such as radio - frequency identification ( rfid ) tags . fig2 shows an example of a host 120 and a client passive device 140 . in the example shown , the host 120 may be a proximity coupling device ( pcd ), and the client device 140 may be a proximity integrated circuit chip ( picc ), such as a rfid tag or a smartcard 140 suitable for use in the key distribution protocol in accordance with the present disclosure . the host 120 in this embodiment is a computer which includes a processor 130 , a memory 132 and a card interface 134 . the smartcard 140 includes an input / output interface 142 , a processor 144 and a memory 146 . the host 120 communicates with the smartcard 140 via the card interface 134 and the input / output interface 142 . the processor 144 may be a microprocessor or a finite state machine configured to provide cryptographic processing operations as described in greater detail below . the memory 146 of card 140 may be an electronic static or dynamic random access memory ( ram ), a magnetic memory or other suitable arrangement of information storage elements . the card interface 134 and input / output interface 142 may be in conformance with a standard card interface such as the personal computer memory card interface adaptor ( pcmcia ) standard or a contactless communication interface like iso 14443 . in an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure as shown in fig2 , the card 140 is used to generate a key stream . a process operating on host 120 then provides an encrypted data input to the card for decryption . the card 140 then performs decryption using the key stream . this allows the card 140 to be implemented as a device with relatively limited computational power and low input / output bandwidth . the card 140 in this example will be assumed to operate as a stateless device , such that the current output depends only on the current input and not on any prior inputs . for a given input n , the card 140 will thus output a function with a value determined by the input n , the secret key k stored in memory 146 , and a random or pseudo - random bit sequence generated in card 140 or supplied to card 140 via host 120 . this assumption recognizes that many currently available smart cards include limited memory , processing and input / output capabilities . the present disclosure utilises a single constant , the key , which is combined with a known input to generate a pseudo - random output . as noted , in order to prevent an attack using side - channel attacks like differential power analysis attacks , one technique is to change the key on a frequent basis or to build the hardware to prevent attack . fig3 describes the process of securing a cryptographic process against implementation attacks , such as side - channel attacks . in a similar manner to that shown in fig1 , an encryption module , such as a block cipher 240 , is configured to produce an output 250 based on a constant input 210 and a key 230 . in the example shown , the input 210 is n bits long , key 230 is m bits long and the corresponding output 250 is n bits long . in example shown , the input 210 has a 0 value ( i . e . the value of all n bits are 0 ). it can be appreciated that the inputs and outputs may be of arbitrary length . typically , the key is 128 bits long . the output 250 is fed into a key update module 260 together with the value of the key 230 . an input vector 270 is also provided to the key update module 260 . the input vector is fed into the key update module chunk - wise ( i . e . in chunks , such as byte by byte ). in fig3 , the input vector 270 is k * j bits long and fed into the key update module 260 in chunks of j bits . the first iteration feeds in bits [ 0 . . . j − 1 ], the second [ j . . . 2j − 1 ] bits until the final chunk of [( k − 1 ) j . . . kj − 1 ]. this divides the input vector 270 into a number of parts 270 0 , 270 a . . . 270 k . the key update module 260 contains a key update function ( see fig4 ) that provides ( in the first iteration ) an updated key 230 a . one part 270 0 of the input vector 270 can also be provided to the key update module 260 ( i . e . the input vector is provided bitwise , a single bit at a time ). the value of the single bit or chunk provided by the input vector 270 0 to the key update module 260 determines how the key 230 is updated . based on the value of the single bit or chunk provided by the input vector 270 0 ( or 270 a , . . . 270 k ) , the output 250 0 ( or 250 a , . . . 250 k ), the value of the key 230 0 ( or 230 a . . . 230 k ) and the key update function within the key update module 260 , an updated key 230 a ( or 230 b , . . . 230 k ) is provided by the key update module 260 . the process described above is repeated for every part or bit of the input vector 270 . accordingly , as shown in fig4 , the updated key 230 a is provided to the block cipher 240 together with an input 210 ( again , in the example shown , the input 210 has a 0 value ). given that the value of the key 230 a has changed , the output value 250 a is also different from the output 250 of the 1 st iteration . again , the output 250 a and the updated key 230 a are provided to the key update module 260 together with the next bit of the input vector 270 a . based on the value of the next bit of the input vector 270 a , the updated output 250 a and updated key 230 a , the key update function of the key update module 260 provides a 2 nd updated key 230 b . the above described process is iteratively repeated for all bits of the input vector 270 until a ( final iteration ) updated key 230 k is provided . this updated key 230 k can then be combined with the input 210 k and supplied to the block cipher 240 to provide an output value 250 k . the output 250 k can be used as a keystream . the output 250 k can be also used to feed a keystream generation function . the output 250 k can be used as a message authentication code for the input . the output 250 k can be also used to feed a message authentication code generation function . fig4 details the cryptographic primitive , and in particular the key update function within the key update module 260 , as shown in fig3 . in fig4 , the key 230 comprises a left half 232 0 and a right half 234 0 . each half of the key 230 contains half the bits of the key , so for a 128 bit key , the left half contains bits 127 : 64 and the right half contains bits 63 : 0 . the key 230 is provided to an encryption module 240 such as a block cipher , together with an input 210 . the output 250 0 is the ciphertext ( c0 ) 252 output by the encryption module 240 . in addition to the key , encryption module and input , an input vector 270 0 is provided , which is analysed bitwise , such that the value 274 of each bit 272 of the input vector 270 0 is determined . dependent upon the value 274 of the bit 272 of the input vector 270 0 , the key 230 a is derived using a concatenation of the ciphertext output 252 and the original key 230 . in the example shown , both values of the input vector specify that the output 252 is concatenated with the right hand side 234 0 of the original key 230 . the left hand side 232 0 of the original key is discarded . dependent upon the value 274 of the selected bit 272 of the input vector 270 0 , an operation may be performed on the right hand side 234 0 of the original key . for example , as shown in fig4 , a value 274 of 0 for bit 272 results in a first rotation of the right hand side of the key 234 0 by a value of 1 bit ( i . e . the position of the output 252 c0 in relation to the right hand side of the key 234 0 ). conversely , a value 274 of 1 for bit 272 results in a different rotation of the key , in the example shown a 2 bit rotation , and a different position of the output 252 relative to the right hand side of the key 234 0 . in both cases , this forms an updated key 230 a 1 or 230 a 2 . it can be seen that if a 128 bit original key is used with a 64 bit input , the output value can be 64 bits long . concatenating this output value with half the original key provides a 128 bit updated key . the form of the concatenation may depend on the value 274 of the bit 272 of the input vector 270 . the form of the concatenation may also take alternative forms , such as the use of salts , constants , counters , nonces or other cryptographic constructs . it can be appreciated that other functions may be performed on the key in addition to or as an alternative to concatenations . for example , the right hand side 234 of the key may be rotated by several bits . the example shown in fig4 utilises a simple compression of the original key to provide the updated key . expansion and other permutations may also be used . it can also be appreciated that the functions performed on the key may depend on more than one bit of the input vector 270 . one such example is shown in fig5 . fig5 shows an alternative construction of the single iteration of the primitive shown in fig4 . in this variant , the value of two bits of the input vector 270 are considered . it can be appreciated that any part ( i . e . 1 or more bits ) of the input vector 270 may be applied . for example , input vector 270 a provides alternative tree paths 270 a 1 , 270 a 2 , 270 a 3 , 270 a 4 for updating the key . the path 270 a 1 , 270 a 2 , 270 a 3 , 270 a 4 chosen depends upon the value of bits ab of the input vector . in the example shown , a value of 00 for bits ab is path 270 a 1 , which leads to a concatenation of the right hand side of the key 234 a with the output 252 a , with a rotation of the key to the right by 1 bit . path 270 a 2 , bit value 01 , leads to an alternative concatenation between the right hand side of the key 234 a and the output 252 a with a 2 bit rotation applied to the key . bit values of 10 leads to path 270 a 3 and a concatenation of right hand side of the key 234 a and output 252 a with a 3 bit rotation and finally value 11 to path 270 a 4 and alternative concatenation of path 270 a 3 with 4 bit rotation . dependent upon the determined value of the input vector bits , an updated key 230 b is derived based on the value of the original key and the output . the updated key may then be further modified by analyzing the bit values of bits cd of the next chunk of the input vector 270 b , leading to concatenation of the left 232 b and right 234 b hand sides ( only right hand side 234 b shown in fig5 ) of the updated key 230 b ( again with a rotation applied dependent upon the value of the bits cd ) with an updated output value 252 b . alternative paths 270 b 1 , 270 b 2 , 270 b 3 , 270 b 4 are possibilities depending upon the value of the bits cd of the input vector 270 for the second iteration . the size of the part of the input vector 270 may allow a greater number of possible transformations or updates of the key dependent upon the value of the part of the input vector . for example , using an 8 bit part of the input vector provides a multitude of paths for the key update function . using a larger bit value for the part of the input vector also allows a shorter process . the present disclosure reduces the need for key randomness . it allows encryption based upon any constant . by varying the value of the input vector , the final updated key 230 k is also varied . additionally , for every key there is only one input and therefore only a single power measurement . because of this , statistical side - channel attacks like differential power attacks are ineffective . the present disclosure describes processing the input in a bit wise manner . accordingly the output for an arbitrary length input would be a n - bit output . in general , the constant is encrypted using a key . in the present example a value of 0 is used , however the input can be of arbitrary length and value . after the encryption of the constant using the key , the input factor is subdivided and used to modify the key in a stepwise manner . this creates a treelike structure for the key . this also creates a pseudo - random function . the key update function of the key update module 260 may be applied to any encryption protocol . by only producing a single power trace per key , side - channel attacks are prevented . additionally , there is no randomness that is uncontrollable from the outside . every transaction can be identically replayed . provided the same input vector 270 is provided , the final updated key 230 k will be the same . unlike other encryption rekeying methods there is no session key . instead , for each iteration of the bit value of the input vector , the previous key is overwritten . accordingly , it is not possible to determine or recreate the previous key from the session key and therefore the master key is not vulnerable . another application of the present disclosure may be in authentication . referring to fig2 , the proximity integrated circuit chip is able to store a master key 230 within the client memory 146 . upon contact between the client device 140 and the host device 120 , a standard authentication protocol may be used to determine that both the host and client are mutually trustworthy . the client device 140 can apply the pseudo - random function described above using a received input vector from the host device 120 to generate an output . this output can at this stage be seen as a message authentication code ( mac ) and can then be transferred to the host device via the i / o and card interfaces 134 , 142 . from reading the present disclosure , other variations and modifications will be apparent to the skilled person . such variations and modifications may involve equivalent and other features which are already known in the art of cryptography and which may be used instead of , or in addition to , features already described herein . although the appended claims are directed to particular combinations of features , it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalisation thereof , whether or not it relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the present invention . features which are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment . conversely , various features which are , for brevity , described in the context of a single embodiment , may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub - combination . the applicant hereby gives notice that new claims may be formulated to such features and / or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present application or of any further application derived therefrom . for the sake of completeness it is also stated that the term “ comprising ” does not exclude other elements or steps , the term “ a ” or “ an ” does not exclude a plurality , a single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims and reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims . | 7 |
the essential steps in accordance with the principles relating to the present invention are represented in fig1 wherein a power supply 11 supplies , through a simple interface circuit 12 , electricity to a power capacitor 13 which powers an infrared remote controller 14 . as mentioned above , an infrared remote controller 14 for an outdoors appliance such as a garage door opener or the security system for an automobile or motorcycle , et cetera , is considered to be of a different type than that utilized in remote control of indoor appliances such as a tv , vcr , a stereophonic system , et cetera . the difference between these two types of infrared remote controllers is in both the desired range of operation and in the frequency of use . it is considered desirable to possess maximum range outdoors at a much lesser frequency than typical of the control of appliances indoors for which a range of only ten feet or less is commonly sufficient . the difference may be considered as a matter of what is hereinafter known as recovery time 16 as represented in fig2 wherein t c 16 indicates the time required for the power capacitor 13 to recover the full charge desired for operation of the infrared remote controller 14 from a charge of zero . this is contrasted with t b , or the battery recharging time 18 which is the time required for recharging a rechargeable battery 32 to a minimum desired voltage of a desired voltage range 17 from a totally exhausted state . though a totally exhausted state is not anticipated t b 18 is useful as a scientific reference which accurately indicates the time required for a rechargeable battery 32 to recover power . the salient point is that the capacitance characteristic 21 , seen in fig2 together with the battery recharging characteristic 22 , is comparatively rapid and hence the recovery time 16 when utilizing a power capacitor 13 to power the infrared remote controller 14 is comparatively quick in contrast to simply using a rechargeable battery 32 . typical operational conditions , outdoors or indoors , are considered with regard to capacitor recovery time 16 and battery recharging time 18 as affecting design choices involved in the sizing of the power capacitor 13 and the type of power supply 11 employed . an outdoor application for an infrared remote controller 14 is considered to suggest the use of a photovoltaic panel 31 , represented in fig4 which converts light absorbed thereby into direct current electricity , as the sole power supply 11 . the power capacitor 13 in this case is expected to be comparatively large because the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 constitute ( s ) the only power supply 11 utilized and the power capacitor 13 is the only means for storing electricity , i . e . providing a reserve of , electrical power . hence in this one particular and very simple embodiment of the principles relating to the present invention , comprised of only a photovoltaic panel 31 as the power supply 11 which charges the power capacitor 13 directly and which in turn powers the infrared remote controller 14 directly when the main power switch 15 is closed , the recovery time 16 is wholly dependent upon the rate of conversion of light into electricity by the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 . in this case , however , the recovery time 16 need not be very quick because of the infrequent usage and because the device is outside and the sun , even under cloudy conditions , will provide a large amount of light in comparison with indoor lighting . a device as simple as this , without use of batteries of any type , is hence considered as a feasible and potentially practical case . in fig3 the basic electrical circuit 10 of an embodiment of the principles relating to the present invention is depicted which is inclusive of the case just discussed wherein the power supply 11 represented in fig3 consists solely of one or more photovoltaic panels 31 , however , this power supply 11 may consist of a rechargeable battery 32 , or both , as depicted in fig4 . as may be seen in fig3 the power supply 11 is in a simple series connection through the interface circuit 12 with the power capacitor 13 when the main switch 15 is open and the right hand side of the basic circuit 10 is essentially in a condition of open circuit . the power capacitor 13 is always , in this state , capable of being charged by the power supply 11 whether comprised of the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 , rechargeable batteries 32 or both . the interface circuit 12 connecting the power supply 11 with the capacitor 13 is preferably equipped with means of preventing the flow of electricity in the reverse direction , from the capacitor 13 to the power supply 11 , even in the simple case discussed above wherein at least one photovoltaic panel 31 comprises the sole power supply 11 and the power capacitor 13 comprises the sole means of storing electricity . an alternative and equally simple basic circuit 10 is achieved with a power supply 11 comprised of at least one battery 32 , of rechargeable or conventional type . particularly in the former case and in the case in which both photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 and rechargeable batteries 32 are utilized , it is preferred that the interface circuit 12 possess means of preventing reverse current flow comprised of at least one diode 23 as seen in fig4 . the preferred means of preventing reverse current flow is seen in fig4 to comprise at least two diodes 23 , 24 connected in parallel with respect to each other but together being in series connection with the interface circuit 12 between the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 and the rechargeable batteries 32 . a single diode 23 in series connection with the interface circuit 21 would suffice to prevent reverse flow of electricity to the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 but a plurality of diodes 23 , 24 in parallel with respect to each other prevents reverse current flow with a lesser resistive load upon the circuit 12 than a single diode 23 . the interface circuit 12 represented in fig4 also possesses a testing circuit 20 connected thereto comprised of a test switch 25 , a resistor 29 , a plurality of diodes 26 , 27 , the last preferably comprising a light emitting diode ( led ) 27 . the particular test circuit 20 shown is a voltage detection circuit with the resistor 29 acting as a current limiting resistor in conjunction with the two prior diodes 26 so that no current reaches the led 27 if the voltage detected falls below a set value . the minimum operating voltage 19 depicted in fig2 for the infrared remote controller 14 , i . e . 2 v , is suggested as the threshold level for detection . this testing circuit 20 , as utilized in the preferred embodiment represented in fig4 indicates the level of power reserve held by the battery 32 which is further preferably rechargeable by the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 . an led 27 of appropriate voltage will indicate with relative brightness the voltage present in either the rechargeable battery 32 , if utilized , or , if absent , that of the power capacitor 13 . in either case the power reserve level is so indicated . in the preferred embodiment of the principles relating to the present invention depicted in fig4 which may be considered as the case developed in application to indoor usage , the power supply 11 for the capacitor 13 is comprised of both the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 and a rechargeable battery 32 . the relatively frequent operation considered to characterize indoor usage , as earlier mentioned , is facilitated by the presence of the rechargeable battery 32 which will provide the power capacitor 13 of appropriate size with a relatively large number of charges when the rechargeable battery 32 is fully charged . it is anticipated that the rechargeable battery 32 will have an essentially diurnal cycle of building and expending the power provided it by the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 . it is also considered that the light available indoors is generally much weaker than that generally available outdoors . it is emphasized that the recovery time 16 required between operation of the infrared remote controller 14 is the time required of the power capacitor 13 to regain a sufficient charge for operation . it was mentioned earlier that the case wherein no battery 32 is used and the power capacitor 13 is recharged directly by the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 was considered appropriate for outdoor use and that a relatively large power capacitor 13 was recommended . because sunlight is available and because it is not expected to use an outdoor device frequently an otherwise relatively long recovery time 16 is both ameliorated , by the sunlight , and tolerated , by infrequent operation . for indoor use a smaller power capacitor 13 is recommended which will possess a very brief recovery time 16 if a rechargeable battery 32 is utilized as depicted in fig4 . because the light available indoors is generally less than outdoors , and because photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 are expensive , a substantial power reserve , essentially represented by the desired voltage range 17 in fig2 provided by a rechargeable battery 32 , which is expected to be replenished diurnally , is preferred to facilitate rapid and frequent usage powered by a relatively small power capacitor 13 which is expected to have a very rapid recovery time 16 . it is emphasized that fig2 represents both the recover time 16 which is required of recharging the power capacitor 13 , and the battery recharging time 18 , which is required of recharging a rechargeable battery 32 , with two separate curves known as capacitance and recharging characteristics 21 and 22 , respectively . each cycle of discharge and charge of the power capacitor 13 effects only a modest diminishment in the voltage of the rechargeable battery 32 and this voltage is not expected to fall below the desired voltage range 17 required for operation . the battery recharging time 18 is , as earlier mentioned , that time required for the rechargeable battery 32 to obtain the minimum value for the desired voltage range 17 for operation from a fully exhausted state which state is not expected to be obtained in practice but provides a useful reference because it is easily verified and defines the recharging characteristic 22 for the rechargeable battery 32 . operational curves for the rechargeable battery 32 are expected to remain within the desired voltage range 17 represented in fig2 . replenishment of power from the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 over time does not effect a large rate of increase in voltage within this desired voltage range 17 though it does increase the amperage available as the rate of power increase over time is directly related to that provided by the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 . the diminishment of the voltage held by the rechargeable battery 32 effected by recharging the power capacitor 13 is similarly modest with respect to voltage and sufficient amperage is assumed if the voltage available is within the desired voltage range 17 . it is thus recognized that the rate of power replenishment available from the photovoltaic panel ( s ) 31 is critical in determining the duration of frequent use enabled . for the purposes of providing consistently reproducible , i . e . reliable , scientific data , the recharging of a nickel cadmium ( ni - cad ) battery 32 with four standard size photovoltaic panels 31 , each one square centimeter in area , from an exhausted state , as represented in fig2 was conducted under various conditions of ambient light and the flow of current in milliamps per second and the rising voltage , in volts per second , and the minimum battery recharging time 18 , in minutes , calculated . the results are given below in table 1 . table 1______________________________________minimum recharging periodsenvironment ( μa / sec ) v / sec minutes______________________________________outdoors , sunny : 5730 0 . 049 & lt ; 1outdoors , cloudy : 2000 0 . 0225 & lt ; 2indoors , sunny : 1380 0 . 0062 & lt ; 6 . 5indoors , nightnear 60 w bulb : 9 cm away : 2330 0 . 0033 1213 cm away : 1200 0 . 0015 & lt ; 2718 cm away : 784 0 . 0012 3327 cm away : 436 0 . 000441 91______________________________________ from the results given above it is considered that a preferred embodiment of the principles relating to the present invention using ni - cad rechargeable batteries 32 and four square centimeters of photovoltaic panel 31 achieves satisfactory characteristics for both indoor and outdoor use and that actually , both indoor and outdoor use without the rechargeable batteries 32 , is also quite feasible . the two separate cases are considered further below . one may assume , for example , that an infrared remote controller 14 utilized indoors might be operated one hundred times a day and that the duration of operation is one second . this results in the consumption of 7 ma / sec according to the infrared remote controller 14 utilized which results in 700 ma per day . even if the device is left inside on a cloudy day without benefit of interior lighting and the photovoltaic panels 31 provide only 36 μa / sec , 700 ma is achieved in 5 . 4 hours which is wholly satisfactory for a diurnal recharging cycle as anticipated . if the same device is left near a window on a sunny day a flow of 1380 μa for twelve hours yields 59616 μa which provides enough power reserve for operation 8516 times or for several weeks of expected usage . in the case that the rechargeable batteries 32 are omitted , or have exceeded useful life and no longer providing useful power reserve , the combination of photovoltaic panels 31 , interface circuit 12 , and power capacitor 13 will , it is further demonstrated , provide enough power reserve for satisfactory operation . with the infrared remote controller 14 consuming in each operation 100 ma for one second 0 . 7 coulombs of charge is expended at the assumed rate of one hundred operations daily . a power capacitor 13 of 2 faraday at 4 . 2 v stores 8 . 4 coulomb . as the minimum operable voltage 19 is 2 v , as represented in fig2 . 4 coulomb is available , which , at 0 . 7 coulomb usage per day , yields 6 . 3 days use . this amount of available charge , 4 . 4 coulomb , can be replenished by four square centimeters of photovoltaic panel 31 in 12 . 8 minutes outdoors when sunny , in 53 . 1 minutes when indoors and sunny , in 31 . 5 minutes 9 cm away from a 60 w bulb at night , and in 2 . 8 hours when 27 cm away from a 60 w bulb at night . it is hence expected that adequate power for a full week &# 39 ; s usage , outdoors or indoors , may readily be provided without the use of batteries 32 . an infrared remote controller 14 is typically equipped with a voltage regulator or voltage reference which constitutes means of voltage regulation 30 , as represented in fig4 which both fixes and stabilizes the input voltage level . a voltage regulator , in contrast to a voltage reference , also provides additional functions such as higher power and safety protection , which are absent upon the voltage reference . either is deemed adequate for the purposes of the present invention in order to assure faultless operation . it is also noted that the pair of diodes 23 and 24 utilized in the above example to prevent reverse current flow to the photovoltaic panels 31 resulted in a voltage drop across the interface circuit 12 of 0 . 6 v , that 0 . 3 - 0 . 7 v voltage drop is expected in an operable device in accordance with the principles relating to the present invention , and that the four photovoltaic panels 31 each produce 1 . 2 v and were serially connected . the consequent 4 . 8 v was hence dropped to 4 . 2 v at the power capacitor 13 which value represents the high value of the desired voltage range 17 for operation of the infrared remote controller 14 . | 6 |
fig1 - 13 and 15 - 17 show a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 50 in fig1 and 15 . amphibious tractor vehicle 50 provides a frame 51 that is preferably connected to a pair of spaced apart pontoons 52 , 53 . the pontoons include port side pontoon 52 and starboard side pontoon 53 ( see fig1 - 17 ). each pontoon preferably carries a plurality of bogie wheels 54 . endless tracks or tracks 55 preferably encircle each pontoon and engage the bogie wheels 54 . the tracks 55 carry a plurality of cleats 56 . the port side pontoon 52 preferably has port hydraulic motor drive 57 . the starboard pontoon 53 preferably has starboard hydraulic motor drive 58 . each motor drive 57 , 58 can be a direct drive motor that connects to the endless tracks 55 ( e . g ., via a drive shaft ) for driving it around pontoon 52 or 53 . in general , tracked amphibious vehicles having port and starboard pontoons tracks and hydraulic drive motors are known , as seen for example in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 433 , 634 ; 4 , 961 , 395 ; 5 , 899 , 164 ; 6 , 234 , 260 ; and 6 , 305 , 882 , each said patent hereby incorporated herein by reference . in fig1 , amphibious track vehicle 50 preferably provides a cabin or control station 59 and a hydraulic power unit 60 . hydraulic power unit 60 can include an engine such as a diesel engine and one or more hydraulic pumps . a drive assembly da is seen in fig1 - 13 . the drive assembly da can be seen in more detail in fig2 - 13 . in fig9 and 10 , the frame 51 of amphibious tractor vehicle 50 preferably includes an underside or bottom panel 40 with a horizontal surface which is the lowest part of the frame 51 in between the pontoons 52 , 53 . in fig9 and 10 , reference line 43 is an extension of the horizontal surface of bottom panel 40 of frame 51 . notice in fig1 that propeller 16 is positioned below reference line 43 and bottom panel 40 in a driving position . fig9 illustrates an elevated position of propeller 16 wherein it is above reference line 43 and bottom panel 40 . drive assembly da preferably attaches to transom 41 above reference line 43 as seen in fig9 and 10 . it should be understood that the attachment of drive assembly da to transom 41 can be by universal joint 42 which is preferably below each of the hydraulic motor drives 57 , 58 ( see fig1 - 10 , 16 - 17 ). the attachment at universal joint 42 is preferably above bottom panel 40 and reference line 43 , not subjected to debris or obstructions such as logs or stumps that might travel in between pontoons 52 , 53 and below bottom panel 40 . arrows 49 illustrate movement of drive assembly da propeller 16 between upper ( fig9 ) and lower ( fig1 ) positions . drive assembly da in fig2 - 8 preferably includes a sleeve 34 that houses prop drive shaft 11 . prop drive shaft 11 connects to hydraulic motor 4 with splined bushing 6 , as seen in fig7 . other components that interface motor 4 to shaft 11 are motor mount 35 with interior or cavity 36 , hex bolts 1 , lock washers 2 , flat washers 3 , o - ring 5 , snap ring 7 , nut 8 , lock washer 9 and ball bearing 10 . prop drive shaft 11 also connects to propeller 16 , as seen in fig8 . prop drive shaft 11 occupies sleeve 34 and extends to propeller 16 forming a connection therewith . prop drive housing weldment 12 ( which can include upper skeg 33 and lower skeg 66 ) is also shown in fig6 - 8 . the skegs 33 , 66 interface with sleeve 34 and motor mount 35 . the weldment or assembly 12 ( see fig2 ) of sleeve 34 , skegs 33 , 66 , horizontal plate 32 , plate 20 and motor mount 35 can be of welded steel or welded aluminum construction or it can be a casting . other components that form the connection between shaft 11 and propeller 16 include plain bearing 13 , shaft seal 14 , nuts 15 and nut 17 ( see fig8 ). in fig2 - 13 , drive assembly da can provide arm 18 and strut 19 . arm 18 preferably connects to cavitation plate 20 . strut 19 preferably connects to plate 32 which can be welded to vertical plate or weldment 33 . fig3 - 4 and 9 - 13 illustrate in more detail the universal joint or attachment 42 that preferably connects between plate 33 at opening 61 and transom 41 . pivot mount plate 21 attaches to transom 41 . prop drive pivot channel 24 attaches to plate 21 . bolted connections including hex bolt 27 , lock washers 26 and flat washers 25 can be used to affix pivot channel 24 to plate 21 . prop drive pivot pin 22 forms a connection between prop drive pivot channel 24 and pivot block 28 , through openings 62 of pivot channel 24 and opening 65 of pivot block 28 . a bolted connection can be used to bolt pivot block 28 to plate 33 . in fig4 , that bolted connection includes hex bolt 31 , flat washers 30 and nut 29 . a pin ( e . g ., hairpin ) can be provided at 23 for retaining pivot pin 22 in openings 62 of channel 24 . openings 63 and pivot block 28 are receptive of the bolted connection that includes bolt 31 , washers 30 and nut 29 . a slot 64 in pivot block 28 is receptive of plate 33 . during assembly , the openings 61 , 63 are aligned when plate 33 is placed into slot 64 . in fig1 - 13 , control valve 37 can be mounted on arm 18 . the control valve 37 can include an actuator 38 that can be moved between forward and backward positions as well as a neutral position . in fig3 , drive assembly da provides one or more hydraulic hoses 39 that interface between motor 4 and control valve 37 . hoses 39 also form an interface with the hydraulic power unit 60 . fig1 shows an alternate embodiment that employs actuators 44 , 45 . the actuator 44 can be an electric actuator to control left or right steerage . the actuator 45 can be an electric actuator to raise and lower drive assembly da and propeller 16 . support 46 can be provided , extending upwardly from pivot block 28 . attachment 47 on plate 32 preferably provides an attachment for one end portion of actuator 45 . the other end of actuator 45 preferably attaches to support 46 . similarly , the actuator 44 preferably affixes to transom 41 at attachment 48 and to pivot block 28 at its opposing end portion at attachment 67 . fig1 and 19 show an alternate embodiment that employs prop drive weldment / ring 70 . weldment / ring 70 can be connected to prop drive housing weldment 88 . prop drive housing weldment 88 ( which can include upper skeg 87 and lower skeg 89 ) is shown in fig1 , 19 . the skegs 87 , 89 interface with sleeve 34 and motor mount 35 . the weldment or assembly 88 of sleeve 34 , skegs 87 , 89 , horizontal plate 90 and motor mount 35 can be of welded steel or welded aluminum construction or it can be a casting . prop drive weldment / ring 70 connects to prop drive housing weldment 88 at upper skeg 87 and lower skeg 89 . the weldment or assembly of skegs 87 , 89 and prop drive weldment / ring 70 can be of welded steel or welded aluminum construction or it can be a casting . alternatively , components that form the connection between shaft 11 and propeller 16 , including plain bearing 13 , shaft seal 14 , nuts 15 and nut 17 ( see fig1 ), can be used to secure or hold prop drive weldment / ring 70 to prop drive housing weldment 88 . fig1 illustrates in more detail an alternate universal joint or attachment 42 that preferably connects between plate 87 at opening 61 and transom 41 . mounting plate 79 attaches to transom 41 by forming a connection with plate 84 . nuts 81 , lock washers 82 , and flat washers 83 attach to eyebolts 73 to connect plate 84 , transom 41 , and plate 79 together . prop drive mounting channel 72 attaches to plate 79 . bolted connections including bolts 80 can be used to affix mounting channel 72 to plate 79 . prop drive pivot pin 22 forms a connection between prop drive mounting channel 72 and pivot block / swivel link 28 , through openings 85 of mounting channel 72 and opening 65 of pivot block / swivel link 28 . a bolted connection can be used to bolt pivot block 28 to plate 87 . in fig1 , that bolted connection includes hex bolt 31 , flat washers 30 and nut 29 . a pin ( e . g ., hairpin ) or pivot pin clip can be provided at 23 for retaining pivot pin 22 in openings 85 of channel 72 . during assembly , the openings 61 , 63 are aligned when plate 87 is placed into slot 64 . in fig1 and 19 , prop drive control valve 78 can be mounted on arm 18 using bolts 75 , lock washer 76 , and flat washers 77 . the control valve 78 can include an actuator 86 that can be moved between forward and backward positions as well as a neutral position . in fig1 , drive assembly da provides one or more hydraulic hoses 39 that interface between motor 4 and control valve 78 . hoses 39 also form an interface with the hydraulic power unit 60 . drive assembly da can include a prop drive name tag 71 secured to prop drive housing weldment 88 . the following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention : all measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure , at sea level on earth , unless indicated otherwise . all materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible , unless indicated otherwise . the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only ; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims . | 1 |
referring to fig1 , the augmented reality system 100 includes an enterprise system 105 and a mobile device 115 that communicates via a wireless network . the enterprise system 105 ( also called a synthetic geometry or geo - registration server ) generates and hosts the geometry or model , with the geometry being created outside of the system 105 . this synthetic geometry may exist in several different forms , and may be hosted on the same system , with software access to any or all of the forms . the generation of the synthetic geometry may be accomplished using real world data or entirely synthesized data ( i . e . 3d models ) or a combination of the two . specifically , synthetic geometry may be initially created from external , real world data via , e . g ., synthetic aperture radar ( sar ) or light detection and ranging ( lidar ). by way of example , lidar point clouds may be processed into surface geometry , or wireframes or two - dimensional imagery may be processed to create surface or texture models . the synthetic geometry 200 may include one or more layers or models of increasing complexity and / or detail . referring to fig2 , showing a geometry configuration in accordance with and embodiment of the invention , the synthetic geometry 200 includes as its nominal base form a wire frame representation or model 210 . additional layers , moreover , may be set for various detail levels . as shown , the higher levels may include surface models 220 , texture models 230 , and imagery - based models 240 . the imagery based model or layer 240 may take in imagery from a number of sources and , moreover , may contain geo - location coordinates . these models 210 - 240 may be used in a layer - like context , with more detailed layers on top of simpler ( less detailed ) layers , resulting in transport efficiency that increases from the top ( imagery ) layer toward the bottom ( wireframe ) layer . in the illustrated embodiment , while the simplest geometric representations is a wireframe model , it should be understood that the layers may be further simplified to a smaller group of lines or even reference points that can have their real world versions extracted from video imagery . in addition , the model may contain any number of models 225 n + 1 . the synthetic geometry 200 is based on a digital coordinate system 250 . that is , the key imagery points , derived from the synthetic geometry , are used for the digital coordinate system data points . the digital coordinate system may be the same as a gps coordinate system or , at a minimum , or may be correlated to a gps coordinate system ( the gps coordinate system may be simplified to any general , external , widespread coordinate system , i . e . an accessible , ubiquitous coordinate system ). the enterprise system 105 , then , generates a wireframe model or other simplified representation of real world objects ( i . e . surface models ) designed to register digital content with the real world . in the wireframe model , geographic image sources are assigned coordinate points to key data set features , i . e ., every endpoint of lines of wireframe where the coordinates are based on gps location information . for example , the edges of a building include distinct coordinate values , as does the edges of a street . the enterprise system 105 extracts these coordinate values from the image sources to generate a wireframe representation of the world . stated another way , the enterprise system 105 creates a simplified geometry of the real world objects ( synthetic geometry ) from sources other than the mobile device . the wireframe representation , then , is a mathematically efficient geo target set . content authoring tools ( software development kits or sdks ) may use this synthetic geometry construct to create and geo - register content , with the content containing links to the digital coordinate system to control placement of the digital data . the layer construct may be used in the same way that animation software constructs content by first working with wireframe geometry and then incrementally adds geometry details such as shading and texturing to minimize processing when generating the content . this processing minimization is primarily performed to minimize the development time from the time required to render the images . the effect of using the simplified geometry sets or layers for content generation will be to allow accurate content placement and faster development of the content , giving developers the ability to control the accuracy and duration of their work . the content authoring tools may be given access to the synthetic geometry databases via an application programming interface ( api ) that enables web based access . the web basis for this is required so that the database is always kept up - to - date and the content developers always access the most up - to - date geometry . content generator web access will also enable the connections necessary for end user access and tracking . in this manner , the content authoring tools may be utilized to develop digital content / information utilizing the synthetic geometry 200 , which is then saved on the enterprise system in a layered structure ( with data existing on one or many layers ). this digital data information is then associated with the geometry model ( e . g ., the nominal layer of the model ). specifically , n + 1 data layers may be created . referring to fig2 c - 2d , a first digital data layer 255 including content a and content b 1 , a second digital data layer 260 including content b 2 and content c , a third digital data layer 265 , and a fourth digital data layer 270 n + 1 including content b 3 may be provided . as shown in fig2 d , the digital data — the content a , b 1 , b 2 , b 3 , c — may be selective associated with one or more of the geometry model layers 210 , 220 , 225 n + 1 230 , 240 . the digital data layers 255 , 260 , 265 , 270 n + 1 are essentially filters , being selected and organized via the content authoring tools . digital data layers 255 , 260 , 265 , 270 n + 1 may be organized in any number of ways , including by importance , location ( nearest item taking priority ), temporal based , etc . in operation , user filters on the mobile device may be used to select the predefined digital data layers , or to generate new selection filters that cross multiple digital data layers or filter within a layer . all of the content includes metadata with the geo - location information , along with the nominal layer and grouping information . the mobile device 115 may include one or more processing devices for executing a software application ( i . e ., software program instructions ). in an embodiment , the mobile device 115 includes a mobile telephone such as a smartphone or a tablet computer . in the embodiment illustrated in fig3 , the mobile device 115 is a head - up display in the form of eyewear including one or more cameras 310 and a display system 320 configured to display images on the lenses 330 of the eyewear . for example , the display system 320 may be an oled microdisplay that projects an illuminated image toward the lens . in other embodiments , the mobile device may also be a mobile phone , tablet , or other portable computing device that includes a display . the mobile device 115 is equipped with one or more of a global positioning system ( gps ) device , a compass , and an inertial measurement unit ( imu ). in addition , the mobile device 115 includes a data transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit data to ( e . g ., gps and camera image data ) and to receive data ( digital data ) from the enterprise system 105 . additionally , the mobile device 115 may be configured to engage in wireless communications such as sending and receiving telephone calls and / or wireless data in conjunction with text messages such as emails , short message service ( sms ) messages , pages and other data messages that may include multimedia attachments , documents , audio files , video files , images and other graphics . accordingly , the mobile device 115 may include a wireless transceiver for communicating over a long range wireless network such as a cellular , pcs , cdma , gprs , gsm , iden or other wireless communications network . alternatively or in addition to , the wireless communication may further include a transceiver for communicating over a short - range wireless network such as an ieee 802 . 11 compatible network , a wimax network , another wireless local area network connection or other communications link . by way of example , the mobile device 115 may include a short or medium range transceiver operating in conjunction with a communication standard such bluetooth ® or other standard short or medium range communication protocol . the mobile device 115 further includes executable software that initiates the data transfer process . the software may be stored on the mobile device 115 in the form of a specialized application , or may be executed via html5 . in operation , as shown in the on - device process flow 400 provided in fig4 a and 4b , in steps 405 , 410 , and 415 , the device software will selectively read the gps , imu , and magnetometers ( e . g ., a compass ), and / or other sensors disposed on the mobile device 115 . for example , the software reads the imu and magnetometer to determine the location and pointing vector of the user , and reads the gps to determine the user &# 39 ; s location . alternatively , the mobile device 115 may use other methods for determining its location such as wlan ( wi - fi ) or other technologies . when navigating indoors , the system could use wlan information to download indoor layouts and use multiple wlan sources or other rf for image based sources for navigation reference points . in step 420 , this location information will be sent to the enterprise system 105 ( i . e . the synthetic geometry server ). the enterprise system 105 pulls geometry data for the area surrounding the user ( step 425 ), and then sends back to the user a nominal geometry set ( step 430 ), which is received by the mobile device 115 ( step 435 ). for example , the enterprise system 105 pulls and sends a 2 km diameter wireframe representation of the user &# 39 ; s geo - location . this query to the enterprise system 105 may serve to trigger user tracking initiation . in the case of a user moving into areas with poor connectivity , the user may download the synthetic geometry in advance , or the range or area of the synthetic geometry may be increased ( relevant data for the area may also be downloaded for later use ). the surrounding geometry and extra information including geometry beyond the original set may be saved or cached within the mobile device to improve the load times when the user is moving through different areas . the mobile device may pull this extra information based on dynamic bandwidth measurement , i . e ., pulling information if there is available bandwidth . an additional method for reducing the downloaded dataset is to use a prefetch function that downloads information based on previous user requests for a particular area . based on system expectations of where the user is going , i . e ., from the destination address , etc . the system may download the information for that location in advance . as noted above , the imu and magnetometers will set the user &# 39 ; s pointing vector ( where the user is looking based on the orientation of the mobile device 115 , i . e . what the screen shows on a mobile phone or imagery from cameras on a head mounted system ). alternatively , the pointing vector may be determined from the gps position of the user and a comparison of imagery from the camera on the mobile device to imagery databases . the original query for information may also operate on this pointing vector to reduce the overall data download requirements , i . e . download a smaller geometry set . the mobile device could select the level of data to download based on dynamic bandwidth measurements . the mobile device may start with the data around the pointing vector , and sequentially load in the geometry and additional information outside the pointing vector . the software on the mobile device 115 enters a loop 440 , extracting the synthetic geometry and generating a pre - filter that is a reduced data set enabling simplified computation on the mobile device ( step 445 ). this pre - filtering , for example , may entail hidden line removal and perspective setting for wireframe geometry . the resulting pre - filtered data is used for a geometry correlation engine on the mobile device . the pre - filtering reduces the size of the data set required for correlation and provides the targets for correlation . the correlation will look at the synthetic geometry and try to match real world geometry to it , i . e . the edges of buildings as lines of wireframes may be matched to real building edges . the real world geometry used in the correlation engine is extracted from one or more cameras or imagers on the mobile device . the camera on the mobile device 115 captures frames of video ( step 450 ) from which the geometry is extracted . the extraction may be accomplished on each single frame ; alternatively , if there is no movement sensed by the device sensors , the frequency of extraction may be reduced . algorithms for geometry extraction ( e . g ., edge extraction , face extraction , etc .) implemented in code extract the relevant information from geometric objects such as buildings in the imager &# 39 ; s field of view ( i . e . extraction of the edges from the sides and roof of a building ). additionally , other sensors may provide inputs to the correlation engine , such as the accelerometers to provide the nominal gravity vector . additional processing routines ( ffts , wavelet transforms , etc .) may additionally be used to help find the desired geometries . processing routines may also be used to find predominating orientation vectors such as verticals and horizontals that will aid in establishing the user &# 39 ; s pose ( i . e . find the dominate features assuming predominate orientations of those frequencies ). additionally , more advanced imaging capabilities such as polarimetry may be used to help in determining orientation . the filtered geometry is overlaid on the video frame and geometry matching ( i . e ., overlaid onto edges ) is performed ( step 455 ), with the filtered geometry data coordinate system then being applied to the video image ( step 460 ). if the location of the pointing vector of the mobile device has changed , the process is directed back into the loop 440 ( step 465 ), the process determines whether the movement is beyond the range of the geometry data set ( step 470 ) and , if so , reenters the loop 440 . if the location of the pointing vector has not moved out of the range of the filter , the process continues into another loop 475 , in which the next video frame being grabbed ( step 480 ) and the coordinate system synchronization maintained by continuous comparison to filtered geometry , location information , and through electronic image stabilization techniques ( step 485 ). an alternate process flow 500 where the initial matching or subsequent occasional matching is performed off of the mobile device 115 , i . e ., at the enterprise or other similar level , ( e . g ., cloud based processing ) is shown in fig5 a , 5b , and 5c . the offloading of the processing from the mobile device onto external resources may be partitioned in any number of ways in order to optimize on device power consumption , processing bandwidth , transport bandwidth , etc . as illustrated , the mobile device 115 determines its location coordinates via , e . g ., gps ( step 501 ), as well as reads the device &# 39 ; s imu and / or compass ( step 502 ). after capturing image frames ( step 503 ), the device 115 determines its pointing vector ( step 504 ), and sends this information to the enterprise system 105 ( step 505 ). the enterprise server extracts geometry data for the area surrounding the user ( step 506 ), and then performs geometric filtering ( step 507 ). the filtered geometry is overlaid onto the video frame and geometry matching is executed ( step 508 ), and then supplied to the video image ( step 509 ). at this stage , the enterprise system 105 sends the geometry data to the mobile device 115 , along with the initial coordinate system matching ( step 510 ), the data being received by the mobile device ( step 511 ). additionally , digital information is sent to ( step 512 ) and received by ( step 513 ) the mobile device 115 . the mobile device 115 tracks any pointing vector changes from the frames sent to the enterprise server during the initial coordinate system matching ( step 514 ), and then matches the coordinate system based on any changes that occurred during off - device process ( step 515 ). the mobile device 115 now displays digital data , overlaying it onto the real world view ( step 516 ). the process continues entering a feedback loop 520 ( steps 521 - 526 ), as needed . that is , to improve system accuracy , a feedback loop may be included between the gps , imu , and magnetometers . as the gps is periodically updated during movement , a path may be correlated to the imu and magnetometer signals . at this point , the process may enter another loop 530 , with the next video frame being grabbed ( step 531 ) and the coordinate system being maintained as indicated ( step 532 ). the user may be given the option of performing a manual overlay of the geometry onto the real world imagery if the system cannot perform an adequate lock . other methods of providing a lock may incorporate a calibration process , an example of which may be accomplished through the image capture of a known object ( at a known location ). the scaling of the object may provide distance , while the edges or other geometry information may be used to set orientation of the user . the use of multiple objects may further increase accuracy . another feedback loop using existing photographic databases may be constructed . correlation edges and / or image correlation from known poses and positional data incorporated in metadata associated with 2 d imagery may be used to correlate the user &# 39 ; s position and pose . the use of synthetic geometry may additionally be used for indoor registration and the setting of way points or otherwise used for navigation . the edges of walls , doors , pillars , windows , etc . from architectural or design drawings ( a form of synthetic geometry ) may be used for the edge matching filters on the mobile device . the geometry of the building may be downloaded to the mobile device , and the same processing as is done for outdoor geometry may be used to geo - register the mobile device , i . e ., hidden line removal , perspective setting , geometry correlation , etc . with the geometry of the interior structure known , distances between features will also be known , so that as the geometry is correlated , the user &# 39 ; s changing position within the structure may also be correlated , allowing the user to navigate within the building . while the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof . for example , while a mobile device is illustrated , the instructions for performing application functions may be included in any computer program product configured for execution by one or more processors . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . it is to be understood that terms such as “ left ”, “ right ” “ top ”, “ bottom ”, “ front ”, “ rear ”, “ side ”, “ height ”, “ length ”, “ width ”, “ upper ”, “ lower ”, “ interior ”, “ exterior ”, “ inner ”, “ outer ” and the like as may be used herein , merely describe points of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation or configuration . | 6 |
in a preferred embodiment , such as illustrated in fig1 - 17 , an educational game comprises a plurality of game components , such as playing or trading cards 20 , each having educational information disposed thereon . the educational information is preferably in the form of expression portions , such as letters of the alphabet , or alternatively numbers and mathematical operators , although other educational information may be utilized in other forms in accordance with the invention . the playing cards 20 preferably have character information disposed thereon to make the cards suitable for collecting . generally , the playing cards 20 are utilized by one or more users in an ordered fashion to form an expression comprised of expression portions from each of the cards played . in one form , the expression may be a word formed by individual letters 20 e ( fig1 , 3 and 4 ) disposed on each card . in another form , the expression may be a mathematical expression formed from operators and operands , such as mathematical operators 20 y ( fig1 and 12 ) and numbers 20 x ( fig1 and 13 - 15 ). by playing a game in accordance with the present invention , the user may obtain numerous educational benefits , including learning and applying spelling strategies , deepening phonemic understanding , learning high frequency words , learning to use affixes , developing proof reading skills , using rime or generative patterns found in word families ( e . g . ate , late , rate , gate , etc . ), improving mathematical and building problem solving skills , and using strategy . the game is also adaptable to accommodate players of varying abilities and experience by removing or disregarding advanced elements of the game . the educational games described herein have also been found to be effective to teach children with learning or developmental disabilities and special needs children . the word - forming game 10 ( fig1 ) in accordance with one form of the present invention combines the intrinsic interest of trading cards with the literacy benefits of an educational game . unlike traditional educational cards or flash cards , the trading cards 20 feature alphabetic letters with phonemically matching character names combined with pop culture art . this unique combination , along with the trading card structure , adds meaning to game play , letter identification , reading , and phonics . the backs of the cards 20 a ( fig5 - 8 ) are also phonemically unique and use colors to differentiate , as well as accentuate , the vowel cards 20 ab ( fig3 ) from the consonant cards 20 aa ( fig4 ). the orange cards are preferably vowel cards 20 ab and the blue cards are consonant cards 20 aa . using two colors enhances phonemic analysis by visually accentuating the vowel and consonant patterns found in english words called phonograms . when second language learners play the word - forming game 10 , they self - discover english vowel patterns through word - building during play . brain research has indicated that learning through multiple modalities , such as visual , verbal and tactile means ( i . e ., seeing , saying and doing ), combined with motivational and social interaction increases student achievement . the game 10 provides this cognitive stimulus simultaneously while players are engaged in play , and thereby provides advantages over traditional rote memory exercises , worksheets , and flash card methods used in schools and in the home . traditional methods often fail to keep students engaged and do not motivate them to want to learn more at ever increasing levels . the word - forming game 10 motivates students &# 39 ; desire to learn more because they earn points for fluently reading the cards and using spelling strategies . thus , players are often unaware they are learning . ultimately , individuals that play the game 10 will learn to see generative patterns in words , which has several benefits , such as improving spelling skills , i . e . encoding , which leads to more fluent writing ability . players will also become more fluent readers , as they will be more efficient when sounding out unknown words , i . e . decoding , as they read in context . the faster a reader decodes , the less comprehension is lost , which is an important skill when reading , but an essential skill when reading about new ideas or concepts such as in a text book or other nonfiction source . a typical game setup 10 in accordance with the present invention is disclosed in fig1 and 2 . playing cards 20 are played face - up on a playing field 30 having a plurality of subfields , such as first , second , and third rows for holding the playing cards 20 . the first , second , and third rows include an upper tier or base 30 a and a lower tier or base 30 b for holding playing cards 20 and an uppermost expression field or shield field 30 g , wherein cards 20 are placed into play and organized into expressions , e . g ., words or mathematical expressions . additional playing cards 20 are held hidden from other players , such that the faces of the cards 20 are kept hidden from view of the other players . these additional cards may be referred to as the blind or the pocket and may be held in the user &# 39 ; s hand , or placed face down on the playing field 30 . in the embodiment , illustrated in fig1 , the individual player is not playing another player , thus , the cards from the blind or pocket 30 c are shown face up . however , if the player was playing another individual those cards would be kept face down or hidden from view of the other players . two separate sets or libraries of playing cards 20 , which are differentiated via different indicia , such as colors on the backs of the cards 20 a , are positioned at predetermined locations on the playing field 30 , such as a blue deck field 30 d for the blue deck pile and an orange deck field 30 e for the orange deck pile . the upper and lower bases 30 a , 30 b are color coded to match the backs of the cards 20 a . accordingly , the upper base 30 a is blue and the lower base 30 b is orange . the playing field 30 also includes an effect subfield 30 f , wherein cards 20 having an effect property may be played by a user to affect the point values of other cards 20 , or affect game play in some manner to adjust the offensive or defensive advantage of one of the players . an expression field or shield field 30 g is disposed along the upper margin of the playing field 30 wherein playing cards 20 from the upper and lower tiers 30 a , 30 b , as well as the pocket 30 c may be played to form an expression . the shield field 30 g preferably has 8 spaces for cards . although it is preferred that a mat or board be used for the playing field 30 in a physical embodiment of the present invention , no physical playing field is required , and players may play on any surface . as shown in fig3 , each playing card 20 preferably includes character information , such as a title portion 20 b ; a graphic area , such as character illustration 20 c ; character type information 20 d ; the educational information , for example an expression portion , such as a letter of the alphabet 20 e ; a narrative such as a card description 20 f ; a point value 20 g ; an effect 20 h ; an effect duration indicator 20 i ; a currency designator 20 j ; a card type designator , such as an elemental designator 20 k ; a kingdom identifier 20 l ; an offensive or defensive effect indicator 20 m ; an effect indicator ( in lieu of a kingdom identifier ), and other information . these elements will be described in greater detail below . the title portion or card name 20 b displays the name of the card and identifies the character illustrated in the character illustration 20 c . preferably , the name of the card is related to the letter of the alphabet 20 e . for example , in fig3 , the card name is “ army ants ” and the expression portion is the letter “ a ”. this association between the card name 20 b and the letter 20 e helps the user quickly identify the letter associated with the card , and assists users with reading and spelling skills by associating a memorable illustration and the card name 20 b with the relevant letter 20 e . the name of the card 20 b may also be associated with the power or effect of a given card 20 . for example , as shown in fig4 , the card name 20 b is “ double dinos ,” and the card &# 39 ; s effect 20 h is to double the user &# 39 ; s word point total if the word has 5 or more letters . the association between card name 20 b and effect 20 h has educational value ( in this case in the mathematical concept of doubling or multiplying by two ) and is helpful for reminding the user about a card &# 39 ; s effect 20 h without the need to read the card description 20 f every time the card is played . the illustration 20 c generally contains an illustration of a character and provides the user with a visually interesting and memorable image with which to associate the card 20 . the illustration 20 c may help spark the user &# 39 ; s imagination and adds intrigue to the game . as with the association between the card name 20 b and the letter 20 e , it is preferable that the illustration 20 c be related to the letter 20 e and / or the card name 20 b to help the individual identify the letter 20 e and / or the card name 20 b . for example , individuals who are just beginning to learn the alphabet may already know what the illustration 20 c ( fig3 ) is showing ( e . g ., ants ) and will use this association to come up with the letter 20 e on the card ( e . g ., “ a ” for “ ants ”). over time , these associations will further help the individual learn to read and spell the card name 20 b in that they know from association what is illustrated ( e . g ., ants wearing helmets ) and the letter 20 e associated with this card ( e . g ., “ a ”). thereby eventually learning to read and spell the card name 20 b ( e . g ., “ army ants ”). in other instances , the individual may not be able to identify the illustration 20 c on the card but will know either the letter 20 e or the card name 20 b . overtime , the individual will also learn what illustration 20 c is of and , thus , will learn more than just how to read or spell . in the form illustrated , the character type information 20 d generally categorizes or groups the character illustrated in the character illustration 20 c into different groups or families . families may include insect , fish , robot , dragon , horse , magic , dinosaur , bird , cat , brainforce , construction effect , weather effect , celestial effect , and geological effect . it should be understood , however , that other types of characters or symbols may be used for the illustration if desired . preferably , however , these illustrations will maintain some form of association between the card name and / or the letter to help teach the individual some lesson , such as the one discussed above . in the illustrated embodiment , the families are significant for game play in that certain families are susceptible or not susceptible to the effects of other cards 20 . for example , a frog card may have an effect on insect cards , such as “ eating ” or taking the points away from an insect card . because it will be learned or may already be commonly understood that frogs eat insects , a player with an insect card would refrain from playing that card if another player plays a frog card . by basing the effects 20 h associated with a creature on known characteristics of the real - life creature on which the character is based , a user may quickly ascertain whether a card may have an effect on his selected cards 20 . this association makes the effects 20 h of a given card more memorable , thus increasing ease and quickness of play , and also works through association to teach the individual something educational if the individual did not already know this ( e . g ., frogs eat insects ). in the embodiment of a game component , such as the playing card 20 illustrated in fig3 , educational information , e . g ., an expression portion in the form of a letter 20 e , is displayed . the letter 20 e forms part of an expression , such as a word , to be formed by the user during game play . in a preferred form , an educational game according to the present invention has first and second game components being of first and second game component types . for example , a first game component is a collectible playing card having a consonant type . the second game component is a collectible playing card having a vowel type . prior to being played to form a word , consonant cards 20 aa are kept separate from vowel cards 20 ab . the consonant cards 20 aa are distinguished from the vowel cards 20 ab using indicia for grouping the cards , such as a differing color scheme used to break the cards up into different sets . for example , fig7 and 8 show card backs 20 n , 20 s of the consonant and vowel cards 20 aa , 20 ab . consonant card backs 20 n , shown in fig7 , have a blue background 20 p , a blue border or outline 20 q , and an orange - colored star 20 r . on the other hand , vowel card backs 20 s have an orange background 20 t , an orange border or outline 20 u , and a blue - colored star 20 v . other indicia for grouping the cards may include borders on the face of the cards 20 , symbols , and the like . in a preferred form , the borders are associated with a kingdom identifier 20 k , such that each kingdom ( described in more detail below ) has a unique border . this will help the user keep different sets of cards or decks separate from other sets of cards or decks . this association helps the player learn the differences between vowels and consonants and will start the individual on their way to forming words . other types of cards 20 may be further distinguished from consonant and vowel cards 20 aa , 20 ab and each other using different color schemes . card backs 20 a shown in fig5 and 6 for an alternate embodiment , such as a mathematical equation or expression forming game 40 , have differing color schemes . the card back shown in fig5 is for a first card type , such as a number card 20 ac , and has a blue background 20 p , a purple border 20 w , and an orange - colored star 20 r . the card back shown in fig6 for a second card type , such as a number or a mathematical operator card 20 ad , has an orange background 20 t , a purple border 20 w , and a blue - colored star 20 v . in this manner , the equation - forming cards 20 ac , 20 ad having numbers 20 x or mathematical operators 20 y , are distinguished from the word - forming cards 20 aa , 20 ab primarily based on the purple border 20 w which surrounds the stars 20 v , 20 r . although subtle , all of these associations with indicia , such as color , help educate the user or individual ( e . g ., such as the difference between consonants , vowels , numbers and / or mathematical operators ). the indicia will also help the user categorize or group the cards and keep different card sets or decks separate or apart from one another if desired . in addition to or in lieu of allowing players to play the word game 10 head - to - head or to play the mathematical / equation game 40 head - to - head , a preferred form of the invention will allow both the equation - forming game 40 and the word - forming game 10 to be played together , such that one player forms equations with the cards 20 ac , 20 ad and plays against another player who forms words with the cards 20 aa , 20 ab . during game play , or if a player has both the equation - forming game 40 and the word - forming game 10 , cards may become intermingled . thus , the differing color schemes on the card backs are operable to help the players separate both cards of different types as well as cards belonging to different games . additional indicia , such as a border can be used to further assist in grouping the cards into different sets or decks , therefore making it easier to sort one set or deck of cards from another . a playing card 20 may include a description 20 f , which may comprise information , such as a power or effect 20 h of the particular card , background information regarding the character , instructions on how to execute the power or effect of the card , commands , stories , or other information . in fig3 , the description 20 f reads “[ r ] emove one earth creature &# 39 ; s points from other player &# 39 ; s shield field .” thus , this description embodies a power or effect 20 h over another player &# 39 ; s cards 20 that have been played in the expression field or shield field 30 g . other examples of powers or effects 20 h are seen in the description fields 20 f in fig4 and 12 - 15 . a playing card 20 may also have a value , such as a point value 20 g , which is denoted within a star below the character illustration 20 c . the point value preferably ranges between 1 and 3 points . cards 20 containing expression portions that are more common , such as letters 20 e used frequently like the letter “ a ” shown in fig3 , may have a point value of 1 . less common expression portions , like letters used less frequently , such as the letter “ v ”, may have a higher point value , such as a value of 3 . this type of point valuing system encourages the player to use expression portions that may be more difficult to incorporate , thus rewarding the player for forming expressions that are less common or more difficult to form . by doing so , the game not only helps teach word formation and arithmetic , but encourages players to challenge or press themselves to engage in more advance word formation or arithmetic . the power or effect 20 h of a card augments the efficacy or point value of the same or another card 20 . for example , a card power or effect 20 h may reduce another card &# 39 ; s point value , such as shown in fig3 . alternatively , a card &# 39 ; s power may augment the score of a player &# 39 ; s own card or cards . for example , in fig4 , the description 20 f states a player &# 39 ; s word points will double if they form a word with five or more letters . in fig1 , the description 20 f states the card &# 39 ; s power increases the point value of the card from 2 to 3 if the card is played together with the “ evil mushrooms ” card . other powers 20 h may include protecting a card or cards from the effects of other cards . for example , the power 20 h described in fig1 protects “ dragonia ” creature cards played by the user from all other creatures . a further example of a power 20 h in fig1 and 15 is that a card may adopt the power of another card . in fig1 , the card may mimic any card on the field , while in fig1 , the player of the card may pick one card in the other player &# 39 ; s shield field 30 g and use it against the other player . thus , it can be seen that the powers and effects 20 h of each card are operable to increase the complexity and depth of the game , making the game more interesting for experienced players . in addition , the powers and effects 20 h motivate the players to read and reread each card before putting it into play , which encourages and develops reading skills in general but also proof - reading skills . as described above , the game components , such as playing cards 20 , are generally divided into first and second game component types . either of the first or second game component types , such as consonant and vowel cards 20 aa , 20 ab , may have powers , which are described in the card description 20 f . in addition , certain cards of the second game component type , such as vowel cards 20 ab , may have effects 20 h that may be played in either the expression field 30 g or an effect subfield 30 f . these cards are referred to as effect cards in the present form and generally have effects such as storms and other worldly phenomena which create conditions to adjust a player &# 39 ; s offensive or defensive advantage . in one method of playing , an effect card loses its effect if it is played to form an expression , such as a word . alternatively , the effect card may be played in the effect subfield 30 f , wherein it is not used to form a word , but is solely used for its effect . an effect duration indicator 20 i located below the character illustration 20 c is provided to inform the user how long the effect lasts . preferably , an effect 20 h lasts one to two turns . an effect card is preferably designated by a symbol in the kingdom identifier field 20 l . non - effect cards , which may be referred to as power cards , may be further classified using the kingdom identifier field 20 l . in one form , each power card may be identified by one of four symbols representing imaginary kingdoms from which each character originates . the four kingdoms in the present embodiment are dragonia , represented by a dragon symbol , as shown in fig1 and 15 ; hydra , represented by a fish symbol , illustrated in fig1 ; industria , represented by a robotic hand and hammer symbol and shown in fig1 ; and terra , represented by a lion &# 39 ; s head , as illustrated in fig3 and 4 . it should be understood , however , that other symbols may be used to represent kingdoms or that items other than kingdoms may be used to distinguish different groups or sets of cards . as effect cards are preferably associated with the second card type , such as vowel cards 20 ab in the case of the word - forming game 10 , a user must use strategy to decide whether an effect card is best used as a vowel to form a word or used solely as an effect . although the effects can be very helpful to a player &# 39 ; s offensive or defensive position during a round , vowel cards 20 ab are also needed to form words . thus , the more vowel options a player has , the easier it will be to form longer words , which are also worth more points . therefore , a player must make judgments as to when using an effect card solely for its effect is most beneficial to the outcome of the game . this aspect makes the game more challenging and interesting for more experienced users . another aspect of the current invention is that the game may be modified or scaled depending on the skill of the user . for example , the powers or effects of a game component may be disregarded or disabled in order to simplify game play . younger users may not be able to read the card descriptions 20 f or may have trouble with the effects 20 h and their applicability to the game . advantageously , the game may be played without using the power or effect functionality of the cards 20 . this allows score keeping and game play to be simplified . conversely , more advanced users may incorporate the power and effect functionality of the cards 20 to tailor the game to their skill level . in the present embodiment , the playing cards 20 are preferably collectible in that the cards 20 not only have utility for playing a game , but may also be used for collection purposes . to assist with the collectibility , an additional aspect of a game component in accordance with the present invention is a currency designator 20 j . the currency designator 20 j includes a symbol or symbols designating the relative value or rarity of a card . in the present embodiment , the currency takes the form of images of rubies 20 ae , emeralds 20 af , and diamonds 20 ag , in increasing order of value and rarity . thus , a card having three rubies 20 ae , such as the one in fig3 , has less value than a card having three diamonds 20 ag , such as the card in fig1 . these indications of value are useful to determine relative worth of a given card when players wish to buy , sell , or exchange cards 20 . a game component may be further classified or categorized via an elemental designator 20 k . according to the present invention , the elemental designator 20 k is a triangular tab on an upper corner of the playing card 20 having a color correlating with a given element . the elements are preferably fire , water , wind , and earth , represented respectively by the colors red , blue , silver and green . for example , the cards 20 in fig3 and 4 are associated with the earth element , indicated by the green triangle at the upper right hand corner of the card 20 . similarly , the cards 20 illustrated in fig1 and 15 are associated with the fire element , indicated by the red triangle at the upper right hand corner of the cards 20 . the elemental designator 20 k is used in some circumstances with the powers and effects 20 h of other cards 20 . for example , a power 20 h of a card may be such that it only has an effect on cards of a certain element . in fig3 , the power 20 h of the card shown is only effective on earth creatures . thus , if the opposing player had played a card having a green triangle , such as the “ double dinos ” card in fig4 , he would have to deduct one point from his score for that particular round . additional information about the game component may be provided in the form of an offensive or defensive symbol 20 m , which in the present embodiment is called a “ force medallion .” the force medallion 20 m may take the form of either a sword , indicating an offensive posture to the power or effect of the card 20 ; a shield , indicating a defensive posture of the power or effect of the card ; or a blank circle , indicating neither an offensive or defensive posture to the power or effect of the card . preferably , the force medallion 20 m is disposed on the card at opposite outer corners of the card , such that a user may quickly see the strategic posture of the card while holding the card in his hand , regardless of how the cards 20 are held , i . e ., with the cards 20 fanned from left to right with the left most card on top , such that the lower right corner of each card is visible , or alternatively , with the left most card on the bottom , such that the upper left corner of each card is visible . similarly , a player may quickly glance at an opponent &# 39 ; s cards 20 on the playing field to determine which cards 20 may be used against his cards in an offensive or defensive manner . in an alternate form shown in fig1 , a game component may take the form of a collectible playing or trading card 20 used for playing a mathematical expression - or equation - forming game 40 . the cards 20 ac , 20 ad are similar to the cards shown and described in fig3 and 4 , except that the expression portion contains a number 20 x or a mathematical operator 20 y instead of a letter 20 e . similar to the letter cards described above , the present playing cards also preferably include a card back 20 a , a title portion 20 b , a character illustration 20 c , character type information 20 d , a card description 20 f , a point value 20 g , an effect 20 h , an effect duration indicator 20 i , a currency designator 20 j , an elemental designator , 20 k , a kingdom identifier 20 l , and a defensive or offensive effect indicator 20 m . like the cards 20 aa , 20 ab for the word - forming game , the equation - forming cards 20 ac , 20 ad are split into two groups . preferably , the first card type is a number card 20 ac , having a number 20 x between 2 and 9 , inclusive . the second card type is a number or a mathematical operator card 20 ad , having a number 0 or 1 or a mathematical operator 20 y , such as plus , minus , multiplication , and division signs (+, −, ×, ÷). the first and second card types are preferably distinguished using indicia , such as color , on the card backs 20 a . the cards are used similarly to the letter cards 20 aa , 20 ab described above , except that the player forms mathematical equations or inequalities using the cards instead of words . now , with respect to playing the games , in one form of the word form game 10 , each player has a deck of at least 50 cards with preferably more than three copies of any one card . the deck is separated into two draw piles : a blue draw pile placed on the blue deck field 30 d consisting of consonant cards 20 aa and an orange draw pile placed on the orange deck field 30 e consisting of vowel and effect cards 20 ab . preferably , each player will have a minimum of 20 orange and 30 blue cards . however , any number of cards may be used as desired . both players begin by setting up their cards 20 on the playing field 30 . the first step is to draw five cards 20 aa from the blue draw pile and place them face up in the five blue card spaces of the upper tier or upper base 30 a on the playing field 30 . next , each player draws six cards 20 ab from the orange draw pile . each player then places three of those cards 20 ab face up on the three orange card spaces of the lower tier or base 30 e . the three cards 20 ab remaining in the player &# 39 ; s hand are called the blind or pocket cards as mentioned above and are held or kept out of view of an opposing player , if any . the pocket cards can be used anytime during a player &# 39 ; s turn to build a word . once the cards 20 are set up , play begins . the object of the game is to build words for points using any combination of the letters on the cards 20 in the upper base 30 a , lower base 30 b , and the pocket 30 c . the cards 20 are combined just above the upper base 30 a in the expression field or shield field 30 g . a player &# 39 ; s strategy can involve creating the most points in his word , taking a defensive posture by protecting his word against attacks by an opponent , or taking an offensive posture by playing cards 20 that can remove points from the other player &# 39 ; s word . players alternate the order of play each round . the player to play his cards 20 first is called the protector . the protector is a defensive position by nature , because the opponent &# 39 ; s cards 20 are not yet played , so there are no cards to attack . the protector must anticipate the cards 20 that the effector might play , based on studying the cards 20 in the effector &# 39 ; s upper and lower bases 30 a , 30 b . the effector plays second and is by nature an offensive position , as the effector knows what cards 20 the protector has played when the effector starts his turn . thus , the effector may choose his cards 20 in response to the cards played by the protector , and therefore has an advantage in attacking the protector &# 39 ; s cards 20 using cards with the appropriate powers or effects . each deck preferably includes a marker card 50 ( see fig9 and 10 ) which is used to keep track of which player is the effector and protector during each turn . the effector is represented by a sword icon 50 a and the protector by a shield icon 50 b . the protector always plays his cards 20 first . he starts by reading the powers or effects of the cards 20 he wishes to play . the protector then builds his word on the shield field 30 g , keeping in mind the cards 20 the effector has in her upper and lower base 30 a , 30 b . any card that can be used against another player &# 39 ; s cards 20 has an offensive effect indicator 20 m in the form of a sword icon on the upper left corner . any card that can be used to protect a player &# 39 ; s shield field 30 g has a defensive effect indicator in the form of a shield icon . the protector can , if he chooses , play a defensive effect card from his pocket in the effect subfield or space 30 f to defend his word . the effector then builds her word on the shield field 30 g keeping in mind the cards 20 the protector has in his word . the effector can then play any effect card by placing it in the effect space 30 f . however , there can only be one effect card in this space 30 f at one time . effect cards stay in play a number of turns equal to the number in the effect duration indicator 20 i , which is located to the right of the letter 20 e . if the vowel on the effect card is used to build a word on the shield field 30 g , the effect cannot be used . at this time , if the effector has played an effect card , the effect is unleashed on the shield fields 30 g . any cards 20 that have points removed by the effect are twisted out or turned sideways to show that they are no longer in play . next , the effector &# 39 ; s cards 20 located in the shield field 30 g to form a word are used to remove points from the protector &# 39 ; s cards 20 in their shield field 30 g . any cards 20 that have points removed are then twisted . once this is done , the protector &# 39 ; s cards 20 that have not been twisted can now be used on the effector . the effector &# 39 ; s cards 20 that have had points removed are also twisted out . after all of the effects have been applied , the round is over and each player adds up their score from their shield field 30 g . each player &# 39 ; s points are added ( or subtracted ) from their total score . all cards 20 are then cleared from the shield field 30 g , leaving the remaining cards 20 in the upper and lower bases 30 a , 30 b in place . any empty spaces in the upper and lower bases 30 a , 30 b are refilled from the blue and orange decks , respectively . in addition , each player draws enough cards 20 from the orange draw pile until they have three cards 20 in their pocket 30 c to replace the cards 20 used in the previous turn . the effect spaces 30 f are also cleared unless the given effect lasts more than one round . the players then flip their marker cards 50 , switching their roles as protector and effector , and play continues in an alternating fashion until a player wins the round by reaching 50 points , or an agreed upon number . a match is won by the first player to win two rounds , or an agreed upon number of rounds . in another form in accordance with the present invention , an equation - forming game 40 is played in a similar manner as the word - forming game 10 described above , with slight variations as described below . each player has a deck of at least 50 cards with no more than 3 copies of any one card . the deck is separated into two draw piles , wherein the blue draw pile consists of numbered cards 20 ac having a number between 2 and 9 , inclusive . the orange draw pile consists of cards 20 ad having a 0 , 1 , or a mathematical operator which may collectively be referred to as operators . in addition to the orange and blue cards , the game includes an equality / inequality card , called a gizmo card 60 , which has an equal sign (=) on one side and a greater than / less than sign (& gt ;/& lt ;) ( depending on what direction it is turned ) on the other side . the gizmo card 60 is used in every turn by each player to form a mathematical expression . accordingly , the object of the present game is to build mathematical expressions such as equations or inequalities to acquire points using any combination of the numbers and operators located in the upper and lower bases 30 a , 30 b and the pocket 30 c . one example would be to combine the cards 20 ac , 20 ad of fig1 - 15 to form the equation 2 + 5 = 7 . alternatively , a player could form the expression 7 + 5 & gt ; 2 by flipping over the gizmo card 60 to implement the “ greater than ” symbol . the greater than / less than symbol allows a player to form an expression regardless of the cards 20 ac , 20 ad in play . a player may also have expressions on either side of the equal sign or greater than / less than sign . for example , an expression could read 5 + 2 = 3 + 4 . this equation would be worth more points than the prior examples , as more cards 20 ac , 20 ad are required to form the expression . a player &# 39 ; s strategy can involve creating the most points in his equation , protecting the equation with defensive effects 20 h , and playing cards with offensive effects 20 h that can remove points from the other player &# 39 ; s equation . the equation - forming game 40 may be customized to accommodate a varying level of user abilities and preferences . for example , the game may be simplified for users with lower math proficiencies by removing cards 20 ad with multiplication or division signs from the orange deck , such that the game is played solely with the plus and minus signs . further , as in the word - forming game 10 , the game may be played without using the card effects and powers 20 h to simplify game play and scoring . in another form of the invention , the playing field may have an operator , such as an equal sign and / or greater and less than signs , permanently positioned on the playing field so that the players do not have the option of using the gizmo card . for example , in one form , the playing field may be two sided , with one side being configured to play the word game 10 and the other side having the permanent operator in place for playing of the equation game 40 . in such embodiments , the permanent operator will normally be an equal sign , which will make the game harder to play . in alternate forms , however , the permanent operator may actually include all operators and simply allow the players to select which one they are using rather than requiring them to use a card such as the gizmo card 60 . although the embodiments disclosed herein have been described with respect to a card game , the game may take numerous forms . in another form , the game may be played electronically , such that the game components and playing field are electronic representations of playing cards or other game pieces . an electronic form of the game may be played on any electronic device , either locally or on the internet or via an intranet connection , on a computer or a handheld electronic device , e . g ., a mobile phone , handheld computer , personal digital assistant , gps device , personal music player , and the like . although the game has been described as being played with two players , it may be played by more than two players , as individuals or as teams , or alternatively with just one player . although the word - forming game 10 and the equation - forming game 40 have been described as separate embodiments , the games may be played simultaneously , such that a first player plays the word - forming game 10 against a player playing the equation - forming game 40 . because of the similarities between the game components and rules , an equation can be played against a word without any change in the format or play of the game . it should also be understood that the game field may take the shape of many different media . for example , in a physical game , it may be a game board , game mat , or thin piece of paper . alternatively , as mentioned above , if the game is played electronically , the game field may be displayed electronically on a screen or other type of display . while the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention , those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims . | 0 |
referring to the drawings , fig1 - 6 inclusive show in step fashion the method of manufacture of the simulated rock cabinet or enclosure 12 which is the principle component of the speaker assembly 10 of fig7 . fig7 therefore constitutes a preferred embodiment of the simulated rock speaker assembly 10 and consisting primarily of the molded , hollow simulated stone speaker cabinet or enclosure 12 , having an opening 14 at the bottom of the cabinet or enclosure 12 closed by a formed cap or plug 16 . the hollow cabinet 12 is formed with a relatively large cavity or chamber 18 which is characterized by longitudinally spaced , generally vertical cylindrical speaker wells 18a and 18b within which a first speaker 20 and a second speaker 22 , are respectively mounted . the speakers are connected by leads 24 to a lower component or crossover 26 . the internal leads 24 connect component 26 to respective speakes 20 , 22 . the content and structural make - up of the simulated stone speaker assembly 10 will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter . initially , however , the method of manufacture of the speaker cabinet or enclosure 12 will be described in conjunction with the sequence illustrated in fig1 - 6 inclusive . the initial step is to prepare a rubber female mold indicated generally at 36 , fig6 . in the mold preparation a series of steps are taken in sequence . first , a model indicated generally at 38 , of fig1 and 3 , which may be a natural stone or rock 39 , is taken and mounted on a flat surface 40a of a board 40 . board 40 is employed so that registration of the speaker hole area 42 , 44 are all on the a common plane . the areas where the speakers 20 , 22 of assembly 10 are to be mounted are molded in plastering clay 41 to match the surface of the rock being used , fig1 with a plurality of small diameter vertical holes 46 drilled into the clay 41 . after the modeling of the speaker apertures 46 and filling and modeling of under - cuts 93 in the base 38a of the mold , the whole piece 38 is coated on its exterior with shellac and allowed to dry . as may be seen from fig1 and 2 it is subsequently necessary in using the finished female rubber inner mold 36 , to employ a special male mold insert indicated generally at 48 in dotted lines , fig6 to create a negative space 18 ( hollow ) in the interior of the molded speaker cabinet or enclosure 12 . the insert 48 is customized to each layout since each rock to be simulated is different and , the insert must therefore register with the molding of drill holes on outside of the rubber , female inner mold 36 . the outline that the male mold insert model 48 and the insert 48 &# 39 ; itself must take is shown in dotted lines at 47 in fig1 and 2 . the enclosure model 38 , after being coated over its complete surface which shellac which is allowed to dry , is then carefully coated with 25 coats of molding rubber 37 . the molding rubber may be cemetex # 83 , a molding rubber manufactured by the cementex latex company under that trade designation . in coating the shellac covered model 38 with multiple coats of rubber , it is necessary to allow each coat to dry prior to applying the succeeding coat . after some 25 coats of molding rubber are applied , the model 38 coated with molding rubber 37 is vulcanized under 140 ° f . for approximately 12 hours to cure the rubber . a cardboard divider 50 is provided with an interior cut - out 52 configured to the exterior surface of the rubber mold 36 while on model 38 . the divider 50 is shown in fig1 and 2 as extending longitudinally and centered transversely on model 38 although more accurately , it is centered on the model 38 after the application of the coats of molding rubber and vulcanization of the same to create the rubber inner mold 36 . the function of the cardboard divider 50 is to permit the creation of a rigid supporting jacket indicated generally at 54 , fig6 ( one half of which is seen as applied to the exterior of the rubber inner mold 36 and conforming to the configuration of the same ). by using a cardboard divider 50 , the rigid supporting jacket 34 is formed as two mating jacket halves permitting jacket 34 to be removed and applied exteriorly to the rubber inner mold 36 in forming mold assembly 70 , fig5 . prior to the manufacture of the rigid supporting jacket 54 , the model 38 bearing the vulcanized rubber inner mold 36 along with the divider 50 are coated with lacquer and allowed to dry . to form the rigid supporting jacket , strips of burlap 69 are soaked in wet plastic of paris and applied to each half of the lacquer coated rubber inner mold 36 . this is effected to each half of the mold to create removable jacket 54 formed of edge matching halves . after the plaster of paris sets and dries , the halves of jacket 54 are removed and the rubber inner mold 36 is removed from model 38 . the model 38 is no longer used in the manufacture process but of course , the discarded model may be employed later in the same or modified form by selective use of plastering clay 41 . the rubber inner mold 36 is then placed inside the jacket 54 whose sections are maintained closed by a rope or cable ( not shown ) surrounding the two halves of the jacket 54 in forming mold assembly 70 . the second major step in the manufacture of the simulated stone speaker cabinet or enclosure is the formation of insert model 48 , fig4 and 5 . the special insert model 48 is so constructed as to forming , preferably by plastic reproduction , a male mold insert 48 &# 39 ;, permit to create the hollow cavity or negative space 18 within the interior of the molded cabinet 12 during speaker cabinet molding . the mold 48 , and thus the male molde insert 48 &# 39 ; insert requires registering with the molding of grille holes on the exterior of the rubber inner mold 36 as the finished rubber inner mold is turned over borne by the jacket 54 so that its interior is revealed . as stated previously since each rock to be simulated is different , each insert model 48 must be customized to the desired speaker lay - out . in the illustrated embodiment , two speakers 20 , 22 are shown , positioned generally in line longitudinally and vertical offset within the simulated stone cabinet or enclosure 12 . the insert model 48 may be formed of wood including a pair of runners or beams 56 , upon which a rectangular wooden base block 58 is mounted , spanning a given width , with the beams 56 extending along opposite sides and being attached to the block 58 by nails , screws , or the like . the block 58 is provided with a flat top or upper surface 60 upon which mounts , in vertically upright position , a pair of laterally centered and longitudinally spaced frusto - conical speaker well defining blocks 62 , 64 , block 64 is slightly higher than that of block 62 and also being slightly larger diameter , fig4 . annular recesses are provided at 66 , 68 within respective blocks 62 , 64 to form reduced diameter portions 62a , 64a , respectively which project slightly above the base portions 62b , 64b of these blocks . the insert model 48 is formed of wood with tubular projections formed by blocks 62 , 64 functioning as tools sized to the speakers 20 , 22 to be used in forming the simulated stone speaker assembly 10 . the insert model 48 permits the creation of an internal male mold member cooperating with the rubber inner , female mold 36 to facilitate casting of the simulated stone cabinet or enclosure 12 which directly mounts the speakers 20 , 22 interiorly within speaker wells 18a , 18b , fig7 . the insert model 48 is finished to a high sheen and preferably reproduced in plastic as the male mold insert 48 &# 39 ; by conventional plastic molding . the actual insert 48 &# 39 ;, used in the mold assembly 70 of fig6 is of plastic and sized and configured identically to match the insert model 48 , fig3 and 4 . this insures that the plastic the molded plastic insert 48 &# 39 ; can be removed from cast body 74 , fig6 since , preferably the simulated stone cabinet or enclosure 12 is made from a hydrolytic material . the insert model 48 and the plastic reproduction insert 48 &# 39 ;, functioning as the male mold of assembly 70 creates the internal space or cavity 18 within the finished molded simulated stone speaker cabinet or enclosure 12 . model 48 is so designed as to form mountings for any size or shape electronic component to fitted internally within the simulated stone outer enclosure . such electronics may constitute telemetry , alarms , and the like in lieu of the speakers 20 , 22 , fig7 . casting of the simulated stone speaker cabinet 12 is achieved using mold assembly 70 as set up in fig6 . the molded plastic insert 48 &# 39 ; may be positioned in the upright position as shown . the rubber , inner female mold 36 is dropped into place onto and overlying the insert mold 48 &# 39 ; such that the small diameter circular projections 36a of the rubber mold 36 contact the flat tops of the frusto - conicol projections 48 &# 39 ; a , 48 &# 39 ; b of the plastic insert forming the male mold 48 &# 39 ; while , the horizontal rim 36b of the rubber inner mold 36 contacts beam portions 56 &# 39 ; of the plastic insert mold 48 &# 39 ; of the assembly of fig6 . as may be appreciated , the halves of rigid supporting jacket 54 are then fitted snugly about the exterior surface of the rubber inner mold 36 and , upon completion of the mold assembly 70 fig6 the assembly 70 is inverted prior to filling of mold cavity c between the plastic insert 48 &# 39 ; forming the male mold of assembly 70 and the rubber , inner female mold 36 which closely conforms to the interior surface of the rigid supporting jacket halves making up jacket 54 . various casting mxtures may be employed in the formation of the molded simulated stone speaker cabinet or enclosure 12 . cementious mixture may be made of various hydrolytic cements i . e . ; hydrostone , portland cement mixed with water and fiber glass binder and alkali proof mineral stains may be mixed with water , with the mixtures poured into the upended assembly 70 , of fig6 and allowed to set . hydrostone is a hydraulic cement manufactured by the united states gypsum corporation under that trade designation . the pigmentation of the simulated stone may be achieved by use of color batch mixtures poured into the mold cavity c and allowed to mix . further , a dusting of the inside of the rubber inner mold 36 with mica , glass , etc ., may be effected or by adding mica , glass , etc . in with the batch of the hydrolytic cement . various surface effects can be given to the cast body 74 . typical pigments include black oxide of iron for black pigmentation if desired , for ultramarine , pure and artificial red oxide of mars colors , cobalt blue ; for browns , umbers , sienna &# 39 ; s - yellow ochre , raw sienna , mars yellow , iron oxide ; for greens , chromium oxide and viridian ; and for white , white cement with mineral additions of zinc and titanium oxide , marble dust , etc . additionally , any synthetic acid and alkali proof dyes or additives may be employed . the concrete mixture may include color additive up to 10 % of its volume and the colors are mixed first with water to create a slurry and then added to the batch of hydrolytic cement . in the casting of cementious materials , such as that just previously described , hydrostone constitutes a high grade gypsum cement used primarily for high quality statuary casting . hydrostone has the strength of approximately 10 , 000 to 13 , 000 pounds per square inch and is ideal for a rk - 1000 cabinet 12 . with the rubber forming inner mold 36 within jacket 54 , the mold assembly 70 is set up on a flat surface , inverted from the position shown in fig6 . the plastic molded insert 48 &# 39 ; is then positioned within the rubber inner mold 36 with the insert 48 &# 39 ; registered correctly on the grilles 36a . preferably the insert 48 &# 39 ; is lubricated with a heavy paste oil lubricant such as a hydrogenated oil prior to positioning the insert internally within the rubber inner mold 36 . the insert 48 &# 39 ; is locked in place either with weights or clamps ( not shown ). a ring of chicken wire 72 is preferably positioned around the insert 48 &# 39 ;, within cavity c for reinforcement of the cost material and spaced from both models 49 &# 39 ; and 36 . the hydrostone may be mixed in the ratio of 35 pounds of water to 100 pounds of hydrostone or 1 - 3 by weight . each speaker cabinet or enclosure 12 requires different volumes due to the change in shape and size so there is no standard in total mass and only the water / cement mixture ratio need be kept constant . preferably , the hydrostone mixture is mixed in sufficient quantities for a single cast and divided into two or three parts with each part receiving a desired amount of a premixed color as an additive , with some color change . the color additives are mixed with three different volumes of the hydrostone mixture and all three batches of color added hydrostone mix is poured into the mold cavity c between the rubber inner mold 36 and the plastic insert 48 &# 39 ; and about that insert , at varying rates and volumes to achieve different coloration effects and swirls . all colored slurries from the original batch diffuse into one mass speaker enclosure or cabinet forming body 74 , fig6 . the chicken wire 72 acts as a reinforcement to prevent cracking under shock . after the hydrostone mixture material of body 74 sets , which takes about 17 minutes , the plastic insert 74 &# 39 ; is removed . the insert 48 &# 39 ; can be pulled from the upwardly open mold . thereafter , the molded material body 74 bearing externally the rubber inner mold 36 and the jacket 54 may be inverted and placed in the position shown in fig6 that is with the speaker cabinet body 74 repositioned in its normal upright position on the flat surface 76a of an underlying support disk 76 . in this position , the jacket 54 may be removed from the rubber inner mold 36 and the rubber inner mold 36 pulled from the molded speaker cabinet body 74 . the cast body 74 is then dried in a heated drying room for 12 hours at 120 ° and the speaker body 74 is then finished by tooling . in this step , the grille holes 46 are drilled through after having been partially formed during casting by way of the projections 36a formed within the rubber inner mold 36 in the two circular arrays s and s &# 39 ;, fig2 corresponding to respective speakers 20 , 22 , fig7 . additionally , during the step of finishing and tooling , seams ( not shown ) created by the junction between the two jacket sections for jacket 54 and the base 74a of the speaker body 74 are trimmed to provide a flatten bottom surface 74b and a circular recess 74c thus creating a shoulder 74d against which rests the top of the separately formed plug or cap 16 closing off the interior 18 of the speaker cabinet 12 . under these conditions the speaker cabinet or enclosure 12 is ready for mounting of the electronics . it should be noted that the casting procedure is basic to all casting materials using alternative materials such as magnesite cement , or acrylic . in the magnesite cement method , variously called plastic magnesia , calcite magnesite , caustic magnesite and lite burned magnesite may be employed . a mixture is made , for example , by mixing a calcite magnesite with liquid magnesium chloride in addition to cement colors and glass and marble chips ( and or other inert material ). this provides a finished , molded appearance which is marble like and translucent and is employed in the duplication of igneous and metamorphic stone . the imitation stone or rock speaker cabinet 12 may also be cast from any catalytic plastic resin by employing the above mentioned inert colorants and materials to achieve a stone like material . after drawing the cast speaker enclosure body 74 from the mold 70 , it may be necessary to provide a surface coating which is waterproof . since the magnesite and plastic material is inherently waterproof , no additional treatment is necessary . however , when the mass of the cast material body 74 is of hydrolytic cement or gypsum cement , it is necessary to provide such waterproof coating . a silicon ester coating may be applied by spraying the exterior surface of cast body 74 or the like to make that exterior waterproof . the coating preferably employed is a ucar silicate esp - e a product of the union carbide corporation . this product is a silicon ester of ethyl silicate polymers that bonds chemically with gypsum to consolidate with a porous cementious surface . after the cast body 74 is trimmed and dried , it may be sprayed with ucar esp - e and cured at 140 ° f . for 2 hours . it is this spray coating which helps prevent the speaker cabinet 12 from deteriorating under adverse weather conditions and is a key aspect of the manufacturing process . to complete the speaker system using the cast speaker cabinet 12 , it is required that the speakers be mounted internally within chamber or cavity 18 , fig7 and suitably connected to equipment within chamber 18 in addition to the speakers 20 , 22 by way of the access hole 14 within the bottom of the cast speaker cabinet 12 . typically , the electronics may constitute a three - way speaker system consisting of an eight inch polypropylene woofer , rated 100 watts at 8 ohms , a four inch closed back polypropylene mid - range speaker rated 70 watts at 8 ohms , and a piezoelectric tweeter rated 70 watts at 8 ohms . in addition , there is a three - way passive cross - over 26 custom made 1 . 5 wire wound cooper coil with the electronic components being appropriately electrically connected internally of the cabinet 12 via electrical leads or wires 24 . these wires may be of polyvinyl coated 32 wire per strand copper wire . the speakers , 20 , 22 , are coated on sponge surrounds and other water permeable parts with waldrom aa - 75 speaker cement a product of the waldron electric corporation . this speaker cement is made of polyvinyl chloride with aromatic ketons as solvents . as seen from fig7 the speakers 20 , 22 are mounted using a silicon cement gasket 78 between the speakers 20 , 22 and the speaker grills 45 . this operation is best performed with the cabinet 12 positioned upside down . with the speakers in position , and with the rims 20a , 22a , respectively , of speakers 20 , 22 , in contact with shoulder 12a of the cylindrical speaker wells 18a , 18b , respectively , hydrostone material is poured over the rims 20a , 22a of respective speakers and allowed to dry forming hydrostone gaskets 80 , integrally locking the speakers 20 , 22 in place in the speaker wells 18a , 18b . additionally , gaskets 80 make an air tight seal between the rims 20a , 22a , of the speakers and the speaker cabinet 12 , thereby eliminating vibration . cross - over 26 is mounted on the interior wall 30 of cabinet 12 with silicone cement or the like . an exterior cable 34 is passed through a hole 32 drilled within body 74 , into the cavity 18 . the hole 32 is sealed with silicone 33 after the speakers 20 , 22 and cross - over 26 are wired up . preferably , prior to the installation of plug or cap 16 , the entire inside of the speaker cabinet with the equipment in place is sprayed with automotive undercoat and allowed to dry . the plug 16 is constituted by a disk 82 formed of wood or other appropriate sheet material sized to fill the opening 14 and to rest against shoulder 74d at its periphery . further , the plug 16 has a layer of fiberglass installation 84 attached to the upper surface 82a of the disk 82 and the plug 16 may be secured within the opening 14 of the speaker cabinet 12 by silicone glue . after the glue is set , preferably a thin layer 86 of hydrostone is poured into the slightly recessed area within the base 74b , overlying the disk 82 . when the hydrostone layer 86 sets , the speaker system 10 is complete and the unit is ready for sustained outdoor use , providing high fidelity sound reproduction , under extreme weather conditions . | 7 |
fig1 is a perspective view showing an external view of a recorder of the present invention . numeral 1 denotes a printer housing which accommodates recording means therein , numeral 2 denotes a feed unit housing which accommodates a record paper and a feed unit therein , and numeral 3 denotes hinges of the housings 1 and 2 . the feed unit housing 2 is pivotable around the hinges 3 to move away from the printer housing 1 and expose the interior of housings 1 and 2 . numeral 4 denotes a console provided on a top of the feed unit housing and having a record condition display and function switches . numeral 5 denotes a window to allow monitoring of a record condition of a record paper . numberal 6 denotes a stacker having an open side on a front side f of the housing 2 , and numeral 7 denotes a stacker door which covers the open side of the stacker . fig2 is a perspective view of the recorder of fig1 with the feed unit housing 2 being opened to expose the inside of the recorder . fig3 is a sectional view of the recorder with the feed unit housing 2 being closed . numeral 10 denotes a printer ( recording means ) such as an ink jet printer disclosed in japanese patent applications nos . 244131 / 1983 to 244138 / 1983 filed by the present assignee . numeral 11 denotes a printer unit arranged in the printer 10 to make a record over an entire width of the record paper . numeral 12 denotes cartridge tanks which store inks therein and are removably loaded to the printer 10 . one cartridge tank for each of the number of colors of ink desired is provided . numeral 13 denotes a cap for recovering ink discharged when the recording head of the printer 10 is clogged or air bubbles are introduced therein . it is positioned below the printer 10 in the record mode . when the discharge ink is to be recovered in a pressure mode , as in the recorder shown in the japanese patent application no . 244131 / 1983 , the cap 13 is moved upward along guide rails 14 to face the printer unit 11 so that it absorbs the inks discharged from the head . numeral 15 denotes an air filter arranged at a vent opening ( not shown ) on a rear side of the recorder and the inside of the recorder . in a closed position of the feed unit housing 2 , the inside of the recorder communicates with the atmosphere through the air filter 15 so that the inside is protected from dust in the atmosphere . numeral 16 denotes a cord rack for mounting a cord from a cpu for controlling the recorder and the record operation , a rom which contains a control procedure , and a ram which stores control information and record information . numeral 17 denotes a power supply of the recorder and numeral 18 denotes a driver for the printer 10 and the cap 13 . numeral 20 denotes a paper deck for accommodating therein a perforated fan - folded paper p as a record medium . numeral 21 denotes a paper press spring to prevent the recorded paper p accommodated in the deck 20 from being shifted toward the printer housing 1 . numeral 30 denotes a lower paper feed roller driven by a motor m1 through a transmission mechanism t1 . numeral 70 denotes a press roller for pressing the record paper p to the lower paper feed roller 30 and has a larger diameter position at its axial center area to pinch the record paper p . numeral 80 denotes a lever for moving the press roller 70 away from the feed roller 30 . numeral 72 denotes side plates for supporting the opposite ends of the press roller 70 . each is pivotable around a shaft 73 . numeral 74 denotes a press roller arm having arms 74a and 74b , which is supported between the arms 74a and 74b by a pin 75 projecting from the side plates 72 and is pivotable around the pin 75 . by supporting the press roller 70 with the arm 74 of the arm 74a and spanning a spring 76 between the other arm 74b and an upstanding portion 72a of the side plate 72 , the feed roller 30 is pressed by the press roller 70 . at a position on the side plate 72 which is very close to the pinch position of the record paper p by the lower paper feed roller 30 and the press roller 70 , a deskew roller 90 is arranged . by contacting the deskew roller 90 to the entire width of the record paper p , the weight of the record paper p extending from the paper deck 20 can be supported and a wrapping angle of the record paper p to the roller 30 is increased . when the lever 80 is operated to rotate the side plate 72 around the shaft 74 , the press roller 70 and the deskew roller 90 can be moved off the feed roller 30 . the press roller 70 and the deskew roller 90 are included in the lower paper feed unit which will be described in detail hereinafter . numeral 100 denotes a decrumpling roller arranged on the feed path between the lower paper feed roller 30 and the platen 110 . longitudinal creases over the entire area of the record paper , originating from a perforation area of the record paper p due to tension acting on the record paper during the feed of the record paper , are removed by the decrumpling roller 100 , and the record is made on an entirely flat record plane . the platen 110 faces the printer 10 in the closed position of the feed unit housing 2 to form the record plane of the record paper p . the platen 110 has suction holes 111 and a suction fan 112 is arranged behind the platen 110 . the fan 112 is driven in the record mode to suck the record paper p toward the platen 110 through the suction holes 111 so that the record plane is maintained flat . numeral 130 denote an upper paper feed roller driven by a motor m2 through a transmission mechanism t2 . the record paper p is fed by the upper paper feed roller 130 and the lower paper feed roller 30 . numeral 140 denotes an upper press roller which cooperates with the paper feed roller 130 to pinch the record paper . numeral 150 denotes a stacker roller for feeding the recorded paper p fed by the upper paper feed roller 130 and the press roller 140 into the stacker 6 . numeral 152 denotes a guide member for folding the record paper p along the fold line or the perforation line to allow stacking of the record paper p onto the stacker 6 . numeral 160 denotes a convex area formed on the bottom of the stacker 6 , widthwise of the record paper p , that is in the direction transverse to the plane of fig3 . in the present invention , the convex area 160 deviates from the lengthwise center c by a distance ε toward the front f . in fig3 numerals 25 , 115 and 145 respectively denote a paper guide to guide the record paper p to the deskew roller 90 , a paper guide to guide the record paper p to the upper feed roller 130 and a paper guide to guide the record paper p to the stacker roller 150 . numeral 142 denotes a separation plate for separating the record paper p from the feed roller 130 and to direct it to the paper guide 145 . numeral 170 denotes a sensor for detecting the paper feed . the feed operation of the feed unit , which is separable from the recording means , is now explained . the record paper pulled up from the deck 20 by the feed rollers 30 and 130 is directed to the deskew roller 90 along the paper guide 25 having the substantially same width as the record paper . the weight of the paper extending from the deck 20 is supported by the deskew roller 90 . the skewing and snaking of the paper are thereby removed . thus , the lower paper feed roller 30 and the press roller 70 can feed the record paper p without causing skewing or snaking at the record position . the creases of the record paper p created by the tension during the paper feed are removed by the decrumpling roller 100 before the record paper p reaches the record position . the record plane is maintained flat by the platen 110 and the suction fan 112 . under this condition , the record is made by the printer 10 . the recorded paper is guided by the paper guide 115 to the upper paper feed roller 130 and the upper press roller 140 , separated by the separation plate 142 from the feed roller 130 , and then stacked on the stacker 6 through the paper guide 145 and the stacker roller 150 . in the stacker 6 , the concaved portion 160 is positioned forward of the lengthwise center of the stacked record paper p , that is , off the center of gravity toward the front side f so that the stacked record papers p are urged toward the back side b of the stacker 6 . accordingly , the stacked record papers are not biased to the front side by the shock caused by opening or closing the feed unit housing 2 . the stacked record papers therefore are not dropped from the open side when the stacker door is opened to allow the take - out of the record papers . since the feed unit housing , including the drive mechanism , can be separated from the recording means , the feed condition can be checked in the open position . fig4 is a view of the lower paper feed unit as viewed in a direction s in fig2 . numerals 78a and 78b denote bases to support the feed roller 30 , numerals 91a and 91b denote lock pins for positioning the press roller 70 when the feed roller 30 is engaged , and numerals 200 and 220 denote position adjusting mechanisms for adjusting the position of the press roller 70 relative to the feed roller 30 . those elements will now be explained . the sectional view of the lower paper feed mechanism in fig3 is taken along a line b -- b in fig4 . fig5 and 6 are a perspective view and a sectional view taken along a line a -- a in fig4 of the lower paper feed mechanism with the position adjusting mechanisms being omitted . the lever 80a is pivoted by the pin 79a projecting from the press roller side plate 72a . a button 82a is provided at one end of the lever 80a so that the operator depresses it when he / she intends to release the press roller 70 from the feed roller 30 . a pawl 84a , adopted to engage with a lock pin 91a and a cam surface 86a , are provided at the other end . a spring 92 is spanned between the end of the lever 80a having the button 82a and the side plate 72a to impart a clockwise rotation force to the lever 80a . numeral 94a denotes a block plate upstanding from the side plate 72a . a lock pin 91a , having a flat abutting surface , is held between the lock plate 94a and the pawl 84a so that a stable engagement is maintained . referring to fig6 a procedure to open and close the lower paper feed mechanism when the record paper is loaded is explained . in fig6 ( a ), the lock pin 91a is pinched by the lock plate 94a and the pawl 84a and the side plate 72a , which supports the press roller 70 and the deskew roller 90 , is secured . when the operator depresses the button 82a , the lever 80a is rotated counterclockwise , the lock pawl 84a is disengaged from the lock pin 91a , and the side plate 72a is pivotable around the pin 73a . the side plate 72a is then rotated clockwise as shown in fig6 ( b ) to open the lower paper feed unit , and the record paper p is positioned as shown by a double - dot chain line . then , as the side plate 72a is rotated counterclockwise , the cam surface 86a of the lever 80a is contacted to the lock pin 91a as shown in fig6 ( c ). as the side plate 72a is further rotated counterclockwise by the cam surface 86 is disengaged from the lock pin 91a , the lever 80a is rotated clockwise by the biasing force of the spring 82 and again assumes the engagement position shown in fig6 ( a ). thus , the loading of the record paper p is completed . the lever 80b is of the same construction and operates in the same manner as the lever 80a when the paper is to be loaded . fig7 and 8 are a perspective view and a side view of an embodiment of the adjusting mechanism 200 arranged on the side c in fig4 . the adjusting mechanism 200 adjusts the horizontal position of the press roller 70 . in the present embodiment , the horizontal position is adjusted by moving the lock pin 91a . numeral 202 denotes a fixed plate fixed to the base 78a , and numeral 204 denotes an adjust lever . a bent portion 204a of the adjust lever 204 is connected to the fixed plate 202 by adjusting bolts 206 and 208 . when the adjusting bolts 206 and 208 are driven in , the gap between the bent portion 204a and the fixed plate 202 is increased and decreased , respectively , so that the adjust lever 204 is moved in a direction h . numeral 210 denotes an adjust table having the lock pin 91a and a guide pin 211 formed thereon . the lock pin 91a and the guide pin 211 project into the base 78a through an elliptical guide hole having a major axis along the direction h on the base 78a . the adjust table 210 has a pin 212 projected therefrom and the pin 212 is fitted into a hole 205 formed at one end of the adjusting lever 204 . by adjusting the adjust bolts 206 and 208 , the adjust table 210 can be moved in the direction h to properly position the lock pin 91a to adjust the horizontal position of the press roller 70 . fig9 and 10 are a perspective view and a side view of an embodiment of the adjust mechanism 220 arranged on the side d in fig4 . the adjust mechanism 220 adjusts the vertical position of the press roller 70 . in the present embodiment , the vertical position is adjusted by moving the shaft 73b . numeral 222 denotes a fixed plate fixed to the base 78b . numeral 224 denotes an adjust lever which is pivotable around a pin 235 projecting from the base 78b and has an arm 224v extending in a direction v from the picot point and an arm 224h extending in a direction h . a bent portion 224a formed in the arm 224v of the adjust lever 224 is connected to the fixed plate 222 by adjust bolts 226 and 228 . when the adjust bolts 226 and 228 are driven in , the gap between the bent portion 224a and the fixed plate 222 is increased and decreased , respectively , and the adjust lever 224 is rotated around the pin 225 . numeral 230 denotes an adjust table having a shaft 73b and a guide pin 231 . the shaft 73b and the guide pin 231 project into the base 78b through an elliptical guide hole having a major axis in the direction v on the base 78b . the adjust table 230 has a pin 232 projecting therefrom and the pin 232 is fitted into a notch 225 formed in the arm 224h of the adjust lever 224 . accordingly , by adjusting the adjust bolts 226 and 228 , the adjust lever 224 is rotated around the pin 235 and the adjust table 230 is moved in the direction v . thus , the shaft 73b is properly positioned and the vertical position of the press roller 70 is adjusted . by the provision of the means 200 and 220 for adjusting the position of the press roller 70 relative to the feed roller 30 , the press roller 70 can be properly positioned relative to the feed roller 30 . such adjust mechanism may also be provided in the decrumpling roller 100 . fig1 a , 11b and 11c are a front view , a bottom view and a side view of an embodiment including the decrumpling roller 100 . in the present embodiment , the adjust mechanism of the decrumpling roller 100 adjusts the horizontal position . numeral 101 denotes a fixed base plate , numeral 102 denotes an adjust lever which is connected to the base plate 101 through adjust bolts 103 and 104 and pivotable around a shaft 105 projecting from the base plate 101 by adjustment of the bolts , and numeral 106 denotes an adjust table which supports the decrumpling roller 100 and engages unit one end of the lever 104 through the pin 107 . by this adjust mechanism , the horizontal position of the decrumpling roller 100 is adjusted so that the decrumpling roller 100 properly abuts against the record paper p to decrumple the record paper p . in the present embodiment , the recorder is an ink jet printer and the record medium is a perforated fan - folded paper . however , it should be noted that the present invention is applicable to any recorder having feed means for the record medium and recording means irrespective of its recording system or record medium . for example , the recording system may be a non - impact system as illustrated in the embodiment as well as an impact system and electrophotographic system having a photoconductor drum . the record medium may be rolled paper or cut sheets . appropriate rollers may be selected depending on the type of the recorder . while the feed unit housing is opened or closed relative to the recording means housing in the above embodiment , the relation may be readily reversed . | 1 |
a known delta - sigma modulator is illustrated in fig1 . an input analogue signal is supplied to a comparator 10 and from there to a feedback loop comprising a thresholder 20 , a delay 30 and a filter 40 . a one - bit signal representing the analogue signal is output by the delay 30 . the microphone according to embodiments of the invention uses a similar principle to generate a one bit signal directly from physical sound vibrations . in fig2 a diaphragm 100 vibrates in response to incident sound waves . the motion of the diaphragm is sensed by an interferometer formed of a light source 110 directing a beam of light via a beam splitter 120 on to the diaphragm . a reference beam is also diverted from the beam splitter onto a photodiode 130 . light reflected from the diaphragm is diverted by the beam splitter onto the photodiode 130 where it is combined with the reference beam and converted to an electrical signal indicative of changes in the position of the diaphragm . the electrical signal is processed by a thresholder 140 and a delay 150 before being amplified by an amplifier 160 . in other embodiments , two light beams in quadrature phase relationship could be used , to give an improved position sensing facility . the diaphragm 100 is positioned between two charged plates 170 . the diaphragm is electrically conductive , and so an electrostatic force is applied to the diaphragm by the interaction of the signal output by the amplifier 160 ( which charges the diaphragm ) with the charged plates 170 . this part of the device operates in a similar manner to a known electrostatic loudspeaker . so , by comparing fig1 and 2 it can be seen that the microphone acts in the same way as the dsm of fig1 except that : ( a ) the action of the filter 40 is provided by the mechanical response of the diaphragm 100 ; and ( b ) the action of the comparator 10 is provided by the opposite responses of the diaphragm to incoming sound waves ( an analogue signal ) and the electrostatic forces applied by interaction with the charged plates 170 . accordingly , a one - bit signal representing the incoming sound signal is output from the delay 150 . fig3 schematically illustrates a microphone according to a second embodiment of the invention . in fig3 several of the parts 100 , 140 , 150 , 160 and 170 are the same as those shown in fig2 . however , rather than using an optical position sensor to detect the position of the diaphragm , a capacitative sensor is employed . the capacitative sensing technique makes use of the capacitance between the diaphragm 100 and each of the plates 170 . a bridge arrangement is formed by connecting two further capacitors 200 , 210 , of nominally identical capacitance , across the plates 170 . a radio frequency ( rf ) source 220 is connected between the output of the driving amplifier 160 and the junction of the capacitors 200 , 210 . the frequency of the rf source is selected to be well outside of the audio band — perhaps 5 mhz . a differential amplifier 230 is connected across the two plates 170 , with its output providing a position signal for input to the thresholder 140 as before . an equivalent circuit is illustrated schematically in fig4 where the capacitance between the diaphragm 100 and the plates 170 is illustrated as schematic capacitors 171 , 172 . as the diaphragm moves to one side , one of the capacitances 171 , 172 increases and the other decreases . in this standard bridge arrangement , a voltage is developed across the inputs to the differential amplifier 230 indicative of the change in position of the diaphragm . this forms the position signal which is processed as described above with reference to fig2 . although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments , and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
as global warming appears to change the weather patterns throughout the united states and the rest of the world , it is said to increase the number of severe weather conditions . a more effective emergency alert notification is needed to alert affected people . as a result of disasters like those affecting new orleans , la . ( katrina august 2004 ) and greensburg , kans . ( april 2007 ) it is obvious that there is a requirement for a superior warning system for the public . the present invention proposes the use of mobile phones ( mps ), cell phones ( cps ), mobile wireless devices , wired and wireless internet connected devices , pdas , satellite phones etc . this concept is illustrated in this description using cps to notify people of dangerous incidents in a timely and accurate manner . such incidents are potential severe weather conditions such as tornados , hurricanes , floods , snow storms , tsunamis , wild fires etc as well as man - made disasters like fires , chemical spills , traffic pileups , abductions ( amber alert ), terrorist actions , educational institution shootings etc . another use of cell phones is in facilitating a family notification or reunion after the event , and in the coordination of individual and community disaster relief efforts in cooperation with the federal incident command system ( fics ) of the federal emergency management administration ( fema ). transmission of alerts is facilitated through a broadcast method associated with a stationary or moving rectangular box display (“ incident box ” ib ) on the cp via gps or geographical coordinates to selected cell towers in the affected area . this permits a much more focused approach to reach cell - phone carriers ( cpcs ) than employing area - covering tv and radio broadcasts . warnings and alerts are used interchangeably in this description . gps or geographical coordinates in the following are just called “ coordinates ”. each year from april through october weather conditions exist through northern hemisphere countries that may result in life - threatening situations . moisture - laden air from the warm waters of the gulf of mexico flow north , while cold air flowing east over the rocky mountains mixes with the warm air on top resulting in a shearing action . these actions are promoted by the coriolis force rotating counter - clockwise in the northern hemishere . this action results in a counter - clockwise rotating pattern leading to the formation of severe thunderstorms called “ super - cells ”, usually moving eastward . about 25 % of these super - cells evolve into tornados , classified from f 1 to f 5 by radar measurements of the speed of debris carried in a tornado . the highest wind - speeds have been clocked at 318 mph ( 518 kmph ) in an f 5 . inspite of warnings by radio and tv , it is evident that many people either don &# 39 ; t get the message or ignore it ( a possible sign of fatigue or even annoyance from too many false alarms ) or being asleep when an incident threatens and a public announcement is made . given the ubiquitous distribution of cell - phones with gps capabilities , a well focused higher resolution approach is possible using existing cell - towers in such affected areas : 1 ) warnings in stages by different acoustic signals 2 ) facilitation of family reunions after the incident . the infrastructure to implement this technique comprises ( besides the subscribers cell phones ): a ) a data - center dctr housing a first database db 1 of all subscribers plus their families and housing a second database db 2 of the coordinates ( in latitude and longitude ) of all cell towers as obtained from the federal communications committee ( fcc ), washington , d . c . a software program sw 1 , based on java or c with sql , sorts out a subset of cell towers which fall into and around a box - shaped incident alert area ib ( discussed later ) around the present coordinates of an incident ( super - cell , a tornado , hurricane etc .). the dctr also houses a database db 3 of pre - scripted software sw 2 for specific alerts , which are individually downloaded to subscriber &# 39 ; s cps and include the major roads and other landmarks in a subscriber &# 39 ; s environment . the data center also contains a database db 4 of short codes to be broadcast ( including coordinate info on an incident ) by a meteorologist operator to subscriber &# 39 ; s cp to trigger the specific down - loaded alerts . in addition within the dctr resides database db 5 for a set of confirmed alert responders now responding ( or not ) to the “ all clear ” alert ( discussed later ), which may be an indication of wide - spread damage to be reported to fema , and for supporting family reunions . b ) sets of cell - towers that , aside from their regular function , can be addressed for pre - incident downloading of individual software programs sw 2 from the dctr to subscriber cell phones and for the code word broadcasts to subscribers mentioned above . a cell band , at 700 , 800 or 1 , 900 mhz , ( federal communications commission ( fcc ) allocation ) has at least 395 voice channels plus 21 control channels ( see items 110 , 112 in fig1 ). each control channel and each voice channel consists of a transmitting and a receiving channel ( referenced to the cp , each of a 10 khz bandwidth ). the cp signal is received by at least one antenna panel of a circular or semicircular arrangement of a multitude of rectangular antenna panels on a high point like a water or power transmission tower or on a special purpose tower , in general called cell tower ct , at a height of about 10 m ( 30 feet ) above ground . a ct is a corner - point of a hexagonally shaped cell , about 2 - 10 miles from the next ct . simple signal strength comparison allows the localization of a mobile phone within a specific cell with one ct with the maximum signal strength reception ( ctm ) retaining the connection while neighboring cts with a weaker signal from this same mobile phone drop the connection . upon acquisition of the cp signal the ctm drops by remote control the cp &# 39 ; s transmitting power to a minimal level but with an acceptable signal - to - noise ratio . in general every ct periodically transmits about every 2 seconds a call signal (“ who is out there ?”) on a control channel to solicit proximate cps , even when not in use , to respond with a digital id signal comprising a changeable min ( mobile phone id number , the mobile phone &# 39 ; s three digit area code plus a 7 digit phone number , and an unchangeable esn ( electronic signature number , a 32 bit binary number assigned by the handset manufacturer , and stored in a cp &# 39 ; s read - only memory [ rom ]). the response of the cp to the ct &# 39 ; s periodic query in a turned - off state enables the cp to make its proximity to a specific ctm known to the service provider on a control channel , so for an incoming call the provider immediately can sort out from its database which ct to send the call to and it will not have to poll thousands of cts which would make economic operations unfeasible . in case of an incoming call the ct then assigns a voice channel to the calling cp for voice or text communications . the weather incident info comes via a data feed from noaa and other sources in the form of successive radar data maps with the peak activity center of a super - cell in white , surrounded by a red area . items 208 , 210 , 212 and 214 in fig2 show a time - sequenced display of ibs with the coordinates of the incident peak or center ( n . . . , w . . . ), its speed in miles per hour ( kilometers per hour ) and its direction ( 0 and 360 = n , 90 = e , 180 = s , 270 = w ). another way of arranging the ib is to determine first the direction and speed ( from two or more consecutive noaa radar peak coordinates ) in miles ( kilometers ) per hour . this info plus the coordinates of two opposing ib corners are processed by the dctr and appended to the alert code word . by trigonometric calculations and drawing ns and we parallels around the incident the incident box can be drawn on a cp carrier &# 39 ; s display ( see fig2 ). another way of arranging the ib as illustrated in fig3 is to determine first the direction and speed ( from two or more consecutive noaa radar peak coordinates , calculated and transmitted by the dctr ) in miles ( kilometers ) per hour . this info plus the geographical coordinates of two opposing ib corners are appended to the alert code word . by trigonometric calculations and drawing parallels and perpendiculars to the incident direction through the ib corner coordinates , the incident box can be drawn on a cp carrier &# 39 ; s display . the dotted line rectangles at the foot end ( 208 and 308 in fig2 and 3 respectively ) represent the “ all clear ” notification area containing all previously alerted cp carriers , now out of danger . by counting the diameter of the red - pixel zone around the peak zone and including some arithmetic a yellow - rim scalable incident box ( ib ) is drawn parallel to and along ns and we axes in degree minutes of latitude in the north - south axis and in degree minutes of longitude in the west - east axis . by trigonometric and time - sequence calculations the direction path and speed of the peak incident can be determined . the yellow ib moves with the peak activity zone of a super - cell similar to the movement of a computer - generated non - intrusion safety air space around an airplane guided by an faa air controller . if a super - cell spawns a tornado in addition to the display of the yellow ib , for the tornado &# 39 ; s lifetime , a red tornado ib of possibly different size is displayed ( tornados sometimes show unpredictable movements dependent on pressure differentials around their perimeter ). the alerts are going to the adults / adolescents of a family or selected members of the group to insure that each group member receives the proper alert via the family / group roster of cp numbers . the goal is to let a cp carrier see the incident coordinates in relation to their own location on her / his cp map display , thus enabling her / him to assess future action plans like collecting his / her loved ones , finding escape routes , rushing to shelters etc . the ib separates the “ take cover ” zone ( inside ) from the “ pay attention ” or “ stay away ” zone ( outside ). alerts are designed to provide redundancy . people in the path of the incident should receive at least two general warnings and two “ imminent danger ” alerts before the incident reaches their location , to account for people missing or ignoring it the first time ( e . g . at night time ). at least two different timings for each alert and at least two different pathways ( to the head - of - household , p 1 and to another mature adult / adolescent p 2 ) for an alert are provided and the cp transmission times in critical times are minimized by broadcasting short code words for different danger categories which trigger the pre - scripted warning software residing in individual cps . alerts may have several stages distinguished by different acoustic signals and code words that triggered the pre - scripted acoustic , video and text info : a ) a “ warning ” signal is issued about 20 miles around the geographic center of a super - cell ( yellow ib , see below ), updated every few minutes with new incident info ( see below ). hitting a subscriber &# 39 ; s cp at least twice before the super - cell reaches the cell - phone &# 39 ; s location , and assuming a realistic super - cell movement of about 30 mph , to be refined after the true super - cell speed is calculated . to avoid a nuisance , the cp carrier has the option to push a specific button to switch the second and following warnings to a silent text mode announced by a short beep . the exact super - cell data come from a subscription data feed from the national oceanic and atmospheric administration ( noaa ) in boulder , colo . the incident zone ( e . g . a supercell ) is displayed as a yellow ib on a respective cp screen . b ) a “ immediate danger ” signal is transmitted when a super - cell has spawned a tornado , even if its f - class is not immediately known and even if it has not touched the ground , as reported by the severe weather department of the university of oklahoma in norman , okla . a tornado warning has the highest urgency pitch . the yellow ib around a super - cell is overlayed with a superimposed red zone ib for the lifetime of the respective tornado ( usually about one hour or less ). the alert includes the incident update info . it can not be switched off to a silent text mode . the incident info includes the coordinates of the main incident activity ( north degrees , minutes and seconds , west degrees , minutes and seconds ) plus its speed and direction ) for the cp carrier &# 39 ; s gps ( ns and we aligned ) display plus the coordinates of diagonally opposed corners for a definition and display of yellow and red ibs . c ) an “ all clear ” signal indicates that a tornado or super - cell has moved past the location of the people having received “ warning ” or “ immediate danger ” signals , to inform them of the more relaxed situation but advising them to be alert to an unstable atmosphere ( lightning strikes still possible ). these areas are indicated by items 208 and 308 in fig2 and 3 , respectively . the all - clear areas have to be screened for endangered lives and damage . the all clear signal includes an inquiry asking whether the cp carrier needs immediate assistance . the cp &# 39 ; s response is sent to the dctr and distributed to the p 1 and p 2 and to the fema command center . if in a certain area cps responded to alerts but not to all - clear signal , it maybe an indication of wide - spread damage to be reported to fema or state offices of emergency services . all dctr signals are acknowledged by the software in the recipient &# 39 ; s cp back to the dctr ( on a cell - band control channel ) including a date and time stamp to assure proper delivery . the appropriate audio , video or textual contents of these alerts ( sw 2 ) are pre - scripted , programmed and downloaded ( at low traffic times ) to individual cps to be triggered and activated by a specific short code word broadcast simultaneously to all subscriber cps within reach of the selected subset of cell - towers and includes the incident info ( see above ). this short ( about 100 msec ) codeword plus incident info is sent to the subscriber and interrupts a possibly ongoing cp conversation for its duration ( which may be around 100 to 200 msec ). incident boxes ibs for different alerts can be static ( e . g . a college held hostage by a psychotic shooter ) or dynamic ( mostly weather related ). a dynamic incident box is configured around the center ( peak activity ) of the incident in a successive movement given by the coordinates of the dynamic incident . the width and length of the ib are determined by the red pixel width of the noaa provided radar image plus the ns and we components , respectively , of the speed and direction of the incident . they may be calculated between displays ( one every few minutes ) to allow for an early alert of about 30 to 40 minutes before the storm arrives at that location of the cp carrier . the box shape is generated at the dctr , with two defining diagonally opposed corners of an ib every few minutes for super - cell as well as for tornados , transmitted to the subscribers . upon signing up for the warning service the head of a household ( hh or priority person p 1 ) inputs into his cell memory the family status , birth year , name ( or nick - name ) and the ( cell or land -) phones numbers of all family members and possibly the radio frequency id ( rfid ) of chips implanted into their family pets . special info is included , e . g severe health alerts like heart conditions , diabetes etc . a mature family member p 2 copies that family info into her / his memory . a single person is p 1 of a household of one . a proposal is head of household p 1 , p 2 , fm x ( x = number of total family members including friends and pets ), p 1 &# 39 ; s and p 2 &# 39 ; s cp #, family address , then names , status and cp # of family members . the status designations are : a 1 - 10 adults ( including p 1 , p 2 ), t 1 - 10 teens ( in descending order of age ), k 1 - 10 kids ( age 6 - 12 ), f 1 - 10 friends , pt 1 - 5 pets , n 1 - 5 neighbors ( shelter for kids ). the family plus friends , neighbors and pets is called a group here . this info will be transmitted to the dctr and if p 1 determines the data beneficial to all family / group members it can be downloaded to all other family members ( downloads and alerts will be individually acknowledged back to the dctr on a control channel with a time and date stamp by the pre - scripted software in a cp carriers phone ). only family members receive the warnings , but the group including friends and pets participates in the reunion notification after the incident . upon the first warning all family / group members press a special keyboard speed button which initiates the transmission of each family member &# 39 ; s present coordinates to the p 1 and p 2 . this enables these two to depict the family member &# 39 ; s location in relation to the danger coordinates in support of prudent decision making about everyone &# 39 ; s safety . these data are also essential for after - incident rescue efforts and may be shared with fema , unless there is another agreement with the household head . in case of danger all cp carriers of a family will receive warning signals . this procedure enforces correct data entry , storage and acknowledged warnings . datacenter dctr also houses a database db 2 containing subscriber family info as outlined above , which may be used in a danger situation , a rescue operation and also in fire drills . for a hurricane the reference is the movement of the center of the eye . the diameter of the hurricane is the circle of the outer clouds and is related to the wind speeds there . a landfall occurs when the eye - wall touches the coastline tangentially . due to the counter - clockwise circulation one would expect at landfall northerly winds on the atlantic coast , southerly winds at the gulf coast of florida and easterly winds at the northern gulf coast . the danger comes from the wind force ( up to 220 mph for h5 hurricanes ) of changing direction due to the hurricane movement , possibly from torrential rains , but the most severe dangers are coming from the storm surge of ocean waters ( often up to 20 feet ), due to decreased surface pressure which can flood coastal areas ( katrina 2005 ). 80 to 90 % of hurricane victims die from drowning . the warning effort is important for a more accurate landfall info and should be informative for returning families as to which roads are flooded and which traffic jams to avoid ( possibly from satellite images and email info from counties around the affected area ). in case of a terrorist attack , say a dirty bomb , this warning system may be employed advantageously to warn discretely sensitive populations like pregnant women , medical personnel etc . to leave the radioactive plume area ( depending on the wind speed and direction ) to avoid panic traffic jams especially in bottlenecks near bridges . emerging from a passing danger zone or from an incident individuals want to be comfortable in knowing that loved ones ( family , relatives , friends , even family pets preferably identified by an implanted rfid tag ) are safe and within at least telephone reach . cell phones are uniquely suited for this task . since all cp numbers of individual families are stored in the memory of the p 1 ( as well as in the dctr ) including their coordinates , a family reunion can be facilitated , possibly impaired by the limitation of cp battery charges of individual cps . besides using cps an alert system can also be implemented using satellite phones ( sps ). a satellite transmission st does not suffer from signal attenuation by radio - beam - obstructing geographic obstacles and can reach a wider geographic area . while the cp scheme uses selected cell towers in the incident area , st operates by contacting sps in the danger area by their last known gps coordinates . the satellite broadcasts ( under the control of the dctr ) first a “ turn - on ” signal for the sp , then the ib opposed corner coordinates and speed and direction of a super - cell . each individual sp carrier then determines from its own gps coordinates the distance and direction from the super - cell . if the sp is not in the path of the incident , it disables the alert code reception for a certain time ( e . g . 5 min ). if certain criteria are met , the sp transmits to the dctr and its hh its min , esn and coordinates , date and time stamped . the dctr subsequently broadcasts alerts code words via satellite and the issue proceeds similar to the cp case . summarizing : the invention , by utilizing the details of mobile phone communications specifications , allows incident alerts to be broadcast efficiently and timely by code word to arbitrarily large numbers of endangered subscribers . family info is collected by heads - of - households ( priority persons p 1 and p 2 ) and uploaded to a database in the dctr for planning family safety , family reunions after the incident and for a possible support for rescue efforts . a pre - downloaded pre - scripted audio / video / text alert , co - located in a subscriber &# 39 ; s cell phone memory , reduces cell tower alert broadcast time . it is triggered by a broadcast codeword plus incident coordinate info plus time / date info , thus minimizing interruption of regular cell tower or satellite operations . the facilitating of family reunion messages ( acknowledgement of “ all clear ” broadcasts ) at least reduces the need for cell phone calls for the whereabouts of their loved ones (“ worry calls ”), a volume that may otherwise overwhelm the capacity of cell towers and paralyze the cell phone system . all alerts and messages are confirmed , by the downloaded software , back to the dctr , thus providing legal evidence and enabling feedback on fire drills . if in a certain area cps responded to alerts but not to all - clear signal , it maybe an indication of wide - spread damage to be reported to fema or pertinent state offices of emergency services ( oes ). all critical info including the yellow ( supercell ) and red ( tornado ) incident box coordinates are processed and broadcast by the dctr . | 7 |
referring to the drawings , fig1 shows the settling tank generally indicated at 10 to include a bottom 12 with upstanding front and rear end walls 14 , 16 respectively and side walls 18 . the inlet of the tank for untreated liquids is indicated at 20 and the outlet for treated liquid is indicated at 22 . arranged within the settling tank are vertically spaced decks 24 and 26 . while only two decks 24 and 26 are shown , it should be appreciated that any number of such decks could be used . these decks divide the settling tank into a plurality of horizontal settling layers or zones indicated at a , b and c respectively . just downstream of inlet 20 is a vertical baffle member 28 which extends substantially the full depth of the settling tank . the baffle is provided with a series of vertically and horizontally spaced openings 30 which define liquid inlets opening directly to each of the horizontal layers a , b and c . this arrangement insures that a portion of the liquid to be treated is introduced directly into each of the layers at the inlet end of the settling tank . by the same token , the settling tank has separate collector headers 32 for treated liquid disposed at the opposite end of each layer a , b and c , these headers all communicating with outlet 22 . thus , the liquid to be treated enters directly into each of the layers a , b and c through baffle openings 30 , travels the length of the tank and then exits through headers 32 and outlet 22 at the opposite end . during flow through the tank , solids and fine materials present in the liquid in each zone settle on to one or another of the decks 24 , 26 and the bottom 12 of the tank . with this arrangement , the solids present in the liquid entering through the baffle openings at the top of baffle 28 and into layer a have to settle only a relatively short distance on to deck 24 instead of settling the entire depth of the tank and on to bottom 12 . in the same way solids and fine materials present in the liquid introduced to layer b and c settle the relatively short distances to deck 26 and the bottom 12 respectively . in this manner , the settling rate and efficiency of the tank is improved over a like tank without the intermediate deck members 24 , 26 . in order to remove the materials which are settled on to the bottom of the tank and each deck , the present invention provides a floating siphon system generally indicated at 34 . the system includes a floating carriage 36 which is moved from one end of the tank to the other by any suitable drive means such as the reversable motor 38 and cable 40 shown in fig1 . the floating carriage 36 supports a plurality of siphons 39 , there being one siphon for each of the layers within the settling tank . each siphon includes a depending leg 42 terminating in a horizontal pg , 5 inlet branch 44 which extends transverse of the deck with which it is associated . referring to fig2 each siphon is shown to have an outlet leg 46 which is disposed to discharge the sludge and settled particles into a sludge removal trough 48 . as is well known in the art , the sludge removal trough is outside the settling tank and runs along one of the tank side walls 18 . fig2 also shows that in order for the depending leg 42 of each siphon to extend down to each of the levels , a clear vertical passage through each of the decks 24 and 26 is necessary . this is accomplished by having each of the decks arranged in left and right hand sections indicated by the letters &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; respectively . as shown in fig2 each of these sections extend from the opposite side walls 18 toward the center of the settling tank . each of the sections , then , terminates short of the center to provide a passage 50 through each deck so that there is a clear unobstructed vertical path through the center of the settling tank for the passage of the depending legs of the siphon . the horizontal branches 44 of each siphon then extend from the center of the tank outward toward each opposite side 18 wall so as to be able to sweep the settled materials from across the full width of each deck section and the bottom of the settling tank . as stated herein above and as is obvious from fig2 any vertical structure for supporting the deck sections which extends up from the bottom of the settling tank or from a lower deck section to the one above would interfere with the movement of the horizontal inlet branches 44 . in other words , there must be a freeboard area beneath each deck section to accommodate passage of branches 44 . according to the present invention such deck supporting structure is eliminated and the freeboard area is provided by making each deck section buoyant so they tend to float in the liquid . then , each section is prevented from rising to the surface by a cable 52 which tethers each deck section to the side of the tank as set out hereinbelow . as best shown in fig3 each deck section is formed by lateral and transverse members 54 , 56 respectively joined so as to form an open frame . each frame is supported and connected along one edge to the tank side wall 18 by a hinge member 58 . the open frame formed by these members is covered by a thin sheet of plastic or other suitable material 60 which defines the upper surface of each deck and the surface on which the settled materials collect . float members 62 attached beneath and at spaced intervals along the unsupported end of the frame provides the required buoyancy to raise the deck section about hinge 58 . tie - down cables 52 tether each deck section to side walls 18 . these tie - down cables are of a length sufficient to permit floats 62 to raise each of the deck sections to a substantially horizontal position . thus each of the deck sections is relatively simple in construction and has a slight positive buoyancy due to the presence of floats 62 , this buoyancy being counteracted by the tie - down cables 52 so as to maintain the deck sections in a substantially horizontal position without any supporting structure extending between the decks to block passage of siphon branches 44 . should the tank be dewatered at any time , these deck sections will simply swing downward about hinges 58 until the floats came to rest on the bottom of the tank . in operation , then , the liquid to be treated is simply introduced directly into the horizontal layers a , b and c through baffle openings 30 . the liquid travels through the tank and is removed through collector headers 32 at the opposite end . during flow through the tank the solids and fine materials present in each of the three layers settles on to the decks and the bottom of the settling tank . the siphon system 34 is then moved back and forth from one end of the tank to the other with the horizontal branches 44 removing the material which has collected on the decks and the bottom of the tank . the openings 50 provided by the spaces between the sections &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; of each deck allows for the free passage of the depending siphon legs 42 down to the bottom of the tank and free movement of the depending legs from one end to the other . in this fashion the sludge and other settled materials is removed from each deck and the tank bottom . thus , it should be appreciated that the present invention provides a relatively simple arrangement for dividing a settling tank into a plurality of horizontal layers for purposes of reducing the effective settling depth and thereby increasing the efficiency of the tank . due to the use of the floating siphon system for removing sludge from the various layers of the tank , the deck sections which define the layers can be relatively simple in construction as they are not required to support any weight other than that of the material which accumulates on the decks . the deck sections themselves are easily constructed and are simply &# 34 ; floated &# 34 ; in the liquid in the tank to divide the tank into a plurality of horizontal settling layers . being easily and simply constructed , the decks as described can be incorporated into existing settling tanks with a minimum of effort and cost . | 1 |
reference is first made to fig1 which shows in perspective view some of the components of the tube assembly 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention . the tube assembly 100 comprises a generally cylindrical tube 102 having an internal cavity 101 , a top cap 104 , a bottom cap 106 and a glass 110 . the top cap 104 and bottom cap 106 are shaped and sized to fit snugly within respective ends of the tube 102 . the tube assembly 100 may also have spacers ( not shown ) for securing the drinking end 109 and the support end 111 of the glass 110 within the cavity 101 of the tube 102 . the tube assembly 100 may also include a coaster ( not shown ) and other items ( such as a hockey puck or a baseball ). any or all the components of the tube assembly 100 may comprise a material that is suitable for embossing a logo or design onto . for example , the glass 110 , the top cap 104 , the tube 102 , the bottom cap 106 and the coaster ( not shown ) may all include a logo or design of a sports team , player or a company on any of their surfaces . such a configuration allows the tube assembly 100 to serve as a souvenir in addition to protecting and holding the glass 110 . as shown in fig1 , the top cap 104 includes a slot 105 that is sized and shaped to allow an object to be inserted through the slot 105 and deposited into the cavity 101 when the top cap 104 is disposed on an end of the tube 102 . for example , slot 105 may be sized and shaped for allowing coins to be inserted therein thus allowing the tube 102 to serve as a coin bank when the glass 110 is not in the cavity 101 of the tube 102 . top cap 102 and bottom cap 104 are held in the respective ends of the tube 102 by pressing the top cap 104 against the top ridge 103 of the tube 102 , and by pressing the bottom cap 106 against the bottom ridge 107 of the tube 102 . fig2 shows in cross - sectional view a tube assembly 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention , where the top of the tube assembly 200 is indicated by the direction of arrow 260 . the tube assembly 200 comprises a tube 202 having a cavity 201 , a top cap 204 , and a bottom cap 206 . top cap 204 and bottom cap 206 are sized and shaped to fit snugly in respective ends of the tube 202 . as shown in fig2 , a glass 210 is secured within the tube 202 . the glass 210 has an open , drinking end 209 and a closed , support end 211 . the top cap 204 and the bottom cap 206 are held in the respective ends of the tube 202 which prevents the glass 210 from falling out of the tube 202 while the tube assembly 200 is transported or moved . also shown in fig2 are spacers 222 and 232 that are sized and shaped to fit within the cavity 210 so as to hold and secure the glass 210 in place between the top cap 204 and the bottom cap 206 . the spacers 222 and 232 each have a support space 221 and 231 respectively for receiving the support end 211 of a glass 210 . as shown , the support end 211 of the glass 210 is resting on the support space 231 of the spacer 232 . the spacers 222 and 232 each also include a drinking space 223 and 233 respectively for receiving the drinking end of a glass 210 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , the drinking end 209 of the glass 210 is inserted into the drinking space 223 of the spacer 222 . optionally , a coaster 240 may also be included as part of the tube assembly 200 . the coaster 240 is sized and shaped to fit within the cavity 201 and is held in place between the top cap 204 and the spacer 222 . a user may remove the top cap 204 , the coaster 240 , the spacer 222 and the glass 210 and rest the glass 210 on the coaster 240 to protect the surface on which the glass 210 is resting while the user is enjoying a beverage . as with the embodiment of the tube assembly 100 shown in fig1 , any of the visible surfaces of the components of the tube assembly 200 shown in fig2 may be embossed , printed or otherwise provided with a logo or design . reference is next made to fig3 ( a ) which a top view of the top cap 204 . the top cap 204 includes an edge 303 that is configured to releasably engage with the inside of one end of the tube 202 . the top cap 204 generally comprises a flexible material that allows the top cap 204 to interferingly engage with and seal one end of the tube 202 when a small amount of force is exerted on the top cap 204 . as shown in fig3 ( a ), the top cap 204 includes a slot 305 that is sized and shaped for receiving coins , bottle caps , or other objects , and allowing these objects to be deposited into the cavity 201 . an individual may wish to collect coins or other objects in the cavity 201 of the tube 202 when the glass 210 is removed . in another aspect , the top cap 204 , the coaster 240 and the spacer 222 all have openings that align with the slot 305 allowing the coins , bottle caps , or other objects to be deposited into the cavity 201 even when the tube assembly 200 is assembled . fig3 ( b ) illustrates a top view of the bottom cap 206 of the tube assembly 200 . the bottom cap 206 includes an edge 307 that is configured to releasably engage with the inside of the other end of the tube 202 for sealing this other end of the tube 202 in a similar manner to the top cap 104 . bottom cap 206 does not include a slot or other opening as does top cap 204 . reference is next made to fig4 ( b ) which illustrates a cross - sectional view of a spacer 222 for the tube assembly 200 . the spacer 222 includes a support space 221 and a drinking space 223 . the support space 221 is configured to support a glass 210 that is inserted into the tube 202 . the drinking space 223 is configured to receive the drinking end 211 of the glass 210 as shown in fig2 . the spacer 222 generally comprises a material such as styrofoam that will not damage the glass 210 while the tube assembly 200 is being moved . fig4 ( a ) illustrates the drinking space 223 of the spacer 222 ( a bottom view of the spacer 222 as defined by the arrow 260 ). the spacer 222 includes a hole 402 for allowing air to pass through the spacer while it is being pressed into or taken out of the tube 202 . fig4 ( c ) illustrates the support space 221 of the spacer 222 ( a bottom view of the spacer 222 as defined by arrow 260 ). as shown , the support space 221 is smaller in diameter than the drinking space 223 . such a configuration is useful for securing glassware in the shape of the glass 210 . it will be appreciated , however , that the spacer 222 may secure any configuration of glassware , bottles or other dishes . for example , in another aspect , the drinking space is smaller in diameter than the support space for securing glassware such as a beer bottle . in another aspect , the drinking space and the support space are of the same diameter . reference is next made to fig5 , which illustrates the expandability of the basic structure of the tube assembly 200 . the tube assembly 500 comprises a tube 502 having a cavity 501 , a top cap 504 , a bottom cap 506 , glasses 510 , 514 , and 518 , spacers 522 , 532 , 542 , and 552 , and coasters 540 a , 540 b and 540 c ( not all shown ). the spacers 522 , 532 , 542 and 552 each include support spaces 521 , 531 , 541 and 551 respectively . as shown , the glasses 510 , 514 and 518 are each resting in the support spaces 531 , 541 and 551 respectively . as well , the drinking space 523 of spacer 522 receives the drinking end 509 of glass 510 ; the drinking space 533 of spacer 532 receives the drinking end 513 of glass 514 ; and the drinking space 543 of spacer 542 receives the drinking end 517 of glass 518 . as illustrated in fig5 , there will generally be one more spacer in any given tube assembly of the present invention than there are glasses in the same tube assembly . in another aspect , however , the bottom spacer ( spacer 552 in fig5 ) is not included . instead , the bottom cap 506 is molded of a material that receives the support end 519 of glass 518 . in this aspect , coasters indicated individually by references 540 a , 540 b and 540 c are included ( though not individually shown ) in the tube assembly 500 for each of the glasses 510 , 514 and 518 . in other embodiments , coasters are not included . top cap 504 also includes a slot ( not shown ) that is sized and shaped for receiving coins or other objects in a similar manner to the top cap 204 . in this way , the tube assembly 500 is useful for receiving and storing coins or other objects when the glasses 510 , 514 and 518 are removed from the cavity 501 of the tube 502 . fig6 ( a ) illustrates a tube assembly 600 according to another embodiment of the present invention . the tube assembly 600 includes a tube 602 having a cavity 601 , a cup 610 , a top cap 604 , spacers 622 and 632 , a bottom cap 606 and a coaster 640 . as shown , the cup 610 has a handle 612 and is accommodated within the cavity 601 of the tube 602 . for this example , the cross - sectional shape of the tube 602 is oval rather than circular so as to accommodate the handle 612 within the cavity 601 . spacer 622 has a drinking space 623 for receiving the drinking end 609 of the cup 610 . spacer 632 has a support space 631 for supporting the support end 611 of the cup 610 . in this aspect , the support space 621 and the drinking space 623 of the spacer 622 are the same diameter , and thus , are interchangeable . likewise , the support space 631 and the drinking space 633 of the spacer 632 are the same diameter and are also interchangeable . in this aspect , spacers 622 and 632 may be inserted into the tube 602 in any order , and without regard to the drinking end 609 or the support end 611 of the cup 610 . fig6 ( b ) illustrates a top view of the top cap 604 of the tube assembly 600 where the arrow 660 illustrates the top direction . the top cap 604 is oval in shape and is sized so as to be releasably engaged within a top end of the tube 602 . the top cap 604 also includes a slot 605 that is configured for receiving coins or other objects when the cup 610 is removed from the cavity 601 of the tube 602 . the top cap 604 includes an edge 608 to interferingly engage with the inside of the top end of the tube 602 . as shown , the top cap 604 and cross - sectional shape of the tube 602 are oval to accommodate the handle 612 of the cup 610 , however , it will be understood that the tube and other components of the tube assemblies may be any suitable shape that allows the desired drinkware , glassware and similar objects to be stored and secured within the cavity of the tube . fig7 ( a ) illustrates a tube assembly 700 according to a further embodiment of the present invention . the tube assembly 700 includes a tube 702 including a cavity 701 , a cup 710 , a top cap 704 , spacers 722 and 732 , and a coaster 740 . as shown , the cup 710 includes a drinking end 709 , a support end 711 and a handle 712 . the drinking end 709 is smaller in diameter than the support end 711 of the cup 710 . as such , the drinking space 723 is smaller in diameter than the support space 721 of the spacer 722 . similarly , the drinking space 733 is smaller in diameter than the support space 731 of the spacer 732 . tube assembly 700 also includes a coaster 740 in one aspect . it will be appreciated that other objects may be included with or in place of the coaster 740 in any embodiment of the present invention . for example , it may be desirable to include a hockey puck ( not shown ) in the space occupied by the coaster 740 to commemorate a hockey team , player or event . in another aspect , a baseball ball , golf ball or other ball may be included in the glass 710 of the tube assembly 700 that commemorates a baseball team , player or event . fig7 ( b ) illustrates a top view of the top cap 704 of the tube assembly 700 , where the top direction is indicated by the arrow 760 . as can be seen , the cross - sectional shape of the tube assembly 700 is square . the top cap 704 is similarly square - shaped and includes a slot 705 for receiving coins or other objects when the cup 710 is removed from the cavity 701 of the tube 702 . as in the other embodiments , the top cap 704 includes an edge 708 that is configured to engage with and seal the top end of the tube 702 . as shown , the top cap 704 and the tube 702 are square in shape to accommodate the handle 712 of the cup 710 . it will be appreciated that in other aspects , the tube 702 that contains the cup 710 could be circular in shape , as in the tube assembly 100 , or ovular in shape , as in the tube assembly 600 . it will also be appreciated that each of the tube assemblies of the present invention may be expanded to include any number of glasses or cups in a way similar to the tube assembly 500 shown in fig5 . for example , fig8 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention in which the tube assembly 800 can hold four cups indicated by references 810 , 812 , 814 and 816 . the tube 802 of the tube assembly 800 are square in cross - sectional shape similar to the tube assembly 700 , and therefore , the top cap 804 is also square and similar in configuration to the top cap 704 . referring next to another embodiment of the invention shown in fig9 , the tube assembly 900 holds two cups indicated by references 910 and 912 which are resting on spacers 932 and 942 respectively . the tube 902 of the tube assembly 900 is oval in cross - sectional shape and thus similar to the tube assembly 600 shown in fig6 ( a ) and 6 ( b ), and therefore , the top cap 904 is similar in configuration to the top cap 604 . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the tube assembly of the present invention may include any number of glasses or cups . in addition , the present invention is not limited to breakables such as glassware or ceramics , but may include cups , glasses , dishes or other items that are made of non - breakable material . glasses and cups have been used as generic terms to refer to several items that may be carried securely in the tube assembly of the present invention . it will also be appreciated that the tube assembly of the present invention is not limited to any cross - sectional shape such as circular , oval or square . for example , the tube may be shaped as a maple leaf or a star . the glasses held in the tube may also be of any shape , and may or may not correspond to the shape of the tube . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof . certain adaptations and modifications of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art . therefore , the presently discussed embodiments are considered to be illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description , and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein . | 1 |
the best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment , herein depicted within fig1 through 9 . referring now to fig1 through fig9 , a telescopically adjustable support brace 10 ( hereinafter “ brace ”) is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . the brace 10 is envisioned for use in maintaining a specified linear distance or width between two objects , especially two objects that may tilt beyond a vertical or substantially vertical position . by way of example only , and not a limitation on the scope of the invention as claimed , in fig1 , the brace 10 is shown in supporting two wall forms 100 to prevent tilting of the wall forms 100 toward one another . in fig2 , the brace 10 is shown in supporting two upstanding reinforcement bars 102 ( or re - bar as it is known in the trade ). the brace 10 comprises a linearly elongated crossbar ( generally denoted as 12 ) terminating at opposing ends 34 and 36 . the brace 10 also includes a pair of adjustable arms 38 and 40 , wherein each one of the pair of arms 38 and 40 is inserted at an end 34 and 36 of crossbar 12 and are telescopically adjustable therein . the brace 10 further includes a pair of cleats 42 and 44 , wherein each one of the cleats 42 and 44 is distally affixed to an arm 38 and 40 , respectively . the crossbar 12 comprises a first crossbar 14 and a second crossbar 16 pivotally coupled about pivot means 18 . pivot means 18 is envisioned as any mechanism that permits the first crossbar 14 and second crossbar 16 to pivot as required , the pivoting about pivot means 18 resulting in crossbar ends 34 and 36 assuming a lower profile position relative to pivot means 18 . included among the envisioned mechanisms are hinges of various types , pivot bolt 20 , or a lock 22 , or a combination of the recited mechanisms . the clip 22 comprises an elongated body having a head terminus and a tail terminus , wherein the tail terminus affixed to the first crossbar 14 or the second crossbar 16 . at an opposite head terminus of the lock 22 , a projection 24 extends downward therefrom , the projection 24 inserted into and impinged within a cavity 28 formed in the opposite crossbar 14 or 16 . the projection 24 and cavity 28 are coupled ( when desired ) in an impinging manner to maintain the horizontal integrity of the brace 10 during use . for illustration and example only , the lock 22 is affixed to second crossbar 16 and the cavity 28 is formed in the first crossbar 14 . along an upper or anterior surface of the lock 22 , a retention member 30 is provided for receiving wire ( denoted as w in the figures ), cable , rope , string , twine or other similar items . wire w , for example , is passed through the retention member 30 . the wire permits a user to manually pivot first crossbar 14 and second crossbar 16 , thereby releasing the brace 10 from between the objects the brace 10 supports . the incorporation of retention member 30 and wire is advantageous in use with concrete forms and reinforcement bar , wherein the user can safely and conveniently observe from a distance and then extract the brace 10 by tugging on the wire , releasing the projection 24 from the cavity 28 , resulting in pivotal collapsing of first crossbar 14 and second crossbar 16 , thus releasing the brace 10 from between the objects . a lock retainer or guard 32 may be included to further secure the lock 22 to the cavity 28 . the guard 32 is envisioned as being either permanently or semi - permanently affixed to crossbar 14 or 16 to which the lock 22 is affixed at the tail terminus and encompassing the lock 22 . as shown , the guard 32 is affixed about one or both of its ends to the crossbar 16 . to release the lock 22 from cavity 28 , the guard 32 is positioned so that a space or interstice s exists between the lock 22 and guard 32 . the space / interstice s allows the lock 22 to urge upward when influenced by tugging on wire w . upward urging of lock 22 releases projection 24 from cavity 28 , and thus releases crossbars 14 and 16 from one another . the guard 32 further prevents hyper extension of lock 22 and potential damage and / or failure of lock 22 in subsequent uses . the first crossbar 14 and second crossbar 16 each comprise a plurality of apertures 46 that traverse the respective diameters of crossbars 14 and 16 . the apertures 46 are provided to cooperatively correspond with a plurality of apertures 46 formed in arms 38 and 40 . alignment of the apertures 46 of the crossbars 14 and 16 with the apertures 46 of the arms 38 and 40 permits insertion of pins 48 to securely position arms 38 and 40 within the crossbars 14 and 16 at a fixed length . in an alternate embodiment , cotterless hitch pins 50 are used , wherein a user would remove the hitch pin 50 , releasing the impingement on arm 38 or 40 , thereby permitting telescopic adjustment of the arms 38 and 40 . in one envisioned embodiment , the apertures 46 are provided at approximately one inch intervals , although other linear intervals are envisioned . the intervals are envisioned as providing the greatest flexibility in allowing specific linear distances between objects , and in combination with the fine adjustment provided by the cleats 42 and 44 and shafts 56 and 58 , respectively , a user will be able to achieve precise linear lengths of the brace 10 for supporting objects upstanding at specific linear distances . the cleats 42 and 44 each comprise a plurality of recesses 52 for receiving a rod / bar 102 . the recesses 52 shown in the figures are formed from a v - shape , but other shapes and configurations are envisioned . the configuration illustrated by the figures illustrate the recesses 52 forming points , or crimps 54 provided for situations in which objects may be wider or larger than the recesses 52 in cleats 42 or 44 . the points 54 act to press against the objects ( such as concrete wall forms 100 ), bracing the objects and maintaining a fixed length or distance between the objects . the cleats 42 and 44 are envisioned as providing resistance to inward collapse of a wall form 100 ( in one example ) and for preventing lateral and longitudinal displacement due to shifting that may occur during use . the cleats 42 and 44 are affixed to threaded shafts 56 and 58 depending from the arms 38 and 40 . the threads 60 are provided to allow for fine adjustment of the brace 10 once an appropriate length is established . by rotating the cleats 42 or 44 about the respective threads ( the cleats having corresponding complimentary threads ), a user can perform minor adjustments in length about the brace 10 . the cleats 42 and 44 may also be affixed or coupled with shafts 56 and 58 via a coupling nut ( not shown ) therebetween , wherein the nut is permanently affixed to the cleats 42 and / or 44 and then receives the threads 60 from shafts 56 and / or 58 . in one envisioned embodiment , shafts 56 and 58 are coupled with arms 38 and 40 via a permanent attachment , which may be accomplished by welding or another similar means . in another envisioned embodiment , shafts 56 and 58 are coupled with arms 38 and 40 by alignment of apertures 46 formed in arms 38 and 40 with apertures 46 formed in shafts 56 and 58 and impinged by pins 48 or 50 . because the invention is particularly envisioned as advantageous in use with wall forms 100 ( or reinforcement bar used to reinforce poured concrete ), the brace 10 is envisioned as being commercially available in dimensions particularly suited for such use . as such , three sizes are envisioned : a minimum length ( between twelve inches and eighteen inches ), an intermediate length ( between eighteen inches and thirty inches ) and an maximum length ( between thirty inches and fifty - four inches ). these three sizes are intended to account for a majority of the fixed lengths between wall forms 100 ( or reinforcement bar 102 ) used on construction sites , spanning the desired thickness of the subsequently completed concrete wall . it is envisioned that the brace 10 is constructed from a durable and sturdy material , such as steel or other suitable metals , although hardened plastics are also envisioned . it is recommended that any excess concrete or cement , or other foreign material , that accumulates on the brace 10 is removed as quickly as practicable to prevent hardening of the material and damaging , limiting the use or shortening the useful life of the brace 10 , especially concerning the apertures 46 being plugged by material , or interference of the telescopic nature of the arms 38 and 40 . to use the present invention , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the brace 10 is adjusted to an approximate length spanning the linear distance or width between two objects , such as the wall forms 100 or reinforcement bars / rods 102 shown in the figures . adjustment is accomplished by removing the pins 48 or pins 50 so as to release the arms 38 and 40 from impingement with the crossbars 14 and 16 . the arms 38 and 40 are then telescopically adjusted . upon appropriate adjustment , the pins 48 or 50 are returned to impinge the arms 38 and 40 and crossbars 14 and 16 . the cleats 42 and 44 are then rotated about the threads 60 to finely adjust the length . a wire , cable , rope , twine or string is threaded through a retention member 30 at the top of lock 22 . when the brace 10 is no longer needed at the position it is set , a user can tug on the wire or cable , which pulls the retention member 30 upward , releasing the lock 22 from the cavity 28 , and thereby allowing the crossbars 14 and 16 to pivot upward and allow for the brace 10 to be removed from between the objects , the objects envisioned include wall forms , reinforcement bar , upstanding poles , rods , dowels , lumber , or other similar items . the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed , and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application , to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents . therefore , the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims . | 4 |
in one embodiment is presented a novel composition useful as a component in lubricating oil compositions . the composition comprises a hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound that may be used in addition to or as a partial replacement for conventional antiwear additives containing phosphorus and sulfur . the primary component of the additives and concentrates provided for lubricant compositions is a hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound . the term “ hydrocarbon soluble ” means that the compound is substantially suspended or dissolved in a hydrocarbon material , as by reaction or complexation of a reactive titanium compound with a hydrocarbon material . as used herein , “ hydrocarbon ” means any of a vast number of compounds containing carbon , hydrogen , and / or oxygen in various combinations . examples of suitable titanium compounds for use according to the disclosure , include , but are not limited to , titanium compounds derived from acids , alcohols , and glycols , such as titanium carboxylates , titanium phenates , titanium alkoxides , titanium sulfonates , and the like . such compounds may contain from about 5 to about 200 or more carbon atoms in a hydrocarbyl component of the compound . the term “ hydrocarbyl ” refers to a group having a carbon atom directly attached to the remainder of the molecule and having predominantly hydrocarbon character . examples of hydrocarbyl groups include : ( 1 ) hydrocarbon substituents , that is , aliphatic ( e . g ., alkyl or alkenyl ), alicyclic ( e . g ., cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl ) substituents , and aromatic -, aliphatic -, and alicyclic - substituted aromatic substituents , as well as cyclic substituents wherein the ring is completed through another portion of the molecule ( e . g ., two substituents together form an alicyclic radical ); ( 2 ) substituted hydrocarbon substituents , that is , substituents containing non - hydrocarbon groups which , in the context of the description herein , do not alter the predominantly hydrocarbon substituent ( e . g ., halo ( especially chloro and fluoro ), hydroxy , alkoxy , mercapto , alkylmercapto , nitro , nitroso , and sulfoxy ); ( 3 ) hetero - substituents , that is , substituents which , while having a predominantly hydrocarbon character , in the context of this description , contain other than carbon in a ring or chain otherwise composed of carbon atoms . hetero - atoms include sulfur , oxygen , nitrogen , and encompass substituents such as pyridyl , furyl , thienyl and imidazolyl . in general , no more than two , preferably no more than one , non - hydrocarbon substituent will be present for every ten carbon atoms in the hydrocarbyl group ; typically , there will be no non - hydrocarbon substituents in the hydrocarbyl group . examples of useful titanium alkoxides include , but are not limited to , c 1 - c 20 alkyl titanates , such as octylene glycol titanate , butyl titanate , polybutyl titanate , tetra - isopropyl titanate , tetranonyl titanate , and tetra iso - octyl titanate . aryl and aralkyl esters of titanium may also be used such as tetraphenyl titanates , tetrabenzyl titanates , dietheyl diphenyl titanates , and the like . examples of suitable titanates may be found in u . s . pat . nos . 2 , 160 , 273 ; 2 , 960 , 469 ; and 6 , 074 , 444 . titanium salts of carboxylic acids may be made by reacting the alkali metal salt aqueous solution of an organic acid , the amine salt aqueous solution of the organic acid , and / or the ammonium salt aqueous solution of the organic acid with the aqueous solution of titanium tetrachloride and subsequently oxidizing the reaction product . examples of titanium salts of carboxylic acids include , but are not limited to , titanium salts of formic , acetic , proprionic , buyric , valeric , caproic , caprylic , lauric , myristic , palmitic , stearic , oleic , linoleic , linolenic , cyclohexanecarboxylic , phenylacetic , benzoic , neodecanoic acids , and the like . other titanium organic compounds that may be used include , but are not limited to titanium phenates , titanium salicylates , titanium phosphates , and sulphurized titanium phenates , wherein each aromatic group has one or more aliphatic groups to impart hydrocarbon solubility ; the basic salts of any of the foregoing phenols or sulphurized phenols ( often referred to as “ overbased ” phenates or “ overbased sulphurized phenates ”); and titanium sulfonates wherein each sulphonic acid moiety is attached to an aromatic nucleus which in turn usually contains one or more aliphatic substituents to impart hydrocarbon solubility ; the highly basic salts of any of the foregoing sulfonates ( often referred to as “ overbased sulfonates ”. the sulfonates , salicylates , phosphates , and phenates described above may include sodium , potassium , calcium , and / or magnesium sulfonates and phenates in combination with the titanium sulfonates , salicylates , phosphates , and phenates . the hydrocarbon soluble titanium compounds of the embodiments described herein are advantageously incorporated into lubricating compositions . the titanium compounds may be added directly to the lubricating oil composition . in one embodiment , however , they are diluted with a substantially inert , normally liquid organic diluent such as mineral oil , synthetic oil ( e . g ., ester of dicarboxylic acid ), naptha , alkylated ( e . g ., c10 - c13 alkyl ) benzene , toluene or xylene to form an additive concentrate . the titanium additive concentrates usually contain from about 0 % to about 99 % by weight diluent oil . in the preparation of lubricating oil formulations it is common practice to introduce the additives in the form of 1 to 99 wt . % active ingredient concentrates in hydrocarbon oil , e . g . mineral lubricating oil , or other suitable solvent . usually these concentrates may be added with 0 . 05 to 10 parts by weight of lubricating oil per part by weight of the additive package in forming finished lubricants , e . g . crankcase motor oils . the purpose of concentrates , of course , is to make the handling of the various materials less difficult and awkward as well as to facilitate solution or dispersion in the final blend . lubricant compositions made with the hydrocarbon soluble titanium additive described above are used in a wide variety of applications . for compression ignition engines and spark ignition engines , it is preferred that the lubricant compositions meet or exceed published gf - 4 or api - ci - 4 standards . lubricant compositions according to the foregoing gf - 4 or api - ci - 4 standards include a base oil and an oil additive package to provide a fully formulated lubricant . the base oil for lubricants according to the disclosure is an oil of lubricating viscosity selected from natural lubricating oils , synthetic lubricating oils and mixtures thereof . such base oils include those conventionally employed as crankcase lubricating oils for spark - ignited and compression - ignited internal combustion engines , such as automobile and truck engines , marine and railroad diesel engines , and the like . natural oils include animal oils and vegetable oils ( e . g ., castor oil , lard oil ), liquid petroleum oils and hydrorefined , solvent - treated or acid - treated mineral lubricating oils of the paraffinic , naphthenic and mixed paraffinic - naphthenic types . oils of lubricating viscosity derived from coal or shale are also useful base oils . the synthetic lubricating oils used in this invention include one of any number of commonly used synthetic hydrocarbon oils , which include , but are not limited to , poly - alpha - olefins , alkylated aromatics , alkylene oxide polymers , interpolymers , copolymers and derivatives thereof here the terminal hydroxyl groups have been modified by esterification , etherification etc , esters of dicarboxylic acids and silicon - based oils . fully formulated lubricants conventionally contain an additive package , referred to herein as a dispersant / inhibitor package or di package , that will supply the characteristics that are required in the formulations . suitable di packages are described for example in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 204 , 012 and 6 , 034 , 040 for example . among the types of additives included in the additive package are detergents , dispersants , friction modifiers , seal swell agents , antioxidants , foam inhibitors , lubricity agents , rust inhibitors , corrosion inhibitors , demulsifiers , viscosity index improvers , and the like . several of these components are well known to those skilled in the art and are preferably used in conventional amounts with the additives and compositions described herein . for example , ashless dispersants include an oil soluble polymeric hydrocarbon backbone having functional groups that are capable of associating with particles to be dispersed . typically , the dispersants comprise amine , alcohol , amide , or ester polar moieties attached to the polymer backbone often via a bridging group . the ashless dispersants may be , for example , selected from oil soluble salts , esters , amino - esters , amides , imides , and oxazolines of long chain hydrocarbon substituted mono and dicarboxylic acids or their anhydrides ; thiocarboxylate derivatives of long chain hydrocarbons ; long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons having a polyamine attached directly thereto ; and mannich condensation products formed by condensing a long chain substituted phenol with formaldehyde and a polyalkylene polyamine . viscosity modifiers ( vm ) function to impart high and low temperature operability to a lubricating oil . the vm used may have that sole function , or may be multifunctional . multifunctional viscosity modifiers that also function as dispersants are also known . suitable viscosity modifiers are polyisobutylene , copolymers of ethylene and propylene and higher alpha - olefins , polymethacrylates , polyalkylmethacrylates , methacrylate copolymers , copolymers of an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid and a vinyl compound , inter polymers of styrene and acrylic esters , and partially hydrogenated copolymers of styrene / isoprene , styrene / butadiene , and isoprene / butadiene , as well as the partially hydrogenated homopolymers of butadiene and isoprene and isoprene / divinylbenzene . oxidation inhibitors or antioxidants reduce the tendency of base stocks to deteriorate in service which deterioration can be evidenced by the products of oxidation such as sludge and varnish - like deposits on the metal surfaces and by viscosity growth . such oxidation inhibitors include hindered phenols , alkaline earth metal salts of alkylphenolthioesters having preferably c 5 to c 12 alkyl side chains , calcium nonylphenol sulfide , ashless oil soluble phenates and sulfurized phenates , phosphosulfurized or sulfurized hydrocarbons , phosphorus esters , metal thiocarbamates and oil soluble copper compounds as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 867 , 890 . rust inhibitors selected from the group consisting of nonionic polyoxyalkylene polyols and esters thereof , polyoxyalkylene phenols , and anionic alkyl sulfonic acids may be used . a small amount of a demulsifying component may be used . a preferred demulsifying component is described in ep 330 , 522 . it is obtained by reacting an alkylene oxide with an adduct obtained by reacting a bis - epoxide with a polyhydric alcohol . the demulsifier should be used at a level not exceeding 0 . 1 mass % active ingredient . a treat rate of 0 . 001 to 0 . 05 mass % active ingredient is convenient . pour point depressants , otherwise known as lube oil flow improvers , lower the minimum temperature at which the fluid will flow or can be poured . such additives are well known . typical of those additives which improve the low temperature fluidity of the fluid are c 8 to c 18 dialkyl fumarate / vinyl acetate copolymers , polyalkylmethacrylates and the like . foam control can be provided by many compounds including an antifoamant of the polysiloxane type , for example , silicone oil or polydimethyl siloxane . seal swell agents , as described , for example , in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 794 , 081 and 4 , 029 , 587 , may also be used . each of the foregoing additives , when used , is used at a functionally effective amount to impart the desired properties to the lubricant . thus , for example , if an additive is a corrosion inhibitor , a functionally effective amount of this corrosion inhibitor would be an amount sufficient to impart the desired corrosion inhibition characteristics to the lubricant . generally , the concentration of each of these additives , when used , ranges up to about 20 % by weight based on the weight of the lubricating oil composition , and in one embodiment from about 0 . 001 % to about 20 % by weight , and in one embodiment about 0 . 01 % to about 10 % by weight based on the weight of the lubricating oil composition . the titanium compound additives may be added directly to the lubricating oil composition . in one embodiment , however , they are diluted with a substantially inert , normally liquid organic diluent such as mineral oil , synthetic oil , naphtha , alkylated ( e . g . c10 - c13 alkyl ) benzene , toluene or xylene to form an additive concentrate . these concentrates usually contain from about 1 % to about 100 % by weight and in one embodiment about 10 % to about 90 % by weight of the titanium compound . base oils suitable for use in formulating the compositions , additives and concentrates described herein may be selected from any of the synthetic or natural oils or mixtures thereof . the synthetic base oils include alkyl esters of dicarboxylic acids , polyglycols and alcohols , poly - alpha - olefins , including polybutenes , alkyl benzenes , organic esters of phosphoric acids , and polysilicone oils . natural base oils include mineral lubrication oils which may vary widely as to their crude source , e . g ., as to whether they are paraffinic , naphthenic , or mixed paraffinic - naphthenic . the base oil typically has a viscosity of about 2 . 5 to about 15 cst and preferably about 2 . 5 to about 11 cst at 110 ° c . accordingly , the base oil used which may be used may be selected from any of the base oils in groups i - v as specified in the american petroleum institute ( api ) base oil interchangeability guidelines . such base oil groups are as follows : the additives used in formulating the compositions described herein can be blended into the base oil individually or in various sub - combinations . however , it is preferable to blend all of the components concurrently using an additive concentrate ( i . e ., additives plus a diluent , such as a hydrocarbon solvent ). the use of an additive concentrate takes advantage of the mutual compatibility afforded by the combination of ingredients when in the form of an additive concentrate . also , the use of a concentrate reduces blending time and lessens the possibility of blending errors . the embodiments provide a lubricating oil for internal combustion engines in which the concentration of the added hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound is relatively low , providing from about 50 to about 500 parts per million ( ppm ) titanium in terms of elemental titanium in the oil . in one embodiment , the titanium compound is present in the lubricating oil compositions in an amount sufficient to provide from about 100 to about 200 ppm titanium metal , and in a further embodiment from about 120 to about 180 ppm titanium metal . the following example is given for the purpose of exemplifying aspects of the embodiments and is not intended to limit the embodiments in any way . thirteen fully formulated lubricant compositions were made and the wear properties of the compositions were compared using a four ball wear test according to european test code ip - 239 . each of the lubricant compositions contained a conventional di package providing 11 percent by weight of the lubricant composition . the di package contained conventional amounts of detergents , dispersants , antiwear additives , friction modifiers , antifoam agents , and antioxidants . the formulations also contained about 0 . 1 percent by weight pour point depressant , about 11 . 5 percent by weight olefin copolymer viscosity index improver , about 62 to 63 percent by weight 150 solvent neutral oil , about 14 . 5 percent by weight 600 solvent neutral oil . sample 1 contained no titanium compound . samples 2 - 13 contained titanium compounds in amounts sufficient to provide about 80 to about 200 ppm titanium metal . the samples was tested in the lubricant formulation using a four ball wear test at room temperature , for 60 minutes at an rpm of 1475 using a 40 kilogram weight . the formulations and results are given in the following table . t - cen is a titanium neodecanoate from om group , inc . of newark , new jersey and contains about 6 . 7 % by weight titanium metal . kr - tts is titanium iv 2 - propanolato , tris isooctadecanoate - o from kenrich petrochemicals , inc . of bayonne , new jersey and contains about 5 . 5 % titanium metal . lica - 01 is titanium iv 2 , 2 ( bis 2 - proenolatomethyl ) butanolato , tris neodecanoate - o from kenrich petrochemicals , inc . and contains about 5 . 8 % titanium metal . kr - 12 is titanuim iv 2 - propanolato , tris ( dioctyl ) phosphato - o , from kenrich petrochemicals , inc . and contains about 3 . 1 % titanium metal . kr - 9s is titanium iv 2 - propanolato , tris ( dodecyl ) benzenesulfanato - o , from kenrich petrochemicals , inc . and contains about 3 . 5 % titanium metal . ppd is a pour point depressant from afton chemical corporation of richmond virginia , under the trade name hitec ® 672 . as illustrated by the foregoing results , samples 2 - 13 containing from about 80 to about 200 ppm titanium metal in the form of a hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound significantly outperformed a conventional lubricant composition containing no titanium metal . sample 1 containing no titanium metal had a wear scar diameter of about 0 . 65 millimeters whereas the other samples containing titanium had wear scar diameters ranging from about 0 . 35 to about 0 . 47 millimeters . it is expected that formulations containing from about 50 to about 500 ppm titanium metal in the form of a hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound will enable a reduction in conventional phosphorus and sulfur antiwear agents thereby improving the performance of pollution control equipment on vehicles while achieving a similar antiwear performance or benefit . at numerous places throughout this specification , reference has been made to a number of u . s . patents . all such cited documents are expressly incorporated in full into this disclosure as if fully set forth herein . the foregoing embodiments are susceptible to considerable variation in its practice . accordingly , the embodiments are not intended to be limited to the specific exemplifications set forth hereinabove . rather , the foregoing embodiments are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims , including the equivalents thereof available as a matter of law . the patentees do not intend to dedicate any disclosed embodiments to the public , and to the extent any disclosed modifications or alterations may not literally fall within the scope of the claims , they are considered to be part hereof under the doctrine of equivalents . | 2 |
certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the structure , function , manufacture , and use of the devices and methods disclosed herein . one or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . those of skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non - limiting exemplary embodiments and that the scope of the present invention is defined solely by the claims . the features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments . such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention . the present invention generally provides devices and methods for handling data related to implantable distension devices . the distension device may also be adjustable . exemplary non - limiting examples of adjustable implantable distension devices ( e . g ., satiation and satiety inducing gastric implants ), optimal design features , as well as methods for installing and removing them are described in commonly owned and pending u . s . patent application ser . no . ______ , filed on even date herewith and entitled “ devices and methods for adjusting a satiation and satiety - inducing implanted device ” [ atty . docket no . end6514usnp ], which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . in one embodiment , a distension system for forming a distension in a patient is provided that includes an implantable distension device that can cause a distension in a patient and an implantable sensing device in communication with the implantable distension device . the implantable sensing device can sense a clinically relevant parameter related to the implantable distension device and communicate a selected portion of data to an external device considering a variation of data from a nominal parameter value related to the implantable distension device . by way of a non - limiting list , the parameter can include at least one of , for example , stomach ph , pressure , pulse count , pulse width , and amplitude . in some embodiments , the selected portion of data is compressed prior to communication of the selected portion of data to the external device . the sensing device can be implemented in a variety of ways . for example , the sensing device can communicate data to the external device when the external device telemetrically provides at least some power to the sensing device . as another example , the sensing device can discard data that substantially equals a nominal value . for yet another example , the sensing device can communicate a selected portion of data based on whether the data includes a value within a defined range of values . as still another example , the sensing device can compare data with a nominal value . for another example , the sensing device can store the selected portion of data prior to communication of the selected portion of data to the external device . in another embodiment , a distension system for forming a distension in a patient includes an implantable distension device that can cause a distension in a patient &# 39 ; s stomach , an implantable pressure sensing device in communication with the implantable distension device that can sense a pressure within the implantable distension device , and a processor ( which can be included in the implantable pressure sensing device ) that can determine whether to store any of the sensed pressure data prior to communicating any of the sensed pressure data to an external reading device . the processor , in some embodiments , can have a download of stored data to the external reading device triggered when the external reading device is moved in proximity of the implantable pressure sensing device . in some embodiments , the system can also include an external storage mechanism that can store sensed pressure data , communicate stored pressure data to an external device , and , optionally , be removably attached to the patient . in other aspects , a method of forming a distension in a patient is provided . the method includes using an implantable pressure sensing device to obtain pressure data related to a pressure within an implantable distension device that can cause a distension in a patient , storing at least a portion of obtained pressure data at the implantable pressure sensing device , and triggering a download of stored pressure data when an external device is moved in proximity of the implantable pressure sensing device . the obtained pressure data stored at the implantable pressure sensing device can include pressure values that exceed a nominal pressure within the implantable distension device . in some embodiments , the method can also include compressing at least a portion of obtained pressure data prior to storing the at least a portion of the obtained pressure data at the implantable pressure sensing device . the compression can be performed using at least one compression technique , such as storing difference values , using a quantization table , using run - length coding , and using huffman coding . in another embodiment , a method of forming a distension in a patient includes obtaining pressure data related to a pressure within an implantable distension device that can cause a distension in a patient . in some embodiments , obtaining pressure data includes reducing a rate of pressure data gathering during a determined period . the method further includes determining a portion of the pressure data to retain prior to communicating pressure data to an external reading device . determining a portion of the pressure data to retain can include determining if any of the obtained pressure data includes a value within a defined range of pressure values , determining to retain any of the obtained pressure data that exceeds a nominal pressure within the implantable distension device , and / or processing the obtained pressure data using a pressure sensing device ( e . g ., a processor ) coupled to the implantable distension device and configured to obtain the pressure data . an alert for communication to the external reading device can be generated if any of the obtained pressure data includes a value that exceeds a threshold pressure value . in some embodiments , the method also includes storing only the portion of the pressure data determined to be retained prior to communicating pressure data to the external reading device . in still other embodiments , the method also includes compressing the portion of the pressure data determined to be retained prior to storing the portion of the pressure data determined to be retained . in yet another embodiment , a method of forming a distension in a patient includes using an implantable pressure sensing device to obtain pressure data related to a pressure within an implantable distension device that can cause a distension in a patient , storing the obtained pressure data at the implantable pressure sensing device , and compressing the obtained pressure data prior to storing the obtained pressure data . the obtained pressure data can be compressed using at least one compression technique , such as storing difference values , using a quantization table , using run - length coding , and using huffman coding . the method can also include communicating at least a portion of the compressed and stored pressure data from the pressure sensing device to an external device . it is understood that whereas pressure may be measured and stored , a variety of other parameters including peristaltic pulse count , pulse width , pulse amplitude , pulse duration , ph , temperature , acceleration and other relevant physiologic parameters . the present invention generally provides devices and methods for handling data related to implantable distension devices . in general , the devices and methods allow collection , analysis , storage , and transmission of measurements related to any parameter related to implantable distension devices , such as pressure , pulse count , pulse width , and amplitude , ph , temperature , acceleration and other physiologically relevant parameters . while the methods and devices discussed herein can relate to any sensed data parameter , in an exemplary embodiment , the measurements relate to pressure . pressure measurements can help accurately evaluate the performance of and determine any advisable pressure adjustments of an implantable distension device , but not all collected pressure data may be helpful in making such evaluations and determinations . furthermore , handling pressure measurement data can drain power resources of an implantable distension system and can use costly , physically bulky , and electronically large data storage space . pressure measurement data can be compressed before storing it , thereby using less storage space , time , power , and / or bandwidth for communication than for the corresponding , uncompressed data . pressure measurement data can also be compressed prior to communication . the data can be compressed and directly transmitted , or the compressed data stored in memory can be recalled and communicated wirelessly when interrogated . additionally , not all pressure data need be recorded or retained . not recording or retaining all pressure data , such as data substantially equaling a resting or nominal pressure of the implantable distension device indicative of little to no pressure variation and data indicative of isolated , non - recurring events , can save storage space for potentially more analytically valuable pressure measurement data and reduce the amount of physical and / or electronic storage space used for pressure measurements . any pressure measurement data that is recorded can be transmitted to an external device using power telemetrically provided or inductively coupled by the external device , thereby reducing or eliminating power supply resources local to the storage location of recorded data . while the present invention can be used with a variety of distension systems known in the art , fig1 a illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a stomach distension system 10 in use in a patient . as shown , the system 10 generally includes an implantable portion 10 a and an external portion 10 b . fig1 b illustrates the implantable portion 10 a outside of a patient . as shown , the implantable portion 10 a includes an adjustable gastric coil 20 that is configured to be positioned in a patient &# 39 ; s stomach 40 , and an injection port housing 30 that is fluidly coupled to the adjustable gastric coil 20 , e . g ., via a catheter 50 . the injection port 30 is adapted to allow fluid to be introduced into and removed from the gastric coil 20 to thereby adjust the size of the coil 20 and thus the pressure applied to the stomach 40 . the injection port 30 can thus be implanted at a location within the body that is accessible endoscopically . typically , injection ports are positioned on the distension device . the internal portion 10 a can also include a sensing or measuring device that is in fluid communication with the closed fluid circuit in the implantable portion 10 a . in one embodiment , the sensing device is a pressure sensing device configured to measure the fluid pressure of the closed fluid circuit . while the pressure measuring device can have various configurations and it can be positioned anywhere along the internal portion 10 a , including within the injection port 30 and as described further below , in the illustrated embodiment the pressure measuring device is in the form of a pressure sensor that is disposed within a sensor housing 60 positioned adjacent to the injection port 30 . the catheter 50 can include a first portion that is coupled between the gastric coil 20 and the pressure sensor housing 60 , and a second portion that is coupled between the pressure sensor housing 60 and the injection port 30 . while it is understood that the sensing device can be configured to obtain data relating to one or more relevant parameters , generally it will be described herein in a context of a pressure sensing device . in addition to sensing pressure of fluid within the internal portion 10 a as described herein , pressure of fluid within the esophagus and / or the stomach 40 can also be sensed using any suitable device , such as an endoscopic manometer . by way of non - limiting example , such fluid pressure measurements can be compared against measured pressure of fluid within the internal portion 10 a before , during , and / or after adjustment of pressure within the internal portion 10 a . other suitable uses for measured pressure within the esophagus and / or the stomach 40 will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . as further shown in fig1 a , the external portion 10 b generally includes a data reading device 70 that is configured to be positioned on the skin surface above the sensor housing 60 to non - invasively communicate with the sensor housing 60 and thereby obtain data ( e . g ., pressure ) measurements . the data reading device 70 can optionally be electrically coupled ( wirelessly or wired , as in this embodiment via an electrical cable assembly 80 ) to a control box 90 that can display the pressure measurements and / or other data obtained from the data reading device 70 . while shown in this example as located local to the patient , the control box 90 can be at a location local to or remote from the patient , as explained further below . fig2 a shows the gastric coil 20 in more detail . while the gastric coil 20 can have a variety of configurations , and various gastric coils currently known in the art can be used with the present disclosure , in the illustrated embodiment the gastric coil 20 has a generally elongate shape with a support structure 22 having first and second opposite ends 20 a , 20 b that can be formed in a c - shape . various techniques can be used to keep the ends 20 a , 20 b in relative proximity to one another . in the illustrated embodiment , the fluid bladder pressure may be varied to control the proximity of the ends relative to each other . the gastric coil 20 can also include a variable volume member , such as an inflatable balloon 24 , that is disposed or formed on one side of the support structure 22 and that is configured to be positioned adjacent to tissue . the balloon 24 can expand or contract against the inner wall of the coil to form an adjustable size coil for controllably restricting food intake into the stomach . a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the gastric coil can have a variety of other configurations . moreover , the various methods and devices disclosed herein have equal applicability to other types of implantable coils . fig2 b shows the adjustable gastric coil 20 applied in the stomach of a patient . as shown , the coil 20 at least substantially distends the stomach 40 . after the coil 20 is implanted , it may be deployed . a person skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniques , including mechanical and electrical techniques , can be used to adjust the coil . the fluid injection port 30 can also have a variety of configurations . in the embodiment shown in fig3 , the injection port 30 has a generally cylindrical housing with a distal or bottom surface and a perimeter wall extending proximally from the bottom surface and defining a proximal opening 32 . the proximal opening 32 can include a needle - penetrable septum 34 extending there across and providing access to a fluid reservoir ( not visible in fig3 ) formed within the housing . the septum 34 is preferably placed in a proximal enough position such that the depth of the reservoir is sufficient enough to expose the open tip of a needle , such as an endoscopic huber - like needle , so that fluid transfer can take place . the septum 34 is preferably arranged so that it will self seal after being punctured by a needle and the needle is withdrawn . as further shown in fig3 , the port 30 can further include a catheter tube connection member 36 that is in fluid communication with the reservoir and that is configured to couple to a catheter ( e . g ., the catheter 50 ). a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the housing can be made from any number of materials , including stainless steel , titanium , or polymeric materials , and the septum 34 can likewise be made from any number of materials , including silicone . the reading device 70 can also have a variety of configurations , and one exemplary pressure reading device is disclosed in more detail in commonly - owned u . s . publication no . 2006 / 0189888 and u . s . publication no . 2006 / 0199997 , which are hereby incorporated by reference . in general , the data reading device 70 can non - invasively measure the pressure of the fluid within the implanted portion 10 a even when the pressure sensing device is implanted beneath thick ( at least over 10 cm ) subcutaneous fat tissue in the patient &# 39 ; s stomach . the physician can hold the reading device 70 against the patient &# 39 ; s skin near the location of the sensor housing 60 , and / or other pressure sensing device location ( s ), and observe the pressure reading on a display on the control box 90 . the data reading device 70 can also be removably attached to the patient , as discussed further below , such as during a prolonged examination , using straps , adhesives , and other well - known methods . the data reading device 70 can operate through conventional cloth or paper surgical drapes , and can also include a disposal cover ( not shown ) that may be replaced for each patient . furthermore , the reading device may be operated using an endoscopic probe which may be inserted down the mouth of the patient to close proximity with the coil . as indicated above , the system 10 can also include a pressure measuring device in communication with the closed fluid circuit and configured to measure pressure ( e . g ., fluid pressure ) which corresponds to the amount of distension applied by the adjustable gastric coil 20 to the patient &# 39 ; s stomach 40 . measuring the pressure enables a person ( e . g ., a physician , a nurse , a patient , etc .) to evaluate the efficacy and functionality of the distension created by a coil adjustment . in the illustrated embodiment , as shown in fig4 , the pressure measuring device is in the form of a pressure sensor 62 disposed within the sensor housing 60 . the pressure measuring device can , however , be disposed anywhere within the closed hydraulic circuit of the implantable portion , and various exemplary locations and configurations are disclosed in more detail in commonly - owned u . s . publication no . 2006 / 0211913 entitled “ non - invasive pressure measurement in a fluid adjustable restrictive device ,” filed on mar . 7 , 2006 , and hereby incorporated by reference . in general , the illustrated sensor housing 60 includes an inlet 60 a and an outlet 60 b that are in fluid communication with the fluid in the implantable portion 10 a . an already - implanted catheter 50 can be retrofitted with the sensor housing 60 , such as by severing the catheter 50 and inserting barbed connectors ( or any other connectors , such as clamps , clips , adhesives , welding , etc .) into the severed ends of the catheter 50 . the sensor 62 can be disposed within the housing 60 and be configured to respond to fluid pressure changes within the hydraulic circuit and convert the pressure changes into a usable form of data . various pressure sensors known in the art can be used as the pressure sensor 62 , such as a wireless pressure sensor provided by cardiomems , inc . of atlanta , ga ., though a suitable mems pressure sensor may be obtained from any other source , including but not limited to integrated sensing systems , inc . ( issys ) of ypsilanti , mich . and remon medical technologies , inc . of waltham , mass . one exemplary mems pressure sensor is described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 855 , 115 , the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein for illustrative purposes only . it will also be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that suitable pressure sensors can include , but are not limited to , capacitive , piezoresistive , silicon strain gauge , or ultrasonic ( acoustic ) pressure sensors , as well as various other devices capable of measuring pressure . one embodiment of a configuration of the sensor housing 60 having the sensor 62 disposed within it is shown in fig5 . the sensor housing 60 in this example includes a motherboard that can serve as a hermetic container to prevent fluid from contacting any elements disposed within the sensor housing 60 , except as discussed for the sensor 62 . the sensor housing 60 can be made from any biocompatible material appropriate for use in a body , such as a polymer , biocompatible metal , and other similar types of material . furthermore , the sensor housing 60 can be made from any one or more of transparent ( as shown in fig5 ), opaque , semi - opaque , and radio - opaque materials . a circuit board 64 including , among other elements , a microcontroller 65 ( e . g ., a processor ), can also be disposed within the housing 60 to help process and communicate pressure measurements gathered by the sensor 62 , and also possibly other data related to the coil 20 . as further discussed below , the circuit board 64 can also include a transcutaneous energy transfer ( tet )/ telemetry coil and a capacitor . optionally , a temperature sensor can be integrated into the circuit board 64 . the microcontroller 65 , the tet / telemetry coil , the capacitor , and / or the temperature sensor can be in communication via the circuit board 64 or via any other suitable component ( s ). the tet / telemetry coil and capacitor can collectively form a tuned tank circuit for receiving power from the external portion 10 b , and transmitting pressure measurements to a pressure reading device , e . g ., the reading device 70 . moreover , to the extent that a telemetry component associated with the pressure sensor 62 is unable to reach a telemetry device external to the patient without some assistance , such assistance can be provided by any suitable number of relays ( not shown ) or other devices . fluid can enter the sensor housing 60 through an opening 66 located anywhere on the housing &# 39 ; s surface ( here , its bottom surface ) and come into contact with a pressure sensing surface 68 of the sensor 62 . the sensor 62 is typically hermetically sealed to the motherboard such that fluid entering the opening 66 cannot infiltrate and affect operation of the sensor 62 except at the pressure sensing surface 68 . the sensor 62 can measure the pressure of fluid coming into contact with the pressure sensing surface 68 as fluid flows in and out of the opening 66 . for example , the pressure sensing surface 68 can include a diaphragm having a deformable surface such that when fluid flows through the opening 66 , the fluid impacts the surface of the diaphragm , causing the surface to mechanically displace . the mechanical displacement of the diaphragm can be converted to an electrical signal by a variable resistance circuit including a pair of variable resistance , silicon strain gauges . one strain gauge can be attached to a center portion of diaphragm to measure the displacement of the diaphragm , while the second , matched strain gauge can be attached near the outer edge of diaphragm . the strain gauges can be attached to the diaphragm with adhesives or can be diffused into the diaphragm structure . as fluid pressure within the gastric coil 20 fluctuates , the surface of the diaphragm can deform up or down , thereby producing a resistance change in the center strain gauge . one embodiment of a variable resistance circuit for the sensor 62 is shown in fig6 . the circuit includes first and second strain gauges 96 , 98 that form the top two resistance elements of a half - compensated , wheatstone bridge circuit 100 . as the first strain gauge 96 reacts to the mechanical displacements of the sensor &# 39 ; s diaphragm , the changing resistance of the first gauge 96 changes the potential across the top portion of the bridge circuit 100 . the second strain gauge 98 is matched to the first strain gauge 96 and athermalizes the wheatstone bridge circuit 100 . first and second differential amplifiers 102 , 104 are connected to the bridge circuit 100 to measure the change in potential within the bridge circuit 100 due to the variable resistance strain gauges 96 , 98 . in particular , the first differential amplifier 102 measures the voltage across the entire bridge circuit 100 , while the second differential amplifier 104 measures the differential voltage across the strain gauge half of bridge circuit 100 . the greater the differential between the strain gauge voltages , for a fixed voltage across the bridge , the greater the pressure difference . output signals from the differential amplifiers 102 , 104 can be applied to the microcontroller 65 integrated into the circuit board 64 , and the microcontroller 65 can transmit the measured pressure data to a device external to the patient . if desired , a fully compensated wheatstone bridge circuit can also be used to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of the pressure sensor 62 . in a fully compensated bridge circuit , four strain gauges are attached to the surface of diaphragm rather than only two strain gauges . fig7 illustrates one embodiment of components included in the internal and external portions 10 a , 10 b of the stomach distension system 10 . as shown in fig7 , the external portion 10 b includes a primary tet coil 130 for transmitting a power signal 132 to the internal portion 10 a . a telemetry coil 144 is also included for transmitting data signals to the internal portion 10 a . the primary tet coil 130 and the telemetry coil 144 combine to form an antenna , e . g ., the reading device 70 . the external portion 10 b , e . g ., the control box 90 , includes a tet drive circuit 134 for controlling the application of power to the primary tet coil 130 . the tet drive circuit 134 is controlled by a microprocessor 136 having an associated memory 138 . a graphical user interface 140 is connected to the microprocessor 136 for inputting patient information and displaying and / or printing data and physician instructions . through the user interface 140 , a user such as the patient or a clinician can transmit an adjustment request to the physician and also enter reasons for the request . additionally , the user interface 140 can enable the patient to read and respond to instructions from the physician and / or pressure measurement alerts , as discussed further below . the external portion 10 b also includes a primary telemetry transceiver 142 for transmitting interrogation commands to and receiving response data , including sensed pressure data , from the implanted microcontroller 65 . the primary transceiver 142 is electrically connected to the microprocessor 136 for inputting and receiving command and data signals . the primary transceiver 142 drives the telemetry coil 144 to resonate at a selected rf communication frequency . the resonating circuit can generate a downlink alternating magnetic field 146 that transmits command data to the microcontroller 65 . alternatively , the transceiver 142 can receive telemetry signals transmitted from a secondary tet / telemetry coil 114 in the internal portion 10 a . the received data can be stored in the memory 138 associated with the microprocessor 136 . a power supply 150 can supply energy to the control box 90 in order to power element ( s ) in the internal portion 10 a . an ambient pressure sensor 152 is connected to microprocessor 136 . the microprocessor 136 can use a signal from the ambient pressure sensor 152 to adjust the received pressure measurements for variations in atmospheric pressure due to , for example , variations in barometric conditions or altitude , in order to increase the accuracy of pressure measurements . fig7 also illustrates components of the internal portion 10 a , which in this embodiment are included in the sensor housing 60 ( e . g ., on the circuit board 64 ). as shown in fig7 , the secondary tet / telemetry coil 114 receives the power / communication signal 132 from the external antenna . the secondary coil 114 forms a tuned tank circuit that is inductively coupled with either the primary tet coil 130 to power the implant or the primary telemetry coil 144 to receive and transmit data . a telemetry transceiver 158 controls data exchange with the secondary coil 114 . additionally , the internal portion 10 a includes a rectifier / power regulator 160 , the microcontroller 65 , a memory 162 associated with the microcontroller 65 , a temperature sensor 112 , the pressure sensor 62 , and a signal conditioning circuit 164 . the implanted components can transmit pressure measurements ( with or without adjustments due to temperature , etc .) from the sensor 62 to the control box 90 via the antenna ( the primary tet coil 130 and the telemetry coil 144 ). pressure measurements can be stored in the memory 138 , adjusted for ambient pressure , shown on a display on the control box 90 , and / or transmitted , possibly in real time , to a remote monitoring station at a location remote from the patient . as illustrated in a process shown in fig8 , the sensor housing 60 can generally sense pressure within the gastric coil 20 , locally store the sensed pressure data ( e . g ., at the memory 162 ), and communicate at least a portion of the sensed pressure data to an external device such as the control box 90 via the reading device 70 . while the pressure sensor 62 can communicate all pressure data it senses to the reading device 70 , communicating only a selected portion of the pressure data ( e . g ., a portion less than the entirety of the sensed pressure data ) can use less power , require less physical and / or electronic storage space in the sensor housing 60 , and / or reduce costs . while the process shown in fig8 is discussed with relation to the elements included in fig1 a - 7 , a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the process can be modified to include more or fewer elements , reorganized or not , and can be performed in the system 10 or in another , similar system having other , similar elements . for example , the microcontroller 65 processes instructions in this embodiment , but any processor configured to process instructions for a system ( e . g ., a central processing unit , a microprocessor , a digital signal processing unit , application specific integrated circuits ( asics ), a state machine , an analog computer , an optical or photonic computer , logic circuitry , etc .) can be used . furthermore , the sensor 62 in this illustrated embodiment measures fluid pressure , but any sensed pressure data related to the coil 20 can be handled as discussed herein . in use , the sensor housing 60 can sense 400 a pressure of fluid disposed within the system 20 using the sensor 62 . the sensor 62 can transmit measured signals to the signal conditioning circuit 164 , which can amplify the signals before the signal conditioning circuit 164 transmits 402 the measured pressure data to the microcontroller 65 . alternatively , in some embodiments , the sensor 62 can directly transmit signals to the microcontroller 65 . in this embodiment , the pressure sensor 62 provides pressure data at an update rate of approximately 20 hz . such a rate can provide a telemetry / tet mode cycle completion at approximately every 50 ms . for example , the tet / telemetry coil 114 can provide tet for the sensor housing 60 for approximately 45 ms to power the sensor housing 60 and then provide telemetry of pressure data for approximately 5 ms . of course , any other switching topology can be used . it will also be appreciated that switching between tet and telemetry may be unnecessary . for example , the sensor housing 60 can be active , such that tet is not required . as another example , a second coil ( not shown ) can be added to the sensor housing 60 , with one of the coils in the sensor housing 60 being dedicated to tet and the other to telemetry . still other alternatives and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art . having received sensed pressure data , the microcontroller 65 can determine 404 whether to store 412 the data , e . g ., in the memory 162 . any type of memory can be used for the memory 162 , including but not limited to one or more of volatile ( e . g ., sram , etc . ), non - volatile ( e . g ., flash , hard drive , etc . ), or other memory . determining whether to store the data allows the microcontroller 65 to analyze the data and potentially discard at least a portion of the data before storing it , thereby using less of the storage space available in the memory 162 . the microcontroller 65 can , however , be configured to store 412 all sensed pressure data and thus may not make such a determination and instead proceed to evaluating 406 whether any of the data triggers an alert , as further discussed below . ( in such a configuration , it may be more power efficient to store raw ( unprocessed ) data from the pressure sensor 62 and process the raw data via an external reading device .) furthermore , the memory 162 can be used to store pre - selected information or pre - selected types of information . for example , the memory 162 can store maximum , minimum , and / or baseline , pressure measurements , pressure profiles , pressure trends , and / or any other information . other information suitable for storing in the memory 162 will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . the microcontroller 65 can analyze the data in a variety of ways in determining whether to store it . typically , the microcontroller 65 analyzes a sequence of pressure data values measured over a period of time rather than analyzing every discrete pressure measurement , thereby allowing analysis of pressure trends over time and saving processing resources by not necessarily having to continually analyze incoming data . the microcontroller 65 can , however , evaluate individual pressure data measurements ( and / or a range of data ) for invalid data and determine to discard any invalid data . generally , in determining whether to store data , the microcontroller 65 considers a variation of pressure data from a nominal pressure , or resting pressure , within the coil 20 . the nominal pressure is typically programmed into the microcontroller 65 by a physician based on historical coil performance in the patient or , particularly for recently implanted coils , in a typical patient . if the measured pressure data exceeds the nominal pressure , then the data indicates pressure variation in the system 10 and hence likely includes potentially beneficial information for analytical , diagnostic , and / or other purposes . if the pressure data substantially equals the nominal pressure , then the data is not likely indicative of a potentially significant event for analysis purposes , e . g ., a change in coil pressure due to patient activity such as eating or drinking . the microcontroller 65 can discard any such substantially nominal data . discarding data can include not storing the data or storing a representation of the data , e . g ., storing a specific set of digits ( e . g ., “ 888 ,” “ 999 ,” “ 000 ,” etc .) or one or more alphabetic characters . different representations of data can be used to indicate measurement of a different types of data , e . g ., substantially nominal data , data outside a defined pressure range , etc . although , in some embodiments , the microcontroller 65 can store 412 even nominal pressure data in the memory 162 to maintain a complete historical record of pressure measurements . furthermore , the microcontroller 65 can store 412 all sensed pressure data it receives in the memory 162 and subsequently determine whether to keep or discard it , e . g ., store all data and analyze it every “ x ” minutes and / or upon signal from an external device . fig9 and 10 show example sequences of pressure data that the microcontroller 65 can receive from the sensor 62 . in each of fig9 and 10 , a plot shows sensed pressure data versus time for a twenty - four hour period . the plot in fig9 includes four periods 407 a , 407 b , 407 c , 407 d of substantially nominal pressure at a nominal pressure level 409 . the nominal pressure level 409 shown in the plot is an example only ; the nominal pressure value can be any value or range of values . furthermore , the nominal pressure value for a patient can change over time , e . g ., as the patient loses weight . the microcontroller 65 can compare the pressure data from this twenty - four hour period with the nominal pressure 409 and determine to discard data from the nominal pressure periods 407 a , 407 b , 407 c , 407 d ( e . g ., never store it in the memory 162 or delete it from the memory 162 ) and only store 412 the remaining , selected portion of pressure data . in some instances , the microcontroller 65 can determine to discard pressure data that exceeds the nominal pressure 409 . for example , the microcontroller 65 can discard pressure data except for data obtained during two of three meals the patient ate during the day , e . g ., discard pressure data measured during the four periods 407 a , 407 b , 407 c , 407 d and during a breakfast period 411 and store 412 the remaining , selected pressure data , corresponding to lunch and dinner periods 413 , 415 . pressure data can be determined to be related to a particular meal based on one or more factors considered by the microcontroller 65 , such as a combination of a time of day when the sensor 62 measured the data and a duration of pressure values above the nominal level 409 . the microcontroller 65 can also determine to discard pressure data related to one or more physiologic events , as illustrated in fig1 . non - limiting examples of physiologic events include supra events ( e . g ., coughing , vomiting , wretching , etc .) and normal events ( heartbeats , breathing , talking , etc .). physiologic events can result in measured pressure data that significantly differs from an expected level in magnitude , duration , occurrence ( e . g ., an unexpected time of day , such as midnight ), and / or frequency from established patterns of patient eating . the microcontroller 65 can determine to retain pressure data by analyzing the data for such a significant difference , such as by determining if any of the obtained pressure data includes a value above a pre - programmed threshold value typically not exceeded except in response to a physiologic event . the microcontroller 65 can also or instead determine if any of the obtained pressure data includes a value within a defined range of pressure values . depending on the defined range , which can in some embodiments be defined at an upper and / or lower limit by an immediately preceding pressure data value or by pressure values corresponding to a particular time of day , the microcontroller 65 can determine to discard data within the range ( e . g ., if the range reflects pressure readings of an expected frequency and magnitude caused by a normal event ) or to retain data within the range ( e . g ., if the range includes any positive pressure values up to a threshold value typically not exceeded except by a physiologic event ). as an example , the plot in fig1 includes pressure data 413 indicative of a super - physiologic event , pressure data 415 indicative of a normal event , and actual gastric coil pressure data 417 . the microcontroller 65 can discard the super - physiologic event data 413 and the normal event data 415 using one or more programmed algorithms as described above . the microcontroller 65 can also determine 406 whether any data triggers an alert . if the microcontroller 65 determines that any pressure data falls outside a defined range of pressure values and / or is more or less than a threshold value , then the microcontroller 65 can provide 408 an alert to a physician , the patient , and / or to any number of other people because such outlying pressure data can indicate a possible problem such as coil bladder leakage , coil over - extension , recurrent wretching , coil slippage , erosion , etc . the microcontroller 65 can provide the alert by , for example , communicating a signal to an external device ( e . g ., the control box 90 ) indicating the potentially problematic sensed pressure data and triggering notice of the alert . an alert can include any one or more of the following : an e - mail , a phone call , a text message , an audible signal , a mechanical vibration , a light or other visual display , a tactile display , a message displayed on an external device , or any other type of alert . different alert patterns ( e . g ., varying audio signals , varying vibration patterns , etc .) can be used to signify different conditions . two or more alerts can be provided to multiple people under similar conditions , although alerts may not be provided simultaneously to multiple people or be provided to anyone at all . the conditions for and / or the type of an alert can also vary relative to the recipient of the alert . for example , with respect to alerts for physicians or other medical personnel , such alerts may be limited to those provided upon a super - event indicating that some component of the internal portion 10 a has structurally failed ( e . g ., a kink in catheter 50 , a leak in the coil bladder 24 , etc .). with respect to alerts for patients , such alerts may be limited to patient activity such as those provided upon an indication that the patient is eating too much , or eating too quickly . a variety of other conditions under which alerts can be directed to a physician , a patient , and / or another person will be understood by those skilled in the art . other suitable processes for detecting alert triggers , as well as ways in which the alerts can be provided and the timing of providing the alerts ( e . g ., immediately , on a regular schedule such as every day or every hour , after detection of a certain milestone or pattern of data , etc . ), will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . the microcontroller 65 can optionally compress 410 data prior to storing 412 data in the memory 162 . such compression can reduce the amount of memory space required to store data in the internal portion 10 a ( and subsequently in the external portion 10 b ), reduce the number of microcontroller accesses to the memory 162 ( thereby saving power ), reduce the amount of time and / or power required to communicate data from the sensor housing 60 to an external device , and allow more data to be locally stored prior to communicating the data to an external device . while pressure data is shown in fig8 as being compressed following a determination of a selected portion of data to store in the memory 162 , if any , the microcontroller 65 can compress data before making such as determination . for example , as mentioned above , the microcontroller 65 can store 412 pressure data prior to making such a determination ( possibly subsequently retrieving the data for analysis ). as another example , the microcontroller 65 may not be configured to perform such determining analysis and may store 412 all data for communication to an external device . the microcontroller 65 can compress data using any one or more lossless and / or lossy compression techniques . non - limiting examples of lossless compression techniques include recording difference values ( instead of absolute values ), reducing the sensor &# 39 ; s data sampling rate ( which can include reducing the sensor &# 39 ; s data sampling rate to zero ) during a determined period ( e . g ., a period of quiescent pressure , after a certain period of data - gathering time , etc . ), run - length coding , huffman coding , and other types of lossless compression . non - limiting examples of lossy compression includes using a quantization table ( e . g ., sparse quantization ) and other types of lossy compression . storing difference values instead of absolute values can be effective compression if , typically at the beginning of pressure measuring and at regular intervals , the microcontroller 65 stores an absolute value in the memory 162 that can serve as a baseline in reconstructing the originally sensed data . sensed pressure values are often near the values of their neighbors , so differences from a baseline are often likely to be small , if not zero . the microcontroller 65 can compress difference values for storage using a compression technique , such as encoding difference values into the shortest code symbols in huffman coding . data stored in the memory 162 can be communicated 414 to an external device . in some embodiments , the microcontroller 65 continually communicates 414 data ( via the telemetry transceiver 158 and the secondary coil 114 ), and the data is only received when an appropriate receiving device , such as the antenna ( the primary tet coil 130 and the telemetry coil 144 ), moves into sufficient proximity of it . in some embodiments , a download of data from the memory 162 can be triggered 416 when an external device ( e . g ., the reading device 70 ) telemetrically provides power to the sensor housing , e . g ., when the external device is moved in proximity of the sensor housing 60 . the external device can be mobile ( e . g ., a wand or hand - held unit that can be waved or otherwise placed in proximity of the sensor housing 60 ) or stationary ( e . g ., a bedside , desk - mounted , or car - mounted box that the patient can move near ). telemetrically providing power to the sensor housing 60 can save power in the internal portion 10 a because download communication power is supplied by the external portion 10 b . the external device can be configured to store 418 data received from the sensor housing 60 . the external device can be further configured communicate 420 the data to another external device , such as a base unit at a location remote from the patient . the external device ( typically , the control box 90 or other device having a capability to display or otherwise provide an alert ) can detect 422 if the internal portion 10 a communicated a signal indicating an alert and provide 424 an alert as appropriate ( e . g ., displaying a warning notice , sending an e - mail message , etc .). as mentioned above , a pressure history ( e . g ., pressure data gathered by the sensor 62 ) can be uploaded to the control box 90 ( and / or other units located local or remote to the patient ) to allow a person to physically evaluate and / or the control box 90 to electronically evaluate the patient &# 39 ; s treatment and / or performance of elements included in the internal portion 10 a over a designated time period . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of an external device , a data logger 270 , that can be used as an external storage mechanism to store pressure measurements over a period of time . the data logger 270 can function as a removably attached data reading device 70 , mentioned above . in this example , the data logger 270 includes a wearable pack external to the patient worn on a belt 274 and positioned over or within communication range of the region under which the sensor housing 60 is implanted within the patient . alternatively , the data logger 270 can be worn about the patient &# 39 ; s neck , as shown by a device 270 ′, such as when the injection port 30 is implanted in the patient &# 39 ; s stomach and the port 30 includes the pressure sensing device . in another embodiment , the data logger 270 is also implanted within the patient . as shown in fig1 , the data logger 270 includes a tet coil 285 and a telemetry coil 272 which can be worn by the patient so as to lie adjacent to the internal portion 10 a . the tet coil 285 can provide power to the implant , while the telemetry coil 272 can interrogate the implant and can receive data signals , including pressure measurements , through the secondary telemetry coil 114 in the implanted portion 10 a . in another embodiment , the tet coil 285 and the telemetry coil 272 can be consolidated into a single coil and alternate between tet and telemetry functions at any suitable rate for any suitable durations . the pressure within the coil 20 can be repeatedly sensed and transmitted to the data logger 270 at an update rate sufficient to measure peristaltic pulses against the coil 20 . typically , this update rate is in the range of 10 - 20 pressure measurements per second , but any update range can be used . the data logger 270 is typically worn during waking periods to record pressure variations during the patient &# 39 ; s meals and daily routines . at the end of the day , or another set time period , the data logger 270 can be removed and recorded pressure data downloaded to the external memory 138 . the pressure history can be uploaded from the memory 138 to a remote unit over one or more communication links during a subsequent communication session . alternatively , pressure data can be directly uploaded from the data logger 270 to a remote unit using one or more communication links . a communication link can include any single or combination of two or more data transmission media including web - based systems utilizing high - speed cable or dial - up connections , public telephone lines , wireless rf networks , bluetooth , ultrawideband ( uwb ), satellite , t1 lines or any other type of communication media suitable for transmitting data between remote locations . the data logger 270 can be configured to dock into another device , e . g ., a docking station , that is configured to receive data communication from the data logger 270 and transmit the received data to a remote unit . fig1 shows the data logger 270 in greater detail . as shown in fig1 , the data logger 270 includes a microprocessor 276 for controlling telemetry communications with the internal portion 10 a . the microprocessor 276 is connected to a memory 280 for , at least , storing pressure measurements from the internal portion 10 a . in this embodiment , the memory 280 includes forty mb of non - volatile eeprom or flash memory and is configured to store about one hundred hours of time stamped pressure data , but any other type of storage can be used , and the memory 280 can store any amount of and any type of data . by way of non - limiting example , any other type of volatile memory or any type of non - volatile memory can be used , including but not limited to flash memory , hard drive memory , etc . while the data logger 270 in this example is operational , pressure can be read and stored in the memory 280 at a designated data rate controlled by the microprocessor 276 . the microprocessor 276 can be energized by a power supply 282 . in one embodiment , the power supply 282 includes a rechargeable cell ( not shown ), such as a rechargeable battery . in some embodiments , the rechargeable cell is removable and can be recharged using a recharging unit and replaced with another rechargeable cell while the spent cell is recharging . in other embodiments , the rechargeable cell can be recharged by plugging a recharging adapter into the data logger 270 and a wall unit . in yet another embodiment , the rechargeable cell can be recharged wirelessly by a wireless recharging unit . in still another embodiment , the power supply 282 includes an ultra capacitor , which can also be recharged . of course , any other type of power supply can be used . to record pressure , the microprocessor 276 can initially transmit a power signal to the internal portion 10 a via a tet drive circuit 283 and the tet coil 285 . after transmitting the power signal , the microprocessor 276 can transmit an interrogation signal to the internal portion 10 a via a telemetry transceiver 284 and the telemetry coil 272 . the interrogation signal can be intercepted by the telemetry coil 114 and transmitted to the microcontroller 65 . the microcontroller 65 can send a responsive , optionally - temperature - adjusted pressure reading from the sensor 62 via the transceiver 158 and the secondary telemetry coil 114 . the pressure reading can be received through the telemetry coil 272 and directed by the transceiver 284 to the microprocessor 276 . the microprocessor 276 can store the pressure measurement and initiate the next interrogation request . if applicable , the microprocessor 276 can also respond to an alert identified by the microcontroller 65 , such as with a visual alert ( e . g ., flashing a light on the data logger 270 , displaying a message on a user interface 292 , etc .) and / or with an audible alert . the user interface 292 can include any number and types of features , including but not limited to a speaker , an led , an lcd display , an on / off switch , etc . in some embodiments , the user interface 292 is configured to provide only output to the patient and does not permit the patient to provide input to the data logger 270 . the user interface 292 thus includes an led , which when lit shows that the power supply 282 is sufficiently charged and another , differently colored led to show when the power supply 282 needs to be recharged , although such power indicators can be shown using any type and any combination of indicators such as one light that illuminates upon low power charge , an audible alert , an email alert , etc . in other embodiments , the user interface 292 can allow the patient to provide input to the data logger 270 and can accordingly include any suitable components and features . when finished measuring and recording pressure , the data logger 270 can be removed from the patient and / or from the belt 274 and the recorded pressure data downloaded to the control box 90 ( and / or to any other external device ). the data logger 270 can include a modem 286 for transmitting sensed pressure data directly to a remote base unit using a communication link . for example , the patient can connect the modem 286 to a telephone line ( or other communication link ), dial the physician &# 39 ; s modem ( if necessary ), and select a “ send ” button on the user interface 292 . once connected , the microprocessor 276 can transmit stored pressure history through the phone line to a microprocessor included in the remote unit . alternatively , the data logger 270 can include a usb port 290 for connecting the logger 270 to the control box 90 . the logger usb port 290 can be connected to a usb port included on the control box 90 and the “ send ” switch activated to download pressure data to the memory 138 in the control box 90 . after pressure data is downloaded , the logger 270 can be turned off through the user interface 292 or reset and placed back on the patient and / or the belt 274 for continued pressure measurement . an alternate embodiment of a data logging system 300 is shown in fig1 . in this example , the data logging system 300 includes a coil head 354 and a data logger 370 . the coil head 354 and the data logger 370 are in communication via a detachable cable 356 . any one or more suitable alternative communication links can be used in the place of the cable 356 , including but not limited to a wireless transmitter / receiver system . in the illustrated embodiment , the coil head 354 is worn around the neck of the patient and is positioned generally over the injection port 30 and within communication range of the sensor housing 60 . the data logger 370 is worn on the belt 274 about the patient &# 39 ; s waist . of course , these respective locations are merely exemplary , and either or both the coil head 354 and the data logger 370 can be positioned elsewhere . by way of non - limiting example , when the injection port 30 is implanted in the patient &# 39 ; s abdomen , the coil head 354 can be worn on the belt 274 . the coil head 354 and the data logger 370 are represented as simple blocks in fig1 for illustrative purposes only , and either of the coil head 354 or the data logger 370 can be provided in a variety of shapes , sizes , and configurations . exemplary components of the data logging system 300 are shown in fig1 . as shown , the data logger 370 includes the microprocessor 276 , the memory 280 , the power supply 282 , the usb port 290 , and the user interface 292 . the coil head 354 includes the tet drive circuit 283 , the telemetry transceiver 284 , the tet coil 285 , and the telemetry coil 272 . the tet drive circuit 283 is configured to receive power from the power supply 282 via the cable 356 . the tet drive circuit 283 is further configured to receive signals from the microprocessor 276 via the cable 356 . the telemetry transceiver 284 is configured to receive signals from the microprocessor 276 and transmit signals to the microprocessor 276 , via the cable 356 . in another embodiment , the telemetry transceiver 284 is configured to only transmit signals to the microprocessor 276 . the above discussion of such components with reference to fig1 can also be applied to the components shown in fig1 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the coil head 354 and the data logger 370 can be viewed as a separation of components including the data logger 270 ( described above ) into two physically separate units . it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that any of the components shown in fig1 , as well as their relationships , functions , etc ., can be varied in any suitable way . in the present example , the coil head 354 is configured similar to and functions in a manner similar to the antenna ( the primary tet coil 130 and the telemetry coil 144 ) described above . the tet coil 285 of coil head 354 is configured to provide power to the injection port 30 . of course , to the extent that any other devices ( e . g ., a pump , etc .) are implanted in the patient that are configured to receive power from the tet coil 285 , the tet coil 285 can also provide power to such devices . power provided by the tet coil 285 can be provided to the tet coil 285 by and regulated by the tet drive circuit 285 , which can itself receive power from the power supply 282 via the cable 356 . such power provided to the tet drive circuit 283 can be regulated by the microprocessor 276 via the cable 356 . in addition , or in the alternative , the microprocessor 276 can regulate the manner in which the tet drive circuit 285 provides power to the tet coil 285 . while the present example contemplates the use of rf signaling through the tet coil 285 , any other type of powering technique , as well as alternative power communicators , can be used . other suitable configurations and relationships between these components , as well as alternative ways in which they may operate , will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . the telemetry coil 272 of the coil head 354 is configured to receive signals from the coil 114 , including signals indicative of the pressure within the implanted coil system ( e . g ., pressure of fluid within the injection port 30 , within the catheter 50 , and / or within the adjustable coil 20 , pressure obtained using the pressure sensor 62 , etc .) and signals indicative of temperature . the telemetry coil 272 can also receive any other type of signal representing any other type of information from any other source . signals received by the telemetry coil 272 can be communicated to the telemetry transceiver 284 , which can communicate such signals to the microprocessor 276 via the cable 356 . the telemetry transceiver 284 can perform any appropriate translation or processing of signals received from the telemetry coil 272 before communicating signals to the microprocessor 276 . other suitable configurations and relationships between these components , as well as alternative ways in which they may operate , will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . it will also be appreciated that components may be combined . by way of non - limiting example , the tet coil 285 and the telemetry coil 272 can be consolidated into a single coil and alternate between tet and telemetry functions at any suitable rate for any suitable durations . in addition , while the present example contemplates the use of rf signaling through the telemetry coil 272 , it will be appreciated that any other type of communication technique ( e . g ., ultrasonic , magnetic , rf , light , inductive , etc .) can be used alone or in any combination , as well as alternative communicators other than a coil , can be used . furthermore , different data handling can be more beneficial to a given communication technique , and given a particular communication technique , appropriate data handling can be selected . in one exemplary use , the patient wears the coil head 354 and the data logger 370 throughout the day to record pressure measurements in the memory 280 . at night , the patient can decouple the data logger 370 from the coil head 354 and couple the data logger 370 with a docking station , e . g ., the control box 90 . while the data logger 370 and the control box 90 are coupled , the control box 90 can transmit data received from the data logger 370 to a remote unit . to the extent that the power supply 282 includes a rechargeable cell , the control box 90 can recharge the cell while the data logger 370 is coupled with the control box 90 . however , a patient need not necessarily decouple the data logger 370 from the coil head 354 in order to couple the data logger 370 with the control box 90 . moreover , pressure measurements can be recorded in the memory 280 during the night in addition to or as an alternative to recording such measurements during the day , and pressure measurements can be recorded twenty - four hours a day . in that way , timing of pressure measurement taking and recordation need not be limited to the daytime only . as described above , the data logger 370 can receive , store , and communicate data relating to pressure within the distension system . however , the data logger 370 can receive , store , and / or communicate a variety of other types of data . by way of non - limiting example , the data logger 370 can also receive , process , store , and / or communicate data relating to temperature , ekg measurements , eating frequency of the patient , the size of meals eaten by the patient , the amount of walking done by the patient , etc . it will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the data logger 370 can be configured to process received data to create additional data for communicating to the control box 90 . for example , the data logger 370 can process pressure data obtained via the coil head 354 to create data indicative of the eating frequency of the patient . it will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the data logger 370 can include additional components to obtain non - pressure data . for example , the data logger 370 can include a pedometer or accelerometer ( not shown ) to obtain data relating to the amount of walking done by the patient . data obtained by such additional components can be stored in the memory 280 and communicated to the control box 90 in a manner similar to pressure data . the data logger 370 can also include components for obtaining data to be factored in with internal pressure measurements to account for effects of various conditions on the pressure . for example , the data logger 370 can include a barometer for measuring atmospheric pressure . in some embodiments , the data logger 370 includes an inclinometer or similar device to determine the angle at which the patient is oriented ( e . g ., standing , lying down , etc . ), which can be factored into pressure data to account for hydrostatic pressure effects caused by a patient &# 39 ; s orientation . alternatively , an inclinometer or other device for obtaining non - pressure data can be physically separate from the data logger 370 ( e . g ., implanted ). still other types of data , ways in which such data may be obtained , and ways in which such data may be used will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . it will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that one or more embodiments described herein can enable health care providers or others to use pressure data as a feedback mechanism to identify , train , and / or prescribe dietary advice to a patient . such a feedback mechanism can provide data or otherwise be used in multiple ways . for example , pressure feedback can be obtained when a patient swallows a particular food portion , and based on such pressure feedback , the patient can be advised or taught to eat smaller portions , larger portions , or portions equal to the portion tested . of course , a food portion so prescribed can be tested by evaluating pressure feedback obtained when the patient swallows the prescribed food portion , such that a food portion prescription may be refined through reiteration . as another example , a patient can test desired foods for appropriateness based on pressure feedback together with portion size and / or based on any other parameters . it will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that continuous pressure data monitoring can be used locally and / or remotely to enable portion size monitoring , food consistency monitoring ( e . g ., liquids vs . solids ), eating frequency , and / or other patient activities . while embodiments described above include the use of the pressure sensor 62 within the sensor housing 60 removably joined to the catheter 50 , a pressure sensor can be located elsewhere within a patient . for example , the pressure sensor 62 could be included in the port housing 30 . in another embodiment , shown in fig1 , a pressure sensor 500 can be located within a gastric coil 502 , such as in an inflatable portion of gastric coil 502 . to the extent that the gastric coil 502 includes a resilient portion and a non - resilient portion , the pressure sensor 500 can be secured to either or neither of the resilient portion or non - resilient portion . in any case , the pressure sensor 500 can sense and communicate fluid pressure within the gastric coil 502 before , during , and after fluid is added to or withdrawn from gastric coil 502 via an injection port 501 and a catheter 503 . the pressure sensor 500 can be used when a pump ( not shown ) or any other device is used to adjust pressure within the gastric coil 502 . alternatively , as shown in fig1 , a pressure sensor 504 can be located within a catheter 506 positioned between a gastric coil 508 and a port 507 , pump , reservoir , or other device in fluid communication with the catheter 506 . as another variation , an example of which is shown in fig1 , a pressure sensor 509 can be fixedly secured in - line with a catheter 506 , while not residing within catheter 506 . yet another variation is shown in fig1 , which illustrates a catheter 506 having a “ t ”- shaped intersection 550 . a pressure sensor 504 is disposed in the arm of the “ t ”- shaped intersection 550 that is perpendicular to the catheter 506 and is in fluid communication with the catheter 506 . in one embodiment , the “ t ”- shaped intersection 550 is integrally formed with the catheter 506 ( as shown ). in another embodiment , the “ t ”- shaped intersection 550 is a separate component joined to the catheter 506 ( e . g ., using barbed connectors , etc .). other suitable ways in which the “ t ”- shaped intersection 550 can be provided will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . similarly , other ways in which a pressure sensor 504 can be provided within , in - line with , or adjacent to the catheter 506 will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . in yet another embodiment ( not depicted ), a pressure sensor can be located at the interface of an injection port and a catheter , and / or at the interface of a gastric coil and a catheter . still other suitable locations for a pressure sensor will be appreciated by those skilled in the art , including but not limited to any location in or adjacent to the fluid path of a gastric coil system . in addition , a pressure sensor can be positioned within ( e . g ., against an inner wall of ) a gastric coil , a catheter . other suitable configurations for housing a pressure sensor within or adjacent to a coil , catheter , or buckle will be appreciated by those skilled in the art . in another embodiment , a plurality of pressure sensors can be used . for example , a gastric coil system can include a pressure sensor within a gastric coil in addition to a pressure sensor within a catheter that is in fluid communication with the gastric coil . such a plurality of pressure sensors can provide an indication of how well fluid pressure is distributed among components of a gastric coil system . such a plurality of pressure sensors can also provide greater accuracy in pressure readings , reduce the likelihood of catheter obstruction ( e . g ., pinching ) affecting pressure reading , reduce effects of hydrostatic pressure changes from patient movement , and / or provide one or more other results . any system that includes a plurality of pressure sensors can include a pressure sensor in a port housing and / or a pressure sensor external to the patient ( e . g ., a pressure sensor in a syringe or in a pressure sensor portion coupled with a syringe ), in addition to any of the implanted pressure sensors described above . furthermore , a device such as an internal or external inclinometer ( or a substitute therefore ) may be used to determine the angle at which the patient and / or the internal portion is oriented ( e . g ., standing , lying down , etc . ), which may be factored into pressure data sensed by one or more sensors to account for hydrostatic pressure effects caused by a patient &# 39 ; s orientation . such a factor ( or any other factor ) may be accounted for prior to or in conjunction with the rendering of a pressure reading . a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention has application in conventional endoscopic and open surgical instrumentation as well application in robotic - assisted surgery . the devices disclosed herein can be designed to be disposed of after a single use , or they can be designed to be used multiple times . in either case , however , the device can be reconditioned for reuse after at least one use . reconditioning can include any combination of the steps of disassembly of the device , followed by cleaning or replacement of particular pieces , and subsequent reassembly . in particular , the device can be disassembled , and any number of the particular pieces or parts of the device can be selectively replaced or removed in any combination . upon cleaning and / or replacement of particular parts , the device can be reassembled for subsequent use either at a reconditioning facility , or by a surgical team immediately prior to a surgical procedure . those skilled in the art will appreciate that reconditioning of a device can utilize a variety of techniques for disassembly , cleaning / replacement , and reassembly . use of such techniques , and the resulting reconditioned device , are all within the scope of the present application . preferably , the invention described herein will be processed before surgery . first , a new or used instrument is obtained and if necessary cleaned . the instrument can then be sterilized . in one sterilization technique , the instrument is placed in a closed and sealed container , such as a plastic or tyvek bag . the container and instrument are then placed in a field of radiation that can penetrate the container , such as gamma radiation , x - rays , or high - energy electrons . the radiation kills bacteria on the instrument and in the container . the sterilized instrument can then be stored in the sterile container . the sealed container keeps the instrument sterile until it is opened in the medical facility . it is preferred that device is sterilized . this can be done by any number of ways known to those skilled in the art including beta or gamma radiation , ethylene oxide , steam . any patent , publication , application or other disclosure material , in whole or in part , that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated materials does not conflict with existing definitions , statements , or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure . as such , and to the extent necessary , the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference . any material , or portion thereof , that is said to be incorporated by reference herein , but which conflicts with existing definitions , statements , or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material . one skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the invention based on the above - described embodiments . accordingly , the invention is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described , except as indicated by the appended claims . all publications and references cited herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . | 0 |
the mechanical alignment of an optical fiber section to another optical fiber section by embedding individual optical fiber sections in micro - machined silicon chip connectors has been described in miller , supra . the silicon chip connectors are fabricated by anisotropic etching of single - crystal silicon wafers through a photolithographically defined mask . schroeder , supra . however , the attachment of optical fibers 20 to electro - optical components 2 ( such as integrated optic components , lasers , waveguides , modulators , detectors , splitters , couplers , combiners , switches , etc .) presents a difficult problem , because , for example , lateral positioning to sub - micrometer accuracy and angular positioning in all planes to sub - degree accuracy is required to reduce coupling losses to less than 1 db ( a requirement for many applications ). marcus ,, supra . also , the etching associated with the formation of grooves 6 for the optical fibers 20 may contaminate the steps of fabricating the electro - optical components 2 . as a result , the alignment of a section of optical fibers 20 to a section of electro - optical components 2 currently requires an active alignment technique , in which the throughputs of at least two of the fiber - component connections are simultaneously maximized . murphy , supra . such an active alignment process is time - consuming and costly . the present invention overcomes the above problems by means of providing a method for the automatic passive mechanical alignment of optical fibers 20 to electro - optical components 2 , both vertically and laterally . fig1 depicts an aligned assembly 1 of optical fiber grooves 6 aligned with leads 21 from electro - optical components 2 . these components 2 may comprise one or more integrated optic components , lasers , waveguides , modulators , detectors , splitters , couplers , combiners , switches , etc . components 2 are positioned on component section 3 . grooves 6 are positioned on left alignment bench 5 and right alignment bench 7 , respectively . upper and lower alignment channels 11 are used for lateral alignment . channels 11 traverse both benches 5 , 7 and component section 3 . channels 11 are formed prior to diceing of the assembly 1 , so that the various pieces 3 , 5 , 7 can be aligned laterally subsequent to diceing . dice streets 9 indicate the directions in which the transverse dices ( cuts ) are made . the dices are made generally orthogonal to the upper ( 100 ) surface 4 of ( single - crystal ) silicon substrate 15 . a single substrate 15 is common to all sections 3 , 5 , 7 . the solid streets 9 illustrated in fig1 may be perpendicular to grooves 6 or at a small ( say 7 degrees ) angle to the perpendicular to grooves 6 . dashed street 9 makes an angle j with respect to the solid streets 9 . the reason for making a dice at such an angle j is to avoid reflected light and concomitant feedback , which might impair the functioning of the electro - optical components 2 . for both the solid streets 9 and the dashed street 9 , the dice plane is usually but not necessarily orthogonal to the plane of surface 4 . fig2 illustrates the assembly 1 of fig1 separated into three discrete pieces 5 , 3 , 7 by means of diceing . this illustrates a step in the method of the present invention that is more fully discussed below . fig4 and 6 illustrate alignment pins or rods 12 positioned in alignment channels 11 , thereby achieving lateral alignment between component section 3 and right alignment bench 7 . pins 12 are typically fabricated of glass or stainless steel . although the figures illustrate alignment between items 3 and 7 , the techniques illustrated herein are equally applicable to alignment between component section 3 and left alignment bench 5 . fig4 illustrates one example of component section 3 comprising a polymer layer 18 having core regions 19 where light may be most readily transmitted . polymer layer 18 is typically a thin - film ( i . e ., less than 10 micrometer ) layer . fig6 illustrates optical fibers 20 positioned within grooves 6 . fig4 and 6 illustrate that component section 3 and alignment bench 7 are resting on an extremely flat surface 17 , e . g ., an optically flat surface . fig4 and 6 are not drawn to scale in that the height d of substrate 15 has been artificially shortened in these figures . fig7 illustrates an example of component section 3 comprising an electro - optically active polymer waveguide device consisting of a polymer layer 18 and a waveguide core 19 . core 19 must be positioned with submicrometer accuracy to core 22 of optical fiber 20 in order to achieve efficient coupling . marcuse , supra . the square cross - section of core 19 is illustrative only ; other cross - sections are common . fig7 depicts polished component section end face 8 of component section 3 and polished alignment bench end face 10 of alignment bench 7 . faces 8 and 10 are end faces of substrate 15 , typically a silicon substrate available to semi standards with a thickness tolerance of plus or minus 20 micrometers and a total thickness variation across the wafer of 10 micrometers . thus , the positions of cores 19 , 22 are fully defined with respect to the bottom of substrate 15 . however , the thicknesses of the core 19 and polymer 18 ( and any metal layers which are present ) are controlled to submicrometer dimensions during deposition and processing , so that the core 19 position above the top substrate surface 4 is known and controlled to submicrometer accuracy . the approach to mechanical alignment in this invention is thus based on referencing everything to the top substrate surface 4 . t is the vertical distance from the center of each of cores 19 and 22 to surface 4 ; t is the vertical distance from surface 4 to the bottom of groove 6 ; and metal contact layers ( not illustrated in fig7 ) may be present above and below polymer layer 18 . when present , these metal layers are typically between 0 . 5 micrometer and 3 micrometers thick . when a lower metal layer is used , it is formed ( e . g ., by a physical vapor deposition process ) on substrate 15 before the formation of polymer layer 18 . said metal layer is insensitive to surface 4 discontinuities . polymer layer 18 can be thought of as having three layers ( illustrated as layers 24 , 25 and 26 in fig9 ), representing a top clad 24 approximately three micrometers thick , a core region 25 approximately three micrometers thick , and a bottom clad 26 approximately three micrometers thick , respectively . v - shaped grooves 6 and alignment channels 11 are typically etched in benches 5 and 7 in [ 110 ] directions of ( 100 ) oriented silicon wafers 15 by an anisotropic etchant such as koh , hydrazine , or ethylenediamine - pyrocatechol - water . mehregany , supra . the primary flat surface on ( 100 ) silicon wafer 15 is in a [ 110 ] direction . therefore , alignment channels 11 and grooves 6 are generally parallel to the primary wafer flat . the alignment channels 11 are fabricated by the same techniques as grooves 6 , and are large enough to accommodate mechanically robust pins 12 . the optical fiber grooves 6 are dimensioned to position optical fibers 20 at the desired height as shown in fig7 . since the total thickness variation across a prime - grade wafer 15 is a maximum of 10 micrometers , the thickness d for both component section 3 and alignment bench 7 varies significantly less than 1 micrometer , even when kerf loss of width z is taken into account ( see fig9 ). fig8 illustrates in more detail the geometry of groove 6 . it is seen that the angle between each side of the v ( the [ 111 ] plane ) and upper surface 4 is 54 . 7 degrees . fig8 also illustrates that the left end of groove 6 does not extend all the way to dice street 9 , and that said end terminates in a plane that is at an angle with respect to the vertical . in one embodiment of the present invention , the fabrication sequence is as follows : 1 . the grooves 6 are masked and etched using an oxide mask on a silicon substrate 15 that has not yet been diced . 2 . the oxide mask is removed , and some or all of component section 3 is fabricated , possibly entailing the use of optional polymer layer 18 . 3 . the wafer 15 is diced completely through , along perpendicular [ 110 ] streets 9 , forming discrete and separate pieces : component section 3 and alignment bench 7 . 4 . any polymer 18 is removed from the left - most end of alignment bench 7 ( see fig9 ), and said end is polished back to end face 10 . to the right of end face 10 , groove 6 is at full depth . 5 . the right - most end of component section 3 ( see fig9 ) is polished back to end face 8 . to the left of end face 8 , layer 18 has uniform thickness . 7 . component section 3 and alignment bench 7 are abutted together so that their respective substrates 15 each rest on an extremely flat surface 17 , e . g ., an optically flat surface . there is a good deal of flexibility in the order in which the above steps can be performed . for example , steps 1 and 2 can be performed after , rather than before , diceing . furthermore , several of the above steps are optional . for example , steps 4 and 5 can be eliminated if a high - qualify diamond saw is employed in the diceing step , i . e ., a saw with a fine enough grit . thus , in a second embodiment of the present invention , just four steps are performed , in the following order : 1 . a single crystallographic substrate 15 is diced , forming two completely separate and discrete pieces : component section 3 and alignment bench 7 . 2 . at least one electro - optical component 2 having an elongated lead 21 is fabricated on component section 3 . 3 . at least one elongated groove 6 adapted to hold an optical fiber 20 is fabricated on alignment bench 7 . 4 . component section 3 and alignment bench 7 are abutted against each other on flat surface 17 , so that each lead 21 abuts a groove 6 . the fabrication of electro - optical component 2 may or may not employ the use of polymer 18 . when a polymer layer 18 is employed , it is typically formed on upper surface 4 of wafer 15 by means of spinning the wafer 15 while the polymer 18 is formed thereon . this helps to insure a uniform thickness for polymer 18 , but results in a tapering off of the thickness of said layer 18 along the outer edges thereof , as illustrated in fig9 . fig9 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which grooves 6 are formed before the formation of polymer layer 18 ( comprising sublayers 24 , 25 and 26 ). if present , said outer edges of polymer layer 18 are removed , as indicated in steps 4 and 5 of embodiment i . the amount of substrate 15 removed from alignment bench 7 is w / 2 wide , where w is the groove 6 width required for vertical alignment of the optical fibers 20 . the amount of substrate 15 removed from component section 3 is q wide , where q , the distorted polymer spin - thickness region , is determined by polymer viscosity and surface tension at the step edge during spinning . w / 2 + q = z , the total kerf loss width . z is typically about 200 micrometers . the above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention . the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims . from the above discussion , many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the invention . | 6 |
various embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below . while specific implementations are discussed , it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only . a person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the invention . fig1 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the present application , a refrigerator having two doors 100 and 200 that are closed . the insulated housing 300 can be made of any standard material which is typically used to construct a refrigerator , for instance stainless steel . the walls of the insulated housing 300 are insulated with appropriate material to maintain the cold temperatures of a typical refrigerator . the doors 100 , 200 may be opened by use of the handles 102 and 202 respectively that are disposed on the front of the respective doors . in the depicted embodiment door 200 is attached to the insulated housing 300 at the hinges 204 and 206 which allow the door to rotate about the axis created between the two hinges . fig2 further illustrates an exemplary embodiment when the door 200 is opened , the compartment 310 , which is created by the insulated housing and the door , is exposed . this is depicted in fig2 where the standard swinging refrigerator door is opened to expose the inside of the appliance . in this embodiment this would be where the user stores many of the items used infrequently throughout the day and is where shelves are typically disposed . items that can be frequently used can be stored in shelves associated with door 100 . this is both a matter of convenience and energy conservation . when opening the door 200 , a there will be significant energy loss in the form of refrigerated air escaping from a much larger opening than the opening associated with door 100 . fig3 then shows an exemplary embodiment with the second door 100 open and partially extended . the door slides out from housing 300 and is supported by the support members 120 , 122 , 124 , and 126 . these support members 120 , 122 , 124 , and 126 can accommodate for example a wheel and rail system where the wheels roll along the rail and the rail guides the direction of movement and provides support , another example would be using a bearing system to accommodate movement up and down the rail , and a skilled artisan would appreciate that there are many other appropriate mechanisms to use that can support a controlled ingress and egress of movement from the housing 300 . a further advantage is the use of shelves that are contained within the second door 100 that are exposed when the door is pulled out by the user . the shelves 130 , 132 can are an exemplary number and the skilled artisan can appreciate that more or less shelves can be used . these shelves can be useful for goods that are frequently retrieved from within the refrigerator , for example milk or soft drink bottles to name 2 of many . this small opening in the housing that is created by only opening the smaller door 100 allows for less wasted energy due to the decreased heat transfer allowed by the smaller opening . further , it is convenient since by opening the door , the shelves are exposed , thereby giving the user an effective reach to what would normally be the back of the refrigerator without any extra effort . moreover , when the shelves are fully exposed , they can be loadable from both sides of the door 100 . this can facilitate the loading of those shelves with groceries , for example , when the traditional swing out door 200 is open and the door 100 is kept closed . it will further be explained by reference to fig3 , that when the second door 100 slides out away from the housing it does so by moving in the y - plane as described by the cartesian coordinates included in that figure . moreover , when the claims and specification describe a height , it should be clear from fig3 that this is with reference to the z - plane . finally , when a height to width ratio is discussed it should be with reference to the height in the z - plane compared to the width in the x - plane . therefore , if the insulated housing is 36 inches tall and the door 100 is 12 inches wide , it would give a height to width ratio of 3 : 1 , since the door is the same height as the insulated housing . still another exemplary embodiment is shown in fig4 . in fig4 , the hinges , 204 and 206 are located on the outer edge of the insulated housing rather than between the two outer edges as depicted in fig1 . this allows the door , 200 , to swing out in the traditional fashion as described for fig1 , the rotation in fig4 is just in the opposite direction . this has some advantages of allowing fuller access to the compartment 310 , as well as the aesthetic property of putting the handles , 102 and 202 , in the center of the refrigerator . for refrigerators to function properly they need to seal the connection between the door and the insulated housing . this can be accomplished in many known ways , including rubber gaskets or some other form of insulation that allows the doors to temporarily seal to the insulated housing and thereby preventing cold air from leaking when the doors are closed . finally , it should be obvious from the present specification that the examples given are merely exemplary and are not limiting . in this vain it should be mentioned that the refrigerator as is commonly constructed for residential and commercial applications will typically contain a freezer compartment . there is nothing contained herein to prevent the addition of a second compartment above or below the refrigerator compartment and there is nothing preventing the freezer compartment from being similarly configured . also contemplated within the specification can be a refrigerator with more than one door that can slide out from the refrigerator compartment . these can be placed in any number or configuration as seen fit by a person of skill in the art . the various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention . those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the present invention without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein , and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention . | 5 |
this invention comprises an improvement to u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 . this application is assigned to the successor of all rights , title and interest of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 . u . s . pat . 4 , 466 , 093 is hereby incorporated by reference . with reference to fig1 a of the present invention , a time - space - time switching system including a plurality of switching system subscribers is illustrated . three subscribers of this plurality : a first subscriber a , a second subscriber b and a third subscriber c may be connected to a time shared conference arrangement via conference fiu 4 . the switching system has a time - space - time digital switching network 5 which is connected to each of the subscribers a , b and c . the switching network 5 operates to connect the three subscribers in a conference call by transferring pcm voice samples of the subscribers in three consecutive time slots . a better understanding of the time - space - time switching system may be had by reference to fig1 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 . in fig2 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 , last speaker memory 35 , speaker select and threshold logic 40 and multiplexer 34 are depicted . the logic details of these functional blocks are shown in fig5 of that patent . the present invention includes the replacement of last speaker memory 35 , speaker select and threshold logic 40 and multiplexer 34 as shown in fig2 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 with a programmable read only memory . as a result , the logic of fig5 shown in that patent is completely replaced by one integrated circuit programmable read only memory ( prom ) of 64k × 8 bits . referring to fig1 of the present application , the pcm received data from the switching network is transmitted from the network via a connection to speaker buffers 30 . speaker buffers 30 operate as shown in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 in fig4 and in the accompanying description in the specification . during a time slot of the switching system two of the three speaker conferee &# 39 ; s pcm samples are output via multiplexers 31 and 32 to prom 39 . that is , 8 - bits comprising the pcm sample of speaker a and 8 - bits comprising the pcm sample of speaker b are output in one time slot to prom 39 . in another time slot the pcm samples of speakers b and c are output . during last time slot required for this operation , the pcm samples of speakers a and c are output . each of the speaker &# 39 ; s pcm samples is an 8 - bit value . the seven least significant bits of this value comprise the magnitude of the speaker &# 39 ; s voice sample . the high order or eighth bit is the sign of the voice or speech sample . each of these 8 - bit entities , of the twelve - bits output by the multiplexers 31 and 32 , is input as an address to prom 39 . each of the 64k × 8 - bit locations of prom 39 has been preprogrammed with values . each of the 8 - bit values stored in prom 39 represents an additive combination or sum of the magnitude of the two pcm samples input on the buses spka and spkb . the 8 - bits of the spka and the spkb buses , which contain either conferee a &# 39 ; s , b &# 39 ; s or c &# 39 ; s pcm voice samples , are added to one another and the resultant output transmitted from prom 39 to multiplexer 50 for output to the pcm switching network . by combining the two input samples , the listening conferee receives a true representation of the combination of sounds of the other conferees . in addition , much of the noise from rapid switching is avoided . since the pcm values , combined by prom 39 , are nonlinear logarithmic values , the combination is not a straightforward addition . each 8 - bit pcm sample may be represented in a linear form . an eight segment linear representation of the compressed pcm is shown in fig6 . the sign bit is designated by s . the logic zeros and ones are as indicated and the x positions may take on either the value of logic zero or one . as can be seen from fig6 each segment has the values of two times the one preceding it . that is , the possible values of segment 6 are twice as great as the values contained in segment 7 . once speech samples are in linear form , their combination is possible by addition . the translation from compressed pcm to linear and from linear to compressed pcm will be explained infra . the values contained on the spka and spkb buses form a 16 - bit address , which when applied to prom 39 , cause prom 39 to output the proper combined pcm value of the inputs on the spka and the spkb buses . this arrangement provides for a single chip replacement of all the logic shown in fig5 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 . in addition , processing time of the circuitry is minimized from that shown in fig5 of the u . s . pat . no . 4 , 466 , 093 . the present improvement constitutes a single read operation from prom 39 . this saves system real time that may be utilized to provide other features or processing capability in the digital switching network . the value output by prom 39 is a true combination of the conferees &# 39 ; speech . due to this combination , no loudest speaker determination need be made and the corresponding logic may be deleted . next , referring to fig2 through 5 , an off - line method of generating the contents of prom 39 is shown . this method is initiated by entering the start block . firs , an index for speaker a is set to zero , 100 . next , the pcm voice sample value is separated into two components , the sign bit and seven bits representing the magnitude of speaker a &# 39 ; s pcm voice sample 101 . next , the seven magnitude bits of speaker a are converted from compressed pcm to a linear representation 102 . block 102 transfers control to convert compressed magnitude to linear , subroutine 120 , shown in fig4 to provide this function . next , the initial value of the speaker b index is set equal to zero , block 103 . then , the value of the speaker b pcm voice sample is separated into the sign of the speaker b sample and the seven bit magnitude of the speaker b sample , 104 . block 105 then calls convert compress to linear , subroutine 120 , to convert the magnitude of the speaker b sample from compressed pcm to linear form . next , block 106 determines whether the sign of sample a is equal to the sign of sample b . if these signs are equal , block 107 is entered . block 107 sets the sign of sample c , the output sample , equal to the sign of sample a . the value of sample c is the value output from the particular memory byte represented by the corresponding values of samples a and b . the linear value of sample c is then made equal to : the linear value of sample a , minus 16 ; plus to the linear value of sample b , minus 16 ; plus 16 , block 107 . if the signs of samples a and b are not equal , then block 108 is entered . block 108 determines whether the magnitude of sample a is greater than or equal to the magnitude of sample b . if the magnitude of sample a is greater than or equal to the magnitude of sample b , then block 109 is entered . block 109 sets the sign of sample c equal to the sign of sample a . block 109 also calculates the linear value of sample c to be : the linear value of sample a , minus 16 ; minus the linear value of b , minus 16 ; plus 16 . if the magnitude of sample a is not greater than or equal to the magnitude of sample b , block 110 is entered . block 110 sets the sign of sample c equal to the sign of sample b . next , block 110 sets the linear value of sample c equal to : the linear value of sample b , minus 16 ; minus the linear value of sample a , minus 16 ; plus 16 . after the processing of blocks 107 , 109 and 110 are complete , control is transferred to block 111 . block 111 determines whether the linear value of sample c is greater than the maximum allowable value . if the value of sample c is greater than the maximum value , block 112 truncates the value or sets the linear value of sample c equal to the maximum value . each value 16 , mentioned above , is expressed in base ten or decimal . block 113 converts the linear value of sample c to the compressed magnitude of sample c by calling , subroutine 130 , convert linear to magnitude . then , the sign of sample c is combined with the magnitude of sample c , which is retrieved from the convert linear to magnitude , block 114 . next , the pcm value of sample c is output to the proper location of the prom 39 . any threshold level determination , which is desired , may be checked at this time . the output location is the location indexed by the speaker a and b index values combined and used as a 16 - bit address . next , the value of the speaker b index is incremented by 1 , block 116 . if the value of the speaker b index is greater than 255 , the y path from block 117 is followed and control is transferred to block 118 ; otherwise , the n path from block 117 is followed and control is transferred to block 104 . blocks 104 through 117 are iterated for another value of the a and b indices . block 118 increments the value of the speaker a index . next , block 119 determines whether the value of the speaker a index is greater than 255 . if the value of the speaker a index is less than or equal to 255 , the y path from block 119 is followed and control is transferred to block 101 . the steps of blocks 101 through 119 are iterated for incremented values of the a and b indices . if the speaker b index is less than or equal to 255 , the y path is followed from block 119 and process is ended . the programming process of prom 39 has been completed . the convert compressed pcm magnitude to linear values subroutine or procedure 120 is depicted in fig4 . when called upon the subroutine is entered via block 120 . next , block 121 separates the magnitude value of the compressed pcm sample into a segment value and a step value . the segment value is the upper 3 - bits of the magnitude and the step value is the lower 4 - bits of the magnitude . the steps are the values of the x bits of each segment as shown in fig6 . next , the negative value of the step portion of the magnitude is calculated , block 122 . then , 16 decimal is added to this value , block 123 . the resultant value is then shifted left the number of positions equal to seven decimal minus the segment value , block 124 . subroutine 120 returns control and the converted value to the calling block . fig5 depicts the subroutine for converting linear values to pcm magnitude values . for converting linear values to pcm magnitude block 130 is entered . the segment number is determined by examining the left most bit position containing a logic one bit , block 131 . this may be accomplished by iterating left shift , count and test steps . next , a step number is obtained from the next four bits following this first logic one bit position , block 132 . the negative value of the step is obtained , block 133 . the step and segment numbers are combined into the proper positions , as shown in fig6 block 134 . then , this subroutine transfers control along with the value calculated to the calling block . fig7 depicts a portion of the contents of prom 39 . location 0 is at the upper left of the figure . the figure is read from left to right and top to bottom . the last location shown is location 1 , 792 base 10 in the lower right hand portion of this figure . each two digits represent the contents of an 8 - bit location within prom 39 . all numbers shown in fig7 are hexadecimal . although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated , and that form described in detail , it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
while this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms , there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail , preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated . the present invention is described herein with respect to an interactive game surface device ( igsd ) 10 , a specific embodiment for use in conjunction with a gaming machine . it should be understood that the present invention is also applicable for use with other systems requiring similar user input . the igsd 10 allows any surface , non - conductive or otherwise , to be used for player input . it allows a player to touch an animated figure or a non - planar display in a top box of a gaming device , discussed below . the igsd 10 also allows the player to use a hand or body movement as an interactive input . in a first embodiment , the igsd 10 includes a first sensor module , such as a lower power doppler radar sensor module 12 , and a second sensor module , such as an ultrasonic sensor module 14 . alternatively , and as discussed further below , the igsd may include only single doppler radar sensor module , multiple doppler radar sensor modules , an ir camera , or an infrared / laser scan sensor . according to doppler radar theory , a constant frequency signal that is reflected off a moving surface , in this case the skin or clothing of the player , will result in a reflected signal at the same frequency , but with a time varying phase indicative of the relative motion . in the first embodiment , the doppler radar sensor module 12 senses movement of all or part of the body via skin or clothing reflections . the doppler radar sensor module 12 could sense the light movement of the fingers , even the beating of a heart . with software mapping , the doppler radar sensor module 12 can sense net amount of motion , mean speed , and average direction for objects in its field of view . with frequency modulation , the doppler radar sensor module 12 can sense range . the doppler radar sensor module 12 must be physically located such that it has a view of the player unobstructed by a surface which is opaque to radar , such as a conductive surface . the center of the field of sensing of the doppler radar sensor module 12 is usually perpendicular to the orientation of its antenna . the doppler radar sensor module 12 could be mounted at the side of the gaming machine and aimed so that its field of sensing goes across , or on top of , a surface , which could be metal . the field of sensing would be limited , but this might be desirable for a particular application . the ultrasonic sensor module 14 utilizes sound energy , or sonar signals , at frequencies of 20 to 100 kh range . solid objects reflect this sound energy , and the time difference between transmission and reception indicates range and direction . radar signals and sonar signals have different reflective and speed characteristics . therefore , they are a good combination when dealing with distances between 2 - 3 cm to 5 meters . the igsd 10 also includes an igsd controller 18 , such as a dedicated embedded controller or a standard microprocessor . the igsd controller 18 provides control , power , interface , and data translation for the doppler radar and ultrasonic sensor modules 12 , 14 . the igsd controller 18 also includes a conventional usb communication channel 20 to a host 24 . the doppler radar sensor module 12 uses a low power (& lt ; 10 mw ) 2 . 45 ghz microwave sensor . referring to fig2 , the doppler radar sensor module 12 includes a first micro - patch array 26 as a receiving antenna and a second micro - patch array 28 as a transmitting antenna . the radar module 12 can be configured for continuous wave ( cw ) operation or for frequency modulated / continuous wave ( fm - cw ) operation . the cw configuration provides simple motion detection only . the fm - cw configuration adds range sensing . the doppler radar sensor module 12 is provided with a 15 to 20 degree beam - width with a range of 20 to 1 feet . depending on the location of the antennas 26 , 28 of the doppler radar sensor module 12 within the gaming machine , not only can the doppler radar sensor module 12 detect objects at the front of the gaming machine , but also hands and fingers touching the surface of the gaming machine . the doppler radar sensor module 12 can provide motion and range detection . however when the doppler radar sensor module 12 is used alone , there can be problems with reflections and noise from multiple sources , such as large groups of people or metal carts in the vicinity of the gaming machine . this potential problem can be minimized or prevented by using multiple radar modules 12 , discussed below . however , one can preferably also use ultrasonic sensors on the low side of the electromagnetic frequency spectrum , as also discussed below . as illustrated in fig3 , the ultrasonic sensor module 14 drives several 38 - 80 khz ultrasonic transceivers , or sensors , 30 . each of the ultrasonic sensors 30 includes an ultrasonic transmitter 30 a and an ultrasonic receiver 30 b . the ultrasonic sensors 30 are small , cylindrical sensors which can be installed in various points on the gaming machine . the sensors 30 connect to the rest of the ultrasonic module 14 via cable . using data processing , the igsd controller 18 determines the best data image . although the igsd controller 18 preferably includes dual ultrasonic sensors , one sensor can be used , or two of the same type of sensor . other types of sensors could be used if the application requires such , such as an optical sensor . referring to fig1 , the igsd controller 18 provides control and data translation . the usb communication interface 20 is provided between the igsd controller 18 and the host system 24 . the host system 24 provides set - up information , which is used by the igsd controller 18 and the sensor modules 12 , 14 . the sensor modules 12 , 14 acquire data in the form of sensor images . after data processing , the modules 12 , 14 send data streams to the igsb controller 18 . the igsd controller 18 processes this data , looking for sequences and combinations that match parameters loaded in during a set - up routine . for example , the host system 24 wants the igsd 10 to perform two functions : 1 ) provide a people sensor during an attract mode ; and 2 ) provide touch data during bonus mode . the host system 24 continuously provides mode status to the igsd 10 , which in turn changes the parameters for determining what data , and when data , is sent to the host system 24 . each of the sensor modules 12 , 14 , includes a respective processor 12 a , 14 a . the present system was designed to maximize the workload of the processors 12 a , 14 a , on each respective sensor module 12 , 14 , allowing the igsd controller 18 to handle the integration of both data images from the modules 12 , 14 . this could be a function of the host system 24 if the processor of the host system 24 could handle the extra workload and use usb communication . this would eliminate the igsd controller 18 , or at least function of the igsd controller 18 . the doppler radar sensor module 12 is illustrated in detail in fig2 . the doppler radar sensor module 12 interfaces to the igsd controller 18 via a conventional usb connection . the processor 12 a of the doppler radar sensor module 12 is a digital signal processor ( dsp ), such as a texas instruments tms320 series dsp . the radar sensor module 12 uses the radar sensor module processor 12 a for control , sampling , filtering and data processing . the radar sensor module 12 includes an rf oscillator 34 set for 2 . 45 ghz . in the cw mode , this is the frequency of the transmitting signal . in the fm - cw mode , a voltage controlled oscillator ( vco ) 36 provides a frequency control voltage to the rf oscillator 34 . the output of the rf oscillator 34 drives the transmitting antenna 28 via a directional coupler 35 . the signal is coupled to the receiving input , which is mixed by a mixer 38 with the signal from the receiving antenna 26 . the output of the mixer 38 is an if frequency signal , which is the difference of the transmitted and received signals . in the cw mode , the if frequency signal relates to the relative velocity of the object . in the fm - cw mode , the if frequency signal relates to the distance due to function of time . the if frequency signal is amplified by a programmable if amplifier 39 and fed to a filter circuit 40 , which helps remove noise . the output of the filter circuit 40 is connected to an aid input of the radar module processor 12 a . the radar module processor 12 a processes the signal , using peak detection , digital filtering , and measurements , providing a digital image . if the digital image meets certain parameters , depending on the set - up , the radar module processor 12 a could send a complete data stream or just a message . it should be understood that other radar designs would work . a frequency of 2 . 45 ghz is used here because it is in the ism frequency band , an unlicensed range . however as a result , power output is limited (˜ 20 dbm ) due to fcc rules . there could be other frequencies that would operate with more accuracy . a 4 × 4 array is used for the micro - strip patch array antennas 26 , 28 of the present embodiment . the 4 × 4 array is formed of 16 small squares connected together . pcb cladding material is used as part of the layout . the antenna array mandates the sensor be mounted behind a non - conductive surface . depending on the frequency , the antenna array will change in type and size . using an array of 4 ″× 4 ″, or smaller , one can place the array in a plastic structure or behind a glass panel . commercially specialized antennas are available which are designed for specific beam patterns . other optimal antenna configurations are possible , such as phased antennas , different sized arrays or a helical configuration for narrow beam width . with increased sensitivity and increased data processing , one could sense the vital signs of people standing in front of the machine . referring to fig3 , ultrasonic sensors operate in the basic mode of transmitting a burst of ultrasonic frequency , and then waiting a certain period of time . following this period of time , a reflected signal , or echo , of the pulse previously transmitted is received . as is well known , the time between transmission and reception is proportional to the object &# 39 ; s distance . depending on the sensor device , the beam width can be adapted to the application . using multiple sensor devices and angulation processing improves resolution and accuracy . the processor 14 a of the ultrasonic module 14 is a microprocessor controller ( mpc ) 14 a , such as a philips semiconductors p8051 . the processor 14 a controls operation of the sensor devices and interfaces to the igsd controller 18 via a conventional usb communications link . the processor 14 a is connected to an ultrasonic sensor 30 . however , the processor 14 a could control multiple ultrasonic sensors 30 . the limitation is the number of i / o lines on the processor 14 a , and cost . an oscillator 42 oscillates at a frequency set for 38 khz , matching the sensor specification . the oscillator 42 has two outputs ; one is 38 khz ( digital ) for the processor 14 a , and the other is a 38 khz ( sin wave ) for the transmitters . a gated amplifier 44 controls the length of the burst , plus provide a high voltage output for the transmitter 30 a . the processor 14 a provides control . if multiple sensors 30 are utilized , it is important to gate each ultrasonic transmitter to turn on one at a time , especially if multiple receivers will detect the reflected signal . although the beam width for the transmitter is narrow , & gt ; 10 degrees , and the range is short ( 5 ft to 2 in ), the reflections can be multi - directional depending on the object . all 38 khz signals are ignored beyond an established time limit . these signals could be reflecting off an object greater than 5 ft or caused by a nearby noise source . a combination filter / peak detector 46 eliminates unwanted frequencies and converts the ac signal into a digital signal for the ultrasonic module controller 14 a . data processing by the ultrasonic module controller 14 a provides data analysis , comparing the 38 khz signal from the oscillator 42 to the received signal in order to determine range and direction . if there are multiple ultrasonic sensors 30 , the ultrasonic module controller 14 a performs various triangulation computations for increased accuracy . the ultrasonic sensor module controller 14 a then sends a data image to the igsd controller 18 . there are different circuits and types of ultrasonic sensors that could alternately be used . the 38 khz sensor is used here because such sensors are very available . however , higher frequencies could be better for using the doppler effect for detecting moving objects . both the doppler radar sensor module 12 and the ultrasonic sensor module 14 are plagued by unwanted reflections . accordingly , circuitry is provided to set the receive sensitivity of both the modules 12 , 14 . the doppler radar sensor module 12 works better by first adjusting to its environment , so the programmable if amplifier 39 is utilized . the radar sensor processor 12 a is coupled to the programmable if amplifier 39 . this provides a 4 - level ( 2 bits binary ) programmable control for the programmable if amplifier 39 . referring again to fig3 , the programmable ultrasonic receiver 30 b the ultrasonic sensor processor 14 a is coupled to a programmable amplifier 47 located between the filter / peak detector and the receiver 30 b . the programmable amplifier 47 is also coupled to the processor 14 a , and has eight ( 3 bits ) levels of sensitivity . the programmable amplifies 47 adjusts the sensitivity of the filter / peak detector 46 . when the igsd 10 is turned on , or goes through a reset , the igsd controller 18 sends out a control signal to the programmable amplifies 47 to adjust the receiver 30 b for optimal sensitivity . optimal sensitivity is achieved by adjusting the respective received signal , measuring any reflections , and then readjusting and repeating . this continues until optimized , under control of the igsd controller 18 , because it &# 39 ; s important to limit only unwanted reflections , not true ones . after setting optimal operating parameters , if multiple ultrasonic sensors 30 are utilized , the sensors 30 cooperate , using their programmable capabilities . as the reflections move closer to the machine , the ultrasonic sensors 30 are given the command to reduce sensitivities , removing background reflections . there could be cases when one wants the sensors to adjust for maximum sensitivity . according to a second embodiment , a second doppler radar sensor modules 12 is utilized instead of the ultrasonic sensor module 14 . using two doppler radar sensor modules 12 provides greater flexibility in design . a doppler radar sensor will not work behind conducting surfaces , such as steel , aluminum , and the like , and the location is important to sense direction of motion . but with two doppler radar sensors , one can physically locate them in two different areas with overlapping fields of scan where one wants the player to touch . it allows the object to stay in view of both , or at least one , sensor at any time , resulting in no blind spots . plus , it provides a three dimensional field of view in certain areas , providing a greater detection of other hand movements that could be used for other than playing the machine . for example , one could request a drink by making a particular hand gesture , and the machine will send a signal to the bar ordering the drink . although this configuration improves accuracy , the cost is higher . configuration of the doppler radar sensor module 12 and the ultrasonic sensor module 14 is as follows . once set for optimal , both sensors 12 , 14 must report an object in the field of sensing to start the process . if one or both sensors 12 , 14 report an object getting closer , the ultrasonic sensor module 14 reduces its output to check . with more control over the ultrasonic sensor module 14 , one can reduce the number of reflections because the distance the signal can be received from the source has been limited per the square law rule . if a valid reflection is sensed , the doppler and ultrasonic sensor modules 12 , 14 re - adjust and then re - verify . this repeats until the object is in front of the gaming machine by a player distance . to maximize people interaction with the machine , one could use different attract visuals and sound depending on the distance of the object sensed . absent software analysis of the motion of the detected object , the igsd 10 does not know whether it has detected a human , or whether it has detected some other object , such as a vacuum cleaner . with both sensor modules 12 , 14 verifying each other , accuracy is improved . once there &# 39 ; s an action to begin play of the machine , such as by insertion of a coin , the igsd 10 knows it has detected a human . the application sends commands to the doppler radar sensor module 12 via the controller to change the transmitting and receiving parameters to focus on the area between the player and the touch area . if the touch area is very close to the sensor modules 12 , 14 , the ultrasonic sensor module 14 is used to sense the touch , but the doppler radar sensor module has already notified the igsd controller 18 that a hand or arm is approaching . a top - box 50 is illustrated in fig4 a and 4 b . the top - box 50 is a mechanical structure located above a main cabinet or main game area of a gaming machine ( not shown ). top - box designs are used for player attraction and bonus game play , as are well known . there are many types of images displayed on top - boxes , such as spinning wheels , rotating reels , mechanically animated devices or other displays . some top - box displays have a non - planar shape , such as a hemispherically formed screen 52 . in one example , as illustrated in fig5 , the image spins or rotates as part of a bonus game . the player can cause the image to stop by touching the image , or extending the player &# 39 ; s arm toward the image , but not making actual contact with the actual image . according to the present invention ; the doppler radar sensor module 12 is located above a video projection unit 54 inside the top - box 50 . because the surface of the screen 52 is made of rear projection material , the screen 52 has a clear field of view towards the player . the ultrasonic sensors 30 are installed around the bottom of the display and provide additional coverage if the doppler radar sensor module 12 has a so - called dead spot near the edges of the screen 52 . other top - box designs can be in the form of mechanical doors . the player points to one of the doors and / or touches the door ; which opens to reveal the amount of the bonus . in this top - box design , the doppler radar antennas are mounted above the top - box doors , and a respective one of the ultrasonic sensors 30 is located next to each door . the host system 24 notifies the igsd controller 18 that the game is in a bonus mode . the igsd controller 18 begins to monitor and translate the data streams from the sensor modules 12 , 14 . in this example , the doors are too far from the player , so the player is required to point to the door . data from doppler radar sensor module 12 shows motion and a set direction . the ultrasonic sensor module 14 shows position and a set direction . triangulation confirms the angle and set direction . motion stop and data is verified . the igsd controller 18 sends the result to the host controller 24 . typically gaming machines have a silk - screened glass panel below the main play area called the belly glass . some gaming machines have another one above the main play area called the top glass . because these glass panels typically go through a silk - screen process , it would be very difficult to use it as a touch - sensor , especially if these touch - sensor / glass panels required a wired connection . this would result in the disconnecting and connecting of the glass panels every time the machine is accessed for troubleshooting or the glass panel is replaced . using the igsd 10 of the present invention , no direct connection to the glass panel is required . the doppler radar sensor module 12 is placed behind the glass panel , and one is able to use the glass panel as a player input . another use of the igsd 10 is for player attraction . gaming machines use a combination of visuals and sounds to attract players to the machines . with the igsd 10 , one can have a dynamic attraction . the igsd 10 can sense people walking by the gaming machine , or stopping to look . this in turn can cause a change in the visuals and sounds , attracting a possible player . sensing the position and direction , the gaming machine would again change the visuals and sounds as the person nears the machine . gender can be determined , which enables a different set of visuals and sounds . in a third embodiment , only a single doppler radar sensor module 12 is utilized , no ultrasonic , or other sensor . the single doppler radar sensor module 12 can detect any object in its field of sensing , moving or range and motion , depending on microwave type . the single doppler radar sensor module 12 will sense motion , speed and direction as an object approaches the machine . it could be used as an object sensor , which would be used to change attract modes . it is unable to distinguish a human from an inanimate object , unless the sensor has the sensitivity , and the igsd controller 18 has the computing power , to be able to detect heartbeat by sensing the blood flow in the arm or hand , but , such would be a relatively complex configuration . for example a top box display could respond to the approaching object , with a welcome screen or a preview of a bonus play . the only way to verify the object is a player is to use the attract mode changes , but wait until the host 24 detects the start of a game , such as upon insertion of a coin , before using it as a touch sensor . the disadvantage of the simple configuration compared to configurations with multiple sensors is the possibility of blind area . these are areas within the field of sensing that motion detection can be easily blocked , so the location of the sensor is important . also , the touch area cannot be too close to the sensor because the doppler radar sensor module 12 typically cannot detect close objects , such as those within 1 ft . the main advantage of this simple configuration is the cost and the size of the sensor module . an embodiment utilizing an ir camera sensor 59 is illustrated in fig6 . the ir camera sensor 59 includes an ir camera sensor processor 59 a coupled via an led driver 60 to an ir emitter array 62 . the ir camera sensor 59 further includes an ir camera 64 , also coupled to the ir camera sensor processor 59 a . the most common configuration of the led emitter array 62 is a circle of leds around the lens of the ir camera 64 . the ir camera 64 has several manual or programmable features , such as focus , sensitivity , and the like . an application program in the ir camera sensor processor 59 a provides noise filtering , gray level conversion , and detection . the ir emitter array 62 floods the area around the machine with infrared light . to a human , this light is invisible , but not to the ir camera 64 . the human eye acts like a mirror to the ir wavelength . when looking at the machine , the ir light reflects off the retina of the eye , and the lens of the eye focuses this reflected light towards the ir camera 64 . the ir camera 64 , being sensitive to ir light , will sense reflected light , and the igsd controller 18 can determine , via software application , if the received ir light is actually an eye reflection . the ir camera 64 can also be used to detect motion , using angular processing as reflections move . however , it cannot accurately determine distance . the ir camera sensor 59 would appear as another device connected to the igsd controller 18 . the ir camera sensor 59 would be used in conjunction with any of the above described systems . alternatively , a standard camera , also designated 64 , can be utilized to detect human form . all of this is to determine if the object detected for motion is actually a human player , rather than some inanimate device a final embodiment utilizing an infrared laser scan sensor 70 is illustrated in fig7 . the infrared laser scan sensor 70 is preferably utilized in conjunction with the ultrasonic sensor 30 , discussed above . the infrared laser scan sensor 70 is capable of being mounted in small areas . it can be mounted behind metallic surfaces , although it would require a small opening in the surface . the opening could be covered with plastic or glass , provided the covering is not opaque to the infrared light . the infrared laser scan sensor comprises an infrared projector 72 and an infrared detector 74 . the infrared projector 72 comprises : ( 1 ) an ir or red laser 76 ; ( 2 ) a reflector device 78 , such as a digital micro - mirror device ( dmd ), as provided by texas instruments , or a mems ( micro - electrical mechanical system ) scanner ; and ( 3 ) a lens 80 . the projector 72 further includes a scanner interface 82 and a laser driver 84 . the scanner interface 82 can be digital drivers , or a dac , depending on the type of reflector device 78 . the laser module 76 can be continuous , pulsed or modulated , all under control of the processor 70 a . the reflective device 78 is extremely small , and requires a narrow beam . the lens 80 assures the light beam covers the entire surface to be scanned . the infrared projector 72 beams light into a prismatoid shaped pattern in front of the sensor opening . as is known in the art , the dmd and mems use mechanical action to sequentially reflect light from an x - y array of reflectors under control of the processor 70 a . the reflector located in the upper left corner is first activated , sending the reflected beam out toward a first point in space . then the next reflector is activated , sending the reflected beam toward a second , adjacent point in space . this continues until each reflector has been activated , at which time the process is repeated . the high rate of switching between individual reflectors of the reflector device 78 causes a laser beam to be reflected in an x - y pattern through the lens , forming a prismatoid field of sensing . a physical object is in this field is be scanned by the laser . the infrared detector 74 is coupled to the processor 70 a by a programmable amplifier 86 and a filter / peak detector 88 . the detector 74 detects the reflection of the laser spot ( beam ) off of the object , generating an output trigger signal . this trigger signal with information identifying the particular reflector activated at that time indicates the location of the illuminated point of the object . the ir detector 78 has a wide field of sensing , and a programmable amplifier 86 , under control of the processor , adjusts the output of the detector 78 . a hand in the field of scanning could generate hundreds of triggers and each trigger will appear at different x - y locations . the igsd 10 , or the host 24 would use angular processing providing motion detection and location , but referencing these as if they were on a single plane of the three dimensional space . accordingly , the ultrasonic sensor 30 would work in conjunction with the infrared laser sensor 70 relative position is determined by using the x - y coordinates as a reflected signal is detected . motion can be determined be comparing the relative changes in the reflected signals or by using the doppler effect . one feature of the laser scan sensor 70 is its ability to outline objects in the field of sensing , such as to distinguish a human outline from that of a cart . the laser scan sensor 70 can also determine the number of people standing in front of the machine . this feature can be used for very interesting attract modes . alternatively , an ir camera system could be used to detect the x - y location of the reflected beam and then use the next set of scans to determine angular movement , although this would be more complex . the beam scan gets larger further away from the source , like an inverted pyramid . when the ultrasonic sensor detects the object is in the virtual touch area , and the infrared laser scan sensor sends the correct x - y coordinate , the system determines the touch is valid . while the specific embodiment has been illustrated and described , numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention , and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims . | 6 |
referring to fig1 there is shown a device for sealing an outer tube 10 or encasement to an inner tube 11 . two ferrules 12 and 13 are surrounded by outer tube 10 and encompass inner tubing 11 . the inner metal tube 11 may be used for carrying a fluid . tubing 11 may be thin - wall tubing and if so , there is a danger of cutting the tubing with a ferrule - type seal as shown by the prior art . ferrule 13 has a wall 14 that is inclined relative to a longitudinal axis 20 of the inner tube 11 , thereby forming a convex surface . ferrule 12 has a wall 15 that is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis 20 of the inner tube 11 , thereby forming a concave surface . on both walls 14 and 15 are one or two flanges , deformable flanges 16 and 17 and second flanges 18 and 19 . deformable flanges are required , second flanges 18 and 19 may be made for ease of machining the ferrules , although for practice of the invention , only the deformable flanges are required . if used , flanges 18 and 19 are preferably two to three times as wide as flanges 16 and 17 so that flanges 16 and 17 will deform and less than one - half the overall width of walls 14 and 15 ; if more than half the shoulders should meet . flanges 16 and 17 must be wide enough to deform to seal to the tube and not so wide that they will not deform or if deformed would puncture the inner tube 11 wall . the angles formed by the flanges with the inside wall 21 are not critical since the wall surfaces impinge and swage before the shoulders meet . the walls 14 and 15 may be inclined at a thirty degree ( 30 °) angle with respect to the longitudinal axis 20 of the inner tube 11 . this angle could be varied from approximately 15 to 45 degrees . the walls 14 and 15 should preferably be inclined at the same angle for best results . the ferrules are slip fitted and the clearance between the ferrules and the inner tube 11 and outer tube 10 should be kept small for best results . if too small , the ferrules would not go on the tubing , and with too much clearance , the deforming flanges would not engage the inner and outer tubing when deformed . referring to fig2 there is shown the sealing assembly with ferrules 12 and 13 being forced together . threaded coupling 26 pushes follower 22 against ferrule 13 and ferrule 12 seats against fixed threaded coupling 24 . turning threaded coupling 26 on to fixed coupling 24 causes ferrules 12 and 13 to swage together at point 28 shown in fig3 . referring to fig3 ferrules 12 and 13 are shown swaged together at point 28 . for exaple , a torque of 30 - ft lbs . may be required to cause the ferrules to swage together . deformable flanges 16 and 17 deform to engage the inner tube 11 and outer tube 10 . the mating surfaces of walls 14 and 15 impinge upon each other so that the ferrules 12 and 13 cannot be overtightened to damage the inner tube 11 . any force applied above that required to swage the ferrules causes additional pressure on the mating surfaces ,, and does not cause the deformable flanges 16 and 17 to deform further . the ferrules are made of a material compatible with the inner tube 11 and outer tube 10 . &# 34 ; compatible &# 34 ; means that the materials of the ferrules and tubing will not chemically interact and the hardness of the ferrule material is less than or equal to the hardness of the tubing material so that the deformable flanges will deform . for example , stainless steel would be used with stainless steel inner tube and outer tube . other materials that could be used include among others , copper , plastics and rubber . plastics and rubber would not swage , but the same operating principle as for metal applies . it is to be understood that the disclosed sealing connector is not limited to circular shaped members . the ferrules only have to engage or seat , not twisting together , thus they can be utilized with square , rectangular , or other shaped members to provide a seal with the deforming flanges . an example of a connector made for an inner tube having an outside diameter of 0 . 230 inch and an outside tube having an inside diameter of 0 . 442 inch were two ferrules having an inside diameter of 0 . 231 inch and an outside diameter of 0 . 441 inch with the deformable flange having a length of 0 . 031 inch and the second flange having a length of 0 . 062 inch , both flanges of 0 . 015 inch height . the clearance between the ferrules and the tubes was 0 . 001 inch , this has been made as much as 0 . 003 inch . | 5 |
the system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a network test instrument adapted to speed operations by providing data from one source to two destinations substantially simultaneously . referring to fig1 , a block diagram of a network test device 10 , the device connects to a network 12 via a media access controller ( mac ) 14 . the mac is connected via a bus 16 to memory 18 ( suitably sdram ) and a digital signal processor ( dsp ) microprocessor 20 . a complex programmable logic device ( cpld ) 22 communicates to each of the mac 14 , the memory 18 and the dsp 20 , providing control . in operation , traffic from the network is received via the media access controller 14 . the media access controller is a first - in first - out ( fifo ) device and does not provide addressed access to or output for the data it receives . on the other hand , both the sdram 18 and the dsp microprocessor 20 employ addressing schemes for storage of data . typically , in accordance with the prior art , data received from the mac would be read by the dsp via the bus , and , if the data was to be stored , it would be written to the sdram via the bus by the dsp in a separate bus transfer operation . therefore , the data would pass on the bus at least two separate times . in order to speed operations and not require that the microprocessor read the data from the media access controller and then , in a separate operation , write the data to memory , should it be decided that the data is to be stored in memory , in accordance with the present invention , when data is retrieved from the mac , it is simultaneously written to a storage address in the sdram and into the dsp . then , if the dsp determines that the data is to be saved , the address pointers to the memory are updated to select a next position in the memory for future data . however , if the dsp determines that the data is not to be stored in the memory , the address pointers are not updated , and instead remain set to the start point of the previous write to memory . that way , the next data that is provided from the mac is written “ over ” the previous data that was not to be saved . according to the invention , therefore , data received from the mac need only pass the bus once , speeding operations . the timing of the data transfer is accomplished by the cpld via the control lines . a timing chart is illustrated in fig2 , wherein representative signals are illustrated . clock 24 ( suitably a 60 mhz clock in the illustrated embodiment ) dsp_command 26 ( command signal from the dsp μp ) trdsp_addr 28 ( address data supplied by the dsp to select row and column addresses of the sdram ) sdram_command 30 ( a command signal to direct the sdram operations ) row / col addr 32 ( row and column selection data to address the sdram ). referring still to fig2 , the timing of operations are controlled by cpld 22 . therefore , when an indication that data is available in the fifo of the mac ( for simplicity , that signal is not shown in the timing diagram ), the dsp_command line is set to active during the last half of clock cycle 1 and the trdsp_addr is set to the row addressing location where data is to be written to in the memory , for a duration of one cycle . shortly thereafter , at the beginning of clock cycle 2 , the sdram_command line is set to active and the row / col addr line 32 is set to the row data for one cycle . afterwards , sdram_command is set to nop until a change at cycle 7 . in the middle of clock cycle 4 , ( 2 clock cycles after the end of the row data on the trdsp_addr line ) the dsp_command is set to read ( indicating a read ) and the trdspp_addr is set to carry the column selection col indicating the column of memory to be selected in the sdram , both signals for 1 clock cycle duration . one half clock cycle later , at the beginning of clock cycle 5 , the col data is asserted on the row / col addr line for 3 clocks . soon after cycle 6 starts , the mac rx_data will begin on line 34 carrying the first word of data w 1 , the data w 1 remaining until the end of cycle 7 . at the start of cycle 7 , sdram_command is set to write for one clock . after cycle 8 starts , sdram_command is set to nop until cycle 14 . the rx_data line will subsequently carry valid data from the mac for next words w 2 , w 3 , w 4 , w 5 , w 6 and w 7 during the last half of clocks 9 – 13 , respectively . during the last half of clock 11 , a stop command is set on dsp_command line 26 . after the start of clock cycle 14 , a stop appears on sdram_command line 30 , finishing the write to memory operation . the timing control described hereinabove is accomplished by the cpld 22 , to provide timing signals and direct data to appear on the respective lines so that the sdram is provided the data according to the timing requirements it has , the mac is able to write its data to the bus according to the timing requirements of the mac , and the dsp is able to read the data under its timing requirements . also , addressing , which is not provided by the mac ( since it is a fifo device ), is generated by the dsp and its timing of assertion is controlled by the cpld . if , after the data transfer operation described herein , the dsp determines that the data is to be kept , then on the next write to the memory , the row and column addressing would be advanced to the next position in memory for storing data . however , if the data that had been written is not to be kept , then the next write operation will employ the same row and column addressing as the previous write , so that the previous data written to the sdram is discarded , as a result of being written over with new data . the cpld makes the decision of whether to perform the control operations to govern transfer of data from the mac based on an address range to which the dsp makes read accesses . if the address is in a designated range , the data transfer as above is performed . therefore , in accordance with the invention , two or more destination devices are able to receive data from a single source , substantially simultaneously . the devices may be dissimilar , such as a fifo device not having an addressing scheme and memory or processor devices that do employ addressing . further , while the bus cycles performed by the dsp , as the master device are read cycles , the sdram is operating as if performing write cycles . transfer of the data from the mac to both sdram and the dsp is thereby accomplished with a single bus transfer . the system is preferably embodied in a network test instrument , and enables monitoring and processing of network data received through the mac . such received data is suitably analyzed and processed by the dsp to provide information and analysis of network operations . while a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects . the appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention . | 6 |
referring to fig1 of the drawings , a fire alert warning system device 10 of the invention can be seen having a main control input panel 11 with an integrated programmable activation control circuit 12 indicated by broken inclusion lines thereabout . the activation control circuit 12 has a main power source p with a back - up battery 13 emergency power for activation when needed . the system 10 provides multiple fire detection sensors 14 as illustrated in the primary preferred embodiment has a smoke detector 15 a and 15 b , a fire detector ( ionization sensing ) 16 a and a heat sensor detector 16 b . this will provide the system 10 with multiple modes of detection and alert fire source application . the command and control circuit 12 is in communication with the detection sensors 14 and multiple system alarm components 17 positioned on the outside of the structure s indicated by perimeter broken lines as seen in fig1 of the drawings . the alarm components 17 are comprised of both audio output device 18 such as a speaker and a visual illumination device 19 such as a strobe light . an interior audible alarm 20 of the detection sensors 14 and indicator light 21 on the control panel inside the structure as will be disclosed in detail hereinafter to confirm the system activation for the user during an alert . the interior alarm indicator 21 of the alarm circuit 12 is activated when smoke , heat or fire is detected by the respective sensors 15 a , 15 b , 16 a and 16 b and will then initiate a pre - programmed alarm activation count down delay time t before the outside alarms 18 and 19 are activated . the countdown delay t is indicated on the main control panel 11 in lcd display 24 . the effective time delay t “ countdown timer ” can be user programmed as illustrated in fig2 of the drawings as in this example from fifteen seconds to up to forty - five seconds for effective activation delay . this is achieved by fixed pre - programmed time delay input selection buttons 23 a , 23 b , and 23 c or alternately as a sequential selection indicated by a visual time indicator in the lcd display 24 in the control panel 11 as will be understood by those skilled in the art . a primary user activation delay recess button 25 on the control panel 11 will preferably be larger than the other control access user inputs and in this example illuminated with a flashing sequence to help draw the user &# 39 ; s attention thereto . the reset button 25 is central to the primary mission of the alarm control system 10 of the invention since by activation it will cancel the outside alarms 18 and 19 before activation as hereinbefore described . as noted , the select user activation sequence of the system 10 can thus be reset if activation inadvertently occurs by extraneous smoke or heat sources such as cooking , for example . additionally , a portable hand held emergency remote control device 26 is provided shown in fig1 of the drawings which can be carried by the user and provides by digitally encoded command transmission to a receiver 26 a activation access to the central controller 11 for system operational access for emergencies such as medical accident , for example . the fire alert warning system 10 of the invention has additional activation circuit elements indicated generally at 27 for additional multiple detection sensors 14 as may be required in different operational venue parameters beyond that of the primary sensors described . additionally an emergency gas shut - off valve 28 which , in this example , is controlled by a direct circuit interface and relay in response to direct control input , as noted . a sound source ( fire / smoke detectors when activated ) will signal the control panel 11 which will in turn after program delay time has expired activate the outside audible and light alarms 18 and 19 . a switching element 29 may also trip the gas shut - off valve 28 upon detection of the outside audible alarm as hereinbefore described and understood by those skilled in the art . the system 10 of the invention may be fitted with heat resistant wires within the structure and emergency control panel lighting upon activation in the event that power is not available through its primary power source and the system must rely on the back - up battery 13 as hereinbefore described . secondary user control activation is provided allowing for independent activation for non - fire related emergencies , such as health emergencies wherein the outside alarm elements 17 can be activated by the user by the remote control emergency device transmitter 26 which will alert the neighbors for help . the control panel 11 also has a number of system control input buttons beyond the primary flashing reset button 25 and delay timing buttons 23 a , 23 b and 23 c . in this example , an “ away ” activation button 31 would provide an instance outside alarm 17 activation upon fire detection sensor initiation with a slow beeping tone for alerting the user upon return that an event has occurred and that the system needs to be reset , also viewable in the lcd display screen 24 . additionally , a large sleep button 32 is provided which is preferably green in color with interior illumination . once selected , the sleep button would stay illuminated so as to be visible upon awakening with a “ need to program ” message in the lcd controller panel display 24 reminding the user that the operational system needs to be addressed before proceeding with the activities of the day . it will thus be seen that a new and novel fire alert warning and delay system device 10 of the invention has been illustrated and described and that the system will provide the user while within the structure to effectively deactivate the alarm once initiated by the input of a pre - programmed time delay before the primary outside alarms 17 are activated . this control basis panel 11 institutes a number of different sequential alarm sequence action including an away button , sleep button , independent pre - programmed time delay alarm as well as auxiliary lighting , automatic source ignition shut - off valves , all within the parameters of a single independent inclusive alarm system which provides the user additional security and control . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention . | 6 |
the fuel cell module 1 as shown in fig1 includes a number of fuel cells 2 , which are only indicated in the figure and are electrically series - connected . each fuel cell 2 , in a manner which is not illustrated in more detail , includes a sheet - like electrolyte which is covered over a large area on both sides by an electrode . the electrode has a number of passages passing through it in each case , via which a medium , in particular depending on the polarity of the corresponding electrode , a fuel which includes hydrogen or an auxiliary substance which includes oxygen , can be brought into contact with the electrolyte . for the electrical series connection , the fuel cells 2 are connected to one another in pairs by means of their electrodes , with the overall result being the formation of a fuel cell stack 4 in the manner of a layered structure . to achieve sufficient operational reliability when the fuel cells 2 are operating , and in particular to produce a leaktightness , which is sufficient for operational reliability , at the seals which are arranged between each pair of adjacent fuel cells 2 , it is intended for the fuel cell stack 4 to be operated under a certain axial pressure in its longitudinal direction , which is indicated by the arrow 6 . however , the application of an axial pressure of this type in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell stack 4 leads to the fuel cell stack 4 having a tendency to buckle , in particular on account of the elastic materials which are provided for the seal between each pair of fuel cells 2 . in this context , the term buckling is to be understood as meaning in particular one or more fuel cells 2 shifting out of the central region of the fuel cell stack 4 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction represented by the arrow 6 . the tendency of the fuel cell stack 4 to buckle also increases , inter alia , as the number of fuel cells 2 connected in series increases . therefore , the number of fuel cells 2 which can be connected in series to form the fuel cell stack 4 is essentially limited by the definition of a buckling tendency on the part of the fuel cell stack 4 which can still be considered tolerable for sufficient operational reliability . to avoid this undesirable restriction in the flexibility of the fuel cell module 1 and to make it possible for any desired number of fuel cells 2 to be connected in series , in particular according to the corresponding design load , irrespective of the materials used when designing the fuel cells 2 , the fuel cell module 1 is designed for a particularly high stability with respect to the abovementioned risk of lateral buckling . for this purpose , the fuel cell stack 4 is surrounded by a stabilizing casing 10 over a relatively large longitudinal region 8 , as seen in its longitudinal direction represented by the arrow 6 . the stabilizing casing 10 comprises a number of elements 12 which are matched in a positively locking manner to the outer contour of the fuel cell stack 4 . in the exemplary embodiment , the elements 12 are each designed as angle bars which can be placed against an outer edge of the fuel cell stack 4 . alternatively , it is also possible to provide elements which are designed as u - shaped metal sheets which are extended in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell stack 4 and engage around the latter in cross section on one of its outer sides . each element 12 is connected to the elements 12 which adjoin it in each case by way of a number of connecting elements 14 , which in the exemplary embodiment are designed as tensioning struts . some of the connecting elements 14 are designed as pairs of connecting elements 14 which cross one another diagonally . on the other hand , other connecting elements 14 are designed as transverse struts which run on their own and are oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell stack 4 as indicated by the arrow 6 . the fuel cells 2 which lie on the outer sides , as seen in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell stack 4 , are each connected to a connection plate 16 , 18 . the operating media can be fed to the fuel cells 2 which are connected up to form the fuel cell stack 4 via the connection plates 16 , 18 . a number of tie rods 20 are formed integrally on each of the connection plates 16 , 18 which are also known as terminal plates . the connection plates 16 , 18 are clamped together , as seen in the longitudinal direction of the fuel cell stack 4 , by way of the tie rods 20 and tensioning straps or tensioning devices which are attached to the tie rods and are not shown in more detail . this clamping leads to a pressure being exerted on the fuel cells 2 and the sealing elements fitted between them in the axial direction or longitudinal direction of the fuel cell stack 4 . therefore , this arrangement makes the fuel cell module 1 particularly compact , so that it can be used as a portable unit . fig2 shows the fuel cell module 1 in cross section . the figure shows a plan view of two adjacent fuel cells of the fuel cells 2 which form the fuel cell stack 4 . each of the fuel cells 2 has an electrode 21 which is of sheet - like design and can be brought into contact with a corresponding electrode of a fuel cell 2 which adjoins it in the stack direction , so that the fuel cells 2 are connected in series . as can be seen from the cross section shown in fig2 , the fuel cell 2 and therefore the fuel cell stack 4 which it forms is surrounded by the elements 12 in the edge regions . a number of insulating elements 22 are in each case arranged between the elements 12 and the fuel cell 2 . the insulating elements 22 ensure that the actual potential - carrying fuel cells 2 are in electrical terms completely decoupled from the elements 12 . consequently , the elements 12 can be grounded , so that the fuel cell module 1 has a particularly high operational reliability . between the two fuel cell stacks 4 there are electrically insulating spacers 24 which hold the two stacks at a predetermined distance from one another . the spacers 24 are designed as bars which are rectangular in cross section and are arranged along the entire fuel cell stack 4 . it is equally possible for the spacers to be formed as smaller cuboids which in each case only space apart two or a small number of fuel cells 2 . the spacers 24 are very stable and simple to produce and assemble if they are made from a part of the seal of a fuel cell 2 . the spacers then form an integral part of the seal and therefore of the fuel cell 2 . the invention being thus described , it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention , and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims . | 7 |
the present invention is a fuel cell system and a method for operating a hydrogen - oxygen fuel cell wherein the fuel is in the form of a fuel and water emulsion . the emulsion may be a fuel in water or a water in fuel emulsion . the present invention is particularly suitable for vehicle usage where onboard storage of water presents a large problem . however , the system may also be utilized in stationary applications . it is well known that methods exist to convert hydrocarbon and / or alcohol fuels into a h 2 - rich gas for use in electricity generation via a fuel cell . many of these methods cite the reaction of hydrocarbons and / or alcohols with oxygen ( and / or oxygen containing gas such as air ) and / or water at elevated temperatures to produce mixtures rich in h 2 , co 2 , and n 2 with low levels of co . for example , steam reforming , autothermal reforming , partial oxidation , or combinations of the above , etc ., can be used . indeed any method known to the skilled artisan for producing hydrogen from a hydrocarbon fuel can be utilized herein as the hydrogen generation means . for example , in the well - known steam reforming reaction , hydrocarbons or alcohols are contacted with water over a catalyst to produce a gaseous stream largely comprised of h 2 and co 2 , but also containing 0 . 5 to 20 % ( more typically 10 to 20 %) co . carbon monoxide in the reformate gas stream inhibits the performance of the polymer electrolyte membrane ( pem ) fuel cell in producing electric power from the hydrogen gas . at concentrations higher than 1 mole percent , the co component inhibits the performance of phosphoric acid fuel cells in the production of electric power from the hydrogen gas . for this reason , process flow schemes for fuel processor / fuel cell systems based upon steam reforming of a hydrocarbon and / or alcohol fuel typically incorporate a water - gas shift reaction step , wherein the product of steam reforming is combined with additional steam over a catalyst to convert most of the co in the reformate to h 2 and co 2 according to reaction 1 . this process requires introduction of additional water , in the form of steam , either upstream of the steam reforming reactor , or at the inlet of the water gas shift reactor . there may be additional co clean - up steps such as preferential oxidation , adsorption , membrane separation , and the like to reduce the co level to acceptable concentrations for fuel cell operation . in the instant invention , the fuel and water emulsion is capable of supplying the necessary amount of water needed to perform the steam reforming and / or water gas shift reaction to decrease or eliminate the co produced concomitantly with hydrogen production . thus , the fuel cell system may further comprise a means for decreasing the amount of co in the hydrogen rich product stream . [ 0011 ] fig1 shows a schematic of a typical prior art hydrogen generator based on a non - emulsified liquid fuel and using partial oxidation / steam reforming to convert the fuel into a syngas mixture . this system design is similar to that being developed by a . d . little , except for the allowance of feeding water to the reformer to practice autothermal reforming . ( ref . : j . bentley , b . m . barnett and s . hynek , 1992 fuel cell seminar — ext . abs ., 456 , 1992 .) the process in fig1 is comprised as follows : fuel is stored in a fuel tank ( 1 ). fuel is fed as needed through a preheater ( 2 ) prior to entering the reformer ( 3 ). air ( 4 ) is fed through preheater ( 5 ) and also introduced in the reformer ( 3 ). water is stored in a reservoir tank ( 6 ). a heat exchanger ( 7 ) is integral with a portion of tank ( 6 ) and can be used to melt portions of the water if it should freeze at low operating temperatures . some water from tank ( 6 ) is fed via stream ( 9 ) to preheater ( 8 ) prior to entering the reformer ( 3 ). the reformed syngas product is combined with additional water from tank ( 6 ) via stream ( 10 ). this humidified syngas mixture is then fed to reactors ( 11 ) which perform water gas shift ( reacting co and water to produce more h 2 via reaction ( 1 )) and co cleanup . the h 2 rich - fuel stream then enters the fuel cell ( 12 ) where it reacts electrochemically with air ( not shown ) to produce electricity , waste heat and an exhaust stream containing vaporized water . a hydrogen - oxygen fuel cell as used herein includes fuel cells in which the hydrogen - rich fuel is hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases and the oxygen may be obtained from air . this stream is passed through a condenser ( 13 ) to recover a portion of the water vapor which is recycled to the water reservoir ( 6 ) via stream ( 14 ). the partially dried exhaust stream ( 15 ) is released to the atmosphere . components 3 and 11 comprise a generalized fuel processor . the instant invention describes an improved fuel cell system where the processor of said system stores , heats and supplies the water and fuel necessary for generation of hydrogen for powering the fuel cell as a fuel and water emulsion . such a configuration solves many of the problems inherent in fuel processors , especially for fuel cell vehicle applications . for example , use of the fuel and water emulsion 1 ) provides a reduced reid vapor pressure ( rvp ) fuel compared to conventional naphtha or gasoline boiling materials which will reduce evaporative emissions which are the only significant source of hydrocarbon emissions from fuel cells . 2 ) low sulfur fuels will reduce the need to clean up poisons in the process ( a low sulfur fuel is preferred , e . g ., a fischer - tropsch fuel , but is not a necessary requirement of the invention ). 3 ) the water in the emulsion obviates the need to provide separate water supply during startup and water recovery during the process , simplifying and reducing the cost of the entire fuel cell system . 4 ) fuel and water are simultaneously delivered and vaporized which simplifies the metering of the two liquids and reduces the complexity of the fuel pump / delivery system ; and 5 ) one heat exchanger can be used for the emulsion , instead of separate exchangers for each of the fuel and water . [ 0014 ] fig2 shows a schematic of one possible configuration for the fuel cell system of the instant invention based upon a liquid fuel / water emulsion and using partial oxidation / steam reforming to convert the fuel into a syngas mixture . the process in fig2 is comprised as follows : a fuel / water emulsion is stored in a fuel tank ( 21 ). fuel is fed as needed through a preheater ( 22 ) prior to entering the reformer ( 23 ). air ( 24 ) is fed through a preheater ( 25 ) and also introduced in the reformer ( 23 ). sufficient water is present in the emulsion stored in tank ( 21 ). the syngas product continues on to additional reactors ( 31 ) which perform water gas shift and co clean - up processing . the h 2 - rich fuel stream then enters the fuel cell ( 32 ) where it reacts electrochemically with air ( not shown ) to produce electricity , waste heat and an exhaust stream containing vaporized water ( 35 ). the exhaust stream may be directly vented to the atmosphere without recovering water . components 23 and 31 comprise a generalized fuel processor . the process described in fig2 is greatly simplified over the process described in fig1 . heat exchanger ( 7 ) is no longer required to melt frozen water in reservoir ( 6 ) because the fuel / water emulsion in tank ( 1 ) can be formulated to remain in a liquid state at low operating temperature extremes . tank ( 6 ), preheater ( 8 ) and streams ( 9 ) and ( 10 ) can be eliminated because sufficient water is contained in the fuel / water emulsion fed to preheater ( 2 ). the condenser for water recovery ( 13 ) can be eliminated because sufficient water is contained in the fuel / water emulsion in tank ( 1 ). waste air from the fuel cell ( 15 ) can now be directly vented to the atmosphere without the need of additional water recovery processing . the hydrocarbon fuel utilizable in the present invention is any fuel typically utilized in a fuel cell and capable of producing the necessary amount of hydrogen to power the fuel cell . preferably , a low sulfur gasoline , naphtha , or other low sulfur , volatile , hydrocarbon fuel will be utilized . by low sulfur fuel is meant a fuel containing less than about 350 , preferably less than 150 and , most preferably , less than 10 wppm sulfur . even more preferably , a fischer - tropsch derived paraffin fuel boiling between c 4 and 700 ° f . and , more preferably , a naphtha boiling range material ( c 5 - c 10 primarily ). in addition , the fuel can also include alcohols . the emulsion may contain other agents such as water miscible or water immiscible alcohols to depress the freeze point , surfactants and / or anticorrosive agents . for applications where freezing may occur , the fuel preferentially contains an alcohol , preferably methanol or ethanol in a concentration sufficient to depress the freezing point to an acceptable limit . this is readily determinable by the skilled artisan . the fuel and water emulsion will typically have a fuel to water ratio so that the number of moles of water compared to the number of moles of carbon contained in the hydrocarbon fuel would be about 0 . 5 to about 3 . 0 . higher ratios would be preferred for fuel and water emulsions containing greater than about 20 volume % alcohol , in particular methanol , preferably the ratio would be at least 1 . 0 to allow for the water gas shift of each mole of carbon forming carbon monoxide in partial oxidation and / or steam reforming to a mole of carbon dioxide and a mole of hydrogen , and most preferably the ratio would be about 1 . 0 to about 2 . 0 . when other additives are included in the emulsion , the ratio will typically range from 0 . 5 to 3 . 0 . typically , when a surfactant is included in the fuel and water emulsion , the surfactant concentration will be less than 5 wt %, preferably less than 2 wt %, more preferably less than 1 wt %, and most preferably less than 0 . 5 wt % of the total emulsion weight . such amounts are readily determinable by a formulator and are decided based upon factors such as ambient temperature effects on the emulsion . the amount of alcohol used can be readily determined from the known freezing points of alcohol and water solutions . this can be adjusted from nil alcohol for areas where there is no appreciable freezing threat to values below − 40 ° c . for the most extreme winter environments .) in addition to alcohols being added to the fuel and water emulsion herein described , a surfactant may additionally be added . the surfactant could be ionic or non - ionic , preferably non - ionic , more preferably containing only c , h , o or n , more preferably only c , h , and o . typically , a surfactant such as an alkylated , ethoxylated phenol would be used . the hydrophilic lipophilic balance ( hlb ) for the surfactant is easily adjusted by one skilled in the art to provide for a stable emulsion . this will typically be a surfactant with an hlb of 3 to 20 , more preferably 5 to 15 . the emulsion can be produced by any of the known methods of shearing fuel , water and surfactant together so as to form a fuel and water emulsion . those methods which produce more stable , small droplet emulsions are preferred . it is evident to one skilled in the art that there are several alternative process integrations relative to the system schematics depicted in fig1 and 2 . it is easily understood by one skilled in the art that several system components in fig1 and 2 are not explicitly shown , for example , various heat exchangers , pumps , compressors , expanders and as well as individual reactors such as water gas shift and co cleanup reactors ( 11 and 31 ). it should be understood that the advantages claimed for using fuel / water emulsions are useful in these related process integrations and are not merely limited to the process schematic depicted in fig2 . the overall system proposed is greatly simplified , does not require on - board water storage ( which has freezing problems ), and can be accomplished at a lower cost , space , and weight . | 2 |
technical solutions of the present invention will be described hereinafter in more detail by the way of embodiment with reference to fig2 - 3 of the attached drawings , wherein the same or like reference numerals refer to the same or like elements throughout the specification . the explanation to the embodiment of the present invention with referring to the accompanying drawings is intended to interpret the general inventive concept of the present invention , rather than being construed as a limiting to the present invention . fig1 illustrates a typical back - scatter human body scanning system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the scanning system includes a ray generator 1 served as a radiation source , a flying spot forming device 2 for modulating radiation rays from the radiation source to form flying spot scanning beams to scan a human body to be detected , a detector 3 to detect radiation rays from the detected human body and output signals charactering doses of the radiation rays , a control and data processing terminal 5 to process the signals outputted by the detector so as to obtain a radiation image of the detected human body , and a display terminal 6 served as a displaying device , such as a lcd display . after being modulated by the flying spot forming device 2 , the ray beams emitted from the ray generator 1 form the flying spot ray beams . then , the flying spot ray beams are incident on the human body 4 to be scanned ; and back - scatter occurs at a surface of the scanned human body 4 . the rays scattered back are received by the detector 3 , which produces an electrical signal and inputs it into the control and data processing terminal 5 . after being processed , a scanning image is obtained and displayed on the display terminal 6 . it can be seen from fig1 that the ray generator 1 , the flying spot forming device 2 , the detector 3 and the display terminal 6 are respectively connected to the control and data processing terminal 5 by transmission circuits 15 , 25 , 35 and 56 , so as to perform the control of the ray generator 1 , the flying spot forming device 2 , the detector 3 and the display terminal 6 as described above . fig3 - 4 illustrate the ray generator 1 and the flying spot forming device 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig3 , in the above embodiment of the present invention , the ray generator 1 includes an enclosure 11 of the ray generator 1 and a radiation source 13 accommodated within the enclosure 11 . in the above structure , the radiation source 13 can be a x - ray machine , a γ ray source or an isotope ray source , and so on . in the above embodiment , the flying spot forming device 2 includes a fixed shield plate 14 and a rotatable shield body 21 respectively disposed between the radiation source 13 and a object 4 to be scanned , wherein the fixed shield plate 14 is stationary with respect to the radiation source 13 , and the rotatable shield body 21 is rotatable with respect to the fixed shield plate 14 . further , the fixed shield plate 14 is provided thereon with a ray passing - through region such as a longitudinal gap 50 in the fig3 , which allows for a radiation beam from the radiation source 13 to pass through the fixed shield plate 14 . arranged on the rotatable shield body 21 respectively is a ray incidence region 23 , such as a series of discrete pinholes or slits disposed along a spiral line of fig3 , and a ray emergence region 22 , such as a series of small discrete holes or slits disposed along the spiral line of the fig3 . during the rotating and scanning operation of the rotatable shield body 21 , the ray passing - through region 50 of the fixed shield plate 14 continuously intersects with the ray incidence region 23 and the ray emergence region 22 of the rotatable shield body 21 to generate collimating holes , for scanning . in the above embodiment , the fixed shield plate 14 is disposed between the radiation source 13 and the rotatable shield body 21 . further , as shown in fig3 , the scanning system may include a driving device 26 to drive the rotatable shield body 21 to rotate , for example a speed regulating motor , and the like . as shown in fig3 - 4 , the enclosure 11 of the ray generator in one specific embodiment is generally in the shape of a rectangular box , and it is provided with a collimating gap 31 through which radiation rays emitted from the radiation source 13 can emerge out . the radiation beams 40 emitted from a target point p of the radiation source 13 pass through the collimating gap 31 to form a ray sector , and then pass through the passing - through region of the fixed shield plate 14 ( for example the longitudinal gap 50 of the fig3 ). further , they pass through the ray incidence region 23 of the rotational shield body 21 , such as a series of small discrete holes or slits 32 disposed along a spiral line shown in the fig3 - 4 , and the ray emergence region 22 , such as a series of small discrete holes or slits disposed along a spiral line . by adjusting a relative positional relationship among the longitudinal gap 50 of the fixed shield plate 14 and the ray incidence region 23 and the ray emergence region 22 of the rotatable shield body 21 , the ray passing - through region 50 of the fixed shield plate 14 continuously intersects with the small discrete holes or slits in the ray incidence region 23 and the small discrete holes or slits in the ray emergence region 22 of the rotatable shield body 21 during the rotatable scanning of the rotatable shield body 21 , thus generating collimating holes for scanning . in other words , the small discrete holes or slits in the ray incidence region 23 and the small discrete holes or slits in the ray emergence region 22 of the rotatable shield body 21 as well as the longitudinal and the narrow gap 50 of the fixed shield plate 14 cooperate together to form a ray collimated hole . alternatively , as shown in fig3 - 4 , the small discrete holes 32 and 22 are in a circular , square or ellipse shape , preferably being circular . as shown in fig3 - 4 , the ray passing - through region 50 of the fixed shield plate 14 is a rectilinear gap , the rotatable shield body 21 is a cylinder , and the ray incidence region 23 and the ray emergence region 22 are configured to be a series of small discrete holes 32 disposed along a spiral line , respectively . specifically , referring to fig2 , any one small discrete hole in the ray incidence region 23 and the ray emergence region 22 as shown therein ( for example points a and b ), performs a uniform circular motion along a cylindrical plane of the rotatable shield body 21 , while making a rectilinear motion in accordance with a certain speed distribution along an axial direction of the rotatable shield body 21 , thereby generating a certain cylindrical spiral line . in one specific embodiment , any one point in the ray incidence region 23 and the ray emergence region 22 as shown therein ( for example points a and b ), performs a uniform circular motion along the cylindrical plane of the rotatable shield body 21 , while making a uniform rectilinear motion along a radial direction of the rotatable shield body 21 , thereby generating a uniform cylindrical spiral line . referring to fig4 , after determining the target point p of the radiation source 13 and the point a of the ray incidence region 23 , it is possible to ascertain an emergence point b on the ray emergence region 22 by a radiation beam 40 which is formed by connecting the target point p of the radiation source 13 to the incidence point a of the ray incidence region 23 . since the ray incidence region 23 and the ray emergence region 22 are set in the form of a uniform cylindrical spiral line , when the rotatable shield body 21 uniformly rotates , positions of the ray collimated holes move with the rotation of the rotatable shield body 21 , and thus the beams of emergence ray 40 move . as a result the collimating holes for scanning continuously and uniformly move along the rectilinear gap 50 . with reference to the fig3 , the enclosure 11 of the ray generator may be used to ensure shielding the ray by connecting the shield sleeve 12 and the fixed shield plate 14 . it can be seen from the above configuration that the radiation source 13 is arranged in the interior of the enclosure 11 of the ray generator , rather than in the interior of the rotatable shield body 21 , and the scanning mechanism can be achieved by mating with the shield sleeve 12 as the mechanical interface in a mass - produced x - ray machine . as such , the structure of the scanning device becomes compact , avoiding redesign of the shield body of the x - ray machine , thereby saving the cost thereof . in the above back - scatter human body security inspection system , in order to collect the signal of the rays scattered back from the scanned human body 4 as much as possible , the back - scatter human body scanning system typically employs the detector 3 having a large area , for example , plastic scintillator detector . in the embodiment shown by fig1 , the detector 3 having a large area as a whole detects the rays scattered back from the surface of the scanned human body 4 , so as to generate an electrical signal and send it into the control and data processing terminal 5 through a single transmission circuit 35 . an operation mode of the back - scatter human body security inspection system in accordance with the present invention will be explained below in conjunction with fig5 . fig5 is a schematic view showing a workflow of the back - scatter human body security inspection system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , wherein fig5 a is a workflow chart of the back - scatter human body security inspection system without performing the detection on the radioactive matter ; and fig5 b is a workflow chart of the back - scatter human body security inspection system upon performing the detection on the radioactive matter . as shown in fig5 a , the apparatus is energized at starting up , and software and hardware are initialized . after the apparatus is at the ready , it is waiting for an instruction to perform back - scatter scanning . if the control system gives out the instruction on performing the back - scatter scanning , then the ray source 13 , for example the x - ray machine , emits beams . a pencil - shaped ray beams emitted from the ray generator 1 are modulated by the flying spot forming device 2 to form flying spot ray beams 234 , which are incident on the human body 4 to be scanned , so as to perform one dimensional scan along a first direction , for example , a vertical direction of the human body shown in fig1 - 2 . meanwhile , a two dimensional scan of the human body is performed by translating or rotating of the flying spot forming device 2 with respect to the human body 4 to be scanned in a direction perpendicular to the first direction scanned by the pencil - shaped ray beams 234 by means of mechanical linkages . and then , back scattering occurs at a surface of the human body 4 to be scanned , and the scattered rays are received by the detector 3 . the detector 3 produces an electrical signal thereto and sends it into the control and data processing terminal 5 . after processing , the scanning image is obtained and displayed on the display terminal 6 , thereby finishing one round of the back - scattering scanning operation . fig5 b shows a workflow chart of the back - scatter human body security inspection system upon performing radioactive matter detection . as shown in fig5 b , the operating steps related to the back - scatter scanning thereof are basically identical with those shown by fig5 a , except that it comprises flow steps to perform radioactive matter detection . specifically , when the ray generator 1 does not emit x - rays and the human body 4 to be detected is absent in front of the apparatus , the detector 3 is placed in a working state to make ray detection . the control and data processing terminal 5 processes the data , and extracts a characteristic value by a predetermined algorithm , as a characteristic value of an environment parameter or background . when the human body 4 to be detected is in front of the apparatus and the ray generator 1 does not emit the x - rays , the detector 3 is arranged in the same working state as the state in which the characteristic value for the environment parameter is measured , to make ray detection . the control and data processing terminal 5 processes data and extracts a characteristic value , as a characteristic value of the human body to be detected . the characteristic value of the human body to be detected is compared with the characteristic value of the environment parameter or background , and if the characteristic value of the human body to be detected reach a certain threshold above the characteristic value of the environment parameter or background , then it will be determined that there is a suspicion that the detected human body 4 carries the radioactive matter . it is preferred that the characteristic value as described above is an average value on a signal level during a certain period ; the number of pulses exceeding a certain level value within a certain period ; or a statistic parameter of the average value and the number of pulses , for example standard deviation or the like . also , the preferred characteristic value can include various combinations of these values or parameters . it should be noted that selection of the characteristic value depends on the chosen algorithm , including but not limited to these characteristic values . in the step of comparing the characteristic value of the environment parameter with that of the human body to be detected ; it includes but not limited to as follows : drawing a conclusion on whether the human body to be detected carries the radioactive matter by a direct comparison ; or drawing a conclusion on possibility ( probability ) that the human body to be detected carries the radioactive matter by a comprehensive comparison on various characteristic values . fig2 illustrates a schematic view of the back - scatter human body security inspection system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention , wherein it employs a plurality of detectors to detect the radioactive matter carried by the human body . as shown by fig2 , the present back - scatter human body security inspection system which may detect the radioactive matter carried by the human body includes a ray generator 1 , a flying spot forming device 2 , detectors 3 , a control and data processing terminal 5 and a display terminal 6 . when the flying spot forming device 2 is rotated in high speed , it can modulate the sector - shaped beams emitted from the x - ray source 1 into a plurality of pencil - shaped beams emitted along the vertical direction at separate times . at each time only a pencil - shaped beam can be emitted through the flying spot forming device 2 onto a small area of a surface on the human body 4 to be scanned . these beams are scattered at the surface of the body , and then are received by the detectors 301 , 302 , 303 , and 304 . accordingly , these detectors produce the electrical signals and send these signals into the control and data processing terminal 5 by separate transmission circuits 3015 , 3025 , 3035 and 3045 . after the signals are processed , a scanning image is obtained and displayed on the display terminal 6 . in one specific embodiment , the detectors 301 , 302 , 303 and 304 employ plastic scintillators . x - rays can deposit energy into this kind of material and emit a light signal directly proportional to the deposited energy . these light signals can be collected by a photo - electric multiplier and converted into electrical signals which are sent into the data processing computer 5 . in this way , the control and data processing terminal 5 will obtain a scattering signal of this particular position on the body surface at this time , which is directly proportional to the deposited energy by the scattered x - rays in this detector . that is , this indicates whether the back - scatter signal is strong or weak . the body surface can be scanned by performing the second dimensional scan through translating or rotating the flying spot forming device 2 with respect to the human body 4 to be scanned though a mechanical linkages in a direction perpendicular to the first direction , in which the pencil - shaped ray beams 234 scan . thereby , the scattering signals of the whole surface of the body can be obtained , and the combination of them forms a back - scatter image . as shown by fig5 b , in the case of being integrated with the function of detecting the radioactive material , the sampling and calculation can be performed on the characteristic value of the environment background , when the apparatus is ready and the human body 4 to be scanned is standing up in front of the apparatus . once the human body 4 to be scanned needs to be inspected , before emitting beams from the x - ray machine , it takes a predetermine period ( for example approximately 1 second ) to sample the data of the human body 4 to be scanned and calculate the data , thereby obtaining the characteristic value of the human body to be detected . after it is compared with the characteristic value of the environment background , the result is given out and displayed on the interface of the software . thereafter , the x - ray machine emits beams and subsequent scanning procedures are carried out . in the step of detecting the radioactive material , the detector and the data processing terminal used for sampling the background of the environment are the same as those used for sampling the x - ray back - scatter signal of the human body . accordingly , since the sensitivity of the detector 3 in the back - scatter system to the rays is utilized in the present invention , the radioactive matter carried by the human body can be detected by altering or adding the scanning flow , data sampling process and algorithms , without adding new hardware . in the above embodiment , as shown by fig2 , the control and data processing terminal 5 can respectively process different data received by the different detector modules 301 , 302 , 303 , and 304 , and obtain several groups of characteristic values , including characteristic value of the environment background and the characteristic value of the human body to be inspected . throughout algorithm analysis , the conclusion is drawn on whether respective body areas of the human body 4 to be detected have radioactive matter or on the probability that the respective body areas have the radioactive matter . in the above embodiment , the sampling and calculation can be performed on the characteristic value of the environment background , when the apparatus is ready and the human body 4 to be scanned is standing up in front of the apparatus . and once the human body 4 to be scanned needs to be inspected , before emitting beams from the x - ray machine , it will take a predetermine period ( for example approximately 1 second ) to sample the data of the human body 4 to be scanned and calculate the data , thereby obtaining the characteristic value of the human body to be detected . but the present invention is not limited to this . the time period for measuring the characteristic value of the environment parameter , and the time period for measuring characteristic value of the human body to be detected , can be flexibly set in accordance with the scanning procedure . on one hand , the time period for measuring the characteristic value of the environment parameter only needs to meet the condition that the ray generator i does not emit x - rays , while the human body 4 to be detected is not in front of the apparatus . this period includes but not limited to , the period for scanning in case of being absent of human body after starting up the apparatus . on the other hand , the time period for measuring characteristic value of the human body to be detected only needs to meet the condition that the ray generator i does not emit x - rays , while the human body 4 to be detected is in front of the apparatus . such period includes but not limited to , the ready period in which the human body to be detected is in front of the apparatus , the period for which the human body to be detected turns out in front of the apparatus , and so on . in other words , the detector 3 in different or separate times detects the radiation rays from the radiation source 1 scattered by the human body 4 to be detected , and the radiation rays from the radioactive matter carried out by the human body 4 to be detected . although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is explained with referring to fig1 - 5 , it should be understood that the above embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention . for example , in place of the rotary cylindrical flying spot forming device as described in the above specific embodiments of the present invention , other kinds flying spot forming devices can also be used , such as rotary wheel flying spot forming device , rotary disc flying spot forming device , and so on . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the detector 3 having a large area employs a plastic scintillator detector , but the present is not limited to this . alternatively , the detector 3 can also employ the inorganic scintillator detectors , such as csl , bafcl inorganic scintillator detectors . although the above embodiments use a symmetric arrangement form of the detector modules 301 , 302 , 303 and 304 with respect to the human body to be detected , the present invention is not limited to this . for example , the detectors can be arranged in other forms . in addition , the detectors can be stationary , or can be transversely or longitudinally moved by means of mechanical linkages . although some embodiments of the general inventive concept are illustrated and explained , it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept of the disclosure , the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents . | 6 |
referring now more particularly to fig1 there is shown an illustration of a scribe line portion of a partially completed integrated circuit . the semiconductor substrate 10 is preferably composed of silicon having a ( 100 ) crystallographic orientation . the mosfet portion of the integrated circuit will not be illustrated in these figures since the invention concerns the alignment marks within the scribe lines . however , the alignment marks are fabricated within the mosfet process steps , as will be described below . a layer of polysilicon 14 is deposited over the surface of the substrate to a thickness of between about 1500 and 1900 angstroms . this layer is patterned elsewhere to form gate electrodes and interconnection lines , not shown . a dielectric layer 18 is deposited over the polysilicon layer to a depth of 7500 to 9500 angstroms . this is a silicon oxide layer such as borophosphosilicate glass ( bpsg ), for example . alignment marks 20 are etched into the bpsg layer on the scribe line . the formation of these initial contact alignment marks is not discussed in detail . the scope of the present invention is a new alignment strategy for the backend process from metal i onward . these and subsequent alignment marks are illustrated as being generated side by side . however , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this is for illustration purposes only and that the alignment marks may not be generated side by side . a metal layer 22 having a thickness of between about 5000 and 8000 angstroms is deposited over the bpsg layer surface and within the contact openings , not shown , in the mosfet portion of the integrated circuit . in the scribe line portion illustrated , the metal i layer 22 conformally fills the contact alignment marks 22 so that the alignment mark is transferred to the metal layer . the metal layer is coated with photoresist and the wafer is put into the stepper . the reticle is aligned with the alignment marks 20 and the metal layer is patterned in the mosfet portion of the integrated circuit , not shown . the metal layer 22 is normally removed from the scribe line , but in the process of the present invention , the metal layer 22 remains within the alignment marks 20 . referring now to fig2 an intermetal dielectric layer 26 is deposited over the patterned metal i layer . the intermetal dielectric layer may comprise , for example , tetraethoxysilane ( teos ) oxide and have a thickness of between about 6000 and 10 , 000 angstroms . the interlevel dielectric layer 26 is transparent so that the alignment marks 20 can still be used by the stepper to align the reticle for patterning the interlevel dielectric layer . the dielectric layer is also planarized , such as by chemical mechanical polishing ( cmp ), as shown . the interlevel dielectric layer is patterned to form via i openings , not shown , in the mosfet section of the integrated circuit . since the dielectric layer 26 has been planarized , the alignment marks have been lost . instead of recovering the alignment marks , which increases cost and process time , another set of alignment marks 30 also is etched into the interlevel dielectric layer 26 . no extra processing is required since the etching is done during via etching . the mask over the previous alignment marks is clear so that the dielectric layer 26 is removed in that area , as shown in fig3 . in this way , there is a possibility that the alignment marks 20 may be used at subsequent layers . now , a second metal layer 32 having a thickness of between about 5000 and 8000 angstroms is deposited over the intermetal dielectric layer surface and within the via i openings , not shown , in the mosfet portion of the integrated circuit . in the scribe line portion illustrated in fig4 the metal ii layer 32 conformally fills the via i scribe line alignment marks 30 so that the alignment mark is transferred to the metal layer . the metal ii layer also covers the metal i layer in the area of the first contact alignment marks 20 . fig5 a illustrates an alignment mark of the prior art at the metal layer . the alignment mark is etched into the intermetal dielectric layer 26 . however , large variations in alignment mark &# 39 ; s depth may occur in the intermetal dielectric layer because the alignment mark is etched into the underlying bpsg layer 18 , as shown . the metal layer 32 is deposited over the surface of the dielectric layer and within the alignment mark opening . the wafer is covered with photoresist 35 and the alignment mark is used to align the reticle for patterning the metal layer . the inconsistent alignment mark depth causes an inconsistent alignment signal . also , the tapered shape of the alignment mark of the prior art causes degradation of alignment quality . fig5 b illustrates an alignment mark of the present invention at the metal layer . the alignment mark of the present invention has little variation and is more robust than that of the prior art . the metal stopper layer 22 prevents the etching of the alignment mark into the underlying layer 18 . this is true at every level of the alignment mark , such as alignment mark 30 illustrated in fig5 b . therefore , the alignment mark depth is consistent . the metal layer is now patterned in the mosfet area . in the scribe line area , the metal layer is left unetched as a metal protector layer over the alignment marks . if the metal layer 32 were removed over the alignment marks , the shape of the alignment marks would be altered . that is , the corners or edges would become rounded . referring now to fig6 a second intermetal dielectric layer 36 is deposited over the surface of the substrate . this is another oxide layer , for example , teos oxide , having a thickness of between about 8000 and 10 , 000 angstroms . the dielectric layer 36 is now to be patterned . since the dielectric layer is transparent , it can be aligned using the via i scribe line alignment marks 30 . fig7 a illustrates an alignment mark of the prior art at the oxide via ii layer . as discussed with reference to fig5 a , variations in oxide depth may result in overetching of the alignment mark so that the underlying bpsg layer 18 is etched into . the dielectric layer 36 is deposited over the surface of the wafer and within the alignment mark . the surface is coated with photoresist 45 . the wafer is put into the stepper for alignment using the alignment mark . fig7 b illustrates the more robust alignment mark of the present invention at the oxide via ii layer . the metal stopper layer 22 prevents the overetching of the underlying oxide layer 18 . the metal layer 32 acts as a protector of the alignment mark so that it can be used for the next two levels ; that is , the metal ii layer and the via ii layer illustrated here . referring now to fig8 the interlevel dielectric layer 36 is patterned to form via ii openings , not shown , in the mosfet section of the integrated circuit . the new set of alignment marks 40 is etched into the interlevel dielectric layer 36 . no extra processing is required since the etching is done during via etching . the mask over the previous alignment marks 30 and 20 is clear so that the dielectric layer 36 is removed in that area , as shown in fig8 . the alignment marks 30 could still be used at this point , but it is recommended that new alignment marks 40 be generated in the current oxide layer to assure high quality alignment . a third metal layer 42 having a thickness of between about 5000 and 8000 angstroms is deposited over the intermetal dielectric layer surface and within the via ii openings , not shown , in the mosfet portion of the integrated circuit . in the scribe line portion illustrated , the metal ii layer 42 conformally fills the via ii scribe line alignment marks 40 so that the alignment mark is transferred to the metal layer . the metal ii layer also covers the metal i layer in the area of the via ii scribe line alignment marks 30 and the first contact alignment marks 20 . it can be seen that these first alignment marks 20 are now completely filled in with metal . processing continues with additional levels as necessary . new scribe line alignment marks are printed on each oxide layer . the alignment marks can be used for two succeeding layers . the process of the present invention can be discussed in combination with an etchback process . for example , fig9 illustrates a typical via 52 in the mosfet area . 56 illustrates a typical alignment mark which is typically much larger than the via 52 . the via 52 and alignment mark 56 are filled with a metal layer 58 , such as tungsten . fig1 a illustrates the results of the etchback process . the metal is removed from the mark 56 that is much larger than the via size . then , for example , the metal ii layer 60 may be deposited . alternatively , fig1 b illustrates the results of a cmp process . metal 58 is left within any space for cavity regardless of its size . the process of the present invention can be extended to include the cmp process also . cmp can also be used on an oxide layer . in the tungsten etchback process , the step height of the alignment mark can be controlled by controlling the space size of the mark . fig1 a - d illustrate the effect of changing the alignment mark space size . fig1 a illustrates alignment mark 72 having a width of less than two times the thickness of the tungsten plug 82 . metal layer 84 overlies the tungsten plug . this alignment mark has step height a . fig1 b illustrates alignment mark 74 having a width approximately equal to two times the thickness of the tungsten plug 82 . this alignment mark has step height b . fig1 c illustrates alignment mark 76 having a width approximately equal to three times the thickness of the tungsten plug 82 . this alignment mark has step height c . fig1 d illustrates alignment mark 78 having a width of greater than four times the thickness of the tungsten plug 82 . this alignment mark has step height d . note that there is a relation between the alignment mark &# 39 ; s step height and its width or size . the step height can be carefully engineered by tuning the mark size in relation to the tungsten thickness . the step height of the alignment mark is an important consideration especially for phase or interference contrast alignment techniques . by choosing carefully the right step height , the best interference signal can be obtained . dark field and bright field alignment techniques do best with the alignment mark size illustrated in fig1 d because this mark has the highest step height and the clearest defined boundary . the process of the invention provides an alignment scheme for the metal i layer onward in which new alignment marks are printed on the scribe lines only on the oxide layers after planarization . the alignment marks can be used for alignment of two succeeding layers . recovery of alignment marks is avoided . the metal stopper and protector layers of the alignment marks provide for robust , optimized alignment marks that can be used for two succeeding layers . the process of the present invention can be used with steppers using any one of the three methods to detect alignment marks : light interference , bright field contrast , or dark field polarization effect . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 6 |
in the cigarettes shown in fig1 to 4 , the mouthward end portion 10 is occupied by a filter rod 11 , for example , of fibrous material having an air - permeable peripheral surface . the filter rod is secured to the rod of tobacco filler or other smokable material ( not shown ) by means of a wrapper 12 of paper or other suitable sheet material , extending around the filter rod 11 and along at least part of the rod of smokable material . where the wrapper 12 is a tipping sheet and merely overlaps the end of the filler rod , the latter may be provided with its own separate wrapper to which the tipping 12 may be secured , for example by adhesive . in accordance with this invention , the wrapper 12 is formed with a removable annular strip or series of strips 13 which extends around the cigarette in the region of the filter rod 11 and divides the wrapper into a mount end portion 12a and a remainder 12b . the portions 12a and 12b are each separately retained on the filter rod 11 , preferably by means of adhesive . the strip or strips 13 are delimited by lines of weakness 14 in the wrapper material , which are most conveniently constituted by lines of perforations . in addition , at least one portion 15 of the strip is partly defined by a line of severance of the wrapper , whereby each portion 15 constitutes a tab which can be readily lifted by a finger of the smoker . the lines of perforations defining the removable strip or strips 13 can be easily formed in the wrapper material , either as a preliminary treatment or during the course of manufacture of the cigarettes . a tab 15 at the edge of the portion of the wrapper corresponding to a single cigarette may be formed at the same time as the wrapper material is divided into individual lengths . in such a case , the projection from one severed edge forming the tab 15 will correspond to a recess 16 at the opposite edge , as shown in fig4 . in the case of fig1 and 4 , the mouth end of the cigarette is surrounded by a unitary annular strip 13 , which can be partly or wholly removed by pulling the tab 15 . this admits air to the filter body when the smoker draws on the cigarette , the quantity of air being determined by the extent to which the strip 13 is removed . in the cigarettes shown in fig2 and 3 , more than one severed tab region 15 is provided in the circuit of the annular strip 13 . with such an arrangement , a smoker desiring a degree of the ventilation corresponding to only partial removal of the strip 13 can achieve this result by totally removing only that part of the strip extending between one tab and another . this avoids the inconvenience of having the detached part of a partially removed strip projecting from the cigarette , or of having to tear away such projecting part without detaching the remainder of the strip . whereas in fig1 to 4 the filter 11 is a simple unitary rod of filter material , the filter in the cigarette shown in fig5 is composed of three aligned and abutting elements 11a , 11b and 11c . each of these may be of any desired material , for example compressed fiber tow , but the center portion 11b may be constituted by a powdered or granular filter material held between more coherent outer elements 11a and 11c . the arrangement of filter elements , wrapper and removable strip must be such that the integrity of the filter is maintained when the strip is removed . where the wrapper 12 is a tipping sheet , the three filter elements will commonly be enclosed in their own filter wrapper , which for the purposes of the present invention should be air - permeable . in this case the position of the strip 13 and of the adhesive employed to secure the tipping to the filter is not critical . on the other hand , if the filter does not have a separate wrapper of its own , and particularly if the central region 11b is composed of granular material , then the strip 13 and the adhesive must be positioned so that the tipping 12 serves to hold the filter together even after removal of the strip . in the cigarette shown in fig6 the filter 11 is a unitary rod but three parallel , spaced removable strips 13a , 13b , 13c are provided . one or more of these strips can be removed by the smoker at will , and indicia may be printed on the outside of the strips to assist the smoker in selecting the desired degree of ventilation , or may be printed on the underside of the strips or on an underlying filter wrapper for other purposes . in the cigarette shown in fig7 the unitary filter rod 11 is formed with a series of spaced peripheral grooves 17 extending the full length of the filter rod . the peripheral surface of the filter and the walls of the grooves may be made permeable or impermeable to air in a known manner , depending on the function required of the filter . in the cigarette shown in fig8 peripheral grooves are formed in the filter but extend only part - way along its length . if the removable strip 13 is to cooperate with the grooves to admit ventilating air directly into them , then the strip must be placed around the portion of the filter rod where the grooves extend , as shown in the drawing . where it is desired that the ventilating air should mix with the smoke principally or solely in the mouth of the smoker and only slightly or not at all within the body of the cigarette , the peripheral surface of the filter rod 11 and the walls of the grooves 18 may be partially or wholly impervious to air . annular removable strips in accordance with this invention can also be used to release detachable portions of a filter to reduce the effective length of the filter . for example , if in the embodiment of fig5 the strip at the mouth end portion of the wrapper 12 is not adherent to the filter element 11b , complete removal of the strip will cause the element 11a to be detached . in an alternative arrangement , if element 11b is not adherent to the inner remainder of the wrapper 12 , complete removal of the strip will permit removal of the elements 11a and 11b and the formation of a recess within the remainder of the wrapper . | 0 |
a diagram of one embodiment of two parallel connected voltage regulators constructed in accordance with the principles of present invention is shown in fig1 . as shown , system 100 generally includes voltage regulator circuits 110 and 120 . voltage regulator circuit 110 may generally include a voltage reference circuit 111 and a power output stage driven by resistor 112 and operational amplifier 113 . similarly , voltage regulator circuit 120 may generally include a voltage reference circuit 121 and a power output stage driven by resistor 122 and operational amplifier 123 . for simplicity , only two voltage regulators are shown in fig1 . however , additional voltage regulators may be added as shown , if desired . this may be done , for example , to further improve the aggregate current sourcing capability of system 100 . in operation , voltage reference circuits 111 and 121 may provide a predetermined voltage through resistors 112 and 122 to the non - inverting input of amplifiers 113 and 123 respectively , which are preferably configured as voltage followers ( i . e ., provide a current gain with unity voltage ). this causes amplifiers 113 and 123 to generate an output with voltages substantially equal to their input . each output signal may be passed through ballast resistors 114 and 124 to generate a composite output v out , which is a combination of the two outputs . the ballast resistors help establish a maximum current imbalance between voltage regulators 110 and 120 at full output and help minimize overall current imbalance of system 100 . as shown in fig1 , because the non - inverting inputs of amplifiers 113 and 123 are coupled together , their respective outputs are substantially equal in voltage . each non - inverting input may be considered a control input of regulators 110 and 120 . if ballast resistors 114 and 124 are configured to have substantially the same value , then the output current of each regulator is substantially the same as well . thus , for example , if voltage regulators 110 and 120 are each configured to provide a 5 volt output at 1 amp ( 5 watts ), the total output of system 100 would be 5 volts ( same voltage ) but at 2 amps ( 10 watts ). in some embodiments , an external voltage regulator circuit ( not shown ) may be coupled to the control input of regulator 110 and / or 120 which may be used to establish the output voltage of the paralleled regulators . this allows regulators 110 and 120 to be programmed by sources other than reference circuits 111 and 121 . in this case , the voltage follower circuits in each regulator continue to provide the output voltage and shared current as described herein , but based on the value established by the external source . in such embodiments , reference circuits 110 and / or 120 may be turned off or disconnected from the voltage follower circuits . moreover , voltage references 111 and / or 121 may be programmable , so that a manufacturer or end user and set the desired output voltage of the paralleled regulators . small mismatches in the output voltages are impressed across the ballast resistors . if the voltage followers are precise , with low offset between input and output , ballast resistors with very low impedance can be used . in general , the lower the value of the ballast resistor , the less degradation in load regulation . such ballast resistors can be made of a short piece of printed circuit board trace . generally speaking , the value of the ballast resistors is a function of the precision of the voltage follower circuits . the greater the precision of the voltage followers , the lower the value of the ballast resistors . in the example above , each voltage regulator provides substantially the same current to a load connected to v out ( not shown ) and thus provides an effective current sharing architecture . another benefit of this general configuration is that it uses commonly available components and eliminates the need to generate system based signals for output current regulation , greatly simplifying the regulation circuitry . for example , in integrated circuits , very accurate implementations of the voltage follower circuitry described above may be obtained , allowing , in some instances , the potential difference between amplifiers 113 and 123 to be as low as one to two millivolts of their input . in some embodiments , the offset associated with the voltage followers may be minimized by trimming components during the manufacturing process . because the output voltages of each regulator are substantially equal , the value of ballast resistors 114 and 124 may be very low , desirably reducing or eliminating any load regulation loss associated with the resistive ballasting such that the performance of the supplies remain substantially unaffected . in some embodiments , load regulation loss may be in 5 - 10 millivolt range , which is well within the 1 % load regulation requirement commonly specified for voltage regulators . such low value ballasting resistors may be obtained from less than an inch of copper pc board used to connect the supplies and may have a resistance in the order of about 10 milliohms . other suitable resistances may be specified by a manufacturer of specific embodiments of the devices described herein . in addition to providing increased output current , the present invention also provides a means for dissipating heat over a larger area during circuit operation . for example , when a voltage regulator such as regulator 110 is surface mounted on a circuit board , the amount of heat that can be dissipated by that regulator is limited due to various physical constraints , which in turn limits the maximum output current of the regulator . by connecting regulators 110 and 120 in parallel , the heat generated is spread out across a wider area , providing better dissipation and thus better cooling , which allows the two regulators to provide their rated current without running into their thermal limit . furthermore , this reduces the number and intensity of “ hot spots ” on a circuit board , lowers overall peak temperatures and reduces the need for separately mounted voltage regulators with large heat sinks . as a result , multiple voltage regulators may be mounted on the same or closely spaced circuit boards to achieve a desired output current without restriction due to elevated operating temperatures . referring now to fig2 , another embodiment 200 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is shown . circuit 200 is similar in many respects to the circuit described in fig1 and generally includes components and functional blocks which have been numbered similarly to denote similar functionality and general correspondence . for example , circuit 200 includes voltage regulator circuits 210 and 220 ( voltage regulators 110 and 120 in fig1 ), amplifier circuits 213 and 223 ( amplifier circuits 113 and 123 respectively in fig1 ), and ballast resistors 214 and 224 ( ballast resistors 114 and 124 in fig1 ). as shown , system 200 may operate in substantially the same way as system 100 , with the exception of reference circuits 211 and 221 . rather than operate as voltage - based circuits as described in fig1 , reference circuits 211 and 221 are configured to provide a substantially constant reference current , with the output voltage of each regulator being set by a resistor to ground . as shown , set resistors 212 and 222 establish a voltage v set which is provided to the non - inverting input of amplifiers 213 and 223 . once this set voltage is established , circuit 200 may operate similarly to circuit 100 described above . one benefit of using current references is voltage dividers are not required , which provides improved load regulation . moreover , in such embodiments , load regulation is independent of output voltage . furthermore , ballast resistors do not need to be scaled to output voltages . as in circuit 100 , the value of ballast resistors 214 and 224 may be very low , and achieve the same load regulation benefits described in connection with the circuit of fig1 . moreover , voltage regulators 210 and 220 with different current sourcing capabilities may be coupled in parallel as shown with ballast resistances 214 and 224 scaled between the voltage regulators to ensure current sharing in the ratio of available current . for example , if the current sourcing capability of voltage regulator 210 is five times greater than that of supply 220 , ballast resistors 224 and 214 may be configured in a five to one ratio to allow current to be drawn proportionately from each supply and ensure that system 200 provides a maximum output current . in some embodiments , resistors 212 and 222 may be external and adjustable to set the output voltage of circuit 200 . in other embodiments , only one resistor may be used to set the voltage value for multiple regulators ( not shown ). such a resistor may be internal or external and fixed or adjustable . in the case where multiple set resistors are used for multiple supplies , the value of the set resistors may need to be selected in view of the resulting parallel combination in order to achieve the desired resistance and thus the desired output voltage . in certain other embodiments , e . g ., such as those used for integrated circuits , it may be desirable to employ voltage follower circuits that have a negative temperature coefficient ( i . e ., a voltage follower circuit whose output voltage decreases after the temperature exceeds a certain point or decreases with temperature ). in such embodiments , the negative temperature coefficient itself may be used as a ballasting mechanism ( e . g ., with or without the use of ballasting resistors ). for example , in operation , assume regulators 210 and 220 are configured such that they both have substantially the same negative temperature coefficient . if one of these supplies begins to source more current than the other , or provides current above that specified in a predetermined ratio , that supply will begin to rise in temperature . the built in temperature coefficient of that regulator will provide temperature regulation , which reacts to the temperature increase ( i . e ., unequal temperature rise ) and causes its output voltage to correspondingly decrease . this , in turn , causes the current to adjust as well ( based on the thermal resistance characteristics and temperature of the regulators ). as a result , the output current of the supplies return to a state where the output current is balanced to a certain degree ( e . g ., based on how closely certain factors are matched such as temperature coefficient , heat sinking capability , ambient temperature , etc .). in such embodiments , current sharing based on temperature regulation does not require the use of ballast resistors ( e . g ., resistors 114 , 124 , 214 and 224 ). however , small impedances may be used if desired to achieve further output precision . moreover , in some embodiments , heat sinking by itself may be used as a means of establishing current ratios between supplies . for example , if two ( or more ) supplies capable of producing substantially the same or similar current , with substantially the same negative temperature coefficient are provided with different heat sinks , the supply with the lesser heat sinking capability may provide proportionally less current based on its temperature limits . thus , if an operating temperature range is known , various paralleled voltage regulators can be provided with heat sinks that will allow them to provide current in a desired ratio based on their respective heat dissipation characteristics . similarly , in some embodiments , the temperature regulation itself may be used as a means of establishing current ratios between supplies . for example , if two ( or more ) regulators capable of producing substantially the same or similar current are provided with different negative temperature coefficients , the regulator with the more negative temperature coefficient may provide proportionally less current based its temperature limits . moreover , it will be apparent from the foregoing that both heat sinking and temperature coefficient factors may be combined to establish current sharing parameters between voltage regulators , e . g ., supplies with less negative temperature coefficients having more heat sinking capability may be coupled with supplies having more negative temperature coefficients and less heat sinking capability , the former providing proportionally more current than the latter , etc . such implementations may optionally include ballast resistors , if desired to further improve precision . other configurations are possible as well . it will be understood that the systems and methods described herein have broad based applicability and may be employed in multiple different contexts . for example , the systems described above may be used in “ box ” type power supplies such as those commercially produced by lambda corporation , kerco , or agilent , or in integrated circuit type voltage regulators such as those produced by linear technology corporation of milpitas , calif ., the assignee of this patent application . accordingly , commonly available circuitry referred to above may include external circuitry commonly available in a box implementation such as easily added components on a circuit board , or , in an ic implementation , may include amplifiers or such components which may be added during design at little or no additional expense . moreover , voltage reference circuits 111 and 121 may include any circuitry suitable for supplying a substantially constant predetermined voltage through a resistor , and may include any suitable configuration of switching or linear based regulator or other conventional reference circuitry . similarly , current reference circuits 211 and 212 may include any circuitry suitable for supplying a substantially constant predetermined current , and may include any suitable configuration of switching or linear based regulator or other conventional reference circuitry . such reference circuits may include the reference circuits described in co - pending u . s . patent application entitled bandgap voltage and current reference ser . no . 11 / 731 , 279 filed mar . 30 , 2007 assigned to the assignee of this patent application , which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . further , although ballast resistors 114 , 124 , 214 and 224 are shown as external to voltage regulators 110 , 120 , 210 and 220 such resistors may , in some embodiments , be internally based . in some embodiments , bonding wires commonly found in an integrated circuit package can also be used as ballast . also , the regulation itself may act as a ballast . furthermore , the voltage follower circuitry described herein may be constructed using any suitable topology known in the art . although such circuits are described herein with a unity voltage gain it will be understood that gains other than unity may be used if desired . at gains above unity , less precise matching is typical and accurate sharing is more difficult . certain older voltage regulators may operate with a 1 - 3 % error in their output , an may operate above unity gain . such regulators have difficultly being coupled in parallel as described herein and may rely on large ballast resistors which degrade load regulation . moreover , in some embodiments , where amplifiers are running at or near their power or ground rails , offset voltages may be employed if desired to prevent or insure cutoff . although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed with various circuits connected to other circuits , persons skilled in the art will appreciate that it may not be necessary for such connections to be direct and additional circuits may be interconnected between the shown connected circuits without departing from the spirit of the invention as shown . persons skilled in the art also will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the specifically described embodiments . the described embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation , and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow . | 8 |
we show the particulars shown herein by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure only . we present these particulars to provide what we believe to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of various embodiments of the disclosure . in this regard , we make no attempt to show structural details of the disclosure in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the disclosure . we intend that the description should be taken with the drawings . this should make apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the disclosure are embodied in practice . we mean and intend that the following definitions and explanations are controlling in any future construction unless clearly and unambiguously modified in the following examples or when application of the meaning renders any construction meaningless or essentially meaningless . in cases where the construction of the term would render it meaningless or essentially meaningless , we intend that the definition should be taken from webster &# 39 ; s dictionary 3rd edition . as used herein , the term “ pipe ” means and refers to a fluid flow path . as used herein , the term “ conduit ” means and refers to a fluid flow path . as used herein , the term “ line ” means and refers to a fluid flow path . as used herein , the term “ fluid ” refers to a non - solid material such as a gas , a liquid or a colloidal suspension capable of being transported through a pipe , line or conduit . examples of fluids include by way of non - limiting examples the following : natural gas , propane , butane , gasoline , crude oil , mud , water , nitrogen , sulfuric acid and the like . as used herein , the term “ attached ,” or any conjugation thereof describes and refers to the at least partial connection of two items . as used herein , the term “ proximal ” refers to a direction toward the center of the valve . as used herein , the term “ distal ” refers to a direction away from the center of the valve . as used herein , slidably connected referrers to one component abutting another component wherein one component is capable of moving in a proximal or distal direction relative to the other component . certain embodiments of the disclosure concern a manual actuator for opening and closing a gate valve . in such embodiments , the actuator comprises a housing , a hand wheel , a extender adapter , an operator shaft , a bonnet , and an indicator nut . in such embodiments wherein a bonnet is concerned , the bonnet is made out of any durable material . in specific embodiments , the bonnet is made of steel . still further , the bonnet typically has a distal end attached to the actuator housing and a proximal end attached to the distal end of a gate valve body . in embodiments wherein the proximal end of the actuator is attached to the distal end of the valve body , the bonnet is secured by welding , bolts pins , screws , threaded attachments and the like . in certain embodiments wherein the bonnet is secured by bolts , the bonnet has bolt bores parallel to an operator shaft axis which traverse from a distal facing portion of the bonnet into valve body bore holes adapted to receive bolts traversing from the distal facing portion of the bonnet to the valve body bore holes . in such embodiments , the valve body bore holes are threaded so that the bolts secure the bonnet to the valve body . in embodiments of the disclosure wherein an actuator housing is concerned , the actuator housing , like the bonnet , is constructed out of any durable material designed to allow actuation of a valve from an opened to a closed position and vice versa . further , in such embodiments , the actuator housing has a proximal end connected to the distal end of the bonnet and a distal end , operatively connected to a hand wheel . still further , the actuator housing is perpendicular to the shaft axis in most embodiments . in further embodiments regarding the actuator housing , the housing has an external outward facing wall and an internal bore with an inward facing wall , each having a diameter . in such embodiments , the difference between the outward facing wall and the inward facing wall defines a housing thickness . in certain further embodiments regarding the actuator housing , the housing has a housing bifurcation wherein the inner diameter comprising the inward facing wall is less than the inner diameter of the inward facing wall proximal and distal to the bifurcation . in such embodiments , the diameter of the outward facing wall remains the same such that the bifurcation provides the actuator housing with a greater thickness in the bifurcation area . still further , the distal end of the actuator housing is connected to an actuator end cap . in such embodiments , the end cap has a proximal end abutting the distal end of the actuator housing and a distal end abutting a proximal side of the hand wheel . in further embodiments of the disclosure concerning the actuator housing , the actuator housing has a proximal portion which is proximal to the bifurcation and a distal portion which is distal to the bifurcation . in embodiments concerning the distal portion of the actuator housing , the distal portion has bores perpendicular to the shaft axis adapted to receive proximity sensors traversing from the outward facing wall of the actuator housing to the inward facing wall of the actuator housing . alternatively or additively , the actuator housing has a window allowing visual access to the inner bore of the distal portion of the actuator housing . in embodiments regarding the window , the indicator window in certain embodiments is an actual window made of glass , quartz , acrylic , sapphire crystal and the like . alternatively , the window , in certain embodiments , is empty of such materials such that a user can see into the actuator . still further , in such embodiments , the user is able to view the position of the indicator nut , as more fully discussed below , to determine if the valve is in an open or closed position . in many embodiments , the window is an elongated window with an elongation parallel to the shaft axis . in such embodiments , the elongation has a proximal end extending to or near the proximal most place the indicator nut travels and a distal end extending to or near the distal most place the indicator nut travels . while the distance of the elongation need not be exact , in the embodiments disclosed herein concerning a window , a user is at all times able to see the position of the indicator nut . in embodiments concerning the extender adapter , the extender adapter has a proximal end oriented toward the gate valve and a distal end connected to the hand wheel . still further , in many embodiments , the proximal end has an extender adapter flange with a proximal side and a distal side such that the extender adapter is retained from travel in a distal direction by the interaction of the proximal side of the housing bifurcation and the distal side of the extender adapter flange such that these elements abut each other . still further , in embodiments of the disclosure concerning the extender adapter , distal to the extender adapter flange and the housing bifurcation , the extender adapter possesses threading . in this embodiment , the threading is adapted to receive an indicator nut , which is capable of traveling in a proximal or distal direction and vice versa as the hand wheel is rotated and the gate moves from a closed position to an open position and vice versa . in certain embodiments , the indicator nut is able to move from a distal most position at the proximal side of the end cap to a proximal most position at the distal side of the housing bifurcation . in further embodiments , concerning the proximity sensors , the proximity sensors sense the position of the indicator nut to determine whether the valve is in an open or closed position . in certain embodiments , the proximity sensors are capable of sensing magnetic field , and the indicator nut is magnetic . in certain other embodiments , the proximity sensors sense the indicator nut optically . in such embodiments , the proximity sensors detect the indicator nut by reflection of a light generated by the sensor against the proximity nut . in other embodiments , the proximity sensors detect the indicator nut by viewing the proximity nut within the distal portion of the actuator housing wherein the light source is the window . in other embodiments , the indicator nut possesses a material which glows such that the proximity sensor is capable of sensing the glowing indicator nut . in certain other embodiments , the proximity sensors are capable of sensing radiation and the indicator nut possesses radiological properties such as radioactive paint , a radioactive dye , a radioactive glaze , a radioactive ceramic area , or the nut is comprised of a radioactive isotope . in certain other embodiments concerning radiation , the nut comprises a combination of radiation sources . in further embodiments referring to the proximity sensors , they are connected to a read out device . in certain embodiments , the read out device is a computer . the computer implements various procedures and operations in the form of computer executable program code , computer executable and computer readable media , and other hardware , firmware and software module , network , application and interface platforms . in certain further embodiments the computer is connected to interface controllers including but not limited to a graphical user interface , an input / output controller , an output device , an input device , and storage devices . in certain further embodiments the computer is connected to a network . networks comprise a network controller connecting the processor to a network , where the client side , server side , and user network devices reside and both interact and operate communicatively over the network . in the aforementioned computer embodiments , a user is able to view the read out device or preferably a graphical user interface to determine the position of the valve , as the proximity sensors are connected to the read out device . in still further embodiments , the computer acts as a controller and controls a motor mounted on top of the actuator body to rotate the threaded extender adapter . in this embodiment a hand wheel is not needed . alternatively , in this embodiment a hand wheel is used in the event that the user determines the position of the valve while standing next to the actuator or if the motor is broken . in embodiments concerning the proximal portion of the actuator housing , the housing possesses the operator shaft . in embodiments of the disclosure concerning the operator shaft , the operator shaft has a distal end abutting the proximal end of the extender adapter such that rotation of the extender adapter in turn rotates the operator shaft . likewise , the operator shaft in certain embodiments has a threaded proximal end adapted to be received by a gate bore of the gate such that rotation of the operator shaft within the gate bore moves the gate in a proximal or distal direction . further , regarding the bonnet and the operator shaft , the bonnet possesses a bonnet bore traversing from the distal side of the bonnet to the proximal side of the bonnet . the bonnet bore is adapted to receive the operator shaft such that the operator shaft traverses the bore from the proximal side of the bonnet to the distal side of the bonnet . further , regarding the bonnet and the operator shaft of the present disclosure , in some embodiments , the bonnet bore is adapted to receive a packing retainer , which itself possesses a packing retainer bore . in such embodiments , the operator shaft traverses from the distal side of the packing retainer to the proximal side of the packing retainer . as such the operator shaft traverses the bonnet bore as well . the packing retainer , in certain embodiments , has a proximal end which is distal to the proximal end of the bonnet bore , creating a bonnet bore cavity . in such embodiments , seals are positioned within the bonnet bore cavity to block the flow of fluid from the valve , if any . fig1 is a cross sectional illustration of the present disclosure employing an indicator nut . as can be seen in fig1 , the actuator has an actuator housing 10 having a proximal end connected to a bonnet 20 and a distal end operatively connected to a hand wheel 30 . the actuator housing 10 is perpendicular to a shaft axis . the actuator housing 10 has an external outward facing wall and an internal bore with an inward facing wall , each having a diameter . the difference between the outward facing wall and the inward facing wall defines a housing thickness . as can be further seen in fig1 , the bonnet 20 has a distal end connected to the proximal end of the actuator housing . likewise , the bonnet has a proximal end attached to the distal end of a gate valve 40 . bonnet bolts 50 secure the bonnet to the valve body 40 . regarding the actuator housing 10 , the actuator housing has a housing bifurcation 60 wherein the inner diameter comprising the inward facing wall is less than the inner diameter of the inward facing wall proximal and distal to the bifurcation . the distal end of the actuator housing 10 , which is distal to the housing bifurcation 60 , abuts an actuator end cap 70 . the proximal end of the end cap 70 abuts the distal end of the actuator housing 10 and distal end of the actuator end cap 70 abuts the hand wheel 30 . for purposes of illustration in fig1 , the actuator housing 10 is divided into an actuator housing proximal portion 80 situated proximal to the housing bifurcation 60 , and an indicator chamber 90 situated distal to the housing bifurcation . as can be seen in fig1 , the indicator chamber 90 has bores perpendicular to the shaft axis into which proximity sensors 100 are attached . an indicator window 190 is also present . traversing the indicator chamber is the stem adapter 110 which extends from the hand wheel 30 to the housing bifurcation . as is further illustrated in fig1 , the stem adapter 110 has a stem adapter flange 120 at its proximal end . the stem adapter flange 120 is shown abutting the proximal side of the housing bifurcation 60 , thereby preventing distal movement of the stem adapter 110 . the threading of the stem adapter 110 as depicted in fig1 , is adapted to be received by an indicator nut 130 , which is positioned within the indicator chamber 90 . as can be further seen in fig1 , the operator shaft is situated within actuator housing proximal portion 80 . the operator shaft 140 has a distal end operatively connected to the stem adapter 110 and a proximal end traversing through a packing retainer bore of the packing retainer 150 . the packing retainer 150 is further positioned within the bonnet bore of the bonnet 20 . proximal to the packing retainer are seals 160 preventing leakage of fluid from the gate valve body 40 . as is further seen in fig1 , the proximal end of the operator shaft 140 is threaded and received by the reciprocally threaded gate valve bore 170 . upon rotation of the operator shaft 140 , the threads of the proximal end of the operator shaft , in conjunction with the threaded gate valve bore 170 pull or push the gate 180 in a proximal or distal direction to open or close the gate valve 40 . as can be seen in fig1 , the actuator housing 10 , and in particular the indicator chamber 90 illustrates the window 190 showing the stem adapter 110 and the indicator nut 130 . to prevent rotation of the hand wheel 30 , an anti - rotation pin 200 is inserted into the end cap 70 . as can be seen in fig1 the actuator housing 10 , and in particular the indicator chamber 90 illustrates the proximity sensors 100 being inserted into proximity sensor bores 210 running perpendicular to the shaft axis . in this depiction there is one proximity sensor in the proximal portion of the indicator chamber 90 . there can be multiple proximity sensor bores 210 near the distal end of the indicator chamber 90 , thereby allowing indicator nut 130 position sensing in different valve configurations , wherein a different valve will only have the indicator nut 130 move a short distance , an intermediate distance or a long distance to open or close the valve . fig3 is a top sectional view of an indicator chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure . indicator housing 10 includes an inner and outer diameter , with a bore defining indicator chamber 90 . as shown , indicator nut 130 is generally circular with two shaped extensions on opposite sides , which are complementary to an inner indicator housing bore defining an indicator nut channel 220 . indicator nut channel 220 prevents indicator nut 130 from freely spinning with stem adapter 110 and results in longitudinal movement to indicate the position of flow control member 180 . from the foregoing description , one of ordinary skill in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this disclosure , and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof , can make various changes and modifications to adapt the disclosure to various usages and conditions . for example , we do not mean for references such as above , below , left , right , and the like to be limiting but rather as a guide for orientation of the referenced element to another element . a person of skill in the art should understand that certain of the above - described structures , functions , and operations of the above - described embodiments are not necessary to practice the present disclosure and are included in the description simply for completeness of an exemplary embodiment or embodiments . in addition , a person of skill in the art should understand that specific structures , functions , and operations set forth in the above - described referenced patents and publications can be practiced in conjunction with the present disclosure , but they are not essential to its practice . the disclosure can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . a person of skill in the art should consider the described embodiments in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the disclosure is , therefore , indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . a person of skill in the art should embrace , within their scope , all changes to the claims which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims . further , we hereby incorporate by reference , as if presented in their entirety , all published documents , patents , and applications mentioned herein . | 5 |
turning now to the drawings , fig4 represents a digital communications system 140 comprising a discrete - time channel 142 interposed between an encoder 144 and a viterbi decoder 130 . discrete - time channel 142 comprises a modulator 146 , a channel 148 , and a demodulator 150 . channel 148 may be a transmission channel or a storage medium being written to and read from . modulator 146 serves to translate a digital output signal from encoder 144 into signals suitable for channel 148 , and thereafter drives the signals across channel 148 . channel 148 may suffer from interference that corrupts said signals , the interference possibly taking form in any combination of additive noise , cross channel interference , multi - path interference , and channel fading . demodulator 150 serves to receive the signals from channel 148 while minimizing the interference as much as is practical , and thereafter translate the signals into digital signals for input to decoder 130 . discrete - time channel 142 can thus be viewed as a unit accepting digital input signals and producing possibly corrupted digital output signals . a device which can impute noise onto an input signal can therefore be considered a channel and consequently falls within the scope an context of a channel as used herein . encoder 144 is a convolutional encoder which serves to add redundancy to input data signal 152 . the added redundancy allows for detection and correction of errors that may result from corruption of signals passing across discrete - time channel 142 . the error detection and correction is performed by viterbi decoder 130 . fig5 shows a functional block diagram of viterbi decoder 130 . survivor weight determination consists of calculating a plurality of edge metrics 211 , executing an add - compare - select ( acs ) algorithmic routine within an acs unit 223 , feeding a plurality of survivor path selections 214 resulting from that routine to an acs interface unit 224 which pre - processes the information before storing it in a ram 225 . for every write to ram 225 , a traceback process will occur . details on the traceback process will be provided below . contents from a traceback register 228 will be used by a read control circuit 229 to access a plurality of bits 215 contained in a memory location 220 . a buffer 226 serves to provide support for asynchronous ram access and is not required for synchronized read and write access . memory contents 215 are then forwarded via buffer 226 to a multiplexer 227 . a select map unit 222 then directs multiplexer 227 to select a portion of memory contents 215 for input to traceback register 228 . select map unit 222 makes its determination based on the contents of traceback register 228 . by iterating through the above steps , the traceback process performs a backwards trace through memory of a survivor path . after a predetermined number of iterations , the trace yields decoding decisions based on the selected transitions . each of the steps will be explained in greater detail below . several variants on metric calculation exist . the distance used is typically the squared euclidean distance . the formula is where y represents the received signal , c is the code word , and t is the transpose operator . in general y and c are row vectors and this equation is an inner product which yields a scalar value : the sum of the squares of the components of the difference vector . investigating this relationship more closely it can be determined that no squaring is necessary to calculate useful metrics : the first term in this equation is common to all the metrics . since the object is to find the minimum weight , subtraction of common value from all metrics will not affect the outcome . therefore , the first term can be dropped . in reference to the last term , the components ci of the code word are 0 and 1 , hence squaring them has no effect . the metric equation is therefore reduced and now reads : and is easily performed by passing the decoder input 132 through a gain and dc - offset circuit , gating the output based on whether ci is 0 or 1 , and summing the components using a resistor network . as previously described , the weight of each transition is the sum of the weight of the state it originates from and the metric of the code word that corresponds to that transition . this is the next step in the survivor weight determination . the weight of each state at time t + 1 is found by choosing the minimum weight of the incoming transitions . the expressions in fig2 are used to evaluate the weight of the states at time t + 1 . for example , the second equation , repeated below , is evaluated in the following manner : the weight of state 001 at time t + 1 is the minimum of either ( 1 ) the weight of state 010 at time t plus the metric for code word 101 , or ( 2 ) the weight of state 011 at time t plus the metric for code word 010 . for the present example , each state has only two incoming transitions ( i . e ., for every state at time t + 1 there are two incoming transitions from two states at time t ), but in general the number of incoming transitions may be a larger power of two . a larger number of incoming transitions has the effect of necessitating additional comparisons to eliminate candidates for the minimum weight transition . for each state at time t + 1 , a signal representing which transition is selected is passed to acs interface unit 224 . acs interface unit 224 concatenates selected transitions from four time steps together to form a four - length path segment for each state . referring to fig2 b , for example , the four - length path segment which reaches state f at time t = 4 is abdef . this path segment may be stored ( and decoded ) as 0100 . at time intervals which are multiples of four , these path segments are stored in ram . the method for storing and retrieving these path segments is described below . one standard convolutional code which has widespread use is a rate 1 / 2 , k = 7 code with octal generators ( 133 , 171 ). this code has 64 possible encoder states , so there are 64 states at each time step in the decoder lattice . each of the possible encoder states is specified by a shift register which contains the six previous input bits to the encoder . if we presume to operate in increments of four time steps , each increment will result in four new input bits entering the shift register , leaving only two bits from the representation of the previous encoder state . the traceback process employs a traceback register 228 such as that shown in fig6 . traceback register 228 comprises six slots , each of which holds a bit value . traceback register 228 is a six - bit shift register which functions in the direction opposite that of the encoder state register . the six bits in the traceback register are the row address of a memory location corresponding to a state in the decoder trellis . the content of that memory location is a four - length path segment 216 which serves as a &# 34 ; pointer &# 34 ; to a previous state . the row address of the memory location corresponding to the previous state is given by shifting four - bit path segment 216 into traceback register 228 backwards ( the bit corresponding to the earliest time interval enters last ). as shown in fig6 there are three path segments involved in one step of the traceback process . a current four - bit path segment 302 , in conjunction with a previous four - bit path segment 304 , is used as an address of a memory location containing a subsequent four - bit path segment 216 . in the interest of speed , an entire column of memory ( all 64 four - bit path segments for the previous time step ) may be read out in parallel in anticipation of the next required memory access . this would be done during the decode operation of contents of the current memory location and the multiplexer selection of one four - bit path segment from the 64 possible path segments . at the high decoding clock speeds required recently , a single ram is unable to provide the required read bandwidth for this strategy . instead , multiple rams are used , requiring the use of increased space and complexity . when shifting the current four - bit path segment into the six - bit traceback register , the first two bits from the previous four - bit path segment are still present in the traceback register . this suggests that given the row address of the current memory location , we already possess some knowledge concerning the row address of the next memory location which must be accessed . by splitting the 64 four - bit path segments into four groups , each group having in common the same first two bits in the four - bit path , it becomes possible to read in parallel only a single group from memory in anticipation of the next required memory read . this is the underlying motivation for the memory organization described below . as mentioned above , acs interface unit 224 concatenates selected transitions from four time steps together to form a four - bit path segment for each of 64 states . the 128 resulting bits are written to four 64 - bit words . the four words correspond to the four groups described above . the path segments which begin with 00 are written to the first word , 01 to the second word , and so forth . in addition to the speed gain resulting from the reduction in data which is accessed for each read , a gain results also from the need to multiplex from only 16 path segments to one instead of 64 path segments to one . fig7 illustrates one possible implementation of the traceback mechanism . traceback register 228 simultaneously shifts two bits to the end of the register and loads a four - bit path segment 216 . the first two bits 218 of the four - bit path segment are immediately used to initiate a memory read of a 64 bit word . a counter is used to determine which column of memory ( i . e . which four - time - step increment ) will be accessed . in parallel , a four bit signal 221 from the traceback register is used to generate a multiplex signal 219 to multiplex the correct four - bit path segment from the 16 which have already been retrieved from memory . select map unit 222 uses four - bit signal 221 in combination with knowledge of the organization of path segments within the word to determine the location of the correct path segment . the organization is predetermined based on layout considerations of the acs interface unit , and stored in the form of a memoryless read - only memory . a counter may also be required for systolic array implementations of the acs interface unit . in summary to what has been presented above , a viterbi decoder has been described which determines state weights from previous state weights and code word metrics . the state weights calculated by choosing the minimum incoming transition weight ( found by adding a code word metric to a previous state weight ) correspond to probabilities for the &# 34 ; survivor &# 34 ; paths that reach the states . by maintaining a record of a survivor path for each state ( i . e . the most likely sequence of transitions to reach that state ), the overall decision as to which path constitutes &# 34 ; the correct &# 34 ; path through the decoder trellis can be postponed until some criterion is met . one possible criterion is a simple predetermined delay . at this time , a decision is made by choosing the current state with the smallest weight . the &# 34 ; correct &# 34 ; ( i . e . most likely ) path may be found by &# 34 ; tracing back &# 34 ; through the trellis , in a novel manner as described above . this path can then be decoded from left to right according to the stipulation that taking the uppermost transition leaving a state corresponds to a decoded zero , and that taking the lowermost transition leaving a state yields a decoded one . numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated . it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications . | 7 |
an embodiment is described with reference to fig3 . in this embodiment , the baseband signal generation module [ 1 ] creates a baseband version of the signal that should be transmitted over the communications medium . the output of this module is sent through the gain multiplier [ 8 ] which applies a gain to the signal so that the power on the output of the subsequent cfr module [ 4 ] will be equal to the power of the signal from the baseband generation module [ 1 ]. the output of the cfr module [ 4 ] is passed to the d / a converter [ 2 ] from which point it is shifted up in frequency using a mixer [ 9 ] and finally sent to the power amplifier [ 3 ]. two power estimators [ 5 ] and [ 16 ] are used to estimate the power of the signal coming from the baseband generation module [ 1 ] and also the power of the signal coming out of the cfr module [ 4 ] respectively . several algorithms are generally known that can be used to estimate the power of a signal . in one algorithm , the average of the square of the absolute value of several samples is computed . the number of samples to be averaged varies depending on the desired accuracy of the power estimator . another algorithm is that the square of the absolute value of the signal may be sent through an alpha filter which performs long term averaging . by adjusting the alpha value of the filter , more averaging can be used to produce more and more accurate estimates of the power of the signal . the power estimator [ 5 ] on the output of the baseband signal generator [ 1 ] will produce regular power estimates p bb ( n ) measured in db . the power estimator [ 16 ] on the output of the cfr module [ 4 ] will produce regular power estimates p cfr ( n ) measured in db . the closed loop gain calculator [ 7 ] will examine p bb ( n ) and p cfr ( n ) to determine the next gain value g ( n + 1 ) that should be used by the pre - cfr multiplier [ 8 ]. the update equation used by the closed loop gain calculator [ 7 ] is given by : g ( n + 1 )= g ( n )+ alpha *( p bb ( n )− p cfr ( n )) eq 1 where g ( n ), p bb , and p cfr are expressed in db and the initial value for g , ie g ( 0 ) is 0 db . alpha typically takes on values between 0 and 1 and can be used to trade off convergence against stability . the higher the value of alpha , the more quickly the algorithm will converge . the lower the value of alpha , the more stable the algorithm will be . and it should be noted that in some instances , depending on the gain characteristics of the cfr module , values greater than 1 may be suitable . in an example , alpha will take on a value around 0 . 8 . in another example , if we have a rough idea of what the gain of the cfr will be for different power levels , we could use this information to allow the system to converge more rapidly . in addition to the update procedure shown by eq 1 , some hard limits may be specified to make sure that the gain never falls outside a specified range . the reason for setting hard limits is that any power estimation module can possibly make power estimation mistakes . if enough mistakes are made , it is possible for the gain value to become very large or very small . one way to prevent this is to declare a maximum and a minimum possible gain value . thus , even if there are many severe power estimation errors , the gain will stay within a reasonable range . for example , an upper limit and a lower limit may be specified for g ( n ). if any update produces a g ( n ) value above the upper limit , g ( n ) may be forced back to this upper limit . if any update produces a g ( n ) lower than the lower limit , g ( n ) may be forced back to this lower limit . in an ideal situation where there are no power estimation errors , when p bb ( n ) is equal to p cfr ( n ), the iterative procedure will finish . then the gain value g ( n ) used by the gain multiplier [ 8 ] will not be changed , until the gain of the cfr module [ 4 ] begins to change again . however , in practical situations , because power estimation modules are not perfect , the actual gain value will be constantly changing , even if the tx power is not changing . thus , p cfr ( n ) will be constantly changing , but it will retain a value close to p bb ( n ). there are many situations , where the gain of the cfr module is not simply a function of the power level on the input to the cfr module . there are situations where the gain is also a function of several other factors , such as , for example , the number of carriers being transmitted or the exact distribution of power among the different carriers . in such situations , the embodiment described in fig3 is preferred because it can adaptively search out and find the optimal gain value that should be applied on the input to the cfr module . further more , this embodiment is also applicable when the gain of the cfr module is a known and unchanging function of the average power of the signal coming into the cfr module . another embodiment of the invention is shown in fig4 . this embodiment is applicable when the gain of the cfr module is a known and unchanging function of the average power of the signal coming into the cfr module . in other words , this embodiment is applicable if the gain of the cfr module can be expressed as : where g cfr is the gain of the cfr module , p cfr — in is the average power of the signal coming into the cfr module , and f ( ) is any function that is continuous in the range between 0 and the maximum expected value for p cfr — in . the baseband signal generation module [ 1 ] creates a baseband version of the signal that should be transmitted over the communications medium . the output of this module is sent through a gain multiplier [ 8 ] which applies a gain to the signal so that the power of the signal output from the subsequent cfr module [ 4 ] will be equal to the power of the signal from the baseband signal generation module [ 1 ]. the output of the cfr module is passed to the d / a converter [ 2 ] from which point it is shifted up in frequency using a mixer [ 9 ] and finally sent to the power amplifier [ 3 ]. the output of the baseband signal generator [ 1 ] is also sent to a power estimation module [ 5 ] which attempts to estimate the power of the signal coming from the baseband signal generator [ 1 ]. several algorithms are generally known that can be used to estimate the power of a signal . in one algorithm , the average of the square of the absolute value of several samples is computed . the number of samples to be averaged varies depending on the desired accuracy of the power estimator . another algorithm is that the square of the absolute value of the signal may be sent through an alpha filter which performs long term averaging . by adjusting the alpha value of the filter , more averaging can be used to produce more and more accurate estimates of the power of the signal . the output of the power estimation module [ 5 ] is sent to an open loop gain calculation module [ 6 ] which decides which gain value should be applied to the gain multiplier [ 8 ] so as to ensure that the power of the signal coming out of the cfr module [ 4 ] is equal to the power of the signal coming from the baseband signal generator [ 1 ]. the procedure by which the gain value used by the gain multiplier [ 8 ] is calculated will be described graphically using fig5 . line [ 10 ] represents a typical cfr gain curve where , in this example , the gain is 0 db for cfr input power levels below − 16 db . above − 16 db , the gain of the cfr module [ 4 ] begins to gradually decrease as the input power level is increased more and more . please note that line [ 10 ] and − 16 db are ‘ typical ’ for the cfr modules in this example . different cfr modules will have different curves . assume , for the purpose of the example , that the power level coming from the baseband signal generation module [ 1 ] is − 13 db and hence the desired power level on the output of the cfr module [ 4 ] is also − 13 db . line [ 12 ] represents this baseband power level and it can be seen that if a signal with a − 13 db power level is placed on the input to the cfr module [ 4 ], the gain will be about − 0 . 7 db and the power of the output of the cfr module [ 4 ] will be about − 13 . 7 db . clearly , the power of the signal on the input to the cfr module [ 4 ] must be increased to compensate for this gain loss . however , it is not sufficient to increase the power of the signal coming into the cfr module [ 4 ] by 0 . 7 db to − 12 . 3 db . a − 12 . 3 db power level appearing on the input to the cfr module [ 4 ] will cause the cfr module [ 4 ] to have a gain of approximately − 0 . 9 db , since at this input power level , the gain of the cfr module [ 4 ] decreases as the input power level increases . thus , the power of the signal coming out of the cfr module [ 4 ] will be − 12 . 3 db − 0 . 9 db =− 13 . 2 db . this is closer to the desired output power of − 13 db , but not exactly correct . to calculate the correct gain value that must be applied to the input of the cfr module [ 4 ], one must draw a line starting from the intersection of the vertical line [ 12 ] placed at the baseband power level of − 13 db and a horizontal line [ 11 ] at the gain of the cfr module [ 4 ] of 0 db . this line will have a slope such that there is a − 1 db change in the y direction for every + 1 db change in the x direction and is indicated in fig5 by line [ 13 ]. the intersection between line [ 13 ] and line [ 10 ] represents the desired operating point . in the current example , this intersection is approximately located at (− 11 . 9 , − 1 . 1 ). this means that if the signal input to the cfr module [ 4 ] has a power of − 11 . 9 db , the gain of the cfr module [ 4 ] will be − 1 . 1 db and the output of the cfr module [ 4 ] will have a power of − 13 db , as desired . thus , the gain that should be applied to the input of the cfr module [ 4 ] is represented by the length of line [ 14 ], which is 1 . 1 db . it is noted that the overall gain of the gain multiplier and cfr module is : where g , p bb , and f ( ) are all expressed in db . since it is desired that the overall gain be 0 db , mathematically , one needs to find the value of g such that : the length of line [ 14 ] is the solution to the above equation . another example is shown in fig6 when the baseband power level is − 14 dbfs . in this case , performing the same procedure described above , the gain before the cfr module should be set to + 0 . 5 db so that the output of the cfr module will have a power level of − 14 dbfs . another example is shown in fig7 where the baseband power level is again − 14 dbfs , however , in this case , the gain of the cfr module is positive and hence g must be set to a negative db value so that the overall gain of the system will be 0 db . in this example , the gain before the cfr module should be set to − 0 . 9 db so that the output of the cfr module will have a power level of − 14 dbfs . it should be noted that it is possible for line [ 13 ] ( or line [ 23 ] or line [ 33 ]) and line [ 10 ] ( or line 30 ) to intersect several times . in this case , any intersection is a valid solution , but in order to keep the power levels in the system as consistent as possible , it is best to choose the solution whose x coordinate is as close as possible to line [ 12 ] ( or line [ 22 ] or line [ 32 ]). it is also possible for line [ 13 ] and line [ 10 ] to never intersect . in this situation , no solution is available , and it is not possible to adjust the gain of the signal coming into the cfr module [ 4 ] so that the cascade of the gain multiplier [ 8 ] and the cfr module [ 4 ] will produce an overall gain of 0 db . it should be noted that in this embodiment , the procedure by which the gain value used by the gain multiplier [ 8 ] is calculated is performed in the ol gain calculator , so the cfr gain function is stored in the ol gain calculator . although the procedure above was described through the use of graphical methods , the procedure could also easily be implemented using a computer . furthermore , all the calculations for all the possible baseband power levels could be performed once , offline , that is , the calculations are done once by a computer which will produce a table mapping baseband power estimates to gain values . then the calculated gain values are stored in the open loop gain calculator [ 6 ], so that the open loop gain calculator [ 6 ] is simply implemented as a lookup table . the currently estimated baseband signal power is used as an index into the lookup table and the value returned from the table is used directly as the gain for the multiplier [ 8 ] before the cfr module [ 4 ]. the invention has two main benefits . one benefit is that the invention will ensure that the gain of the full lineup of the entire tx chain will be constant , regardless of whether the gain of the cfr module is constant or not . please note that this assumes that the overall gain of all the other modules in the tx chain is also of constant gain . this benefit can also be achieved by the prior art described in fig2 . furthermore , this invention has the benefit that the peaks of the signal to be transmitted will be consistent over a wide range of tx power values , because the signal to be transmitted directly comes out of the cfr module . this will have a positive impact on the choice of d / a converter and also on any dpd circuit that may appear in the tx lineup . this benefit is the main benefit of the invention and can not be achieved by the prior art described in fig2 . while several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention . rather , the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation , and it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 7 |
in some embodiments , the virtual hunting device includes components that simulate or imitate a firearm , such as a stock , barrel , trigger , etc . in other embodiments , the virtual hunting device incorporates an actual firearm . thus , the firearm can be a fully functional firearm or an imitation firearm or toy firearm and may be made of metal , wood , plastic , or the like . fig1 illustrates an imaging device 100 , according to embodiments of the present invention . the imaging device 100 may be coupled to or integrated with a scope . the imaging device shown in fig1 includes a front lens 101 . the front lens 101 may be made from a camera phone lens such as a standard industry phone camera lens . the imaging device 100 also includes a processing module 102 , which processes light propagating through the front lens 101 to create an image . the processing module 102 , in some embodiments , includes a combination of multiple components , such as a cmos or ccd sensor , a processor , and a memory . in other embodiments , as shown in fig2 , a processing module 202 may be separate from an imaging sensor 210 ( e . g ., a cmos sensor ). thus , the processing module 102 may use a cmos sensor to create the image using light propagated through the front lens 101 and may store that image in the memory using the processor . thus , if a user points the imaging device 100 at an animal , an image of that animal may be created via the front lens 101 and the processing module 102 . the imaging device 100 also includes a multi - use hook up portal 103 , which can be used to transfer data to or from an external device . for example , images stored in the memory may be transferred to an external device , such as tablet computers , kindles , laptops , home computers , cell phones , etc ., or images from those external devices may be uploaded to the memory of the imaging device 100 . multi - use hook up portal 103 may use a variety of transmission protocols and physical interface formats . for example , the portal 103 may include , for example , a usb port or may support , for example , memory cards . thus , data such as photos , videos , or movie clips can be transferred to the imaging device 100 . the images stored in the memory and / or processed by the processing module 102 are transferred and displayed on a viewing screen 104 . the viewing screen 104 may be any one of a number of screens , such as a touch screen , an lcd screen , an led screen , an industry standard phone camera viewing screen , or the like . thus , the captured image of an animal may be presented on the viewing screen 104 . in addition , in some embodiments , the viewing screen 104 , either alone or in combination with the processing module 102 , superimposes images or other indicia on the displayed images . for example , the processing module 102 may instruct the viewing screen 104 to apply a bull &# 39 ; s eye to an image transmitted from the processing module 102 . in other embodiments , the processing module 102 automatically superimposes the bull &# 39 ; s eye or other indicia on the captured image and stores the entire image in memory . in some embodiments , the processing module 102 provides a selection of indicia to add to the images . for example , the processing module 102 may provide a variety of bull &# 39 ; s eye selections to a user via the viewing screen 104 . a user selects a particular indicia using user input means ( e . g ., icons on a touch screen or separate push buttons ) incorporated into the viewing screen 104 . icons representing these selections , such as a bull &# 39 ; s eye selection or videos , may be seen on the viewing screen 104 . thus , in response to a user selecting a particular bull &# 39 ; s eye selection via the viewing screen 104 , the processing module adds ( e . g ., superimposes ) the selected bull &# 39 ; s eye onto an image , for example , the captured image of the animal . an exemplary image is shown in fig3 , in which a cross - hair 320 is superimposed on a captured image 322 of an animal . in some embodiments , the imaging device 100 is set up to capture an image or to display an image when the trigger of the firearm or imitation firearm is pulled . for example , when the trigger of the fake rifle or gun is pulled , a photo of the targeted animal is shot without discharging a bullet at the animal . alternatively , the shooter can choose to watch a video or a movie clip that has been transferred to the imaging device 100 . for this purpose , in some embodiments the imaging device 100 has an insert connection 106 , which may be used to transfer a trigger signal to the processing module 102 . in other embodiments , the insert connection 106 is custom made to fit into a customized rifle . the insert connection completes circuit internally from the trigger ( or from a separate detection circuit near the trigger ) to the processing module 102 to take photos . in addition , or alternatively , the imaging device 100 may include an exterior trigger cable port 108 . the exterior trigger cable port 108 accepts a custom cable which clips on behind the trigger of a random fake rifle or gun at one end . the custom cable is plugged into the exterior trigger cable port 108 at the other end . as a result , pulling the trigger sends a signal through the trigger cable port 108 to the processing module 102 , which then captures an image and / or displays that image , another image , a video , or a movie clip using the viewing screen 104 . an exterior trigger cable port 108 is useful for fake rifles or guns ( e . g ., toy guns and rifles , soft air rifles , and bb guns ) that are not custom made to accept the insert connection 106 . a battery holder 107 is provided to hold batteries that supply power to the processing module 102 to take photos or apply applications such as playing a video . as mentioned above , photos taken by the imaging device 100 may be transferred to any external device that can accept data from outside . as discussed above , embodiments of the invention may be used to hunt virtually . the virtual hunting apparatus can be used by a shooter to target an animal . by pulling the trigger of the fake rifle or gun , the shooter takes a photo of the animal or watches a video or a movie clip played by the imaging device 100 . videos and movie clips can be transferred to the c imaging device 100 by the choice of the hunter . the hunter can also apply a bull &# 39 ; s eye to the viewing screen 104 of the imaging device 100 and / or the photo taken by pushing an application button of the bull &# 39 ; s eye selection . for example , the shooter virtually hunting an animal may wish to view a video of a real hunt of the animal upon pulling the trigger of the fake rifle or gun of the virtual hunting apparatus to experience a kill but without actually hurting the animal . videos provided to the imaging device 100 may be a personal choice for a hunter who hunts virtually . instead of playing a video , a video of a target animal may be taken by the imaging device 100 if it is desired by the hunter . embodiments of this application may be used with imitation or toy devices , compact cameras such as a cell phone camera , and / or telescopic imitations or toy firearm scopes / sights integrated with a compact digital camera . in certain embodiments , a camera of the present invention can be used to photograph a target at the instant the target is fired upon . to configure the firearm for photography and simultaneous firing , the camera and / or scope / camera combination can be placed on the firearm in the same manner as a conventional scope . photographs can be recorded , alternatively , in response to the sound of , or the recoil from , the firearm triggering device . an alternative embodiment eliminates the scoping component , but maintains all of the digital photography components , for example for use on smaller imitation firearms . as also discussed above , in some embodiments , the virtual hunting apparatus employs a camera or image recording device mounted on top or to the side of the firearm . the trigger of the firearm is operably connected to a camera and when initiated by a hunter , a real - time image is recorded . a processing module or photo sensor of the camera can be connected by a cable that links the trigger to the camera . some embodiments of the present invention concern recording a photo of the target instead of firing a bullet or pellet . alternatively , the camera may record a video or a short clip of a targeted animal , upon initiation of the trigger . a firearm of certain embodiments herein includes but is not limited to , a real gun , a toy gun such as a toy rifle , air gun , pellet gun , or an air soft gun , or other simulated guns known in the art . the camera can be a device similar to a compact , lightweight cell phone camera or digital camera or other image recording device such as used in an operating room on the end of a catheter to scope and record real - time images . in some embodiments , applications programmed into the camera can be used to enhance the virtual hunting experience such as including a variety of target selections having a bull &# 39 ; s eye and means known in the art to apply the target to the images recorded by the device . in other embodiments , an imaging device is further provided with a variety of videos , such as a real animal being shot , and means for playing the videos . in yet other embodiments , the imaging device displays a movie clip that the hunter wishes to view and plays the movie clip upon actuation of the trigger of the fake rifle or gun . to further enhance the hunting simulation , the firearm or imitation firearm may be equipped with a speaker to emit a firing sound when the trigger is pulled and / or other hunting - related sounds . the firearm or imitation firearm may further include vibration components to mimic the kickback that normally occurs when firing a firearm in order to provide the hunter with a more satisfying hunting experience . the amount of kickback may vary to imitate various firearms and ammunitions . in yet other embodiments , an apparatus of the instant invention can be used to train a hunter or law enforcement officer where the apparatus can be used anywhere and remain safe yet an effective training tool . | 0 |
system 20 as shown includes a compact housing structure 22 which provides a decorative and attractive enclosure for the system components as well as providing a weight support contoured for the user . all of the components of system 20 are incorporated within the housing and thus it is an entirely self - contained system designed for disposal of sewage waste . in this manner , it is particularly useful in the marine environment and more so since it will satisfy certain stringent epa requirements for handling of human waste . the basic parts of system 20 within housing 22 are shown in fig1 - 3 and include a control panel assembly 24 positioned within the upper portion of the housing and encaptured by a cover panel assembly 26 . a conventional seat and cover arrangement 28 is positioned on the housing for the user and is aligned with a bowl assembly 30 on the housing and extending within . an electrolytic cell assembly 32 is positioned within housing 34 . the bowl extends within lower portion 34 of the housing 22 which has a hollow interior 36 . mounted within the interior of housing portion 34 is a motor assembly drive 38 . a flush valve assembly 40 is in the interior 36 and is supported at the bottom opening in the bowl assembly 30 . a pump 42 is in the lower rear portion of the housing interior 36 . removably positioned within the bottom end of housing portion 34 is a filter cassette assembly 44 . in the upper portion of housing 22 a decoloring cell assembly 46 is mounted and a coloring cell assembly 48 is mounted below the decoloring cell 46 and is in the lower portion of the housing 22 . a four way valve 50 is positioned adjacent the coloring cell and mounted within the interior of the lower portion of the housing . all of the components are mounted in a conventional manner and are interconnected in the desired manner for operation of the system as described in detail below by appropriate tubing . toilet bowl assembly 30 is a conventional type of bowl shaped device , of ceramic or other conventional material , for receiving human waste . the bowl 30 is bolted to the housing by a conventional bolt assembly , has a hollow interior 54 , a large upper access opening 56 at the top and a smaller discharge opening 58 at the bottom for discharge or dumping of the waste material collected therein . a conventional flush ring 60 surrounds the upper rim portion of the bowl assembly 30 . the flush ring is conventionally connected for introduction of fluid . fluid introduced through the flush ring into the bowl is normally retained in the bowl for dilution of the waste . this fluid adds in the transport of the waste material from the bowl into the next stage of the system 20 . the bowl fluid also assists in rinsing or cleaning the bowl . seat and cover assembly 28 is shown in the closed position in fig3 and in phantom is shown in the open position hinged in a conventional manner about pivot pin 62 . naturally one or both of the seat and cover components can be shifted between the open and closed positions . flush valve 40 is an electromagnetic flush valve normally closing discharge opening 58 at the bottom of the bowl . in this manner , flush valve 40 is used to maintain the fluid in the bowl until such time as the operator commands the dumping of the bowl contents and a subsequent refilling of the bowl with clean recycled fluid . electrolytic cell assembly 32 is mounted on the interior of the housing by a conventional mounting plate 64 and extends downward allowing gas bubbles to leave its enclosure . appropriate connectors 66 extend from the electrolytic cell for circulating fluid through the cell . the purpose of the circulation is to convert the chlorides found normally in human urine into chlorine compounds which in turn are capable of sanitizing and deodorizing the recirculated fluid within the system . the motor and drive assembly 38 is also mounted in a conventional manner to the interior of the housing and includes a drive shaft 68 interconnectable by a suitable chain 70 to an extending shaft on the filter cassette for advancing a take up roll within the cassette . the motor and drive assembly is a conventional well known commercial product . pump 42 is also a conventional commercially available product and is the type of fluid pump which can accomplish three functions within the system 20 . it is used to transport fluid from the interior of system 20 to fill the toilet bowl 30 after a flush . it also transports fluid from the filter cassette 44 beneath the filter material in the cassette and places it on top of the filter material to provide for recirculation . it also transports fluid from the interior of the system when it is in excess . this fluid is transported out through the exterior of the unit to a location determined by an effluent pipe . the pump 42 is beneath a coloring cell 48 which is vertically aligned with a decoloring cell 46 . appropriate fluid connections are made for recirculation of fluid through the decoloring cell by means of connectors 71 , 72 , 73 and 74 and similarly , circulation of fluid through the coloring cell during bowl refill is accomplished by means of connectors 76 and 78 . decoloring cell 46 is a common type of element in waste disposal systems generally referred to as a carbon canister and is for the purpose of removing color from the recirculated system fluid as well as providing fine filtration . the decoloring is achieved by activated carbon adsorption . the fine filtration is achieved through the &# 34 ; deep bed effect &# 34 ; of the carbon particles . common commercial alternatives are acceptable as well for color removal and for fine filtration . the coloring cell 48 is located in the toilet bowl flush circuit and functions to convert the slightly yellow tinted cloudy fluid into a masked blue solution to improve its aesthetic appearance in the bowl . filter cassette assembly 44 is removable from housing structure 22 for disposal and replacement . the details of filter cassette 44 can be best seen in fig1 and 11 . the cassette 44 includes a casing 80 to house the filter components . the shape of the casing is designed to conform with the available space in the bottom of the housing 22 of system 20 to facilitate formation of a compact low cost self - contained structure . an entrance opening 82 is in the upper side of the cassette for introduction of the waste material to be filtered . a suitable female disconnect 84 is at the bottom rear of the casing of a cassette for removal of filtered fluid for further treatment and recirculation and reuse . a horizontal shaft 86 is mounted for rotation within casing 80 and extends outwardly through a side opening in the cassette to be keyed to an external drive shaft 88 attached to chain 70 from the motor assembly 38 to thereby drive and rotate the shaft 86 when the filter cassette is placed in the system , interconnected therein and flushed . a pressure plate 90 is in the casing and affixed at one end thereto and aligned with entrance opening 82 in the upper side of the casing . the pressure plate 90 provides support for the filter material passing thereover and extending above the plate and the solid waste material collected thereon . a splash guard 92 extends interiorally of the casing in cantilever fashion into overlying and resilient engagement with take up roll 94 to prevent undesirable bypassing of waste as it is being stored on the roll . take up roll 94 is mounted in fixed position on rotatable shaft 86 to rotate therewith when it is driven by the motor and drive assembly and thereby advance filter material within the cassette and collect solid waste thereabout . in addition to the take up roll within casing 80 a pair of supply rolls 96 and 98 are mounted in the casing and are spaced from take up roll 94 . the rolls are positioned so that filter material from both of the supply rolls 96 and 98 will pass across the casing beneath entrance opening 82 and then will travel onto the take up roll 94 for collection . supply roll 98 contains a coarse filter material or screening material 100 which will first contact the waste discharged into the cassette and separate the majority of the solid particles contained therein . the other supply roll 96 includes a fine particle filter media 102 for secondary filtering of the waste material which is predominantly fluid that has passed through the screening filter material 100 . thus , fine filter media 102 provides a secondary filtering action . both supply rolls 96 and 98 are rotatably mounted within the casing about suitable horizontal axes and are positioned adjacent to one another and substantially spaced from the take up roll 94 . the coarse filter material 100 extends from the upper side of supply roll 98 and is supported intermediate its travel path by pressure plate 90 . it then extends unsupported into direct engagement with the exposed surface of take up roll 94 . the coarse filter material 100 extends from the upper side of supply roll 98 and is supported intermediate its travel path by pressure plate 90 . it then extends unsupported into direct engagement with the exposed surface of take up roll 94 . material 102 from supply filter roll 96 takes a somewhat different path . it extends about roller guide 104 mounted beneath the supply roll 96 in the casing and then extends beneath screen material 100 over the portion of the cassette where waste material will travel through onto the filter . the filter guide 106 then directs the filter media 102 onto the take up roll 94 with the coarser or screen filter material 100 being captured between the outer surface of roll 94 and the inner surface of filter media 102 . a filter table 108 is fixed in position in the casing beneath the filter material and provides a further support for the filter material . after the take up roll enlarges through the storage of waste it then comes in contact with filter table 108 which supports filter media 102 and keeps it from sagging due to the weight of recirculated fluid . filter table 108 includes a resilient cantilever end portion 109 to apply compression to the filter material being collected on the take up roll and support the exterior of the roll as it enlarges . a suitable conventional collar 110 is provided where the take up roll extends through opposing side apertures in the casing for keying and interconnection with the motor and drive assembly . collar 110 is a conventional sealing means to prevent leakage at those apertures in the casing and to facilitate journaling and rotation of the shaft of the take up roll . to facilitate the seal a conventional o ring 112 can be mounted within the collar 110 and in engagement with the outwardly extending shaft of the take up roll . a further splash guard 114 is positioned adjacent the entrance opening 82 to the cassette to facilitate the prevention of waste material being dumped or splashed behind the filter supply rolls and instead being directed to the filtering portion of the screen material 100 and thereafter the secondary fine filtering media 102 . the filter table 108 is spaced from the bottom of the casing and mounted on suitable ribs 116 . table 108 includes a plurality of spaced parallel bars with the openings therebetween permitting the passage of fluid . the space beneath the filter table 108 forms a storage chamber for filtering fluid for further treatment and recirculation and reuse when it is pumped from the cassette . it also serves as a weir and allows sediment to settle out of the fluid during periods of non - use . the ribs serve to entrap the fluid to alleviate the danger of fluid contacting the roll and leaching solids and color . cassette 44 can be mounted in housing 22 in a quick and efficient manner and can be similarly removed for replacement after collection of waste material therein without contamination and basically with a white glove procedure . cassette 44 is introduced through an access opening 116 in the front of the bottom portion 34 of housing structure 22 . it is introduced completely within the housing until male disconnect 118 from pump 42 passes through female disconnect 84 in the bottom of the casing of the cassette into communication with the storage chamber for filtered fluid in the bottom of the casing . at the same time , chain 70 and interconnected conventional connecting structure is attached to a portion of the take up roll 94 extending outwardly of the casing of the cassette to provide for drive and rotation of the take up roll . in this position , entrance opening 82 in the upper side of the casing is in alignment with a corresponding opening 120 in a surrounding plenum on the interior of housing structure 22 which generally conforms with the outer upper configuration of the cassette . the two aligned apertures 120 and 82 are also in alignment with the discharge opening 58 from the bowl 30 . in this condition , the cassette 44 is in position and ready for use as part of system 20 . it should also be noted that cassette 44 is affixed or locked in position by means of a reciprocally shiftable locking pin 160 passing through aligned apertures in the housing structure 22 and the casing of cassette 44 . withdrawal of the pin 160 as shown in phantom in fig2 will remove the end of the pin from the cassette causing and permit removal of the cassette for disposal and replacement . spring 162 surrounding the pin normally biases the pin into locking position in the casing of the cassette . four way valve 50 is shown in detail in fig6 - 9 . the valve housing 124 includes connector ports 126 , 127 , 128 and 129 extending through a front cover 130 . a spacer 132 spaces the cover 130 from the back cover 134 . a vane 136 is within the spacer 132 and adjacent to the inner wall of back cover 134 . a second spacer 138 is positioned between the outer surface of the back cover 134 and a mounting plate 140 . a cam shaft 142 extends through a central opening in back plate 134 and is rotatably mounted in position . the vane is mounted on the cam shaft 142 to rotate therewith and sequentially close and open the ports . a suitable o ring seal 144 is located in the central aperture through the back cover plate to seal against the outer surface of the cam passing therethrough . a group of three micro switches 146 are annularly spaced about the inner surface of mounting plate 140 in position to be sequentially actuated by a cam 148 on cam shaft 142 as it is rotated . these are conventional commercially available micro switches . since the valve assembly is a four way valve assembly , there are four ports in front cover 130 with three of the ports being annularly arranged around the central port 128 as shown in fig6 . screw and nut arrangements 150 serves to interconnect the bottom of the front and rear cover plates and spacer 132 positioned therebetween by passing through aligned apertures in those three elements . similarly , screw , nut and washer assemblies 152 passing through aligned apertures interconnects the upper ends of front cover plate 130 , rear cover plate 134 and spacer 132 and also connects therewith spacer 138 and mounting plate 140 . in fact , as shown in end view in fig6 and 9 , there are three annularly spaced screw assemblies 150 and similarly three annularly interspaced screw assemblies 152 about the periphery of the valve assembly 50 . in this manner , all of the components are retained in fixed position . mounted on the exposed face of mounting plate 140 is a conventional gear motor 154 of a commercially available type . the rotatable drive shaft 156 of the motor extends through a central aperture in the mounting plate and into a recess in cam shaft 142 . in this manner , the cam shaft and motor are mounted together with the assistance of a set screw 158 projecting through a side orifice in the cam shaft and into engagement with the drive pin of the motor . thus , rotation of the motor shaft 156 will rotate the cam shaft and accordingly the cam 148 will actuate the three micro switches 146 in sequence . four way valve assembly in this form is then mounted in fixed position in a conventional manner within system housing structure 22 and is interconnected for facilitating operation of fluid flow within the system in the manner described below . the operation of valve 50 is such that a voltage is supplied to motor 154 through a selected normally closed micro switch 146 upon the command of the electronic control circuit in the system through a relay . each micro switch 146 corresponds to a desired position for the valve 50 , which when moved to this position will cause cam shaft 142 attached to the output shaft 156 of the motor to break the electrical supply to the motor in accordance with the circuitry arrangement for the plurality of micro switches 146 . in this manner , the flow through the valve 50 is channeled through the required passages to perform the necessary functions in the system 20 . the vane 136 serves to block the chosen outlet port 126 , 127 or 129 depending on rotation of the cam 142 to which it is attached . the central inlet port 128 is thus sequentially brought into communication with one or more of the outlet ports to provide the desired flow path in the system at any given point in time . each outlet port is designed for a particular function in the system , a flushing operation , a recirculation of fluid operation , removal of excess fluid or effluent . it is contemplated that a valve assembly of this type can be made entirely of inexpensive material such as plastic with the exception of the shaft and motor combination which is normally formed of non - corrosive steel . filter cassette 44 receives fluid from the toilet bowl passing through flush valve 40 into the filter cassette 44 . the primary function of the cassette 44 is to separate both the coarse and fine solid particles from the fluid . a second function of the cassette is to store the solids in a compact manner for subsequent disposal . the conduits for fluid flow through the system 20 can be best seen in fig2 and 3 with arrows showing the direction of flow . pump 42 pumps fluid through conduit 43 into the four way valve 50 . one outlet of the valve 50 is for directing fluid through conduit 45 through connector 78 into the bottom of the coloring cell 48 . fluid exiting from the coloring cell 48 travels through conduit 49 extending from connector 76 at the upper end of the coloring cell . conduit 49 extends into communication with the flush ring assembly through which the fluid is introduced to the interior 54 of the toilet bowl . a second outlet from four way valve 50 is interconnected with conduit 51 for directing effluent fluid from the system when that appropriate valve outlet or connector port is opened . the remaining outlet port of four way valve 50 is interconnected with conduit 53 which communicates and is attached to the two entrance connectors 71 and 73 of decoloring cell 46 . in this manner the fluid can be passed into the decoloring cell and exits , after being suitably treated therein , through exit connectors 72 and 74 into conduit 75 . conduit 75 extends onto inlet connector 66 of electrolytic cell assembly 32 . in this manner the fluid can be introduced into the electrolytic cell for further treatment . the fluid passes from exit connector 66 of the electrolytic cell through conduit 77 through the flush valve assembly and into the base of the bowl for passage of fluid therethrough into the bowl . in this manner , the fluid flow functions of the system can be accomplished through the various interconnected conduits . for example , excess or effluent fluid can be discarded , fluid can be introduced for flushing of the bowl , and fluid can be directed for recirculation through the system . for operation of the system 20 , reference is made to the schematic electrical circuitry of fig4 and the flow diagram as shown in fig5 . the flush switch 164 is depressed to the l position . this starts the main cycle time portion of the dual solid state timer 166 . this timer in turn energizes the electrolytic cell relay 168 . in this manner the electrolytic cell 32 is energized . while the flush switch 164 is depressed , the flush valve coil 198 is de - energized and the bowl content is allowed to drop into the interior of the system to provide a rinsing action . as soon as the switch is allowed to spring return to its neutral position , the flush valve coil is then reenergized . at the same time as the electrolytic cell is energized the fluid pump 42 is also energized . when the flush switch is released , the pump provides the refilling of the toilet bowl with clean recycled fluid . the fluid rises in the bowl until the liquid level sensor which is called &# 34 ; bowl level control &# 34 ; 170 is electrically &# 34 ; made .&# 34 ; when the switch is &# 34 ; made ,&# 34 ; the bowl level control relay 172 then becomes energized . this relay then causes the four way valve 50 to switch from the bowl &# 34 ; fill &# 34 ; position to the &# 34 ; fluid recirculation &# 34 ; position . this recirculation will continue until the main cycle timer 166 completes its timing cycle . when the main cycle time period for processing the fluid is not occurring , that is the system 20 is at rest , the system can execute the detection and disposal of excess fluid from the system . this fluid is referred to as effluent . the existence of excess fluid is determined by the effluent level control switch 186 . when it is &# 34 ; made &# 34 ; by the conductivity of the effluent and when the toilet system is in an approximate horizontal position as determined by the effluent level control horizontal switch 190 , the effluent level control relay 188 becomes energized . this causes the fluid pump 42 to operate and also causes the four way valve 50 to direct the effluent to the effluent discharge . when the fluid level falls below the intermediate electrode of the effluent level control switch 186 the circuit is broken , and the effluent system ceases functioning . if the flush switch 164 is depressed into the &# 34 ; s &# 34 ; position to achieve &# 34 ; solid flush ,&# 34 ; both the main cycle timer and the filter advanced timer portions of the dual solid state timer 166 are energized . the main cycle timer portion of the timer 166 functions in the same manner as previously described . the filter advance portion of the timer 166 causes the filter advance control relay 200 to be energized . this in turn energizes the filter advance drive motor 38 . this drive motor advances the filter material in the filter cassette 44 by approximately 6 inches . any solid waste collected on the filter material is rolled up around the take up roll 94 . relay 200 also de - energizes the flush valve coil 198 so that the unit operates in a bowl &# 34 ; rinse &# 34 ; mode while the filter material is being advanced . while this is occurring the filter change signal light 184 is incapable of being energized . in order to verify and detect proper advancement of the filter material , a system is devised whereby a tiny amount of magnetic material 202 is implanted in the end of the filter supply roll 98 or , alternatively supply roll 96 , located within filter cassette 44 . filter advance sensor switch 174 and filter advance travel sensor switch 180 are located outside of cassette 44 within system 20 . as the filter supply roll 98 rotates to supply filter media at the drive take up roll 94 , the magnet 202 will &# 34 ; make &# 34 ; switch 180 . this in turn will energize filter advance travel relay 182 . this relay establishes a hold circuit around switch 180 as well as opens one of the possible voltage paths to the filtered change signal light 184 . the magnet continues to rotate until it reaches a position where it actuates the switch 174 . this energizes the filter advance relay 178 . when this relay is energized , it opens one of the possible paths to filter change signal light 184 . it also de - energizes the filter advance control relay 200 which in turn stops the filter advance drive 38 . the circuit is designed so that subsequent liquid flushes will not cause filter advance roll operation and also maintains relay 178 and relay 182 in their energized positions . if the filter media detaches from the filter supply roll , the magnet 202 will cease rotation and switch 174 and switch 180 will not close during a solid flush . this will cause relay 200 to become de - energized without energizing relay 178 or relay 182 . when this sequence of events occurs , the filter change signal light 184 becomes illuminated and the filter advance drive ceases to be actuated . this light tells the operator to install a new filter cassette . if the filter roll , instead of being depleted of filter material , becomes full ; the full filtered switch 192 will illuminate the filter change signal light 184 and stop the filter advance drive . in order to have a filter cassette change the operator switches the filtered change switch 196 . this action causes the flush valve coil 198 to be maintained regardless of other controls . the operator then calls for a liquid flush by depressing the flush switch 164 to the &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; position . this causes the pump 42 to provide the bowl with clean recycled fluid . the bowl level control relay 172 is disabled by the actuation of switch 196 . therefore , pump 42 continues to remove fluid from the interior of the system and place it in the bowl until no pumpable fluid remains in the system . this will be ascertained by observing that no more liquid is entering the bowl from the flush ring of the bowl . at this point cassette 44 can be removed and a new cassette installed by simply removing pin 160 from engagement with the cassette casing and biasing spring 162 to permit withdrawal of the cassette through opening 116 in the housing structure 22 . the new cassette is introduced through the same access opening and the pin released so that spring 162 biases the pin into engagement with the casing of the new cassette . the other appropriate connections to the system as described above are accomplished and , thereafter , switch 196 can be switched back to the normal operating mode and the operator can give the unit a solid flush command to put it into a &# 34 ; ready &# 34 ; condition . replacement of the decoloring canister 46 can be accomplished at the same time as the filter cassette replacement . the decoloring contents can be either activated carbon , and other similar decoloring materials . the sequence of events related to the electrical control system are as described above . once all the pumpable fluid is in the bowl , the pump will continue to pump until the processing period has transpired . this is controlled by the main cycle timer 166 . when the pump is off , the carbon canister and filter cassette may be removed and replaced . after the new cassette and canister are in place approximately one quart of water should be added to the bowl to make up for the fluid lost in the transfer . the unit is now ready for a solid flush command to put the unit into a &# 34 ; ready &# 34 ; condition . there are certain advantages in utilizing a triangular configuration or any other polyagonal configuration for the take up roll 94 . round spools can cause difficulty in consuming semi - solid material , such as human waste , into a storage take up roll without slippage . the triangular configuration provides straight sides leading at a point which accomplishes biting of the material and thus facilitating the breakdown , collecting and storing of the material on the roll . this is particularly advantageous when the spool size is relatively small as with a compact system of the present type . a further modification that will also work adequately would be to provide the sides of the triangularly shaped take up roll with concave surfaces . this acts in a similar manner and breakdown collection and storage of the solid waste material . after several revolutions , the take up roll begins to round out . it eventually becomes elliptical in shape and , as the sides get larger , the included angle is such that the triangular configuration is not necessarily required and the elliptical roll will consume the semi - solid material . the variation with concave sides permits even more semi - solid material to be stored in the take up roll and minimizes the final take up roll size . as discussed above , there are numerous advantageous features obtained with the use of a filter cassette of the present design . improved filtering ability , white - glove service , compactness , minimum cost and minimum energy are clear advantages . another feature of the unit is the realization that most filter devices of a disposable nature usually are fully loaded when they have collected solids in a quantity which never exceeds one to five percent of the total volume of the device . but when the filter has this much solid material in it , it becomes plugged up or blocked . the two stage filter concept utilized here is such that very large quantities of material are separated from the fluid and then conveyorized into storage . this is achieved by wrapping the coarse or screen filter material and the fine filter media around a take up mandrel or roll . the coarse media or screen material provides the traction necessary to move this solid material into the mandrel . as the solid material is entering the mandrel area , there is a tendency for it to compress or extrude through the coarse screen media . the fine filter media is immediately behind the coarse filter media and stops or prevents the possibility of extrusion . by the time the filter cassette is totally used up , approximately forty to fifty percent of its volume has solidly filled with waste plus the filter media . a conventional type of filter device would have to be ten to twenty times larger to do the same job . it should also be noted that the filter cassette of the present design is constructed to facilitate removal and disposal of solid waste collection stored in the device . it is provided with quick - couplings both to the fluid inlet and its fluid outlet . when it is removed for disposal , the fluid outlet automatically seals itself . the fluid inlet is &# 34 ; capped off .&# 34 ; the exterior of the cassette is totally clean and bacteria free . thus the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained . although several somewhat preferred embodiments have been disclosed and described in detail herein , it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims . | 8 |
a laminate interconnect having a coaxial via structure can be used in any application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) in which it is desirable to reduce loop inductance between power and ground connections , reduce loop inductance between signal and ground connections , and reduce inductive coupling between signal connections . minimizing inductance and inductive coupling improves signal isolation and reduces cross talk between signal paths . the laminate interconnect having a coaxial via structure can be implemented in circuits having single - ended signals , or in circuits having differential signals . the laminate interconnect having a coaxial via structure will be described below as being implemented in an asic package . however , the laminate interconnect having a coaxial via structure can be implemented in any laminate structure such as a printed circuit ( pc ) board interconnect . fig1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) assembly 100 including a laminate structure having one or more coaxial via structures . the assembly 100 comprises a printed circuit ( pc ) board 102 over which a circuit package 105 is located and attached to the pc board 102 using solder balls 122 . an example of a circuit package 105 can be a dram package or another circuit package . further , the circuit package 105 can be a flip - chip package , or another circuit package as known to those skilled in the art . the pc board 102 can be any single - layer or multi - layer structure used to mount a circuit package , such as the circuit package 105 as known in the art . the solder balls 122 are an example of an attachment structure that can be used to electrically and mechanically attach the circuit package 105 to the pc board 102 , and are known to those skilled in the art . the circuit package 105 comprises a circuit element , also referred to as a “ chip ” 106 located and attached to a laminate structure 104 using solder bumps 124 . the chip 106 generally comprises the active circuit elements of the asic circuitry . the solder bumps 124 are an example of an attachment structure that can be used to electrically and mechanically attach the chip 106 to the laminate structure 104 , and are known to those skilled in the art . a lid 112 is attached to the circuit package 105 using an adhesive 108 as known to those skilled in the art . the laminate structure 104 generally comprises a laminate core and one or more layers formed on one or both sides of the laminate core . the laminate core and the layers formed thereon will be shown in greater detail below . the laminate structure 104 generally comprises a power distribution network and signal distribution connections , sometimes referred to as circuit traces , which transfer power and signal connections between the pc board 102 and the chip 106 . generally , the form factor and the array of solder bumps 124 of the chip 106 dictate that connection to the pc board 102 and the array of solder balls 122 occur through an adaptive connection . the laminate structure 104 serves this adaptive connection function of coupling the chip 106 to the pc board 102 , and distributing the connections between the chip 106 and the pc board 102 . the laminate structure 104 generally comprises one or more power layers , ground plane layers , and wiring interconnects . the laminate structure 104 may also include one or more passages , referred to as “ vias ” that provide electrical connectivity between and among the various layers of the laminate structure 104 . in an embodiment , the laminate structure 104 may include a coaxial via structure , an example one of which is illustrated using reference numeral 150 . the coaxial via structure 150 will be described in greater detail below . in the embodiment shown , the chip 106 is located over the laminate structure 104 and a periphery of the chip 106 is generally contained within the periphery of the laminate structure 104 . further , the laminate structure 104 is located over the pc board 102 , and a periphery of the laminate structure 104 is generally contained within a periphery of the pc board 102 . fig2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion 200 of the assembly of fig1 . the portion 200 generally comprises portions of the circuit package 105 , chip 106 and laminate structure 104 . the laminate structure 104 generally comprises a laminate core 202 and layers 204 and 206 . for example purposes only , the laminate core 202 can be fabricated from a glass fiber material , or another suitable material known to those skilled in the art . for example purposes only , the layers 204 comprise individual layers 208 and 212 , and the layers 206 comprise individual layers 214 and 216 . the layers 204 and 206 are illustrated as each comprising two layers , sometimes referred to as “ build - up ” layers , but those skilled in the art will recognize that layers 204 and 206 may comprise more or fewer layers , and may each comprise a different number of layers . the layers 204 and 206 generally include a combination of non - conductive high density build - up material and material used to construct electrical interconnects including , but not limited to , copper , or other conductive material circuit traces , or other conductive material circuit pads , and other conductive elements and structures . the laminate structure 104 also comprises an embodiment of a coaxial via structure 150 . in the embodiment shown , the coaxial via structure 150 comprises a central via 220 and a peripheral via 225 , which in this embodiment , can be constructed as a through hole electrically conductive plated via or an electrically conductive filled via . in the example shown in fig2 , the peripheral via 225 is constructed as a through hole electrically conductive plated via , whereby the peripheral via 225 comprises a vertical portion 227 and layer portions 228 and 229 , each of which is formed by plating , or another process by which electrically conductive material is applied or formed . the coaxial via structure 150 also comprises non - conductive fill material 226 , which can be , for example purposes only , a non - conductive resin or another structurally stable non - conductive dielectric material . in the embodiment shown in fig2 , the coaxial via structure 150 electrically connects the solder bump 231 to the central via 220 , through the conductive elements 232 and 234 , and electrically connects the solder bump 236 to the peripheral via 225 , through the conductive elements 237 and 238 . on the opposing side of the laminate structure 104 , the coaxial via structure 150 electrically connects the solder ball 251 to the central via 220 , through conductive elements 252 , 254 and 255 , and electrically connects the solder ball 256 to the peripheral via 225 , through the conductive elements 257 and 258 . the conductive elements 232 , 234 , 237 and 238 are formed in the laminate layers 206 , as known in the art . similarly , the conductive elements 252 , 254 , 255 , 257 and 258 are formed in the laminate layers 204 , as known in the art . in this manner , a coaxial via structure 150 provides two electrical paths of connectivity between the chip 106 and the pc board 102 ( not shown in fig2 ), while minimizing inductance and while minimizing the amount of area consumed on the laminate structure 104 . this arrangement improves signal isolation and minimizes the likelihood of cross talk for signals carried through the coaxial via 150 . fig3 is a schematic view illustrating a cross - section of an example coaxial via 300 , which is similar to the coaxial via 150 of fig2 . the elements in fig3 and in the subsequent figures to follow are numbered using the convention xx , where “ xx ” refers to a similar element in fig2 . a coaxial via 300 is formed in a laminate core 302 . the coaxial via 300 comprises a peripheral via 325 and a central via 320 . the peripheral via 325 is formed from a conductive material and comprises a vertical portion 327 and layer portions 328 and 329 . in an embodiment , the peripheral via 325 is formed by drilling , etching , boring , or otherwise forming a hole in the laminate core 302 and then plating or otherwise covering the exposed surface of the laminate core 302 with a conductive material to form the vertical portion 327 and the layer portions 328 and 329 . subsequently , conductive elements 351 are formed as generally indicated , but are generally not part of the peripheral via 325 . a non - conductive fill material 326 , such as a glass fiber resin or other suitable non - conductive material fills the space within the interior portion of the peripheral via 325 . the fill material 326 is then drilled , etched , bored , or otherwise processed to form an opening within which to form the central via 320 . the central via 320 can be a plated or filled via , depending upon application . the conductive elements 354 and 334 are formed subsequently as described above in the laminate layers 204 and 206 ( not shown in fig3 ), as described with respect to fig2 . fig4 a through 4d are a series of schematic drawings showing an example of a process or method that can be used to form a coaxial via in a laminate structure . fig4 a shows a schematic diagram 400 including a laminate core 402 having an opening 407 formed therein . the opening 407 can be formed by drilling , boring , etching , eroding , or another known process for creating an opening in a laminate core . in an embodiment , the opening 407 has an initial diameter “ a .” the diameter “ a ” as sometimes referred to as the “ drill diameter .” the peripheral via 425 is formed by plating , or otherwise applying a conductive material to the portions of the laminate core 402 exposed when forming the opening 407 . the conductive material forms the vertical portion 427 and the layer portions 428 and 429 of the peripheral via 425 . a circuit pad 405 is also formed by portions of the vertical portion 427 and the layer portion 428 . the dimension “ d ” refers to a diameter of the circuit pad to 405 . a circuit pad 411 can be similarly formed on the opposing side of the laminate core 402 and may have a dimension that is the same or different than the dimension “ d .” in the embodiment shown in fig4 a , the thickness of the vertical portion 427 is illustrated using dimension “ b ” and the width of the opening after plating is shown by dimension “ c .” the thickness of the layer portions 428 and 429 can be the same or different than the dimension “ b .” fig4 b is a schematic diagram 415 illustrating the peripheral via 425 after being filled with a non - conductive material 426 . in an embodiment , the non - conductive material 426 can be a glass resin or other structurally sound material . the dimension “ e ” refers to the diameter of the resin film material 426 . fig4 c is a schematic diagram 430 illustrating the formation of an opening 409 through the fill material 426 . the diameter of the opening 409 corresponds to dimension “ f ′ and allows for the formation of the central via therein . the dimension “ g ” refers to the thickness of the resin material 426 on either side of the opening 409 . fig4 d is a schematic diagram 435 showing a central via 420 formed within the opening 409 . the central via 420 can be a solid filled conductive structure , or can be a cylindrical plated hole , so long as the central via 420 is formed using a conductive material . conductive elements 451 are formed as described above on the pads 405 and 411 of the peripheral via 425 while conductive elements 434 and 454 are formed on opposing ends of the central via 420 . fig5 is a schematic diagram 500 illustrating an alternative embodiment of a coaxial via structure . the coaxial via structure shown in fig3 is generally suitable for power and ground connections and for circuit paths having what is referred to as a “ single - ended ” signal conductor and a single ground path ( or power path ). the coaxial via structure shown in fig5 is suitable for circumstances in which there may be multiple signal paths and a single ground path , or in applications referred to as a “ differential - signal .” for example , the coaxial via structure shown in fig5 is suitable for a differential signal path where two signals of opposing polarity and a ground plane ( or power plane ) are carried . fig5 illustrates a laminate core 502 within which a peripheral via 525 is formed as described above . the peripheral via 525 is one of three vias shown in fig5 . a fill material 526 is used to create a non - conductive solid structure within the peripheral via 525 . in the embodiment shown in fig5 , two central vias 520 and 523 are formed in and electrically isolated from each other and from the peripheral via 525 by the fill material 526 as described above . conductive elements 551 are formed in contact with the peripheral via 525 , conductive elements 552 are formed in contact with the central via 520 , and conductive elements 553 are formed in contact to the central via 523 , as described above . the embodiment shown in fig5 can be used for differential signals in which the opposing polarity signals are carried by the central vias 520 and 523 and a ground connection is carried by the peripheral via 525 . fig6 is a plan view 600 illustrating the coaxial via shown in fig4 . the central via 420 is located in the approximate center of the fill material 426 . the peripheral via 425 surrounds the fill material 426 and the central via 420 . the pad 405 is shown as comprising portions of the peripheral via 425 and layer portion 428 , but typically , the material that forms the pad 405 and the peripheral via 425 is a single continuous material . the laminate core 402 is shown for reference . fig7 is a plan view 700 illustrating the coaxial via shown in fig5 . the central via 520 and central via 523 are located approximately as shown within and electrically isolated from each other and from the peripheral via 525 by the fill material 526 . the peripheral via 525 surrounds the fill material 526 and the central vias 520 and 523 . a pad 505 is shown as comprising portions of the peripheral via 525 and layer portion 528 , but typically , the material that forms the pad 505 and the peripheral via 525 is a single continuous material . the laminate core 502 is shown for reference . this disclosure describes the invention in detail using illustrative embodiments . however , it is to be understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not limited to the precise embodiments described . | 7 |
referring first to fig1 , a perspective view of a first rib 10 of the present invention is provided . first rib 10 has a half - hexoid shape 16 , a top end 20 , and a base end 18 . the top end 20 is where the first rib 10 will be sealed with another first rib 10 to form an arch 12 of a shelter structure 14 , shown in fig3 . the base end 18 is securely attached to the top 46 of a pedestal 44 , which is part of the base 42 , indicated in fig3 , for example . the pedestal 44 also has a bottom 48 , not visible in this view but understood to be the opposite side of the top 46 , shown , and facing down toward the earth . the pedestal 44 has an inner side 52 that faces toward the inside of the shelter structure 14 , and an outer side 54 that faces away from the shelter structure 14 . the inner and outer sides 52 , 54 are shown more clearly in fig3 . the top 46 of the pedestal 44 includes a lip 62 , on which a floor segment 64 will rest , as shown in 3 . the cross - section 30 of the rib 10 is visible at the top end 20 of the rib 10 . the cross - section 30 has a convex half - hexagon shape 32 , as discussed below with reference to fig5 a and 5b . the ribs of the present invention , whether first ribs 10 , shown in fig1 , for example , or second ribs 80 , shown in fig8 , for example , are made using a polyester resin with approximately 70 % glass content . the preferred process used to mold the ribs is called the vacuum infusion process . with this process , all the glass is laid down in full thickness , a bag is placed over the entire rib , a full vacuum is drawn on the glass over the mold , and then the polyester resin is sucked into the laminate . this results in a bubble free very dense and very strong resilient laminate with e values more than twice that of structural hand - lay - up laminates . in addition , this is a closed molding process so that employees are not exposed to volatile organic compounds . alternatively , the first and second ribs 10 , 80 may be made of concrete . now referring to fig2 and 3 , front views of a prior art arch for a disaster shelter and a half - hexoid shelter structure 14 of the present invention are provided respectively . fig2 shows a prior art elliptical arch . this arch is one piece , and its front view is either half - round or half - paraboloid , with the elliptical arch meeting the foundation at the neutral axis . fig3 shows an arch 12 of the present invention , made up of two first ribs 10 of the present invention sealed at the top end 20 of the first ribs 10 . the half - hexoid arch 12 in fig3 is similar to the prior art arch in fig2 , but the elliptical shape of fig2 has been pushed out to form the extruded elliptical / half - hexoid shape 16 of fig3 . this shape is explained in more detail with reference to fig4 . each first rib 10 has a horizontal span 22 of fifty - two feet and a vertical height 24 of twenty feet . the dashed line in fig3 indicates the shape of a prior art elliptical arch , as in fig2 . the arch 12 shown in fig3 sits upon a substructure 40 . the substructure 40 includes a base 42 , floor segments 64 , a recess 66 , and a plastic liner 67 . the base 42 consists of a number of pedestals 44 . the base ends 18 of the first ribs 10 are attached to the pedestals 44 . each pedestal 44 includes an inner side 52 and an outer side 54 , as described above with reference to fig1 . each pedestal has a height 50 , a top 46 , a bottom 48 , and a lip 62 on the inner side 52 of the top 46 . for every arch 12 in a shelter structure 14 , the base 42 includes two pedestals 44 positioned on either side of the arch 12 . adjacent pedestals 44 supporting adjacent ribs 12 include a ¼ inch space 68 between them , indicated in fig6 . base 42 is precast concrete or made of composite . this is opposed to current , prior art bases made of fiberglass . fiberglass is used at least on the tops 46 of pedestals 44 , however , so as to create a gas tight surface , preventing radon and methane gas , commonly found in underground structures , from entering the shelter structure 14 . the floor segments 64 , shown in fig3 , are made of corrugated fiberglass or precast concrete . floor segments 64 are made of two floor panels that meet in the middle of the floor . floor segments 64 may be supported by piers 65 . when the floor segments 64 are in position resting on lips 62 of pedestals 44 , they are bolted together with gaskets , and all seams and gaps are sealed with a flexible sealant to create a gas tight foundation and floor . the recess 66 of the substructure 40 is defined by the floor segments 64 and the height 50 of the pedestals 44 . this recess 66 is a crawl space that allows for important shelter infrastructure such as sewer lift stations , air ducts , plumbing , electrical lines , and sump pumps . a plastic liner 67 is placed at the bottom of recess 66 between bottoms 48 of pedestals 44 as an additional vapor barrier between the earth and the substructure 40 . the plastic liner 67 also makes it easier and dryer for a person to crawl in the recess 66 when necessary . the ¼ inch spaces 68 between the bases 42 , shown most clearly in fig6 , allow water to enter into this recess 66 . making the bases 42 watertight would place a large uniform load on the floor . specifically , for the preferred shelter structure 14 made of first ribs 10 , the floor might be thirty feet below the ground . making bases 42 watertight under these circumstances , by resisting hydrostatic pressure , the floor would see 13 . 2 psi , calculated from 30 ft * 0 . 44 psi / ft . this would place a uniform load on the floor of 1 , 140 , 480 lbs , calculated from 50 ft span * 12 ft * 144 in 2 * 13 . 2 psi . to support such a load would require a concrete slab many feet thick . as such , the inventor chose not to make the bases 42 watertight . the recess 66 created by the pedestals 44 and floor allows space for sump pumps that can pump water that has entered the recess up to the ground surface a long distance away . the bases 42 therefore do not need to be watertight . a thick slab of concrete under the structure is therefore avoided . this also allows for fast assembly in the field , as there is no need to wait for concrete to cure . now referring to fig4 , an illustration of how the extruded elliptical shape of ribs 10 , 80 is formed is provided . the extruded elliptical / half - hexoid shape 16 of arch 12 is shown . dashed line 104 is a half - circle , which is a common shape for prior art shelter structures . dashed line 101 is the half - elliptical shape also common in prior art shelter structures , and the shape that is extruded to get the half - hexoid shape 16 of the present invention . half - hexagon 102 is superimposed over half - ellipse 101 . the hexagon of which the half - hexagon 102 is a half has all 120 ° angles . it is not a regular hexagon because its sides are not necessarily the same length . as shown , the longest distance between opposite vertices is equal to the major axis of the half - ellipse 101 . this distance also corresponds with the span 22 of arch 12 . prior art half - ellipse 101 and half - hexoid shape 16 meet at top end 18 . half - ellipse 101 , half - hexoid shape 16 of the present invention , and half - hexagon 102 all begin and end at right and left common end points 95 , 96 . instead of following the curve of half - ellipse 101 , however , half - hexoid 16 nearly intersects with right and left hexagon vertices 103 , 105 on its way up to top end 18 . ellipse 130 is included in fig4 for purposes of illustration . the major axis of ellipse 130 has the same length as span 22 and the minor axis of ellipse 130 has the same length as height 24 . half - hexoid shape 16 has a top section 107 on either side of top end 18 that approximately follows the curve of ellipse 130 until it nearly meets right and left hexagon vertices 103 , 105 . this section of the half - hexoid shape 16 is the fillet blend section 109 where half - hexoid shape 16 turns downward away from ellipse 130 to more closely approximate the shape of half - hexagon 102 . fillet blend section 109 is a curved section that uses a fillet blend radius that is a blend of several radii to form half - hexoid shape 16 . side portion 111 is on either side between fillet blend section 109 and common end points 95 , 96 and is also curved . as the half - hexoid shape 16 is guided by a half - hexagon , but is smooth and without flat surfaces or points , we call this shape a “ half - hexoid ” shape . it is understood that to get the shape used with second rib 80 , a similar procedure is used , but with a full ellipse , and a full hexagon . corresponding structures for second rib 80 are labeled in fig8 . now referring to fig5 a and 5b , cross - sectional views of first and second ribs 10 , 80 of the present invention are provided . earth above the ribs 10 , 80 is indicated by cross hatching . the shape of the rib cross - section 30 is a convex half - hexagon 32 . in other words , the shape has three of six sides of a hexagon — two vertical curved walls 33 connected by one horizontal wall 35 — but where all walls 33 , 35 are convex , or curved outward . the arch cross - section 30 also includes a base flange 36 extending outwardly from the bottom of each vertical wall 33 , and a lip flange 38 extending perpendicularly and upwardly from each base flange 36 . adjacent ribs 10 , 80 are sealed to one another along their respective lip flanges 38 . this design results in a stronger shape than prior art and uses only a small amount more material . cross - section 30 of first rib 10 has a width 34 of twelve feet , which is about ¼ the span of arch 12 , which is preferably fifty - two feet , as discussed above . cross - section 30 of second rib 80 has a width 34 of four feet , which is about ¼ the span of the second rib 80 , which is preferably fourteen feet , as discussed in more detail with respect to fig8 below . having cross - section 30 be approximately ¼ of the span of arch 12 or second rib 80 has been shown to create an extremely strong structural element . the approximate ¼ ratio of cross - section width 34 to span is between 0 . 22 and 0 . 31 . when referring to the vertical and horizontal walls 33 , 35 , we use the terms “ vertical ” and “ horizontal ” walls approximately . the vertical walls 33 are not perpendicular to the horizontal wall 35 . in addition , neither the vertical walls 33 , nor the horizontal wall 35 include any flat surfaces , as may be commonly implied by the terms “ vertical ” and “ horizontal .” because the vertical and horizontal walls 33 , 35 do not include any flat surfaces , there are no tensile loads . as the earth loads put axial loads on the curved vertical wall 33 , the thrust loads on the vertical wall 33 are resisted by the opposing and equal thrust loads from the adjacent vertical wall 33 so the shape is strong and stable . in this case , “ adjacent ” vertical walls 33 refer not to the two vertical walls 33 of a single cross - section 30 , but to the closest vertical walls 33 of two cross - sections 30 of ribs 10 , 80 that have been sealed together . now referring to fig6 , a perspective view of a half - hexoid shelter structure 14 of the present invention is provided . shelter structure 14 sits on substructure 40 , shown in fig3 , of which the outer sides 54 of the pedestals 44 of base 42 are visible . base 42 also extends beneath the end panel 78 of shelter structure 14 . although not visible , a ¼ inch space 68 exists between each pedestal 44 of base 42 . the shelter structure 14 shown includes eleven arches 12 and two end panels 78 , the second end panel 78 not being visible in this view , but understood to be opposite from the visible end panel 78 . it is understood that shelter structure 14 may include greater or less than eleven arches 12 in other embodiments . each of the eleven arches 12 is made up of two first ribs 10 sealed at the top ends 20 of the first ribs 10 . the sealing is achieved with a firm epdm rubber gasket and bolts . this sealing is also used along the length of adjacent arches 12 at the lip flanges 38 . each arch 12 meets base 42 at the base ends 18 of first ribs 10 . holes are drilled into the pedestals 44 so that expanding anchor bolts may be used to secure the base ends 18 of first ribs 10 to pedestals 44 . end panels 78 have a shape designed to match with the half - hexoid shape 16 of the first ribs 10 . now referring to fig7 and 8 , cutaway views of a prior art elliptical shelter 94 and a hexoid shelter structure 92 of the present invention are provided , respectively . shelter structure 92 includes second rib 80 , which is has a full extruded elliptical / hexoid shape , and is one piece . although not shown , hexoid shelter structure 92 would include end panels to match with the shape of second rib 80 . second rib 80 has a convex half - hexagon cross - section 30 as described above with reference to fig5 a and 5b . each shelter structure 94 , 92 has a span 82 of seven feet and a total height 84 of 5 . 5 feet . fig8 shows a front view of one second rib 80 . a preferred shelter structure 92 of the present invention includes ten adjoined second ribs 80 , where each second rib 80 has a cross - section width 34 of four feet on center , as discussed above with reference to fig5 a and 5b . this preferred shelter structure 92 has approximately 5600 cubic feet of volume and has 544 square feet of floor space . prior art shelter structure 94 with its traditional elliptical shape and ten ribs four feet on center has approximately 4200 cubic feet of volume and 400 square feet of floor space . the hexoid shelter 92 of the present invention is therefore approximately 30 % bigger than its prior art elliptical counterpart 94 , and is also approximately 30 % stronger , while using only approximately 6 % more material . not only is there more space , but there is more usable space . shelves 88 , for example , are much closer to the wall of the second rib 80 in present invention shelter 92 , thus minimizing the unusable space 90 between the wall and the shelves 88 . it is understood that although it is preferred for present invention shelter 92 to include ten second ribs 80 , some embodiments may include greater or fewer than ten second ribs 80 . floor 121 is also shown . floor 121 is preferably positioned within total height 84 so that the ceiling within hexoid shelter 92 is approximately 8⅓ feet tall . on the left of fig8 structural components pertaining to how hexoid shape 119 is formed are shown . it is understood that its formation corresponds to what is described above with reference to fig4 , but including upper and lower portions , or that which is described above with reference to the half - hexoid shape 16 and its mirror image below it . the full hexoid shape 119 includes the top portion 107 , upper side portion 111 , and upper fillet blend section 109 , as with the half - hexoid shape 16 shown in fig4 . the full hexoid shape 119 also includes bottom portion 113 , lower side portion 115 , and lower fillet blend portion 117 , which are the lower mirror images of the upper counterparts shared with half - hexoid shape 16 . hexoid shape 119 is incorporated into second rib 80 , which is one integrated piece . when considering the ellipse 130 the curve of which the bottom portions 113 and upper portions 107 will approximately follow , it is understood that the minor axis of ellipse 130 will be half of the total height 84 indicated , and the major axis of ellipse 130 is span 82 . in other words , again hexoid shape 119 is equivalent to two half - hexoid shapes 16 as mirror images with the line of symmetry along span 22 / 82 . to envision ellipse 130 as a tool for approximating at least the bottom portions 113 and upper portions 107 of hexoid shape 119 , we would envision two ellipses 130 as mirror images , like a figure eight , with the line of symmetry along span 22 / 82 . therefore half - hexoid shape 16 pertaining to a single first rib , as described above , has a top portion 107 beginning at top end 18 , a side portion 111 beginning at right or left end point 95 , 96 , and a fillet blend section 109 between and connecting the top portion 107 and the side portion 111 . full hexoid shape 119 , however , is the equivalent of four half - hexoid shapes 16 . full hexoid shape 119 therefore has an left top portion , an upper left fillet blend section , and an upper left side portion in the upper left quadrant of the shape ; a right top portion , an upper right fillet blend section , and an upper right side portion in the upper right quadrant of the shape ; a left bottom portion , a lower left fillet blend section , and a lower left side portion in the lower left quadrant of the shape ; and a right bottom portion , a lower right fillet blend section , and a lower right side portion in the lower right quadrant of the shape . top end 18 , bottom end 132 , and right and left end points 95 , 96 are also shown . the right and left top portions both begin at top end 18 . the upper right side portion and the lower right side portion both begin at right end point 95 . the upper left side portion and the lower left side portion both begin at left end point 96 . the right and left bottom portions both begin at bottom end 132 . the inner layer 26 of the ribs contains a fine solid copper mesh 28 , as indicated in fig5 a and 8 . the copper mesh 28 has at least twelve strands per inch , is preferably 16 mesh solid copper , and is typically used for electromagnetic fields and rf frequencies . the copper mesh 28 is approximately 0 . 060 inches from the inside surface 123 of the shelter hull , shown in fig1 and 8 . the inclusion of the copper mesh 28 provides an emp shield in the e1 , e2 , and e3 bands from an electromagnetic pulse weapon . the copper mesh 28 acts as a shield to the most dangerous portion of the emp spectrum , which is 100 - 3000 mhz , and has an 80 + db attenuation , not counting the 8 . 5 feet of earth cover over the shelter structure . some prior art shelter structures use steel as an emp shield . the copper mesh 28 is preferable to steel because it is 8 . 5 times more conductive , and does not corrode like steel resulting in a stable emp shield over long periods of time with no deterioration and maintenance . in addition , it does not suffer the imminent corrosion of the welds , leading to holes in the welds , which break the faraday cage envelope . also , titanium dioxide is added to the resin to increase the conductivity of the polyester - resin laminate . with a thin layer of polyester on the inside of the copper mesh 28 facing the inside of the shelter 14 , 92 , mission essential equipment ( mee ) are insulated from further damage if it is located against or near the shelter wall . the best faraday cage or emp shielded underground shelter has some form of copper shielding on the outside surface facing the emp source with some type of insulator on the inside surface of the copper shield facing inside the shelter protecting the electronic equipment inside the shelter . the laminate used to manufacture the shelter hulls and entranceways is designed to meet mil - std - 188 - 125 - 1 . in addition , shelter structures 14 , 92 , as well as the inventor &# 39 ; s other structures , have been reviewed for an emp protection analysis by a certified electromagnetic compatibility engineer and a certified electrostatic discharge control engineer . the vacuum infused structural composite shelter hull and entranceway have a cpi ( copper plastic insulated ) emp shield . copper , with a conductivity of 60 , 000 , 000 siemens / m is almost nine times more conductive than carbon steel which has a conductivity of 7 , 000 , 000 siemens / m making it the strongest emp shield used to protect military mee . unlike steel , copper shielding infused in the structural composite laminate is corrosion resistant so the level of emp shielding does not deteriorate over time . it therefore does not require monthly maintenance and testing to be compliant with mil - std - 188 - 125 - 1 . the copper shield has a plastic layer facing the shelter interior to further protect the mee that might be located near the shelter hull wall . the 20 psi external pressure resistance above the static earth load , with no earth arching , is constant over the first 150 years . the cpi composite also forms a complete vapor barrier which provides a dry atmosphere when placed below ground . in addition , one of the greatest characteristics of the cpi composite is its resiliency or ability to “ remain intact ” if overstressed . the inside of the shelter is smooth , curved , and white to create maximum brightness with minimal light . all of these facilities function without outside electricity through the use of an internal diesel generator , battery bank , and dc charger / ac inverter . the inside surface is easily cleaned with common detergents and is easily repaired and there is ample volume for food storage under the floor . all of the shelter structures described herein are shielded by the cpi composite hull and entranceway . the radio antennas should not be connected to the radios prior to an emp event . in military operations , where the radios need to be connected to the antennas and operational prior to an emp event , backup radios need to be stored unconnected and kept in the shelter . the shelter structures of the present invention are designed to operate off grid with internal generators so they are not subject to emp collected on the power grid . the power cable from the shelter to the dedicated well and the well water hose to the shelter are both underground and shielded . the half - hexoid shelter structure 14 and hexoid shelter structure 92 , shown in fig3 and 8 respectively are well adapted for high external static and dynamic loads , such as earth . many structures in many fields , such as siding and roofing materials , include ribs . such ribs are very small , however , so that many ribs are used for each panel , and all the ribs have straight walls . these straight walled ribs are not adapted for high static loads . the tops of the shelter structures 14 , 92 are convex . as shown in fig3 and 5a , each rib 10 , 80 , is curved across its entire length and depth . as such , the hulls of the shelter structures 14 , 92 made of these ribs 10 , 80 are not extrudable . as shown in fig6 , the shape of the end panels 78 also do not include flat surfaces , so that the end panels 78 are also designed to resist buckling loads . although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof , other versions would be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art . therefore , the spirit and scope of the description should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein . | 1 |
referring now to fig1 , a main embodiment of invention is shown in a schematic of functional parts ( and not to size ). the housing or activation canister h serves several functions , but primarily to “ activate ” the balloon b ( or inflatable warning system b ), with an activation needle or activation device ia that can come in a variety of forms without departing from the scope of the invention . the spool reel sr can be in the form of a generalized lockable l or non - lockable with a cord ( and in a preferred embodiment ) such a 130 ′ cord . the spool reel can be locked , released or spring - loaded . for various embodiments of the invention , it is preferred that the distressed diver have the option to keep the spool locked or unlocked . however , it is contemplated that for the primary embodiment of the invention , which is to propel the notification balloon b to the surface , the spool reel sr will stay unlocked . however , if the embodiment ( and it can be the same embodiment ) of the invention is being used to frighten away a dangerous animal ( as to appear larger ) or notify other divers in the vicinity , used for buoyancy the spool sr will stay locked so the balloon b does not rise to the surface ( these embodiments are discussed below ). the buoyancy of the diver increases as the device is activated and the diver will ascend if no adjustment is done to the diver &# 39 ; s buoyancy ( see below ). in the operation of the invention , the inflation activator ia , which is shown in the form of a dispensing mechanism n ( which is shown in the form of a needle , but may be other mechanisms , which are discussed below ) that “ punctures ” a seal or otherwise activates a dispensing mechanism dm on the gas canister gc . the gas canister c is fluidly connected to the balloon b through the top of the activation module am , which houses the needle or inflation activator . the balloon b is sealed by the balloon attachments ba 1 and ba 2 on the activation module am part of the housing h , such that no gas from the canister gc leaks out of the housing h after the canister gc has been activated . the balloon attachments ba 1 and ba 2 may be as simple as a continuous elastic sealing ring ( not shown ), clamps ( not shown ) or other device that securely attaches the balloon b to the activation module ah . it is critical for operation of the device to have a strong airtight seal between the balloon b and activation module / housing ah , even though the elastic nature balloon b ( for example , if it made of high - quality latex ) may provide a great deal of sealing by itself . it is important to the invention that expansion of the balloon b as it ascends to the surface does not compromise the airtight seal , as an important aspect of the invention is that the balloon b can optionally rise above the surface of the water if helium is dispensed into the balloon b from the gas canister gc . in a preferred embodiment , the spool reel sr is attached to the housing attachment ha by the spool cord sc , which is retractable into the spool reel sr . the spool reel sr is also generally attached to one or more safety hooks of one or different varieties ( shown as h / h ′) through a non - retractable cord ( s ) ac / ac ′ that attach to the vest of the diver ( not shown ). the non - retractable cord may ac / ac ′ be elastic for more flexibility . the spool cord sc may be standard cord , or heavy fishing line , or in some embodiments , colored for high visibility . in general , it is thought that the main configuration of the invention may ( or may not , depending on the embodiment , see alternate embodiments below ) regulate the inflation of the balloon b though mechanical means , such that the inflation of the balloon will be limited as it rises to the surface will allow the balloon to maintain its physical integrity ( against the boyle forces ). however , there are simple mechanical and electronic devices that can assist in regulating the amount of gas allowed to flow into the balloon as it rises towards the surface without adding greatly to the expense of the invention . thus , it is contemplated that in certain implementations of the invention , these regulation devices may be part of the invention and allow a safer operation . referring now to fig2 ( 1 - 3 ), the operation of the activation module / canister ac is shown . the activation module ah can be activated by any number of mechanisms ( and are discussed in the figures below ), but in a preferred embodiment can be activated by a single hand by placing pressure either on the top of the housing or activation hood ah or pushing on the bottom of the housing lh , in either case , the seal dm on the gas canister ( whether in the form of an actual seal or other dispense mechanism ) is broken by the needle ia ( or other activation mechanism ia that activates the gas to flow from the canister ) allows fluid contact between the gas canister cg and the balloon b , through the activation module / hood ah . in other embodiments which are discussed below , a threaded screw between the upper activation housing ah and lower housing lh the will provide the needed pressure between the two sections to cause the activation mechanism to trigger the dispense mechanism dm and the gas to flow ( see below ). initially , the completely deflated balloon b ideally sits tight against the upper part of the housing or activation hood ah in fig2 ( 1 ). in fig2 ( 2 ) when the activation hood ah is twisted or pressed or otherwise activated to cause the gas from the canister gc to dispense into the balloon b , the balloon will have a certain volume of gas v 1 before it starts to have buoyancy and move the housing h upwards . in fig2 ( 3 ) the balloon b now has enough volume v 2 that it will move the housing unit to the surface while attached to ( unlocked ) the spool cord sc , while the balloon is still slowly being inflated . in referring to fig2 ( 1 - 3 ), it is also important that the balloon only be inflated enough to start the housing moving upwards . thus , the needle or other dispense mechanism dm should be configured such that it activates the gas canister gc to let just enough gas into the balloon , such that the balloon rises to the surface swiftly , but with only the needed amount of buoyancy . boyle forces will continue to expand the balloon as it rises to the surface . thus , the gas canister should ( 1 ) create enough gas in the balloon , but not ( 2 ) inflate the balloon b such that it will burst before it reaches the surface . thus , the balloon b , must be made of a high - quality material so that it can stretched beyond its recommend limit and still function properly . in configuring the rate of gas released by the gas canister , it should be kept in mind that the volume of the gas in the balloon will essentially double approximately every 10 m ( 33 ft ), the balloon b should be made of a durable material that will expand beyond its recommended elastic capabilities , as the safety range of the balloon is generally made for professional divers who will be operating at various depths . materials such as kevlar are strong , but have limited elasticity once they are fully inflated , so configuring the gas released from the gas canister at a low end would be an important consideration in using such material for a balloon . other high - quality elastic materials , such as latex and vinyl may be used for the balloon and allow for more flexibility in the gas exchange between canister gc and balloon b . however , the balloon material should be easily compacted into the section of the activation hood ah of the housing . in alternate embodiments not illustrated the balloon b may be may of translucent material or include translucent dyes so that it may assist for safety in night dives . fig3 refers to a first embodiment of the balloon activation canister , in which the upper portion or activation module / housing ah . the top portion or activation housing ah is threaded with a first threading ut and a lower portion lh that contains the gas canister gc is also threaded with a second threading lt that screws into the upper threading ut . the dispense mechanism dm of the gas canister gc is activated by twisting the activation housing ah down , such that the needle or other activation mechanism ia released the gas of the gas canister gc into the balloon b . vital to this embodiment is that the gas released through the top of the activation mechanism / housing ah directly into the balloon b . also , the activation mechanism ia should be limited so that it doesn &# 39 ; t release too much gas into the balloon on its initial ascent ( see fig2 ( 1 - 3 ) above ). in a preferred embodiment , the activation module is designed to be activated by one hand as it is anticipated that the canister may come into fluid contact with the activation module by twisting the top of the housing and a tap or push of one section into the other . in fig4 , the gas canister is activated by twisted the activation housing ah a quarter - turn ( or other degree ) so that the posts on the lower housing lh line up with the indents fs on the activation housing ah allowing the dispensing mechanism dm on gas canister gc to be activated by the activation mechanism ia when the top ( or bottom ) housing are tapped such that the gas fills the balloon ( not shown ) though the fluid ports f . this particular embodiment allows the balloon system to be activated with one hand when locked into place and “ tapped ” against the scuba tank or the diver &# 39 ; s leg . referring now to fig5 , another embodiment is shown in which the dispensing mechanism dm on the gas canister gc is activated by flipping an optional housing lock hl so that the sections may be tapped or pressed together with a single hand resisting the spring forces s keeping the housing sections apart , much like the embodiment shown in fig4 . in a preferred embodiment , the spool reel sr , in the device has an internal spring . as it surfaces when activated , it winds a spring ( not shown ). when the receiving person on the surface deflates the balloon , it can be automatically wound back into the diver &# 39 ; s spool without the diver having to manually rewind the cord into the reel . the gas cartridge gc may be interchangeable in various embodiments from compressed gas ( air ) to helium to and may also include colored dyes depending on the intended end uses . in a preferred embodiment , the cartridge is an easily available co2 cartridge , but also could include an easily available no2 cartridge , but generally will have to provide enough gas to inflate the balloon b to a noticeable size for the notification system to be effective . for example , a helium cartridge may be more expensive , but also provide the additional security in the notification system , by allowing the balloon to extend beyond the water surface to limit of the spool reel cord . in general , the device is designed to be reusable ; the only one time use is the compressed gas in the gas canister . used compressed gas is easily replaced at minimal expense . a one - time use may also be contemplated in various embodiments to keep the costs down . fig6 demonstrates one of the several alternate embodiments of the invention as it may be used . in fig6 , a diver d , well below the surface , using the notification / safety system , determines there is a threat t of some sort , most notably a natural threat like a shark . the diver d , locks the spool reel sc , and activates the canister in the housing h ( discussed above ), such that the balloon b inflates to a larger degree than it normally would in the simple use of the device as a safety notification system ( when it is predicted to inflate naturally due to boyle forces , however , it is also contemplated that the balloon would be fully inflated near the diver in order to gain benefit from the size of the balloon to scare predators ). thus , when the balloon is inflated for the alternate use , the diver d unlocks the spool reel sr for a short period of time so that it travels distance x ′ while still being attached but continues to inflate . an optional pattern p may provide additional safety for the diver d by scaring the natural threat t . thus , the balloon may give the impression that the diver d is much larger or dangerous to the natural threat t than without the balloon . alternately , the balloon b may be filled with dyes that may help the diver d avoid some other threat if the balloon is inflated enough to dispense such dyes at the proper time ( see below ). fig7 shows another variation on the invention in which there is an additional help flag f attached to the spool line sl , such that when the balloon b is at the surface , the help flag f is located about 10 - 15 ′ from the diver ( or other optimal distance ), so that not only is the surface notified of the diver &# 39 ; s distress , so are other divers . the help flag f will be made of material that is easily compacted but unfolds when unpacked and raised . in another alternate embodiment shown in fig8 , a “ balloonless ” notification system is shown and is generally used to propel warning ( environmentally safe ) dye into the water . the dye may be a part of the condensed gas and inside the cartridge ( not shown ) or there is a separate dye housing dh , which is activated in the same ways as shown in fig3 - 5 and the canister gc is activated using the pressure to distribute dye d in the dye housing through ports p . in general , in a preferred configuration the dye housing dh will “ clip into ” the lower housing lm which contains the gas canister . additionally , the balloon b can be used in a variety of ways when it is locked by the spool reel sr . the balloon b may be used to provide lift to a distressed diver or to take objects to the surface . the application of the invention may also be useful in other scenarios like stranded boats , hikers , cross country skiers when the balloon is activated with helium in the gas canister . other features can improve the notification applications of the system , such as electronic signals or printed notifications ( such as “ sos ” etc ) or a strobe light . thus , a notification balloon lifted 10 - 20 m in the air can provide additional chances of rescue where electronic signals may prove inadequate . the previously discussed embodiments are meant to be illustrative only and are not a comprehensive list of the embodiments of the invention . | 6 |
referring to the drawings , and in particular fig3 a preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented generally by reference numeral 32 . the recycle - based fluidized - bed reactor is configured such that a portion of the fresh feed oxygen 26 and all of the fresh feed air 12 is injected through a sparger 6 located at the bottom of reactor 4 . by maintaining the oxygen concentration in the mixture below a certain critical level , such as , for example , 35 vol %, the existing sparger material , typically low - cost carbon steel , may be used without any modifications . separately , fresh feed hydrocarbon 10 , recycled hydrocarbon 24 , and balance of fresh feed oxygen 30 is injected through a second sparger 8 located above bottom sparger 6 . table 1 below summarizes the preferred operating ranges for this embodiment . the flow rates of the individual reactor inlet streams ( fresh feed air 12 , fresh feed oxygen 26 , fresh feed hydrocarbon 10 , and recycled hydrocarbon 24 ) are determined by the overall material balance for the recycle - based process . the overall process material balance is impacted by parameters such as the level of oxygen enrichment , reactor performance and the amount of air used as the regeneration gas used in the psa unit . in particular , the level of oxygen enrichment and the amount of regeneration gas can be conveniently adjusted to achieve the desired fluidization and catalyst oxidation characteristics without the formation of flammable mixtures in the sparging system . for the hydrocarbon partial oxidation process of the present invention , the fresh feed oxygen supplied via stream 26 constitutes about 55 to 85 % of oxygen supplied via the combined fresh feed oxygen and air streams . the psa unit can be operated such that the molar flow rate of the regeneration air stream is 0 to 100 % of the molar flow rate of the feed to the psa unit . preferably , the molar flow rate of the regeneration air stream is 20 to 60 % of the molar flow rate of the feed to the psa unit . lower regeneration air flow rates allow the flow through bottom sparger 6 to be increased since a correspondingly higher amount of fresh air is required . for a given material balance , the reactor is preferably sized such that the reactor superficial velocity is between 1 . 5 to 2 . 5 ft / sec . for a given overall material balance , the fraction of fresh feed oxygen 26 mixed with the air stream 12 is varied between 20 to 90 %. the preferred fraction of oxygen 26 mixed with air stream 12 is the largest fraction that allows the desired fluidization and catalyst characteristics to be achieved without the formation of a flammable mixture inside the sparger system . for cases where these objectives cannot be achieved simultaneously , the level of oxygen enrichment is lowered and a new oxygen split is used , so as to achieve the desired characteristics . preferably , the mixture of oxygen 26 and air 12 is present in a volume ratio of between about 0 . 25 : 1 . 0 to 1 . 25 : 1 . 0 . more preferably , the mixture is present in a volume ratio of between about 0 . 4 : 1 . 0 to 0 . 65 : 1 . 0 . the mixture of fresh feed air 12 and oxygen 26 preferably is fed to sparger 6 of reactor 4 at a flow rate between about 25 % and 50 % of the total reactor superficial velocity . more preferably , the mixture is fed to sparger 6 at a flow rate between about 30 % to 40 % of the total reactor superficial velocity . although the flow rate of fresh feed air 12 and oxygen stream 26 may be lower than the comparable flow rate for a non - recycle case , the linear velocity at the bottom of reactor 4 is sufficient to maintain desirable fluidization characteristics . the operation of the psa unit used for recovering the hydrocarbons can also be adjusted to increase the amount of fresh feed air directly injected through bottom sparger 6 , while reducing the amount of air introduced through the psa purge gas . oxygen - rich stream 28 injected from bottom sparger 6 allows the desired “ oxidation zone ” to be established at the bottom of reactor 4 . separately , the remaining portion of fresh feed oxygen 30 , the entire recycle hydrocarbon 24 , and the entire fresh feed hydrocarbon 10 are mixed and fed through a second sparger 8 placed preferably at a distance between about 0 . 1 feet ( ft .) to 10 ft . above bottom sparger 6 . the portion of fresh feed oxygen 30 diverted to this stream is controlled to keep the composition of the mixture sufficiently above the upper explosion limit ( uel ). the mixture of oxygen 30 , recycle hydrocarbon 24 , and fresh feed hydrocarbon 10 is preferably present in a volume ratio between about 1 . 0 : 45 . 0 : 5 . 0 to 1 . 0 : 2 . 5 : 0 . 5 . more preferably , the mixture is present in a volume ratio between about 1 . 0 : 8 . 5 : 1 . 0 to 1 . 0 : 4 . 0 : 0 . 5 . the mixture is preferably fed to sparger 8 at a flow rate between about 50 % to 75 % of the total reactor superficial velocity . more preferably , the mixture is fed to sparger 8 at a flow rate between about 55 % to 70 % of the total reactor superficial velocity . by introducing the feed streams in this manner in the recycle process , only two spargers are required . in addition , the same low - cost materials of construction , such as , carbon steel or low alloy steel , may be used when retrofitting existing non - recycle systems . the desired fluidization and oxidation characteristics of existing non - recycle processes are also maintained using this approach . while the invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments thereof , it is apparent that many changes , modifications and variations can be made without departing from the inventive concept disclosed herein . accordingly , it is intended to embrace all such changes , modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims . all patent applications , patents and other publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety . | 1 |
while the invention is described with reference to trailer utility boxes , it should be clear that the invention should not be limited to such uses or embodiments . the description herein is merely illustrative of an embodiment of the invention and in no way should limit the scope of the invention . fig1 - 5 illustrate a trailer utility box 10 (“ utility box 10 ”) in accordance with the present invention . as shown in fig1 , the utility box 10 may include one or more containers 20 capable of being secured to a trailer 30 . the attachment of containers 20 to the trailer 30 may form a modular storage system . the containers 20 may also be attached to one another , by any appropriate means . a modular component system may be beneficial as one container 20 to as many containers 20 as desired or appropriate may be installed onto the trailer 30 . the containers 20 may be secured to the trailer 30 by any appropriate means , such as with fasteners , such as bolts , screws , and nuts , welds , adhesives , or may be frictionally attached such as by a snap fit , or the like , for example . in addition , the utility box 10 or containers 20 may be integrally formed with or separate pieces from the trailer 30 . integrally forming the utility box 10 or containers with the trailer 30 may minimize the footprint of the utility box 10 without detracting from the appearance of the trailer 30 . the utility box 10 may be secured at any appropriate location , such as anywhere on or along the inside or outside of the trailer 30 , for example . the trailer 30 may include a cargo bed 47 . as best shown in fig1 , the utility box 10 may be secured to a railing 45 outside of the cargo bed 47 of the trailer 30 . securing the utility box 10 on a railing 45 outside of the cargo bed 47 may provide greater storage space without decreasing the towing capacity of the trailer 30 . it is to be understood that the utility box 10 may be removably or fixedly secured to the trailer 30 . in addition , the utility box 10 may be removably or fixedly secured to the trailer 30 by any appropriate means . in a non - limiting example , the utility box 10 may be secured to the trailer 30 with fasteners , such as bolts , screws , and nuts , welds , adhesives or the like , for example . as shown in fig1 , the utility box 10 may include a variety of different sized and shaped containers 20 . the various containers 20 may store any appropriate type of items , such as tools and other items such as fuel containers , fire extinguishers , rags or towels , first aid kits , rubbish , and the like , for example . it is to be understood that the storage containers 20 may be fabricated from any suitable material including , but not limited to , wood , metal , plastic , composites , and the like , for example . the containers 20 may be of any appropriate shape or size , such as rectangular , square , circular , and the like , for example . the containers 20 may also be provided with doors or lids 50 and locks ( not shown ). the lids 50 may protect the contents of the container 20 . the lids 50 may be made of out any appropriate material or process , such as being made out of metal , wood , plastic or the like , such as by injection , rotational or blow molding , thermo - forming , or the like , for example . rotational molding or rotomolding is a versatile process for creating many kinds of items , typically out of plastic . rotational molding may utilize a heated mold that causes the material within to melt and form a puddle at the bottom of the mold cavity . the mold is then slowly rotated ( usually around two perpendicular axes ) causing the melted material to flow into to the mold and stick to its walls . in order to maintain even thickness throughout the part , the mold continues to rotate during the cooling phase . rotomolding may be beneficial since it is corrosion and chemical resistant , durable , economical , and aesthetically pleasing . the locks associated with the doors or lids 50 may secure the contents within the containers 20 . the locks may be of any appropriate type of lock on the market , such as a keypad , combination lock , key lock , and the like , for example . lockable storage compartments may be utilized for any appropriate means , such as for storing expensive power tools , personal belongings , and the like , for example . with reference to fig5 , the containers 20 may include any appropriate type of dividers or organizers 60 , such as shelves , compartments , tool organizers , removable trays or inserts , removable dividers , and the like . for example , some of the containers 20 may also contain removable toolboxes ( not shown ). in a non - limiting example , one or more of the containers 20 may be insulated for keeping items stored therein hot or cold . in another non - limiting example , the containers 20 may be refrigerated , heated , or both . it is to be understood that the utility box 10 may also be provided with a battery to operate such devices , or with a plug to connect to the battery of the towing vehicle . in another example , the container 20 may contain a reel ( not shown ) having a cord , cable , rope , or the like , for securing items to be transported to the trailer 30 . the reel may include a ratcheting mechanism ( not shown ) or a motor for operating the reel as a winch . in yet another embodiment , the reel may be provided with a hose and one of the containers 20 may contain a pump ( not shown ). such a configuration may be used to dispense liquids that may be transported on the trailer 30 or stored in one of the containers 20 . in a non - limiting example , the utility box 10 may be modular in design , allowing any number of containers 20 to form the utility box 10 . such a configuration may provide for flexibility , as various types of containers 20 may be added or removed as needed . for example , the containers 20 may be removed to accommodate oversized or heavy items to be towed on the trailer 30 . in another example , such a modular configuration allows one or all of the containers 20 to be transferred and secured to another utility box 10 that may be secured to a different trailer . fig2 illustrates a perspective view of the trailer utility box 10 in an embodiment . the trailer utility box 10 may include metal cabinets or containers 20 with doors or lids 50 . the utility box 10 may further include an attachment 80 , such as a ladder or tool rack . the ladder or tool rack may be made out of any appropriate material or means , such as being injection molded , for example . in addition , a variety of containers or cabinets 20 may be utilized to form a wheel well 40 , such as by using three cabinets to form a recessed wheel well 40 . in another embodiment , as best shown in fig3 , the utility box 10 may be integrally formed with a part of the trailer 30 . for example , the utility box 10 may be integrally formed with ( or otherwise formed with ) the wheel well 40 of the trailer 30 . as many trailers are supplied without wheel wells 40 , the utility box 10 may be secured to the outside of the trailer 30 not only to provide additional storage space , but also to protect the trailer wheels 52 . as shown in fig3 and 4 , the container 20 may be provided as over the wheel storage . the container 20 may also include at least one lid 50 . with reference to fig5 , and as discussed above , the container 20 may also include an interior component 60 , such as a tray , divider , or the like , for example . the tray 60 may be made out of any appropriate material or process , such as metal , plastic , or the like , and made by injection or blow molding , and the like , for example . the tray 60 may be of any appropriate shape or size to fit within the container 20 . the tray 60 may be used for any appropriate purpose such as for storing small items or tools , for example . with further reference to fig3 and 4 , the utility box 10 may be provided with reflectors and / or lights 70 . the lights 70 may be separate from or assembled to the containers 20 . the reflectors and / or lights 70 may include , but are not limited to , tail lights , turn signal lights , brake lights , backup lights , hazard warning lights , reflectors and the like , for example . the utility box 10 may also be provided with an electrical plug ( not shown ). the electrical plug may connect to the electrical interface connector of the towing vehicle ( not shown ). thus , the utility box 10 may be used to upgrade basic trailer models that may not have electrical systems or lighting . as an alternative , the utility box 10 may be provided with lighting ( not shown ) on the inside of the containers 20 . in yet another non - limiting example , the containers 20 may also be provided with external lighting ( not shown ). for example , external lighting located in or around the wheel well 40 may be provided to assist a person working on or around the tire 52 . moreover , one of the containers 20 may be provided with a reel - style trouble light ( not shown ) for extending beyond the trailer 30 area . fig6 illustrates a utility box 10 that may be capable of being secured to a trailer 30 as a wheel well 40 . as shown , the utility box 10 may be provided with a lid 50 for accessing the internal compartment . the utility box 10 may also be provided with a protective lining 100 about the wheel - well surface that surrounds the tire 52 . it is to be understood that the lining 100 may be comprised of any appropriate material including , but not limited to , metal , heavy duty plastics , composites , and the like . it is also to be understood that the utility box 10 may be provided with a variety of other appropriate types of reinforcements to protect both the trailer 30 and the contents therein , and should not be limited to those discussed herein . as an alternative , the utility box 10 may also contain one or more attachments 80 . the attachments 80 may be of any appropriate shape or size and for any appropriate purpose . for example , an attachment 80 may be provided that is capable of securing tools such as rakes , shovels , brooms , hammers , and the like . as shown in fig1 , the attachment 80 may be angled with respect to the utility box 10 to accommodate tools having a variety of different lengths . other attachments 80 may also be provided , such as a cleat , d - mount , t - mount , or the like . such attachments 80 may allow ropes , bungee cords , and the like to be connected to the utility box 10 to secure items to the trailer 30 . other attachments may include , but are not limited to , spare tire mounts , ladder racks , and the like , for example , it is to be understood that the attachments 80 shown and described herein are illustrative only and the embodiments should not be limited to such . although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in the foregoing detailed description , it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to just the preferred embodiment disclosed , but that the invention described herein is capable of numerous rearrangements , modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the claims hereafter . | 1 |
the process of the patent may be summarized by the following equation . ## str1 ## in word description the vinylic lactones are prepared by reacting a vinylic halide or triflate with an unsaturated carboxylic acid . r 1 , r 2 , and r 3 represent c 1 to c 12 alkyl moieties or an aryl . x represents a halide or a triflate ( trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy ). preferably x is a halide . preferably r 1 , r 2 , and r 3 are c 1 to c 8 alkyl . the alkyl group may have functional substitution if desired . the substituted functionality may include ketone , ester , nitrile , amide , ether , silyl ether . the unsaturated carboxylic acid chain length is represented by the number of repeating methylene units and preferably &# 34 ; n &# 34 ; is one or two . there may be some substitution on the chain of the unsaturated carboxylic acid , but the terminal carbon should remain free from substitution . typical examples of unsaturated carboxylic acids which can be employed in these reactions include 3 - butenoic acid , 4 - pentenoic acid , and 2 - methyl - 3 - butenoic acid . it is desired that an excess of unsaturated carboxylic acid be employed since yields seem to be increased . generally anywhere from 2 to 5 times the stoichiometric amount of carboxylic acid is preferred . the reaction is run in a polar solvent . there is no criticality for the polar solvent , and any solvent which will dissolve the reactive is suitable . typical solvents include dimethylformamide ( dmf ), dimethylacetamide ( dma ), acetonitrile or dimethylsulfoxide ( dmso ). the reaction affords increased yields if it is conducted in the presence of a base . suitable bases include carbonate bases such as sodium or potassium bicarbonate or carbonate , and also tertiary amine bases , such as diisopropylethylamine or triethylamine . typically the amount of base may be from 3 - 5 equivalents . lowering the amount of base to lower levels will decrease the yield . the reaction is a palladium - promoted intramolecular x - allylpalladium displacement process , and thus it must be conducted in the presence of a palladium catalyst . the catalyst may be palladium chloride , lithium palladium chloride , palladium acetate or nitrate or a palladium ( o ) catalyst . the palladium ( o ) catalyst employed is also not critical , tetrakis ( triphenylphosphine ) palladium ( o ) or bis ( dibenzylideneacetone ) palladium can be employed . the amount of catalyst employed is not critical , as long as it is a catalytically effective amount . the amount of palladium catalyst can vary from 0 . 1 % up to 5 % by weight of the reactants . for reasons that are not completely understood , it is also preferred from the standpoint of increased yields and faster reactions if the reaction is run in the presence of tetra - n - butylammonium chloride . the amount should be an equivalent amount to the amount of initial vinylic halide reactant . temperature and pressure are not critical , and generally the reaction may be run at from about 40 ° c . to about 120 ° c ., more typically from about 60 ° c . to about 90 ° c . at 80 ° c . the reaction seems to go as near to completion as it will in about 24 hours . about 2 hours should be sufficient time at 120 ° c . when the reaction is conducted in the manner hereinbefore described , reaction yields of the vinylic lactones can be achieved at levels as high as 70 % in some instances . this is significant in comparison with other procedures for such synthesis . the following examples are offered to illustrate but not limit , the process of this invention . examples 1 - 17 are listed in the table below . generally all of the reactions were run under similar conditions . in particular they were run by heating the alkenyl halide or triflate ( 0 . 5 mmol ), the unsaturated acid ( 2 . 5 mmol ), n - bu 4 ncl ( 0 . 5 mmol ), i - pr 2 net ( 2 . 25 mmol ), and pd ( oac ) 2 ( 0 . 025 mmol ) in 2 ml of dmf at 80 ° c . for 20 hours in a sealed vial . table i__________________________________________________________________________synthesis of vinylic lactonesunsaturated alkenyl halide % isolatedacid or triflate lactone yield__________________________________________________________________________ h . sub . 2 cchch . sub . 2 co . sub . 2 h ## str2 ## r1 . sub .-- e - - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 chchi - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 66 , 73 . sup . b2 . sub .-- z - - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 chchi - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 593 . sub .-- e - - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 ch [ osime . sub . 2 ( . sub .- t - bu ) ] chchi - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 chosime . sub . 2 ( . sub .-- t - bu ) 414 . sub .-- e - ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 cchchi ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 c 605 . sub .-- e - c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 chchi c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 49 , 54 . sup . b6 . sub .-- e - c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 chchbr c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 53 . sup . c7 ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 2 cchi ## str3 ## 61 ## str4 ## r8 h . sub . 2 ccbrc . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 25 . sup . c9 h . sub . 2 cci ( ch . sub . 2 ). sub . 3 ch . sub . 3 - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 3010 ## str5 ## ## str6 ## 58 . sup . c ## str7 ## ## str8 ## r trans / cis11 . sub .-- e - - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 chchi - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 2 . 6 / 1 5912 . sub .-- e - c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 chchbr c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 2 . 3 / 1 55 h . sub . 2 cch ( ch . sub . 2 ). sub . 2 co . sub . 2 h ## str9 ## r13 . sub .-- e - - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 chchi - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 61 . sup . d14 . sub .-- e - - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 ch [ osime . sub . 2 ( . sub .- t - bu ) ] chchi - n - c . sub . 4 h . sub . 9 chosime . sub . 2 ( . sub .- t - bu ) 39 . sup . d15 . sub .-- e - ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 cchchi ( ch . sub . 3 ). sub . 3 c 63 . sup . d16 . sub .-- e - c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 chchi c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 21 . sup . d17 . sub .-- e - c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 chchbr c . sub . 6 h . sub . 5 26 . sup . d , 27 . sup . c , d__________________________________________________________________________ . sup . b reaction run on a 1 . 0 mmol scale . . sup . c reaction run at 100 ° c . . sup . d reaction run in acetonitrile using 5 % pd ( dba ). sub . 2 . | 2 |
referring to the drawings and , in particular , fig1 , there is shown a server generally represented by reference numeral 100 . server 100 is depicted in the cloud 120 , and is configured to act as a part of a digital wallet service for mobile applications . server 100 is connected to the internet 120 by an interface 122 . server 100 includes a data processor 102 , a memory 104 , and an interface 112 . server 100 is connected to a display 116 and a keyboard 118 , such as a computer / interface . server 100 may have a plurality of other peripheral devices customarily found in any computer , such as , for example , a cd or dvd drive ( not shown ) for placing programs on the server or for creating physical records of data processed by the server . memory 104 has a memory portion 106 for an operating system (“ os ”) for server 100 , and a memory portion 108 for one or more application programs , including one that is the subject of this disclosure . memory 104 also has a memory portion 110 used as the storage device for a database . the data of the database 110 can be stored in any type of memory , including a hard drive , a flash memory , a cd , a ram , or any other suitable memory , preferably with provisions for suitable backup . such suitable backup provisions or devices are well known in the art . user computers 125 a to 125 n can access server 100 via a connection to the internet 122 . computers 125 a to 125 n can each have an application / interface providing digital wallet capability . a mobile device 130 , as shown in fig1 , has a display 140 , and a memory 145 for storing an operating system 150 and a series of applications or applets therein . the series of applications or applets may include applets or application programs ( hereinafter “ an application ”) 160 for use with the exemplary embodiment described herein . mobile device 130 may access server 100 via an internet connected wi - fi hot spot 162 ( or by any telephone network , such as a 3g or 4g system , on which connected mobile device 130 communicates , by using application 160 . application 160 includes or connects with a digital wallet capability so that internet purchases are quickly and easily completed for subsequent organization and categorization by the user of mobile device 130 . the digital wallet functionality for making purchases may also reside in the internet and the browser of the connected device is the application that allows access to the wallet functionalities . purchases can be made by a consumer using a computer 125 a to 125 n , or mobile device 130 , or swiping a payment card linked to a digital wallet . mobile device 130 can communicate with a merchant &# 39 ; s pos terminal 170 via nfc , qr code , bluetooth , or manual token code , to make a purchase . however , nfc is preferred . pos terminal 170 has general pos capabilities including the ability to swipe a payment card ( credit , debit or prepaid ). pos terminal 170 is connected to a payment network 180 , or to applicable payment middleware at the merchant &# 39 ; s system , to allow the merchant to send information supplied by application 160 , with its digital wallet capability , to payment network 180 , so that the merchant is paid . the user &# 39 ; s account will supply information concerning the location of the user &# 39 ; s digital wallet in the cloud , so that contents of a receipt may be sent to the digital wallet . server 100 may also receive information from payment network 180 . payment network 180 may supply information as to which account was charged and the amount charged or other details of the purchase that can be combined with the receipt data received from the merchant . on line purchases can also be made by using an internet connected device , such as one of computers 125 a to 125 n or mobile device 130 , connected to a merchant web site 190 . merchant web site 190 is connected to payment network 180 , and purchases can be processed using a digital wallet . the user uses one of computer 125 a to 125 n ( or mobile device 130 ) to make a purchase online or at a pos . in particular , mobile payment organization capable application 160 can be used to facilitate the purchase via computer 125 a to 125 n or mobile device 130 . referring to flow chart in fig2 , application 160 of fig1 is used to enter a trip name 200 to identify a transactions associated with the trip or to identify the trip for further use and reference . at 210 , user uses the application to make a purchase , such as at a restaurant . payment information ( or a payment token ) is then communicated at 220 to the merchant from one of computers 125 a to 125 n or from mobile device 130 . this information is preferably encrypted for the protection of user during usage . payment information includes , but is not limited to , the address or location of the payer &# 39 ; s digital wallet where the digital receipt shall be sent . this address or location may be expressed as a unique url . payer &# 39 ; s digital wallet location / id may also reside at the merchant &# 39 ; s customer records ( such as loyalty program or customer database etc .) and may be found there in addition to or in place of the payment method . the user or customer should have the option opt in / out for using the merchant provided facility . payment information is communicated as customary for electronic payments . the method to receive digital receipts relies on all current and regular methods for secure payments . the additional element included is the communication of user &# 39 ; s digital wallet address / identifier ( e . g . a url ) where the digital receipt shall be sent when the payment is made . referring again to fig2 , the merchant accesses the payment system at 230 so that user information is provided by the merchant apparatus to the payment system 180 of fig1 . the appropriate user account is accessed at 240 and is debited in the amount required for the purchase . the digital wallet operated on server 100 may have access and be linked to more than one of the user &# 39 ; s accounts , such as , for example , different credit card accounts , so that the user can decide which account to use for a particular purchase . the user &# 39 ; s account will confirm the amount that has been charged due to the transaction , and will send a debit note to the user &# 39 ; s digital wallet 250 . user &# 39 ; s electronic payment details include the address of the user &# 39 ; s unique digital wallet address ( url ) in a dedicated payment data field . the merchant generates the digital receipt content using information from the user &# 39 ; s digital wallet 260 . the receipt is stored 270 in the portion of memory 110 that contains the database for the mobile payment organization application 160 in memory portion 108 of server 100 and thus in cloud 120 . the receipt will always be available to the user to recall from cloud 120 . thus , paper receipts are not required . the receipt stored on server 100 in cloud 120 has the advantages of never being lost and always available for subsequent analysis . thus , the receipt can be used to organize expenses and categorize expenses for later use . upon completion of a successful transaction , the user has the option of performing several functions with regard to the pos and the receipt that has been stored . for , example , after step 270 , mobile device 130 can have a gps capability that allows logistical information regarding the vendor name , city , state , zip code , longitude and latitude to be saved with the receipt at 280 . by saving the specific information regarding the location of the vendor or establishment , the user can have the option of re - visiting the vendor at a later time or informing others of the location . further , the mobile payment organization application 160 and mobile device 130 may have additional capability that has particular utility at the pos . for example , the user may wish to take a picture 290 of the actual receipt so that the receipt is never lost . further , the user may wish to take a video 300 while at the establishment , such as a restaurant , to inform others of an opinion of a purchase or a dining experience . videos can be recorded as part of each transaction during a trip . optionally , a transaction can be categorized , re - categorized , or filtered as discussed below . referring again to fig1 , the data representative of the digital receipt is stored in database portion 110 of memory 104 in a series of fields . preferably , the data is stored in a standard , text searchable format , which is actionable . actionable as used herein means that the data can be retrieved , read or manipulated so that the data can be used , compiled or analyzed in any manner required , and if desired can be displayed in any format as a graph , animation , report or in any other user perceivable format . further , memory 104 may have an underlying database program that allows a user to , for example , search for a particular entry or classify receipts or arrange or group receipts , and thus various reports can be generated . referring again to fig2 , the user of the application 160 on server 100 may find it advantageous to have the opportunity to tag and categorize 310 the digital receipt in some way both automatically and manually . while a merchant code may provide adequate information , there are situations in which a user desires to tag items in different types of transactions made during a trip , such as , for example , business expenses or personal expenses or make other annotations . the user may also wish to indicate that the transaction is a business transaction and is tax deductible . the use could indicate whether the transaction is related to food , lodging , airfare , transportation / gas , or entertainment . the ability to categorize transactions during a trip will help the user manage and separate personal and business expenses . the actionable nature of the database permits the transactions to be edited 320 by the user . the user may wish to change the vendor or the category , or take an updated picture of the receipt to have for records . to assist the user , the database can also be filtered 330 by criteria such as category , date , state , city , vendor , tax deductible status for report generation . once a particular criterion is selected , the filter will list all transactions that apply to that criterion along with a total of those transactions . an application ( or tag ) 160 can be used to manually facilitate the purchase via computer 125 a to 125 n or mobile device 130 . for example , if a vendor does not have paypass ™ capability or other electronic means of processing payment , the transaction can be added manually and still be categorized appropriately . further , if a child of the owner of the computer 125 a to 125 n or mobile device 130 uses the device , the owner or parent can limit the amount of spending . referring to fig3 through 8 , an exemplary use of the system according to the present disclosure will be described in reference to screens depicted in the referenced figures . referring to fig3 , a user from a home screen selects the context menu 300 and selects an application from mobile screen user interface in a known fashion . context menu 300 shows various selections that can be made such as account settings , settings , manual transactions and trip transactions , card details , and parental controls . user may select trip transaction from context menu 300 to create a trip or transaction name to be entered at fig4 a , at screen 400 . in fig4 a , user enters the name of the transaction or trip , such as the city “ chicago ” to label the trip for future reference . alternatively , user may select an existing trip at fig4 b at screen 405 . in fig4 c , user saves or deletes a trip , at screen 410 . in fig5 a , a payment screen 505 is presented with a button for the user to press to pay for a meal , for example . after payment for the meal is successfully completed , post - payment screen 510 is shown in fig5 b . upon completion of a successful payment , the user can click the add button in post - payment screen 510 to add categories , denote a transaction as being tax deductible , or take a picture or video . fig5 c shows a screen 515 having fields for entering or editing the category of the transaction . categories may be selected from several categories , such as food , lodging , airfare , transportation , entertainment , gas , per diem , or other business expenses . user may also enter the vendor name . screen 515 contains a button 516 for taking a picture of a receipt or of the establishment , as shown in fig5 d . in screen 515 , button 517 may be selected for taking a video while in the establishment , as shown in fig5 e . button 518 may be selected for saving the various selections or entries made using screen 515 . referring to fig6 , the user can filter transactions by category date , state , city , vendor , tax deductible status , presence of a receipt or video , at screen 600 . after filter criteria are entered , mobile device 130 will list all of the trips or transactions that apply to those criteria . referring again to fig3 and 7 a through 7 d , a user may select parental controls button from the context menu 300 and enter a password and budget , and save the password and budget at screen 700 ( fig7 a ). the parental control feature is set in fig7 b , at screen 705 . when the child is about to make a purchase , a remaining balance is shown at fig7 c , at screen 710 . should the child exceed the preset budget , an indication would be presented on the screen and the child would not be able to make the purchase , as shown in fig7 d at screen 715 . referring again to fig3 , the user may select a manual transaction at an establishment if the establishment does not have a paypass ™ function using the context menu 300 . the transaction amount is entered in fig8 , at screen 800 . there are numerous advantages offered by the disclosed exemplary embodiment . when using mobile payment organization system application 160 of mobile device 130 , the customer always receives a digital ( electronic ) receipt when a purchase is made , either online or at a pos . the receipt is in a standard format . any account used to make purchases can link the purchases to the user &# 39 ; s digital wallet service 100 in cloud 120 . the receipts are stored in cloud 120 , where the receipts are always available for retrieval and for other uses . the user has access to all receipts from the user &# 39 ; s mobile and online devices , and can utilize various types of analytics to review personal and business purchasing data for subsequent trips or for business purchases . this information can be collected and stored based upon vendor or establishment location when a purchase or transaction takes place using mobile device 130 . the functionality of the application is particularly useful for travelers and for business travelers , in particular . the loss of receipts and forgotten locations can result in losses to the individual during business travels . the ability to group transactions based upon their date amount , location and tax deductible status is useful to business travelers to keep track of expenses and for generation of reports . by using the system and method described herein , traveling can become a truly paperless endeavor . a receipt is always available . the receipt cannot be stolen or misplaced . user &# 39 ; s purchases are linked to his / her digital wallet account where receipts are sent and stored . the user may organize and re - categorize and filter data into valuable and usable forms that are presented on mobile device 130 . various approaches , technologies and pathways can be used to access server 100 . in general , the internet can be used . access may be granted to a home or a business computer , including a desk top , lap top , or notebook computer ; a personal digital assistant or any other internet connected device , such as a tablet ( for example , a device such as an ipad ). server 100 management can be done through a private access ( intranet , vpn ) for greater security . it will be understood that the present disclosure may be embodied in a computer readable non - transitory storage medium . the medium stores instructions of a computer program that when executed by a computer system results in performance of steps of the method described herein . such storage media may include any of those mentioned in the description above . the terms “ comprises ” or “ comprising ” are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features , integers , steps or components , but not precluding the presence of one or more other features , integers , steps or components or groups thereof . it should be understood that various alternatives , combinations and modifications could be devised by those skilled in the art . for example , steps associated with the processes described herein can be performed in any order , unless otherwise specified or dictated by the steps themselves . the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims . | 6 |
in various embodiments , self - aligned tip spacers may be provided in a multi - gate transistor structure to mask a portion of a silicon - on - insulator ( soi ) structure . by masking off a part of the soi structure , these spacers may act as masks to prevent implantation into the area under them , while the side surfaces of the soi structure are implanted as needed . this is so , as diffusions that are performed to implant tip material can occur at an angle such as a 45 ° angle . referring now to fig1 , shown is a plan view of a double gate transistor 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig1 , transistor 10 includes a buried oxide layer ( box ) 20 . while not shown in fig1 , it is to be understood that box 20 may be formed on a suitable substrate such as a silicon substrate . a silicon structure 30 , which may be a soi layer that is patterned into a fin - type structure formed on box 20 . in turn , a front gate 40 a and a back gate 40 b , which may be formed of polysilicon may be deposited and patterned to form the front and back gates respectively . front and back gates 40 a and 40 b may be separated by an insulator 50 which may be a nitride layer , for example . a high dielectric constant ( high - k ) material may be present at the interfaces between the sidewalls of soi 30 and gates 40 a and 40 b , as the high - k insulator may be formed prior to gate polysilicon deposition . to mask off a portion of the top surface of soi 30 , a localized spacer 55 may be formed , also of nitride , for example . while only shown on one side of transistor 10 , it is to be understood that a corresponding spacer may be formed on the other side of transistor 10 . fig2 a shows a cross - section view along the line b - b ′ of fig1 and a top down view of the transistor structure , respectively . specifically , as shown in fig2 a by presence of tip spacers 55 a and 55 b , after diffusion of implants zero or reduced diffusions are present in locations 35 immediately underneath spacers 55 a and 55 b . instead , the implants are primarily provided in portions 30 a and 30 b , while pure silicon remains in soi portion 30 . similarly , from a top down view as shown in fig2 b spacers 55 a and 55 b abut insulator 50 to provide a mask over the underlying portions 35 of soi 30 . referring now to fig3 , shown is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . as shown in fig3 , method 100 may be used to form a double gate transistor in accordance with one embodiment . method 100 may begin by patterning a stack structure that is formed of multiple layers including a soi layer , an oxide layer , and a nitride layer ( block 110 ). specifically , trenches may be formed on either side of a stack by performing nitride and soi dry etching . thus a silicon fin may be formed over an underlying oxide layer , e . g ., a box layer that is exposed on either side of the fin , with dielectric and insulation layers formed over the fin . referring still to fig3 , then at block 120 a polysilicon layer may be deposited and then polished down to the level of the nitride layer . note that polysilicon does not exist along the stack profile after the polishing step . the polysilicon may be used to form the double gates , i . e ., on either side of the stack . then at block 130 a hard mask layer may be deposited , which may be a nitride - based hard mask , in some embodiments . referring still to fig4 at block 140 , the hard mask and underlying nitride layer may be selectively removed , e . g ., via an etch process that will lead to localized tip spacers that extend from both sides of the insulation layers longitudinally . after the hard mask etch , the hard mask is completely etched away with most of the nitride layer underneath . at the same time , polysilicon , when exposed , is also eroded . laterally , however , the hard mask etch can be designed to give a slight flare , and at the bottom of the hard mask flare the nitride layer is also tapered during the same etch process . consequently , this flare is transferred to the underlying nitride layer . note that the dual stack hard mask / nitride may be patterned with photoresist . therefore , spacers will be formed at the nitride sidewalls due to this tapering . this taper is the main reason for the spacer to be created on top of the soi during the subsequent processing steps . the amount of nitride recessed laterally may be controlled during the final part of the etch sequence so as to not eliminate this spacer . in various embodiments , a predetermined control of radio frequency ( rf ) power and etch chemistry may be implemented . for example , in some embodiments a derivative of a conventional plasma etch may be used . further , rf power may be modified . specifically a power in the 500 - 1500 watts ( w ) range may change the extent of the spacer footing . still further , pressures may be changed from approximately 100 to 200 millitorrs ( mt ) to enable this flared shape rather than a vertical etch . typical etch chemistries include methyl fluoride , carbon monoxide and oxygen ( ch 3 f , co and o 2 ). this subsequent nitride etch can also be carried out immediately post polysilicon etch , without inserting a break in the etch step ( between poly and nitride etch ). various tool configurations such as electron cyclotron resonance ( ecr ) or inductively coupled plasma ( icp ) sources can also be employed to etch the nitride on the soi to create the final desired structure . referring still to fig4 , another patterning process may be performed to remove polysilicon from the non - gate , i . e ., the implantation regions , to thus expose the soi fin ( block 150 ). specifically , a polysilicon etch may be followed by a slight nitride - clean dry etch step , such that the soi is exposed , with no spacer along its sidewalls , while the self - aligned nitride spacer remains along the insulation layers &# 39 ; sidewalls . this patterning thus preserves the localized tip spacers . the top hard mask can then be stripped off to give the final structure . this etching will enable diffusion of source and drain materials into the soi fin . furthermore , due to the self - aligned tip spacers , these tip implantations will not impinge into the channel region present under the stack . these self - aligned tip spacers may thus act as a mask on the top surface of the soi fin extending from the insulation layer to protect a channel region present under the remaining insulation layer . thus , diffusions may be performed to implant tips into the soi fin ( block 160 ). further processing may be performed to form the source and drains , metallization contacts and so forth . while the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments , those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom . it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention . | 7 |
a typical telephone channel must convey voice signals , on or off hook status , and possibly dialing information . the traditional technique for transmitting the non - voice information relies on using e - leads and m - leads ( e / m signaling ). the usual practice is to carry this e / m information by tones , either in - band ( e . g ., 2600 hz ) or out - of - band ( e . g ., 3825 hz ). in such a system , the m - lead controls a gated tone oscillator which transmits a tone on idle ( on - hook ) condition . the receiver notes that presence or absence of the signaling tone and correspondingly controls the state of the e - lead . when in - band signaling is used , the tone receiver incorporates a guard band circuit that compares the total energy at the signaling tone frequency ( e . g ., 2600 hz ) to the total energy within the voice band ( 300 hz to 3400 hz ) but outside the signaling tone frequency , the assumption being that a pure tone will not have any energy outside the signaling tone frequency . if the tone energy is not greater than the total remaining voice band energy , then the tone detector is disabled . these techniques were originally developed for analog telephone channels . it is desirable to have similar techniques for digital channels . one type of digital link of particular interest involves the use of continuously variable slope delta ( cvsd ) modulator / demodulator codecs , operating at very low sampling rates ( e . g ., 16 kb / s ), to encode and decode voice signals . this low sampling rate saves bandwidth but severely undersamples the signal , producing very large signal distortion and high noise levels . fortunately , the human ear is very tolerant of these distortions in human speech so there is little degradation in speech intelligibility despite the degradation in speech quality . unfortunately , this undersampling severely distorts a tone signal by aliasing the frequency and adding noise . this affects the detection of the tone by corrupting the quality of the tone and altering the non - tone voice band energy . as a result , the usual way of carrying e / m information on such a channel is to multiplex the signaling information into the digital data stream . this requires access to the data stream and digital hardware to insert and extract this information from the data stream . this is a complicated process and requires extensive retrofit modifications to already existing systems . our e / m signaling scheme for use with low sampling rate ( e . g ., 16 kb / s ) cvsd modulation / demodulation codecs , which avoids these problems , is shown in fig1 . a voice signal is applied to input 20 of mixer ( summer ) 2 . the output of noise generator 3 is applied to input 21 of mixer 2 . the output 23 of mixer 2 is connected to the input of cvsd modulator 4 , such as a motorola mc 3418 or mc 3417 . the output of modulator 4 is connected to a digital data link 5 . the output of digital data link 5 is then used as the input of cvsd demodulator 6 , such as a motorola mc 3418 or mc 3417 . the transmitted voice signal emerges from the demodulator at 7 . an m - lead input is connected to the forced - idle - pattern input 15 of modulator 4 ( pin 15 in the case of a mc 3418 , with pins 9 and 13 connected together ). diode 9 , used as a detector , has either end connected to the output 7 of demodulator 6 and its other end connected to the input of an integrating filter 10 . the output of filter 10 is fed to the input of threshold power level discriminator 11 . the output of discriminator 11 is used as the e - lead output . a voice signal is transmitted by feeding the analog voice input signal to input 20 of mixer 2 and not activating the m - lead input . the voice signal is summed by mixer 2 with a signal from noise generator 3 to produce a signal with a preselected amount of added noise . the output of mixer 2 is fed to the input of continuously variable slope delta modulator 4 . a digital version of the signal is outputted by modulator 4 and transmitted by the digital data link 5 . this digital version of the signal is then demodulated by continuously variable slope delta demodulator 6 and outputted at 7 . an &# 34 ; on hook &# 34 ; condition is transmitted by applying a signal to the m - lead input at 15 . this signal activates the forced - idle - pattern input of cvsd modulator 4 . this results in an alternating stream of 1 &# 39 ; s and 0 &# 39 ; s being sent along digital data link 5 . this stream of data is then demodulated by cvsd demodulator 6 . this particular stream of alternating 1 &# 39 ; s and 0 &# 39 ; s produces a very quiet signal with a typical power level of at most - 60 dbmo . this signal is distinctive since , if noise generator 3 imparts - 40 dbmo of noise , the power level of the demodulated noise - corrupted voice signal will be at least - 40 dbmo . having noise generator 3 add at least - 40 dbmo of noise also guarantees that cvsd modulator 4 will never accidentally generate the forced - idle stream of alternating 1 &# 39 ; s and 0 &# 39 ; s . the only other requirement for proper functioning of the system is that the noise added by generator 3 not be so great as to degrade channel performance . since the normal cvsd noise level is - 30 dbmo , the - 40 dbmo injected noise is significantly lower , and this requirement is therefore met for the example illustrated . the task of distinguishing between an &# 34 ; off hook &# 34 ; signal and an &# 34 ; on hook &# 34 ; signal then becomes one of distinguishing between a signal having a power level of at least - 40 dbmo and a signal having a power level of at most - 60 dbmo . these two signals can be distinguished by power level discriminator 11 , e . g ., a conventional &# 34 ; noise &# 34 ; threshold detector , where the threshold is preset to a value greater than - 60 dbmo but less than - 40 dbmo . the signal is detected by diode 9 , and the resulting signal is filtered by integrating filter 10 ( to suppress spurious detections ). filter 10 smooths the signal over a predetermined time governed by its time constant , where the time has been selected to be adequate to insure that the power of the demodulated noise - corrupted voice signal will be always detectably higher than the power of the demodulated forced idle pattern signal . then power level discriminator 11 is used to distinguish between the expected power levels of the noise - colored voice and the &# 34 ; on - hook &# 34 ; signal . the output of detector 11 is used as the e - lead output . this technique for e / m signaling over the digital link is extended to a more generalized signaling system in fig2 . an analog input signal is fed to input 50 of mixer ( summer ) 51 . the output of noise generator 53 is fed to a second input of mixer 51 . the output of mixer 51 is fed to a first input of switch 56 . an &# 34 ; on - hook &# 34 ; or other line status reference signal source 58 , which can convey any desired line signaling information , is connected to a second input of switch 56 . a conventional line status input line , analogous to m - lead input 15 in the fig1 example , is connected to a third input 61 of switch 56 . switch 56 is a single - pole double - throw switch which allows selectable switching between source 58 and mixer 51 , in response to switching signals conveyed by line status input 61 . the output of switch 56 is connected to the input of analog - to - digital converter ( modulator ) 62 , e . g ., a pcm modulator , which is the analogue of modulator 4 in fig1 . the output of modulator 62 is connected to the input of digital data link 64 . the input of digital - to - analog converter ( demodulator ) 66 , analogous to demodulator 6 of fig1 is connected to the output of digital data link 64 . the output 67 of demodulator 66 produces a signal output which is a replica of the signal input at 50 . this output at 67 is also fed to power level threshold discriminator 75 consisting of signal detector 70 , filter 71 , and power level discriminator 72 . the output of power level discriminator 72 is used as the line status output . our technique involves generating a recognizable &# 34 ; on hook &# 34 ; ( unbusy ) bit stream on the digital data link . several types of &# 34 ; on hook &# 34 ; bit streams can be used and these bit streams can be generated in several ways . one approach involves the use of a special feature in the modulator as in the case of motorola mc3418 or mc3417 . this can be accomplished by connecting line status input 80 directly to modulator 62 ( shown as a dotted line to indicate an alternative embodiment ; this embodiment is also depicted in fig1 ). another method is to apply a constant voltage or other preselected reference signal to the input of modulator 62 to force it to generate a bit stream with the requisite characteristics sought by the particular demodulator 66 . this is accomplished by using line status input 61 to force switch 56 to connect line status reference signal source 58 to the input of modulator 62 upon an &# 34 ; unbusy &# 34 ; condition . alternatively , an unbusy condition can be signaled by directly inserting the particular &# 34 ; unbusy &# 34 ; bit stream onto the digital link , by removing reference signal source 58 and switch 56 , connecting the output of mixer 51 directly to the input of modulator 62 , and inserting the on - hook pattern onto the digital data link by means of access 81 . in this case , line status input 61 is used to switch 81 onto digital data link 64 upon the occurrence of an unbusy condition ( not illustrated in fig2 ).. it can be seen that the technique illustrated by solid lines in fig2 can be used to retrofit an existing system having arbitrary &# 34 ; unbusy &# 34 ; coding with a minimum of effort . the conventional technique for recognizing the &# 34 ; unbusy &# 34 ; bit stream was to tap digital data link 64 by line 82 at a point just before demodulator 66 and to connect additional hardware to 82 to monitor for the unbusy pattern . this required accessing the digital link and additional hardware . in our technique , the digital signal is demodulated by 66 into an analog signal at 67 . the analog equivalent of an &# 34 ; on - hook &# 34 ; bit stream is then recognized by detector 70 , integrating filter 71 , and power level discriminator 72 , based on the difference in power levels between the &# 34 ; on - hook &# 34 ; and voice ( off - hook ) signal . this difference is guaranteed by coloring the voice or other input signal by the output of noise generator 53 . this signaling technique alleviates the need for access to the digital link and simplifies &# 34 ; on hook &# 34 ; detection hardware and retrofit modifications . this invention can be further generalized as the manipulation of one of a set of statistical characteristics among several input signals in a manner such that they can be distinguished statistically after being corrupted by a noisy channel . some of the characteristics which can be manipulated are average noise , average power , average frequency , and standard deviations with respect to each of said averages . these characteristics can be manipulated by shifting the level of or skewing the distribution of the particular property of the signal . the above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and does not limit the scope of the invention . the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims . from the above discussion many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the invention . | 7 |
referring to fig1 a first in first out ( fifo ) queue management architecture 10 includes a fifo coprocessor 11 and a programmable state machine ( psm ) 12 . fifo coprocessor 11 performs maintains management information for eight fifo queues ( fifo queue 14 a - fifo queue 14 h ) by managing a read pointer and a write pointer for each of the eight fifo queues 14 . fifo coprocessor 11 also manages flags that indicate the full or empty status of each of the eight fifo queues . fifo queues 14 are allocated in a data memory 16 within psm 12 and are software - defined by the psm . as will be shown below , through the management of the flags and the pointers , fifo coprocessor 11 allows for read sizes and write sizes to be different . fifo coprocessor 11 maintains the pointers and the flags for fifo queues 14 in data memory 16 . as data is read from a fifo queue , the read pointer is incremented and as data is written to a fifo queue , the write pointer is incremented . if the counters are equal the fifo queue is either completely empty or completely full . fifo coprocessor 11 receives inputs from psm 14 that include a signal to increment the read pointer and a signal to increment the write pointer received from each queue . fifo coprocessor 11 also receives configuration parameters from psm 14 . each fifo queue is configured by psm 14 prior to being used . psm 14 executes instructions having the configuration parameters to load configuration registers ( not shown ) within fifo coprocessor 14 . the configuration parameters include a fifo queue base address ( c_base ), a fifo queue size ( c_size ), a read and write pointer offset ( c_offset ), a write entry size , a read entry size , a full watermark level ( c_fullwm ), and an empty watermark level ( c_emptywm ). the write entry size is the size in bytes that is written to the queue . the read entry size is the size in bytes that is read from a fifo queue . the fifo queue size is an integer multiple of both the read entry size and the write entry size so that the a pointer wrap point will occur between two entries and not within an entry . the write entry size and the read entry size are in powers of 2 ranging from 1 to 2 7 bytes and defaults to one byte . the full watermark level indicates the most number of empty write entries that a fifo queue has to be considered nearly full . for example , if the full watermark value is equal to 5 , then if 5 or fewer write entries are empty , the fifo queue is considered nearly full . thus , if the write size is 1 byte , the fifo queue is nearly full if 5 or fewer bytes are empty . the empty watermark level indicates the number of read entries that a fifo queue has to be considered nearly empty . for example , if the empty watermark level is equal to 2 , then if 2 or fewer read entries are full , the fifo queue is considered nearly empty . from these configuration parameters , other configuration parameters are derived for use with fifo coprocessor 11 processing . these configuration parameters include a scaled full watermark level , a scaled empty watermark level , a total number of write entries parameter and a total number of read entries parameter . the scaled full watermark level ( scaledfullwm ) is measured in bytes and is equal to the sum of the full watermark level and one times the write size (( c_fullwm + 1 )* wrsize ). the scaled empty watermark level ( scaledemptywm ) is measured in bytes and is equal to the sum of the empty water mark level and 1 times the read size (( c_emptywm + 1 )* rdsize ). in a previous example , if the empty watermark level is equal to 2 , then if 2 or fewer read entries are full , the fifo queue is considered nearly empty . thus , if the read size is 4 bytes , the fifo queue is considered nearly empty until at least 12 bytes (( 2 + 1 )* 4 ) are full . the total number of write entries parameter ( numwrentries ) is equal to the fifo queue size divided by the write size ( c_size / wrsize ). the total number of read entries parameter ( numrdentries ) is equal to the fifo queue size divided by the read size ( c_size / rdsize ). to process the read and write increment signals fifo coprocessor 11 using state variables . these include a write index ( s_wrindex ), a read index ( s_rdindex ), a full flag ( s_fullflag ) and an empty flag ( s_emptyflag ). fifo coprocessor 11 outputs six signals to psm 14 : a read pointer address ( o_rdptr ), a write pointer address ( o_wrptr ), an empty flag bit ( s_emptyflag ), a full flag bit ( s_fullflag ), a nearly empty flag bit ( o_nearlyemptyflag ), and a nearly full flag bit ( o_nearlyfullflag ). the read pointer address is the sum of the fifo queue base address and a scaled read index . the scaled read index is the product of the read index and the read size . the write pointer address is the sum of the fifo queue base address and a scaled write index . the scaled write index is the product of the write index and the write size . referring to fig2 a process for incrementing a read pointer receives ( 42 ) an increment read pointer command from psm 14 . process 40 determines ( 43 ) if an empty flag state variable ( s_emptyflag ) is true . if the empty flag state variable is not true , process 40 increments ( 44 ) a read index ( s_rdindex ) by one . process 40 determines ( 45 ) if the read index is equal to the total number of read entries ( numrdentries ). if the read index is equal to the total number of read entries , process 40 sets ( 46 ) the read index equal to zero . process 40 sets ( 47 ) a scaled write index ( scaledwrindex ) equal to the write index times the write size ; and a scaled read index ( scaledrdindex ) equal to read index times the read size . process 40 sets ( 48 ) an “ occupied bytes in a fifo queue ” variable ( fullbytes ) equal to the scaled write index less the scaled read index ( scaledwrindex - scaledrdindex ). process 40 determines ( 49 ) if the “ occupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( fullbytes ) is less than zero . if the “ occupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable is less than zero , process 40 increments ( 50 ) the occupied bytes in the fifo variable by the fifo queue size ( c_size ). process 40 sets an “ unoccupied bytes in a fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) equal to the fifo queue size less the number of occupied bytes in the fifo queue . process 40 updates ( 52 ) the flags . referring to fig3 process 52 for updating the flags sets ( 53 ) the empty flag ( s_emptyflag ), the full flag ( s_fullflag ), the nearly empty flag ( o_nearlyemptyflag ), and the nearly full flag ( o_nearlyfullflag ) to false . process 52 determines ( 54 ) if the “ occupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( fullbytes ) is less than the read size ( rdsize ). if the “ occupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( fullbytes ) is less than the read size ( rdsize ), process 52 sets ( 55 ) the empty flag ( s_emptyflag ) equal to true . process 52 determines ( 56 ) if the “ unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) is less than the write size ( wrsize ). if the “ unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) is less than the write size ( wrsize ), process 52 sets ( 57 ) the full flag ( s_fullflag ) to true . process 52 determines ( 58 ) if the “ occupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( fullbytes ) is less than the scaled empty watermark level ( scaledemptywm ). if the “ occupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( fullbytes ) is less than the scaled empty watermark level ( scaledemptywm ), process 58 sets ( 59 ) the nearly empty flag ( o_nearlyemptyflag ) to true . process 52 determines ( 60 ) if the “ unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) is less than the scaled full watermark level ( scaledfullwm ). if the “ unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) is less than the scaled full watermark level ( scaledfullwm ), process 52 sets ( 61 ) the nearly full flag ( o_nearlyfullflag ) to true . referring to fig4 process 62 for incrementing a read pointer receives ( 63 ) an increment write pointer command from psm 14 . process 62 determines ( 64 ) if a full flag state variable ( s_fullflag ) is true . if the full flag state variable is not true , process 62 increments ( 65 ) a write index state variable ( s_wrindex ) by one . process 40 determines ( 66 ) if the write index state variable is equal to the total number of write entries ( numwrentries ). if the write index state variable is equal to the total number of write entries , process 62 sets ( 67 ) the write index state variable equal to zero . process 62 sets ( 68 ) a scaled write index ( scaledwrindex ) equal to the write index times the write size ; and a scaled read index ( scaledrdindex ) equal to the read index times the read size . process 62 sets ( 69 ) the “ unoccupied bytes in a fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) equal to the scaled read index less the scaled write index ( scaledrdindex - scaledwrindex ). process 62 determines ( 70 ) if the “ unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) is less than zero . if the “ unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue ” variable is less than zero , process 62 increments ( 50 ) the unoccupied bytes in the fifo variable by the fifo size ( c_size ). process 62 sets the “ unoccupied bytes in a fifo queue ” variable ( emptybytes ) equal to fifo queue size less the number of occupied bytes in the fifo queue . process 62 updates ( 52 ) the flags . in data assembly , the read entry size is larger than the write entry size . small units of data are inserted into the fifo queue , and then the data is extracted in larger units . fig5 a - 5 j depict a fifo queue 80 during data assembly as the fifo queue begins in an initially empty state , is filled to a completely full state , and is emptied during data disassembly to a completely empty state once again . in the example , the full watermark value is 5 , and the empty watermark value is 2 . the write entry size is 1 ; and the read entry size is 4 . the write pointer value is 12 so that the absolute position of a write pointer 82 is 12 times the write entry size or 12 bytes into fifo queue 80 . the read pointer value is 3 so that the absolute position of a read pointer 84 is initially 4 times the read entry size or 12 bytes into the fifo queue . there is no requirement that fifo queue 80 become completely full before it is emptied , or vice - versa . in practice , data will begin to be extracted from fifo queue 80 soon after a complete read entry is available . referring to fig5 a , when fifo queue 80 is completely empty , an empty flag ( e ) 86 and a nearly empty flag ( ne ) 88 are both true , and a full flag ( f ) 92 and a nearly full ( nf ) flag 90 are both false . read pointer 84 and write pointer 82 point to the same physical location in fifo queue 80 , but because the read and write entry sizes are different , a value of the write pointer 94 and a value of the read pointer 96 are different . both pointers ( wptr 82 and rptr 84 ) point to a location 12 bytes from the base of the fifo queue , but since the read entry size is 4 bytes , value of rptr 96 is only 3 , since its units are read entries . the number of full slots is indicated by a full value 98 , and the number of empty slots is indicated by an empty value 100 . referring to fig5 b , after one entry ( 1 byte in size ) is written to fifo queue 80 , the only state variable that has changed is wptr . in particular , empty flag 82 is still true even though there is 1 valid byte of data in fifo queue 80 . the reason for this is empty flag 86 is associated with the number of read entries in fifo queue 80 . because 4 bytes are required to produce a single read entry , a complete read entry is not yet available to be read out of fifo queue 80 . thus , fifo queue 80 is considered “ empty ”. referring to fig5 c , after 3 more bytes are written to fifo queue 80 , the total number of valid data bytes in the fifo queue is 4 , which is enough to make up a single read entry , and empty flag 86 transitions from true to false . referring to fig5 d , after 6 more write entries ( 1 byte in size ) are written to fifo queue 80 , the total number of valid bytes in the fifo queue is 10 . this quantity of data is more than 2 read entries , but less than 3 read entries . because the empty watermark is 2 , the fifo queue is still considered “ nearly empty ”. even though more than 2 read entries &# 39 ; worth of data is present in fifo queue 80 , nearly empty flag 90 does not become false until a complete 3rd read entry is present . referring to fig5 e , after 2 more entries are written to fifo queue 80 , bringing the total number of valid bytes up to 12 , the fifo queue becomes “ not nearly empty ”. there are 3 read entries worth of data in fifo queue 80 . since 3 is greater than the empty watermark ( 2 ), nearly empty flag 88 turns false . referring to fig5 f , after 23 more entries are written to fifo queue 80 , only 5 empty bytes in the fifo queue remain . because the number of empty write entries in fifo queue 80 is less than or equal to the full watermark ( 5 write entries ), the fifo queue is nearly full . however , full flag 92 is remains false and will remain false while the next 4 read entries are written to fifo queue 80 . referring to fig5 g , after 5 more entries are written , fifo queue 80 is completely full . both full flag 92 and nearly full flag 92 are true . note that just as in the completely empty case in fig5 a , the read and write pointers point to the same absolute location . the completely full case is distinguished from the completely empty case by the full and empty flags . referring to fig5 h , one entry ( of 4 bytes ) is read out of fifo queue 80 , causing full flag 92 to turn false . however , nearly empty flag 90 remains true because empty value 100 in fifo queue 80 is now 4 , which is less than or equal to the full watermark of 5 . referring to fig5 i , after 1 entry ( of 4 bytes ) is read out of fifo queue 80 , a total of 8 bytes are left unoccupied . since this number is greater than the full watermark , fifo queue 80 ceases to be nearly full ( i . e ., nearly full flag 90 becomes false ). referring to fig5 j , after 6 more entries are read from fifo queue 80 , a total of 2 read entries ( 8 bytes total ) are left in the fifo queue . because the number of complete read entries is now less than or equal to the empty watermark , fifo queue 80 is considered nearly empty . referring to fig5 k , after 2 more entries are read from fifo queue 80 , the fifo queue becomes completely empty , and both full flag 92 and nearly full flag 90 become true . in the above example , a write entry size of 1 byte and a read entry size of 4 bytes was used . in prior fifo coprocessors , only a single entry size would exist which was used for both reads or writes . suppose that a size of 1 byte were chosen for both the read and write entry sizes . the output interface requires data units of 4 bytes and thus should be alerted whenever 4 bytes or more are in the fifo queue . this result could be achieved by setting the empty watermark value to 4 and using the nearly empty flag as an empty flag . however , in doing so , the additional functionality provided by the empty watermark value would be lost . the purpose of the empty watermark is to provide an additional interrupt to the process responsible for emptying the fifo queue . in other words , one would like the empty flag to be used to alert the emptying process whenever there is at least one complete read entry in the fifo queue . likewise , one would prefer the nearly empty flag to be used to provide an additional signal to the emptying process whenever there are at least empty watermark value of complete read entries in the fifo queue . if the empty watermark value is instead used to signal when there is just a single entry available to be read from the fifo , the additional functionality of the nearly empty flag has been lost . on the other hand , suppose that an entry size of 4 bytes were chosen for both fifo reads and writes . the process that is supplying data to the fifo queue is processing data in units of 1 byte at a time . thus , in order to perform a write to the fifo queue , the process must assemble these 1 - byte data units into 4 - byte write entries . this task is an additional burden on the process supplying the data . in addition , it would be impossible to specify the full watermark to a degree of precision of less than 4 ( 1 byte ) write entries for instance , it would be impossible to specify a full watermark of 5 write entries , as in the example above . finally , it would not be possible to have a genuine full flag . the fifo queue will be considered full once there are fewer than 4 bytes left unoccupied , rather than when it is truly full ( which occurs when there is no space left to write any additional entries ). in data disassembly , the read entry size is smaller than the write entry size . large units of data are inserted into fifo queue 80 , and then the data is extracted in smaller units . fig6 a - 6 j represent an example of data disassembly where fifo queue 80 begins in an initially empty state , is filled to a completely full state , and then is emptied to a completely empty state once again . in the example , the full watermark value is 1 , and the empty watermark value is 14 . the write entry size is 8 ; and the read entry size is 1 . write pointer value 94 is 2 so that the absolute position of a write pointer 82 is 2 times the write entry size or 16 bytes into fifo queue 80 . read pointer value 96 is 16 so that the absolute position of a read pointer ( rptr ) 84 is initially 16 times the read entry size or 16 bytes into fifo queue 80 . in fig6 a , fifo queue 80 is completely empty . empty flag 88 and nearly empty flag 86 are both true , and full flag 92 and nearly full flag 90 are both false . the read and write pointers point to the same physical location in the fifo queue , but because the read and write entry sizes are different , write pointer value 94 and read pointer value 96 are different . both pointers ( wptr 82 and rptr 84 ) point to a location 16 bytes from the base of the fifo queue , but since is 2 . referring to fig6 b , after 1 entry ( of size 8 bytes ) is written to fifo queue 80 , empty flag 92 transitions to false . because the write entry size is 1 byte , the insertion of a single 8 - byte read write entry immediately populates fifo queue 80 with 8 entries to read . since there are 1 or more complete entries to read , empty flag 92 must be false . referring to fig6 c , after 1 more write entry is written to fifo queue 80 , the total number of valid ( 1 byte ) read entries in the fifo queue is 16 . this number is greater than the empty watermark value of 14 , so nearly empty flag 90 transitions to false . if a subsequent action were to read 2 entries from fifo queue 80 , nearly empty flag 90 would become true , since the two reads would leave the fifo queue with a total of 14 1 - byte read entries , which is less than or equal to the empty watermark . referring to fig6 d , after 2 more write entries ( 8 bytes in size each ) are written to fifo queue 80 , the total number of valid bytes in the fifo queue is 32 . there are exactly 8 bytes , or 1 write entry , left unoccupied in fifo queue 80 . because the number of empty write “ slots ” is less than or equal to the full watermark ( 1 ), nearly full flag 90 transitions to true at this point . referring to fig6 e , one more write to fifo queue 80 causes full flag 92 to become true . as in fig6 a , read pointer 84 and write pointer 82 point to the same absolute location . the completely full case is distinguished from the completely empty case by full flag 92 and empty flag 86 . referring to fig6 f , 1 entry ( of 1 byte in size ) is read from fifo queue 80 . full flag 92 remains true because even though not every byte in fifo queue 80 is occupied because the number of unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue ( 1 ) is less than the number of bytes in a single write entry ( 8 ), so it is impossible to write another entry into the fifo queue at this time . referring to fig6 g , after 7 more entries ( of 1 byte each ) are read from fifo queue 80 , the total number of unoccupied bytes in the fifo queue is 8 . because this number is greater than or equal to the number of bytes in a single write entry ( 8 ), full flag 92 transitions from true to false . nearly full flag 90 remains true , because the number of available write “ slots ” ( 1 ) is less than or equal to the write watermark ( 1 ). referring to fig6 i , 3 more entries ( of 1 byte each ) are read from fifo queue 80 , bringing the total number of unoccupied bytes in the fifo up to 11 , which is more than the number of bytes in 1 write entry . however , nearly full flag 90 remains true , because the number of complete write entries available is 1 ( i . e ., after 1 8 - byte entry is written , there will be only 3 unoccupied bytes left in fifo queue 80 , making it impossible to write any more entries into the fifo queue until some entries are read out ). since 1 is less than or equal to the full watermark ( 1 ), fifo queue 80 remains nearly full . referring to fig6 i , after 5 more ( 1 - byte ) entries are read out of fifo queue 80 , a total of 16 bytes , or 2 entire write entries , are left unoccupied . since the number of available write “ slots ” ( 2 ) is now greater than the full watermark , nearly full flag 90 becomes false . referring to fig6 j , after 10 more entries ( 1 - byte ) are read from fifo queue 80 , a total of 14 bytes of valid data are left in the fifo queue . because the number of entries available to be read ( 14 ) is now less than or equal to the empty watermark ( 14 ), nearly empty flag 90 transitions from false to true . referring to fig6 k , after 14 more entries are read from fifo queue 80 , empty flag 92 becomes true . being able to have differing read and write entry sizes is an improvement over having the same entry size for each . for example , suppose that a size of 1 byte were chosen for both the read and write entry sizes . the input interface processes data in units of 8 bytes and are alerted whenever there are 8 or more unoccupied bytes in fifo queue 80 . this result could be achieved by setting the empty watermark to 8 and using the nearly full flag as a full flag . however , the additional functionality provided by the full watermark would be lost . the purpose of the full watermark is to provide an additional interrupt to the process responsible for filling fifo queue 80 . in other words , one would like the full flag to be used to alert the filling process whenever there is at least one complete empty write “ slot ” available in fifo queue 80 . likewise , one would like prefer the nearly full flag to be used to provide an additional signal to the emptying process whenever there are at least full watermark value of complete empty write “ slots ” available in fifo queue 80 . if the full watermark value is instead used to signal when there is just a single write “ slot ” available , the additional functional of the nearly full flag has been lost . on the other hand , suppose that an entry size of 8 bytes were chosen for both fifo reads and writes . the process that is reading data from fifo queue 80 is processing data in units of 1 byte at a time . because data extracted from fifo queue 80 must be processed a single byte at a time , the process doing the reads must disassemble the 8 - byte fifo entries into single byte units for processing . this task is an additional burden on the process doing the data extraction . in addition , it would be impossible to specify the empty watermark to a degree of precision of less than 8 ( 1 - byte ) read entries . for instance , it would be impossible to specify an empty watermark of 14 read entries , as in the example above . finally , there would be no way to have a genuine empty flag . fifo queue 80 will be considered empty as long as there are fewer than 8 bytes valid data bytes in the fifo queue , rather than when it is truly empty . [ 0050 ] fig7 shows a computer 150 for managing ffi queues . computer 160 includes a processor 152 for managing flags and pointers within each fifo queue , a memory 154 to store eight fifo queues , and a storage medium 156 ( e . g ., hard disk ). storage medium 156 stores operating system 160 , data 162 , and computer instructions 158 which are executed by processor 152 out of memory 154 to perform process 40 , process 52 and process 62 . process 40 , process 52 and process 62 are not limited to use with the hardware and software of fig7 ; the processes may find applicability in any computing or processing environment and with any type of machine that is capable of running a computer program . process 40 , process 52 and process 62 may be implemented in hardware , software , or a combination of the two . process 40 , process 52 and process 62 may be implemented in computer programs executed on programmable computers / machines that each includes a processor , a storage medium / article readable by the processor ( including volatile and non - volatile memory and / or storage elements ), at least one input device , and one or more output devices . program code maybe applied to data entered using an input device to perform process 50 and to generate output information . each such program may be implemented in a high level procedural or objected - oriented programming language to communicate with a computer system . however , the programs can be implemented in assembly or machine language . the language may be a compiled or an interpreted language . each computer program may be stored on a storage medium ( article ) or device ( e . g ., cd - rom , hard disk , or magnetic diskette ) that is readable by a general or special purpose programmable computer for configuring and operating the computer when the storage medium or device is read by the computer to perform process 40 , process 52 and process 62 . process 40 , process 52 and process 62 may also be implemented as a machine - readable storage medium , configured with a computer program , where upon execution , instructions in the computer program cause the computer to operate in accordance with process 40 , process 52 and process 62 . the disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein . for example , the fifo coprocessor , the fifo queues , and psm may be located on the same integrated circuit . the disclosure is not limited to the specific processing order of fig2 - 4 . rather , the blocks of fig2 - 4 may be reordered , as necessary , to achieve the results set forth above . other embodiments not described herein are also within the scope of the following claims . | 6 |
persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting . other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons . the below embodiments are particularly described in relation to an n - channel device formed in p - well , it being understood that a p - channel device formed in an n - well is similarly formed . referring to fig1 through 3 , top and cross sectional views show an illustrative layout of a high - voltage transistor 10 fabricated in accordance with one aspect of the present invention in which the drain side of the transistor is pulled back from the diffusion edge . fig1 is a top view , fig2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 2 - 2 of fig1 in a direction across the width of the channel , and fig3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 3 - 3 of fig1 near the drain edge of the gate in a direction along the drain edge of the channel . the active area of the high - voltage transistor 10 is a p - well region 12 that lies within shallow trench isolation region 14 . n + source region 16 and n + drain region 18 are formed in p - well 12 . lightly - doped drain ( ldd ) regions 20 and 22 surround source and drain regions 16 and 18 , respectively , and define a channel in between the source and drain . gate 24 is disposed above and insulated from the substrate over the channel . spacers 26 are formed on the side edges of the gate to facilitate formation of the ldd regions 20 and 22 by blocking the higher source / drain implant at the gate edges as is known in the art . in a typical embodiment , the ldd doping level is between about 5e16 and 5e17 cm - 3 , and the source / drain implant doping is between about 1e19 and 1e20 cm - 3 . the spacers are shown in fig2 and are not indicated in fig1 to avoid overcomplicating the drawing figure . as shown in fig2 , the edge of the ldd region 22 in the p - well diffusion 12 extending outwardly ( towards the right side of fig2 ) from the drain 18 of transistor 10 is spaced inwardly from the inner edge of the sti region in the present invention as shown at reference numeral 28 a . in a typical embodiment , the drain ldd region 22 surrounding the drain region 18 is spaced inwardly from inner edge of the sti region 14 by between about 100 nm and 500 nm . the diffusion edge is where devices usually break down first due to the presence of the highest electric fields in these regions . this inward spacing is also performed at the edges of the channel width , i . e ., near the end edges of the gate 24 as indicated by arrows 28 b in fig1 and by reference numerals 28 b in fig3 . as may be seen from an examination of both fig1 and fig3 , the ends of the gate 24 extend beyond the outer edges of the ldd regions at 28 b and even into the area above the sti boundary of the transistor active area . pulling back the outer portions of the ldd region 22 changes the potential contour around the drain 18 and significantly lowers the electric field at the edge of the sti region 14 . with this , drain junction breakdown voltage increases significantly , and will easily meet a voltage breakdown requirement of about 8 volts or higher . this inward spacing is important on the drain side of the devices where the highest voltages will be found during normal device operation . this decreases mask symmetry somewhat . an individual designer will weigh this tradeoff at design time . while persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that what is a “ high voltage ” will scale with shrinking device sizes , the principles of the present invention will still be valid . to further improve junction breakdown , a salicide block layer 30 is introduced at least at the drain side so that only silicon in the vicinity of the source , drain , and gate contacts is salicided ( i . e ., converted to a metal salicide ). persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that , for simplicity , the top view of fig1 shows a single contact to each of the source and drain regions 16 and 18 , and that multiple contacts may be employed in an actual integrated circuit fabricated according to the teachings of the present invention . metal salicide regions 32 are shown in fig2 in contact apertures at the upper surfaces of the source 16 , drain 18 , and gate regions 24 as is known in the art . because the outer edges of the diffusions ( p - well 12 ) are covered by the salicide block layer 30 that extends over the inner edges of sti regions 12 , they have not been converted to metal salicide . consequently , they have a lower electric field and leakage , as well as much reduced joule heat generated at the drain corners . the robustness of the transistor is thereby much improved . referring also to fig4 through 6 , top and cross sectional views show an illustrative layout of a high - voltage transistor 40 fabricated in accordance with another aspect of the present invention in which both the drain side and the source side of the transistor are pulled back from the diffusion edge . fig4 is a top view , fig5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 5 - 5 of fig4 in a direction across the width of the channel , and fig6 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 6 - 6 of fig4 near the drain side of the gate in a direction along the drain edge of the channel . transistor 40 of fig4 through 6 is similar to transistor 10 of fig1 through 3 . elements of transistor 40 that are the same as elements of transistor 10 of fig1 through 3 are designated by the same reference numerals used to identify corresponding elements in fig4 through 6 . the active area of the high - voltage transistor 40 is a p - well region 12 that lies within shallow trench isolation region 14 . n + source region 16 and n + drain region 18 are formed in p - well 12 . lightly - doped drain ( ldd ) regions 20 and 22 surround source and drain regions 16 and 18 and define a channel in between the source and drain . gate 24 is disposed above and insulated from the substrate over the channel . spacers 26 are formed on the edges of the gate to facilitate formation of the ldd regions 20 and 22 by blocking the higher source / drain implant at the gate edges as is known in the art . in an exemplary embodiment , the ldd doping level is between about 5e16 and 5e17 cm − 3 , and the source / drain implant doping is between about 1e19 and 1e20 cm − 3 . the spacers are shown in fig5 and are not indicated in fig4 to avoid overcomplicating the drawing figure . as shown in fig5 and 6 , the edges of the ldd regions 20 and 22 in the p - well diffusion 12 that extend outwardly towards the sti region 14 from both the drain 18 ( towards the right side of fig5 ) and the source 16 ( to the left side of fig5 ) of transistor 40 , respectively , are spaced inwardly from the inner edges of the sti regions 14 in the present invention . in an exemplary embodiment , the ldd regions 20 and 22 are spaced inwardly from the inner edge of the sti 14 by between about 100 nm and 500 nm . in the embodiment of the invention depicted in fig4 through 6 , this inward spacing is performed at both the edge of the ldd region 22 at the drain side and the source side of the transistor 10 as indicated at reference numerals 28 a , as illustrated in fig5 , and also , as in the embodiment depicted in fig1 through 3 , at the edges of the channel near the ends of the gate 24 as indicated by arrows 28 b in fig4 and reference numeral 28 b in fig6 . as may be seen from an examination of both fig4 and fig6 , the ends of the gate 24 extend beyond the outer edges of the outer ldd regions at 28 b and even into the area above the sti boundary of the transistor active area . pulling back drain n + implant and the outer portions of the ldd regions 22 from sti region 14 changes the potential contour around the drain 18 and significantly lowers the electric field at the edge of the sti region 14 . pulling back the outer portions of the ldd regions 20 from sti region 40 changes the potential contour around the source 20 and significantly lowers the electric field at the edge of the sti region 14 . with this , drain junction breakdown voltage increases significantly , and will easily meet medium high voltage requirement of about 9 volts . as noted , this inward spacing of the ldd regions from the edges of the sti region 14 is important on the drain side of the devices where the highest voltages will be found during normal device operation , but in this embodiment of the present invention , the inward spacing is also provided at the source side as shown in fig4 through 6 . this allows more symmetrical masks to be used , but the pullback of the ldd region 20 at the source 16 will increase the source impedance somewhat . an individual designer will weigh these tradeoffs at design time . to further improve junction breakdown , a salicide block layer 30 is introduced at least at the drain side so that only silicon in the vicinity of the contacts , including the gate contact 32 , is salicided ( i . e ., converted to a metal salicide ). as shown in fig5 , the salicide block layer 30 may be similarly introduced at the source side for symmetry . persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that , for simplicity , the top view of fig4 shows a single contact to each of the source and drain regions 16 and 18 , and that multiple contacts may be employed in an actual integrated circuit fabricated according to the teachings of the present invention . metal salicide regions 32 are shown in fig5 in contact apertures at the upper surfaces of the source , drain , and gate regions as is known in the art . because the outer edges of the diffusions ( p - well 12 ) are covered by the salicide block layer 30 that extends over the inner edges of sti regions 12 , they have not been converted to metal salicide . consequently , they have a lower electric field and leakage , as well as much reduced joule heat generated at the drain corners . the robustness of the transistor is thereby much improved . the high - voltage transistors of the present invention can be fabricated using a conventional low voltage logic cmos process flow . referring now to fig7 , an exemplary process 40 for fabricating the high - voltage transistors of the present invention is shown . the process starts art reference numeral 42 . at reference numeral 44 , sti regions are defined and formed using conventional photolithography and etching steps . next , the bottoms of the trenches are doped with channel - stop implants using conventional implanting steps . the trenches are then filled with a dielectric material using conventional deposition techniques . at reference numeral 46 , the p - wells and n - wells for all of the devices are formed using conventional lithography and dopant diffusion techniques . persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that , in conventional cmos processes , the well formation steps may be performed either before or after the sti formation steps . next , as shown at reference numeral 48 , a gate oxide layer for all of the transistor devices is grown or deposited using conventional techniques . at reference numeral 50 , a layer of polysilicon is deposited and defined to form the gates for all of the transistor devices on the integrated circuit , also using known techniques . at reference numeral 52 , the ldd regions for all devices on the integrated circuit are formed . a mask for the lightly - doped - drain ( ldd ) regions is applied using conventional photolithography steps . the ldd mask is already used in a conventional cmos process . the mask geometry is altered to accommodate the features of the invention that are shown in fig1 , particularly the pull back from the formed sti region of the drain ldd , and optionally the pull back from the formed sti region of the source ldd . the ldd regions are then implanted using conventional ion implantation steps . after the ldd regions have been formed , at reference numeral 54 gate spacers are formed at the gate edges as is known in the art . at reference numeral 56 an n + mask is then applied using conventional photolithography steps . the n + mask is already used in a conventional cmos process to form all of the n - channel transistors in the circuit . the source and drain regions for all devices are then implanted using conventional implantation steps . at reference numeral 58 , a salicide block layer is then defined and formed using lithography , deposition , and etching steps as is known in the art . this process sequence is already present in a conventional cmos process employing salicided contacts to form a salicide block layer configured to pull back salicide regions from gate edges in i / o transistors to provide electrostatic discharge protection . in accordance with one aspect of the present invention , the existing mask for this process is modified to add the features of the salicide block layer of the present invention so that the oxide etch process for the salicide apertures incorporates the geometry of the salicide block layer taught herein , in particular that only silicon in the n + regions and gate regions is salicided , and that salicide is not formed at the edges of the active region at the inner edges of the sti regions . at reference numeral 60 , the metal layer for the salicide is then deposited and rapidly annealed to form salicide regions in the apertures of the salicide mask as is known in the art . the portions of the metal layer overlaying the salicide mask that have not been converted to metal salicides are then removed as is known in the art , for example by a selective metal etching step . at reference numeral 62 , the normal back - end process steps are then performed , including depositing dielectrics , formation and definition of one or more metal interconnect layers and connection vias , and device passivation . the process ends at reference numeral 64 . from the above process description , persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the high - voltage transistor of the present invention can be fabricated without altering existing cmos fabrication processes . the processes accommodate the high - voltage transistors of the present invention by altering the geometry of several of the masks used in the already existing mask set for the process in order to accommodate the geometric features of the invention disclosed herein . the present invention provides a significantly simpler fabrication process as compared to the conventional method , and a significant total footprint reduction as compared to other possible solutions such as source / drain extension mos devices . the new device is fully compatible with existing process , and readily scalable in channel width and length , which is critical for efficient circuit design . while embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described , it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein . the invention , therefore , is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims . | 7 |
the present invention will be better understood by the following examples and comparative examples . 35 . 0 mol % of mno , 15 . 0 mol % of mgo , 44 . 5 mol % of fe 2 o 3 and 0 . 5 mol % of srco 3 were ground and mixed on a wet ball mill over a period of 5 hours . the thus obtained mixture was dried and calcined at 850 ° c . for 1 hour . the thus preliminarily fired product was ground on a wet ball mill over a period of 7 hours to obtain a slurry containing the fired product particles which had an average particle diameter of 3 μm . the slurry so obtained was incorporated with suitable amounts of a dispersing agent and a binder , thereafter granulated and dried through a spray drier and then finally fired at 1200 ° c . for 4 hours in an electric furnace . subsequently , the granules so finally fired were disaggregated and then classified to obtain ferrite core particles having an average particle diameter of 50 μm or a particle diameter distribution of 30 - 70 μm . the ferrite core particles thus obtained were subjected to composition analysis . as a result , these core particles had a composition of 35 mol % of mno , 14 . 5 mol % of mgo , 0 . 5 mol % of sro and 50 mol % of fe 2 o 3 ( example 1 ). the procedure of example 1 was followed except that the respective amounts of sro used and the site of substitution in the other two examples were not quite the same as in example 1 , thereby to obtain mn - mg ferrite carriers ( examples 2 and 3 ) having the respective compositions shown in table 1 . using these ferrite particles as the cores , a silicone resin ( trade name sr - 2411 ; 20 wt . % solid ; manufactured by dow corning toray silicone co ., ltd .) was dissolved in toluene as the solvent , coated on the ferrite cores in an amount of 0 . 6 % by weight by using a fluidized - bed and then subjected to baking at 250 ° c . for 3 hours , thereby to obtain ferrite carriers coated with the above mentioned resin . the mn - mg ferrite carriers so coated with the resin were subjected to a test for their amount scattered . the amount of the carrier scattered was tested in the following manner : 600 g of the sample were placed in a development box in a leodry 7610 copier manufactured by toshiba co . the sample was agitated and stirred for 10 minutes by using a motor at a rotation speed of 158 rpm . a portion of the sample which was scattered out of the development box during the agitation , was recovered and weighed to find the amount of the portion scattered and the magnetization thereof at 1 koe . the dispersion of magnetization of the ferrite carrier particles is evaluated by a ratio of y / x wherein the magnetization of the carrier perticles before testing the amount thereof scattered is regarded as x and the magnetization of the scattered carrier particles is regarded as y . the same procedure as that in example 1 was followed except that sro was not used as a substituent and the amounts ( in mol %) of the starting metal oxides used were not quite the same as those used in example 1 , thereby to obtain comparative mn - mg ferrite core materials having the respective compositions shown in table 1 . these ferrite core material particles so obtained were used as the cores and coated with the same resin as used in example 1 . the resin was coated on the particles in the same amount and in the same manner as in example 1 . the resin - coated particles were baked to obtain resin - coated ferrite carriers . the resin - coated mn - mg ferrite carriers were subjected to a test for the amount thereof scattered in the same manner as in example 1 . the procedure of comparative examples 1 - 3 was followed except that sro was not used as a substituent and bao , cao , sio 2 and al 2 o 3 were used as substituents respectively in comparative examples 4 - 7 , thereby to obtain comparative mn - mg ferrite core materials having the respective compositions shown in table 1 . the ferrite core material particles so obtained were used as a core and coated with the same resin as used in example 1 , thereby to obtain resin - coated mn - mg ferrite carriers . the resin - coated mn - mg ferrite carriers were subjected to a test for the amount thereof scattered in the same manner as in example 1 . the same procedure as used in example 1 was followed except that sro was not used as a substituent , thereby to obtain a cu - zn ferrite carrier core material having the composition shown in table 1 . the same procedure as in example 1 was followed except that sro was not used as a substituent , thereby to obtain a ni - zn ferrite carrier core material having a composition as shown in table 1 . the same procedure as used in example 1 was followed except that sro was not used as a substituent , thereby to obtain a mg - cu - zn ferrite carrier core material having a composition as shown in table 1 . the same procedure as used in example 1 was followed except that sro was not used as a substituent , thereby to obtain li ferrite carrier core materials respectively having the compositions shown in table 1 ( comparative examples 11 - 12 ). these ferrite core material particles so obtained in comparative examples 8 - 12 were used as the cores and coated with the same resin as used in example 1 . the resin was coated on the particles in the same amount and in the same manner as in example 1 . the resin - coated particles were baked to obtain resin - coated ferrite carriers . the resin - coated ferrite carriers thus obtained were subjected to a test for the amount thereof scattered in the same manner as in example 1 ( comparative examples 8 - 12 ). table 1__________________________________________________________________________ scattered magnetiza - magnetization amount tion of scattered of before test carriercomposition ( mol %) carrier x yno . mno mgo cuo zno li . sub . 2 o nio sro bao cao sio . sub . 2 al . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 fe . sub . 2 o . sub . 3 ( mg ) ( emu / g ) ( emu / g ) y / x__________________________________________________________________________ex . 1 35 14 . 5 0 . 5 50 6 54 . 0 54 . 0 1 . 0ex . 2 35 10 . 3 4 . 7 50 5 52 . 0 52 . 0 1 . 0ex . 3 40 10 0 . 4 49 . 6 4 58 . 0 58 . 0 1 . 0comp . 30 20 50 15 52 . 0 18 . 5 0 . 356ex . 1comp . 35 15 50 23 54 . 0 22 . 5 0 . 417ex . 2comp . 40 10 50 27 55 . 0 25 . 0 0 . 455ex . 3comp . 35 14 . 5 0 . 5 50 27 54 . 0 21 . 0 0 . 389ex . 4comp . 35 14 . 5 0 . 5 50 46 53 . 0 6 . 0 0 . 113ex . 5comp . 35 14 . 5 0 . 5 50 166 53 . 0 2 . 0 0 . 038ex . 6comp . 35 14 . 5 0 . 5 50 12 53 . 0 45 . 5 0 . 858ex . 7comp . 20 25 55 152 60 . 0 53 . 0 0 . 883ex . 8comp . 37 13 50 29 49 . 0 34 . 5 0 . 704ex . 9comp . 11 9 30 50 205 48 . 0 38 . 0 0 . 791ex . 10comp . 13 . 8 86 . 2 531 59 . 0 9 . 0 0 . 153ex . 11comp . 16 . 7 83 . 3 36 60 . 0 20 . 0 0 . 333ex . 12__________________________________________________________________________ as will be understood from the results shown in table 1 , the amounts of the scattered ferrite carriers according to this invention obtained by substituting a predetermined amount of sro for a portion of mn - mg ferrites respectively having specific compositions are extremely small as compared with those of comparative examples 1 - 12 . in addition , from the magnetization values of the carriers before the test for the amounts thereof scattered and those of the scattered carrier , it is apparent that the dispersion of the carrier particles is hardly appreciated . as mentioned above , according to this invention , there can be obtained a ferrite carrier for electrophotographic developers , which is obtained by substituting a part of a mn - mg ferrite having a specific composition with a predetermined amount of sro and in which the amount of the ferrite carrier scattered is extremely small as compared with the conventional sro - free mn - mg , cu - zn , ni - zn and mg - cu - zn ferrite carriers and the magnetization dispersion of the carrier particles is hardly found . in addition , the mn - mg ferrite carrier for the electrophotographic developers according to the present invention permits a wide range of choice of design to obtain desired image properties upon development , and is capable of coping with rigorous environmental restrictions . | 6 |
dimensional requirements for overhead wayside signals vary as a function of the number of tracks , the desired location of the signal relative to the track , the location of available space for the mast footprint relative to the tracks , and other railroad and application specific variables . as a result , each order issued by a railroad for the purchase of a wayside signal cantilever is treated as a unique project based upon its location , with each project requiring site - specific drawings and undergoing engineering and administrative review to ensure that the site - specific requirements are satisfied . the present inventors have innovatively developed a railroad wayside signal cantilever structure that provides improved flexibility and potentially lower cost and faster delivery than prior art wayside signal cantilevers . the wayside signal cantilever of the present invention incorporates a signal mounting apparatus that provides a degree of adjustment in the location of the signal ( s ) on the arm . the inventors have found that it is possible to utilize a single cantilever design for a large majority of the wayside signal cantilevers for various u . s . railroad systems by providing a mechanism for adjustment of the signal location to any position within plus or minus six inches of a center position ( one foot range of adjustment for the signal closest to the mast ). the use of such a standardized yet adjustable design allows for on - site customization of the location of the signal ( s ) on the mast in response to site - specific requirements without the need for site - specific engineering prior to fabrication . one embodiment of a railroad wayside signal cantilever 10 is illustrated in perspective view in fig1 , in side view in fig2 , and in top view in fig3 . in this embodiment , the mast 12 is constructed with four vertically oriented tubular columns 14 interconnected by bridgework 16 of cross - bracing members . other mast designs may be utilized in other embodiments . a ladder 18 may be provided for operator access to a catwalk platform 20 that extends into the upper section of the mast . the mast 12 is secured to a foundation ( not shown ) in any manner known in the art . the arm 22 of the cantilever 10 of fig1 is formed of a box frame structure providing two levels of catwalks 24 for access to two levels of signals 26 . other embodiments may include only a single level . the signals 26 illustrated in fig1 are standard three - lamp color light assemblies such as the model cls - 20r supplied by safetran systems corporation . other types of signals may be used in other applications . the signals 26 are mounted to the arm 22 with an adjustable mounting apparatus 28 that allows the signal 26 to be secured to the arm 22 within a range of positions in a horizontal direction relative to the mast 12 . the illustrated embodiment of an adjustable mounting apparatus 28 is best appreciated by viewing fig4 - 7 . fig4 is a perspective view of the mounting of a representative signal 26 of the cantilever 10 of fig1 . fig5 is a side view of the signal mount pedestal 30 used for mounting of the signal 26 of fig4 . fig6 is a top view of the pedestal 30 of fig5 with the signal removed to better illustrate aspects of the pedestal 30 . fig7 is a sectional view through the arm 22 of the cantilever 10 of fig1 as seen at section 7 - 7 of fig2 . the signal 26 includes a lamp housing 32 and a base assembly 34 . the adjustable mounting apparatus 28 of this embodiment of the present invention includes a sleeve 36 attached to a bottom of the signal base assembly 34 for receiving a vertically extending portion 38 of pedestal 30 . the pedestal 30 further includes a mounting plate 40 attached to the vertically extending portion 38 and adapted for adjustable attachment to the arm structure 22 via two u - bolt assemblies 42 including respective u - bolts and associated nuts and optionally washers . the u - bolts extend around opposed sides of a tubular member 44 of the arm 22 and extend upward through arcuate slots 46 in the pedestal mounting plate 40 . when the u - bolt assemblies 42 are tightened , the signal 26 is affixed into the selected position on the arm 22 relative to the mast 12 . however , when the u - bolt assemblies 42 are loosened , the signal 26 may be moved horizontally across a range of positions relative to the mast 12 as the u - bolts are slid along the tubular member 44 . appropriate openings / slots are provided through the catwalk decking 24 as necessary to accommodate the movement of the u - bolts . the arcuate slot 46 in the pedestal mounting plate 40 allows the pedestal 30 to be rotated as it is moved horizontally in order to facilitate alignment of the pedestal 30 with the attached electrical cable conduit 48 . once the pedestal 30 is affixed into a desired position by tightening the u - bolt assemblies 42 , the sleeve 36 may be rotated about the upwardly extending portion 38 of the pedestal 30 to accomplish alignment with the cable conduit 48 prior to tightening the plurality of setscrews 50 provided for securing the angular position of the sleeve 36 / signal 26 relative to the upwardly extending portion 38 . the standard prior art signal assembly also provides a degree of angular rotation and vertical tilt of the lamp housing on its base assembly 34 . in one embodiment the range of horizontal motion of each signal 26 is one foot ; i . e . ± six inches from a nominal position on the arm 22 . thus , the position of each signal 26 can be adjusted horizontally along the arm 22 relative to the location of the mast 12 by one foot , such as to accommodate the desire of one railroad to place the signal 26 above a position midway between the two rails of a track 52 and the desire of another railroad to place the signal off - center of the track 52 . the spacing between two adjacent signals 26 in the horizontal direction is thus adjustable by up to two feet with the signals at their respective extreme positions , thereby accommodating a range of distances between adjacent parallel tracks 52 . other embodiments may provide greater or lesser ranges of horizontal adjustment , with the range of adjustment for each signal 26 not necessarily being the same as that of the others . for example , a first signal 26 ′ for a first track 52 most adjacent the mast 12 may have a range of motion of ± 1 foot , with a second signal 26 ″ for a second track 52 ″ farther away from the mast 12 having a range of motion of ± 2 feet in order to allow the second signal 26 ″ to be adjusted to a position ± 1 foot from a nominal distance from the first signal 26 ′ no matter where in its range the first signal 26 ′ is positioned . similarly , a third signal even farther away from the mast 12 ( not illustrated ) may be provided with an even greater range of motion in order to accommodate the variable positions of both the first signal 26 ′ and the second signal 26 ″. the arm of the cantilever of fig1 is provided with railings 54 along the catwalks 20 for personnel safety . the signals 26 are positioned within respective openings 56 in the railings 54 in order not to obscure the visibility of the signal 26 from a passing train . the railing 54 adjacent the respective signals 26 may be provided with an adjustable insert 58 , such as illustrated in fig8 , in order to selectably extend the railing 54 to at least partially close the opening 56 when the signal 26 is secured at a selected location . once the signal 26 is affixed into the desired position , the railing insert 58 is slid horizontally to a desired position . the insert 58 is then secured at that position such as with field - installed fasteners 60 . other embodiments of an adjustable insert may include a folding accordion section or a rolling member to accommodate movement of the signal 26 while maintaining the safety of the railing 54 . a cantilever 10 incorporating the present invention may be designed to comply with all relevant standards of design and construction ; for example those promulgated by the american railway engineering and maintenance of way association ( arema ) and / or the american association of state highway and transportation officials ( aashto ). known materials and procedures may be used for the engineering , manufacturing , erection and maintenance of a cantilever embodying the invention . the use of a standardized cantilever 10 providing a range of available horizontal positions for the signals 26 may provide a savings of 20 - 40 man - hours in the processing of a purchase order for a cantilever for a particular site and may preclude the need for site - specific drawings . furthermore , should the requirements for a particular location change , such as a change by a railroad in the desired location of the signals 26 relative to the tracks 52 , such a change may be accommodated without the replacement of or major modification to the installed cantilever 10 . one skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments of the invention are possible , and that the embodiments illustrated and discussed herein are provided by way of example and are not meant to be limiting . for example , many other forms of attachment providing a plurality of discrete positions and / or a continuously variable range of positions for the signal 26 may be envisioned . as illustrated in fig9 , discrete positions may be provided by a plurality of holes 62 or notches to which a signal pedestal 30 may be inserted / secured . alternatively , continuously variable positions may be provided along a rail or channel along which a signal mount may be moved . such a signal mount may be secured to the rail or channel or separately to another arm structure via clamps , bolts , adhesives and / or any known type of fastener . the present invention may be embodied in cantilevers for use over one , two or three parallel tracks 52 , and having single or multiple vertical levels of signals 26 and catwalks 20 . the invention may further be embodied in a signal adjustably attached to an arm extending over a track regardless of whether the arm is supported in cantilever fashion , in bridge fashion or otherwise . | 1 |
to determine the applicability of the assay to compounds that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor , candidates for testing were screened to determine whether they bind to the glucocorticoid receptor using a competition binding assay . compounds which bind the glucocorticoid receptor ( kd & lt ; 10 um ) as determined by competition binding using a known reference compound tracer are selected as candidates for stage two testing . such competition binding assays are well known in the art and can utilize liver extracts or recombinant protein as a source of glucocorticoid receptor and a radioactive ligand such as dexamethasone ( new england nuclear , boston , mass .) or a flourescent ligand such as fluormone ( panvera , madison , wis .). dexamethasone is a potent synthetic glucocorticoid while hydrocortisone is the naturally occurring adrenal hormone . both have the properties of a full agonist and are used clinically . as recorded in table 1 , the kd measured for dexamethasone is 3 . 5 nm , hydrocortisone 60 nm , and for dagr1 52 nm . glucocorticoids have anti - inflammatory efficacy in a variety of cell models . clinically , glucocorticoids set the benchmark for anti - inflammatory therapeutics . the anti - inflammatory properties of dexamethasone , hydrocortisone , and dagr1 were shown utilizing a model chondrocyte cell line , sw1353 , a cell type relevant to the cartilage damage observed in rheumatoid arthritis . for efficacy testing , 10 , 000 sw1353 cells ( atcc # htb - 94 ) were plated in 96 well plates in dmem with 10 % fetal bovine serum ( fbs ). the next day media was changed to dmem without serum . the following day the cells were treated with the reference compounds dexamethasone and hydrocortisone and the test compound in a range of doses from 1 nm to 10 um along with the pro - inflammatory stimulus , 10 ng / ml il - 1β ( r & amp ; d systems ). after 24 hours the amount of mmp13 and il - 8 released into the media was quantified using commercial elisa assays ( amersham and r & amp ; d systems , respectively ). the concentration of compound reducing the release of mmp13 or il - 8 50 % ( ic50 ) was determined from the plot of the drug dose vs . percent inhibition relative to the vehicle control . table 1 shows the results of such an experiment . dexamethasone demonstrates potent inhibition of both il - 8 and mmp - 13 induction by il - 1β with an ic50 of about 1 nm . cortisol has an anti - inflammatory potency of 60 nm in mmp13 . dagr1 &# 39 ; s anti - inflammatory potency is greater than that of hydrocortisone , but less than that of dexamethasone ( 42 nm in mmp13 and 35 nm in il - 8 ). this shows that in vitro , dagr1 has anti - inflammatory potency of clinically used drugs . candidates which demonstrate anti - inflamatory activity in the first phase of testing are then subjected to the alkaline phosphatase assay . for alkaline phosphatase testing , primary human osteoblasts ( biowhittaker cc - 2538 ) were plated at a density of 4 , 400 cells per well in 24 - well plates containing ogm medium ( biowhittaker cc - 3207 ) with 10 % fetal bovine serum ( fbs ). the next day media was changed to ogm medium supplemented with 0 . 1 mm ascorbic acid and 10 mm □- glycerophosphate ( differentiation supplements , biowhittaker cc - 4194 ), and treated with reference and test compounds in a range of doses from 100 nm to 10 um ). fresh media was added 2 × per week . after 13 days the cells were harvested and extract prepared for analysis . fig3 shows nodule micrographs obtained utilizing von kossa staining . these micrographs show that dagr1 is differentiated from glucocorticoids by reduced production of alkaline phosphatase in osteoblasts . alkaline phosphatase production , a classical marker of osteoblast differentiation , is stimulated by hydrocortisone and dexamethasone but remains at minimal levels with dagr compound treatment ( 33 % and 21 % of hydrocortisone or dexamethasone maximum ). similar were obtained when cells were analyzed at 7 and 10 days ( data not shown ). differentiation supplement medium was changed every three to four days with fresh test compound addition each time . after seven to thirteen days , the amount of alkaline phosphatase produced by the cultures was quantified using commercial alkaline phosphatase reagent ( alp reagent ) and standard ( sigma m2266 and 245 - 10 , respectively ). cells were rinsed with 0 . 9 % nacl , and lysed in alkaline phosphatase assay buffer ( 150 mm tris - hcl ph 8 , 0 . 1 mm mgcl 2 , 0 . 1 mm zncl 2 , 1 % triton x - 100 ). prewarmed alp reagent was added to lysate or to serial dilutions of the alkaline phosphatase standard and incubated at 37 ° c . for 30 minutes . the calorimetric endpoint of absorbance at 405 nm was read on a spectramax 340 microplate reader ( molecular devices ), and after extrapolation from standard curve , values were reported in units of enzyme activity per volume . analysis of alkaline phosphatase activity produced by human osteoblasts treated for 13 days with different compounds is shown in fig3 . even the lowest concentrations of dexamethasone ( 30 nm ) leads to maximum alkaline phosphatase expression in treated cultures , ( a dose response with lower dexamethasone concentrations demonstrates that the induction is dose - dependent , data not shown ). hydrocortisone stimulates a dose dependent increase in alkaline phosphatase expression , reaching about 64 % of the dexamethasone maximum at 1 um . dagr1 shows weak induction of alkaline phosphatase activity . although dagr1 &# 39 ; s anti - inflammatory activity is more potent than hydrocortisone ( 42 vs 60 nm ic50 ), its ability to potentiate alkaline phosphatase expression is only about 33 % of hydrocortisone . as an independent confirmation of the results obtained by the alkaline phosphatase test and an alternative measure that could be used for screening , the compounds were subjected to the nodule assay . primary human osteoblasts were cultured as for the alkaline phosphatase assay . after 28 days of test compound treatment , the cultures were fixed with 70 % ethanol for 10 minutes , stained with 5 % silver nitrate solution and exposed to bright light ( polaroid imaging system with 4 × 150 watt lamps ) for 20 to 30 minutes . wells were rinsed with water , air dried and nodules documented by micrographs at 300 × magnification . the micrographs of fig2 show opaque regions of brown or black staining , indicating mineral deposition or nodule formation . both dexamethasone and hydrocortisone show dose - dependant nodule formation while similar concentrations of the dagr1 test compound have little effect on the differentiation of human osteoblasts . the von kossa staining confirms the results of the alkaline phosphatase assay , that dexamethasone and hydrocortisone have show a dose dependent promotion of osteoblast differentiation , while dagr1 is nearly free of this activity . in other words , at concentrations producing equal anti - inflammatory efficacy , dagr1 shows greatly reduced osteoblast differentiation activity compared to clinical standards . thus , this method provides a screening strategy , using either von kossa or alkaline phosphatase , to identify efficacious glucocorticoid analogs having the potential for improved bone safety . | 6 |
the present invention is described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings , and the embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings . however , the present invention can also be implemented in a plurality of different forms , so it should not be interpreted as being limited in the following embodiments . actually , the following embodiments are intended to demonstrate and illustrate the present invention in a more detailed and completed way , and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those of ordinary skill in the art . in the accompanying drawings , in order to be specific , the size and relative size of each layer and each region may be exaggeratedly depicted . it should be known that although “ first ”, “ second ”, “ third ” and the like are used in the present invention to describe each element , region , layer , and / or part , such words are not intended to restrict the element , the region , the layer , and / or the part , either in sequential orders or in relative positions , but shall be considered to distinguish one element , region , layer , or part from another . therefore , under the circumstance of without departing from the teaching of the present invention , the first element , region , layer , or part can also be called the second element , region , layer , or part . in addition , “ upper ”, “ lower ”, “ top ”, “ bottom ”, “ under ”, “ on ”, and similar words for indicating the relative space position are used in the present invention to illustrate the relationship between a certain element or feature and another element or feature in the drawings . it should be known that , beside those relative space words for indicating the directions depicted in the drawings , if the element / structure in the drawing is inverted , the element described as “ upper ” element or feature becomes “ lower ” element or feature . fig1 a - 1 g ′ are cross - sectional views showing the fabricating process steps of structural parts of a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 a , a double - sided lamination structure 100 is provided , which has a first metal layer 104 disposed on a top surface 102 a of the core structure 102 and a second metal layer 106 disposed on a bottom surface 102 b of the core structure 102 . the material of the first and the second metal layers 104 , 106 may be copper formed by electroplating or copper foil lamination , for example . the thickness of the first and the second metal layers 104 , 106 may be about 18 microns , for example . the double - sided lamination structure 100 can be a copper clad laminate ( ccl ), while the core structure 102 may be a release film ( such as tedlar film ) or a peelable mask film , for example . in fig1 b , a first and second patterned photoresist layers 107 a , 107 b are respectively formed on the first and second metal layers 104 , 106 . in fig1 c , using the first and second patterned photoresist layers 107 a , 107 b as the masks , a third metal layer 108 and a fourth metal layer 110 are respectively formed on the first and the second metal layers 104 and 106 and partially covering the first and second metal layers 104 , 106 . the material of the third and the fourth metal layers 108 , 110 may be copper formed by electroplating , for example . the thickness of the third and the fourth metal layers 108 , 110 may be about 10 ˜ 30 microns , for example . then , the first and second patterned photoresist layers 107 a , 107 b are removed . the patterns of the third and the fourth metal layers 108 , 110 may correspond to the trace patterns . in fig1 d , a first double - layered sheet 112 consisting of a first dielectric layer 112 a and a fifth metal layer 112 b is formed on the first and third metal layers 104 , 108 , while a second double - layered sheet 114 consisting of a second dielectric layer 114 a and a sixth metal layer 114 b is formed on the second and fourth metal layers 106 , 110 . the first and second dielectric layers may be made of pre - impregnated materials ( prepregs ), for example . the thickness of the fifth and the sixth metal layers 112 b , 114 b may be about 12 microns , for example . the first and second double - layered sheets 112 , 114 are press - laminated to the metal layers by thermal compression , for example . in this case , the patterns of the dielectric layers 112 a / 114 a are complementary to the patterns of the third and the fourth metal layers 108 , 110 . in fig1 e , the upper laminate structure 100 a and the lower laminate structure 100 b are respectively separated from the top and bottom surfaces 102 a , 102 b of the core structure 102 . the upper laminate structure 100 a and the lower laminate structure 100 b are inverted ( turned upside down ) and then re - set ( reaffix ) to the top and bottom surfaces 102 a , 102 b of the core structure 102 . the upper laminate structure 100 a consists of the first and third metal layers 104 , 108 and the first double - layered sheet 112 , while the lower laminate structure 100 b consists of the second and fourth metal layers 106 , 110 and the second double - layered sheet 114 . in fig1 f , the top most metal layer 104 ( the first metal layer 104 ) and the bottom most metal layer 106 ( the second metal layer 106 ) are respectively removed by etching , until the dielectric layers 112 a , 114 a are exposed . the exposed third and the fourth metal layers 108 , 110 may function as traces in the package structures . in fig1 g , the upper laminate structure 100 a and the lower laminate structure 100 b are respectively separated from the top and bottom surfaces 102 a , 102 b of the core structure 102 , so that two laminate structures 100 a ′, 100 b ′ are obtained . the upper laminate structure 100 a ′ consists of the third metal layer 108 and the first double - layered sheet 112 , while the lower laminate structure 100 b ′ consists of the fourth metal layer 110 and the second double - layered sheet 114 . alternatively , following fig1 f , as shown in fig1 g ′, a plurality of first bonding pads 120 is formed on the exposed third metal layer 108 and a plurality of second bonding pads 122 is formed on the exposed fourth metal layer 110 . the first and second bonding pads may be formed by tin plating with a thickness of about 3 - 5 microns , for example . later , the upper and lower laminate structures are separated , and two laminate structures 100 a ″, 100 b ″ are obtained . the laminate structures 100 n / 100 b ′ or 100 a ″/ 100 b ″ can be further used as structural parts for the cavity substrate in the present invention . according to the fabrication process of the present invention , metal layers and passivation layers can be stacked on both surfaces of the temporary carrier ( the core structure ) as the double - sided lamination structure , and both sides of the lamination structure can be processed and then separated to provide patterned laminate structures . alternatively , as shown in fig2 a , the structure 200 a consists of a core structure 202 and a metal layer 204 disposed on the bottom surface 202 a of the core structure 202 . the structure 200 a includes at least one hollow space 20 penetrating through the whole structure 200 a ( i . e . from the top surface to the bottom surface ). the core structure 202 may be made of pre - impregnated materials ( prepregs ) and further includes multiple metal layers or conductive trace patterns , for example . the metal layer 204 may be a copper layer with a thickness of about 3 microns , for example . the structure 200 a can be fabricated from removing the metal layer from one side of a double - sided lamination structure and then performing a punching / routing process to the structure to form the hollow space . similarly , as shown in fig2 b , the structure 200 b consists of a core structure 202 with a hollow space 20 , a metal layer 204 disposed on the bottom surface 202 a of the core structure 202 and an interlayer 206 disposed on the top surface 202 b of the core structure 202 . the material of the interlayer 206 can be no - flow pre - impregnated materials ( prepregs ), for example . the structure 200 b can be fabricated from removing the metal layer from one side of a double - sided lamination structure , press laminating the interlayer to the core structure and then performing a punching / routing process to form the hollow space in the core structure . the structures 200 a / 200 b can also be used as a structural part for the cavity substrate in the present invention . the above described structural parts may be fabricated in advance as preformed structural parts and then assembled together . fig3 a - 3g are cross - sectional views showing the fabricating process steps of the cavity substrate and the package structure according one embodiment of the present invention . firstly , referring to fig3 a , a laminate structure 100 b ′, which has the double - layer sheet 114 ( dielectric layer 114 a and the metal layer 114 b ) and a metal layer 110 , and the structure 200 a consisting of the core structure 202 with a hollow space 20 and the metal layer 204 are provided . later , an interlayer 302 is provided . in fig3 b , the laminate structure 100 b ′ and the structure 200 a are respectively joined to a top surface 302 a and a bottom surface 302 b of an interlayer 302 , either in sequence or simultaneously , by compression . preferably , the material of the interlayer 302 is no - flow pre - impregnated materials ( prepregs ), for example . the no - flow prepregs is partially cured and has little fluidity , so that the interlayer 302 will not flood into the hollow space 20 . after the laminate structure 100 b ′ and the structure 200 a are joined with the interlayer 302 , the hollow space 20 turns into a cavity 20 ′ of the joined structure . later , the cavity 20 ′ may be filled with a filler 304 , so that the cavity is protected during the subsequent drilling process . generally , the filler 304 is packed with a release film , so that the filler 304 can be easily removed in the later process . in fig3 c , a drilling process is performed to form a plurality of through holes 306 . if the filler 304 is applied , the filler 304 is removed after the drilling process . in fig3 d , a plating process is performed to the through holes 306 and a plurality of plated through hole structures 310 is formed . the formation of the plated through hole structures 310 may comprise forming a seed copper layer 308 on the sidewalls of the through holes 306 by electroless plating , electroplating a copper layer ( not shown ) on the exposed surfaces of the joined structure and later performing etching to pattern the copper layer to form a plating layer 309 on the seed copper layer 308 and covering a portion of the metal layer 204 surrounding the through holes 306 . also , during the etching process , the copper layer and the metal layer 114 b are removed . as shown in fig3 d , the seed copper layer 308 and the plating layer 309 of the plated through hole structures 310 is coplanar with and do not cover the exposed dielectric layer 114 a . such design can provide a flat top surface s and is compatible with the sensor circuit patterns for sensor applications . however , it is well - understood that the patterns of the plated through hole structures on either surface of the joined structure can be adjusted or modified according to the product design or electrical requirements . in addition , the though holes 306 may be protected by plugging with a filling material 307 . in fig3 e , a plurality of bonding pads 320 is formed within the interlayer 302 inside the cavity 20 ′. the formation of the bonding pads 320 may comprise laser drilling a plurality of openings in the interlayer 302 and then forming the bonding pads 320 within the openings by tin plating . later , a surface treating process is performed to the bonding pads 320 . the bonding pads 320 may have a thickness of about 3 - 5 microns and the surface treating process may be an immersion tin process or an organic solderabilty preservatives ( osp ) process , for example . in addition , the joined structure shown in fig3 e may further include a solder resist coating 312 over the flat surface s and around the plated through holes structures 310 . the solder resist coating 312 may be printed before the formation of the bonding pads 320 . as shown in fig3 e , the solder resist coating 312 exposes portions of the plating layer 309 , which may function as ball pads in the subsequent process . at this stage , the structure shown in fig3 e can be considered as a cavity substrate 30 . referring to fig3 f , a plurality of bumps 322 is formed on the bonding pads 320 . the bumps 322 can be made of gold or copper , for example . later , an electronic component 330 is connected to the bumps 322 mounted on the bonding pads 320 . the electronic component 330 can be an active component ( such as a chip ) or a passive component ( such as a capacitor or a resistor ). next , in fig3 g , an encapsulant 340 is foamed to fill the cavity 20 ′ and the electronic component 330 is embedded within the encapsulant 340 , thus obtaining the embedded component package structure ( the package structure with the embedded components ). in this way , the embedded electronic component 330 is protected . if necessary , an underfill ( not shown ) may be further included . later , a plurality of balls 350 is formed on the bottom surface of the joined structure ( i . e . on the exposed portions of the plating layer 309 ). fig4 a - 4d are cross - sectional views showing the fabricating process steps of the cavity substrate according another embodiment of the present invention . firstly , referring to fig4 a , a laminate structure 100 b ″, which has the double - layer sheet 114 ( dielectric layer 114 a and the metal layer 114 b ), a metal layer 110 and a plurality of second bonding pads 122 , is joined with the structure 200 b consisting of the interlayer 206 , the core structure 202 and the metal layer 204 . the laminate structure 100 b ″ and the structure 200 b can be joined by compression . the interlayer 206 is partially cured at lower temperatures and has little fluidity , so that the interlayer 206 will not flood into the hollow space 20 . after the laminate structure 100 b ″ and the structure 200 b are joined , the hollow space 20 of the core structure ( fig2 b ) turns into a cavity 20 ′ of the joined structure . later , the cavity 20 ′ may be filled with a filler 404 , so that the cavity is protected during the subsequent drilling process . generally , the filler 404 is packed with a release film , so that the filler 404 can be easily removed in the later process . in fig4 b , a drilling process is performed to form a plurality of through holes 406 . if the filler 404 is applied , the filler 404 is removed after the drilling process . in fig4 c , a plating process is performed to the through holes 406 and a plurality of plated through hole structures 410 is formed . the formation of the plated through hole structures 410 may comprise forming a seed copper layer 408 on the sidewalls of the through holes 406 by electroless plating , electroplating a plating layer 409 on the exposed surfaces of the joined structure and later performing etching to pattern the plating layer 409 and the metal layer 204 . the plating layer 409 covers the metal layer 204 , the seed copper layer 408 and the metal layer 114 b , except for covering the cavity 20 ′. as shown in fig4 c , a flat top surface s is provided by the seed copper layer 408 and the plating layer 409 of the plated through hole structures 410 . such design is compatible with the sensor circuit patterns . however , it is well - understood that the patterns of the plated through hole structures on either surface of the joined structure can be adjusted or modified according to the product design or electrical requirements . in addition , the though holes 406 may be protected by plugging with a filling material 407 . in fig4 d , a solder resist coating 412 is formed over the flat surface s and around the plated through holes structures 410 . as shown in fig4 d , the solder resist coating 412 exposes portions of the plating layer 409 , which may function as ball pads in the subsequent process . at this stage , the structure shown in fig4 d can be considered as a cavity substrate 40 . subsequently , the cavity substrate 40 may be further assembled to obtain the package structure , either following the similar process steps described in fig3 e - 3g . or other compatible packaging process steps . according to the fabrication process of the present invention , certain preformed structural parts can be fabricated from processing double - sided lamination structure , and the productivity can be practically doubled without wasting the processing materials or the production line . in addition , by providing preformed structural parts , not only the fabrication process of the present invention can efficiently fabricate the cavity substrate suitable for the embedded component package structure , but also the fabrication process can be provide the cavity substrate and / or the embedded component package structure with better reliability . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . in view of the foregoing , it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents . | 8 |
in fig1 an oil burner 10 is shown having a blower 12 in the lower portion thereof and a spark igniter 14 in the upper portion there of . a pump 16 is shown attached to the blower 12 and a supply conduit 18 connects pump 16 to a valve 19 that is connected to a source of oil ( not shown ). a motor 20 , which operates blower 12 to produce a stream of air , is shown also attached to pump 16 . pump 16 is operable by motor 20 to pump a fine mist of oil combined with the stream of air through blower 12 and into a combustion chamber 24 of a furnace ( not shown ). the spark igniter 14 employs a pair of spark electrodes 26 which , when energized , produce a spark across the gap therebetween to ignite the mist of oil and swirl the burning fuel into the combustion chamber 24 where the heat generated will be circulated to the area to be heated . a flame detector such as a cad cell 28 views the combustion area to determine whether or not ignition has occurred and sends a signal indicative thereof via lines 29 to a primary controller 30 and an indicator light 31 . the primary controller 30 is shown receiving signals from a thermostat 32 over lines 34 , and acts to control the operation of the oil burner 10 . more particularly , when thermostat 32 sends a signal calling for more heat , primary controller 30 sends a signal from terminals 40 over lines 41 to the spark igniter 14 that then operates to produce a spark across the gap between electrodes 26 . primary controller 30 also sends a signal from terminals 44 via lines 45 to energize motor 20 and pump 16 to start the mist of oil and air flowing from the blower 12 to combustion chamber 14 . if the oil and air are present and the spark ignites the oil , then the flame detector 28 provides a signal via lines 29 to controller 30 and light 31 to show that satisfactory operation has occurred . thereafter , when the flame is determined to be self sustaining , the spark igniter 14 is turned off and the furnace produces heat until the call for heat is lost , and the motor 20 , blower 12 and pump 16 are shut off . it should be understood that controller 30 contains , among other things , a ram , a rom , at least a portion of which is non - volatile , an eeprom for storing values to be utilized in timing etc . and a plurality of dip switches for storing certain predetermined constant values to be used . also , in fig1 is a reset button 50 which will be described below and a remote alarm 60 connected to the primary controller 30 by lines 62 for purposes of producing an alarm ( for example to the home security system ) that can alert that a problem has occurred in the system and that service should be performed as will be further explained below . fig2 shows the various states that can be occupied by the system of fig1 . a simplified explanation of fig2 is as follows : upon “ power up ”, state 1 , shown by box 70 , the primary controller 30 performs checks to verify that conditions which would preclude proper system are not present . the system then goes to idle , state 2 , shown by box 74 , where it waits for a call for heat from thermostat 32 . upon receiving a call for heat , the system moves to valve on delay , state 3 , shown by box 78 , where the controller 30 performs certain safety checks , determines that there is currently no flame and then starts a timer to delay the opening of valve 19 until after motor 20 and igniter 14 are on . upon completion of the timer , the system moves to trial for ignition , state 4 , shown by box 82 , where the controller 30 opens valve 19 and a stream of oil and air passes the igniter electrodes 26 . when the flame is detected by cad cell 28 and a signal indicative thereof is sent to controller 30 , the system moves to carryover , state 5 , shown by box 86 , where another short delay occurs to assure that the flame is self sustaining at which time the igniter is extinguished and the system moves to an normal run , state 6 , shown by box 90 , where heating continues until the call for heat is lost . when this occurs , the system moves to blower off delay , state 7 , shown by box 94 , where the valve 19 is turned off and a timer allows the motor 20 to remain on a short time while the hot air is pushed through and out of the system . when this is done , the system returns to idle , state 2 where it again waits for a call for heat . in the event that the burner 10 is just being installed or has undergone extensive maintenance , the oil supply lines and filter may be dry in which case , the above procedure could result in a “ no flame ” condition at trial for ignition , state 4 and , after a delay , the system would go to lockout , state 9 , shown by box 98 where further operation is prevented until the reset button 50 is pushed which allows the procedure to start over again . however , this is permitted to occur only a predetermined number of times , for example twice , after which the system goes into a restricted lockout and cannot again be started by merely pushing the reset button 50 . in order for a technician to get out of restricted lockout , the system provides that the reset button 50 can be pushed and held for an extended period , for example , 30 seconds , after which the system returns to the normal operation again . in order for the technician to avoid having to wait through several lockouts during an initial start up , the system allows the reset button to be pushed during states 3 - 5 ( as long as there have been no previous lockouts since that last successful run ) and the timing in state 4 is then increased to a value sufficient for the oil to fill the conduits and the filter and flame to be established . after the longer delay in state 4 , the detection of flame would move the system to state 5 , as before , and operation would continue as above described . a more detailed description of the various states and their function may be had by referring the above - mentioned co - pending application . if the system is operating in state 6 , with the sustained flame heating the desired area , and the flame is lost , control goes to a recycle , state 8 , shown by box 102 . in state 8 , the system has had a proven flame that has subsequently gone out before the thermostat has indicated no further heat is needed . when this happens , the recycle state 8 writes the state value to eeprom . the blower motor , igniter and oil valve are turned off . the recycle timer ( for example 60 seconds ) is started and the indicator light 31 is flashed slowly to provide an indication that the system is in recycle state . when the recycle timer expires , the indicator light 31 is turned off and the system goes back to the idle state 2 . as mentioned above , the call for heat from thermostat 32 causes the system to repeat the sequence leading up to the run , state 6 . in the event that the flame goes out again , the same cycle is repeated . in order for the system to prevent endless repetition of the recycle , state 8 , and to prevent damage to the system and the area being heated , the present invention provides a limit on the number of time the recycle can occur . after this limit is reached , the system goes to lockout , state 9 , which prevents further operation until manual intervention occurs . referring to fig3 the logic diagram for the present invention is shown and , it will be assumed that the system of the above mentioned co - pending application is in run , state 6 of fig2 . while in run , state 6 , the system continually checks the flame and the call for heat . the procedure is shown starting with an arrow 120 in fig3 . the existence of a flame is checked as shown by diamond box 124 . if there is no loss of flame , the answer is “ no ” as seen by arrow 128 and the system moves to diamond box 132 where the determination is made as to whether there has been a loss of a call for heat from thermostat 32 . if the answer is “ no ”, the system returns back to arrow 120 and diamond box 124 as shown by arrow 136 . this cycle continues as long as there is flame and a call for heat . if there has been a loss of the call for heat , the answer , at diamond box 132 is “ yes ” and the system moves to box 140 , as shown by arrow 144 , where the recycle counter is cleared . then , the system moves on to box 146 , blower off delay as shown by arrow 148 . blower off delay , box 146 corresponds to state 7 in fig2 and , after the delay , the system moves , as shown by arrow 150 , to idle , box 152 , which corresponds to state 2 of fig2 . as described above , when another call for heat from thermostat 32 is received , the system of fig2 moves , to valve on delay , state 3 , trial for ignition , state 4 , and to carry over , state 5 to re - establish run , state 6 . this puts the system back at arrow 120 in fig3 . if , in diamond box 124 , it is determined that there is a loss of flame , the answer is “ yes ” and the system moves from diamond box 124 to box 160 , as shown by arrow 164 . at this position , the recycle counter is incremented by 1 and , the system moves , as shown by arrow 168 , to diamond box 172 , where a determination is made as to whether more or less than the predetermined number of recycles have occurred ( in this case , three ). if less than three , the system moves , as shown by arrow 176 to box 180 where a predetermined delay ( in this case , sixty seconds ) is introduced to allow cooling of the system and expulsion of combustion products and uncombusted fuel before attempting to restart the system . after the delay , the system moves to idle , box 152 as seen by arrow 184 , which , as explained above , is the same as idle , state 2 , box in fig2 . thereafter , the system moves through valve on delay , state 3 , trial for ignition state 4 , and carry over , state 5 to run , state 6 . this , again , puts the system back to arrow 120 of fig3 . in diamond box 172 , if there have been three or more recycles , the system moves , as shown by arrow 188 to lockout , box 192 where the recycle counter is cleared and the system is put in the lockout condition , i . e ., state 9 in fig2 . thereafter the system will resume normal lockout operation explained above . after the reset button 50 is pushed system re - ignition may again occur and the process repeated as above until the flame stays on , the call for heat is lost or the return to lockout , state 9 , box 98 , again occurs . it is therefore seen that we have provided a limit for a burner system to prevent excessive recycling when a loss of flame occurs after having been established . many changes and modifications will occur to those having ordinary skill in the art and we do not wish to be limited to the specific disclosures used in describing the preferred embodiment . for example , it will be understood that while the present invention has been shown to operate the oil - fired burner of a furnace , the invention may be used with boilers , water heaters and other equipment . also , where a thermostat 32 has been shown to provide the call for heat , an aquastat ® or other heat detecting device may be employed . the number of recycles may be more or less than three and the recycle delay may be other than sixty seconds . furthermore , many of the logic sequences disclosed may be considered optional and alternate sequences may be utilized . the scope of the invention is set forth in the claims appended hereto . | 5 |
turning to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements , the present invention is illustrated as being implemented in a suitable computing environment . the following description is based on embodiments of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the invention with regard to alternative embodiments that are not explicitly described herein . in the description that follows , the present invention is described with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operations that are performed by one or more computing devices , unless indicated otherwise . as such , it will be understood that such acts and operations , which are at times referred to as being computer - executed , include the manipulation by the processing unit of the computing device of electrical signals representing data in a structured form . this manipulation transforms the data or maintains them at locations in the memory system of the computing device , which reconfigures or otherwise alters the operation of the device in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art . the data structures , where data are maintained , are physical locations of the memory that have particular properties defined by the format of the data . however , while the invention is being described in the foregoing context , it is not meant to be limiting as those of skill in the art will appreciate that various of the acts and operations described hereinafter may also be implemented in hardware . the present invention allows a server to accept a client request but to delay allocating the resources necessary to support that request . fig1 gives an example of a computer networking environment 100 in which the invention can be used . the example network 100 includes a server computing device 102 and three client computing devices 104 , 106 , and 108 . the network 100 can be a corporate local area network ( lan ), a wireless network , the internet , or anything in between and can include many well known components , such as routers , gateways , hubs , etc . in an example transaction , the client 104 requests a service or a communications feature from the server 102 . the server 102 provisionally accepts the request but does not allocate resources to support the requested feature until , for example , the client 104 authenticates itself to the server 102 or until the resources become available . until the resources are allocated and the server 102 informs the client 104 of that fact , the client 104 and the server 102 communicate without using the requested feature . thus , the server 102 shepherds its resources rather than committing them at the whim of a potentially malicious , malfunctioning , or misconfigured client . in another transaction , the client 104 and the server 102 can switch roles with the “ server ” 102 requesting a service from the “ client ” 104 . in a peer - to - peer network , every computing device can be both a client and a server , serially or simultaneously . accordingly , embodiments of the invention can be practiced on clients , servers , peers , or any combinations thereof . the computing device 110 is another server but one that only directly communicates with the server 102 to provide resources to it . its presence illustrates that by following the methods of the present invention , the server 102 shepherds not just its own resources but the resources of the networking environment 100 generally . the computing devices 102 and 104 of fig1 may be of any architecture . fig2 is a block diagram generally illustrating an exemplary computer system that supports the present invention . the computer system of fig2 is only one example of a suitable environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention . nor should the computing device 102 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in fig2 . the invention is operational with numerous other general - purpose or special - purpose computing environments or configurations . examples of well known computing systems , environments , and configurations suitable for use with the invention include , but are not limited to , personal computers , servers , hand - held or laptop devices , tablet devices , multiprocessor systems , microprocessor - based systems , set - top boxes , programmable consumer electronics , network pcs , minicomputers , mainframe computers , and distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices . in its most basic configuration , the computing device 102 typically includes at least one processing unit 200 and memory 202 . the memory 202 may be volatile ( such as ram ), non - volatile ( such as rom or flash memory ), or some combination of the two . this most basic configuration is illustrated in fig2 by the dashed line 204 . the computing device 102 may have additional features and functionality . for example , the device 102 may contain additional storage ( removable and non - removable ) including , but not limited to , magnetic and optical disks and tape . such additional storage is illustrated in fig2 by removable storage 206 and by non - removable storage 208 . computer - storage media include volatile and non - volatile , removable and non - removable , media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer - readable instructions , data structures , program modules , or other data . memory 202 , removable storage 206 , and non - removable storage 208 are all examples of computer - storage media . computer - storage media include , but are not limited to , ram , rom , eeprom , flash memory , other memory technology , cd - rom , digital versatile disks , other optical storage , magnetic cassettes , magnetic tape , magnetic disk storage , other magnetic storage devices , and any other media that can be used to store the desired information and can be accessed by the computing device 102 . the device 102 may also contain communications channels 210 that allow the computer to communicate with other devices . communications channels 210 are examples of communications media . communications media typically embody computer - readable instructions , data structures , program modules , or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and include any information delivery media . the term “ modulated data signal ” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal . by way of example , and not limitation , communications media include wired media , such as wired networks and direct - wired connections , and wireless media such as acoustic , rf , infrared , and other wireless media . the term “ computer - readable media ” as used herein includes both storage media and communications media . the computing device 102 may also have input devices 212 such as a keyboard , mouse , pen , voice - input device , tablet , touch - input device , etc . output devices 214 such as a display ( which may be integrated with a touch - input device ), speakers , and printer may also be included . all these devices are well known in the art and need not be discussed at length here . fig3 a and 3 b together show an exemplary exchange of messages when the client 104 requests a feature from the server 102 . fig5 a , 5 b , 7 a , and 7 b , below , present further details of possible message exchanges . the client 104 requests the feature in step 300 of fig3 a . the feature can be of any type including data compression , data encryption , and the numerous qos features . the message protocol can also be of any type , such as , e . g ., sip ( the session initiation protocol ). note that the feature request in step 300 need not be explicit : it may instead be implied by the message protocol used between the client 104 and the server 102 . in step 302 , the server 102 receives the feature request and decides whether it will support that feature . if not , then the server 102 uses the methods defined in the protocol to reject the request ( not shown ). if the server 102 will support the requested feature and is ready to do so immediately , then the server 102 allocates the resources needed to support the feature and accepts the request ( also not shown ). the scenario depicted in fig3 a and 3 b concerns a third possibility for the server 102 : it may be willing to support the requested feature in the future but is not yet ready to do so . one example that leads to this scenario is the case where the server 102 currently does not have the resources available to support the feature but expects to acquire those resources soon . in another example , the server 102 does not yet trust the client 104 enough to allocate precious resources to its request . the server 102 does not yet allocate the resources but waits until the client 104 has successfully authenticated itself . ( see the discussion of steps 310 and 312 of fig3 b below .) in the scenario of fig3 a , the server 102 in step 302 sends a message to the client 104 indicating that the request has been accepted but also indicating that the requested feature is not yet supported . there are numerous ways in which the server 102 can indicate that the requested feature is not yet supported . in sip , for example , when data compression is allowed on a communications link , “ tags ” are added to the data fields . ( see fig4 and the accompanying discussion .) not all data messages are compressed even when compression is enabled ( for example , a given message may be too short to benefit from compression ), so a flag in a tag indicates whether the accompanying data are compressed . embodiments of the present invention can use this tag and flag in step 302 : the acceptance message is tagged indicating that the request for data compression has been allowed , but the data in that message are not compressed , as indicated by the flag . in step 304 , the client 104 receives the acceptance message and notes that the requested feature is not yet supported . in the data compression example , the tag indicates the acceptance of the request , but the lack of compression indicates that the server is not ready for compressed data . in steps 306 and 308 , the client 104 and the server 102 communicate without using the requested feature . depending upon circumstances , these steps can continue for a long time ( until , e . g ., the server 102 acquires the necessary resources ) or can be very short ( e . g ., only until the client 104 successfully authenticates itself to the server 102 ). steps 310 and 312 of fig3 b are , in one sense , optional but are included because they illustrate a scenario in which the methods of the present invention are very useful . during these steps , the client 104 authenticates itself to the server 102 using the methods established by the protocol they are using . ( many such methods are known in the art .) the server 102 is understandably reluctant to allocate precious resources until these steps are complete . although this scenario is not the only one in which delayed allocation of resources proves valuable , it is one scenario closely tied to preventing dos attacks . finally , in step 314 the server 102 decides to allocate the resources to support the client 104 &# 39 ; s request . in step 316 , the server 102 indicates to the client 104 that the feature is now supported . just as with the numerous possible indications discussed above with respect to step 302 , there are numerous ways in which the server 102 can indicate that the feature is now supported . using the data compression example , the server 102 can simply send compressed data to the client 104 . upon receiving the indication , whatever it is , the client 104 notes that the feature is now supported in step 318 . from that point on , the client 104 and the server 102 can communicate either using or not using the requested feature , as appropriate to the situation . fig4 shows a message data structure 400 used for sending compressed or uncompressed data . the data structure 400 includes three tag fields . the first tag field 402 is designated for flags ( herein “ flags tag ”). the flags tag field 402 is used for indicating the format of the data in field 408 , specifically whether the data are compressed . under this implementation , the flag field includes mutually exclusive bits . as an example , a 0x80 bit is used to indicate that the data are uncompressed , and a 0x20 bit indicates that the data are compressed . in some embodiments , there are at least three types of data packets : ( 1 ) untagged data indicating that data compression is not available for the current connection ; ( 2 ) data tagged indicating that compression is possible , but the data in field 408 are flagged as not compressed ; and ( 3 ) data tagged indicating that compression is possible , and the data in field 408 are compressed . in steps 304 and 318 of fig3 a and 3 b , respectively , the client 104 determines the type of data packet it receives from the server 102 to know whether or not data compression is supported . a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps performed by the server 102 is shown in fig5 a and 5 b . in step 500 , the server 102 receives a request from the client 104 for a service or for a communications feature . as mentioned above , this request may be in the form of an explicit message sent by the client 104 , or it may be implicit in the communications protocol used between the client 104 and the server 102 . the server 102 checks , in step 502 , its own configuration to see whether it can support the requested feature . it could happen that the client 104 is requesting a feature that the server 102 is not configured to support . in that case , the method proceeds to step 510 where the server 102 rejects the request . if the server 102 could , at least theoretically , support the requested feature , then in step 504 it accepts the request but tells the client 104 that the client 104 may not yet use the feature . there are some features that the server 102 will only provide to authenticated clients . if the client 104 has requested such a feature , then in step 506 an authentication process is carried out . if the client 104 fails the authentication in step 508 , then the server 102 can reject the request in step 510 , even though it provisionally accepted the request earlier in step 504 . note that an authentication failure does not necessarily imply that the client 104 must terminate its communications session with the server 102 . while that is a possible outcome , for the present discussion , the consequence of an authentication failure is the client 104 &# 39 ; s inability to use the requested feature . if the client 104 successfully authenticates itself to the server 102 ( or if such authentication is not necessary ), then the client 104 and the server 102 begin to communicate with each other but without using the requested feature . if necessary , the server 102 checks for the availability of sufficient resources in step 512 and when , in step 514 of fig5 b , such resources become available , the server 102 allocates them to support the feature requested by the client 104 . as mentioned above in relation to fig1 , these resources need not reside on the server 102 itself . they may be provided by another server 110 . in some scenarios , the resources may become available in step 514 when another client gives them up . in other scenarios , the resources are always available , but the server 102 is reluctant to commit them to the client 104 until the client 104 successfully authenticates itself in step 508 of fig5 a . in step 516 of fig5 b , the server 102 indicates that it is now ready to support the requested feature . some features can be supported at different levels . for example , the client 104 requests a minimum bandwidth guarantee of 512 kbps . if the server 102 does not have the resources to fully support that request , it could simply reject it . alternatively , the server 102 can accept the request but tell the client 104 that the server 102 can only support a 128 kbps bandwidth guarantee . the client 104 decides whether the lower guarantee is acceptable or not and reacts accordingly . throughout this procedure , the server 102 tracks its resource levels and allocations , as indicated in step 518 . the server 102 uses this information when deciding whether it has sufficient resources to support a requested feature . system administrators use this information when deciding whether the server 102 is optimally configured . fig6 gives an example of the server 102 &# 39 ; s resource log . the resource allocation log 600 contains four entry rows , each one pertaining to a single feature request . in the log 600 , the client 104 ( field 602 ) has requested data compression ( field 604 ), and that request has been accepted ( field 606 ). the client 106 &# 39 ; s request for data compression was rejected , possibly because the client 106 failed to authenticate itself to the server 102 . the client 108 &# 39 ; s request for data compression has been provisionally accepted , but that feature is not yet supported . the client 108 has made another request , this time for a guaranteed bandwidth of 512 kbps . the request has been accepted , but the feature is currently supported only at the lower level of 128 kbps . in step 520 of fig5 b , the client 104 and the server 102 can use the requested feature in their communications . however , they are not required to use the feature . for example , even when compression is supported , some messages are too short to benefit from being compressed . another use of the server 102 &# 39 ; s resource allocation log 600 is illustrated in step 522 . here , some resources are freed up ( probably from another client ), and the server 102 checks its resource allocation log 600 . it notes , for example , that the client 108 requested 512 kbps of guaranteed bandwidth but was only granted 128 kbps . if the server 102 can and wishes to support the client 108 &# 39 ; s request at a higher level , it can now do so . for some features , the server 102 can even use this method to reduce its level of support . other features do not allow for this , and the level of support must be renegotiated . the client 104 &# 39 ; s side of a feature request transaction is illustrated in the flowchart of fig7 a and 7 b . as the bulk of the client 104 &# 39 ; s procedure is evident in light of the above discussion of the server 102 &# 39 ; s procedure , only a few aspects need be discussed here . the client 104 can maintain a log of its own requests similar to the server 102 &# 39 ; s resource allocation log 600 of fig6 . the status of feature requests , including their level of support if appropriate , can be displayed to a user of the client 104 as indicated in steps 716 and 720 of fig7 b . the above discussion focuses on the expected course of an exchange between the server 102 and the client 104 . the following table illustrates some of the unexpected things that can occur and how the client 104 should react . in view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the present invention may be applied , it should be recognized that the embodiments described herein with respect to the drawing figures are meant to be illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention . for example , those of skill in the art will recognize that the illustrated embodiments can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from the spirit of the invention . although the invention is described in terms of software modules or components , those skilled in the art will recognize that such may be equivalently replaced by hardware components . therefore , the invention as described herein contemplates all such embodiments as may come within the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates a battery cell 10 which is in the form of a film cell . film cells such as these are also referred to as pouch cells . instead of a solid housing , they have a sheath in the form of a film , and therefore have a certain amount of flexibility . the battery cell 10 comprises a flat , rectangular cell body 12 with end surfaces 12 a , 12 b ( end surface 12 b cannot be seen in fig1 ), which surrounds the functional components that are required to store electrical energy . on the outer perimeter thereof , the cell body 12 is surrounded by a cell rim 14 in the form of a fold . furthermore , on the upper face ( with respect to the vertical installation position illustrated here ), the battery cell 10 has contact sections 16 by means of which the battery cell 10 can be electrically charged and / or discharged . since the battery cell 10 has comparatively little internal robustness , it must be provided with a supporting element , which is expediently of compact design . fig2 illustrates a frame element 18 which is intended for this purpose . the frame element 18 comprises a frame section 20 which surrounds the cell body 12 after assembly while at the same time leaving its end surfaces 12 a , 121 free . a holding section 22 is provided on the frame section 20 and extends away from the frame section 20 on the frame section plane . on its face which faces away from the frame section 20 , the holding section 22 has a cooling channel 25 in which a cooling tube 26 is arranged . as can be seen more clearly in fig7 , the cooling channel 25 surrounds only approximately half of the cooling tube 26 . on the left - hand and right - hand faces , and partially on its lower face , the frame section 20 has a clamping apparatus 28 , which is used to improve the friction - fit fixing of the cell rim 14 . the function of the clamping apparatus 28 will be explained in more detail in the following text . furthermore , a recess 30 is provided on the lower face of the frame section 20 . in this area , the thickness of the frame section 20 of the frame element 18 is reduced in comparison to the other sections of the frame section 20 . in addition , the function of the recess 30 will be explained in more detail in the following text . fig3 illustrates an exploded illustration of the major components of a battery cell arrangement 32 . the battery cell arrangement 32 comprises two preferably physically identical frame elements 18 , 18 ′, between which the battery cell 10 is clamped in during its assembly . the cell rim 14 thereof is in this case held by the clamping apparatus 28 over virtually the entire height of the cell body 12 , on the right - hand and left - hand faces of the battery cell 10 in fig3 . no clamping apparatus is provided on the upper face of the respective frame element 18 , 18 ′, associated with the contact sections 16 , in order not to damage the electrical contact between the contact sections 16 and the interior of the cell body 12 . on the lower face of the battery cell 10 , the cell rim 14 is likewise held by the clamping apparatus 28 , with the exception of the area of the recesses 30 . in other words , more than half of the circumference of the cell rim 14 is held by the clamping apparatus 28 , in order to ensure that the battery cell 10 is reliably fixed between the frame elements 18 , 18 ′. fig4 illustrates a cross section through the battery cell arrangement 32 . as can be seen , the clamping apparatus 28 surrounds a projection 34 on the upper frame element 18 , which projection 34 is associated with a slot 36 of complementary shape on the lower frame element 18 ′. a flank of the projection 34 or of the slot 36 facing the cell body 12 runs obliquely to the end surfaces 12 a , 12 b , in order to avoid sharp edges , and the cell rim 14 is protected . in order to have to provide only one embodiment of the frame element 18 , 18 ′ for production of a battery cell arrangement 32 , it is possible to provide for the clamping apparatus 28 to be in the form of a projection 34 on one face ( for example the left - hand face ) of the frame section 20 , and to be in the form of a slot 36 on the opposite face ( for example the right - hand face ). the frame elements 18 , 18 ′ are then identical parts . together , the projection 34 and the slot 36 form a tongue - and - groove connection , into which the cell rim 14 is clamped . those surfaces of the frame elements 18 , 18 ′ which are opposite the projection 34 and the slot 36 are planar , in order to allow a plurality of battery cell arrangements 32 of identical design to be stacked alongside one another or one on op of the other . fig4 also illustrates that the frame elements 18 , 18 ′ each have a recess 38 on the end face opposite to the projection 34 and the slot 36 , into which recess 38 elements like plates can be inserted in order to improve the cooling or to protect the end surfaces 12 a , 12 b . fig5 illustrates a perspective view of an assembled battery cell arrangement 32 . the choice of the perspective makes it possible to see a vent opening 31 , which is formed by the two recesses 30 in the frame elements 18 , 18 ′, on the lower face of the battery cell arrangement . 32 in the installation position . this makes it possible for gases and / or liquids to emerge from the battery cell arrangement 32 . this is particularly important when the battery cell arrangement 32 is part of a stack of a plurality of corresponding battery cell arrangements 32 , such that no fluid can emerge through the openings associated with the end surfaces 12 a , 12 b of the cell body 12 in the frame elements 18 , 18 ′, since this is covered by the adjacent battery cell arrangement 32 . fig6 illustrates a battery arrangement 40 , which consists of a plurality of battery cell arrangements 32 of essentially identical design . the illustration shows that the cooling tubes 26 in the individual arrangements 32 can be connected in a simple manner to collecting lines for a coolant , which collecting lines run , for example , at right angles to the cooling tubes 26 . since the cooling tubes 26 are designed to be free of bends , the flow resistance caused by them is low , thus making it possible to produce an efficient coolant flow . as can also be seen , the cooling tubes 26 cool , in particular , areas around the contact sections 16 , which require a particularly large amount of cooling . the illustrated configuration of the battery arrangement 40 and of the battery cell arrangements 32 which form them represents one possible way of on the one hand designing the cooling of the battery cells 10 to be as efficient as possible , while on the other hand avoiding complex designs , which are therefore costly and susceptible to faults . fig7 illustrates a detail of a cross section through the battery arrangement 40 at right angles to the end surfaces 12 a , 12 b of the cell bodies 12 . the design of the battery arrangement 40 will be explained by way of example with reference to the indicated battery cell arrangements 32 , 32 ′. the cell body 12 of the battery cell arrangement 32 makes contact on its left - hand end surface 12 a with an elastomer layer 42 , which essentially completely covers it . because of its elasticity , the elastomer layer 42 allows flexible thickness compensation for the cell body 12 . in other words , it absorbs changes in the distance between adjacent cell bodies 12 in order on the one hand to avoid play between them and on the other hand to allow the initially mentioned “ cell breathing .” complete suppression of the “ cell breathing ,” as occurs , for example , when using rigid spaces , adversely affects the performance of the battery cells 10 . the end surface 12 b of the cell body 12 makes contact with a cold plate 44 , which extends to the cooling tube 26 associated with the battery cell arrangement 32 . the cooling tube 26 is arranged in a groove 46 in the cooling channel 25 . the cooling channel 25 is connected via the holding section 22 to the frame section 20 of the frame element 18 ( cf . fig2 ). as already explained a number of times above , the cell rim 14 is clamped in between the respective frame sections 20 of the frame elements 18 , 18 ′ of the battery cell arrangement 32 . the contact sections 16 also extend through this . the contact sections 16 run from the interior of the cell body 12 into an area which is cooled by the cooling tube 26 , and beyond it . they are therefore cooled particularly efficiently . waste heat which occurs in the area of the end surface 12 b in the battery cell 10 is dissipated via the cold plate 44 of the battery cell arrangement 32 , which cold plate 44 is likewise cooled by the cooling tube 26 . fig7 furthermore illustrates that , because the adjacent battery cell arrangements 32 , 32 ′ are designed to be essentially identical , this results , in an efficient manner , in a battery arrangement 40 which is tightly packed and nevertheless reliably cooled at the same time , with reliably fixed battery cells 10 . each battery cell arrangement 32 , 32 ′ is in each case associated with an elastomer layer 42 and a cold plate 44 as well as a cooling tube 26 . these components are , however , also used by the respectively adjacent battery cell arrangement 32 ′ or 32 , because of the regular arrangement , thus providing a cyclically repeating configuration of the functional components for an elastomer layer 42 , cell body 12 , cold plate 24 . the grooves 46 in the cooling channels 25 in the frame elements 18 , 18 ′ reliably protect the cooling tubes 26 . for initial assembly , all that is necessary is to insert one cooling tube 26 for each battery cell arrangement 32 , 32 ′ into the groove 46 in one of the frame elements 18 , 18 ′. the free groove 46 in the adjacent battery cell arrangement 32 ′ or 32 completes the protection of the cooling tube 26 when the battery arrangement 40 is assembled . although it is in principle possible to form the cooling tube 26 integrally with the frame element 18 , 18 ′, it is , however , in many cases advantageous to manufacture the cooling tube 26 separately , for manufacturing reasons . although embodiments have been described herein , it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure . more particularly , various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and / or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure , the drawings and the appended claims . in addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and / or arrangements , alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art . | 7 |
exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in connection with the drawings . other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention . although exemplary process conditions for forming various material layers are described below , these are only representative and are not meant to be considered as limiting the invention . the term “ substrate ” used in the following description may include any semiconductor - based structure that has an exposed semiconductor surface . semiconductor - based structure must be understood to include silicon , silicon - on insulator ( soi ), silicon - on sapphire ( sos ), doped and undoped semiconductors , epitaxial layers of silicon supported by a base semiconductor structure foundation , and other semiconductor structures . the semiconductor - based structures need not be silicon - based . the semiconductor could be silicon - germanium , germanium , or gallium arsenide . when reference is made to substrate in the following description , previous process steps may have been utilized to form regions or junctions in the base semiconductor or foundation . referring now to the drawings , where like elements are designated by like reference numerals , fig1 - 10 illustrate embodiments of exemplary coplanar waveguides 100 , 200 ( fig9 - 10 ) fabricated in accordance with methods of the present invention . fig1 depicts a portion of a semiconductor substrate 12 on which an insulating oxide layer 14 is formed by conventional methods of the prior art . in an exemplary embodiment of the invention , the semiconductor substrate 12 is formed of silicon ( si ), and thus , reference to the semiconductor substrate 12 will be made in this application as to the silicon substrate 12 . the silicon substrate 12 may have any crystalline orientation and , therefore , an advantage of the present invention is that the formation of grooves and / or channels within the silicon substrate 12 which will form the coplanar waveguides of the present invention as it will be explained in more detail below , is not restricted to a silicon substrate with & lt ; 100 & gt ; orientation , as in the prior art . the oxide layer 14 ( fig1 ) may be formed by deposition , for example , to a thickness of about 200 angstroms to about 300 angstroms . the oxide layer 14 reduces the dielectric loss in the silicon substrate 12 . because silicon has a dielectric constant of about 12 , which is high compared to that of air , which is 1 , most of the electric field lines and of the electric flux appear through the silicon , and not through air . the electric field lines and the electric flux which concentrate in the silicon substrate 12 further result in high losses in the substrate . the formation of the low dielectric constant oxide layer 14 above , and in contact with , the silicon substrate 12 , and below signal conductors as it will be described in detail below , minimizes the electric field and the electric flux in the conductive silicon substrate and minimizes the losses . referring now to fig2 a thick photoresist 16 of about 300 , 000 angstroms to about 500 , 000 angstroms is patterned by photolithography , for example , to define openings 13 ( fig3 ) wherein signal conductor lines and ground conductor planes will be later formed , as will be described below . after the exposure and development of the exposed portions of the photoresist 16 , portions 16 a of the unexposed and undeveloped photoresist 16 and the openings 13 are formed over the silicon substrate 12 , as shown in fig3 . a lift - off metallization process is next performed by depositing a barrier layer 18 in the openings 13 ( fig3 ) and over any exposed portions of the oxide layer 14 , as shown in fig4 . the barrier layer 18 may comprise bonding materials such as tantalum ( ta ), titanium ( ti ), titanium - tungsten ( tiw ), titanium nitride ( tin ) or chromium ( cr ), among others . the barrier layer 18 acts as a diffusion barrier layer and forms a strong mechanical and chemical bond between the conductive material which will be formed later and the oxide layer 14 to help prevent peeling of the formed conductive material from the oxide layer . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the barrier layer 18 is formed of graded titanium nitride ( tin ). according to this embodiment , titanium is first deposited to a thickness of about 50 angstroms to about 100 angstroms followed by titanium nitride deposition , by continuing evaporation of titanium in the presence of nitrogen , for example . next , as illustrated in fig5 a conductive material 20 preferably comprising copper ( cu ) is formed to a thickness of about 100 , 000 angstroms to about 200 , 000 angstroms to partially fill the openings 13 . according to an embodiment of the present invention , the conductive material 20 is deposited by thermal evaporation at or near room temperature , for example , but other suitable methods may be employed also , as desired . copper ( cu ) is preferred for the conductive material 20 because copper has a low electrical resistivity ( 1 . 67 micro - ohm / cm ) which helps to reduce conductor loss . copper is also preferred because its deposition near or at room temperature minmizes the grain growth and provides a smoother surface . various studies have directly related the surface roughness of a conductive material with conductor losses . for example , the correlation between surface roughness and improvements in the rf losses has been studied by mcgrath et . al . in silicon micromachined waveguides for millimeter - wave and submillimeter - wave frequencies , ieee microwave and guided wave letters no . 3 , p . 61 ( march 1993 ), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein . according to this study , the conductivity of the gold plating of the commercial waveguides typically employed in applications of the prior art is about { fraction ( 1 / 10 )} that of copper , and mcgrath et . al . concluded that the improvements in the gold surface are directly related to improvements in the rf losses . thus , copper deposition at or near room temperature minimizes the grain growth and provides a smoother surface , which in turn lower the losses . subsequent to the deposition of the conductive material 20 , a silicon oxide layer 22 , of silicon dioxide ( sio 2 ) or silicon oxide ( sio ), for example , is formed over the conductive material 20 to completely fill the openings 13 , as also illustrated in fig5 . as it will be described in more details below , the top silicon oxide layer 22 is used as an etch mask during the trench formation and , thus , reference to the silicon oxide layer 22 will be also made as to the mask layer 22 . the silicon dioxide layer 22 may be deposited by thermal evaporation at or near room temperature , for example , to a thickness of about 5 , 000 angstroms to about 10 , 000 angstroms , but other suitable methods may be employed also , as desired . further , any excess titanium nitride , conductive material and / or silicon oxide can be removed by chemical mechanical polishing or selective etching , for example , after each successive deposition . as illustrated in fig6 subsequent to the formation of the conductive material 20 and of the silicon oxide layer 22 , the remaining portions 16 a of the photoresist 16 , as well as portions of the oxide layer 14 located below the remaining portions 16 a of the photoresist 16 , are removed by chemicals so that structures 2 a , 4 a and 6 a remain over the silicon substrate 12 . removal of the remaining portions 16 a of the photoresist 16 and of the oxide layer 14 located below the remaining portions 16 a may be accomplished by using a koh solution , hot acetone or methylethylketone , or by flooding the silicon substrate 12 with uv irradiation to degrade the remaining portions 16 a as well as the portions of the oxide layer 14 located below the remaining portions 16 a . as illustrated in fig6 each of the structures 2 a , 4 a and 6 a includes portions of the oxide layer 14 , the barrier layer 18 , the conductive material 20 and the silicon oxide layer 22 . if copper ( cu ) is employed as the conductive material 20 , a thin passivation layer , in the range of about 50 angstroms to about 100 angstroms , may be formed to passivate any exposed copper surfaces , that is any exposed sidewalls of each of the structures 2 a , 4 a , 6 a of fig6 . for this , the silicon substrate 12 may be exposed to a dilute silane at a temperature of about 300 ° c . to form a thin surface silicide layer 24 ( fig7 ) on each of the exposed sidewalls of the conductive material 20 of each of the structures 2 a , 4 a , 6 a . this way , the thin surface silicide layers 24 complete the fabrication of signal conductor line 2 and that of ground conductor planes 4 , 6 , all illustrated in fig7 . alternatively , a thin gold ( au ) layer 21 ( fig8 ) of about 10 , 000 angstroms to about 20 , 000 angstroms may be formed on top of the copper material 20 and on each side of the structures 2 a , 4 a and 6 a of fig6 . the thin gold layer 21 of fig8 may be formed toward the end of the copper deposition by electroplating , for example . referring now to fig9 deep trenches 26 , 28 are next formed in the silicon substrate 12 by etching , for example , to complete the fabrication of the coplanar waveguide 100 . in an exemplary embodiment , anisotropic etching using the silicon oxide layer 22 as a mask is employed to etch the silicon substrate to a depth of about 100 , 000 angstroms to about 200 , 000 angstroms and to form the deep trenches 26 and 28 , respectively . the anisotropic etchant may be , for example , potassium hydroxide , tetramethyl ammonium hydrooxide , or ethylene diamine pyrocatecol , among others . preferably , trenches 26 , 28 of fig9 are formed by reactive ion etching using a deep trench etcher at an etch rate of about 2 . 2 μm / min . alternatively , an isotropic etching such as wet etching may be employed to form trenches 27 , 29 , as illustrated in fig1 , and to complete the formation of coplanar waveguide 200 . as shown in fig1 , each of the trenches 27 , 29 has a substantially circular shape , with a radius r of about 50 , 000 angstroms to about 100 , 000 angstroms . the width w ( fig9 ) of the trenches 26 , 28 is of about 150 , 000 angstroms to about 200 , 000 angstroms . the width s ( fig9 ) of the signal conductor line 2 is of about 250 , 000 angstroms to about 350 , 000 angstroms , and the thickness t ( fig9 ) from the top surface of the silicon oxide mask layer 22 to the top surface of the silicon substrate 12 is of about 100 , 000 angstroms to about 200 , 000 angstroms . the present invention provides coplanar waveguides 100 , 200 ( fig9 - 10 ) having deep trenches between the signal line and the ground planes . the coplanar waveguides of the present invention are formed on a silicon substrate of any crystalline orientation and , thus , their formation is not limited to a silicon substrate of & lt ; 100 & gt ; orientation , as in the prior art . in addition , by using an oxide layer below the conductive material , formed preferably of copper , the electric field and the flux lines in the silicon substrate are minimized and , thus , the substrate losses are substantially reduced . furthermore , the lift - off metailization process of the present invention for the formation of the signal conductor and ground planes reduces the number of processing steps of the prior art and eliminates the need for difficult prior art techniques , such as deposition of a polyimide and a subsequent planarization by a two - step chemical mechanical polishing . [ 0037 ] fig1 illustrates a processor system 102 , including central processing unit ( cpu ) 112 , ram and rom memory devices 108 , 110 , input / output ( i / o ) devices 104 , 106 , floppy disk drive 114 and cd rom drive 116 . all of the above components communicate with each other over one or more bus systems 118 . one or more of the central processing unit ( cpu ) 112 , ram and rom memory devices 108 , 110 are fabricated on silicon substrate 12 with coplanar waveguides , such as the coplanar waveguides 100 , 200 ( fig9 - 10 ) formed in accordance with methods of the present invention . although the invention has been described above in connection with exemplary embodiments , it is apparent that many modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . accordingly , the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description , but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
the present invention is referred to as “ the bubble ” and is a computer - implemented method or interactive action game for pointer 130 ( pen , stylus , fingertips , mouse or the like ) based pdas / hand - held computers , gaming consoles , pcs . fig1 shows an example of such a device 110 with a display 120 . an object morphing engine could display one or more objects 140 a , b ( also referred to as the bubbles ) on display 120 . each object 140 a , b defines an internal area within the borders of the respective object and an external area defined between the internal borders of display 120 and the outer border of the object . the object transforming engine dynamically changes the shape or form of each object into another shape . the transforming ( morphing ) engine could be based on the following methodology , either in any combination or separately : 1 ) the morphing engine or algorithm transforms the shape of the bubble to either pre - defined shape ( s ), ( pseudo -) randomly generated shapes or other methods . the result of the transformation is a new bubble object of the same square size as the initial ( or prior ) bubble object . 2 ) as the transformation progresses from one state to another state , the object properties or qualities are maintained . for example , the object can move across the display , rotate , change shape , and the parts could also be further cut into smaller object parts . 3 ) during the process of transformation ( s ) the square size object is maintained . 4 ) the square size of the object is automatically corrected in case of an action by the player and an interaction with other objects . 5 ) cut - off parts could continue its independent morphing sequence that can differ from the main object . 6 ) transformations don &# 39 ; t change the moving or rotating of the object . 7 ) the transformation velocity is not linear and can change depending on the game situation and settings . 8 ) transformation could assume attaching or detaching of the objects form the main object . 9 ) the object can be separated by parts without direct cutting following the game rules . to win the game a player shall cut off parts of the bubble to make it disappear , while fighting against the energy dots 150 which are getting into the bubble and make it grow bigger . if the bubble gets to the size of the screen / display 120 then the player loses . the bubble is a moving and transforming object ( e . g . 210 in fig2 ), constantly and smoothly changing it &# 39 ; s shape ; energy dots 150 , small round objects , bouncing within the rectangle game area of , for example , display 120 , are the sources of energy ; and a player &# 39 ; s pen or other pointing device 130 is used to : a ) cut off parts of the bubble ( chain - saw mode ); b ) push the bubble or parts of it ; or c ) capture energy dots . as mentioned infra , the bubble constantly changes its shape , but keeps the same square size . it can change by the following three events : 1 ) it can enlarge if the bubble has been hit by an energy dot ; 2 ) it can reduce if the player ‘ cuts off ’ a part of it ; and / or 3 ) it can blast if the bubble loses its critical mass ( becomes too small ). in one embodiment , the game starts with the bubble ( e . g . 210 in fig2 ) floating in the center of the screen 120 . the shape constantly changes , but smoothly curved and the square size of the bubble remains constant . initially the bubble has several ‘ energy dots ’ floating inside it ( i . e . 150 in fig2 marks 1 energy dot ). the tracks ( 220 a - d ) of these energy dots are linear and once inside the bubble they are bouncing from the bubble &# 39 ; s internal borders . in , for example , a randomized period of time ( 1 - 5 seconds ) a new energy dot could start off from outside of the screen and directed towards the bubble ( see e . g . 220 a in fig2 ). if a player detects this energy dot and hits it with a pen ( stylus ) ( or a mouse pointer ) 130 the dot disappears and the player gets a raise in the level of available ‘ chain - saw fuel ’. a chain - saw fuel indicator 160 is shown in fig1 . if a player couldn &# 39 ; t hit the energy dot , the energy dot could then enter the bubble . as a result of accumulating more energy , the bubble gets larger . chain - sawing the bubble is a centerpiece of the game . a player can make the bubble smaller by cutting - off 310 a part of the bubble . the goal is to cut - off parts of the bubble that has an energy dot 320 inside of it ( fig3 , see also infra ). depending on the area size of the detached portion the following can happen next : 1 ) if the cut - off area is too small to balance with the energy dot , the detached portion will blast after a period of time . the more accurate a player cuts off the object part the less time is required waiting for the blast . the bubble becomes smaller ( the best outcome ). 2 ) if the cut - off area is in balance with the energy dot , the detaches portion continues to float separately but will steadily be attracted to each the bubble . the bubble then gets the size it was before the cut . 3 ) if the cut - off square area is too big than allowed by the game rules , the detachment is not possible . the detached parts re - unite immediately . a player can use the pointer to push detached portion off the bubble . this strategy may be necessary before this part blasts or to win some time before the parts re - unite . in case the player cuts off an area without any energy dot in it , then this part re - unites with the bubble immediately but the square size becomes bigger than it was before on a defined by the game rules percent . 1 ) cutting consumes energy ( accumulated by intercepting energy dots ); 2 ) the longer the cut the more energy it consumes ( some progressive scale ); 3 ) too slow cutting doesn &# 39 ; t work as the cut &# 39 ; s sides open and then close back up ; 4 ) too quick cutting doesn &# 39 ; t work as the pen / pointer “ slides ” without making a cut . the player wins the game if it can reduce the bubble , so that further dividing it to the two parts 410 a , b that make both parts blast ( fig4 )—“ the final cut 420 ”. the player loses if the bubble grows to the size to reach dotted - lines boundaries of display 120 . during the game the player tries to locate the best shape and track for the cut ( shortest path , with energy dot inside ). when the cut is made the player pushes the parts apart ( or away ) from each other waiting for one or both to blast . the player tries to shoot ( or capture ) as many of the energy dots to maintain its energy level ( chain - saw fuel 160 ) at the maximum . the game can be played at different levels , whereby each level introduces more sophisticated and less predictable trajectories for energy dots and the bubble movements . as one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate , various changes , substitutions , and alterations could be made or otherwise implemented in either hardware and software without departing from the principles of the present invention . for example , over time the bubble could be cut in parts or can be slightly cut . if it is cut in parts , each part remain properties or qualities of the bubble , e . g . the parts are capable of moving across the display , rotating , changing shape , and the parts could also be further cut into smaller bubble parts . these parts of the bubble could collide with each other and form joint and bigger bubble objects . these parts of the bubble could also disappear and / or appear in various parts of the display according to the rules of the game . in another example , the bubble can be cut in different ways . for example , the bubble could be cut slowly in one move , or it could be cut with several small moves , depending on the specific implementation of the game . if the hardware platform supports multi - touch interaction , the bubble object could be divided into parts by tearing its parts in different directions . if the hardware platform supports pressure sensors , the bubble object could act in a specific way to reflect the different pressures applied to it . the bubble edges created by cutting can also re - unite back if the velocity of cutting is not maintained in accordance to the rules or the changing of the shape of the bubble . in yet another example , interaction ( s ) of the bubble with for example the outer borders / walls of the display , other parts of the bubble or other objects on the display could cause the bubble to change its velocity , rotation , shape . the bubble could also break apart into parts as result of a collision or too fast movement . accordingly , the scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents . | 0 |
the apparatus of the invention is useful in the manufacture of photographic emulsions wherein a silver salt is precipitated by mixing a stream of silver nitrate solution with a stream of alkali metal halide solution in a gelatin solution . for convenience , the apparatus will be described with reference to such a process . it should be understood , however , that the apparatus is useful in a wide range of processes requiring the homogeneous and uniform mixing of fluids ( liquid and gases ), including processes in which a chemical reaction occurs and those in which there is no reaction such as a colloidal dispersion . fig1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus which can be referred to for a simplified explanation of the apparatus and method of the invention . although in certain embodiments of the invention at least two separate reactant streams are fed to a mixing vessel , fig1 illustrates an embodiment in which only one liquid stream is fed . in fig1 a distributor apparatus of the invention , comprising three annular conduits 10 , 11 and 12 , is positioned in a mixing vessel 13 above a high - speed rotating agitator or impeller 14 driven by a motor , not shown . symmetrically and circumferentially spaced about the lower portion of each annular conduit are orifices ( not shown in fig1 ), ranging in number , for example , from eight in the lower conduit 10 to forty - eight in the upper conduit 12 . in the operation of the mixing apparatus of fig1 a solution of silver nitrate is fed by line 20 which connects via line 21 and valve 22 with annular conduit 10 , via line 23 and valve 24 with conduit 11 and via line 25 and valve 26 with conduit 12 . by virtue of its smaller cross sectional area and smaller number of orifices , conduit 10 has a flow resistance substantially greater than that of the larger conduit 11 , which in turn has greater flow resistance than the still larger conduit 12 which has the largest number of orifices . as a consequence , for the same inlet pressure , the flow rate is greatest for conduit 12 , next greatest for conduit 11 , and least for conduit 10 . hence , it is possible to employ conduit 10 at relatively low flow rates and still have sufficient pressure drop at its orifices to maintain uniform and equal flow rate at each orifice and avoid back flow resulting from the variations in the pressure field created in the mixing vessel by the rotating agitator 14 . the capability of the apparatus of the invention for operating over a wide range of reactant flow rates is made possible by the described series of annular conduits and valved lines . thus , if a small batch of product is to be made or if the addition rate is required to be low , valves 24 and 26 are closed and valve 22 is opened . this permits flow of the reactant stream from feed line 20 to the lower conduit 10 only . because of its relatively high flow resistance , even a very low reactant flow rate can produce a sufficient pressure drop at its orifices to force the reactant stream uniformly into the pressure field of the mixer . when the addition rate must be higher , valve 24 is opened to cause the reactant stream to flow to both conduit 10 and conduit 11 . because of the symmetrical and circumferential positioning of the orifices , the reactant stream will continue to be fed uniformly into the mixing region and pressure field created by the rotating agitator 14 . finally , when the highest flow rate is desired , valve 26 is opened and the reactant stream flows to all three conduits 10 , 11 and 12 . this is done when the reactant flow rate is sufficiently high to create a sufficient pressure drop at the orifices of all three conduits . in this way , uniform distribution is achieved and back flow is avoided . fig2 illustrates diagrammatically the circumferential and symmetrical spacing of the orifices in a distributor as in fig1 which comprises three annular conduits . the longest arrows , a , represent streams issuing from the eight orifices in annular conduit 10 . arrows , b , of medium length represent the streams from sixteen circumferentially and symmetrically spaced orifices of conduit 11 . the short arrows , c , represent the streams from the forty - eight circumferentially and symmetrically spaced orifices of conduit 12 . in this preferred arrangement , two orifices of an annular conduit are circumferentially spaced between two orifices of the next larger conduit . fig3 illustrates diagrammatically a preferred form of the apparatus of the invention in which the annular conduits are integrally positioned in a block or housing 30 . the figure illustrates an embodiment in which conduit 31 , has a greater resistance to flow than conduits 32 and 33 because of its smaller cross - sectional area . the figure also shows that the cross - sectional area of the conduits need not be circular as in fig1 but can be rectangular or of other shapes . fig3 also illustrates the connecting of each annular conduit to a plurality of orifices which distribute liquid to the mixing region . for example conduit 31 is connected by a connecting passage 34 to an orifice 35 which directs liquid toward the agitator means 36 . likewise orifices ( not shown in the drawing ) are connected to conduits 32 and 33 by passages 37 and 38 , respectively . for simplicity of illustration in fig3 which shows cross sections of the annular conduits 31 , 32 and 33 , the connecting passages 34 , 37 and 38 are shown in a common plane . it should be understood , however , that since the conduits are annular and since the connecting passages and orifices are positioned around the circumference of each conduit , and are spaced between each other , as indicated in fig2 a true cross section would show connecting passage for only one of the annular conduits , each such passage leading to only one orifice as , for example , passage 34 being connected with orifice 35 . also shown in fig3 is purge stream line 39 which connects via valve 40 with branch line 41 , via valve 42 with branch line 43 and via valve 44 with branch line 45 . in operating the apparatus of fig3 for feeding a liquid stream at a low flow rate to the mixing vessel , the valves 40 , 42 and 44 are closed and valve 46 is opened . a feed stream , for example , a solution of silver nitrate is fed at a constant flow rate via feed line 47 and branch line 45 to the annular conduit within distributor housing 30 which has the highest resistance to flow , namely , conduit 31 . the liquid , which preferably is pumped by a positive displacement metering pump , flows through the annular conduit 31 and then via the corresponding connecting passage such as passage 34 to the respective orifices , such as orifice 35 , which direct the liquid toward the agitator means 36 . when a higher flow rate of the liquid stream from line 47 is desired , valve 44 is opened . this causes the liquid to flow to branch line 43 as well as to branch line 45 and thence to conduits 31 and 32 for distribution through connecting passages to the orifices . by opening the flow to two conduits a higher flow rate is accommodated while maintaining about the same desired pressure in the conduits and the same pressure drop across the orifices of each conduit . when an even higher flow rate is desired , valve 42 is also opened . this permits the flow of liquid to the third conduit 33 . in this manner all three conduits are employed to handle the maximum flow rate at an acceptable pressure . thus , as higher or lower flows are required , the valves to the conduits can be opened or closed . it should be noted that branch lines 41 , 43 and 45 are of varying diameter or cross - sectional area , such that high velocity of the fluid is always maintained in each selected line regardless of flow rate . in order to maintain an equal pressure drop in each of the branch lines , restrictive orifices may be employed in the large diameter lines to compensate for larger frictional losses in the smaller diameter lines . to minimize reaction of materials in the channels of the distributor , the feed line , branch lines , conduits , connecting passages and orifices can be purged before valves are opened or immediately after closing them . purging can be accomplished with an inert liquid , e . g ., water for silver halide precipitations , introduced by purge line 39 . for some types of mixing the purge line valves can be opened or closed while reactant streams continue to flow to the mixing vessel . for others , the valve closing or opening takes place while the main feed line is closed . fig4 of the drawings illustrates in more detail a distributor means for the apparatus of the invention employed with commercially available type of high speed rotating agitator . this distributor means 50 comprises two matched distributors 51 and 52 . the former is positioned axially above and the latter axially below the rotating agitator means 53 . the latter comprises two hollow frusto - conical members 54 and 55 . member 54 is connected by vanes 56 and 57 and member 55 is connected by vanes 58 and 59 to cylindrical bases 60 and 61 , the latter being mounted on and rotating with the rotatable shaft 62 . the shaft 62 and its extension 62 &# 39 ; pass through axial journals or sleeves 63 and 64 in distributors 51 and 52 . in operation a first liquid stream such as a silver nitrate solution is fed via line 65 mounted in housing 66 to annular conduit 67 of distributor 51 . at the same time a second liquid stream such as a potassium bromide solution , to be mixed with the first stream is fed via line 68 , also mounted in housing 66 , to annular conduit 69 of the distributor 52 . although not shown in this figure of the drawing it should be understood that , in addition to the flow through conduits 67 and 69 , the liquid streams can also be fed at the same time via a line not visible in this cross section of the apparatus to the smaller conduits 70 and 71 . if the flow rate is sufficiently high the stream can also flow to the largest conduits 72 and 73 . these lines leading to the various conduits are of varying diameter or cross - sectional area in order to maintain sufficiently high velocity in the line . in any event , the liquid in the middle conduit 69 of distributor 52 flows via connecting passage 74 and orifice 75 , and through other passages and orifices spaced circumferentially about the housing for conduit 69 which are not visible in this cross section , into the rotating agitator 53 . likewise , the largest conduit 72 directs the flows of liquid via connecting passages and orifices such as 76 and 76 &# 39 ; and from the smallest conduit 70 via connecting passages and orifices such as 77 and 77 &# 39 ; directly into the rotating agitator 53 . although the distributor means of the invention is useful in a mixing apparatus which includes a rotating agitator as in fig1 , and 4 it should be understood that the novel distributor can also be used with advantage for delivering liquid streams to a static mixer . fig5 shows schematically such an embodiment , wherein the mixer is a venturi mixer . a first fluid stream is fed by inlet line 78 to outlet line 79 by way of the venturi constriction 76 where turbulent flow occurs . a second fluid stream is fed into the fluid liquid stream at the constriction 76 . the second fluid stream is delivered by a distributor of the invention , which functions similarly to the distributor embodiments previously described herein . the embodiment of the invention shown in fig5 includes three annular conduits 81 , 82 and 83 and connecting passages 84 , 87 and 88 . the connecting passages lead to orifices spaced around the venturi 76 as shown in fig2 . it should be understood , that since the conduits are annular and since the connecting passages and orifices are positioned around the circumference of each conduit and are spaced between each other as in fig2 a true cross section would show connecting passages for only one of the annular conduits , each such passage leading to only one orifice , for example connecting passage 84 leading to orifice 85 . thus , at low flow rates for the second stream , a small conduit 83 delivers the liquid to the venturi mixer via connecting passages and orifices of the conduit of small cross sectional area . at higher flows , the intermediate sized conduit 82 and its passages and orifices are included in the flow path and at still higher rates , the largest conduit 81 and its passages and orifices are included . as with other embodiments of the invention , this structure ensures uniform flow rates from each of the plurality of orifices which are equally spaced about the constricted mixing region and avoids or reduces the risk of back flow . fig6 and 8 show a further detail of preferred embodiments of the distributor means of the invention which contributes to achieving approximately equal flow rates from each of the orifices . they show a preferred way of joining connecting passages from the annular conduits with the respective orifices , the latter being of smaller diameter . as previously explained , the annular conduits , such as conduits 67 , 70 and 72 in fig4 can be located in different planes relative to the orifices such as orifices 76 &# 39 ; and 77 &# 39 ; in fig4 which orifices are located in a common plane with common exit trajectories and are identical for all conduits . therefore , the connecting passages will have different lengths and different angles of intersection with the orifices . to minimize the effect of these differences on the uniformity of flow from the orifices fed by different annular conduits , the preferred embodiments illustrated in fig7 and 8 have certain characteristics . one is that the ratio of length to diameter of the connecting passages 90 , 91 and 92 , which originate at different annular conduits , is relatively small or , in other words , the diameter of the passages is reasonably large . more specifically , the diameter must be large enough so that the pressure losses in the connecting passages are substantially less than the pressure losses in the smaller diameter orifices . since the lengths of the passages usually are different when originating from different annular conduits , the diameter of the passage either must vary to provide equal frictional loss or the diameter of each connecting passage must be large enough that the frictional loss differences resulting from length differences are negligible . another characteristic of the preferred embodiment illustrated by fig6 and 8 is that the intersection of each connecting passage and orifice is similar for all orifices regardless of the originating annular conduit . if the intersections are not similar in structure , differences in entrance pressure losses into the orifices will cause differences in the flow rate from each orifice . to provide similar entrance losses into the orifices in accordance with the invention , a spherical tip is provided at the downstream end of each connecting passage . each connecting passage and the corresponding orifice into which it feeds liquid are positioned so that , as shown in the drawings , the centerline 93 of orifice 94 intersects the centerline 95 of the connecting passage 90 at the center of the spherical tip 96 &# 39 ;. fig6 and 8 show the three passages 90 , 91 and 92 , each having this structural relationship with its corresponding orifice . with this structure the entrance pressure losses at the entrance to each orifice are substantially equal . fig9 shows a preferred structure for the annular conduits in accordance with the invention . in this preferred embodiment the annular conduit 99 , which represents all of the annular conduits , has a cross - sectional area which tapers uniformly from a first position of connection with the branch line 100 to a second position opposite from said first position . preferably , both the width and the height of each of the conduits are tapered . since the cross - sectional area is reduced as flow proceeds around the annular conduit from the branch line 100 , the liquid velocity is maintained almost constant despite the loss of flow from the conduit as the liquid discharges through each of the circumferentially spaced connecting passages and orifices . advantages of the diminishing cross - sectional area as shown in fig9 include the following : 1 ) since the total volume of the annular conduit is reduced as compared with a conduit of uniform cross section , less time is required to purge inert fluid from the conduit at the start of liquid flow to the mixing apparatus . 2 ) the velocity of liquid flowing within the annular conduits can be maintained at a constant and relatively high level , so that turbulent flow can be maintained and density inversions can be avoided . 3 ) the nearly constant velocity allows substantially uniform distribution of flow to each connecting passage and orifice . 4 ) cleaning solutions can be circulated through the conduits at relatively high velocities to provide effective cleaning . although the drawings show apparatus of the invention having three annular conduits , it should be understood that some benefits of the invention can be obtained with only two such conduits and that more than three can be used if desired . however , three conduits provide a good balance between adaptability to a wide range of flow rates and simplicity and compactness of construction . the apparatus of the invention preferably is constructed of materials that are not adversely affected by the chemical and electro - chemical environment in which it is used . for silver halide preparations the preferred material is titanium or other non - corrosive material . in the apparatus of fig4 the housing for the annular conduits , connecting passages and orifices is made of a non - conductive engineering plastic , e . g ., such as &# 34 ; noryl &# 34 ; a polymer available from general electric co ., or &# 34 ; lexan &# 34 ; also available from general electric co ., however other polymers may work equally well . this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof , but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention . | 1 |
in describing preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings , specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity , however , the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose . as shown in fig1 one embodiment of the present invention is defined within the hull 10 of a fishing boat 5 that measures approximately 80 feet from the bow end 11 to the transom 13 . in fig1 which shows the starboard outline of the vessel , the boat basically consists of an elongated hull 10 which terminates at its forward end in a stem portion 12 and at its aft end in a stern portion 14 . the ship contains a fore deck 16 aft of which is positioned the main cabin 18 . this cabin occupies the major deck area of the ship . atop the main cabin is a fly bridge 20 . emanating from the top of the fly bridge is a mast head 22 . in a preferred embodiment , the ship is constructed in accordance with known construction techniques for building aluminum v - bottom boats . line 15 is the chine which marks the intersection between the substantially vertical starboard side 17 and the starboard bottom 19 of the hull 10 . a similar chine marks the intersection between the port side 23 and the port bottom 21 of the hull . the ship contains several vertically oriented frames and bulkheads . for simplicity , only the bulkheads are shown in phantom in fig1 with the understanding that there are 4 equally spaced frames between each pair of adjacent bulkheads . of particular interest is bulkhead 22 . in the ship made according to the teachings of the present invention , there are 22 frames including 5 bulkheads . bulkhead 22 is positioned so that there are 15 frames ( including 2 bulkheads ) forward of bulkhead 22 and six frames ( including one bulkhead ) aft of bulkhead 22 . in a preferred embodiment shown in fig2 there are four engines 34 - 37 used to power the boat . each engine is associated with a propeller shaft that terminates in a propeller . for purposes of generally explaining the subject invention , the most starboard engine 37 and exhaust box 24 are shown in phantom in fig1 . engine 37 drives propeller shaft 26 to rotate propeller 28 . engine 37 has its manifold 42 connected to an exhaust pipe 44 that terminates at the top of exhaust box 24 . as shown in fig2 a pump 127 is positioned on the top aft section of motor 37 . this pump takes in sea water through a circular sea chest 114 and injects the water into the exhaust box 24 in order to cool the exhaust gas before it is passed through a diffuser 30 and out the bottom of the hull 10 . the water also cools the aluminum exhaust box 24 . fig2 schematically shows a top view of the interior of the hull 10 aft of bulkhead 22 . the interior of the hull is divided in half by longitudinal center line 32 . on either side of the center line are a pair of port engines 34 - 35 and a pair of starboard engines 36 - 37 . transverse frames 16 through 22 are schematically shown by dotted lines on fig2 . bulkhead 22 occupies the space denoted as frame 16 , whereas bulkhead 21 occupies the space denoted as frame 21 . the positioning and mounting of the engines are in accordance with prior art conventional designs . the two inboard engines 35 and 36 are positioned aft of the two outboard engines 34 and 37 by a distance substantially equal to the distance between adjacent frames 18 and 19 . in addition , each of the engines is of conventional design . one engine found acceptable for practicing the present invention is a diesel engine developing 380 horse power and manufactured by general motors under the designation 8v - 71ti . in describing the exhaust system of the present invention , reference is made to starboard engine 37 and its associated structure including exhaust box 24 . it is to be understood that remaining engines 34 through 36 contain similar structures that differ only in size and shape , but not function . for this reason , anything said about engine 37 and its associated structure likewise applies to engines 34 - 36 and their associated structure . with reference to engine 37 as shown in fig1 and 9 , the engine contains several exhaust ports 40 to pass exhaust gas into exhaust manifold 42 and then through elongated tubular exhaust pipe 44 . the end 45 of the exhaust pipe passes into the top of hollow exhaust box 24 . as shown in fig3 -- 5 and 9 , the exhaust box 24 is generally hollow and includes a flat vertically oriented front plate 46 and a flat vertically oriented aft plate 48 . these plates are arranged parallel to each other and spaced a sufficient distance to define the interior of the exhaust box . the plates are also oriented with their planes transverse to the centerline 32 of the boat the two vertically oriented plates are held in position in part by being welded to a flat generally square shaped aluminum member 50 and a flat generally rectangular aluminum member 52 . member 50 is oriented perpendicular to the vertical plates and has a forward edge 52 joined with the top edge 56 of plate 46 by welding . at the same time plate 50 has its rear edge 58 joined to the top edge 60 of vertical plate 48 by welding . welds are also used to secure the bottom edges 62 and 64 of vertical plates 46 and 48 , respectively to the top surface 66 of bottom horizontal plate 52 . this plate in turn is secured to the ship structure 68 through a series of welds 70 . fore and aft t - bars 61 and 63 are oriented vertically and welded to the exterior central portion of plates 46 and 48 to add further support to the exhaust box structure . the port and starboard sides of the exhaust box 24 are each constructed from two planar sheets . as shown in fig3 and 5 and with reference to the exhaust box 24 associated with engine 37 , the first plate comprises vertically oriented planar plate member 71 which is shaped like a rectangular . the starboard side portion is completed by planar rectangular shaped plate member 72 which has its lower edge 74 mated with the top edge 76 of member 71 and held together by a weld . plate 72 is tilted at an inward angle so that its top edge 76 mates with starboard edge 78 of plate 50 . the plate 50 at the top of the exhaust box 24 contains an aperture 86 of appropriate diameter to receive the five inch diameter exhaust pipe 44 . in a preferred embodiment , the plate 50 is made up of a one inch thick aluminum flange . disposed within the flange are several threaded holes 73 . where the holes are placed in the flange is determined by the position of complementary holes 77 found on a stainless steel flange 84 which is welded to the end portion of exhaust pipe 44 by weld 87 . thus , the end of the exhaust 44 is held within the exhaust box 24 by the flange 84 being fixedly secured to the top of plate 50 with a gasket 85 positioned therebetween . the aperture in plate 50 is arranged so that the longitudinal axis of pipe 44 is oriented vertically and is substantially concentric with the vertical longitudinal axis of the exhaust box 24 . welded within the aft end of the exhaust box is an angled splash plate 88 . the splash plate contains several weep holes 90 . the weep holes 90 communicate with further weep holes 92 and 94 defined within the hull structure . these weep holes provide a way to prevent build up of unwanted gases within the exhaust box . the bottom of the exhaust box contains a diffuser plate 96 that contains a series of exhaust outlets 98 . in a preferred embodiment , there are six exhaust outlets 97 each 21 / 2 inches in diameter and arranged one next to the other transverse across the width of the exhaust box . the exhaust outlets are positioned aft of an imaginary transverse plane that divides the exhaust box 24 in half . fig1 shows an alternative arrangement consisting of eight staggered outlets . the size and number of outlets is determined by the amount of exhaust gas developed by a given engine . the bottom of the hull of the ship terminates in a stepped construction 100 that can best be seen in fig1 and 9 . as shown in fig1 and 9 , a starboard vertical plate 150 extends tranversely across the entire starboard bottom 19 of hull 10 from the keel 152 at the centerline 32 outward to the starboard chine 15 . a port vertical plate 150 &# 39 ; is positioned the same way on the port bottom 21 . the two vertical plates define a transverse step with the bottom of the hull aft of the step being positioned inward relative to the bottom of the hull forward of the step . as shown by the imaginary line 160 in fig9 the depressed bottom of the hull very gradually and smoothly slopes aftward so that at about frame 20 the hull is in the shape it would normally be in without the stepped construction . in a preferred embodiment , the transverse step is placed forward of the transom by a distance approximately equal to 25 % of the length of the boat as measured from the transom to stem , with a range of from 20 % to 30 % being preferred . as shown in fig4 the transverse step 150 is interrupted by each of the diffuser and angled plates associated with each of the exhaust boxes . the exhaust pipe 44 emanating from the plate 50 includes a stainless steel flexible portion 102 which facilitates securing each end of the exhaust pipe to the manifold of the engine and to the exhaust inlet of the exhaust box 24 . the rigid sections of the exhaust pipe , in a preferred embodiment , are made of 5 inch schedule 40 stainless steel pipe . likewise , in a preferred embodiment a seawater inlet 106 enters the exhaust pipe 44 just downstream of the flexible section 102 . the seawater inlet 106 is connected though a pipe 104 to the output of a water pump 26 positioned on the motor 37 . the input of the water pump 127 is connected to a flow meter alarm 108 of conventional design . the alarm puts out an audible tone and / or lights a warning lamp to indicate when the flow of sea water through the pipe 104 falls below a certain predetermined level . the other side of the flow meter is connected to a pipe 110 that passes through a water strainer and eventually to a sea chest 114 . with reference to fig8 the connection of the pipe 110 to the water strainer and to the sea chest is shown in greater detail . as shown in fig8 pipe 110 is secured to the output of the water strainer 112 . the input of the water strainer passes through a stainless steel nipple 120 that is secured to a stainless steel elbow 122 . a stainless steel nipple 124 joins the elbow 122 to a gate valve . finally , the stainless steel nipple 128 joins an aluminum collar 129 made of schedule 80 aluminum to a cylindrically shaped aluminum pipe 130 also made of schedule 80 aluminum . the bottom of the pipe 130 is flush with the bottom of the hull of the boat and defines the sea chest through which water is drawn under pumping action into the seawater inlet of the exhaust pipe 44 . the sea chest , which is welded to the bottom of the hull , defines a 4 inch diameter circular opening for entry of seawater . with reference to fig5 the use of a separate sea chest for each exhaust box is replaced by a common sea chest 172 shared by two adjacent exhaust boxes . the sea chest 172 is made the same way as sea chest 130 with the single stainless steel nipple of sea chest 130 replaced by two stainless steel nipples 128 &# 39 ;. each of the stainless steel nipples 128 &# 39 ; are connected to its own gate valve and water strainer and raw water pump as described before . fig1 shows an alternative arrangement for the water inlet system where the water is introduced into the to forward side of the exhaust box 24 without the need for a pump . disposed about the exhaust box 24 is an aluminum water jacket 150 within which is introduced the water from the pipe 110 . the jacket 158 surrounds the exhaust box , so that the jacket resembles a squared off torroid . the exhaust box within the water jacket contains several spaced apertures 182 disposed about the periphery of the exhaust box . when water is introduced into the water jacket , the apertures 182 define a ring spray through which the exhaust gas passes as the gas emerges from the end of the exhaust pipe 44 . the forward motion of the boat , causes water to enter the sea chest and pass into the exhaust box without the need of a pump . with reference to fig9 and 10 , a conventional head wrap 41 is placed around the exhaust pipe 41 to occupy the space between the sea water inlet and where the exhaust pipe connects to the manifold 42 of engine 37 . again referring to the embodiment of fig1 , the bottom of the hull includes an elongated slit opening 188 which acts as a water scoop to introduce water into the exhaust chest for cooling purposes when the boat is moving in an aftward direction . the slit has a length approximately equal to the length of the diffuser plate 96 . also , the bottom of the hull extends aft so that a space 184 is created between the hull bottom and the diffuser plate . the step 150 ( noted in dotted line on fig1 ) is present on either side of the exhaust box 24 in the same way as previously described hereinbefore . in use , as the vessel moves under the propulsion of the propellers 28 which in turn are rotated by shafts 26 driven by the engines 34 -- 37 , the exhaust gas from each engine passes through its associated exhaust pipe 44 and into an exhaust box 24 where the exhaust gas co - mingles with water being pumped into the exhaust box either directly or through the exhaust pipe 44 . the water entering the exhaust box is used to cool the exhaust gas as well as the exhaust box . in a preferred embodiment , water is pumped into the box at the rate of about 20 gallons per minute . the exhaust gas travels under the bottom of the hull 10 as the gas emerges through the exhaust outlets of the diffuser . the exhaust outlets are positioned just aft of the step 150 defined in the hull . exhausting of the gas through the outlet holes taken in conjunction with the step in the hull lead to enhanced speed of the vessel . further , the boat is silent because the exhaust is muffled by surrounding water . fuel consumption is reduced and the boat handles better because of the buoyant effect that the exhaust gas bubbles have in raising the stern . in this way , the boat runs very level and , in high seas , the foaming effect of the exhaust gases lifts the stern and reduces the skin friction of the water . as can be seen , the design of the exhaust box diffuser in conjunction with the stepped hull construction is extremely simple . the design does not require any unusual jigs , fixtures , forgings , etc . the stepped bottom is made while still preserving the general structural integrity of the hull . while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described , it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . it is contemplated that in boats of differing size fewer or a greater number of engines than the four used in the specific embodiment disclosed may be employed . for example , in a fishing vessel having a length of about 60 feet , two engines , one on the starboard side of the hull and the other on the port side , would be employed with each engine being connected to a dedicated exhaust box . | 1 |
reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . wind tunnel optimized solar panel systems can include solar panel modules mounted to a racking system that includes a number of features designed to reduce uplift caused by environmental factors , such as wind , and increase the amount of downforce on the solar panel system . to this end , a wind tunnel optimized solar panel system can include a number of windscreens , wind grates , and ballast weights , which , together , can achieve those dual objectives . by reducing uplift while increasing downforce , a solar panel system may be installed on a surface without the need for mounting hardware that can penetrate and / or damage the surface . the weight required to secure a solar panel system may depend on specific environmental circumstances including , for example , location , altitude , typical local weather patterns , and seismic activity . the weight of the ballast weights can be easily varied to meet the environmental conditions by adding or reducing the number or type of ballast weights , as needed . the combination of a wind optimized design and ballast weights allows a solar panel system to reduce the depth and / or number of penetrations required for installation . in some installations , the need for surface penetrations may be eliminated entirely . in some embodiments , standoff attachments can be incorporated into a solar panel system , which can further help to enhance stability of the system in windy conditions and / or in the event of seismic activity . besides reducing or eliminating the need to penetrate the surface on which the solar panel system is installed , some embodiments may have the added benefit of simplifying the installation process by reducing the number of steps required to install the solar panel systems . the cost of installation may further be reduced by reducing the tools and equipment an installer is required to bring to the job site . in some embodiments , modules can be installed in a landscape orientation in which a long side of the solar panel module is parallel to the installation surface ( e . g ., a roof or the ground ). such an orientation can keep modules close to the installation surface to reduce uplift on the modules caused by the wind . in some embodiments , the solar panel system can be installed on a flat surface with the modules tilted to increase solar exposure . in some further embodiments , the racking system can include shared rails , which can form a more efficient structure that uses less material and assembles more quickly than typical solar panel systems . tilt legs coupled to flat rails can provide for module tilt and mounting points for windscreens to reduce uplift on the modules . windscreen installation may be accomplished by coupling a windscreen to rear tilt legs on the solar panel system . self - adjusting end clamps can allow for end - of - row windscreen installation without using requiring additional fasteners . such self - adjusting end clamps can also permit strategic venting at the ends of a row of modules . windscreens may also include a tray that can hold ballast . in some embodiments , additional windscreens can be installed under the modules to support additional ballast . in some embodiments , windscreens designed to block or redirect wind can also double as structural members for the solar panel system , providing additional system rigidity . the mounting rails can also double as a structural member , providing system rigidity . in some embodiments , the inherent rigidity in the structure allows for distribution of wind loading over the entire system , which may reduce the amount of ballast weight required , thereby reducing the overall system weight and installation cost . in some embodiments , standoff attachments may also be incorporated into the system design to provide for seismic or uplift loading as needed to meet local code design and load requirements . as would be appreciated by one skilled in the art , the system can be compatible with a range of module sizes , and may use self - adjusting end clamps to secure modules with a range of module frame thicknesses . fig1 is an exemplary embodiment of a wind optimized and ballasted solar panel system 100 . solar panel system 100 can include feet 101 , rails 102 , support legs 103 , self - adjusting end clamps 104 , a solar panel module 105 , wind grates 106 , a wind screen 107 , a ballast support tray 108 , ballast weights 109 , and side windscreens 110 . fig1 depicts a single panel system . however , in some embodiments , rails 102 can extend beyond the lengths shown in fig1 , facilitating the installation of multi - panel systems . such systems are described in greater detail below with respect to fig1 and 12 . feet 101 can each include a flat portion that rests on a surface and a vertical portion extending perpendicularly or obliquely from the flat portion that can connect to a rail 102 . feet 101 may be designed to snap into the rails 102 . alternatively , feet 101 can be connected to rails 102 with screws , bolts , or other suitable fasteners . feet 101 can be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., a metal , such as steel or aluminum , a plastic , or a composite ). in some embodiments , the surface area of the flat portion of feet 101 can be determined based on , for example , the characteristics of the surface on which they will rest . as depicted in fig1 , solar panel system 100 can include four feet 101 ( one foot is not visible ), with one foot at each corner of solar panel system 100 . however , one skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable number of feet can be included depending on , for example the circumstances ( e . g ., environmental considerations such as wind and seismic activity ) and the composition of the mounting surface . feet 101 can also serve to lift rails 102 slightly off the mounting surface , which can facilitate drainage of the area underneath solar panel system 100 , for example . in other embodiments , additional feet 101 can be included depending on the circumstances and the composition of the mounting surface . solar panel systems , according to some embodiments , can be mounted on a number of different relatively level surfaces such as , for example , a roof or the ground . rails 102 can be mounted on feet 101 to form a base for solar panel system 100 . accordingly , two rails 102 may be placed parallel to one another at a width corresponding , roughly , to the width of solar panel module 105 . furthermore , rails 102 can have any suitable length . for example , rails 102 can be long enough to provide a stable base for a single solar panel system 100 . in other embodiments , rails 102 can be long enough to support two or more solar panel systems as discussed in more detail below with respect to fig9 . rails 102 may be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., for example aluminum , steel , plastic or composite ). in some embodiments , feet 101 can be configured to snap into notched surfaces formed in rails 102 . support legs 103 may be used to support the solar panel modules at an angle determined appropriate for the location . for example , the angle may be chosen to optimize solar exposure at the installation location &# 39 ; s latitude . in particular , the length of the support legs 103 and the angle at which they are attached to rails 102 may be varied depending on the desired angle of solar panel module 105 . support legs 103 may be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., aluminum , steel , plastic or composite ). in some embodiments , support legs 103 can be secured using either two split lock washers or two internal star washers . star washers may be especially appropriate as they can provide electrical continuity for grounding solar panel system 100 . however , as would be appreciated by a person of skill in the art , any suitable fasteners may be used to couple support legs 103 to rails 102 . support legs 103 may also have two holes at the top to allow the inclusion of a weeb grounding washer or the equivalent . self - adjusting end clamps 104 can be two - piece end clamps used to secure solar panel module 105 to the rest of solar panel system 100 . self - adjusting end clamps 104 may be secured in place with a bolt that causes the self - adjusting end clamps 104 to automatically adjust to the size of the frame of solar panel module 105 . although solar panel system 100 includes four self - adjusting end clamps 104 in this example embodiment , more self - adjusting end clamps may be required depending on the environmental conditions where solar panel system 100 is installed . furthermore , mid clamps may be used to connect multiple solar panel modules arranged in a row . in the exemplary embodiment shown in fig1 , solar panel module 105 may be a photovoltaic solar panel that includes an array of photovoltaic cells . wind grates 106 can be incorporated between the top edges of solar panel module 105 and windscreen 107 to permit airflow and pressure equalization of solar panel system 100 . wind grates 106 can include openings of any suitable shape ( e . g ., a rectangular shape ). in some embodiments , wind grates 106 can be formed from one contiguous piece with separate openings cut into the piece . in these embodiments , wind grates 106 may be of nesting roll - form steel construction that is cheap to manufacture and easy to ship . roll - form steel has the additional benefits of being strong and easy to work with . holes on the top of wind grates 106 can be punched , stamped , or otherwise formed to provide ventilation of solar panel system 100 . such ventilation can serve to keep solar panel module 105 cool and provide pressure equalization to mitigate uplift from wind forces . wind grates 106 may be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., aluminum , steel , plastic or composite ). windscreen 107 can be coupled to the back of solar panel system 100 to block airflow and at least partially support ballast weights 109 . windscreen 107 may be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., aluminum , steel , plastic or composite ). windscreen 107 may be attached to support legs 103 with , for example , bolts or screws . in other embodiments , windscreen 107 may be snapped into place on the support legs 103 . ballast support tray 108 can be attached to windscreen 107 to support ballast weights 109 . accordingly , ballast support tray 108 can extend perpendicularly or obliquely from the outer surface of windscreen 107 to form a ledge . ballast weights 109 can be placed on the ledge of ballast support tray 108 to provide downforce to solar panel system 100 , which can serve to counter uplift generated by , for example , wind . ballast support tray 108 may be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., aluminum , steel , plastic or composite ). in some embodiments , ballast support tray 108 and windscreen 107 can be formed as a single , contiguous piece . in other embodiments , ballast support tray 108 can be attached to windscreen 107 with bolts , screws and / or other suitable fasteners . ballast weights 109 may be concrete blocks or any other suitable weighted objects used to hold the solar panel system 100 in place and counteract dangerous uplift forces . the number of ballast weights 109 used and their weights may depend on the environmental requirements of the solar panel system 100 . in some embodiments , wind grates 106 , windscreen 107 and ballast support tray 108 can be a single contiguous piece of roll form steel . for example , a long strip of sheet metal can be exposed to a roll - forming process that can create a first section for wind grates 106 , a second section for windscreen 107 , and at least a third section for ballast support tray 108 . openings in wind grates 106 can be formed either before or after the roll - forming process . one skilled in the art will appreciate that some portions ( e . g ., windscreen 107 and ballast support tray 108 ) can be formed together , and other portions ( e . g ., wind grates 106 ) can formed and coupled to solar panel system 100 separately . side windscreens 110 can be coupled to one or both sides of solar panel system 100 ( e . g ., to rails 102 , support legs 103 , and / or solar panel module 105 ) to divert airflow around solar panel system 100 . side windscreens 110 may be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., aluminum , steel , plastic or composite ). fig2 depicts an example embodiment of a partially constructed solar panel system 200 . solar panel system 200 can include feet 201 , rails 202 , support legs 203 , self - adjusting end clamps 204 , solar panel module 205 , mechanical anchor 211 , standoff attachment 212 , standoff bracket 213 , anchor rail 214 and mechanical anchor 250 . in some embodiments , partially constructed solar panel system 200 depicts a subassembly for constructing a complete solar panel system as depicted in fig1 . solar panel system 200 can be installed on a relatively flat surface ( e . g ., a roof or the ground ) to provide a stable base for a full solar panel system . in particular , rails 202 can be mounted on feet 201 such that the rails are parallel to each other at a width roughly corresponding to the width of a solar panel module ( e . g ., solar panel module 105 of fig1 ) to be mounted to the solar panel system . rails 202 can be mounted on feet 201 in any suitable manner . for example , rails 202 can include notched surfaces configured to snap onto corresponding features of feet 201 . in other embodiments , rails 202 can be mounted to feet 201 using any suitable hardware ( e . g ., bolts , screws , and or other fasteners ). support legs 203 can be coupled to rails 202 to support the solar panel module . in particular , support legs 203 can be mounted on rails 202 at an angle optimized for the location of the solar panel installation . for example , the angle may be chosen to optimize the angle of a solar panel module to receive maximum sun exposure at a particular latitude . in these and other embodiments , the angle may further be chosen to reduce the effect of uplift caused by wind at the installation site . a windscreen ( e . g ., windscreen 107 of fig1 ) can also be mounted to solar panel system 200 at an angle determined by support legs 203 . support legs 203 can be coupled to rails 202 in any suitable manner . for example , support legs 203 may be configured to snap into rails 202 and / or attach to rails 202 using one or more fasteners . according to some embodiments , mechanical anchor 211 , standoff attachment 212 , standoff bracket 213 and anchor rail 214 can serve to secure solar panel system 200 to a surface . mechanical anchor 211 may be required depending on local regulations and / or conditions at the installation site . mechanical anchor 211 can used , for example , if tall flashings ( e . g ., 8 ″ flashings ) are required for the installation surface ( e . g ., for waterproofing purposes ). in particular , to make room for tall flashings , mechanical anchor 211 can be coupled to anchor rail 214 with standoff bracket 213 and a standoff attachment 212 . standoff bracket 213 can include a riser section coupled to anchor rail 214 with one or more fasteners , a spacer section , which can extend obliquely ( e . g ., at a 45 ° angle ) in a direction away from both anchor rail 214 and the installation surface , and a standoff section for coupling to standoff attachment 212 . standoff attachment 212 may be configured to position mechanical anchor 211 properly with respect to the tall flashing . in embodiments in which a tall flashing is not required , a simpler mechanical anchor 250 can be used to secure solar panel system 200 to the installation surface . in particular , mechanical anchor 250 can simply be coupled to anchor rail 214 with a single bracket , obviating the need for standoff bracket 213 . mechanical anchor 250 may be appropriate , for example , if a shorter flashing such as , for example , a pour in place curb flashing is used . anchor rail 214 can be configured to perpendicularly span and couple to rails 202 to provide a mounting point for standoff bracket 213 , standoff attachment 212 , and mechanical anchor 211 . in some embodiments , anchor rail 214 can be coupled to a rail 202 with an l - foot 215 . l - foot 215 can have a first portion that attaches to anchor rail 214 and a second portion that attaches to rail 202 , thus coupling anchor rail 214 to rail 202 . in some embodiments , l - foot 215 can be coupled to channel nuts snapped into anchor rail 214 and or rail 202 with a bolt . aside from providing a mounting surface for mechanical anchor 211 and / or mechanical anchor 250 , anchor rail 214 may provide additional structural support for solar panel system 200 . fig3 depicts a detailed cross - sectional view of a portion of solar panel system 200 of fig2 , including solar panel module 205 coupled to rail 202 with a split leg 220 , a channel nut 221 , and self - adjusting end clamp 204 . split leg 220 may be a rigid member that is configured to tilt solar panel module 205 at a predetermined angle . in some embodiments , the angle of the short tilt leg used to attach the rail to the module can be varied depending on the desired angle of the module . accordingly , split leg 220 can include a first section configured to lie flush against the top of rail 202 , a second section bent at the predetermined angle from the first section that is configured to lie flat against the bottom surface of solar panel module 205 , and a vertical section extending from the junction between the first section and the second section that is configured to support a the bottom side surface of solar panel module 205 . split leg 220 can be coupled to rail 202 using any suitable fasteners . however , according to some embodiments , a channel nut 221 can be coupled to a channel of rail 202 ( e . g ., by snapping channel nut into notches formed in rail 202 ), and a bolt can be threaded hole in split leg 220 and into a threaded hole of channel nut 221 . furthermore , solar panel module 205 can be coupled to split leg 220 with a clamp . for example , if clamp 204 is at an outer edge of a row of solar panel systems , clamp 204 can be a self - adjusting edge clamp . on the other hand , if clamp 204 is positioned between two solar panel systems in the same row , clamp 204 can be a mid clamp . fig4 depicts a detailed cross - sectional view of solar panel system 200 of fig2 , including solar panel module 205 attached to support leg 203 . in some embodiments , support leg 203 can be formed from a top section 203 a , a rail section 203 b , and a base section 203 c . in such embodiments , solar panel module 205 can be attached to top section 203 a of support leg 203 with clamp 204 ( e . g ., a self - adjusting end clamp or a mid clamp ), and top section 203 a can be attached to a rail section 203 b of support leg 203 with a fastener ( e . g ., a bolt and washer ). support leg 203 can be attached to rail 202 via a base section 203 c , which can , in turn , be attached to rail section 203 b with a fastener ( e . g ., a bolt and washer ). additionally , base section 203 c can be attached to rail 202 with suitable hardware , such as a bolt with a split lock washer threaded into channel nut 221 , which can be identical to channel nut 221 of fig3 . according to other embodiments , support leg 203 could be molded , stamped , or otherwise formed as a single , contiguous piece . fig5 depicts an example embodiment of a partially constructed solar panel system 500 . solar panel system 500 can include feet 501 , rails 502 , support legs 503 , self - adjusting end clamps 504 , solar panel module 505 , wind grates 506 , windscreen 507 , ballast support tray 508 , and anchor rail 514 . solar panel system 500 can be , for example , a subassembly of solar panel system 100 of fig1 . in some embodiments , windscreen 507 , wind grates 506 , and ballast support tray 508 can be formed together as one contiguous piece . for instance , the three sections can be formed from the three portions of a “ zee ” shaped roll form . the top portion of the zee - shaped roll form can form the section for wind grates 506 . wind grates 506 can include openings to allow ventilation for solar panel system 500 and passive cooling of solar panel module 505 . the openings formed to create wind grates 506 can be any suitable shape and size to promote optimal cooling and ventilation while retaining sufficient structural integrity . the main portion of the zee - shaped roll form can form the section for windscreen 507 . windscreen 507 can be configured to block or redirect wind around solar panel system 500 to prevent dangerous uplift forces . windscreen 507 can also include slotted mounting holes 516 to facilitate usage with solar panel modules of varying sizes . windscreen 507 may be coupled to support legs 503 with any suitable fastener ( e . g ., flange nuts ). fig6 depicts a partially constructed solar panel system 600 including an exploded view of a side windscreen 630 and trim pieces 631 , 632 , and 633 . solar panel system can include feet 601 , rails 602 , support legs 603 , self - adjusting end clamps 604 , solar panel module 605 , wind grates 606 , rear windscreen 607 , ballast support tray 608 and side windscreens 610 . solar panel system 600 can be , for example , a subassembly of solar panel system 100 of fig1 . side windscreen 630 can be coupled to the rest of solar panel system 600 with trim pieces 631 , 632 , and 633 . trim piece 631 can include a hook configured to snap onto , or otherwise securely couple to , rail 602 . in some embodiments , the hook can include a flange that engages a notch in a rail 602 . in other embodiments , the hook fits closely against a flange of rail 602 . trim piece . similarly , trim piece 632 can snap onto , or otherwise securely engage , a support leg 603 . trim piece 633 , on the other hand , may be secured to solar panel module 605 with self - adjusting end clamps as discussed in more detail below . trim pieces 631 , 632 , and 633 can each include a slot configured to receive and securely retain an edge of side windscreen 630 . side windscreen 630 may be cheaply and easily manufactured from a flat piece of sheet metal or similar material . in some embodiments , side windscreen 630 can be shaped so as to leave a gap between itself and solar panel module 605 to vent solar panel system 600 and passively cool solar panel module 605 . furthermore , side windscreen 630 can help direct wind around solar panel system 600 to prevent dangerous uplift on solar panel module 605 . according to embodiments in which only a single solar panel system is included in the installation , side windscreens 630 can be mounted on each side of solar panel system 600 . however , if solar panel system 600 is part of a row of individual solar panel systems , side windscreen 630 may only be mounted on one side ( i . e ., the side of solar panel system 600 not directly connected to an adjacent solar panel system in the row ). fig7 is an exemplary embodiment of a wind optimized and ballasted solar panel system 700 . the solar panel system 700 includes feet 701 , rails 702 , support legs 703 , self - adjusting end clamps 704 , solar panel module 705 and a horizontal ballast support tray 750 . fig7 shows a single panel system , but in certain embodiments , rails 702 may continue beyond what is shown in fig7 , allowing for multiple panel systems . solar panel system 700 can be , for example , a subassembly of solar panel system 100 of fig1 . horizontal ballast support tray 750 can be attached to rails 702 with any suitable hardware . according to some embodiments , horizontal ballast support tray 750 can include a number of slotted mounting holes configured receive a combination of a bolt , washers and a channel nut for coupling horizontal ballast support tray 750 to rails 702 . in these embodiments , slotted mounting holes formed in horizontal ballast support tray 750 can receive a bolt 751 configured to thread through a first washer 752 , horizontal ballast support tray 750 , a second washer 753 , and finally into a channel nut 754 . channel nut 754 can be inserted into rail 702 to secure horizontal ballast support tray 750 . further , in some embodiments , horizontal ballast support tray 750 may be formed in one contiguous piece with one or more side or rear windscreens ( not shown in fig1 ). these embodiments can serve to simplify a solar panel system by allowing one part to serve multiple system functions . horizontal ballast support tray 750 can support ballast weights , which can aid in securing solar panel system 700 to a surface . in particular , because the weight required to properly secure solar panel system 700 to the installation surface may vary based on the environmental conditions at the installation site , additional ballast may be required beyond what can be mounted on , for example , ballast support tray 108 of fig1 . horizontal ballast support tray 750 may be constructed of any suitable material ( e . g ., aluminum , steel , plastic or composite ). fig8 a , 8 b , and 8 c depict example embodiments of wind optimized and ballasted solar panel systems 800 a , 800 b , and 800 c . solar panel system 800 can similar , for example , to solar panel system 700 and can include a single horizontal ballast support tray 850 a for loading ballast weights . solar panel systems 800 b and 800 c of fig8 b and 8 c can include two horizontal ballast support trays 850 b and three horizontal ballast support trays 850 c , respectively . the additional trays in solar panel systems 800 b and 800 c can be used to load more ballast weights on the system as required by environmental reasons . the ballast support trays of fig8 a , 8 b , and 8 c can be mounted on solar panel systems 800 a , 800 b , and 800 c with any suitable hardware , including with a bolt , washers and a channel nut as described above with respect to fig7 . any suitable number of ballast support trays can be used to support an appropriate amount of ballast for a solar panel system ( e . g ., based upon environmental conditions at the installation site ). fig9 depicts an isometric view of a partially assembled multi - unit solar panel system 900 . multi - unit solar panel system 900 can include any suitable number of individual solar panel systems ( e . g ., solar panel system 100 of fig1 ) arranged in any suitable number of rows and columns . as depicted , multi - unit solar panel system 900 is designed to have four rows and four columns of individual solar panel systems . each individual solar panel system can include a solar panel module 905 mounted to rails 902 with support legs 903 . additionally , each individual solar panel system can include ballast weights 909 mounted on a ballast weight tray 908 , which can be integrally formed with , or coupled to , windscreen 907 . side windscreens 930 can be mounted on the outer sides of end - of - row individual solar panel systems . that is , side windscreens 930 may not be mounted on the sides of individual solar panel systems that are adjacent to another individual solar panel system in the same row . according to some embodiments , side windscreens 930 can be mounted on individual solar panel systems with trim pieces ( e . g ., trim pieces 631 , 632 , and 633 of fig6 ) and one or more self - adjusting end clamps 904 . solar panel modules can be coupled to multi - unit solar panel system 900 using self - adjusting end clamps 904 and / or mid clamps . for example , self - adjusting end clamps 904 may couple solar panel modules 905 to an individual solar panel system ( e . g ., as described with respect to fig3 and 4 ) on the sides of end - of - row individual solar panel systems that are not adjacent to any other individual solar panel system . contrariwise , where a solar panel module 905 is adjacent to another solar panel module 905 in the same row , mid clamps can be used to secure both of the adjacent solar panel modules 905 to each other and / or to multi - unit solar panel system 900 . a mid clamp can be a single clamp that secures two solar panel modules to one or more support legs 903 . in order to improve the structural integrity of multi - unit solar panel system 900 , windscreens 907 can be configured to overlap adjacent windscreens 907 in the same row . in some embodiments , a windscreen 907 may be coupled to its own individual solar panel system and / or an adjacent individual solar panel system . for example , an individual solar panel system that is adjacent to two other individual solar panel systems in the same row can have a windscreen 907 that is coupled to support legs 903 of its own individual solar panel system as well as one or both of the adjacent individual solar panel systems . in other embodiments , windscreens 907 can overlap without being physically coupled to support legs 903 of adjacent individual solar panel systems . depending on conditions at the installation site , and / or local regulatory requirements , some or all of the individual solar panel systems can include anchor rail 914 , standoff bracket 913 , standoff attachment 912 , and mechanical anchor 911 . anchor rail 914 , standoff bracket 913 , standoff attachment 912 , and mechanical anchor 911 may correspond to , for example , anchor rail 214 , standoff bracket 213 , standoff attachment 212 , and mechanical anchor 211 of fig2 . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the type of mechanical anchor used may also depend on conditions and / or requirements at the installation site and , therefore , a different mechanical anchor ( e . g ., mechanical anchor 250 of fig2 ) may be appropriate for a given multi - unit solar panel system . each row in multi - unit solar panel system 900 may share rails 902 with at least one other row . that is , rails 902 can span the entire length of multi - unit solar panel system 900 . in some embodiments , each rail 902 can be formed as a single , contiguous member that can support all of the rows of individual solar panel systems in multi - unit solar panel system 900 . in other embodiments , each rail 902 can include a number of individual rails that are coupled ( e . g ., spliced ) together . although , these embodiments may require extra hardware , they may be preferable as it can be difficult to manufacture and ship very long rails . regardless of whether each rail is contiguous or multi - sectioned , rails 902 can be mounted on feet 901 ( e . g ., as described with respect to fig1 ) after feet 901 are placed on the installation surface . fig1 a depicts an exploded view of a rail splice 1010 . rail splice 1010 can include rail 1002 a spliced to rail 1002 b with rail splice insert 1040 , rails splice top 1041 , bolts 1042 , and split lock washers 1043 . in particular , rail splice insert 1040 can be configured to slide or snap into notches formed in rail 1002 a and 1002 b . rail 1002 a and 1002 b may be pushed together ( e . g ., until they are abutting ), and then rail splice top 1041 can be placed above rail splice insert 1040 and clamped into place using bolts 1042 and split lock washers 1043 . fig1 b depicts a perspective view of assembled rail splice 910 , including rail 1002 a spliced to rail 1002 b with rail splice insert 1040 , rails splice top 1041 , and bolts 1042 ( split lock washers 1043 are not visible in fig1 b ). in some embodiments , one or more rail splices 1010 can be used to couple together multiple rails for a solar panel system ( e . g ., multi - sectioned rails 902 of multi - unit solar panel system 900 of fig9 ). fig1 depicts an attachment assembly 1100 with a self - adjusting end clamp 1110 . self - adjusting end clamp 1110 may correspond to , for example , self - adjusting end clamp 104 of fig1 . accordingly , self - adjusting end clamp 1110 can be configured to attach a solar panel module to an individual solar panel system ( e . g ., solar panel system 100 of fig1 ) or at the ends of rows of solar panel systems that form a multi - unit solar panel system ( e . g ., multi - unit solar panel system 900 of fig9 ). self - adjusting end clamp 1110 can include a top member 1111 and a bottom member 1112 for attaching a solar panel module 1105 to a support leg 1103 mounted to rail 1102 , which can , in turn , be supported by support foot 1001 . self - adjusting end clamp 1110 can grip solar panel module 1105 with top member 1111 and bottom member 1112 , which can each include holes for receiving a bolt 1113 . as bolt 1113 is tightened , bolt 1113 can move top member 1111 towards bottom member 1112 , thereby gripping the solar panel module 1105 between top member 1111 and bottom member 1112 . top member 1111 of the self - adjusting end clamp 1110 can be a rectangular - prism shaped member that includes top and sides that include the holes for receiving bolt 1113 . top member 1111 can also include opposing vertical sides , a first of which can engage solar panel module 1105 while the second can engage a vertical leg of bottom member 1112 . additionally , top member 1111 can have a lip portion 1111 - 1 extending perpendicularly from the top side of the first vertical side that can engage a top surface of solar panel module 1105 . lip portion 1111 - 1 can provide a clamping force on solar panel module 1105 when bolt 1113 is tightened . bottom member 1112 can be an l - shaped member with a vertical leg that engages the second vertical side of top member 1111 . as bolt 1113 is tightened , the vertical leg of bottom member 1112 can slide against and relative to the second vertical side of top member 1111 . additionally , bottom member 1112 can include a horizontal portion 1112 - 1 that can partially slide under the solar panel module 1105 . horizontal portion 1112 - 1 can include a ridge that prevents solar panel module 1105 from making contact with the bolt 1113 . according to some embodiments , bottom member 1112 can also include a clip portion 1112 - 2 for coupling a trim member to the solar panel system . clip portion 1112 - 2 can extend obliquely from the vertical leg of bottom member 1112 in a direction extending away from solar panel module 1105 and towards support leg 1103 . clip portion 1112 - 2 can clamp down on a u - shaped portion 1133 - 2 of trim 1133 . for example , clip portion 1112 - 2 can be inserted into a u - shaped portion 1133 - 2 such that trim 1133 is held in place against support leg 1103 . a main section 1133 - 1 of trim snap 1133 can be configured to retain a top edge of a side windscreen 1130 . a bottom edge of side windscreen 1130 can be retained within a main section 1131 - 1 of trim 1131 . furthermore , trim 1131 can be snapped onto a flange of rail 902 with a trim snap 1131 - 2 . in some embodiments , trim 1131 and 1133 can be identical , with trim snap 1133 - 1 of trim 1133 corresponding to u - shaped portion 1133 - 2 of trim 1133 and main section 1131 - 1 corresponding to main section 1133 - 1 . fig1 a shows a cross - sectional view of self - adjusting end clamp 1210 in accordance with some embodiments . self - adjusting end clamp 1210 may be similar to , for example , self - adjusting end clamp 1210 , described above with respect to fig1 and can include a top member 1211 , a bottom member 1212 , and a bolt 1213 . self - adjusting end clamp 1210 may be configured to secure a solar panel module 1205 a as part of a solar panel system ( e . g ., wind optimized and ballasted solar panel system 100 of fig1 ). the main body section of top member 1211 can include two vertically - aligned holes for receiving bolt 1213 . bolt 1213 can extend fully through opposing sides of top member 1211 with the head of bolt 1213 abutting one of the opposing sides and the threaded end of bolt 1213 extending through the other opposing side . top member 1211 can also include a lip 1211 - 1 that extends perpendicularly from the main body section of top member 1111 . as assembled , lip 1211 - 1 can engage the top surface of solar panel module 1205 a while a side surface of solar panel module 1205 a abuts a surface of the main body section of top member 1211 that is situated perpendicular to lip 1211 - 1 . bottom member 1212 may be coupled to top member 1211 with bolt 1213 . in particular , a first surface of bottom member 1212 can include a threaded hole that is configured to be vertically aligned with the two vertically - aligned holes of top member 1211 . this first surface of bottom member 1212 , as assembled , can be arranged parallel to lip 1211 - 1 and configured to engage the bottom surface of solar panel module 1205 a . tightening bolt 1213 can bring top member 1211 and bottom member 1212 closer together , resulting in a clamping force on solar panel module 1205 a . further , bolt 1213 may be configured to couple to system anchor 1221 . system anchor 1221 may be any system component suitable for supporting self - adjusting end clamp 1210 . for example , system anchor 1221 may be a rail insert , such as a channel nut ( e . g ., channel nut 221 of fig3 ), or a support leg component ( e . g ., top section 203 a of support leg 203 of fig4 ). bottom member 1212 may also include an integrally formed second surface 1212 - 2 , perpendicular to the first surface and in substantial alignment with bolt 1213 . this second surface 1212 - 2 of bottom member 1212 can abut the main body section of top member 1211 on a side opposing the surface of the main body section of top member 1211 that abuts solar panel module 1205 a such that top member 1211 is “ sandwiched ” between solar panel module 1205 a and second surface 1212 - 2 of bottom member 1212 . as shown , the first surface of bottom member 1212 may include a ridge 1212 - 1 configured to prevent solar panel module 1205 a from sliding towards bolt 1213 . fig1 b and 12c show further cross - sectional views of self - adjusting end clamp 1210 in accordance with some embodiments . in particular fig1 b and 12c depict self - adjusting end clamp 1210 engaging solar panels of various thicknesses . for example , the same self - adjusting end clamp 1210 can be used to effectively clamp solar panel module 1205 a , 1205 b , and 1205 c , which have varying thicknesses . because self - adjusting clamp 1210 can be used for clamping solar panels of various thicknesses , the clamp may be used universally for various wind - optimized and ballasted solar panel system embodiments . fig1 is a perspective view of a section of a solar panel system 1300 in accordance with some embodiments . solar panel system 1300 can include solar panel 1305 , self - adjusting end clamp 1310 , and rail 1302 . self - adjusting end clamp 1310 may be similar to self - adjusting end clamp 1310 of fig1 a - c and can include top member 1311 , bottom member 1312 , and bolt 1313 . rail 1302 can include rail insert 1321 , which may be configured to slide or snap into rail 1302 . rail insert 1321 can include a threaded hole that is configured to receive the threaded end of bolt 1313 after it passes through top member 1311 and bottom member 1312 of self - adjusting end clamp 1310 . rail insert 1321 may correspond to , for example , channel nut 221 of fig3 . as assembled , lip 1311 - 1 prevents solar panel 1305 from being lifted out of solar panel system 1300 , and ridge 1312 - 1 prevents solar panel 1305 from sliding towards bolt 1313 . in this configuration , tightening bolt 1313 securely fastens self - adjusting end clamp 1310 to rail 1302 in addition to providing a clamping force to solar panel 1305 . according to some embodiments , self - adjusting end clamp 1310 may be bolted to component of a support leg ( e . g ., top section 203 a of support leg 203 of fig4 ). while there have been described wind tunnel optimized solar panel systems , it is to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art , now known or later devised , are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims . therefore , obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements . the described embodiments of the invention are presented for the purpose of illustration and not of limitation . | 8 |
this invention (“ mywebkey ”) facilitates business transactions in an internet - enabled economy and overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a one - touch e - commerce connection between end - users and advertisers . end - users are typically people who use the internet . advertisers are typically entities who want to reach end - users and direct them to their internet sites . the invention includes a keyboard that has function keys which are programmed and customized to provide one - touch internet access according to the needs and interests of each end - user . the function keys can include branding logos of an advertiser , allowing the advertiser to advertise to an end - user each time an end - user uses the keyboard . upon depressing a single function key , an end - user , whether on - line or offline , can be directly connected to a specific internet site . further , the present invention includes an advertiser / client interface that allows an advertiser to determine how many end - users accessed their internet site . more specific information concerning end - users that access an advertiser &# 39 ; s internet site can also be provided to an advertiser . a part of the present invention is a keyboard that has function keys programmed to connect the end - user to specific internet sites . the keyboard is distributed to an end - user who connects the keyboard to a computer system . the computer system can include a processor , memory , a internet browser , and internet access . the keyboard of the present invention can include any standard keyboard that includes function keys . a preferred keyboard used as part of the present invention , is a keyboard that has been modified to include icons on the function keys . the icons can include pictures and / or words that inform the end - user of specific internet sites or topics that can be reached by activating the function keys . for example , an icon for a travel site can be placed on the f2 key . when the f2 key is then pressed , the end - user is directed to a predetermined travel - related internet site . in this form of the invention , advertisers could place their icon on the keyboard prior to distribution to the end - user . the end - user would then be constantly aware of the advertiser &# 39 ; s internet site while using the keyboard , and the end - user could access the advertiser &# 39 ; s internet site by simply activating the appropriate function key . another embodiment of the present invention can allow the end - user to select what internet sites will be accessed when the function keys are operated . for example , an end - user in the travel industry could program all of the function keys to access a variety of airline sites simply by activating the function keys . the keyboard can also include a toggle capability . the toggle capability allows for the end - user to change the functionality of the function keys from normal function key operation to one - touch access to specific internet pages . for example , the “ scroll lock ” may serve as a toggle key between one - touch internet access and normal function key operation . this keyboard may be used for both ordering and advertising purposes , streamlining the business process and increasing productivity . another part of the present invention is software that causes several actions to occur when the end - user activates a function key that has been toggled to provide one - touch access to an internet location . preferably , the software determines if the user has internet access available . if the user does not have internet access , the software can attempt to obtain internet access . for example , the software can attempt to initiate a modem connection by calling an internet service provider . once internet access is obtained , the software causes the end - user &# 39 ; s system to transmit various information concerning the end - user and the end - user &# 39 ; s selection to a server location . the server , is one or more systems that store information concerning the end - user in a database or databases and redirects the end - user to an internet location corresponding to the end - user &# 39 ; s selection . preferably a registration process is used as part of the present invention . in the registration process , the end - user registers the mywebkey system at a internet portal . the internet portal can be reached through the end - user &# 39 ; s internet connection . at the internet portal , an end - user can register and preferably customize their keyboard . via this internet portal , a user may also access additional internet functions , including , for example , email , chat rooms , calendar , address book , searching , news , weather and other ticker information , facsimile services , broadband service , internet storage , etc . the registration process can include having the end - user answer a variety of questions about themselves and their preferences . preferable questions can include the end - user &# 39 ; s : first name , last name , email address , country , home address , home phone number , college attended , college address , employer &# 39 ; s name , employer &# 39 ; s address , occupation , birth date , gender , race , and spending habits . it will be recognized that these questions represent only a sampling of the possible information that can be collected upon registration . in addition , many of these questions can be emitted to provide the end - user greater privacy . the end - user &# 39 ; s responses ( hereinafter referred to as userinfo ) to these questions at the internet portal are preferably stored in a database on the server system . preferably , the user is assigned a unique user identification code ( hereinafter referred to as a userid ). preferably , the userid is assigned to the end - user during the registration process . the userid could also be assigned to the mywebkey system prior to distribution to the end - user . in this embodiment of the invention each individual system is given a userid before distribution to an end - user . registering the mywebkey system then just associates the specific user with the previously determined userid . the userid is linked to the userinfo . a copy of the userid can be stored on the end - users computer system in addition to the server system . the userid is then transmitted to the server when the user activates the mywebkey software system . by linking the userid to the userinfo database , it is possible to access a variety of information about an end - user who is using the mywebkey system . in addition to the userid , the end - user &# 39 ; s system preferably transmits a keyboard identification code ( hereinafter keyboardid ), which tells the server how the end - user &# 39 ; s function keys are programmed . for example , different versions of the software and / or keyboards used as part of the present invention can be distributed to different end - users . for example , on one keyboard , the f2 key may access a sports related internet site , while on another keyboard the f2 key may access a travel related internet site . the keyboardid would allow different versions of the keyboard to be distributed to different end - users , while a single server system is used to redirect the end - user to their selected internet site . the end - user &# 39 ; s system also preferably transmits which function key is selected by the end - user . the identification of the selected function key along with the keyboardid , allows the server to determine what internet site the end - user has chosen . the server can then redirect the end - user according to their selection . the end - user &# 39 ; s system can also transmit a partner identifier . the partner identifier , identifies another party that can be given credit for the end - user &# 39 ; s use of the mywebkey system . this other party , for example , could have distributed the mywebkey system to the end user or obtained advertisers to advertise on a keyboard used as part of the present invention . the server receives the information transmitted by the end - user &# 39 ; s system via an internet connection . after receiving this information , the server stores information about the end - user &# 39 ; s selection in one or more databases for later use . preferably the server stores one or more of the following : the userid , the date and time of the end - user &# 39 ; s request , the ip - address of the end - user , which key the end - user activated , and which internet site the end - user has chosen . after receiving and storing information about the end - user &# 39 ; s request , the server system then redirects the end - user to the internet address that corresponds to their request . another aspect of the present invention is an advertiser / client ( hereinafter just referred to as client ) information retrieval system . clients typically own and / or control the internet locations that the user selects by activating a function key according to the present invention . for example , a client could arrange to have an icon representing their internet page placed on a keyboard . when an end - user activates the function key with the client &# 39 ; s icon on it , the end - user would be transferred by the server system to the client &# 39 ; s internet page . however , clients need not be associated with internet pages accessed by an end - user activating a function key . client &# 39 ; s can include anyone that seeks to determine information concerning end - user &# 39 ; s internet activities . by accessing the server , the client could determine specific information about the end - user that access specific internet pages . information that can be provided to clients can , for example , include the number of end - users that access a specific page , the average time of day an end - user accesses the specific page , and a geographical breakdown of the ip - addresses of end - user that access the specific internet page . the client may also be given more personal access to information concerning the end - users that access internet pages using the mywebkey system . the userid that is transmitted to the server during the end - user &# 39 ; s request , can be linked to the end - user &# 39 ; s userinfo . by linking the userid with the userinfo more specific data concerning the end - user &# 39 ; s that access the internet pages can be supplied to the client . for example , the number of end - users that access an internet page by age group , by gender , and by university attended . in one embodiment of mywebkey system , the client is given only non specific information concerning the end - users that access their internet site . for example , the number of end - users that access their internet site , a geographical breakdown of the end - users that access their internet site by ip address , and the average time of day an end user access &# 39 ; s the client &# 39 ; s internet site . in this embodiment of the invention , personal information concerning the end - user is not released to clients or any third parties . in another embodiment of the mywebkey system , a client is given access only to information concerning end - users that access internet pages associated with the particular client . this embodiment of the mywebkey system maintains the privacy of the clients . in addition to providing demographic information concerning end - users that access internet pages using the mywebkey system , the client information retrieval system can also be used as a way of billing clients . for example , the number of end - users that access a client &# 39 ; s internet page using the mywebkey system can be calculated . the client could then be charged for each end - user that accesses their internet page using the mywebkey system . [ 0031 ] fig1 depicts an exemplary network suitable for practicing the mywebkey system . the network includes an end - user system 10 and a server system 26 connected by a network 24 . the end - users system 10 comprises a mywebkey keyboard 12 , a processor 14 , memory 16 , storage 18 , mywebkey software 20 , and a internet browser 22 . the mywebkey keyboard 12 includes function keys f1 through f12 . the function keys on the mywebkey keyboard 12 have icons on the function keys that represent internet sites that an end - user can connect to by activating the appropriate function key . the end - user system can be a conventional pc running a conventional operating system , including , for example , windows 95 , 98 , or 2000 , or macintosh . the mywebkey software 20 includes a driver which is resident in the systems , memory 16 . the driver monitors whether any function key that is activated to provide one - touch internet access is pressed by an end - user . when an end - user activates an appropriate function key on the mywebkey keyboard 12 , the mywebkey software 20 is automatically opens a internet browser program 22 on the end - user system . in addition , the mywebkey software 20 , determines if a network connection 24 has been established . if a network connection 24 has not been established , the mywebkey software attempts to establish an network connection , by connecting to an internet service provider by modem . if a network connection 24 has been established , the mywebkey software transfers a userid and function key selection information to the server system 26 via the internet connection 24 . the server system 26 comprises a processor 28 , storage capability 30 which contains a database 36 and internet function software 34 . the database 36 contains previously entered information concerning several end - users . when the server system 26 receives the end - users request over the network 24 , the internet function software 34 causes information concerning the end - user &# 39 ; s request to be stored in the database 36 . in addition , the internet function software 34 redirects the end - user &# 39 ; s internet browser 22 to an internet site corresponding to the activated function key . the end - user activated on the mywebkey keyboard 12 . [ 0034 ] fig2 depicts a software flow diagram of an activation process for activating a mywebkey keyboard once the mywebkey keyboard and software have been installed on the end - user &# 39 ; s computer . in fig2 the end - user starts by running mywebkey activation software 202 to activate the keyboard . the activation software first collects userinfo through a survey form 202 . after collecting userinfo through the survey form , the software then validates that all necessary fields have been filled in 204 . if all the necessary fields have not been filled in , or have been filled in incorrectly , the end - user is sent back to step 202 to fill in the missing or incorrect userinfo . if all necessary fields have been filled in the data is encrypted and stored on the end - user &# 39 ; s computer 206 . after the userinfo has been collected , validated , encrypted , and stored on the user &# 39 ; s computer , the activation process ends 208 . [ 0035 ] fig3 depicts the procedure for registering the mywebkey system at the mywebkey server . the registration process begins by decrypting the userinfo 302 . after the userinfo is decrypted a connection is established between the end - user &# 39 ; s system and the mywebkey server 304 . the mywebkey server processes and stores the userinfo in a mywebkey database 306 . the mywebkey server then generates a unique userid and transmits the unique userid back to the end - user &# 39 ; s system 308 . the unique userid is stored in the registry of the end - user &# 39 ; s system 310 . after the unique userid is stored on the end - user system , the registration process ends 312 . [ 0036 ] fig4 depicts a process performed when an end - user activates a function activated by the mywebkey software . the process begins when an end - user presses a function key 402 . when an end - user depresses a function key , the end - user &# 39 ; s unique userid and information concerning the configuration of the keyboard and the key depressed by the user is sent to the mywebkey server 404 . the mywebkey server stores information concerning the user &# 39 ; s request in a mywebkey database 406 . the mywebkey server then redirects the end - user &# 39 ; s internet browser to a internet page corresponding to the function key activated by the end - user 408 . while the present invention has been described relative to an embodiment , persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this description is exemplary and that the mywebkey system may include additional or different components while remaining within the scope of the present invention . | 6 |
in the following discussion , numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details . in other instances , well - known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail . additionally , for the most part , details concerning network communications , electromagnetic signaling techniques , and the like , have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention , and are considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art . referring to fig1 of the drawings , the reference numeral 100 generally designates an exploded view of a gas activation , production , dispensing and control assembly using a manual reaction activation method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the assembly 100 comprises support housing 102 , removable reaction chambers 106 , screens 108 , filters 110 , lids 112 , and a handle 122 . the main body of the assembly 100 is the support housing 102 . there are a number of configurations that can be employed , but a convenient design is a vessel having vertically extending side walls and a bottom surface connecting the side walls . the support housing 102 also has an opening in the top where other members can be inserted . the support housing 102 can also be a smooth , continuous surface or it can be several joined , flat surfaces . for example , the support housing has a compartment for each reaction chamber and can have curved surfaces such that it curves around the reaction chambers 106 in approximately the shape of a figure eight , as viewed from above . in such a configuration the gas activation , production , dispensing and control assembly 100 can be conveniently worn on the hip , by clip - on or otherwise of say , a miner , construction worker or emergency service personnel . additionally , the support housing 102 can employ two guides 104 that protrude outwardly from the side walls of the support housing 102 to interface with and / or slidably receive the guided members 114 of the handle 122 . in the manual activation device shown in fig1 , the two guide members 104 allow the user to activate the chemical reaction producing the oxygen or other gas , by pushing the handle 122 in a direction toward the housing 102 . the two guide members 104 allow for this to be a smooth and easy process . upon completion of the chemical reaction , the two guide members 104 similarly allow for a smooth and easy disengagement of the handle 122 in a direction away from the housing 102 utilizing a quick release mechanism 720 ( depicted in fig7 , but not shown in fig1 ). the support housing 102 can also act as an additional insulating material to act as a heat shield for any excess heat being generated in the reaction chambers . each of the reaction chambers 106 can be placed within the support housing 102 such that access can be gained to each reaction chamber 106 . the reaction chambers 106 can be made of a durable thermoplastic with high tensile strength , high resistance to chemical reactions and high resistance to heat . for example , the reaction chambers 106 can be made of polycarbonate or polytetrafluoroethylene . the lids 112 can be attached to the reaction chambers 106 . for example , reaction chambers 106 can have internal female threads and the lids 112 can have corresponding external male threads . alternatively , the lids 112 can be attached to the reaction chambers 106 by clip in , lock in or click in designs . screens 108 and filters 110 can be seated on a flange 107 inside reaction chambers 106 , but such is not essential to the design . for example , screens 108 and filters 110 can also simply be maintained in position by mechanical pressure , or glued , as depicted in fig3 . the reaction chambers 106 are typically cylindrically shaped , but can be any other shape . the reaction chambers 106 , however , can be coupled to the lids 112 prior to insertion into the support housing 102 . referring to fig2 of the drawings , the reference numeral 200 generally designates a primed gas production control vessel . when the vessel 200 is in the primed position , gas production can be initiated by engaging the handle 122 . the guide members 104 ( of support housing 102 ) can contain and guide the arms 114 of the handle 122 . by allowing the arms 114 to freely slide within the guides 104 a user would simply place pressure on the handle 122 in a direction toward the support housing 102 . from the primed position , it is evident that alignment can be an advantageous feature . each of the spiked plungers 118 can be aligned with an opening 116 of a lid 112 . therefore , when engaged , each of the spiked plungers 118 can be slidably inserted into each of the reaction chambers 106 to initiate the reaction and carry out the resultant gas . referring to fig3 of the drawings , the reference numeral 300 generally designates a cut - away of a gas activation , production , dispensing and control vessel in use . when fully assembled , control of the gas production is achieved through the use of multiple reaction chambers 106 . two reaction chambers are depicted , but there can be more reaction chambers depending on the desired flow rate and yield . one reaction chamber can also be used . chemical reactions occur in the lower portions 210 of the reaction chambers 106 . by varying the proportion , amounts and / or composition of the reactants within the vessel , two different reaction rates ( and yields ) can be maintained independently in each of the reaction chambers 106 . hence , each reaction chamber 106 can contribute a fractional gas output of the total gas output of the vessel , allowing for a variety of gas yields and flow rates . moreover , the reactants in each reaction chamber 106 can vary , as well , to achieve a desired gas yield and gas flow rate . each of the reaction chambers 106 rests within the support housing 102 . each of two guided members 114 of the handle 122 are inserted through one of two guide members 104 . each of the reaction chambers 106 are then coupled to the handle 122 by mechanical couplers 206 . the mechanical couplers 206 can be a variety of mechanical coupler types , such as threaded couplers or couplers employing snapping edges . thus , the combination of use of the guide members 104 and the couplers 206 allow for a good mechanical connection during use . also while in use , spiked plungers 118 can be employed to allow gas transmission from the reaction chambers 106 to the gas transmission channel 202 of the handle 122 . the spiked plungers 118 can each be coupled to the handle 122 within the gas transmission channel 202 of the handle 122 and can each be inserted into a reaction chamber 106 . each spiked plunger 118 can contact both the filter 110 and the screen 108 . the screens 108 can be located at positions adjacent to the lower portions 210 , which allow gas to pass and provide mechanical support for the filters 110 . because of the mechanical constraints of the mechanical couplers 206 and the guide members 104 , the spiked plungers 118 can each maintain mechanical contact between the filter 110 and the screen 108 . gas produced within the lower portions of the reaction chamber 106 can then pass around the tip of the plunger 118 , through the screens 108 , the filters 110 , and into transmission openings 224 in spiked plungers 118 . once closed , each of the reaction chambers 106 and the lids 112 , along with the reaction chambers &# 39 ; contents such as the gas / oxygen generating material , catalyst , water , screen and filter forms a self - contained cartridge 109 that can be disposable . each self - contained cartridge 109 is therefore easily replaceable if a user requires additional oxygen or gas ( as the case may be ) upon completion of a use . for example , the gas activation , production , dispensing and control assembly 300 can be designed to produce 15 minutes of oxygen for emergency or short - duration purposes . if the user requires additional oxygen at the end of that 15 - minute period , he / she can simply replace one or both the cartridges 109 to have an additional 15 minutes of oxygen availability . each used cartridge 109 is simply discarded or recycled ( if applicable ) after use , allowing for simplicity and ease of use . self - contained cartridges can be attached to each other to form one removable , self - contained cartridge . the lids 112 can each have a cap to close the respective openings 116 , after the completion of the reaction . closing the openings 116 facilitates the prevention of any leakage of the reaction residue and thereby facilitates convenient disposal of the cartridges . in reference to the self - contained cartridges 109 there are various configurations possible in regards to the relative locations of the gas / oxygen releasing agent , the catalyst and the water , comprising the ingredients used to make the reaction in the current invention work . the gas / oxygen releasing agent , the catalyst and the water remain separated until a reaction is required . the gas / oxygen releasing agent and the catalyst can remain inert and can have an indefinite shelf life if they are kept dry and moisture free . one configuration example is to have the gas / oxygen releasing agent located at the base of the cartridge ( in reaction chambers 106 ), the catalyst located above the gas / oxygen releasing agent , and the water located above the catalyst , such as for example in the plenums 111 of the lids 112 . upon activation , the water is released and can flow in toward the lower portion of the reaction chamber 106 , where the gas / oxygen producing agent ( not shown ) is disposed , carrying the catalyst along with it through a flushing action , to mix with the gas / oxygen releasing agent at the base of the cartridge . we refer to this cartridge configuration as a water releasing cartridge . in this invention we will discuss different designs for water releasing cartridges . a different cartridge configuration , however , is one where the gas / oxygen releasing agent is located above the water and the catalyst . in this cartridge configuration , the gas / oxygen releasing agent and / or the catalyst is / are released to mix with the water in order to activate the reaction . we refer to this cartridge configuration as a chemical releasing cartridge . in either cartridge configuration , once a chemical reaction is initiated , the resultant gas can carry small airborne droplets of the gas production solution , or can carry small particles from the reactants . these airborne particles can be undesirable to the equipment attached to the gas generator or to the lungs of an individual . therefore , there is a need to filter these undesirable particles . there are several methods that can be used to filter such undesirable particles . methods that can be used include selecting appropriate materials to capture the undesirable particles , and to select an appropriate configuration by locating the selected materials in an appropriate location , relative to other components in the invention . therefore , material selection and placement can be important factors . however , the filter material employed depends on the gas produced , the composition of the solution , and the usage of the gas . in reference to fig1 , the filters 110 can be sponge - like materials to capture the undesirable particles , while allowing the gas to flow through at desirable flow rates . other effective filter materials can be polytetrafluoroethylene or can be nylon ®, which is available from dupont . in addition to absorbing or filtering out undesirable particles , filters can also be useful in extracting some heat out of the gas being produced , either in their untreated form , or by being treated with various substances . fig4 depicts an example of a screen that can be used . the screens 108 can serve to support the filters 110 , while allowing the water to rapidly and evenly disperse into the reaction chambers 106 , in order to activate the chemical reaction that produces the oxygen or gas , as the case may be . in order to allow fluid transfer through the screen 108 , several opening can be provided . the edges of the screen 108 would rest against the inner walls of a reaction chamber 106 or on a surface within the reaction chamber 106 . fluids would then be allowed to pass through the openings 404 , 402 , and 406 . additionally , when engaged , the spiked plungers 118 would at least partially reside within the opening 402 . referring to fig5 a , 5b , and 5 c of the drawings the reference numeral 500 generally designates a foam breaker . fig5 a depicts a cross sectional view of the foam breaker 500 , where the opening 502 would allow the spiked plunger 118 to reside when engaged . fig5 b depicts a side view of the foam breaker 500 , and fig5 c depicts a side view of the foam breaker 500 when compressed . chemical reactions can produce foam , and a foam breaker 500 can counteract this effect . for example , a steel mesh with an appropriate mesh size can be used . another material that can be used as a foam breaker is a commonly used pot scourer or scrub sponge material , or durable foam material . the foam breaker can be optionally placed within the same fluid transmission path in which both . the screens 108 and the filters 110 reside . the screens 108 can also act as foam breakers , and the filters 110 can also act as foam breakers . the screens 108 and filters 110 , acting together can also act as foam breakers . another method is to apply a defoaming agent or surfactant to the walls and / or the screen and / or the lid and filter . defoaming agents that can be used include silicone based , polymer based or mineral oil based agents , as well as other surfactants . regardless of where the foam breaker or defoaming agent is placed in the device , the filter should follow the foam breaker or defoaming agent ( as considered in the direction of the gas flow ). referring to fig6 of the drawings , the reference numeral 122 generally designates the handle . the handle 122 effectively operates as a manifold . especially in situations where multiple reaction chambers are used , it is desirable to have a manifold or similar method of combining the gas flow from each individual reaction chamber 106 . the manifold gas transmission channel 202 performs the function of combining gases , and the gas flows from each reaction chamber 106 into the ports 602 . the gases are then combined in the manifold gas transmission channel 202 . upon activation , however , the spiked plungers 118 should provide a continuous gas transmission to the manifold gas transmission channel 202 . the mechanical coupler 206 can secure lids 112 in such a manner as to seal off the opening 116 of the lids 112 and maintain the connection between the spiked plunger 118 and the handle 122 . specifically , the mechanical coupler 206 can be a simple coupler 206 to which the nozzle 116 of the self - contained cartridge 109 is inserted , as depicted in fig3 in another embodiment , the couple 206 or can comprise a cooperatively designed male connector adapted to fit over the nozzle 116 , as depicted in fig8 , and a female connector adapted to fit into the male connection , as depicted in fig7 , 10 b and 10 c . with initial reference to fig7 , e the reference numeral 700 refers to the female connector . the female connector 700 is typically attached to the spiked plunger 118 , where the spiked plunger 118 is inserted into the opening 704 of the female connector 700 . additionally , as depicted in fig1 and 15 , the female connector couples to the ports 602 of the handle 122 . when engaged , the female connector 700 snaps into place . the female connector 700 comprises an arm 702 that possesses an engagement edge that allows for coupling to a male connector . additionally , the female connector 700 can be made of various materials , including , without limitation polypropylene , polyethylene , polycarbonate , hdpe , abs , acetal , or polysulfone . referring to fig8 of the drawings , the reference numeral depicts a male connector . fig8 is a side view of the male connector 800 , with the o - ring seal shown in cross - section for clarity . the male connector 800 is a cylindrical tube that is able to engage the female connector 700 . the male connector can comprise an o - ring 802 , an upper edge 804 , and a lower edge 806 . the o - ring 802 is responsible for providing a gas seal between the male connector 800 to the female connector 700 the the male connector 800 is inserted into the female connector during use . the o - ring can be made of various materials , including , without limitation , silicone or platinum - cured silicone . platinum - cured silicone can allow for repeated usage of more than one thousand times . the lower edge 806 can engage the edge of the arm 702 by a clicking action . to more conveniently allow for the clicking action to take place , a slanted engaging face 808 is employed . additionally , the upper edge 804 prevents excessive play by providing a stop for the edge of the arm 702 . the male connector can also be made of various materials , including , without limitation polypropylene , polyethylene , polycarbonate , hdpe , abs , acetal , or polysulfone . the male connector 800 can then be secured to the lid 112 by using threads . typically , the lid 112 is coupled to the male connector through the opening 810 . therefore , female threads would be contained on the inner walls of the male connector 800 while the male threads would be contained on the lid 112 . once the reaction is completed , the female connector 700 and the male connector 800 can be easily and quickly disengaged . the quick release mechanism 720 can be coupled to the arm 702 of the female coupler 700 . by pressing the quick release mechanism 720 in the direction toward the plane created by the azimuthal axes of the spiked plungers 118 , the male connector and the female connector can be disengaged . additionally , the quick release mechanism 720 can be configured to disengage the female connectors 700 from the male connectors 800 by simply gripping the quick release lever 128 in a direction toward the handle 122 . for applications such as emergency applications it is desirable to have an efficient and easy activation method , which is simultaneously manufacturable and economical . for such emergency applications , the activation method should be such as to commence the chemical reaction instantaneously or near instantaneously with typically one easy step . for example , activation can be achieved by a single push - down action that applies pressure to the handle 122 . a system can also be electronic or a sensor , such as for example a system used to detect decompression in aircraft , thereby triggering the deployment of emergency oxygen in the aircraft cabin . in one embodiment , during activation of the chemical reaction , the spiked plungers 118 ′ are each inserted into lids 112 . the spiked plunger 118 and 118 ′ are typically hollow cylindrically - shaped members that have a tip that is suitable for and utilized to puncture a material . referring to fig9 of the drawings , the reference numeral 900 generally designates one embodiment of the connectable spiked plunger . specifically , the connectable spiked plunger 900 comprises a female connector 700 and a spiked plunger 118 . the spiked plunger 118 can comprise a cylindrically - shaped shaft 906 with a spiked end 904 . within the spiked plunger 118 is a gas transmission channel 902 along the azimuthal axis of the spiked plunger 118 that allows gas to travel through the plunger 900 . additionally , transmission openings 224 are employed to allow the gas transmission channel 902 to be in fluid contact with gas outside of the spiked plunger 118 . in particular the plunger 900 is designed to puncture a material container or containment bag to initiate a chemical reaction . for example , the spiked plunger 118 can puncture a container or bag that contains water , or the spiked plunger 118 can be used to puncture a membrane or other material , causing the release of water or chemicals , as the case may be . the spiked plungers 118 can be made of durable thermoplastic with high tensile strength , high resistance to chemical reactions and high resistance to heat . for example , the spiked plungers 118 can be made of polycarbonate . in another embodiment , an extended spiked plunger can be employed . referring to fig1 a , 10b , and 10 c , the reference numeral 1000 generally designates an extended spiked plunger 118 ′. specifically , the plunger 118 ′ can comprise a female connector 700 and a spiked plunger 118 ′. however , the spiked plunger 118 ′ is different in that it is extended . the spiked plunger 118 comprises a torso 1002 and an extension shaft 1004 with a sharp tip 1006 . the torso 1002 can be cylindrically shaped and employ a gas transmission channel 902 along the azimuthal axis of the torso 1002 that allows gas to travel through the plunger 118 ′. additionally , transmission openings 224 can be employed to allow the gas transmission channel 902 to be in fluid contact with gas outside of the spiked plunger 118 ′. attached at the end of the torso 1002 is the extension shaft 1004 . the extension shaft 1004 can be cylindrically - shaped with one end inserted into the female receptive aperture 1008 at the end of the torso 1002 . the sharp tip 1006 can then be attached to the other end of the extension shaft 1004 . in particular , the plunger 1000 is designed to puncture a material containment container or bag to initiate a chemical reaction . for example , the spiked plunger 118 can puncture a container or bag that contains water , or the spiked plunger 118 can be used to puncture a membrane or other material , causing the release of water or chemicals , as the case may be . the spiked plungers 118 can be made of durable thermoplastic with high tensile strength , high resistance to chemical reactions and high resistance to heat . for example , the spiked plungers 118 can be made of polycarbonate . in yet another embodiment , an initiator can be employed as a push - button , lever or pin . an initiation system can also be electronic or a sensor , such as for example a system used to detect decompression in aircraft , thereby triggering the deployment of emergency oxygen in the aircraft cabin . referring to fig1 of the drawings , the reference numeral 1100 depicts a spring loaded spiked plunger 1118 . the spring loaded spiked plunger 1118 then can utilize potential energy stored in a spring to extend its sharp tip 1110 into the containers of water and / or chemicals to begin the chemical reaction that produces the gas . the spring 1106 can be maintained within the spring housing 1114 and held in place by a retainer 1104 . the process of initiating the chemical reaction would involve the utilization of an actuator 1102 , which is shown as a push - button actuator . the actuator 1102 causes the retainer 1106 a lever arm 1107 to pivot about pivot 1109 , pulling out pin 1104 to release the spring 1106 . the spring 1106 then exerts a force on the spiked plunger 1118 . the spiked plunger 1118 can comprise a cylindrically shaped shaft with a spiked end 1110 . within the spiked plunger 1118 is a gas transmission channel 902 along the azimuthal axis of the spiked plunger 1118 that allows gas to travel through the plunger 1118 . additionally , transmission openings 224 can be employed to allow the gas transmission channel 902 to be in fluid contact with gas outside of the spiked plunger 118 . in particular , the plunger 1118 is designed to puncture a material containment container or bag to initiate a chemical reaction . for example , the spiked plunger 1118 can puncture a container or bag that contains water , or the spiked plunger 1118 can be used to puncture a membrane or other material , causing the release of water or chemicals , as the case may be . the spiked plungers 1118 can be made of durable thermoplastic with high tensile strength , high resistance to chemical reactions and high resistance to heat . for example , the spiked plungers 1118 can be made of polycarbonate . there are several other types of systems that can be employed to initiate a gas generating chemical reaction . an actuator can utilize the pressure associated with a chemical release cartridge . a pressure supply can also be achieved by supplying air pressure to the activation system . another type can be a mechanical or electromechanical source , such as can be provided by a mechanical or electromechanical pump or motor . yet another type can be a pneumatic source , such as for example a pneumatic pump or motor , or a hydraulic source . depending on the type of gas producing reaction , pressures in the reaction chamber 106 can be high and dangerous . referring to fig1 of the drawings the reference numeral 1200 generally designates a cartridge with a relief system . the cartridge 1200 comprises a reaction chamber 106 , a screen 108 , a containment bag 1202 , a filter 110 , and a lid 112 . when in storage or not in use , the reaction chamber 106 contains “ dry ” reactants . the “ dry ” reactants typically include an oxygen rich powder reactant , such as sodium carbonate or sodium percarbonate , as the gas / oxygen generating agent . however , the dry reactants can be liquid reactants that require an additional solvent , such as water , or other “ wet ” chemical to initiate a gas producing reaction . these “ dry ” reactants can also contain “ dry ” catalysts that can assist in reducing heat or increase the reaction rate , such as manganese dioxide . there are also be a number of other catalysts that can be employed for a variety of other purposes . in addition , it should be noted that the water can include an additive to depress the freezing point of the water , but need not do so . inserted into the reaction chamber 106 is the screen 108 . the screen 108 is mechanically supported in a position adjacent to the cavity containing the “ dry ” reactants . the screen 506 can be mechanically supported in a number of ways , such as by use of threading , snapping edges , and / or taper of the inner walls of the reaction chamber 106 . the screen 108 can provide mechanical support for the remaining components contained within the cartridge 1200 . a containment bag 1202 is positioned adjacent to the screen 108 , so that , when pierced , the contents of the bag 1202 can be transmitted through the screen to the “ dry ” chemicals to begin the reaction . the filter 110 is also supported by the screen 108 , so that when gas is produced and transmitted through the screen 506 , the gas can be filtered . a variety of filter types can be employed that can be comprised of a variety of materials including , but not limited to , polytetrafluoroethylene . the final component of the cartridge 1200 is the lid 112 . the lid 512 can be coupled to the reaction chamber 106 . there are a number of ways to couple the lid 112 to the reaction chamber 106 , such as threading and an adhesive . an additional feature of the cartridge 1200 , however , is the presence of a pressure relief valve 1214 . in cases where high pressure , volatile gases are produced , such as oxygen or hydrogen , high pressures can be dangerous . even in situations where gases do not present a fire hazard , such as nitrogen , high pressures can be an undesirable because the high pressure gas can exploit defects or fractures in the cartridge 1200 to cause the cartridge to rupture . to relieve pressure within the cartridge 1200 , a relief valve 1214 can be employed to relieve pressure within the chamber at a calibrated level . for example , pressure relief can occur at 300 psig . there are a wide variety of pressure relief systems available , such as pop - off valves and rupture discs that can be adequately calibrated to relieve pressure at a desired level . there are also alternative arrangements for containing the materials employed to sustain the chemical reaction . referring to fig1 a and 13b of the drawings , the reference numerals 1300 and 1350 depict an activation system primed for activation and the system in use , respectively . the system 1300 comprises a cartridge 1301 , a spiked plunger 118 , and a female connector 700 . the cartridge 1301 then comprises a filter 110 , water - filled bag 1304 , a screen 108 , a catalyst filled bag 1306 , and a gas releasing agent 1308 contained within a reaction chamber 106 and a lid 112 . the bag housing the catalyst 1306 can be made of any number of materials , but can also be made of a water - soluble material . the bag 1304 housing the water can be made of any number of air impermeable and water / moisture impermeable materials , but can also be made of a laminate material consisting of aluminum , polypropylene and woven mesh . the cartridge 1301 typically also has an air - impermeable and water - impermeable seal 1302 . the air - impermeable and water - impermeable seal 1302 can be made of various materials , including , without limitation materials such as mylar , polytetrafluoroethylene or nylon ®. the purpose of the seal 1302 is to maintain an hermetic seal so that the cartridge can have an extended or indefinite shelf life . upon activation , the spike tip 904 punctures or ruptures the seal 1302 , and the spiked plunger 118 enters the filter aperture 1320 . at that point , the spike tip 904 punctures or ruptures the water bag 1304 , causing the water to flow into the reaction chamber 106 . the spiked plunger 1130 completes the piercing of the water bag 1172 and proceeds through the screen aperture 402 such that the spike tip 1142 protrudes just slightly beyond the screen 108 . once the spiked plunger 1130 has penetrated the water bag 1172 and traversed all the way through , spiked plunger and connector assembly 1140 is secured to the cartridge and sealed by the connector 1180 . once released , the water creates an aqueous environment for the reaction to take place . the water dissolves the bag containing the catalyst 1306 . the gas generated as a result of the reaction can then be released from the cartridge 1301 through the spiked plunger 118 . another embodiment of the cartridge 1301 includes a hanging catalyst bag . referring to fig1 of the drawings , the reference 1400 generally designates a release system with a hanging catalyst . the system 1400 comprises cartridges 1401 , a handle 122 , and cutting members such as spiked plungers 118 . within the cartridges 1401 , there is an upper assembly 1402 , a hanging catalyst 1404 , and a gas generating chemical 1308 . upon activation , the spiked plunger 118 engages the upper assembly 1402 . water then flows into the reaction chamber 106 . the water creates an aqueous environment for the reaction to take place , while dissolving or permeating the bag containing the catalyst 1404 . the gas generated as a result of the reaction can then be released from the cartridge 1401 through the spiked plunger 118 to the gas transmission channel 202 of the handle 122 . the bag housing the catalyst 1404 is suspended slightly above the gas generating material 1308 , which facilitates faster dissolution of the bag if the bag is a water - soluble bag , or faster permeation through the bag if the bag is permeable . referring to fig1 , the reference number 1500 depicts another system primed for activation . the system 1500 is different in that the catalyst is contained in a catalyst dispersal housing 1502 , located just below the water containment housing 1504 . the water containment housing 1504 can contain a bag with water , or can have water contained inside of it . the system 1500 can comprise self - contained water releasing cartridge 1501 , a spiked plunger 118 , and a connector assembly 700 coupled to the handle 122 . the cartridge 1501 comprises a gas or oxygen releasing agent 1308 , the catalyst dispersal housing 1502 , the screen 108 , and the water containment housing 1504 . if the water is contained in a bag , the bag can be made of any number of impermeable materials , but can also be made of a laminate material consisting of aluminum , polypropylene and woven mesh . upon activation , the spiked plunger 118 engages the water containment housing 1504 and the catalyst dispersal housing 1502 . water then flows into the reaction chamber 106 . the water creates an aqueous environment for the reaction to take place . the gas generated as a result of the reaction can then be released from the cartridge 1301 through the spiked plunger 118 to the gas transmission channel 202 of the handle 122 . a desirable feature of the system 1500 is the construction of the water containment housing 1504 and the catalyst dispersal housing 1502 . referring to fig1 a of the drawings , the reference numerals 1504 and 1502 generally designate the water containment housing and the catalyst dispersal housing , respectively . specifically , water containment housing 1504 and catalyst dispersal housing 1502 assembly can be made as one piece , and can be made of any material . without limitation , the water containment housing and catalyst dispersal housing assembly can be made of plastic or thermoplastic , including polypropylene , polyethylene , polycarbonate , hdpe , abs , acetal , polysulfone , or poly vinyl chloride ( pvc ). the water containment housing 1504 and the catalyst dispersal housing are designed such that it can be a self - contained unit . the water containment housing 1504 has an upper aperture 1602 covered by an upper sealing membrane 1604 and has a lower aperture 1606 covered by a lower sealing membrane 1608 . a spiked plunger can be inserted through the seals 1604 and 1608 and the apertures 1602 and 1606 upon activation . the catalyst dispersal housing 1502 also has an aperture 1612 covered by a catalyst housing seal 1610 , which allows the spiked plunger 118 to finally exit the catalyst dispersal housing 1502 during the activation process . prior to activation , the water is sealed into the water containment housing 1504 by upper seal 1604 and lower seal 1608 . while the upper seal 1604 and the lower seal 1608 are shown as having been placed on top of each respective adhesion surface , each can be also be placed on the bottom side of each respective adhesion surface . catalyst housing seal 1610 can also be placed on either side of the adhesion surface . each of the seals 1604 , 1608 , and 1610 can be made of air - impermeable and water - impermeable materials , including , without limitation materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene , mylar ®, or nylon ® ( both available from dupont ). during activation , the water is released from the water containment housing 1504 and proceeds in a direction towards the reaction chamber 106 , flushing the catalyst with it . referring to fig1 b , the catalyst dispersal housing 1502 can have an angled or beveled surface 1614 , which facilitates faster and more efficient dispersal of the catalyst and / or water . additionally , the water containment housing 1504 can also have contain an angled or beveled surface in order to facilitate faster and more efficient dispersal of the water upon activation . the angled or beveled surface 1614 can facilitate better flushing of the catalyst , and / or facilitate faster and more efficient dispersal of the catalyst . the self - contained housings can also include an in - place spike . referring to fig1 a and 17b of the drawings , the reference numeral 1700 generally designates an alternative design of the self - contained housings . specifically , a plunger 1702 with an upper seal 1704 , a lower seal 1706 , and catalyst housing seal 1708 is employed . the seals 1704 , 1706 , and 1708 are attached to the plunger 1702 such that the seals 1704 , 1706 , and 708 do not break away from or separate from the plunger 1702 during normal use . the seals 1704 , 1706 , and 1708 are attached to the water containment housing 1504 and catalyst dispersal housing 1502 such that the seals 1704 , 1706 , and 1708 are breakable , detachable , or removable upon activation . fig1 a depicts the self - contained housings 1700 in a primed position . upon activation , the downward force transferred by the pressure source rips , tears , dislodges or otherwise detaches the seals 1704 , 1706 , and 1708 , causing the contents to flow into the reaction chamber 106 . stoppers 1710 allow the plunger 1702 to travel only a specified distance . an alternative activation method can involve a chemical release cartridge bag configuration . referring to fig1 a and 18b , the reference numeral 1800 generally designates a pouch that employs a method for storing the gas / oxygen releasing agent and the catalyst . accordingly , there is a planar sealed pouch 1800 formed of air - and water - impermeable sheet material 1802 which is resistant to the basic chemicals commonly used . the sheet material 1802 supports the gas / oxygen releasing agent 1804 and has a web seam 1806 whose apex points upwardly towards the gas / oxygen releasing agent 1804 . the sheet material 1802 has a base seam 1808 parallel to and below the web seam 1806 . the base seam 1808 then seals the pouch 1800 . the region between the web seam 1806 and the base seam 1810 forms a compartment 1810 into which catalyst 1809 is disposed . the entire contents of the pouch 1800 are designed to be released in a rapid fashion into water contained in an outer container in which the pouch 1800 is contained , such as container 106 . therefore , it is thought that the web material 1810 is to be a non - permeable laminar sheet so that none of the chemical material escapes into the volume below the web material . additionally , the web seam 1806 is formed with a pressure sensitive seal which is broken when pressure is applied . the pouch 1800 is constructed using a continuous sheet of water - and air - impermeable sheet material 1802 folded such that the fold , situated in the middle of the sheet , fits over and advantageously accommodates the nozzle element 1812 . the water - and air - impermeable sheet material 1802 is welded together at side seams 1816 and bottom seam 1808 , and the sheet material 1802 can be a multi - layer laminate such as ( from inside to outside ) polyester , aluminum foil , polyester and polypropylene . it should be noted that side seams 1816 can also be frangible during use , like seam 1808 , but need not be . during use , water or air is introduced into the pouch cartridge by means of a hollow injector inserted into the delivery channel 1814 through membrane 1805 . the pressure causes the web material to evert inside - out to vent by rupturing the pressure - sensitive seal at 1806 . thus , the gas / oxygen releasing agent 1804 is released through an opening made in the web seam 1806 . the catalyst is simultaneously released through the web seam 1806 . because of the geometrical shape of area 1810 , the rupturing of seal 1806 occurs in a predictable and reproducible manner . once the gas has been produced , humidification and / or cooling / warming of the gas may be required . referring to fig1 of the drawings , the reference numeral 1900 generally designates a bubbler . the bubbler 1900 comprises a liquid holding tank 1902 , an intake tube 1904 , an exhaust tube 1906 , and a liquid 1908 . during the operation , the gas is bubbled through the liquid . because gas input pressure into the bubbler 1900 is higher than atmospheric pressure , the gas can be forced through the intake tube 1904 . part of the intake tube 1904 is submerged within the fluid 1908 , the exhaust gas bubbles through the liquid 1908 . the effect of traveling through the liquid 1908 is that the gas will transfer heat to the liquid 1908 ( cooling ) or receive heat from the liquid 1908 ( warming ). once the gas has bubbled to the surface , the gas can then exit through the exhaust tube 1906 . when the gas exists , it is likely that small droplets of the liquid can be carried with the gas . additionally , vapors of the liquid can also be carried . in the case of oxygen production , the oxygen can be cooled or warmed through water . once bubbled , the oxygen would carry water vapor , thus , producing humidified oxygen . another design to cool or warm a gas is by use of a radiator . referring to fig2 of the drawings , the reference numeral 2000 generally designates a radiator . the radiator comprises fins 2004 and a radiator tube 2002 . as gas is output , a heat sink is employed to transfer heat . the gas is input into the radiator tube 2002 to snake through the radiator 2000 . as the gas progresses through the radiator 2000 , heat is transferred to the fins 2004 . the fins 2004 then transfer heat to a larger heat sink . the larger heat sink can be a variety of heat sinks which includes , but is not limited to , the atmosphere . one of the features of the above referenced devices is the ability to utilize multiple reactions chambers . having multiple reaction chambers creates the ability to increase the performance of the gas dispenser , without the associated increase in pressure and temperature if only one reaction chamber is used . for example , a reaction that produces 90 liters of oxygen in 15 minutes can experience an exponential increase in pressure , especially after a certain internal ( to the reaction ) temperature is reached . by splitting this same reaction into two reactions , completely isolated from each other in separate chambers ( say , of each producing 45 liters over 15 minutes ), a stable delivery of gas is produced without the exponential increase in pressure and / or temperature that can result from the same 90 liter reaction over 15 minutes contained in one chamber with one reaction . similarly , a much higher degree of control is possible over the increase in temperature of the gas by splitting the reaction into multiple reactions . normally , reactions such as the exothermic reactions that generate oxygen , create heat and a concomitant increase in pressure in a static volume ( i . e . there is a direct correlation between temperature and pressure ). a further benefit of using multiple reaction chambers is that a higher reaction onset can be achieved . specifically , any multiple of reaction chambers can be combined to create any desired output of volume , flow rate and / or delivery time . for example , 3 reaction chambers , each producing 30 liters of oxygen can be combined to produce the same 90 liter reaction , but with lowered pressure inside each reaction chamber and reduced temperature increase of the generated gas , relative to using the same quantity of reactants and catalyst in only one or two chambers , for example . variations in both flow rate and yield can also be varied or dictated by the compositions of the contents in the reaction chambers 106 . for example , by varying the amount of a limiting reactant in each chamber and / or by varying the amount and / or composition of the catalyst contained in each cartridge , different flow rates and gas yields can be achieved . for example , by varying the amount of the sodium percarbonate in an oxygen generation reaction in each of the chambers , a yield of 90 liters with a flow rate of 6 liters per minute for 15 minutes or a yield of 30 liters and a flow rate of 3 liters per minute for 10 minutes can be achieved . the flow rates and yields can be varied depending on the desired usage and can be for different situations , such as emergency oxygen for aircraft or mines . while there are many possible or acceptable flow rate profiles applicable to the aviation industry , one example may be to have a reaction that produces approximately 4 liters per minute for 4 minutes and then drops to 1 liter per minute for 8 minutes . using 2 reaction chambers can achieve this general performance profile . additionally , there are several other configurations that can be employed to store the chemicals . referring to fig2 of the drawings , the reference numeral 2100 generally designates a cartridge 2100 . the cartridge 2100 comprises a lid 1126 and a reaction chamber 106 . when combined , the reaction chamber 106 and the lid 112 contain a filter 110 , a foam breaker 500 , a screen 108 , water 2104 , a gas producing agent 2102 , and a catalyst 2106 . the filter 110 and the foam breaker 500 are layered on top of the screen 108 , and the chemicals 2106 , 2102 , and 2104 are contained within the lower portion of the reaction chamber 106 . the water 2104 rests at the bottom of the reaction chamber 106 , being held in place by frangible seal 2108 . the catalyst 2106 and the gas producing agent 2102 are each contained on a side of the reaction chamber , held in place by a frangible seal 108 . upon activation , the frangible seals 2108 are broken . the chemicals 2102 , 2104 , and 2106 then mix to create a gas generating reaction . the gas produced traverses the screen 108 , the foam breaker 500 , and the filter 110 to exit the cartridge 2100 . referring to fig2 of the drawings , the reference numeral 2200 generally designates a cartridge . the cartridge 2200 comprises a lid 112 and a reaction chamber 106 . when combined , the reaction chamber 106 and the lid 112 contain a filter 110 , a foam breaker 500 , a screen 108 , water 2204 , a gas producing agent 2202 , and a catalyst 2206 . the filter 110 and the foam breaker 500 are layered on top the screen 108 , and the chemicals 2206 , 2202 , and 2204 are contained within the lower portion of the reaction chamber 106 . the water 2204 , the catalyst 2206 , and the gas producing agent 2202 each rest at the bottom of the reaction chamber 106 . each of the chemicals 2202 , 2204 , and 2206 are separated from one another and held in place by a frangible seals 2208 . upon activation , the frangible seals 2208 are broken . the chemicals 2202 , 2204 , and 2206 then mix to create a gas generating reaction . the gas produced traverses the screen 108 , the foam breaker 500 , and the filter 110 to exit the cartridge 2200 . referring to fig2 a and 23b of the drawings , the reference numeral 2300 generally designates a self - contained activation system . the system 2300 comprises a container 2302 and an activation handle 2304 . the sealed unit 2302 is particularly adapted for containing one or more pouches 26000 or 2600 ′, depicted in fig2 a and 26b . however , sealed unit 2302 can also contain a multitude of devices , such as the configurations of fig1 - 3 , 12 - 18 , and 21 - 22 , capable of releasing a gas . to initiate the release of a gas , the activation handle 2304 is displaced downwardly into an activation position to apply mechanical pressure to any of the multitude of devices to break any seals and initiate the chemical reaction ( s ). additionally , the activation position of the handle 2304 can be reached by being displaced into either an upward or a downward position relative to the container 2302 . referring to fig2 a of the drawing , the reference numeral 2400 generally designates a diagram contrasting two gas producing reactions . the first reaction ( reaction 1 ) is set up to produce a short reaction that starts high but is only maintained for a short period . the second reaction ( reaction 2 ) is set up to start slow but to be maintained for a longer period . considered individually , neither reaction 1 in the first reaction chamber nor reaction 2 in the second reaction chamber produce the desired flow rate profile . however , referring to fig2 b of the drawings , the reference numeral 2450 generally the combined output of reaction 1 and reaction 2 . the combined output 2450 shows the sum of the combined reactions 1 and 2 , and illustrates how the desired profile is achieved using 2 reaction chambers instead of one . similarly , other profiles can be achieved by two reaction chambers or multiple reaction chambers . for mining applications , for example , one possible flow rate profile is to simply maintain a reaction at an average of 2 liters per minute for 60 minutes . another advantage of multiple reaction chambers is that the reactions can be staged to commence at different times in order to achieve a desired output . referring to fig2 a of the drawings , the reference numeral 2500 generally designates a diagram showing two contrasted reactions . the diagram 2500 shows two identical reactions , reaction 3 and reaction 4 , each with a reaction onset of 1 . 75 liters per minute . each of reaction 3 and reaction 4 can take place in respective reaction chambers . in this case , the reactions are staged such that reaction 3 commences at time = 0 and runs for 12 minutes , while reaction 4 commences at time = 10 minutes . referring to fig2 b of the drawings , the reference numeral 2550 shows a diagram depicting the combined outputs of reactions 3 and 4 . considered individually , neither reaction 3 in the first reaction chamber nor reaction 3 in the second reaction chamber may produce the desired flow rate profile . however , the output of the combined reactions , shown in the diagram 2550 shows a 20 - minute production with flow rates in a relatively narrow range , as the trend - line indicates . by using multiple reaction chambers and / or staging reactions to commence at different times , a wide variety of flow rates , volume , time periods and performance profiles can be achieved , which allows for superior performance flexibility . this makes it possible for the current invention to cater effectively to a very broad range of applications , such as mining , aviation , emergency medical services , the military , emergency home use or any number of other applications on a worldwide basis , and to customize the flow rate profile that is optimum for the particular application . fig2 a depicts an embodiment of a planar sealed pouch that employs a method for storing the gas / oxygen releasing agent , the catalyst and the water all in one pouch . planar sealed pouch 2600 is formed of a pair of sheets 2602 of air - and water - impermeable sheet material which is resistant to the basic chemicals commonly used ( only the top sheet 2602 being visible in fig2 a ). the sheet material 2602 supports the catalyst in compartment 2604 , the gas / oxygen releasing agent in compartment 2606 and the water in compartment 2608 . the sheet material must be resistant to the chemicals of the catalyst , gas / oxygen releasing agent and the water . in one embodiment , the sheet material is a laminate material that can be any combination of aluminum , polypropylene , polyethylene terephthalate , polyethylene , high density polyethylene , and any number of materials . the laminate material can also include a layer of insulating material . the pouch 2600 has a peripheral border 2611 which is sealed by convenient means , such as adhesive , ultrasonic welding , or heat sealing and is able to retain the pressures encountered without bursting . each of the compartments 2604 , 2606 and 2608 also have internal sealed borders 2612 to retain their respective chemicals so that they stay initially separated . unlike peripheral border 2611 , sealed borders 2612 are sealed with a pressure - frangible adhesive to create “ peel areas ” between the top and bottom sheet material 2610 . in this embodiment , the compartments 2604 , 2606 and 2608 do not take up all of the area of the sheet material 2602 , thus also defining an initially empty compartment 2607 . for reasons to be explained , empty compartment 2607 may also be initially filled with air at ambient pressure . the pouch 2600 accommodates nozzle element 2614 , which can be made of suitable plastic such as polypropylenene , to permit the release of the oxygen or other gas produced . because the gas produced may include entrained droplets of water or particulates from the catalyst and gas / oxygen producing agent , the pouch also includes self - contained permeable membrane / screen 2616 and a foam breaker 2618 that is retained by the membrane / screen 2616 . when the gas / oxygen is produced , it will pass through the membrane / screen 2616 and the foam breaker 2618 , where is effectively filtered , removing any entrained water droplets , bubbles or particulates before being exhausted from nozzle 2614 and directed through an appropriate conduit ( not shown ) to the user . to use pouch 2600 , force is applied to the outside of the pouch 2600 , either directly or by means of the mechanism depicted in fig2 a and 23b . this force causes internal pressure in the pouch , much like attempting to pop a balloon . because the peripheral seal 2611 is pressure - resistant , seal 2611 does not burst . however , this internal pressure tends to cause sealed borders 2612 to peel apart , allowing the top and bottom sheets of the sheet material 2602 to separate and allowing the initially separated catalyst , gas / oxygen releasing agent and water to combine to create gas . it is believed that having some degree of air in initially empty compartment 2607 will tend to facilitate the peeling apart of these sealed borders 2612 by more evenly distributing the pressure , but this is not necessary to the invention . fig2 b depicts another embodiment of a pouch having compartments for initially separating the catalyst , oxygen producing agent and water . in fig2 b , pouch 2600 ′ is similar to pouch 2600 , the compartments 2604 ′, 2606 ′ and 2608 ′ containing , respectively , the catalyst , oxygen producing agent and water , and the initially empty compartment 2607 ′ containing air . in pouch 2600 ′, however , each of the compartments have different shapes and locations . as in pouch 2600 , each of the compartments is separated by pressure - frangible sealed borders 2612 ′, constructed in the same manner . the pouch 2600 ′ accommodates nozzle element 2614 , which can also be made of suitable plastic such as polypropylenene , to permit the release of the oxygen or other gas produced . because the gas produced may include entrained droplets of water or particulates from the catalyst and gas / oxygen producing agent , the pouch also includes self - contained permeable membrane / screen 2616 and a foam breaker 2618 , that is retained by the membrane / screen 2616 , to filter the gas generated . otherwise , the construction and operation of the pouch 2600 ′ is the same as pouch 2600 and need not be further described . it should be noted that , as is the case with the multiple reaction chambers 106 depicted in fig1 , for example , multiple ones of pouches 2600 and / or 2600 ′ may be connected to a common conduit and used together . each of the pouches 2600 and / or 2600 ′ can contain different compositions or proportions of the water , catalyst and gas / oxygen producing agent , as previously described , in order to create various flow profiles such as are depicted in fig2 b and 25b . it is understood that the present invention can take many forms and embodiments . accordingly , several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention . the capabilities outlined herein allow for the possibility of a variety of implementations . this disclosure should not be read as preferring any particular embodiments , but is instead directed to the underlying mechanisms on which these embodiments can be built . having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments , it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations , modifications , changes , and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and , in some instances , some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features . many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments . accordingly , it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention . | 1 |
while the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention is discussed in detail below , it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts . the specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention , and do not limit the scope of the invention . referring to fig1 a tortuous path sand control screen in use with an offshore oil and gas production platform is schematically illustrated and generally designated 10 . a semi - submersible platform 12 is centered over a submerged oil and gas formation 14 located below sea floor 16 . wellhead 18 is located on deck 20 of platform 12 . well 22 extends through the sea 24 and penetrates the various earth strata including formation 14 to form wellbore 26 . disposed within wellbore 26 is casing 28 . disposed within casing 28 and extending from wellhead 18 is production tubing 30 . a pair of seal assemblies 32 , 34 provide a seal between tubing 30 and casing 28 to prevent the flow of production fluids therebetween . during production , formation fluids enter wellbore 26 through perforations 36 of casing 28 and travel into tubing 30 to wellhead 18 . as part of the final bottom hole assembly , a tortuous path sand control screen 38 is included within tubing 30 . tortuous path sand control screen 38 filters the particles out of the formation fluids as the formation fluids are produced . even though fig1 depicts a cased vertical well , it should be noted by one skilled in the art that the tortuous path sand control screen of the present invention is equally well - suited for uncased wells , deviated wells or horizontal wells . referring to fig2 and 3 , one embodiment of a tortuous path sand control screen is depicted and generally designated 40 . sand control screen 40 includes a base pipe 42 that has a plurality of openings 44 which allow the flow of production fluids into the production tubing . the number , size and shape of openings 44 are not critical to the present invention , so long as sufficient area is provided for fluid production and pipe integrity is maintained . spaced around base pipe 42 is a plurality of ribs 46 . ribs 46 are generally symmetrically distributed about the axis of base pipe 42 . ribs 46 are depicted as having a cylindrical cross section , however , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that ribs 46 may alternatively have a rectangular or triangular cross section or other suitable geometry . additionally , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that the exact number of ribs 46 will be dependent upon the diameter of base pipe 42 as well as other design characteristics that are well known in the art . wrapped around ribs 46 is a screen wire 48 . screen wire 48 forms a plurality of turns , such as turn 50 , turn 52 and turn 54 . between each of the turns is a gap through which formation fluids flow . the number of turns and the gap between the turns are determined based upon the characteristics of the formation from which fluid is being produced . together , ribs 46 and screen wire 48 form a sand control screen jacket 56 which is attached to base pipe 42 at its upper end by weld 58 and its lower end by weld 60 . screen wire 48 may be constructed from material such as 304 stainless steel , 316 stainless steel , hastelloy , inconel or monel . even though fig3 depicts sand control screen jacket 56 as being welded to base pipe 42 , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that sand control screen jacket 56 may be attached to base pipe 42 in a variety of ways including , but not limited to , suitable mechanical methods . also , it should be understood by one skilled in the art that while ribs 46 are depicted in fig2 and 3 , a wire mesh may alternatively be disposed between base pipe 42 and screen wire 48 or screen wire 48 may be wrapped directly around base pipe 42 . as best seen in fig4 turns 50 , 52 and 54 of screen wire 48 each have an upper profile 62 and a lower profile 64 . as the upper profile 62 of one turn is placed adjacent to the lower profile 64 of another turn , a tortuous path is created for the formation fluids and particles traveling therethrough . for example , when the formation fluids travel between turn 50 and turn 52 of screen wire 48 , the velocity of particles 66 is selectively reduced due to the inertia of particles 66 . initially , particles 66 move upwardly toward lower profile 64 of turn 50 . thereafter , particles 66 move downwardly toward upper profile 62 of turn 52 . in a similar manner , when the formation fluids travel between turn 52 and turn 54 of screen wire 48 , the velocity of particles 66 is selectively reduced as particles 66 initially move upwardly toward lower profile 64 of turn 52 and then move downwardly toward upper profile 62 of turn 54 . the tortuous path created by upper profile 62 and lower profile 64 of adjacent turns causes particles 66 to travel in a nonlinear path . in the illustrated embodiment , particles 66 are required to travel in an arcuate path which causes particles 66 to loose energy and velocity . thus , as particles 66 travel through the tortuous path created by upper profile 62 and lower profile 64 of adjacent turns , the ability of particles 66 to erode screen wire 48 as well as other metal components of tortuous path sand control screen 40 is reduced . in addition , tortuous path sand control screen 40 of the present invention includes a self cleaning feature that minimizes the potential for clogs between adjacent turns . specifically , the gap width between adjacent turns progressively increases from the entry gap width 68 to the exit gap width 70 . as an example , entry gap width 68 may be between about 0 . 006 inches and 0 . 020 inches while exit gap width 70 may be between about 0 . 040 inches and 0 . 080 inches . it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the specified dimensions are only exemplary of suitable widths for entry gap width 68 and exit gap width 70 . other widths , both larger and smaller , would also be suitable depending upon the size of particles 66 . it should also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as above , below , upper , lower , upward , downward , etc . are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures , the upward direction being towards the top of the corresponding figure and the downward direction being toward the bottom of the corresponding figure . it is to be understood that tortuous path sand control screen 40 of the present invention may be operated in vertical , horizontal , inverted or inclined orientations without deviating from the principles of the present invention . referring now to fig5 and 6 , another embodiment of a tortuous path sand control screen is depicted and generally designated 90 . tortuous path sand control screen 90 includes a base pipe 92 having a plurality of openings 94 . tortuous path sand control screen 90 also includes a plurality of ribs 96 that are symmetrically positioned about the axis of base pipe 92 . a screen wire 98 is wrapped around ribs 96 forming adjacent turns such as turns 100 , 102 having gaps therebetween . symmetrically positioned about screen wire 98 is a plurality of ribs 104 . wrapped around ribs 104 is a screen wire 106 that forms a plurality of turns such as turns 108 , 110 , 112 having gaps therebetween . disposed in the annular area between screen wire 98 and screen wire 106 is a prepack sand 114 . prepack sand 114 may be resin - coated and baked in place . together , ribs 96 , screen wire 98 , prepack sand 114 , ribs 104 and screen wire 106 form sand control screen jacket 116 . sand control screen jacket 116 is attached to base pipe 92 at its upper end by weld 118 and its lower end by weld 120 . as best seen in fig7 turns 108 , 110 and 112 of screen wire 106 each have an upper profile 122 and a lower profile 124 . as the upper profile 122 of one turn is placed adjacent to the lower profile 124 of another turn , a tortuous path is created for the formation fluids and particles traveling therethrough . for example , when the formation fluids travel between turn 108 and turn 110 of screen wire 106 , the velocity of particles 126 is selectively reduced due to the inertia of particles 126 . initially , particles 126 move upwardly toward lower profile 124 of turn 108 . then , particles 126 move downwardly toward upper profile 122 of turn 110 . thereafter , particles 126 again move upwardly toward lower profile 124 of turn 108 . in a similar manner , when the formation fluids travel between turn 110 and turn 112 of screen wire 106 , the velocity of particles 126 is selectively reduced as particles 126 initially move upwardly toward lower profile 124 of turn 110 , then move downwardly toward upper profile 122 of turn 112 and then move upwardly toward lower profile 124 of turn 110 . the tortuous path created by upper profile 122 and lower profile 124 of adjacent turns causes particles 126 to travel in a nonlinear path . in the illustrated embodiment , particles 126 travel in a multi - arcuate path which causes particles 126 to loose energy and velocity . thus , as particles 126 travel through the tortuous path created by upper profile 122 and lower profile 124 of adjacent turns , the ability of particles 126 to erode screen wire 106 as well as other metal components of tortuous path sand control screen 90 is reduced . in addition , tortuous path sand control screen 90 of the present invention is self cleaning as the gap width between adjacent turns progressively increases from the entry gap width 128 to the exit gap width 130 . as erosion of the inner screen wire 98 is typically not an issue , a conventional keystone shaped screen wire has been depicted in fig5 and 6 . nonetheless , it should be apparent that screen wire 98 could also utilize an upper profile and lower profile such as upper profile 122 and lower profile 124 to prevent possible erosion problems . while this invention has been described with a reference to illustrative embodiments , this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense . various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention , will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description . it is , therefore , intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments . | 4 |
in the summary above and in this detailed description , and the claims below , and in the accompanying drawings , reference is made to particular features ( including method steps ) of the invention . it is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features . for example , where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention , or a particular claim , that feature can also be used , to the extent possible , in combination with and / or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention . certain terminology and derivations thereof may be used in the following description for convenience in reference only , and will not be limiting . for example , words such as “ upward ,” “ downward ,” “ left ,” and “ right ” would refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made unless otherwise stated . similarly , words such as “ inward ” and “ outward ” would refer to directions toward and away from , respectively , the geometric center of a device or area and designated parts thereof . references in the singular tense include the plural , and vice versa , unless otherwise noted . the term “ comprises ” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components , ingredients , steps , among others , are optionally present . for example , an article “ comprising ” ( or “ which comprises ”) components a , b and c can consist of ( i . e ., contain only ) components a , b and c , or can contain not only components a , b , and c but also contain one or more other components . where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps , the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously ( except where the context excludes that possibility ), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps , between two of the defined steps , or after all the defined steps ( except where the context excludes that possibility ). the term “ at least ” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number ( which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit , depending on the variable being defined ). for example , “ at least 1 ” means 1 or more than 1 . the term “ at most ” followed by a number ( which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit , or a range having no lower limit , depending upon the variable being defined ). for example , “ at most 4 ” means 4 or less than 4 , and “ at most 40 %” means 40 % or less than 40 %. when , in this specification , a range is given as “( a first number ) to ( a second number )” or “( a first number )-( a second number ),” this means a range whose limit is the second number . for example , 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm and upper limit is 100 mm . aspects of the disclosed invention may be embodied as a system , method or process , or computer program product . accordingly , aspects of the disclosed invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment , an entirely software embodiment ( including firmware , resident software , micro - code , etc .) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “ circuit ,” “ module ,” or “ system .” furthermore , aspects of the disclosed invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable media having computer readable program code embodied thereon . any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “ means for ” performing a specified function , or “ step for ” performing a specific function is not to be interpreted as a “ means ” or “ step ” clause as specified in 35 . u . s . c . § 112 ¶ 6 . specifically , the use of “ step of ” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of u . s . c . § 112 ¶ 6 . referring to fig1 , the steps of one embodiment of the invention start when the owner 301 inputs 101 the visitor 302 &# 39 ; s info ( identifiers ), including at least his name and phone number , into the cloud computing software application . the visitor 302 will then power on 102 the key box device 201 ( hereinafter “ key box ” 201 ). the key box 201 then displays 103 its sim card 204 phone number on a digital screen display 206 common in the art . the visitor 302 then calls 104 the box &# 39 ; sim card 204 phone number on his own phone . the box communication module 203 receives the call and establishes 105 a mobile internet connection . the cloud computing software application then verifies 106 the incoming call number . the software application then commands 107 the box &# 39 ; key chamber 208 to open via the circuit board 202 . the key chamber latch 210 then releases 108 , exposing the key . the visitor 302 then retrieves 109 the key from key chamber 208 . the visitor 302 then uses the 110 key to enter the dwelling . upon check - out , the visitor 302 returns 112 the key to the key chamber 208 . the visitor 302 then returns 113 the key chamber 208 to its initial position . the software application then recognizes 113 the key chamber &# 39 ; s 208 position and powers down the device to the extent possible . this is the end of a single check - in , check - out process . in an alternative embodiment , the key box 201 acknowledges key - return via an rfid tag - key method rather than the method described above . in an alternative embodiment , the system comprises a load cell which recognizes the weight of the key chamber 208 to differentiate between an empty chamber and a chamber containing a key . the embodiment in fig2 a illustrates the exterior of the key box 201 device 201 . the key box device 201 comprises a detachable hook 211 which fits over a door knob or other dwelling fixture . the visitor 302 presses the power button 207 and the key box 201 will then automatically display its sim card phone number on its display 206 screen . the embodiment in fig2 b diagrams the features on the interior of the key box 201 . this embodiment of the key box 201 comprises a circuit board 202 , a sim card 204 , a communication module 203 , an antenna 205 , a key chamber 208 , a key chamber latch 210 , and a key 209 . this embodiment also features a hook latch 212 which can release a detachable hook 212 . fig3 is a flow diagram of the system &# 39 ; s interactive communication system . the dwelling owner 301 uses his phone 304 or pc 308 to input the name , phone number and check - in / check - out times of a visitor 302 into the software application 305 . the software application 305 then stores the visitor 302 data on its database 307 and access it through its server 306 . the visitor 302 uses his phone 304 to call the key box 201 ′ communication module 203 . the communication module 203 receives the call and accesses the system &# 39 ; s software application 305 via the internet . the circuit board 202 comprises the firmware component of the software application 305 which ultimately executes commands to the key box 201 ′ hook latch 212 and the key chamber latch 210 . the circuit board 202 comprises a microcontroller unit to store and run the needed programs on the software application . alternatively , a printed circuit board 202 can function as the system &# 39 ; s circuit board 202 . embodiments of the device also comprise one or more batteries , a battery chamber , and insulated copper wiring of sufficient length to connect the circuit board 202 . one or more embodiments of the system comprise a servo and a spring mechanism of sufficient tension to eject the key chamber 208 once the key chamber latch 210 is disengaged . this embodiment features a chamber dispenser spring which pushes the key chamber 208 out of the key box 201 as soon as the tip of the key chamber latch 210 is released . other embodiments comprise an optional load cell and switch . other embodiments comprise an optional rotation plate . further describing the embodiments shown in fig1 through fig3 , the sim card 204 is inserted into the communication module 203 , which is connected to the circuit board 202 . the antenna 205 is either wire - connected or embedded in the communication module 203 , or positioned on the circuit board 202 . the circuit board 202 is also connected to a power button 207 , to batteries in battery chamber , to an optional servo , to a display 206 , to an optional load cell , and to a switch , either by copper wiring or directly embedded in the circuit board 202 . the power button 207 can optionally be replaced by motion sensor . a servo may connect to a hinge and swing arm system which can operate the key chamber latch 210 and the hook latch 212 . the hook may also release via a hook release button . an alternative embodiment can use two servos to control the latches separately , or other similar mechanism that can effectuate open and closed states . in one or more embodiments , a rotation plate is on the top portion of the key box 201 and would connect to the hook . specifically , the circuit board 202 receives a message from the software application and commands the servo to rotate to release the key chamber latch 210 to open the key chamber 208 . in the same embodiment , if the circuit board 202 commands the servo rotate in the other direction , it opens the hook latch 212 to release the hook . in another embodiment , a hook release button can also release the hook latch 212 . in this embodiment , the owner 301 pushes the hook release button to release the hook from the rotation plate . other embodiments feature a hook and body assembly , wherein the hook is disengaged from the body of the key box 201 at one of two anchor points . once unhooked at one anchor point , gravity and a potential tug from the user or owner 301 will pull the hook away from the body of the key box 201 . the hook is reattached at the same anchor points . in another embodiment of the invention , the key box 201 is attached to a wall or fixture with a mounting assembly . in this embodiment , the hook and hook latch 212 features are no longer necessary , as the mounting assembly is either removable or comprises a mount latch which allows the key box 201 to detach from the wall or fixture . electronically , in several embodiments , a program is installed in the circuit board 202 as firmware . this firmware receives input from the communication module 203 , the switch , the optional load cell , the power button 207 and the software application via internet connection . the communication module 203 uses 2g , 2 . 5g , 3g , 3 . 5g , 4g , 5g or the current standard in practice at the box &# 39 ; s location , at 850 , 900 , 1800 or 1900 mhz or other optimal frequency performance established by the communication module 203 . the firmware then sends output to the display 206 , the servo and the software application via internet connection established by the communication module 203 . the software application also takes data from the circuit board 202 and inserts it into the database 307 . in several embodiments , the software application may show data and on the owner 301 &# 39 ; s personal computer 308 or smart phone 304 device via the software application . the software application may also send data to the database 307 , processes commands on the server 306 , and communicate with the owner 301 and visitor 302 s by sending them notifications . the software application may send notifications via sms , e - mail , direct phone 304 calling , or other convenient means . in several embodiments of the system , the owner 301 initially inputs visitor 302 data , including the owner 301 &# 39 ; s and visitor 302 &# 39 ; s name , phone 304 number , address , and check - in check - out schedule into the database 307 via the software application . the software application may also process data such as weight of objects inside the key chamber 208 via the optional load cell . the software application may also gather , process and utilize information such as battery status and geographic location of the key box 201 . in at least one embodiment of the invention , the software application gives a “ time - stamp ” to every action taken by owner 301 and visitor 302 . the software application may produce web portal display 206 s , or “ web pages ,” that may show the owner 301 or user &# 39 ; s calendar , maintain a chronological schedule of dwelling visitor 302 s , maintain an address book of various visitor 302 s ′ data , and may maintain and process data about various states and actions of the key box 201 . in alternative embodiments of the present invention , the key box 201 may comprise multiple key chambers 208 or attached key chamber 208 modules . the multiple key chamber 208 modules may efficiently share the same communication module 203 and the same mobile internet connection . an optional usb connector may connect to other key box 201 es or other key chambers 208 via a daisy - chain connection and may utilize the same software application . | 6 |
throughout all the figures , same or corresponding elements are generally indicated by same reference numerals . these depicted embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way . it should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols , phantom lines , diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views . in certain instances , details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted . turning now to the drawing , and in particular to fig1 , there is shown a schematic top view of a side impact beam , generally designated by reference numeral 1 and intended for installation in the door of a motor vehicle . the side impact beam 1 has opposite flat ends 2 and exhibits a substantially u - shaped cross section in the length section 1 a between the beam ends 2 , as shown in fig3 and 4 . the u - shaped length section 1 a includes a web 3 , two flanks 4 connected to the web 3 , and two flanges 5 connected to the ends of the flanks 4 and having ends 6 which are turned inwardly . all transitions 7 between the web 3 and flanks 4 , between flanks 4 and flanges 5 , and between flanges 5 and ends 7 have a rounded configuration . as shown in particular in fig2 , the length section 1 a of the side impact beam 1 is so constructed that a vertical transverse plane qe in midsection has a greatest vertical dimension , whereby the vertical dimension of the length section 1 a gradually and continuously decreases from the center transverse plane qe in the direction toward the flat beam ends 2 . in order to be able to secure the side impact beam 1 in a precise reproducible manner within an assembly line for execution of a subsequent gauging or assembly operation , a restraining apparatus , generally designated by reference numeral 8 , is provided in accordance with the present invention . the restraining apparatus 8 includes two support blocks 9 , one support block 9 for one beam end 2 and the other support block 9 for the other beam end 2 of the side impact beam 1 . associated to each of the support blocks 9 is a vertical clamping unit 10 for securing the side impact beam 1 in y - direction . placed adjacent to one support block 9 , here the left - hand support block , is a stop member 11 for abutment of the end surface 12 of one beam end 2 of the side impact beam 1 so as to restrain the side impact beam 1 in z - direction . securement of the side impact beam 1 in z - direction is realized by two transverse clamping units 13 which are disposed in an area 14 of the length section 1 a , situated inwardly of the beam ends 2 of the side impact beam 1 . each support block 9 is provided with outwardly projecting support pins 16 , as shown in fig2 . the support pins 15 have a pointed tip to support the beam ends 2 at contact points . normally , each support block 9 has three such support pins 15 to effect a three - point support . cooperating with the support pins 15 are an equal number of clamping bolts 16 of the vertical clamping unit 10 which is configured as toggle lever mechanism . thus , as shown in particular in fig2 , the beam ends 2 are held between the support pins 15 and the clamping bolts 16 . each of the transverse clamping unit 13 includes a support column 5 and two elbow levers 19 which are swingably mounted in the support column 17 for rotation about horizontal axes 18 in parallel relationship . each elbow lever 19 includes a vertical arm 20 and a horizontal arm 21 connected to one another to define a substantially l - shaped configuration , as shown in fig3 and 4 . the free ends 22 of the vertical arm 20 and the horizontal arm 21 , distal to the horizontal axis 18 , exhibit a bulbed or convex configuration to form a contact point . while the vertical arm 20 of each elbow lever 19 is loaded by a compression spring 23 to seek the idle position , shown in fig3 , the horizontal arm 21 thereof is intended to cooperate with an eccentric 25 , whereby the eccentrics 25 of both elbow levers 19 are mounted on a shaft 26 for rotation about a common horizontal axis 24 . the shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in the support column 17 in a manner not shown in detail and can be caused to rotate by a hand lever 27 which is mounted onto one end of the shaft 26 . securement of the side impact beam 1 in a work station of an assembly line is realized as follows : the side impact beam 1 is first placed with the beam ends 2 upon the support pins 15 of the support blocks 9 between the vertical arms 20 of the elbow levers 19 , whereby the side impact beam 1 is shifted until the end surface 12 of one beam end 2 rests against the stop member 11 . once the side impact beam 1 is positioned in this manner , the shaft 26 in each of the support columns 17 is turned by the hand lever 27 to thereby move the eccentrics 25 and thus to pivot the elbow levers 19 on opposite sides of the length section 1 a from the position , shown in fig3 , into the clamping position against the length section 1 a of the side impact beam 1 , as shown in fig4 . the side impact beam 1 is thus held in x - and z - directions . then , the vertical clamping units 10 with their clamping bolts 16 are moved downwards , as indicated by arrows 18 ( fig2 ) until the clamping bolts 16 are in axial alignment with the support pins 15 on the support blocks 9 . the ends 2 of the side impact beam 1 are then also firmly held in y - direction . the desired operation on the side impact beam 1 can now be carried out . while the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail , it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . | 1 |
as illustrated in fig1 a typical coal - fired boiler 10 is supplied with coal 12 , ground by pulverizers 14 , which is burned by burners 16 that produce a combustion region 18 in a furnace 20 . the exhaust gases produced by burning the coal 12 produce superheat steam 22 by passing through platen superheater ( pls ) 24 and secondary superheater ( ss ) 26 heat exchangers . the partially cooled exhaust gases then pass through a primary superheater ( prs ) 28 , reheater ( rh ) 30 , upper economizer ( ue ) 32 and lower economizer ( le ) 34 . the considerably cooled exhaust gases then pass through primary ( pah ) 36 and secondary ( sah ) 38 air heaters which heat the air introduced into the furnace 20 . the boiler feedwater 40 from the condenser through the feedwater heaters ( not shown ) is introduced into the lower economizer 34 and then passes through the upper economizer 32 prior to being supplied 42 to the walls 44 of the furnace 20 . the saturated steam 46 from the furnace 20 is supplied to the primary superheater 28 , then passes through the secondary superheater 26 and platen superheater 24 to produce the superheat steam 26 . after being used by high pressure turbines to generate electricity , the expanded , cooled steam 48 is supplied to the reheater 30 to produce reheat steam 50 . temperature sensors 52 , 54 detect the temperature of the superheat 22 and reheat 50 steam . when the detected temperatures are above desired operating levels , sprays 56 , 58 are introduced into the steam supplied to the platen superheater 24 and reheater 30 to reduce the temperature of the superheated 22 and reheated steam 50 , respectively . the primary 36 and secondary 38 air heaters heat ambient air 60 , supplied by draft fan 61 , to produce primary air 62 and secondary air 64 . the primary air 62 passes through the pulverizers 14 to dry and carry the coal 12 to the burners 16 . the majority , 80 to 90 %, of the ambient air 60 is supplied as secondary air 64 directly to the furnace 20 to support combustion of the coal . the primary air 62 typically is hotter than the secondary air 64 since the sensible heat of primary air is required to dry the coal and to increase its temperature in preparation for burning . thermodynamically , optimum operation of air heaters is achieved when the temperature of the combustion product gases leaving the primary 36 and secondary 38 air heaters are equal . some coals can be softened or ignited by the high temperature of the primary air 62 . if the temperature of the primary air 62 is above a desired operating level , tempering air 68 is supplied by a tempering air fan 70 . as illustrated in fig2 the superheated steam 22 passes through partial admission and throttle valves 72 to the high pressure section of a steam turbine 74 which drives an electrical generator 76 . the cold reheat steam 48 is returned to the boiler 10 to produce the reheated steam 50 . the superheat 52 and reheat 54 steam temperature detectors , as well as other sensing devices , such as feedwater 78 , fuel / air 80 and secondary air 81 temperature detectors ( fig1 ) are accessed by a data acquisition system 82 . the data acquired by the data acquisition system 82 is supplied to a load control system 84 which receives the requested operation level , as indicated by demand 86 to select which of the partial admission valves 72 should be fully opened . according to the present invention , a boiler model 88 also receives data from the data acquisition system 82 . the boiler model may be based upon , e . g ., pepse code , to predict sensible heat loss and unburned fuel content to determine an optimum air / fuel mixture . in addition , the decision made by the load control system 84 and predictions made by the boiler model 88 , together with the data acquired by the data acquisition system 82 is supplied to diagnostic and advisory expert systems 90 . the expert systems 90 produce diagnostics , performance indications , advisories and recommended control adjustments 91 to a human operator , as indicated by dashed line 92 . while the decisions of the expert system could be directly supplied to a boiler control system 94 , in the preferred embodiment , a human operator confirms that the recommended actions should be taken and generates operator input 96 for the boiler control system 94 . as indicated by arrows 98 , the boiler control system 94 can automatically perform some control operations , such as introduction and control of sprays 56 , 58 to maintain the superheat t sh and reheated t rh steam temperatures at the desired operating values . preferably the coal 12 passes through a bulk material analyzer ( not shown ) which provides an on - line analysis of the coal 12 supplied via the data acquisition system 82 to the boiler model 88 and expert systems 90 . the coal analysis is used to determine the optimum air / fuel ratio and the desired temperature of the primary air 62 and to predict when soot blowing will be necessary and effective in enhancing the heat transfer in a section of the boiler 10 . the recommended control adjustments included in the information supplied to the operator by the expert systems 90 include information in maintaining the pressure of the superheated steam 22 at a level which allows the throttle valves 72 to be kept fully open so that the pressure loss across the throttle valves is minimized . in fine tuning the operation of the coal - fired boiler 10 , the introduction of low temperature substances , such as the sprays 56 , 58 and tempering air 68 is minimized by comparing the superheat t sh and reheat t rh steam temperatures and the fuel / air temperature t rh from temperature detectors 52 , 54 , 80 with desired operating values . if the superheat t sh and reheat t rh steam temperatures are high or the automatic spray control portion of the boiler control system 94 is introducing sprays 56 , 58 prior to producing the superheated steam 22 or reheated steam 50 , the combustion product gas temperature should be reduced prior to reaching the platen 24 and secondary 26 superheater sections . this is preferably accomplished by performing the following steps in sequence until the superheat t sh and reheat t rh steam temperatures are the desired operating values and if possible , there are no spray flows prior to producing the superheated 22 and reheated 50 steam . first , if the expert systems 90 determine that soot blowing is likely to be effective , soot blowing is performed in the furnace section 20 of the boiler 10 . this increases the heat transfer between the exhaust gases in the furnace 20 and the walls 44 . as a result , the exhaust gases reaching the platen 24 and secondary 26 superheaters are cooler and the amount of steam produced by the furnace 20 is greater . as a result , the temperature t sh of the superheated steam 22 is lower , but more steam is being produced . since the superheated steam 22 will be cooler , the cold reheat steam 48 will also be cooler thus reducing the temperature t rh of the reheated steam 50 . second , a burner tilt control 98 ( fig1 ) is adjusted to lower the combustion region 18 in the furnace 20 by either tilting or biasing the burner 16 downwards . burners can be angled upwards and downwards as indicated by the double arrow 100 . in addition , or as an alternative , the burners may be individually controllable so that the coal being supplied to the upper burners is reduced or cut off and lower burners receive an increased amount of coal flow so that the temperature in the combustion region 18 does not significantly decrease . using either or both techniques , the combustion region 18 will be lowered in the furnace 20 so that a larger amount of surface area of the walls 44 will be available to absorb the heat of the exhaust gases , thereby reducing the temperature of the exhaust gases reaching the platen 24 and secondary 26 superheaters . third , if soot blowing of the furnace 20 and burner tilt are insufficiently effective , the flow rates of the primary 62 and secondary 64 air can be increased by adjusting the draft fan 61 . this increases the volume of air in the furnace section 20 and since the same amount of heat is being produced , the temperature of the combustion product gases will be lowered . since this requires an increased amount of electricity on an ongoing basis , it is less desirable than the previous two steps . fourth , the windbox pressure in the proximity of the burners 16 can be increased by adjusting vanes directing the secondary air flow . the resulting increased windbox pressure and flow turbulence will result in greater combustion intensity and a reduced flame length ; the combustion region 18 will be effectively lower in the furnace . also , the pulverizers 14 can be adjusted to decrease fuel particle size . the more finely ground coal 12 will burn in a more compact and hotter combustion region 18 . this increases the heat transfer to the walls 44 of the furnace 20 near the combustion region 18 , reducing the temperature of the exhaust gases which reach the platen 24 and secondary 26 superheaters . if all of these techniques are unsuccessful in reducing the temperature t sh of the superheated steam 22 and reheated steam 50 , the only alternative is to increase the spray flows 56 and 58 , as needed . if the reheat steam temperature t rh is below a corresponding desired operating value and either the superheat steam temperature t sh or the superheater spray flow 56 is above the corresponding desired operating values , the heat is redistributed from the superheater section 24 , 26 , 28 to the reheater section 30 . this is accomplished by first decreasing the spray 58 into the cold reheat steam 48 , if there is any reheat spray flow 58 . second , the reheater section 30 undergoes soot blowing , if the expert systems 90 indicate that soot blowing is likely to be effective in improving the heat transfer in the reheater section 30 . if the first two techniques are ineffective , or unavailable , i . e ., there is no reheat spray 58 into the cold reheat steam 48 , a front pass / back pass damper 102 is adjusted to increase the flow of exhaust gases through the reheater section 30 and decrease the flow of exhaust gases through the primary superheater 28 and upper economizer 32 . if none of the above techniques are effective , the recycling of exhaust gas can be increased and as a last resort , the coal and air flows can be increased with appropriate adjustments in soot blowing , burner tilt , pulverizer / burner operation and superheat spray flow to attain the desired operating steam flow and superheat and reheat steam temperatures . when the expert systems 90 determine that the superheat steam temperature t sh is below a corresponding desired operating value , and the reheat steam temperature t rh is above its corresponding desired operating value or there is reheat spray 58 into the cold reheat steam 48 , the following steps are performed in order until the boiler is operating at the desired operating values . first , any superheat spray 56 is decreased . if this is insufficient to reach the desired operating values , or there is no superheat spray 56 , the superheater section , including the platen 24 , secondary 26 and primary 28 superheaters , undergoes soot blowing if the expert systems 90 determine that soot blowing is likely to be effective . if these steps do not result in redistributing heat from the reheater section 30 to the superheater section 24 , 26 , 28 , the front pass / back pass damper 102 is adjusted to decrease exhaust gas flow through the primary superheater 28 and increase the exhaust gas flow through the reheater 30 . finally , exhaust gas recycling can be decreased and as a last resort the reheat spray 58 can be increased to lower the temperature t rh of the reheated steam 50 . if both the superheat t sh and reheat t rh steam temperatures are lower than the desired operating values , the following steps are performed in order . first , any spray flows 56 , 58 into the superheated steam 22 exiting the secondary superheater 26 and into the cold reheat steam 48 are decreased . secondly , if the expert systems 90 determine that soot blowing is likely to be effective , both the superheater section , including the platen 24 , secondary 26 and primary 28 superheaters , and the reheater section 30 undergo soot blowing . if these techniques are insufficient to raise the superheat steam temperature t sh and reheat steam temperature t rh to the desired operating values , the temperature of the combustion product exhaust gases exiting the furnace 20 are increased . first , the combustion region 18 in the furnace 20 is raised , if possible , by tilting or biasing the burners 16 upwards . next , the total primary 62 and secondary 64 airflow is decreased if reduced oxygen levels are practical . finally , windbox pressure can be decreased and fuel particle size increased by adjusting the pulverizers 14 . the effect of increasing fuel particle size enlarges the size of the combustion region 18 and reduces the temperature within the combustion region 18 . as a result , heat transfer to the walls 44 is less efficient and more of the heat remains in the exhaust gases exiting the furnace section 20 . other data obtained by the data acquisition system 82 may include drum feed water temperature t fw from the feed water temperature sensor 78 and the temperature t fa of the fuel / air mixture from temperature sensor 80 . if the feedwater temperature t fw is lower than the corresponding desired operating value , the expert systems 90 advise the operator to perform the following steps in order . first , the economizer , including the upper economizer 32 and lower economizer 34 should undergo soot blowing , if the expert systems 90 determine that soot blowing is likely to be effective . second , the front pass / back pass damper 102 can be adjusted to increase flow of the exhaust gases through the primary superheater 28 and upper economizer 32 and decrease the exhaust gas flow through the reheater 30 . if the temperature t rh of the reheated steam 50 is also low , the front pass / back pass damper 102 will likely be adjusted in the opposite direction , unless other techniques are available to increase the temperature t rh of the reheated steam 50 . as a last resort , flue gas recycling can be increased . if the temperature t fa of the fuel / air mixture is detected by temperature sensor 80 to be above the desired operating value , the primary / secondary damper 104 can be adjusted to increase the combustion product exhaust gas flow through the secondary air heater 38 and decrease the exhaust gas flow through the primary air heater 36 . if there is no damper 104 available , or its adjustment range is limited so that the fuel / air temperature t fa remains too high , the tempering air 68 can be increased . as a last resort , the ratio of primary air to secondary air can be adjusted to decrease the volume of primary air . if the fuel / air temperature t fa detected by sensor 80 is below the desired operating value , the first step is to decrease the flow of tempering air 68 down to zero . if the fuel / air temperature t fa remains low and the expert systems 90 determine that soot blowing could be effective , the primary air heater 36 should undergo soot blowing . if this is ineffective , the primary / secondary damper 104 should be adjusted to increase the exhaust gas flow through the primary air heater 36 and decrease the exhaust gas flow through the secondary air heater 38 . as a last resort , the ratio of primary air 62 to secondary air 64 can be increased . since the temperature of the primary air 62 is decreased in the process of drying the coal 12 in the pulverizers 14 , increasing the volume of primary air tends to increase the fuel / air temperature t fa , while decreasing the volume of primary air 62 tends to decrease the fuel / air temperature t fa . when the secondary air temperature t sa is detected by detector 81 to be below the corresponding desired operating value , secondary air heater 30 should undergo soot blowing . by recommending adjustments to the operation of the boiler 10 in the order described for each situation , the expert systems 90 are able to minimize the use of auxiliary power in addition to minimizing thermodynamic losses due to pressure over the throttle valves and to spray flows into the steam . the use of electrical power to operate fans and pumps ( for the sprays ) is minimized . the expert systems 90 used in the present invention can be created using any known expert system shell , programmed by one or more experts on the operation of the particular boiler 10 . one such expert system shell is personal consultant plus , available from texas instruments , inc . other expert system shells are available commercially , or the expert system can be written in a general purpose programming language , such as lisp , pascal , c , or fortran . the many features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the detailed specification , and thus it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the method and apparatus which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention . for example , other operations of a boiler , whether coal - fired or not , could be adjusted to provide greater efficiency , based on recommendations from an expert system using data from sensors . further , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skill in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described . accordingly , all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to , all falling within the scope and spirit of the invention . | 8 |
the present invention relates to a modular energy harvesting apparatus , system for using said apparatus and method for implementation said apparatus . before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings . the invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways . fig1 ( a ) and fig1 ( b ) depict piezoelectric rods used in the art , while fig1 ( c ) depicts a multilayer piezoelectric stack according to an exemplary embodiment of the current invention . fig1 ( a ) shows a single layer piezoelectric rod used in the art for energy generation . when rode 100 , made of an elongated piezoelectric material 101 , is subjected to longitudinal force , high voltage is generated between the positive end electrode 102 and negative end electrode 104 which are bonded to the elongated piezoelectric material 101 . it should be noted that while the generated voltage is high , the electric current that can be harvested is small . it was found that controlling generated electrical signal having high voltage and low current is difficult . converting such signal to useful electrical power that can be transported , used and stored is might be expensive and inefficient due to the high voltage generated . fig1 ( b ) schematically depicts a multilayer integrated piezoelectric rod 110 as used in the art . integrated rod 110 comprises a plurality of layers 111 , each made of piezoelectric material , where adjacent layers are oppositely poled ( three such layers are seen , but number of layer may be larger ). the layers 111 are separated by electrodes , for example positive central electrode 113 and negative central electrode 115 . central electrodes as well as end electrodes are bonded to their adjacent layer , thus creating a single monolithic , multi - layer stack . all positive electrodes ( in this case positive central electrode 113 and positive end electrode 119 ) are connected together to the positive terminal 112 . similarly , all negative electrodes ( in this case negative central electrode 115 and negative end electrode 118 ) are connected together to the negative terminal 114 . when rode 110 , is subjected to longitudinal force , a relatively voltage is generated between the positive terminal 112 and negative terminal 114 . compared to the signal generated by single layer rod 100 , the signal generated by monolithic multilayer rod 110 is n times smaller while the generated charge ( or ccurrent for the close - loop circuit ) is n times larger ( wherein n is the number of layers ). it should be noted that the process of bonding the electrodes and creating a monolithic multilayer stack might be expensive . fig1 ( c ) schematically depicts a multilayer piezoelectric stack 120 according to an exemplary embodiment of the current invention . multilayer piezoelectric stack 120 comprises a plurality of separate piezoelectric rods 121 , each made of piezoelectric material , where adjacent layers are oppositely poled ( three such layers are seen , but number of layer may be larger ). the rods 121 are separated by electrodes , for example positive central electrode 123 and negative central electrode 125 . central electrodes as well as end electrodes are not bonded to their adjacent layers , but instead make mechanical and electrical contact with the layer when the stack is under pressure . all positive electrodes ( in this case positive central electrode 123 and positive end electrode 129 ) are connected together to the positive terminal 122 . similarly , all negative electrodes ( in this case negative central electrode 125 and negative end electrode 128 ) are connected together to the negative terminal 124 . when rode 120 , is subjected to longitudinal force , voltage is generated between the positive terminal 122 and negative terminal 124 . compared to the signal generated by single layer rod 100 , the voltage output generated by multilayer stack 120 is n times smaller while the generated charge ( or current ) is n times larger ( wherein n is the number of layers ). as multilayer stack 120 is not bonded , it is preferably supported by an external support structure which will be seen in the following figures . assembling the multilayer stack 120 is easy and cheap as it requires only stacking the layers and the electrodes within the supporting structure . additionally , the support structure may be configured to prevent the multilayer stack 120 from bucking under pressure by resisting shear forces that may developed as the stack tries to bend . thus , it may be possible to apply larger forces on a supported multilayer stack 120 than to the monolithic rod 100 . it should be noted that piezoelectric rods 121 are appears as having cylindrical shape in fig1 ( c ) as exemplary embodiment . other shapes may be used . for example , rods may have square rectangular , hexagonal , oval or any other cross - section . length of the rods may vary , wherein for the same stress , shorter rods yields lower voltage than longer rods . shorter rods enable situating more rods along the same length of multilayer stack 120 , thus generating larger charge for the same applied longitudinal force . fig2 ( a ) schematically depicts an isometric view of a multilayer modular generator according to an exemplary embodiment of the current invention . multilayer modular generator 200 comprises a box 210 and a cover 212 . an electric cable 221 , preferably comprising a positive lead and a negative lead , transfers electrical signal generated by a plurality of supported multilayer stacks 120 within box 210 in response to pressure applied to cover 212 . fig2 ( b ) schematically depicts a across section of a multilayer modular generator according to an exemplary embodiment of the current invention . multilayer modular generator 200 comprises a box 210 and a cover 212 . an electric cable 221 , preferably comprising a positive lead 221 a and a negative lead 221 b , transfers electrical signal generated by a plurality of supported multilayer stacks within box 210 in response to pressure applied to cover 212 . preferably , a flexible seal 214 may used to prevent moisture and dirt from entering the box , while allowing small relative motion of the cover in response to force applied to it . piezoelectric stacks within box 210 comprises of plurality of individual piezoelectric elements 201 , arranged in layers . elements 201 in each layer are held in place by a matrix layer 231 ( tree such matrix layers : 231 a , 231 b and 231 c are seen , but number of layers may be two or larger than three ). piezoelectric elements in adjacent layers are oppositely poled and are separated by central electrode layers ( two such electrode layers are seen , positive central electrode layer 224 a and negative central electrode layer 224 c ). top surfaces of piezoelectric elements in top layer make contact with top electrode layer ( in the example depicted here — positive end electrode layer 224 d ). similarly , bottom surfaces of piezoelectric elements in bottom layer make contact with bottom electrode layer ( in the example depicted here — negative end electrode layer 224 a ). all positive electrodes ( in this case positive central electrode 224 b and positive end electrode 224 d ) are connected together to the positive terminal 221 a . similarly , all negative electrodes ( in this case negative central electrode 224 c and negative end electrode 224 a ) are connected together to the negative terminal 221 a . fig3 schematically depicts an exploded view of the internal elements of a multilayer modular generator 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the current invention . in this figure , the arrangement of piezoelectric elements 201 in a layers and columns can be seen . in each layer the piezoelectric elements 201 are arranged in a substantially identical two - dimensional array and held in place in holes 232 in the corresponding matrix layer 231 . for clarity , only few of the piezoelectric elements 201 were presented . in the exemplary embodiment , a 3 × 3 array of piezoelectric elements 201 is depicted for clarity . however larger array are typically used . the array need not be square or symmetrical . preferably , the shape of the matrix layer , the box and the cover is such that it can tile a surface ( triangle , rectangular , square , or hexagonal ). similarly , any shape may be selected , such as oval , round , etc , within the general scope of the current invention . number of matrix layers 231 is preferably equal to the number of layers of piezoelectric elements 201 . in the exemplary embodiment , three layers of piezoelectric elements 201 are depicted for clarity ( held in place by matrix layers 231 a , 231 b and 231 c ). however any number of layers may be used . matrix layers 231 are preferably made of strong , nonconductive material so it can support piezoelectric elements 201 against shear stresses while electrically insulating them and the electrode layers . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , matrix layers 231 are made of glass sheets having holes 232 drilled in them . optionally , the glass sheets are tempered or thermally treated to reduce internal stress or increase strength after holes 232 were drilled . alternatively , glass sheet are casted . using glass to manufacture the matrix layers is advantageous due to the mechanical and electrical properties of glass . additionally , glass is cheap , nontoxic , easily processed , and easily disposable or recyclable . alternatively , molded plastic is used . it should be noted that matrix layers may also be patterned with holes other than holes 232 for reducing cost and weight . central electrodes 224 b and 224 c as well as end electrodes 224 a and 224 d are preferably patterned having contact pads 223 electrically connected by connecting lines 2621 . electrode layers are preferably made of a thin conductive material , for example copper or copper alloy . this pattern reduces the amount of metal used for the electrode layer , thus reducing the cost . however , electrodes may be a full or perforated sheet or differently patterned . although elements 201 and holes 232 are depicted cylindrical , other shapes may be used . for example , elements 201 ( or holes 232 ) may be shaped as rectangular boxes or bars . fig4 ( a ) schematically depicts an isometric view of a round multilayer modular generator 400 according to a preferred embodiment of the current invention . in contrast to the rectangular shape of multilayer modular generator 200 , round multilayer modular generator 400 is shaped as a wide cylinder . positive lead 421 a and negative lead 421 b exit the casing of the round multilayer modular generator . in the non - limiting exemplary embodiment of fig4 , casing of round multilayer modular generator 400 comprises a top cover 405 , a bottom cover 407 and mid section 406 . preferably , a flexible seal ( not seen in these figures for clarity ) may be used to prevent moisture and dirt from entering the box , while allowing small relative motion of the covers in response to force applied to them . fasteners , such as screws 410 ( three are seen , but different number of fasteners may be used ), holds the casing together . preferably , fasteners 410 apply some pressure on the layered structure within the casing , pre - loading the piezoelectric elements and ensuring mechanical and electrical contact between the piezoelectric elements and the electrode . preloading the piezoelectric elements increases the energy yield of the generator and prevents energy loss for making contact in loose structure every time pressure is applied . optionally , fasteners 410 comprise elastic elements that maintain the proper preloading force . optionally , fasteners 410 are screws that are tightened with predetermined torque . it should be noted that mechanical and / or electrical contact between rods and electrodes may exist without preloading the screws , for example due to tightly fitting the internal elements of the generator into the box , or due to weight of the cover and / or the internal elements , or elastic properties of the internal elements or the box . fig4 ( b ) schematically depicts across section of a round multilayer modular generator according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . the layered structure of round multilayer modular generator is depicted , showing matrix layers 431 a to 431 c , electrode layers 424 a to 424 d and piezoelectric elements 401 . in the depicted exemplary embodiment , top and bottom covers are similar or substantially identical to reduce design and production costs . in this design , number of layers can easily changed by changing the length of midsection casing part 406 and inserting different number of layers into the case . fig4 ( c ) schematically depicts a top view of round matrix layer 424 used in a round multilayer modular generator 400 according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . round matrix layer 424 comprises holes 432 for piezoelectric elements 401 and holes 417 for fasteners 411 . fig5 demonstrate an advantage of a round multilayer modular generator according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . fig5 ( a ) shows a cross section of a road with round multilayer modular generators embedded in it and vehicle over it , according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . when a vehicle ( only axle 529 is seen for clarity ), passes over a road 519 , the wheels 530 slightly are distorted 539 and make a substantially rectangular contact with the road . the asphalt layer 520 of the road , which is placed over the foundation 510 slightly , distorts 540 due to the pressure applied by wheels 530 and the strain is transferred to generators 400 embedded within asphalt layer 520 . for clarity , road distortion 540 was exaggerated . fig5 ( b ) schematically depicts the stress distribution caused by a passing vehicle on a round multilayer modular generator 400 according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . as stress spreads deeper and latterly within the asphalt layer 520 , zones of high stress 540 and zones of low stress 511 develop . by placing round multilayer modular generators 400 such that the majority of their volume is within the zones of high stress 540 , efficient use of the available energy is possible . fig5 ( c ) schematically depicts a graph of the stress distribution caused by a passing vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . the zone of high stress 540 and zones of low stress 511 can be seen in this figure . fig6 schematically depicts a system 600 for energy harvesting implemented in a road and using a plurality of round multilayer modular generators 400 according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . in the depicted example , two lanes road 650 having curbs 651 is embedded with a plurality of round multilayer modular generators 400 , preferably placed at locations were wheels of traveling vehicles are most likely to pass . connecting cables 614 and 612 , transfer generated electrical energy to a control unit 610 for storage or for delivery to energy user such as electrical main grid vial cable 690 . preferably , connecting cables 614 and 612 are also embedded beneath the surface of road 650 . fig7 schematically depict steps of constructing an energy harvesting system 600 by embedding a plurality of round multilayer modular generators according to another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . fig7 ( a ) and fig7 ( b ) schematically depicts drilling , in a road , holes for embedding round multilayer modular generators , preferably using a cup drill . drilling circular holes in a road is easier than cutting rectangular holes . drilling hole 710 in asphalt layer 520 having an upper surface 519 and deposited over a foundation layer 510 , may be done using standard roadwork equipment , for example cup drill 701 may be used to remove a cylindrical core from the road leaving a cylindrical hole 710 . fig7 ( c ) schematically depicts cutting in a road &# 39 ; s asphalt layer 520 , slits 720 for embedding connecting cable 614 , preferably using a disk saw 711 ( seen in fig7 ( b )). optionally , slits 720 and holes 710 are made only part way into asphalt layer 520 . however any of slits 720 and holes 710 may be made all the way to or into foundation layer 510 . fig7 ( d ) schematically depicts optional stage of pouring a reinforcing layer 730 , preferably made of concrete at the bottom of the drilled hole 710 . the optional reinforcement layer 730 acts ad sturdy foundation for the round multilayer modular generator 400 to be placed in hole 710 and may be used to ensure desired depth of hole 710 which may not be easily drilled to the required accuracy . fig7 ( e ) schematically depicts the stage of laying the round multilayer modular generator 400 in drilled hole 710 over optional reinforcement 730 , and placing the connecting cables 614 in the cut slit 720 . fig7 ( f ) schematically depicts the stage of refilling the drilled holes and the cut slits , preferably with asphalt or bitumen 750 , thus embedding round multilayer modular generator 400 and cables 614 of system 600 below the surface 519 of the road . fig8 schematically depicts a cross section of a part of railway sleeper 810 with a modular multilayer generator 200 according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . in this cross section , multilayer modular generator 800 is seen placed in a recess in sleeper 810 . preferably multilayer modular generator 800 is multilayer modular generator 200 as depicted in fig2 , but other types of multilayer modular generators may be used . for example round multilayer modular generator 400 . optionally , internal elements depicted in fig3 or 4 ( b ) are placed in a recess in sleeper 810 such that the internal recess acts as a box and mount 840 and elastomeric layer 850 acts as cover . when a train traverses along rail 830 , stress caused by the train &# 39 ; s weight it transferred via rail 830 , mount 840 and elastomeric layer 850 and presses on multilayer modular generator 200 , causing charge to be generated in said generator . depth of recess for multilayer modular generator 800 in sleeper 810 is limited by metal reinforcement cables or bars 820 in sleeper 810 . this depth limits the number of layers in multilayer modular generator 200 . however , sleeper 810 may be redesigned to allow deeper recesses . similarly , width of for multilayer modular generator 800 in sleeper 810 is limited by the distance between screws 825 which hold mount 840 to sleeper 810 ; however , sleeper 810 may be redesigned to allow wider or narrower recesses . it should be noted that rods 201 multilayer modular generator 200 ( 401 for round multilayer modular generator 400 ) are at least slightly longer than the corresponding matrix layer 231 ( 431 ), thus , when pressure is applied between the top and the bottom of the multilayer modular generator 200 ( 400 ), a physical and electrical contact is formed between the edges of rods 201 ( 401 ) and electrodes 224 ( 424 ). electrode layers 224 ( 424 ) electrically connect rods 201 ( 401 ) in parallel . pressure may be applied using fasteners 410 ( not seen in fig2 ( a ) and 2 ( b ), but shown in fig4 ( a ) and 4 ( b )). alternatively or additionally , pressure may be applied by the weight of cover 212 ( 405 ), which may be made of heavy material for example concrete or metal . optionally , the entire box is made of concrete . alternatively or additionally , pressure may be applied by encapsulation of the entire multilayer modular generator in elastic encapsulation . encapsulation may also provide added protection against moisture , in addition to seal 214 ( seen in fig2 ( b ), but may be implemented in round modular generator 400 as well ). alternatively or additionally , pressure may be applied by the weight of embedding material used for covering the multilayer modular generator , for example asphalt or bitumen layer 750 seen in fig7 ( f ) for the case of round multilayer modular generator 400 , but similarly applies when embedding multilayer modular generator 200 . when a multilayer modular generator is embedded in railroad sleeper ( fig8 ), the weight of the track 830 , and pressure applied to hold track 830 in place causes physical and electrical contact between the edges of rods and the electrodes . optionally , a pressure spreading layer ( not shown for clarity ) may be inserted between cover 212 ( 405 ) and top electrode layer 224 d ( 424 d ). in this case , the cover 212 ( 405 ) may be relatively thin and mechanical forces applied to the cover is transferred to said pressure spreading layer and spread among the plurality of rods 201 ( 401 ). similarly , optionally , a pressure spreading layer ( not shown for clarity ) is inserted between the bottom of box 210 ( 407 ) and bottom electrode layer 224 a ( 424 a ) to spread the forces . alternatively , optionally or additionally covers 212 ( 405 ) are stiff and acts as force spreading member . fig9 ( a ) schematically depicts an isometric view of a multilayer super - module generator 900 according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . super - module generator 900 preferably comprises a container 910 within which a plurality of multilayer modular generator 200 is placed . optionally container 910 is divided to chambers by dividers 930 . alternatively , internal parts of multilayer modular generator 200 , as depicted in fig3 are placed in each chamber of container 910 and covered with individual or a common cover ( not seen in this figure ). leads 921 from each multilayer modular generator are united into electrical cable 912 . it should be noted that the array of 2 × 3 multilayer modular generators 200 in a super - module generator 900 is exemplary , and other shapes , number and orientations of multilayer modular generators is possible . multilayer modular generator 200 , round generator 400 , and super - module generator 900 may be embedded in a road , airport runway , indoor floor or street pavement to harvest energy from vehicles or pedestrians . fig9 ( b ) schematically depicts a top view of a system for energy harvesting 960 , implemented in a road 650 and using a plurality of multilayer super - module generators 900 , according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the current invention . in this figure , system for energy harvesting 960 comprises a plurality of multilayer super - module generators 900 and connecting cables 912 , embedded below the surface of a road or a highway 650 . in the depicted example , two lanes road 650 having curbs 651 is embedded with a plurality super - module generators 900 , preferably placed at locations were wheels of traveling vehicles are most likely to pass . connecting cables 912 , transfer generated electrical energy to a control unit 918 for storage or for delivery to energy user such as electrical main grid vial cable 990 . for simplicity , only one lane of road 650 is seen fitted with super - module generators 900 , however , few or all lanes may be fitted with super - module generators 900 . in the depicted example , super - module generators 900 are seen placed to form a single row . however , super - module generators 900 may be placed in two rows per lane , each where a wheel of a traveling care is likely to pass . optionally , super - module generators 900 may be placed in a two dimensional array to tile a large area . it should be noted the novel modular multilayer construction of multilayer modular generator 200 , round multilayer modular generator 400 and super - module generators 900 enables flexible fitting of a piezoelectric generator to its specific application , preferably with minimal redesign of few mechanical parts such as box 210 , mid section 406 or container 910 . it should be noted that modular generator 200 , round modular generator 400 and super - module generator 900 may be embedded under the surface 519 of the road , or alternatively , modular generator 200 , round modular generator 400 and super - module generator 900 may be placed such that their upper surface is flush with the surface 519 of the road so that mechanical pressure is directly transferred to their covers . in this later case , asphalt or bitumen layer 750 seen in fig7 ( f ) is missing . it is appreciated that certain features of the invention , which are , for clarity , described in the context of separate embodiments , may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment . conversely , various features of the invention , which are , for brevity , described in the context of a single embodiment , may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub combination . although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof , it is evident that many alternatives , modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art . accordingly , it is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims . all publications , patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification , to the same extent as if each individual publication , patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference . in addition , citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention . | 4 |
fig1 illustrates a support sock , shown generally at 10 . a ribbed top section 12 extends to a point between the ankle and knee of the wearer . typically , the top section ends just below the calf with a narrow elastic band 20 . this band typically has reinforced edges for durability and is slightly tighter than the top section as an aid in keeping the top section 12 from slipping and rolling down the user &# 39 ; s leg . the top section itself is typically a knitted fabric material such as cotton , wool or synthetic blends . on the other end of the support sock is a toe section 18 . as is the top section , the toe section is made of the same close - fitting , knitted fabric . this section allows the user &# 39 ; s foot to breath as well as be an absorbent for perspiration . between the top section 12 and the toe section 18 is a small heel section 16 . this heel section is made up of the same absorbent , knitted fabric as the other two . this section adds to the absorbency of the sock and comfort to the user . connecting these three aforementioned sections is the stabilization section 14 . this section is of a much tighter elastic knit having a highly resistant stretchable construction with , for example , rubber threads knitted into the pattern , thus making it a stretchable rubber type cloth material creating a seamless design for proper fit and firm , even compression . this connecting material serves to stabilize and restrict movement of the wearer &# 39 ; s foot . an arch portion 24 of the stabilization section 14 wraps around the user &# 39 ; s instep and arch of the foot . this also serves to relieve plantar fasciitis . a second portion 22 of this section further wraps around the ankle adding support to the ankle area aids in the prevention of injuries to the area such as sprains or strains from over - stretching or twisting . these two portions are connected over the top of the foot by a connecting portion 26 , forming one continuous stabilization section 14 . the entire support stabilization restricts movement of the foot both laterally and vertically by way of the elastic fabric , thus stabilizing the ankle area for increase prevention of injury or further injury . these separate sections are , for example , knitted together as separate components or as one integral sock with elasticized threads knitted into the support areas . as a further embodiment , the stabilization section 14 is made up of a double - walled , stretchable fabric that has a heat insulating substance , such as neoprene , secured within . as an alternative to the neoprene , a cold generating substance may also be secured within the walls . in an alternate embodiment , fig2 shows a support sock without the connecting portion of the stabilization section . instead , the ankle portion 30 and arch / instep portion 34 are separate sections . as with the previous embodiment , the top section is an elastic fabric tube covering at least the ankle area of the leg . this tube is made of stretchable rubber type cloth material knitted either as an integral part of the entire sock with rubberized thread added or as a separate component knitted into the adjacent sections . the arch / instep section 34 is also an elastic fabric tube covering at least , the instep and arch serving to stabilize and restrict the movement of the wearer . as an added benefit , the arch section , 34 also serves to relieve plantar fasciitis . between the ankle and arch / instep sections is a knitted heel section 32 . this is made of the same absorbent , breathable material as the top section 12 and toe section 18 as described in the previous embodiment . the heel section 32 wraps around the heel and top of the foot and connects the two support sections . these are either , for example , knitted together as separate components or as one integral sock with elasticized threads knitted into the support areas . in a further alternate embodiment , fig3 shows a support sock without the ribbed top section . instead , the support sock ends with the stabilization section 14 . as with the previous embodiment , the stabilization section may be one section coveting both the ankle area and the arch / instep or as separate sections . this embodiment may be useful when worn with tight fitting pants and the user does not want the added bulk of the top section . the stabilization section will still be fully functional . the typical application of this embodiment is as a medium to heavy sock for padding while playing sports or exercising , thus allowing for absorption of perspiration . the support sock would then be used to aid in preventing initial injuries as well as preventing further injury to an ankle . often , the most painful time to walk with an injured foot is during the business day while wearing regular dress - type shoes . in this case , the foot enclosure portion is made from a synthetic blend being fairly thin . not needing to further wrap the foot , the user can easily wear a dress shoe without fear of further injury . along with being able to vary the thickness of the sock , the entire support sock can come in a variety of colors . typically , an &# 34 ; ace &# 34 ; bandage only comes in a cream type color and is easily noticeable . as an addition to the preferred embodiment , the stabilization section is double - walled and a heat insulating substance 36 , such as neoprene , is secured within fig1 a . the neoprene , or similar substance , acts to retain the therapeutic heat generated by the wearer &# 39 ; s foot . this will aid in the circulation and help keep the foot muscles pliable , thus reducing susceptibility to injury . as an alternative , the secured substance is of a cold producing type , allowing the user the benefit of ice and compression at the same time after an injury has occurred . it will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein . for example , the top section of the support sock described may be omitted and still retain all the properties and advantages of the present invention . therefore , the above description should not be construed as limiting , but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments . those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto . | 0 |
to protect computer networks and machines from unauthorized intrusions , the disclosed devices and methods provide alerts when an exploit is detected . the disclosed intrusion detection systems and methods ( idss ) require few training samples and can be trained in a cost - effective manner in - place ( i . e ., in - situ ) and in real - time on a new or existing publicly accessible or private network . the idss may detect previously unidentified attacks ( which are not detected by signature or anomaly based idss ) while generating fewer false positive alerts than signature and anomaly based ids systems . this is an improvement over the prior art since signature based idss only key on known attacks and prior - art anomaly detection or heuristic sensors suffer from false positive rates that are significantly higher than those of signature - based systems . with this capability , the disclosed ids may be incorporated or comprise a machine - learning sensor in - situ ( meaning where it will be deployed ) and some may be configured in a short period of time such as a day , for example . the resulting sensor offers very strong defense against unknown exploits for which there was previously no proven defense . the idss are trained in the place that they are deployed . the systems and methods use semi - supervised learning to render very accurate detectors with low false positive rates . when training , the idss use a very small number of labelled intrusions and normal connections , while augmenting this information with other network information that are processed as unlabelled . the systems leverage the availability of the unlabelled activity in the training process without assuming that the activity is normal or part of an attack . some idss make use of advanced semi - supervised learning such as a laplacian regularized least squares model or an alternating structure optimization ( aso ) model . the aso model performs well when the amount of unlabelled data is particularly large and the feature space is high dimensional . selected semi - supervised learning may depend on the choice of features , choice of event definition , etc . in this disclosure an event is any collection of features that quantify what has occurred in a network , on a host , etc . over a specified period of time . the time period may be an n - second time window or may be based on the period in which a network connection is sustained . the architecture of the ids is an extension of the pipes and filters design pattern where data processing components are chained such that each component benefits from the processing performed by the previous component . the data object operated on by each component in this disclosure is a feature set , which is a data representation in machine learning . network data / packet data / host data is acquired , and flow , host , and network features are derived from this data as the base feature set . each component or stage in the pipeline augments the feature set in order to optimize the number and type of features for the target operational environment . in - situ training is accomplished with this architecture by storing acquired feature sets at the point in the pipeline where an ids learner is to be trained , labelling the feature sets , and processing the feature set as the basis for building the generalized model . the ids pipeline architecture extension offers several flexibilities that allow for multiple embodiments of this technology . machine learning ids classifiers and feature augmenting ids components can be assigned to any location in the network or computer pipeline and even in parallel with other network or computer components . this allows for the ids learner modules to be staged in an optimum configuration to maximize the overall classification performance . in addition , the flexibility of the pipeline architecture allows for components to be added and removed as is necessary to produce a system that maximizes detection accuracy for a target operational environment . as described , the ids learner modules execute a semi - supervised learning that uses both labeled and unlabeled data during the model discovery process . methods for incorporating the unlabeled information may include use of data - dependent priors and low - density separation . some alternate approaches are graph - based . the graph - based methods recognize that the data naturally occurs on an underlying manifold , such that the true degrees of freedom of the problem can be discovered using unlabeled data . the system seeks to find structure in the ambient space that can be exploited to constrain the search for a good model . one set of approaches uses the graph laplacian . in this approach a graph is constructed to represent a manifold ( or densely populated region of interest in the ambient space ), and the graph laplacian can either be used to facilitate the discovery of a low - dimensional space that is smooth with respect to this graph or it can be used as a regularization term that penalizes models that disagree with the graph . specifically , some ids use the graph laplacian for semi - supervised learning . and , more specifically may use a laplacian eigenmap or the laplacian regularized least squares algorithm . an exemplary ids uses a laplacian eigenmap as an alternate nonparametric semi - supervised learner . the ids learner is constructed by processing a nearest neighbor graph using the six nearest neighbors based on cosine similarity . alternative systems may use any number of its nearest neighbors , for example it may use five or eight . in addition , the cosine similarity may be replaced by many similarity metrics ( e . g ., euclidean distance , mahalanobis distance , etc .). unlike some nonlinear dimensionality reduction methods , the use of laplacian eigenmaps does not automatically suggest the size of the new space . in this ids the system retains a basis size that is a percentage of the labeled data size , with 20 % being a baseline number . in alternative systems the basis size may be smaller or larger . it is worth noting that in addition to the non - parametric nature of the nearest neighbor graph , the number of dimensions is a reflection of the labeled data size . in this case , the complexity of the model can grow with the size of the unlabeled data through the graph laplacian , and it can also grow with the size of the labeled data . the normalized graph laplacian is a matrix expressed as equation ( 1 ) where u and v are vertices in the graph , d is the degree ( number of incident edges ) of a vertex , and adjacency refers to a neighboring connection in the graph . the un - normalized form is expressed as equation ( 2 ): using the eigenvalues and associated eigenvectors of these positive , semi - definite , symmetric matrices provides a method for discovering dimensions that are smooth with respect to the graph that defines it . if the graph varies smoothly with respect to the target problem ( i . e ., examples from different classes or clusters are rarely linked , similar examples from the perspective of the target problem are linked , etc . ), then it can be used to represent a manifold . the laplacian of the graph may be used to find a space that roughly represents that manifold . the eigenvector associated with the smallest non - zero eigenvalue is smoothest with respect to the graph , such that points connected in the graph will be close together in the dimension defined by the eigenvector . this smoothness with respect to eigenvector - defined dimensions decreases as you progress to the larger eigenvalues . a useful property of the eigenvalue system is that the number of zero - value eigenvalues is equal to the number of connected components in the graph . in addition , an eigenvector will not involve more than one component of the graph . thus , after counting the number of connected components , which is an o ( n ) operation , the system retains at least that many dimensions in a new space in order to distinguish between all points after they are mapped . for some semi - supervised test models , dimensionality is reduced and an initial transductive model is constructed . a simple classifier is constructed in the new space , in which the coefficients for the new dimensions are set by minimizing the sum of squared error on the labeled data . in other words , the weights of the new dimensions are given by the vector “ a ” by equation ( 3 ). where c is a vector representing the class labels , λ k ; v k are the k - th eigenvalue and eigenvector , respectively , the entries of e are λ k v i , k , i is the index of the labeled point in the matrix , and k is the index in the new low - dimensional space ; i . e . the k - th eigenvalue and eigenvector provide the mapping into the new space for labeled point i . the number of connected components in the graph is determined in order to eliminate the zero - valued eigenvalues , and then the mapping starts with the next eigen - function . as explained above , the laplacian - eigenmap based semi - supervised learning is transductive , meaning that it only creates a mapping for an unlabeled example if it was part of the set used for graph construction . this means that applying a method transductively involves solving the eigenvalue problem for any new point or set of points , which may be impractical in some cases for intrusion detection in real time . for a nonparametric out - of - sample extension that allows efficient application to new points , the nystrom formula is used . the method provides inductive classifications results with no significant difference in accuracy from the transductive application . it uses the laplacian matrix as a data - dependent kernel function k d in the following equation ( 4 ) in order to map a new point into each dimension k of the new decision space : where n is the size of the original dataset , and λ k ; v k are the k - th eigenvalue and eigenvector , respectively . to implement the laplacian rls model , the system and method may use the normalized or unnormalized forms . one exemplary unormalized form may use the graph laplacian , here as shown in equation ( 5 ). where d is the degree ( number of incident edges ) of a vertex , and adjacency refers to a neighboring connection in the graph . the output function that is learned is shown as equation ( 6 ): where k is the ( l + u )×( l + u ) gram matrix over labeled and unlabeled points , and α is the following learned coefficient vector shown in equation ( 7 ). with l being the laplacian matrix described above , i being the ( l + u )×( l + u ) identity matrix , j being the ( l + u )×( l + u ) diagonal matrix with the first l diagonal entries equal to 1 and the rest of the entries equal to 0 , and y being the ( l + u ) label vector , y =[ y i ; . . . ; y 1 ; 0 ; . . . ; 0 ]. the laplacian rls model implementation has two parameters that control the amount of regularization . these can be chosen via a model selection technique , such as cross - validation . in an exemplary implementation , ids pipeline architecture , ids learner modules ( e . g ., machine learning classifiers ), etc ., may be implemented in or may be interfaced in many ways in many different combinations of hardware , software or both and may be applied to different applications . all or parts of the system may be executed through one or more programs executed by controllers , one or more microprocessors ( cpus ), one or more signal processors ( spu ), one or more application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), one or more programmable media or combinations of such hardware . all or part of the systems may be implemented as instructions or programs stored on a non - transitory medium ( e . g ., a machine readable medium ) or memory executed by a cpu / spu / asic that comprises electronics including input / output interfaces , application program interfaces , and an up - dateable memory comprising at least a random access memory and / or flash memory which is capable of being updated via an electronic medium and which is capable of storing updated information , processors ( e . g ., cpus , spus , and / or asics ) controller , an integrated circuit that includes a microcontroller or other processing devices that may execute software stored on a tangible or non - transitory machine - readable or computer - readable medium such as flash memory , random access memory ( ram ) or read only memory ( rom ), erasable programmable read only memory ( eprom ) or other machine - readable medium such as a compact disc read only memory ( cdrom ), or magnetic or optical disk . thus , a product , such as a computer program product , includes a specifically programmed non - transitory storage medium and computer readable instructions stored on that medium , which when executed , cause the control system to perform the specially programmed operations . the ids described are preferably trained where the ids is used . this means an ids using semi - supervised learning may be red - teamed by penetration testers in its deployment environment to allow the model to be trained effectively . benign activities may be identified as such and labeled as normal to add to the attack data and generate the ids model &# 39 ; s training set . by taking advantage of the consistent availability of large amounts of unlabeled data and incorporating said data in a manner consistent with the principles outlined above , very little labeled data is required to train effective detection models . the cost - savings in terms of labeling requirements associated with the described ids allow the described ids to be economically trained in - situ . in turn , this in - situ training allows a machine - learning - based ids to obtain high detection rates with extremely low false positive rates . as seen in fig1 , as expected , the tested signature ids has a significantly lower false positive rate than the supervised learners ( i . e ., linear svm and maximum entropy ) and the state - of - the - art multi - classifier anomaly detection , while also lacking significant coverage . comparing the results of an unmodified semi - supervised laplacian regularized least squares ( rls ) model to the supervised learners using small labeled datasets shows significant differences too , with an auc ( area under the roc curve ) score that indicates the laplacian rls has the most potential for reducing the false positive rate without sacrificing the high detection rate . subsets of 100 labeled examples and approximately 3000 unlabeled examples were used for training , and testing was performed across test data spanning 12 days of network traffic . there were 111 , 589 examples ( terminated connections ) in the original training set that were reduced to a smaller set by removing samples that were essentially redundant based on the chosen feature set . the classification results were averaged over 10 random selections of the labeled data . the evaluation randomly selected 100 examples as a labeled training set with the rest retained as unlabeled examples for use by the semi supervised learner . the evaluation removed redundancy through an approximate similarity measure by hashing the examples based on label value , binary feature values , and 10 % ranges of the normalized numeric feature values . this left an average of 56 . 6 labeled examples per test , with a high of 69 and a low of 19 . it also preserved approximately 3000 unlabeled examples per test . the evaluation purposely restricted the number of labeled examples to an extreme number to demonstrate the viability of training such models in their deployment environments . an exemplary training method for an ids may include coupling a recording device to a port ( such as a tap ) that records and calculates the observations that make up the feature set . while it is recording , red - team or penetration testers may assess security by attacking the network using a specified set of attacks ( which may be benign as executed or reversible to minimize harm ). during the attack , threat actors , equipment , or techniques may identify some benign behaviors that occur during the training period and provide a key to the times , machines , flows , etc . involved in the attacks and identify normal activities . the recorded data is then aggregated into a training data set . the training data set may include classification labels for the events whose classifications are known ( e . g . attack and normal ), and treat or label the rest of the data as unlabeled . the semi - supervised learners of the ids are trained on the device or on a companion server cluster or heavy computer machine . the ids are programed to cap the false positive rate alerts by adjusting the learner &# 39 ; s alerting threshold to fall below that rate on the training data . when training an ids some optional guidelines may be followed . for example , the semi - supervised machine - learning sensors of the ids may be positioned where the sensor may monitor network traffic , preferably at a major access point on the digital or computer network . multiple sensors in different positions may also be used in alternative systems and methods . in some training sessions , the training data may be deduplicated to control data classes and relative sample sizes within each class . in this training data duplicates or near duplicate events are deleted from training data to allow the use of a more diverse unlabeled example set , which can improve performance , etc . when training the semi - supervised machine - learning sensors the threats may provide the time , the source and destination ip addresses , and the source and destination ports of the attack to the semi - supervised machine - learning sensors to allow the sensors to generate and store network statistics for these events and label them as example “ attacks ”. the statistics may capture in a local or remote memory the time , the source and destination ip addresses , and the source and destination ports of some confirmed normal connections , and label them as “ normal ”, when the designation applies . the sensors may collect statistics for a large set of events on the network , and treat these examples as “ unlabeled ” events . some alternative systems create statistical features that characterize new events that occur on the network in the same manner as used to create the training examples . here the semi - supervised machine - learning sensors may model new events into “ normal ” or “ attack ” categories . in use the recording device continuously records and converts observations into the event definition . the ids uses the trained model to classify these events as they occur and generates and transmits an alert when the classification is an attack class by providing a log message , etc . some ids may send an alert to a user interface to report any events that were categorized as “ attacks .” fig2 shows the ability of the laplacian rls learner to catch unknown attacks after being trained on normal traffic and known attacks only . the setup is the same with the results being averaged over 10 random selections of the labeled data . each set has 100 labeled data points total to begin with , thus after eliminating redundancy , leaves a combined total of under 70 labeled examples ( combined number of normal and known - attack terminated connections ) for each classifier , with as few as 19 labeled examples . again , there are approximately 3000 unlabeled examples per test . the table counts how often the ids results recorded in the dataset alerted on the data with normal and unknown attacks only . there are a total of 398 unknown attacks that occur during the 12 days in the test set . a closer look at the individual results shows some of the benefits of the laplacian rls , and other semi - supervised methods . fig3 shows the results of each of 10 runs in order to demonstrate how low the number of false positives can be bounded . the first run has the lowest auc score of 0 . 99968 , but has the lowest false positive rate of 0 . 00022 ( out of 808 , 108 normal events ). it is also the only classifier to have a recall of less than 100 %, but it still catches 99 . 75 % of the unknown attacks . the binary laplacian rls model uses a threshold , so the auc score indicates how much tradeoff needs to occur between precision and recall . therefore , since the model that catches 397 unknown attacks , while missing only one , only has 178 false positive alerts and yet has the lowest auc score , all of the other models should be tunable to allow them to miss a single attack while keeping their false positive number at 178 or lower , as well , since they require less of a tradeoff than the first model . given the auc scores in fig3 , some ids include an automatic threshold selection routine to the training step in order to obtain better performance . fig4 and 5 show the results of the laplacian rls classifiers when the thresholds are adjusted during training ( on training data ) to eliminate false positives . in this example , all labeled training data is ranked by the score assigned by the model , and a threshold that will target a maximum false positive rate of 0 . 00000001 is programmed based on the training data . knowing the distance between this discovered threshold and the maximum score of 1 , it is then multiplied it by a constant 0 . 75 , and added to the old threshold to obtain a new adjusted threshold . the constant of 0 . 75 may be based on empirical evaluations and may be adjusted manually or automatically . in summary , the self - learning models are very powerful in identifying unknown attacks for the defense of large networks . an optimal threshold for each learner may assure fewer than 178 false positives , for example , for any of the classifiers . other ids and applications may be formed from combinations of structure and functions described and used in other applications . for example , some ids may process host - level , packet level , and / or network level information . examples of host - level information include sequences of system calls , system processor loads , log file information , information from malware detection software on the host , etc . examples of packet level information include things like packet size , binary encodings as observations , functional analysis of packet info , malware detection results on packet , etc . in these alternative systems the ids may process any combination of feature types , aggregate the features together , may separate features into views ( e . g . host - level view , packet - level view , and network - level view ), and apply view - based semi - supervised learning . in some ids applications , the detection and / or transmission of the alerts may occur when a threshold is reached or exceeded . the threshold may be programmed ( manually or automatically ) to a predetermined level that the user desires at the model building stage or deployment stage . some alternative ids may use a tweaked learner , e . g ., a method that wraps the internal learner and has a designated , desired maximum false positive rate that is used to adjust the alerting threshold by ranking the training data and setting a threshold that limits the false positive rate to the desired level on the training data , which is expected to translate to some degree to the alerting on the test data . other models and alerting tools can be used as features in the training . one or more anomaly detectors may also communicate with the ids ( for example , we used an active outlier anomaly detection model in some of our tests ), but it is understood that their baseline may reflect attacks . in these systems the ids ( which are neither anomaly detectors nor rule based signature systems ) may ignore the anomaly detector outputs if the detection is not consistent with the semi - supervised model . in yet another alternative ids , multiple semi - supervised learning sensors or instances of sensors may be used . when multiple instances of the semi - supervised learning sensors are used the sensors may be run on separate processors to distribute the workload . the sensors may be staged at different locations in the processing pipeline such that the sensors can communicate between themselves and have access to other information from the sensors . in these systems the sensors may detect discrete events or temporal sequences of events . some of the sensors may process multi - class detection models or binary . in yet another alternative , multiple semi - supervised learning sensors can be trained for different portions of the network , and multiple devices can be used at different points . the semi - supervised learning sensors may be trained to detect all intrusion types and / or subsets . multi - class semi - supervised learning sensors can provide a ranking for each decision with each type of behavior being assigned a probability . some ids may provide an automated response . a low false positive rate allows for automated intervention when an attack is detected . in yet other alternative ids , the ids may dynamically evolve to predict network traffic it normally observes and determine when the network data has changed enough that the semi - supervised learning sensors should be retrained . the network tools that may be included in this embodiment may have an interactive function where an analyst can label false positives as such , or correctly identified attacks as such , and this information can be added to the training set for retraining to provide an improved model . an active learning algorithm can also be employed in the initial setup stages to allow the setup team or it team to label events selected by the machine to further optimize the semi - supervised learning sensors and limit the number of training examples required to build an effective sensor . in some other alternative ids , the ids may be executed on a specialized processor , with training either on chip or off , even on a completely separate device if large - scale training options are needed . the ids may be synced remotely with a large cluster for any updates or retraining ( e . g ., the device could send out to the cluster or large machine new unlabeled data periodically , too ). in these systems the ids may access an attack library ( e . g ., a collection of software routines stored in memory ) with pre - scripted options that can be used to do the red - teaming against the network where it is being trained and deployed . when training the systems may use parallel processing , so the device itself or the training device ( if separated ) can consist of any of a number of parallel processing setups . the ids may operate at multiple scales of network data rates , may operate on multiple operating system platforms and interact with a variety of commercially available network interfaces . commercial application of the ids sensors may render obsolete many of the current software tools and devices now being used to protect networks . the cost of training in place of the disclosed ids is minimal , and much less than the cost of a missed attack , which may be missed because it wasn &# 39 ; t detected or because it wasn &# 39 ; t investigated because the existing technology may render a high false positive rate . in some applications the disclosed ids may serve a large network . in an exemplary application the device observes traffic when in place . the device may identify a sufficient ( small ) number of network flows that are normal and benign activities on their network . in training a red - teaming is performed by either the support or it team to provide examples of a small number of attacks of the type they want to identify . for example , maybe they don &# 39 ; t want the device to alert on probes , only on exploits , so they use a variety of exploits run against the network . these known behaviors , the normals , and the attacks , are labeled as such for the device , and the machine - learning detection model for the device is then trained either on a separate , more powerful machine , or on the device itself the deployed device then uses this model to make alerting decisions . the term “ coupled ” disclosed in this description may encompass both direct and indirect coupling . thus , first and second parts are said to be coupled together when they directly communicate with one another , as well as when the first part couples to an intermediate part which couples either directly or via one or more additional intermediate parts to the second part . the term “ analyst ” encompasses an expert system that performs or executes an analysis . the term “ substantially ” or “ about ” may encompass a range that is largely , but not necessarily wholly , that which is specified . it encompasses all but a significant amount . when modules or components of the ids are responsive to events , the actions and / or steps of devices , such as the operations that other devices are performing , necessarily occur as a direct or indirect result of the preceding events and / or actions . in other words , the operations occur as a result of the preceding operations . a device that is responsive to another requires more than an action ( i . e ., the device &# 39 ; s response to ) merely follow another action . when ids operate in real - time , the operation may match a human &# 39 ; s perception of time or a virtual process that is processed at the same rate ( or perceived to be at the same rate ) as a physical or an external process ( e . g ., such as at the same rate as the monitored system ). the physical or external process is defined by the computing session in which data is received and / or processed or during the time in which a program is running that begins when the data is received . while various embodiments of the invention have been described , it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention . accordingly , the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents . | 6 |
hereinafter , a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the following description and drawings , the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components , and so repetition of the description on the same or similar components will be omitted . fig1 is a block diagram of a computer having a flash memory 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention . fig2 is a conceptual diagram of storage areas of the flash memory 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig1 , the computer includes the flash memory 10 for storing booting data and execution data . the flash memory 10 is used to supplement a speed of reading data of a main storage device ( a hard disk drive ( hdd ), etc .) to memory ( representative , dynamic random access memory ( dram )). the booting data refers to data necessary for operating a system after the computer is booted . the execution data refers to data which has been frequently used by a user and is thus highly probable to be executed by the user in executing the user &# 39 ; s instruction after the operation of the system . the flash memory 10 has separate areas for storing the booting data and the execution data . hereinafter , an area for storing the booting data is a “ boot area ,” and an area for storing the execution data is a “ cache area .” the sizes of the boot area and the cache area are not fixed but are determined by a flash controller 20 connected to the flash memory 10 . in more detail , the flash controller 20 determines data storing locations , and is controlled by a main controller 30 that will be described later ( see fig2 ). as described above , the main controller 30 determines an area ratio between the boot area and the cache area according to an operation status of the system to the flash controller 20 . the main controller 30 can establish the area ratio of the flash memory 10 in various ways according to the operating status of the system . however , the following description is given on an example in which the area ratio is established when the system is turned on / off and a mode changes according to idle time . first , the main controller 30 establishes the area ratio differently when a pc is operational and when a user uses the pc after having been operated . in more detail , when the pc is operated , the flash memory 10 stores data necessary for operating the pc so as to increase an operating speed . therefore , all of the storage space of the flash memory 10 should be allocated as the boot area . further , booting data should be stored in the booting area . however , if the booting data is stored in the booting area after an instruction for operating the pc is input , such a storing process will result in decrease in the operating speed of the system . therefore , when an instruction for terminating the system is input , the main controller 30 allocates the storage areas of the flash memory 10 as the boot area and stores the booting data in the boot area , before the system is terminated . also , after the pc is fully operational , the main controller 30 allocates all the storage areas of the flash memory 10 as the cache area . thereafter , the main controller 30 stores data ( whose priority is determined according to an execution frequency ) executed by the user so as to increase the operating speed of the system when the data is executed . then , the main controller 30 changes the area ratio of the flash memory 10 in accordance with a change in the system mode according to idle time that continues without a user &# 39 ; s input . in more detail , when the pc is changed to a monitor off mode , the main controller 30 establishes the area ratio of the flash memory 10 in such a manner that the boot area and the cache area are identical to each other . when the idle time further continues and the pc enters a power saving mode , the main controller 30 allocates all the storage areas of the flash memory 10 as the boot area , and stores the booting data in the boot area . meanwhile , when the idle time further continues and the pc enters a maximum power saving mode , the main controller 30 can store data stored in a ram 40 of the pc in the flash memory 10 . in this regard , when the pc exits the maximum power saving mode , the main controller 30 stores the data stored in the ram 40 in the flash memory 10 providing a fast access speed in order to return the pc to the status before entering the maximum power saving mode . of course , the data of the ram 40 can be stored in a hdd 50 in the same manner as the conventional method . hereinafter , a method of operating the flash memory 10 of an embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail . fig3 is a flowchart illustrating the method of operating the flash memory 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention . as shown , the method of operating the flash memory 10 of the present embodiment receives an instruction for operating a pc ( step s 110 ). the main controller 30 having received the instruction for operating the pc operates the pc . the main controller 30 accesses a boot area of the flash memory 10 and operates the pc by using boot data stored in the boot area ( step s 120 ). thereafter , when the pc is fully operational ( step s 130 ), the main controller 30 establishes an area ratio between the boot area and the cache area of the flash memory 10 to have a value corresponding to an operating status ( step s 140 ). the operating status refers to an area ratio suitable for executing a user &# 39 ; s instruction in that the cache area is established to be greater than the boot area . more dramatically , all storage areas of the flash memory 10 can be established as the cache area . after the main controller 30 establishes the area ratio of the flash memory 10 as the operating status , the main controller 30 receives and performs the user &# 39 ; s instruction , and stores data executed according to the user &# 39 ; s instruction in the cache area . the priority of the data stored in the cache area is determined according to a frequency of executing the data performed by the user . in more detail , since data is more frequently executed by the user , the data is determined to have a higher execution possibility , and as such , the data is first stored in the cache area . thereafter , the user detects whether a power off signal is input ( step s 150 ). if the power off signal is input , the main controller 30 establishes the area ratio of the flash memory 10 as a standby status ( step s 160 ). the standby status refers to an area ratio suitable for storing booting data required to operate the pc in that the boot area is established to be greater than the cache area . more dramatically , all storage areas of the flash memory 10 can be established as the boot area . after the area ratio of the flash memory 10 is established to the standby status , the main controller 30 stores the booting data in the boot area ( step s 170 ). the pc is powered off and the system is terminated ( step s 180 ). fig4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating the flash memory 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig4 , the method of operating the flash memory 10 of the present embodiment receives an instruction for operating a pc ( step s 210 ) in the same manner as described with reference to fig3 . the main controller 30 having received the instruction for operating the pc operates the pc ( step s 220 ). if the pc is fully operational , the main controller 30 establishes an area ratio between a boot area and a cache area of the flash memory 10 as an operating status ( steps s 230 and s 240 ). the main controller 30 counts idle time that continues without a user &# 39 ; s input . the counting of the idle time is required to change a mode of the pc , which reduces power consumption when a system is maintained without any user input . if the idle time exceeds an established time 1 ( step s 250 ), the main controller 30 establishes the area ratio of the flash memory 10 to an establishing status 1 ( step s 252 ). at the established time 1 , the system enters a monitor off mode . in the establishing status 1 , the boot area and the cache area are established to have the same area ratio . alternatively , the boot area and the cache area can be established to have a similar area ratio , in order to prepare the system of the pc that enters a sleep mode and terminates the monitor off mode . the main controller 30 turns off a monitor of the pc ( step s 254 ), detects whether the user inputs an instruction , and enters a standby mode ( step s 256 ). if the main controller 30 detects that the user inputs the instruction , the main controller 30 exits the monitor off mode ( turns on the monitor ), and proceeds to step s 240 . meanwhile , if the idle time exceeds an established time 2 without a user input ( step s 260 ), the main controller 30 establishes the area ratio of the flash memory 10 to an establishing status 2 ( step s 262 ). at the established time 2 , the system enters a power saving mode . in the establishing status 2 , the area ratio of the flash memory 10 is established to have the boot area to be greater than the cache area . in the establishing status 2 , all storage areas of the flash memory 10 are established as the boot area . the main controller 30 stores booting data in the boot area ( step s 264 ), and enters the power saving mode ( step s 266 ). at this time also , the main controller 30 enters the standby mode while monitoring if the user inputs an instruction ( step s 268 ). thereafter , the main controller 30 detects if the idle time exceeds an established time 3 ( step s 270 ). the established time 3 refers to an idle time taken until the system enters a maximum power saving mode . the established time 1 , 2 , and 3 can be established and changed by the user . if the main controller 30 detects in step s 270 that the idle time exceeds the established time 3 , the main controller 30 operates the system ( step s 272 ), in order to completely turn the system off after storing a final status of the pc , which is stored in the ram 40 , in a non - volatile memory ( steps s 274 and s 276 ). the non - volatile memory refers to the hdd 50 included in the computer . however , in the present embodiment , the pc further includes the flash memory 10 as the non - volatile memory . therefore , the data of the ram 40 can be stored in the flash memory 10 . it is efficient to store the data of the ram 40 in the boot area of the flash memory 10 . according to an embodiment of the present invention having the above described construction , a single flash memory is used to variably change storage spaces thereof according to a use status of a pc , thereby increasing available storage spaces . although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes , those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications , additions and substitutions are possible , without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims . | 6 |
the following description of the preferred embodiment ( s ) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention , its application , or uses . a coating composition is prepared by including a salted hindered amine light stabilizer . the hindered amine light stabilizer has a basic nitrogen atom that is completely , or substantially completely , neutralized by an acid before the hindered amine light stabilizer is incorporated into the coating composition . in particular embodiments , coating composition is a topcoat coating composition , particularly a clearcoat composition , more particularly an automotive clearcoat composition . in certain embodiments , the clearcoat compositions are two - package , also known as two - component or 2k , compositions in which at least one of the packages comprises the salted hindered amine light stabilizer . in general , a 2k composition will have one package containing a crosslinkable polymer and a second package , kept separate until just before use , comprising the crosslinking agent . the two components are combined just before application of the coating onto a desired substrate . after the two components are combined , the mixed coating composition has a limited ( but usefully long ) pot life . the coating composition may be prepared with one or more crosslinkable polymers , such as acrylic polymers , vinyl polymers , polyesters , polyurethanes , epoxy resins , polysiloxanes , and so on , as well as mixtures and graft copolymers of these . the crosslinkable polymers may have any of a number of functionalities , including hydroxyl , carbamate , carboxylic acid , acid anhydride , amine , silane , silanol , and combinations of these . in various embodiments , the crosslinking agent may be or include a blocked polyisocyanate , in which the isocyanate groups are blocked with a group that will de - block at the desired cure temperature , an aminoplast crosslinker , a polyepoxide crosslinker in the case of a carboxylic acid - functional polymer , or polycarboxylic acid in the case of an epoxide - functional polymer . useful aminoplast crosslinkers include , without limitation , materials having active methylol or methylalkoxy groups . examples of such curing agent compounds include melamine formaldehyde crosslinkers , including monomeric or polymeric melamine formaldehyde resin and partially or fully alkylated melamine formaldehyde resin , urea resins , and methylol ureas such as urea formaldehyde resin , alkoxy ureas such as butylated urea formaldehyde resin . the clearcoat coating composition may include a catalyst to enhance the cute reaction . for example , especially when monomeric melamines are used as a curing agent , a strong acid catalyst may be utilized to enhance the cute reaction . such catalysts are well - known in the art and include , without limitation , p - toluene sulfonic acid , dinonylnaphthalene disulfonic acid , dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid , phenyl acid phosphate , monobutyl maleate , butyl phosphate , and hydroxy phosphate ester . strong acid catalysts are often blocked , e . g . with an amine . in an embodiment of the invention , at least a part of acid catalyst neutralizes at least part of the hindered amine light stabilizer . for the reaction of polyisocyanates with suitable functionalities , other suitable catalysts include tin compounds such as dibutyl tin dilaurate , dibutyl tin diacetate , dibutyl tin oxide , tertiary amines , zinc salts , and manganese salts . hydroxyl - functional film - forming materials may be used with blocked polyisocyanate crosslinkers and aminoplast crosslinkers . carbamate - functional film - forming materials may be used with aminoplast crosslinkers . such materials are extensively described in coatings patent literature , such as in u s . pat . nos . 6 , 331 , 596 , 6 , 391 , 968 , 6 , 541 , 577 , 6 , 710 , 138 , and 6 , 858 , 693 , all assigned to basf corporation , and all of which are incorporated herein by reference . in the process of the invention , a hindered amine light stabilizer having a basic nitrogen is completely or substantially completely neutralized with an acid before being incorporated into a coating composition . hindered amine light stabilizers including a basic nitrogen comprise a general structure in which r is h or alkyl , aryl , alkylaryl , or arylalkyl and each r ′ is independently alkyl , aryl , alkylaryl , or arylalkyl . “ alkyl ” as used in this description includes linear , blanched , and cycloalkyl . particular examples of suitable hindered amine light stabilizers having a basic nitrogen include , without limitation , bis -( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidyl ) sebacate , bis -( 1 , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - pentamethylpiperidyl ) sebacate , n - butyl - 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxybenyl malonic acid bis -( 1 , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - pentamethylpiperidyl ) ester , the condensation product of n , n ′-( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpipridyl )- hexamethylenediamine and succinic acid , condensation product of n , n ′-( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidyl )- hexamethylenediamine and 4 - tert - octylamino - 2 , 6 - dichloro - s - triazine , tris -( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethyl - 4 - piperidyl ) nitrilotriacetate , tetrakis -( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethyl - 4 - piperidyl ) 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 - butanetetracaoxylate , 1 , 1 ′-( 1 , 2 - ethanediyl )- bis -( 3 , 3 , 5 , 5 - tetramethylpiperidinyl - 4 - yl ) sebacate , 2 -( 2 - hydroxyethylamino )- 4 , 6 - bis { n -[ 1 -( cyclohexyloxy )- 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidin - 4 - yl ]}- butylamino - s - triazine , oligomer of n -{[ 2 -( n - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpipexidin - 4 - yl ) butylamino ]- s - triazin - 4 - yl }- n , n ′- bis ( 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidin - 4 - yl )- 1 , 6 - hexanediamine terminated with 2 , 4 - bis ( dibutylamio - s - triazin - 6 - yl , n , n ′, n ″′- tris { 2 , 4 - bis [ n -( 1 , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - pentamethylpiperidin - 4 - yl ) butylamino ]- s - tirazin - 6 - yl }- 3 , 3 ′- ethylenediiminodipropylamine and n , n ′, n ″, n ″′- tetrakis { 2 , 4 - bis [ n -( 1 , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - pentamethylpiperidin - 4 - yl ) butylamino ]- s - triazin - 6 - yl }- 3 , 3 ′- ethylenediiminodipropylamine ; n , n ′, n ″- tris { 2 , 4 - bis [ n -( 1 - cyclohexyloxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidin - 4 - yl ) butylamino ]- s - triazin - 6 - yl }- 3 , 3 ′- ethylenediimodipropylamine , n , n ′, n ″′- tris { 2 , 4 - bis [ n -( 1 - cyclohexyloxy - 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidin - 4 - yl ) butylamino ]- s - triazin - 6 - yl }- 3 , 3 ′- ethylenediimodipropylamine and n , n ′, n ″, n ″′- tetrakis { 2 , 4 - bis [ n -( 1 , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - pentamethylpiperidin - 4 - yl ) butylamino ]- s - triazin - 6 - yl }- 3 , 3 ′- ethylenediimodipropylamine . the hindered amine light stabilizer having a basic nitrogen atom is salted with an acid before being incorporated into the coating composition . preferably , the hindered amine light stabilizer having a basic nitrogen atom is completely or substantially completely neutralized with an acid . examples of suitable acids include , without limitation , mineral acids and organic acids including carboxylic acids , acids with a phosphorous atom such as phosphoric acids and phosphonic acids , and sulfonic acids . examples of particular acids include , without limitation , para - toluene sulfonic acid , dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid , dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid , and dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid , sulfunic acid , nitric acid , hydrochloric acid , formic acid , acetic acid , lactic acid , oxalic acid , propionic acid , octanoic acid , and so on . in one embodiment , the acid is a sulfonic acid such as dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid . a solvent or solvents may be utilized in the coating composition used in the practice of the present invention . in general , the solvent can be any organic solvent and / or water . in one preferied embodiment , the solvent includes a polar organic solvent . more preferably , the solvent includes one or more organic solvents selected from polar aliphatic solvents or polar aromatic solvents . still more preferably , the solvent includes a ketone , ester , acetate , aprotic amide , aprotic sulfoxide , aprotic amine , or a combination of any of these . examples of useful solvents include , without limitation , methyl ethyl ketone , methyl isobutyl ketone , m - amyl acetate , ethylene glycol butyl ether - acetate , propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate , xylene , n - methylpyrrolidone , blends of aromatic hydrocarbons , and mixtures of these . in another preferred embodiment , the solvent is water or a mixture of water with small amounts of co - solvents . in a process of the invention , the coating composition according to the invention is used as the clearcoat of an automotive composite color - plus - clear coating . additional agents , for example surfactants , stabilizers , wetting agents , rheology control agents , dispersing agents , adhesion promoters , antioxidants uv absorbers , etc . may be incorporated into the coating composition . coating compositions can be coated on the article by any of a number of techniques well - known in the art . these include , for example , spray coating , dip coating , roll coating , curtain coating , and the like . for automotive body panels , spray coating is preferred . the coating composition according to the invention is used as the clearcoat of a composite color - plus - clear coating . the pigmented basecoat composition over which it is applied may any of a number of types well - known in the art , and does not require explanation in detail herein . polymets known in the art to be useful in basecoat compositions include acrylics , vinyls , polyurethanes , polycarbonates , polyesters , alkyds , and polysiloxanes . preferred polymers include acrylics and polyurethanes . basecoat polymers may be thermoplastic , but are preferably crosslinkable and comprise one or more type of crosslinkable functional groups . such groups include , for example , hydroxy , isocyanate , amine , epoxy , acrylate , vinyl , silane , and acetoacetate groups . these groups may be masked or blocked in such a way so that they are unblocked and available for the crosslinking reaction under the desired curing conditions , generally elevated temperatures . useful crosslinkable functional groups include hydroxy , epoxy , acid , anhydride , silane , and acetoacetate groups . preferred crosslinkable functional groups include hydroxy functional groups and amino functional groups . basecoat polymers may be self - crosslinkable , or may require a separate crosslinking agent that is reactive with the functional groups of the polymer . when the polymer comprises hydroxy functional groups , for example , the crosslinking agent may be an aminoplast resin , isocyanate and blocked isocyanates ( including isocyanurates ), and acid or anhydride functional crosslinking agents . in one embodiment of the invention , the basecoat composition employs an acid catalyst to promote cure . a basic hindered amine light stabilizer in the clearcoat composition is substantially fully neutralized with an acid before being added to the clearcoat composition . cure of the basecoat is improved , whether or not the clearcoat composition likewise employs an acid catalyst . the clearcoat coating composition is generally applied wet - on - wet over a basecoat coating composition as is widely done in the industry . the coating compositions described herein are preferably subjected to conditions so as to cure the coating layers . although various methods of curing may be used , heat - curing is preferred . generally , heat curing is effected by exposing the coated article to elevated temperatures provided primarily by radiative heat sources , generally temperatures between 90 ° c . and 180 ° c . in certain embodiments , the cure temperature may be between 115 ° c . and 150 ° c ., and typically temperatures between 115 ° c . and 140 ° c . are used for a blocked acid - catalyzed system . for an unblocked acid - catalyzed system , the cure temperature typically may be between 80 ° c . and 100 ° c . the curing time will vary depending on the particular components used , and physical parameters such as the thickness of the layers ; however , typical curing times range fiom 15 to 60 minutes , and more generally 15 - 25 minutes for blocked acid - catalyzed systems and 10 - 20 minutes for unblocked acid - catalyzed systems . the curing times may also be expressed as time after metal temperature reaches the bake temperature (“ metal temperature ”). for example , the curing time may be for 5 to 30 minutes , preferably 10 to 20 minutes , at metal temperature , in a method for repairing the clearcoat layer of an automotive coating , the clearcoat layer of the invention is sanded , if necessary , to remove a defect , then a new basecoat layer and the clearcoat coating composition of the invention is applied over at least a portion of the clearcoat layer to form a second clearcoat layer , which is then cured . the new basecoat layer and second clearcoat layer may be cured at the times and temperatures already mentioned . the clearcoat composition of the invention provides significantly improved adhesion of the subsequent repair coating , even without sanding of the first ( original ) clearcoat layer , and even for a 2k ( e . g ., unblocked polyisocyanate crosslinker ) system , which is generally susceptible to adhesion failure of the repair coat when there is no sanding of the first clearcoat before the repair coats are applied . the adhesion is excellent even in severe original clearcoat overbake / repair coat underbake conditions , for example as tested by an original clearcoat layer cure of 90 minutes at 152 ° c . and a repair clearcoat layer cure of 15 minutes at 132 ° c . coating compositions containing the siloxane polymer exhibit excellent scratch resistance and adhesion of repair coating layers and sealants , such as windshield sealants . the invention is illustrated by the following examples . the examples are merely illustrative and do not in any way limit the scope of the invention as described and claimed . all parts are parts by weight unless otherwise noted . a salted hindered amine light stabilizer is prepared by mixing together 47 parts by weight of tinuvin 292 ( obtained from ciba specialty chemicals , di -( 1 , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - pentamethyl - 4 - piperidinyl ) sebacate , molecular weight 509 , cas no . 41556 - 26 - 7 and methyl , ( 1 , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - pentamethyl - 4 - piperidinyl ) sebacate , molecular weight 307 , cas no . 82919 - 37 - 7 ) and 53 parts by weight a 70 % by weight solution of dinonylnaphthalene disulfonic acid in isopropanol . a clearcoat composition is prepared by mixing together 42 . 6 parts by weight of a hydroxyl - functional acrylic polymer ( 67 % nonvolatile in a mixture of amyl acetate , xylene , and odorless mineral spirits ), 9 . 0 parts by weight butyl acetate , 5 . 2 parts by weight ethylene glycol butyl ether acetate , 3 . 1 parts by weight diisobutyl ketone , 0 . 4 parts by weight coating additives , 2 . 0 parts by weight of a uv absorber , 2 . 0 parts by weight of the salted hindered amine light stabilizer of example 1 , 7 . 0 parts by weight of a rheological additive , and 28 . 7 parts by weight of a polyisocyanate resin . a comparative clearcoat composition was prepared as in example 2 , except that the salted hindered amine light stabilizer of example 1 was not added , and instead 0 . 95 parts by weight of tinuvin 292 was added . a comparative clearcoat composition was prepared as in example 1 , except that the salted hindered amine light stabilizer of example 1 was not added , and instead 0 . 95 parts by weight of tinuvin 123 was added . the clearcoat compositions of example 2 , comparative example a , and comparative example b were each applied in a clearcoat layer over a previously applied and flash - dried layer of 0 . 7 mil of red or black waterborne basecoat on a primed steel panel . the clearcoat composition was spray applied over the basecoat to approximately 2 . 0 mils thickness . the clearcoat was then flashed at ambient temperature for 10 minutes and cured at 140 ° c . for 20 minutes . the panels prepared over red basecoat were tested for thin film exudation , and the panels prepared over black basecoat were tested for scratch and mar resistance using the ford laboratory crockmeter test method , ten - day standard humidity resistance , and jacksonville etch resistance . exudation was visually observed by viewing the panels under high intensity light conditions . normally a panel will be partially wiped with a paper towel to visually determine if the exudates is present . jacksonville exposure is carried out on blount island by testing between 0 and 5 degrees horizontal for approximately 14 weeks , from late may to august each year . the test specimens are rated for acid etch damage using a visual method of evaluation . the test specimen is washed before each evaluation and the extent of acid damage determined visually . the damage to the coating is rated using an industry recognized scale from 0 ( best ) to 10 ( worst ). etch exudation crockmeter humidity resistance example 1 none 86 % no whitening 4 comp . severe 64 % slight whitening 4 example a comp . slight 90 % no whitening 4 example b the comparison of the results shows that the invention of example 1 provides improved overall properties over the comparative examples . the improved compatibility of the light stabilizer in the inventive compositions improves long term durability of coatings of the invention . the description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and , thus , variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 2 |
the process of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawing figures . as normally available from commercial suppliers , carbon dioxide is delivered as a liquid or gas at elevated pressure and at a temperature much higher than the temperature of liquid nitrogen . injecting liquid carbon dioxide directly into liquid nitrogen results in forming large chunks of solid carbon dioxide which quickly freezes in the delivery tube , thereby terminating the continued flow of carbon dioxide liquid . therefore , as shown in fig1 in the process of the present invention , liquid or gaseous carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide supply indicated by arrow 2 is pumped through a funnel shaped port 4 of a nozzle 6 , allowing the liquid or gaseous carbon dioxide to expand rapidly to form both carbon dioxide gas and finely powdered solid carbon dioxide particles . at the same time , liquid nitrogen indicated by arrow 8 is injected tangentially into the nozzle , forming a cold region within the nozzle which assists in cooling and condensing the gaseous carbon dioxide and the powdered carbon dioxide to liquid nitrogen temperatures , typically around - 196 ° c . the entire condensed mixture ( liquid nitrogen and particles of carbon dioxide which make up the slurry or slush ) falls into a mixing tank 10 , where the nitrogen and carbon dioxide are mixed to form a slurry . while the flow of nitrogen is normally sufficient to allow mixing of the nitrogen and carbon dioxide , the tank may include known mechanical mixing devices to mix the nitrogen and carbon dioxide . a vent 12 allows vaporized nitrogen from mixing tank 10 to be released . a more detailed view of the nozzle 6 is shown in fig2 . typically the carbon dioxide is injected into nozzle 6 at a pressure of about 350 psi and the nitrogen is injected into the nozzle at a pressure of about 50 psi . the funnel shaped port 4 increases in diameter at a rate of about one unit in diameter for every one unit in length until the port reaches a maximum diameter of about 4 times the width of the port at the point where the carbon dioxide is injected into the nozzle . in the mixing tank , the liquid nitrogen to carbon dioxide ratio is preferably about 3 . 1 to 1 . from mixing tank 10 the slurry flows by gravity through a pipe 14 and a valve 16 into a holding tank 18 . a valve 20 allows vaporized liquid nitrogen to be released , and the level of slurry in tank 18 can be monitored using a sight gauge 22 . a second flow of nitrogen indicated by arrow 24 flows though a pipe 26 and through a jet pump 28 to pull the suspension out of holding tank 18 and downward through a valve 30 . preferably the second flow of nitrogen is at a pressure of about 80 psi . at a lower pressure , the slurry will have difficulty flowing and at a higher pressure , the amount of carbon dioxide present in the slurry coming from holding tank 18 will be reduced . at the jet pump the liquid nitrogen to carbon dioxide ratio is preferably about 3 . 4 to 1 and this ratio remains relatively constant throughout the remaining downstream sections of the apparatus . the viscosity of the slurry is greater than about 0 . 15 centipoise and the density of the slurry is between about 55 and 65 lbs / cf . a nitrogen wash down flow valve 32 is included in the apparatus to allow nitrogen from the second flow of nitrogen to be added to holding tank 18 when the holding tank needs additional cooling . however , in normal operation , valve 32 is closed . in normal operation , the second flow of nitrogen 24 is sufficient to force the slurry upward through a pump bypass valve 34 and through the injection line 36 . however , when additional pressure is needed , a centrifugal pump 38 can be used to exert pressure on the slurry through a pump discharge pipe 40 and valve 42 . in normal operation , the valve 42 is closed . a recycle line 44 and valve 46 are included in the apparatus to allow slurry and liquid nitrogen to flow back into holding tank 18 if there is a problem , such as a blockage , in injection line 36 . in normal operation , valve 46 is closed . the end of injection line 36 is preferably a closed and pointed probe 48 which allows injection line 36 to be inserted into an underground cavity and even driven into the wall of the cavity . one or more rows of holes 50 are located around the circumference of injection line 36 about 1 / 2 &# 34 ; to 1 &# 34 ; behind probe 48 . typically the holes are about 3 / 16 &# 34 ; in diameter . the cryogenic slurry of the present invention which is pumpable has good delivery characteristics . upon being pumped into an underground cavity through holes 50 , the slurry will start to flow through a preferred channel . as the liquid nitrogen evaporates , it leaves behind solid carbon dioxide deposited in the channel , temporarily increasing the channel resistance . with continued pumping the slurry will flow to another channel , repeating the process . eventually , the slurry will flow in all directions around the point at which it is pumped into the underground cavity , uniformly saturating a large volume of the sub - surface region with slurry and / or solid carbon dioxide . the rapid evaporation of the liquid nitrogen and the slower sublimation of the solid co 2 has several important attributes as a fire extinguishant . to begin with , the slurry absorbs heat , cooling the burning material below its self - heating and / or ignition temperature . in addition , the slurry is relatively nonreactive and prevents the presence of oxygen in the sub - surface burn zone , thereby preventing further heat generating oxidation processes from occurring . the 700 fold increase in volume as the slurry converts to gas by evaporation ( particularly the liquid nitrogen ) acts as a piston pushing hot gaseous combustion products and air from the burn zone into the atmosphere . in this manner , heat is removed completely from the sub - surface burn zoned thereby cooling the burn zone more quickly than it would if the hot gases did not escape to the atmosphere . this piston effect is important in fighting underground fires where the heat energy tends to remain underground for long periods of time . although the present invention has been described relative to specific exemplary embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . | 0 |
the word “ exemplary ” is used herein to mean “ serving as an example , instance , or illustration .” any aspect described herein as “ exemplary ” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects . this scheme allows any user to use his / her pcd as a public addressing microphone . fig1 shows an exemplary system using the presently claimed invention . as in most public address ( pa ) systems , at least one output audio speaker 10 is connected 12 to a back end of pa system 14 . this connection can be of any type of connection known in the art , including but not limited to electrical connections , optical connections and the like . client 16 is the entity that provides audio feed 18 to back - end pa system 14 . as shown , client 16 has an antenna or transceiver system 20 to receive and transmit data to hosts . the hosts in this exemplary aspect include designated host_ 1 22 , designated host_ 2 22 ′ and designated host_ 3 22 ″, which are designated as the speakers , and non - designated host_ 4 24 and non - designated host_ 5 24 ′, which are not designated as the speakers , hence the audience . each of the hosts has a host antenna or transceiver system 26 for receiving and transmitting data to client 16 , during association 1 28 and association 2 30 . the operation of the system is described below . event coordinator may configure a client to designate the one or more users &# 39 ; pcds as masters . the devices configured as master would have more control and privileges on the back - end pa system . henceforth , devices configured as masters are called designated hosts , whereas , other devices are called non - designated hosts . non - designated hosts access the pa system at the will of the designated hosts . in the speaker - audience usage scenario , speakers &# 39 ; devices act as designated hosts , whereas , audiences &# 39 ; devices act as non - designated hosts . while this disclosure suggests use of designated and non - designated hosts in speaker - audience scenario , it is also possible to have one or all non - designated hosts , one designated host or all designated hosts . in case of the all non - designated hosts , predetermined criteria can be used to select the host that can use the pa system . the client may participate in making such decisions . the operation of the claimed system is shown in fig2 . in a first aspect , an event coordinator configures client 16 to designate designated host_ 3 22 ″ as one of the speakers . designated host_ 3 22 ″ establishes an association 1 28 with client 16 , when designated host_ 3 22 ″ wants to access pa system 14 . client 16 is the entity that provides the audio feed to the back - end pa system 14 ( e . g ., amplifier , audio speakers ). when the current speaker , designated host_ 3 22 ″, is done speaking or using pa system 14 , he may dissociate from client 16 . the scenario for this first aspect ends here . however , in a second aspect it is also possible that a next designated speaker , for instance designated host_ 2 22 ′ of fig1 , may take over the association ownership ( equivalent to rotating microphone ) from the current speaker , designated host_ 3 22 ″. the handover of the association ownership is described in co - pending u . s . patent application entitled “ apparatus and methods for establishing client - host associations within a wireless network ”, u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 098 , 025 , filed apr . 4 , 2008 , and incorporated herein by reference . once the association is transferred , client 16 maintains the information about the new speaker , designated host_ 2 22 ′. this describes a second aspect for the currently claimed invention . referring again to fig2 , in a third aspect , when a person from the audience non - designated host_ 5 24 ′ needs to ask a question or make a comment , he / she uses his / her pcd . upon activation , the pcd makes a request for an association 2 32 with client 16 . client 16 in - turn seeks the permission 34 from the speaker currently having the privilege to use the pa system , in this case designated host_ 3 22 ″. speaker , designated host_ 3 22 ″, may grant permission to one of the many requesters in the audience , in this case non - designated host_ 5 24 ′, to access the pa system . this permission may be for a limited duration or open until it is ended either by the speaker , designated host_ 3 22 ″, or audience , non - designated host_ 5 24 ′. if the speaker , designated host_ 3 22 ″, grants permission 36 , client 16 generates a token 38 and sends it to the accepted host , in this case non - designated host_ 5 24 ′. client 16 also maintains the mapping for current token , the designated host and non - designated host , in this case designated host_ 3 22 ″ and non - designated host_ 5 24 ′. upon receipt of the token and granted association permission 36 , via establish requested association , and send token 38 , non - designated host_ 5 24 ′ starts sending the audio data and the assigned token 40 to client 16 . after verifying the token and sender &# 39 ; s identity from the mapping , client 16 feeds the received audio data 42 to the pa system 14 . hence , the selected person &# 39 ; s question / comment gets aired . when non - designated host_ 5 24 ′ is done using the pa system , it may terminate the association with client 16 . if the speaker , designated host_ 3 22 ″, wants to repossess the ownership of pa system 14 at any point , it does so by notifying client 16 . as a result , client 16 purges the token 38 and the host mapping while dissociating from the current non - designated host , non - designated host_ 5 24 ′, and hence ends the access permission 36 provided to non - designated host_ 5 24 ′. referring again to fig1 , the speaker , designated host_ 3 22 ″, may grant access or permission to another audience member , for example non - designated host_ 4 24 even if non - designated host_ 5 24 ′, is active . in such an event , client 16 generates a new token , overwrites the existing token , updates the host mapping with the non - designated host_ 4 24 identity , releases the association with non - designated host_ 5 24 ′, the previous non - designated host , and notifies access permission and allocated token to non - designated host_ 4 24 , as previously described in fig2 . non - designated host_ 4 24 uses the assigned token while sending the audio data to client 16 . upon successful verification as described above , client 16 feeds the data 42 to pa system 14 . if another speaker , for example designated host_ 2 22 ′ takes over the association ownership , client 16 confirms the permission from the new designated host , designated host_ 2 22 ′, in order to allow current non - designated host , non - designated host_ 5 24 ′, to continue using pa system 14 . if the new designated host , designated host_ 2 22 ′, grants the permission , client 16 updates the mapping table using the information from the new designated host , designated host_ 2 22 ′. however , if the new designated host , designated host_ 2 22 ′ denies the permission , client 16 flushes the token , and the designated and non - designated host mapping while dissociating from the current non - designated host , non - designated host_ 5 24 ′. hence , it stops airing audio data from any non - designated host until new permissions are granted by a new speaker , designated host_ 2 22 ′. in yet another aspect of the claimed invention , client 16 can directly grant access to pa system 14 without seeking permission from the current host . in another aspect , client 16 , when associated with a designated host , may notify the requester ( i . e . audience ) that it ( client 16 ) would callback when the response is received from the current designated host . in yet another aspect , client 16 may store the requests from the multiple users from the audience ( non - designated hosts ) along with their profile . it may then forward each of the received requests to the speaker ( i . e . designated host ) sequentially or using a predetermined priority criteria . client 16 may filter out one or more requests using a predetermined criteria and profile information of the requesting user from the audience . those of skill in the art would understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques . for example , data , instructions , commands , information , signals , bits , symbols , and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages , currents , electromagnetic waves , magnetic fields or particles , optical fields or particles , or any combination thereof . those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks , modules , circuits , and algorithm steps described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein , and which may be implemented as electronic hardware , computer software , or combinations of both . to clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software , various illustrative components , blocks , modules , circuits , and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality . whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system . skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application , but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presently claimed invention . the various illustrative logical blocks , modules , and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor , a digital signal processor ( dsp ), an application specific integrated circuit ( asic ), a field programmable gate array ( fpga ) or other programmable logic device , discrete gate or transistor logic , discrete hardware components , or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein . a general purpose processor may be a microprocessor , but in the alternative , the processor may be any conventional processor , controller , microcontroller , or state machine . a processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices , e . g ., a combination of a dsp and a microprocessor , a plurality of microprocessors , one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a dsp core , or any other such configuration . the steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware , in a software module executed by a processor , or in a combination of the two . a software module may reside in random access memory ( ram ), flash memory , read only memory ( rom ), electrically programmable rom ( eprom ), electrically erasable programmable rom ( eeprom ), registers , hard disk , a removable disk , a cd - rom , or any other form of storage medium known in the art . an exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor , such that the processor can read information from , and write information to , the storage medium . in the alternative , the storage medium may be integral to the processor . the processor and the storage medium may reside in an asic . the asic may reside in a user terminal . in the alternative , the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal . the previous description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the presently claimed invention . various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention . thus , the presently claimed invention is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein , but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein . | 7 |
referring to the drawings , wherein fig1 illustrates a device 11 for indicating the position of a load . the device 11 is adapted to be mounted to the back surface of a plate 13 within the payload bay of the space shuttle orbiter ( not shown ). for purposes of illustration the device 11 shown in fig1 is set back away from the plate 13 that defines the area which receives the load , but the holes 15 , 16 in the plate 13 and device 11 are shown aligned for the bolts 17 to be used in fixing the device 11 to the plate 13 . the indicating device 11 has an integral frontal member 19 as shown in both fig1 and fig2 that is rectangular in configuration and presents a forward flat surface 21 that is adapted to be flush with the back surface of the plate 13 for the load reception compartment when bolted together . extending perpendicularly from the back of the frontal member is a central housing 23 which has two vertically offsetting horizontal wing members 25 and 27 that form a mounting surface for switches 29 , 31 . the central housing 23 has a bore or hole 33 extending through its longitudinal length and also extending through the frontal plate 13 . the forward portion 35 of the bore 33 has a greater diameter than its other portion to form a stop edge 39 and to accommodate a coil spring 41 . a movable shaft 43 extends through the bore 33 and coil spring 41 and extends outwardly from both the frontal plate 19 and end of the central housing 23 . the central housing 23 has a small rectangular thicker portion 45 about the larger bore portion 35 to provide the needed strength of the structure at that location . the forward end of the movable shaft 43 has a circular cap 47 fastened thereto which forms the contact means for a load being placed in position . the shaft 43 upon contact with the load will be forced rearwardly until the cap 47 is flushed with the plate 13 forming the load reception compartment . the plate 13 has a circular opening 49 to permit the cap to pass through to its normal extended position . the cap 47 has a greater diameter than the shaft 43 and the circular side wall 51 forming a rear recess for confining the forward end of the coil spring 41 . the coil spring 41 acts between the step edge 39 of the bore 33 and the cap 47 to urge the shaft 43 to its most forward position . the rear portion of the movable shaft has a reduced diameter 53 that is threaded for a nut 55 to be screwed thereon . as shown in fig1 and fig3 the movable shaft 43 extends slightly from the central housing 39 when positioned within the bore 33 at its most forward location because the nut 55 thereon acts as a stop against the housing to prevent the coil spring 41 from pulling the shaft forward into the bore 33 . the nut 55 has a forward downwardly sloping conical cam surface 57 but its largest diameter portion is greater than the bore diameter 33 to form a stop . another conventional nut 59 is screwed onto the threaded shaft portion 53 in rear of the cam nut 55 to lock it in position . a conventional switch 31 is mounted on the mounting flat surface of one of the wing structures , which switch has a cantilevered arm 61 , spring loaded , to normally swing outwardly . the cantilevered arm 61 has a roller wheel 63 on its distal end which will contact the cam surface 57 of the nut 55 on the movable shaft such that as the cam surface 57 is shifted relative to the roller wheel 63 the cantilevered arm 61 swings further outward until it causes a switch to occur between the terminals 64 , 65 . the switch 31 shown has three terminals but only two 64 , 65 are usually used for purposes of the invention . the first two terminals 64 , 65 will be electrically connected when the cantilevered arm 61 swings outwardly a distance to place its roller wheel 63 at the bottom of the sloping cam surface 57 as the shaft 43 is moved backward . it should be noted that the cantilevered arm 61 of the switch 31 is off - set from the movable shaft 43 but parallel thereto when the the shaft 43 is in its forward extended position . the switch 31 is held to the mounting surface by bolts 67 which extend completely through the wing structure and are clamped there by nuts 69 . a second and similar switch 29 is mounted on the opposite wing structure 25 so as to provide a mechanical redundancy for electrically indicating the position of the shaft 43 . the second switch 29 is indicated by the broken or phantom lines which outline its shape in fig1 . for purposes of illustration , a signal indicating gage 73 is provided as shown in fig1 which may be located in the crew compartment of the space shuttle orbiter . the gage 73 provides a visual light signal from two indicators 75 , 76 regarding the shaft 43 position and thus , the load positioning effort . one light signal 75 could be provided , green color for example , to indicate the normal extended position of the shaft , and another signal 76 , red color for example , to indicate the shaft 43 in its retracted position which would be when the load is correctly in position . obviously , the switches 29 , 31 may be integrated to provide a single signal or provide a plurality of signals to the gage 73 . the additional outside terminal 66 of the switch 31 illustrated could be used for those purposes as it is normally electrically connected with the terminal 65 and disconnects when the cantilevered arm 61 swings outwardly . the normal extended position of the movable shaft 43 relative to the switch activation arm 61 may be changed by moving the cam nut 55 forward or backward along the threaded position 53 of the shaft 43 . when it is considered desirable to have the shaft 43 extend more forward relative to the frontal plate 19 , the cam nut 55 may be screwed back along the shaft 43 . the coil spring 41 acting on the shaft cap 47 urges the shaft 43 forward , but as previously discussed the cam nut 55 jams against the edge surface about the bore 33 . the coil spring 41 is selected to have a length which will provide a strong push on the cap 47 when the shaft 43 is in its most extended position . the shaft 43 with its end cap extends through a hole 49 in the cargo area plate 13 , and the shaft 43 and cam nut 55 should be adjusted such that the cap 47 extends beyond the cargo area plate 13 a half of an inch for engagement with the load being positioned . fig2 shows the indicating device 11 when viewed from a frontal perspective and fig3 shows the same device when viewed from a rear perspective . in fig3 the direction of load application force is shown by line 48 . fig4 shows a modification of the indicating device 11 which adds vertical upper and lower wing structures 77 , 79 for providing additional mounting surfaces for switches 81 that can also be activated by the cam nut 55 . in this manner other positive signals may be given relative to the position of the shaft to other signal devices or additional redundancy may be achieved . the vertical upper and lower wing structures 77 , 79 are parallel but horizontally offset similarly to the other two wing structures 25 , 27 to obtain the proper mounting location for the switches 81 along the shaft . it should be noted that the fixed conical rearwardly sloping surface 60 where the shaft 43 is reduced in diameter to form the threaded surface could also be used as another cam surface for activating the switches under desired circumstances . the end slot 62 which accommodates the distal end roller 63 could be extended in length and a switch could be moved and bolted to another location on the wing structure 27 so as to react initially with the movement of the cam surface 60 . thus , the second cam surface 60 could serve as a predetermined location for providing a signal for other purposes . while the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described , variations and modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and such changes may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims . | 6 |
referring now to the drawing , a schematic side view of the apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention is shown in fig1 . in fig1 a user 12 , shown in outline form , operates an exercise device 14 such as a bicycle which is mounted on a stationary exercise stand 16 . positioned in front of the bicycle stand 16 is a television receiver 18 connected to a game cd player 20 . the bicycle 12 is fitted with a cycle computer wheel pickup 22 which senses the passage of a wheel magnet 24 . the wheel pickup 22 is typically a reed switch which is connected to the cycle computer via leads 26 . leads 26 terminate at contacts ( not shown ) in a handlebar mount 28 fastened to the handlebar 30 of the bicycle 14 . for use with the present invention , the cycle computer ( not shown ) is simply removed from the handlebar mount 28 and replaced with an interface unit 32 which clips into the handlebar mount 28 . the interface unit 32 has contacts which mate with the contacts connected to the leads 26 from the wheel pickup 22 mounted on one of the rear fork arms of the bicycle 14 . optionally , the interface unit includes a heart rate receiver circuit therein that receives a radio frequency signal from a heart rate sensor / transmitter band 34 . the user 12 fastens the band 34 around his / her chest . a heart rate or pulse signal is sent normally from the band 34 to the user &# 39 ; s receiver which may be a cycle computer such as a vetta vhr - 25 cyclocomputer . the cyclocomputer is usually mounted on the bicycle handlebar . the transmitter band is close enough ( within about three feet ) to the receiver in the cyclocomputer to receive the weak signals transmitted . the heart rate receiver circuit in the interface unit 32 is located in the same place and is functionally the same as in the conventional cyclocomputer except that it generates a signal which is in turn fed to the cpu in the player 20 rather than a signal that is displayed on the handlebar mounted cyclocomputer . the game cd player 20 is also connected to a remote game joystick controller or keypad 36 which is removably fastened to the interface unit 32 . the interface unit 32 is electrically connected to the standard accessory input port on the keypad 36 by a cable 38 . the keypad is connected to the game cd player 20 by game cable 40 . the game cd player 20 normally accepts several player keypads for additional users to play interactive games together by connecting one keypad to another keypad . the interface unit 32 utilizes this feature to connect the interface unit 32 into the player central processing unit or cpu . the exercise device , in this example , a stationary bicycle exercise stand 16 , includes a resistance means such as a variable friction resistance roller or wheel 42 . this friction roller may be set by the user manually , or optionally may include a servomotor connected to the interface unit 32 via leads 46 . in this latter instance , the user may control the resistance setting via the keypad 36 and / or the resistance may be controlled automatically through the player 20 by the program in accordance with another aspect of the invention as will be subsequently described . in order to set up the apparatus 10 in accordance with this embodiment of the invention . the user places the bicycle 14 on the stationary stand 16 , hooks up the game player , such as a panasonic real 3do interactive multiplayer cd game console , to a tv or audio / video monitor 18 and connects the game player 20 to its remote keypad 36 . the user then removes the cyclocomputer from the handlebar mount 28 and replaces it with the interface unit 32 , and connects the keypad 36 to this interface unit 32 via connector cable 38 and optionally connects the resistance wheel 42 to the interface unit 32 . finally the user inserts a prerecorded video disc ( cd ) into the player , turns it on , starts the cd playing , and starts to ride , while watching the tv display . the prerecorded video cd contains a control program in accordance with the invention and a sequence of preferably real time video and audio frames recorded thereon such as a sequence from a single track trail ride in moab , utah , etc . originally made utilizing a helmet cam pov video camera . as the user pedals , he can visually see and hear the route along the single track . in addition , the control program in accordance with the invention modifies the video sequence rate in the player 20 cpu fed to the tv 18 commensurately with the speed that the user 12 is pedaling . this gives the user / viewer a realistic feeling that he is actually following the route of the displayed single track in real time . in addition , the video sequence freezes when the user stops the bicycle , as would the scenery viewed on an actual ride . the program may also change the resistance wheel 42 setting commensurate with the terrain being traveled in the video . for example , the resistance may be increased when the video sequence involves uphill travel and decreased when the sequence shows downhill travel . fig2 is a block diagram of the apparatus in accordance with the invention shown in fig1 . the apparatus 10 includes the interface unit 32 connected to the game controller or keypad 36 which is in turn connects to the cpu of the player 20 . a prerecorded data storage medium 48 , such as a compact laser disc ( cd ) in accordance with the invention , is inserted into the player 20 . this cd contains media data including a set of digitized video frames and audio data packets and an encoded program which modifies the player control program 50 . the cpu of the player 20 includes the control program 50 , a content buffer 52 which decodes and decompresses the data stream read from the cd 48 , a dashboard display overlay generator 54 , and a set of at least two display buffers 56 and 58 . the player 20 also optionally has inputs for signals from remote system cpus 60 . the game player 20 includes a control program or operating system 50 which controls all basic input and display functions . each cd typically played in the player 20 also includes a program which manipulates the control program 50 to produce the particular game scenery set and characters displayed and manipulated on the audio visual display 18 . however , in the present invention , instead of the game program on the cd , the cd contains an exercise program thread to manipulate and display the real time exercise inputs from the interface unit 32 such as speed , cadence , total distance traveled , lap distance , calories burned and time lapsed and time remaining in the particular exercise segment . these parameters are calculated and displayed on a &# 34 ; dashboard &# 34 ; overlay on the audio visual monitor 18 . they are generated in the overlay block 54 and fed to the display buffers 56 and 58 as will be subsequently further discussed . the overall control of the video sequences , and the start / stop of the exercise overlay program is manipulated via the keypad 36 mounted on the interface unit 32 on the handlebar 30 of the bicycle 14 . the play of the video and audio sequences stored on the cd in accordance with the present invention is controlled by the program shown in block diagram form in fig3 . this program is encoded on the cd and operates on the operating control program 50 in the cpu of the player 20 . the present invention preferably utilizes real time video and audio recorded sequences , such as can be recorded using a pov ( point of view ) videotape camera mounted on an athlete &# 39 ; s head or vehicle such as a bicycle . each video frame recorded is assigned and has recorded with it a unique frame time stamp value and a duration stamp value for accessing the next frame packet of data upon playback . typically , in real time recording , the duration stamp is a constant value , for example , about 8 milliseconds . these frame stamp and duration values are necessary components for the playback apparatus to properly sequence and time the reproduced display . the audio may be interlaced with the video or may be a separate track recording . the recorded sequence of video and audio are then digitized and recorded on a video cd along with the control program described below and shown in the figures herein . the basic effect of the control program of the present invention is to control the video frame reproduction rate in accordance with the exercise rate of the user on the exercise device 14 . therefore as the exercise rate increases , the frame rate of display increases , and the user sees the scenery flashing by faster . as the exercise rate decreases , the user sees the scenery pass by slower and slower , until the user stops and the scene displayed stops also . thus the user gets the sensation of actually traveling through the scenery shown in the video . the process flow begins , in fig3 in operation 100 when the user inserts the exercise video cd in the player 20 , begins to play the cd , and begins pedaling the bicycle . first , the program sets , in operation 102 , a cumulative time offset ( t os ) to the current clock time of the cpu . this time offset tracks the total difference in time that the program modifies the video sequence due to the exercise rate of the user . the program next queries , in operation 104 , whether a stop video stream flag is set . this flag will be discussed further below in reference to the program operations in fig4 . however , if the stop video flag is set , as when the user stops pedaling to rest for a period of time , control passes to a wait operation 106 . wait operation 106 is typically a process delay of on the order of 10 milliseconds , after which the query in operation 104 is performed again . if the stop video stream flag is not set , control passes to operation 108 . in operation 108 , the current frame time stamp value ( t f ) is retrieved and the current frame duration value ( t d ) is retrieved from the decompressed stream data in content buffer 52 . then the adjustment value ( t adj ) is obtained , in operation 110 , from the program sequence shown in fig4 . in operation 112 , the variable t next is set equal to t f + t d + t adj + t os . this is the clock time at which the next frame should be decompressed into the decompression buffer 52 . in operation 114 , the query is made whether current cpu clock time is equal to or greater than t next . in other words , whether it is time to show the next video frame . if the answer is no , control passes again to the wait operation 106 . if the answer is yes . control passes to operation 116 where the next video frame is decompressed to the decompression buffer in the control buffer block 52 of the player cpu . control then passes to operation 118 . in operation 118 , the contents of the decompression buffer are copied to either frame buffer a or frame buffer b , whichever is pointed to by a pointer which alternates between the two frame buffers . as soon as the decompression buffer is copied to the pointed to frame buffer in operation 118 , control is passed to operation 120 , where display objects such as the dashboard indicating the current heart rate , pulse icon and exercise status parameters , are overlaid into the buffer indicated by the pointer . once the frame buffer contents are overlaid , control shifts to operation 122 and the contents of the frame buffer pointed to is sent to the video display or television set . in operation 124 , the frame buffer pointer is switched to the other buffer . in operation 126 , the contents of t adj are added to the t os register so as to keep track of total adjustments to the sequence . control then passes to operation 128 where the program queries whether there are any more video frames in the sequence on the cd . if there are none , the program ends in operation 130 . if there are additional frames , control passes again to the wait operation 106 and the above steps are repeated . as can be seen by the above explanation , the video reproduction rate is modified by adding time or subtracting time from the prerecorded frame duration stamp value . in other words , the value of t adj changes and thus modifies the effect of t d . fig4 describes how t adj is modified . the sequence of operations in fig4 occur continuously so as to always have a value of t adj corresponding to the user &# 39 ; s exercise rate . the sequence begins in operation 132 where the wheel speed input signal from the wheel pickup is fed through the interface unit 32 into the cpu through the game controller keypad 36 . the current speed , corresponding to miles per hour or kilometers per hour , is obtained from the raw signal in operation 134 . this current speed is continually updated so long as there is a wheel speed thread from the interface unit 32 . in addition , validity checks are performed in this operation to ensure that the signal is , in fact , a correct wheel speed signal . control then shifts to operation 136 where the query is made whether current speed equals the last speed . if so , control returns to operation 132 for another input from wheel speed . if not , the query is made in operation 138 whether current speed is equal to zero . if not , control transfers to operation 140 where the query is made whether the stop video flag is set . if this flag is not set , then control passes to operation 142 where the video adjust factor , t adj is set to a table value corresponding to the current speed . an example of the table values is provided in table 1 below . these values are empirically determined to give the appearance to the user of smooth transitions between frames and may be different for different operating systems and different video player machine speeds . table 1 values are chosen for video operation on a panasonic 3do multiplayer system . table 1______________________________________ miles per hour t . sub . adjust______________________________________ 2 112 4 96 6 80 8 72 10 64 12 48 14 36 16 28 18 20 20 12 22 8 24 4 26 2 28 0 30 - 2 32 - 4______________________________________ control then shifts to operation 144 where last speed is set equal to new speed and control again transfer to operation 132 where another signal from the wheel sensor is awaited . if the current speed is equal to zero in operation 138 , control transfer to operation 146 where the stop video stream flag is set and current clock time is saved . the stop video stream flag is needed back in operation 104 to cover the situation where the user stops to rest after beginning a sequence . the current clock time when this flag is set must be saved because , after the start , in operation 100 , clock time is continuously running . therefore , if the user stops momentarily , requiring the video sequence to freeze , the duration of the stopped period must be added to the time offset in order to keep the sequence operating properly based on current clock time . when the user again starts pedaling , a signal will be produced in operation 132 . control then sequences through operations 134 and 136 with &# 34 ; no &# 34 ; answers . in operations 140 , the answer is &# 34 ; yes &# 34 ; to the query whether the stop video flag is set control then transfer to operation 148 resets the stop video flag and adds to t os the elapsed time between the current clock time at flag reset and the clock time saved when the stop video stream flag was previously set . this addition to t os accounts for the lapse while the user was idle . control then transfers again to operation 142 where the video adjust factor t adj is appropriately set as described above . the sequence illustrated in fig4 is continuous and proceeds whenever there is a signal from the wheel speed monitor input thread from the interface unit 32 . therefore this program sequence is constantly updating during the exercise activity . in contrast , the sequence illustrated in fig3 operates only so long as there are video frames to be displayed . this is typically on the order of 20 - 30 minutes on today &# 39 ; s game player systems . turning now to fig5 and 6 , flow diagrams for two versions of the audio portion of the prerecorded sequence are shown . there are basically two ways in which the audio data is encoded on the video compact disc . the audio data chunks may be in a separate file from the video file or the audio data chunks may be interleaved with the video frame data chunks in the same file . the fig6 flow diagram is for processing audio data chunks which are stored in a separate audio data file on the cd . fig5 provides a flow diagram for play of audio data chunks which are interleaved with the video frame data in the same file . either case may be used dependent upon variables such as buffer space and storage medium drive speed . the audio program code is encoded on the cd as is the video program code described above with reference to fig3 and 4 . referring now to fig5 when the video stream starts , the audio stream starts in operation 200 . a digital pointer is set to one of at least two audio buffers in operation 202 and control passes to operation 204 where an audio data chunk is retrieved from the decompression content buffer 52 . the audio data chunk is then loaded into the buffer pointed to by the audio pointer in operation 206 . as soon as the audio chunk is loaded into this buffer , contents of the buffer begin to play in operation 228 . meanwhile , operation control is passed to operation 210 where the query is made whether the audio stream is complete . if so , control passes to operation 212 and the audio play stream stops . if the audio stream is not complete , control passes to operation 214 where the pointer is shifted to the next buffer and control is passed back to operation 204 . this process repeats until there are no more audio data chunks signifying that the audio stream is complete . in the case just described , the audio continues to play , even when the video slows in response to the actions of the user on the exercise device 14 . referring now to the interleaved audio flow diagram in fig6 when the first video frame is decompressed and loaded into the display buffer as described above with reference to fig3 and 4 , the audio stream control begins in operation 220 . first , a pointer is set to one of at least two audio buffers in operation 222 . control then passes to operation 224 where an audio data chunk associated with the current video frame is retrieved from the decompression content buffer 52 . this data chunk is then loaded into the audio buffer pointed to in operation 226 and play of this audio chunk immediately begins in operation 228 . at the same time , control shifts to operation 230 where the stream is queried to determine if the audio stream is complete . if not , the query is made , in operation 232 , whether the next audio data chunk is available . in other words , the query in operation 232 is whether the next video frame has been called for display . this becomes important when the user is slowing down the video display by reducing his or her exercise rate , e . g . pedaling slower . if the next video frame has not been called , the next audio data chunk will not be available . in this case , operation 232 transfers control back to operation 228 and the current audio data chunk is replayed . where the audio is wind noise , sounds of the road , or natural background noise in the country , the user will not likely be able to distinguish that the audio is being &# 34 ; looped back &# 34 ;. once the next video frame is called , the query in operation 232 will transfer control to operation 234 where the pointer is set to another buffer . control then transfers back to operation 224 to get another audio data chunk and operations 226 , 228 , 230 , and 232 are repeated until the last of the audio stream is processed . in this case , control is transferred to operation 236 where the audio play is stopped . if the user of the exercise device is maintaining a good speed , the need for two or more audio buffers becomes apparent . the audio buffers provide a smooth sequencing of audio chunk play . in the present invention , the rate of audio play remains constant , independent of the video frame display rate so that the audio pitch and tempo remains constant and the user perceives a pleasing audio signal , as he would on location . also , as the user slows down , the on - location sounds would not change appreciably . however , optionally , the audio volume may be made to increase or decrease as the user increases or decreases speed respectively . therefore looping these audio chunks of wind and road noise back during slow exercise periods as described in fig6 maintains the perceptive effect of the audio being independent of the video rate of display , yet tying the audio content to the video frames being displayed . for example , in the case of a cross country trail bicycling video , the video scenes may show a very bumpy section followed by a smooth trail section . if the audio includes road noise rather than music etc ., it would not be realistic to have a constant level of road noise . the audio stream during the bumpy section would naturally have an increased level of road noise . therefore the method of audio control shown in fig6 is preferred , since the audio chunks are keyed to the video frames . keeping this road noise level up as the bumpy video frames are shown maintains the realistic perception of the journey . the loop back feature between operations 228 , 230 and 232 is provided to maintain this consistency while adjusting the length of the audio stream . the present invention is described above with reference to one particular embodiment thereof . however , the apparatus and method of the invention may be adapted to any video cd playing system . the particular embodiment above is specifically designed for use in a panasonic real 3do interactive multiplayer . this game player can play audio cds , video cds , and game cds which use the 3do operating system . other operating systems and platforms may also be used , including multimedia computers which accept video cds . in addition , the storage medium may be other than a video cd . the storage medium may be a computer hard disk or the video / audio file may be transmitted over cable , via modem , or other transmission means to the cpu of the playing device . thus the playing device may be a multimedia pc , a dedicated video game player , or a multiplayer such as the 3do system or a set top box coupled via modem or cable to a television . the primary difference between these various playing systems is that program coding would change depending on the operating system used . however , the program operations and steps described above remain the same and may be implemented on any of these platforms . other variations and modifications to the apparatus may also be made without departing from the scope of the invention . for example , the exercise device may be a stationary ski machine , stair stepper , rowing machine or treadmill . the interface unit may be permanently built in to the control system for the exercise machine or may be separately installed . the media content storage may be a video cd , a file transmitted via broadcast or modem , or other digital data storage device such as computer memory or computer hard drive . the player cpu may be a commercial game player , a dedicated cpu made specifically for the purpose of the exercise machine , or it may be included with an interface unit integral to a set top box connected to a tv . another variation , shown in fig1 and 2 , is the output connection of a control signal to the exercise device 14 . the prerecorded video may include coded data for setting the exercise device to predetermined resistance values . in this case , the program would include a control thread which accesses the control data associated with the video frame which sets the resistance . this data would then be translated into setting values which would be transmitted to the servomotor or stepper motor connected to the resistance control such as resistance wheel 42 on the exercise stand 16 shown in fig1 . the interface unit 32 includes a battery , a pic programmable processor , a heart rate receiver tuned to the transmission frequency of the heart rate transmitter 34 , a series of shift registers , a 10 megahertz clock , wheel speed input terminals which mate with the contacts on the cyclocomputer handlebar mount 28 , and a nine pin output connector which connects the interface unit 32 to the 3do game controller keypad 36 . the pic processor is an 8 bit device , which processes the incoming tics , or beats from the wheel speed sensor and the ticks from the output of the heart rate receiver . the 3do multiplayer is a 32 device . the shift registers in the interface unit convert the data from the pic processor to 32 bit words for compatibility of communication with the 3do player . the interface unit 32 basically collects data from the heart rate and wheel speed inputs and transmits the heart rate and wheel speed data to the 3d player when queried by the main program in the 3do player . provision may also be included in the interface unit 32 for providing a signal to a stepper motor or servomotor on the exercise device to vary the resistance provided by the resistance roller 42 . a logic flow diagram of the embedded program in the pic processor is shown in fig7 . when the user turns on the 3do player and inserts and plays a video cd , the interface unit processor starts in operation 400 . a run time crystal clock rtcc is used to run the processor and to measure time durations between input pulses in the pic processor . this rtcc runs at 10 mhz and counts between zero and 255 . the output rolls over at 255 . this equates to a rollover time of about a maximum of 2 milliseconds . operation 402 initializes several flags and registers to zero . specifically , a load pulse flag , a heart beat flag , a heart tic flag , a wheel rotation flag and a wheel tic flag are set to zero . also , a heart count register , a heart store register , a wheel count register , and a wheel store register are set to zero . the heart count registers and wheel count registers are used to accumulate time tics between input pulses from the heart rate receiver and the wheel rotation reed switch as will become more apparent below . control then transfers to operation 404 where the run time crystal clock is set to 99 . this clock then counts up to 255 and then rolls over to zero and continues counting to 255 , rolling over , and repeating . this works out to about 2 milliseconds between rollovers . control then shifts to operation 406 where the query is made whether the rtcc has rolled over . the actual query is whether the rtcc is less than 90 . if yes , the rtcc is reset to 99 in operation 408 and the heart tic and wheel tic flags are set in operation 410 . control then proceeds to operation 412 . if the rtcc has not yet rolled over , control passes directly to operation 412 without passing through operations 408 and 410 . operation 412 queries whether a load pulse flag has been set by the 3do control program . this flag will be set if the 3do program is ready to receive input from the interface unit 32 . in this case , control transfers to operation 414 where the interface unit 32 output registers are loaded with the contents of the heart store and wheel store registers . these output registers are then immediately read by the 3do operating system through the connection through the game controller or keypad 36 . whether or not the load pulse flag is set by the 3do player , control then passes to operation 416 where the query is made whether a heartbeat flag has been set , i . e . a beat has been received by the heart rate receiver . if a beat has been received , control passes to operation 418 where the heart count register contents are transferred to the heart store register . then , in operation 420 , the heart count register is reset to zero and the heart beat flag is reset in order to sense another heartbeat . control then proceeds from operation 420 to operation 422 . if no heartbeat has been received in the heart rate receiver , and thus the heart beat flag is not set , operation 416 transfers directly to operation 422 . in operation 422 the query is made whether the wheel rotate flag has been set by passage of the wheel magnet 24 past the reed switch 22 . if not , control passes to operation 424 . if the wheel rotate flag is set , control passes to operation 426 where the contents of the wheel count register are moved to the wheel store register . control then transfers to operation 428 , where the wheel count register is set to zero and the wheel rotate flag is reset in order to sense receipt of another wheel rotation . operation 424 queries whether the heart tic flag is set . if so , control transfers to operation 432 where the heart count register is incremented and the heart tic flag is reset . control then transfers to operation 430 . if the heart tic flag is not set , operation 424 transfers control directly to operation 430 . operation 430 queries whether the wheel tic flag is set . if so , control transfers to operation 434 where the wheel count register is incremented and the wheel tic flag is reset . control then passes back to operation 406 . if the wheel tic flag is not set , operation 430 passes directly back to operation 406 . the sequence of operations described in fig7 is continuous . the net effect of the sequence is to constantly update the heart count , wheel count , heart store , and wheel store registers as wheel rotations and heart beats are received . this information is passed into the output registers for transmission to the 3do control system whenever the 3do control program requests input which is about 60 times per second . it is to be understood that the above description is exemplary of one embodiment only . other programmed method variations and equivalents for providing the above exercise device and user input to the playing device will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art . in addition , other playing devices may be utilized in place of the 3do system . for example , an mpeg - 2 compatible player coupled to a personal computer may be used , or another cd player using a different operating system such as a sony video game cd player . in these cases , the hardware in the interface unit may have to be modified to achieve bit compatibility with the particular player input devices . however , the basic logic flow of the example described above could still apply . while the present invention has been described above with reference to a particular embodiment thereof , it is to be understood that many variations , alterations changes and additions may be made to the apparatus , system and method above described . it is therefore contemplated that all such modifications , alternatives and variations are within the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims . all patents , provisional patent applications , and printed publications referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . | 8 |
in the present invention , the theory of total internal refection ( tirf ) is utilized . that is , the refractive index of a core of a fiber must be higher than that of a cladding of the fiber so that the signal light is able to be guided to propagate in the core . however , there are four situations with regard to the refractive indices of a core and a cladding of a fiber varying with the wavelength of the light , which are shown in fig1 to fig4 , relating to the cases of a fiber - optic band - pass , a band - rejection , a short - pass and a long - pass filters respectively . instead of doping special constituents into the core and the cladding to fabricate dispersive fibers , the present invention takes steps therefor as follows . please refer to fig5 . first , a normal fiber is arranged and fixed in a silicon v - groove 50 on a silicon substrate . the cladding 52 on the silicon substrate is then polished to show an evanescent - field 53 . different kinds of dispersive polymers 54 is positioned on the evanescent - field 53 and then fixed by spacers 55 . a te cooler 56 is further set upon the polymers 54 . with different dispersive characteristics of different polymers 54 , the refractive index of the polymers 54 is changeable while applying a heat source or an electric field thereon , so as to filter an input light 57 propagating in the core 51 by a dispersive evanescent wave tunneling while the input light 57 passes through the evanescent - field 53 . as a result , the transmission of the long wavelength part of the light 57 is fundamental - mode cutoff . the output light 58 has a tunable filtered wavelength and hence a wide - band fiber - optic tunable filter is achieved , as shown in fig6 . in fig7 , the refractive index dispersion curve of a corning smf - 28 fiber with cargille index - matching liquids and the cauchy &# 39 ; s equation of nye optical polymer ock - 433 are compared with each other . based on the comparison , it is apparent that a fiber - optic short - pass filter is completed . fig8 and fig9 respectively show the wavelength responses of a side - polishing gf4a fiber and an smf - 28 fiber which are both calibrated by cargille index - matching liquids . gf4a has a higher concentration of boron so the slope of the dispersive curve thereof is steeper . that is to say , the falling curves corresponding to a specific range ( i . e . 0 . 002 ) of the refractive index of gf4a are narrower than those of smf - 28 . in fig9 , the interval between the respective falling curves of the refractive indices 1 . 458 and 1 . 460 is about 200 nm . considering the resolution of the optical spectrum analyzer , the refractive index of an additional object is able to precisely calibrated to the extent of 10 − 5 this accuracy is suitable for the refractometer for liquids . as everyone knows , the refractive index of liquids is difficult to measure precisely . fig1 is a diagram showing the wavelength response of a side - polished smf - 28 fiber after thermo - adjustment . in detailed , the wide - band fiber - optic tunable short - pass filter is obtained by applying ock - 433 on the side - polished smf - 28 fiber and heating them by the te - cooler to change the refractive index of ock - 433 . as shown in fig1 , the tuning range is nearly 400 nm ( 1250 ˜ 1650 nm ). it is also able to be utilized as a sensitive temperature sensor with an accuracy of 0 . 02 ° c . in addition to the mentioned fiber - optic short - pass filter , the present invention also provides a fiber - optic long - pass filter , which is able to be fabricated by polymers with high dispersive characteristics . similarly , a band - pass filter and a band - rejection filter are achievable by the present invention . the wide - band fiber - optic tunable filter of the present invention is fabricated by positioning dispersive polymers on an evanescent - field surface of a fiber . the volume of the packed filter is about equal to the size of a steel cylinder , wherein the length thereof is 25 mm , and the diameter thereof is 2 mm . the wavelength tuning range is over 400 nm , which is wide enough for covering all bandwidth for the fiber - optic communication windows ( 1250 ˜ 1650 nm ). such a fiber - optic filter is expensive and suitable for the fiber - to - the - home ( ftth ) system networks , especially to the tri - band ( 1310 / 1490 / 1550 nm ) wdm - pon ftth system which is popular in japan . in this system , the wavelength 1310 is responsible for the transmission of speech data and the wavelengths 1490 and 1550 are responsible for the transmission of pure data and image data . when the data is uploaded to a network operation room or downloaded to a client &# 39 ; s port , a tunable fiber - optic filter is needed before the light receiver for filtering the demanded specialized frequency band . to satisfy the use of tri - band wdm - pon system , the tunable range of the filter must be at least covering the wavelength range of 1310 ˜ 1550 nm . moreover , the supervising wavelength 1625 nm in the network for network security and management must also be filtered before the optical receiver . in fact , the tuning range of the wide - band tunable filter must cover the wavelength range of 1310 ˜ 1625 nm . the first choice for this wide range is traditional fabry - perot filter . however , the fabry - perot filter is extremely expensive for the ftth network , while the present invention provides a wide - band fiber - optic tunable filter which is cheap and can easily satisfy the needs of the ftth network . it is also suitable for the tri - band wdm - pon ftth project in japan . the advantages of the present invention are ( 1 ) low cost ; ( 2 ) low optical loss ; ( 3 ) wide tunable range ; and ( 4 ) good band - rejection effect . while the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments , it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures . | 6 |
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